"Tsk..."
Seeing the consumption rate of Nature's Blessing, Han Ning couldn't help clicking his tongue.
A single cast had consumed a full 3 points of his Spiritual Power.
This was nearly 1.5 times the cost of Intermediate Vine Manipulation.
And about twice that of Intermediate Growth Acceleration.
[Nature's Blessing Proficiency (Beginner) +1, Current (1/200)]
"Such high consumption... I hope the effects justify the cost."
Suppressing his surprise, Han Ning carefully observed the potato seedling bathed in emerald light.
The verdant radiance slowly permeated every leaf and stem of the potato plant.
The leaves visibly became more vibrant, as if freshly washed, with veins appearing more distinct.
The stems seemed to straighten slightly, the entire plant exuding vigorous vitality.
After several seconds, the green light gradually dissipated.
Han Ning immediately moved closer for inspection.
The stems... had thickened slightly?
No significant color change.
He cautiously touched a leaf with his finger—the texture felt... unchanged.
He examined the stems and soil near the roots but found nothing unusual.
"So... it just becomes healthier and more vigorous?"
He turned his attention to a nearby tomato seedling.
Another intense emerald pillar enveloped the plant.
[Spiritual Power: 12/25→ 9/25]
[Nature's Blessing (Beginner) Proficiency +1, Current 2/200]
The tomato leaves greedily absorbed the energy, becoming similarly vibrant. The plant trembled slightly despite the windless environment.
As the light faded...
The results mirrored the potato plant—greener leaves, more robust appearance, but no extraordinary mutations.
"Must be low probability, or perhaps cumulative effects will trigger changes?"
Two unsuccessful attempts didn't discourage Han Ning.
In apocalyptic survival, patience was never in short supply.
Hadn't his Vine Manipulation started with just a single limp tendril?
Hundreds, thousands of practices had built his current proficiency.
He targeted the potato plant again.
Emerald light flashed.
[Spiritual Power: 9/25→ 6/25]
[Proficiency +1, 3/200]
The potato leaves deepened in hue.
Then the tomato.
[Spiritual Power: 6/25→ 3/25]
[Proficiency +1, 4/200]
Four consecutive casts consumed 12 Spiritual Power points, raising Nature's Blessing proficiency to 4.
Still, neither plant showed special changes.
The slight dizziness from Spiritual Power depletion made Han Ning sway.
Having lent the Cassette Stove to Xu Ming, he hastily ate chocolate with bread crackers and milk for lunch.
After resting, he knocked on apartment 801's door.
"Come in."
Inside, Xu Ming was meticulously dusting furniture with a dry cloth.
Xu Yinyin sat quietly on the sofa, nibbling a small piece of Han Ning's chocolate.
.
Hearing footsteps, Xu Ming immediately turned around and greeted, "Boss."
"Yeah, how's the cleanup going?" Han Ning nodded, scanning the relatively tidy living room.
Xu Ming worked efficiently—most of the dust and clutter on the floor had already been cleared.
"Almost done, Boss."
Han Ning walked over to Xu Yinyin and crouched down beside her.
The little girl blinked at him and called out, "Uncle Han."
Han Ning ruffled her hair. "Yinyin, was the chocolate good?"
Xu Yinyin nodded timidly and whispered, "Yes... thank you, Uncle."
Han Ning didn't say anything more and casually asked, "What about your wife? Isn't she with you?"
Xu Ming's mood instantly darkened.
"She... she went back to our hometown for a relative's wedding before the crossing. She wasn't with us."
Han Ning fell silent for a moment. He wasn't good at comforting people, so he could only offer a stiff reply: "At least your family is alive."
"Yeah, being alive and able to protect Yinyin is already more than enough."
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Han Ning sat on the sofa and motioned for Xu Ming to sit as well, then changed the subject.
"Lao Xu, I want to talk business with you."
"Would White Egret Port have any usable boats for us? And sailboats... aren't those just ancient relics from centuries ago? Do people still use them now?"
Hearing Han Ning ask about his area of expertise, Xu Ming became animated.
"Boss, don't underestimate sailboats. They've never been phased out. With technological advancements, the materials and designs are completely different now."
He paused, organizing his thoughts before explaining.
"Modern sailboats, especially mid-to-high-end leisure or ocean-going yachts, are nothing like the old relics you're imagining."
"The hulls are made of carbon fiber, Kevlar, or high-strength fiberglass—much lighter and sturdier than wood."
"The sails aren't just rags either; they're high-tech composite materials that automatically adjust to wind angles for maximum efficiency."
"And..." Xu Ming gestured,
"Modern sailboats are almost all equipped with auxiliary power—small diesel or electric engines for maneuvering in harbors, during windless conditions, or emergencies."
"They also have desalination systems, solar panels, and wind turbines to ensure basic electricity and freshwater supply."
"For navigation, there's GPS, radar, autopilot... Inside, you'll find kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms—some even have small living rooms, furnished no worse than an apartment on land."
Han Ning listened, surprised. "That advanced? How much would one cost? Would White Egret Port have any?"
Xu Ming nodded confidently.
"Definitely! White Egret Port might not be a massive cargo hub, but it's positioned as a coastal tourism and yacht marina."
"Lots of wealthy people, especially abroad and even some upper-middle-class sailing enthusiasts here, own small to medium-sized sailboats."
"For them, it's not just transportation—it's a mobile home at sea. They take their families and friends out for vacations or to sail around the world."
He estimated,
"A monohull or catamaran around 40 to 50 feet (roughly 12-15 meters) would cost anywhere from a few million to over ten million."
"A boat of this size, if the interior space is reasonably designed, can comfortably accommodate five or six people. Squeezing in ten wouldn't be impossible either."
"The freshwater and food reserves on board, along with the equipment, are enough to sustain a voyage for some time."
"As for White Egret Port..." Xu Ming said with certainty,
"There must be dedicated yacht docks and berths there."
"In this kind of weather, large cargo ships and passenger ships might not be able to sail, or they might be submerged. But those sailboats moored at the docks, especially the high-quality ones with relatively shallow drafts, have a high probability of still being there—or at most, only partially flooded in their lower cabins."
"As long as the hull isn't completely destroyed and key parts like the mast and sails are intact, we have a chance!"
"Oh?"
Han Ning's eyes lit up.