By the time Zeke arrived back at the base, all the other team members had returned.
Daley didn't even go out to search for spiritual water.
He had found two drops of spiritual water that morning, and the food he had gotten in exchange was sufficient to last him a day, so there was no need for him to go out and search for spiritual water again.
Everyone there was typically the type to live in the moment without worrying about tomorrow.
Daley eyed Zeke and the others with a smirk. “This morning, you were lucky and found a bit more spiritual water. But luck is finite. You've used up your luck in the morning, so you must have found nothing tonight, huh? Come and look for me later if you get hungry, Minerva. I'll give you half a bun if you keep me company for a night.”
Minerva flashed him a smile. “Oh, really? Are you serious, Mr. Daley?”
At once, Daley grew excited beyond words.
She has changed her address of me from “Daley” to “Mr. Daley”! Besides, from her docile look and flirtatious gaze, it's clear that they don't have much harvest tonight. In fact, they might have gotten nothing at all. She's going to yield to me now!
At the thought of her alluring figure, he was all inflamed and started salivating.
Swallowing a lump in his throat, he declared, “Yes, of course I am!”
“All right, then. It's a deal. I'll go and look for you later, Mr. Daley. Do make the necessary preparations,” Minerva murmured.
“Haha, sure!” Daley agreed in exhilaration.
Needless to say, such a huge ruckus disrupted Megahead.
Yawning relentlessly, the man climbed out of the tree hollow. “Stop making so much noise, Daley! You disrupted my sleep.”
Daley, who was in a good mood, didn't argue with him. He merely grinned from ear to ear. “I'm going to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh tonight, Megahead. Aren't you going to congratulate me?”
“Congratulate you, my foot!”
Following that retort, Megahead groggily scanned his eyes over everyone present. “Okay, everyone is back. Now turn in your harvest.”
The team members promptly fell into line and presented their spiritual water in exchange for food.
Because Zeke had gifted the three team members three drops of spiritual water that day, the total harvest of the team was considerably good. At the very least, none had to go hungry.
Surprise inundated Megahead. “Whoa, it's really strange today! The harvest at night turned out to be even better than the day. This is unprecedented. Not bad, not bad at all. Give it your all and keep up the good work. I'll put in a request for new sets of clothes tomorrow so that the lot of you don't dress like beggars all the time.”
One of the team members implored cautiously, “Megahead, is it possible for us to trade the new clothes for food instead?”
After all, it was pointless to wear nice clothes when they didn't even have enough to eat.
Megahead shot the man a glare.
“Buzz off! I'm already being merciful to request clothes for the lot of you. Don't try taking a mile when you've been given an inch. I'm not even going to do that much if you yak further.”
The team member went silent, not daring to utter a single word.
In the end, Megahead's gaze alighted on Zeke. “How about the few of you? Do you have any harvest today?”
Daley, who had been waiting for a long time, sniggered. “You actually think they managed to find spiritual water, Megahead? What a joke! They've used up their luck today in the morning, so it's already a miracle that they aren't hounded by ill luck at night. How could they possibly have found any spiritual water? Look, Minerva is about to yield to me soon!”
“That's not necessarily the case,” Megahead retorted as he studied Zeke's calm and unruffled expression.
Zeke took out a small porcelain bottle and tossed it at the man. “Here's our harvest today.”
Megahead shook the bottle and listened carefully.
In the next instant, utter shock deluged him. “Oh my God, there's so much! How did you all do it?”
Huh? What's going on here?
Daley was entirely baffled. “What are you saying, Megahead? What's this about there being so much?”
“I'm talking about the spiritual water, of course. There are at least seven drops, even more so than this morning,” Megahead replied.
Crash!
Daley was so shocked that he fell off the tree trunk he was occupying. “What the... I didn't mishear you, did I? How many drops did you say, Megahead?”
He wasn't the only unbelieving one, for the other team members appeared skeptical as well.
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