Chapter 52
"Let's keep going."
After packing up their things, Old Li led them up the mountain again.
There are a total of five checkpoints on this road. The closer to the market town, the more lively it is and the better the public security is.
They did not encounter any more conflicts, but unfortunately, they did not meet any acquaintances of Old Li on the road.
At around five o'clock in the afternoon, they finally arrived at the Jufengshan town smoothly.
The town is located on the highest peak of the Jufeng Mountains. When they came up the steep and narrow mountain road, they saw a metal gate towering into the clouds.
This mountain gate is obviously much more exquisite and majestic than the sentry post. After all, it is the last line of defense of Jufeng Town, so it is reasonable to have stricter defense.
There were guards inside and outside the mountain gate.
Compared to those encountered at the first outpost, their equipment and mental state were obviously much better. It was obvious that they were well-trained and had their own aura.
Tang Yu'an also saw several people with obvious alienated features, and it was obvious at a glance that they were people with special abilities.
There were many people coming up the mountain road. No matter how arrogant and noisy they were on the road, they became obedient when they arrived at the gate of the town.
Tang Yu'an could feel several strong gazes sweeping over him, which made him swallow his saliva and subconsciously hold Zhou Qi's hand tightly.
Zhou Qi also shook his hand back. The two teenagers who came to the apocalyptic town for the first time were obviously a little nervous.
Fortunately, Tiejin was right. Now Jufeng Town has cancelled the entrance toll, and the guards let them in without even asking them any questions.
Old Li also breathed a sigh of relief.
Everything that happened here would attract attention - although, they had been watched by countless eyes since they stepped into the town.
The population of Jufeng Town is neither too small nor too large. Anyone who is interested can tell clearly what new faces arrive every day with just a quick look.
However, as long as you don't do anything eye-catching or out of the ordinary, there won't generally be any big problems.
After entering Jufeng Town, the view in front of him became much wider. Tang Yu'an looked at the flat and solid ground under his feet and felt that the mountain seemed to have been flattened by humans.
It is now evening, and as night falls, more and more people are returning from the mountain road.
The bustling and noisy scene of the crowds made Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi feel a little dazed, as if they had returned to their original world to go hiking and traveling.
However, when they saw the "wild" outfits of the people around them, they quickly came to their senses.
Hidden beneath this calmness was a turbulent undercurrent. From time to time, scrutinizing eyes were cast upon them, gradually making Tang Yu'an's spirit tense.
He tried to pull the brim of his hat down and stay as close to Zhou Qi as possible, fearing that the crowd would separate them.
After passing the crowded road at the town entrance, they finally saw houses built against the mountain and scattered on the mountain peaks.
The terrain gradually rose, and finally a man-made stone staircase appeared on the road, with houses of various sizes distributed on both sides of the stone staircase.
These houses were obviously newly built after the disaster. They have no uniform size or materials, and their styles are very different from the buildings we are used to seeing. Some of them feel precarious and will fall down with a single wind, while others seem to be made directly from a whole piece of stone and are terrifyingly strong.
Being so close together, they exude a unique and wild vitality.
"There's a lake about ten meters up there."
Old Li pointed to the mountain and said, "People in the market town usually go there to get water."
While he was speaking, he could see many residents carrying water coming down the mountain and entering their houses.
Tang Yu'an nodded, feeling that this market town was not quite what he had imagined, but the population was indeed large.
The place where he was was already crowded with dense green dots, almost drowning out the icon representing himself.
These are all walking experience points!
Tang Yu'an glanced at his experience bar - lv4 (23/50).
I gained a total of 18 experience points on the road today, plus the 5 points that Xiaoqi got from forcing the short man last night, so now I only need 27 points to level up. Compared to when I was in the deserted city, my efficiency has indeed improved a lot.
Tang Yu'an couldn't help but think that at least before they returned to the deserted city, they had to upgrade their level to level 5, and then cultivate a regular customer to complete the weekly task (2).
He silently set the goal of this trip in his heart.
Then he heard Zhou Qi ask, "Grandpa Li, where are we going now? Is there a place where we can buy and sell things at night?"
"Let's find a place to stay tonight first." said Old Li.
Mo Ke had a place to live in the market town before, but after he left and stopped paying protection fees, the place was taken back by the guards.
"As for buying and selling things... we have to wait until tomorrow morning to go to the market."
The nights are too cold and difficult to manage, so Jufeng Town does not allow stalls to be set up for selling goods at night.
The sun gradually set, and the guards lit torches on both sides of the mountain path, shrouding the surrounding scenery in a hazy orange light. Although the light was still dim, it was barely possible to see things.
Tang Yu'an also felt the cold coming.
However, the blue beard leaf that Mo Ke gave him before he left, which he held close to his chest, gave off a faint warmth, making him feel very comfortable.
It is cool when it is hot during the day and gives off warmth when it is cold at night. The leaves can really regulate their own temperature just as Mok said!
Tang Yu'an couldn't help but think, if only he could make a set of clothes out of these leaves, then he wouldn't have to worry about the uncomfortable temperature difference between day and night...
At this moment, Old Li suddenly warned, "Be careful, don't let anyone steal your things."
Tang Yu'an was about to nod when he saw Old Li quickly reach out and grab a young man who was passing by them at lightning speed.
The boy was about twelve or thirteen years old, about the same age as Tang Yu'an, but much shorter and thinner than him. He was covered in dirt and his facial features were unclear. Only his big black eyes revealed his ferocity and cunning.
"What are you doing, old man? Let me go!"
The boy opened his mouth to bite Old Li's hand, but Old Li dodged it deftly, then backhanded his foot and kicked the boy in the leg. He immediately fell to his knees and was subdued.
"Take it out." Old Li's voice was particularly cold.
The young man shuddered, but his expression still showed obvious stubbornness. He argued cunningly, "What? I don't know what you're talking about!"
Tang Yu'an reacted and touched his backpack, only to find that one side of the backpack had been cut at some point.
He was carrying his backpack in front of him, but it was still stolen!
Tang Yu'an quickly opened his backpack and checked it. He found that except for the steamed buns that were placed inside to conceal his whereabouts, nothing else was missing, and only one steamed bun was missing.
His good backpack was damaged like this, which made him sad and a little annoyed.
"A steamed bun was lost." He said to Old Li.
