《Webnovel Author In The Apocalypse World》


 Chapter 1 Apocalypse World (Part 1)

    Ding-dongThe computer chimed, notifying that the software download had been completed, startling the young man who was lounging in his armchair.


    "Finally, it''s done." He pushed himself forward with ease, moving the chair closer to the desk, and began installing the game that had taken him over half an hour to download.


    The young man''s name was Kim Haru, a Webnovel Author who stayed home all day.


    Apart from writing, most of his time was spent playing various games.


    The game he was installing now had just been recommended to him by a friend, who claimed it was incredibly fun¡ªso much so that it could easily make your time pass by without your realizing.


    Kim Haru who is bored and wondering what to do with his free time, heard this and immediately asked his friend to send him the game.


    It didn''t take long for the game to be installed on his computer.


    Kim Haru eagerly opened it.


    "???"


    This game... doesn''t seem right at the start?


    Kim Haru watched as the character he was controlling received a newbie gift pack, a farm, and a wooden cabin.


    And supposedly, some "weapons."


    A hoe, an axe, a pickaxe, and a watering can.


    These are the weapons?


    These are called weapons?!


    The computer screen flashed with a beginner quest.


    [ Please complete your first planting. ]


    The word "planting" in the system notification was highlighted in red color, as if afraid someone might miss it.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    He quickly opened the chat with the friend who recommended the game and furiously typed.


    [ Harunado: What kind of game did you recommend to me? It''s just a farming game! ]


    [ LlamaDramaQueen: Yeah, it''s a farming game. ]


    His friend on ChitChat enthusiastically replied to him. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [ LlamaDramaQueen: Farming is super fun and very rewarding! Look, here are the cabbages I planted, don''t they look great? And here are my radishes. Ah, and here are my peppers¡ªthey''re ripe, and I can keep harvesting them. There''s more... blah blah blah...


    ]


    Kim Haru: "..."


    "What kind of man plays a farming game? You should be playing a thrilling and intense zombie survival game!"


    After typing on the keyboard, Kim Haru gripped the mouse and clicked uninstall.


    Just then, a flash of lightning roared outside the window!


    The last thing Kim Haru saw was his computer exploding in a burst of orange-yellow fire!


    ¡­Ah, there were some videos in there he hadn''t backed up yet, what a pity.


    That thought flashed through his mind, and he fell into complete darkness.


    ...


    Kim Haru was jolted awake by the sharp, sour stench that was invading his nostrils.


    As soon as his consciousness returned, his senses kicked into high alert, like a rebellion, all screaming for attention at once.


    Beneath him, the surface was cold and hard, the sensation biting through his clothes, making him shiver uncontrollably.


    The smell that woke him was exactly as unbearable as he first thought¡ªsour, rotten, as if trash had been left to pile up for dozens of days without being thrown out, absolutely overwhelming!

 Chapter 2 Apocalypse World (Part 2)

    Something with many legs seemed to be crawling over his body, sending shivers down his spine.Only his ears, aside from a faint wind, picked up nothing else.


    Utter silence.


    No sounds of people or cars at all.


    But most of all, what Kim Haru couldn''t ignore was the sharp pain and itching feeling that was assaulting his body from head to toe!


    His eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead, impossible to lift.


    What the heck is going on?!


    Could it be that after his computer exploded, no one had come to rescue him yet?


    That''s impossible. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sure, his neighborhood wasn''t a high-end luxury area, but the security and other amenities were pretty top-notch¡ªno way something this big happened and there''s still no rescue!


    But nothing about his current situation felt like a hospital.


    Which hospital has beds as hard as the floor?


    Which hospital has such poor hygiene, and such an awful stench?


    Is this some kind of hospital in a dump site?


    The pain in his body and the unfamiliar surroundings weighed heavily on Kim Haru.


    He tried so hard to force himself to open his eyelids, higher and higher¡­


    Finally.


    Kim Haru opened his eyes!


    ¡­


    Ha, ha, haha.


    This must be a joke, right?


    It has to be a dream.


    He must have opened his eyes wrong.


    Let''s try again!


    But no matter how many times Kim Haru closed and reopened his eyes, the scene before him didn''t change one bit.


    It was a desolate street, with buildings on either side in various states of disrepair.


    Doors and windows were crooked, and many of the buildings didn''t even have doors or windows left.


    The wrecked cars that had been abandoned littered the roadside, scattered haphazardly, with several of them even having crashed halfway into buildings on both sides of the road, with no sign that anyone had attempted to clean it up.


    The place that should be filled with green lush trees is now filled with dried and barren branches.


    The few remaining patches of green leaf were trembled in the cold wind.


    It was so fragile that it was unclear whether they were alive or dead.


    Everywhere, on the streets, in the buildings, on the tops of cars, piles of trash, dust, and dead leaves were scattered about.


    Kim Haru himself was currently lying on the side of this very road.


    But that wasn''t the main issue.


    The main issue was the dried, dark-red bloodstains that dotted the area within his line of sight.


    And the numerous mangled, unrecognizable corpses!


    Those were human bodies¡­


    Kim Haru had seen all kinds of corpses before, but only in games, or as reference images and videos while he was writing a scene for his book.


    He had never encountered the real one in real life.


    Kim Haru stared intently at the closest corpse.


    It was inside a car with the window rolled down.


    The upper half of the body hung outside the car, while the lower half remained inside.

 Chapter 3 Apocalypse World (Part 3)

    What Kim Haru found most unbearable was that the head of the part outside the car had been blown apart¡­White, red, and dark gray...


    Kim Haru gagged.


    Under this intense shock, Kim Haru realized his body could finally move!


    He immediately scrambled to his feet.


    At that moment, a wave of dizziness hit him hard.


    Kim Haru swayed, but without wasting any time, he grabbed onto the nearest wrecked car for support.


    A flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his mind.


    At this point, a suspicion that had been brewing in Kim Haru''s heart was finally confirmed.


    He, Kim Haru¡ªhe had been reincarnated.


    The body Kim Haru was using now wasn''t belong to him.


    The original owner of this body was also named Kim Haru, and from the memories he received, this person looked exactly like him.


    To be precise, the original Kim Haru and this Kim Haru were the same person, but from different worlds.


    However, aside from their identical appearance and name, their life experiences couldn''t have been more different.


    Before Kim Haru reincarnated to this world, he had been living a life most people envied.


    His parents divorced and went their separate ways, only to both die in accidents afterward.


    Kim Haru inherited a massive fortune from both sides, with cars, houses, and savings.


    Aside from not liking to go out and not being good at socializing, he didn''t have much to regret in life.


    The original Kim Haru in this world, however, was the complete opposite.


    Like him, the original''s parents had also passed away early, but in this world, they hadn''t left him anything useful.


    The few crystal core savings he had were just enough to secure his right to live in a residence.


    It was a five-bedroom, three-living-room villa, with a total area of three hundred square meters, which originally belonged to his grandfather and had now fallen into Kim Haru''s hands.


    However, this kind of spacious villa was highly coveted by many.


    The original Kim Haru had a gentle and weak personality, with no particularly strong combat skills¡ªjust about average.


    Going out alone to fight zombies for resources or crystal cores was entirely unrealistic.


    Here! This is the key point!


    God knows how complicated and hopeless Kim Haru felt after seeing these memories.


    This world... actually belonged to an apocalypse world!


    Kim Haru finally understood why the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was such a devastating scene. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aside from the developed safe zones, many cities had already become deserted and most of them were completely overrun by zombies.


    The supplies inside had been looted, and taken, and anything portable had long been carried away, leaving nothing behind.


    No wonder Kim Haru felt the eerie, deathly silence of this street.


    It was silent because everything was dead.


    The corpses lying on the ground¡ªthose with incomplete heads¡ªwere likely zombies that had been taken out with headshots.


    The ones with incomplete bodies were probably chewed to pieces by zombies.


    Kim Haru took a deep breath.

 Chapter 4 Apocalypse World (Part 4)

    Stay calm, stay calm.He just came to this world now, there''s no way he would kill himself just to go back to his world.


    Ahhhhh, but if someone could guarantee him that dying would make him return to his original world, he''d really want to just drop dead right now...


    But there were no guarantees, and Kim Haru was afraid of death¡ªhe didn''t want to die.


    After screaming internally, he could only come to terms with reality.


    The original body''s abilities were weak.


    It was impossible to head out alone and return alive, so he would need to team up with others to venture outside.


    After a few trips with random teams, the original owner joined a fixed group.


    And this team was the very culprit that eventually led to the original body''s death!


    This mission had initially been a simple routine task to clear out zombies.


    The original Kim Haru had followed the group all the way to the outskirts of this abandoned town.


    People in the apocalypse had one common sense rule: unless you''re strong enough or well-prepared, never easily enter a town.


    Towns now were filled with zombies, and no one could predict what level of danger lurked inside.


    The original Kim Haru thought the team was about to head back, but someone in the group, daring beyond reason, chased a mutated zombie into the town.


    This was all because the crystal core of a mutated zombie was incredibly rare and could sell for several times the price of a regular crystal core in the safe zone.


    What happened next was unsurprising.


    As soon as the ten-member combat team entered the town, they quickly found themselves in a miserable situation.


    However, the more desperate things became, the more unwilling they were to just give up.


    In the end, someone in the group came up with a plan.


    They would use one person as bait to lure out the mutated zombie.


    As long as they could get their hands on its crystal core, the trip would be worth it.


    The one chosen as bait was the original Kim Haru.


    He refused, but in the end, he couldn''t withstand his teammates'' persistent begging and agreed.


    His teammates repeatedly promised they would save him in time.


    But...


    They didn''t.


    When the mutated zombie appeared, the others rushed over to deal damage, eager to score more hits because the more they contributed, the bigger their share would be when the crystal core was sold.


    No one remembered there was still a "bait" being tied up.


    The original Kim Haru struggled hard, calling out for help, but instead of his teammates, his cries attracted the zombies. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The original Kim Haru was bitten by the zombies.


    In the end, his teammates managed to blow the mutated zombie''s head off, retrieve the crystal core, and gleefully get in the vehicle.


    And left.


    "If it wasn''t for the fact that we let you join the team so we could live in your villa, do you really think someone like you would be able to do missions with us? You should have been dead ages ago."

 Chapter 5 Hungry (Part 1)

    "Well, since you helped us get this mutated crystal core, we''ll just take care of that house for you. Don''t worry, we''ll take good care of it. I''ve had my eye on that master bedroom with the big balcony for a while now.""We were teammates after all. When you turn into a zombie, we won''t blow your head off. We''ll let you die a little more gracefully."


    ...


    The merciless way his teammates slammed the car doors shut, abandoning him, combined with the excruciating pain of being bitten to death by zombies, all accumulated into the original Kim Haru''s deep despair and hatred that he could never let go, not even in death.


    As Kim Haru inherited the original Kim Haru''s memories, that overwhelming hatred and despair flooded into his mind, almost causing him to collapse mentally.


    It was precisely this incredible force that allowed Kim Haru to awaken within his new body in this strange world.


    For a moment, Kim Haru felt confused.


    Now he understood why he had been in that initial state.


    His soul had been fusing with this body, which was why Kim Haru couldn''t control it immediately.


    The stinging pain and itching all over his body were signs that the wounds from the zombie bites were healing rapidly.


    Kim Haru looked down at his new body. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Life in the apocalypse certainly couldn''t be compared to the quality of life in the peaceful world he was used to.


    Combined with the original Kim Haru''s lack of remarkable abilities, this body was naturally thin and weak.


    His clothes, after the ordeal of being chewed on by zombies, were now become a tattered rag, practically useless.


    At least he hadn''t ended up with missing arms or legs.


    If it had really come to that, Kim Haru was sure he would have found a brick and smashed his own head in without hesitation!


    Once the memories settled in, the dizziness that had hindered his movements faded away.


    Kim Haru looked around, wondering where he should go.


    Suddenly, his stomach growled.


    Kim Haru lowered his head and stared at his shriveled stomach.


    It was hungry.


    That single "growl" felt like the pull of a trigger, followed by a wave of intense hunger sweeping over him.


    His whole stomach rumbled, as if thousands of ants were gnawing and devouring each other inside!


    So hungry, so hungry, so hungry¡­!


    The overwhelming hunger pushed every other thought out of Kim Haru''s mind, instantly filling his entire consciousness.


    So hungry, so hungry, so hungry¡­!


    His vision turned blood-red.


    Without realizing it, Kim Haru''s eyes were flushed with crimson, his white sclera had completely turned into red color.


    Those bodies that were lying on the ground in front of him¡ªweren''t they all just meat?


    Rotten, yes.


    Human, yes.


    But still meat¡ªmeat that could be eaten...


    Just as the red color of his eyes was about to overtake the center of his pupils, Kim Haru suddenly froze.

 Chapter 6 Hungry (Part 2)

    He realized, with a start, that he had crouched right next to one of the corpses, and if he had leaned in just a little further, he would have bitten into it.Cold sweat ran down his forehead in terror!


    Holy crap!


    What was he just doing?!


    Kim Haru swore that if he hadn''t snapped out of it in time, and had actually taken a bite, he might never have come to his senses again. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who knows when someone would have found him among the wandering hordes of zombies?


    He quickly backed away several steps, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the corpses.


    He didn''t even have time to feel nauseous.


    Although his mind had cleared up, the gnawing hunger in his stomach still wouldn''t go away.


    In fact, as time went on, he grew even hungrier.


    His mind was filled with images of duck bulgogi, sweet crispy fried chicken, and stir-fried pork braised.


    If it had been yesterday at this time, when he felt hungry, he could''ve just ordered delivery.


    He could get anything he wanted.


    But now, where could he even find a delivery service?


    He was lucky if he wasn''t delivering himself straight to the zombies!


    Kim Haru didn''t have time to worry about anything else or even where he was headed.


    Finding something to eat was his top priority.


    This street had clearly been searched by who knows how many people already.


    Doors and windows were wide open, so Kim Haru didn''t even have to worry about how to pick a lock.


    He walked straight into a restaurant.


    The tables and chairs inside were in disarray, and bowls and plates shattered across the floor.


    At first glance, there was no food in sight.


    Kim Haru wasn''t discouraged, though.


    He had expected the scene to look like this.


    After all, this place had been looted multiple times, so there was no way food would be just sitting out in the open for him to find easily.


    He wasn''t hoping for much¡ªjust a little bit of something, anything, to ease his hunger.


    Once he managed to take the edge off, he would have the strength to expand his search.


    Kim Haru skipped over to the dining area and began carefully searching the cashier''s counter first.


    Based on his experience, places like cashier counters, which were easy to access, often had some food stashed away.


    Since it wasn''t out in plain sight, there was a chance the previous looters might''ve overlooked it.


    Unfortunately, Kim Haru wasn''t the only one with that idea.


    The drawers of the cashier counter, both big and small, had already been rifled through.


    Useless items like old account books were tossed aside, while anything of valuable had long since been taken away.


    Other than a few stray pens, the drawers were completely empty.


    Kim Haru rubbed his stomach, then casually pocketed one of the pens.


    Who knows, it might come in handy.


    Since the cashier''s counter had yielded nothing, Kim Haru moved toward the kitchen.


    Just like the front of the restaurant, the kitchen had also been thoroughly ransacked, even more so than the dining area.

 Chapter 7 Hungry (Part 3)

    Kim Haru could tell that someone might''ve even fought here over a scrap of food.Looking at the chaotic mess in front of him, covered in stains of who-knows-what, Kim Haru closed his eyes for a moment.


    No, he told himself, you''ve got to hold it together.


    This is no time to let your obsessive-compulsive cleanliness get the better of you.


    Forcing himself to ignore the urge to straighten things up, Kim Haru began searching, starting from the doorway.


    He focused on the corners between cabinets and walls, or the dark recesses deep inside cupboards, beneath overturned items.


    Maybe, just maybe, he''d find a bit of food that had fallen and been overlooked by the others.


    Kim Haru had gone out of his way to find a long stick, using it to poke into crevices he couldn''t reach or see.


    He managed to pull out a few shriveled, moldy vegetable leaves.


    No matter how hungry he was, that stuff was completely inedible¡ªnot just a matter of cleanliness, but eating it could lead to sickness or even death.


    Kim Haru set the leaves aside and kept searching.


    "...Seriously? Did a swarm of locusts come through here? Couldn''t they have left a little something for the rest of us?" He had practically turned the whole kitchen upside down, yet aside from those rotten leaves, he hadn''t found a single thing that could be eaten.


    He tossed the stick aside in frustration and sat down, defeated.


    Grumble~


    His stomach growled again.


    Kim Haru shot a glare at his uncooperative belly before reluctantly getting back up to continue searching.


    He really didn''t want the next time he regained his senses to be after having bitten into human flesh.


    Finding nothing on the first floor, Kim Haru moved up to the second.


    The second floor mainly had private rooms, as well as another kitchen. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru searched through each room, one by one.


    Most of the private rooms had been picked clean¡ªeven the curtains, carpets, and thicker tablecloths had been taken by those who had come before.


    Luckily, Kim Haru''s bad luck hadn''t completely cursed him.


    In the crevice beneath a cabinet in one of the rooms, he found half a bottle of water that had somehow rolled in there at some point.


    The bottle looked much like the regular plastic water bottles Kim Haru was used to seeing in his world, though he didn''t recognize the brand or the label on it.


    But now wasn''t the time to be picky about such details.


    Kim Haru quickly unscrewed the cap and took a swig.


    The cool water soothed his parched throat instantly, offering a moment of relief.


    He only drank one mouthful before carefully tightening the cap and setting the bottle aside.


    It wasn''t that Kim Haru didn''t want to drink; heaven knows how much he wished he could gulp down the water by the mouthful.


    But he couldn''t.


    He didn''t know if he would ever be lucky enough to find water again, just like he still hadn''t found any food.

 Chapter 8 Hungry (Part 4)

    This little bit of water had to be conserved.As Kim Haru had expected, he thoroughly searched all three floors of the restaurant, but aside from that half bottle of water, he found absolutely nothing.


    Not a single bite of food.


    Stepping out of the restaurant, he looked at the desolation and blood on the ground, and for a moment, he wondered if he should continue on.


    This was the apocalypse¡ªcould he really survive?


    Tch!


    What was he saying, being so negative?


    Kim Haru slapped his cheeks to perk himself up.


    He wasn''t the type to back down in the face of difficulties.


    Before he came to this world, he had managed just fine on his own, and now that he was in this new world, he could still take care of himself!


    So what if it was the apocalypse world?


    He had played so many zombie games; why should he be afraid of this mere apocalypse?


    ...


    "...That scared the life out of me!"


    Kim Haru braced himself against the door, breathing heavily.


    This was the fourth shop he had searched¡ªa medium-sized supermarket.


    Perhaps it was because everything else had gone relatively smoothly aside from not finding anything, but his alertness had slipped away.


    So he carelessly walked past a body that was lying face down.


    Suddenly, the corpse shot up, its sharp-nailed hands reaching straight for Kim Haru!


    He was stunned in shock.


    In a split second, Kim Haru grabbed the long stick in his hand and swung it down hard.


    Bang!


    The zombie''s hand snapped off with a crack!


    The courage that had been fueled by fear quickly vanished, and Kim Haru''s legs and arms went limp.


    All he could remember was gripping his stick tightly and fleeing in panic.


    "This is nothing like zombies in games! This is really terrifying!"


    He gasped for air, trying to catch his breath.


    The noises outside the door had stopped.


    Kim Haru clutched the stick, ready to open the door.


    He had to deal with this zombie.


    Not only did he need to search the area for supplies, but he couldn''t afford to constantly be on guard against a single zombie.


    If Kim Haru wanted to survive in the apocalypse, he had to face zombies eventually¡ªfighting was unavoidable.


    Following the typical patterns in novels and games, zombies would only get stronger over time. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to start training early.


    Kim Haru cracked the door open just a bit and quickly spotted the zombie.


    What puzzled him was that the zombie wasn''t standing at the door as he had expected.


    Instead, it was wandering around aimlessly, as if it hadn''t even noticed a living person was right here.


    Kim Haru was confused.


    But now wasn''t the time to dwell on it.


    While the zombie''s back was turned around, Kim Haru opened the door and dashed out.


    Bang!


    Kim Haru swung the stick hard at the zombie''s head.


    The wooden stick made a dull sound as it connected with the zombie''s skull, sending its neck lurching to the side.

 Chapter 9 Golden Finger (Part 1)

    But the neck didn''t break.Looks like the stick isn''t enough.


    Kim Haru quickly pulled out a metal pipe.


    He had found it in the room he had just come from.


    The reason he hadn''t used it from the start was because the pipe was only about half a meter long¡ªmuch shorter than the stick.


    If he could take down the zombie from a distance, that would always be his first choice.


    But with the pipe in hand, it only took one hit to smash the zombie''s head open.


    Those two strikes had drained all of Kim Haru''s energy.


    Panting heavily, he supported himself by resting his hands on his knees, staring at the lifeless body on the ground.


    Just then, a crisp "ding¡ª" echoed in his mind.


    ...


    Morning sunlight streamed through the window.


    On the bare wooden bed, a young man rolled over, accidentally knocking the metal pipe by the bedside.


    It fell to the floor with a sharp clang.


    The young man jolted awake!


    "Ah, it''s the third day already."


    Kim Haru glanced out the window and sighed.


    It had been three days since he arrived in this apocalypse world.


    Aside from the half bottle of water, he''d found at the start, the only other thing he managed to scavenge was a tiny can of pet food he found in the corner of a supermarket.


    Barely the size of his palm, it was just enough to take the edge off his hunger, but far from enough to sustain him.


    In fact, it only made him feel even hungrier.


    Besides the lack of food, there were plenty of other problems.


    Kim Haru still hadn''t slept on anything resembling a proper bed¡ªno mattress, no sheets, just a lonely wooden board.


    Even his pillow was made by bunching up his jacket.


    God knows how sore his back and waist were after these two nights.


    Oh, and his quality of sleep?


    Far from great.


    Understandable though¡ªsuddenly transported into a post-apocalyptic world with such a terrible environment, who could sleep soundly?


    You''d need nerves of steel to get a peaceful night''s rest here.


    In addition to all that, over the past two days, Kim Haru had heard several "ding" sounds.


    The effect was very familiar.


    After thinking hard, he finally realized it was the same sound you''d hear in a game.


    Like when a skill levels up, when there''s a system notification, or when a goal is reached, for example.


    Kim Haru began to suspect that he must have brought some kind of cheat or golden finger with him when he came to this world.


    It''s just that the conditions to unlock it haven''t been met yet.


    What made Kim Haru even more certain of his theory was the fact that every time he heard that "ding" sound, it was right after he killed a zombie. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking of which, not everything Kim Haru learned over the past few days was bad news.


    After carefully testing it several times, Kim Haru discovered that zombies didn''t actively attack him.

 Chapter 10 Golden Finger (Part 2)

    To be precise, as long as he didn''t get closer than about half a meter to them, even if he walked right in front of a zombie, it wouldn''t pay him any attention, as if he were invisible.However, this half-meter distance wasn''t the same for all zombies.


    During one of his tests, Kim Haru found that a zombie, clearly of a higher level than the ordinary ones, reacted to him earlier.


    The reaction range for this one was about a meter.


    Perhaps the higher the level of the zombie, the further it could sense him.


    Kim Haru was quite pleased with this discovery.


    But since his experiments were limited, Kim Haru wasn''t confident he could escape unscathed in front of a higher-level zombie.


    Even with that one-meter zombie, he only managed to avoid danger by reacting quickly and getting out of range.


    So, he hadn''t been able to draw any firm conclusions about the relationship between distance and zombie levels.


    As for how he gained this ability, Kim Haru had his own theory.


    Before he arrived, the body of the original Kim Haru had already been confirmed dead.


    However, when his soul merged with the body, it created a new state. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Somewhere between dead and alive.


    He looked and felt like a living person, but to the senses of zombies, he was just another corpse like them.


    This led to the development of this peculiar skill.


    After realizing this, Kim Haru started to worry about whether he should even try living in a safe zone.


    Even though he didn''t seem any different from a regular person right now, who knew if the safe zones in this world could detect the difference between him and the zombies?


    From the original owner''s memories, Kim Haru learned that every safe zone had equipment to check whether someone was a zombie or not.


    But if he didn''t go to a safe zone, it wasn''t as if he could blend in with the zombies either.


    What would he do after that?


    Unable to come up with a solution, Kim Haru decided not to overthink it for now.


    He''d take things one step at a time.


    At the moment, he didn''t even know if he could find food; he might starve to death soon, and then he wouldn''t have to worry about where to live at all.


    Climbing down from the wooden bed, Kim Haru casually ran his fingers through his hair, tidied his clothes, and grabbed the steel pipe before opening the door.


    No matter what, he still had to keep looking for food.


    Since he had become more familiar with searching and avoiding zombies, Kim Haru moved much faster today than in the past two days.


    In no time, he had almost finished searching the entire street, but he still hadn''t found a single bite of food.


    The sky began to darken.


    Kim Haru looked toward the other streets, just as desolate and ruined.


    He knew in his heart that those streets would be in the same condition.

 Chapter 11 Golden Finger (Part 3)

    He was afraid that there wouldn''t be any food left in this whole area.It seemed like he had only one last option to try.


    That option was to fight the zombies and figure out the mystery of the strange "ding!"


    Kim Haru had left this plan for last because he wasn''t sure what the result would be.


    After all, this world wasn''t a game where killing monsters would drop items.


    Right now, the zombies and he was minding their own business.


    As long as he didn''t approach them and get up close, the zombies posed no threat to him.


    With no food to replenish his energy, Kim Haru wasn''t going to waste his limited stamina fighting zombies one by one.


    Even if there was that strange "ding," he still hesitated.


    Who knew what that "ding" meant?


    What if it was just a notification like, "Oh, congratulations, you killed a zombie," but nothing else came from it, and he ended up wasting all his strength?


    Then he''d just be waiting to die.


    But now, Kim Haru had no choice but to take a gamble.


    ...


    Bang!


    Another zombie hit the ground, and Kim Haru panted heavily.


    He was completely out of energy now, unable to even lift the steel pipe.


    His limbs were weak, his vision turned blurry, and he felt like he could collapse at any moment!


    The familiar "ding" echoed in his ears, and Kim Haru''s heart sank.


    But then, after the "ding," a message appeared.


    [ Ding! The energy collection is complete! ]


    [ Ding! The farming system is now at your service! ]


    [ Ding! You have received a newbie''s gift pack. Would you like to open it now? ]


    It worked!


    If he had the strength, Kim Haru would have jumped up and shouted for joy.


    Sure enough, there''s always a way out!


    He knew that if the God of Webnovel had let him come to this world, they wouldn''t just let him die so easily!


    Look at this!


    This was just like the setting for a novel protagonist¡ªhe had a system!


    Hahaha!


    Overjoyed, Kim Haru didn''t forget that there was still a newbie''s gift pack that was waiting for him to claim.


    "Open it."


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: a starter wooden cabin x 1. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: a pack of random starter seeds x1. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: iron hoe x 1. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: an iron axe x 1. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: an iron pickaxe x1. ].


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: an iron watering can x1. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have obtained: dinner x 1. ]


    Kim Haru didn''t care about anything else and immediately took out the dinner, stuffing large bites into his mouth.


    It was a dinner that consisted of Samgyeopsal Jorim, Gamja Bokkeum, Sigeumchi Namul, a bowl of white rice, and a side of Miyeok Gyeran Guk soup.


    A perfectly portioned meal for one person, and even in his previous world, where Kim Haru was often too lazy to cook, he would have thought it was a great meal.


    S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 12 Golden Finger (Part4)

    Not to mention that he hadn''t eaten in three days.After downing the last gulp of Miyeok Gyeran Guk soup, Kim Haru let out a satisfied burp. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perfect!


    The moment he was done eating and put down his chopsticks, the clean dinner set suddenly vanished completely from sight.


    "Saves me the trouble of washing dishes. How thoughtful."


    Now that he was full and content, Kim Haru''s mood significantly improved.


    Only then did he finally take the time to properly study the farming system.


    Speaking of farming systems, Kim Haru''s mind immediately flashed to the game he had been preparing to uninstall in his previous world.


    The name of that game was <<Runic Factory: My Time At Artia>>.


    Kim Haru had been misled by the title into thinking it was some kind of RPG-type game.


    That''s why he downloaded it based on a friend''s recommendation, only to discover it was just a farming game.


    Even the newbie gift pack from that game had similar items to the ones he gets now, except for the dinner.


    But now, Kim Haru didn''t have the time to explore the connection between that game and the farming system he found himself in.


    Skimming over the familiar rewards like the hoe and axe, his attention shifted to the first item: the "starter wooden cabin."


    "Claim the cabin."


    [ Ding! Please choose a location to place the cabin. ]


    The text floated in front of Kim Haru''s eyes, along with a semi-transparent image of the wooden cabin hovering in midair.


    As Kim Haru moved his gaze around, the cabin followed his line of sight.


    But no matter where he tried to place it, the base of the cabin turned red, with a notification popping up


    [ Ding! The wooden cabin cannot be placed here. ]


    After closely observing the placement conditions, Kim Haru quickly realized that to place the cabin, he needed to clear an area that was large enough to fit it without any debris.


    Additionally, the surrounding area needed soil that was suitable for farming before the cabin''s base would turn green, indicating it could be placed there.


    Kim Haru didn''t rush to place the wooden cabin.


    He wasn''t sure if the cabin could be moved once placed.


    If it couldn''t be relocated, he definitely needed to pick the perfect spot!


    And judging by the system''s notification, this cabin was only the "starter" one, meaning there would be more advanced versions later.


    Who knew if the upgraded version of the cabin would take up even more space?


    It would be even more important to choose a location wisely.


    Another factor he had to consider was that since the system was called the "Farming System," it would be no doubt that it would involve farming in the future.


    The area around his cabin needed not only soil, but also a large enough plot of fertile land for planting.


    In short, the town street where Kim Haru was currently staying was definitely unsuitable for placing the cabin.


    The sky had already turned completely dark.


    Without electricity, the streets were pitch-black, with only the faint light of the moon allowing Kim Haru to see just enough not to trip.

 Chapter 13 Finding The Right Place (Part 1)

    He carefully avoiding the wandering zombies and made his way back to the small room he had been staying in for the past two days.He locked the door, got into bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


    Now that he had eaten a full meal, all he needed was a good night''s rest to restore his energy.


    Tomorrow, he would leave the town and search for a suitable place to set up the cabin.


    It was there that he would begin to gradually build his very own farm!


    This sleep was the best Kim Haru had experienced since he come to the new world.


    When he opened his eyes, he still felt a bit dreamy.


    He softly called out "system" in his mind, and the translucent system panel immediately expanded in front of him.


    It wasn''t a dream!


    Confirming this, Kim Haru suddenly felt invigorated.


    Since it wasn''t a dream, he couldn''t waste time in the town today.


    He needed to prepare thoroughly and start heading out of the city.


    Flipping through the memories of the original owner, he recalled that in the open spaces of the suburbs and wilderness, zombies generally wouldn''t linger unless they sensed a lot of human presence.


    Even if he occasionally encountered a few wandering zombies, they wouldn''t be in large numbers.


    However, Kim Haru wasn''t particularly afraid of zombies; he just preferred to avoid face-to-face encounters unless absolutely necessary.


    It wasn''t about danger; it was simply because the zombie looks very ugly and disgusting.


    God knew how he had managed to endure it for the past few days.


    He would avoid looking at the zombie bodies, focusing instead on intact parts and steering clear of the rotten and disgusting areas.


    Although he was a shut-in, he still had his own cleanliness standards.


    Kim Haru understood that life was more important than his cleanliness obsession, so he had spent the last three days navigating like a ninja turtle.


    If he could avoid being around those filthy, disgusting zombies, he would raise both hands and feet in agreement.


    This didn''t mean that the suburbs and wilderness were entirely safe, though.


    Outside the town lay the territory of another kind of creature.


    It was a territory of mutated creatures.


    Which including those of plants and animals!


    A patch of roadside wild grass could grow as tall as a person, and a caterpillar could be longer than a tall adult!


    Then there were those strange mutated creatures¡ªsome with teeth, some exuding peculiar scents, some that could move on their own, and others that human hadn''t even discovered yet.


    There seemed to be no limit to the directions in which they could mutate.


    Although his soul has been merged with this body, but Kim Haru only received an incomplete memories.


    He only got a rough outline of what had happened before he died.


    He didn''t really understand the situation of the original owner''s group as they traveled to this town. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, even if he did understand, Kim Haru didn''t plan to place the wooden cabin in the direction they came from.

 Chapter 14 Finding The Right Place (Part 2)

    After much consideration, Kim Haru decided to go to the east.From the memories of the original owner, he saw that the area he was currently in was characterized by mountainous and hilly terrain.


    This kind of landscape had advantages for resisting zombie hordes and establishing safe zones, but if he wanted to farm, Kim Haru wasn''t about to create terraced fields.


    The further east he went, the flatter the land became, making it more suitable for establishing a farm.


    Once he made his decision, Kim Haru prepared to set off.


    However, before leaving, there was one thing he hadn''t done yet.


    ¡ªHave breakfast.


    He had to admit, while this farming system wasn''t as personable as those in other novels that talked to you to relieve boredom, it was still quite considerate.


    At least he could directly claim three meals a day, with various options that greatly improved his quality of life!


    After clicking to claim today''s breakfast, a steaming basket of buns quickly appeared before him, half filled with pork and the other half with fresh meat.


    In addition to the buns, there were two baguatte, a large glass of milk, and a small plate of sausage and egg.


    After finishing his meal with great satisfaction, Kim Haru noticed that the sun had already risen quite high outside.


    After tidying himself up a bit, he directly pushed the door open and left.


    He didn''t have much to pack; his only weapon was that steel pipe, which might not even be as useful as the hoe and axe that he get from the newbie''s gift pack from the system.


    As for food and drink, he had nothing.


    Even if he carried a backpack, it would surely be empty and serve no purpose, just wasting his energy. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Planning to leave empty-handed, Kim Haru was suddenly struck by the realization that he actually needed something as he stepped onto the street and saw the abandoned cars lining it.


    A mode of transportation.


    Most of the cars on the street had already been left to ruin.


    Regardless of whether the parts were damaged or if they could still run, the fuel had long been siphoned off by wave after wave of scavenging teams.


    Kim Haru didn''t set his sights on these cars, though.


    During his two days of searching for supplies, he had seen a shop that sold smart toys.


    Underneath a toppled shipping container lay a Hoverboard still had its packaging unopened.


    At that moment, Kim Haru was particularly grateful that he in the previous world had both money and leisure time.


    He had played around on Hoverboard like this long enough to be quite familiar with them.


    This world, before entering the apocalypse, has a technology tree similar to Kim Haru''s previous world, with only slight differences in some areas.


    The Hoverboard''s power system no longer requires charging; it''s powered by solar energy.


    This was one of the reasons Kim Haru chose it.

 Chapter 15 Finding The Right Place (Part 3)

    He didn''t have to worry about power issues, and it was quite light and easy to handle.Even if he was completely exposed, he wouldn''t attract zombies like other humans did, fearing they might get scratched by them.


    It felt tailor-made for him.


    The only downside was that the speed of the Hoverboard wasn''t very fast; it was certainly no match for cars.


    But it was still better than walking on two legs, and Kim Haru was already satisfied.


    With a mode of transportation in hand, Kim Haru quickly left the town.


    The further he got from the town, the fewer buildings there were, and the vegetation became increasingly lush.


    Thankfully, the main roads were still clear, with only a few vine branches occasionally lying by the roadside, which posed no real obstruction.


    What struck him as slightly odd was that even though it was the same season, some of the vegetation was as dry and barren as it was in the town, while other areas were thriving.


    Kim Haru was puzzled for a moment but quickly set the thought aside.


    After all, it was the apocalypse; it was only normal for weather patterns to go awry.


    At noon, Kim Haru collected his lunch by the roadside and ate it on a large rock.


    Not long after finishing his meal, he found a place that met his satisfaction.


    It was a small pond of modest size.


    Standing by the roadside, which was built along the mountainside, Kim Haru had a higher vantage point, allowing him to see further.


    The small pond shimmered in the sunlight, standing out starkly against the surrounding green vegetation. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru made his way down the path.


    As he approached the pond, he felt increasingly pleased with the location.


    The pond wasn''t large, only about two hundred square meters, and there were no obvious rivers around; it likely gathered from underground streams.


    The area surrounding the pond was relatively flat, and there were bamboo plants that Kim Haru liked.


    Although this land had some undulations, it was much flatter than what he had seen along the way.


    With a little planning, farming here would be completely feasible.


    The pond''s water could even be used for irrigation, which was very convenient.


    This environment was truly the best choice for a master in a martial arts novel do their seclusion.


    Of course, Kim Haru didn''t forget about the dangerous mutated plants from the original owner''s memories.


    He carefully used stones and sticks to probe the area, testing both the inconspicuous grass on the ground and the tall, shady unknown trees, as well as the vines entwined around them.


    He examined everything thoroughly.


    There were no unusual movements at all.


    It seemed this place had no mutated plants.


    Kim Haru clapped his hands, feeling extremely satisfied.


    It made sense; the mutated creatures from the original owner''s memories were fierce and dominant, generally stronger than humans.


    If they were so common, wouldn''t this world have been completely taken over by now?

 Chapter 16 Finding The Right Place (Part 4)

    There would be no space left for human life.Surely, they wouldn''t be everywhere.


    With the location chosen, Kim Haru clicked on the wooden cabin and began looking for a place to set it down.


    In the end, he decided on a spot beneath a large tree.


    Kim Haru didn''t know the species of the tree, but its canopy was incredibly lush, tall, and wide, providing an excellent shade!


    For someone like Kim Haru, who wasn''t fond of direct sunlight, it couldn''t be more perfect.


    After clicking the confirm button, the transparent wooden cabin floating in mid-air instantly solidified into a physical object and landed on the ground with a thud.


    Amid a clatter of sounds, the wooden cabin became ready to enter.


    Kim Haru pushed the door open excitedly.


    The starter wooden cabin had only one floor, roughly fifty square meters, and came fully furnished.


    Upon entering, there was a living room with only a simple long sofa, a small square coffee table, and a TV mounted on the opposite wall.


    Aside from that, the room was quite empty.


    To the right of the living room was the door leading to the bedroom.


    The moment Kim Haru saw the bedroom, he almost jumped onto the bed for a nap.


    A large 2.3-meter bed was already made up with soft bedding and sheets, brand new and still carrying the fresh scent of sunshine!


    Even the pattern on the sheets and duvet covers was Kim Haru''s favorite design.


    Aside from the bed, the bedroom featured an entire wall of wardrobe space, but when he opened it, he found it quite empty, with only a few sets of clothes hanging on the side.


    There were two casual outfits and two sets of pajamas.


    That was it. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was already enough to surprise Kim Haru.


    He immediately dashed to the bathroom on the left side of the living room.


    After a whole hour, Kim Haru finally cleaned himself up, put on new clothes, and flopped onto the sofa, feeling a wave of heat wash over him.


    Ah, so refreshing!


    Absolutely invigorating!


    The kitchen was also on the left side of the living room, adjacent to the bathroom.


    Kim Haru had caught a glimpse of it while passing by; it was still simply arranged, with a single-burner stove that wasn''t particularly impressive.


    After all, this wooden house was a product of the farm system''s high-tech features.


    The water, electricity, and gas inside were all functioning perfectly.


    He had hot water when he wanted it, cold water when he wanted it, and he didn''t even need to pay for utilities, greatly improving his quality of life.


    Once the wooden cabin was set up, the farming system provided the next instruction for him.


    [ Ding! Please proceed with the first planting. ]


    Now, Kim Haru had no reservations about the farming game at all.


    Farming is great, and he, Kim Haru, love farming games the most!


    On the road, a car was bumping around and finally, not long after, it came to a screeching halt with a loud bang, emitting a puff of blue smoke. We

 Chapter 17 System Function (Part 1)

    "What should we do, Hyung? The car is completely dead."Three men quickly got out of the car, each of them carrying a large backpack, and they also helped hoist a fourth man from the back seat.


    Not long after they left the vehicle, there was a loud bang, and the car exploded.


    Flames shot into the sky.


    The faces of the men grew increasingly grim.


    The other man who was being carried had a bruised face, his lips turned pale white, and his body was covered in injuries.


    Not just him; the other three men were also had some injuries on their bodies, though none of them as severe as this one.


    The badly injured man struggled weakly, "Just put me down. We don''t know if that thing will come after us again. Hurry up, go on without me."


    "Shut up!" Shin Woncheon snapped fiercely. "Don''t say that again. Hold on a little longer; I remember there''s a town nearby where we might run into a supply team and get some help."


    "With no vehicle, we''ll take turns carrying him. If anyone can''t keep up, just say so," Shin Woncheon said, looking at the other two.


    The two men nodded their heads firmly.


    The group continued moving forward.


    If people see them from above, they will notice that their current location is quite close to Kim Haru.


    ...


    Kim Haru finally opened the remaining items from the newbie gift package, and they directly entered the farming system''s backpack.


    Like most systems in some novels, Kim Haru discovered a backpack function in his system.


    When he opened it, he saw a large grid of compartments, but aside from the top row, all the other slots were gray, indicating they were locked.


    A total of ten slots were unlocked and usable.


    After stuffing in a few tools, they already occupied half of the space.


    A hoe, an axe, a pick, and a watering can each took up one slot, while an entire packet of seeds took up another.


    Kim Haru made sure to test it out; in addition to the system rewards, he could also place other items in the slots.


    For example, a handful of soil he randomly picked up from the ground now brightly occupied one of the slots.


    At the same time, he put the soil into the backpack, the system notification pops out.


    [ Ding! You have obtained a clump of dirty soil x 1. ]


    After grabbing another handful of soil and placing it in the backpack, it didn''t take up another slot; instead, the number "2" appeared in the same slot for the soil. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru easily understood the rules of the backpack''s usage.


    By now, the sun was no longer blazing overhead, and Kim Haru took out the hoe, circling the wooden cabin twice before choosing a patch of land between the cabin and the pond.


    Time to dig!


    Wham!


    With just one strike of the hoe, a neatly prepared half-meter square of land instantly appeared before Kim Haru''s eyes.

 Chapter 18 System Function (Part 2)

    His eyes lit up. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.It''s automated!


    Even though he hadn''t farmed before, Kim Haru had seen enough videos to understand how grueling the process could be.


    The moment he picked up the hoe, he had already mentally prepared himself.


    First, he would have to clear the land¡ªdigging the soil thoroughly, turning it over carefully, removing all the grass roots and stones, and smashing any large clumps of soil.


    Just this one step alone is enough to exhaust anyone.


    Even experienced farmers often end up with aching backs, let alone someone like him who had never done heavy labor before.


    By the time you finished tilling the soil, you probably wouldn''t even know if your back was still intact.


    Seeing that this hoe has the function to automatically took care of the hardest step of farming, Kim Haru couldn''t help but breathe a huge sigh of relief.


    He inspected the patch of land and found that both the depth and the texture of the soil were perfect.


    There wasn''t a single grass root in sight.


    With the toughest part made this easy, Kim Haru decided not to just plant a little bit to test things out¡ªhe was going to plant all the seeds from the newbie''s gift pack.


    He counted the seeds: there were thirty seeds in total.


    Kim Haru who was born and raised in the city couldn''t tell what kind of seeds they were, but he could at least categorize them by appearance.


    The seeds were quickly divided into three groups, with exactly ten seeds in each.


    Thankfully, when Kim Haru placed the sorted seeds back into the backpack, the system automatically identified the seed types and labeled them with names.


    [ Ding! Soybean Seeds x 10 ]


    [ Ding! Cabbage Seeds x 10 ]


    [ Ding! Potato Seeds x 10 ]


    Kim Haru examined them carefully and barely recognized the soybeans¡ªthey looked pretty similar to the roasted soybeans he''d bought from the supermarket.


