Chapter 757: The Gardener and The Dancer
10-12 minutes 09.04.2023
After the ‘kind and tiny’ gardener entered the back alley, her presence brought a lot of pressure on Han Fei.
“Something’s not right.” The clubhouse was at the edge of the unknown zone. It looked normal on the surface, but Han Fei ran into this scary gardener here. The gardener was more than just a normal ghost. She had planted the soul flowers on her body so she could explore with inexplicable power whenever she wanted. ‘The gardener is powerful but rational. She even likes to garden. Just what is this clubhouse?’ Han Fei’s hands that held the blood vessels loosened. Han Fei only had 1 Life Point left, so he didn’t struggle. He turned to the elder for help.
“I feel like a stranger had found his way into the club, so I hurried over to check. The strange sound appeared to come from this place.” The elder instantly distanced himself from Han Fei. There was a reason why he could survive in the cryptic world.
“A stranger?” The gardener didn’t believe the elder. She tossed the monster into the garden and glanced down at Han Fei and the blind elder. “I’ll ask again. What are you doing here?”
“I wish to join your clubhouse, so I followed this elder in.” Han Fei switched on masterful acting. “Actually, I’m interested in gardening. When I saw your garden, I couldn’t help myself but walk in. I wish to learn some tips from you.”
The gardener didn’t believe Han Fei. The mutated arm rose. Han Fei didn’t panic. “Everything I say is the truth. There’s a saying among florists, people cultivate flowers, and flowers cultivate people. During the process of gardening, the plants influence me too. The process cultivates my presence and trains my focus. You’re a flower lover too, so you should know what I mean, right?”
Han Fei picked up the soil and blood vessel to take a sniff. He seemed to be communicating with the ground.
“People cultivate flowers, and flowers cultivate people?” The gardener’s scary eyes blinked. While she hesitated, Han Fei grabbed the opportunity.
“In the past, I was shackled by the mundane things in life. I worked so hard for material things. But the harder I worked, the emptier I felt. Then, I started to plant flowers. I slowly understand the real meaning of life. I would feel excited when a flower seed germinates, and I’ll be happy for a whole day when a flower blooms. My empty inner world was filled up with flowers, and I felt complete for the first time.” Han Fei really got into it. A real actor could even lie to himself. “I’ve experienced many painful and despairing things. I have no friends. I can’t find any sense of belonging or a sense of home. However, since I started to plant flowers, I felt that they were growing up with me. Every day, when I touched their cute leaves and smelled the fragrance of flowers, my tiredness would disappear. The flowers decorate my house, but they are more than decorations. They are the sources of my happiness.”
Han Fei’s words were very touching. Han Fei looked like a flower-loving young man. The gardener pulled back her arm. It was too hard to find someone with similar hobbies in the cryptic world. She didn’t turn Han Fei into fertilizer. Instead, she started dealing with the monster she had brought. The monster appeared to be a cryptic world local. Its blood was filled with pain. The gardener sliced the monster’s throat and used the monster like some kind of watering can to water her garden. This was very normal for the garden but it caused Han Fei to break out in cold sweat. When he dug through the soil earlier, he already sensed that the garden soil was different from normal soil. He had finally understood why. The soil here absorbed a lot of blood, and there were many carcasses buried underneath.
Han Fei was conflicted seeing the hardworking garden. She looked like a scary monster but at the same time, she took care of the flowers like they were her children. However, why would she raise a graveyard of ‘flowers’?
It was impossible to run because the gardener could catch up to him easily. Han Fei decided to follow the gardener and started to learn from her. The gardener would answer any question about gardening, but her answers were always short. Han Fei slowly entered his role. He really started to discuss the issue of gardening in the cryptic world. He even pondered whether this kind of flower could be planted in the surface world. The gardener thought about it and realized that was not possible. Then again, she hadn’t had the chance to attempt that.
Then, Han Fei took out the flower seeds and gardening books Huang Yin brought from the surface world. Han Fei had a very good chat with the gardener.
The blind elder frowned in confusion. He was blind, but he was not dumb. He felt like Han Fei was like a promoter selling health products to old people.
Han Fei was very generous. He gifted the precious and rare seeds from the surface world to the gardener.
