The Amusing Adventures of a Directionally Challenged Dad and Daughter

Light fell upon everyone.

And then, there was no "then." The island returned to normal, though its inhabitants now wore dazed expressions.

Chang'an: "Was the skill duration too short? Does it need to cooldown before reactivating?"

[Why bother with all that trouble? I directly altered their memories.]

"How did you alter them?"

[Oh, the people of the Dragon Kingdom are their ancestors. The Dragon Kingdom’s people created them. To betray their ancestors, to disrespect them, would invite divine punishment. The southern floods were a warning—they must worship the descendants of the Dragon Kingdom for generations.]

"This… won’t it be ineffective? Like, it’ll only last for a short while?"

[Do I seem that unreliable to you? If they dare entertain any rebellious thoughts, they’ll genuinely face divine retribution.]

"Fine, then. Is it done?"

[The autumn harvest is almost over. Shouldn’t you be heading back?]

"No need to rush, right?"

[Your crops are being stolen.]

"We have wolves at home."

[I’m not lying. Someone’s already raiding your grain stores.]

"Then we’re leaving now."

[I’ll send you back directly.]

"Why are you so eager?"

[No reason. Just worried you’ll get lost at sea again.]

"Do I look three years old to you?"

[So, do you want to go back now or not? Still thinking about hunting for your treasure?]

"Yes, we’re leaving immediately."

Chang'an took Old Gu Six’s hand, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves back in their empty home.

Whoosh! Home at last.

Old Gu Six and the two wolves were utterly bewildered.

Who am I?

Where am I?

The wolves had been returned—had their boat been sent back too?

[Yes, it’s back. Listen, I’ll be traveling far away for a while, with no fixed return date. Be careful while I’m gone. I’ll be unreachable during this time.]

"Wait! Upgrade my spatial storage first."

[You’re never satisfied, are you? Fine, here’s a thousand-square-meter warehouse and two puppets to help you farm inside it. Just like the wooden bird—activate them with a drop of blood.]

"Make it so living things can enter my space."

[You can already go in, can’t you?]

"But Old Gu Six can’t. Neither can our mule or ox."

[As long as you can enter, that’s enough.]

I have a strong suspicion you just want to stash them all in there and laze around.

"That won’t work. It’s inconvenient."

……

"Old Man?"

……

Was it really okay to abandon her like this?

Chang'an kept calling out for the old man, but there was no response.

Old Gu Six snapped out of his confusion quickly and began cleaning every corner of the house.

Had their mule and ox starved to death?

They’d left fodder, but it might not have been enough.

Remembering the old man’s warning about thieves, Chang'an first retrieved essential supplies before rushing outside.

The ox and mule were gone—likely out foraging.

Some of the potatoes and sweet potatoes had been dug up, though not extensively. Only a small amount had been stolen.

Who knew how the thieves had gotten in? Maybe the wolves, Xiao Bai and Da Hui, had left the back door open?

After a quick cleanup, father and daughter threw themselves into farm work.

The autumn harvest was long overdue. The wheat in the fields was a mess—likely ruined by heavy rains.

The mule and ox returned with Xiao Bai and Da Hui in tow.

Well, well. Had the wolves learned to herd cattle?

Working tirelessly, the two managed to gather all the crops before the snow fell.

Exhausted, they collapsed onto the kang like dead fish.

"Dad, when are we going to Liangzhou County?"

"After resting a few days. There’s nothing else to do in winter anyway."

This time, they only brought the silver wolf—it was more dog-like. The other three weren’t suited for travel.

The mule, of course, had to come—it pulled the cart.

The three wolves and the ox were left behind to tend to each other.

Before setting off, Chang'an and Old Gu Six ventured into the mountains.

They prepared hunted game for the wolves and fodder for the ox.

Uncertain how long they’d be gone, they stocked extra supplies. If they didn’t return in time, the old ox would have to rely on Xiao Bai and the others.

Those who had planted potatoes and sweet potatoes in the mountains reaped decent harvests and planned to expand their fields next year.

Those ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍without seeds asked for some but were refused—no free handouts unless they paid.

Chang'an suspected their stolen potatoes and sweet potatoes had been taken for seed.

As more land was cleared, Chang'an observed the beginnings of a potential village. Even if peace returned outside, these people might choose to stay.

The place was good—its only drawback was the distance to town, nearly half a month’s journey.

If they continued thriving here, a coastal town might emerge someday.

Of course, town-building was someone else’s job. Chang'an had no interest in it.

If others developed this coastline, at least the roads would improve.

Father, daughter, and mule stumbled through five days before leaving the mountains. Passing the fishing village again, they found it unrecognizable.

Winter had withered the weeds, revealing traces of the village beneath thin snow. Come spring, no trace would remain.

The silver wolf was sent ahead to lead, the mule trotting obediently behind.

When they reached the town, it was as if war had never touched it—streets bustling, vendors shouting, the air thick with the scent of seafood.

Old Gu Six sat at a roadside stall. "Boss, two bowls of noodles, please."

"Right away, sir!"

The middle-aged couple running the stall wore warm, genuine smiles.

The noodles were hand-pulled, so they took a while.

When the boss returned, Old Gu Six remarked casually, "This town has changed a lot. Last time I was here, it was chaos."

"Indeed! If not for the Fifth Prince and General Yun, we’d still be suffering." The boss’s gratitude was heartfelt.

"Oh? They came here?"

"Yes! Rumor has it they were searching for someone. Seeing the people’s plight, they fought their way out. Now, the entire north is under the Fifth Prince’s rule."

"Thank you, boss." Old Gu Six paid before eating.

"Enjoy your meal, sir."

More customers arrived as the boss returned to work.

Chang'an disliked seafood noodles—she preferred beef or tomato-egg toppings. This bowl was hard to stomach.

After taking a few casual bites, Chang'an pushed her bowl toward Old Gu Six. He was already accustomed to this—whenever she slid her noodles his way, it meant she didn’t like them and expected him to finish them off.

Old Gu Six said softly, "Sweetheart, let’s find a place later to change our disguises, alright?"

"Alright," Chang'an nodded. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the Fifth Prince was up to no good, and they wanted nothing more to do with him.