    But as for the potato seeds, hadn''t he always heard that potatoes could just sprout from potato chunks?


    He had no idea there were actual seeds.


    Clearly, he was quite ignorant about farming.


    For someone like Kim Haru, who had little contact with crops, it was no surprise he didn''t know about potato seeds.


    In reality, potatoes are often grown from tubers rather than seeds, as potatoes grown from seeds aren''t usually as good as those grown from tubers.


    But of course, the farming system''s seeds were no ordinary seeds.


    Kim Haru used his foot to measure the ground, planning to dig three rows, each with ten holes.


    Each row would have a different type of seed, just enough to plant all thirty seeds.


    Soon enough, after thirty swings of the hoe, the neatly and perfectly tilled land was ready.


    "Phew, exactly the same¡ªso satisfying!"


    Kim Haru leaned on the hoe, admiring his work with immense satisfaction.


    The automated hoe truly lived up to its name.


    Each plot of land was identical, with perfectly straight lines¡ªhorizontal was horizontal, vertical was vertical, and even the raised mounds of each plot had the exact same curve.

 Chapter 19 System Function (Part 3)

    Just looking at it brought a sense of peace and accomplishment.With the soil turned, it was time to sow the seeds.


    Kim Haru had just placed the first seed in the center of one plot when he suddenly froze.


    He remembered something from the gaming section of that small streaming site he''d scrolled through in the past.


    One of the content creators who played farming games mentioned doing something before planting seeds...


    Oh right, fertilizing!


    Kim Haru quickly opened the system panel and flipped through the options, searching for anything that looked like fertilizer.


    But no matter how hard he looked, there was nothing resembling it.


    Could it be... S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had to produce it himself?


    Wait¡ªdidn''t people say that, well, human waste could be used as fertilizer?


    Kim Haru stared at the thirty perfectly dug holes in front of him, his face instantly turning green.


    Right now, he really wants to curse out loud!


    Kim Haru''s mind was overflowing with frustration, and he didn''t even know where to begin venting.


    Do he have to do this right now?


    Just... do it directly into the thirty holes?


    And evenly distribute it across each one?


    He could already picture it in his mind.


    Bent over, squatting awkwardly, dropping a bit into one hole, then quickly moving to the next, dropping some more, and if it wasn''t evenly spread out, he''d have to scoop it up and redistribute... Ugh!


    Even if he somehow went through with this, could he ever bring himself to eat the cabbage or potatoes that grew from this?


    And what about the fact that there were thirty holes now?


    How could he even produce enough... fertilizer... for that?


    Even if he somehow managed to get enough for thirty holes this time, what about fifty or a hundred holes in the future?


    An entire field?


    This was not something he could handle.


    Kim Haru quickly shook his head forcefully, as if trying to throw the disturbing images from his mind.


    Never mind, he''ll just plant them as they are.


    If they grow slowly without fertilizer, so be it.


    The thirty seeds were soon nestled into their respective holes, and Kim Haru covered them up.


    He grabbed his watering can, ready to pour water over them.


    [ Ding! The watering can is empty. ]


    Water didn''t flow out of the watering can, and at the same time, the system popped up with a notification.


    Kim Haru froze for a moment.


    He had thought the watering can would be automated, like the hoe, refilling and pouring water by itself.


    It turns out he had to do it manually.


    The pond was conveniently nearby, so with just a couple of steps, Kim Haru was able to dip the watering can into the pond and fill it up.


    The watering can quickly filled, and Kim Haru began watering the plants.


    When it came to how much water each plant needed, Kim Haru had no idea.


    Luckily, after watering two of the plots, he noticed that no matter how much water he poured, the soil always stayed in the perfect condition.

 Chapter 20 System Function (Part 4)

    He even tried intentionally overwatering one plot, but it ended up looking exactly the same as the plot he had watered just once. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.One watering can, as it turned out, was perfectly measured to cover exactly ten plots of land.


    Whether he overwatered one plot or under-watered another, the watering can still have just enough water left.


    If he poured too little, there wasn''t any extra water left in the can.


    It was as if the land and the watering can shared some strange water distribution system.


    There''s no point trying to figure it out¡ªif it worked, it worked.


    That was always Kim Haru''s philosophy.


    However, the more he farmed, the more it felt like playing a game.


    Without realizing it, Kim Haru''s anxiety about the apocalypse had completely faded away.


    Even though farming felt more like a game to him, by the time he finished watering all the thirty plots, the sun had already set.


    "Time for dinner."


    Kim Haru stretched his arms and legs before slowly walking back to the cabin.


    He wondered what dinner would be today.


    He had stir-fried dishes for lunch, but for dinner, he was kind of craving hot pot.


    After a hot shower, Kim Haru changed into clean clothes, throwing the dirty ones into the washing machine along with the set he had changed out of earlier.


    He made sure to clean himself up thoroughly, getting rid of all the grime from working outside.


    Once everything was set, he sat down on the couch to collect his dinner.


    Yes, he didn''t even have a proper dining table yet, let alone a restaurant.


    Thankfully, there was a small coffee table, or else he wouldn''t have known where to eat at all.


    Though, the coffee table was a bit too low, and sitting on the couch to eat wasn''t very comfortable.


    Kim Haru thought about exploring the area after dinner to see if he could find a good wooden stump that he could turn into a low seat.


    It would also be a good opportunity to test out the axe and see what unique features it had.


    With a soft "ding," his steaming hot dinner appeared on the coffee table.


    No hot pot, but there was mala soup¡ªa spicy, hot dish very similar to it.


    The mala soup was piping hot, fresh from the pot, with a rich, fiery red broth.


    Its strong aroma filled the air, rising with the steam.


    Kim Haru couldn''t have been more satisfied.


    He picked up his chopsticks.


    Boom!


    A loud crash suddenly could be heard.


    "What happened? Was that an earthquake?"


    Kim Haru no longer cared about his meal and immediately ran outside, still clutching the chopsticks, having forgotten to put them down.


    The crash had only echoed once, and then everything went silent.


    It didn''t sound like an earthquake, but more like something massive had collapsed.


    The sound wasn''t far from where he was, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Kim Haru decided to go and check it out.

 Chapter 21 Meeting Another Survivor (Part 1)

    If it was nothing, that would be the best outcome.But if there was something wrong, finding out early would help him prepare.


    Just as he was about to head toward the source of the sound, Kim Haru glanced down and noticed the chopsticks still in his hand.


    Oh, and his mala soup!


    He hurriedly returned inside, packed his mala soup into his system backpack, and then set off again.


    After walking in the direction of the noise for about ten minutes, Kim Haru finally saw what had caused it.


    ¡­There were people.


    ...


    Shin Woncheon and his group only realized they were lost after they had already fallen victim to the toxic effects of the Venomspine Twisting Flowers.


    They had thought they were moving farther away from danger toward safety, but in reality, they hadn''t noticed that they were wandering in the wrong direction.


    By the time the group finally realized something was wrong and snapped back to clarity, they were already surrounded by a sea of lush green plants. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had stumbled right into the lair of mutated plants!


    Shin Woncheon''s face was full of despair.


    Any team that regularly ventured outside the safe zones knew this well: unless absolutely necessary, you must avoid walking through the areas with abundant greenery.


    In this world, any plant that grew lush and vibrant was a mutated plant!


    The non-mutated plants had long since been deprived of nutrients by the vicious mutated ones.


    Those that survived were withered and barren, barely clinging to life¡ªforget about growing green leaves.


    The ferocity of mutated plants was something most people feared more than encountering a horde of zombies.


    And now, they had been led by the Venomspine Twisting Flowers right into a field of dense greenery!


    Even if they were lucky enough to escape with their lives, it was unclear how many of them would survive...


    "It''s all my fault. These cursed plants must''ve smelled the blood on me and awakened," the man who is being carried said, closing his eyes. "Shin Woncheon, you shouldn''t worry about me anymore. You need to get the others out safely from this place!"


    Before Shin Woncheon could refuse, the other two in the group quickly cut off the injured man with a barrage of words, silencing him.


    No one wanted to abandon a comrade who had fought alongside them through life and death.


    Shin Woncheon grinned widely and said, "In that case, let''s fight! To hell with it!"


    With their backs against the wall and a determination to make it out alive, Shin Woncheon and his group fought with extraordinary strength.


    At last, despite being severely wounded, they managed to take down the massive Venomspine Twisting Flowers that had been trying to absorb them!


    The loud crash of the Venomspine Twisting Flowers hitting the ground served as a warning to the other mutated plants that were still lurking around.


    The sound would keep them quiet for at least half an hour¡ªjust enough time for the group to escape from the area.

 Chapter 22 Meeting Another Survivor (Part 2)

    Supporting each other as they walked, the group hadn''t gone far before they heard the sound of footsteps.Another one?!


    Were they destined to die here today?


    ...


    Kim Haru hid behind a large tree, observing the group of people not far away.


    Upon realizing the source of the noise was human, Kim Haru paused, not intending to reveal himself immediately.


    The memory of the so-called teammates from the original Kim Haru''s past, who had abandoned him as a sacrificial pawn, was still vivid in Kim Haru''s mind.


    Even the most clueless person would know by now what could and couldn''t be done in such a situation.


    Even without the original Kim Haru''s experiences, Kim Haru wouldn''t have wanted to approach them.


    During the time his parents were getting divorced, the behavior of those around him¡ªcoming and going with insincere faces¡ªleft Kim Haru with a lingering social anxiety.


    This was one of the reasons he later became a Webnovel Author.


    After all, being a webnovel author meant that he can stay at home all the time, and whether it was his editor or friends, most interactions could be handled online.


    That was until Kim Haru overheard their conversation.


    These people were in a dire situation, barely able to keep themselves alive, yet they refused to abandon their severely injured teammate.


    They were completely different from the scumbag teammates who had left the original Kim Haru to die.


    In the end, Kim Haru couldn''t bring himself to ignore them.


    Sigh.


    He guesses he still has some moral upbringing.


    Leaving people to die¡ªit''d weigh too heavily on his conscience.


    Kim Haru stepped out from behind the large tree.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Oh no, his social anxiety flared up.


    Kim Haru''s social anxiety wasn''t extreme, but it was definitely a problem.


    His main issue was that, when other people were around, he would avoid talking as much as possible, and if he had to speak, he would keep his words to the bare minimum.


    Because of this, many people who interacted with him didn''t dare get too close to him, thinking he was too cold and aloof, maybe even arrogant.


    Kim Haru noticed the men had turned around to look at him after being drawn by his sudden appearance.


    He frowned and quickly averted his gaze.


    Don''t look at them, don''t look at them. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just pretend they''re not there.


    "...Follow me," Kim Haru muttered, forcing out two words from his mouth before turning around and walking away.


    It was a long while before Kim Haru finally heard the rustling footsteps behind him, indicating they had decided to follow.


    Well, that makes sense.


    Out here in the wilderness, they''d just finished a tough battle, and now a stranger suddenly appears.


    Of course, they''d be cautious.


    Kim Haru didn''t mind if others were wary of him.


    He simply did what he thought was right¡ªoffering them a place to rest and seeing if he could help the injured man to recover.


    As he led the way without a word, Kim Haru had no idea just how stunned the people behind him were.

 Chapter 23 Meeting Another Survivor (Part 3)

    Shin Woncheon and his companions could hardly believe it.They had actually encountered another human being out here!


    And not just any human, but one who was clean, well-dressed, and able to move and speak rationally!


    Shin Woncheon noticed something familiar about this person''s scent.


    It took him a while to place it, but then it hit him¡ªit was the smell of body wash.


    Body wash, something Shin Woncheon hadn''t encountered in over a year, since the last time he''d been near a high-ranking official in one of the safety zones.


    For people like them, struggling on the brink of survival against zombies, food was hard enough to come by.


    How could they possibly afford something as luxurious as body wash?


    The scent was strong, and even more startling was the faint heat radiating from Kim Haru''s skin, as if he had just taken a warm shower before showing up here.


    How was that even possible?


    This place was the center of the mutated plant territory!


    Yet this man walked through it as if it were nothing, completely unfazed by the deadly plants, and still had the leisure to take a bath?!


    Who exactly is this person?


    Every nerve in Shin Woncheon''s body screamed danger!


    Oh no, the guy was frowning!


    What should they do?


    Were they about to be killed?


    Was he going to slaughter them all?!


    Shin Woncheon''s heart raced, lodged firmly in his throat, his eyes locked on the figure before him.


    If this man made any move, Shin Woncheon was prepared to charge forward, risking his life to buy time for his brothers to escape.


    Although, deep down, he knew that such an attempt would likely be futile against someone of this caliber.


    But still, how could they not try?


    What if they had a chance, however slim?


    Shin Woncheon held his breath.


    He''s moving¡ªturning around?


    Instead of attacking, this person¡ªthis powerful figure¡ªhad turned his back and told them to follow him?


    Shin Woncheon and his companions exchanged bewildered glances, afraid they might have misheard.


    Without wasting another second, they hurried to lift their severely injured comrade and followed the man, fearful that any delay might anger him.


    Why wasn''t he killing them?


    Shin Woncheon could only guess that this man had some use for them, sparing their lives for a reason.


    Whatever task this mysterious figure wanted them to carry out, as long as it meant keeping his brothers alive, Shin Woncheon was willing to do it.


    The sheer relief of finding a way out of certain death flooded Shin Woncheon and his companions, numbing the pain from their injuries.


    As they trailed behind Kim Haru, Shin Woncheon''s gratitude towards this enigmatic figure grew deeper with each step.


    The big shot has such a kind heart, even considering that they had an injured member among them, walking slowly.


    He must have taken all these subtle details into account, ensuring that he wouldn''t assign them any deadly tasks.


    They would all definitely survive.


    As they walked, Shin Woncheon was quietly nudged by a brother next to him. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 24 Meeting Another Survivor (Part 4)

    Curious, he looked over and noticed that both brothers were staring in shock, pointing towards a certain direction.He followed their gaze.


    When he saw a particular plant in that area, Shin Woncheon''s eyes widened in disbelief!


    Oh my gosh!


    Isn''t that the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea, ranked seventeenth on the list of mutated plants?!


    The leaves of this mutated plant can transform into poisonous arrows, with a single leaf capable of splitting into twenty to thirty needle-like projectiles that strike with incredible speed, making them nearly impossible to dodge!


    Who knows how many people have overlooked these inconspicuous vines and met their end under the "shadow arrows"!


    The Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea is over three meters long, with more than twenty leaves, meaning its firing range can easily cover over ten meters!


    Now that they were looking at this particular plant, considering the thickness of the vine, it could be nearly ten meters long!


    Its attack range might even exceed a hundred meters¡ªonce someone enters its zone, death is inevitable!


    Shin Woncheon watched helplessly as the figure ahead kept moving forward without stopping, not even glancing at the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea.


    "W-wait¡­" Just as Shin Woncheon was about to shout a warning, the person in front had already confidently stepped into the attack range of the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea.


    The vine didn''t move, as if it hadn''t even noticed that a human had invaded its territory.


    The person continued to move forward.


    Ninety meters.


    Eighty meters.


    Fifty meters.


    Thirty meters.


    Ten meters.


    One meter.


    Oh, they''ve come into contact.


    ¡­Come into contact?!


    Shin Woncheon began to doubt whether he was already dead or had fallen under some illusion cast by a mutated plant.


    Surely, he hadn''t actually encountered this person, right?


    Everything he was seeing was fake, wasn''t it?


    How could anyone come into contact with an Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea and remain unharmed?!


    That was a hand¡ªdelicate, white as snow¡ªthat could easily draw blood with just a light press!


    Even a knife might struggle to cut through these mutated plants, so how could it be possible for someone to touch it and suffer no consequences?


    The vine had just softly been brushed aside, shaking slightly, as if it were an ordinary plant blocking the path.


    Fake, fake, it must be fake¡­


    "Hmm?"


    Oh, the big shot turned around to look at them; they must have been moving too slowly, and he was becoming impatient.


    Shin Woncheon swallowed hard, glanced at his brothers, and was the first to lift his leg and step into the hundred-meter range of the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea.


    ¡­Nothing happened.


    Cold sweat drenched Shin Woncheon''s back. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With his attempt, the other two also half-lifted their injured companion and moved forward.


    Still, nothing happened.


    Shin Woncheon offered an apologetic smile to the big shot ahead; the big shot ignored him, immediately turning around to lead the way as soon as they started moving.


    Shin Woncheon didn''t feel slighted at all by the lack of acknowledgment.


    It was normal for someone of that caliber to overlook him; if the big shot were overly nice, Shin Woncheon would have worried that he might have some ulterior motive.

 Chapter 25 Eating And Bathing (Part 1)

    It wasn''t until they passed the attack range of the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea that nothing at all had occurred.Shin Woncheon deliberately turned his head to check if he had mistaken the plant.


    Just as he turned his head, whoosh!


    An "arrow" shot past, piercing the tip of his nose and embedding itself in the ground.


    It was a real Shadow Arrow!


    And the attack range of this Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea had greatly exceeded a hundred meters!


    Shin Woncheon hurriedly turned his head, taking a couple of quick steps to keep up with the pace of the person ahead.


    He feared that if he fell behind, he would become a target for the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea.


    As they continued forward, the shock in Shin Woncheon and his companions grew more intense.


    By the end, they were almost numb to it.


    What had they seen along the way?


    The initial encounter with the Umbrythorn Shadow Vinea seemed trivial compared to what followed: the Seraphic Bliss Grass, ranked ninth on the list of mutated plants; the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree, ranked tenth; the Thundercloud Orchid, ranked fifth; and the Ice Bamboo, ranked seventh.


    And then there were others¡ªthis one, that one, all of them vicious mutated plants that ranked high on the list.


    Any single one of them could take down a large group of people.


    There were also some plants they didn''t recognize or couldn''t name, but if they could thrive alongside these high-risk mutated plants, looking vibrant and full of life, their danger levels surely couldn''t be much lower.


    This was truly a den of mutated plants; even the top-ranked team from their safe zone wouldn''t know how many members would make it back if they ventured in.


    And now, there was this person, able to move through this perilous forest of plants unscathed, leading them¡ªbloodied and clearly battered¡ªthrough the danger.


    The mutated plants remained still, like obedient pets.


    Who exactly were they encountering?!


    How had they never heard of this person''s name before?


    The further they walked, the more frightened and cautious Shin Woncheon and his companions became, constantly reminding themselves that they absolutely must not anger this person.


    Finally, the person ahead stopped.


    "We''ve arrived," he said emotionlessly before entering a wooden house. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shin Woncheon and the others stared blankly.


    Oh my gosh! What is this?!


    A wooden cabin!


    Shin Woncheon had expected to see a steel fortress, or a defensive stronghold, or a high-tech building beyond their imagination.


    But he never would have guessed it would be a wooden cabin.


    Wooden cabin? In this post-apocalyptic world where plants had mutated, what did that mean? It meant those mutated plants would see you as their greatest enemy.


    Now, before Shin Woncheon and the others stood a house made of wood, and judging by its appearance, a considerable amount of wood had been used.


    This wooden cabin was brazenly built right in the heart of the mutated plants'' den.


    Were they out of their minds?!


    Oh, wait, the owner of the wooden house had just led them here.

 Chapter 26 Eating And Bathing (Part 2)

    Not only had he survived the mutated plants, but he also seemed to intimidate them.What kind of monster was this?


    Was he even human anymore?


    Ah, and that tree that was shielding the wooden house from the wind and rain, if he remembered correctly, was the Dreamweaver Osmanthus, ranked number one on the list of mutated plants?


    One of those could wipe out an entire safe zone¡ªsuper, super dangerous!


    The people outside trembled in fear, but it had no effect on those inside the house.


    When Kim Haru entered, he spotted a coffee table and immediately remembered he had been preparing to eat dinner.


    Surely the few people outside hadn''t eaten anything either.


    Since he didn''t have any healing medicine to offer, he might as well provide them with a meal.


    As Kim Haru took out his still-warm dinner from his backpack, the system notification popped up.


    [ Congratulations, you have unlocked <<A Friend from Afar>> achievement. Please select a reward for the achievement. ]


    [ 1. A banquet for ten people to welcome guests. ]


    [ 2. A special gift from the farming system for each person. ]


    Kim Haru didn''t hesitate to choose the first option.


    In terms of both quantity and current necessity, the first option was more cost-effective.


    The next moment, a note labeled <<Welcome Banquet: Ten-Person Package>> appeared in his backpack.


    He set the reward on the coffee table and put away his own dinner.


    The people outside didn''t know why they weren''t coming in, so Kim Haru waited a moment and decided to step back outside to call them in.


    "Come in," Kim Haru said with a single word to ensure they could hear him and immediately turned back inside.


    The confused Shin Woncheon and the others quickly followed, stepping through the threshold with extreme caution.


    Once inside the house, Shin Woncheon and his companions couldn''t even take a good look around.


    What attracted them the most was, of course, the large table in the center of the room filled with delicious dishes that were still steaming hot.


    Oh my god! Could this really be just a dream?!


    Look! Look at this food!


    Chicken, duck, fish, and meat occupied more than half the table, along with fresh, vibrant green vegetables that were dripping with water.


    These were delicacies they wouldn''t even dare to dream of.


    Many people had struggled their whole lives in the safe zone and never earned such treats.


    Now, these were laid out right before them.


    The group worked hard to control their swallowing sounds, trying not to make it too obvious.


    Even though such delicious food was presented on a large table in front of them, it definitely wasn''t meant for people like them.


    Shin Woncheon and the others were very clear about their status.


    Besides, they had no connection to Sol and hadn''t shown any usefulness to him, so why would he offer them such good food? S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Eat," Kim Haru said succinctly, pointing at the coffee table.


    What?!!


    Do they hear wrong?


    He just asks them to eat?

 Chapter 27 Eating And Bathing (Part 3)

    This only made them increasingly doubt whether this was a dream.Finally, after confirming that Sol indeed intended for them to eat the entire table of delicacies, Shin Woncheon''s heart raced as he quickly crouched by the coffee table, ready to dig in.


    They didn''t dare sit on the sofa; it looked like a new sofa, so they didn''t dare to sit on it while they were covered in blood and mud.


    How could they dirty the big man''s sofa?


    At that moment, Kim Hary suddenly called out to them, "Wait."


    Wh-What happened?


    Shin Woncheon and the others were stunned.


    Could it be that Kim Haru changed his mind?


    That made sense; what right did they have to enjoy this feast?


    Just having such a powerful presence willing to shelter them for a night was something they wouldn''t have dared to imagine; they should be grateful.


    Expecting to hear a retraction, Shin Woncheon and the others instead received another instruction from Kim Haru.


    "Go wash up in the bathroom before eating."


    Kim Haru pointed in the direction of the bathroom. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All of them were dirty from the battle, not to mention covered in wounds.


    Kim Haru had been so focused on not abandoning them after bringing them here that he completely forgot they had just fought and were filthy.


    If they didn''t clean up quickly, they might get infected.


    They didn''t have any medicine left; getting infected now would be disastrous.


    Kim Haru hurriedly stopped them from eating and told them to take care of themselves first.


    Although it was inconvenient to get wet due to their injuries, there were towels in the bathroom, and wiping them down with some warm water would be good enough.


    The only problem was that he didn''t have any extra clothes here, and he wasn''t sure if they had brought a change of clothes when they left.


    Kim Haru even thought about where these people would sleep at night, only to realize they were still standing there, dazed and unmoving.


    ¡­Fine then.


    Kim Haru began to seriously doubt the intelligence of the people he had brought back; how had they managed to act so foolishly all the way back?


    Had they hurt their heads?


    How would one treat a head injury?


    "Hmm?" Kim Haru wondered, seeing that they still hadn''t moved.


    The group seemed to be jolted awake and immediately reacted, "Okay, we''ll go right now."


    Kim Haru watched as the three of them quickly hurried away, and he only had time to raise his voice and shout, "Use the towels on the left. The one on the right is for wiping my feet!"


    The sound of the bathroom door shutting soon followed.


    With no one else around, Kim Haru finally relaxed.


    He looked around, tore a page off the calendar on the wall, and found a pen he had casually put in his pocket during a previous scavenging trip in town.


    It was really too much to have to speak in front of people, so he decided to leave them a note to clearly explain the arrangements; that would make him feel more at ease.

 Chapter 28 Eating And Bathing (Part 4)

    The food on the table was left for these people; he had no medicine, so they would have to take care of their injuries themselves.As for where to sleep at night, they would have to make do in the living room.


    Fortunately, the weather wasn''t too cold, and even sleeping on the living room floor in a house produced by the system would be quite comfortable.


    In his note, Kim Haru mentioned not to disturb the crops outside, and if anything happened, they could knock on the bedroom door to call him.


    After writing the note, he deliberately placed it on top of the food to ensure it was noticeable.


    Once he finished these tasks, Kim Haru was about to enter the bedroom when he suddenly remembered something he hadn''t done yet.


    He took out the hoe, axe, pickaxe, and watering can from the system backpack and placed them in a less conspicuous spot outside the door, leaving the watering can in the living room.


    If these people hadn''t left by tomorrow, Kim Haru certainly couldn''t just take tools out of the system backpack to farm; that would expose him.


    It was better to leave them outside where it could be easily explained.


    After finishing everything, Kim Haru finally entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him.


    The bedroom had a small table, perfect for one person to slowly enjoy their dinner.


    ...


    When Shin Woncheon and the other three came out, the person was already gone from the living room.


    They immediately noticed the note on top of the food. After reading it, they were filled with gratitude, unsure of how they could possibly repay him.


    Just moments ago, they had taken a hot shower! The water was perfectly warm, steaming as it poured over them!


    Thinking back, the last time they had a hot shower was years ago, before embarking on a dangerous mission assigned by higher-ups¡ªa mission where most of people who were sent there as cannon fodder. Before departure, they were each given one chance to take a hot shower.


    The implication back then was clear: wash up well, so you could at least die with dignity.


    This time, despite knowing they were injured, Shin Woncheon and the others couldn''t resist the bliss of hot water raining down on them! Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So what if they had a few wounds? It wasn''t the first time they''d been injured. A proper hot shower was far more important!


    Of course, Shin Woncheon had to stop their severely injured companion from trying to move under the hot water.


    Shin Woncheon and the other two were dealing with minor injuries, but their companion was seriously hurt. Hot water would speed up his blood flow, and he might die even faster.


    Once the three of them had thoroughly enjoyed their showers, they laughed as they carefully wiped down their injured friend.


    Afterward, they looked at their filthy clothes, unable to bring themselves to put them back on. In the end, they washed their clothes as well.

 Chapter 29 Ability Users (Part 1)

    One of their companions had fire-type abilities, so he dried their clothes on the spot, and they dressed again.Of course, when they washed their clothes, they used cold water instead. They had thought about using hot water again, but couldn''t bring themselves to waste it like that. Being able to take a hot shower was already a huge luxury. To wash their clothes in hot water too? That would be outrageous!


    At last, they allowed themselves to sink into the softness of the couch.


    Without the presence of their host, the four men could no longer control themselves as they devoured the food, shoveling it in with both hands. The large table full of dishes rapidly emptied before their eyes.


    Even the severely injured man managed to eat quite a bit.


    In the end, they cleaned the entire table, down to the last drop of soup. The four men, now full to the brim, were burping contentedly. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uh-oh, they''d eaten too much and were starting to choke. They needed water.


    Shin Woncheon rubbed his stomach, his eyes wandering around.


    Inside the bedroom, Kim Haru could vaguely hear noises coming from the living room and figured that the group was probably eating. He leisurely finished his own meal, but just as his dishes disappeared, he suddenly realized that he hadn''t told them how to handle their own dishes.


    Kim Haru opened the bedroom door and was about to speak, when he saw one of the men picking up the watering can from the corner of the living room and pouring its contents into his mouth.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Uh, that water was drawn directly from the pond. He wasn''t sure if it was safe to drink...


    Shin Woncheon, having finally found a container with water, was about to take large gulps. But the moment he drank, he realized the water was of exceptionally high quality¡ªclear, sweet, and even better than the highest-grade water they sold in the safe zones!


    How could he drink such precious water so carelessly? And worse, the watering can have been left in the corner¡ªmaybe their host hadn''t wanted them to find it.


    Oh no! What had he done?!


    Just as Shin Woncheon was about to put it down and apologize, the bedroom door opened. He froze, caught red-handed by their host.


    "I''m sorry! It was my fault, I¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Kim Haru cut him off.


    "That water is dirty. It''s not for drinking. There''s drinkable water in the kitchen." Kim Haru scolded himself for forgetting so many details. He''d noticed earlier that there was a water purifier in the kitchen, integrated with the pipes, just like a water dispenser that could heat or cool water. The water from it was safe for direct consumption.


    As he spoke, Kim Haru pushed open the kitchen door and pointed to the purifier''s location.


    At this point, Kim Haru also noticed that the food on the coffee table had been completely devoured.


    It seemed that serving the ten-person banquet was the right call. These men were big, probably famished, and likely had big appetites. What surprised him, though, was that they managed to eat every last bite. He had thought they''d leave some leftovers for tomorrow.

 Chapter 30 Ability Users (Part 2)

    Now the food provided by the system wouldn''t include portions for them tomorrow.Kim Haru didn''t worry too much about their meals for the next day, though. He hadn''t planned on providing for them every time. He wasn''t their parent, responsible for feeding them. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, he did notice that the system hadn''t automatically reclaimed the dishes yet.


    Kim Haru glanced again at the mess of dishes on the coffee table.


    Shin Woncheon hadn''t received the scolding he expected, and they hadn''t been kicked out. Instead, their host even pointed out where to get drinking water in the kitchen!


    On the one hand, Shin Woncheon was amazed that their host considered the high-quality water from the watering can be too dirty to drink. On the other hand, he felt deeply guilty for what he had done.


    Noticing Kim Haru''s gaze fixed on the pile of dishes they had left in disarray on the coffee table, Shin Woncheon quickly offered, "We''ll clean it up right away! I''m sorry for the trouble!"


    Without waiting for Kim Haru to refuse, Shin Woncheon and the others scrambled to clean up the dishes. They quickly tidied everything and neatly arranged the plates. Once done, they obediently sat in a row on the sofa, awaiting further instructions from Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru asked, "Introductions?"


    The group immediately looked embarrassed.


    Ah, how could they have forgotten such an important thing? They hadn''t even introduced themselves properly and had to be reminded by their host¡ªhow rude of them!


    As the team leader, Shin Woncheon felt it was his responsibility to set an example.


    "I''m Shin Woncheon, the leader of the Delta Squad. These are my teammates. My ability is metal manipulation."


    "I''m Gang Yuwon, fire manipulation."


    "I''m Ryu Hyunwoo, earth manipulation."


    "The severely injured one is Ra Jinho. His ability is super strength." As the team leader, Shin Woncheon introduced the injured member. "We were on a mission and encountered a high-level mutated beast. We weren''t its match, but Jinho held it off long enough for the rest of us to escape."


    "Unfortunately, one of our teammates didn''t make it... Jinho almost didn''t either." The teammate who had died had super speed ability. He could have escaped, but he stayed behind to buy them time, burning through his energy. When his speed faltered, he couldn''t dodge the mutated beast''s massive claw¡­


    Ra Jinho survived only because his super strength ability leaned heavily toward defense. Even then, he was gravely injured, unable to walk on his own.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Oh, right.


    Abilities!


    Kim Haru vaguely remembered from the original owner''s memories that humans in this world who fought zombies had special abilities. However, since the original owner didn''t possess any powers, Kim Haru hadn''t thought much about it.


    If this group hadn''t mentioned it, Kim Haru would''ve almost forgotten about the existence of such abilities altogether.


    After the others introduced themselves, Kim Haru nodded and said his name: "Kim Haru."


    Shin Woncheon and his team exchanged confused glances, each seeing the same bewilderment in the other''s eyes.

 Chapter 31 Ability Users (Part 3)

    A last name like Kim? None of the famous leaders from the major safe zones had that surname. Could this person be hiding their strength in the outside world? Were he just low-profile, or was it a personal preference?They didn''t dare speculate for long, afraid that if they overthought it, they might upset this powerful figure. As for asking about Kim Haru''s identity, that was out of the question! None of them had the nerve.


    "Mr. Kim," Shin Woncheon stammered, "We don''t even know how to thank you for such a generous dinner. If there''s anything you need us to do, just say the word. Jinho is heavily injured, so we''ll let him rest on your sofa. The three of us will do everything we can to complete any task you give us!"


    Well, at least they knew to be grateful and weren''t planning to freeload. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru found the group increasingly agreeable.


    As for tasks, he didn''t have anything for them right now. Besides, it was getting late, and these guys were still injured. Kim Haru wasn''t the type to push people when they were down.


    "For now let''s sleep. We''ll talk again tomorrow," Kim Haru said before turning back to his bedroom.


    In the living room, the Delta Squad members weren''t used to going to bed so early. Aside from Ra Jinho, who was already asleep and slowly recovering from his injuries, the other three men were wide awake, with no sign of sleep in their eyes.


    Unable to fall asleep, the three of them decided to whisper among themselves. After everything that had happened today, they were itching to talk.


    "Hyung, who do you think this person really is? He''s like a hidden master, even more impressive than what in the novel says!" Ryu Hyunwoo marveled, still thinking about the ferocious mutated plants they''d encountered earlier.


    "Shut up," Shin Woncheon snapped immediately. "Didn''t you notice that Mr. Kim only told us his name and didn''t share anything else? That means he doesn''t want us to know more. Even in private, we shouldn''t pry into this. If you offend him, be careful, or you might end up as fertilizer for those mutated plants."


    Ryu Hyunwoo quickly shook his head. "I won''t say another word! Hyung, I swear I won''t bring it up again!"


    "Now this makes more sense. By the way, did you guys notice something odd about the ground outside Mr. Kim''s house? Why does it look so familiar to me?"


    "Of course, it looks familiar! That''s just freshly tilled soil, isn''t it? You wouldn''t know much about it, Shin Woncheon, since your ability is metal-type. But I''ve been recruited to the research institute before to help turn over soil with my Earth-type ability." Ryu Hyunwoo remembered it clearly. "The institute tries to grow crops every year. It looks just like this."


    Growing crops?


    Shin Woncheon started to feel a bit concerned.

 Chapter 32 Ability Users (Part 4)

    "With how things are now, isn''t every piece of land has been contaminated with mutagenic factors? Nothing can grow anymore. Even if something does sprout, who knows what kind of mutated plant it''ll become?""How do we subtly tell Mr. Kim that nothing can grow here?"


    Gang Yuwon who is sitting nearby, almost wanted to knock some sense into their team leader. "Shin Woncheon, this is Mr. Kim we''re talking about! Do you think he doesn''t know that the soil has mutagenic factors in it and you can''t grow regular crops anymore? I''m sure he has a reason for growing something. Maybe he''s not even trying to plant regular plants."


    "Exactly!" Ryu Hyunwoo''s eyes lit up. "Look at all the mutated plants around us. Maybe Mr. Kim is researching how to grow a new kind of mutated plant! You know, the kind that can be tamed and friendly most of the time, but has insane combat abilities when needed."


    "Maybe all these mutated plants were grown by Mr. Kim. Why else would they behave so well around him? It''s like they''re trying to impress their parent!"


    Shin Woncheon: "..."


    Usually, this guy''s wild imagination goes nowhere, but for once, Shin Woncheon found himself thinking that maybe he had a point.


    "Alright, alright, let''s just go to sleep. Get some rest so we''re ready for tomorrow. We don''t want to mess up anything Mr. Kim asks us to do."


    The group nodded, closed their eyes, and quickly fell asleep.


    ...


    As the sky began to lighten, the team members in the living room slowly opened their eyes one after another. They had long since lost the habit of sleeping in, hardened by years of struggling to survive in the apocalypse. After waking, they didn''t hear any sounds from the bedroom, so they quietly tidied themselves up and headed outside.


    The moment they opened the door and looked at the ground, they froze in place.


    Oh my god! Green shoots! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The very soil they had been discussing yesterday now had tiny, tender green sprouts poking out of it!


    The sprouts were soft, had no strange colors, and didn''t move on their own without wind¡ªjust perfectly normal green shoots!


    The group stared in shock, frozen in place.


    Kim Haru, who had just woken up, was startled by the group standing like statues near the door.


    "Huh?" What''s going on?


    Following their line of sight, Kim Haru looked over and was instantly filled with excitement.


    As expected, the farming system really was something else. He had just planted the seeds yesterday, and today they had already sprouted and grown this much! He had thought it would take several days to see any progress.


    Ignoring the odd behavior of Shin Woncheon and the others, Kim Haru went back inside, grabbed a watering can, and headed out again.


    He noticed that the soil under the new sprouts had lightened significantly, an obvious sign that it was time to water them.


    Kim Haru dunked the watering can into the pond, filling it up with water before watering each of the thirty plots one by one.

 Chapter 33 The Possibility of Making Money (Part 1)

    After a few trips back and forth, he finally finished watering all the plots.While he was watering, Kim Haru also took the time to inspect the little seedlings. Each one had plump leaves and stood tall and firm, clearly top-quality plants.


    As he observed them, he began to feel excited about the day when they would finally be harvested.


    Hmm... maybe farming games aren''t so boring after all.


    After finishing the day''s watering, Kim Haru was about to put the watering can back in the living room when he suddenly turned and was startled!


    Right next to him, three big figures squatted in unison, their eyes shining as they stared intently at the thirty little green sprouts he had just watered. Occasionally, they would glance at him with the same intensity.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    "What are you doing?" Why were they all squatting there like that? Had these guys really never seen farming before?


    A flurry of thoughts swirled in Kim Haru''s head, but due to his mild social anxiety, only three cold words came out of his mouth. His tone was cold, which frightened the group even more.


    "We''re sorry, we''re sorry! We swear we won''t tell anyone!"


    Oh my god! Mr. Kim had actually grown vegetables! Normal vegetables that didn''t produce toxins, didn''t suddenly uproot themselves and run around, and wouldn''t turn into killer plants. They were normal, edible vegetables! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shin Woncheon and the others knew that if this information got out, people would come flocking from everywhere, and Mr. Kim''s peaceful life would be completely disrupted. Even though he was incredibly powerful, the constant harassment would surely become unbearable.


    They immediately shifted from squatting to kneeling, swearing on the spot that they would absolutely never reveal anything they had seen here. If they broke this vow, they declared, they would be torn apart and devoured by zombies!


    Kim Haru: "..."


    What was wrong with them? Had they lost their minds? Why were they acting so weird?


    Kim Haru felt incredibly awkward. He had no idea what to say in this situation, so he could only stare back at the three of them... and continue staring...


    ...


    Forget it, he decided. Whatever they were doing, he was just going to pretend he didn''t see or hear anything.


    "Your injuries¡ªare they okay now?" Kim Haru pointed at their wounds, trying to change the subject.


    The three of them who are still kneeling on the ground, instantly relaxed, shaking their heads in response: "After resting for the night, we''re almost fully recovered. We''re all ability users, so our physical strength is naturally better. Plus, we still have some energy crystals saved up. Aside from Ra Jinho, the rest of us are fine."


    Looks like they passed the test!


    Shin Woncheon and the others breathed a huge sigh of relief upon realizing that Kim Haru wasn''t going to bring up the land again. They had been so tense a moment ago¡ªMr. Kim''s scrutinizing gaze was so intense and deep, it felt like an immense pressure bearing down on them. They had been terrified they might disappear from the world in an instant.

 Chapter 34 The Possibility of Making Money (Part 2)

    Luckily, Mr. Kim''s temper was much better than they had imagined.Seeing that Kim Haru didn''t press the matter further, they slowly stood up.


    Kim Haru had originally only asked about their injuries to change the subject, but now he had heard a term that piqued his interest.


    "Energy crystals?"


    From his experience playing so many games, Kim Haru knew that something like "energy crystals" would definitely be important in an apocalyptic setting. He still remembered that after killing twenty zombies earlier, he had collected ten of these crystals, though he didn''t know how to use them.


    Maybe his farming system needed energy crystals too. Otherwise, why would the system have required him to kill enough zombies to activate it in the first place?


    As expected, though Shin Woncheon didn''t understand why Mr. Kim would ask about energy crystals, he didn''t dare speculate on his intentions. Instead, he thoroughly explained everything he knew about their uses.


    Just as Kim Haru had guessed, energy crystals played an enormous role in the post-apocalyptic world. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As with the settings in many apocalyptic novels, the energy crystals formed in the brains of zombies were filled with the energy that ability users needed. The higher the level of the zombie, the more energy the crystal contained, and the darker the color it appeared.


    Besides providing energy to ability users, energy crystals had become the hard currency of the apocalypse. Over time, they had replaced money, becoming the most coveted "currency" for everyone.


    In addition to energy crystals being a form of currency, there was another widely accepted "currency" in the various safety zones: points.


    "Originally, each safety zone had its own point system, but a few years ago, as people began to move more frequently between the zones, the leaders of the safety zones unified the point system, making it universally accepted," Shin Woncheon explained as he showed the back of his hand to Kim Haru.


    People like Shin Woncheon, who frequently went out to battle, often had their belongings stolen, lost, or discarded in haste. Initially, points were stored on cards that resembled pre-apocalyptic bank cards, but these were too easily lost. Eventually, they switched to nanotech chips, which were implanted directly under the skin.


    Most people chose to have their chips implanted on the back of their hand, as it was convenient for scanning and posed no health risks. Now, on the backs of Shin Woncheon and his team''s hands, there was no trace of the implants.


    Kim Haru quietly took note of all this information.


    Shin Woncheon and the others then took out their energy crystals to show Kim Haru, explaining the basic differences between them.


    Zombies, like ability users, had different elemental attributes, and the energy crystals from them had distinct characteristics. In fact, they were quite easy to differentiate. For example, Shin Woncheon''s metal-type energy crystal was represented by a small metallic orb at the center of the crystal. The whole thing looked like an intricate decorative item.

 Chapter 35 The Possibility of Making Money (Part 3)

    Fire-type energy crystals had a tiny flame at the center, and Earth-type crystals had a brown clump of dirt.On the other hand, Ra Jinho''s super strength ability didn''t have a specific crystal type. They could absorb energy from any crystal, though their absorption efficiency wasn''t as high as it was for elemental-type ability users.


    Aside from the differences in the crystal centers, the overall color of the crystals also varied in depth.


    The lowest, most common level of energy crystal was almost entirely transparent, except for the small element at the center. As the crystal level increased, the color deepened, eventually turning nearly black.


    Kim Haru recalled the twenty energy crystals he had collected from the zombies. Most of them, aside from the central element, were indeed clear.


    Taking advantage of the fact that Shin Woncheon and the others couldn''t see his farming system interface, Kim Haru opened it up and began carefully searching through it.


    Sure enough, in the top left corner of the interface, next to the avatar representing him, Kim Haru saw this line: [Gold: 20].


    Kim Haru recalled that he had never seen any rewards in the system related to gold, but after thinking for a moment, he quickly guessed that the "gold" mentioned by the system referred to the 20 energy crystals he already had.


    He wasn''t sure what this gold could be used for, but it was always good to accumulate more.


    Kim Haru began to consider how he could gather more energy crystals.


    Aside from killing zombies...


    Since energy crystals had replaced currency in this post-apocalyptic world, it seemed he needed to find ways to make more money. However, being new here and not fully understanding the situation, he didn''t know what he could offer as goods.


    Would the vegetables he was growing be something people wanted?


    Kim Haru frowned in thought.


    In his moment of frustration, he almost forgot about the three people standing in front of him. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Shin Woncheon who couldn''t resist the temptation of fresh vegetables and, after hesitating, raised his voice slightly to ask, "Do you need energy crystals, sir? If you don''t mind, we could trade with you. You just need to give us a few vegetables¡ªno, even just one vegetable, or even a single leaf would be enough! However many crystals you want, we''ll find a way to get them for you!"


    As he spoke, Shin Woncheon''s face was full of nervous anticipation.


    He knew all too well how precious normal vegetables were in this post-apocalyptic world. After all, even the big boss only had a tiny patch of sprouts here! To think he had the audacity to propose a trade with such a powerful figure¡ªhe felt shameless.


