Pokémon: Starting as a Farmer Instead of a Trainer

Chapter 158 Mutant Crop, Little Zhao is Back

The next morning.

As snow fell overnight, the orchards, villas, and vegetables growing in the backyard gardens were all covered with a layer of pure white.

The ice crystals were like jade, the shadows of the trees on the snow swayed gracefully, and the snowflakes shone brightly in the morning sunlight, crystal clear. The air was crisp and fresh, carrying a comforting tranquility.

Pushing open the door, Mingyou stood in the snow, gazing at the pristine white world before her. She felt as if the whole world had become quiet and peaceful, so enchanting that she forgot the passage of time.

"Haha, time for a snowball fight!"

Mingyou smiled like a child. The weather forecast said that there would be more snow in the next few days. The snow in Beishang Township usually lasts until early spring.

However, with such heavy snow, his workload increased again. Although the mutant crops wouldn't freeze to death, it didn't mean they wouldn't be crushed by the snow. He had to look for any branches that had been broken.

So he took a broom and went over to sweep all the snow off the mandarin orange and cappuccino trees by the door.

Only then did he suddenly notice that there seemed to be a pink fruit growing on the Kapi tree.

"Um?"

He'd been too busy these past few days and only just remembered that the new round of Snorlax results seemed to be coming up in the next few days, but Snorlax should all be the blue kind like Snorlax, right?

I thought I was seeing things, but when I got closer, I realized I wasn't. There was indeed a pink fruit on the Kapi tree. Its shape hadn't changed, but it was fuller, and the skin was covered in frost, making it look incredibly tempting.

"This is……"

[Star Sapphire (A+): A mutation of the regular Sapphire, with softer flesh that won't break when dropped. It has a unique aroma that stimulates appetite, effectively relieving anorexia and depression, and slightly increasing physical elasticity, reducing damage from physical attacks.]

[Additional effect: After consuming, you will understand the move - Ultimate Impact, and learn it faster.]

"Huh? Mutation?"

Mingyou was completely bewildered, not understanding what was going on, but then a long-lost introductory message appeared in her mind...

[Mutant Crop: When a card reaches LV10 and grows a mutant crop of A quality or higher, there is a 5% chance that it will mutate and enhance its effect.]

"There are new settings at this point!"

He couldn't help but complain. Although this was indeed the first time he had seen a mutant crop of A quality, he had only known that improving quality would improve the effect, but he never expected that the end of upgrading would be mutation.

With curiosity, he reached out and squeezed the Star Sapphire. It was pink and very soft, like Play-Doh. It could only be deformed by force, so it should only be cut open with a sharp object before it could be eaten.

"This is really surprising for me so early in the morning... but is there only one?"

Mingyou looked carefully and found two more trees under the leaves covered by snow.

It looks like there aren't many, but in reality, most of the fruit trees that have only produced a little over a hundred fruits are of B quality. Having three fruits is already considered a lot.

The effect of repeatedly using a card on the same tree will continue to improve, and now there are finally noticeable results in terms of both the quantity and quality of fruit.

"Okay, then let's leave it hanging then~"

Mingyou continued clearing the snow in the orchard, but unfortunately some branches were still broken or unripe fruits were blown down by the wind, resulting in a slight loss, but not a particularly large one.

The newly grown fruit consisted only of those mutated apples. Although a small number were of A quality, unfortunately, no further mutations occurred, until…

Mingyou, who was checking the situation by the honey apple tree, suddenly seemed to have kicked something. She subconsciously looked down and was shocked.

"What?! It's huge!"

On the snow, a honey-sweet apple, about the size of a basketball, stood prominently. The branch from which the apple was hanging was broken, making it seem as if it had broken on its own rather than being weighed down by the snow.

[Big Honey Apple (A+): A mutation of the Honey Apple, its flesh is rich in honey juice, but the flesh is too plump to be suitable for making candied apples. However, it can be cut open and used to make other desserts. It is just the right amount of sweet, which children will love. Moreover, it will not cause tooth decay or harm to the body no matter how you eat it. Eating it can effectively relieve symptoms of high blood sugar and diabetes.]

[Additional effect: After consuming, you will understand the move "Dragon's Roar" and learn it faster.]

"So how did such a big apple end up on the tree without my knowledge? They're all green apples when they're unripe, they couldn't have mutated the moment they ripened, could they?"

Holding an apple that weighed as much as a squash, Mingyou subconsciously complained, then noticed its additional effect and asked curiously, "What kind of move is this...?"

This was the first time he had ever seen a move like the Dragon's Roar Dance. He'd look it up when he got back; he still had work to do.

After an hour of hard work, he finally finished cleaning the front and back yards. Thanks to the Gyrocopter and the others who came out to help, he only found two Honey Apples, and they had the same effect.

Based on the additional effects of the three-star Kabi Berry, these mutated fruits should all have fixed additional effects.

