Chapter 9 - 7: Treasure in the Ruins
Chapter 9: Chapter 7: Treasure in the Ruins
Lu Yuan did not wish to faint in such a place, but he endured the deep, soul-penetrating pain with all his might.
It took two hours before he gradually came to his senses and discovered that he had acquired a new ability — "Storage Space."
He could expend spiritual power to create a space that he could carry with him.
This space was different from his "Different Space" ability.
While his Different Space could contain living beings, the Storage Space could not harbor any conscious creatures.
However, the passage of time in the Storage Space was almost nonexistent, which allowed for long-term preservation.
"Based on my current strength, I can create about... 1 cubic meter of space?"
Lu Yuan estimated, realizing that 1 cubic meter was not very large — it was the volume of one ton of water.
Fortunately, the space he could create would grow with his strength.
"Not too bad."
Picking up the spider corpse, he walked towards the room.
To his disappointment, this place turned out to be a... data center?
Outside were several offices, furnished with computer-like devices.
In the server room, densely packed devices similar to supercomputers were possibly numbering in the hundreds.
The archives on the lower level were filled with documents.
[The documents made of acid-free paper are currently being deciphered, decoding of this civilization's language will take some time.]
A series of glass doors blocked the way, he knocked on them, finding them to be very solid.
If he did not forcibly destroy these doors and windows, he feared that entry would be impossible.
"Is anyone there? Hey! Is anyone there?"
There were no survivors.
There was also no food.
And no other biological remains... just a few small crawling insects.
Lu Yuan sighed lightly, imagining a scene in his mind: thousands of years later, a huge alien race's army discovered this relic, and after a massive battle with an immense number of giant spiders, they finally acquired this precious data center.
The commander was ecstatic.
Indeed, data and documents are the most important assets for a civilization, aren't they?
In the ruins, the most valuable treasures were these.
"But for me, if these computers had any use at all, I wouldn't be completely useless!"
"However, this data center is a good place, at least safer than sleeping outdoors."
Lu Yuan consoled himself and dragged his weary body back to the campsite from the day before.
He collected a basin of charcoal in an iron box and gathered some firewood before finally extinguishing the Spark.
Bringing the charcoal back to the data center, he started a fire and energetically began dissecting the spider.
By this time, it was already the afternoon.
Lu Yuan always felt that he was living like a primitive human, with extremely low productivity, leading a life of "rising with the sun and resting at sunset," his mind occupied solely with filling his stomach.
The past days seemed like a beautiful dream, each broken apart, and he had to adapt to a completely new life.
He actually missed it a bit but didn't dare to think about it at all.
So, he could only calmly go about his business.
[It seemed that the Purgatory Demon Spider, just born a day ago, was unduly ambushed to death in this manner, which was indeed a tremendous waste.]
[If it could have grown for a few years, it might have provided an excellent Extraordinary Seed.]
"Let it grow for a few years, and I'd be instantly killed," said Lu Yuan.
The Pioneer's Eye kindly reminded him, "Apart from the venom gland and the innards, other parts should be safe to eat."
"The eye-like pattern on its back, once completely peeled off, possesses a subtle spiritual shock effect."
Lu Yuan observed for a while. That flickering red sac must be the venom gland.
Holding a Snake Scale, he carefully dissected it and placed it in an iron box.
"The Purgatory Demon Spider's venom gland contains fierce neurotoxins that are definitely beyond your resistance. The toxin is soluble in organic solvents and will be destroyed at three hundred degrees Celsius," informed the Pioneer's Eye.
"What a treasure!" he exclaimed.
He then gutted it, removing the innards.
He knocked down a few big legs and put them over the Flames to roast.
While waiting, his mood was somewhat bitter but filled with immense anticipation.
The crackling sound began, and soon a strange smell wafted from one of the large legs, honestly resembling the scent of roasted rubber mixed with a rich meaty aroma.
Lu Yuan steeled himself, broke the spider leg with a rock, and took a bite of the steaming Spider Meat.
In an instant, he felt relieved!
"Why does this taste so much like beef?!" he wondered aloud.
It might be because of the tough muscle fibers that it really tasted like beef.
It also had a wonderful charred yet tender sensation, crunchy on the first bite and then soft, creating a perfect combination that seemed to explode into a delicious feast in his mouth.
Even without seasoning, Lu Yuan enjoyed it immensely, unable to stop himself!
As for that rubbery smell, it was actually from the insect exoskeleton being scorched by the Flames, which had nothing to do with the meat inside.
"Peel the shell first before roasting, and it tastes even better," he noted.
A spider leg was about the size of a loach. After eating two legs, Lu Yuan suddenly found that he was somewhat full.
It felt as though a warm current was rushing through his stomach. The flesh of the Extraordinary Life contained much more energy than ordinary life, making it normal to feel full quickly.
"A single spider should last at least three days," he mused.
Suddenly, Lu Yuan felt very fortunate; at least he had resolved his initial troubles for the moment.
He was full!
What a thrill!
Happiness is not about having a lot, but about being satisfied even with very little.
This exhilarating feeling came with a lazy indifference to all nuisances.
Blind dates, work, bosses, all were nonsense.
"God, considering I'm full today, I'm your loyal follower, and I won't curse you today!" Lu Yuan said to the overcast sky, making cheeky remarks.
"If you could give me a beautiful wife, I'd be your super devout follower."
"Please, just a beautiful wife!"
Feeling since he had made a request, he might as well ask for something more, he quickly added a condition, "And that wife should be a Heavenly God incarnate, infinitely powerful, able to defeat all monsters, and head-over-heels in love."
"Boom!" A dense cloud gathered in the sky, and a golden bolt of Lightning split a large tree in two.
Was the God expressing his anger?
You're just a mortal, why do you want a love-struck wife? What does love-struck even mean?
Lu Yuan shouted, "What if a powerful wife cuckolds me? A love-struck wife wouldn't have this problem!"
"Boom!"
More Lightning streaked across the sky.
Dark clouds thickened, and soon it began to pour, the sound of rain like the sky's crying.