    But Shin Woncheon simply couldn''t suppress his desire.


    These were uncontaminated vegetables! Eating them meant not having to worry about the virus inside them accumulating until one day it suddenly transformed them from a human into a mindless zombie.


    In fact, according to experts and professors, consuming clean food over a long period might even help expel the virus that had built up inside their bodies, and potentially awaken new abilities.

 Chapter 36 The Possibility of Making Money (Part 4)

    But in this world now, how much clean food was left?The entire world¡ªthe soil, the water, and even the air¡ªwas infected with the mutagenic virus. Anything that grew from this earth, drank this water, or ate this tainted grain was bound to mutate.


    To grow normal food?


    Up until now, Shin Woncheon had only heard rumors on the broadcast that the largest research center in the Huimang Safe Zone was working on it, and even then, they''d only managed to cultivate a small batch.


    It had taken an immeasurable amount of manpower, resources, time, and money, all carefully invested into the process to finally produce something.


    Shin Woncheon never dared to hope he would get a chance to eat such precious, uncontaminated food. His impulsive and bold request this time wasn''t even for himself.


    He hadn''t forgotten that Ra Jinho had a younger sister who was an ordinary person with no special abilities. Unlike them, she didn''t have the same strong resistance to the mutagenic virus. Now, most of her face had started to resemble that of a corpse, and no one knew how much longer she could hold on. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And it wasn''t just Ra Jinho¡ªGang Yuwon''s father was also on the verge of turning into a zombie.


    Though the normal vegetables he was requesting wouldn''t be enough to cure them, even a small improvement, or even just a delay in their worsening condition, would be worth it.


    But would the big boss be willing to trade such precious things with him?


    Shin Woncheon didn''t hold much hope.


    Kim Haru, who had been racking his brain for ideas on what he could sell, suddenly heard Shin Woncheon''s request.


    He looked at the thirty little sprouts growing in the ground and had an epiphany.


    Ah, so this must be part of the system''s arrangement, meant to encourage the trade of crops or something. It turns out that farming games, just like the combat games he''d played, had plot-driven events!


    Kim Haru automatically rationalized Shin Woncheon''s request.


    Otherwise, it didn''t make sense¡ªaccording to the original memories he''d inherited, people in the post-apocalyptic world still had food. In fact, most of them ate meat regularly. Why would they be drooling over his tiny, sprouting seedlings?


    He had only planted the seeds yesterday; nothing had matured yet, so how could they be worth that much?


    Seeing the expectant look on Shin Woncheon''s face, Kim Haru said, "Wait a bit. They haven''t matured yet."


    The mission in the system task bar for the first planting hadn''t been marked as completed, so it seemed like he needed to wait for the seeds to mature and be harvested to finish the quest. And if he was going to trade with Shin Woncheon and the others, it would be better to wait until the crops had grown to decide on a price.


    Shin Woncheon and his two teammates immediately grew excited!


    From what the boss had said, trading with them once the crops matured wasn''t just a wild dream! Oh, my god! Meeting this person had been the luckiest break of their lives!


    ....


    The next day, sunlight completely filled the bedroom, and Kim Haru finally woke from his deep sleep.

 Chapter 37 Mutated Iron Tree (Part 1)

    After obtaining a wooden cabin from the system, Kim Haru''s sleep gradually freed itself from the influence of the apocalypse, and he began waking up later each day.At this rate, it wouldn''t take long before he returned to his pre-apocalyptic lifestyle of sleeping straight until noon.


    Stepping out of the bedroom, he indeed saw that Shin Woncheon and the others were already awake, squatting by the patch of land and staring intently.


    Kim Haru couldn''t understand how they could keep staring at the same few vegetable seedlings over and over again without getting bored!


    Hearing his footsteps, Shin Woncheon and the other three quickly stepped aside.


    Yes, after a day of deep rest, Ra Jinho was already able to stand and walk today. Looking at him now, you''d never guess he had been seriously injured just the day before.


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but marvel at the physical resilience of people in the apocalypse¡ªit was almost too good to be true.


    The vegetable seedlings that had been tiny just yesterday had undergone a dramatic transformation today! The cabbages had grown to about half the height of a person''s arm, with layers upon layers of green, leafy wraps. The row of soybeans had also developed full pods. The potato row, however, only showed lush leaves, and there was no telling what was going on beneath the soil.


    They were growing way too fast!


    Kim Haru wasn''t sure when exactly these vegetables would be ready to harvest, but luckily, when he walked closer and tried to pinch one of the soybean pods to see if it was ripe, the farming system issued a notification. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [ Not yet mature, cannot be harvested.]


    Even if they couldn''t be harvested yet, from the looks of it, they''d definitely be ready by tomorrow. Kim Haru did the math¡ªhe''d planted them the day before yesterday, so yesterday, today, and tomorrow would make three days.


    Could it be that all the crops that were generated by the system would be mature in just three days?


    [ Beginner-specific seeds can be harvested in three days. Other seeds have varying harvest times. ]


    Perhaps his curiosity triggered something, and the system popped up with an explanation.


    Kim Haru nodded, feeling no disappointment whatsoever.


    That made sense. Even in farming games, it couldn''t be that easy. Different seeds would surely have different difficulty levels, with varying maturity times.


    Kim Haru withdrew his hand from the soybean pod.


    Shin Woncheon and the others let out a collective sigh of relief.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Was that really necessary?! All he''d done yesterday was get curious about whether the other plants would change if he pinched one of the identical-looking sprouts, so he had tested it by pinching a single leaf.


    Hadn''t that leaf grown back in no time anyway?


    If Shin Woncheon and the others knew what Kim Haru was thinking, who knows how they would ignore his intimidating presence just to nag at him.


    A single leaf? That was a leaf from a normal, non-mutated plant! It was the kind of precious treasure that countless people dreamed of having! What if it hadn''t grown back? What if it grew back and became mutated?


    Such a mischievous boss, sigh.

 Chapter 38 Mutated Iron Tree (Part 2)

    The four members of Delta Squad still had to wait around at Kim Haru''s place until the vegetables matured. Kim Haru let them use the living room for sleeping, but as for how four grown men would sleep with just one long sofa, that was none of his concern.He had no intention of handling their sleeping arrangements, and he wasn''t about to manage their food, either.


    The only reason he''d provided that lavish feast the first night was because they''d arrived all battered and bruised, and the system just so happened to provide a banquet. That''s why they had such a hearty dinner. After that, the system went back to preparing three meals a day, but only for Kim Haru¡ªthere were no extra servings for guests.


    Shin Woncheon and his teammates weren''t thick-skinned enough to mooch off the boss''s food every day. Even though they could smell the mouthwatering aromas wafting from the bedroom at regular mealtimes, none of them dared ask Kim Haru to share.


    They had already felt shameless enough to enjoy that feast without contributing anything in return. They were all fully capable people¡ªtrying to get something for nothing just didn''t sit right with them.


    Besides, as ability users, going without food for two or three days didn''t affect them much. In the past, they''d gone five or six days without finding any food while out on missions.


    Shin Woncheon had originally thought about taking his teammates out to see if they could hunt some mutated plants or beasts to eat, but they hadn''t made it far before they had to turn back.


    ¡ªWithout the boss leading the way, those ferocious mutated plants weren''t going to show them any mercy! If a fight broke out, who knew who would end up eating who?


    Unable to find food, they decided to just go without it. They spent their free time either staring at the vegetable seedlings swaying in the wind or finding a quiet spot to meditate and strengthen their internal energy.


    Meanwhile, Kim Haru''s time holed up in the house was much more eventful than theirs.


    If he wasn''t watching TV, he was relaxing.


    Even though the technological level of this post-apocalyptic world wasn''t that different from what Kim Haru remembered from his past life, the TV programs were far from identical. There were no regular broadcast signals or TV stations, but the system-provided television could still play programs that had aired in this world before.


    To Kim Haru, who was seeing all of it for the first time, it was incredibly fascinating.


    Either that, or he would spend his time writing. The intense experiences of the past few days had greatly sparked so much inspiration for him. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This alone was enough to keep him occupied for most of the day.


    However, with a few unfamiliar people constantly lingering in his home, Kim Haru couldn''t help but be a bit mindful of their presence.

 Chapter 39 Mutated Iron Tree (Part 3)

    He had already brought these people into his house, and it didn''t seem right to just ignore them like that.Then, as his gaze passed over the corner where his tools were stored, Kim Haru finally came up with an idea.


    "Let''s build a fence," Kim Haru said, picking up an axe and motioning for Shin Woncheon and the others to follow him.


    Even though they didn''t have tools, they were ability users. Cutting down a tree shouldn''t be much of a challenge for them, right?


    The farming system hadn''t specified that a fence needed to be built, but it also didn''t say it couldn''t be done.


    Kim Haru figured that since the system had provided an axe, it must be intended for chopping trees. He already had a wooden cabin, and he didn''t know how to make wooden furniture, so the simplest thing he could think of was a fence.


    Besides, with all the vegetation around, there might be animals lurking. A fence would at least prevent them from ruining his crops when he wasn''t paying attention.


    The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that building a fence was the right idea. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, with some free labor at hand, he wouldn''t have to sweat it out doing the work all by himself.


    Shin Woncheon and his teammates, of course, eagerly agreed without hesitation!


    If they weren''t so outmatched by the environment and worried about causing trouble for the boss by messing with things they didn''t understand, they would have long found a way to do everything they could to help him out.


    They had never found the right opportunity to properly thank the boss for taking them in, let alone for being willing to share his vegetables with them. Now that the boss had finally asked for something, how could they possibly refuse?


    Even if it meant going into the forest to cut down the most precious mutated trees.


    Kim Haru walked ahead while Shin Woncheon and his teammates followed closely behind, their bodies tense and on full alert.


    They passed by many trees, but Kim Haru didn''t stop. These weren''t his target.


    No matter the world¡ªwhether the one before or this post-apocalyptic one¡ªvegetation was undeniably important. Kim Haru wasn''t the type to cut down trees recklessly, especially after seeing all the desolate areas on his way out of town earlier.


    So, he had his sights set on those particularly massive old trees, the ones whose branches were thicker than the trunks of other trees.


    Kim Haru didn''t plan to cut down the trees entirely. He just needed some branches to make a fence; there was no need to take down the whole tree.


    Soon, Kim Haru reached his destination.


    It was a small, low-lying valley. He couldn''t recognize the species of the trees here, only that each one was towering, their canopies blocking out the sun entirely. Walking beneath them, not a single ray of sunlight reached the ground.

 Chapter 40 Mutated Iron Tree (Part 4)

    It felt like a primeval forest.Looking at these trees, Kim Haru didn''t feel the slightest guilt about cutting them.


    By trimming some of their branches, he would allow sunlight to filter through, giving the plants below a better chance to grow.


    Kim Haru nodded toward Shin Woncheon and the others. "This will do."


    With that, he stopped paying attention to them, grabbed his axe, and aimed at the branches.


    Thud!


    The sound of the axe striking the branch carried a metallic ring, and Kim Haru paused, surprised for a moment.


    But he quickly dismissed the thought.


    In his previous life, Kim Haru had heard of strange trees with particularly dense wood, so it wasn''t entirely unexpected for a tree to sound metallic when struck.


    Luckily, the system-provided axe was impressively effective. Kim Haru noticed that no matter how thick the branch, the force he felt coming back from each strike was greatly reduced, meaning he didn''t have to worry about his arms getting tired after just a few chops.


    Like the hoe and the watering can, the axe had a fixed chopping count. No matter how thick the branch, it only took five or six swings to cut it down.


    Before long, several large branches had piled up around Kim Haru.


    Shin Woncheon and the others stood nearby, staring in stunned silence.


    "..."


    Gulp.


    The four of them swallowed hard, once again feeling the immense mystery and strength of the boss. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was no ordinary tree¡ªthis was a mutated Iron Tree with incredibly strong defensive capabilities! Even breaking off a finger-thick branch would typically drain an entire energy of ability users.


    When the branches of the Iron Tree are melted down in a high-temperature flame of fire-type ability users and just a small amount added to a weapon would make cutting through zombie heads as easy as slicing cucumbers.


    But Iron Trees are rare, their growth conditions extremely harsh, and finding one is nearly impossible. Who would''ve thought there would be such a large cluster here?


    Even more unexpected was how effortlessly the boss, Kim Haru, was cutting down these mutated Iron Trees!


    While they were still in shock, Kim Haru had already stacked a few more branches on the ground.


    Noticing they hadn''t moved, Kim Haru glanced at them. "Hm?"


    Did they not like chopping trees? Or were they still feeling unwell? Their faces did seem a bit pale. Dragging them out here to do physical labor might''ve been a bad idea. Should he send them back?


    Just as Kim Haru was thinking of letting them return, before he could even say the words, he saw Shin Woncheon and the others suddenly gather around a tree, starting to unleash their powers.


    They clearly had no intention of going back.


    Curious about their abilities, Kim Haru took a moment to watch them before turning back to his own task.


    After all, he''d only brought them out because they seemed bored. It didn''t matter how much they chopped; if they were happy working together, so be it.

 Chapter 41 The Axe Wielders Secret Arts

    The metallic clang of the axe striking the Mutated Iron Tree branches rang out again, and Shin Woncheon and the others exchanged a glance, seeing the same determination reflected in each other''s eyes.Even if they didn''t have the boss''s skills, they couldn''t go back empty-handed. At the very least, they could help by chopping a little more!


    Kim Haru chopped away, and when he finally felt like he had enough branches¡ªany more and they wouldn''t be able to carry them back¡ªhe stopped.


    The four of them were already panting with exhaustion, and although the branches they had chopped weren''t as thick as Kim Haru''s, they still managed to gather a decent number of them.


    "Let''s head back," Kim Haru said casually. He pulled out some vines he had collected on the way and started tying the branches together. He was contemplating whether to reveal the system''s backpack feature to store them or just drag them back himself when Shin Woncheon and the others quickly offered to drag the branches.


    After all, while they couldn''t chop the trees as effectively, at least they could help with the heavy lifting.


    By now, Shin Woncheon and his group had grown numb to everything Kim Haru did. Nicaraguan Blood Sucking Vine? Not a problem¡ªthey were casually ripped off and used as ropes.


    They had also wrapped up a huge bundle of Mutated Iron Tree branches with those same Nicaraguan Blood Sucking Vine, dragging them along the ground without hesitation.


    Once the branches were dragged back, Kim Haru saw that there was still plenty of daylight left. He grabbed his axe, measured up the branches, and began chopping them into suitable lengths for a fence.


    As soon as he chopped off the first piece, the system gave a notification.


    [ Congratulations! You have obtained raw material: Wood*1 ]


    [ Crafting function unlocked. ]


    [ Congratulations! You have obtained the blueprint: Wooden Fence. ]


    What followed was much simpler. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru casually hacked away at the branches with his axe, and the wood that came out looked as precise as if it had been made on an assembly line, all of them were stacked neatly.


    As he chopped, Kim Haru changed his grip on the axe and wielded it like a sword. He even started swinging it in what resembled sword forms!


    Of course, it was just a show, an exaggerated performance of fancy moves.


    Who hasn''t dreamed of being a martial arts hero at some point?


    Despite the flashy sword-like movements, the effectiveness of the axe wasn''t diminished. The wood still formed one piece after another, and soon, a large pile accumulated beside him. Meanwhile, the system notification kept rapidly updating the increasing quantity of the wood in his inventory.


    Shin Woncheon and the others, who had been watching nearby just standing with open eyes and dazed, completely overwhelmed by what they had seen.


    When they finally snapped out of their shock, they swore confidently, "The boss must come from a legendary martial arts family! A family that practices inner strength and has secret martial arts manuals!"

 Chapter 42 Blueprints

    During the two days waiting for the vegetables to be harvested, Kim Haru spent his time watering the crops daily and building the fence.In the system''s crafting interface, there was currently only one blueprint available.


    [ Wooden Fence ].


    In order to craft a section of the fence, ten pieces of [ Wood ] were required. When Kim Haru clicked on the blueprint, the entire step-by-step process for making the fence appeared before him in great detail, with each step clearly outlined.


    As soon as he clicked to enter the crafting stage, the wood in front of Kim Haru transformed. Thin auxiliary lines that were visible only to him, appeared on the materials. Where to cut, how deep the cuts should be, and the exact angles¡ªall were clearly marked.


    Kim Haru immediately set to work with his axe, following the guidance of these lines. It didn''t take much effort, and soon, the processed pieces of wood were neatly piled up.


    The auxiliary lines were only visible to Kim Haru, so Shin Woncheon and his team were unable to assist him. He didn''t call for their help anyway, he just focused entirely on the task at hand.


    The shapes needed for the fence materials weren''t particularly complex, and there wasn''t much that needed to be modified. Even with just an axe, Kim Haru managed to complete it easily. However, as he worked, he considered that it might be useful to get his hands on a machete or a carving knife in the future for more precise tasks.


    As he continued crafting, Kim Haru began making plans for the future.


    Time passed quickly, and once he had prepared enough wood for the fence, Kim Haru finally stopped working.


    There was still a large pile of leftover wood, so he asked Shin Woncheon and his group to move the excess materials to the base of the big tree next to the wooden cabin and stack them neatly.


    One of the pieces didn''t sit securely and fell to the ground with a loud clatter.


    Kim Haru picked it up carefully and tucked it back into place. Hmm, the left side seemed to stick out just a little.


    Kim Haru extended a finger and gently pushed the wood into place.


    Perfect.


    Kim Haru had surveyed the surrounding terrain and didn''t plan on fencing off too much of the area. He decided to start by enclosing the part behind the wooden cabin that bordered the forest to prevent any unknown creatures from wandering into the house in the middle of the night. He would also fence off the left side between the cabin and the pond, designating it as a temporary vegetable garden.


    On the right side, he left a section of the fence unfixed, making it movable for easy access.


    Thanks to the system''s blueprint guidance, building the fence was incredibly convenient this time. Shin Woncheon and his group were finally able to help, and following Kim Haru''s instructions, it took less than an hour for the neatly arranged wooden fence to be fully constructed.


    Kim Haru was quite satisfied with the result.


    Shin Woncheon and the others were also thrilled that they could contribute to helping their "boss." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 43 First Harvest

    After the fence was completed, Kim Haru checked the system and saw the fence''s attributes.[ Wooden Fence, Basic Defense, Can Resist Low-Level Mutated Creatures. ]


    The attributes even provided explanations about the mutated creatures, which included mutated humans, animals, and plants.


    Kim Haru immediately understood¡ªmutated humans meant zombies, didn''t it? As expected from the system! Initially, he had only thought about protecting his crops from animals, completely forgetting that the world''s "specialty" here was zombies. Not only did he need to guard against animals, but zombies too.


    Although, Kim Haru wasn''t entirely sure if zombies would be interested in vegetables they couldn''t even eat.


    ...


    On the day the vegetables matured, Kim Haru, for once, woke up early.


    Shin Woncheon and his group, as usual, were squatting beside the vegetable garden. When they saw Kim Haru wake up, their eyes lit up as they quickly stepped aside to make way for him.


    Opening the fence, Kim Haru reached out to touch the plants, and immediately, a notification from the farming system popped up.


    [ Ready for Harvest. ]


    Since the matured vegetables no longer needed watering, he placed the watering can aside.


    Now, there was a small problem.


    How exactly was he supposed to harvest the cabbage and soybeans?


    Kim Haru knew that potatoes needed to be dug out with a hoe since the tubers grew underground.


    [ Would you like to open the cabbage harvesting tutorial? ]


    The system appeared just in time.


    "Yes, yes, hurry and open it!" Kim Haru eagerly nodded.


    In the next moment, a step-by-step cabbage harvesting guide, complete with pictures, appeared before Kim Haru. Afterward, he checked the soybean harvesting tutorial in the same way, and just to be safe, he glanced over the potato harvesting instructions too, in case his memory was wrong.


    Once he had a clear understanding of the process, Kim Haru decided to start with the easier task¡ªharvesting the soybeans.


    Soybeans were simple. He just had to pluck the pods from the plants. He could shell the beans immediately or leave the pods to dry and let them crack open on their own.


    As soon as he picked the first soybean pod, the system chimed with a "ding" sound.


    [ First Planting Achievement Unlocked. ] S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [ Blueprint Acquired: Basic Fertilizer. Add to soil plots to speed up the seed growth. ]


    [ Tool Acquired: Iron Sickle, Ideal for Cutting Grass. ]


    [ Mission Log Updated: Sell your farm products. Suggested prices: 20 gold coins per 600gr of cabbage, 30 gold coins per 600gr of soybeans, 12 gold coins per 600gr of potatoes. ]


    Kim Haru automatically converted the gold coins in his mind to crystal cores.


    He immediately started worrying about what to do if no one bought the products.


    He glanced at the cabbages in the field, which were growing extremely well¡ªeach one seemed to weigh at least more than 1,5kg. In other words, a single cabbage would cost at least forty crystal cores?


    Forty zombies would have to be killed to earn that much for just one cabbage, and not every zombie even had a crystal core. Would anyone really be willing to buy such expensive cabbage?

 Chapter 44 Anxious Harvest

    Shin Woncheon and his group, who have been waiting for the vegetable get mature for a long time, spoke up, "Mr. Kim, is everything alright? Do you need us to help with anything?"They had been eagerly awaiting the day the vegetables would be harvested, terrified that the "boss" might change his mind and refuse to sell them. When they saw Kim Haru pause, their hearts nearly leaped out of their chests from anxiety.


    Kim Haru tried harvesting a second soybean pod by himself. Other than the system notifying him that the quantity of harvested pods had increased by one, there were no other notifications.


    It seemed that he didn''t have to harvest everything by himself.


    Kim Haru let Shin Woncheon and the others into the field and taught them how to harvest the crops.


    For the cabbage, they simply had to yank it up by the roots with force, shake off the excess soil clinging to the roots, and then place it aside. Once everything was harvested, they could chop off the root systems later. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Harvesting soybeans was simple¡ªjust pick the pods and shell the beans.


    Potatoes, on the other hand, were the most troublesome. You had to use a hoe to dig them up from underground. Since you couldn''t see what was below, if you weren''t careful, one swing of the hoe could split a potato in half.


    Kim Haru had already broken two potatoes after just a couple of dig.


    "Ahem." Kim Haru handed the hoe to Ryu Hyunwoo beside him. "Here."


    Ryu Hyunwoo, a person with Earth Manipulation, might be able to sense the location of the potatoes beneath the soil, avoiding the clumsy mistakes Kim Haru had made.


    Ryu Hyunwoo feeling honored to be trusted with such an important task and took the hoe with nervous excitement. He took a deep breath and dug toward one of the potato plants.


    Thud.


    The first attempt didn''t go well¡ªhe hadn''t moved the soil at all.


    Ryu Hyunwoo wiped his sweaty palms.


    He was too nervous.


    These were precious, non-toxic vegetables! The boss trusted him enough to hand over such an important job. He couldn''t afford to make any mistakes!


    The rest of the squad understood Ryu Hyunwoo''s anxiety, as they felt the same way.


    Seeing how much they cared so much about these crops, Kim Haru simply left the harvesting job to them while he stood back, playing the role of an overseer.


    This only made the members of the squad more anxious! Their minds raced as they constantly replayed the harvesting techniques Kim Haru had just taught them, desperately wanting to replicate the boss''s exact hand movements, the angles he used, and the force he applied.


    Even so, they couldn''t help but regret not paying closer attention earlier, worrying about what would happen if they made a mistake now.


    If only Kim Haru knew how intensely they had been watching him¡ªlike spotlights fixed on him the whole time¡ªmaking him feel incredibly uncomfortable.


    After much slow and careful work, they finally finished harvesting all thirty plants.


    "Do you want to buy these?" Kim Haru didn''t make them wait long. As soon as the crops were harvested, he asked them directly.


    The four squad members nodded their heads immediately!

 Chapter 45 Safe Zone

    "Buy, buy, buy! But, Mr. Kim, could you give us a little time? We don''t have enough crystal cores on us and need to go back to the city to get more."Crystal cores weren''t something people carried in large quantities. Most safe zones had official storage facilities where trusted individuals would leave their cores in there. Others, who didn''t trust these places, would find a secure spot of their own to hide their stash.


    When Kim Haru heard they were heading back to the safe zone, a thought struck him.


    He still remembered that the original owner of his body had a villa in the safe zone. Even though he planned to settle here, he couldn''t just let some scum squad take over that villa! He needed to reclaim it.


    It didn''t take Kim Haru long to decide to follow the squad to the safe zone. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for whether there would be an inspection to detect a mutated creature at the safe zone''s entrance, Kim Haru was willing to take the risk.


    He trusted that if the farming system wanted him to sell vegetables, it would have a solution for this problem.


    Shin Woncheon and his group were anxiously waiting for Kim Haru''s response. When they heard that not only did he agree, but he also wanted to go with them, they were overjoyed and didn''t know how to express their happiness.


    Without Kim Haru having to say much, they could tell from the way he packed the cabbages that he had a specific purpose for going to the safe zone, and they immediately stepped forward to help with the preparations.


    Since Kim Haru was also planning to leave, the four members of Shin Woncheon''s squad breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have known how to deal with the area of mutated plants they would have to pass through on the way.


    The potatoes didn''t need much cleaning¡ªjust shaking off the dirt would be enough before packing them. The cabbages weren''t difficult either; all it took was slicing the root off. Only the soybeans were a bit more tedious, as they had to be shelled from the pods.


    Shin Woncheon and Ryu Hyunwoo sat on one side, shelling soybeans, while Ra Jinho dug up the potatoes and naturally took on the task of cleaning them. The remaining job of cutting the cabbage roots fell to Gang Yuwon.


    Gang Yuwon held the sickle Kim Haru gave him like a nervous newlywed bride who had never held a knife before.


    Oh god, do I really have to chop this? Do I really have to cut? What if I ruin this crisp, fresh cabbage? What if I accidentally cut too much¡­ or at the wrong angle¡­ or if my hand shakes¡­?


    The more he thought about it, the more nervous he became.


    "Sir, actually the roots are edible too. How about¡­ we just don''t cut them?" Gang Yuwon, unable to bring himself to do it, looked at Kim Haru with a pleading expression.


    Kim Haru: "?"


    Can the roots really be eaten? He had never seen cabbage roots being sold when he shopped at the supermarket.

 Chapter 46 Roots

    Seeing the glimmer of curiosity in Kim Haru''s expression, Gang Yuwon quickly pounded his chest in assurance. "They''re edible, really! Hehe, I just had a little nibble earlier, and aside from a bit of dirt, they tasted great! Crisp and tender, with a nice chew!"The rest of Shin Woncheon''s squad exchanged sideways glances.


    Wow, this guy! Quietly sneaking food from the boss''s crops? He really bold!


    Realizing what he had just admitted, Gang Yuwon quickly explained, "Sir, I wasn''t stealing your vegetables! I just ate a small piece of the root that you didn''t want. I wouldn''t dare steal your stuff, not even with a hundred guts!"


    Kim Haru looked at the small holes in the ground and saw that, indeed, the cabbage roots had been torn off in places, with little bits left behind.


    He hadn''t planned on collecting those parts anyway; they were just going to be discarded.


    It turns out Gang Yuwon had been nibbling on those leftovers.


    Kim Haru had never seen anyone eat cabbage roots before, so he wasn''t entirely comfortable letting people consume them. He didn''t have any living creatures, like pigs, around to test if the roots were safe, either. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that not only Gang Yuwon but also Shin Woncheon, Ryu Hyunwoo, and Ra Jinho were all looking at him with hopeful expressions, as if these cabbage roots were incredibly important to them, Kim Haru''s heart softened, and he nodded.


    "Do as you wish."


    "Thank you so much, sir!" Gang Yuwon immediately bowed several times in gratitude, setting the sickle far away and cradling the cabbage like a treasure as he carried it to the pond for cleaning.


    These were normal, virus-free vegetables! Even leaving a bit of the root meant they would have just that much more food to eat. Even if that extra bite didn''t go to their Delta Squad, it could be given to other survivors who were on the brink of mutation.


    They had eaten mutated plants; why should they fear eating the roots of perfectly normal vegetables?


    Gang Yuwon planned to clean these cabbages thoroughly and then return to the cabbage patch to dig out any leftover root bits. If he was careful enough, he might even gather a whole bunch of them.


    Shin Woncheon and the others had the same idea. The thought of having even just a little more food energized them as they worked.


    After handing over the vegetable-harvesting task to the Delta Squad, Kim Haru had things of his own to take care of.


    Before leaving for the safe zone, he wanted to plant the next batch of crops.


    The seeds from the beginner''s gift pack were all used up, and Kim Haru didn''t have any other seeds on hand. He searched through the system but couldn''t find any way to restock them. So, for his next round of planting, the only option was to use the vegetables he had just harvested.


    He had pulled up all ten cabbages, leaving none behind for seeding. He would have to wait until he found a way to get more seeds through the system before he could plant cabbages again.

 Chapter 47 Preparing for the Future Harvest

    Planting soybeans, on the other hand, was much easier. The beans from the pods could be directly used as seeds. They say that planting a small handful of soybeans could yield several pounds, and from the original ten seeds, he had already shelled a large bag''s worth, with many pods still left to go.Soybeans have many uses. They could be pressed for oil, made into tofu, or even eaten directly.


    This time, Kim Haru planned to plant more soybeans.


    Then there were the potatoes. The yield was impressive¡ªeach plant produced a cluster of potatoes of varying sizes. The largest was about half the size of a human head, while the smallest was still about as big as a fist.


    Potatoes were rich in starch, and since Kim Haru didn''t yet have seeds for staple crops like rice or wheat, potatoes could serve as a substitute staple food for now.


    Although the farming system currently provided three meals a day, Kim Haru suspected that this benefit wouldn''t last forever.


    Since it was a farming system, it definitely required Kim Haru to actively cultivate the land. If he was constantly provided with food and shelter without any effort, what would be the point of farming? He could just wait to receive meals on schedule. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s not hard to guess that this three meals a day benefit would eventually disappear at some point.


    According to Kim Haru''s thinking, the most likely time for this benefit to end would be when the "novice" period concluded.


    Kim Haru had no idea how long the system''s novice period would last, so he needed to figure out his future food supply before that happened.


    Kim Haru cleared all the half of the garden enclosed by the fence, creating rows for easier watering. With a hoe to help him, he turned the soil in just over half an hour.


    He made a total of ten rows, each with fifteen holes, just the right amount.


    After digging the last hole, he straightened up and gave his waist a few taps.


    Ah, although the automated hoe was very useful, doing over a hundred digs in a row still left his back a little sore.


    Farmers have it tough.


    Potatoes couldn''t just be planted like that. Even Kim Haru, who didn''t understand farming, had read in various novels that potatoes needed to be cut into pieces before being buried in the ground.


    There was a time when he got so obsessed with reading reborn or reincarnation novels that he genuinely worried about what he would do if he were reincarnated to another world. He had seriously considered scenarios where, after time he was reincarnated, he could gain status and respect by using high-yield crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes.


    He even specifically searched online to find out what potato and sweet potato leaves looked like, where to find them, and how to plant them better.


    Although he eventually got over that phase and found it laughable, at least he could use that knowledge now, right?

 Chapter 48 Sharing the Harvest

    In order ensure the potato pieces grew well, he had to cover them with some wood ash to prevent pests and rot. Luckily, he had also planted soybeans, and the dried soybean stalks made good firewood.As soon as the vegetables were harvested, Shin Woncheon and his companions were ready to leave, but Kim Haru was so busy that they had to delay their departure.


    That day, Kim Haru cooked potatoes for the four of them. He boiled part of them as a staple food and stir-fried a large plate of potato shreds, along with a big plate of stir-fried cabbage. Coupled with the boiled fish provided by the system, it turned out to be a fairly sumptuous meal for five people, freshly served.


    Kim Haru needed a few people to help him with tasks, so he had to treat them to a meal, right?


    In the open area outside, the dried soybean stalks that had been completely stripped were piled up together. Gang Yuwon threw a fireball onto the pile, and it began to crackle and burn instantly.


    Kim Haru, feeling excited, stuffed a few potatoes into the pot, eager to try out the flavor once they were roasted.


    None of Shin Woncheon''s group dared to sit on the sofa with the boss; they all settled on makeshift stools made from wooden stakes, feeling particularly thrilled!


    Firstly, the spread in front of them was made from food that they had personally seen grow from the ground. They even had a hand in the process, and everything was normal, with no traces of any mutagenic virus. They were also allowed to eat freely.


    Secondly, this was their first time dining at the same table as the boss!


    Shin Woncheon and the others had long noticed that the boss preferred to be alone. Their experiences over the past few days, being taken in by him, were surprising enough, but they had never dreamed that they could share a meal at the same table with him.


    Did this mean they held a decent place in the boss''s heart? S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they ate, Shin Woncheon and the others were particularly reverent. Whether it was a bite of potato or a mouthful of cabbage, they savored it as if they were tasting a culinary masterpiece. Watching them made Kim Haru doubt whether his cooking skill had somehow improved after his reincarnation.


    But to him, the food didn''t taste particularly special! He had only added salt and MSG; there were no other flavors at all.


    Not wanting to dwell on it, Kim Haru focused on eating.


    In fact, he felt quite uncomfortable at the dining table, not nearly as composed as he appeared.


    After the meal, Kim Haru''s bowls and chopsticks disappeared automatically.


    Seeing this, Shin Woncheon and his companions were momentarily stunned, but they quickly calmed down.


    These were the boss''s secrets; as long as he didn''t mention them, they shouldn''t pry on it. It was enough for them to focus on their own business.

 Chapter 49 Planting for Prosperity

    Shin Woncheon, along with Ryu Hyunwoo and Ra Jinho, took their bowls back to the kitchen for cleaning, while Gang Yuwon followed Kim Haru outside to check on the fire.The pile of soybean stalks that needed burning had already turned to ash, leaving only a mound of black-gray residue.


    [ Ding! Homemade <<Basic Fertilizer: Wood Ash>> has generated a crafting blueprint.]


    [ Ding! Congratulations you have obtained the blueprint: Wood Ash Fertilizer.]


    Oh, a surprise!


    Kim Haru opened the blueprint, revealing the crafting steps, which included burning the plant material and adding a crystal core.


    In order to make a batch of ten units of fertilizer, one crystal core was required.


    The previous basic fertilizer provided by the system had also needed a crystal core in addition to various manures, decayed leaves, and leftovers from the kitchen to create the compost.


    The explanation given in the blueprint stated that the wood ash fertilizer made with crystal cores, as per the system''s crafting page, would be more effective than the plain wood ash fertilizer he could burn by himself. It could be applied directly to crops, regulated by the system, preventing situations where there was too much or too little fertilizer, which could lead to uneven plant growth.


    It would also eliminate the risk of killing the plants.


    Kim Haru had indeed heard about this. If too much fertilizer was applied without proper control, the plants could become over-nourished and end up dying from nutrient overload.


    The crystal cores required for the fertilizer had no specific attributes. Kim Haru picked up a wooden stick and extracted the burned potatoes from the ash, then added fifteen crystal cores directly into the mix.


    Before long, one hundred and fifty units of wood ash fertilizer were laid out in front of him.


    That afternoon, Kim Haru led Shin Woncheon and the others to coat the fifty cut potato pieces with wood ash, placing them into the plots, covering them with soil, and sprinkling the remaining fertilizer on top.


    One hundred soybean seeds were also planted, one seed per hole, followed by another layer of fertilizer. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Actually, it would have been fine to apply the fertilizer first and then cover the seeds with soil, but Kim Haru worried he might forget which spots had fertilizer and which did not, so he decided to spread it over everything.


    Anyway, it all worked out,


    After sowing the second batch of seeds and watering them, Kim Haru was finally ready to set off.


    He didn''t have much thing to take, just nine large cabbages, with one weighing an impressive six pounds, meaning he had over fifty pounds of cabbage alone. The soybean yield was also fantastic, with each plant producing about half a pound; he used some as seeds and still had over four pounds left. The potatoes, of course, were the heaviest of all.


    Each potato plant yielded around fifteen potatoes, with the larger ones weighing over two pounds, even reaching three pounds. The smaller ones weren''t much lighter either, so the total yield per plant was at least thirty pounds.

 Chapter 50 Unexpected Profits

    Apart from the ones eaten or planted today, there were still close to two hundred to three hundred pounds remaining.These seeds, produced by the farming system, truly lived up to their reputation, being top-notch and exceptional!


    Not only were these items heavy, but they also took up a lot of space. Kim Haru simply stuffed them all into the system''s backpack, which only took up three slots.


    Before Kim Haru could think about how to explain this to Shin Woncheon and the others, they were already looking at him with envy on their faces.


    "I didn''t expect that you''re also a rare space-type ability user!"


    That''s great, he doesn''t need to come up with excuses for himself.


    Kim Haru felt quite satisfied.


    It seemed the online novels weren''t misleading; abilities like Space Manipulation truly existed.


    Once all the vegetables for sale were sorted, Kim Haru looked at Shin Woncheon and the others: "Shall we go?"


    Shin Woncheon and the others were taken aback.


    Are we leaving already?


    They glanced at Kim Haru and then at the two piles of soybean leaves and potato leaves on the ground.


    Aren''t we taking these with us?


    The soybean stalks had been pulled down to create wood ash fertilizer, and the soybean leaves were neatly stacked aside by Kim Haru. Similarly, after the underground potatoes were harvested, the above-ground parts of the potato plants were also neatly piled up by Kim Haru.


    Shin Woncheon and the others thought these were also meant to be sold. Was it just the boss''s obsession for neatness that made him arrange them so orderly?


    Shin Woncheon pointed at the two piles of leaves: "What do you plan to do with these?"


    Kim Haru glanced at them and said, "Throw them away."


    Or perhaps check if they could serve as raw materials for the system''s fertilizer blueprint.


    Hearing this, Shin Woncheon was speechless.


    He didn''t even know what kind of expression to make. Should he say it''s truly impressive for a boss?


    "Sir, if you''re willing, these things can actually be sold as well."


    As long as it''s edible, someone will buy it! As long as it''s a plant without the mutagenic virus, people will be eager to purchase it!


    As for whether the taste is good or not, that''s secondary.


    Besides, Shin Woncheon guaranteed that these leaves would taste great! Just look at them; any one of those leaves is fresh and tender, and they must be delicious to eat. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only someone like the boss, with an excess of good things, would think that no one wanted them.


    With that thought, Shin Woncheon pointed to Kim Haru''s watering can and the pile of wood: "By the way, sir, if you can take the water with you, it could be sold as well! People in the safe zone rush to buy water every day, and some even can''t get any. And as for this wood, if you have more than enough, you can take it to the safe zone and sell it for a high price!"

 Chapter 51 Valuable Resources

    Ever since Shin Woncheon drank the water from the watering can, he had been thinking about this.Later, Shin Woncheon realized that the "dirty" water the boss referred to was because it was taken directly from the pond and used for watering the crops. It was no wonder the boss said it wasn''t drinkable.


    But Shin Woncheon clearly remembered that when he drank it, the water tasted particularly pure, completely unlike the weird taste of the virus-infested water.


    Shin Woncheon also tried drinking straight from the pond. The taste was exactly like the inferior water in the safe zone, with a strong sourness from the mutagenic virus.


    Then he tried the water from the watering can again.


    It was definitely different from the taste of the pond water!


    After realizing it wasn''t just his sense of taste that was off, Shin Woncheon speculated that the boss''s watering can was the key. Perhaps this can purifies the water.


    Speaking of purification, he couldn''t help but mention the water purifier in the kitchen.


    Shin Woncheon had also drunk the water from there, and the moment it touched his lips, he felt completely relaxed! It was as if he was drinking not just water, but an elixir!


    He had never tasted such natural and pure water, without a hint of the mutagenic virus flavor; it was clean and even had a hint of sweetness. Even most of the water from before the apocalypse wasn''t this good.


    He wondered if the premium water sold in the safe zone tasted like this.


    And as for that pile of wood, it went without saying; it was the mutated iron tree that was hard to come by. If those who loved using cold weapons knew that even the fence here was made of one hundred percent mutated iron tree, they would be so envious!


    Shin Woncheon didn''t explain clearly why the water and wood could sell for a high price. He thought that after more than a decade since the apocalypse began, the boss should know these things.


    But did Kim Haru know?


    He didn''t know.


    Looking at the water and wood that was pointed out by Shin Woncheon, Kim Haru frowned.


    Could it be that life for the people in this world has become this difficult? No water to drink and having to burn wood for fire? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru thought for a moment; since he didn''t have a container for the water at the moment, he wouldn''t take any. As for the wood, he could take ten pieces; it wasn''t for selling. If he needed to stay in the safe zone for a day or two and needed to make a fire, he could use it.


    Kim Haru didn''t forget that wood was classified as a raw material in the farming system. The more raw materials he had, the better; he didn''t know how much he would need in the future while building the farm.


    When he stored the wood in the system backpack, Kim Haru noticed a pickaxe in the corner that he hadn''t used yet and casually tossed it into his backpack.

 Chapter 52 Scarcity and Survival

    Looking at its shape, it would be quite suitable for smashing the heads of any zombies they encountered on the way.Now, he was all set with the items he needed to bring.


    "Shall we go?"


    "Sure, let''s go!" Shin Shin Woncheon and the others quickly led the way for the master.


    ...


    In the Eastern District of Pyeongseong Safe Zone, the survivors'' first task every day upon waking up was to go to the vegetable market. Only those who arrived early had the chance to grab vegetables and drinkable water with lower level mutagenic virus.


    Hwa Jian was never among the first ones to wake up, nor did he ever think of competing with others for better vegetables.


    It wasn''t that Hwa Jian didn''t prefer food with a lower level of mutagenic virus, nor was he too lazy to get up; it was just that the ingredients with slightly lower mutagenic virus content were priced several times higher!


    Hwa Jian had once seen a mutated chicken feather vegetable, the toothy parts of which had already been removed by the capturers, leaving the edible leaves with a mutagenic virus content of 57%. If it dropped a bit more, it could break the 50% mark and become a Class C food.


    Such a Class D chicken feather vegetable, appearing at the market, would require at least fifty crystal cores for a single leaf! If the seller were greedier, they could sell it for seventy or eighty, and people would still fight to buy it!


    Hwa Jian didn''t have that much money.


    As usual, Hwa Jian woke up early, cleaned his room inside and out, grabbed a handful of rice, and mixed it with a pot of water, slowly simmering a pot of slightly watery porridge.


    The rice was officially sold in the safe zone and was one of the rare ingredients Hwa Jian bought without worrying too much about the price. After all, rice was a staple food; it could never be lacking.


    However, the rice Hwa Jian bought was of lower quality rice, mostly Class F, with a mutagenic virus content ranging between 70% to 80%.


    Even so, Kim Haru didn''t dare spend too much money buying extra. He couldn''t even remember the last time he had a proper meal of rice at home. Every time he had porridge, most of the bowl was just water.


    He lowered the heat for the porridge, moved any flammable items away, ensuring that it would be safe while he was out, and quietly grabbed his backpack before slipping out the door.


    Of course, he made sure to close the door behind him.


    However, even though he doesn''t lock it, it doesn''t matter.


    Hwa Jian smiled bitterly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone around here knew he was the poorest person on the street. Describing his home as barren wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    A thief wouldn''t even know what to steal if they broke in.


    Would they steal his few ragged clothes? Or perhaps the two sickly old people who are lying in bed?


    Even if someone tried to steal the little bit of rice he had, it was probably of a lower grade than what the thief had in their own home.

 Chapter 53 A Chance Encounter

    By the time Hwa Jian reached the vegetable market, the early shoppers had already come and gone. All the good-quality ingredients had been snatched up. The only things left were Class E, F, and even some Class G ingredients.Class G food had a mutagenic virus content of 80% to 90% and was the cheapest one available. Hwa Jian glanced at it, considering his options.


    If he bought the Class G ingredients, his hundred crystal cores could get him a full five pounds!


