Magic Farm 176

Chapter 176: End-of-Month Sprint Event “Icebound Boss”

You know, it’s really hard not to be tempted by something like this!

Of course, if it were anyone else making such a request, Qi Yu would have refused without a moment’s hesitation—and would have suspected that the other person was trying to get something even more valuable out of him.

But since it was Shan Xingyu, his only concern was:

“But I don’t have a gift of equal value to give you in return.”

Gold coins were still worth quite a lot, and a golden house was even more precious.

He sighed. “Every time I feel like I’ve finally made a little money, someone comes along to remind me that I’m still just a poor magician.”

He’d sold the Screaming Lily-of-the-Valley to President Sean and earned five figures in gold coins, but even that didn’t seem enough to carpet the floors of a golden house.

“You’re not a poor magician at all.” Shan Xingyu shook his head. “It’s just that your luck doesn’t lie with money, that’s all.”

He thought of the semi-artifact bow, Idelan, that Qi Yu had shown him.

A semi-artifact.

Before seeing it, Shan Xingyu hadn’t even known that such a grade of equipment existed in the survival game!

“That bow of yours is worth more than everything else in this room put together.”

Shan Xingyu paused, then added a patch: “Of course, that doesn’t include the little dragon.”

Qi Yu was blunt: “But I can’t trade it to you.”

“Then can I reserve something for the future?” Shan Xingyu looked at him intently. “I’ll trade a golden house for this: whatever good thing you, Master Magician, make in the future, you’ll share it with me first. How about that?”

Qi Yu didn’t even need to think: “No.”

“There’s no need for a trade.” He met Shan Xingyu’s eyes and said earnestly, “Whenever I make a useful magical item, I would share it with you anyway.”

Shan Xingyu drew a deep breath.

He couldn’t help but ask, “Qi Yu, do you talk to everyone like this?”

So light and casual, yet just a few words were enough to set his heart racing.

The most maddening part was that the other person could say such flirtatious things with a perfectly calm expression, and then, when it was all over, look at you with those especially clear, innocent eyes.

This wasn’t even a case of flirting and then running away—he genuinely didn’t seem to realize he was stirring anyone’s heart at all.

Infuriating!

And now, he was looking at him again with that adorably confused expression.

He wanted to cook this fish slowly in warm water, but the fish was simply too delectable.

Shan Xingyu had never realized he was such an impatient person.

Qi Yu was seriously pondering what he must sound like when he spoke.

Suddenly, a warm body leaned over and hugged him tightly.

Before he could voice his confusion, Shan Xingyu’s muffled voice sounded in his ear: “Qi Yu, in your heart, am I the same kind of friend as money?”

His attention was instantly diverted, and he answered honestly: “No, you’re not the same.”

There was a pleasant, fresh scent of plants on the little magician.

“How are we different?”

Hmm, even his hair carried that lovely botanical fragrance.

Qi Yu was still answering seriously: “It’s the difference between a friend and a best friend, I suppose. I trust him, but not as unreservedly as I trust you.”

He could show Shan Xingyu a semi-artifact, and Shan Xingyu would craft the precious Azurewing for him.

He and his friends from District 01 weren’t at the level of trust where they could lay all their cards on the table for each other.

Shan Xingyu said absentmindedly, “Would he hug you like this?”

His gaze swept over the skin at the nape of the little magician’s neck—his skin was flawless, not a single mole to be found.

Qi Yu finally sensed that something was off.

But he still answered Shan Xingyu’s question first: “No, we’ve never hugged.”

He patted Shan Xingyu suspiciously. “Shan Xingyu, you’re acting strange.”

“Mm.” Shan Xingyu didn’t resist; he let himself be gently pushed away, admitting with a smile, “I just realized I really am acting strange.”

If you knew the ridiculous things I was just thinking about, you’d think I was a pervert too.

Qi Yu stared at him.

Shan Xingyu’s expression was calm, but his face was obviously flushed, even the tips of his ears a vivid red.

And thinking back to that burning-hot hug just now—

Qi Yu was alarmed. “Shan Xingyu, are you sick? Do you have a fever?”

The suspicion drained the color from his face.

Before Shan Xingyu could answer, the Heart of the Great Tree staff appeared in his hand, and he unleashed several healing spells in quick succession, dousing Shan Xingyu from head to toe.

A string of cool, refreshing healing spells brought Shan Xingyu’s feverish heart back to a normal temperature.

But he paid no mind to that; instead, he watched Qi Yu’s face closely.

“Qi Yu.” He gripped his hand calmly. “I’m fine, not sick. Look for yourself—my status is great, my health bar is full.”

A cool hand pressed to his forehead, as if to confirm.

Sensing nothing unusual, Qi Yu finally relaxed. “Sorry, I just remembered some unpleasant things.”

Illness and fever, in his past, had been even more terrifying than facing monsters.

All of Shan Xingyu’s romantic thoughts vanished. He adopted a light tone: “Didn’t you say that once you entered the survival game, life got better? Now that we’re both in the game, our physical stats are much higher than before—it’s not so easy to get sick.”

