The sky still carried a hazy bluish-gray tint as dawn began to break. Wisps of mist curled through the forest like gauze, clinging softly to the tree trunks.
Liu Xiaoman took a deep breath of the cool air, rich with the scent of earth and greenery.
The refreshing chill seeped into her lungs, weaving her nervousness and excitement into a tight, intricate web.
The basket on her back was fuller than yesterday, packed with a few coarse grain cakes and a small tube of clean water.
At her waist hung the brand-new short sickle gifted by Shopkeeper Qian. Its blade concealed a cold gleam, and the smooth handle felt cool to the touch.
The strange beast-repelling powder and the heavy two taels of silver were wrapped tightly in cloth and pressed close against her chest, as if they were her greatest protection on this journey.
This was her first time truly venturing alone into the back mountains—spoken of by villagers as if they were some primordial beast.
Beneath her feet, the soft humus soil muffled her steps, broken only occasionally by the crisp snap of a dry twig.
At the mountain’s edge, the forest was lush and dense. Towering trees blocked out the sky, allowing sunlight to filter through only in scattered patches.
Shrubs grew thickly, tangled with unknown vines that obscured the path ahead, revealing and concealing it in turns.
The air rang with clear birdcalls, occasionally pierced by the low, distant growls of unseen beasts. Instinctively, Liu Xiaoman tightened her grip on the sickle at her waist.
She followed a faint trail once trodden by hunters but long abandoned, advancing cautiously, each step measured and deliberate.
Everything here brimmed with primal vitality—and with unknown danger.
After walking for about the time it took to burn a stick of incense, all traces of a path vanished. Ancient trees towering into the sky replaced the ordinary woodland growth.
Liu Xiaoman stopped, leaning against a massive tree that would take two people to encircle. She steadied her slightly quickened breathing.
Closing her eyes, she silently called out in her mind:
“System, activate scanning mode!”
The moment the thought formed, a translucent blue interface—visible only to her—unfolded before her eyes.
A crosshair appeared at the center of her vision. Then, a faint green grid-like wave spread outward from her in all directions, silently sweeping through the surroundings.
As the wave passed, something extraordinary happened.
A patch of ordinary moss at her feet was scanned, and a line of text appeared above it:【Common moss, exchange value: 0.001 points】
A gray mushroom growing on a nearby tree trunk was marked:【Gray parasol mushroom (slightly toxic), exchange value: 0.01 points】
A black beetle flying past her was caught by the wave, displaying:【Rhinoceros beetle (male), exchange value: 0.1 points】
Liu Xiaoman’s breath hitched for a moment—then an overwhelming surge of joy flooded her heart.
She could hardly believe her eyes.
Things she once considered utterly ordinary—moss, fungi, even insects she would have ignored in her past life as a biology researcher—now all carried clearly marked values in this miraculous system.
“My heavens! This isn’t a barren mountain—it’s an inexhaustible treasure trove!”
Her heart pounded wildly, her blood seeming to boil with excitement.
This feeling was far more exhilarating than discovering a new species in her previous life’s laboratory.
She felt like a mouse that had fallen into a granary, surrounded by endless food.
Suppressing the urge to gather everything in sight, she began acting selectively according to the system’s guidance.
Ordinary moss and weeds were worth too little—they weren’t worth the effort.
Her gaze quickly locked onto targets with higher point values.
Under a damp tree root, she spotted a patch of darker green moss. The system labeled it:【Snake moss, exchange value: 0.5 points】
Her eyes lit up. She immediately crouched down, carefully using her sickle to pry up the entire patch along with the thin layer of soil beneath it, placing it neatly onto the oiled paper lining her basket.
She silently noted: this moss preferred shade and grew mostly near old tree roots.
Not far ahead, she found several purple-black fungi resembling wood ears growing on a decaying log.
System prompt:【Purple lingzhi (juvenile), exchange value: 2 points】
Her heartbeat skipped again.
Two points.
That was far more efficient than digging for medicinal vines for half a day.
She handled them with great care, already planning that once she had enough points, she would exchange for a species cultivation guide to see if she could grow these treasures herself.
Just as she was immersed in the joy of treasure hunting, a sudden rustling sound came from the grass to her left.
Before she could react, a triangular snake head shot out from knee-high grass, its crimson tongue flicking as it hissed menacingly.
The snake’s body was the color of withered leaves—a master of camouflage.
A chill shot from the soles of Liu Xiaoman’s feet straight to her scalp.
Her entire body tensed instantly.
From her knowledge in her previous life, she recognized it immediately—
A deadly five-step viper.
Almost by reflex, she didn’t hesitate. Her right hand darted into her clothes, pulling out the beast-repelling powder and flinging it toward the snake.
The pale yellow powder scattered through the air, releasing a sharp, pungent smell—a strange mix of sulfur and herbs.
The aggressive viper froze instantly upon sensing it, as if struck by paralysis.
In the next second, it turned and fled into the grass in panic, moving so fast it left only a blur behind.
Leaning against the tree, Liu Xiaoman gasped for breath, only then realizing her back was drenched in cold sweat.
She looked at the remaining powder in her hand and thought:
“This stuff really is extraordinary. Shopkeeper Qian didn’t lie… though the effect is almost too overpowering—even a five-step viper is terrified.”
After that close call, she became even more cautious.
Thankfully, the system’s scanning ability acted as her perfect radar—no living creature hidden in the grass could escape detection.
As she continued collecting and exchanging items, the point counter in the top right corner of the interface began rising at a mesmerizing speed.
From 0… to 10… to 20…
Each jump felt like a beautiful note striking her heart.
【Ding! Recycled 10-year He Shou Wu, +15 points】【Ding! Recycled rare luminous fungus, +8 points】【Ding! Recycled a pair of seven-spotted ladybugs, +0.2 points】
Watching the numbers climb, Liu Xiaoman felt as though she had discovered a shortcut to a bright future.
These points weren’t just numbers.
They represented white rice, medicine, a sturdy and warm new home—the very foundation for her, her mother, and her brother to survive in this world.
A powerful sense of achievement and security filled her entire being.
When her total points surpassed 50, the system chimed again:
【Congratulations, host. Total points exceeded 50. Additional basic species encyclopedia unlocked.】
Instantly, her mental database expanded. Many previously unidentifiable plants now displayed detailed names and uses.
Just as she prepared to push toward 100 points, the scanning range reached the edge of her current area.
Suddenly—
A completely different alert sounded in her mind.
【Warning! 300 meters ahead: energy anomaly detected! Large natural cave identified!】
On the system map, a bright red flashing point appeared abruptly in the northeast corner, standing out sharply against the green grid.
Liu Xiaoman froze, her movements halting instantly.
Energy anomaly?
A large natural cave?
What did that mean?
In her previous life, she had some exposure to geological exploration. She knew that energy anomalies often indicated magnetic fields, radiation, or unknown energy sources.
After a brief moment of shock, a surge of curiosity and anticipation—stronger even than when she discovered the purple lingzhi—replaced her caution.
If the system issued a warning, it meant the place was far from ordinary.
And danger often came with opportunity.
Could this be a bonus reward after unlocking new system functions? A kind of beginner’s gift?
She stared at the flashing red point, almost feeling its mysterious pull.
That deep, unknown cave was like a massive riddle, beckoning her to uncover it.
Taking a deep breath, Liu Xiaoman carefully organized the herbs and fungi in her basket and tightly secured it with rope.
She looked toward the increasingly dense forest in the northeast, her eyes gleaming with the spirit of an explorer.
Without hesitation, she gripped her sickle tightly and began moving, step by cautious step, toward the anomalous zone.