stjorthotic Chapter 14: Achieving a "Bumper Harvest"
Chapter 14: Achieving a "Bumper Harvest"
"Damn," Yang Zhilan rubbed her eyes, glancing at the bright streetlights outside the window. "It's getting late. Thank you, see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
Tap tap tap. Watching her run out of the greenhouse, her shadow disappearing under the streetlights like a frantic little deer, Jiang Qiu raised an eyebrow: "Even if you didn't get to register, there's no need to be so sad, is there?"
However, upon closer reflection, the fact that the competition results could fetch a good price once they were shortlisted and could also be added to the Yidan Garden sales network was quite attractive to Yang Zhilan, who came from a poor shantytown.
After all, many employees who have been officially employed in the park for many years do not have the opportunity to connect with Yidan Garden. Other alchemy gardens also set high thresholds, so the veteran employees can only sell their private output to "buyers" from other places.
The result was that prices were reduced.
After months of hard work, I've only managed to earn a meager living.
Jiang Qiu shook her head, no longer thinking about it. With the optimization panel to assist her, she only needed to plan the cultivation route to produce high-quality fruits. She didn't need to worry about sales and could just participate in the activities step by step.
The next few days flew by in a cycle of watering, pruning leaves, and absorbing spiritual energy, until the eve of the election.
That evening, Yang Zhilan stood with her hands behind her back at the entrance of the greenhouse, smiling as she said goodbye to him. Then the two of them went home along the path.
I just got home.
Jiang Qiu suddenly received a photo of Yang Zhilan.
He glanced at it casually.
But my gaze was instantly captured—
A vibrant, blooming Fireflower stands tall by the dusty window. Under the streetlights, its red leaves are as lush as fire, with distinct light and shadow, and several bright red, low-grade fruits hang down, gleaming like embers.
The most striking fruit stood out from the rest, larger and more vibrant in color, like the most central piece in a pile of burning embers—a mid-grade fruit indeed!
Whether it's low-grade or mid-grade fruit, the appearance is better than that of fruits mass-produced in greenhouses. It's foreseeable that these fruits will meet the standards at Yidan Garden's purchasing store and fetch a good purchase price.
The cultivation results are so good.
Yang Zhilan is very likely to be talented.
Jiang Qiu pondered.
Ding Dong!
[Yang Zhilan: Look, look, the results are in! There really is a medium-grade fruit! If we bring it to the competition, it'll definitely be shortlisted, right?]
It turns out she was still thinking about the event.
It is indeed a pity.
This quality is good enough to be in the top ten.
However, they were not eligible to register.
Jiang Qiu sighed inwardly.
[Jiang Qiu: Having a mid-grade fruit is enough to qualify.]
[Yang Zhilan: So, if I give you the mid-grade fruit, will it help you get shortlisted?]
Jiang Qiu blinked: "Help me get shortlisted?"
He turned his head to look at the flower stand in the kitchen.
Four pots of *Echeveria elegans* have withered and turned yellow.
But there was one pot of lush green plants, with buds ready to bloom.
The expected growth time has been reset to zero today.
After hair growth, a bountiful harvest can be achieved in an instant.
It's not that they can't produce a mid-grade fruit.
Yang Zhilan may not have seen my second-generation [Wooden Flower] and mistakenly thought that I used all the spiritual energy on her [Hair Growth], leaving no extra resources to take care of her own spiritual plant, which is why she couldn't even meet the shortlisting standard.
That's why I thought of helping myself.
Oh, there's no need.
but......
The sound of Jiang Qiu's fingers tapping on the keyboard paused for a moment. He long-pressed to delete the half-edited "polite refusal," and his eyes lit up as a better idea sprouted in his mind:
"The event can display a maximum of 3 fruits, and Yang Zhilan's [Fire Radiance Flower] has traces of my [growth] on it, so it can also be considered as my cultivation, and can be 'borrowed' to represent my achievement in the event."
"Even in low-resolution photos, this mid-grade fruit has the potential to be in the top ten. Since its production is relatively low, the unit price will be much higher. It's good to take this opportunity to let the purchasing store buy it at the highest price."
"This way, Yang Zhilan will have the money to plant more [Fire Radiance Flowers], which will allow me to absorb more fire-attribute spiritual energy. Otherwise, relying solely on herself, when will she ever be able to recoup the cost of my seven [Hair Growth] treatments?"
With a series of rapid-fire messages, Jiang Qiu sent out new messages.
[Jiang Qiu: Hmm, if possible, could you bring that mid-grade fruit with you tomorrow and lend it to me for the election?]
[Yang Zhilan: Great! (Heart bursting with joy.ipg)]
So easy to talk to.
Then you don't need to worry too much.
Next, my second-generation [Wood Edge Flower] should also bear fruit.
A smile appeared on Jiang Qiu's face.
Then my attention returned to the mother plant.
A total of 400 strands of Level 1 Wood-type Spiritual Energy.
50 strands of level 1 fire elemental energy.
We can begin a surge in production.
[Consumes 10 strands of level 1 wood elemental energy]
【"Hair Growth" Level 1 Wood-type Spiritual Plant "Wood Edge Flower"】
[Optimization direction selected: Fruit quality can reach medium grade]
[Consumes 10 strands of level 1 wood elemental energy]
【"Hair Growth" Level 1 Wood-type Spiritual Plant "Wood Edge Flower"】
[Optimization direction selected: Medium-grade fruit yield +1]
【...】
[Optimization direction selected: Medium-grade fruit yield +1]
[Optimization direction selected: Medium-grade fruit yield +1]
[Optimization direction selected: Medium-grade fruit yield +1]
Boom! Boom! Boom! The green flower buds formed by the mother plant suddenly swelled up like popcorn, and 20 low-grade fruits that were about to be produced successively transformed into mid-grade fruits, causing the flower branches to tremble.
But this is not the limit yet.
The total number of fruits produced by a mid-grade spirit seed is usually 20, which is 5 more than that of a low-grade spirit seed, and is already considered abundant. However, Jiang Qiu can still optimize it. He chooses "Increase the yield of Wood Edge Flower and Fruit by 5"!
With a crackling sound, several tender green buds emerged from the branches of the mother plant, and grew larger with each [growth], crowding the other buds that were bearing medium-grade fruits together. The entire spiritual plant transformed into a string of plump green grapes, standing upside down in the pot.
Immediately afterwards, a panel popped up.
Jiang Qiu's eyes lit up immediately.
[The second-generation "Wood Edge Flower" has reached the mother plant's production limit. During "Growth," there is no option to increase production. Furthermore, each fruit has reached the medium grade, achieving "Abundant Harvest." One medium-grade fruit will be designated as the next generation of spirit seed, and its characteristics will be randomly optimized through genetics.]
[“The rate of wood-elemental energy metabolism triples”]
The optimization direction chosen during sowing can be directly inherited by the next generation. In other words, even if the designated spirit seed is not sown in rare nutrient soil, it can still enjoy a 3x metabolic rate!
If this designated spirit seed is further upgraded to a superior grade and then planted in rare nutrient soil, the combined effects will inevitably produce a result greater than 3 (1+1+1>3), something we've always dreamed of!
However, problems arose.
50 strands of fire elemental energy are only enough to upgrade one superior fruit.
These are genetic traits passed down from the third generation of the spirit seed.
Or it can be used as a productive output to compete for the top spot in the event.
Jiang Qiu weighed the pros and cons, but the next second, seeing the information that appeared behind the panel, her brows relaxed again—