Chapter Sixty: Herbalist? Treasure Hunter!

The sound of the crow faded away, replaced by the wailing of the ambulance siren. After ensuring no further threats lingered nearby, Chenqi returned to his room to finish the professional task at hand.

[You dismount from your little donkey and step back onto this land overflowing with floral fragrance.]

[Approaching Blue Snowflower, you catch a flicker of suspicion in her eyes, as if she suspects you’ve slunk back after failing.]

[You hand over the Shadowbone Flower.]

[Blue Snowflower is startled, accepts your Shadowbone Flower, and invites you to sit in their workshop.]

[You follow Blue Snowflower to the top floor of the Tower of Medicine, the highest level reserved for the most distinguished alchemists.]

[Walking behind Blue Snowflower toward the summit, you realize that, since birth, you've never seen such immaculate and elegant architecture.]

[The outer columns of the tower are adorned with all manner of blossoms, while inside, rows upon rows of bookshelves stretch out, alongside rooms for apprentices and guests. Everywhere, a subtle floral scent lingers.]

[You arrive at the top of the Tower of Medicine—the Pharmacy of Flowers.]

[You scan the room.]

[The mingled aroma of potions hits you. At the center sits a vast cauldron surrounded by herbs and implements.]

[By the windows, two rocking chairs made from greenwood and fresh flowers offer respite for the alchemists.]

[The light on the top floor is gentle, streaming through windows onto the patterned floor, casting beautiful shadows.]

[Blue Snowflower retrieves a bottle of “Healing Potion” from the potion rack and hands you a Day Coin.]

[You gain 1 Day Coin and a bottle of Healing Potion.]

Chenqi opens his inventory to examine the Healing Potion’s effects.

[Healing Potion:
Description: A potion crafted by an alchemist, capable of treating most flesh wounds.
Requirements:
Effects: Restores 5 drops of blood rapidly upon consumption, staunches bleeding, and slowly heals flesh damage such as punctures and cuts. (Note: The potion requires the flesh to be relatively intact and cannot heal heart or brain injuries.)]

Restore 5 drops of blood...

Chenqi thought about it; not bad. Gathering more potions can only be an advantage.

He now possessed one Healing Potion and two Mana Potions.

However, based on the tips he’d read on the Daywalker Forum for newcomers, unlike most games, unlimited potions do not equate to high mana or health.

The New Day game has potion tolerance!

Within a short time, standard Healing Potions can only be used twice, and Mana Potions—no matter how many you have—can only restore up to twice your maximum mana.

In other words, even if you owned a crate of Mana Potions, your mana cap remained crucial in the game.

Potions, though common in New City, were often expensive. Among merchants, a Healing Potion could sell for 50 Moon Silver Coins, while a Mana Potion fetched 70 Moon Silver Coins.

Many players would first choose to use points to purchase potions from the Hundred Herb Garden.

[Blue Snowflower sits and hands you an emblem symbolizing your identity.]

[You gain the Herbalist Badge.]

Chenqi clicks his inventory to check the panel.

[Herbalist Badge:
Description: A badge bearing the motif of hands and flowers, signifying the holder as a herbalist in the Tower of Medicine, District 8 of New City.]

[Prompt: Your profession has been updated to “Herbalist.”]

No longer a Night Watcher...

After a series of events, Chenqi had finally changed professions.

Yet, for reasons unknown, he felt a touch of nostalgia for his previous role as Night Watcher. Though it was lackluster, it sounded far cooler than Herbalist.

That profession had accompanied his character for so long.

There was a faint sense of leaving behind his student days...

Chenqi shrugged. Herbalist was a decent profession, though it lacked some swagger in its name.

He continued to check the panel.

["Night Watcher, you passed the test. You returned faster than I expected. The Shadowbone Flower often grows in high and shadowy places, easily confused with the ordinary Blackbone Flower. Only powerful spirit vision can distinguish between them.

Even treasure hunters struggle to quickly locate a Shadowbone Flower; it requires both keen observation and patience and perseverance.

I thought you’d lost patience and come back, but that was arrogance on my part.

You did quite well. I sense that, in time, you’ll help the Flower Witch with her gathering tasks.

Next, I’ll explain the herbalist’s gathering process.”

Blue Snowflower retrieves a map and a book from the shelves to explain the herbalist profession.]

[You gain the Herbalist Map.]

A map—now that’s valuable!

Chenqi immediately clicks to check it.

[Herbalist Map:
Description: A map drawn at the cost of many lives by previous herbalists and treasure hunters. It details information about medicinal herbs in District 8 and nearby areas, also marking special conditions at certain locations.]

With the map in hand, the game’s map option instantly refreshed to reveal numerous places.

Sewers, Great Black Gold Tree, Snake Den, Three-Sailed Ghost Ship, Giant Floating Crow, and more...

The distribution of these locations...

Chenqi was shocked. On the map, most herb gathering points weren’t within District 8 at all, but on its edge in the Dim Light Zone, and even farther in the Lightless Zone—places much more dangerous!

The Dim Light Zone was shrouded in white mist and already dangerous for him.

The Lightless Zone, untouched by daylight, was a breeding ground for even more terrifying calamities, full of chaos and disorder!

Even within District 8, the gathering locations weren’t safe: Cremation Valley, Lost Prison...

Just hearing the names made it clear—these were not safe havens.

At that moment, game text appeared.

[You examine the Herbalist Map; it is filled with terrifying and dangerous places.]

[Blue Snowflower sees your concern and says:
“In the Tower’s medicinal garden, we have plenty of basic herbs; we don’t lack them.

The herbs that require the herbalists are always in dangerous places, which is why the Flower Witch is frequently injured.”

“But you needn’t worry. We don’t force every herbalist. There are many safe gathering spots and special delivery tasks that herbalists can take.

You don’t need to venture into the Dim Light Zone right away. Take your time. The alchemists are enthusiastic, but please act within your abilities.”]

Chenqi realized that, in New City, “herbalist” was essentially a treasure hunter specializing in medicinal herbs!

The scarcity of herbalists was likely not because treasure hunters didn’t want the job, but because it was a high-risk profession; most former herbalists had died.

It suited his lantern, making it a fine profession.

Even without anyone’s urging, he would wander and explore the map.

Now, as a herbalist, he had a map, more targets, and could gather intelligence before setting out—a solid transitional role.

[Blue Snowflower explains that, in the Tower of Medicine, if an alchemist urgently needs a certain herb, they will post the request on the commission board.

You can take these tasks.

Once you gather the herbs, the Tower will pay Day Coins, and if you need it, the alchemist will give you a potion made from those herbs.]

Getting a potion made from the herbs—that was excellent, Chenqi thought.

The greatest advantage of being a herbalist was receiving a potion made from the gathered herb upon completion, and being able to buy potions from the Tower of Medicine at a low price.

[After explaining, Blue Snowflower stands and looks out the window.]

[Daylight will soon cease its burning.]

[Night Watcher, she gives you a key. Next, she will take you to your residence.]