"Let's leave these two apples at home for now. Don't eat them; I still need to study them."

Qishu's live stream is about to start today, and Mingyou is getting ready to go over. She is instructing the little Munchlax and the others, and the little guys have no choice but to behave themselves, even though they are really craving those two big apples.

Just then, Ponpo suddenly ran out and told everyone about Santa Claus, which finally diverted the attention of Snorlax and the others.

Mingyou nodded to them, indicating that she would be back soon, and told them to write down their gifts in peace. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly felt that something was not quite right.

"Hmm? Where's the horned deer?"

"Yo yo~"

As soon as he finished speaking, the horned deer, which had blended perfectly with the snow, suddenly stood up and shook off the snow. Mingyou was startled by this sudden movement.

"You scared me! Why did you bury yourself in the snow? Aren't you going inside to rest tonight?"

"Yo yo~"

The horned deer shook its head. "You think it evolved so much fur? It's for keeping warm. In the dead of winter, it doesn't feel cold at all. On the contrary, it feels the temperature is just right. It's too hot inside."

"...Alright, let's go then."

"Yo yo~"

……

Riding a monstrous deer across the snow, gazing at the boundless snowscape of Beishang Township and the Ghost Mountain that had been turned white overnight, Mingyou was completely captivated by the grandeur of nature.

Upon arriving in Emerald Town, the streets were also covered in white, sweeping away the bleakness of the previous autumn. Watching the children building snowmen and having snowball fights on the street, everything seemed to come alive.

"It's going to be lively again!"

Mingyou smiled and nodded. There was still a while before the time he had agreed to meet Qishu, so he planned to go to Momozawa Store to see if they had any Christmas decorations or Santa Claus costumes.

Although I don't have high hopes, if that's not possible, I'll have to buy it online.

"Grandma, you... you actually have this?"

As soon as he arrived at the door, he saw that a Christmas tree had been set up, and he couldn't help but wonder: "I thought people in the north didn't celebrate Christmas, since these are Western holidays."

"We don't do it ourselves, but the young people in the village like it. And when it snows, it means the tourist season is here. We need to keep up with the cultural customs of city people, so we also make some of these things to sell."

Grandma Momozawa, who was sweeping snow alone at the door, responded with a smile. Seeing this, Naruto took the initiative to help. Grandma Momozawa was the person he had the best impression of in all the time he had lived in Kitakami Township.

"Let me do it, Grandma."

"Well... then I'll have to trouble you, young man."

"It's alright, it's alright. It's the middle of winter, you should rest more. It would be troublesome if you fell."

After Mingyou helped the other party sweep all the snow in front of the store to the roadside, Grandma Momozawa, who had just gone inside and then came out again, was carrying a plate with some purple pastries on it, which smelled delicious.

"Thank you for your hard work, young man. Have some, I made it this morning, it's peach flavored."

"Hmm? Sticky rice cake?"

Mingyou glanced at it curiously, then smiled and waved her hand, politely declining: "Thank you for your kindness, but I ate a full breakfast before coming, so I'm not hungry now."

"You're not hungry, but I am!"

Just then, Qi Shu's voice suddenly came. She waved her sleeve, stepped between the two, and called out with a smile, "Grandma, I'll take all of these sticky rice cakes."

"Little girl, you really like sticky rice cakes. Take them all. They can be stored for a long time, and you can share any you can't finish with your friends."

Grandma Momozawa gave all the purple sticky rice cakes to Kiju for free, but Kiju wouldn't take advantage of the old woman and paid for them all at the normal price.

She's been here for a few days and has become obsessed with eating sticky rice cakes, as if they have some kind of magic. Her assistant, on her recommendation, has also become completely addicted.

After taking a bite of the sticky rice cake, she looked at Mingyou and said, "Want some? It's delicious~ After eating the sticky rice cake, the little Magnemite on my head will spin and glow! Biu~ Biu~"

"No need, you can eat it yourself."

Mingyou shook her head, feeling inexplicably that something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

After waiting for Qishu and his assistant, who arrived a little late, to finish breakfast, the group set off again for the haunted house to start today's live stream. They estimated that many tourists would come tomorrow.

Soon, another day passed...

With the arrival of the winter tourist season, Beishang Township will also usher in the busiest time of the year. At noon that day, several tour buses slowly drove into Cuilu Town, and some tourists carrying large and small bags got off, their faces flushed from the cold wind.

On one of the buses, Xiao Zhao, dressed in winter clothes, stepped off from the back door with her suitcase and gently walked onto the clean street.

Several months later, she set foot on the land of Beishang Township once again, her heart filled with joy and anticipation.

"I can see them again! I'm so excited! What will the manor look like after the snow?"

"Sister Xiaozhao, get ready to leave!"

Danyu's voice suddenly came from ahead. Xiaozhao adjusted her backpack and replied, "Coming!"

……

(End of this chapter)