The newbie system turned out to be a second-generation system

Jiang Nuan settled the Alchemists on a remote estate outside Capital City. After all, this stuff was bound to cause a commotion, and having too many people nearby would be inconvenient.

Although the Alchemists were reluctant to stay in this place where not even birds would bother to shit, they endured it for the sake of their lives.

Once the Alchemists were settled, figuring out how to put them to work stumped Jiang Nuan.

I don't know anything about Gunpowder. I was only so-so at chemistry, which was why I studied humanities. Memorizing poems or writing essays would be fine, but working out Gunpowder ratios is asking too much of me. All I know is one part sulfur, two parts saltpeter, and three parts charcoal.

Jiang Nuan instinctively turned to Guagua for help.

Guagua, do you know much about Gunpowder?

Host, I don't know either. I'm a Gossip System. Unless I meet someone who has made Gunpowder before, or someone who can make it in the future, I can't learn the formula through gossip.

Jiang Nuan felt a little disappointed after hearing Guagua's answer. Where was she supposed to find someone like that? It would be no different from fishing a needle out of the ocean. Soon, however, hope flared within her.

Whatever else might be said, there was a fairly good chance of finding such talent among the Alchemists. She could at least try!

Guagua, did you dig up the gossip on those Alchemists just now? Are any of them bad people? And has anyone among them ever made Gunpowder?

Naturally, Guagua had already dug up their gossip, but Jiang Nuan hadn't asked at the time. Assuming she wasn't interested, Guagua hadn't mentioned it.

As far as their character goes, they mostly have minor flaws, nothing serious. None of them has made Gunpowder, but they've blown up their furnaces a few times while refining pills. That should count as having something to do with Gunpowder, right?

Guagua wasn't quite sure.

It counts. Let's treat a dead horse as though it were still alive for now. Guagua, help me get the formulas they were using when their furnaces exploded.

Once Guagua finished, Jiang Nuan took one look and rejected them.

The ingredients listed were an utter jumble, and some were quite rare. Even if experiments proved the formulas usable, they couldn't be mass-produced. It would only waste time.

Ugh, if only I had the transmigration treasure chest Qianqian gave me!

Qianqian had been Jiang Nuan's close friend in the modern world. Back then, Jiang Nuan had been hopelessly addicted to novels, especially transmigration novels, so Qianqian had prepared a huge, one-cubic-meter box filled with all sorts of odds and ends.

There had been things like an "Essential Handbook for Transmigrators," all kinds of crop seeds, and books on industry, agriculture, and medicine! There had even been a cookbook!

Qianqian had only been joking because of her obsession with transmigration novels. Who could have known Jiang Nuan would actually transmigrate? Unfortunately, the box hadn't come along.

Host, do you want that box? I might have a way!

Seeing how dejected her host looked, Guagua seemed to remember something and quickly spoke up.

What? Guagua, you actually have a way? Aren't you only able to dig up gossip?

Jiang Nuan remembered that being exactly what Guagua had told her, hadn't it?

Hehe, that's true. Hmm, how should I put it? In human terms, Host, although I'm a newbie system, I'm also something of a second-generation system. I have lots of system brothers and sisters, like the Tycoon System... the Check-in System... the Ten-Thousandfold Rebate System, and so on.

When Guagua spoke of those brothers and sisters, excitement and admiration filled Guagua's voice.

Wouldn't that be too much trouble for them?

Jiang Nuan was a little worried.

It's fine, Host. Wait while I ask them.

Soon, Guagua sent a message in their little group chat.

Guagua: Brothers and sisters, are you there? My host wants to get something from another world. Do you have any way to do that?

Check-in System: Guagua, what does your host want from another world? Did they ask you to come to us? Don't get tricked!

Tycoon System: Exactly. Humans these days are very cunning. They specifically target newbie systems like you.

Rebate System: I also think you've been tricked, Guagua. Tell us what your host wants first. Tycoon, don't you have some time? Go take a look.

Guagua: My host is a good person. She wouldn't trick me. I've always listened to you all and never mentioned you to her. My host finally needs help with something, and I want to help her.

None of Guagua's brothers and sisters believed that message. They weren't as naive and dim as a freshly manufactured system like Guagua. After discussing it, they decided to send the Tycoon System to take a look.

When the Tycoon System learned that Jiang Nuan only wanted a gift she had received back in the modern world, a question mark popped up in her head.

She could get something from another world, and all she wanted was a pile of junk? Even asking for a life-extending pill or something to improve her combat strength would have made sense. Yet she only wanted a pile of junk.

That made the Tycoon System swallow every word of the speech she had prepared.

With a cold expression, she appeared before Jiang Nuan and tossed the box Jiang Nuan had mentioned right in front of her.

"Here. The box you wanted."

Then she hovered in midair, waiting for Guagua to introduce her to the host. She would watch Guagua's host fall all over herself fawning on her, letting Guagua see the host's true colors.

Host, Host, this is my big sister Tycoon.

Guagua pointed to a Little Spirit hovering in midair, about twenty centimeters tall, with blue hair and green eyes.

The Tycoon System! Oh my heavens, I'm actually looking at a real, living Tycoon System!

Jiang Nuan was a little excited. Something that only existed in novels had actually appeared before her.

But her excitement lasted only a moment.

Then her attention shifted to the box in front of her.

The books are all here. Great! Oh, there are seeds too. So many seeds! Corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice. There aren't many of each, but if we grow them carefully and save the seeds, nobody in the whole world will have to worry about going hungry!

Seeing Jiang Nuan take more interest in this pile of junk than in her, the Tycoon System found it rather novel. Moreover, she could actually hear Jiang Nuan's thoughts, and they matched her words so perfectly. Perhaps Guagua had chosen a decent host this time?

Still uncertain, the Tycoon System decided to administer a stronger dose!

"Since I've delivered everything, I'll be leaving."

She refused to believe anyone could remain composed after hearing she was about to leave.

With a heartless little wave, Guagua said:

"Goodbye, big sister Tycoon."

Jiang Nuan tilted her head and thought for a moment, then copied Guagua. "Goodbye, big sister Tycoon."

Watching the perfectly synchronized human and system, the Tycoon System pressed a hand to her forehead, then hid in an alternate-dimensional space, planning to observe them a little longer.

Hey, Guagua, that big sister Tycoon of yours...

Hearing this thought from Jiang Nuan, the Tycoon System sneered.

Hmph, you're about to show your true colors, aren't you!