Old Li searched the boy's body and found that there was really nothing.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment and said, "Maybe his accomplices took it away."
In addition to this young man, there were many other people passing by them just now.
He looked around and saw a child in the crowd looking at him. After realizing he was exposed, he turned around and ran away, and soon disappeared in the cover of night.
It's just a steamed bun, there doesn't seem to be any need to pursue it too much...
Old Li loosened his grip and whispered, "Be more careful next time."
The boy struggled to get up from the ground, twisting his wrists and ankles with a look of defiance on his face.
Obviously, he didn't listen to what Old Li said.
After being freed, the boy did not leave immediately, but stared at the backs of Tang Yu'an and the others, as if he wanted to continue planning something.
but……
"oops."
Tang Yu'an, who had already raised his foot to leave, suddenly cried out in surprise, and then complained: "My paper bag was cut, and the medicine powder spilled out!"
Zhou Qi was stunned for a moment, then he understood what Tang Yu'an meant - because the medicinal powder was easy to mix up, for safety reasons, they all put it in a portable warehouse.
So why did An An say that? The answer is obvious.
He frowned and said, "Are those packets of poison?"
Hearing Zhou Qi's natural response, Tang Yu'an praised him in his heart, and then said with a distressed look: "Yes, there was a hole in one of the packs, and all the liquid spilled onto the buns."
He took out a packet of medicine powder, and sure enough, there was a hole in it.
"We can't eat these buns anymore. What a waste!"
"What kind of poison?" Old Li also frowned and came over to ask, "The same one from last night? Or did you exchange it from Lin Zhen?"
The young man, who had been staring at them thoughtfully, "eavesdropped" on their conversation, and his expression suddenly changed as he became nervous.
"It's not like last night, but it's pretty close. If you're poisoned like this and don't take the antidote, your intestines will ulcerate, and then spread to all your internal organs. You'll die in agony!"
Tang Yu'an spoke without thinking and did not control his voice.
"Luckily, only half a bag spilled..." He complained with a wrinkled face, "But it's still such a waste..."
Zhou Qi showed a relieved expression, "That's good, I took the antidote beforehand and everything will be fine."
"Yeah, but it can't be traded..."
Tang Yu'an glanced at the map.
Seeing the green dot he had just marked as "thief" running away quickly, he suppressed his laughter and put the medicine bag back into his portable storage room.
Although the map was too small and the green dots almost overlapped when there were many people, he just discovered that as long as he touched a person, the green dot representing that person would be directly selected on the map, making it easier for him to mark it.
So he knew that the thief had not left.
The conversation between him and Xiaoqi was naturally a performance for the thief.
Although he didn't know what effect it would have, if he could scare him, then he would have gotten rid of his anger.
In fact, if he had only stolen a steamed bun, Tang Yu'an would not have bothered with him. After all, it is not easy for children to survive in the apocalypse, but he shouldn't have cut his backpack!
This backpack was bought for him by his mother...
Thinking of this, Tang Yu'an restrained his smile. He reached out and touched the hole in his backpack, feeling depressed.
Zhou Qi reached out and touched his cheek, comforting him: "Don't be sad. When we get to a place to stay, I'll use needle and thread to mend it for you. It won't be a big problem."
"Um……"
Tang Yu'an's mood improved a little when he heard that it could be remedied.
Next, they protected their belongings more carefully, tried to avoid the crowd, and finally followed Old Li to a house.
-
There were several torches on both sides of the house, illuminating the three-story building very brightly.
The door of the small building was closed tightly, and Old Li stepped forward and knocked hard.
"Who is it? Why are you filming so late at night?"
The door didn't open, but the tightly closed window on the second floor opened, and a figure leaned out from behind the window and looked downstairs.
She was a woman with shoulder-length hair and a round face. Even when she only leaned half of her body out, one could still see that she was quite plump.
Since coming to the wasteland, Tang Yu'an had never seen such a healthy-looking woman, and he couldn't help but take a few more glances.
She was stunned at first, but the anger on her face subsided when she saw Old Li.
"Here I am, wait a moment."
She retracted her upper body, closed the window, and quickly went downstairs to open the door. After Old Li and the others entered the house, she quickly closed and locked the door, and then looked at Old Li and the two teenagers.
Only when he got closer did Tang Yu'an see the haggard look on her face.
Of course, even if there are faint bruises under her eyes, it does not affect her beauty. This kind of healthy beauty is really rare in the end times.
"Old Li, what a rare visitor."
Her eyes fell on Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi, "These two children are..."
"Xiao An, Xiao Qi." Old Li introduced them briefly. "She is the proprietress here."
Then he continued, "Please arrange a room for us."
"Okay." The woman nodded without asking any more questions.
"The price is still the same," she said. "The upstairs room is half a pound of meat a night."
"If you sleep in the big bunk bed downstairs, it only costs one or two taels, or you can use other wild vegetables and fruits to pay for it."
Old Li raised his eyebrows slightly, "Didn't they only buy meat before?"
The woman forced a smile and said, "Things are different now. Business is not easy."
Old Li nodded, opened the backpack and took out half a pound of pork that had been cut long ago. After handing it to the proprietress to weigh, he was given a key.
"There are only two rooms on the third floor..."
She paused, took out another key and handed it to Old Li.
"No one should be coming tonight, so you can all stay here. If you have guests tomorrow, you can let another room out. Just clean up before you leave."
The woman said, "But there's only enough firewood for one room. You can decide for yourselves."
Unexpectedly, she was so generous. Tang Yu'an couldn't help but look at her twice more.
The woman had a worried look on her face, but she didn't pay much attention to his gaze. After handing over the key, she prepared to go back to the second floor.
But at the stairs, she turned to Old Li and said, "They look quite unfamiliar. Don't blame me for not reminding them. You'd better explain the rules here to them clearly."
"Yes, I will." Old Li nodded.
After the proprietress disappeared at the stairs, Old Li took the two teenagers upstairs.
Tang Yu'an thought about the transaction just now and couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
Because Old Li is not an employee of the grocery store, the system will not count his transactions with the boss lady, so of course he will not get any experience points.
Old Li noticed his expression and thought he was worried about the half pound of pork, so he said, "It's a bit expensive, but at least we can sleep well tonight."
“Even the sentry quarters we passed on the way were no safer than here.”
He took the two teenagers up to the third floor, came to their room, opened the door and went in.
