Novels by Zoink'sSword

Frank's eyes lit up.A few simple words from the vegetable vendor had suddenly opened his mind to an entirely new possibility.Right now, Frank didn't just want to make money.He wanted to make it fast.Wholesale markets. Off-season vegetables. Specialty produce from the South...The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.Of course.Scarcity created value.Vegetables that were everywhere in the South could easily become rare commodities in the North.And this wasn't more than twenty years in the future, when modern logistics and online shopping had made almost anything easy to obtain.Seeing the smile spreading across Frank's face, the vendor chuckled."Other people have thought of it too," he said with a sigh. "The problem is, Riverside County isn't exactly wealthy. Most people around here don't have the money or resources to travel that far just to buy produce.""If you've got a reliable source, though, you should seriously think about it."The vendor gave Frank a pat

When the villagers saw Frank Lane, a trace of disdain flashed through their eyes.The man who had dug up the bamboo roots frowned, pushed his handcart toward Frank, and said, "If you want them, take them. Just bring the cart back to my house afterward."With that, he turned and walked away.The other villagers glanced at Frank, shook their heads dismissively, and soon dispersed as well.Frank sighed helplessly and pushed the cart toward home.The man from earlier was actually Uncle Lane, a distant relative on Frank's father's side. Back when Frank was still in school, Uncle Lane had helped him and his family quite a bit.But after watching Frank waste his life year after year, even Uncle Lane had eventually become deeply disappointed in him.Frank pushed the cart to a secluded spot before putting everything into the Pocket Dimension.Then he stopped by the small village store to buy a couple packs of cigarettes."If you don't have money, don't bother asking. No more credit."The shopk

But this was no ordinary Noodle Soup. Frank had deliberately made it with water from the Healing Spring provided by the system."I didn't have time to make soup today," Frank said. "Just have some Noodle Soup instead."Hearing that, Sophie picked up her bowl.For some reason, the dumplings tasted especially delicious today, and she suddenly found herself wanting to try the soup as well. Besides, the water used to boil the dumplings still contained plenty of flavor and nutrients. It would be a waste to throw it away.Sophie took a sip, and her eyes widened immediately.An incredibly fresh taste spread through her mouth. It tasted nothing like ordinary Noodle Soup. In fact, it was somehow even more delicious than the dumplings.Frank had made the dumplings small enough for Lily to eat one at a time. She happily stuffed one after another into her mouth, occasionally taking a few sips of soup in between."Daddy's dumplings are so good!"Hearing Lily's excited praise, Sophie smiled, and th

Frank Lane ran his fingers over the soft yarn inside the bag, and a faint smile appeared on his face.Sophie White was too frail to do much physical work, so she usually took on knitting jobs to help cover the household expenses.She was good with her hands, and the sweaters she made were warm without being thick or bulky.Yet their family had been so poor that their own daughter, Lily, didn't even own a decent warm sweater.A dull ache spread through Frank's chest. The thought only made him hate the useless, defeated man he had once been even more.Frank bought two pounds of pork and carried it home.Just before reaching the house, he took the yarn, rice, flour, and cooking oil he had bought out of his Pocket Dimension."I'm home!"Frank pushed open the door with a smile.Sophie was sitting in the yard with Lily, enjoying the sunshine. When she saw Frank coming back with his arms full of groceries, a complicated look crossed her face.Part of her worried that he might have done somet

Seeing the adoration on Lily’s face, Frank Lane felt his heart tremble.He leaned forward and ate the bite of egg from Lily’s spoon, but bitterness filled his chest as he swallowed.After setting Lily down beside Sophie White, Frank said, “I’m going to check the storage room and see if there’s anything useful. You and Lily eat first.”With that, he quickly left.Sophie looked at the plate, where more than half of the egg pancake still remained.Something stirred faintly inside her heart.But after so many years of disappointment, she no longer dared to hope for even the smallest miracle.She looked at Lily and thought that perhaps this was still a good thing.Even if she left, at least Frank might be able to take care of their daughter.At that moment, Frank was rummaging through the storage room, his face filled with urgency.After testing the Healing Spring on the wild greens earlier, he now fully understood its use.It could accelerate the growth of crops.It could also treat illne

Sophie White’s face remained cold.Even after hearing her daughter’s explanation, she showed no sign of softening. Her eyes were like frozen glass as she stared at Frank Lane, without the slightest ripple of emotion.She would never believe another word he said.“I know I was wrong, Sophie.” Frank’s voice trembled. “I swear I’ll change. From now on, I’ll treat you and Lily well.”“I’ll never drink or gamble again. Please believe me!”“I just had a terrible dream. I dreamed that you and Lily were both gone, and I was left all alone.”Frank had never looked more determined.There was even a trace of ruthlessness in his expression—not toward Sophie, but toward the worthless man he had once been.His eyes were bloodshot from the intensity of his emotions. The nausea and pounding headache left behind by years of heavy drinking twisted his features into something almost frightening, but every word of his oath came from the bottom of his heart.“If I ever drink or gamble again, may I die wit