Sunlight filtered through the sparse tree canopy, casting mottled light and shadow on the soft grassy ground.
I squatted at the edge of the Earth-Bell Tuber colony, flipped open my notebook, and began my “ecological investigation” mission for the day.
First was estimating the distribution range.
Starting from the position of the first Earth-Bell Tuber I found, I walked outwards in a radial pattern, making a simple mark each time I encountered a plant and roughly measuring the distance with my steps.
This gentle slope had an incline of about 30 to 40 degrees, and the soil was noticeably looser than the riverfront land.
It felt “sandy” underfoot with excellent drainage—precisely the “cool-loving, drought-tolerant, and water-intolerant” ideal environment described by the System.
After nearly half an hour of exploration, I had a general grasp of the situation.
This Earth-Bell Tuber colony was not uniformly distributed but rather formed several relatively dense “patches” scattered within a range of about 200 square meters.
The largest patch was in the shaded area halfway up the slope, containing about 40 to 50 plants.
The other smaller patches were sporadically distributed along the sunny edges of shrubs or beside rock crevices.
I estimated the total number to be around 70 to 80 plants.
Many of the plants had already withered and fallen—the flowering period must have passed, and now was the season for the tubers to mature.
I squatted beside one of the robust plants, carefully digging away the soil around its roots, and sure enough, I unearthed another cluster of four or five tubers of varying sizes, slightly larger than the ones I had seen yesterday.
I carefully placed them back, digging only a medium-sized sample from the edge and putting it into a burlap bag.
Next was observing the companion plants.
I looked around and found that the plants growing together with the Earth-Bell Tubers mainly consisted of several types: one was a horseshoe-shaped wild vegetable with thick leaves growing close to the ground (the System scan identified it as “Mountain Spinach,” edible); another was a low-growing herb with tiny white flowers and thorny stems (the System identified it as “Thorn Thistle,” edible when young, and its mature stem bark could be used to make fiber); there were also a few scattered clumps of the Buckflower I had seen before, its purple-red spiky flower clusters standing out prominently against the green grass.
“Earth-Bell Tubers prefer loose sandy soil with good drainage…
companion plants include Mountain Spinach, Thorn Thistle, and Buckflower…” I murmured to myself as I quickly jotted notes in my notebook, drawing a rough distribution diagram and simple sketches of the companion plants.
My ice-blue eyes were focused and serious, the pen scratching against the paper.
After finishing the notes, I collected a few more Earth-Bell Tuber samples of different growth stages.
I carefully dug them out, root and leaf intact, shook off the loose soil, and wrapped them in large leaves.
The System prompted that these samples could be used for future planting experiments, such as comparing growth differences under different soil conditions.
Once I finished all this, I straightened up and stretched my somewhat sore neck.
The task’s progress should be about complete.
Just then, not far away was the area marked in the Guide as the distribution region of “Ironwire Vine,” a cluster of vines climbing up several dead trees at the edge of the bamboo forest.
I put away my notebook and walked over there.
The Ironwire Vine lived up to its name.
The vines were as thin and long as iron wires, their surfaces a dark brownish-red.
They felt exceptionally tough to the touch, impossible to break by hand, requiring considerable effort to cut with the stone knife.
I collected several intact vines, each about two meters long, and cut a few extra thinner branches, carefully rolling them into a bundle and tying it with a short piece of vine.
I now had an alternative material for the bowstring.
Although it wasn’t as ideal as animal tendons, it should be enough for a beginner’s attempt.
As for the bow body…
I looked at the Sapphire Tough Bamboo Grove rustling in the wind not far away, and a plan formed in my mind.
But not yet.
I had a much more difficult task this afternoon.
Returning to the cave platform, I set down the collected samples and vines, drank some water, and shouldered the Iron Hoe, heading back across the river to the side of the newly cleared Small Plot.
It was time to complete the “Land Expansion.”
I stood on the eastern side of the Small Plot, estimating the undeveloped riverbank slope.
