Chapter 19: Go Court Disaster, Seize the Moment

“Already sprouted shoots?”

Dai Li, the long-haired woman, looked at Baldy and teased, “Baldy, are you seeing things? We only sowed the seeds half a day ago. It’s hard enough for them to sprout, let alone grow shoots so quickly.”

The others nodded in agreement, thinking Baldy must be talking nonsense.

Baldy grew anxious.

He shouted, “It’s true! The shoots really have grown!”

“Let’s go take a look!” Qin Xiaofan took the lead, his heart pounding in his chest.

He was inclined to believe Baldy’s words. After all, the wheat seeds had been purchased from the system, whose power and mystery had always left a deep impression on Qin Xiaofan. Seeds bought from the system could hardly be ordinary.

Night had fallen.

A group of people, restless with curiosity, followed Qin Xiaofan through the darkness to the wheat field.

At a glance—

Everyone was utterly stunned.

What had been a bare patch of earth was now covered in lush, green wheat shoots, each half a foot tall, swaying gently in the night breeze, their tender green vivid even in the darkness.

The sight was overwhelming.

“I told you! I told you!” Baldy shouted excitedly, waving his arms and legs. “Look! The shoots really have grown! It’s real!”

Everyone stood frozen.

“How… how is this possible?!”

Not only the wheat, but the apple saplings had grown half a foot taller in just half a day.

All eyes turned to Qin Xiaofan, hoping for a reasonable explanation, for it was he who had provided the seeds.

Qin Xiaofan began to laugh.

He laughed wildly in the night, clutching his belly and doubling over, tears glimmering in his eyes.

The others were dumbfounded.

Then Qin Xiaofan exclaimed with excitement:

“This… this is… this is the blessing of the gods! A gift from the heavens! I can feel it, truly feel the kindness bestowed upon us by the divine…”

Does boasting require preparation?

Absolutely not.

He went on spinning wild tales, attributing everything to the favor of the heavens, to divine providence, transmitting one crucial message to the crowd—

That’s right!

I, Qin Xiaofan, am the legendary chosen one!

The others were swept along by Qin Xiaofan’s words, even Xiaoyan’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Whether they believed or not, Qin Xiaofan crouched down, caressing the tender green shoots.

Under the night sky, he turned to them with a mysterious smile.

“In any case, this is something worth celebrating for all of us, isn’t it?”

Qin Xiaofan calculated silently.

At this rate of wheat growth, it would be fully mature in no more than ten days.

Ten days…

It was nothing short of a miracle.

And the apple trees, under the catalyst of supernatural power, would blossom and bear fruit in about three days!

At last…

There would be no more worrying about food.

Late that night, everyone returned to the cave.

The next day, Qin Xiaofan led the group, hoes and rakes in hand, back to the wheat field.

He exchanged 1,000 grams of wheat seeds from the points store, and spent another 500 points on five apple saplings, leaving him with only 240 points.

But Qin Xiaofan didn’t mind.

Having food was the most important thing.

Since the wheat matured so quickly, there was no reason not to plant more.

After distributing the seeds and saplings, everyone threw themselves into work with enthusiasm, eager for the day they could eat fragrant rice again. In just two hours, the sowing was done.

There was still time.

Qin Xiaofan organized a team to chop wood and build log cabins.

Though the cave was good for now, its space was limited. For the long term, building cabins was essential.

The construction of log cabins required a certain degree of technical skill. None of them had any experience, so they could only feel their way through the process, step by step. Whether it was making timber or designing the structure, it consumed a great deal of energy and time…

Qin Xiaofan left them to it.

At last, on the third day, a thirty-square-meter cabin was completed!

Two stories, simple and crude, but as they gazed upon the finished house, everyone was filled with pride.

However…

Before they could celebrate, a strong wind began to blow.

With a tremendous crash, the newly built cabin collapsed in the gale.

Everyone was left speechless.

Qin Xiaofan ran out of the cave to check the situation. He circled the fallen cabin, fuming, “Where’s the foundation? Why didn’t you lay a foundation? Why…”

Everyone scratched their heads in confusion.

So—building a house requires a foundation?

Qin Xiaofan was at a loss for words.

These people, born at the end of the twenty-fourth century, didn’t even know this basic fact. Was this a result of some great innovation in building technology, or just a decline in intelligence?

Nothing ever seemed to go smoothly.

Fortunately, the apple trees had finally borne fruit.

This good news lifted everyone’s spirits.

The earliest apple sapling, under the influence of supernatural power, was now laden with large, red apples that made their mouths water at the sight.

Qin Xiaofan picked one, took a bite, and was nearly moved to tears.

Sweet!

Crisp!

Better than any apple he’d ever tasted!

...

At night.

Qin Xiaofan lay atop a rock, gazing at the apples piled in the cave, pondering his next steps.

With food secured,

It was time to begin reviving humanity.

Qin Xiaofan worked out a rough plan in his mind. Sleepiness crept over him, and he closed his eyes, drifting into a strange dream.

The dream was a swirl of color.

The same young woman appeared, two slender antennae ten centimeters long sprouting from her head. Her red lips bit gently, an odd and alluring beauty about her.

She walked toward him, step by step, her clothes falling away.

His thoughts grew sluggish.

Desire surged, wild and uncontrollable.

“Tell me…”

“Tell me…”

The girl in his arms repeated these words over and over, her voice haunting, enchanting, making him forget how to think, his expression becoming vacant, as if he had become a puppet…

Just then, Qin Xiaofan awoke abruptly.

He sat up, drenched in sweat.

Why…

Why again…

Why such strange dreams!

Was it just that he’d been single for too long?

He wiped the sweat from his brow and slipped quietly out of the cave, heading for the lakeshore, where he dove straight in.

Whoosh—

He was instantly clear-headed.

It was still before dawn.

Qin Xiaofan lingered by the lake for a while, then got up to produce the Water of Civilization.

Same recipe, same taste as before.

Of course, the process was carried out with the utmost caution.

Morning came.

But the light was still dim, thick clouds looming on the horizon, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.

Qin Xiaofan carried a large bucket of Civilization Water back to the cave.

By now, everyone was awake.

This time, the Water of Civilization was divided into fourteen portions. As before, Qin Xiaofan mapped out routes for everyone in advance, ensuring they could find the statues.

“Go! Bring those people back to me!”

With a grand wave of his hand, the group departed with high spirits, leaving only Qin Xiaofan and Xiaoyan at the base.

Rumble!

Just then, thunder rumbled across the sky.

Qin Xiaofan stepped out of the cave and looked up. The sky was thick with clouds, and within them, countless arcs of lightning flashed and boiled.

Qin Xiaofan suddenly felt something strange.

Every cell in his body seemed to be cheering. The power of lightning within him surged uncontrollably, as if telling him—

Go, go get struck by lightning, seize this rare opportunity!

Ability: Lightning

Upgrade method: Absorb the power of natural lightning.

Qin Xiaofan: “…”