Xiao Mei stared at Lin Yao, her eyes wide behind her glasses, which were slowly sliding down her nose again.
"Alchemy? Or is it... mutant sorcery?"
She leaned over the counter, invading Lin Yao's personal space.
"Wait, wait! Maybe it's a new type of biological tech! Like, if I eat more, will I get X-ray vision? Will I be able to see through walls?"
Lin Yao blinked, mid-chew on a gummy bear.
Was this girl serious??
Before Xiao Mei could continue her spiraling conspiracy theories about noodle-induced superpowers, a calm, authoritative voice cut through the air.
"Xiao Mei, breathe."
Jiang Wan placed a hand on her assistant's shoulder. It was a gentle touch, but it carried the weight of a command. The Vice-Commander was still wearing the oversized gray hoodie and bunny slippers, but her presence was undeniable.
Xiao Mei squeaked and took a step back, clutching her tablet like a shield.
Jiang Wan turned her cool, blue eyes toward Lin Yao. "Shopkeeper... what kind of shrimp was that?"
"..."
That was... an oddly specific question.
"System," Lin Yao projected her thought, "what the heck is in those noodles?"
[The shrimp is derived from the 'Deep Sea Spirit Prawn,' a species native to the Aqua-Realm. They are harvested from pressurized underwater trenches where mana concentration is highest.]
[Because of their habitat, these prawns naturally filter toxins and accumulate pure energy. When consumed by a lower life form (humans), this manifests as a detoxification and thermal regulation effect.]
Lin Yao nodded sagely. "Right. Magic prawns."
She looked at Jiang Wan and decided to channel her inner mysterious merchant.
"It's the Deep Sea Spirit Prawn."
"Deep Sea... Spirit Prawn?" Xiao Mei muttered, tilting her head like a confused owl.
Jiang Wan furrowed her brow. She knew the geography of the Wasteland. The oceans were black, toxic sludge pits. Nothing lived there except Leviathans that could eat aircraft carriers.
"It lives in pressurized trenches," Lin Yao elaborated, parroting the System. "It feeds on pure mana. That's why it clears out... blockage."
Xiao Mei's jaw dropped. Jiang Wan's eyes widened a fraction.
"Mana?" Jiang Wan whispered. "You mean... mutant energy? But purified?"
Does this mean the owner... has access to uncorrupted zones? Xiao Mei thought, her brain short-circuiting. Is she a time traveler?
Jiang Wan suddenly straightened up. She didn't bow she was a Commander, after all but she offered a crisp, military salute.
"Thank you for the... resources, Shopkeeper."
Lin Yao froze, holding a red gummy bear halfway to her mouth.
Wait. What?
Did the Vice-Commander of High Garden just salute her?
Jiang Wan remained rigid. She knew that mere crystals weren't enough to express the strategic value of what had just happened.
Not only had Xiao Mei's vision been corrected (saving High Garden resources on corrective lenses), but Jiang Wan herself had overcome a decade-long handicap with her Ice Gift. The "Internal Furnace" buff was still active, keeping her warm in a way she hadn't felt since childhood.
"Xiao Mei," Jiang Wan commanded without looking back. "Note this in the log. Priority Alpha."
"Yes, Commander!" Xiao Mei typed furiously on her tablet.
Meanwhile, Lin Yao sat there, trying to look cool while internally screaming.
She thinks I'm some sort of warlord, doesn't she?
[Host, she believes you are a high-level resource broker with access to Pre-Collapse technology or extra-dimensional supply lines. Which... is technically true.]
Great. Now I have expectations to live up to.
Xiao Mei, finished with her typing, looked up with starry eyes.
"Shopkeeper! Can we buy more cups? If I eat another one, will I be able to see in the dark? Or maybe shoot lasers?"
Jiang Wan glared at her assistant, but her hand twitched toward her own wallet. She was thinking the same thing.
If one cup stabilized her power, what would ten do? Could she reach the rumored 'S-Rank'?
Lin Yao crushed their hopes with the ruthlessness of a DMV employee.
"No. You cannot purchase the same product more than once a day."
She pointed a gummy bear at the sign.
[Rule No. 1: Daily Limits Are Absolute.]
Xiao Mei's face crumbled.
"But... but I have crystals! I have my personal savings! I'll pay ten crystals! No, twenty!"
"It's definitely worth fifty," Jiang Wan added quietly, her hand tightening on her money pouch.
