Yun Luohe served Roubao a heaping plate of conch meat and octopus tentacles.Roubao devoured the food ravenously, juice dripping from the corners of its mouth as it stuffed its face. It even tried to wipe itself clean with its paw, leaving its fur soaked and sticky.Watching the mess it made, Yun Luohe gave a helpless smile. She packed up her things, ready to cross the reed marsh with Yúntūn toward the lotus pond.“Yúntūn, let’s go.” Yun Luohe gave it a pat.Yúntūn spat out a silk thread, attaching it to the tall tops of the reeds, and swung forward like on a zipline. It glanced back frequently to make sure Yun Luohe was keeping up.“Hehe, this way.”Yun Luohe quickened her pace and stepped into the thick reed marsh.The reed blades were sharp as knives, occasionally brushing against her face and arms. Thankfully, she was well covered and didn’t get cut.The ground beneath her feet was loose and wet—every step caused her shoes to sink into the mud. Each movement required real effort.Getting through the reed marsh wouldn’t be easy.But the marsh held valuable resources.Along the way, Yun Luohe spotted freshwater snails clinging to the reed roots and several wild goose eggs buried in the mud.The eggs were unusually large—nothing like chicken or duck eggs. Each was nearly the size of a fist and easily recognizable.She picked up five of them but saw no sign of the geese.They had probably laid the eggs and wandered off, forgetting all about them.Smiling with satisfaction, Yun Luohe stored the eggs in her backpack. She planned to incubate them back at the reef and add yet another species to her growing ecosystem.The freshwater snails were small and offered little meat. Since she was in no shortage of food, she left them behind to save time.After walking for over half an hour, Yun Luohe finally emerged from the reed marsh.Ahead stretched an endless lotus pond.Without the reeds blocking the sun, the heat beat down on her, making her head swim with dizziness.She quickly pulled out a chilled drink and gulped it down, forcing her body temperature to drop.The brilliant sunlight shimmered across the clear water, where tiny fish and shrimp darted through the pond. Giant lotus leaves floated densely over the surface like green boats, while soft pink lotus flowers blossomed brightly between them, vibrant and dewy under the green canopy.A breeze stirred the air, rustling the leaves and petals, carrying a delicate floral fragrance.Yun Luohe couldn’t wait to get closer.There were many types of lotuses here—slender-petaled pink ones with golden centers, dense double-petaled ones resembling exquisite floral orbs, and even rare white lotuses, pure and glowing under the sunlight like carved jade.They were stunning.If she could bring some back and cultivate them, the Reef Base Rating would surely rise significantly.Yun Luohe took out a woven bamboo basket and began harvesting.To replant them later, she had to dig from the root—cutting the stem wasn’t enough.But the rhizomes were buried deep in the mud, and getting them out whole was no easy task.She asked Yúntūn to help—its silk wrapped around the base of the root while she dug. Together, she pulled while it tugged from above.With that teamwork, they finally managed to pull out the entire plants.Each lotus—with flower, leaf, and root intact—was massive, too big to fit in the basket.After harvesting around ten, Yun Luohe was already gasping for breath.“That’s enough. These should be plenty to plant back at the reef.”The rest she simply cut at the stem.The lotus flowers and leaves alone were still useful. When boiled, they helped clear heat and reduce swelling. They were diuretic, soothing, and cooling—perfect for summer use.She stored the trimmed lotus flowers in the basket, planning to keep them in a vase for a few days before drying them for tea or cooking.In addition to the flowers, Yun Luohe found plenty of ripe lotus pods.She peeled off the green husks to reveal round, plump lotus seeds inside.They were incredibly fresh—she tasted a few, and they were sweet and refreshing. She picked several dozen pods, thinking of using the seeds for desserts or sweet soups.She had some yam at home—enough to make lotus seed and yam cakes.While harvesting, she also noticed many fish swimming beneath the water.They were likely grass carp, weaving through the lotus rhizomes and feeding on young leaves and plankton.After so much seafood, some freshwater fish would be a nice change.Sea fish had a strong fishy odor, while freshwater fish tended to carry an earthy taste. Their cooking methods differed too—freshwater varieties were better suited to strong, spicy flavors.She had previously fermented some vegetables and pickles in a [Kimchi