"Grandpa, where is this place?" Tang Yu'an asked.
He hadn't expected that there was a private hotel in Jufeng Town. Furthermore, the proprietress, whether in appearance or generosity, didn't seem like someone from Jufeng Town. She looked more like someone from a fortress.
Although the only fortress person he had seen was Chi Hao.
"This is the Beautiful Jade Pavilion."
Old Li opened the window for ventilation and then took off the backpack. "The boss lady is called Lin Meiyu. Although she is beautiful and looks like a weak woman, no one in Jufeng Town dares to mess with her."
Tang Yu'an noticed the word "seems".
"Does she have special abilities?" Tang Yu'an asked curiously.
"Yes." Old Li's face was full of emotion, "Her special ability is the power of words."
Tang Yu'an blinked, and Zhou Qi couldn't help but look over.
"Word Spirit? What kind of ability is that?"
Old Li pondered and said, "It should be considered a mystical ability, right? But some people also say it should be a natural sound ability."
He shook his head. "Anyway, just don't mess with her."
Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi couldn't help but look at each other.
Gold, wood, fire, and water should all belong to the natural system. In addition to the natural system, there is also the mysterious system?
However, due to his character of "coming from a fortress", they could not ask more questions about this issue. They could only write it down for the time being and ask Chi Hao again when they returned.
"So what exactly does her ability of words refer to?" Tang Yu'an asked.
Old Li explained, "To put it simply, whatever she says using her ability has a high probability of coming true."
"For example, she placed a spell on the Meiyu Pavilion, stating that anyone who caused trouble there, violated the rules, or committed theft, robbery, murder, or arson would die the next day."
Isn't this a curse?
"Has it come true?" Tang Yu'an couldn't help but ask.
Old Li nodded. "It's happened more than ten times. Every time someone caused trouble, they died the next day. So no one dared to mess with her anymore."
This ability is indeed very useful in the end times! No wonder the boss lady was so generous to them and didn't seem to be on guard at all.
"So is her business here good?"
Tang Yu'an felt that something was not going well, because he had just looked at the map when he went upstairs. Apart from them, there were only two green dots in this small building.
One is the proprietress Mei Yu, and I don’t know if the other one is a customer.
"It's not good, but it's not bad either. There will always be people with special abilities who can afford the price to stay here," said Old Li. "But she doesn't rely entirely on this income to make a living."
Because in addition to her own powerful word magic, she also has a husband who is equally powerful and is the captain of the town guard. His position is the same as the guard leader they met during the day.
"The guards are completely supported by the town, and the benefits are good, so they have no worries about food and clothing."
The couple supports each other, and no one dares to covet or cause trouble. They live a comfortable life, and naturally they are both healthy and happy.
Old Li continued, "Apart from heating the kang, you can't use open flames in the house. If you want to cook, you have to go to the kitchen on the first floor."
"Okay." Zhou Qi nodded.
Tang Yu'an could no longer bear the cold of the night, so he took out his long-sleeved clothes and put them on.
"You guys sleep in this room tonight, I'll go next door."
Since it was a gift from the landlady, he could stay there for free. Besides, the two kids probably had something to talk about in private, so as an outsider, he didn't want to squeeze in with them.
"If the kang is lit, it will be much warmer when sleeping on it at night."
Old Li looked at the kang and said, "The firewood is probably in the other room. Why don't you sleep over there?"
"It's okay. It's warmer inside the house than in the tent." Tang Yu'an shook his head and said, "It's okay if we don't heat the kang."
They had umbrellas, so they might as well leave the firewood to Old Li, and his injuries weren't fully healed yet.
Old Li was finally persuaded.
"Well, you guys take a break first, I'll go boil some water."
After Old Li put his bag next door, he picked up his kettle and prepared to go downstairs. Seeing this, Zhou Qi followed him: "Grandpa Li, I'll go with you."
"good."
Zhou Qi and Old Li left for the kitchen, and Tang Yu'an stayed in the house to look after things.
He took out a thermos from his personal storage and poured a cup of hot water. While drinking it, he walked to the window sill and looked outside.
This window faces the street, and you can see the mountain path with lit torches continuing to wind upwards. Not everyone in the town has a house to live in. Those who are better off can set up a tent, but most people huddle around the campfire to keep warm.
In such an environment, it would be great if I could even get through the cold night safely, let alone have a good night's sleep...
It was a luxury for them to live in such a nice house, but eating half a pound of meat a night was also indeed expensive.
Tang Yu'an was sighing when he heard the woman's soft sobs.
He couldn't help but stick his head out to look down. The crying sound came from the second floor. From the sound, it seemed that the proprietress was crying?
What happened to her? Wasn't she fine just now?
Tang Yu'an was a little puzzled. He was quite curious about the proprietress who mastered the "Spirit of Words", but his experience after leaving the deserted city made him suppress his curiosity.
There are too many people with rough fates in the last days, and he really can't take care of everything.
The cold night wind blew in from the window.
Tang Yu'an couldn't help but shiver and quickly opened the umbrella.
The umbrella, which had not been allowed to breathe for a long time, turned in the air, as if expressing its joy.
Tang Yu'an hugged the umbrella handle and rubbed it affectionately, then went back to make the bed.
-
On the other side, Zhou Qi followed Old Li downstairs.
In fact, Old Li had only stayed here two or three times. This time, he chose to stay in Meiyu Pavilion because of the special circumstances of the two teenagers.
If he were alone, he would definitely go to the open space outside to set up a tent - although there was a fee, it only cost one fruit to stay for a night, which was much more cost-effective than staying here.
There was also an earthen stove in the kitchen. They lit a fire and boiled water, just to prepare for the night. After all, they were on someone else's territory, and Zhou Qi didn't want to stand out too much.
"Are the steamed buns really covered with medicine powder?" Old Li suddenly asked.
Zhou Qi smiled lightly, "No, An An was just trying to scare that kid."
Only then did Old Li breathe a sigh of relief.
If the powder really cannot be eaten, it would be a waste.
After the water boiled, Zhou Qi followed Old Li with the kettle. After drinking the fish soup containing primary healing potion at noon, Old Li's movements became noticeably lighter.
But now the effect of the medicine has worn off, so Zhou Qi plans to wait and see the situation tomorrow. If he hasn't fully recovered, he will secretly give him another drop.