    But after looking at the mutagenic virus levels again, he decided against it.


    The two elderly people at home were already suffering from illness; he wanted to give them food with the lowest possible mutagenic virus content whenever he could.


    Sometimes, Hwa Jian regretted not being awakened with water-type or plant-type ability. People with water-type abilities could sell water, and those with plant-type abilities could control the growth of plants¡ªthey never had to worry about food like he did.


    But unfortunately, he was awakened with mental-type ability, and not even one of the more useful kinds. His ability only gave him a heightened sensitivity to numbers.


    Regrets wouldn''t help, though. Hwa Jian continued browsing through the market, hoping to find something suitable.


    He spotted someone selling fresh wood ear mushrooms not far away. He had no idea what the mutagenic virus content was, but if it was manageable, he wanted to buy one.


    Wood ear mushrooms are his Mom favorite. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hwa Jian quickened his pace, almost reaching the mushroom stall when his nose caught a sudden whiff of a fresh, fragrant scent.


    What''s that?


    He paused, looking around curiously.


    Hwa Jian had always had a sharp sense of smell even before the apocalypse, and it had only grown more sensitive since. Now, just catching a whiff of this scent made him feel invigorated!


    He completely forgot about the wood ear mushrooms and followed the aroma instead.


    It wasn''t long before he spotted a young man with his back turned to him, sitting on a piece of cloth spread on the ground, carefully placing something on it.


    It looked like he was setting up to sell something.


    From his current angle, Hwa Jian couldn''t see what the man was arranging, but the fresh fragrance only grew stronger.


    "If you''re setting up a stall, this spot is too hidden. Your goods seem pretty good, so you might want to move closer to the entrance of the market. You''ll get more customers there." Not everyone had as sharp a nose as Hwa Jian.


    He didn''t know why he felt the sudden urge to offer this piece of advice, but for the rest of his life, he would be thankful that he did.


    This single remark would completely change his life.


    The young man with his back to Hwa Jian turned around, revealing the item in his hands.


    In that instant, Hwa Jian''s breath caught in his throat, and his pupils shrank in shock!


    ..


    Kim Haru stood in line, waiting to enter the Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Everything went smoothly; he blended in with the rest of the crowd.

 Chapter 54 Eastern District Vegetable Market

    Once inside, the people with him, including Shin Woncheon, had plenty of things to take care of. They needed to hurry up to gather enough crystal cores, fearing that if they were too late, the top-tier vegetables in Kim Haru''s hands would be sold out! After pointing Kim Haru in the direction of the nearest vegetable market, they hurried off.After they had gone some distance, Shin Woncheon slapped his forehead in frustration, realizing something. "Ah! We forgot to ask how much Mr. Kim plans to charge for his vegetables! How many crystal cores should we bring?"


    "Do we even need to ask?" one of them replied. "You''ve tasted Mr. Kim''s vegetables before, right? It was completely free from mutagenic virus content. No matter what price he sets, people will still scramble to buy them. The price will definitely be high.


    We might need all our crystal cores, and even then, it might not be enough!"


    A few people thought about it and agreed.


    Once they considered that Mr. Kim''s stall might already be crowded with people, their footsteps quickened even more.


    Following the directions, Kim Haru arrived at the Eastern District vegetable market. He looked at the tightly packed stalls lining both sides of the road, along with the throngs of people. The loud shouts and bargaining all drilled into his ears, causing him to feel a bit overwhelmed.


    There are so many people! Is he really going to sell vegetables in such a crowded place? Does he have to learn how to shout too? And bargain with others?


    Oh my! This is terrifying!


    In the end, Kim Haru couldn''t overcome his fear of crowds. The prime locations with heavy foot traffic had already been taken by early vendors. He decided to walk down a side street with fewer people and found a clean spot to set up. He took out the prepared cloth for his stall and laid it on the ground.


    Just as he turned his back to the crowd and reached into his system backpack to pull out a large cabbage, he suddenly heard someone speaking to him from behind.


    He was nearly startled!


    Kim Haru didn''t drop the cabbage; instead, he turned around to look.


    It was a tall, thin young man, wearing clothes that had faded and pants that were slightly short, giving him a rather frail appearance.


    The young man kindly reminded him, and Kim Haru nodded, indicating he had heard.


    After that, he turned back around, still holding the cabbage, showing no signs of wanting to change locations.


    Kim Haru thought the young man would leave soon since he was obviously being ignored. However, to his surprise, the young man didn''t leave but instead asked him how much he was selling the cabbage for.


    "How much¡­ is this vegetable of yours?" Hwa Jian bit his lip, unable to resist asking.


    This cabbage looked absolutely splendid and smelled incredibly enticing; it emitted a fresh fragrance, completely devoid of the sour, bitter, salty, or strange odors typical of mutated plants! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 55 A Surprising Offer

    Hwa Jian had never encountered such normal ingredients before!The mutagenic virus content level in this cabbage was definitely between 30% to 40%, which means it was Class B ingredients! It might even be a rare Class A ingredient!


    Hwa Jian knew that such high-quality ingredients would surely be expensive, and he wasn''t even sure if his hundred crystal cores would be enough to buy a single pound. However, he also understood how rare it was for ingredients of this level to appear in the Eastern District. This was an incredible opportunity!


    Hwa Jian could resolutely avoid purchasing Class D ingredients, but he found it impossible to resist the allure of Class B or even Class A ingredients. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If he could buy this for his parents to eat just once, even if it was only a little bit, wouldn''t it alleviate some of their suffering?


    Hwa Jian began to calculate in his mind. Although his combat skills weren''t strong, he was still an ability user who could go several days without eating, allowing him to endure this significant expense.


    Anxiously awaiting the vendor''s price, Hwa Jian worried that he wouldn''t look wealthy enough for the vendor to take him seriously.


    Fortunately, the vendor responded.


    Kim Haru remembered the system''s suggestion. When he was asked for a price, he quoted it directly as the system recommended: "Twenty go..crystal cores."


    He almost slipped up and said "gold coins" instead.


    After stating the price, Kim Haru began to worry about what would happen if this person wanted to bargain; he wasn''t good at haggling. He could think of textbook-level dialogues in his mind, going back and forth for ages, but the moment he opened his mouth, he completely transformed into a cold persona, saying not a word beyond the price.


    Would this attitude drive the customers away? What if no one wanted to buy his vegetables?


    Kim Haru waited for the young man''s response.


    The young man¡­


    Turned around and ran away.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    What just happened? If he could have sent an emoji right now, it would have been a screen full of confused black question marks.


    Why did this person run away? Was it because his attitude was too cold? Or was the price too high?


    It was probably a pricing issue. After all, twenty crystal cores for a pound! He recalled that, on average, he obtained only one crystal core for every two zombies he defeated. He had worked hard to kill twenty zombies just to get ten crystal cores. Even when making the wood ash fertilizer, he was still short five cores, which Shin Woncheon and the others had given him.


    Kim Haru remembered that in his previous life, the price of cabbage was only a couple of won per pound. Even in this apocalyptic world, it couldn''t possibly be that scarce¡­could it?


    Doubting the pricing, Kim Haru watched as the young man who had rushed away suddenly returned, his mind filled with even more questions.


    Didn''t he just leave? Why did he come back? Did he drop something?

 Chapter 56 The Unexpected Deal

    There were other people who didn''t even have a hard time taking things out of the system''s backpack.Kim Haru was puzzled when he saw Hwa Jian suddenly spill a large pile of crystal cores from above, all colors shimmering and forming a small mountain at his feet.


    This¡­ what is this?!


    Kim Haru was even more confused.


    Is this person possibly out of their mind?


    Hwa Jian had no idea that someone doubted his mental state. At this moment, he was just filled with excitement: "I want to buy vegetables! It''s 20 crystal cores for a pound of cabbage, right? Look at how many crystal cores I have; I''ll buy them all!"


    Oh my god! Is this price real? Such good cabbage, and it only costs 20 crystal cores for a pound! If the vendor didn''t know the market price, he must be selling them at this low price as a form of charity.


    Hwa Jian had heard that some wealthy people did this kind of thing. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If that''s the case, it''s no wonder he chose such a remote place to set up shop; he must want to operate on the principle of "those destined to have it will receive it."


    Those people above love this kind of thing.


    Hwa Jian didn''t care what kind of situation the vendor was in; all he knew was that he was getting a great deal this time! Taking advantage of a good bargain isn''t something a wealthy family would do. When you''re poor, how can you have so much goodwill?


    Upon hearing the vendor''s price, he hurried back to bring out all the crystal cores he had at home, thinking he might even be able to buy enough for a meal!


    Hwa Jian anxiously looked at the vendor, fearing he might suddenly say he wasn''t selling anymore.


    Kim Haru paused for a moment, then realized that this person was trying to buy something.


    No matter how strange his behavior was, being willing to buy something made him a customer.


    Kim Haru felt a bit happy but simply said, "No."


    Hwa Jian was stunned.


    He looked at the pile of crystal cores at his feet and forced a bitter smile.


    Yeah, how could anything be this cheap? Even if such a good deal existed, how could it possibly come to him?


    Feeling dejected, Hwa Jian prepared to gather up his crystal cores when he suddenly heard the next words from above.


    "Twenty for a pound," Kim Haru corrected the customer''s mistake.


    Twenty for a pound, and he was already worried that the price would be too high; twenty for a pound was an outrageous price for cabbage!


    Hwa Jian mechanically looked up.


    What, what? Did he hear wrong?


    "Are you saying twenty crystal cores for a pound of cabbage?"


    Kim Haru nodded.


    A wave of excitement instantly flooded Hwa Jian''s face!


    The crystal cores in his hands felt like hot potatoes as he pushed them toward Kim Haru.


    "I want to buy! Whatever I can get, I''ll buy as much as possible!"

 Chapter 57 First Sale and a New Discovery (Part 1)

    Kim Haru nodded in agreement.Just as he was preparing to weigh the cabbage for the customer, he suddenly realized he hadn''t prepared any weighing tools.


    What to do now?


    As Kim Haru wrestled with whether to sell an entire cabbage at once, Hwa Jian noticed his hesitation and hurriedly asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Kim Haru pointed at the cabbage, saying, "No scale."


    "Just a moment! I''ll go find one for you!" Before he finished speaking, Hwa Jian was already running off.


    He didn''t even collect the pile of crystal cores on the ground.


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    Is this what people are like in the apocalypse?


    Kim Haru took advantage of this moment to take out more items from his backpack to sell. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cabbages were all large, and just taking out four of them already occupied most of the space on the stand. Kim Haru decided to only display four, leaving the rest in his backpack.


    The soybeans, being small and loose, posed a different problem. Without a bag or container, Kim Haru was reluctant to take them out, worried that they''d roll all over the place on his stand. For someone with a mild case of OCD, the sight of scattered soybeans would have been too much to bear.


    After thinking for a moment, Kim Haru decided to take out just a handful and stuff them into his pocket. That way, if someone asked about them, he could take them out to show, without worrying about them rolling around everywhere.


    The potatoes, however, were much easier to handle.


    Kim Haru placed a neat pile of potatoes on one side of the stand, opposite the cabbages. He even took the time to arrange the potatoes in order, from largest to smallest.


    Looking at the stand now, he felt much more at ease.


    With his goods displayed, Kim Haru''s attention shifted to the pile of crystal cores beside him.


    He let out a sigh, eventually deciding to help gather them up.


    At this point, there were no strangers around, so without the discomfort of social interaction weighing on him, Kim Haru quickly noticed that something felt off.


    Perhaps in this apocalypse, the items Kim Haru was selling weren''t as ordinary as he had initially thought.


    Reflecting on the behavior of Shin Woncheon and his group over the past few days, and now this latest customer''s reaction, one thing became crystal clear!


    Before Kim Haru could decide whether to continue selling his goods at the system''s set prices or raise them a bit, Hwa Jian returned, carrying a scale.


    As he approached Kim Haru, Hwa Jian''s steps faltered.


    He was shocked by the sudden abundance of vegetables that had appeared!


    It wasn''t just the quantity that had increased dramatically! Every cabbage and potato was of the same high quality as the ones he had just seen! The entire pile consisted of Class B, if not Class A, ingredients! My god, who exactly was this person selling vegetables?!


    Hwa Jian handed the scale to Kim Haru, saying, "...Here''s the scale you asked for."

 Chapter 58 First Sale and a New Discovery (Part 1)

    Hwa Jian seemed a bit uneasy.Kim Haru took it with a nod of thanks and began weighing the vegetables for his first customer.


    Regardless of whether he would eventually decide to raise his prices, he had already quoted the price to his first customer, so it wasn''t worth changing now. He could consider it a special discount for the first sale.


    Hwa Jian had brought 135 crystal cores, enough to buy over six pounds of cabbage. Kim Haru weighed the cabbage, which turned out to be exactly six pounds, leaving Hwa Jian with fifteen crystal cores to spare.


    "Six pounds, 120," Haru said, showing Hwa Jian the number on the scale. Then he picked up the cabbage and handed it over, waiting for the crystal cores in exchange.


    Hwa Jian hadn''t expected to get an entire large cabbage and was overjoyed!


    However, looking at the massive cabbage in front of him, and then at the young man selling the vegetables with an expressionless face, Hwa Jian finally couldn''t hold back.


    "At this price, you''re practically giving the cabbage away at a loss."


    Kim Haru finally realized what had been bothering him.


    In this world, it has become impossible to artificially grow normal vegetables or raise healthy animals!


    Thinking about his farming system, he began to grasp just how overpowered the system really was! If this had happened a few years ago, during his chuinbyo era, he would have undoubtedly believed that he had been transmigrated to this world to save it¡ªas its destined savior.


    Unfortunately, his current self had no such grand delusions. He didn''t feel like he had the ability to shoulder the fate of the entire world. Right now, all he wanted was to live a comfortable life, with decent material conditions. And if possible, it would be great to have the internet restored too.


    God only knows how these past few days had been for a socially anxious homebody like him. His daily routine was already starting to resemble that of an elderly person!


    Suddenly, all sorts of thoughts about "a man with a treasure is a good target for evil people" flooded Haru''s mind.


    Before he could figure out whether he should lay low or cooperate with the authorities, he suddenly heard the system notification chime in.


    [ Ding! Congratulations on achieving the <<First Transaction>> milestone. The Farming Store is now unlocked! ]


    On the virtual screen that only he could see, a new icon for the [Store] had appeared. Curious, he tapped on it, and a neatly organized interface popped up, displaying a wide range of items.


    Under the "Seeds" category, there were seeds for all sorts of crops¡ªcommon, rare, cheap, expensive¡ªeverything imaginable.


    However, the only seeds that were currently unlocked and available were cabbage, soybeans, and potatoes.


    Kim Haru tried tapping on the other seeds, but the system popped up a message.


    [ You have not obtained this seed and cannot meet the unlock conditions. ]


    When he scrolled to the [Armor] category, something clicked in his mind. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 59 Setting Prices and Stirring Doubts (Part 1)

    If the "armor" was what he thought it might be, then the problem he had been worrying about earlier might not be a problem after all!Sure enough!


    The armor section was filled with all sorts of items¡ªgear to protect the farm from fires, floods, pest infestations, and of course, there was armor specifically designed to guard against various elemental and ability-based attacks depending on the local condition. In short, any equipment that could help ensure the safe growth of plants and animals was classified as good armor.


    What excited Kim Haru the most was that none of these items were restricted to farm use. He figured that if he equipped one on himself, it should work just as well, right?


    At most, he''d just be treating himself as another crop or livestock from the farm¡ªno big deal!


    Although the store didn''t have much available to purchase yet, and he didn''t have enough gold coins to buy anything right now, Kim Haru was confident that he would manage to survive in this post-apocalyptic world just fine.


    Hmm, now the real question was¡ªshould he raise the price of his vegetables, considering how precious they were?


    Kim Haru poked at the system, but it offered no answer to that question.


    Neither rejecting nor agreeing, it seemed the decision was his to make.


    Kim Haru looked up, seeing Hwa Jian still standing nervously in front of him, clutching the large cabbage tightly in his arms.


    Kim Haru sighed.


    He waved his hand, signaling Hwa Jian to leave.


    Despite getting such a great deal, this person could have just hurried off with the cabbage without a second thought, but instead, he was worried that Haru was losing out. He even went out of his way to remind him. From the way he lingered, if Haru had decided to take back the cabbage and raise the price, Hwa Jian probably would have returned it willingly.


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but wonder how someone like him managed to survive in a harsh world like this. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, Kim Haru wasn''t the kind of person who would go back on his word. Besides, since the system had set this price, Kim Haru trusted that it wouldn''t let him take a loss.


    Whether something was a good deal or not was always subjective¡ªif both the buyer and the seller thought it was worth it, then it was.


    Hwa Jian''s eyes lit up. He gave Kim Haru a deep bow before turning around and running off with the cabbage.


    Kim Haru didn''t pay him any more attention and went back to his task.


    He needed to write down the prices in front of the vegetables so he wouldn''t have to answer the same question every time someone asked.


    He tore a page from the wall calendar to use as makeshift paper and scribbled down the prices. As he wrote, he made plans to visit other markets once his vegetables were mostly sold. There were still too many things his wooden cabin was missing. It was frustrating that he couldn''t even find a proper notebook right now.

 Chapter 60 Setting Prices and Stirring Doubts (Part 2)

    Writing the prices on paper turned out to be a smart move because before long, people had gathered around his stall."Boss, is it true that your cabbage only costs 20 crystal cores per pound?"


    "Can this vegetable even be eaten? It''s so cheap and looks so perfect. Could it be one of those shape-shifting mutated plants?"


    "Boss, I can''t even tell the degree of mutagenic virus content of your vegetables have. Are they even real?"


    "Yeah, exactly! I checked all over, and I can''t find any signs that mutated parts were removed. You''re not just selling a whole mutated plant, are you?"


    "Oh no! That''s dangerous! Boss, you can''t be so heartless, selling something that could kill us."


    "Are you sure the price is right, Boss? Don''t tell me you''ll suddenly raise the price after I''ve already paid!"


    "Boss, boss¡­"


    "Boss..."


    "Can I pay with points? I''m out of crystal cores."


    All kinds of curious and questioning voices swirled around Kim Haru''s ears, so noisy that he wanted to just pack up his stall and leave!


    There were too many people!


    Kim Haru mentally blocked out the noise. At first, he still pointed at the price sign to respond, but after a while, he didn''t even want to lift a finger.


    He only responded to the last question.


    "Points won''t work."


    Kim Haru didn''t have a chip and didn''t plan on getting one. Besides, the system only accepted crystal cores. What was he supposed to do with points?


    The person who''d been rejected slumped in disappointment and quietly withdrew from the crowd.


    He still casts a longing glance at the cabbages and potatoes on display several times.


    Others might be unsure, but as a plant-type ability user, his sensitivity toward plants was absolutely reliable! He was certain that the vegetables on that stall had an extremely low mutagenic virus content! If it weren''t for his strong self-control, he would have rushed over and taken a bite already!


    But it wasn''t just his self-control keeping him in check¡ªGwon Damjin was also a little scared of the strange vegetable seller.


    Kim Haru, the vegetable seller, just sat there quietly, not saying much, and showed no interest in the crowd around his stall. However, every time Gwon Damjin sent his Snoopgrass toward him to probe the vegetable, they would lose contact with it once they got within half a meter of Kim Haru.


    No matter how much Gwon Damjin tried to call them back, there was no response. It was as if the plants had completely vanished from this world!


    The first time, Gwon Damjin didn''t believe it. The second time, and even the third time, no matter what methods he used¡ªhe even sent his only Phantoburr that can turn invisible¡ªall had the same result. Once his plants got close, they were gone, never to return.


    Gwon Damjin was terrified.


    In his eyes, Kim Haru, who hadn''t moved an inch, had become frightening and mysterious. The idea of simply grabbing the vegetables and running away with it was completely banished from his mind. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 61 One Leaf at a Time

    However, Gwon Damjin still couldn''t let it go!How long had it been since he''d seen vegetables of such high quality? How could he just give up so easily? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gwon Damjin''s eyes glinted with thought as he considered someone who might be able to help.


    Kim Haru had no idea someone was planning to cause him trouble. As the crowd around his stall grew noisier with endless chatter, without anyone actually buying anything, his patience was wearing thin. He was just about to pack up and find a quieter place to set up when someone finally made a move to purchase.


    "Boss, can I just buy one leaf?" The buyer was cautious, not wanting to buy too much at once.


    Kim Haru silently looked at the single leaf on the cabbage.


    Although he already knew how precious food was in the apocalypse, this was the first time he truly understood what precious really meant.


    People were now buying vegetables one leaf at a time? That single leaf wouldn''t even make a full plate.


    But still, a sale was a sale.


    Kim Haru nodded in agreement.


    The buyer immediately pointed to a specific leaf on the third cabbage from the left, saying, "I want that one."


    It seemed like they had been eyeing it for a while.


    Kim Haru didn''t say anything and simply snapped off the leaf the buyer had pointed to. His swift, unhesitating movement made the onlookers gasp in surprise.


    Even the buyer was startled and repeatedly shouted, "Be careful! Be careful!"


    Oh.


    Kim Haru remained expressionless as he tossed the cabbage leaf onto the scale.


    "Three crystal cores," Kim Haru said flatly. He didn''t have any packaging, so he handed the leaf directly to the buyer and quoted the price.


    The buyer stood there, stunned for a moment, watching Kim Haru''s quick, efficient movements. After a brief pause, he hurriedly accepted the leaf and handed over three crystal cores to Kim Haru.


    The growing crowd surrounding them hadn''t dispersed. In fact, more and more people were gathering, all watching with eager anticipation.


    Someone in the crowd piped up, "Come on, take a bite and let us know! How does it taste?"


    The person who had only bought a single leaf had exactly this in mind, so he didn''t hesitate after hearing the suggestion.


    He gently tore off a small piece of the leaf and placed it in his mouth.


    "How is it, how is it? Does it taste as good as it looks?"


    "What about the mutagenic virus content? Is it bitter or sour?"


    "Is it worth the price? Are you sure it''s not just some mutated plant in disguise?"


    The crowd urged him on and their voices overlapped.


    Their curiosity was overwhelming. The vegetables in Kim Haru''s stall looked far too tempting, but unlike the ability users who could detect the mutations at a glance, the rest of them had no such ability. Money was tight, and if they were tricked into buying mutated food, they would face some very tough days ahead.

 Chapter 62 Feeding Frenzy

    But what if the vegetables were real? At such a low price, it would be too stupid to not buy it.Under the pressure of the crowd, the buyer chewed the vegetable carefully and swallowed the leaf with a gulp. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t say anything because he was too flustered to speak. He just squatted down, while pressing his hand firmly on a large cabbage leaf.


    At the same time, he use the other hand to dig the crystal cores out of his pocket. It was a chaotic struggle as he tried to do everything at once.


    Despite the rush, he didn''t take his eyes off Kim Haru, he quickly said, "This one! I''ll buy the whole cabbage! I have money, please sell it to me!"


    Kim Haru picked up the cabbage and weighed it for him.


    The onlookers stared at each other in confusion.


    For a moment, no one quite understood what had just happened.


    Then, someone reacted swiftly, lunging toward another cabbage on Kim Haru''s stall, shouting as they dove, "This one is mine! I''m buying the whole thing!"


    In an instant, the crowd caught on!


    These vegetables must be the real deal, not some fake product!


    What were they waiting for? They had to act fast!


    "I want one! I want to buy a cabbage too! Boss, save one for me!"


    "This potato is mine! No one better try to take it!"


    "You b*stard, how many times have I helped you out as your neighbor? Can''t you let me have this potato, just this once?"


    "Who the hell pushed me out of the way?! I had my hands on that potato first!"


    "Boss only accepts crystal cores! If you don''t have any, stop shoving and wasting people''s time!"


    "Does anyone have extra crystal cores? I want to trade my points for crystal cores on the spot! Twenty points for one crystal core, any type of crystal core doesn''t matter!"


    "I''m offering twenty-one points per crystal core! Trade with me, please! I''m only short two crystal cores!"


    "Stop pushing! You stepped on my foot!"


    In no time, the stall turned into a scene of complete chaos.


    Kim Haru''s vegetables sold out rapidly. The four large cabbages and sixty pounds of potatoes were snatched up completely. Even the fallen cabbage roots were fought over until nothing remained.


    Witnessing this, Kim Haru fully realized just how rare and coveted the food he thought was normal had become in this world.


    After counting, he had collected a total of 1,200 crystal cores. He silently thanked the system backpack for this since it helped him store everything without a problem.


    Other people who watched this scene began to notice this, and the words space-type ability users flashed in their minds.


    "Boss, do you have more vegetables? If you do, bring them out and sell them already. There are still so many of us who haven''t bought anything." They were speculating that if Kim Haru had space storage, it might mean there were more vegetables beyond what they could see.

 Chapter 63 Space-type Ability User

    At that moment, no one had time to envy his space-type ability. All their thoughts were focused on the vegetables. After all, the space-type ability wasn''t theirs, but the vegetables could become theirs¡ªif they had enough crystal cores. Everyone knew what was more important right now.When Kim Haru was collecting the crystal cores, he had no intention of hiding the fact that he had a "space-type ability". Just moments ago, when his transaction amount reached one hundred gold coins, the system''s transaction interface unlocked a set of Novice-Level items to purchase.


    There weren''t many novice items available, but one in particular caught Kim Haru''s eye, something perfectly suited to his current situation: <<Shield: Solo Version>>.


    It looked like an ordinary cufflink, but once worn, it would automatically activate, forming an energy layer within half a meter around him. Any attack entering this energy layer would be nullified.


    Unless the attack''s power exceeded the shield''s total energy capacity, even in such cases, the attack would be weakened within the half-meter range, significantly slowing down its speed.


    In a moment like that, Kim Haru would have more than enough time to dodge and escape!


    This kind of personal shield costs five hundred gold coins, and the moment Kim Haru received five hundred crystal cores, he bought it without hesitation.


    His funds instantly dried up. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, the next moment, more customers rushed forward, pushing their crystal cores at him, urging him to weigh the vegetables without delay.


    From that point on, Kim Haru no longer feared revealing his space storage ability. In fact, if people mistook him for a space-type ability user, all the better. And if anyone realized something wasn''t right and tried to cause trouble, he had protective gear now.


    The disappointed customers, who had been ready to leave when the vegetables ran out, suddenly froze in their tracks when they heard that the stall owner might be a space-type ability user. This meant there could be more vegetables hidden in his space.


    Without missing a beat, they turned around and rushed back into the crowd, pushing forward while shouting, "Move aside! Move aside! That was my spot earlier; I was already in the front of the line!"


    Having waited for their turn and finally reached the front, no one was willing to give up their spot.


    Their tempers began to flared and the crowd almost broke out into a fight!


    Kim Haru frowned.


    The crowd was getting bigger and noisier. He hesitated, wondering if he should continue selling. Even though he no longer needed to speak, only focusing on collecting money and weighing vegetables, the commotion was beginning to exceed his tolerance level.


    Anyone who had survived this long in the apocalypse knew how to read the situation. Especially those without abilities¡ªpleasing people with ability had become their second nature. Reading expressions and understanding moods had practically become an instinct.


    The moment Kim Haru frowned, someone immediately caught on.


    A muscular and intimidating man shouted, "Everyone, shut the hell up!"

 Chapter 64 Order Restored

    Instantly, the area around the stall fell into silence.Even Kim Haru was startled by the man''s booming voice.


    He glanced at the man and immediately understood why his shout had such an effect.


    The man''s appearance¡ªboth his physique and his rough features¡ªmade him look like one of those enforcers you''d see in crime movies, the type who worked for mobsters. A person like this, as long as they remain calm, might not draw attention. But the moment they lost their temper, anyone nearby would be afraid.


    But the man wasn''t done yet. He strode forward in two large steps, standing directly in front of those who had been pushing and shoving, scaring them so badly that they started trembling.


    The man, with a menacing glare, pointed at them and growled, "If any of you try cutting the queue again, you can get lost and go to the back of the line! Now, line up! Whoever was here first stays in front. You have until I count to three to sort yourselves out. If you haven''t figured it out by then¡­"


    The man hadn''t even finished speaking when the two scrawny men, who had just been pulling at each other''s collars and stepping on each other''s feet, suddenly froze. There was no need to count to three¡ªimmediately, one stood in front of the other, perfectly forming a straight line, as if they were ready to join a military training lineup.


    Satisfied, the man didn''t bother looking at them anymore.


    "All of you, get in line, or get lost!" he barked at the rest.


    In no time, the area in front of Kim Haru''s stall cleared up, leaving behind a single, orderly line. Just moments ago, the stall had been packed so tightly that it seemed impenetrable.


    Kim Haru''s eyes brightened slightly.


    He thought to himself: This guy is quite something,


    He cast another glance at the man.


    Sensing the attention, the once fierce and intimidating man instantly broke into a goofy grin as he looked at Kim Haru.


    "Anything else you need me to do, boss? Is the line too long? I can get rid of some people if it''s bothering you!" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha, also, could you, uh, maybe save me just a bit more of those potatoes? Even just one little one would be fine. My wife loves potatoes the most."


    In this look, his terrifying enforcer aura was suddenly gone. In the blink of an eye, the man had transformed from a fierce German Shepherd into a Husky.


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but chuckle.


    He nodded and agreed to the man''s request.


    The man was delighted to the point of almost jumping up. He redoubled his efforts in keeping the crowd in check and working even harder to maintain order.


    Kim Haru looked at the seemingly endless line of people snaking around, winding so far that he couldn''t even tell where it ended.


    It''s likely it was stretching beyond the side streets. Seeing this, he decided to restock his stall and fill it up again to the brim.

 Chapter 65 Hope in Hard Times

    The people in the line, upon realizing there were still plenty of vegetables, immediately grew excited. Thanks to the muscular man who is keeping the order, they refrained themselves from shouting or causing a ruckus.The sales went smoothly for Kim Haru.


    The cabbages and potatoes steadily dwindled in quantity. Aside from the first few people who hadn''t realized the scarcity and bought a large amount in one go, Kim Haru quickly set a limit on purchases. Each person could buy no more than about 1.5 kg of cabbage, which equated to roughly half a cabbage, and no more than five potatoes, which was about 5 kg.


    Most people were pleased with this rationing, especially those at the back of the line. They had originally feared that the vegetables would all be bought up by those people at the front, but now they felt reassured. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only those people who are holding a large number of crystal cores were a bit disgruntled. But they soon accepted it. After all, the vegetables were Kim Haru''s, and he could sell them whatever he pleased. They were already grateful that he was selling such high-quality produce at such a low price. How could they expect even more?


    Besides, the combined weight of about 6.5 kg of cabbage and potatoes was enough to last them quite a while if they rationed it carefully.


    In this apocalyptic world, finding someone like Kim Haru¡ªwho was willing to act so generously¡ªwas nearly impossible.


    Yes, after the initial shock wore off, most people tacitly assumed that Kim Haru was doing a charitable deed.


    Why else would he sell such obviously high-quality vegetables in this impoverished Four District, where most people here were just ordinary and struggling people? If he took these vegetables to the inner zones, where ability users and wealthier people lived, he could easily sell them for a sky-high price to those who didn''t care about spending crystal cores.


    Yet here he was, setting a low price and imposing purchase limits. Wasn''t that a clear sign that he wanted as many people as possible to have access to good-quality food? If that wasn''t charity, what was it?


    Kim Haru was truly a generous person! This vegetable sale could end up saving countless lives¡ªpeople who were on the brink of death from consuming too much mutated food!


    Each person who received vegetables from Kim Haru''s hands would bow deeply before leaving. In their hearts, a seed that was long withered and dried¡ªsomething once called hope¡ªwas slowly being nurtured again. Sooner or later, that seed would receive more nourishment, and one day, it would finally break through its shell and grow.


    ...


    If everything had gone smoothly, Kim Haru would have finished selling his stock by noon and found a quiet place to enjoy the lunch that was provided by th system as always.


    But life wasn''t that easy, and some people just couldn''t let others have it easy either.

 Chapter 66 Threats and Tensions

    Gwon Damjin who had earlier tried to pay with points and been rejected, returned. However, this time he didn''t bring crystal cores to make a fair purchase; instead, he came with a group of four or five men. Ignoring the long line queue, they swaggered straight toward Kim Haru''s stall.Gong Daesung, the muscular man who is guarding the queue, quickly stepped in front of them. "What do you think you''re doing? Don''t you have eyes? Everyone''s in line. If you want to buy, get to the back!"


    Gwon Damjin didn''t even spare Gong Daesung a glance. With a wave of his hand, a gray vine shot up from the ground and struck Gong Daesung violently!


    Bam!


    Gong Daesung was flung against a nearby building with a loud crash.


    In an instant, he was lying motionless on the ground, unable to get up.


    The people waiting in line to buy vegetables immediately panicked.


    They scrambled to get out of the way, terrified they''d be the next to end up like Gong Daesung.


    Gwon Damjin and his group walked straight up to Kim Haru. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He flashed a flattering smile to the young man beside him. "Young Master Yoo, do you see it? I told you I wasn''t lying. These vegetables are top-quality. Take them back, and Mr. Yoo will surely be pleased."


    Kim Haru who seen this commotion, raised his eyes but remained expressionless.


    Yoo Wonduk was the son of the chief of the patrol station in the Third District, and he himself was a metal-type ability user. Among the various abilities, the metal-type ability was already known for its powerful offense, and Yoo Wonduk''s talent in this field was quite impressive. He absorbed crystal cores faster than most people, which made him incredibly arrogant.


    In addition, Father Yoo doted him very much since he was his only son. This allowed Yoo Wonduk to strut around with his head held high, walking with arrogance throughout the entirety of the Third District and the neighboring Fourth District, which his father''s patrol station governed.


    The patrol station was responsible for the security of the area and was, without a doubt, the strongest official force around. While some independent ability users or small ability-user teams might be stronger than the patrol, since the patrol was an official group, there were rarely conflicts between them.


    Not to mention, this was the Third and Fourth Districts¡ªthe outermost regions of Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Any powerful ability users had already migrated to the inner zones, leaving only a handful of people in these outer areas.


    Although Yoo Wonduk was arrogant, he knew how to pick his battles. While he still flaunted his authority in the District, he wasn''t as blatantly domineering as he was here in the Fourth District, where he could really flex his power.


    Gwon Damjin is a plant-type ability user, who had recently managed to cozy up to Yoo Wonduk. Yoo Wonduk had asked him to grow a unique and useful plant that could be given as a birthday gift for Father Yoo, whose birthday was approaching.

 Chapter 67 The Cost of Arrogance (Part 1)

    Gwon Damjin being just an ability user struggling in the Third and Fourth District, didn''t have the skill to fulfill such a request on his own. But instead of refusing outright, he''d said he''d do his best. When he saw the high-quality vegetables that Kim Haru was selling and realized he couldn''t get his hands on them, he immediately thought of Yoo Wonduk.So, naturally, he brought Yoo Wonduk along.


    "Young Master Yoo, since I was the one who tipped you off, how about letting me have a little of the vegetable as a reward? I won''t ask for much, just a tiny bit¡ªwhatever you feel like throwing my way," Gwon Damjin said as if Kim Haru''s vegetables already belonged to Yoo Wonduk.


    So what if the vegetable seller had some skill? Young Master Yoo was an official son and surrounded by powerful ability user bodyguards. Were they really supposed to be afraid of a mere vegetable seller?


    Yoo Wonduk thought exactly the same.


    He lifted his chin and kicked Kim Haru''s cloth stall with his foot. "Hey, pack up all your vegetables. I''m buying everything," he ordered confidently, without a hint of doubt that his demand would be refused.


    Kim Haru didn''t move.


    Gwon Damjin sneered, "What''s wrong, didn''t you hear him? Hurry up and pack the vegetables! If we have to do it ourselves, it won''t be so pretty for you."


    Yoo Wonduk hadn''t expected Kim Haru to remain still. He finally cast his gaze downward, looking at him for the first time. "Don''t worry, I''ll pay. If they can afford it, you really think someone like me, Yoo Wonduk, can''t?"


    It was only after hearing that statement that Kim Haru made a move.


    He pointed at the cabbage in front of him. "Two thousand crystal cores."


    Before Yoo Wonduk could react, Kim Haru continued, "Per ounce."


    Yoo Wonduk''s eyes widened instantly.


    "Are you out of your damn mind, robbing people like this?!" Gwon Damjin shouted, voicing the crowd''s outrage.


    Yoo Wonduk''s face was equally grim. He knew that the price for the vegetables was typically 20 crystal cores per pound, with potatoes selling for even just 12 per pound. Yet, here, they were being quoted at 2,000 crystal cores per ounce! Anyone who believed that Kim Haru wasn''t doing this on purpose must be a fool.


    Yoo Wonduk never expected someone in this rundown Fourth District would dare to insult him like this. He glared fiercely at Kim Haru.


    "Don''t bite the hand that feeds you! Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is? If you want to survive in the Fourth District, I advise you to treat me with a bit of respect."


    Kim Haru ignored him. "If you want it, pay up. If not, get out of the way."


    "...Hmph, you brought this on yourself. Someone, grab him!" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Gwon Damjin, who had been waiting for this moment, was the first one to charge forward.

 Chapter 68 The Cost of Arrogance (Part 2)

    With a swift motion, he raised his hand, and a seed burst forth from the ground, hurtling straight at Kim Haru''s face. If this hit, even if Kim Haru escaped unscathed, his face would surely be ruined beyond recognition!Gasps erupted from the crowd!


    Gwon Damjin wore a smug grin, eager to hear his opponent''s scream of agony.


    However, right before everyone''s eyes, the vine that shot out from the seed rapidly grew, racing toward Kim Haru. But as soon as it reached him, it instantly flopped back down like a deflated balloon!


    Gwon Damjin''s eyes widened in disbelief!


    What''s going on here? Could this person also be a plant-type ability user? No, no¡ª even if he were, there''s no way he could control his plants without a hint of awareness!


    Unless, unless he''s an ability user that was several levels higher than me!


    Gwon Damjin refused to accept this possibility.


    The two ability users who followed Yoo Wonduk witnessed the scene as well, they''re exchanging glances before charging forward together!


    One wielding fire and the other wind, combining their powers, the fire surged with the wind''s strength. In an instant, a large swath of bright red flames ignited in the air, and it sounded as if the dust in the atmosphere was crackling from the heat.


    "He''s a Level 2 ability user! Boss, hurry up run!"


    The crowd erupted in panic, with some of the more timid individuals unable to bear watching any longer and turning away in fear.


    The situation was dangerous and everyone believed they were about to witness a disastrous scene.


    At that moment, everyone expected Kim Haru, who seemed doomed, to finally make a move.


    However, he just stood up.


    The scorching wind and flames swept toward him with a force of destruction, the fire tongues ready to scorch Kim Haru''s hair in the next instant. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment Kim Haru began to move and extended his hand.


    He quickly stored the unsold cabbages and potatoes into his system backpack.


    The onlookers were left speechless.


    Even when death was imminent, he was still busy gathering his vegetables! What good would that do now? If he died later, everything in his space would just explode out anyway!


    Hurry and escape!


    The crowd¡ªincluding Gwon Damjin, Yoo Wonduk, and the two ability users who had attacked Kim Haru¡ªhad already condemned Kim Haru to death in their minds. It was likely that before he could even retract his hand, he would be reduced to ashes.


    They watched, waiting for the inevitable...


    But wait?


    What''s happening? Why hasn''t the fire reached him yet?


    As they focused, they realized that, at some point, the fierce flames had actually stopped right in front of Kim Haru. It looked as if it was burning fiercely, but it hadn''t even singed a single hair on him.


    The faces of the wind-type and fire-type ability users changed instantly!


    Without needing to confer, the two of them immediately intensified their attack, launching another massive fireball straight at Kim Haru. The flickering flames glowed red and blue, clearly much hotter than before!

 Chapter 69 A Turn of Event

    However, just like the previous fire, this one also halted right in front of the vegetable seller, unable to advance even an inch.No matter how ferocious the flames became or how high the temperature soared.


    The crowd erupted in astonishment.


    The two ability users felt a surge of fear, unwelcome thoughts creeping into their minds.


    Could it be that they had targeted someone who they shouldn''t be offended?


    Unsure of what to do, they cast a glance at Yoo Wonduk.


    Yoo Wonduk visibly displayed a look of panic.


    What was he supposed to do? He had no idea how to handle this situation! How could he have known that this person was so powerful that even two Level 2 ability users couldn''t deal with him? After all, he had previously relied on these two people to dominate not only the Third District but even the Fourth District.


    No, it wasn''t his fault; it was the vegetable seller''s. With such extraordinary abilities, why was he even here in this rundown district? There were plenty of better places; why did he come to this place? If it weren''t for that, would he have come to provoke him?


    The attacker showed signs of weakness while the one being attacked stood casually. Yet in the eyes of the crowd, he had become an enigmatic figure. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, the latter spoke up, "Is it over? Then¡­ it''s my turn."


    As soon as the words left his mouth, the raging flames around Kim Haru vanished without a trace.


    At the same time, a scream erupted from Yoo Wonduk, who frantically slapped at his own body, hopping around on his feet. His cries were intermingled with "It''s so hot!" "Help!" "Fire, fire!" in various pitches.


    Before anyone could react, he was already rolling on the ground.


    He looked just like someone who had been severely burned!


    However, everyone could see that he didn''t have a single spark or even a hint of red on him.


    The two ability users and Gwon Damjin rushed over to help Yoo Wonduk up, but as soon as their hands touched him, they let out miserable cries!


    Gwon Damjin dodged around, repeatedly howling in pain, yet he remained rooted in place, struggling as if trapped by something, taking hit after hit.


    The two ability users had already rolled onto the ground with Yoo Wonduk, as if the flames on him had also spread to them.


    On the ground were the four of them writhing in agony, while not far away stood Kim Haru, tall and expressionless, watching the "performance" before him.


    The crowd silently took several steps back.


    This bizarre scene made the vegetable seller appear particularly profound and mysterious in their eyes, radiating a chilling aura.


    They looked at Kim Haru with awe, speculating about what thoughts lay behind his icy expression. Was he considering how to punish Yoo Wonduk and the others even more? Or was he contemplating whether to wipe out the entire Yoo family?


    Just the thought of the Yoo family facing disaster brought a quiet sense of delight to their hearts.

 Chapter 70 Hurry up and Leave

    So, what was Kim Haru thinking?He was considering that selling the remaining vegetables could wait; finding a quiet place to have a nice lunch was the priority.


    As for the few people rolling on the ground before him?


    They were of no concern to him.


    Kim Haru looked at the retaliatory item he had just purchased from the system store called [ Return the Favor ], and was quite satisfied with the effect it had produced this time.


    However, this item was just a one-time use item, and it had cost him three hundred gold coins, which stung a little.


    Fortunately, the item had a group effect and lasted a full two hours. Until the countdown finished, no method could interrupt its effect.


    Even if they wanted to die, they wouldn''t be able to.


    Kim Haru glanced at the few people on the ground, not intending to give them any more attention. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He walked over to Gong Daesung, his brows furrowing. "How are you?"


    The man looked a bit worse; a deep gash marred his front, Gwon Damjin clearly showed no mercy when he sent him flying.


    Fortunately, although Gong Daesung wasn''t an ability user, his physical condition was much better than an ordinary person''s. At least he could still force a smile through the pain as he opened his mouth to respond.


    "I-I''m a bit hurt."


    He had witnessed the previous scene clearly and felt no resentment toward Kim Haru for not having intervened sooner. Instead, he felt a sense of relief that this kind-hearted vegetable seller hadn''t suffered any harm.


    Having not consumed normal foods for quite some time due to not being an ability user, he worried about his wife, whose health was even worse than his. If things continued like this, he didn''t know if they would be able to last another year¡­


    The appearance of Kim Haru and his high-quality vegetables was akin to a lifeline for Gong Daesung.