Fifty crystals? Lin Yao's heart skipped a beat. That was enough to unlock the 'Electronics' section! She could have a TV!!
"System," she begged. "Just this once? It's for the greater good. And my entertainment center."
[Host, scarcity drives demand. Flooding the market devalues the product. Also, eating two cups in succession would likely cause their unadapted digestive systems to explode. Do you want to clean up exploding customers?]
...Point taken.
Lin Yao sighed. She looked at Xiao Mei's pleading face.
"Even if you pay a hundred crystals," Lin Yao said, her voice filled with tragic resolve. "Or a million. The answer is no."
"Digestive safety protocols," she added as a white lie. "Your bodies can't handle the... potency."
Xiao Mei looked horrified. Jiang Wan looked thoughtful.
"Potency..." Jiang Wan murmured. "Of course. It makes sense. Such power must have a limit."
Just then, a harsh static noise tore through the peaceful atmosphere of the shop.
It was coming from Jiang Wan's discarded trench coat, piled on a chair near the door.
"Commander! Commander Jiang! Do you copy? This is sector 7! We are under attack!"
The voice on the radio was frantic, screaming over the sound of gunfire and snarling beasts.
Jiang Wan's demeanor shifted instantly. The cozy, noodle-eating girl vanished. The Iron Lady returned.
She moved with a blur of speed, grabbing the radio.
"This is Jiang. Report."
"It's a horde! A massive one! They breached the southern perimeter! We're being overrun! We need backup, now!"
A monstrous sound echoed through the radio speaker, causing Xiao Mei to cover her ears.
"That sounds like a Tyrant," Su Ling said from her corner, her eyes sharpening. "A big one."
Jiang Wan looked at the radio, then at her comfy bunny slippers. A look of pained conflict crossed her face.
She had just found peace. She was warm. She was full. But duty called.
"Xiao Mei," Jiang Wan barked. "Gear up. We're leaving."
"But Commander!" Xiao Mei wailed, looking at the unfinished bag of gummy bears. "We just started the girls' night!"
"The horde doesn't care about girls' night!"
Jiang Wan grabbed her trench coat. She went to pull off the gray hoodie, but paused. It was so soft.
And outside... it was so cold.
She looked at Lin Yao.
"Shopkeeper," Jiang Wan said, her voice intense. "Does this hoodie... impede movement?"
Lin Yao blinked. "Uh, no? It's 'Athleisure' fit. High mobility."
Jiang Wan nodded once. She didn't take it off. instead, she threw her armored trench coat over the hoodie. It was a tight fit, but she made it work.
Then, she looked down at her feet.
She kicked off the bunny slippers (with a look of genuine regret) and shoved her feet back into her heavy combat boots.
"Xiao Mei, bring the slippers," Jiang Wan ordered. "Do not let them get dirty."
"Yes, Commander!" Xiao Mei shoved the slippers into her bag alongside the gummy bears.
Su Ling stood up, spinning her combat knife.
"Need a hand?" Su Ling asked casually. "My shift ends in ten minutes. I accept overtime pay in spicy chips."
Jiang Wan looked at the mercenary. Usually, she would refuse help from a 'gun-for-hire.' But the sound of that roar...
"Double time," Jiang Wan said. "And I'll buy you a crate of chips."
Su Ling grinned. "Deal."
Jiang Wan turned to Lin Yao.
"Shopkeeper," she said. "We will be back. Keep the hot water running."
"And restock the shrimp!" Xiao Mei yelled as she ran out the door, her tablet flapping.
Lin Yao watched them go a Commander in a hoodie, an assistant with a bag of slippers, and a mercenary fueled by noodle soup.
They charged out of the shop and into the black SUV. The engine roared to life.
As they peeled away, kicking up a cloud of dust, Lin Yao noticed something on the table.
Jiang Wan had left her payment. It was a small, heavy badge.
Lin Yao picked it up. It was gold, embossed with the Hawk crest of High Garden.
[Item Received: High Garden VIP Token.]
[Effect: Grants unrestricted access to the Settlement. 20% Discount on local goods. Intimidation +10 against local guards.]
Lin Yao whistled.
"Not bad for a cup of soup."
She looked at the empty shop. The half-eaten bag of gummy bears sat on the counter.
"System," Lin Yao said, popping a bear into her mouth. "Pull up the surveillance feed of Sector 7. Let's see if the 'Internal Furnace' buff works in combat."
[Displaying live feed...]
A holographic screen materialized in the air.
Lin Yao leaned back, smiling.