Webnovel Author In The Apocalypse World-Chapter 193: The Case of the Missing Chestnuts (Part3)

Go Okrim, too, rummaged through his memories of apples. The thought of sweet, crisp apples made him swallow audibly.

"Kim Haru-hyung, can we eat this apple?"

Kim Haru shook his head.

He wasn’t sure if it was safe to eat.

Since the apple tree had willingly given him an apple and hadn’t triggered the Farm’s Blessing, did that mean this mutated plant harbored goodwill toward him?

Kim Haru thought back to Little Oakie and Little Wheatie on the farm. Tentatively, he addressed the empty space in front of him, "Can you reveal yourself?"

He didn’t expect a response. The ability to turn invisible was likely this apple tree’s protective mechanism, something it wouldn’t easily abandon.

But just as he thought that, the air before him rippled.

A lush apple tree appeared right in front of him.

Its dense canopy was dotted with vibrant red apples, as picturesque as the images of apple orchards in harvest books.

"Hyung, it actually appeared!" Go Okrim exclaimed in astonishment.

Kim Haru was just as surprised. This apple tree was far too friendly.

Looking at the abundance of apples hanging from its branches, Kim Haru also understood why it had remained invisible. If it weren’t for its camouflage, no matter how powerful it was, it would undoubtedly attract countless greedy individuals.

After pondering for a moment, Kim Haru asked, "Did you bring me here on purpose?"

Besides this reasoning, Kim Haru couldn’t think of any other explanation for why an apple tree would steal his chestnuts.

What Kim Haru didn’t expect, however, was for the apple tree to shake its branches in denial.

It wasn’t the one who brought him here on purpose. Then why were his chestnuts stolen?

Wait—no, the chestnuts weren’t stolen by the apple tree!

Kim Haru finally realized what he had misunderstood. How could an apple tree leave paw marks? It must have been an animal!

Sure enough, before Kim Haru could ask, the branches of the apple tree quivered, and soon a small creature tangled in the twigs was brought into view.

Looking at the chestnut thief the apple tree presented to him, Kim Haru fell silent.

It was... a hamster?

As Go Okrim observed the hamster delivered to them, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It’s so tiny. Not even enough for a bite."

At these words, the cream-colored hamster began trembling violently. It let out high-pitched squeaks and rubbed its little paws against its cheeks as though kneading dough.

Just as Kim Haru thought the little critter was trying to play cute to escape, something familiar fell from mid-air and hit the ground with a thud.

It was a chestnut.

What’s more, more chestnuts began tumbling down one after another, landing on the ground with clinks and clatters. Like a hailstorm, they quickly formed two small piles—one of unpeeled chestnuts and the other of peeled ones, neatly sorted.

It seemed that this little hamster was also mutated animal. Its mutation didn’t give it a massive body but rather a space-type ability that was connected to its cheek pouches.

Kim Haru glanced at the chestnuts and the hamster in front of him, then at the apple tree full of bright red fruit. He didn’t want to let this opportunity slip away.

He instructed Go Okrim to gather all the chestnuts on the ground and place them in front of the hamster. "I won’t hold you accountable for stealing my chestnuts. In fact, I even have more chestnuts you can take if you like. But in exchange, I want apples. Deal?"

Kim Haru could tell—the apple tree and the hamster were working together. Otherwise, the little hamster wouldn’t have so smoothly darted into the apple tree for cover. It was clear that the hamster knew the apple tree could turn invisible. Although the tree handed over the hamster, its branches wrapped around the creature gently, not applying any force or causing discomfort.

While Kim Haru didn’t know how this unlikely pair ended up together, their partnership made his proposed trade much easier to negotiate.

Seeing the chestnuts it had spit out earlier returned to its sight, the little hamster’s round eyes lit up instantly.

It turned toward the apple tree, squeaking animatedly as if holding a discussion. Who knew how the two were communicating When it turned back, the hamster agreed to Kim Haru’s request.

It didn’t even negotiate the exchange ratio between chestnuts and apples.

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Kim Haru hung the chestnuts on one of the apple tree’s branches in front of the hamster. The little creature let out an excited squeak and stuffed all the chestnuts into its cheek pouches in one swift motion before scurrying up the tree.

Moments later, apples began falling one by one from the tree. The hamster even made an effort to pick the reddest and ripest ones.

Go Okrim and Kim Haru hurriedly used their clothes to catch the apples, worried that they might hit the ground and get bruised.

"Can’t you aim better?!" Go Okrim shouted in frustration as he dashed left and right, trying to catch the falling apples.

Kim Haru chuckled. "I think it’s aiming pretty well."

Go Okrim glanced over, only to feel as though he had just swallowed an entire lemon.

It turned out that the little hamster was throwing apples to Kim Haru with near-perfect accuracy. Kim Haru didn’t need to move at all—he simply stood still with his clothes stretched out to catch the apples.

Meanwhile, Go Okrim had to dart around frantically, chasing after the ones thrown his way.

The stark difference in treatment left Go Okrim feeling utterly bitter.

"Why is it treating me like this?" he asked, bewildered.

"Well," Kim Haru said with a grin, "maybe it’s because you just said you wanted to eat it."

Though, to be fair, Kim Haru’s first thought when he saw the little hamster wasn’t all that different. Luckily, he hadn’t said it out loud. After all, it wasn’t like the hamster could read minds.

Go Okrim: "..."

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

This little hamster really held grudges. Such a small body, yet such a big temper.