    "I-I''m fine; someone will take me to the hospital," Gong Daesung tried to push Kim Haru away. "You should leave quickly; the patrol team will be here soon. They''re in cahoots with that young master and are quite troublesome."


    Gong Daesung had no idea where Kim Haru usually lived. He thought that since he was selling vegetables in the Fourth District, it was very likely he lived there too. If he ended up clashing with the patrol team, one misstep could escalate into a confrontation with the entire Pyeongseong Safe Zone authorities. No matter how powerful Kim Haru was, he was still just one person.


    Thinking of this, Gong Daesung became even more anxious.


    The crowd around him had not dispersed and had also heard Gong Daesung''s words.


    They realized this as well.


    Suddenly, one after another began to urge him, "Boss, hurry up and leave! The patrol team is not easy to deal with."


    "I remember there''s a small path over there; the patrol team won''t go that way. Boss, you should hurry and take that route."

 Chapter 71 Patrol Team

    "I''ll go ahead and check where the patrol team is; I''ll find a way to buy you some time.""Yes, yes! Boss, you hurry up and go; we''ll hold them off here."


    "Thank you for your vegetables, Boss! This is our way of showing gratitude!"


    "Boss, you should go quickly; we''ll take him to the hospital."


    "Oh no! The patrol team is already here!"


    "Damn! How did they get here so fast?"


    A team of ten people, dressed in identical uniforms, came rushing over.


    The leader had a stern face and was clearly a Level 3 ability user!


    Those people who were holding cabbages and potatoes glanced at the aggressive patrol team and then at the solitary Kim Haru. They gritted their teeth and stepped directly in front of Kim Haru, placing themselves between him and the patrol team.


    "Boss, hurry up and go! I''ll help hold them off!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if it was just for a moment, with the boss''s abilities, he would surely be able to escape far away.


    In the next instant, someone else stood beside him.


    "I''m in too."


    "I''ll join!"


    "And me."


    "Count me in."


    "Damn, even if I can''t, what can the patrol team do against so many of us? Add me to the mix."


    "If they want to touch such a good boss, they''ll have to get through me first."


    "Me too."


    "And me."


    "¡­"


    Almost everyone who had bought vegetables from Kim Haru stepped forward.


    Even those who hadn''t managed to buy anything also stood up!


    Kim Haru''s vegetables represented hope for them in this apocalyptic world. They had been struggling to survive in the Fourth District, and who among them hadn''t gradually become numb? After all, it was rare for such hope to appear; they didn''t want, nor were they willing, to let that hope shatter so easily.


    They hoped that affordable, non-lethal ingredients would once again become available, allowing them to afford them too.


    For that, what did it matter if they got hurt once?


    After all, they had long been fed up with the patrol team''s antics!


    The patrol team of the Fourth District learned about the incident at the market involving multiple injuries. Since they happened to be nearby, they arrived very quickly.


    They considered that it might have been an escalation of haggling between vendors and customers, thought it could be desperate individuals trying to steal food, or even speculated that it might have been someone turning into a zombie after eating too much mutated vegetables.


    Of course, they also wondered if that young master from Third District had come to stir up trouble again, but they never expected that the injured one would include him and his lackeys!


    Seeing Yoo Wonduk rolling on the ground in such a pitiful state, even if the members of the Patrol Team felt deep down that he deserved it, they quickly rushed forward to get him to the hospital.


    This man couldn''t have any problems here.


    As for the person who had harmed Yoo Wonduk to this extent, the patrol team definitely needed to take him away to show some accountability.


    However, how could so many people come out to block their way?


    The patrol team members were bewildered and stopped by the crowd.


    What was going on with these people? Normally, when faced with any trouble, wouldn''t they run away faster than rabbits? Had they taken the wrong medicine today, or were they under someone''s control?


    Baek Seongmin, the captain of the patrol team who was already a Level 3 ability user, became even more determined to capture the person responsible for all this upon seeing the scene.


    Anyone who could easily incite so many ordinary people to confront the official patrol team, which included ability users, must be a dangerous individual!


    Baek Seongmin scanned the crowd and locked onto a tall young man in the back.


    Among the throngs of people in the Fourth District, this person''s attire was remarkably clean and exuded a fresh aura, setting him apart from the patched and repeatedly washed clothing of others.


    Then there was his hair. Though it appeared a bit messy and slightly longer than typical short hair¡ªas if it hadn''t been groomed or trimmed for a while¡ªBaek Seongmin''s keen senses, as a Level 3 ability user, suggested that this person had definitely washed his hair just a couple of days ago and had even used a shampoo that was becoming increasingly hard to find.


    Even that disheveled look seemed less like neglect and more like a deliberately crafted style.


    As Baek Seongmin observed Kim Haru, Kim Haru was also watching Baek Seongmin.


    The two of them locked their eyes across the crowd.


    This person is a bit dangerous.


    Both Kim Haru and Baek Seongmin thought the same.


    Kim Haru looked at the patrol team leader, who wore an expressionless face, his gaze steady and his demeanor imposing. Such a person, in anime or games, resembled someone with considerable skills.


    No wonder everyone feared the patrol team so much.


    Kim Haru felt that even if he had numerous customers standing up for him, they were no match for this patrol team leader; if the latter decided to act, it would undoubtedly take mere moments.


    Kim Haru did not intend to let these customers suffer unnecessary harm for his sake. He vaguely sensed that the patrol team leader would not do anything to him.


    Sure enough, after being obstructed a few times by the crowd, Baek Seongmin noticed that they wouldn''t easily make way for him. His imposing aura suddenly intensified, and the chill of his Level 3 ice abilities rapidly spread from him as the ground began to freeze with a crackling sound. A blanket of white snow covered everyone''s feet, spreading mercilessly over their bodies.


    Anyone touched by the icy cold felt as if they had been frozen in place and could not move.


    Baek Seongmin controlled the situation well, immobilizing everyone without causing any harm; they merely felt the cold.


    With the crowd no longer obstructing him, Baek Seongmin turned his attention to Kim Haru. "Take him away."

 Chapter 72 The Lone Wolf and the Captain

    The patrol team members responded in unison and moved toward Kim Haru.Just as they were about to reach Kim Haru, two loud shouts echoed from a distance.


    "Wait!"


    "Stop!"


    It was Hwa Jian, who had bought vegetables earlier, and Shin Woncheon, who had finally finished his business and come over.


    The two of them happened to arrive at the same time.


    The patrol team members grew a bit impatient.


    All they wanted was to take someone back for questioning to give an explanation to the patrol team in the Third District, so why were there so many people causing trouble?


    Led by Baek Seongmin, the patrol team looked toward the source of the voices.


    Upon seeing who it was, they were momentarily speechless.


    Hwa Jian was not alone; beside him stood a tall young man with a gloomy expression. The signature black gloves he wore instantly reminded them of someone.


    Wasn''t this person is the mutated water-type ability user from the Third District? The one whose body was very toxic, making everyone afraid to approach him, and who rarely ventured outside!


    What was he doing here?


    On the other side, the Delta Squad from the Second District was known for ranking among the top twenty with just five members. Shin Woncheon, as the captain, was excellent at interacting with people and maintaining good relationships with many officials and strong teams. Why did he come to the Fourth District?


    Most importantly, how could the two difficult figures be connected to the person he was supposed to capture? This made it impossible for them to carry out their plan!


    Hwa Jian did not recognize Shin Woncheon, but Shin Woncheon had some impression of the young man brought by Hwa Jian. However, this was not the time to discuss it, so both of them hurried over to Kim Haru''s side. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I''m sorry, sir, I''m late," Hwa Jian and Shin Woncheon both spoke at once.


    ...


    In the office of the Fourth District patrol team, the other patrol members had all gone out according to their patrol routes, leaving only Baek Seongmin and the group consisting of Kim Haru, Hwa Jian, and Shin Woncheon.


    The situation at the vegetable market was quickly handled; those who needed to go to the hospital were taken, those who could be released were released, and those who continued to buy vegetables did so. As the center of the incident, Kim Haru was brought into the patrol team under Baek Seongmin''s assurance that nothing would happen.


    Of course, Hwa Jian and Shin Woncheon followed along.


    At this point, Kim Haru realized that after Hwa Jian finished buying vegetables and returned, he quickly realized how much of a commotion Kim Haru''s vegetables would cause in this place, and how easily it could lead to trouble. He thought of one of his friends.


    That gloomy young man, Han Gwonhee.


    Han Gwonhee was a Level 3 ability user, and his ability was a mutated water-type poison. Poison abilities are extremely lethal and also quite rare. However, during the first two levels of this ability, the chances of losing control are very high.


    Before Han Gwonhee ascended to level three, no living creature near him was unaffected. The lightest consequence was injury, while the most severe could be losing one''s life¡ªsomething he couldn''t control no matter what he tried. Gradually, no one dared to approach him anymore; they were filled with fear and rejection.


    His gloomy personality was formed during that time.


    Now that Han Gwonhee had reached level 3 and he was able to control his abilities very well. Due to the nature of his abilities, he was even stronger than ordinary Level 3 ability users. As a lone wolf, his combat power was certainly not lacking.


    However, he had developed the habit of staying far away from others. The only person he was willing to go out for was Hwa Jian, who had never rejected him.


    This time, Han Gwonhee was also brought in by Hwa Jian to help with the situation.


    Hwa Jian had never thought that his friend was frightening, but he knew the reputation Han Gwonhee held in the eyes of others. If his own friend were by his side, even those people who coveted Kim Haru''s vegetables would hesitate a bit.


    Hwa Jian didn''t expect that while he was looking for his friend, the thing he feared had already happened.


    Fortunately, he hadn''t arrived too late; at least he hadn''t let Kim Haru be taken away alone by the patrol team.


    Who in the safe zone didn''t know that Yoo Wonduk''s father was the highest-ranking officer of the patrol team in the Third District? The patrol team in the Fourth District also fell under his jurisdiction. Which subordinate would dare to help others instead of assisting their boss''s son?


    He couldn''t help but wonder what kind of treatment Kim Haru would receive if he were taken away like that.


    And so, this scene unfolded.


    As for Shin Woncheon, it was even easier to explain. He was initially concerned about whether there would be any need for assistance from Kim Haru and planning to hand in the tasks he needed to and then come over immediately. On his way, he thought of something and returned with someone.


    Once everything was settled, Shin Woncheon, worried about the time he had taken, so he let his teammates bring the person along slowly while he went ahead first.


    When they arrived at the location, Shin Woncheon was immensely relieved that he had come first; otherwise, wouldn''t it have caused trouble for Kim Haru?


    Under the pressure of the gazes from the renowned lone wolf, Han Gwonhee, and the well-connected Captain Shin Woncheon, even Baek Seongmin couldn''t help but sigh.


    "We already understand the situation, and it''s indeed not Mr. Kim''s fault. I apologize for the trouble this has caused you," Baek Seongmin said to Kim Haru. "You may leave now; I''m truly sorry."


    That was more like it.


    Hwa Jian and Shin Woncheon both thought this in their hearts.

 Chapter 73 Unexpected Visitors

    Seeing that Kim Haru was fine, Hwa Jian also bid farewell to Kim Haru and prepared to leave.However, he was stopped by Kim Haru.


    "Here are the vegetables for you." Kim Haru took out a cabbage, over ten potatoes, and a handful of soybeans from his system backpack. "Thank you."


    "Ah, I¡ªI can''t accept this, Mr. Kim ¡­" Hwa Jian immediately waved his hands in refusal. The quality of these vegetables was so high; how could he take them for free? Moreover, he hadn''t helped at all. If he had genuinely contributed, he could have shamelessly accepted them.


    Kim Haru didn''t want to argue any further and pressed the vegetables into Hwa Jian''s hands.


    "Just take them. Thank you."


    That thank you was also directed at Han Gwonhee.


    He nodded his head slightly, as if acknowledging it.


    The two socially anxious individuals exchanged glances, silently understanding each other''s intentions, and instantly felt much more at ease.


    Kim Haru paid no mind to Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee and followed Shin Woncheon as he left. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hwa Jian, who still wanted to return the precious vegetables, was stopped by Han Gwonhee. "Just take them; he doesn''t need these. You have others at home to care for, and you can return the favor next time you get the chance."


    With no other option, Hwa Jian could only gratefully accept them.


    "Since you''re here Gwonhee. Let''s go to my house for dinner today. These vegetables are technically yours too. I''ll whip up something special; it''s been a long time since I''ve had vegetables of such quality."


    "Sure."


    As for Kim Haru, once he exited the patrol team building, he contemplated whether he should find another place to sell the remaining vegetables since he was already there.


    Before he could bring it up, Shin Woncheon hesitated and asked, "Mr. Kim, what are your plans next?"


    Kim Haru looked at him and replied, "Hmm?"


    Seeing Shin Woncheon''s expression, it seemed he had something to say.


    As expected, Shin Woncheon proposed, "It''s like this, Mr. Kim. The quality of your vegetables is exceptionally high and highly sought after in this post-apocalyptic world. So, I was wondering if you would be open to collaborating with others?"


    "It''s from the officials."


    The Delta Squad brought someone responsible for logistics in the Second District, a capable and tall woman named Kang Yeongseok.


    Kang Yeongseok was the head of logistics for the entire Second District. If someone came to her to discuss cooperation, she would usually make them meet her on their own terms; she would definitely throw a water balloon at their face and tell them to get lost as far away as possible.


    But who could resist Shin Woncheon?


    After listening to the Delta Squad''s various assurances, especially with Shin Woncheon practically swearing on his life that he was telling the truth, she reluctantly followed them to the Fourth District, albeit with some skepticism.


    "You guys better not joke around with me. I still have a ton of things to do and waiting for me to handle it in the district. If you dare to mess with me, every single one of you will end up working a month for the logistics department."


    "Don''t worry; who would dare to fool you! Besides, don''t you know what kind of person our captain is? His words can''t be false!" Ryu Hyunwoo continuously patted his chest to assure her. "Let me tell you, Noonim, if you see those ingredients Mr. Kim has, you''ll be even more impressed than us. If you take a bite, you''ll never forget that taste for the rest of your life!"


    Gang Yuwon and Ra Jinho nodded their head vigorously in agreement.


    And so, Kang Yeongseok arrived at the Fourth District.


    She was decisive in her actions and didn''t care for formalities. Hearing that Mr. Kim was in the patrol team''s office, she directly used the patrol team''s office to begin preliminary discussions.


    When she saw Mr. Kim, Kang Yeongseok was taken aback.


    "Kim Haru?"


    Oh, this person recognizes the original owner.


    As soon as Kim Haru saw Kang Yeongseok''s reaction, he quickly understood.


    "Who are you?" Kim Haru asked.


    He flipped through the original owner''s memories but had no impression of this woman.


    Kim Haru wasn''t worried about revealing any secrets; the original owner wasn''t particularly lively or sociable. He believed he hadn''t made enemies with anyone and certainly didn''t have any special friendships.


    That group of scoundrels had been wary of their long-desired villa falling into someone else''s hands, so they overtly and covertly restricted the original owner from socializing too closely with others.


    Sure enough, Kim Haru''s straightforward inquiry didn''t raise any suspicion from Kang Yeongseok. She observed the person in front of her and explained, "I''m the logistics director for the Second District. I came to verify some information at your house once before; it''s normal that you don''t remember me."


    If it weren''t for the fact that Kang Yeongseok''s senses, including her vision, had greatly improved after awakening her ability, she wouldn''t have dared to recognize that this person was indeed Kim Haru.


    A regular person who hadn''t awakened any ability and had no special skills owning a villa in the Second District left quite an impression. Almost everyone in the logistics department had heard of his name, and during idle times, they would occasionally place bets on how long he could keep his villa.


    Even Kang Yeongseok had been called to participate in those bets. She remembered that she had seemingly bet on... very soon?


    After all, in the eyes of most people, Kim Haru didn''t have the capability to retain it. As for whose name was on the property deed? This was a post-apocalyptic world; how many people would still be willing to adhere to those rules?


    Kang Yeongseok just couldn''t believe what he was seeing¡ªright here, standing before her, was none other than Kim Haru, the person everyone in the Delta Squad kept calling the master gardener!


    "You''ve returned, so what''s going on with your place? The Flamma Squad reported that you¡­ disappeared while on a mission."

 Chapter 74 Virus-Free Vegetables

    The truth was far less polite than "disappeared." The Flamma Squad had actually said that Kim Haru had overestimated his own abilities and attempted to take on a mutated zombie, only to be caught and thrown into a horde of zombies.What would come next was obvious: a feeding frenzy. The zombies would have torn him apart, and whether or not anything of him remained was up for debate.


    Naturally, with Kim Haru supposedly gone, the Flamma Squad had seized his villa for themselves.


    Although Kang Yeongseok found the Flamma Squad''s behavior distasteful, it wasn''t her place to intervene, as she had no connection to either side. At most, she had only insisted that the Flamma Squad had to wait a full month before transferring ownership of the villa. If Kim Haru didn''t return within that time, only then would they consider making the transfer official.


    But now that Kim Haru stood before her, Kang Yeongseok had to ask.


    "They didn''t take it; it''s still mine," Kim Haru replied bluntly. He was definitely going to help the original owner settle this score. "Let''s get down to business first."


    Kang Yeongseok nodded in agreement.


    Yes, business was more important.


    Although she wasn''t sure how Kim Haru had suddenly come into possession of such high-quality vegetables, she had risen to her current position by never underestimating anyone based on preconceived notions.


    Meanwhile, the four members of the Delta Squad remained silent, acting as spectators. They hadn''t expected Kang Yeongseok to know Mr. Kim, and from the sound of things, it seemed like Mr. Kim had run into some serious trouble. Since they didn''t know the full story, they wisely kept quiet, but each of them mentally took note of the "Flamma Squad" and their involvement in this.


    The team that no one had really heard of probably wasn''t ranked above Delta Squad. Finding an opportunity to teach them a lesson on behalf of Mr. Kim shouldn''t be a problem.


    Kang Yeongseok then explained her purpose. "I heard from Woncheon that you have some high-grade vegetables here. I''m in charge of logistics for the Second District and was wondering if I could take a look? If the quality is as good as they say, we can discuss future purchases later. Don''t worry, even for the sake of Wonchuan and his team, I''m not the type to lowball prices maliciously."


    Kim Haru had no fear of being lowballed. He fully understood that his produce was currently part of a seller''s market.


    Kim Haru directly pulled out a cabbage, two potatoes, and a small handful of soybeans¡ªabout ten beans¡ªfrom his system backpack.


    Before he could even hand them over to Kang Yeongseok, she had already leaped to her feet and rushed over.


    "Holy crap!" It was rare to hear Kang Yeongseok utter such an unrefined word.


    She had never expected that the so-called high-quality vegetables were this good! Initially, she thought they might be A-grade, and S-grade hadn''t even crossed her mind.


    But who could''ve imagined that these vegetables could actually be special S-grade?


    Forget the Second District¡ªeven in the First District, special S-grade ingredients were rare. Only the Central District might have more of them.


    Kang Yeongseok rushed to the cabbage, instinctively reaching for it, but she remembered the owner was still standing there. She quickly asked, "Is it alright?"


    Kim Haru nodded, signaling that she could go ahead.


    Without hesitation, Kang Yeongseok tore off a leaf and stuffed it into her mouth.


    The crisp texture, accompanied by a hint of sweetness, was so fresh that even raw, it felt like she could eat half of it in one go!


    There wasn''t even the slightest hint of the bitterness or strange aftertaste caused by the virus.


    This was absolutely the taste of special S-grade ingredients.


    In fact, a slightly crazy, almost impossible thought appeared in Kang Yeongseok''s mind.


    She wondered, could it be possible that the virus content in this cabbage was... zero?


    Kang Yeongseok knew that this idea was far too crazy and unrealistic, but she just couldn''t shake the thought from her head.


    "...I need to test its virus content," she said, pulling a set of tools from the bag she carried with her.


    Kim Haru allowed her to proceed without interference.


    She tore off a piece of the cabbage and placed it in a small box, which shook a few times before revealing a small opening. She took out a test tube filled with liquid, opened it, and dropped a few drops into the box.


    Then, she closed the box and waited.


    Seeing Kim Haru''s curiosity, Kang Yeongseok explained, "This liquid can combine with the mutated virus and change color based on the virus content. It was developed by the research institute and has been used in many places." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oh, it''s like pH test strips, Kim Haru thought.


    He nodded in understanding.


    He had no worries about the quality of the vegetables produced by the system.


    As expected, about three minutes later, when Kang Yeongseok opened the box to check the results, she was immediately frozen in shock!


    She had guessed correctly¡ªthe liquid was still clear. These were truly virus-free vegetables.


    This¡­ this¡­


    For a moment, Kang Yeongseok didn''t even know what to say.


    Shin Woncheon''s four teammates saw the results as well and exchanged glances. While they had anticipated this outcome, they couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of awe.


    How long had it been since the world fell into this apocalyptic state? How long had it been since humanity had managed to grow a single vegetable free from the slightest trace of the mutagenic virus? Forget vegetables, even common plants had shown no signs of being free from mutation in years.


    It''s been almost ten years since the world plunged into chaos.


    Kim Haru couldn''t fully grasp the emotions of those who had been living in this world for so long. When he noticed that Kang Yeongseok remained silent after seeing the result, he couldn''t help but tap his fingers on the table to get her attention.

 Chapter 75 The Offer

    Shin Woncheon, more familiar with Kim Haru, immediately snapped out of his reverie and quickly reminded her, "Yeongseok, it''s time to discuss the cooperation."Kang Yeongseok gave Kim Haru a complicated look and sighed, "I''m sorry, but I can''t make the decision on this cooperation."


    Kim Haru frowned.


    Shin Woncheon and his teammates immediately grew anxious as well.


    "What''s going on, Yeongseok? These are virus-free vegetables! The research institute hasn''t even made much progress on this, and now we''re not going to cooperate?"


    "Exactly! Noonim, have you lost your mind?"


    "Shut up, you''re the one who''s lost it!" Kang Yeongseok shot a glare at Ryu Hyunwoo before turning around to Kim Haru. "It''s not that we won''t cooperate with you; it''s just that what you have is too valuable. With my rank, I''m not qualified to be the one negotiating with you. It would be disrespectful to you if I were the one handling this."


    "So," she continued, "I must ask you to wait a little longer. I will report this to my superiors, and when the time comes, the safe zone commander himself will come to negotiate with you personally."


    Kang Yeongseok firmly believed that as long as the safe zone commander wasn''t a fool, he would definitely come in person after seeing these test results.


    At this moment, Kim Haru was someone Kang Yeongseok regarded as a distinguished guest who needed to be treated with utmost caution. Her tone had become much more respectful. As for how the Kim Haru of before had suddenly transformed into the current Kim Haru, well¡­


    Who cared?


    Shin Woncheon and his team finally relaxed.


    See? Of course, Kang wasn''t an idiot. How could she pass up such a great opportunity?


    However, Kim Haru himself felt a little hesitant.


    Meeting with the safe zone commander sounded like a bit of a nightmare for someone with social anxiety like him. Just imagining the situation¡ªwhere he''d have to be mindful of every detail, from etiquette to clothing, speech, and body language¡ªmade him feel uncomfortable all over.


    Was this cooperation even necessary¡­?


    Kim Haru thought to himself.


    Just as he was about to refuse, the faces of the people from the market who had stood in front of him, shielding him from enemies, flashed through his mind.


    In the end, cooperation was still an option. While he couldn''t bear to disappoint those faces, the main reason was that Kim Haru didn''t really want to deal with all these people himself.


    He didn''t have to wait long before Kang Yeongseok brought news that the safe zone commander was on his way.


    The Safe Zone Commander of Pyeongseong Saze Zone was a middle-aged man who appeared very kind, with a constant smile on his face. When he met Kim Haru, there wasn''t a trace of arrogance. Instead, he enthusiastically grabbed Kim Haru''s hand and shook it up and down, his face brimming with joy.


    "You must be Mr. Kim? A brilliant young man, truly a brilliant young man! I''ve seen the test results for your vegetables, and do you know how many lives you will save? You might even change the entire post-apocalyptic world!"


    "You are our hero!"


    Kim Haru: "¡­" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alright, the flattery started right away. This was a bit too much, wasn''t it?


    It felt just like in a game, when a player first creates a character and meets their first NPC. The NPC always says something like, "You''ve finally arrived! We''ve been waiting for you for so long. The world depends on you."


    As a seasoned gamer, Kim Haru knew this routine all too well. Did they think he hadn''t seen this before?


    Kim Haru didn''t say a word.


    The safe zone commander''s eyes flickered as he quickly assessed Kim Haru''s personality, but he wasn''t the least bit offended. Only those with real ability could afford to be aloof.


    And the person before him was indeed capable.


    Without beating around the bush, the safe zone commander went straight to the point: "I won''t hide it, Mr. Kim. We are extremely eager to collaborate with you. Whatever conditions you have, we will do our best to meet them. May I ask what your thoughts are?"


    Kim Haru tapped the table lightly, forcing himself to suppress the discomfort of speaking with strangers. "First, the vegetables are limited. Second, the division of profits. Third, benefits."


    Kim Haru''s words were concise, and the safe zone commander understood quickly.


    "You mean the number of vegetables you grow is limited? Could you give us a specific number so we can plan how to distribute them?"


    "There''s no specific amount; it''s just one person growing them, so not much." Kim Haru shook his head.


    The safe zone commander fell into thought for a moment, then his eyes brightened. "Would you be willing to become a consultant for Pyeongseong Saze Zone''s research institute?"


    "Hm?"


    "It''s like this. I''ve learned that the price you sold your vegetables for wasn''t high, so I believe you are driven by a desire to change the world. But with only yourself, even if you worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk, you could never grow enough vegetables to meet the needs of the entire post-apocalyptic world. Instead of giving people fish, why not teach them to fish?


    You can sell your vegetables however you wish, and Pyeongseong Saze Zone is willing to provide whatever conditions you desire. All we ask is that you guide the people at our research institute, and help them learn to grow normal vegetables, so we can push this initiative forward.


    Let''s ensure that everyone struggling in the apocalypse can eat uncontaminated vegetables and no longer worry about turning into zombies at any moment!"


    Kim Haru''s expression remained cold, but inside, he found the proposal both amusing and surprising.


    Change the world? He had never thought that far. The ambitions of powerful figures were certainly on a grander scale.


    Kim Haru didn''t scorn the safe zone commander''s grand vision of saving the world, but he didn''t have the ability to grow "normal" vegetables; it was all thanks to the system.

 Chapter 76 The Agreement

    And it''s not like he could just hand out systems to everyone.Kim Haru was about to refuse when the safe zone commander, quick-witted, spoke up first. "Please don''t rush to turn me down, Mr. Kim. Whatever conditions you have, feel free to bring them up. I understand that what we offer in return will never truly match your contribution."


    "That''s not the issue," Kim Haru replied.


    "How about I ask, what other concerns do you have, Mr. Kim?" the safe zone commander asked.


    "I''m not very good at teaching others," Kim Haru hesitated.


    The safe zone commander instantly let out a sigh of relief. "That''s not a problem at all, Mr. Kim. You won''t need to teach them everything step by step. Just give them a little guidance if they go off track, and that''ll be more than enough. Even if you don''t say anything, no one will force you.


    Everything will go according to your comfort."


    The safe zone commander''s sincerity was evident, leaving Kim Haru unsure of how to respond. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The safe zone commander continued, "How about you come with me to the research institute? Maybe you''ll find something there that piques your interest."


    Seeing the safe zone commander''s expectant gaze, Kim Haru nodded in agreement.


    Without delay, the group immediately set off toward the research institute in the central district.


    Along the way, Kim Haru glanced out the car window, taking in a rough view of Pyeongseong Saze Zone.


    He finally understood the general layout of the Fourth District within the Pyeongseong Saze Zone.


    At the very heart of Pyeongseong Safe Zone lay the central district, which was the safe zone''s inner core. The research institute and the safe zone commander''s office were located there. Moving outward, you would find the First District.


    Those who lived in the First District were mostly the founding members of the safe zone, now holding important positions within it. They were people who wielded significant power.


    Next came the Second District, which offered a slightly more relaxed living environment than the First District. Whether you had money or power, as long as you met the criteria, you could live there.


    Kim Haru''s villa was located in this district.


    The Third and Fourth Districts formed the outermost regions of Pyeongseong Saze Zone. The Third District was home to ordinary ability users and their families, along with some well-off ordinary people who managed to secure housing there.


    The Fourth District, on the other hand, mainly housed ordinary people or ability users whose powers weren''t particularly useful for fighting zombies. Lacking in contributions, they couldn''t earn more crystal cores, and thus, they couldn''t improve their living conditions.


    Fortunately, apart from using crystal cores as currency, the safe zone also implemented a points system. People in the Fourth District could find jobs in the Pyeongseong Saze Zone, either through labor provided by the government or by working for other ability users or ability user squads. They earned points this way to support their livelihoods.


    Of course, since crystal cores were more stable in value, people often preferred to use part of their crystal cores for transactions instead of points. Each district in the Pyeongseong Saze Zone had a trading center where points and crystal cores could be exchanged at a fixed rate.


    Sometimes, because ability users needed crystal cores to recharge and level up, ordinary people ended up holding even more crystal cores.


    The safe zone commander explained all this as he noticed Kim Haru''s curiosity about the outside world during the ride.


    "Ever since the apocalypse began, the world''s order has completely changed. It''s no exaggeration to say we''ve regressed to a society akin to ancient times," the safe zone commander said, sighing in sorrow. "In fact, we might be worse off than ancient society. At least back then, food wasn''t as scarce as now, and people didn''t have to worry about turning into zombies after eating too much."


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but feel the weight of the situation too.


    He had been in this world for so many days, without a phone, a computer, or even internet. Every day he went to bed early out of boredom. Was this still a modern society?


    Soon, they arrived at the central district.


    Shin Woncheon and the others didn''t have the clearance to follow inside, so they were left at the entrance. Kang Yeongseok didn''t go in either; she had other tasks to attend to in the Second District''s logistics department, so she bid farewell to the safe zone commander and Kim Haru before leaving.


    After the Pyeongseong Saze Zone commander verified his facial recognition and palm print, the gates of the central district opened, and the car drove straight in.


    Unlike the First and Second Districts outside, the central district wasn''t vast, and there weren''t many buildings.


    Within Kim Haru''s line of sight, there were only three.


    "That''s my office over there, and the farthest building is the Animal Research Institute. The one in the middle is where we''re headed¡ªthe Plant Research Institute," the safe zone commander explained to Kim Haru. "There are a few other facilities, but they aren''t relevant today, so I won''t take you there."


    Kim Haru had no objections and followed the safe zone commander toward the Plant Research Institute.


    The closer they got, the more familiar the scene felt to Kim Haru.


    Rows of plowed fields stretched out before him, with one pit after another being dug. Some people were placing things into the pits, while others were watering the soil.


    At first glance, the Plant Research Institute looked just like a small rural village. Wasn''t it just a bunch of farmers working the land?


    In the end, Kim Haru and the Pyeongseong Saze Zone commander signed a contract.


    They officially appointed him as an external consultant to the Plant Research Institute at Pyeongseong Safe Zone. He was granted the status of a special-level researcher, without any need to follow a fixed work schedule or remain confined to the safe zone. He was given complete freedom.

 Chapter 77 Taking Back Whats Mine

    Kim Haru''s responsibilities were minimal. The first was that, if he intended to sell his vegetables, Pyeongseong Saze Zone would be his preferred choice.However, the safe zone commander didn''t enforce this as an absolute rule.


    He promised that if any regulations or people in Pyeongseong Safe Zone made Kim Haru feel uncomfortable or unhappy, he could choose not to sell his vegetables to them at any time.


    Of course, the safe zone commander vowed never to let things escalate to that point. No matter who it was, anyone who dared interfere with Mr. Kim''s business would be considered an enemy of the entire safe zone.


    Beyond this, Kim Haru would also occasionally fulfill his consultant duties, offering guidance whenever the Plant Research Institute encountered problems with vegetable cultivation.


    The contract also did not stipulate that Kim Haru had to answer any questions; everything would depend on his mood.


    Initially, the safe zone commander wanted to allocate a dedicated research room for Kim Haru in the institute, but he declined.


    Kim Haru had no plans to stay long inside the safe zone; he was still thinking about his wooden cabin outside the safe zone.


    Besides, he wasn''t truly an expert in farming. Kim Haru wasn''t sure if he could actually help the Plant Research Institute solve its problems. He had already made up his mind that if he couldn''t provide answers, he might as well offer them seeds and see if anything different came out.


    The farming system was simply too unique. If he stayed in the safe zone for too long, it was only a matter of time before someone noticed something strange.


    Because of this, the safe zone commander even wanted to assign Kim Haru a car for easier travel back and forth.


    Kim Haru refused.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t appreciate the offer; he simply didn''t know how to drive, so the car would have been useless to him.


    "I''ll just use a balance scooter."


    Seeing that Kim Haru wasn''t just being polite, the Pyeongseong Saze Zone commander had no choice but to agree. Although, inside his heart, he still felt uneasy. So, he mentioned that the next exploration team was set to depart in the next few days, heading to east. He offered to have them give Kim Haru a ride in that direction.


    Unable to refuse any longer, Kim Haru finally nodded in agreement.


    The Pyeongseong Saze Zone commander immediately sent someone to check on the exploration team''s preparations.


    After the contract was signed, Kim Haru remembered that he still had some vegetables left unsold. Shin Woncheon and the others had bought some before, but there were still some remaining. Kim Haru handed them all over to the safe zone commander, exchanging them for the corresponding amount of crystal cores based on the system''s pricing.


    He also declined the extra amount the safe zone commander wanted to give him.


    In the end, after deducting what he had given to Hwa Jian, Kim Haru had sold a total of 5,004 crystal cores. After purchasing two items, he still had 4,204 crystal cores left.


    Kim Haru asked for the location of the miscellaneous market. Before going there to buy various things, he had something else to take care of.


    "Where is my villa?"


    Before signing the contract, Kim Haru had made one request.


    He wanted his villa back and to punish the shameless thieves who had taken it!


    The safe zone commander, of course, did not hesitate.


    Even if Kim Haru hadn''t mentioned it, after realizing how valuable Kim Haru was, the safe zone commander would have made sure to handle the matter for him.


    ...


    Yongwan Street, Second District.


    The Flamma Squad was leisurely making their way to the villa.


    "Ah, it''s so much better now that the annoying guy''s gone from the villa. He used to boss everyone around, even about where to throw the trash. Just because his name was on the deed, he thought he could control everything. His life was only saved because of us, anyway."


    "Daepo, you must have been born in a trash heap. Have you seen your room? It smells worse than a garbage dump. Good thing the villa''s big now, with enough rooms for everyone. So, I don''t have to be near you. Sure enough, big houses are the best."


    "Bah! Like I want to share a place with you! You reek of sweat. When was the last time you took a shower? You''re so lazy. Now that the whole villa is ours, and there''s such a big bathroom, I could spend all day in there. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You just don''t know how to enjoy life."


    "Ha! I was wondering why the water''s been used up so fast lately. So it''s you, Daepo, who''s been wasting it. We don''t have that loser to buy water for us anymore, so use it sparingly."


    "What the hell? Weren''t you the one, boss, who couldn''t stand him the most and pushed to take him out early? We were waiting for him to buy more water first, and hopefully drain all his money before finishing him off. Now we don''t even know where he hid it."


    "Enough talking. There''s no way any of you could''ve put up with that idiot constantly hanging around, reminding us that we were living under his roof. How could I, the boss of Flamma Squad, stand that humiliation?"


    "The boss is right. He was just an ordinary person with no abilities, yet living in such a nice villa? He was practically begging for someone to target him. Now that he''s dead, the house is ours. Let''s go back and enjoy it properly."


    "Yeah, yeah, let''s hurry back. I''ve got a few bottles of alcohol waiting. Too bad we don''t have a lightning-type ability user. Otherwise, we could use the fridge, the washing machine, the TV, and play games. That''d be heaven."


    The conversation gradually drifted to what fun things there were left to do in the villa. As for killing the owner? There wasn''t a trace of guilt or regret, they just complained that they hadn''t done it sooner.

 Chapter 78 Unexpected Consequences

    Their cheerful chatter came to an abrupt halt in front of the villa.The Flamma Squad stared in disbelief as a group of strangers moved in and out of the villa, which they had already claimed as their own. Seeing this scene made them both shocked and furious.


    "What do you think you''re doing?! Get the hell out of my house, or we''ll feed you to the zombies for breaking in!"


    "You bastard! That''s mine! Try throwing it out, and I''ll kill you!"


    "Everyone stop! Who sent you? Was it Magna Flumen Squad? Caelestis Motus Squad? Or maybe Lux Clara Squad? I don''t care who it was, all of you need to get out!


    This is Flamma Squad''s turf!"


    "Are they all crazy? Do they have a death wish?!"


    The Flamma squad, after throwing out a bunch of harsh words, stood there dumbfounded as they realized that none of the people moving in and out of the villa paid them any attention.


    People continued tossing things out, clearing spaces, and not even glancing in their direction.


    Oh, wait, one person did glance at them briefly when the Flamma squad blocked his path. But he only gave them a quick look, said nothing, and simply walked around them, continuing on his way.


    There was no apology, no explanation, not even the effort to roll his eyes at them!


    The Flamma squad was utterly baffled.


    Just as they were filled with confusion and doubt, they finally recognized a familiar face.


    It was someone from the logistics department, a person they had spoken to before when picking up supplies.


    The Flamma Squad leader, Kim Segyo, quickly stopped him, asking with confusion, "Hey, isn''t this house ours now? What''s going on with all these people?"


    The logistics guy gave them a pitying look. "Yours? Think carefully about what kind of big shot you''ve offended."


    With that, he flicked his sleeve like he was shaking off the plague and hurried away, speeding up to finish clearing out the villa.


    He had already been kind enough to drop those few words. He still needed to get the villa completely cleaned up before that person arrived, making sure it wasn''t cluttered or anything that might irritate them.


    As for these guys? This was just the beginning. Much worse punishment was coming their way.


    The Flamma squad was left standing there, staring at each other in disbelief.


    Offended a big shot? Who could it be? They had always been respectful to the bigwigs, practically bending over backwards to kiss their boots. They even gave plenty of crystal cores, so even if the big shots ignored them, they shouldn''t be offended, right?


    Who could it be?


    The Flamma Squad dumbly watched as the villa they had barely gotten their hands on was slowly but surely being cleaned out, panic rising in their hearts. But there was nothing they could do. These were officials from the safe zone, and if they didn''t want to be kicked out, they absolutely couldn''t lay a hand on them.


    Who? Who could it be? Was it that guy surnamed Jang? Or surnamed Do? Or maybe that guy surnamed Im? Ahhh, if they only knew who it was, they''d grovel immediately!


    They didn''t care if they had to bark like dogs¡ªthere was no way they were letting go of this hard-earned villa!


    As the Flamma Squad stewed in their anxiety and helplessness, they suddenly heard the person in charge shout, "Hurry up, he''s almost here! Get moving!"


    The big shot was coming. If they could please him, they might still get their villa back!


    The Flamma Squad watched as a group of people slowly approached from a distance, each of them preparing to rush up and apologize, ready to curry favor. The smarter ones even messed up their clothes and hair, tore their shirts, and smeared themselves with dirty ash, all to play the pitiful role.


    Everything was ready, except for the final push.


    However, before the Flamma Squad members could even get close to the big shot, the logistics department member who had spoken to them earlier glanced at them, frowning. "Why are these people still here? Someone, come over and take them away. Don''t let them sully the gentleman''s eyes."


    The Flamma Squad members were stunned, their faces full of disbelief.


    Before they could react, several ability users responsible for maintaining the order came over and restrained them without any courtesy.


    "Wait! Wait, what are you doing?! Let us go! We haven''t done anything wrong, that''s our house! Let us go!"


    "Hold on." The logistics member called for a pause. Just as the Flamma Squad thought he realized he was in the wrong and was about to release them, they only heard him say, "Take them directly to the dark room. We don''t want them causing trouble. Once the higher-ups are free, they''ll deal with them." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dark room? That place was known as a room but it was actually a cell?!


    No, this couldn''t be happening! They hadn''t done anything wrong! It was impossible!


    No matter how much the Flamma Squad squad struggled, it was useless in front of the official ability users who were armed with the inhibitor collar.


    Annoyed by their noise, and worried about disturbing the important guest who were soon to arrive, they even stuffed rocks into their mouths to shut them up.


    Silence.


    As the Flamma Squad leader glanced back one last time, he finally caught sight of the figure of the person who had brought them to this fate.


    Seeing that person''s background made his pupils contract in shock.


    "How is that possible¡­?"


    ...


    The conditions in the dark room were naturally far from pleasant. Inside the small room, the only light came from a tiny window, letting in a faint glow. Nine members of the Flamma Squad squad crowded inside, filled with unease.


    The dark room was specifically designed to detain people, especially ability users. As soon as the Flamma Squad entered, they felt their powers completely suppressed. Even if they wanted to escape, there was no way out.

 Chapter 79 New Beginnings

    All they could do was sit in fear, waiting for someone to let them out.Soon enough, someone came.


    But when they heard what that person had to say, the Flamma Squad squad felt as though they had plunged into an icy abyss.


    "It has been confirmed that these nine individuals violated the ''No unjustified killing of others except under special circumstances'' principle in the Human Survival Regulations of the Safe Zone. They coveted others'' property, took lives, and committed despicable acts.


    The Safe Zone Commander''s decision is to send them to the pioneering squad, where they will never be allowed back into the safe zone. Additionally, they will be made an example of publicly, to warn others," the messenger said to the dark room supervisor.


    Without sparing a glance at the desperate screams and pleas for mercy coming from the Flamma Squad members inside, the messenger turned around and left.


    The supervisor banged his iron rod twice on the dark room''s door with an annoyed clank. "All of you, shut up! Save your strength. You''ll need it when you get to the pioneering squad." He muttered curses as he left, "If it weren''t for the fact that we''re short on people in times like these, we''d have just killed you scum. Sending you off to the pioneer squad is already a mercy. Bah!"


    The dark room fell silent.


    The Flamma Squad squad slumped to the floor, defeated.


    Before long, the nine of them were fitted with control anklets, created by high-level psychic-type ability users, making any chance of escape impossible.


    They were pushed and shoved toward the pioneering squad, where twenty or so others, shackled just like them, awaited.


    Word had it that a pioneering squad was soon departing and that these criminals would be escorted along the way to the place where their services were needed for clearing new territory.


    Once they arrived at those forsaken, human-less areas¡ªteeming with who knows how many wandering zombies or mutated creatures¡ªtheir fate would be sealed.


    They would spend every day from dawn until dusk risking their lives to build safety lines.


    Either they successfully cleared the land and moved on to the next mission of sending themselves to their deaths, or they''d perish under the claws of zombies or mutated beasts.


    There was no chance of ever returning.


    ...


    "Mr. Kim, please take a look around the house and see if there''s anything else that needs to be handled. The logistics team is clumsy; if anything is missing, I''ll have them fix it right away." Jang Dojang had been assigned by the Safe Zone Commander of Pyeongseong Safe Zone to accompany Kim Haru, following his every command.


    Upon hearing that Kim Haru wanted to inspect the villa, Jang Dojang immediately brought a team over.


    Kim Haru didn''t have strong memories of the villa. He only recalled that the original owner had kept a photo album, containing pictures of him and his parents taken at the villa. Most of the memorable moments were captured within those photos.


    Kim Haru instructed the logistics team to arrange the villa according to the layout seen in the pictures.


    His primary focus was entirely on the new notification from the farming system.


    The moment Kim Haru stepped through the entrance of the small villa, the system prompted a new message.


    [ You have acquired a new property. Would you like to claim it? ] S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking for a moment, Kim Haru chose "Yes."


    Instantly, a new line appeared on the system interface displaying "Small Villa." When Kim clicked on it, a virtual model of the villa appeared in front of him, similar to a real estate app, complete with a 360-degree rotation feature.


    It also showed the villa''s dimensions and other basic details.