“Notification for Player 0000! The gardener’s friendliness level increases by one.” This was highly effective. Han Fei took this chance to express his willingness to join the clubhouse because he wanted to learn more about gardening from the gardener. Han Fei finally got his wish. The gardener agreed to take Han Fei as her apprentice. She even gifted Han Fei a flower from the cryptic world so that he could try planting it on his own. However, before she did that, the gardener gave Han Fei some gardening tests like fertilizing and pruning. In other words, Han Fei was tasked to kill and dismember.
After Han Fei passed the tests, the gardener grabbed a large jar out of the house. She slowly dug out the strongest-looking carcass. She transplanted the ‘flower’ and the soil into the large jar. “You have to take care of this flower until it blooms.”
“I will.” Han Fei didn’t think the Grade E Mission would be completely so fast. Even though it was just a daily mission, it was a Grade E Mission, and it was related to Pure Hatred. Han Fei didn’t dare to let his guard down. He thanked the gardener profusely and carried the jar out of the garden.
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve successfully moved a flower out of the garden without causing it to wilt. You’ve obtained beginner gardening skills and a unique flower—Bu Kaixin.
“Beginner Gardening Skill: You can increase the skill level by planting flowers or any other plants.
“Bu Kaixin (Grade G Unique Flower): This flower has a human name. He has never smiled, so everyone calls him Unhappy.
“Special Power: ???
“Warning! Cultivating a unique flower can highly increase your gardening skill. Unique flowers will have unique powers!”
In the surface world, gardeners were a very famous profession. Many people had their own gardens. At level 25, Han Fei finally got the chance to experience the joy of normal players. When the blind elder noticed there was no conflict between the two, he slowly edged towards the garden. “It sounds like you two are chatting quite happily. In that case, how about we let him join our clubhouse? After all, we don’t have many members left. If we don’t get any new members, we won’t survive for long.” 4887
“One has to confirm one’s hobby before joining the clubhouse.” The gardener glanced at Han Fei. “Are you sure you want to learn gardening from me?”
“Yes.” Han Fei glanced at the soul flowers and dead bodies. It fitted his aura. “Then you should treat this place like your own home. Remember to come here at least once per week so that we know you’re still alive.” The gardener opened the warehouse door and handed a black umbrella to Han Fei. “This is your umbrella. Don’t lose it. You need it to move through the black rain freely, or else you’d become like me.” The gardener showed her mutated body and then ignored Han Fei and entered the garden.
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve completed Grade E Normal Mission—Hobbies! You’ve successfully joined the Twilight Street Clubhouse and selected gardening as your hobby!
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve selected your first hobby—gardening! Based on your luck points, you’ll get a random reward related to your hobby!
“Notification for Player 0000! You’ve obtained Grade E Ability—Flower Language!
“Flower Language (Grade E Unique Ability): With the buff from Lapidarist, you can understand flower language and communicate with flowers! You have a 50 percent more success rate when planting something new!”
The game exit button lit up. Han Fei relaxed. “I’ll work hard and try to grow the world’s most beautiful flower.” Han Fei carried the jar and prepared to leave.
“I’ll walk you out.” The blind elder helped Han Fei carry the black umbrella. They walked towards the warehouse.
“Sir, do you still remember how you got here?” After the exit button lit up, Han Fei became more confident to ask some sensitive questions.
“No.” The elder waved his hands. He didn’t want to discuss this.
“If I tell you I can help you return home, will you come with me?” Han Fei wished to use Resurrection on the elder.
“Home?” The elder paused and shook his head. “I’m just a blind old man who only knows how to dance. I’ll be despised wherever I go. I can’t even look after myself. I don’t want to burden others.” “That might not be true. I’ve dabbled in the entertainment business. Nowadays, the audience has strange tastes. There was a salsa-dancing grandma who got famous on Britain’s Got Talent. I don’t see why you can’t find fame too.”
Han Fei was serious, but the elder only smiled and rejected him. Han Fei walked away. The blind elder listened to his disappearing footsteps and turned back to the warehouse. He searched the table blindly when the room temperature suddenly dropped. The gardener silently appeared inside the warehouse. The mutated hand placed the broken radio before the old man.
“Thank you.” The elder accepted the radio. After some hesitation, he said, “I might not be able to accompany you much longer. With the kid around, at least you won’t be so lonely.” “I know. That’s why I didn’t kill him.”