Barrel]—perfect for making pickled fish soup.Or she could just boil up a nice fish stew.Perfect for tonight.She gently lowered a fishing net into the water.She'd collect it later, but in the meantime, she could scoop up some fish right away.She moved the net slowly.When the moment felt right, Yun Luohe pulled—but just then, a large grass carp leapt from the water and splashed free from the net.The big one got away, but the net still caught a few smaller ones.Eyes fixed on the escapee, Yun Luohe quickly gave chase—and managed to catch it.Soon she had five large grass carp and more than a dozen smaller ones.She put them all into a plastic bucket, planning to explore the rest of the lotus pond.Just then, she felt something approaching—fast.Ripples spread across the water.A black shadow surged beneath the surface. At first glance it looked like more grass carp, but Yun Luohe’s [Perception] told her otherwise.She immediately sidestepped—did not attempt to net them.A moment later, a swarm of water snakes broke the surface.Their bodies were long and soft, moving with lightning speed. Their scales shimmered with a cold metallic luster under the sun.Yun Luohe drew her hunting knife—battle mode activated. At the same time, Yúntūn spat out reinforced silk, weaving a protective web in front of her.The snakes lunged at her with open mouths.She struck fast, slashing two of them out of the air.But there were too many, too agile—she couldn’t kill them all in such a short time.Still, she bought just enough time. Yúntūn had finished weaving a barrier of silk.The snakes slammed into it and immediately began biting and thrashing against the threads.But each silk strand was laced with venom.Before long, their bodies went limp—one after another.Half the swarm collapsed without Yun Luohe having to lift a finger.The survivors realized something was wrong. They hesitated, then tried to flee.Seizing the moment, Yun Luohe dashed after them, her weapon slicing through the air.The scent of blood filled the area as the snake blood spread in the water.She gathered the non-poisoned corpses for dismantling. Water snake meat wasn’t just edible—it was high in nutrients. Whether stewed, braised, or steamed, it was delicious.These snakes, in particular, were high quality. Living here in the lotus pond with no natural predators, they were especially plump and tender.They’d likely taste amazing.Just as Yun Luohe was about to leave the pond, she noticed something else—growing in the muddy banks of the lotus pond were lotus roots.Buried under the mud, they were completely hidden. She’d never have noticed if she hadn’t accidentally stepped on one and broken it.When she reached in to check, she found the mud was full of them.Yun Luohe rolled up her sleeves and plunged her hands into the muddy water, groping around for the lotus roots.The mud was filthy and stank, but she didn’t care—her only thought was to dig out more of them.There were so many dishes she could make with lotus root.Lotus root and pork rib soup was the most well-known, but lotus root and cuttlefish soup was also excellent. Then there was spicy pickled lotus cubes, dry-fried lotus shreds, lotus-steamed meat cakes…And if she could get her hands on marinade spices, she could even make braised lotus root.With all these new ingredients, her [Professional Chef] skill would definitely level up faster.After some effort, Yun Luohe unearthed several thick, solid lotus roots.They looked dark and filthy fresh out of the mud, but once cleaned, they’d be pure white and tender.Besides lotus flowers, lotus seeds, grass carp, and lotus roots, she also discovered other resources.In a corner of the pond, a patch of gorgon fruit was growing, and some wild water celery lined the shore.Gorgon fruit was another aquatic plant. Its outer shell was covered in spines, resembling tiny hedgehogs—gloves were a must when harvesting.They could be used in porridge or stews. Highly nutritious, with effects like strengthening the spleen, easing diarrhea, and improving kidney function.The water celery had bright green leaves and long, slender stalks with a distinctive, refreshing fragrance. There was a whole swath of it by the bank.Yun Luohe picked a large handful. It could be eaten as a cold dish or stir-fried.The sun sank lower in the sky. Night was finally falling.Yun Luohe had been working at the lotus pond all afternoon. Her backpack was stuffed full of supplies—mostly ingredients.She washed the mud off her body and looked for a place to sit and rest.It was already late. Roubao still hadn’t come looking for her—who knew where it had wandered off to. Luckily, Lotus Island was resource-rich and not dangerous. She decided to camp here for the night. She’d