Multiverse Farming System - Chapter 7 - Rice for Gold and Cash

The old man’s rich. Wonder if I can get more out of him. I just have to make sure he doesn’t make a loss.

The old man was none other than Luo Wangfan. Or as Lin Yong called him, Old Man Luo.

Old Man Luo was still in a gray robe. He was crouched at the alley’s entryway, watching a game of Chinese chess with a group of old guys. The chess players were a middle-aged guy and an old man.

Lin Yong was familiar with those two. They’d get down for a game of Chinese chess at the alley’s entryway whenever they had time. The audiences were mostly the neighborhood’s people.

Old Man Luo noticed Lin Yong the moment he came closer. His face was scrunched up. Even though he was watching the game, his heart wasn’t in it. The old man pulled Lin Yong away and asked, “You sure you didn’t see the Verdant Artefact that day?”

Lin Yong shook his head. Nope, I didn’t see it. The thing knocked me out, though.

Old Man Luo stroked his beard. “I’ve searched this alleyway ten times at least, and I still found nothing.” And he broke into a rant, muttering to himself, “My master told me the artefact’s my chance at breakthrough. Now I’ve lost it. Guess I’ll never break through to the next level now.”

He murmured, “But you’re not a cultivator. Not like you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Why did I even bother talking to you?”

Since Lin Yong wanted to get some money from the old man, he asked, “What will it take for you to break through to the next level?”

Old Man Luo answered, “I need to consume large amounts of spiritual items. Spirit rice. Spirit water. Things like that.”

A moment of silence later, Lin Yong took something out of his pocket (his storage space, actually). It was a handful of rice grains. “Do you think this can be of use?”

Old Man Luo checked the rice Lin Yong was holding, and his eyes went wide. “Purple jade rice? And quality rice at that too. Where’d you get it? Wait, you did get the artefact, didn’t you?”

A frown furrowed Lin Yong’s brows. “Does the answer to that question matter now?” The artefact’s rammed itself into my head and bound itself to me. I even got the Multiverse Farming System. I’m not giving it back to you, old man. I can’t. Not even if you kill me.

Besides, the old guy didn’t look like he was a murderer. Lin Yong was not scared in the slightest.

Old Man Luo stared at Lin Yong for nearly fifteen seconds, and he shook his head. A sigh escaped his lips. “I’m not the one fated to get the artefact. The secret stays with me, and you keep your mouth sealed too. Just don’t forget to contact me if you have anything you want to sell.”

He offered, “So how much rice fo you have? I’ll give you a million yuan for 500 grams.”

Lin Yong gulped. A million for 500 grams? I have about 600 times that in my storage space. That can make me about 600 million.

The silence was making Old Man Luo panic. “I just need about a kilogram and a half of the rice for a breakthrough. Do you have that much?”

“Do you have gold?” Lin Yong asked. He had to travel across the multiverse frequently. Gold was the universal currency in most worlds, and he wanted to save some for future use.

Old Man Luo nodded. “Five kilograms of gold for 500 grams of purple jade rice.”

Tentatively, Lin Yong asked, “How much do you want? I have quite the sizable stock.”

Old Man Luo panicked again. “I’ll take your whole stock. Even if you have 50 kilograms. The price remains the same.”

Rich guy. 50 kilograms cost about 100 million, Lin Yong thought. And he doesn’t look like a liar. He can afford that much, I think.

Lin Yong nodded. “I have about 6.5 kilograms of it. Three million yuan for 1.5 kilograms of it. 50 kilograms of gold for the rest of it.

Old Man Luo’s eyes bulged. “Are you sure you have 6.5 kilograms?” If he had 6.5 kilograms of purple jade rice, he could get to the next level at a blistering speed. He could even break through to the level after the next with nothing but purple jade rice. He clutched Lin Yong’s arms, unwilling to let go unless he got the rice.

Lin Yong nodded. “I do have that much. Let me go and come to my bar. I’ll get it for you.”

Delighted, Old Man Luo patted Lin Yong’s shoulder. “I knew you weren’t any regular lad, lad. Call me if you get anything like the purple jade rice next time. Remember, I gave you the artefact.”

Lin Yong puckered his lips. You didn’t give it away. You threw it, old man. Still, he was happy that he was going to make a ton of money and gold in a moment. No longer did he have to worry about the debt.

Lin Yong and Old Man Luo walked side by side to the bar. The bar was already open for business, but there weren’t a lot of patrons inside.

Ya quickly approached Lin Yong. “Did you get the money, Yong?”

Lin Yong smiled. “You don’t have to worry about money anymore.” He led Old Man Luo into the kitchen behind the bar. “Stay here. I’ll get the rice for you.” He grabbed a plastic bag and a spring scale, then he went upstairs.

Back in his bedroom, Lin Yong took purple jade rice out of his storage space and weighed 6.5 kilograms of it. He filled the plastic bag up with the rice and went back down.

Old Man Luo was sitting at the table in the kitchen, deep in his thoughts.

Lin Yong handed the bag of rice to the old man. “6.5 kilograms. Weigh it if you want to.”

Old Man Luo observed the rice closely and weighed it in his hand. “It’s alright. I know you wouldn’t try to scam me. You’ll get the money and gold tomorrow morning.” He held the bag tightly and darted off.

Lin Yong went back to the bar and helped Ya out. He couldn’t make drinks, but he could serve the customers.

Eventually, more patrons came in. Blues music danced in the air, and the lighting was a shade of grayish-blue. It was a relaxing place, though tinged with sadness.

The bar made 100 thousand yuan a month. A bit more than a million a year. It’s not much, but it should be enough to clear our debt in two years. Lin Yong still couldn’t understand why Ren Qiang refused to lend him that money.

Fortunately, he had no need to worry about that anymore, though he did get more curious about the system. His newbie task was to cultivate purple jade rice. Lin Yong thought it was just rice that was a bit special, but he did not expect the rice to fetch that kind of price.

And Old Man Luo even looked like he got himself a steal.

Lin Yong was still immersed in his thoughts when another customer came in. He was tall, burly, and had the looks of a Huaxia man. But his nose was aquiline, and the outline of his face was slightly bigger. Obviously, he was of mixed parentage. Maybe half-European?

The man found a quiet spot in the corner and took a seat.

Lin Yong approached him. “What would it be, sir?”

The man looked at Lin Yong. “You’re Lin Yong?”

Lin Yong nodded, curious about the reason for that question.

“I’m here for you,” said the man.