Chapter 6 — The Eden Space
When Bai Xia opened her eyes again, her breath caught in her throat.
Before her was a glorious waterfall, cascading down from the clouds like liquid crystal, merging into a vast silver-blue river. The air shimmered faintly, filled with sparkling motes of light that danced like fireflies.
On her left and right stretched endless fields of lush vegetation, each plot divided neatly: one for fruits, another for vegetables, another for medicinal herbs.
It was breathtaking — a divine paradise hidden beyond the mortal realm.
She thought of the tomatoes she'd seen earlier, and in an instant, she found herself standing in front of a patch of ripe, crimson tomatoes, their skins glistening with dew.
Bai Xia gasped, utterly dumbfounded. "So amazing…"
She then thought of pineapples — and immediately appeared before rows of golden fruit, the sweet scent filling the air. When she imagined strawberries, she was instantly surrounded by fields of ruby-red berries, so vivid they looked like drops of blood under sunlight.
Unable to resist, Bai Xia plucked one. The strawberry was plump, cool, and bursting with flavor. And the moment she took it, another one magically regrew in its place.
Her eyes sparkled in wonder. She tried again — and again, the fruit regenerated.
Excited, she moved from patch to patch, her pain briefly forgotten, until her injuries flared once more. She winced, clutching her side as pain stabbed through her.
"Host," the system chimed, "you can heal your injuries in the Eden River. Its waters possess the power to heal wounds, cure illnesses, and even enhance beauty."
Bai Xia's eyes widened with delight. She approached the river, its surface shimmering like glass, and dipped her hand in. A small cut on her finger instantly vanished.
"This…" she whispered. "This is miraculous."
If she could share this with her family, they would all be reborn anew — but it was too soon. She couldn't risk suspicion.
Looking up, she noticed a massive building among the distant trees. In the blink of an eye, she appeared before it. The sign read:
"Eden's Everything Mall."
Inside, it was empty — vast halls echoing under her footsteps.
"Host," the system explained, "type what you desire into the screen beside you, and the stores will appear."
Bai Xia turned and found a glowing panel with a keyboard. Curious, she typed "clothes."
Instantly, the mall filled with rows upon rows of clothing stores — denim, dresses, ball gowns, silks, and robes, all gleaming under warm lights.
When she typed "jewelry," the mall transformed again — diamond stores, jade counters, shelves of gold and silver glittering like stars.
Though thrilled, Bai Xia frowned. "How will I use all this? If I sell the jewelry, they'll think I stole it… If I sell the fruits, they'll seem too perfect to be real."
Then, suddenly, inspiration struck.
She closed her eyes and thought of something — and when she opened them again, she stood in front of a field of ancient ginseng.
Each root was thick, vibrant, and exuded spiritual energy.
"System," she whispered in awe, "how old are these ginseng?"
"Each is a hundred years old, weighing between 300–500 grams, and measuring 10–25 centimeters long. Ginseng requires special skills to harvest. If you wish to collect them, simply say the word — they will appear in both the space and the outside world."
Bai Xia's smile deepened. The surprises just keep coming.
She sat down by the river and took a deep breath. "System, how do I buy skills?"
"Say 'open store,' Host."
She adjusted herself and said softly, "Open store."
Another screen appeared, glowing brightly. Three categories appeared: Skills, Items, and Knowledge.
Bai Xia tapped Skills, revealing two subtypes — Physical and Mental. She chose Mental immediately. Her eyes scanned the list — until one name caught her attention.
"System," she asked curiously, "what is Study Lord?"
"This skill grants you photographic memory — everything you read is instantly memorized, turning your mind into a limitless library. It also adds +2 Intelligence."
"How much?"
"20 EXP points."
"So cheap?" Bai Xia smiled faintly. "Buy it."
"Host, would you like to activate this skill?"
"Yes."
The moment she spoke, a sharp pain exploded in her head, so intense it felt like thousands of needles stabbing through her skull. Her vision blurred, her heart pounded — and then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
She exhaled shakily. "That was… excruciating."
After recovering, she browsed the Knowledge tab — finding options like:
Medicine
Hacking
Acting
Modeling
Strategy
Painting
Cooking
Master of All Tongues
Her eyes lingered on the last one. "System, what's Master of All Tongues?"
"This knowledge allows you to speak and understand all languages of the world."
Bai Xia blinked in awe. "How much is it?"
"40 EXP points."
"So expensive…" she muttered — but she still bought it.
"Activate."
At first, nothing happened. Then, a searing pain erupted, splitting through her skull like fire. She clutched her head, gasping as the agony tore through her senses. The world spun violently, and for twenty long seconds, all she could feel was pure torment.
When it finally subsided, she collapsed back, trembling. "These activations… they're too painful…"
"Host," the system replied, "that is because your stamina is too low."
Bai Xia sighed helplessly. "Then I'll have to get stronger soon…"
Her eyelids grew heavy. She closed her eyes — and when she opened them again, she was back in her wooden room.
"Status," she murmured weakly.
The blue screen glowed once more — her stats waiting for her next step.