Chapter 5: Harvest Time

Waking up refreshed at dawn, Xia Wulei stretched comfortably. She checked her inventory space and saw that most of her crops were ready for harvest.

Humming a little tune, she walked into the kitchen, only to find Yu Huaiyu looking utterly miserable.

"You're up," Yu Huaiyu greeted her listlessly. "There's no food here, not even basic rice or flour. If I’d known, I would have bought some supplies."

Yu Huaiyu rested her chin on her arms, sprawled across the table with an air of hopelessness. This was her second game; in the previous one, food and clothing had been plentiful, and she never expected to face such a predicament. It was nearly noon, and having missed two meals, her dejected state was understandable.

Xia Wulei smiled. She had a decent impression of this young woman; when Xia Wulei had been at a loss while washing up the night before, it was Yu Huaiyu who had shared a clean towel and soap with her.

"Next time you enter a scenario, you should consider using your points to buy a backpack and stock up on daily necessities. They aren't expensive and can be purchased in the Transition Realm."

Xia Wulei thanked her and took the towel, realizing one thing: these other players didn't have inventory spaces.

Thinking of this, Xia Wulei checked her space again. It was time for the harvest. However, the harvested rice was completely raw, meaning it had to be threshed, dried, and husked before it could be eaten as rice. Wheat could be boiled directly, but it didn't taste as good as rice and was best ground into flour after drying.

It seemed Xia Wulei’s only choice was corn and potatoes. She picked a few, washed them quickly, and put them in a steamer.

Any surplus grain she grew could be recycled by the system for points. Basic crops yielded one point for every ten pounds, and each bag of seeds provided by the system could produce a hundred pounds of produce. Xia Wulei kept twenty pounds of each and returned the rest to the system, earning thirty-two points.

Suddenly, a system notification chimed: [Soil fertility has decreased by 20%.]

Xia Wulei’s eyes widened. Damn it, one bag of seeds consumed 5% of the soil's energy. This was practically forcing her to go hunting for ghosts.

[Once the land is opened for cultivation, it will not go fallow. The host can restore soil fertility through periods of rest.]

Xia Wulei felt a bit better knowing that even if she didn't plant anything, the land would recover its fertility on its own. She quietly asked, "How much does one day of rest restore?"

[1%.]

Forget it, she’d better go find some ghosts to use as fertilizer.

After her points increased, Xia Wulei discovered she could still only purchase the same four types of crops, which left her puzzled. "How do I unlock other crops?"

[The current land is at a primary level, suitable only for basic crops. The host can search for and add high-level soil to upgrade the land.]

So that was what the hoe she was given at the start was for.

She couldn't grow anything else yet, but fortunately, she could continue planting basic crops to save up points for livestock. Opening a pasture cost ten points, and pasture seeds were two points per bag. However, a single chick cost five points, and other livestock were similarly priced, with cattle and sheep being even more expensive.

Xia Wulei carefully read the instructions. Raising livestock wasn't tied to soil fertility; instead, it helped boost it. Ten animals could restore 1% of the soil's fertility daily. It seemed that raising livestock was essential. Once she had enough animals, she might not even need to hunt for fertilizer anymore.

But with her current limited points, she had to spend wisely. Xia Wulei calculated the soil fertility and bought ten bags of basic seeds, keeping a few points and some fertility in reserve for emergencies.

Catching the scent wafting from the stove, Yu Huaiyu sat up abruptly. "What is that smell?"

Xia Wulei lifted the lid and sprinkled some salt on the steamed potatoes and corn. She said with a hint of regret, "Make do with this for now. It’s the only way to get a quick, filling meal at the moment."

The fragrant aroma was like manna from heaven to the starving Yu Huaiyu. As Xia Wulei handed her a portion, Yu Huaiyu looked incredulous. "Where did you get corn? Are these potatoes?"

Xia Wulei smiled. "I told you, my system is for farming, so naturally, I have these things."

Upon hearing this, Yu Huaiyu’s face fell. "So you really do have a farming system... Sigh, I thought you were just playing humble. I didn't expect us both to be so unlucky."

Xia Wulei didn't comment on being "unlucky," but she was curious about Yu Huaiyu's system. "By the way, you’ve never mentioned it. What is your system?"

Yu Huaiyu replied gloomily, "The Flourishing Era Royal Concubine System."

Xia Wulei: ...

Xia Wulei’s speechless expression stung Yu Huaiyu, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Why is my life so bitter? I was killed by a falling flowerpot while walking down the street. I thought I finally had a chance at rebirth, only to draw this system."

"What use is this system? Am I supposed to compete for favor with ghosts?"

Yu Huaiyu felt miserable as tears streamed down her face, yet she gnawed on the corn with great enthusiasm, devouring it like a hamster.

Xia Wulei watched her, speechless, and asked, "Then how did you survive the last scenario?"

Yu Huaiyu laughed sheepishly. "My novice scenario took place in an old mansion. My system allows me to choose a target to build favor with. I chose the master of the mansion, who happened to be the final boss of the scenario, so..."

Xia Wulei: ...

You can just lie your way through a scenario like that?

After Yu Huaiyu finished eating, she began sharing information. "Brother Hong Qi and Chu Wei went out to gather news, and Zhu Chen hasn't returned with the water yet. I’ll go out this afternoon to look for clues; I can’t just sit around doing nothing."

Xia Wulei nibbled slowly on her corn and asked, "Don't you have to complete tasks?"

Yu Huaiyu waved her hand. "Don't even mention it. My system requires me to select a target before it issues tasks. The NPC here, Auntie Wang, doesn't look like a boss, and I don't want to waste my target on her."

Xia Wulei was curious. "What kind of rewards do you get? I thought the system was supposed to improve personal abilities."

"It does. Every time I successfully攻略 a character, my mental energy increases, allowing me to perceive their likes and dislikes. It works on both players and ghosts, and if used well, it can help avoid risks." Yu Huaiyu sighed. "In the end, it’s still a support-type system with limited use. Looking at it this way, you’re actually better off than me—at least you can get a full meal in the scenario."

Xia Wulei shook her head; she didn't agree. Yu Huaiyu’s system might seem useless at first glance, but the ability to perceive an NPC's intentions was a massive advantage. The two novice scenarios she had experienced were relatively simple, with ghosts openly displaying malice, but in future high-level scenarios, ghosts might learn to disguise themselves and even hide among humans. In that case, Yu Huaiyu’s system would be invaluable.

Just as Xia Wulei was about to speak, she caught a glimpse under the table and was startled. A thin, small figure was huddled there, looking up with a pale, gaunt face and large, stark black-and-white eyes, staring straight at her.

Xia Wulei almost jumped out of her skin. Since the system hadn't given her an energy reading, this must be an NPC, right?

"Little one, what are you doing here?"