Chapter 989: Chapter 987 Flavored Candy

He was carefully crafting hand-pulled candy, lifting the slightly syrupy, glass-like mass with a hook, and drizzling in freshly extracted strawberry essence. He began pulling the candy, folding the essence seamlessly into the base with practiced skill.

“Good day, City Lord! Please have a look and tell me which candy catches your eye, I’ll even give you a free taste,” the old man said cheerfully, his hands moving rhythmically as the candy took shape.

Kisha looked down at the array of differently flavored candies displayed in glass containers before her. Each container was large enough to hold at least ten kilograms of candy, every piece a simple, marble-like sphere wrapped in transparent film, yet each one shimmered beautifully, like polished stone. A faint, sweet, syrupy scent mixed with fruity notes drifted up, instantly enticing her.

Her gaze then shifted to the side, where a laminated Special Item certificate was displayed. According to it, each flavor of candy wasn’t just a treat; it carried a different, unique effect.

Strawberry Candy increased Charm by 5 points, while Kiwi Candy boosted Luck by 5 points. Melon Candy enhanced Leadership by 5 points, Banana Candy increased Strength by 5, and Watermelon Candy raised Defense by 5 points. Avocado Candy improved Agility by 5 points, Blueberry Candy expanded Mental Capacity by 5, and Peach Candy increased Stamina by 5.

There were also Mango and other flavors, but for now, those functioned as ordinary candy without special effects. It appeared that the attribute-enhancing candies could stack, up to three per attribute. This meant a person could either boost different attributes at once by eating different candies or focus on a single attribute and increase it by 15 points by consuming three candies of the same type.

And this stacking effect could last for a full hour. Just thinking about it left Kisha genuinely amazed.

The discovery made Kisha’s brow lift in interest. Most special items, and their additional effects, couldn’t be stacked. Users usually had to wait for one effect to wear off before activating another, as overlapping buffs often canceled each other out.

Yet these flavored candies were different. Their effects could stack, making them incredibly practical for anyone. The fact that they came in candy form only added to their value; warriors could carry them easily, use them whenever needed, and never worry about spoilage. Convenient, durable, and versatile, the candies were undeniably useful.

An item like this was nothing short of a treasure. Even more astonishing was the price; the stall owner sold a pack of twenty special candies for just one Level 1 crystal core. Customers could even mix and match flavors or choose twenty of the same kind if they preferred.

By comparison, ordinary candy was priced at one Level 1 crystal core for just two hundred grams, making the value of the special candies an absolute steal.

“Have you decided, City Lord?” the old man asked again, just as he finished working the candy in his hands. The strawberry essence had been evenly worked into the glossy candy base, and he was ready to lay it onto the stainless-steel counter to shape it.

Using a small mold, he placed the stretched candy inside and worked it up and down a few times until it formed perfect, round pieces. All that remained was to let them harden slightly before wrapping them.

Beside him stood a young boy, whom Kisha had nearly missed at first, as he was quietly cutting wrappers into neat squares. He worked diligently, preparing them so his grandfather could wrap the candies as soon as they were ready.

The young boy was no older than seven and no younger than five. He was quiet, with a faint air of responsibility that far exceeded his years. Kisha understood, however, that children who had managed to survive the apocalypse could no longer be viewed the same way as before. They were forced to grow up mentally far faster than in the old world, shaped by a harsh environment and constant danger.

If they remained as they once were, naive and carefree, they simply wouldn’t survive. In fact, children were often more sensitive to changes in their surroundings and to the emotions of those around them than adults, allowing them to adapt more quickly. That might be why the children of HOPE Base now worked alongside their families like young adults.

Compared to them, someone like Melody, for example, would have stood out; she needed a real, life-and-death wake-up call before realizing how irresponsible and spoiled she had been.

Seeing the boy working so diligently in front of her, Kisha felt a surge of compassion.

“I’ll take all of the special candies, and the regular ones as well,” she said calmly. “I plan to give the regular candies to the children working in the workshop, and use the special ones as small rewards for my warriors.”

Kisha explained herself deliberately, not wanting the old man to misunderstand. She didn’t want him to think she was buying the candies out of pity or charity, nor for him to feel guilty or embarrassed, nor assume she was purchasing more simply because the boy was helping him.

Just as Kisha had expected, after her brief explanation, the old man didn’t think much of it. He cheerfully began counting the candies and even added a little extra as he weighed the regular ones and carefully counted the special candies, packing them separately.

While he busied himself with the packing, Kisha glanced at the young boy. He looked up only once, offered a faint smile, and then quietly returned to his work, as if the large sale hadn’t stirred even a ripple of excitement in his small heart.

After all, with so many jars of candy in the stall, buying all of them would still earn the old man no less than twenty level-one crystal cores, a massive sale for any vendor, enough that they could close up early and return home for the day.

Kisha then noticed the sickly pallor on the young boy’s face. Before she could take a closer look, the old man caught her scrutinizing gaze and gently explained.

“He’s my grandson. He has mild autism, but it became more severe after the zombie apocalypse. Sweets are one of the few things that can reach him; that’s why I started making candy even before the apocalypse. After the world fell apart, I awakened a culinary-type ability, so I picked up my old trade again and began making candies once more.”

“When the apocalypse began, my grandson saw his entire family torn apart by zombies, saw them turn into those very monsters. It frightened him so deeply that he stopped talking altogether… stopped responding to the world. I had to carry him while running for my life until we were rescued by soldiers heading to City B’s base. He refused to eat no matter what I tried, but when I gave him candy… perhaps it reminded him of happier times. Only then would he eat.”

“Now, maybe because of the safety and atmosphere in the base, he’s slowly improving. He’s even started helping me cut the wrapper film.”

The old man smiled softly at the end of his explanation, his hands never pausing as he continued wrapping and sorting the candies.

Hearing this, Kisha didn’t feel pity for the boy. In a world like this, sympathy alone was the most useless thing one could offer. Instead, she felt something closer to quiet certainty. The boy might think of himself as broken or weak, but in truth, despite his autism, he was still standing, still living, still slowly getting better.

And somehow, Kisha had the inexplicable feeling that this child would amount to something in the future. Perhaps he might even become one of her warriors one day.

She could easily check his status window to confirm it.

Yet even without doing so, she felt her intuition was right.

“Host, why not check it?” 008 suddenly chimed in, as if it was stuffing popcorn into its mouth as it watched the scene unfold. “Or do you just enjoy playing the mystery guessing game?”

Kisha rolled her eyes inwardly, but she did open the boy’s status window nonetheless.

And the moment she did —

She was thunderstruck.

…

[Edison Floyd]

Level 0 (Exp: 0/100 X 0.0)

Morality: Neutral

Strength: 5

Stamina: 5

Defense: 5

Agility: 5

Mental Capacity: 30

Charm: 5

Leadership: 5

Title: None

Skills: None

Talent: Mind Control

Gift: Puppeteer

Ability: Psychic Control (Mental)

…

’What the hell is this?! Did I seriously stumble onto a treasure this easily?!’ Kisha screamed inwardly.

She had sensed that this child would amount to something in the future, but she never imagined this. At such a young age, his ’Mental Capacity’ was already maxed out, pushed all the way to the limit of his current level. Once he awakened his ability, he wouldn’t just become a psychic; he would become the kind who could control others.

And that realization sent a chill down her spine.

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