The terrain here was slightly higher than the area where the Small Plot was located, with denser weeds, overgrown shrubs, and more severely compacted surface soil, clearly undisturbed for many years.
The 20 square meters required by the System was not huge, but it was definitely not small either: it was roughly twice the area of yesterday’s Small Plot.
The cultivation began.
The Mountain-Cleaving Yue was responsible for clearing the ground vegetation.
I swung this ancient-style bronze short Yue, cutting and clearing the dense weeds and low shrubs along the edge of the planned plot.
After using it for two days, I could more clearly appreciate the Mountain-Cleaving Yue’s characteristics.
It was not about brute force chopping, but was more like a kind of “guidance” and “separation.” The moment the Yue Blade touched the junction of the plant’s stem and roots, I could vaguely sense the direction and weak points of the plant fibers.
With a smooth pull, I could cleanly “invite” it out of the soil, leaving the root system intact and the cut surface smooth.
Even so, clearing such a large area still required time and physical effort.
Sweat soon soaked my hairline, sticking to my temples.
My long, creamy-white hair had been casually tied into a low ponytail at the back of my head with a thin vine, swaying gently with my movements.
My Dragon Tail unconsciously kept my balance behind me, its mane occasionally brushing the newly cleared ground and picking up fine grass debris.
Once the clearing was finished, the bare ground was exposed, but it was far from a farmable state.
Hardened clods of earth, densely scattered gravel, and remaining grass roots all needed to be dealt with one by one.
Next was the main event: turning the soil.
The Iron Hoe was much heavier than the Mountain-Cleaving Yue.
Each hoe strike required the strength of my waist, core, and arms.
Following my father’s teachings and the farming experience in my memory, I maintained a steady and even rhythm: swing the hoe, break the soil, turn it over, crush it, and pick out the stones and grass roots.
Advancing row by row, it was like painting a simple yet hardworking pattern.
Sweat trickled down my cheeks, dripping into the freshly turned dark-brown soil, instantly absorbed.
My breathing gradually became deep and long, falling into a certain tacit agreement with the frequency of my hoe strikes.
The aching sensation in my arms began to build up, and my fingertips felt slightly numb from gripping the hoe handle for so long.
But I did not stop.
This land needed to be reclaimed, and this task needed to be completed.
I knew not how much time had passed.
When I finished the last hoe stroke and straightened my back leaning on the hoe handle, the sun had already tilted noticeably to the west, stretching my shadow very long.
I looked back at this new piece of land, roughly twenty-three square meters.
Although the edges were not yet straight enough, the soil particles were uneven in size, and the stones and grass roots were still piled by the side waiting to be cleared, but it was indeed a “field” now.
Rough, primitive, and unadorned, yet it bore the hope of the next round of sowing.
[ Ding~ Daily Task ‘Land Expansion’ (Reclaim and preliminarily prepare at least 20 square meters of arable land) completed.
Rewards issued: 18 System Points, Soil Fertility Test (Simplified) function unlocked ×1.
]
The System notification sounded right on time.
Almost at the same moment, the notification for the second task’s completion followed immediately after:
[ Ding~ Daily Task ‘Ecological Survey’ (Detailedly record Earth-Bell Tuber colony distribution, growth density, and companion plants, and collect samples) completed.
Rewards issued: 12 System Points, Earth-Bell Tuber Planting Key Points Hint ×1.
]
[ ‘Earth-Bell Tuber Planting Key Points Hint’ has been generated.
The Host can view it at any time.
]
Two notification sounds rang out in my mind one after another.
I let out a long sigh of relief, dragged my slightly heavy footsteps to the riverbank, squatted down, and used a bamboo tube to scoop up water, slowly drinking half a tube, then poured some on my head, washing away the sweat and dust from my face.
The ice-cold river water slipped into my collar from my neck, bringing a shiver.