    Before Kim could finish exploring the "Small Villa" feature, another system notification popped up.


    This second notification is what captured most of Kim Haru''s attention.


    [ Congratulations on acquiring a new property! The system has detected high foot traffic in the surrounding area. The ''Merchant'' title has been unlocked. Would you like to bind this building as your first shop?" ]


    It seemed he had just unlocked a business-related side quest.


    Kim Haru was beginning to feel like his golden fingers were getting a bit overpowered.


    He selected "Bind."


    Although the villa originally belonged to the original Kim Haru, and while Kim Haru and that person were technically parallel versions of each other from different worlds, he didn''t intend to simply claim everything left behind.


    The villa held traces of the original owner''s life with his family, and it contained old belongings from his childhood. Take the photo album mentioned earlier¡ªno doubt it was one of the original owner''s most cherished possessions.


    Kim didn''t plan to touch those things.


    From the very beginning, Kim Haru hadn''t intended to move into the villa after reclaiming it, so he instructed the logistics team to restore the villa to match the original owner''s memories. In this way, the original Kim Haru and his memories could still hold onto a corner of this world.


    The first floor of the villa, however, was a public area. It had a large living room, a kitchen, a guest bathroom, a storage room, and a modest guest bedroom. Whether this area was restored or not didn''t matter, as the original owner had planned to either rent out or sell the first floor if he couldn''t keep the entire property.


    Previously, Kim had thought leaving the first floor vacant seemed wasteful, but hadn''t decided what to do with it. Now, the system had given him the perfect option.


    After saying the word "bind," Kim Haru''s system interface was updated with additional information.


    Two new titles appeared on the system interface: one was "Farmer," and the other was "Merchant."


    Both titles could be clicked for more details.


    Inside the Farmer title, the system displayed his current crops: cabbage, potatoes, and soybeans.


    It even showed exactly how many plants that had fully matured and how many were still growing, all meticulously detailed.

 Chapter 80 A New Opportunity

    As for the Merchant title, the only thing listed there at the moment was an empty "Small Villa - First Floor" shop.Kim Haru wasn''t in a rush.


    He looked around, found a blank sheet of paper and a pen, and after briefly observing the layout of the main hall, he started sketching.


    A simple shop layout began to take shape on the paper.


    Kim handed the paper to Jang Dojang, who had been paying close attention to his movements.


    "Turn the main hall into a shop," he instructed.


    Jang Dojang quickly accepted the paper with both hands. The layout wasn''t complicated, and hearing that Kim Haru wanted to convert the space into a shop, Jang Dojang''s heart leaped with joy. The Safe Zone Commander had hinted at the level of quality food ingredients this man had access to, which could be a great opportunity.


    "Understood, Mr. Kim. Don''t worry, our logistics team is fully equipped to handle this. We''ve got plenty of talent for building projects. Most of Pyeongseong Safe Zone was constructed by our team, using all kinds of abilities¡ªit''s incredibly useful."


    Kim Haru nodded, letting Jang Dojang proceed.


    His next batch of vegetables hadn''t matured yet, so there was no hurry to start selling. Besides, Kim Haru didn''t plan on personally managing the store.


    Just thinking about sitting at the cash register every day, with a stream of customers constantly passing by, possibly stopping to greet him, asking all kinds of questions¡ªKim''s scalp tingled just imagining it.


    Before the store opened, he needed to find a reliable clerk.


    However, Kim Haru planned to be more selective this time. He certainly couldn''t end up with another situation like the original owner, who had allowed a group of scum people to take over his villa.


    Speaking of those scum people, Kim Haru found himself wondering where they had gone.


    The villa had almost been completely cleared out, yet there was no sign of them trying to take it back.


    Kim Haru was pondering this when he decided to ask Jang Dojang about it.


    "The Safe Zone Commander has already had people investigate your connection with the Flamma Squad. It was due to our poor management that such an incident occurred. We sincerely apologize, Mr. Kim. The Safe Zone Commander has already ordered that the squad''s actions be made public, so that everyone in the Safe Zone can learn from this.


    They''ve also been added to the Safe Zone''s blacklist, meaning no Safe Zone will ever accept them again. By now, they should have been sent to the Pioneering Squad. Unless something unexpected happens, they''ll likely spend the rest of their lives facing zombie claws."


    Jang Dojang explained everything in great detail, even worried that the punishment might not be enough to satisfy Mr. Kim.


    However, ever since the major Safe Zones opened their communication channels, all zones had agreed to certain regulations. Even a Safe Zone Commander couldn''t impose the death penalty on someone outright.


    That said, life in the Pioneering Squad was hardly better than death.


    That job required people to put their lives on the line. No normal person willingly signed up for it, so over time, convicted people were simply sent in their place. There was no need to provide good logistical support either, since they were all considered expendable.


    After understanding what the Pioneering Squad truly was, Kim felt satisfied.


    He had been torn about how to punish those worthless teammates. After all, Kim Haru had grown up in a peaceful society, and killing people wasn''t something he could easily do. But letting them live seemed unfair to the original owner.


    This solution was perfect. Let those men experience the despair of being torn apart by zombies.


    "Thank you."


    Kim Haru not only thanked Jang Dojang for his explanation but also extended his thanks to the Safe Zone Commander who had given the orders through him. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s there to thank me for? It''s you who''s bringing hope to us. We should be the ones thanking you. Compared to what you''ve done, what we''re doing is insignificant. Please don''t be upset." Jang Dojang waved his hands repeatedly. "To be honest, the Safe Zone Commander has long wanted to deal with the bad habits of many of the ability users.


    Ever since humans started developing abilities, the gap between ordinary people and ability users has grown more and more obvious. Countless ability users think they''re superior just because of their powers. Even though the Safe Zones have established rules, so many of them don''t take those rules seriously¡ªeither openly or in secret."


    "This was how it was before: no law could hold everyone accountable, and the Safe Zone''s stability relied heavily on these ability users. Now, with the Flamma Squad incident, it''s the perfect opportunity to act. We should be thanking you for giving us this chance."


    Kim Haru didn''t respond further.


    As for the conflict between ordinary people and ability users, it didn''t seem to have much to do with him. He wasn''t some helpless ordinary person, but he wasn''t an ability user either.


    "Speaking of which, Mr. Kim, you must be a rare dual-ability user, right? If I''m not mistaken, it should be a space-type ability and a plant-type ability? We didn''t mean to investigate you, but you used your abilities at the Fourth District market. So many people witnessed it, it was easy to figure out," Jang Dojang said with envy.


    "Not only do you have dual abilities, but your plant-type ability is so powerful that you can even control enemy plants. That''s truly impressive."


    "Although Mr. Kim might did not care much about this, since you''re an ability user, you could register with the Ability Users Management Department. You''d be eligible to receive monthly basic crystal cores that match your ability type."


    Kim Haru: ¡­what?


    Kim Haru stared at Jang Dojang in bewilderment, speechless as Jang Dojang confidently laid everything out, not giving him a chance to object. In the end, he quietly accepted it.

 Chapter 81 A Trip to the Market

    Fine. Fine, I guess. If people think I have space and plant abilities, that''s a pretty good cover for the farming system. I might as well accept it, so I don''t have to keep answering questions.But, seriously, wasn''t I just saying that the conflict between ordinary people and ability users has nothing to do with me? Now, what am I considered¡ªan ordinary person or an ability user?


    However, controlling other people''s plants?


    Kim Haru frowned as he thought back. He recalled that, during the scuffle over the vegetables, someone had indeed been using vines as a weapon. But when the vines lashed out toward him, they suddenly went limp. At the time, Kim had assumed the person was just trying to scare him and had retracted them. Could that not have been the case?


    Maybe it was something the system did.


    Kim Haru thought about it for a moment but didn''t dwell on it.


    Mentioning the vegetable market reminded Jang Dojang that there was something he had forgotten to report.


    "Oh, right, sir. That kid who tried to snatch your vegetables at the market is named Yoo Wonduk. He usually acts arrogantly because of his father''s position. He''s never faced any real consequences before, but now he''s run into someone like you. He''s still lying in the hospital. I heard that he''s become a bit of a fool¡ªcrying and apologizing to everyone he meets, even offering people money non-stop.


    The doctors say this state will likely last for at least half a month."


    "As for his father, we found out he was taking bribes and covering for Yoo Wonduk''s behavior. His position has already been revoked, and he''s been given three days to move from Third District to Fourth District. What do you think of this handling?"


    If you think it''s not enough, we can escalate it further.


    That''s what Jang Dojang meant by his words.


    Kim Haru wasn''t someone who held grudges. The man who abused his power lost his position, and the one who liked to take from others had now turned into a person full of "selfless giving." When Yoo Wonduk eventually came to his senses, he would no doubt feel very conflicted.


    This was enough.


    Kim Haru shook his head, pushing these people out of his mind.


    Irrelevant people didn''t even deserve a place in his memory.


    After making a round of the villa, Kim Haru didn''t find anything in particular that needed attention.


    The exploration squad that was supposed to accompany him still hadn''t planned their departure yet. They were probably still busy packing up and saying their goodbyes before assembling. Since he had some time to spare, Kim Haru decided to head to the miscellaneous market.


    Every zone had its own large and small miscellaneous markets. Kim Haru wasn''t interested in the loot from mutated plants or mutated animals that ability users often sought.


    He was more focused on finding useful daily life items that would make his life easier. Jang Dojang recommended a place on Beonyeong Street in the Second District, not far from the villa.


    Beonyeong Street lived up to its name. As soon as Kim Haru reached the entrance, he could already see the bustling flow of people inside.


    The shops that was lining the street were mostly closed, with only small single-door entrances left open for people to come and go.


    "These shops are mostly rented out to independent ability user squads as living quarters," Jang Dojang explained, noticing Kim Haru''s gaze lingering on the buildings. "In times like these, there aren''t many people who can afford to run a proper shop. Even if they could open one, it''s hard to keep it going. Although patrol teams roam the area regularly, some people are just too cunning. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the shop owner doesn''t have some skill of their own, they usually can''t last more than a few days."


    Besides, the Safe Zone''s combat strength was mostly focused on fighting the zombies and mutated creatures. Small disputes like these were difficult to manage.


    After saying this, Jang Dojang suddenly remembered that the person beside him had just decided to open a shop. He worried that his words might have scared Kim Haru out of the idea. If that happened, he''d be at fault.


    Jang Dojang hurried to reassure him, "Mr. Kim, don''t worry! You''re an esteemed partner of the Safe Zone. Any shop you open will be given special protection. No troublesome people will dare show up in front of you."


    Kim Haru wasn''t too concerned.


    With the system backing him, he really wasn''t afraid of such things. At most, he''d just spend some money to buy suitable items. The money spent on tools could be easily earned back by selling vegetables at the shop.


    Kim Haru, who had never worried about money in his past life, thought about it this way.


    He stopped paying attention to the occupied shops and slowed his pace, strolling leisurely from the street entrance.


    The street vendors along the roadside seemed to have established fixed spots for their stalls. Unlike the chaotic vegetable market in Fourth District where vendors just spread a cloth on the ground to sell their goods, here, they had proper folding tables or large wooden boards that made the market look more orderly.


    "Hey, don''t miss out! Cotton coats! Keep warm this winter with these high-quality cotton coats! We''ve got sizes for men, women, and kids! Almost brand new, no bloodstains, just a hundred crystal cores! Come take a look!" one of the vendors called out.


    "Are you crazy thinking you can sell this for a hundred crystal cores? Is this really in 90% good condition? Look at the dirt all over it! Who knows whose zombie corpse it was stripped off? Thirty crystal cores, take it or leave it."


    "Alright, alright, you really good at talking. Here''s thirty."


    "Can I pay with points? Thirty crystal cores would be three hundred points."


    "Pfft! If I pay with points, I should at least get an extra ten. If I use crystal cores, I have to go exchange them, which is such a hassle."

 Chapter 82 Shopping Spree in the Safe Zone

    "Fine, three hundred one it is.""Chopsticks! Anyone want to buy chopsticks for eating?"


    "Come on, come on! Mirrors, lipsticks, perfumes, handbags¡ªessentials for women! Ladies, why not buy a handbag?"


    "Shoes! Anyone looking to buy shoes?"


    "Handsome guy, check out my goods! They smell better than his. Come and take a sniff; they''re definitely authentic."


    "Pots, bowls, and pans¡ªessentials for the household! Hurry up and pick what you need!"


    "Stools! Plastic stools, just ten points!"


    ...


    The various voices of the vendors converged, and if one hadn''t paid attention to the spirits of the passersby and their payment methods, Kim Haru might have thought he had entered a flea market from his previous life.


    Beside him, Jang Dojang chuckled and sighed, "Pretty lively, right? In the Safe Zone, this is the only place with such an atmosphere. It''s like I''ve returned to normal life, despite this damned apocalypse."


    Kim Haru didn''t respond.


    Even though he didn''t like crowded places, he couldn''t deny that the vibrancy of so many people was far more pleasant than the deathly silence of the apocalypse.


    Kim Haru spotted a lounge chair among the stools for sale.


    "Boss, I want this one." Kim Haru stood in front of the stool vendor, pointing at the lounge chair sitting lonely in the corner.


    The lounge chair was an old-fashioned, hand-woven rattan chair that could fold and rock, complete with a footrest. His family had one like it in his past life. He loved nothing more than to sit in the lounge chair on the balcony during the evening when the sun was no longer hot. He could read a book, listen to music, or do nothing at all and take a short nap with his eyes closed.


    It was especially comfortable.


    The chair vendor''s eyes lit up when he noticed that the two people in front of him had a certain air about them and were dressed differently from ordinary folks. He opened his mouth, intending to shout a high price.


    However, before he could even start speaking, he saw the latter pull a badge from his pocket.


    Even though only half of the badge was visible, the vendor quickly recognized it as the emblem of the Safe Zone Commander''s direct department!


    In an instant, the vendor changed his tune, saying, "Oh, in this day and age, who has the leisure to lounge on such a big and space-consuming chair made of plants? No one''s buying it; it''s just sitting in this corner. If you like it, just take it for ten crystal cores."


    "Eight crystal cores will do too. If you still think that''s too high, five will work¡ªat least five crystal cores, and I can''t go lower than that."


    Kim Haru: "..."


    This was the first time he had encountered a vendor who cut his own price without hesitation.


    Not understanding what was going on, Kim Haru didn''t bother to figure it out. Besides, he wasn''t good at bargaining, and he was relieved that the vendor had made it easier for him.


    He glanced at Jang Dojang beside him to confirm that the price for the rattan chair was reasonable and quickly made the purchase, putting it directly into his system backpack.


    After buying the lounge chair, Kim Haru continued to stroll forward.


    Surprisingly, seeing the items sold at the various stalls made him feel that he was missing out on something; he thought everything might be useful if he brought it back home.


    However, what stopped Kim Haru from buying everything wasn''t a lack of money; it was the sharp observation that some items still had unwashed bloodstains on them.


    Then he recalled the bargaining conversation he just heard and thought that these items might have been used by some deceased person or touched by a zombie, causing him to instantly discard the thought of making a purchase.


    As a transmigrator, Kim Haru had not yet fully adapted to this post-apocalyptic lifestyle.


    And he didn''t want to adapt.


    In his previous life, while others might have thought Kim Haru lived a lonely and isolated life, he was actually enjoying his days immensely. With a fortune he could never exhaust from the inheritance, a job that didn''t require him to go outside, and the freedom to buy whatever he wanted and do whatever he pleased, Kim Haru had never felt wronged at all.


    In this life, a significant reason he was able to trust the farming system in his head so quickly was that it could provide him with a comfortable life.


    He loved living comfortably. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If there were conditions, he wanted his life to be forever comfortable¡ªmore comfortable, in whatever way comfort could be found.


    Kim Haru never cared about other people''s opinions.


    So, while rummaging through the miscellaneous market, Kim Haru picked up a large number of items¡ªeverything from a big table to small sewing kits, and he bought any notebooks or books he came across.


    He also purchased several pelts from some mutated animals, which were large and soft, feeling particularly good to the touch. After confirming that they were from the seller''s ability users squad and had been tanned properly without any previous use, Kim Haru bought all of them.


    He planned to use the largest one to cover his bed; it would definitely be super comfortable to sleep on.


    The slightly firmer one would serve as a carpet in the living room, perfect for the low coffee table, allowing him to sit on the carpet leaning against the sofa comfortably.


    The extra ones could be used for replacements or to see if there were other places they could fit. After all, he could always find a use for them later, so he decided to buy them and store them for now.


    With a wave of his hand, Kim Haru made his decision.


    Besides these items, he also noticed a stall selling jewelry. With his keen eye from frequently drawing and occasionally getting inspired to play around with raw gemstones, he recognized that these jewels were genuine.

 Chapter 83 nexpected Encounters And Ghostly Fears

    However, the stall had a rather desolate atmosphere; even in this post-apocalyptic world, there weren''t many foolish buyers willing to spend on things that couldn''t be eaten or used.Kim Haru willingly became one of those foolish buyers.


    He bought a bunch of jewelry for less than the price of a cabbage, and the vendor looked as if they would have gladly shoved all the remaining items into his hands.


    It was truly a bargain price.


    Kim Haru didn''t pity the stall owner; he was genuinely interested in the exotic jewelry. He thought it would be nice to take them home to play around with, or to decorate his home.


    What surprised Kim Haru the most was that he also saw someone selling mobile phones, tablets, and game consoles!


    They were all piled together haphazardly, with prices casually set¡ªone crystal core could buy several of them.


    At that moment, the stall owner was scolded by someone: "Selling things should come with a sense of integrity! Just these broken machines, the old models that need to be plugged in to charge. Where are we supposed to find electricity now? I wouldn''t even use these useless things to smash zombies; they''re worse than bricks!"


    Then, in the eyes of the customers and the stall owner, who regarded him as a fool, Kim Haru spent one crystal core to buy up all the stock the vendor had.


    Even Jang Dojang hesitated, looking at Kim Haru with an odd expression.


    But Kim Haru didn''t care about that. He kept walking and buying, willing to pay for anything interesting or useful he came across. Before long, the entire bustling street knew about this fool, and everyone brought their wares to him, introducing them as if they were treasures, even a stone could be touted as gold.


    Kim Haru was taken aback and finally stopped.


    At this point, he had bought so many items that his backpack, with only ten slots, couldn''t hold them all. Jang Dojang, seeing how much Kim Haru was buying, had already arranged for someone to bring a vehicle to pick him up.


    When he handed over the items to the exploration squad, Jang Dojang directly sent the fully loaded vehicle over.


    Knowing that Kim Haru couldn''t drive, he specially found Shin Woncheon, asking him to be the driver responsible for safely transporting Mr. Kim and his goods.


    "I guarantee I''ll complete the task!" Shin Woncheon happily accepted.


    The exploration squad members were curious; the Safe Zone Commander had specifically instructed them to protect this person well, and it was even Jang Dojang, the Safe Zone Deputy Commander, who personally delivered him with such a large load of goods. Who was this person? No one dared to ask Kim Haru or Jnag Dojang directly, they only whispered among themselves.


    Those who knew Shin Woncheon tried to get information from him, but naturally, they learned nothing.


    The exploration squad captain shot them a glance: "Mind your discipline; don''t ask about things you shouldn''t. You all should know this without me saying it, right? Make sure to place that person in the center of the team for protection, and remember the pioneering squad members we need to send out this time¡ªno mistakes allowed."


    The exploration squad replied cheerfully, "Don''t worry, boss; there''s a deputy team leader supervising the pioneering squad, so nothing will go wrong."


    ..


    The pioneering squad, the nine members of the Flamma Team that were led away in a daze, sent into the back of the exploration squas''s truck along with other pioneering squad members. They couldn''t find any opportunity to escape until the vehicle started moving, let alone find someone to plead for them.


    For the Flamma Team leader, Kim Segyo, he wanted to catch one more glimpse of the figure he had seen and confirm if it was indeed the person he had been looking for.


    Upon hearing that the exploration squad included not just their pioneering squad members but also a highly protected important figure, Kim segyo immediately grew excited. His instincts told him that this was the person he had been searching for!


    Kim Segy seized the opportunity and rushed over.


    The Flamma Team members were confused, but no one wanted to miss this chance, so they immediately followed him out.


    However, as they ran, they realized that their leader wasn''t heading out of the exploration squad but rather toward the center of it. Others had already run a fair distance, and the pursuers closed in. At that moment, they could no longer run outward, so they had to follow Kim Segyo. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They began to complain thatKim Segyo had lost his mind, leading them into a dead end.


    Just then, Kim Segyo stopped.


    "It''s you! You''re still alive!"


    The other members of the Flamma Team, following Kim Segyo''s shocked gaze, froze in place, fear gripping their hearts.


    That person was actually Kim Haru!


    The members of the Flamma Team had witnessed Kim Haru losing his breath under the onslaught of zombies, being devoured by so many of them. Even if he hadn''t died on the spot, he would have certainly turned into a zombie¡ªhow could he possibly be here!


    A ghost, it must be a ghost!


    "Who are you? You''re not Kim Haru; he''s dead! He was eaten by zombies! It''s you who caused us to end up like this, isn''t it? It''s you, you devil! I''m not afraid, I''m not afraid of ghosts!" Kim Segyo frantically charged at Kim Haru.


    If he could kill him once, he could kill him again¡ªwhat if he had turned into a ghost!


    "Is this person a ghost? Has he come back for revenge? What on earth is happening?" The members of the Flamma Team were going crazy.


    Shin Woncheon had already protected Kim Haru at the start of the commotion. Although he knew the boss wouldn''t be afraid of these things, how could he let the boss handle everything personally?


    Seeing Kim Segyo''s insane actions, Shin Woncheon turned around to question the exploration squad members, "How did you arrange the guards? How could you let the pioneering squad members caused such a ruckus here? You''ve let your guard down."

 Chapter 84 Gathering Treasures and Planning Ahead

    The exploration squad''s deputy captain had chased over and, upon seeing the situation, immediately ordered thatKim Segyo and his group be dragged away, repeatedly apologizing to Kim Haru: "I''m sorry, Mr. Kim; we relaxed our management. I''ll go down and teach them a lesson right away. Please don''t take it to heart; I''m truly sorry."Kim Haru responded with a nonchalant "Hmm," not angry at all.


    He watched as Kim Segyo was held back, glaring with red eyes and trying to charge at him. This was the first time he had seen this sworn enemy outside of the original owner''s memories.


    The once high-and-mighty figure, who had looked down on him, now lay in such a pathetic state, reduced to a captive on the verge of death. Kim Haru turned his gaze away, no longer considering him worthy of his attention.


    This enemy held no value in his mind anymore.


    This indifferent look drove Kim Segyo into a frenzy. Even as he was dragged away, he was still yelling madly, blaming Kim Haru for his predicament.


    The other members of the Flamma Team were completely terrified, their heads bowed low, not daring to look at Kim Haru at all. They repeatedly knelt in apology, saying things like, "I''m sorry," "I didn''t want to kill you; I didn''t really want to," and the more timid ones had already left yellow stains beneath them.


    They were so frightened they lost control of themselves.


    Once the members of the Flamma Team were completely dragged away, they were placed under even tighter surveillance. By the time they were delivered to the pioneering squad''s management office, the deputy captain, having been scolded for inadequate supervision, specifically instructed that they be "well" treated. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kim Haru learned of their situation again, it was still as an object of mockery. He heard that they had tried to escape but had ended up running in the wrong direction, stumbling straight into a zombie den. By the time they were discovered, there were no intact bodies left¡ªnot even enough time to turn into zombies.


    As they approached Kim Haru''s residence, Shin Woncheon drove the car away from the exploration squad, heading toward the direction of the small wooden cabin.


    This location was still recognized by Shin Woncheon; Kim Haru himself had forgotten the exact position of his home. If it weren''t for Shin Woncheon, he might have gotten lost several times trying to find it.


    Oh, if it weren''t for Shin Woncheon, he might not have needed to step out of his small patch of land at all.


    The vehicle was too large to park directly in front of the cabin, so Kim Haru instructed Shin started to unload the items by the roadside, leaving the rest to him.


    "Go back; you''ve worked hard."


    Kim Haru planned to use the system backpack to carry the items back after Shin Woncheon left. He was quite lazy and certainly didn''t want to make multiple trips back and forth. He had previously asked the logistics department to find him many boxes of the same specifications, and fortunately, cardboard boxes were easy to find.


    If he weren''t worried that performing such operations in front of others would lead them to associate it with the system backpack, Kim Haru wouldn''t have needed this vehicle at all.


    Shin Woncheon started hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to leave.


    He hadn''t thought of something like a system backpack. Instead, he recalled the obedient mutated plants he had encountered the last time he came here.


    Perhaps the boss planned to summon the mutated plants to help once he left; it wouldn''t be a good sight for anyone to see. Shin Woncheon obediently drove away.


    Kim Haru exerted a bit of effort to pack the items, managing to transport everything back in one trip.


    He had just watered the field he had planted yesterday, but he hadn''t yet watered it today. Kim Haru took the watering can and began to water each plot until they all felt damp. After watering each one, he supported his waist.


    He had only watered half of the plots, and just fetching water made his back ache. If he expanded the planting area in the future, he''d be in trouble!


    Looking at the fields before him, Kim Haru thought it would be great to have an automated irrigation system.


    Whether an automated irrigation system would be available in the future, Kim Haru didn''t know. He only knew that it was getting late, and he had been busy in the safe zone today. All he wanted now was to take a nice shower, have a meal, and then lie in his soft, cozy bed to play games.


    Oh, right; he didn''t have any games to play at the moment. The other world game console he had just bought today was still uncharged, so he needed to see if any of the charging cables matched, charging whatever he could find.


    He also needed to charge his phone and tablet, making sure to get those plugged in as well.


    Kim Haru hadn''t played games for quite a while; it felt particularly cruel for someone who used to play two matches daily. He thought of this and, without hesitation, tossed the watering can into the corner and headed to the living room.


    As soon as he returned, he released the pile of items from the system backpack, and they were now stacked in the living room.


    Kim Haru rummaged through the pile, finding the electronic products. He set the phone and game console up first, then picked up the tangled mess of charging cables to start matching them.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the quality of items in this world was decent. Aside from a few data cables with marks as if they had been chewed by something and were no longer usable, most of the cables were functional. Ignoring a few bumps and scratches, both the phone and the game console responded when plugged in for charging.

 Chapter 85 Something Feels Off

    Kim Haru felt increasingly excited.While waiting for the devices to charge, he planned to take a shower. After his shower, he found the system''s lunch still on the collection page: steaming hot beef rice.


    There were generous portions of beef along with carrots, celery, potato chunks, mushrooms, black fungus, lotus slices, corn kernels, diced ham, and several other side dishes, all mixed with a rich broth.


    The seasoning was just right, and the aroma alone was enough to stimulate his appetite.


    Turning on the TV, Kim Haru ate while watching an animated show.


    By coincidence, the TV in this world happened to be airing "Mech Touch," which he had watched over eight hundred episodes in his previous life. He had heard that it had exceeded a thousand episodes, but he didn''t know if it had been finished in this world. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was perfect timing for dinner.


    After enjoying a hearty meal, he noticed that the phone and game console were still not fully charged.


    Looking at the messy pile of items, Kim Haru suddenly felt a pang of regret.


    It had felt great to buy everything, but now he faced the aftermath of the chaos. It was impossible to just leave everything as it was; items not in their proper places were truly an eyesore.


    He thought he should have tidied up the mess before taking a shower¡ªit was a miscalculation.


    After putting everything that belonged in the drawers into the drawers and arranging what needed to go on the wall accordingly, he organized everything neatly. Only then did Kim Haru head off for a shower.


    At that moment, the game console he had been thinking about was fully charged.


    Although the phones had also charged and powered on, without any network or signal, they couldn''t do much. They could only play the offline games installed on them. How many offline games did those phones still have? Compared to a simple gaming console, they were far less appealing to Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru decided to disregard everything else and quickly dove into bed with a game console that caught his eye.


    He began to explore.


    ...


    After playing with the game console until it ran out of battery, Kim Haru finally remembered that he needed to sleep, but he had no idea how much time had passed.


    At that moment, he realized just how exhausted he was; his eyelids felt heavy and barely opened. He simply set the game console aside, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


    As he drifted into a muddled slumber, a strange thought suddenly flickered through his mind.


    ...It seemed like something had been off ever since he returned?


    Just as that feeling registered in his mind, he completely succumbed to sleep.


    Whatever that odd feeling was could wait until he woke up.


    ...


    Kim Haru slept right through lunch and finally woke up.


    The first thing he did upon waking was plug in the game console that had run out of battery the day before. This task had turned into a leisurely affair last night, leading him to prepare a combined breakfast and lunch.


    After filling his stomach, he finally grasped the strange feeling that had occupied his mind before he went to bed. It seemed to originate from the plot of land where he sensed something unusual.


    Kim Haru walked outside the wooden cabin, passing by the spot where he had thrown the water bottle yesterday. He remembered to grab it as well to avoid making another trip later when it was time to water the plants.


    Standing in front of the plot of land, he stared at it for a moment before finally identifying the source of his discomfort.


    In the vegetable garden enclosed by wooden fences, neat rows of newly sprouted green shoots stood proudly, presenting a pleasing sight.


    Kim Haru loved this orderly arrangement and was admiring it when a strange sensation washed over him.


    ¡ªHe couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off about the vegetable garden before him.


    He walked around, examining it from top to bottom and side to side, even circling the garden twice, and finally, his gaze landed on a series of raised patches of soil.


    The originally raised soil patches, with their identical height and curvature, had all been personally shaped by Kim Haru using the system tools. At that time, he had marveled at the satisfying neatness of it all.


    But now, those curves had changed.


    Taking a few steps forward, Kim Haru noticed that several soil patches differed from the surrounding ones. Some had risen too high, others had spread out more than they should, and a few had soil that seemed more compact than the rest.


    The differences were subtle, and if it weren''t for Kim Haru''s occasional mild OCD, he might not have even noticed.


    Most of the altered patches were near the edges of the fence. He dug into a few of them but found no strange traces. He wondered if the vegetables growing inside had changed the shape of the soil, which wasn''t entirely impossible.


    Unable to find a clear reason, and since it wasn''t a major issue, Kim Haru put the matter aside.


    As for the altered soil patches, Kim Haru took out a hoe and gently tidied them up. Soon, the patches were neat and orderly again, pleasing to the eye.


    That day, Kim Haru''s life was incredibly leisurely.


    The chair that he had bought had been cleaned and placed under the shade of a tree, where it offered shelter from the wind and rain. With his fully charged game console in hand, he enthusiastically played for the entire day.


    The watering for the day had been finished long ago.


    It wasn''t until evening, with the sound of gentle rain tapping outside, that Kim Haru finally drifted off to sleep.


    The next morning, the air still carried the fresh scent that lingers after rain.


    Kim Haru glanced at the vegetable garden. The crops hadn''t suffered from the rain; in fact, today he wouldn''t need to water them at all, leaving him with plenty of free time.

 Chapter 86 Bamboo and Mushrooms

    He wandered around and caught sight of the bamboo growing faintly in the distance.Wouldn''t bamboo shoots grow abundantly after the rain?


    With nothing else to do, Kim Haru decided to go looking for bamboo shoots. He rather enjoyed eating them. On his way past the toolshed, he thought for a moment and then tossed both an axe and a hoe into his system backpack to take along.


    You couldn''t just pull bamboo shoots from the ground without effort, so a hoe was essential. As for the axe, Kim Haru figured he could cut down a few bamboo stalks to make baskets or containers.


    Before heading into the bamboo forest, Kim Haru made sure to tuck his sleeves and pants securely. He didn''t want to return later and find out that some bugs had crawled into his clothes without him noticing.


    The bamboo forest wasn''t far from the wooden cabin. It only took Kim Haru five minutes to reach it.


    As soon as he stepped into the forest, a chill washed over him.


    "Brr, it''s so cold." Kim Haru regretted wearing so few layers. He hadn''t expected the temperature in the bamboo forest to be so much colder than outside. Even though sunlight was filtering through the trees, it didn''t seem to make any difference.


    Kim Haru shivered a couple of times but quickly adjusted to the sudden temperature change and didn''t give it much more thought.


    After all, it was normal for densely vegetated areas to have slight temperature differences, and he was already here.


    Kim Haru vaguely recalled reading somewhere that bamboo shoots start to grow once bamboo reaches more than ten sections in height. The bamboo in this forest was quite tall, so there shouldn''t be any issue finding bamboo shoots... right? S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After wandering through most of the forest without spotting a single bamboo shoot, Kim Haru began to doubt his eyesight.


    What was going on? Why hadn''t he seen even one bamboo shoot? He even swept away the pile of fallen bamboo leaves on the ground but still didn''t find anything resembling a bamboo shoot.


    Kim Haru racked his brain, trying to remember anything he knew about bamboo shoots. After a long moment, he finally dug out a faint memory from the back of his mind.


    Bamboo shoots grow during the spring and autumn seasons, and by summer and winter, they''re mature enough to be dug up and eaten. Kim Haru looked up at the sky¡ªit was September, right at the transition from summer to autumn. The last batch of edible bamboo shoots had already grown into full bamboo, while the next batch was still underground, not yet sprouting.


    A miscalculation.


    Kim Haru sighed.


    Since there were no bamboo shoots, his only option was to cut down some bamboo.


    He set his sights on the tall, straight bamboo surrounding him, assessing which ones to cut. He needed older bamboo, as those would be more flexible when made into bamboo strips, able to bend without breaking easily.


    It didn''t take long for Kim Haru to spot suitable bamboo. He took out his axe, and with just a few swings, the bamboo came crashing down. The fallen bamboo felt cold to the touch, surprisingly pleasant.


    He continued chopping, felling several more stalks until he figured he had enough. Kim Haru put away his axe, satisfied with his haul.


    Yet, he couldn''t shake the feeling that the other bamboo stalks had been trembling more than they should while he was chopping.


    Could it be that he was swinging the axe too hard, causing vibrations to spread to the surrounding bamboo?


    Fortunately, after he stopped, the bamboo around him stopped trembling as well. Kim Haru let out a sigh of relief.


    Otherwise, he would''ve started worrying about whether there was an earthquake happening.


    This was the apocalypse. In a world like this, disasters could easily happen, just like in the novels.


    Kim Haru stowed the bamboo into his system backpack and glanced around, picking a direction to continue walking.


    Since he rarely ventured into the forest, he wasn''t about to head back so soon.


    Just after stepping out of the bamboo grove, something caught his eye.


    What was that? A cluster of mushrooms!


    Kim Haru hurried over to inspect them more closely, confirming that they were indeed common, edible oyster mushrooms.


    That''s right! It wasn''t just bamboo shoots that sprouted after rain¡ªmushrooms often did, too!


    The patch of mushrooms in front of him was quite large. Kim Haru carefully picked them one by one and stored them in his system backpack. Since all the mushrooms were of the same variety, they only took up one slot in his inventory, so he wasn''t worried about running out of space.


    By the time he had nearly picked the entire patch, the stack of mushrooms in his backpack had already surpassed a hundred. Aside from the common oyster mushrooms, Kim Haru also spotted some bolete mushrooms beneath a layer of fallen leaves nearby.


    These mushrooms were edible as well.


    Kim Haru gathered up every mushroom he could find happily.


    Perhaps it was because the ground in this area was covered in decaying leaves, and the thick canopy overhead blocked out direct sunlight, keeping the ground damp even without rain. This environment was perfect for the growth of fungi.


    In no time at all, Kim Haru had collected a large haul.


    After searching for more mushrooms and not finding any, Kim Haru reluctantly continued on his way.


    He wondered if there was a pond nearby, given how lush the vegetation was on these hills. Most of the plants here were unfamiliar to him, but they all looked vaguely recognizable.


    The deeper he ventured into the forest, the more Kim Haru realized something odd¡ªhe hadn''t seen a single animal.


    Strange.


    Thinking about the lack of wildlife, Kim Haru looked around, deciding to pause and set up a trap.


    Back when he used to browse the internet, Kim Haru had been fascinated by videos of people setting traps in the mountains, catching wild chickens or rabbits by the next day.

 Chapter 87 Traps and Seeds

    He never had many opportunities to try it himself, except for a few times at rural vacation spots where, unfortunately, he hadn''t caught anything.Wasn''t it normal not to see any animals around here? After all, he was a person walking through the forest, and he wasn''t exactly being quiet. Animals had keen hearing and sight¡ªthey probably ran off long before he even got close.


    Kim Haru wasn''t skilled in identifying animals'' activity areas by looking for tracks or droppings, nor could he tell their size or condition based on the plants'' appearance. In fact, he wasn''t even expecting to catch anything. He simply found a spot that looked decent and started digging with his hoe.


    This wasn''t like tilling soil for planting. The hoe didn''t turn up a chunk of earth with each swing, but Kim Haru still felt that he wasn''t putting in much effort to dig.


    Before long, he had a pit about half a meter deep.


    He wasn''t planning to catch anything too large, and honestly, he didn''t care whether he caught something or not. He tested the pit by stepping in it himself, decided the depth was sufficient, and then began thinking about how to disguise it.


    He wasn''t going to put any sharp stakes in the pit either. Kim Haru didn''t lack food, and he wasn''t interested in eating anything caught in the wild. He was just intrigued by the process of setting traps.


    Still, if he did happen to catch something, he wasn''t going to let it go.


    How he''d deal with it would depend on whether he actually caught anything.


    Kim Haru glanced at the empty pit, a little worried that if he didn''t put anything down there, any animal that fell in might escape too easily. After some thought, he found some branches and arranged them in a crisscross pattern at the bottom of the pit.


    The gaps were small, so if an animal fell in and its foot got stuck between the branches, it wouldn''t be able to pull it out easily.


    After laying down the branches, Kim Haru carefully covered the pit. He placed more branches over the top, this time choosing dry, brittle ones that would easily snap. Then, he scattered a layer of fallen leaves over everything, camouflaging the pit to blend perfectly with the surroundings.


    Satisfied, Kim Haru dusted off his hands and admired his work. He then found a distinctive branch and stuck it nearby as a marker so he could find the trap later. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With everything done, Kim Haru decided not to venture any deeper into the forest. The system had already generated his lunch for the day, so he could head back and clean up before eating.


    Retracing his steps, Kim Haru returned to his wooden cabin.


    Just as he was about to enter his house, something caught his eye. He glanced over at the vegetable patch and froze.


    The patch had once again been disturbed!


    Kim Haru''s expression immediately turned cold.


    This time, he couldn''t brush it off like he had the day before.


    He stood by the edge of the vegetable patch, his gaze sweeping over the freshly turned soil.


    Just like the day before, some areas of the soil had bulged up slightly from underneath, while others were pressed down from above. There were no claw marks or other traces of animals. Kim Haru furrowed his brows and studied it for a long time, unable to figure out what had disturbed his vegetable patch.


    What''s more, whatever it was hadn''t caused any damage to the growing vegetables. The crops still stood tall and healthy. Nothing had been eaten, pulled up, or even had a single leaf broken.


    If it wasn''t after the vegetables, then what was it after?


    Kim Haru couldn''t find an answer.


    Aside from the vegetable patch, no other areas seemed to have been disturbed. Even the space around his wooden cabin was untouched. Still, he didn''t feel at ease. What if something had invaded his cabin when he wasn''t paying attention¡­?


    With that thought in mind, Kim Haru opened the system''s trading interface and spent all the remaining one thousand gold coins to buy a large-range defense crystal, which could also be upgraded later.


    Just as he was about to exit the system, Kim Haru noticed something flashing faintly in the "Seeds" section of the trading interface.


    Curious, he clicked on it and saw "Wheat Seeds" was being displayed.


    [ Wild wheat seeds have been discovered, if you collect it you will unlock the seed. ]


    Following the system''s prompt, Kim Haru found a few seeds under the fence around his vegetable patch.


    Wild wheat seeds? How did they end up here?


    Kim Haru clearly remembered that when he tilled the soil and installed the wooden fence, he had cleared the entire area thoroughly. There hadn''t been a single plant in sight.


    Staring at the dozen or so seeds on the ground, and seeing no apparent danger, Kim Haru cautiously picked them up.


    [ Wheat seeds have been obtained (Unlocked) ]


    In the system''s [ Seeds ] interface, the wheat seed icon lit up, joining the cabbage, soybeans, and potatoes, all now available for purchase.


    He counted the wheat seeds in his hand¡ªthirteen in total. They looked plump and full, with no signs of shriveling or damage, indicating they were of excellent quality.


    After carefully searching the area again, Kim Haru found nothing else aside from these thirteen wheat seeds. Puzzled, he returned to his cabin.


    What he didn''t notice was that after he stepped inside the cabin, the nearby plants and branches shifted slightly. Where they had been stiff and motionless before, they suddenly softened, as if letting out a breath of relief.


    After finishing his lunch, Kim Haru, who had initially planned to take a nap, decided instead to plant the wheat seeds he''d just obtained.


    Wheat is a crop that produces flour, and flour is essential in many aspects of daily life. Whether for steaming buns, making noodles, or frying pancakes, it''s always needed.

 Chapter 88 Perfectionist Planting

    Kim Haru planned to dedicate an area specifically for growing wheat, and if possible, he wanted to expand the planting scale.At the moment, though, all his money had already been spent on his last big shopping spree and the defense crystal, leaving him with no extra gold coins to buy more wheat seeds from the system. So, he had no choice but to work with these thirteen seeds.


    There was still half of the land between the cabin and the pond left available for planting. Kim Haru mapped out a plan, aligning it with the vegetable patch on the other side, and dug a row of ten plots toward the pond.


    The wood ash fertilizer infused with crystal core had been used up previously, so Kim Haru made a new batch of plain wood ash fertilizer without the crystals and sprinkled a thin layer into each of the ten plots.


    Even without the crystal core, the wood ash fertilizer was still usable, just not as consistently effective as the system-controlled one. But Kim Haru didn''t mind.


    Before long, he had planted the seeds, filled the plots with soil, and watered them. The ten wheat seeds were now in the ground.


    Why didn''t he plant all thirteen wheat seeds at once?


    Because no matter how he planned it, he couldn''t figure out where to dig the remaining three plots in a way that wouldn''t throw off the symmetry of the entire field. Having a neatly aligned patch of rows, only to add three random pits that stood out, would drive him crazy.


    And without extra seeds to fill them, he would have to look at those awkward empty pits every day, which would absolutely bother him.


    As for filling the other seven plots with different crops or just leaving them as empty pits? That was even more out of the question.


    If he was planting wheat, then it all had to be wheat. Maybe before they sprouted it wouldn''t be an issue, but once the wheat grew, the thought of other plants mixed into the field gave Kim Haru an uncomfortable feeling. Just imagining the sight made him uneasy.


    When it came to this kind of thing, there was no saving his perfectionism.


    Kim Haru found a small box the vendor had carelessly given him yesterday and carefully placed the remaining three wheat seeds inside. Then, he brought over a stool, sat by the pile of wood, and opened the system''s crafting function to start making a wooden fence.


    Since the vegetable patch on the left was already enclosed by a wooden fence, the right side of the field had to be symmetrical as well.


    Having done this once before, Kim Haru was much more proficient this time, even without help from anyone else. In less than three hours, he had completed both the crafting and installation of the fence. On both the left and right, there were two patches of land enclosed by identical fences.


    Yes, even though this side only had ten wheat seeds planted, Kim Haru''s perfectionist tendencies still drove him to build a fence the same size as the one on the other side.


    With the fence finished, Kim Haru remembered that he still had some bamboo in his system backpack, which he had set aside to make a basket.


    Since he was already covered in wood shavings, he figured he might as well handle the bamboo too.


    Making a basket was something Kim Haru had decided to do himself, as there was no tutorial for it in the farming system. But not having a tutorial didn''t matter¡ªhe had a rough idea of how it should be done.


    The bamboo he had cut down was too long, so Kim Haru measured it and cut it in half. Then he started splitting the cylindrical bamboo into strips about as wide as a finger.


