Chapter 46: Achievement Unlocked, Qinglin County's Wealthiest - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 46: Achievement Unlocked, Qinglin County's Wealthiest "What are you planning to do now?" [Upon hearing your inquiry, Guo Lin throws herself into your embrace, her voice soft as a whisper.] "What else can I do?" "I'm sticking with you. Don't even think about getting rid of me." [You're deeply moved by Guo Lin's declaration.] "So what do you want to do now?" [At this moment, Guo Lin shows her clever side.] "Now is not the time to go back." "Let's wait until we have five or six kids. By then, when we return, I doubt my father and mother will refuse." [Upon hearing Guo Lin's plan, you realize there's no better solution, so you agree to follow her lead.] [Three days later, Xiao Qing and Dou Qianli awaken one after another, surprised by the potency of your Immortal's Drunk wine.] [They never imagined that a mere mortal brew could intoxicate monsters like them, who've been honing their skills for hundreds or thousands of years.] [Dou Qianli wishes to acquire your Immortal's Drunk formula to sell among the monster tribes, proposing a fifty-fifty profit split.] [You don't reject Dou Qianli's request and hand over the recipe.] [Xiao Qing, however, says, "Oh no, I'm late!" before hurrying away.] [Curious about Xiao Qing's rushed departure, you ask Dou Qianli.] [Dou Qianli explains that Xiao Qing has a sister, likely calling her home.] [Afterward, Dou Qianli bids you farewell, and your life resumes its normal course.] [Each week, the Tree Elder dispatches a little ghost to fetch you, so you can cook for him.] [The Tree Elder compensates you generously by allowing you to leave with some rare ingredients each time—some of which are herbs worth hundreds of liang in the market.] [Teaming up with the Tree Elder has its perks.] [Alongside Dou Qianli's thriving business with your Immortal's Drunk, you receive monthly shares amounting to several hundred liang.] [Over time, you've accumulated a vast fortune.] [With your newfound wealth, you open additional Yue Lai Lou branches at the other three city gates.] [You've also pioneered a fast-food system where, even if the taste isn't perfect, your chefs can replicate 90% of the flavor by following your methods.] [Two years pass, and you've unified the entire Qinglin County's dining industry.] [Now, you can rightfully claim the title of Qinglin County's wealthiest!] [However, you're perplexed as to why neither you nor Guo Lin have managed to have a child, despite your diligent efforts every night.] [Guo Lin grows anxious.] [If her father, General Guo, were to discover your relationship, your life would undoubtedly be in jeopardy.] ... Reflecting on the developments, Su Mo recalls: In past simulations, it seemed he could never get any woman pregnant. Even when Daji gifted him hundreds of beauties, none became pregnant. Could it be a simulation limitation? Or does he lack the ability to father children? Su Mo guesses it's likely the former—every simulation presents him with a different body, so it seems unlikely that all would be sterile. With this in mind, Su Mo concludes the simulation might be designed to prevent offspring. Which is just as well. Children can be bothersome. But what comes next in the simulation? His simulated self has risen from a common servant to Qinglin County's wealthiest, which could be a defiance of fate. Will this simulation grant him the Culinary God talent? Following this thought, Su Mo continues watching the simulation unfold... ... [One day, you await as usual for the little ghost sent by the Tree Elder to escort you to the Yin-Yang Market but to no avail.] [A growing sense of unease creeps in.] [At the third watch of the night, you return to your shared room with Guo Lin and relay your concerns.] [Guo Lin senses the abnormality too.] [Yet, considering the Tree Elder's millennia of cultivation, any arising issues would be beyond you two.] [Deciding not to wait further, you hold Guo Lin close and drift into sleep...] [Soon after, deafening thunder reverberates across the sky, coupled with bolts of lightning striking down upon Qinglin County.] [In a haze, you glimpse a massive tree breaching the clouds—it is unmistakably the Tree Elder.] [The Tree Elder is undergoing a heavenly tribulation.] [This tribulation appears extraordinarily