"Yes, I forgot that I now lack decent storage and transportation methods. After all, it’s not like before when I could temporarily store them in Cold Storage and even have refrigerated trucks for fresh transport."

"Actually, they’re available, just not for your use."

Upon hearing Dong Tianyu’s blunt words, Ye Liuyun frowned but did not retort, as Dong Tianyu was telling the truth after all.

Although he was doing slightly better now, his status and position were worlds apart from when he was in Pengcheng or Saxon County.

If the flood disaster hadn’t occurred, if he were still in Saxon County, then in negotiations with the salvage team, he wouldn’t have to eagerly go to their turf to beg for a deal. The status of both parties would definitely have been reversed instantaneously.

Alas, a true man does not dwell on past glories. He still had a chance for a comeback.

Seeing that Ye Liuyun stopped talking, Dong Tianyu thought that his previous remark might have hit him hard, or in the terms popular today, shattered his ’Dao’ heart.

Thinking this, Dong Tianyu felt somewhat embarrassed; although his words had an unintended strong impact, what he said was still the truth.

So after a brief consideration, Dong Tianyu took out the Storage Equipment he had made when he first learned Artifact Refining.

As a beginner, Dong Tianyu wasn’t able to produce anything as delicate as storage rings, storage necklaces, or storage earrings.

After all, to refine Storage Equipment, besides requiring materials with spatial attributes, one also needed to inscribe formations to prevent the space from returning to normal.

When Dong Tianyu first started Artifact Refining, his cultivation hadn’t reached the Golden Core Stage.

It’s unheard of for someone at the Foundation Building Stage to succeed in refining Storage Equipment on their first try.

Dong Tianyu only refined it once. Even though he succeeded on his first attempt, he didn’t get excited about this success. Instead, looking at the bulky bracelet in his hand, he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

This discomfort arose because when he initially prepared to refine Storage Equipment and couldn’t find materials with spatial attributes, Dong Tianyu, eager to try his hand, exchanged for them using Survival Points.

Though exchanging for raw materials is generally cheaper than finished products, this depends on the type of material being exchanged; historically, materials with spatial attributes have never been cheap.

Even though he chose to refine Storage Equipment, Dong Tianyu didn’t go so far as to pour most of his resources into purchasing materials for Artifact Refining.

After much hesitation, Dong Tianyu still couldn’t resist buying the cheapest space material to practice with.

What Dong Tianyu took out now was the successful product of his first attempt at refining a magical storage item.

Ye Liuyun looked at the equipment that resembled an arm guard, which Dong Tianyu handed to him, and gazed at him with some confusion.

Dong Tianyu saw the doubt in Ye Liuyun’s eyes and simply introduced him to it, "This is a Magic Artifact with storage capabilities that I stumbled upon."

Because he rarely read novels before the disaster, Ye Liuyun always assumed that storage-capable Magic Artifacts were either rings or necklaces, usually the smaller the better.

But Dong Tianyu, on his first attempt at refining, lacked such skilled craftsmanship. Plus, the difficulty of inscribing formations meant that, not wanting to waste materials, Dong Tianyu did everything he could, and with a stroke of fortune, he finally managed to refine Storage Equipment.

As Dong Tianyu pushed the Storage Equipment towards Ye Liuyun, he introduced it, "This thing really is Storage Equipment. Don’t be fooled by the size of this bracelet; it has a capacity of five cubic meters inside."

Hearing Dong Tianyu claim that this item before him was Storage Equipment, Ye Liuyun eagerly picked it up. Only after inspecting what could unexaggeratedly be called an armguard did he somewhat grit his teeth and ask Dong Tianyu:

"This is the Storage Equipment you speak of? Just this thing? I don’t even know how you have the nerve to call this contraption a bracelet."

I just tested it out, and this gadget mounted on the forearm actually has pretty decent defensive power as long as the attacks are not too intense.

Let me confirm one more time, you’re really willing to give this to me?

Hearing Ye Liuyun’s confirmation again, Dong Tianyu waved his hand, "If I say I’ll give it to you, then it’s yours. Keep it and use it. I’ve loaded it with some good stuff for you. Help me take a look and try to exchange for as many dark green Mysterious Cores as possible."

Upon hearing Dong Tianyu, Ye Liuyun immediately put on the bracelet that was the same size as his forearm, and following the usage method taught by Dong Tianyu, he checked the fruits Dong Tianyu had loaded into it beforehand.

Seeing the storage equipment filled to the brim, Ye Liuyun’s gaze towards Dong Tianyu changed.

Noticing Ye Liuyun’s look, Dong Tianyu dramatically jumped up from his chair and then sternly said to Ye Liuyun, "I’m male, into women. Don’t look at me with those eyes. I am a man you can never have."

After saying that, Dong Tianyu didn’t wait for Ye Liuyun to react and immediately left the private room.

The conversation had been going well but Dong Tianyu’s sudden departure left Ye Liuyun dazed for a moment. It was quite a while before she realized what Dong Tianyu’s words meant, by which time Dong Tianyu was already out of sight.

Seeing this, Ye Liuyun let out a somewhat helpless sigh and then settled the bill and left.

However, the excited expression on Ye Liuyun’s face as she left indicated that she was in quite a good mood at the moment.

After leaving the private room, Dong Tianyu headed straight for the elevator, where he finally experienced what kind of special privileges his level of authority enjoyed within the base.

Because the Water Base is so large, there isn’t just one elevator shaft per floor; they are distributed all over each level depending on the floors they service.

Despite the numerous elevators on each floor, due to the vast number of people, there’s always a significant demand for elevator usage every moment.

Under normal circumstances, there are five elevators at each location, with two of them being larger and open to everyone without any restrictions. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The interior spaces of the remaining three elevators are much smaller compared to the other two.

Unlike those two cramped elevators, access to these three is restricted based on the user’s level of authority.

Of the remaining three, one is reserved exclusively for those with high-level authority, and the other two require at least a fifth-level clearance to use.

Of course, this arrangement isn’t unique to this spot; the situation is similar around all elevator sections.

Privileges come from Contribution Points, and if you want to stay here for the long term, you inevitably have to accept some tasks, which makes it an overt scheme.

Even if they are aware of this, what can they do? Unless they stubbornly do nothing, the outcome is almost the same for everyone: if they don’t engage in the easy jobs within the city, they are sent to the most dangerous places.

Apart from the forcible interventions by the Officials that upend everything, everyone is pretty much affected, as most people do have a competitive streak. They all want to improve their authority within the base, so they give their all to complete tasks.

Under the astonished gazes of others, Dong Tianyu walked over to the smaller elevator and, verified as a resident, satisfied the criteria for access.

After entering the elevator, Dong Tianyu pressed the button for his family’s floor; since it was close to dinnertime, he didn’t delay further, eager to get home.

As soon as he pushed the door open, as expected, his parents weren’t home. He casually brushed a finger over the tabletop, which was free of dust, and the condiment box had varying amounts, indicating usage.

It sure looks like my parents are fine, probably just mooching a meal at a friend’s place.