Chapter 20: Farming Life

On the 7th day after planting, the test field treated with Fertility Blessing sprouted.

The first to sprout was the baldbald bean, and its growth condition was good.

On the 11th day, all crops in the test field treated with Fertility Blessing had sprouted, but in the test field without Fertility Blessing, not a single seed sprouted.

On the 14th day, the test field without Fertility Blessing finally sprouted, and still the baldbald bean was the first to sprout; this plant has strong vitality, is not too picky about its growing environment, has a short growth cycle, and is very suitable as an economic crop for desert regions.

On the 15th day, the sandstorm came, and the test field without Fertility Blessing was completely destroyed in this sandstorm; Dixiya was right, the loss of water and soil here is indeed severe, its resistance to sandstorms is almost zero, but another test field suffered no damage at all—I didn't apply anything special, it should be the effect of Fertility Blessing, truly amazing.

On the 16th day, I dug up some tamarisk and brought it back; unexpectedly, this thing's name is the same as in my previous life. I used it to make a fence around, which should reduce the sandstorm's damage.

On the 18th day, I asked the village farmers for some dry straw they didn't need, and tried making some grass grids; if I remember correctly, grass grids of 1×1 meter in size and 10-20 centimeters high work best.

On the 28th day, the test seedlings treated with Fertility Blessing had already flowered, growing quickly; they appear to be an early-maturing variety. (Note: In A Ru Cun, even the sellers don't know what variety of crop they are selling; those scholars of the Academy's Raw Theory faction really deserve to die.)

On the 30th day, the seeds inside the grass grids sprouted, faster than before; it seems the water-retention ability of the tamarisk and grass grids is quite good.

On the 34th day, the second sandstorm hit; this time both test fields were unharmed, the stability of the tamarisk and grass grids was reassuring, but this Fertility Blessing—no, I should say the water-retention and fertilizing capacity of this grass-element crystal is truly astonishing—could such a thing really be made by human hands?

Luo De closed his notebook and looked thoughtfully at the two plots of land before him, whose growth conditions were completely different.

A Ru Cun is vast but sparsely populated.

So vast that even the house Luo De rents comes with a flat area much larger than the house's footprint.

Unlike Luo De, who directly planted crops here.

The residents of A Ru Cun generally pile miscellaneous items in this open courtyard; those with some spare money also build a few simple sheds in the courtyard.

As for why they don't think about planting something to improve their household finances, instead they almost waste these lands as if committing wanton destruction.

It's simply because Fertility Blessing is too expensive.

Besides the mountain-foot farmland that the village bears the cost of, which can afford the loss-making business of large-scale planting, ordinary villagers truly cannot afford it.

Just like Luo De's current test field, it's purely a money-losing venture; no matter what he grows, the Fertility Blessing invested will be completely lost, and that doesn't even count the cost of buying seeds.

In contrast.

The test field he made using traditional composting methods and grass grids, if the crops on this land can mature smoothly, would actually turn a profit.

"What a despicable suppressive tactic."

After comparing the growth of the two fields at the same stage, Luo De complained.

It's quite obvious.

Fertility Blessing is just a trap.

Without Fertility Blessing,

crop yields will be several times lower, and the ability to resist harsh weather is basically zero.

Therefore, to maintain an adequate food supply, A Ru Cun must purchase Fertility Blessing from the Academy.

And according to Luo De's knowledge,

In the rainforest region, Fertility Blessing is freely distributed by the Academy, while in the desert region one must obtain it through the Academy or via smuggling.

After such operations,

Just this single Fertility Blessing,

is enough to create an unbridgeable economic chasm between the rainforest and desert regions.

Like A Ru Cun now, which spends a large amount of Mora each year on Fertility Blessing.

Plus the issue of trade permits.

Such a two-pronged operation means that although A Ru Cun has resources far surpassing those of other desert tribes, it cannot accumulate Mora to develop itself, and its economic lifeline remains firmly controlled by the Academy; aside from submitting to the Academy, there is no other way.

"No wonder those elders disagree with opening up trade."

Formerly, A Ru Cun was poor, but the Academy could not control them at all.

Poor.

But they had freedom.

They could do whatever they wanted.

Academy personnel had no authority to point fingers here.

But now?

Behind the seemingly prosperous facade, in reality they are everywhere restrained by the Academy.

"It can also be considered a choice with both pros and cons."

Luo De stood up and returned to his room.

The choice of A Ru Cun's old guardians was for freedom, while Kantisi's choice was for the villagers' livelihood.

There's no way to judge who is right or wrong.

All we can say is that everyone's starting point was good; from the old guardians' perspective it's not wrong, and from Kantisi and An Pu's perspective it's also not wrong.

"Where did I see yesterday?"

Luo De fumbled around on the bookshelf, quickly found a book, opened to the place he had seen yesterday, and continued reading.

This bookshelf was made by himself.

The needed wood came from a date palm tree he cut down and planed himself.

The tools are the same, secondhand goods bought from Uncle Ba De.

As for the book he is currently reading, 《Sumeru Botany》, he happened to see A Shi'er at the A Ru Cun Market and then bought it from him.

Moreover, he didn't just buy one book; Luo De spent over half of his savings buying many secondhand books discarded by the Academy from A Shi'er.

It's not unusual to see smugglers appearing in A Ru Cun.

Because the rules set by Kantisi do not prohibit smugglers from entering the village to trade.

The discipline officers also know about this.

But no one will come to the village to arrest people.

The reason is simple, it's still Kantisi.

Don't look at her being just a four-star character in the game; the current guardian's combat power is actually extremely terrifying,

There are even rumors that the Grand Wind Discipline Officer Cyno is no match for her.

Of course.

This rumor was said by that smuggler Ashur.

Although the guardian of A Ru Cun and the Grand Wind Discipline Officer have never fought to prove who is stronger, it is an indisputable fact that Cyno has never entered A Ru Cun to sweep smugglers, and each time he comes to A Ru Cun he strictly observes the rule against fighting.

Under such rumors.

The big market of A Ru Cun naturally became a time for smugglers to revel.

On this day, various slang about contraband can be said to fill the sky; if it weren't for the normal merchants coming to trade, Luo De would almost think he had come to another world.

Taking advantage of the big market, Luo De purchased many writings of the Raw Theory School; during these days, besides tending his two experimental fields, all his other time was spent immersed in the sea of books.

Learning more and using more is always fine.

However, today's reading time is not as peaceful as usual.

Just as Luo De was engrossed in reading, a sudden burst of bell-ringing echoed throughout A Ru Cun.

「Sandstorm——」

Luo De, already familiar with A Ru Cun, naturally knows what this bell sound means.

The sandstorm attacks.

Judging from the bell sound.

This is still an ultra-large sandstorm of enormous scale.

And once a sandstorm occurs, the guards of A Ru Cun, whether on leave or not, if they are uninjured, must immediately rush to their posts to deal with possible threats that may arise in the sandstorm.

(End of chapter)