“You’re right.” Qi Yu let out a long breath. “And now I can use healing magic, and I have plenty of potions. Even if I did get sick, I’d recover quickly.”

Shan Xingyu pressed his lips together and changed the subject: “You didn’t rest much last night. Want to go take a nap?”

He really hadn’t looked well just now.

Qi Yu wasn’t the least bit sleepy, but since Shan Xingyu’s “surprise” had been revealed, he said, “I’ll take the treasure-hunting mouse back to work, then.”

He’d be exploring the Forest of Stars that morning anyway, and could open the reputation reward chests while he was at it.

Shan Xingyu saw him off to the teleportation array.

Just a mere suspicion of fever, and you’re this shaken.

Qi Yu, what kind of past have you endured?

.

Qi Yu used plant magic to fashion a vine basket, picked up the treasure-hunting mouse, and returned to his own territory.

The treasure-hunting mouse, who had been listless before, froze in shock at the sight before it.

A mouse born and raised in underground burrows had never seen such soft earth, such a profusion of flowers.

Qi Yu set it down and called for the butler, telling him that this was the territory’s newest member, who would likely spend half the day here every day from now on.

As for the plantfolk, he could simply notify them with a thought, so there was no need to worry that the demon vine might accidentally swallow the treasure-hunting mouse as an intruder.

He opened his backpack first.

He started by opening two “Reputation Blind Boxes.”

[Received Intermediate Stamina Potion X1.]

[Received Party Scroll X1.]

A party scroll—those were especially hard to come by!

As for the stamina potion, Qi Yu thought, maybe the survival game worried players would get too exhausted while out exploring?

Just like that player in the regional channel who got “emergency rations”—this survival game really was quite considerate.

Next came the main event.

The exploration chests awarded for cumulative personal contribution reputation.

One Silver Exploration Chest, one Gold Exploration Chest.

He opened the Silver Exploration Chest first.

[Received “Random Event Scroll.”]

[Received Random Region Exploration Blueprint.]

[Random Event Scroll: Activate during exploration to trigger a random event. Complete the event to receive a reward. Random events do not consume exploration time.]

Two items from the Silver Exploration Chest.

One was a random region exploration blueprint, worth ten thousand Tier-1 beast crystals.

The other, a Random Event Scroll, seemed a bit like a message-in-a-bottle commission—complete it and get a reward.

He’d have to try it next time.

He stowed the blueprint and scroll in his backpack.

Then he opened the Gold Exploration Chest.

A brilliant golden light flared.

Qi Yu’s eyes lit up as well: golden light! That meant something good!

[Received Starry Fair Admission Ticket X1.]

That was it.

Qi Yu: ?

He held the thin, gold-embossed card in his hand, then fished out the “Starry Fair Admission Ticket” he’d gotten a long time ago from his backpack and compared the two.

They were identical—he couldn’t spot a single difference.

He fell into thought: if he remembered correctly, the last Starry Fair Admission Ticket had come from a bronze chest, and he distinctly recalled it being of purple rarity.

How had it turned gold after just a little while?

And even stranger: he had no idea if this counted as good luck or bad.

So, did he just get a Gold Chest item from a Bronze Chest, or a Bronze Chest item from a Gold Chest?

But then he remembered what President Sean had said: the Bogg Merchant Guild had tried for years and never managed to get a Starry Fair Admission Ticket.

So, it must be quite valuable.

Well, that was good.

He opened the survival panel and pinged Shenben Wuxiang.

[ILoveSurvivalGames: Info €€ Starry Fair Admission Ticket.]

[ILoveSurvivalGames: Shenben Wuxiang, can I trade this for a wall of the Golden House?]

He’d made up his mind after all—he really wanted that Golden House.

He told Shan Xingyu what he’d heard from President Sean.

[ILoveSurvivalGames: The last month of spring is next month.]

Shan Xingyu hadn’t expected his spur-of-the-moment idea to actually reel in the little magician.

[Shenben Wuxiang: Of course!]

A golden house…

[ILoveSurvivalGames: Then it’s settled!]

[Your friend “ILoveSurvivalGames” has sent you a gift.]

He sent the Starry Fair Admission Ticket blueprint to Shan Xingyu.

Then he left the treehouse, found the treasure-hunting mouse sleeping soundly among the flowers, and picked it up. “Alright, time to come with me and get to work.”

.

In the blink of an eye, several days passed.

That morning, just after dawn,

A system announcement rang out:

[The final seven-day countdown for this month has begun. Next month, the cold wave will continue, and food-scarce mutant creatures will have a higher chance of attacking player shelters. Neutral residents will have an increased chance of agitation.]

[End-of-Month Sprint Event “Icebound Boss” has begun: While exploring, players may encounter Icebound Bosses. Defeating an Icebound Boss will earn you Ice Gemstones. Collect 100 Ice Gemstones to obtain the travel item “Magic Sleigh.” Collect 500 Ice Gemstones to exchange for a full set of “Territory Appearance” in the shop.]

[For more surprises, please open your survival panel and check the event page.]