C4 The Power of Happy Water

"Do I look like the joking type to you?" Lo Chuan asked with earnest gravity.

Bu Lige scrutinized him intently before shaking his head with conviction.

"Still, the effect is somewhat terrifying. It's quite unbelievable!" Bu Lige couldn't resist commenting.

"You get what you pay for, fair and square."

Lo Chuan wasn't about to miss the opportunity to secure a potential customer, especially not when a system mission was at stake.

As the scion of the South Marquis' Palace, Bu Lige certainly wasn't strapped for cash. He made his decision swiftly.

Bu Lige selected a bottle of Coke from the shelf and, without hesitation, placed ten spiritual crystals on the counter.

Lo Chuan nodded, swept his hand, and the spiritual crystals vanished into the ether.

Bu Lige's impression of Lo Chuan soared, elevating him from a mere intriguing shopkeeper to a hermit of profound skill.

"Congratulations, host, on completing the novice task. You've earned a chance at the lottery," announced the system's voice in Lo Chuan's mind.

"Just a heads-up, this Coke is a beverage," Lo Chuan mentioned, his mood buoyed by the successful mission completion.

"A beverage?" Bu Lige echoed, taken aback.

You mean to tell me something with such effects is actually a drink?

In this world, there were medicinal pills, herbal remedies, and various alchemy potions, but Bu Lige had never encountered a beverage with such staggering effects.

For a moment, Bu Lige felt his entire worldview crumble.

"Exactly," Lo Chuan confirmed with a nod. "Just twist off the cap and drink."

He demonstrated, grabbing a bottle of Coke and showing Bu Lige.

With a hiss, Lo Chuan popped open the bottle and downed half of it in one long swig.

Instantly, a refreshing chill spread from his mouth, through his stomach, and into every limb.

Indeed, the Coke was chilled to perfection!

"Is it really?"

Mimicking Lo Chuan, Bu Lige twisted open his Coke. With a moment's hesitation, he took just a small sip.

Given its dark, potion-like appearance, Bu Lige's instincts told him it couldn't possibly taste pleasant.

"Mmm!"

But as the cola hit his taste buds, Bu Lige's eyes shot open in astonishment.

The fizzing bubbles burst in his mouth, sending a wave of icy refreshment from his throat throughout his body, making him shiver uncontrollably.

"This cola, why is it so incredibly delicious?! I, Bu Lige, have never experienced such a beverage!"

Disbelief painted Bu Lige's face, his eyes glazing over with wonder.

What did it matter that he was the young master of the South Marquis' Palace? Had he not wandered into this alley out of sheer boredom, he might have gone his entire life without discovering such a sublime drink.

Lo Chuan chuckled to himself. The allure of this 'Happiness Water' was clearly irresistible, even to those from other realms.

"My body? And what about my injuries?"

Suddenly, Bu Lige noticed a change in his body, and his expression shifted once more.

As the South Marquis' son, Bu Lige had survived an assassination attempt a few months prior. Though his life was spared, he was left with deep-seated injuries that were notoriously difficult to heal.

The South Marquis had been enraged, causing an uproar in Deepmount for a week, yet the assailant remained at large.

But now, after drinking the cola, those stubborn injuries had vanished as if by magic, causing Bu Lige to question his own perceptions.

"Coca-Cola, drink it to recover from all non-fatal wounds," Lo Chuan nonchalantly stated the beverage's remarkable benefits.

"I never would have believed it..." Bu Lige exhaled, his shock barely concealed.

He had initially thought the claims about the cola were overstated.

An instant recovery from all non-fatal wounds? Such a miraculous effect was surely beyond the capabilities of most advanced elixirs and potions. Could it really be obtained for a mere ten spiritual crystals?