“Huu…” I sat on a rock by the river, looking at the two adjacent fields under the sunset: on the left was the Field of Hope where I had planted fifty Jade-Needle Rice grains yesterday, and on the right was the newly reclaimed land I had just opened today, which still awaited further tidying. This chapter was copied from novelping.com without permission.
A strange emotion, a mixture of exhaustion and satisfaction, welled up in my heart.
It wasn’t a massive sense of achievement, but a more grounded, more enduring feeling.
Just like a seed buried in the soil, although you can’t see it, you know it’s growing.
The sky was gradually darkening.
I rubbed my aching lower back and decided not to perform any more high-intensity labor for the day.
Dinner was still fish, consisting of two Silverskin Fish and a few shrimp I’d taken out of the fish basket.
But today I tried a new way of eating: I used my Stone Knife to slice the Earth-Bell Tubers into pieces, skewered them on bamboo sticks with the fish and shrimp, and grilled them over the fire.
The potato slices were grilled until the edges were slightly charred and the skin was a bit crisp, while the inside remained soft and fluffy, with a faint sweetness.
Although there was no salt or any seasonings, the pure fullness unique to starchy foods made the entire fish and shrimp meal seem even more abundant.
After finishing the meal, I disposed of the waste and extinguished the campfire as usual.
The evening glow on the horizon had faded from a brilliant golden orange to a calm purple-gray.
I packed up my tools, grabbed the burlap sack containing the samples and collected materials, and slowly walked back to the Cave along the familiar stone steps.
The Cave tonight looked a little more like a “home” than it had last night.
Tools, seed bags, and collected fruits were neatly arranged on the bamboo shelves in the corner; on the lower shelf were the mud molds that had been air-drying for a day, their surfaces having turned from a moist dark gray to a dry light grayish-white; on the inner rock wall, a string of Citromes and the Borer-Expelling Grass seeds I’d gathered yesterday were hung by vines.
I placed today’s collected Earth-Bell Tuber samples and Ironwire Vine on the middle shelf of the bamboo rack, then turned the row of mud molds over to let them air-dry more evenly.
Then, in the gradually fading light, I lit that simple “lamp”: a shallow little clay dish containing a few dried grass stems and a small piece of ember taken from the fire, which I gently blew to brighten.
The weak orange light flickered, dispelling the darkness in the depths of the cave.
By this small light, I opened my notebook and began today’s record.
“Pioneering Day Three.
Newly cultivated field is approximately 22 square meters, located on the east side of the Small Plot, with slightly higher ground and clayey soil that needs further improvement.
Afternoon completed the ecological survey of Earth-Bell Tubers, with a distribution area of about 200 square meters, total estimated plants 70+, tuberous roots are in the mature period, accompanied by Mountain Spinach, Thorn Thistle, and Buckflower.
Collected several samples for trial planting.”
The pen tip paused.
I looked at the roll of dark brown Ironwire Vine on the bamboo rack, then at the darkening night outside the window.
“Today unlocked the Blueprint Library, recorded the bamboo rack construction.
Tomorrow’s plan: process Ironwire Vine, attempt to craft a bow.
If time permits, study Earth-Bell Tuber planting key points and prepare a small trial plot.”
After writing the final word, I gently closed my notebook.
The firelight reflected in my ice-blue eyes, showing fatigue, but more so, a sense of calm and resolve.
As I lay down, the straw mat beneath me, having been used for two nights, had been pressed to fit my body, no longer as hard and uncomfortable as it was on the first day.
Dragon Tail habitually curled by my side, its cream-colored mane covering my calves, bringing a hint of warmth.
Outside the cave entrance, the starry river shone brightly, and the mountain wind blew gently.
The sound of the stream was faint, like the eternal breath of this valley.
I closed my eyes.
Tomorrow is another new day.
There is new land to cultivate, new crops to trial plant, and new skills to learn.
There is still a long way to go, many things to do.
But at least in this moment, in this corner of this other world, in this simple yet reassuring shelter that I have built piece by piece with my own hands, I slept deeply.
Very peacefully.