The Eighteenth Seed

The night in the cavern was steeped in an almost tranquil silence. Everyone was fast asleep, as though, for the first time, they felt truly safe. But morning arrived quicker than Jianyu had hoped, heralded by the familiar and infuriating chime of the system that never failed to irritate him.

Good morning, player Jianyu.

Today's Reminder:

Current Total Points: 1000 points.

New Quest Unlocked: Take a Shower.

"What the hell is this!?" Jianyu scowled into the empty air, his frustration bubbling over. "Are you insulting me right now?" he snapped, feeling the so-called quest was more of an affront than an actual task.

The system replied in its usual flat tone, though there was a subtle undertone of mockery that Jianyu couldn't miss. "Whoa, why so sensitive? I'm just giving you a quest. Besides, it's an easy one. And useful, too. Think about it—when was the last time you even took a shower?"

Jianyu rubbed his temples, resisting the urge to scream. He desperately wished for a mute button, or better yet, a shutdown switch to silence Eden's Core for good. But alas, such a button only existed in his dreams.

Reluctantly, he approached Zhenfeng, who is still sound asleep, leaning against the cold cavern wall.

"Zhenfeng, wake up. I need your help," Jianyu said, shaking the shoulder of the larger man.

Zhenfeng's eyes cracked open slowly, his voice groggy as he replied, "What do you need help with this time?"

But before Jianyu could answer, his words caught in his throat. Zhenfeng's face, serene and—annoyingly enough—handsome in its peacefulness, momentarily scrambled Jianyu's thoughts. How can someone with such an annoying personality have a face like that? he wondered, quickly dismissing the stray thought.

"Get up. You're coming with me to bathe," Jianyu blurted without thinking.

Zhenfeng raised an eyebrow, staring at him with a mix of confusion and amusement. "You woke me up for that? How old are you? Five?"

Jianyu snorted and flicked Zhenfeng's forehead. "Don't be ridiculous. I need you to come to the water source with me. We need to find a water monster and kill it. I need the meat."

Zhenfeng let out a long sigh, rubbing his face in exasperation. "You really have a knack for complicating life, don't you? Everything's perfectly fine right now, and you just…"

Jianyu didn't bother arguing. He knew Zhenfeng wouldn't understand the Eden's Core system in his head. Without saying another word, he stood and waited for Zhenfeng to get up. After a few seconds of exaggerated groaning, Zhenfeng finally rose to his feet, muttering under his breath.

When they reached the water source, Jianyu paused at the edge, his eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp vigilance. "Zhenfeng, we need to find this water monster. I need its meat," he said firmly, breaking the silence. His eyes darted from one corner to another, searching for any signs of the creature.

Zhenfeng, who had been leaning casually against the cavern wall, crossed his arms and gave Jianyu a tired look. "You're serious? I cleaned this place yesterday, Jianyu," he said, gesturing to the area with a nod of his head. "I'm not letting survivors avoid this place out of fear of monsters. If you're looking for a water monster, sorry, but there's none. I made sure it's safe."

Jianyu sighed heavily, a hint of frustration in his breath. While he appreciated Zhenfeng's effort to ensure safety, it didn't make things any less annoying. "Fine," he muttered, resigned. "Then I'll just take a bath."

Without hesitation, Jianyu began shedding his clothes, moving with the kind of casualness that suggested he felt no need to be self-conscious in front of another man.

Meanwhile, Zhenfeng, who had been leaning comfortably against the cavern wall, suddenly found himself acutely aware of everything unfolding in front of him. He quickly averted his gaze, but the image of Jianyu's lean, toned back—sculpted yet understated—stayed burned into his mind.

"What's wrong with me? Is this the effect of eating monster meat?" Zhenfeng thought, desperately trying to distract himself by counting the rocks on the nearest cavern wall.

"Zhenfeng!" Jianyu's voice shattered his train of thought. He reflexively turned, only to see Jianyu standing waist-deep in the water, waving with an alarmed expression.

"What?" Zhenfeng asked, stepping forward without thinking.

"Get over here!" Jianyu's voice carried a note of urgency.

Without a second thought, Zhenfeng leapt into the water. The icy coldness wasn't enough to calm his suddenly racing heart. He swam over quickly, wrapping an arm around Jianyu's waist and hauling him toward the shore.

"What happened?! Did something attack you? Are you hurt?" Zhenfeng's voice was near a shout, his concern palpable.

Jianyu stared at him, bewildered. "No, I'm fine. I just found this." He pointed to something in the water—a large egg with a faint, glowing surface.

Zhenfeng froze for a moment before hastily letting go of Jianyu's waist. "You scared the hell out of me! I thought you were under attack!" he grumbled, his face flushed.

"Huh? I just wanted to show you this egg. Why are you freaking out so much?" Jianyu tilted his head, his expression innocent, but it was enough to make Zhenfeng frown in irritation. Jianyu truly didn't realize the panic he had caused.

Taking a deep breath, Zhenfeng forced himself to focus on the egg in Jianyu's hands. Its surface shimmered faintly, reflecting light in a way that seemed almost magical.

At a glance, the egg looked like a treasure, but Zhenfeng was too exhausted by all the strange occurrences in their lives to care. If Jianyu wanted the egg, so be it. He wasn't going to argue.

"Next time you want to show me something, don't make it a life-or-death situation, okay?" Zhenfeng grumbled as he walked ahead of Jianyu back to the cavern.

"Don't leave me behind!" Jianyu called, hastily throwing his clothes back on and chasing after him.

Minutes later, they returned to the cavern's main chamber. Jianyu cradled the monster egg carefully, watching how the light from the torches—likely lit by Qi Qi and Chengxin—reflected off its surface.

Deep down, Jianyu knew this egg held a water monster core. That meant they could use it to create an abundant supply of clean water.

With newfound enthusiasm, Jianyu immediately voiced his plan. "Zhenfeng, I'm going to set up a water source in the garden room. If this works, the survivors will have easier access to water, and I can irrigate the plants more efficiently."

Zhenfeng, who had just begun stretching, paused and gave Jianyu a sharp look. He didn't respond right away, as though assessing him. For a moment, the cavern fell silent.

"You realize you work like a machine, don't you?" Zhenfeng finally said, his tone a mix of irritation and concern. "Take a break once in a while, will you? The world won't collapse if you stop for a day."

"It already has," Jianyu replied matter-of-factly. "Besides, I rested last night. If I rest all the time, how am I supposed to get anything done?"

Zhenfeng let out a long sigh, clearly done with Jianyu's logic. "Fine. Whatever you say."