As they were about to go upstairs, they ran into the proprietress who was walking downstairs.
Her eyes were slightly red, obviously she had just cried. After meeting Old Li and the others, she quickly turned her head away to cover up.
The two sides passed each other in silence.
At the corner of the stairs, Zhou Qi looked back at her figure, and finally withdrew his gaze in silence.
Soon they were back on the third floor.
Old Li came into the room and started to make a fire to prepare for a rest.
Zhou Qi walked into the next room carrying hot water. When he opened the door, he suddenly saw the empty room and his heart felt empty.
"An An?" His voice trembled slightly.
Fortunately, following his call, Tang Yu'an jumped out from under the umbrella and ran towards him happily: "Brother Xiaoqi, you're back!"
Seeing his figure, Zhou Qi's violently beating heart finally calmed down.
If An An really disappeared, he would probably go crazy.
"Um."
He regained his composure, closed the door of the room, and then carried the kettle to the table.
Tang Yu'an came to his side, and the shadow umbrella also floated over and hovered above their heads, hiding the figures of both of them at the same time.
"You guys have been gone for a long time." Tang Yu'an muttered, "I'm so bored waiting alone."
Zhou Qi patted his cheek gently and said, "It's really slow to boil water with firewood."
As he spoke, he took out the thermos and then reached out to the kettle.
Slowly, a ball of steaming water appeared in his palm, and then he transferred it into the thermos.
The water they brought from home was almost used up, so they boiled this pot of water using the water from the kitchen of Meiyu Pavilion. Zhou Qi was not very reassured, so he used his special powers to extract pure water.
And it may be that he also mastered the relationship between fire and nature. When he extracted pure water, he also extracted the fire energy contained in it, so the water still retained its original temperature.
"Brother Xiaoqi, you are so awesome!"
Tang Yu'an watched his operation and praised him generously.
At this moment, the window that had just been closed was blown open again by the wind.
Tang Yu'an stood up and went to close the window. When he looked down, he saw two thin figures standing under the torch opposite the Meiyu Pavilion.
One of them was the boy who had stolen his steamed buns before.
"Brother, let's go back. He must have lied to you!"
The little girl stood beside the torch, stretching her two small hands towards the flame to keep warm. In the cold temperature of the night, white steam kept coming out of her words.
Judging from her height and appearance, she was probably only about ten years old, half a head shorter than her brother. She was dirty and her hair was messy, with uneven ends, as if it had been chewed by a dog.
"What if it's true?"
The boy looked at his sister, his eyes filled with worry.
When he heard the conversation between the three people, he ran back in a hurry, but it was too late. The food called steamed bun had been eaten half by his sister, leaving only half for him.
When she saw him, the girl smiled and told him that the steamed buns were delicious and she had never eaten anything so delicious.
He almost cried at that time.
The boy naturally didn't dare to eat the remaining half.
After some hesitation, he found other acquaintances and inquired about the movements of those three people.
This is actually not difficult.
The population of Jufeng Town is basically fixed, and you can tell what new faces come every day by asking.
When he heard that the three people had entered the Jade Pavilion, he hurried over with his sister. However, when he arrived in front of the Jade Pavilion, he didn't know what to do because of the legends here.
But my sister still doesn't believe him.
"How do you feel now? Do you have a stomachache?" he asked worriedly.
"It's okay... I..."
Before she finished speaking, the girl stopped.
She had never believed that the steamed bun was poisonous.
How could it be such a coincidence? Furthermore, would anyone really put food and such a dangerous poison together? Just thinking about it made it clear that those people were lying to her brother!
However, at this moment, she felt a dull pain in her abdomen, and she couldn't help but start to get scared.
"Brother, my stomach hurts..."
The girl squatted down, holding her stomach.
In fact, it didn't hurt particularly, but when she thought of her brother's previous description, under the psychological effect, she suddenly felt that the abdominal pain was unbearable.
"Xiaocao, are you okay? Don't scare me!" The boy's face turned pale.
"Wow, brother... am I going to die?" The little girl covered her stomach and tears began to fall.
"You won't die!"
The young man said in a trembling voice, "You...you wait here, I'll go find them and ask for the antidote!"
Then he turned to look at the gate of the Meiyu Pavilion and mustered up his courage to walk over.
Everyone in Jufeng Town knew the legend of the Jade Pavilion. Anyone who dared to cause trouble there, or disturb the guests, would die a horrible death the next day.
Tears began to well up in the boy's eyes.
He knew that if he went to steal the antidote now, he would die tomorrow, but he had no choice. If he didn't do it, his sister would die...
His heart was already filled with regret.
If he hadn't stolen the bags of those three people, his sister wouldn't have eaten the poisoned buns, she wouldn't have faced the threat of death, and he wouldn't have to make such a painful decision...
"Brother, let's go back! Wuwu, we can't come here!"
Xiaocao noticed her brother's actions, and she quickly ran over despite the pain, hugged his arm and tried to pull him back.
She didn't want to die, but she also didn't want to see her brother die...
"If you don't ask them for the antidote, you will die!"
The young man wiped away his tears, his expression becoming more determined. "Wait for me by the torch. I will definitely find the antidote to save you!"
At this time, the door of Meiyu Pavilion, which was originally closed, opened a crack quietly.
Looking at the tearful brother and sister outside the door, and then at the young man's fearless look, Tang Yu'an, who had already heard their conversation, said: "..."
He was just saying it casually to scare them, so why does it seem to have really come true?
This is impossible. His medicinal powders are all kept in a portable warehouse. It is impossible that poison was sprinkled on the steamed buns. Moreover, he does not have the kind of poison that can cause stomach ulcers.
The young man soon noticed that the door of the Jade Pavilion was open.
He quickly pulled his sister back a few steps, and when he saw Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi appearing behind the door, his expression subconsciously became fierce.
In the wasteland, only the strong can survive.
They are young and weak, just like cubs that have left their nest. They can only rely on showing off their strength and bluffing to disguise themselves and make themselves look strong enough.
Before the young man could say anything harsh, Tang Yu'an raised his hand to stop him.
"You should know where this is, right?" he reminded. "Do I need to emphasize the rules of the Jade Pavilion?"
The young man suddenly fell silent, his expression becoming extremely ugly.
The curse of the Jade House was well-known, and everyone knew not to cause trouble there, but did swearing count as causing trouble? He didn't know!
