Chapter 62: The Snowy Promise

The items sold in this tiny market were all carefully selected by Chu Jiu and put out only after discussing with the villagers.

The most eye-catching "popcorn machine" was made by the little squirrels using sheet metal, following the recipe Chu Jiu recalled after a long time. Using the popcorn machine was not difficult; after Chu Jiu demonstrated it a few times, the villagers learned how to use it and could pop fragrant, crispy popcorn.

The grilled small fish placed on the charcoal stove were naturally Grandma Hao's specialty—finger-long fish, grilled to a crispy skin on the outside and juicy on the inside, just the right size for a single bite without even needing to spit out the bones.

The "golden-red cabbage leaves" inside the earthenware jar were kimchi pickled in advance by Grandma Zhu and the others according to Chu Jiu's instructions, sweet, spicy, and exceptionally appetizing.

That large pot was modeled after the street-side "malatang" of Huaxia, using fish bones and corn boiled in advance to create a fresh and sweet broth, then slicing ingredients like fish meat and radishes, cutting tofu and frozen tofu into chunks, and letting guests choose what they wanted to eat before dropping it in to blanch. When served, a little "soy sauce" was added for seasoning, making one feel warm all over and leaving an endless, delightful aftertaste in the mouth.

The fish used for blanching were caught from the small river, the radishes were grown in the fields, the tofu was freshly curdled in the morning, and the frozen tofu was made by Lin Wen and the others using recipes they figured out themselves under Chu Jiu's encouragement after the weather turned cold.

The seasoned soy sauce was made by Chu Jiu using spiritual power, but in a few months, when the soy sauce jars at Soybean Village could be opened, the villagers would have their own home-brewed soy sauce.

In short, the goods in this market were either things the villagers already possessed or things they could produce, and every single one of them was an authentic "Soybean Village specialty."

In fact, Chu Jiu knew very well that if he took delicacies from the wilderness—such as three-leaf fish, cotton sheep, or bamboo-flower chickens—processed them slightly, and placed them in the market, they might attract even more diners to stop by.

However, apart from Chu Jiu himself, none of the villagers could effortlessly walk into the forest and bring back a table full of dishes.

Chu Jiu did not wish to turn the "Soybean Village New Year Market" into "Chu Jiu's Monster Delicacy Exhibition."

In his view, if Soybean Village's fame depended entirely on "what good food Chu Jiu brought back from the wilderness this time," then once he left, what would the villagers left behind do? Would they fall back into the days of guarding barren land, starving and freezing?

Therefore, Chu Jiu would rather choose a slower route, and use other means to accumulate popularity.

*

After the ten-day New Year holiday ended, Chu Jiu received a long string of reward notifications——

Chu Jiu: ......?

Hearing this, Chu Jiu still didn't find anything strange.

In the eyes of visitors, this was a peaceful little village with many novel delicacies. They would successively spread the word about this small village to those around them.

Therefore, Douglas had the former ability users form a security team to patrol back and forth through the village, while current ability users like Reg stood by in the rear, preventing anyone with ulterior motives from fishing in troubled waters.

This box was the one Lu Qingyan had previously retrieved from beneath the signpost—the box used by the Association to lure monsters.

The child ran up to everyone, panted heavily for a few breaths, and continued:

Speaking of this, He Fang became even more annoyed: "These Zerg! To think they set up such a surveillance field!"

The little grey bird took a sharp breath, puffed up its little chest, and then——

On the second day after the holiday ended, Chu Jiu and the villagers removed all the stalls and cleaned the small plaza.

[Prop Analysis: For items acquired by the host through various methods and in any setting, the host can deduce the raw materials used to make them after using this skill.]

Chu Jiu: "......He is my partner."

However, correspondingly, due to the lack of protection from the transport capsule's bulkhead against the psychic field, the mental energy consumption caused by this projection method was also several times that of the transport capsule.

This "visor" allowed Lu Qingyan to project his mental energy onto WT0906 while keeping his physical body conscious.

Weren't his "acquaintances" all among these ability users?