brought both pets, after all, so there was nothing to worry about.She picked a flat, dry spot near the pond and set up her tent.Just as she finished, Roubao returned.It had caught several wild rabbits and ran over, thrilled, showing off its prize.To get its hands on rabbit meat as fast as possible, it had really gone all out.Yun ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Luohe had said it needed to catch at least five—so it had run all over the island looking for rabbit dens. And it finally pulled it off.Smiling, Yun Luohe said, “Not bad. I’ll roast rabbit for you tonight.”Roubao leapt up in excitement.Yun Luohe had it collect some dry branches, then cut a few reeds, and soon had a fire going.She laid out her portable grill, ready to prepare a full dinner using ingredients gathered from Lotus Island.First, she took out a large green crab, cleaned it thoroughly, and steamed it in a pot.With high-quality ingredients like this, there was no need for seasoning—simple steaming brought out the best flavor. Whether here or at the reef, the process was the same.Next, she went to prepare the rabbit meat and grass carp by the pond.By the time dinner was over, night had fully set in. Roubao lay on the ground with its belly round and full, lazily rolling from side to side.Yun Luohe sipped her drink and opened the [chat channel].“It’s finally dark. I’ve been dizzy from the heat all day. Time to go forage now.”“I’ve been soaking in water all day—my skin’s all wrinkled, but at least it was cool.”“Straight into the ocean, baby! Summer seafood’s off the charts. The seafloor’s practically made of food right now.”“I caught a bunch of crabs and sea snails while diving. Gonna feast tonight—just steam 'em and the freshness hits so hard it’ll make your eyebrows fall off!”“AAAAAHHH! I just opened a Black Pearl!!”“Black Pearl??? No way—that’s even rarer than a Gold Pearl, right?!”“What did you get? Mind sharing? Let me soak in your luck!”It was Yun Luohe’s first time seeing someone actually draw a Black Pearl.Pearls came in five tiers: gray, white, gold, black, and iridescent.Normally, only gray and white were seen. Gold pearls were already incredibly rare.The moment a Black Pearl appeared, the chat exploded—no one cared about the luxury dinner photos anymore.The player who opened it was new, but according to their profile, they’d already joined the Lucky Emperor Association.Everyone was dying to see what the Black Pearl had given—but the player went silent after the reveal.Curious, Yun Luohe messaged Du Ruan-tian directly.Since helping her last time, their relationship had grown a bit closer—though they didn’t chat much without reason.“Someone from your association got a Black Pearl. Any rare loot?”The Lucky Emperor Association was buzzing right now. As vice president, Du Ruan-tian had her hands full, so it took a moment for her to reply.“Yeah, a lot of good stuff.”That player had Luck stats on par with hers—if they could draw one, so could Du Ruan-tian. It was just a matter of time.She hadn’t opened her own shells yet—planned to gather eight and open them together.“Got an island landing token, diving pass, crystal stones, some practical tools, and the blueprint for a High-Lumen Underwater Flashlight. Makes nighttime underwater exploration a breeze.”That was definitely impressive. The blueprint alone was highly useful.Yun Luohe: “Are the flashlight’s materials simple? If it can be mass-produced, I can trade obsidian or food for it.”Du Ruan-tian: “Not difficult. Mostly fluorite and copper ore.”They had tons of fluorite stockpiled—hadn't used it up yet.And getting a few copper ores wasn’t a problem either.Unfortunately, Yun Luohe hadn’t found any copper ore deposits on Lotus Island. That weighed on her—she still needed a lot more copper ore for upgrades.She’d have to trade for it once she returned.Just as she was about to close the chat, Lin Zhu messaged her.“Free tomorrow? Interested in heading to Mechanical Island?”Yun Luohe: “I don’t have a designated island token.”“I can give you one. I also need to trade for some food and drinks. You give me obsidian, I’ll give you the island token. If you agree, we leave tomorrow.”Yun Luohe: “I’m still on an island. If we leave tomorrow, I might be late.”“Half an hour late is fine. I’ll wait. Up to you. The token goes for 30 obsidian.”Thirty? That was too much.Yun Luohe: “Not happening. Twenty at most.”Even though she wasn’t short on obsidian, it was still a rare resource. After someone from the Lucky Emperor Association died on Volcano Island, fewer players dared go there.Obsidian was almost nonexistent on the [Trading Center] now. No one was willing to part with it.

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