Seeing that the boy didn't shout loudly, Tang Yu'an nodded with satisfaction.
"What are your names?" he asked.
Although Grandpa Li said that children in the wasteland have no names, he thinks they should still have a nickname or something like that. As long as you live in society and interact with others, this is inevitable.
The boy opened his mouth and finally said angrily: "My name is Shitou."
The girl who was protected by the boy also stuck her head out and whispered, "My...my name is Xiaocao..."
"You stole my steamed buns and cut my backpack." Tang Yu'an pointed out the facts.
Shi Tou bit his lips tightly, and tears began to accumulate again.
He wiped his eyes fiercely and said, "Yes! I stole the buns and I scratched the backpack. What do you want to do?"
Because he remembered the rules of the Meiyu Pavilion, he didn't dare to speak loudly. His words were mixed with tears, which made him sound particularly weak and a little cowardly.
Tang Yu'an looked at them and pursed his lips slightly.
"Since you've admitted it, then it wouldn't be too much for me to apologize, right?"
"ah?"
The boy, who had stiffened his neck expecting a beating, was stunned when he heard this. He asked uncertainly, "Is an apology all I need? If I apologize, will you give the antidote to my sister?"
Tang Yu'an shook his head, "Let's put it this way. Your apology is only in exchange for my forgiveness."
Shi Tou's face turned ugly again.
He felt that Tang Yu'an was deliberately humiliating him. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, what was the point of apologizing?
However, he looked down at his pale sister who was holding her stomach, and finally gritted his teeth and whispered, "I'm sorry..."
"It's too quiet, I can't hear it."
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have stolen things and scratched your bag!" The voice suddenly became louder, like a broken stone.
Tang Yu'an, who had always had a serious face, finally smiled.
He didn't know if the apology was useful to other people, but it was useful to him. At least he felt much better after hearing it.
"Well, then I forgive you."
You completed a no-profit, no-loss transaction with a new customer. Experience +3.
Three experience points, easily obtained.
Tang Yu'an looked at the brother and sister. They didn't give him the same feeling as the short man, who wanted to hide when he saw them. Plus, the rules of the Meiyu Pavilion...
Maybe he could get the remaining experience points.
So, Tang Yu'an looked at the girl behind the boy and asked, "Does she have a stomachache?"
Shitou, who had been stunned by his smile, quickly said, "Yes, she was poisoned after eating half a steamed bun. What do you want in exchange for giving us the antidote?"
Tang Yu'an thought for a moment and said, "Come in first."
The sky outside was getting darker and the temperature dropped a lot. After just standing at the door for a while, he felt like he was about to freeze to death.
After closing the door, I finally felt a little warmer.
Tang Yu'an led them to the front hall on the first floor. Zhou Qi just stood by his side silently from beginning to end.
However, just by standing there, his tall stature was enough to intimidate the Stone brothers and sisters.
"Do you have a stomachache?" Tang Yu'an looked at the girl named Xiaocao and asked again.
Perhaps because he was thinking of his sister, his tone became noticeably gentler when speaking to the little girl.
“Will it feel bloated?”
Xiaocao held her stomach and nodded, her eyes full of tears as if she was about to cry again.
Tang Yu'an thought for a moment, then turned to her brother and said, "Feel her belly. Is it round and plump?"
Shi Tou quickly reached out to touch his sister's belly, then nodded.
Tang Yu'an looked surprised. It was obvious that he had eaten too much, or his gastrointestinal function was too weak. He had indigestion after eating the whole wheat steamed buns, so his stomach was bloating.
"Is her intestines starting to ulcerate?" Shi Tou asked with a pale face.
The little girl, whose emotions had calmed down a little, burst into tears again when she heard this.
Tang Yu'an was speechless and could only shake his head and said, "No, the effect of the medicine has just begun to take effect. As long as I take the antidote in time, I will be fine."
Seeing how scared the two siblings were, he couldn't tell them that he had lied to them before. Besides, even if he told them now, they probably wouldn't believe it.
"What do you want in exchange for giving us the antidote?" Shitou asked anxiously. "I'll agree to any condition!"
Tang Yu'an hadn't figured out what to do yet, so he just followed his lead and said, "What conditions can you offer me?"
Shi Tou was speechless for a moment.
Apart from their lives, the brother and sister really have nothing valuable left.
"I...I can be your slave!" Shitou finally said through gritted teeth, "From now on, I'll do whatever you ask me to do, without hesitation!"
"Do you want to use this promise in exchange for my promise to give you the antidote?" Tang Yu'an looked at him and said.
His words sounded like a question to Stone: How much is your promise worth?
He clenched his fists tightly, and finally nodded vigorously: "Yes! I will listen to you in the future. I promise I will definitely do it! Please believe me!"
The boy's eyes were firm but with a pleading look. He was serious and would definitely do what he promised!
"Okay then, I promise you."
[You completed a transaction with a returning customer with no profit or loss, experience points +2]
Looking at the system prompts, Tang Yu'an nodded with satisfaction.
Shi Tou was stunned. He had thought that it would take a lot of effort to convince him, but he didn't expect... that he would agree so easily?
"You...you really promised to save my sister?" he said in disbelief.
"Ah, um... yes."
Tang Yu'an stood up and said, "Wait here for a while."
Zhou Qi stayed to look after the brother and sister, while Tang Yu'an went upstairs and took out the hawthorn slices from the grocery store cabinet.
Hawthorn can strengthen the stomach and aid digestion. Eating hawthorn slices should be helpful for bloating, right?
In order not to be recognized, he rolled up the hawthorn slices into a small red ball, then put on his backpack and prepared to go downstairs.
"Is everything okay?" The door of the next room opened and Old Li leaned over to ask.
"It's okay, it's okay, Grandpa, you continue to rest and stop running around." Then Tang Yu'an ran downstairs.
-
The Shitou siblings were waiting nervously, and when they saw Tang Yu'an finally coming down, they couldn't help but show joy.
However, Tang Yu'an did not give them the "antidote" immediately.
He coughed, pointed to the kettle on the table and said, "Pour me a glass of water, and I'll save your sister."
Thinking that he was testing whether he really kept his promise, Shitou said nothing and directly picked up the kettle on the table and poured a glass of water for Tang Yu'an.
Tang Yu'an didn't drink it, but handed the red pill in his hand to the girl and asked her to drink it with water.
