How Am I Still Alive?-Chapter 1179 - 1165: The Small Shop
Lu Pingโanโs "little shop" was doing rather well. ๐ฏ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ต.๐ฌ๐ธ๐
But the bestseller wasnโt the vaguely famous flying shuttle over the water.
"Another pot of Sunflowers, can you throw in an extra pot of soil?"
Surprisingly, what sold the best were Lu Pingโanโs "academic achievements," specifically the Holy Fire Sunflowers from the Silent Mountain Range.
Currently, Lu Pingโan only had two varieties of lower-tier (from first to third-tier) Sunfire available, one being the "Sunfire (Tulip hybrid)" which constantly nurtured Holy Fire, and the other being the Sunfruit Tree (Pitaya hybrid) that could produce Sunfruits.
"Iโm sorry, dear customer, but soil here is more precious than gold. How about you buy some extra soil, and Iโll give you a pot of flowers for free?"
Yet the customer was tactfully turned down by the salesperson.
Clearly, this wasnโt any ordinary world. When most cities are floating islands or coral areas, that soil and gravel... the soil that can be used for planting plants is actually quite precious.
This is the real reason why the agricultural products here are outrageously expensive, after all, the acquisition of "soil resources" is always limited. But what Lu Pingโan was selling was the even more precious "fertile soil."
"Tsk, this soil is indeed good. Itโs not just 2-tier Magical Plants, it might even sustain third-tier ones..."
Most Magic Plants are very finicky, each having strict environmental requirements. But if thereโs one universal need, itโs the unending demand for "soil fertility".
Fertile grounds for Magic Plants, even on Earth, are an expensive resource; essential for every Gardenerโs progression and even the Gardenerโs Advancement ceremony of "planting Magic Plants" cannot do without a piece of fertile contaminated land.
The soils of this world are finite, let alone the fertile grounds for Magic Plants. If you really needed them, you had to pay a huge sum to a Big Shot to "custom-make" it for you, requiring not only normal soil (most likely by diving to dig it up) but probably even high-level Demon flesh as compost materials... yet, the quality still wouldnโt compare to "the soil from back home."
Simply selling "yard garden soil" could have made Lu Pingโan a fortune, but what truly established his fame and justified the price was the practical effectiveness of Sunfire.
The incident where Lu Pingโan burned the Lava Clan using Holy Fire had spread widely, naturally causing many to want to try it out, as those rocky Dwarfs known for their imperviousness were not easy to deal with.
And the results were indeed quite impressive, thereby naturally boosting Luโs sales.
After all, compared to the potential danger from mighty enemies of the Lava Clan, the price of a potted plant that could make a difference seemed acceptable, no matter how expensive it was.
"You donโt have a Gardener to care for it? Then, it might be gone in about seventeen or eighteen days..."
Lu Pingโan spoke the hard truth directly. Sunflowers were "Earth species", thriving in the courtyards back home, but to adapt to the local environment? That still required ongoing iterations and "grafting modifications."
Of course, if cared for by other Gardeners, with their Extraordinary Traits and Professional Skills, it wouldnโt be difficult to keep them alive. But the one across from him, with a burly appearance, was clearly a regular warrior by profession.
"No worries, itโs fine if it lasts a week or two, the most dangerous area isnโt far."
This was the very frontline of human power, also bearing the pressure from various Exotic Races. The fact that Magic Plants could serve as support on the battlefield was still beyond the expectations of this professional.
Having come this far, he naturally wouldnโt just purchase a potted plant.
When he left, he also had Lu Pingโanโs specially made "Long Sun Sword," "Sunfire Gun," and "Sun Shield."
Although the names were somewhat peculiar, the design was extremely simple. The Long Sun Sword was essentially a hollow tube "syringe" rapier that could be filled with the juice of the Sunflower, turning it into a flame sword.
The other two weapons were similar, merely slightly modified common iron. They werenโt even considered potential Pollution weapons. Merely a device that could use Sunfruits as ammunition and one that could store Holy Flame for a one-time burst, they were sold at a high price.
"Tsk, arms trade, indeed a quick path to riches..."
Looking down at the increasingly bustling little shop, Lu Pingโan himself was quite pleased.
The original plan seemed to have become a reality. Gold-mining might be a hit or miss in terms of profit, but selling gold-mining tools is definitely lucrative.
On the other hand, having obtained "coins," Lu Pingโan naturally wouldnโt take them straight back. There were other stores specifically for purchasing goods.
Including but not limited to local precious materials, Magic Plants, intelligence, special products, and other valuable itemsโall of which could be purchased on Lu Pingโanโs side.
If appropriate, materials could be handed over to craftsmen, gardeners, and other production professions, then transformed into finished products and integrated into this cycle.
Lu Pingโanโs "Arms Logistics Company" appeared not merely to have a grand opening but also seemed to be making a fortune.
Of course, his "home cuisine" branch was also making quite a bit. After all, it was almost a monopolistic profiteering venture, and those professionals who had been out for months or even years would indeed grit their teeth and spend their savings to enjoy a taste of home.
But more importantly, it also took on the task of attracting crowds.
Many people came to eat, and as they did, they strolled down the street, then ended up checking out the Magic Potion, forging, and manufacturing (Flying Shuttle) shops, and before they knew it, they really did leave with their arms full.
On another note, the Long Hand Clan really lived up to expectations. As value-for-money mercenaries, they displayed a combat power well beyond their price, earning them more "respect" as a result... Consequently, their weaponry and logistics became living advertisements for Lu Pingโan.
The staff members couldnโt even count the number of times young warriors had rushed in, clamoring for the "Long Sun Spear." It was quite an effort to convince them that "the Long Sun Spear was custom-made for the Long Hand Clanโs javelin" and to leave happily with the Long Sun Sword, Sunfire Gun, and shield.
In general, though, the presence of Lu Pingโan indeed significantly reinforced the cityโs strength... and incidentally bolstered his fame.
Consequently, the sound of coins clinking into the cash register was incessant; more and more professionals and warriors were saved by Lu Pingโanโs "logistics," "merchandise," and they came to know of him and couldnโt help but feel grateful.
While Lu Pingโan was steadily making a killing, he also made sure not to neglect his comrades.
They all started popping various Magic Potions... being so young, they really needed some expensive and precious external substances to supplement themselves.
Just the Magic Potion formulated with Spirit Holy Water alone equated to a few bottles per person... Such excessive luxury was truly staggering.
What surprised many was the substantial advancement in the team. It seemed a lot of them had been stuck at the most challenging bottleneck of improving their spiritual power. Now, faced with an opportunity, they naturally progressed further.
However, some things exceeded Lu Pingโanโs expectations.
"Among those freshmen, a large number have become 2-tier and third-tier..."
Many of Lu Pingโanโs trainees had also advanced, and there were even a few extraordinarily young third-tiers.
Among them, what surprised Lu the most was Mei Yuge and the others, whom he had never had much faith in.
Mei Yuge herself advanced to third-tier with ease... Such smooth progress as if favored by the divine, even more, left Lu Pingโan baffled.
But not being able to understand didnโt mean not being able to utilize it. It didnโt matter about others, but Mei Yugeโs "Raincalling Talent," which was only average back home, might be of another significance in this world...
"Indeed, itโs a strategic-level ability."
