Startled, Yu Hong found several large stones from earlier and smashed them into pieces with his fists.
Only after confirming his strength was real did he truly appreciate the exaggerated effects of the Heavy Leg Skill that strengthened his entire body.
Strength, explosiveness, stamina—after a simple test, he found that all aspects had improved, some significantly and others just slightly.
The main boost was in strength and explosiveness, while the rest only increased a little.
Yet, even this minor increment lifted his spirits greatly.
As dusk approached, he returned from the woods to the cave.
Even from a distance, he noticed a large chunk of pale, rough stone piled in a corner of the yard.
He hesitated for a moment but then quickened his pace, entering the yard and standing before the stone.
The stone was about his height, with a diameter of over a meter, upright in the corner of the yard next to the entrance steps of the safe house.
There were also clear footprints on the ground, left during its transport.
Reaching out, Yu Hong pulled out a piece of paper wedged between the stone and the mountain wall, which bore the words: The promised ore has arrived—Xu.
‘Xu Fan?’ Yu Hong's mind quickly connected the dots.
This guy was efficient—he had mentioned mining for ore and then delivered a large piece in the blink of an eye.
This amount would last him quite a while.
Plus, with the crimson value density of the ore grass in the yard not being small, he didn’t have to worry about the passing phantoms consuming it all.
Knowing who sent the ore, Yu Hong climbed the steps and entered his dwelling.
There were only a few days left until the ore grass formation would successfully enhance itself, and during this time, he wanted no disturbances.
Hence, he decided to stay put in the safe house, safeguarding the formation.
That was his plan, and he diligently followed through.
For several days, Yu Hong stayed quietly indoors, even avoiding the post office, and focused on adjusting to his improved physical abilities.
Finally, the last day of the formation arrived.
He stood guard at the door early in the morning, watching the countdown numbers on the ground, waiting quietly.
To pass the time, he occasionally looked out toward White Hill Village, curious about how the newcomers were faring.
‘What happened to those newcomers in White Hill Village?’ Yu Hong wondered, concerned about how they made it through the days.
Nights were dangerous now, with flying predators occasionally appearing, much more threatening than before.
At that moment, he could faintly see movement in the village, as if someone was transporting something.
The perimeter of the village had been surrounded by a high stone wall, blocking some of the buildings from view.
‘Are they reinforcing the village? Planning to turn it into a fortress?’ he speculated.
While practicing and resting, he would glance towards the formation and the village.
The second layer of the Heavy Leg Skill now required him to gather new inner strength.
It remained at nine paths, but having discovered the knack for it, Yu Hong increased his physical burden, making his training accumulate faster.
Estimating with this progress, he figured he could condense the first inner strength of the second layer within a week.
‘It’s clear that condensing the inner strength of the second layer is much harder than the first, requiring a much larger amount.
The explosive effect should also be significantly stronger, making it an excellent reserve energy for enhancing the black seal.
This could let me strengthen even more things.’ Yu Hong’s heart brimmed with anticipation.
The outside world was too perilous; his largest wish was to complete the self-sufficiency of the safe house as soon as possible.
To achieve self-sufficiency, safety must come first, followed by energy, water, and food.
Therefore, the strengthened formation was his beacon of hope.
While pondering his future plans, he suddenly heard faint footsteps from the nearby woods.
The sound of shoes on dry branches was rather jarring in this season, so much so that even the wind couldn’t mask its intrusion.
Snapping back to reality, Yu Hong looked up toward the source of the noise.
Standing just outside the yard to avoid radiation, he had an unobstructed view, and within moments, he spotted who was approaching.
A short man in a gray-black long-sleeve hoodie led two women and a young man toward him.
The short man had dark skin and a resolute face, his eyes showing traces of worry.
He seemed to be in his thirties, moving with a steady gait that spoke of caution.
The three behind him looked younger, all appearing to be under thirty, radiating a strong student vibe.
One young man was fair-skinned and handsome; despite his face being dirty, it didn’t diminish his delicate charm.
The other two girls looked different: one in red short sleeves and jeans with a high ponytail, showing a cold demeanor but with a slim figure, while the other was cute, with chubby cheeks, double ponytails, and a petite build, but her red eyes hinted she had just been crying.
As Yu Hong noticed them, they quickly spotted him, their eyes brightening like they had found a savior, and they hurried toward him.
Soon, they stopped about ten meters away, standing there unguarded, seemingly unconcerned about Yu Hong’s bulletproof attire.
This unique sense of relaxation made Yu Hong think of students who had just left school for society.