Xiaocao quickly took the "antidote".
[You completed a loss-making transaction with an old customer, experience point +1]
[Congratulations! Completed weekly task (2), points +30]
Yay!
Although there was no profit from the transaction with the stone, I still earned 30 points by successfully completing the weekly task.
Tang Yu'an smiled and said, "Just rest for a while. It may still hurt a little. You can rub your stomach with your hands or apply a hot towel. It will feel better."
"Is she really okay?" asked Shi Tou.
"Yeah, it's okay."
The system determined that he was indeed "treating" the girl just now, which meant that the girl named Xiaocao was indeed just suffering from indigestion.
"Is your name Xiaocao?"
Tang Yu'an looked at this thin and small girl and felt like she saw her own sister. If the original world was also facing doomsday, would she also be hungry and cold like this girl?
"How old are you?" he asked in a gentle voice.
Xiaocao felt that after taking the red pill, her stomach pain was indeed relieved, and she finally felt a little relaxed.
Hearing Tang Yu'an's question, she whispered, "Thirteen."
Tang Yuan: 0.0
She's actually one year older than him!
But it looked so small, probably only ten years old at most. He couldn't help but look at the stone.
Could it be that the stone is also bigger than him?
"I'm fourteen!" Shi Tou puffed out his chest.
Well, after all this time, he's still the youngest! Tang Yu'an looked at the thin figures of the brother and sister in front of him, and could probably imagine the difficulties they were living.
"How do you usually live?" he asked. "Do you often steal other people's things?"
I don't know why, but I never thought there was anything wrong with stealing. I thought I was a stone who made a living by my own ability. But when I heard Tang Yu'an's question, I felt an unspeakable shame in my heart for the first time.
He looked at Tang Yu'an's clear and bright eyes, and his proud chest shrank back.
But Xiaocao shook his head and denied it: "No, I don't steal things often."
They would only try their luck when strangers came to the town. If they attacked old acquaintances living in the town, they would suffer a miserable fate if they were caught.
No one dared to mess with habitual criminals who had the guts to steal and rob in the market town.
"We go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables and hunt for insects during the day, and sleep in town at night," she said. "That's how we live."
"Yeah, that's right."
Stone's chest, which had shrunk back, stood up again, "That's it!"
Tang Yu'an looked at them, sighed in his heart, thought for a moment and asked, "Where do you sleep at night?"
"Find a torch and sleep where there is one."
Perhaps the psychological effect disappeared, Xiaocao felt much more comfortable and answered more fluently.
In order to prevent the invasion of wild beasts, torches in the town were lit all night, and also provided a place for these homeless orphans to keep warm.
"Do you want to sleep here tonight?" Tang Yu'an suddenly asked.
"Sleeping here?" The two siblings looked at him in disbelief.
Tang Yu'an made up an excuse and looked at Xiaocao and said, "You were just poisoned. Although you took the antidote, your body is still relatively weak. It's best not to sleep in a place that is too cold."
He really can't help too many people, but since he saw it and it is within his ability, he is still willing to lend a hand.
Of course, he wouldn't help for nothing.
Tang Yu'an looked at Xiaocao and continued, "I want to eat wild vegetables. If you promise to bring them to me tomorrow, I can agree to advance the rent for you."
There was obvious hesitation on the girl's face.
If she gave him all the wild vegetables she found tomorrow, she and her brother would starve. It was just sleeping outside, and it would still be warm sitting next to the torch...
"Okay, let's do it!"
"Brother! How can you agree on my behalf?"
"You can dig wild vegetables again, but you can't let anything happen again!" Shitou's attitude on this matter was particularly firm.
Tang Yu'an ignored him, but looked at the little girl and asked, "So what do you say?"
Xiaocao bit her lip and finally nodded, "Okay, I promise. I'll bring you all the wild vegetables I find tomorrow."
"Well, I also promised to pay your rent."
You completed a no-profit, no-loss transaction with a new customer. Experience +3.
Looking at the system prompt, Tang Yu'an smiled with satisfaction.
Once they ask the boss lady to advance the rent, they can make another deal, which will give them an excuse without seeming abrupt.
Tang Yu'an looked at Zhou Qi.
Zhou Qi nodded and said, "I'll go find the boss lady."
He glanced at his experience bar: lv2 (19/30), he also needed to gain some employee experience points.
An An will be upgraded to lv5 soon, and his telekinesis skill will be upgraded to lv4. Since his level cannot keep up, he can only remain at lv2.
A pickup range of 100 kilometers in a straight line is still very necessary.
Tang Yu'an nodded, watched him leave for the second floor, then turned to look at the Shitou siblings.
Shitou pulled his sister to stand in the corner, looking at the handsome and delicate boy with some vigilance.
It was not until this time that he had the time to look at Tang Yu'an seriously.
Although Tang Yu'an had concealer on her face to cover up her originally fair skin, her chubby face and delicate facial features were difficult to conceal.
Especially his big, clear, bright eyes, which were naturally kind and filled with a faint smile, made him look like a little angel.
Well, a dark-skinned little angel.
Shitou was slightly stunned and asked subconsciously: "You...are you from the fortress?"
The young man in front of him satisfied all his imaginations of a fortress.
The little grass huddled next to its brother also nodded, agreeing with his opinion.
Tang Yu'an was helpless.
He was painted black, his clothes were deliberately tattered, he hadn't taken a shower in two days, and his hair was dirty and greasy. How could these people still tell at a glance that he was not from here?
Tang Yu'an thought about it, but did not give a direct answer. Instead, he said, "This is a secret."
The stone and the grass nodded involuntarily, assuming that he was the one who came out of the fortress.
Realizing this, they looked at Tang Yu'an with a bit more awe and fear in their eyes. The "fortress" was really an unreachable place for them.
Tang Yu'an looked at them and thought of Mo Ke during the day.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "The old man who followed us today, you've seen him before, right?"
Shitou nodded.
"He's a hunter and often brings meat and furs to Jufeng Town to trade." Xiaocao said, and couldn't help sucking his saliva.
She could not eat meat once a year, but the old hunter would carry a basket of meat every time he came to Jufeng Town.
She envied him every time she met him, but they also understood the strength of this old hunter, so they didn't dare to provoke him.
The old hunter seldom traveled with others, so they had no idea that the two strangers were in the same group with him.
Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't dare to do anything under his nose in the afternoon.
Tang Yu'an nodded after hearing this, and then said, "I saved him."
After he finished speaking, he stared at the brother and sister, carefully observing their reactions, but he saw that their expressions were calm, with no changes except that they were a little stunned.
"Oh." Shitou nodded.
And Xiaocao asked, "Is that why he protects you so much?"
Tang Yu'an responded vaguely, wondering in his heart, why, after they had heard of his "deeds", did they not show him respect like Brother Mo did?
Wait... deeds?
He blinked and felt that he had thought of the key.
Looking at the brother and sister, he hesitated for a moment and felt that it was still necessary to explore the specific triggering scenario of the "Savior Protection" halo.
So he organized his words and said, "Well, he was bitten by a mutant giant lizard and was in critical condition. We happened to pass by and treated and bandaged his wound, and he was finally out of danger."
Since it is a "deed", it should include the cause, process and outcome of the event, right? And it should also explain what role he played in the process?
Sure enough, his idea was correct.
After his more detailed explanation, the way the siblings looked at him became... well, a little fanatical, just like how Mok saw him.
"You...you are a miracle doctor?"
The originally unruly Stone now used honorifics to address him.
Tang Yu'an quickly shook his head and said, "No, I'm not a doctor. I just know some first aid methods."
What's more, it was basically Xiaoqi who performed the first aid, and he was just helping out.
Xiao Cao said with a firm expression, "You're too modest! He was bitten by a mutant giant lizard and almost died, yet you were able to save him. You must be a miracle doctor!"
"Besides, you just gave me the antidote, and I feel like my stomach pain is gone now."
After hearing this, Tang Yu'an was 100% certain that the "Savior Protection" halo was indeed effective!
He waved his hand and was about to say that he didn't need to use honorifics anymore, when he saw——
A flea jumped out from the little girl and landed on the back of his hand, but the next moment, the flea jumped away again.
Maybe the insect repellent he applied to his body took effect, but...
Tang Yu'an stared blankly at the two siblings, and soon noticed the little bugs crawling in their hair.
He suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. Even though he had applied insect repellent, he still felt itchy all over his body.
"Don't you feel itchy?" he asked in a trembling voice.
Not knowing why he asked this, Shitou scratched his head. It was Xiaocao who caught the flea that had just escaped and crushed it to death with his fingernails.
Tang Yu'an took a deep breath and said, "If you promise to do as I say, I can promise to tell you how to deal with these little bugs."
The stone and the grass looked at each other.
They had been living with fleas and other small insects since they were young, and were actually used to it, but out of respect for the "miracle doctor", the two nodded and agreed.
"Okay, then I promise to teach you too."
[You completed a transaction with a returning customer with no profit or loss, experience points +2]
This records the transaction with Xiaocao.
Tang Yu'an did what he said and took out a pair of scissors from the bag he was carrying.
Although he could use the anthelmintic powder directly, considering that the powder is a consumable, even if he told them, it would be useless after it was used up, so he decided to use other methods.
"Let's cut your hair short first." Tang Yu'an thought for a moment and said, "Go outside and get it cut."
We can’t make the Meiyu Pavilion dirty.
Stone took the scissors curiously. He had never touched this kind of tool before and didn't know how to use it.
Tang Yu'an then gave instructions.
He also suddenly realized that the scissors were a sharp weapon. Although he was protected by the rules of the Jade Hall and the halo of the little savior, he still quietly held the happy marbles in his hand and kept a safe distance from the stone.
Fortunately, Stone did not make any unfriendly moves.
At this time, Zhou Qi also completed the transaction with the proprietress and walked down - because the proprietress was not in good condition, he only completed one transaction.
After understanding the situation with Tang Yu'an, Zhou Qi nodded.
So after learning how to use scissors, the Stone brothers and sisters left the Jade Pavilion and ran to the torches to get their hair cut.
As handfuls of hair fell, the insects that had made their nests on their heads had nowhere to hide and fell to the ground along with the lice eggs attached to their hair.
Shitou touched his buzz cut head and felt quite refreshed, except for a chilly feeling from the evening breeze.
“It’s really much more comfortable!”
They knew they could cut their hair short, but they didn't have the tools, so they could only wait for the hair to grow long and then cut it off with a piece of metal.
It was the metal piece he used to scratch Tang Yu'an's backpack. It was a very small piece, and it was difficult to cut because the hair was too short, so it was easy to get hurt.
"Brother, please cut it for me quickly!" Xiaocao urged.
Although she was not against beauty - she had seen the proprietress of Meiyu Pavilion, whose hair was long and black, and particularly beautiful.
But compared to beauty, Xiaocao still prefers comfort, because comfort can allow her to live longer.
Soon, Shitou helped her cut off all her hair, leaving only a fluffy layer.
After the hair is cut off, the scalp underneath is exposed, and you can see patches of blood scabs, which are caused by itchy scratching from lice bites.
Shitou touched her head with heartache.
Although I felt refreshed after cutting my hair, the cold wind seemed to make me even colder.
"Brother, let's go back." Xiaocao said with a shiver.
"Yeah, okay."
Seeing the brother and sister coming back with their buzz cuts, Tang Yu'an nodded with satisfaction, then led them to the kitchen.
The hot water is already boiling on the stove.
Tang Yu'an gave Shi Tou a towel and asked him to wet it with hot water and wash his head.
It is impossible to take a shower, but it is possible to wash the hair, especially since they have cut the hair almost bald, which saves water and effort.
[You completed a loss-making transaction with an old customer, experience point +1]
During the guidance process, Tang Yu'an also gained the last bit of experience points.
They washed their faces while washing their hair. It was the first time in their lives that the brother and sister saw each other's faces clearly, and they couldn't help but laugh at each other.
After all, they are still children. Even if they have experienced miserable things, they can still gain happiness from simple things.
Tang Yu'an applied insect repellent powder to them.
"Bugs can bring germs, and scratching your head can easily lead to infection. You'd better be more careful in the future."
He said, "If you want to get a haircut in the future, you can come here and see if we are here."
The stones and grass stayed where they were, and the insect repellent felt very cool when applied to my skin, and the itching was completely gone.
As they listened to the boy's gentle words, they felt an indescribable feeling in their hearts.
"Will you come to Jufeng Town again in the future?" Shi Tou couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah." Tang Yu'an nodded, "I'll live here from now on."
