Two basic-level learning maps.
These things were actually extremely useful. Ren Xiaosu was someone who thirsted for knowledge by nature. A single learning map allowed him to directly absorb someone else's hard-earned experience, so he treasured them like priceless artifacts.
Although the skills learned were random—there was no guarantee they wouldn't turn out useless—the previous acquisition of advanced firearms skills had already shown him how sweet the payoff could be.
However, what truly drew Ren Xiaosu to the palace wasn't these two learning maps.
It was what the palace mentioned at the very end…
A side quest!
Since it was a side quest, it should be something optional—probably unimportant, or at least short-term.
But Ren Xiaosu clearly remembered the palace saying: "As you currently lack a weapon, special—"
So this mission had something to do with weapons, right?
Having spent years roaming the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu understood better than anyone how crucial a good weapon was. Earlier, Old Wang had once obtained a steel blade and wanted to sell it to him. Ren Xiaosu had saved money for half a year, yet still couldn't afford it.
In the end, Old Wang sold the blade to a supervisor from the chemical plant instead. Those supervisors were usually chosen from refugees by the shelter walls—people who didn't get to eat the meat, but at least got to sip the soup when the shelter elites feasted.
Back then, Ren Xiaosu had thought to himself: If only I could have a good weapon someday.
If he did, he wouldn't have to lie in wait in the wilderness every day just to catch sparrows. Those damn birds were getting harder and harder to catch, and the waiting was exhausting.
With a weapon, he could hunt other animals—rabbits, field mice, bamboo rats, things like that…
Nowadays, even rabbits counted as dangerous beasts.
Rabbits in the wilderness didn't actively attack people, but they were as tall as a man's calf and incredibly strong. Once, Ren Xiaosu had dug a trap over two meters deep. The rabbit really did fall in—but when Ren Xiaosu approached, it kicked off the ground and leapt straight out. While airborne, it even managed to land a kick right on his forehead, nearly giving him a concussion.
Ren Xiaosu looked at the parchment paper on the typewriter:
"As you currently lack a weapon, a side quest is hereby unlocked: Obtain 100 instances of sincere gratitude to unlock a weapon. Gratitude can also be used to exchange for items."
Ren Xiaosu's expression turned strange.
This side quest… felt kind of weird, didn't it?
Collect gratitude? And it had to be sincere?
Getting people to say thanks was easy. But making sure it came from the heart—that was the hard part.
And gratitude could be used as currency now? The real question was: What could you even buy with it?
He kept reading. New lines of text were occasionally refreshing on the parchment.
"Gratitude from Li Xiaoyu, +1."
Looks like he hadn't saved an ungrateful bastard after all, Ren Xiaosu thought with a sigh of relief. The palace's judgment system probably wasn't wrong.
There was also a small line of text:
Weapon unlocked: 1/100.
Ren Xiaosu felt a bit regretful. If only it were negative emotion points—he could max out the entire town in minutes!
Still, you use whatever the palace gives you.
At this moment, Ren Xiaosu was already looking forward to his future weapon. Anything from this mysterious palace had to be top-tier.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at Yan Liuyuan.
"Liuyuan, say thank you to me."
Yan Liuyuan looked utterly confused. "Bro, don't do this. You're scaring me."
"Scaring my ass," Ren Xiaosu snapped. "Just say it."
Yan Liuyuan thought for a moment. "Thank you… for always taking care of me."
"Gratitude from Yan Liuyuan, +1."
Ren Xiaosu broke into a wide grin.
Was it really this easy?
"Come on, say thank you a few more times," Ren Xiaosu urged.
Yan Liuyuan went silent. "Thank you…"
This time, nothing happened.
Ren Xiaosu was disappointed. Looks like you couldn't farm it repeatedly. The key really was the word sincere.
He raised his head and glared at Yan Liuyuan. "Your heart's not in it!"
"No, no—your emotions are off. Try again."
"Still wrong. Get into the mood first. Yeah, yeah, that expression—good."
"Try again. Sincerity brings miracles…"
"One more time. Put some feeling into your voice this time…"
Yan Liuyuan was on the verge of collapse. Dry-mouthed, he said, "Bro… is this your power? This ability really kills your throat…"
That night, Ren Xiaosu experimented on Yan Liuyuan for half the night, yet only managed to gain one single gratitude point.
That gratitude turned into two coins.
The coins were engraved with a heart on one side, and a set of lyrics on the other:
"A grateful heart, thankful for you,accompanying me through my life,giving me the courage to be myself.A grateful heart, thankful for fate—through blooming and falling flowers,I will cherish it all the same."
Ren Xiaosu smacked his lips. "Pretty cheesy."
At that moment, the display cabinets around the palace—previously shrouded in black mist—began to change.
To the left of the typewriter, one cabinet's black fog dissipated, revealing…
An automatic vending machine.
Ren Xiaosu stared at it in shock. What the hell was this thing for? It was his first time seeing one—these didn't even exist outside anymore.
But he understood the text on it:
Coin Slot.
There were no other options. Just the slot.
No need to overthink it—just insert the coin.
Clang.
The heart-engraved coin fell into the machine. The machine rumbled, and a small bottle—smaller than the palm of his hand—rolled out.
Ren Xiaosu picked it up. There was only one word on the bottle:
Medicine.
"Hey, at least tell me what this stuff treats," Ren Xiaosu muttered.
After opening his eyes, a thought crossed his mind—and the bottle appeared in his hand. Another thought, and it disappeared.
Yan Liuyuan watched, stunned. "Bro… are you doing magic?"
Ren Xiaosu ignored him. He decisively tore off the cloth he had been using to bandage his wound, exposing the infected injury beneath.
The area around it was badly bruised, oozing tissue fluid nonstop. Ren Xiaosu knew very well that without proper treatment, fever and festering were inevitable.
Seeing this, Yan Liuyuan immediately stood up and headed outside.
"What are you doing?" Ren Xiaosu asked, grabbing him.
"I'm going to buy you medicine," Yan Liuyuan said stubbornly.
"No need."
Ren Xiaosu opened the bottle and carefully scooped out a small amount of ointment with his finger, gently applying it to the wound.
The bottle was small and shallow—probably only enough for three uses.
After applying it, Ren Xiaosu suddenly regretted it.
What if this was poison?
But his fears were unfounded.
The moment the ointment touched the wound, the burning pain instantly vanished.
That meant the anti-inflammatory medicine Xiaoyu had given him could be saved.
Ren Xiaosu did a quick calculation. Normal anti-inflammatory meds needed to be taken for three consecutive days. This ointment worked instantly.
One pill cost 200.
This bottle of ointment…
Rounded off—
That was one hundred million!
Ren Xiaosu suddenly turned his head toward Yan Liuyuan, his expression resolute.
"Help me think," he said firmly."What can I do to quickly earn other people's gratitude?!"