“Hello, are you Mr. Yu Hong? We’ve just settled in from the Wu Shan Sports Academy team, escaping from Yu River. I’m Song Mingshi, the team leader. The postman Mr. Li Runshan told us we could exchange some great ore talismans with you. Is that true?” The stout leader stepped forward, speaking politely and humbly.
Song Mingshi? Yu Hong examined him, spotting a large slingshot at his waist and a dagger the length of his forearm.
Looking at the three behind him, he realized they were only armed with wooden sticks.
Clearly, this leading teacher, Song Mingshi, was the muscle of the group.
But judging by his movements, this person was not much stronger than an ordinary person; he lacked the trained control that Old Li had.
They were a dangerous bunch.
Yu Hong assessed them, not that he feared they would bring harm but that they could easily find themselves in danger at any moment.
After experiencing various threats, he understood just how green and fragile these people were.
“I am Yu Hong. I’m afraid the great ore and talismans are temporarily unavailable for sale. You’ll have to wait a while,” he replied calmly.
“Unavailable?” Song Mingshi was taken aback, and the three students behind him visibly paled, looking somewhat distressed.
“Mr. Yu, we initially set out with a supply team, but halfway through, something happened, and we were separated. I and two teachers, along with thirteen students, have not eaten enough for two days. With the phantoms lurking around, we truly need the great ore to help create isolation zones. If you could spare us some…” Song Mingshi pleaded.
“The supply team had an accident?” Yu Hong felt a chill run through him, his expression turning serious beneath his helmet. “Was it a supply team coming this way?” he asked urgently.
“Yes. They encountered something unknown along the way; half of the supply team's members disappeared, losing both their guard and their leader. Everyone grabbed their supplies and ran, none dared to stay with the team,” Song Mingshi recounted helplessly.
“When did this happen?” Yu Hong pressed further, his face darkening.
Without the supply team, both he and Old Li would have no way to replenish food, meaning they had to rely completely on their own resources.
This also meant they needed more hands to work.
“About five days ago,” Song Mingshi replied.
“This is troublesome,” Yu Hong sighed.
Just as the dangers seemed to pass, everything began to settle; now the supply team had encountered another problem.
“What did Li Runshan tell you? How did he send you to find me?” Yu Hong paused before asking.
“Mr. Li collected some silver coins from us and gave us your address. If possible, could we perhaps exchange some for food or medicine?” Song Mingshi finally revealed the real reason for their visit.
This group could travel alongside the mountain supply team and manage to speak with Li Runshan; clearly, money was at the core of it all.
No wonder they could settle in White Hill Village and stay safe; their resources were evidently plentiful.
“No need for money; in this world, money can become worthless at any moment. Do you have anything to exchange with me? Let’s hear it,” Yu Hong asked casually.
If there was something he needed, trading a bit wouldn’t be out of the question.
After all, he would complete the big talisman formation today.
“We brought some newly researched, lightless mushroom spores called Pig Leg Mushrooms. We also have the latest water purifier, repair tools, a hand-cranked generator, and blankets,” Song Mingshi answered promptly.
“Anything else?” Yu Hong frowned.
“Uh… are these not enough?” Song Mingshi asked, somewhat helplessly.
“Not really useful. By the way, how long do you plan to stay here? Food certainly cannot suffice for so many people,” Yu Hong inquired.
“After resting, we plan to head to Baihe City. I’ve heard a lot of escapees are gathering there,” Song Mingshi explained but noticed that Yu Hong seemed uninterested in what they offered, and his expression grew anxious. “In that case, we can do without the great ore. If it comes to it, we’ll dig for ordinary ore in the mines, but what about anti-inflammatory medicine? Can you spare some? We have several with high fevers in our group.”
“I can give you some medicine; one person’s daily amount is five silver coins. Does that work for you?” Yu Hong spoke in a deep voice.
He was not a philanthropist; in this environment, giving things away for free would only lead people to think he was a fool, and they might devise ways to take advantage of him further.
“That’s just too…” Song Mingshi’s expression shifted slightly.
With that price, he had no idea how effective the medicine would be, how long a course would last, or how quickly it acted.
What if the effect was weak, requiring a prolonged treatment?
“And I only have three doses; I need to keep some in reserve. I don’t have the time to make more right now,” Yu Hong added bluntly. “You either want it or forget it.”
He noticed that this group had no idea about the urgency of anti-inflammatory medicine in a situation like theirs; it truly couldn’t be compared to silver coins.
In fact, with the supply team unlikely to reach here, a single dose of medicine was practically a lifeline.
Yu Hong’s willingness to trade was already a help to them.
(End of Chapter)