In Lu Qingyan's mind, the young man's eyes, curved like crescent moons, appeared once again: "When it snows, see you again."

Could anyone really recite such *chūnibyō* lines with a straight face?!

Instead, Reg suddenly walked forward a few steps, walked back, and placed one hand on a mud wall beside him, his entire complexion turning dark.

"I was just thinking...... Mr. Lu must have had a pretty hard time."

Converted to the Huaxia lunar calendar, it would soon be the depth of winter.

*

In Aman's view, since the holiday was over and the market stalls were packed up today, anyone who chose to come at this time must have ulterior motives!

[The host has acquired the active skill "Prop Analysis," please utilize it reasonably.]

Lu Qingyan: [Okay.]

[A monster has been detected entering the pioneer cabin area, please determine whether to permit its entry.]

In the palm of his hand was a little black cat with icy blue eyes and a solemn face, teasing a foolish little golden hamster.

"We were just chatting a moment ago. He said he had an arrangement with people in the village, which is why he made a special trip here."

[Precautions: The village is in the early stages of development, and a slight misstep will cause it to fall back below the subsistence line. Please make plans as far in advance as possible in the fields where you excel.]

"At least the previous transport capsule could ensure His Excellency the Marshal's physical safety."

Chu Jiu was still immersed in shock when Little Canned sprang up, fluttered in mid-air, pinned some small creature down with its paws, and slammed it fiercely onto the ground—

He Fang did not dare to voice the rest of his thoughts.

Finishing the last bite of the fried egg, Chu Jiu had just wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin when he saw Little Canned's eyes turn into half-circles and leap toward the window in a flash: "There's a monster!"

The overall state of Soybean Village had changed dramatically compared to two months ago:

[Village Specialties: Tofu, frozen tofu, honey, forged goods from the "Dwarf Blacksmith Shop"]

Chu Jiu squatted down: "Hello, I'm a 'ferocious bipedal beast,' and my name is Chu Jiu."

Eileen looked at Chu Jiu's bewildered expression, signaling Douglas to take his younger brother for a stroll to calm down before explaining, and hinted to Chu Jiu: "Xiao Jiu, haven't you noticed before that Reg treats Cheng Yue a bit specially?"

"You subdued the mountain hawk I had been hunting for so long, and your powerful knight easily defeated me!"

Ever since people sent by the Association sneaked in a while ago, the villagers' alertness toward "outsiders" had risen sharply.

The little grey bird instinctively took a few steps back, sniffed, and pointed its small wings at Little Canned: "That big black cat, what is it to you?"

Lu Qingyan sat at the desk, gently turning his palm, looking at the scene he had virtualized using mental energy.

In the dead of winter, which foolish monster wouldn't forage properly in the spring-like forest, but instead run over to barge into the pioneer cabin?

Chu Jiu thought cheerfully.

......Oh, then they most likely wanted to ask Cheng Yue to help weave fabric.

The remaining prompts were all about Soybean Village.

[Resident Status: The "New Year Market" has greatly boosted the villagers. Everyone is full of drive, looking forward to the spring farming after spring arrives. The newly joined residents have been infected by the locals' emotions, and their overall state is optimistic and positive.]

Kakaba gestured at the mountain hawk for quite a while and said to Chu Jiu: "Da-da-da! The mountain hawk says it was responsible for leading the way, and it brought someone here."

[The upper limit of land available for breeding has been increased from two primary pastures to four.]

Ever since then, he would bump into Reg in the village from time to time. This big fellow was always proactively helping people chop wood, fetch water, and gather hay......

......?

"This person...... wants to duel the 'ferocious bipedal beast'!"

Wait, who was around here?

Chu Jiu clicked through them one by one, his gaze landing on the prompt for [Level Up].

"I...... humph......"

Anyway, quite a few people.

While chatting with Douglas, Eileen, and Reg, Aman ran over in a rush and said to Douglas:

Chu Jiu: ......?

Chu Jiu nodded in deep agreement.

And judging from this prompt, if he came into contact with the corresponding materials in the future, wouldn't he be able to know the exact analysis results?