It is rare to have a place where you can live in peace in the end times, so it doesn’t matter if it is a bit expensive.
After applying the insect repellent powder, Tang Yu'an sent them to their room.
-
After entering the room and lying on the big bunk bed, the brother and sister still felt like they were in a dream.
In fact, tonight's development was indeed magical enough for them——
He had clearly stolen something, but after he apologized, he was forgiven. Not only did the other party treat his sister and teach them how to deal with lice, but they were also allowed to spend a night in this warm and safe place...
Shi Tou had never met such a person before, and he couldn't even think of any words to describe him.
He shook his head secretly and thought, forget it, why think so much?
Anyway, he had already promised to listen to the other party and work like a slave for him, and he didn't want to break this promise.
Kindness is not a good quality in the wasteland, but keeping one's word still has a certain market. After all, no one wants to deal with someone who lies and doesn't keep his word all day long.
The reason why Shitou was able to find out that Tang Yu'an and the others had entered the Meiyu Pavilion was because he had relatively good interpersonal relationships in the town.
This has something to do with his keeping his promises and being loyal.
Although the room on the first floor has a large bunk bed, it also has a kang. There is just less firewood, but the walls are very thick, and it is much warmer than outside after closing the door.
What’s more, there are blankets made of animal fur!
There were only two beds, and they were not very big, but the brother and sister were short in stature, and there were only two of them living here today, so no one would compete with them for the space.
Wrapped in a fluffy blanket and feeling the warmth in the house, Sister Xiaocao's eyes suddenly turned red.
"Brother, are we dying soon and therefore having sweet dreams?"
She had heard from the adults in the market town that if it was very cold in the middle of the night, people would freeze to death while sleeping and have sweet dreams before they died, so people who died in their sleep always had smiles on their faces.
"Pinch me and see if it hurts?" Shi Tou asked uncertainly.
Xiaocao reached out and pinched his arm hard.
Shitou suddenly groaned and quickly pulled his arm back, "I was just saying that, and you really pinched me!"
"Does it hurt?" Xiaocao asked.
"Of course it hurts!" Shi Tou said unhappily.
"Then it's not a dream?"
"Well, it seems not."
-
On the other side, Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi returned to the third floor and opened the umbrella again.
"I gained a lot of experience points today!"
Although there are not many people suitable for trading, Tang Yu'an still gained 38 experience points today. As long as he gains another 12 points tomorrow, he can reach the next level!
As for points...
Because he spent 600 points today to exchange for two rolls of primary healing bandages and two bottles of primary healing potions, there was no breakthrough in the total amount, but it was a bit less. However, this still did not affect Tang Yu'an's good mood.
"By the way, Brother Xiaoqi, how did you do the deal with the boss lady just now?" Tang Yu'an felt something was wrong.
Zhou Qi was stunned. He thought about it and suddenly understood why he asked that.
"I just paid for my accommodation with meat, and the system determined it was a profit," he said. "How many points did I earn specifically?"
"6 o'clock." Tang Yu'an said.
Two taels of ordinary animal meat is only worth 4 points according to the system. Now it has a profit of 6 points, which means that one night's accommodation in Meiyu Pavilion is worth 10 points.
This is the first time the system has determined that a non-physical transaction has value.
"Is it related to the rules of the Meiyu Pavilion? Or is it because of the firewood?" Tang Yu'an asked doubtfully.
Zhou Qi thought for a moment, then went downstairs again. He quickly went to the kitchen to get some firewood and returned. He then asked, "Can you identify it?"
Tang Yu'an nodded.
The result of the identification showed that this was just very ordinary firewood, which could be used for burning fire and making charcoal, and the value of one pound was 10 points.
"How long can a pound of firewood burn?" Tang Yu'an asked.
"About four or five hours?"
Tang Yu'an and Zhou Qi looked at each other and felt that they had solved the case!
Firewood is included in the accommodation service, and the system takes the value of the firewood into account, so it determines that they are profitable.
Of course, this was because they booked a large dormitory room for Shitou and his sister, so they only charged two taels of meat.
For example, if they live on the third floor, half a pound of meat is worth 10 points, which is an equal exchange.
After figuring out the situation, Tang Yu'an couldn't help but touch his chin. Could they rent a large bunk bed room for a month straight?
If you only need one bed, the cost is 3 kilograms of meat, which is 60 points, and the value is 300 points, so the final profit can be 240 points!
But taking out 3 kilograms of meat at once, especially since they don't live here, seems a bit too eye-catching.
At this time, Tang Yu'an felt his stomach rumbling.
Zhou Qi smiled and asked, "What would you like to eat for dinner?"
"Let's eat instant noodles. I haven't had instant noodles for a long time!" Tang Yu'an smacked his lips.
Zhou Qi smiled and nodded in response.
So Tang Yu'an took out two bowls of instant noodles from his portable storage, unpacked them, added hot water, and then added a sausage.
The umbrella hovered quietly above their heads.
Because it can cover up all traces, the aroma of instant noodles is also trapped under the umbrella and does not spread out.
Smelling the rich aroma of instant noodles, Tang Yu'an felt hungry.
When the time came, they each took a bucket of instant noodles and ate them with relish.
However, Tang Yu'an always felt that something was missing today. While eating, he continued to count today's harvest.
The special title of "Little Savior"... Primary Healing Potion... Primary Healing Bandage...
Rewards for Weekly Task (2)...
Suddenly, he raised his head and said, "Brother Xiaoqi, today's daily tasks have not been completed yet!"
Zhou Qi's heart skipped a beat, "What's missing?"
"The task of cleaning the grocery store has not been completed yet!" Tang Yu'an said anxiously.
Is there something wrong with the grocery store? Why hasn't Brother Chi Hao cleaned up today?
-
Ping An Grocery Store.
Chi Hao and Yuan Bao were in a stalemate.
He was holding a broom, and had obviously cleaned the grocery store, but...
"Don't even think about letting me into the warehouse!" Chi Hao said in a tough tone.
His complexion was not good, he even looked a little haggard, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he did not sleep well last night.
Yes, after coming out of the warehouse, Chi Hao has been suspicious and had a nightmare all night, leaving him with a very serious psychological trauma.
so……
Even if he was beaten to death today, he would never set foot in that haunted warehouse!
qaq
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