    However, if he used these bamboo strips right away, they would still be too stiff for weaving, and would easily crack or break when he bent it. Kim Haru recalled from some crafting videos that the strips needed to be split thinner.


    This task required a bit of skill and wasn''t suited for using an axe, so Kim Haru switched to a sickle instead.


    "If only I had a machete," he thought. "Next time I go to the safe zone, I should ask the logistics department if they have any tools like that. If they don''t, I can always post a request to buy one from someone else."


    As he pondered this, his hands never stopped moving.


    After breaking the first two bamboo strips, Kim Haru finally got the hang of it, and his movements became much quicker.


    Soon, a large pile of bamboo strips, perfectly soft and pliable for weaving, lay beside the pile of wood. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Phew," Kim Haru stretched and glanced at the system clock¡ªdinnertime rewards had already been issued.


    Kim Haru put away his tools, tidied up the area a bit, changed into fresh clothes, and brought out a small table to eat outside.


    To be honest, ever since coming to this world, the scenery and air around his home were about the only things that were better than in his past life.


    In his previous life, even though he didn''t live in an area with high building density, the developers had still put a lot of effort into landscaping. Yet, no matter how much they tried, the air and artificial environment couldn''t compare to the natural surroundings he had now.


    After finishing his meal, Kim Haru turned on the light under the eaves and continued working on his basket.


    Kim Haru had never woven a basket with real bamboo strips before. The only experience he had with crafts was from his school days, folding little stars or other small trinkets out of paper with the girls. After some classmates teased him, saying he looked like a girl and even knew how to do girly things, he never touched crafts again.


    But, weaving something should just be about going over and under, securing the strips, right?

 Chapter 89 A Harvest of Surprises

    Kim Haru was brimming with confidence.Until, with a soft snap, the basket fell apart in his hands once again.


    "...Is this thing really that hard?" He stared dejectedly at the scattered bamboo strips he had been wrestling with, utterly confused.


    Why couldn''t he manage to secure it properly? And how was he supposed to transition between the flat base and the cylindrical shape above? Was he supposed to tie it with string? But he hadn''t seen anyone else use string in their baskets, either.


    Kim Haru refused to back down and started to wrestle with the bamboo strips again.


    He couldn''t believe that he was clumsy with his hands. It seemed so simple¡ªcould this be one of those cases where your brain and eyes understand, but your hands just don''t follow?


    As the night deepened, Kim Haru finally managed to piece together a basket about half a meter wide.


    However, as far as appearance went... it was undeniably ugly.


    Kim Haru was disheartened.


    He decided to give up.


    Opening up his system''s merchant title, he checked on his shop. After two days of renovations, it was almost ready. By tomorrow, it should be fully set up. And conveniently, the second wave of vegetables he had planted would mature by then. After harvesting them, he planned to head to the safe zone the day after.


    He''d bring the bamboo strips along as well, to see if he could find someone skilled at basket weaving.


    After taking a bath and playing a couple of rounds of a game out of habit, Kim Haru went to sleep.


    Before falling asleep, he was already thinking about checking the traps he had set in the mountains tomorrow to see if they had caught anything. If possible, he also wanted to investigate where those wheat seeds had come from.


    At ten in the morning, Kim Haru opened his eyes.


    He completely missed his breakfast.


    Kim Haru who is long accustomed to this kind of schedule, didn''t mind skipping breakfast. He grabbed his gaming console and while still lying in bed, he played a game for couple of rounds.


    Unfortunately, he could only play in single-player mode. He hadn''t played any of the games in this world before, so it was a novel experience. It would be great if they could eventually connect to the internet. He wondered if the people of this post-apocalyptse world had any plans to restore the network.


    After finishing the games, he was fully awake.


    Kim Haru got up, washed up, and headed outside. Sure enough, the vegetable patch on the left side was fully matured, while the wheat on the right had sprouted some new shoots.


    However, the wheat wasn''t growing as uniformly as the vegetables on the other side. Kim Haru wasn''t sure whether this was because the fertilizer wasn''t from the system, or because the seeds weren''t the one provided by system.


    He could clearly see that out of the ten wheat plants, one was noticeably taller and darker green than the others. The remaining nine were growing at a similar pace, with the tips just about half a finger''s length above the soil. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to the cabbages, soybeans, and potatoes that matured in three days, the growth rate of the wheat was noticeably slower.


    Kim Haru reached out to touch one of the wheat plants and opened the system interface.


    It displayed the current growth status of the wheat plant he was holding and the estimated number of days until maturity.


    This was one of the system features Kim Haru had discovered earlier: as long as he touched a plant, he could use the system to check its basic status. This greatly eased his worries about not knowing how to farm.


    After all, he knew that the growth process of crops wasn''t always smooth. There could be diseases or pests, and he wasn''t a professional. Without this system''s inspection feature, he would have had no choice but to let the plants die if something went wrong.


    The wheat plant in his hand was shown to be in good condition, with an estimated time to maturity of 100 days.


    This surprised Kim Haru a bit.


    He had previously speculated that the cabbage, potatoes, and soybeans¡ªbeing from the system''s starter seed package¡ªwere likely to have an unnaturally fast, three-day maturity period, a special perk for beginners. And now it seemed his assumption was correct. Judging by the second batch of crops, it seemed likely that only the cabbages, potatoes, and soybeans matured in three days.


    As for other seeds, Kim Haru had already guessed they might grow at a normal crop pace.


    But now, it seemed there might still be some differences.


    Kim Haru was familiar with wheat as a plant. It generally came in two varieties: spring wheat and winter wheat, planted in the spring and fall, respectively. Spring wheat had a growth cycle of about 100 days, while winter wheat that was planted in the fall, usually took around 300 days to mature.


    Since it was already winter, Kim Haru had expected the system to show a growth cycle of 300 days for his wheat. However, to his surprise, it displayed only 100 days, the same as spring wheat.


    He wasn''t sure whether this change was due to the system, the nature of this world, or perhaps the effects of the apocalypse on the plants.


    The data he had was too limited, so he couldn''t draw any accurate conclusions.


    But regardless of the reason, this result wasn''t bad for Kim Haru.


    He used the system to inspect each wheat plant one by one. The first nine plants were similar to the first one he touched: in good condition, with a growth cycle of around 100 days. That was until he reached the last plant.


    The final wheat plant, the one that had grown noticeably taller, had a description in the system interface that read.


    ...


    [ Wheat ]


    [ Growth Status ]: Excellent


    [ Maturity Date ]: ???


    ...


    What''s with the question marks?


    Kim Haru tried clicking on the question marks, hoping for a more detailed explanation, but nothing happened.


    After two attempts, he gave up.

 Chapter 90 The Bountiful Harvest and the Traps Success

    In any case, this wheat plant was growing well. If the system didn''t show the maturity date, so be it. It probably wouldn''t take longer to mature than the other wheat plants. Perhaps it was a new variety. It wasn''t uncommon for one particular crop to stand out, and it could be cultivated to produce even better future generations.With that thought, Kim Haru stopped worrying about it.


    After watering the ten wheat plants, he went to the opposite side of the fence to harvest the new batch of vegetables.


    When he planted this second wave of vegetables, the trading system hadn''t been activated yet, so he hadn''t been able to buy cabbage seeds and thus didn''t plant any cabbage. Instead, he had planted fifty potato seeds and one hundred soybean seeds. Now, with the crops fully matured, the yield was enormous.


    The potatoes, in particular, were so plentiful that Kim Haru spent the entire morning harvesting all 150 plots.


    The scale his friend Hwa Jian had given him when they bought vegetables in Fourth District was still in his possession. It came in handy this time as he used it to weigh his newly harvested potatoes and soybeans.


    The soybeans were easier to weigh¡ª100 seeds yielded 25 kg of soybeans. The potatoes, however, piled up into a massive heap. After spending quite a bit of effort, Kim Haru finally weighed them. This time, he had harvested a whopping 750 kg of potatoes!


    No wonder potatoes were a staple in so many transmigration novels. The yield was truly remarkable.


    Kim Haru cleared out two slots in his backpack and stored all the potatoes and soybeans inside.


    "If only there were a storage facility," Kim Haru said, while stretching his back and letting out a sigh of relief.


    At the same time, the system suddenly popped up with a message.


    [ After harvesting 2,500 kg of crops, you can unlock the storage facility, ]


    Kim Haru''s eyes lit up.


    He had suspected that since it was a farming system, there would have to be storage buildings, but it seemed they had to be unlocked step by step. Two and a half thousand kg of crops wasn''t too difficult. He''d already harvested 750 kg of potatoes today alone. A few more rounds like this, and the storage would be available.


    With that in mind, Kim Haru calculated the total from his two harvests so far¡ªit came to 957.5 kg.


    The potatoes and soybeans were now safely stored in his system backpack, leaving only the soybean stalks and potato leaves scattered on the ground in front of him.


    Only then did Kim Haru remember that he hadn''t dealt with the leftover soybean and potato leaves from the last harvest. When he sold vegetables for the first time, he had hesitated to sell those parts, worrying that no one would want them, so he didn''t bring them out. Afterward, he got busy and forgot. Shin Woncheon probably assumed he had already sold them, so he never mentioned it either.


    Now, there was another heap to deal with.


    Kim Haru thought for a moment and decided to process them.


    Soybean stalks couldn''t be eaten, so he set them aside as raw material for more plant ash fertilizer. However, both the soybean leaves and potato leaves were edible, so he bundled them together with the previous batch of leaves and planned to sell them in the store as well.


    Having walked through the safety zone once and personally witnessed how people went mad for even a bite of food, Kim Haru now had a clearer understanding of the scarcity of food. Even though these leaves weren''t particularly tasty and he had no intention of eating them himself, if they could provide some relief to others, he didn''t mind selling them.


    Naturally, the price for these leaves would be set lower than that of regular crops. As for the exact pricing, he would figure it out when he went to the shop later.


    Once he had finished the harvest, the vegetable patch on the left was now empty, and the soil had already been turned over. After a moment of thought, Kim Haru went ahead and scattered 150 soybean seeds into the plot.


    To plant potatoes, you need to cut them into pieces and coat them with plant ash. After a tiring morning, Kim Haru didn''t feel like dealing with such a labor-intensive task. Since beginner plants grew fast anyway, planting soybeans for three days wouldn''t be a problem.


    After scattering the soybean seeds, he covered them with soil and watered them individually. It didn''t take much time.


    As he looked at the freshly planted soybeans, Kim Haru added another item to the list of materials he needed to search for in the safe zone: an oil-pressing tool.


    "If only I could find something for making tofu as well," he thought.


    After half a day of hard work, Kim Haru was just about to take an afternoon nap when he suddenly remembered what had been on his mind before falling asleep the previous night.


    ¡ªWhat about his traps?


    The thought instantly banished his drowsiness.


    Just like yesterday, he tied up his collar and cuffs to ward off insects, grabbed a rope, and headed up the mountain.


    Following the same path as the day before, he passed the spot where he had picked mushrooms. He took a quick look around but didn''t see any mushrooms, so he kept walking without stopping. Soon, he arrived at the marked spot.


    Even before reaching the trap, Kim Haru''s face lit up with joy. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The branches and dried leaves he had used to cover the pit were gone, revealing an empty hole. Something had definitely fallen in!


    The only question was whether the creature was still inside. The pit wasn''t very big, so if whatever fell in struggled hard enough, it might have already escaped.


    Thinking this, Kim Haru quickened his pace.


    When he reached the top of the trap and looked down, a smile spread across his face.


    "It didn''t get away."

 Chapter 91 Little Nugget And Sir Peckington

    Inside the pit was a small wild chicken. Just as Kim Haru had expected, its claws were stuck in the branches at the bottom of the pit. Upon hearing Kim Haru''s approach, the chicken was frantically flapping its wings, trying to escape.Kim Haru immediately grabbed it by the base of its wings and lifted it up.


    Only then did he realize that the reason the wild chicken hadn''t escaped wasn''t just because of the branches at the bottom of the pit. There were also some plant roots wrapped around its legs.


    The roots weren''t thick¡ªthin and delicate, they had entangled the chicken''s legs, and despite its struggles, the chicken hadn''t managed to break free. With a casual tug, Kim Haru easily pulled the roots off.


    "You poor thing, what bad luck you''ve had," Kim Haru said, shaking the little wild chicken as he sighed.


    If the chicken hadn''t somehow gotten those roots tangled around its legs, it might have flown out of the trap long ago, and there''s no way he''d be able to catch it now.


    But the chicken''s bad luck was Kim Haru''s good fortune.


    He picked up some of the roots that had tangled the chicken and used them to tie its wings securely at the base. Once he was sure the chicken couldn''t fly away, he set it down beside him and started fixing the trap that had been damaged by the chicken''s struggles.


    Seeing that the trap actually worked, Kim Haru decided to keep using it and see which unfortunate animal might fall into it next.


    "If only I could catch something like a piglet," Kim Haru muttered to himself while covering the trap with leaves.


    By now, he had fully embraced his role as a farmer and was even starting to enjoy it.


    Since he was going to build a farm, how could it be complete without animals? In rural areas, every household kept pigs, which were easy to raise because they ate anything and grew quickly.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt like it might be worth looking for piglets in the post-apocalypse world. Or maybe the system would eventually give him pigs?


    Lost in thought, Kim Haru quickly reset the trap, sticking a branch into the ground to mark the spot, and then went to retrieve the wild chicken he had left nearby.


    When he saw it, he couldn''t help but exclaim, "Wow, what a little rascal!"


    The wild chicken had almost run out of Kim Haru''s line of sight.


    However, since its wings were tied, it didn''t seem very skilled at walking long distances. Every time it ran a short distance, it would trip, and just as Kim Haru watched, the chicken had already fallen three times.


    Laughing, Kim Haru took a few steps to catch up and picked it up.


    "Stop running. You won''t get away."


    Besides, he still wasn''t sure if he was even going to eat the wild chicken. Technically, it was considered game meat, and in his past life, there were always warnings against eating wild animals. Even though it was the apocalypse and no bacteria or virus could compare to the zombie virus, Kim Haru still wanted to figure out a way to test it before eating it.


    Even if he decided not to eat it, keeping the wild chicken as a pet wouldn''t be bad either. Just look at those sleek, shiny feathers and the tail feathers that were almost as long as his arm¡ªit looked pretty nice.


    With a grin, Kim Haru happily carried the wild chicken back home.


    Just as Kim Haru reached the cabin, his system interface pinged with a new notification.


    [ You have obtained one bird, categorized as <<Wild Chicken>>, and earned the title of Rancher. ]


    [ Title Reward: Hen Chick x1 ]


    Ha, speak of the devil!


    Kim Haru chuckled as he read the message.


    He had just been thinking about how the system might give him a pig to raise. While there was no pig, at least he got a chick, which was close enough. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still holding the wild chicken in his left hand, Kim Haru quickly claimed the hen chick from his reward.


    The little chick appeared, bright yellow and fuzzy. Since it was a system reward, it wasn''t afraid of him at all. It seemed very fond of Kim Haru and immediately nuzzled its soft, downy feathers against his palm.


    It even chirped a couple of times at him.


    ... it''s so adorable.


    Kim Haru glanced at the chick and gently stroked its tiny head with his thumb.


    "Good girl. Let''s give you a name."


    Since it was the first chick he''d raised, and it would be the leader of all future animals on his farm, and the future "big sister", it definitely needed a name.


    After thinking for a moment, Kim Haru decided, "I''ll call you Little Nugget."


    When you grow up, you''ll be called Big Nugget. Anyone will know who I''m calling.


    Feeling satisfied with his rather bad naming skills, the newly titled rancher chuckled to himself.


    After naming the chick, Kim Haru placed Little Nugget on the ground and set the wild chicken down with his other hand, pushing the two birds together.


    "Come on, get to know each other. This is Little Nugget. As for you... I''ll call you Sir Peckington. Since Little Nugget''s arrival is thanks to you, I won''t eat you, Sir Peckington. You''ll stay here and keep Little Nugget company.


    You''re both chickens, so I trust you''ll become good friends."


    Not only did he say this, but Kim Haru, with all seriousness, pinched the tips of both the wild chicken''s and the hen chick''s wings and shook them together, as if they were shaking hands. He fully committed to the little ceremony.


    He didn''t even stop to consider whether a wild bird and a domesticated chick could actually become friends.


    Once he let go, he allowed the two to get familiar with each other.


    Of course, Kim Haru wasn''t foolish enough to untie the wild chicken''s wings. He figured it was better to keep it grounded until it was used to him.

 Chapter 92 Building the Chicken Coop

    As soon as he let go, the wild chicken¡ªnow named Sir Peckington¡ªinstantly ran off, scratching the ground with its claws. However, it didn''t get very far before the hen chick caught up to it.And, as if it had actually understood Kim Haru''s words, the little chick stood right in front of Sir Peckington, chirping away as if to stop it from running off.


    Seeing Little Nugget and Sir Peckington playing (?) happily together, Kim Haru decided not to pay them any more attention.


    What mattered most now was building a chicken coop for these two new farm members. He couldn''t just leave them in the fenced area forever. Right now, the crops hadn''t sprouted yet, so it wasn''t a big deal, but once they did, the chickens might wreak havoc on them.


    But... how exactly was he supposed to make a chicken coop?


    Kim Haru fiddled with a pile of wood and bamboo sticks for quite a while but couldn''t figure out how to construct one. Remembering that the chick came from the system, he thought the system might offer a solution, so he opened the system interface.


    When he got to the crafting menu, Kim Haru found that he had acquired a new blueprint for a [Small Chicken Coop], sitting quietly next to the [Basket] blueprint. It was probably given to him along with the chick, but he hadn''t noticed it because it flashed by too quickly.


    The blueprint for the coop primarily called for woven bamboo strips, with wood used only to reinforce the corners.


    Staring at the large amounts of bamboo strips in the blueprint, Kim Haru silently put down the materials in his hands.


    ... Maybe I should just let them roam freely?


    But free-roaming wasn''t an option. Even in rural areas, chickens that were let out during the day would still need to come back to the coop at night to sleep. And if there was wind or rain, he couldn''t just leave these two little creatures outside in the elements.


    Letting them into the cabin was also out of the question. Kim Haru vividly remembered visiting a farmhouse once and being utterly grossed out by the chicken poop all over the floor. Sure, that was from a whole flock of chickens, but who''s to say these two wouldn''t make a mess just the same?


    In the end, Kim Haru resigned himself to following the system''s instructions, step by step, as he tried to weave a chicken coop.


    Fortunately, weaving the bamboo strips for the coop was less complicated than making a basket. All he needed were flat sides on four panels. Following the system''s guidelines, Kim Haru slowly managed to weave four relatively even panels.


    Ugly as it was, at least it would do the job.


    Next came the assembly. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru stood the three wooden poles upright to serve as the corners of the coop and began attaching three bamboo walls to them. The system suggested using the leftover bamboo strips from the weaving to secure the walls, but after struggling with it for a while¡ªeach time he let go, the walls would come loose¡ªhe gave up and decided to tie them tightly with some rope instead.


    The system begrudgingly accepted this solution.


    The last bamboo wall was only tied halfway, leaving it movable. This was the door of the simple chicken coop.


    Kim Haru placed the coop beside his cabin, conveniently under the shade of a tree, with a stack of wood just behind it. After settling on the perfect spot, he flipped his hoe over to use it as a makeshift hammer and banged the four corner posts into the ground with a few solid strikes to secure the structure.


    The last step was to make a roof for the coop.


    According to the system''s requirements, the roof needed to be made of thatch. Kim Haru, unable to find any thatch, glanced over at the pile of soybean stalks and, after sizing them up, decided they''d work just fine as a substitute.


    The system remained silent, not objecting.


    He first laid some appropriately sized wooden sticks horizontally and vertically to form a base, then spread the soybean stalks over the top. Worried about rain leaking through, Kim Haru layered the stalks several times. Once that was done, he followed the system''s instructions and smeared some mud over the top to hold the stalks in place.


    This was to prevent the wind from blowing the soybean stalks away.


    Finally, all that was left was dealing with the drafty gaps in the chicken coop''s walls.


    In the system tutorial, it suggested sealing the gaps with mud. Kim Haru had seen similar walls in rural homes before; they were well-insulated and kept the interior at a decent temperature.


    However, in order to get the mud to stick properly to the bamboo walls, dry without falling off, and become sturdy once set, straw had to be mixed into the mud.


    Staring at the crafting method in frustration, Kim Haru eventually gave up on using mud for the walls.


    It''s just about keeping out the wind and rain, right? I''ll just find some cloth or something to cover the gaps. If only I had bought nails and a hammer. If I had those, I could have split these wooden boards and nailed them together to make a much sturdier wall than one made out of bamboo strips!


    But in this post-apocalypse world, tools like hammers, which could also be used as weapons, had long been snatched up by survivors. Nails, too¡ªanything containing iron had been collected and melted down by metal-type ability users to forge weapons for killing zombies.


    Kim Haru rummaged through the pile of leather he had bought earlier, now finally finding a use for it to wrap around the walls of the coop.


    The chicken coop was finally more or less complete.


    After finishing the last step, Kim Haru stood up straight and clapped his hands in satisfaction.


    Then, he saw the system''s evaluation.


    [ Chicken Coop ]


    Evaluation: Barely usable, substandard chicken coop.


    Kim Haru: "..."

 Chapter 93 Two Little Demons

    Fine, he wouldn''t argue with the system. Given that he had almost nothing to work with, it was already impressive that he had managed to pull this off. What''s the system being so picky about?He caught the two little chicks, who had been chasing each other happily around the vegetable patch, and stuffed them into the coop.


    "Try it out. How''s that? Does it block the wind? Keep the rain out? I built this with my own hands, pretty cool, right?"


    The two chicks gave him a quick glance with their tiny beady eyes, remaining completely silent.


    Kim Haru could sense a strange hint of disdain in their gaze.


    Was he... being looked down on by his own chicks? Huh? They were judging him? If they had the skills, why didn''t they build their own house with their little claws and wings? Here he was, working hard to make them a home, and they dared to judge him!


    "¡­ Fine, maybe it is a bit ugly," Kim Haru admitted, deflated.


    There was no way he was going to redo it, though. It would have to do for now.


    ...


    The next day, Kim Haru woke up much earlier than usual.


    It wasn''t that his sleep schedule had suddenly changed; rather, the incessant chirping from outside had gotten louder and louder, eventually waking him up.


    The moment he opened his eyes, Kim Haru wondered if he had been possessed by something yesterday. What else could explain why he brought these two little demons into his life to torment him?


    Almost as if sensing he was awake, the two chicks immediately quieted down.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Alright, fine, he''d get up.


    After washing up, he went outside to water the crops. He tore up some soybean leaves and potato leaves, chopped them finely, and mixed them up as food for the two chicks. Carrying the food and water bowls, Kim Haru made his way to the chicken coop. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You two, one of you is a hen and the other a wild chicken. Neither of you is a rooster that needs to crow, so why are you both making so much noise? If this happens again, I might just have to cook you up. I even found some mushrooms in the forest earlier¡ªchicken stew with mushrooms is quite a famous dish, you know."


    While giving food and water to the two chicks, Kim Haru muttered to himself.


    As long as he wasn''t talking to people, his words flowed smoothly and effortlessly.


    The hen, with its tiny beady eyes, glanced at Kim Haru, waddled over, and rubbed against his hand before waddling off to eat. The wild chick, Sir Peckington, had already been tempted by the sweet aroma of the chopped leaves and dove headfirst into the food bowl as soon as Kim Haru put it down.


    Taking advantage of Sir Peckington being distracted, Kim Haru petted its head. The chick was too busy eating to even notice.


    Seeing that both chicks were adjusting well, Kim Haru felt relieved and closed the door to the chicken coop.


    "Today, I can''t let you two out to play. I need to head out for a bit, so you''ll have to stay in the coop until I return. Be good."


    As he spoke, he glanced at the food inside the coop. After thinking for a moment, he decided to place more soybean and potato leaves in the corner, and he also added plenty of water¡ªenough for the two chicks to last several days.


    Kim Haru was worried that if he got delayed and couldn''t return the same day, at least the chicks wouldn''t starve.


    With the chicks taken care of and nothing else to worry about, Kim Haru packed everything he needed into his system backpack.


    Oh, and the scale¡ªhe needed to bring that back to Hwa jIan.


    Once everything was ready, Kim Haru hopped onto his balance scooter and headed for the safe zone.


    The gate of the safe zone was always bustling with ability users squad who are going in and out to hunt zombies. The people leaving the safe zone weren''t usually checked, but those who are returning from outside had to undergo inspections for virus infections. Anyone with injuries was required to stay in an observation room for a period of time.


    ...


    When Kim Haru arrived at the safe zone gate, he attracted quite a bit of attention.


    Most of the zombie-hunting teams traveled in groups of at least three to five people. Some even thought ten or more wasn''t enough, and very few people had the courage to wander outside alone.


    Let alone someone like Kim Haru, riding a balance scooter and casually strolling around outside without any protective gear, as if he wasn''t the least bit concerned about a sudden zombie or mutated creature attack. It was as if the world outside the safe zone wasn''t filled with danger, but was more like a busy shopping street where one could freely wander around.


    A person like him was either courting death or had serious skills.


    They watched Kim Haru''s relaxed demeanor, his neatly kept clothes, and the respectful attitude of the inspection personnel at the entrance. It suddenly dawned on them that he was one of the latter type.


    "Who is that person?"


    "I don''t recall anyone like him in our safe zone. If we''re talking about lone wolves, there''s a poison-type ability user in the Third District and a lightning-type ability user in the First District. Other than that, I don''t think there are any more, right?"


    "Plus, the poison-type user doesn''t like to go out; he just stays inside all day doing who knows what. Other than when his friend calls for him, you hardly ever see him outside. As for the lightning-type user, he''s the exact opposite¡ªalways outside the safe zone hunting zombies and rarely comes back. It shouldn''t be this guy, right?"


    "Most people have already seen pictures of those two. One has a gloomy demeanor and wears those signature black gloves, while the other is so muscular even a fitness coach would be envious. This person doesn''t match up at all. Am I mistaken?"

 Chapter 94 Sound-Transmitting Snails

    "Hey, haven''t you heard?" someone exclaimed in surprise. "A few days ago, a person came to the safe zone, and the safe zone commander treated him as an honored guest, even sending his most trusted deputy to accompany him around Beonyeong Street. If I''m not mistaken, that should be this person."Instantly, the bored crowd waiting in line gathered around.


    "What''s going on? Tell us the details."


    "Quick, don''t keep us in suspense. When did he arrive? Our squad has been out hunting zombies during this time."


    "Yeah, hurry up and spill the beans."


    The person surrounded by the crowd, clearly enjoying the attention, pulled out a grayish root from his pocket. "Guess what this is?"


    The people around stared at it for a long time, even trying to poke at it cautiously, only to receive a glare from the man who dodged away.


    "What is that? Is it the root of some newly mutated plant? But it looks so small and isn''t solid at all; this mutated plant doesn''t seem impressive at all."


    "It does have a fragrant smell; could it be something edible?"


    "Even if it''s a powerful mutated plant, what does that have to do with the person you''re talking about? Did he single-handedly wipe out this mutated plant?"


    "What''s the combat level of this mutated plant? It can''t be impressive enough for the safe zone commander to personally host him, right?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, alright, stop guessing. You''re all off track." The person speaking carefully put away the root before marveling at the crowd around him. "This isn''t some impressive mutated plant; on the contrary, it''s a plant that hasn''t mutated at all."


    "And it''s edible too!"


    In an instant, the crowd was all astonished!


    "This is the root of a cabbage. A completely unmutated, fully edible cabbage." The man beamed with pride. "Fortunately, I ran fast and managed to get this little root through a connection I have in the Fourth District. I took a small bite but couldn''t bring myself to eat more."


    At this point, he felt a twinge of envy and jealousy toward the person he knew.


    God knows how badly he wanted to snatch a large handful of cabbage leaves when he saw them in that person''s bowl. Luckily, his rationality stopped him from doing something so reckless.


    "Most people know that the logistics department has been renovating houses in the Second District recently, right? I heard that house belongs to this person, and there are rumors that he plans to sell these normal ingredients there!"


    As soon as this news broke, everyone got excited.


    Forget the gossip; they hurried to line up to enter the safe zone, eager to head to the Second District to take a look. That person had already used a special passage to enter, probably to get the new ingredients, and if they arrived too late, they might miss out on everything.


    The safe zone gate quickly became lively.


    Kim Haru had no idea what was happening at the safe zone gate. He took out the special research institute badge that Jang Dojang had given him when he left last time. After confirming everything was in order, he was quickly welcomed into the safe zone.


    Rejecting the offer of someone to accompany him, Kim Haru walked to his small villa in the Second District.


    His shop had already been renovated.


    Jang Dojang received the news after Kim Haru entered the safe zone. When Kim Hary arrived at his small villa in the Second District, Jang Dojang coincidentally showed up as well.


    "Welcome, Mr. Kim! Just yesterday, the renovations were finished, and I was wondering how to notify you," Jang Dojang said, handing Kim a box. "Take this with you."


    "What is this?" Kim Haru asked as he took the box and opened it, revealing a living snail inside.


    "This is a type of mutated creature we call a sound-transmitting snail. You can probably guess from its name; it functions similarly to a telephone. Right now, none of the major safe zones can restore their signals, and communication tools like mobile phones are unusable. Luckily, we discovered this mutated creature."


    From Jang Dojang''s introduction, Kim finally understood what the sound-transmitting snail was.


    The snail didn''t possess particularly strong combat capabilities; it had two skills: one was to play dead, and the other was to transmit sound to its companions. When faced with danger, if playing dead didn''t allow it to escape, it would call for friends in an attempt to evade danger through sheer numbers.


    If too many of these creatures gathered, they could create a sound wave attack, which could become quite troublesome.


    However, humans soon discovered the practical uses of this creature.


    "The number of spiral turns on each snail shell corresponds to the number of companions it can contact. Those that are bound together will change color, while unbounded ones remain white." Jang Dojang pointed to the snail in Kim''s hand. "I''ve taken the liberty of binding this one to the sound-transmitting snial from the safe zone commander''s office, as well as to mine.


    If you ever need anything, you can long-press the corresponding spiral to contact us."


    The safe zone commander had sent a snail over after realizing that once Kim Hary left the safe zone, it was difficult for them to contact each other.


    Such useful sound-transmitting snail were not easily obtained. The Pyeongseong Safe Zone only had a few by chance, and there were even dedicated teams in the research institute working on breeding them, but they had not achieved much success yet.


    Upon hearing that these creatures weren''t available to everyone, Kim Hary could guess that they were not very common and thanked Jang Dojang.


    Having something to communicate with the safe zone was certainly convenient.


    "This is what we should do," he said with a smile. "Did you come to the safe zone this time because new ingredients have matured?"


    Kim Haru nodded.


    Jang Dojang''s eyes instantly brightened as he eagerly led Kim Haru on a tour of the first floor of the small villa.

 Chapter 95 A Job Offer

    If Mr. Kim was satisfied, they might be able to open for business right away.He thought about how he had some crystal cores on him and hoped he could buy some to take back with him if everything went well.


    The decoration on the first floor of the small villa was indeed based on Kim Haru''s design sketches. The cash register was located near the entrance, with a display cabinet for ingredients in the center. Further back was a refrigerator for storing meat, and on either side were rows of glass cabinets for aquatic products or other live creatures.


    The overall style of the store was minimalist, with a primary color scheme of black and white that Kim Haru liked. Although the somewhat cold, high-tech feel of the d¨¦cor didn''t quite match selling vegetables, it was still to Kim''s taste.


    Overall, he was very satisfied.


    However, there was one issue.


    He needed to hire a store clerk before he could open the store. Kim Haru had no intention of getting himself stuck there after opening.


    Kim Haru didn''t want Jang Dojang to be responsible for hiring a clerk directly. Although he knew it would be very convenient, Kim was not foolish.


    He was currently in a cooperative relationship with the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, which involved some vested interests. The clerks Jang Dojang found would surely be their people, and if they wanted to meddle in his store later, even with his system allowing him to check everything at any time, it would still be a headache.


    It would be better not to let others control everything from the start.


    While Kim Haru was troubled about where to find a clerk¡ªafter all, he was unfamiliar with anyone in this safe zone¡ªhe suddenly spotted the scales he had prepared to return in his system backpack, which gave him an idea.


    In any case, he would first go check out the Fourth District.


    ...


    In the past few days, Hwa Jian had made it a point to visit the vegetable market, even if he didn''t buy anything, always bringing all his crystal cores with him.


    Many others were just like him, most of whom were people who had bought Kim Haru''s vegetables at that time.


    They had carefully consumed the vegetables they had bought for such a low price, saving them, and even now hadn''t eaten half of what they had. The moment they took the first bite, they knew their money was well spent. The flavor and purity of the food were so outstanding that even without testing, they could tell the quality was definitely super high.


    Eating higher-grade ingredients made it harder to accumulate mutagenic viruses. It was even possible to clear out the mutagenic viruses that had already accumulated in their bodies.


    This was life-saving stuff!


    In recent days, many people who had bought vegetables remarked how much lighter they felt. Hwa Jian himself hadn''t eaten any but had given his parents, who were lying in bed, a hearty serving.


    That night, he noticed his parents were sweating less than before and sleeping much more soundly.


    If this continued, it was possible that the mutagenic viruses in his parents could be entirely cleared away, allowing them to withstand surgery, and one day they could even get out of bed!


    Thinking this way, Hwa Jian suddenly felt that life was full of hope.


    But he had already searched in the Fourth District for several days and had not seen the person selling vegetables again.


    Hwa Jian knew he shouldn''t think this way, but he couldn''t help feeling disappointed.


    Could that person''s appearance have been just to give him hope, only to plunge him into despair? If that person could just show up one more time, allowing him to buy enough to help his parents recover, he would be willing to risk his own life!


    Today, the vegetable market still showed no sign of that person.


    Hwa Jian walked home, feeling despondent.


    As he turned the corner, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure standing in front of his house.


    Wasn''t that the person he had been searching for for several days?! Surely, he wasn''t mistaken?


    Hwa Jian quickened his pace, and as he got closer, he became even more certain that he wasn''t seeing things.


    He felt a rush of excitement.


    Kim Haru also saw the person he had been waiting for.


    He took out the scales and handed them over. "Here you go, thank you."


    Hwa Jian received the scales with both hands, still somewhat in disbelief. "N-No needs to thank me; it''s not worth many points. If you want, you can just take it. I wonder if you still have that kind of cabbage and potatoes you had last time?"


    Hwa Jian had noticed the badge on Jang Dojang, who was following Kim Haru, but this was the person he had searched for tirelessly for days. Now that he had finally seen him, how could he give up?


    His parents were still at home, needing these ingredients.


    Since he had already been marginalized and was living in the Fourth District, even if he offended the authorities a bit more, as long as it wasn''t a principled mistake, the safe zone couldn''t kick him out.


    Seeing the young man in front of him nod, Hwa Jian instantly felt a surge of excitement.


    "Sir, could you sell me a bit more? I promise I won''t sell it to anyone else; I really need this normal food. My parents need it very, very much. Please, if you agree, I''ll do whatever you ask. My life belongs to you, Hwa Jian!"


    As he spoke, Hwa Jian was about to kneel down.


    Kim Haru hurriedly stopped him.


    He shook his head.


    Just when Hwa Jian was feeling despair, Kim Haru extended his hand.


    "How about I hire you?"


    "Food included." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Jang Dojang cast a jealous glance at Hwa Jian. How could this kid be so lucky?


    Hwa Jian had never thought a person''s voice could sound so beautiful!

 Chapter 96 Green Basket Opening

    It was the voice of a god! It was a saving hand reaching out to him!"I''m willing!" Hwa Jian nodded without hesitation. "From today on, my life belongs to you. If you tell me to go east, I won''t go west! Even if you tell me to die, I will unhesitatingly fulfill your wishes! What do you want to hire me for, sir? My abilities aren''t impressive, but thanks to a friend, I have some minor skills in making poisons.


    If it''s about killing, I''ll do my best!"


    Kim Haru: "..."


    It''s not necessary at all.


    "Take your time to pack up and come with me." Kim Haru didn''t want to waste time explaining in short sentences, so he decided it would be clearer to bring Hwa Jian to the shop to see for himself.


    After saying that, he waited outside the door and had no intention of going in.


    Hwa Jian immediately began to pack his things.


    He didn''t have much to gather; his home was bare, so he just took his toiletries and a few sets of clothes that were neither new nor old. He left all the food and supplies for his parents and then wrote a note for his younger brother to take care of their parents when he returned home from work.


    While writing the note, Hwa Jian mustered the courage to ask Kim Haru, "Sir, can I forgo the food and leave my share for my family?"


    Kim Haru, standing outside the door, noticed the two people lying in bed. Upon hearing Hwa Jian''s question, he instantly understood his intentions.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t refuse such a request.


    "Mm."


    If Hwa Jian did well, it wouldn''t be a problem for him to provide extra food for his family. Kim Haru thought to himself, keeping his plans to himself.


    Hearing the affirmative response, Hwa Jian felt even more overjoyed.


    He added "I''ll send food back" at the end of his note and, after making all the arrangements, finally stood behind Kim Haru with peace of mind.


    Jang Dojang cast another glance at the lucky guy.


    Jang Dojang naturally knew what Kim Haru had hired this person for. It wasn''t some dangerous, life-risking job involving fighting and killing. In fact, it was a position that many people would be envious of, but few could ever hope to get. As long as Hwa Jian worked diligently and didn''t entertain any schemes, his future prospects would be boundless. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Returning the scale and finding a satisfactory employee put Kim Haru in a good mood. The first task he gave Hwa Jian was to go to the Fourth District marketplace and put up a flyer.


    <<The Green Basket Vegetable Shop is now open on Yongwan Street in the Second District. Hurry to buy before it''s too late.>>


    Kim Haru still remembered how the people in the Fourth District had helped him before, and now that his vegetables were ready to sell, it was only right to let them know.


    As for the name "Green Basket," it had cost Kim Haru a lot of brainpower. He had almost just called it "Vegetable Shop" to be done with it. But since this was his first shop in another world, it needed a proper name.


    Although "Green Basket" wasn''t the best name, it was far better than something like "Little Nugget" or "Sir Peckington."


    By this time, Hwa Jian realized that his job was actually to help Kim Haru sell vegetables. He would be responsible for an entire shop''s stock of vegetables. Other than occasionally restocking and checking the accounts, Kim Haru wouldn''t be spending much time in the shop himself.


    Hwa Jian was overwhelmed with anxiety.


    "I don''t know what I''ve done to deserve such trust from you, sir. Rest assured, I will manage the shop diligently and never let you down. Even if something happens to me, I will make sure these precious vegetables are not harmed in the slightest!"


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Alright, think what you want. As long as you take the job seriously and sell the vegetables, I''m fine with it.


    With the shop assistant now hired, the Green Basket Vegetable Shop was finally ready to open!


    At the moment, the only things available for sale were potatoes and soybeans, so Kim Haru decided to put out all 1,500 pounds of potatoes, filling the vegetable racks to the brim. He placed thirty pounds of soybeans on display and kept another twenty pounds for himself, as he planned to make some tofu.


    There were also the potato and soybean leaves from two harvests¡ªlush green and piled up in a large stack, probably weighing several dozen pounds.


    As for the pricing of potatoes and soybeans, Kim Haru decided to follow the system''s suggested prices. However, he had to think carefully about how to price the leaves, as the system hadn''t set a price for them.


    After giving it some thought, Kim Haru finally decided not to set the price too high¡ªfive crystal cores per pound¡ªand he allowed payment via points.


    If it weren''t for the severe food shortage in this world, these potato and soybean leaves would have been used as pig feed. Now, although people could eat them, they were nowhere close to real food in terms of quality. Selling them already felt like a stretch of conscience, so Kim Haru set the price low to give more hope to the poorer survivors.


    In any case, whatever money these leaves earned would be pure profit. Selling anything at all was a bonus.


    At the same time as he set the prices, Kim Haru also set a purchase limit.


    Each person could only buy one pound of each type of food per day¡ªno exceptions, even if they tried to queue up multiple times or offered to pay more.


    For this reason, Kim Haru specially asked Jang Dojang to find a facial recognition device and install it at the checkout.


    Since this shop had been integrated into the farming system, the electricity, water, and other resources it used were all provided by the system, just like his cabin.

 Chapter 97 Opening Day and a New Path

    There was no need to worry about outages, nor did he have to pay extra fees to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone to have an ability users to come by periodically to recharge.Kim Haru had been curious about how the charging system worked in the safe zone and had even asked about it once. The prices had left him speechless.


    The cost for water wasn''t too bad¡ªwater-type ability users were fairly common among the elemental-type abilities. While ordinary people couldn''t afford to use water at their leisure time, it was much cheaper compared to electricity.


    Lightning-type ability users, on the other hand, were a mutation of the five elemental abilities¡ªmetal, plant, water, fire, and earth. Their numbers were scarce, and the strongest one was always wandering outside the safe zone, never returning. As a result, the cost of using electricity was outrageously high.


    It could be said that the farming system saved Kim Haru a large sum of money.


    When Jang Dojang found out that Kim Haru''s shop didn''t require official purchases of water and electricity and that the refrigeration units, cash registers, and other equipment were running normally, he was extremely curious. However, he knew his boundaries. Such matters were clearly confidential, so he didn''t ask any questions.


    He simply reported the situation to the safe zone commander.


    "As long as Mr. Kim doesn''t take any actions that could harm the safe zone, there''s no need to intervene too much," the safe zone commander mused for a moment before instructing, "However, I recall that there''s an empty house on Yongwan Street. Check to see if its owner will return. If not, requisition it and move the patrol team from the Second District there."


    That way, they could protect the Green Basket Vegetable Shop more efficiently and also keep a close eye on it.


    Jang Dojang agreed.


    ...


    When the Green Basket Vegetable Shop opened, it was a quiet affair, in line with Kim Haru''s personality. There were no grand festivities¡ªhe simply opened the door and hung up the "Open for Business" sign.


    At that moment, the farming system''s shop interface also updated to display "Open for Business," allowing Kim Haru to directly access the cash register and view the day''s sales details. However, until he actually received the crystal cores from the sales, the earnings wouldn''t be tallied into the system''s gold balance.


    The shop had only been open for a short time when people began arriving, calling their friends to come along.


    It was exactly the group of ability users who had received the news earlier at the safe zone gate.


    These ability users, who regularly dealt with mutated creatures, were incredibly sensitive to the mutagenic virus content in the food at the Green Basket Vegetable Shop. Without anyone needing to explain, they immediately recognized the produce as top-quality. In no time, they were scrambling and fighting over it, nearly starting a brawl over who would get a single leaf!


    Seeing this chaotic scene, Kim Haru quickly handed over control of the shop to Hwa Jian and hurriedly left with Jang Dojang.


    He was afraid of getting surrounded by the crowd.


    "Sir, where to next?" Jang Dojang asked.


    "The research institute," Kim Haru replied. After all, he had been appointed as an official consultant. Now that the authorities had helped him set up his shop, it was time for him to contribute something in return.


    "Understood." Sure enough, Jang Dojang''s face lit up with excitement when he heard the destination.


    Both of them had clearance to enter the research institute, so they navigated their way smoothly to the plant research lab that Kim Haru had seen on his last visit.


    Lee Kang, a mid-level researcher at the plant institute, had grown up in a simple farming family before the apocalypse. After the world collapsed, he awakened plant-type abilities and, by chance, was recruited by the safe zone commander to join the research team. He was now in charge of growing cabbage.


    However, the results of Lee Kang''s team weren''t promising. No matter how much they changed the water source, soil composition, or fertilizer ratios, all the cabbages they grew mutated.


    Sometimes, the leaves became so tough that they couldn''t be eaten at all. Other times, the cabbages turned colors that clearly indicated they were poisonous. Some of them even grew aggressive, swatting at people with their leaves if anyone came too close, or they simply wilted and died, with no chance of revival.


