At dawn the next morning, the first sliver of light—sharp as a sword—sliced through the thick fog of the space. It pierced through the cracked window lattice of the wooden hut and struck Shen Qinghuan squarely on the eyelids.
She instinctively reached out to touch her slightly swollen abdomen. The child she carried, now three or four months along, was her only solace in this lonely, bitter world, and her only true weakness.
Beside her, a ball of fluff was nudging her arm, emitting a soft, cat-like purr. It was the audacious little red panda. After the scare she’d given it the night before, it didn’t seem afraid of her at all; in fact, it had shamelessly curled up next to her for the entire night.
Shen Qinghuan curled her lips into a faint smile, her fingertip gently poking the soft ball of fur.
“Yuanbao” let out a tiny grunt, its ink-black, grape-like eyes popping open, still misty with sleep. When it realized it was her, it let out a happy squeal and pawed at her, trying to burrow into her arms.
“Owner! Owner! Hug me!”
Afraid of pressing against her belly, Shen Qinghuan quickly dodged and scratched it behind the chin instead. “Oh, ‘morning? What’s so good about the morning? I’m worried sick!”
Yuanbao tilted its head, its tiny claws tugging at her fingers. “What are you worried about, Owner? Still thinking about panda stew?”
With a huff, Shen Qinghuan flicked its forehead and stood up. She leaned against the wall, made her way to the door, and pushed it open with a creak. She pointed toward the vast expanse of black soil outside. “You said planting rare medicinal herbs would upgrade the space and make me rich. But look—I don’t even have a single seed! Do you expect me to feed us on nothing but dirt and the Northwest wind? I might be able to handle it, but the little one in my belly can’t go hungry!”
At this, Yuanbao grew indignant. It sprang up from the ground, stood tall on its round body, and placed its little paws on its waist, protesting huffily.
“Hmph! Owner, why do you keep calling me ‘little panda’? I have a name! I’m a world-renowned Space Spirit—how could I not have a name?”
Shen Qinghuan froze. She realized that last night, preoccupied with the rewards and the space’s upgrade, she hadn’t thought to ask for the little thing’s name. She raised an eyebrow and feigned a stern face, tapping its round head lightly.
“Oh? Then tell me, what is your name? I can’t keep calling you ‘little thing’ or ‘little brat’ forever, can I?”
Yuanbao shook its head, not at all intimidated. Instead, it puffed out its chest, its tail held high in pride, and announced in a loud, clear voice, “My name is Yuanbao! The previous owner gave it to me. They said I could summon wealth and bring good fortune to my master!”
“Yuanbao… a good name, a truly good name. As expected of my spirit—just hearing it sounds like it’s destined for riches. From now on, you shall be Yuanbao.”
Yuanbao squinted its eyes in bliss as she rubbed its head. It wrapped its little paws around her finger, its tail wagging like a tiny fan, not forgetting to boast, “Of course! Owner, don’t worry about the seeds. There are plenty in the warehouse—treasures left behind by the previous master, all kept in jade boxes. They haven’t even been touched!”
There are seeds in the warehouse?
Shen Qinghuan’s breath hitched. Her heart felt as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand, followed by a wild, frantic drumming against her ribs. Fearing that a sudden movement might strain her abdomen, she suppressed her manic joy and hurried toward the unassuming little storage room beside the shack, her steps feeling light, almost floating.
“Take me there quickly! If there really are seeds, I’ll give you an extra two pounds of biscuits today!”
The warehouse door was made of ancient nanmu wood. The moment it creaked open, a clear, crisp scent of herbs mixed with the warm, rich fragrance of jade wafted out, tickling her nose. Inside, neatly arranged rows of palm-sized jade boxes sat coated in a thin layer of dust. Yet, that could not hide the wisps of spiritual energy leaking from them, making her eyes widen in disbelief.
Yuanbao leaped from her arms and pointed at the bottom shelf with its paw, showing off triumphantly. “These are them, Owner! You’re brilliant! Just open one, and you can plant the seeds directly into the soil—you won’t even need a hoe!”
This is the space’s unique secret skill: Intent-Planting.
Shen Qinghuan, piqued with excitement, followed Yuanbao’s instructions. She stared at a jade box marked with blue-veined grass and whispered, “Open!”
Click.
With a soft sound, the lid popped open. Inside lay dozens of jet-black, glowing seeds, plump and round. As she leaned in, a strange, refreshing fragrance rushed to her head, instantly clearing the fog from her mind.
“My god, it really works!”
Shen Qinghuan clapped in delight. She focused on another crimson jade box and commanded, “Open!”
Again, it obeyed. Inside were seeds as red as agate, shimmering with a faint, mystical light.
“Owner, these seeds vary—there are ordinary grains and precious medicinal herbs. You’ll know what they are once they sprout,” Yuanbao said, bouncing onto the pile of boxes and waving its paws. “And once you have your first harvest, you’ll unlock the Space Mall! You’ll be able to trade for any seed or treasure you want!”
The word “Mall” struck Shen Qinghuan like a bolt of lightning, setting her blood boiling. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and channeled all her focus toward the shelves of boxes. “All seeds—sow into the black soil!”
No sooner had the words left her lips than a startling scene unfolded. The lids of every box flew open with a flurry of clicks. The seeds—red, black, white, yellow—flew out like colored ribbons of light, fluttering gracefully toward the black soil outside.
As each seed landed, the dark earth beneath it automatically turned, burying the seed perfectly in a tiny pit. The speed was like lightning. Within the blink of an eye, dozens of boxes worth of seeds were sown.
Yuanbao rolled on the ground in excitement, its paws waving wildly in the air. “Spiritual energy stimulation! Spiritual energy stimulation! Hundred-year herbs—mature in half a day!”
Shen Qinghuan gripped the doorframe, her eyes unblinking, her heart hammering against her chest. “Look!”
Green shoots began to sprout from the black soil, like newborn infants shyly poking their heads out. But then, it was as if they had been injected with a surge of primordial power. They surged upward with visible speed, shooting out stems, leaves, and branches. In less time than it takes to burn a stick of incense, the once-barren land was lush and vibrant. Layers of green waves rolled across the field, and the intoxicating scent of medicine filled every corner of the space.
Wow… this is too fast!
Shen Qinghuan stared, dumbfounded. Just as she was about to step forward, her gaze was suddenly snagged by a patch of plants that looked completely different from the rest.