[Waterproof Boots] (Level 1) [Tough Fishing Line] (Level 1) [Plant Nutrient Solution] (Level 1)
"So this is a level 1 treasure chest..."
Ye Qiyan had never opened a level 1 treasure chest before. Getting one from Zhao Lin made the experience complete, in a way.
"Hmm? This nutrient solution..."
The first two items were not particularly useful, but the third made his eyes light up.
[Plant Nutrient Solution] [Can accelerate plant growth.]
Wasn't this exactly what he needed right now?
Even after one Ascension, the Whiteforest Fruit tree needed a full nine days to bear fruit, and only two days had passed since he planted it.
What if he used this nutrient solution on it?
"Let's try Ascension first."
[Stamina 95 → 85] [Plant Nutrient Solution → Highly Efficient Plant Nutrient Solution] [Can increase the speed of plant growth]
The effect had not changed much. It had merely gained the prefix "highly efficient."
Yet its potential had not been exhausted, which meant he could perform Ascension again.
[Stamina 85 → 65] [Highly Efficient Plant Nutrient Solution → Blessed Plant Elixir] [Accelerates plant growth]
Its potential was exhausted. This time, not only had the modifier changed, but the nutrient solution's entire name had changed as well. Its effect, however, remained the same.
Ye Qiyan eagerly returned to the end of the climate-controlled carriage and poured the bottle of elixir into the wooden box containing the White Forest Tree.
A few seconds later.
White light enveloped the wooden box.
The little sapling began growing upward without stopping. In the blink of an eye, it had reached the carriage ceiling, nearly breaking through it.
Then Whiteforest Fruits began growing on its branches at a speed visible to the naked eye.
One, two... fruits appeared on the treetop without end.
Only when the milky-white glow faded did the fruits finally stop growing.
He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself.
"I'm not dreaming, am I? It actually grew this much?"
He picked a fruit, and its familiar fragrance brought him back to his senses. Just as he was about to take a bite, he suddenly remembered the Whiteforest Fruit's side effects.
[Blessed Whiteforest Fruit Tree] (Level 4) [Can produce three Blessed Whiteforest Fruits per day] [Blessed Whiteforest Fruit] (Level 4) [Requires no processing. Consuming it accelerates stamina and mental energy recovery and increases resistance to hallucinations.]
The side effects were gone.
It could be eaten safely even without soaking it in clean water.
Ye Qiyan took a bite. A rich, sweet fragrance filled his nose, and the indescribable flavor made him want to eat a few more.
"Phew... does this count as good deeds being rewarded?"
Ye Qiyan sat to one side, thinking of Zhao Lin's talent.
"Or did some of her good luck rub off on me? Uh... but there's bad luck too. I'd better talk to her less at the next stop."
He picked the fruits, fifty-five in total, and put them into his special Storage Unit, replacing the ordinary Whiteforest Fruits he carried with him.
The level 4 Blessed Whiteforest Fruits could restore stamina and mental energy. They could save his life at a critical moment.
Time passed. In this tropical weather, while others struggled through the heat,
Ye Qiyan stayed in his climate-controlled carriage at 22 degrees, eating barbecue and drinking beer in perfect comfort. The only pity was that the beer was not cold.
"I'll get a fridge when I have the chance."
Thirty minutes before arrival at the Fifth Station.
The Fork in Destiny's prompt for choosing the next stop appeared before Ye Qiyan right on time.
[Fork in Destiny triggered. Please choose one of the following two platforms as your stop] [Platform 1: Deep Bat Cave (Level 4 Slaughter Platform)] [Platform 2: Miling Town (Level 4 Quest Platform)]
"Two level 4s?"
Ye Qiyan seriously wondered whether Zhao Lin's bad luck had rubbed off on him.
Although he knew there was a chance of the level increasing by one when the train reached its next stop, this was the first time every platform offered by the Crossroads of Fate was level 4.
"Slaughter? That's not the same name as the Hunting Station from before. Is there a difference?"
After thinking for a moment, Ye Qiyan decided it would be better to play it safe.
On a level 4 platform, his equipment would not give him much of an overwhelming advantage.
Besides, the word "slaughter" gave him a vague sense of foreboding.
"Choose platform two."
He had already experienced two quest platforms, so he had relatively more experience with them. Even if there was danger on the platform, he could simply abandon the quest.
[Platform selection complete] [Please remain seated and hold on. The Fifth Station ahead is...] [Miling Town]
The countdown inched toward its end.
The train slowly began picking up speed.
The familiar void appeared directly ahead of the train.
The moment the countdown hit zero, darkness replaced the sun-drenched world.
[Current Platform: Miling Town] [Remaining Stop Time: 4:59:59] [Good luck] [This Stop: Danger!]
The train stopped. Through the window, Ye Qiyan saw the surroundings outside.
"This is... a station?"
He was not stating the obvious for no reason. From every angle, the place where the train had stopped looked like an utterly ordinary railway station platform with two tracks.
It was nighttime, and tiny snowflakes were still drifting from the sky.
As usual, he woke WALL-E first.
He inserted one Train Coin.
[WALL-E, activate]
The little robot wobbled off the train. Just as Ye Qiyan was preparing to get off and explore as well, a series of footsteps disrupted his plans.
A person? Or a monster?
"Sir! Mr. Prosecutor! You're finally here!"
A little girl's young voice traveled across the empty platform to Ye Qiyan's ears.
It was a human.
Ye Qiyan did not put away his pistol.
The Gunfire Judgment module allowed him to plan a shot guaranteed to hit the other party based on sound alone, without needing to see the target.
At last, the owner of the voice arrived at the train door.
"Huh? Where's Mr. Prosecutor?"
Dressed in a white padded coat, a knitted hat, and a scarf, a little girl of about eleven or twelve stood on tiptoe, trying hard to peer inside the train.
"Ah, there's Mr. Prosecutor."
She spotted Ye Qiyan and waved vigorously.
"Mr. Prosecutor, please hurry and get off! Everyone's been waiting for you for such a long, long time!"
Prosecutor? Everyone?
After a brief hesitation, Ye Qiyan opened the door.
If there really was something wrong with this little girl, either the Security Device or the Pure Earthbound Stone would react.
"Little girl, what's your name?"
The little girl blinked her big azure eyes and answered happily in an innocent voice:
"Mr. Prosecutor, my name's Tina. The sister said a chief prosecutor would come on a train to save us. Everyone's been waiting for such a long, long time. Hehe, she wasn't lying. Mr. Prosecutor really came."
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