Chapter 12: The Farming Begins!
????In the next instant—
??The ten Ghoststones scattered on the ground shattered simultaneously, dissolving into a milky white liquid that stread directly into the heart of the camp's Ghostfire seed. Before Chen Fan, the familiar System Panel shimred into view.
??"Ghostfire has been upgraded to Level 2. The safe zone now covers a 20-ter diater. Deterrence against Ghostbeasts has increased."
??"Please select an Upgrade Path."
??"1: Expand the safe zone to a 30-ter diater."
??"2: Further increase deterrence against Ghostbeasts."
??"3: Slightly reduce the resource consumption of camp defensive structures."
??“...”
??Chen Fan narrowed his eyes. He had just spent ten Ghoststones to upgrade Ghostfire—the camp’s core structure—to Level 2. The base effects had improved, and once again, three Upgrade Paths appeared before him.
??He couldn’t help but wonder: the native Builders of this world surely couldn’t see a System Panel like this when upgrading their structures. How did they choose their Upgrade Paths? Was it all just blind guesswork?
??After a brief consideration, Chen Fan selected the third option.
??With two Level 2 Arrow Towers guarding the camp, he already felt secure about their defenses. There was no urgent need to boost Ghostfire’s deterrence against Ghostbeasts any further. The first option—expanding the safe zone—was practical, but in the long run, the third Upgrade Path would yield the best returns.
??Arrow Towers didn’t consu many resources as it was.
??Last night, during the monster attack, both towers had only used up about a tenth of their embedded Ghoststones. But as the camp expanded, more defensive structures would be needed. This upgrade would save him a fortune in resources and directly strengthen the camp’s foundation.
??As soon as he confird his choice—
??Ghostfire began to transform. Its base took on an ancient, weathered appearance, and two milky-white energy veins stretched outward, snaking across the ground like living arteries—each one connecting to the foundations of the two Level 2 Arrow Towers.
??“Hah...”
??Chen Fan let out a long breath. The camp’s safe zone now spanned a 20-ter diater—a decent size for the mont. Upgrading to Level 3 would require fifty Ghoststones.
??No ti to waste.
??He imdiately spent two more Ghoststones to create a plot of farmland, placing it at the camp’s edge.
??Five ters long, five ters wide—a perfect square.
??As the ghostly image of the farmland gradually solidified in the air, a neatly tilled, square field appeared at the camp’s boundary.
??If he planted ordinary crops, like wheat, their growth cycle would be dramatically shortened. However, for Unique Treasure seeds, the maturation ti would remain unchanged.
??Not that it mattered.
??Both types of seeds he currently possessed matured quickly enough.
??“Crippled Monkey!”
??Chen Fan looked over at Crippled Monkey, who was squatting by the Ghostfire, studying the two white energy veins. He called out, “Get to work! Haul all the Monkey-Head Ghoul corpses from behind the hut and bury them in the farmland.”
??“On it, Young Master!”
??...
??By the ti all the Ghostbeast corpses had been buried in the field, it was already noon.
??Chen Fan pulled the Monkey-Head Mushroom Seeds and Ghoststone Vein Seeds from his pocket, planting them one by one in the soil. No need to water them—the System Panel hadn’t ntioned it, so it clearly wasn’t required.
??After a while—
??“Hah...”
??Standing upright, Chen Fan wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled. Farming was more physical than he’d expected. Seventeen Monkey-Head Mushroom Seeds and twelve Ghoststone Vein Seeds—he had no idea how much he would actually harvest.
??But that led him to another thought: as ti went on, he would collect more and more seeds, each with its own unique requirents.
??For instance, Monkey-Head Mushroom Seeds didn’t need Ghostbeast corpses as fertilizer, but Ghoststone Vein Seeds did.
??As the farmland expanded, there was no way he and Crippled Monkey could handle it all alone.
??He would need to build a team—find people to help him farm and tend the fields.
??But... Chen Fan glanced at Crippled Monkey, who was loosening the soil with the Godslayer Spear. His eyes narrowed. Loyal, hardworking followers like Crippled Monkey were hard to co by.
??“Young Master!”
??Crippled Monkey finished up and ca hobbling over, his awkward gait oddly comical. Grinning broadly, he reported, “I just found a few seeds under the bed in the hut. No idea what they’ll grow into, so I buried them in a corner of the field. Maybe they’re fruit tree seeds—then we’ll never run out of fruit!”
??“...”
??Chen Fan smiled but didn’t say anything. They were probably just wheat seeds or sothing similar. After all this ti, who knew if they’d even sprout? Still, he wasn’t about to dampen Crippled Monkey’s enthusiasm.
??Just then—
??“Station Master Chen?”
??A surprised voice rang out. Chen Fan looked up to see Station Master Wang approaching the camp with his n, already standing nearby without Chen Fan even noticing.
??“We’ve only been apart for two days, haven’t we? And you...”
??Wang Kui stood within the safe zone, his gaze fixed on the clearly-upgraded Level 2 Ghostfire and the two imposing Arrow Towers. His face was a mask of stunned disbelief.
??What in the world...?
??Wasn’t Chen Fan supposed to be the Chen Clan’s illegitimate child, exiled to the Wasteland to die?
??And what was with these Arrow Towers?
??Two of them, no less?
??He’d rarely seen any Waystations with Arrow Towers at all. Waystations were just temporary shelters—no one bothered with expensive defenses like that, unless it was for a clan leader’s territory or a vital hub.
??If Chen Fan weren’t an illegitimate son, Wang Kui could have understood—the Chen Clan sending him out to gain experience, with a Level 5 Builder crafting Arrow Towers for his protection.
??But now...
??A flash of realization crossed Wang Kui’s eyes. So that was it—Chen Fan’s mother must have left him so trump card, and it probably had sothing to do with a Builder.
??If that was true...
??The Chen Clan would surely regret their decision.
??His mind raced, but outwardly Wang Kui simply offered a helpless smile. “Station Master Chen, you really had
fooled. I thought you were... well, but now...”
??“...”
??Chen Fan glanced at the two large jars on the back of Wang Kui’s wagon and chuckled, “Here to return more things? Looks like my predecessor borrowed quite a bit from your Waystation, huh?”
??“Station Master Chen, please, don’t tease .” Wang Kui looked away, embarrassed. “I suppose the little bit of kindness I managed to show ended up being wasted.”
??“Not at all.”
??Chen Fan shook his head and replied softly, “I rember your kindness, Station Master Wang. The supplies you sent last ti helped
a great deal.”
??“If I ever get the chance, I’ll repay you handsoly.”
??“Good, good, that’s all I ask...”
??Wang Kui’s voice trembled with excitent. “Well, I’ll head back to the station. If you need anything, just send word.”
??He left the wagon behind, gathered his n, and departed, his steps noticeably lighter. This ti, he’d truly backed the right horse—Chen Fan was almost certainly a Builder now.
??Five Ghoststones, to earn the favor of a Builder.
??What deal could possibly be better than that?
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