fierce; endless black clouds obscure the sky, plunging Qinglin County into unprecedented darkness.] [Suddenly, gallant gusts of wind erupt, whistling through the air.] [As if heralding the apocalypse, the town's birds and dogs begin to cry out.] [Guo Lin awakens, terrified by the apocalyptic scene outside, unsure of what's transpired.] [You wrap your arms around Guo Lin, assuring her repeatedly, trying to calm her fears.] [The two of you cling tightly together, sharing warmth and solace.] [You die.] ... Following the screen's fade to black, Su Mo sees the simulation reach its conclusion. Huh? Why did I die? Su Mo's gaze is laced with surprise. How did it just end like that? What led to my demise? While trying to comprehend the unexpected turn, The simulation's evaluation begins. [Your death was caused by being caught in the Tree Elder's heavenly tribulation, taking Guo Lin with you.] [Your intertwined demise wasn't painful, as you both embraced in your final moments.] [Your romance with Guo Lin was undramatic yet authentic.] [System evaluation begins...] [This life of yours was unremarkable. The highlight was achieving social ascension and becoming Qinglin County's wealthiest.] Seeing the evaluation label this life as unremarkable causes Su Mo's heart to sink. This might mean missing out on the Culinary God talent. [Due to your culinary prowess, Miss Guo Er keeps you at her side to show off to others.] [Miss Guo Er's goal is fulfilled, and the young nobles of Linjiang City are filled with envy.] [Using your wit, you've been accepted by the mountain bandits of Heifeng Village, even becoming close confidants with two bandits.] [You've indulged the bandits with the finest meals they've ever had, refining their palates.] [Using croton, you expelled the bandits to the latrines and escaped with Guo Lin.] [Though the bandits wish to pulverize you, their fondness for your unrivaled cooking supersedes that desire.] [You and Guo Lin found sanctuary, where you won Guo Lin’s body, heart, and palate.] [Guo Lin, initially resentful, grows to love you entirely after the night you fully possessed her.] Seeing this, Su Mo can't help but reflect—Zhang Ailing indeed knew what she was talking about. The path to a woman's heart is through X... [You amassed your initial fortune by collecting medicinal herbs and hunting wildlife.] [The apothecary owner prospered because of you and soon relocated away from Qinglin County.] [You opened your first restaurant, crafting the unique brew, Immortal's Drunk, which became a bustling success under your management.] [Surrounding taverns and liquor shops folded due to your dominance, pivoting to new trades.] [Befriending Dou Qianli, you gained access to the considerable resources of the great demon, the Tree Elder.] [Leveraging Dou Qianli and the Tree Elder's networks, you became Qinglin County's wealthiest individual.] [Your and Guo Lin's longing for children went unfulfilled, leading Guo Lin to consider introducing concubines for you.] [Hidden Hint: To prevent disrupting destiny, no offspring will be born in the simulation of romantic lives.] [The Tree Elder's actions of extracting mortal lifespans attracted divine attention, invoking a tribulation of higher magnitude than the Triple Nine Heaven Trial, obliterating the Tree Elder.] [Had the Tree Elder not met its demise, greater power and wealth awaited you.] [The heavenly tribulation claimed the lives of both you and Guo Lin in your home.] [You lived three years in this run, spending an existence akin to an ant.] [Despite being merely a servant, you possess high aspirations. It is precisely this ambition that allowed you to become the wealthiest person in Qinglin County. However, your engagement with demons prematurely depleted your fortune and blessings.] [Evaluation: A life of humble compromise.] [No rewards were obtained in this simulation.] Seeing the lack of rewards didn't surprise Su Mo. With a lifespan of only three years, how could one expect to achieve a high evaluation score? Just as Su Mo prepared to close the romantic life simulation, an unexpected prompt appeared. ... [Detected: This simulation involved a specifically designated romantic character.] [Hidden Hint: In any simulation involving a designated romantic character, you will receive the corresponding talent regardless of the evaluation!] Su Mo: ??? ... (End of Chapter)