Lin Feng, truly in need of a safe spot to recover, accepted Tinalari's offer.
After turning down Fabird's mushroom dinner invite once more, he took Xiaobai to the nearby market. He ordered a grilled meat wrap and curry shrimp. Eyeing the complimentary green juice crisps with their odd tang, he hesitated—then left them untouched.
Setting that aside, both he and Xiaobai visibly brightened after the hot meal.
Notably, the three thousand-plus Mora looted from the fainted rookies proved solid currency. In practice, Mora—as the flesh and blood of the Geo Archon—held purchasing power roughly on par with his old world's RMB.
Lin Feng, who had grumbled that it was not even enough for a meal at Wangshu Inn, silently apologized to the trio in his head.
He had no plans to touch the Mora or elemental shards Xiaobai swiped from the Fatui. Beyond any tracking worries, he had noticed those high-purity items truly satisfied it. Since filling up last time—without tapping its powers—Xiaobai showed no hunger signs.
On a whim midway, he had Xiaobai try eating Mora. One nibble, and it spat it out: purity too low, like chewing rocks. Another experiment down the drain.
Post-meal, he picked up two spare outfits from a stall—standard light grey Sumeru rainforest garb, shirt and shorts in a style vaguely like his previous life's casual wear.
Clothes and lunch came to about three hundred Mora. For basics, his three thousand would last a while.
Freshly bathed and changed, Lin Feng felt human again—clean, crisp, renewed.
After a morning on the move, he returned to the temporary shelter Tinalari had arranged.
Simple triangular build: wooden frame topped with treated dry grass and fresh leaves.
Inside surprised him with unexpected coziness despite the sparse setup—a bed, desk, specimen board, storage rack. No personal touches.
No way Tinalari lends this out often? Traveler recovered here too. Barely any owner traces. Lin Feng wondered silently.
Bone-tired, he curled up with the newly bathed, fluffy-scented Xiaobai and pulled up Tinalari's panel:
[Individual Data: Human – Valayan – Tinalari]
Level: 51 (Proficient in elemental force, combat far beyond normal; can match some elite monsters.)
Element: Dendro
Traits: Herbalism 6, Enhanced Hearing 5, Vision of the God – Dendro Affinity 5, Archery 5, Enhanced Smell 3, Cooking 3, Pathfinding 2
Mood: Calm
Affection: 30 (Thanks you for helping a Caravan Ribat resident, but still somewhat wary of your background.)
Compared to his own sheet, the level gap was massive—could probably take ten of him in a fight. But the standout was elemental affinity.
Tinalari's was Dendro-specific, tied to a God's Eye. His own sat at higher raw levels, unattached to any element, no Vision prefix.
Plus his level 7 Elemental Resistance—never seen that on random NPCs. Only a slime once had Hydro Resistance 9. Round it off: he was basically a teen all-element slime. Not immune, but tough.
Curiosity lingered over his and Xiaobai's garbled codes, but the all-night trek caught up. Eyes shut, sleep crashed over him like a wave.
—
Afternoon.
Refreshed from the nap, Lin Feng peered through the lattice window.
Surprising—he felt like he had slept ages, yet the sun still hung above the horizon.
Reddening dusk warmed passing folk and closing stalls. Workers headed home; dinner hour brought smoke, spices, life to the air.
Real-life Caravan Ribat bustled far beyond the game's rundown outpost.
Merchant caravans flowing through. Lifelong forest foragers. Akademiya scholars on ecology fieldwork. Mercs guarding convoys or students.
The mix breathed energy into this rainforest fringe town, all underpinned by countless rangers working behind the scenes.
Makes sense. Rangers double as foresters and lawkeepers—civil servant vibes from the game.
Hunger tugged. Better grab food before vendors packed up.
Then a familiar voice drifted from outside.
"You're awake?"
Lin Feng glanced over. Just those upright ears first.
"Made some mushroom soup. Join me?"
Tinalari knocked, pot in hand, and stepped in.
"Thanks. Was just getting hungry—planned to hunt something down." Lin Feng saw no reason to refuse.
"Though I didn't expect a Forest Watcher to cook this well."
The aroma confirmed the system's Cooking 3 tag.
"That stuff in the pot... edible mushrooms, right? Got a bit scarred by them lately." Multicolored chunks made him wary.
"Hah, don't worry. I pick safe ones. Brought antidotes just in case."
Tinalari chuckled, shaking a glass vial.
"Most fungi are in the Apam Woods Edible Guide. Skip unknowns, and you're golden."
His explanation felt thoughtful.
"Thanks. Won't stand on ceremony then."
Already tempted, Lin Feng dug in.
Over the meal, he spun a tale for Tinalari: parents secluded hermits, lost to disaster; orphaned young, wandering ever since.
"I see."
Tinalari nodded, understanding. Lin Feng looked thirteen to fifteen—still a kid. Curiosity about his past was natural.
"Try this. New find—you might be the first to taste it."
Tinalari added glossy green mushrooms to his bowl.
"Thanks..." Lin Feng popped one in, hesitant.
"Mm! Delicious!" Instant convert.
He could sense Tinalari's sincerity. Busting three nobodies warranted no such treatment—more than pity, though.