Chapter 74: Triggering a Hidden Quest
"Last time, Wang Daguo and I teamed up and grabbed a lot of nutrient liquid. After splitting it, we each got over two boxes. I sold a box and a half and kept some for my family to drink."
Zeng Xiaodao ruffled his hair in frustration. "My grandma doesn’t usually drink this stuff. She said I should sell it for cash and save the money. She only drank that one tube because I insisted. Then... something happened that night."
Zeng Xiaodao’s eyes darkened. "My grandma suddenly mutated, just like Liu Chunhua. She became incredibly strong and grabbed my throat. But then she coughed up a mouthful of blood and... died."
Shen Lu was silent for a moment. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories."
She had heard that Zeng Xiaodao and his grandmother had only had each other. She never expected the old woman to pass away so suddenly, and in such a manner.
’That must have left a deep scar on him.’
Just then, the system suddenly popped up.
[DING DONG~ Hidden quest triggered: Investigate the truth behind the expired nutrient liquid. This is a high-difficulty quest and you may encounter danger during the investigation. Does the Host choose to accept?]
[Yes][No]
Shen Lu froze. A randomly triggered hidden quest?
’Am I not actually playing some kind of large-scale online game?’
Shen Lu asked the system, "Can you give me a rough idea of the difficulty? Also, what’s the reward for completing it?"
[The difficulty is approximately three stars. I can’t be too specific about the reward, but it will definitely be more than worth it!]
Shen Lu: "I’ll think about it."
Shen Lu didn’t agree right away. Mainly because with her current connections and abilities, how could she possibly investigate the truth behind the expired nutrient liquid?
She didn’t even have the qualifications to freely enter and exit the Upper City District.
Shen Lu was lost in thought for a moment, but Zeng Xiaodao didn’t notice. He composed himself and said firmly, his tone complex, "I won’t let my grandma die in vain."
"What are you planning to do? Go to the pharmaceutical company and demand a life for a life?"
Zeng Xiaodao said mockingly, "I’m not that naive. So many people have died in the Lower City District recently, and the only official explanation is that some unlicensed Insect Cakes were poisonous. It’s obvious they know something more. The pharmaceutical companies are already under government control. For all we know, the government intentionally sent those tainted nutrient liquids to the Lower City District."
"It sounds like you’ve already found out quite a bit."
"In any case, don’t drink the nutrient liquid. It doesn’t matter if you tell others, since almost no one will believe it." Zeng Xiaodao didn’t want to get into the details with Shen Lu. "You should be more careful. Your business is doing too well, and that will make a lot of people jealous."
"I know. Thank you for telling me all this."
Shen Lu glanced at a black bracelet on his wrist and asked curiously what it was.
"This is a Communication Device. It’s similar to a Light Brain, but its functions are very limited."
It was the equivalent of a senior’s phone from Shen Lu’s previous life, only capable of making calls, receiving calls, and sending messages.
"If you don’t mind, can we exchange contact info?" Shen Lu flashed her Light Brain.
Zeng Xiaodao thought for a moment, then agreed. "I probably won’t have time to message you back often."
"Don’t worry, I won’t bother you for no reason."
’I’m very busy too, you know.’
After exchanging contact information, Zeng Xiaodao politely declined her offer to eat something at the stall, saying it would be better if they maintained a bit of distance.
Shen Lu didn’t press him. She had him wait in the alley, then hurried to her stall, packed several boxes of food, and stuffed them into Zeng Xiaodao’s hands.
Shen Lu pointed to her own Light Brain. "If you want to eat in the future, you can just tell me. I’ll pack it up and leave it at a location you specify, and you can just go pick it up."
Zeng Xiaodao said okay and disappeared into the depths of the alley, carrying the food.
Shen Lu stared at the spot where he had vanished for several seconds, then suddenly asked the system, "I can have help with this, right? As long as the truth is uncovered, it doesn’t have to be me who does everything personally, does it?"
[Yes, but the Host cannot completely delegate the task to others in a hired capacity.]
In other words, she had to be involved in some way.
Shen Lu: "In that case, I accept the hidden quest."
[Is the Host sure? Once you select yes, the choice cannot be changed.]
Shen Lu: "Wait, um, is there a time limit?"
’I almost forgot about that important detail. If it’s like the last side quest and has a time limit, this will be too difficult.’
[There is not, but if someone else announces the truth before the Host discovers it, the quest will be considered a failure.]
[There is no penalty for failure, but hidden quests are unique. Once missed, they will not appear again.]
Shen Lu: "Okay, I understand everything now. I’ll take the quest."
[Understood. The hidden quest has been accepted. Current progress can be viewed on your personal panel. Good luck~]
Shen Lu opened her personal panel to take a look.
[Name: Shen Lu
popularity value: 5999
Quests: 1. Own your own food stall and give it a name.
2. Investigate the truth behind the expired nutrient liquid (Progress: 5%)]
Huh?
’Didn’t I just accept this quest? How is there already 5% progress?’
Shen Lu punched her right fist into her left palm. ’I get it. It must be because of the information Zeng Xiaodao just told me. That must be why the progress increased by 5%.’
She thought back carefully and confirmed the general direction for her investigation.
Since the problem was with the expired nutrient liquid, she should start her investigation with the pharmaceutical company that produced it.
However, the pharmaceutical company was in the Upper City District, and it wasn’t a place just anyone could enter. She would have to find another way to get in.
Shen Lu returned to her stall and continued making fried rice. Wang Daguo was running late today; it was already four o’clock, and he still hadn’t shown up.
Shen Lu told Cai Su to go pick up her child and head home, while she waited at the stall herself.
Wang Daguo didn’t appear until around four-thirty.
"Sorry, Boss Shen, I was really busy today."
"It’s fine, I understand."
Everything was already packed up. Wang Daguo just had to push the cart. Shen Lu asked casually, "Brother Wang, you picked up a lot of that nutrient liquid before. Did you drink any of it yourself?"
"Yeah, I drank it."
"No side effects?"
"Uh... why do you ask, Boss Shen?" Wang Daguo realized something. "Did Zeng Xiaodao say something to you?"
"He went to see you?"
Wang Daguo’s expression grew complicated. "Sigh. I know he means well, but it’s not the first time we’ve drunk expired nutrient liquid. Don’t you think we’d know if there was a problem with it?"
"Zeng Xiaodao’s not taking his grandmother’s death well. He’s become a little obsessed."
"And lately, he’s..."
At this point, Wang Daguo sighed. "He was traumatized, and he’s started hanging out with some shady characters. He might have been brainwashed."
"What kind of shady characters?"
"You know, the anti-government types. They don’t do any real work, just spend all day thinking about overthrowing the government."
Shen Lu tilted her head to look at him. "Do you think the current government is so great?"
"No, but if things fall into chaos, life will be even harder for us people at the bottom." Wang Daguo pushed the cart with effort. "I just want my family to live in peace and stability."