Cornflower Witch

Chapter 141 Ordinary Life

Huijin Plain, outside Baishi City, riverside farm.

"Lucy, how have you been lately?"

Two young trainees met by chance and started chatting in the fields.

"Not bad, at least we're about to have a good harvest," replied a young man with short blond hair. His name was Lucie, and he had been in the woods for four years.

"This time we should be able to cultivate wheat of excellent quality." He looked at the vast golden wheat fields by the field and felt a great sense of accomplishment.

"Wow, Lucie! I heard that even the soil near the fortress is slightly polluted, making it very difficult to cultivate," his companion praised.

“Yes, these pollutants are very troublesome to deal with.” Lucie shook her head.

“Every now and then, we have to buy special ‘foundation powder’ and sprinkle it on the ground to prevent the pollution below from spreading upwards. Then we have to pay students with the ‘blazing sun’ affinities to use their fire-like abilities to burn the upper soil and reduce the pollution to a relatively low level so that we can plant.”

"If the wheat quality doesn't meet the high standards after going through this process, we'll lose money."

“I remember you were allocated 20 mu of land, right?” his companion recalled.

“That’s right. Land on the outskirts of the city is in high demand. I was able to get a larger share because I was registered under a good teacher. Most students would probably only get 15 mu (approximately 1 hectare),” Lu Xi replied.

"What if we go to the more remote suburbs outside the city? I've heard that the association has always encouraged expansion outwards."

“The places you mentioned, yes, if it’s a place far outside the city, I should be able to easily get 50 acres of land to take care of.” Lucie nodded.

"However, the pollution outside the city is too severe. A senior student tried it before. He was already a 'second-tier Emerald Honey', but he still faced many difficulties in cultivating new land outside. Whether it was pollution or pests, all your previous efforts would be wiped out in an instant."

"After that, he couldn't accept the setback, so he simply went to another place to seek development."

"Actually, the city's outskirts are quite good. First of all, you can go into the city at any time and communicate with many students of the same age. Don't underestimate this point. It can save us a lot of detours and allow us to keep up with the latest market trends and earn more income."

"In addition, the fields on the outskirts of the city have been developed and stabilized. The senior students have left behind many mature solutions. As long as we study patiently and have a little talent, we can probably cultivate excellent wheat in a few years."

"The wheat from the Radiant Plains is renowned throughout the Southern Woodland Association. Once you gain recognition, you can leave the woodlands and return to the surface to work as a farm steward in a noble estate and live a relaxed and comfortable life."

"This is the easiest and safest road to get through the woodland for five years; most people don't know that."

"Moreover, although we lost money in the early stages, as long as we could cultivate high-quality wheat, the sales in the woodland were always very good."

“My 20 mu of land can produce about 2000 jin of high-quality wheat in half a year. At 1 silver coin per jin, that is 20 gold coins.”

"Even if we pay the association's price and deduct all costs, we can still earn 8 gold coins, which adds up to 16 gold coins a year."

“Those patrol cavalrymen only earn 10 gold coins a year, and they have to run around every day. It’s not as easy as this.” Lucie was very satisfied with his current life.

"So, I'm actually envious, haha."

"Why don't you try becoming a gardener?" Lucie suggested with a smile.

"Forget it, not everyone is like you and can successfully cultivate high-quality wheat." The other person shook their head.

“I’ve also heard that some trainees have failed for five years and eventually left the forest in despair.”

"But this isn't a bad ending; at least I wasn't seriously injured or hurt." He thought for a moment.

“I went on an expedition last month in an area that wasn’t very dangerous.”

"Oh, did you find anything?" Lucie asked curiously.

"We did have some success. In a secluded thicket, we found a batch of 'Black Snakeberries,' which are essential resources for learning the 'Black Mist Viper' spell." "There were forty-six 'Black Snakeberries' in total. Each one can be sold for one gold coin. The three of us split them equally, and each of us got 15 gold coins."

"This is the biggest source of income during the expedition. The second largest source is the monsters we kill along the way. Some of them produce alchemical materials that we need, which also contribute about 10 gold coins. That's a little over 3 gold coins per person."

"After the entire expedition, we summarized that all the gains were converted into gold coins, which amounted to about 63 gold coins, and each person received 21 gold coins."

"Wow, you're envious of me? This is way better than farming!" Lucie clicked her tongue in amazement.

"That's because you only saw the gains and not the dangers." The other person shook their head.

"Do you know why the forestry trainees have such a high casualty rate? It's because they sacrificed their lives during exploration and expeditions."

"I was able to gain so much this time because the three people in my team were very familiar with each other, trusted each other, and were able to cooperate very well."

"Secondly, the area we chose was not dangerous. We did not encounter any terrible or unknown enemies, and no accidents occurred along the way."

"It was through these multiple layers of effort that we achieved this good result."

“Like you, I’ve been in the woodland for over four years, but several of the familiar trainees who came in at the same time are no longer here.” He looked into the distance at the wheat field, his tone full of emotion.

"This time I finally saved up enough money and points, and I have already ordered a 'Blood Dew Potion' from the association to use for advancing to the second tier."

"Are you sure you want to use that? Although it greatly increases the chances of reaching the second tier, the side effects are significant and could lead to symptoms of 'blood necrosis'," Lucie said worriedly to her friend.

“The probability of ‘blood necrosis’ is 5%. Believe me, that’s a much higher survival rate than exploring dangerous areas.” The other person patted Lucie on the shoulder.

"Only when I reach the second tier will I have the strength to fight for more things, whether it's opportunities or ways to treat side effects."

"Good luck to you, my friend."

Their conversation gradually came to an end, and it was time to part ways.

Lucy went to the small hut she had built by the field, took out a wooden box from it, and handed it to the other person.

"These are some biscuits I prepared to replenish your energy and help you with your future adventures."

[Honey Biscuits] (Excellent): Made with high-quality wheat flour and honey, baked to a slightly sweet and crispy texture. They are twice as nutritious as regular dry food and are a relatively good supplement.

Although it wasn't an expensive gift, the recipient was still very happy and accepted the wooden box from Lucy.

"Thank you so much. I'll probably have to get my supplies from you every time I go on a long trip in the future."

"Haha, it's okay. I can't eat all the wheat here anyway, so there's always some left over. I'll occasionally take some to the market to sell."

"Next time you come, I'll prepare some new dishes for you. I've recently been learning from a baker in the city. His techniques can better bring out the best in the ingredients."

"No problem, I'll bring you some little gadgets I find on my adventures next time," the other person said with a smile.

"See you next time."

After saying goodbye, Lucie watched him walk into the distance.

They were all relatively ordinary students in the forest, with average grades and talents, neither too good nor too bad. As the five-year deadline approached, they began to think of ways to sprint towards the second stage.

In this world of film, only by reaching a higher level can one see more scenery and gain more.

(End of this chapter)