    There was only one time when they used pure rainwater to grow a batch of cabbages that were edible, and the virus content inside had even dropped to Level A. However, these cabbages were incredibly small. They were supposed to be large Napa cabbages, but they ended up smaller than regular bok choy.


    Even so, Lee Kang thought that the seeds produced from these slightly higher-quality cabbages would at least maintain that standard, if not improve. But to his dismay, the next batch turned out even worse!


    After repeated failed experiments, Lee Kang, who wasn''t a professional researcher to begin with and lacked the patience to endure thousands of repetitive trials, began to have doubts.


    The entire world was now infected with the mutagenic virus. Could it be that normal food simply no longer existed? Maybe the future of humanity wasn''t in cultivating unmutated crops but in increasing human resistance to the mutagenic virus. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If humans could evolve to absorb the mutagenic virus or become unaffected by it, there would be no need to research normal vegetables at all, right?


    As these thoughts crossed Lee Kangs mind, he suddenly received a large cabbage leaf.


    It was delivered with the utmost care by several ability users, a perfectly normal, virus-free cabbage leaf!


    In that instant, all of Lee Kang''s wild thoughts vanished!


    Human evolution? Never mind how long it would take for humanity to evolve to that point¡ªeven if humans did reach that level, would they even still be human by then?


    No, the real path forward lay in researching normal vegetables!

 Chapter 98 The Cabbage Craze

    There were still normal cabbages in this world!"Where did this come from? Is it wild? Or did someone cultivate it? Where''s the root? What about the seeds? Don''t just give me a single leaf!" Lee Kang was practically pulling his hair out with excitement.


    When he found out that this cabbage had been cultivated by someone in the safe zone and was being sold there, his excitement grew even more. He was desperate to fly over to that person right away and find out exactly how they managed to grow it.


    But by that time, the person had already left the safe zone.


    Lee Kang had no choice but to wait.


    Today, he finally received the news¡ªthe person was coming!


    Lee Kang immediately dropped everything and ran to the entrance of the research institute.


    Before long, Seo Woo, who specialized in researching potatoes, and Baek Wonyeon, who was responsible for legumes, also rushed over.


    Lee Kang had heard that, like himself, they had also received samples of virus-free plants in recent days. They had been holed up in their labs, guarding their precious findings like treasure, not even letting anyone else take a peek.


    Of course, Lee Kang was no different.


    These were normal plants, after all. There was only a tiny amount, and even he didn''t have enough for his own research. If others saw it, wouldn''t they do everything they could to get their hands on it?


    Normally, when these three met, they would always mock each other.


    But now, none of them had the mood for that.


    All three of them were brimming with excitement, waiting for that consultant to arrive.


    Upon arriving at the research institute, before Kim Haru could even get out of the vehicle, he was surrounded.


    Three middle-aged men with shining eyes crowded around him, their smiles brighter than flowers.


    "Mr. Kim, you''ve finally arrived! That cabbage¡­"


    "Mr. Kim, please take a look at my work first! When I was planting potatoes, I kept encountering..."


    "Ah, ah, ah! Mr. Kim, look at me, look at me! My soybeans have sprouted, but something''s not quite right¡­" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I was here first! Let me ask first!"


    "Potatoes yield more; they''re more important. You all can wait!"


    "I''m in more of a hurry. My seeds have already sprouted, so let me ask first!"


    In an instant, the three grown men started pushing and shoving each other. Even though there were only three of them, they created an atmosphere akin to a mob of fans at the airport, each desperately trying to get to the front to shake hands with their idol.


    Kim Haru was a little stunned. If Jang Dojang hadn''t been right behind him, also preparing to get out of the car, he might''ve turned around and hidden back inside.


    Jang Dojang looked at the researchers helplessly and said, "How is Mr. Kim supposed to answer you like this? Come on, let''s go inside and sit down first. We can discuss everything slowly."


    "Oh, oh, right, right. Mr. Kim, please come inside!" The three men quickly made way for them.


    Surrounding the plant research institute were plots of carefully planned land, looking much the same as they had when Kim Haru had last seen them. The brown soil was littered with markers, and beside some key monitoring areas, there were instruments Kim Haru couldn''t make heads or tails of.


    Despite all this setup, there was hardly any green to be seen on the land.


    Upon entering the research institute, Lee Kang, Seo Woo, and Baek Wonyeon still fought over who would get to take Kim Haru directly to their own research labs. In the end, none of them could outargue the others, so they decided to settle it with a game of rock-paper-scissors.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    He no longer had to worry about being excluded at the research institute, that much was certain.


    Ultimately, Lee Kang won the privilege of hosting Kim Haru. His lab wasn''t far away, so they arrived after a short walk.


    Upon entering the lab, Kim Haru immediately noticed the cabbage leaf, encased in glass, carefully protected.


    "Mr. Kim, I conducted a comprehensive analysis of this leaf. Not only does it have zero traces of the mutagenic virus, but it also excels in taste and nutritional data. You''re truly incredible! Now, take a look at the cabbages I''ve been growing. No matter what experiments I run, something always goes wrong.


    Look at this!" Lee Kang was eager to show Kim Haru all the data from his experiments.


    Looking at the strange, almost unrecognizable cabbages in front of him, Kim Haru''s hands remained still.


    He had no intention of using his own flesh-and-blood hands to test the potential dangers of these mutated cabbages.


    "Where are the cabbage roots that I sold?" Kim Haru turned to Jang Dojang, asking calmly.


    He trusted Jang Dojang to find what he needed.


    By now, Kim Haru fully understood that this apocalypse world was flooded with the mutagenic virus. The soil and rivers were long contaminated, and only the rainwater had slightly lower mutagenic virus content. The fact that he could grow virus-free vegetables was entirely thanks to the farming system.


    Kim Haru couldn''t eliminate the mutagenic virus from the soil or water, nor did he possess true plant-type ability. He had no idea how plant-type abilities could remove the mutagenic virus from mutated plants.


    All he could do was work with the plants that the system produced.


    Hearing Kim Haru''s request, Jang Dojang hadn''t even had time to respond when Lee Kang raised his hand.


    "I''ve got some."


    Since he already had the cabbage leaf in hand, there was no way Lee Kang wouldn''t investigate where it came from. He didn''t just inquire about the source; he even tracked down those who had bought the cabbage and waited outside their homes.


    Of course, Lee Kang wasn''t the type to use force to take things from others. He clearly stated his position as a plant researcher, explaining that he merely wanted to take a look. If the homeowner wasn''t willing, he wouldn''t even touch it.

 Chapter 99 Nutrient Liquid

    Most people, understandably, were reluctant to expose their precious purchases to someone else.However, there were those who were willing to trust him¡ªmore accurately, they trusted the research institute¡ªand agreed to let Lee Kang examine their cabbage.


    These people hadn''t had the rare ingredient for long, and they all cherished it deeply. When Lee Kang saw it, most of them still had more than half of it left.


    That''s when he noticed that the cabbages still had their roots attached.


    Lee Kang was overjoyed!


    Anyone with a bit of gardening experience knew that cabbage with roots could regrow!


    Lee Kang immediately began collecting the cabbage roots.


    The cabbage roots were also edible, and anyone who had taken a single bite of the cabbage could sense just how precious this ingredient was. Naturally, no one was willing to sell it, not even the cabbage roots.


    Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    Money was important, but was it more important than life?


    Some people nearly chased Lee Kang out of their homes.


    Fortunately, Lee Kang fully understood their mindset. He wasn''t planning to purchase the roots with money. Instead, he made a different offer: once the cabbages regrew from the roots, two-thirds of the new crop would go to the root provider, while the research institute would keep one-third for further study.


    In addition to that, Lee Kang would provide three tubes of nutrient liquid to the root provider.


    The nutrient liquid was a refined extract made from various plants and animals, containing the essential nutrients needed by the human body. It was meticulously filtered to remove the mutagenic virus and was intended as a substitute for regular food.


    Though the nutrient liquid was successfully produced and contained minimal amounts of the mutagenic virus¡ªalmost none¡ªa single tube could sustain a person for two to three days.


    However, the nutrient liquid couldn''t be widely distributed.


    It was far too expensive. Before the apocalypse, extracting and producing a substance that satisfied hunger wasn''t a difficult task, but now, in this barren, ravaged world, the cost was astronomical.


    Even more problematic was the filtering process to remove the mutagenic virus, which was the primary reason the price couldn''t be lowered.


    So, while consuming nutrient liquid was much better than eating directly from mutated plants and animals, only a small number of people could afford it. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lee Kang had to offer three tubes of nutrient liquid per cabbage root by cutting into his own share.


    Upon hearing these terms, some people thought it over and agreed.


    After all, keeping the cabbage root for themselves would only lead to one outcome: eating it. Even if they rationed it carefully, it would only last a few more days at best. By giving it to Lee Kang, they could advance research while also benefiting themselves.


    Still, not many people were willing to give their cabbage roots to Lee Kang. Some didn''t trust his promise, even with a signed contract. Others didn''t want to wait for the uncertain results later, preferring to hold onto what they already had.


    In the end, Lee Kang received only three cabbage roots for the research institute, one of which was sent by the city lord after hearing that Lee Kang needed them.


    However, even after receiving the cabbage roots, Lee Kang still hadn''t dared to start planting them.


    Growing new cabbage leaves from the roots was straightforward enough: simply bury the root in the soil, leaving a small portion exposed above ground. Water it normally, and soon, fresh leaves would start to sprout.


    If soil wasn''t available, the cabbage root could also be grown in water. As long as the root wasn''t fully submerged, and with the addition of some nutrients to the water, the cabbage would soon sprout and grow.


    Lee Kang knew all this, but he still couldn''t bring himself to plant them.


    These were perfectly normal cabbage roots without any trace of the mutation virus, and there were only three of them. The virus present in the soil and water couldn''t be filtered out¡ªonce filtered, the soil and water became unusable.


    If such soil and water were used to grow these cabbage roots, not only would they fail to produce the cabbage Kim Haru hoped for, but the roots themselves might become contaminated.


    Now, those three cabbage roots were carefully stored by Lee Kang. Since he had plant-typr ability, it wasn''t difficult for him to keep the cabbage roots alive and healthy.


    As soon as Lee Kang heard Kim Haru ask for the cabbage roots, he immediately brought all three of them out.


    "These are all of them. I didn''t dare plant them, so what do you plan to do?" Lee Kang offered his lab freely for Kim Haru to use.


    Kim Haru didn''t need any complicated laboratory equipment. He took a virus detection tool and tested all the water and soil in the lab, finally selecting a bucket of water with the lowest mutagenic virus content.


    "We''ll use this¡ªhydroponics. Can you do that?"


    "Yes, yes, I can," Lee Kang nodded repeatedly, though he had some reservations. "But¡­ is it really okay to use this water? Even though the mutagenic virus content is minimal compared to the others, viruses can spread. What if the cabbage absorbs it?"


    Everyone else looked at Kim Haru with confusion as well.


    "It won''t," Kim Haru replied, confident in the system-grown cabbage. "It''s been genetically modified."


    Lee Kang''s face instantly lit up with excitement. "Ah, I see! So that''s the issue¡ªit''s a matter of the variety. As expected of Mr. Kim! You''ve solved the problem right at the source.


    By modifying the cabbage from the seed itself, you''ve made it resistant to the virus. No matter what kind of soil or water it grows in, the results will be outstanding! I can''t thank you enough, Mr. Kim. I''m certain that one day, your improved cabbages will be grown all over the world. You''re our savior!"


    Lee Kang could already envision these three cabbage roots growing into full cabbages, flowering and producing seeds.

 Chapter 100 Cabbage Roots and Soybeans

    Those seeds would sprout and grow, and soon enough, more and more normal vegetables would be served on people''s tables.Kim Haru: "..."


    Ah, his social anxiety was kicking in. Savior of the world? That was a bit too much, wasn''t it?


    After praising him, Lee Kang couldn''t wait any longer. Ignoring the fact that Kim Haru and Jang Dojang were still there, he eagerly started gathering tools to begin the hydroponic cultivation of the cabbage roots.


    Seeing the excited anticipation on Lee Kang''s face, Kim Haru cautioned him, "Don''t get your hopes up too high."


    Having a system-produced cabbage root alone wasn''t enough to fully resist the mutagenic virus. Just as Lee Kang had worried, the virus in the water could still affect the growth of the cabbage. However, compared to other cabbages, Kim Haru''s cabbage root had exceptionally strong resistance to the virus. The final cabbage plant would most likely be of Level S or even higher.


    Lee Kang looked up and smiled at Kim Haru. "Don''t worry. I''m aware of that."


    Lee Kang had worked as a researcher for a long time, and he was no longer the ordinary farmer he had been before the apocalypse. He understood that you couldn''t place too much hope in a research project without any data to support it. Any small change could affect the final outcome. If you expected too much too early and the results didn''t match up, it would throw you off balance emotionally.


    He had learned this clearly through his countless failures.


    Still, Lee Kang believed that even if the cabbage from this experiment couldn''t be entirely free of the mutagenic virus, the virus content in the mature plants would definitely be very low.


    Perhaps it was his intuition from growing so many cabbages.


    Seeing that Lee Kang had fully focused his attention on cultivating the cabbage, Kim Haru and his group continued on to the next lab.


    This time, they headed to Baek Wonyeon''s bean research lab.


    Unlike Lee Kang''s cabbage lab, Baek Wonyeon''s lab looked more like a bean processing factory.


    The soybeans that had been sent over by the safe zone commander were already planted. Two containers were placed in a controlled environment where the temperature and humidity were carefully adjusted. One soybean was planted in the soil, which looked perfectly moist, while the other was undergoing hydroponic sprouting. Neither had shown signs of sprouting yet.


    Kim Haru asked Baek Wonyeon to open the lid of the planting chamber, and he reached in to touch the soybeans.


    The system interface quickly displayed their growth status.


    The soybean planted in the soil should have already cracked open, slowly growing roots. The system marked its health as "poor to mediocre," indicating it was in the early stages of viral infection.


    Kim Haru examined the degree of infection and compared it with the other soybeans in the lab that weren''t under his care. He let out a small sigh of relief.


    Although this soybean had been infected by the mutagenic virus, the overall level was very low. The plant that would grow from it shouldn''t be too bad.


    The hydroponically sprouted soybean, on the other hand, had an even lower infection level compared to the one in the soil. However, it lacked some of the essential nutrients.


    Kim Haru shared these findings with Baek Wonyeon, who immediately began recording and comparing the results.


    Taking advantage of this moment, Kim Haru looked around the lab.


    As mentioned earlier, this lab looked more like a bean processing factory. The oil extraction tools and tofu-making equipment Kim Haru had been searching for were all here.


    At first, when he saw the oil extraction machine, Kim Haru didn''t recognize what it was for. It wasn''t until he closely examined the usage instructions posted beside it that he understood.


    The oil extraction machine resembled a tall, narrow barrel. Soybeans were poured in from the top, and oil would flow out from the bottom. The leftover residue had its own outlet as well.


    "Is there an extra one of these?" Kim Haru asked, pointing to the oil extraction tool.


    Baek Wonyeon was too absorbed in his note-taking to respond, so it was Seo Woo who answered Kim Haru''s question.


    "Mr. Kim, do you want this?" Seo Woo asked. "If you need it, go ahead and take it. But to use this machine, you''ll need a large amount of soybeans. As for Baek Wonyeon''s lab, every soybean here has already been planted in the soil, and I''ve never seen him use this machine."


    Jang Dojang also offered his support. "Are you planning to put this machine in the shop in Second District, or are you taking it home? If you want it sent to Second District, I can arrange for someone to deliver it right away. But if you''re taking it back home, you''ll need electricity to power it. Do you have access to electricity where you are? If not, I can help you find an electric energy core."


    Kim Haru declined. After confirming how to use the oil press, he stored it directly in his system backpack. Then, he turned his attention to the tofu-making tools nearby.


    Kim Haru had seen tools used for making tofu before¡ªtwo thick wooden sticks crossed in the shape of an X with a cloth tied below. When he saw something similar in the countryside, he had been curious and even tried pushing it a couple of times himself.


    Though he had seen the tools before, he didn''t actually know how to make tofu.


    Jang Dojang and Seo Woo didn''t have much knowledge on the subject either.


    Seo Woo gave Baek Wonyeon a shove and said, "Hurry up, we need you here."


    Upon hearing Kim Haru''s question, Baek Wonyeon immediately demonstrated the tofu-making process. When he realized that Kim Haru wanted to try making tofu himself, he even handed him a large bag of gypsum powder. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Add some of this while cooking the soy milk, and soon you''ll have tofu." Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    As for the wooden frame used to press the soy milk, Kim Haru didn''t take it with him.

 Chapter 101 The Trip to Gochang County

    It seemed simple enough to make one himself when he got back, and he didn''t want to waste more space in his system backpack.After finishing his tour of Baek Wonyeon''s lab, Seo Woo was already eager to show Kim Haru around his own research lab.


    However, there wasn''t much Kim Haru could do this time. Even though potatoes could sprout without soil, they still needed to be buried in the ground to grow and mature properly. Unless the soil had a very low mutagenic virus content, the potatoes that grew would inevitably carry the virus.


    The cabbages could at least use rainwater with minimal virus content, but there was no such solution for the potatoes.


    Moreover, the potato tubers stayed in the soil from growth to maturity, which meant they would absorb much more of the virus than the cabbages or soybeans.


    Seo Woo looked a little down, but he quickly composed himself again. "Anyway, I still have to thank you, Mr. Kim, for growing such amazing potatoes. Even if the potatoes that grow next time can''t completely eliminate the virus, the content will definitely be much lower."


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    By the time Kim Haru finished his long tour of the plant research center, word of his presence had spread. As he left Seo Woo''s lab, curious eyes from all over the center followed him.


    Afraid that these people would all crowd around him, asking endless questions, Kim Haru furrowed his brow slightly.


    Jang Dojang, keenly noticing the change in Kim Haru''s mood, glanced around and cautiously suggested, "Mr. Kim, would you like to check out your own lab? It''s not far from here."


    Once inside the lab, no one else would be able to enter without permission.


    Naturally, Kim Haru was happy to oblige.


    The lab assigned to Kim Haru was fairly standard in design. Since the staff didn''t know what kind of research he intended to conduct, they hadn''t done much to set it up.


    "If you need anything, just let that cabbage researcher from earlier know. He''s also in charge of the research facility''s equipment," Jang Dojang explained.


    Kim Haru didn''t think he''d ever have much use for this lab, but as for what he might need¡­


    "Do you have any seeds?"


    Jang Dojang was taken aback. "Seeds? What kind of plant seeds are you looking for?"


    Was he asking for regular crop seeds, or did he want mutated seeds used by plant-type ability users for combat?


    "Grain seeds," Kim Haru clarified. "Anything will do."


    During his short tour of the research center, Kim Haru''s vegetable shop, which had been operating non-stop, had already brought in over ten thousand energy crystals. Through the system interface, he could see the sales revenue climbing rapidly. Once he settled the accounts and collected the crystals, he''d be able to exchange them for system gold, which could be used to buy more seeds.


    But first, he needed to unlock additional seed types.


    Jang Dojang led Kim Haru to the Central Logistics Department.


    The research center''s seeds were all issued from here.


    The head of logistics rummaged through their inventory records. "All the viable seeds we had were already sent to the research center. The rest are either dead and won''t sprout, or they''re food items like rice and millet that have already been hulled or processed in some way, so they don''t meet your requirements."


    "However, the logistics chief is currently gathering a team to search the Gochang County to the west. Most of the zombies that had gathered there seem to have left, so they might be able to find the seeds you''re looking for."


    "Oh, right! I remember now. The logistics chief reported this to the safe zone commander, but I forgot," Jang Dojang said, suddenly realizing. He turned around to Kim Haru. "Why don''t you wait a bit? We''ll notify you as soon as the team returns."


    Kim Haru didn''t respond immediately.


    The moment he heard there was a team heading to Gochang County, a thought flashed through his mind.


    He wanted to go with them.


    Since arriving in this post-apocalypse world, aside from the first three days when the system hadn''t yet activated, Kim Haru''s exposure to this world had been very limited. Even thought he already has farming system, he knew he shouldn''t just sit still and stay confined.


    Following the official team would likely ensure greater safety.


    Moreover, since it was Gochang County, the county that was known for its grain products, it was bound to have a lot of farming-related items. Kim Haru wanted to see if there were things he could use. If others were sent to search, they might dismiss certain items as useless due to the lack of energy sources or other constraints, but those weren''t issues for Kim Haru.


    Thinking this over, Kim Haru found the idea plausible.


    "When does the team leave?" Kim Haru asked Jang Dojang as they left the logistics department.


    "I''m not sure. If you''d like, I can ask around for you. But why are you asking, sir? Gochang County is to the west, and you''re based in the east. I''m afraid they can''t take you along this time."


    Kim Haru shook his head. "I''m going too."


    Just three words, but they left Jang Dojang stunned.


    He quickly understood what Kim Haru meant. He wanted to join the team heading to Gochang County!


    "This trip to gather supplies is really dangerous. If you need anything, just let them know, and they''ll keep an eye out for it. Why risk going yourself?" Jang Dojang was worried.


    This was a man who could grow virus-free food! How could he go to such a dangerous place? What would they do if something happened to him?


    However, Kim Haru never cared much about other people''s opinions.


    Seeing that Kim Haru had no intention of changing his mind, Jang Dojang, almost on the verge of tears, could only agree to make the arrangements.


    After escorting Kim Haru back to his Green Basket Vegetable Shop, Jang Dojang immediately rushed to the safe zone commander to report this unfortunate news.


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 Chapter 102 The First Day of Business

    The safe zone commander was equally helpless. After all, their relationship with Kim Haru was a cooperative one, and they couldn''t just lock him in the safe zone and refuse to let him leave. Plus, if Mr. Kim really wanted to go out and the search team was unwilling to take him, what if he found a random group on his own?That would make guaranteeing his safety even more difficult.


    In the end, they could only assign a few more high-level ability users to the logistics team''s squad to try their best to ensure Kim Haru''s safety.


    Unaware of the safe zone commander''s inner turmoil, Kim Haru was currently busy checking the day''s earnings at his shop.


    A total of 1,500 pounds of potatoes had been stocked, and in just a short amount of time, 1,005 pounds had already sold, earning 12,060 crystal cores. The soybeans, which were less filling than the potatoes, hadn''t sold as much, but 32 out of 50 pounds had been sold, netting him 960 crystal cores.


    The cheaper potato and soybean leaves had also nearly sold out, generating 235 crystal cores in profit, which meant a total of 43 pounds of leaves had been sold.


    Looking at the sparse remaining stock in the shop, with even the shelves appearing empty, Kim Haru was stunned.


    At this rate of sales, how could he possibly grow enough crops to keep up?


    Should he hire some help?


    But Kim Haru didn''t want to hire anyone.


    Just the thought of people walking around his farm, chatting and laughing, made him feel uneasy.


    ...If only there were farming robots.


    Kim Haru sighed.


    Hwa Jian was getting increasingly nervous.


    Today was Hwa Jian''s first day on the job, and he was terrified of not performing well. He had been anxious the entire afternoon, worried that someone might have stolen vegetables when he wasn''t looking, or that he might have made mistakes in the accounting.


    At that moment, he suddenly felt that his ability had some use after all.


    His sharp sensitivity to numbers allowed Hwa Jian, despite his heightened anxiety, to avoid making any errors in the books.


    As for potential vegetable theft? Well, to be honest, there really had been people thinking about doing just that at first. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The vegetable thief didn''t even have time to hide the stolen goods before being reported.


    What a joke! Despite how many vegetables seemed to be in the store, there weren''t nearly enough to meet demand. If people started stealing, wouldn''t there be even less for everyone else to buy?


    With that thought in mind, everyone crowded into the shop was being watched by numerous pairs of eyes from outside, just waiting for someone to try stealing so they could be thrown out and free up a spot for others. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for why those outside were willing to wait patiently without causing a scene? That was thanks to the patrol team.


    The patrol team''s headquarters in Second District had been relocated, and everyone knew why. Shortly afterward, a clear order was issued from above: the Green Basket Vegetable Shop must receive special attention and be fully protected.


    Once the shop opened, various patrol teams were assigned to make regular rounds. As the crowd grew, they eventually stationed a whole team right next to the shop, openly acting as bodyguards.


    With such an obvious display of support, how could anyone not understand the situation?


    This shop had serious backing, and not just any small-time support either!


    Even though the only worker inside was a low-level ability user, no one dared to act recklessly, no matter how strong they were.


    All in all, the first day of business went smoothly.


    The only one nervous was Hwa Jian, as he faced Kim Haru during the end-of-day accounting. He was terrified that he hadn''t sold enough or that something had gone wrong.


    Mr. Kim even sighed!


    Oh no, it must be because he hadn''t sold all the vegetables, and Mr. Kim was disappointed.


    Hwa Jian bowed his head and apologized, "I''m sorry, sir. I''ve let you down. Please punish me."


    Kim Haru: "...?"


    Punish you for what? For selling too many vegetables too quickly? If any other shop owners heard that, they''d probably roll their eyes and call him "humble-bragger."


    "You''ve worked hard. Clean up and head home," Kim Haru said, pointing to the vegetables scattered by customers. "Take two pounds of potatoes for yourself, today''s meal."


    Having avoided punishment and even being reminded to take ingredients home, Hwa Jian felt more and more grateful.


    "Don''t worry, sir! I will work hard!"


    He decided that tomorrow, he would ask his friend Han Gwonhee to come and help. There was no need for Mr. Kim to provide extra food; Hwa Jian would share his own portion. Since Mr. Kim trusted him so much, he was determined to protect the shop well!


    Kim Haru didn''t know what to say, so he chose to say nothing. He took the second Sound-Transmitting Snail he''d received from Jang Dojang and set it up by the cash register and following the method he had taught him.


    "I won''t be coming every day, so use this to contact me if anything comes up. You know how to use it, right?"


    Hwa Jian nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, I know."


    The Sound-Transmitting Snail had been the talk of the people when its functions were first discovered, so naturally, Hwa Jian had learned how to use it long ago. But it was difficult to acquire one, and until now, he had never owned one himself.


    Unexpectedly, he now had the privilege of using one thanks to Mr. Kim.


    His resolve to ask Han Gwonhee to come help grew even stronger.


    His own combat ability was far too weak, so he''d ask his good friend to help protect the shop for a while. In the meantime, Hwa Jian planned to train himself to guard both the Sound-Transmitting Snail and the vegetables properly.


    Kim Haru had no idea he was about to gain some free labor. Before Hwa Jian could finish tidying up the shop, Kim Haru left.

 Chapter 103 Preparing for the Trip

    With the system in place, Kim Haru wasn''t worried about Hwa Jian doing anything shady. All the vegetables on the shelves were bound by the system, and once the shop was in "closed" mode, no one except Kim himself could take anything out.If anything suspicious were to happen, the system would alert him right away.


    By the time Kim Haru returned to his small wooden cabin, the sun was just about to set.


    In the simple chicken coop, Little Nugget and Sir Peckington were already fast asleep. Kim Haru peeked at them quietly¡ªone big and one small, nestled against each other with their heads tucked into their chests, making them look like nothing more than two fluffy balls of feathers.


    ...He wanted to squeeze them.


    But that thought remained just a thought. He wasn''t cruel enough to wake the little creatures from their sweet slumber. If they woke up and went back to sleep, that would be fine, but if they started chirping non-stop like they had in the morning, that would be a problem.


    After picking up his dinner and enjoying a good meal, Kim Haru began organizing his things.


    The oil-pressing machine he got from the research lab needed a proper place to be stored. He didn''t have enough soybeans yet to use it, so it would remain unused for now. The plaster powder needed to be put in the kitchen and kept dry, to avoid moisture ruining it.


    If he was going to join the search team to deal with zombies, he needed to bring the right tools. He grabbed a piece of paper to list the items he needed, making sure not to forget anything important in the rush.


    Also, should he prepare some food to carry in his backpack?


    Kim Haru had been relying on the system''s rewards for his daily meals, but these rewards were far too lavish. If he were in a safe environment with access to a kitchen and ingredients, like the last time the Delta Squad visited, he could pass it off as his own cooking.


    However, if they were out in the wilderness, constantly on the run with zombies everywhere, taking out such extravagant food would be a clear sign something was off. Even if someone was blind, their nose would certainly catch the scent of something delicious, making it obvious there was something strange about him.


    Kim Haru didn''t dare test human nature in a post-apocalypse world.


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    So, he figured he should prepare some food. He still had a few containers he had bought in the safety zone earlier, which, after cleaning, would be perfect for storing the food in his system backpack. These containers kept food both warm and fresh.


    Kim Haru stepped into the kitchen of his wooden cabin.


    To be honest, it was the first time he''d used the kitchen for anything other than getting water.


    At the moment, the only ingredients he had grown himself were soybeans, potatoes, and cabbages. The two chickens, Little Nugget and Sir Peckington, weren''t for eating just yet. He also had some mushrooms he''d picked from the forest earlier.


    Kim Haru thought for a moment and came up with a plan.


    The system-provided kitchen was fully stocked with various seasonings and tools. He grabbed some potatoes and started peeling them.


    Potatoes and cabbage could be combined to make braised potatoes and cabbage. Potatoes could also be stir-fried as shredded or sliced potatoes. The same went for the cabbage; it could be stir-fried on its own. That would make four dishes in total.


    As for the soybeans, he planned to turn them into tofu, since he had gotten the right tools today.


    If he had more soybeans, Kim Haru wouldn''t mind frying up a few as snacks. But for now, he decided to pass on that. Eating too many might make him gassy, and if that happened while he was with the search team, he wouldn''t be able to control it. The thought of farting in front of everyone made him want to crawl into a zombie''s mouth and be eaten alive.


    ¡ªJust thinking about it made him want to hide in shame.


    The key to braised potatoes and cabbage was in the soup. First, stir-fry the cabbage and potatoes in the pot until fragrant, then add cold water. This method would give the broth a rich, milky texture. A simple addition of salt, MSG, and a sprinkle of white pepper would be all it needed.


    One sip, and it would be warm and comforting. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To make delicious sliced and shredded potatoes, cutting them thin and fine is essential. This wasn''t a problem for Kim Haru¡ªliving alone from a young age had made him adept at such skills.


    He planned to stir-fry the potato slices into spicy potato chips, while the shredded potatoes would be stir-fried into a sour and spicy dish.


    After cutting the potatoes, they needed to be rinsed thoroughly several times to wash away the excess starch. If not, when thrown into the pan, you''d end up with a sticky mess of potato crust that even a spatula couldn''t scrape off.


    This kind of simple home cooking posed no challenge for Kim Haru. In just a few quick moves, he had prepared two large plates. The spicy potato chips were fried in oil first, then seasoned with strong-flavored spices. Each slice was a golden yellow, with crispy, aromatic edges.


    The sour and spicy shredded potatoes had an equally bold flavor, instantly recognizable as the perfect side dish for a hearty meal.


    The only regret was that Kim Haru hadn''t yet found any rice seeds. For now, other than the system''s daily three meals, there was no way to have a proper bowl of rice.


    In addition to those three dishes, Kim Haru decided to stir-fry a simple cabbage dish. Both potato dishes were heavily spiced, so a light vegetable dish would help balance out the richness.


    Cabbage didn''t need to be stir-fried for long, cooking quickly. A little salt and MSG would suffice, and even the MSG could be used sparingly. The resulting stir-fried cabbage was fresh and flavorful, with the natural sweetness of the vegetable coming through.

 Chapter 104 Packing and Planning

    It was the perfect pairing for the spicy potato chips and sour and spicy shredded potatoes.Once the four aromatic dishes were finished, Kim Haru carefully packed them into clean containers, especially the braised potatoes and cabbage with its broth. He wrapped it in several layers to prevent any spillage.


    He quickly placed the food into his system backpack while it was still hot. With a backpack that could freeze time, Kim Haru wasn''t worried about losing out on warm, freshly made food during his time with the search team.


    To prepare for this, Kim Haru had discreetly inquired about how space-type ability users handled their powers. While space-type ability users were rare, each person''s space exhibited slightly different characteristics. The idea that whatever went in would come out unchanged wasn''t particularly special.


    Satisfied, Kim Haru relaxed.


    To save backpack space, he found a larger container, put all the dishes inside, sealed it tight, and then placed the container in his backpack. Instantly, the space occupied by four items was reduced to just one slot.


    With that done, Kim Haru grabbed a pen and paper to jot down some ideas he had while cooking about what he needed to find on their trip to Gochang County.


    Rice seeds, the kind that hadn''t been husked yet.


    Considering it was Gochang County, such things should be plentiful, right? After all, this was crucial to whether he could enjoy white rice in the future, so he couldn''t afford to forget it.


    Aside from food, he also needed to bring weapons on this trip. He decided to take an axe and a pickaxe. The hoe wasn''t as handy for swinging around, and the sickle was too short. When it came to cutting off a zombie''s head, those two tools were far more effective.


    He also packed two sets of clothes for easy changing.


    As for whether anyone would think he was being too particular? Why should he care? If they were capable enough, they could bring their own gear too.


    ...


    It was getting late, and Kim Haru had finished packing up. After cleaning himself up, he threw himself onto the bed.


    Time to play a game, then sleep.


    The next morning, he woke up to the sound of two chickens squawking again. Kim Haru rubbed his aching head, thinking that if this continued, he might have to adjust his sleeping schedule.


    The sound-transmitting snail was placed beneath the TV in the living room and remained quiet. It seemed that the team searching for supplies wouldn''t be leaving so soon. After having breakfast, Kim Haru began his daily routine.


    First, he stepped outside to let Sir Peckington and Little Nugget out. As soon as the door opened, the two chickens, cooped up all day yesterday, darted out like arrows. Little Nugget who are recognizing Kim Haru as her owner, came over to rub against him affectionately before wandering off.


    Sir Peckington, on the other hand, didn''t even glance at Kim Haru and immediately tried to run up the mountain.


    But Little Nugget as always stopped him.


    Kim Haru watched in surprise as Little Nugget, despite his small size, managed to block Sir Peckington''s escape. Flapping his little wings with determination, he looked like a stern school disciplinarian catching a truant student.


    Looks like I picked the right one as the leader, Kim Haru thought, nodding in approval.


    In the end, Sir Peckington couldn''t escape and dejectedly followed Little Nugget as they wandered around near the vegetable patch.


    Seeing the two chickens adapting well to their new routine, Kim Haru began watering the plants for the day. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    On the left, the soybeans had entered their second day of growth. In another day, they would be ready for harvest. The wheat on the right side didn''t show much change, except for that one mysterious stalk that had question marks. Kim Haru circled around it, trying to spot anything special about it aside from its larger size.


    Oddly enough, it seemed like the other nine wheat plants were leaning away from it, almost as if they were afraid of it.


    Kim Haru tried to straighten one of the plants closest to the mysterious wheat, which was leaning particularly badly, but it didn''t help. There were no alerts from the system indicating anything was wrong, and even though the plants were growing crooked, they were still rated "Excellent" with no issues. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since that was the case, Kim Haru decided not to worry about them anymore.


    After watering the plants, Kim Haru headed into the kitchen to check on the soybeans he had left soaking overnight.


    The soybeans had swelled significantly after soaking. He drained them, rinsed them a few more times in fresh water, and then started making soybean milk.


    Kim Haru didn''t have a soybean milk maker, and he hadn''t been able to find one in the safe zone either. To be more precise, he had seen one, but it was so dirty that it looked beyond cleaning. Although it could probably be scrubbed clean, the thought of what it originally looked like made Kim Haru reluctant to use it.


    So, he ended up using a small stone mill he had picked up from the soybean processing plant.


    After adding the vegetable chopper and rice seeds to his list, Kim Haru''s notebook now had another entry: a soybean milk maker, with a special note: "Clean."


    If he couldn''t find a soybean milk maker, Kim Haru had a plan to come up with another solution. Maybe there was an automated grinding machine out there somewhere, or perhaps he could capture a donkey? Didn''t people in ancient times use donkeys to power mills?


    Though the latter might be difficult to achieve.


    Kim Haru had come to understand that it wasn''t just humans that had mutated in this post-apocalypse world, but also plants and animals. Finding a normal animal to push a mill could be quite a challenge; maybe he could find a mutated one that was still easy to control.

 Chapter 105 Tofu Troubles

    Speaking of which, Kim Haru still didn''t fully grasp how other people saw his living environment as some sort of "dragon''s den" or "tiger''s lair." But how could he, when his understanding of this post-apocalypse world was so limited? Even when others mentioned mutated plants in front of him, they just assumed he knew the basics, never bothering to explain things everyone already knew.The problem was, Kim Haru wasn''t part of that "everyone." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, while Kim Haru was aware that there were a lot of mutated plants in this world, he never suspected that any of the plants around him were among them. To him, these plants seemed completely normal. They swayed in the wind, didn''t grow any weird appendages, and fell over with a single chop.


    Sure, he couldn''t identify their species, but otherwise, they were no different from the plants he remembered.


    And anyway, even plant experts can''t recognize every single species of plant. Kim Haru didn''t even know the names of the trees lining his city streets, so how could he be expected to identify other plants?


    In short, Kim Haru had no idea how his so-called "normal" thinking would eventually cause a sensation in the eyes of others. Right now, he was too busy struggling with the stone mill.


    He had barely ground half of the soaked soybeans before he was exhausted. He stopped, too tired to continue. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "This will have to do," he muttered, looking at the half-basin of soybean milk he had managed to press out. He gave up on grinding the rest.


    The soybean pulp in the mill wasn''t completely squeezed dry, so Kim Haru cleaned it out and stored it in the fridge. He figured he''d finish the job when he found a more efficient method. The remaining soybeans also went into the fridge for now.


    With the most labor-intensive part out of the way, the rest of the tofu-making process would be easy.


    Kim Haru poured the half-basin of soybean milk into a pot and set it to boil. Once the soy milk was bubbling and the rich aroma filled the room, he turned off the heat. After letting it cool for a bit, he added a small amount of gypsum powder. Before long, the soy milk would begin to curdle, the pleasant fragrance spreading through the kitchen as it started to form soft tofu.


    At this stage, he could scoop some out, add a bit of seasoning, and enjoy some delicious silken tofu. It was a simple but tasty treat.


    Kim Haru scooped out half of it and stored it in his system backpack. Silken tofu was easier to eat than regular tofu¡ªjust sprinkle on some seasoning and it was ready to go, perfect for a quick breakfast.


    He left the other half in the pot to continue setting. Once fully solidified, the tofu would be transferred into a container lined with a cloth, smoothed out, and pressed with a heavy object. After draining off the excess moisture, the tofu would be done.


    It wasn''t until the tofu was finally done that Kim Haru realized he had forgotten a step.


    The freshly ground soybean milk was supposed to be strained through cheesecloth to produce a finer, smoother tofu. But since he hadn''t made a proper sieve yet, and got too caught up in his tasks, it completely slipped his mind. Now, looking at the slightly rough texture of the tofu in front of him, Kim Haru sighed and rubbed his forehead.


    "Oh well, let''s make some fried tofu."


    Fried tofu didn''t require a perfect texture, and it was quick to prepare. He heated up a pan, added a generous amount of oil, and while the oil heated, he sliced the tofu¡ªthick enough to hold its shape.


    Then came the frying part, flipping the tofu slices as much as he liked until both sides turned golden brown. A sprinkle of salt, and out of the pan they went.


    At this point, if someone preferred a sweet flavor, they could coat the tofu in sugar. If they liked it salty, they could sprinkle more salt. Or, they could even add chili flakes for a spicy kick. There were endless ways to enjoy it. Kim Haru remembered that the elderly woman who used to live next door loved making this fried tofu.


    Since she knew he was always by himself, she''d occasionally bring him a plate. She liked hers sweet, with each piece dusted in sugar so thick it looked like frost, making it sweet enough to make your eyes squint from the intensity.


    Kim Haru didn''t mind the sweet version, but he could only handle one or two pieces before it became overwhelming. This time, he set aside a quarter of the tofu and dusted it with sugar, while he seasoned the rest with extra salt and chili flakes.


    He didn''t forget to prepare a bit more chili and soy sauce, which he set aside to add to the silken tofu later.


    Yes, Kim Haru was firmly in the salty camp.


    Finally, he had everything ready.


    But just as he finished preparing everything, a new problem popped into his mind.


    "If I''m going to be gone for a few days, how am I supposed to water the wheat field? I don''t want to come back and find everything dried up." Staring at the lush green patch outside, Kim Haru scratched his head.


    "If only I had an automatic watering system."


    He decided to jot this down in his notebook of supplies as well. Even though he had no idea if he''d ever find such a thing, it didn''t hurt to hold on to a little bit of hope, right?


    But before that, he had to figure out a solution for the watering issue.


    Kim Haru lay back in his rocking chair, letting his mind wander as he closed his eyes to rest. Before long, he drifted off to sleep.


    Kim Haru had a dream.


    In his dream, a mutated plant had invaded his home, but Kin Haru in the dream rose to the occasion, heroically defeating the plant with just a few swift moves, forcing it to beg for mercy!

 Chapter 106 Dreams and Drip Irrigation

    The plant in the dream was a tree, just under three meters tall, and Kim Haru chopped it down until it was barely two meters¡ªalmost his height. Then, he shoved a watering can into its branches, dragged it to the edge of a pond, and made the tree draw water to irrigate the fields.If it didn''t learn how to water the plants, Kim Haru would just snap off one of its branches.


    Kim Haru could almost hear the poor tree whimpering in grievance.


    Even after he woke up, the tree in his dream hadn''t figured out how to water the plants.


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    Well, that was something. People always said that what you think about during the day influences your dreams at night, but he hadn''t even made it to the night yet¡ªhe''d just taken a short nap, and his brain had already come up with such a wild idea?


    However, on second thought, maybe this dream wasn''t completely impossible.


    Kim Haru pondered over it.


    While he couldn''t actually force a mutated plant to do his chores for him like in the dream, there were people in this world who had plant-type abilities, weren''t there? Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    He remembered that those with plant-related powers could control plants, and who knows¡ªthere might even be a plant that could water itself!


    He wondered if plant-type ability users also sold their plants. Maybe he could find someone.


    Kim Haru wrote down this idea in his notebook, right next to "automatic watering system." Either one would be incredibly useful in its own way. After all, it was a new world with new methods.


    But that would have to wait until after the next search party was organized. For now, he still had to figure out how to water the crops during the few days he''d be away.


    "If only I had some plastic bottles," he thought. He could''ve made a simple drip irrigation system with bottles. Unfortunately, he didn''t have any on hand.


    Solutions come from creative thinking. No bottles, no hoses¡ªhe didn''t even have pipes. But he did have bamboo!


    Originally, Kim Haru thought about cutting the bamboo into sections to replace bottles, but after testing it out, he found that bamboo tubes were difficult to seal properly after poking holes in them. He had to abandon that idea and decided to build a water channel using bamboo instead.


    He selected the right bamboo, split it in half, and cleaned out the nodes in the middle to ensure the water could flow smoothly. He then tested channeling water from the kitchen to the wheat field.


    As for the soybeans on the other side, Kim Haru decided not to worry about them. They''d be ready for harvest the next day anyway, and he wasn''t planning on planting anything immediately after. It felt like a bit of a waste of time, but without someone to water the plants, there was no point in sowing new seeds.


    Kim Haru assumed the water in the kitchen was purified, but he still had concerns about whether the watering can had some hidden feature he hadn''t yet discovered. To be safe, he decided to let the kitchen water flow into the watering can first, then tilt the watering can to pour the water into the bamboo channel and onto the wheat field.


    To make sure the water reached the right spot, he needed something to support the bamboo channels. That wasn''t too difficult though. Kim Haru gathered all the tools he needed and experimented several times. At first, the bamboo wouldn''t stay in place, tipping over when the water started flowing, or the connections between the bamboo pieces weren''t sealed properly, causing the water to leak out.


    After multiple adjustments, he finally got the water to flow smoothly all the way to the wheat field.


    Using the watering can had another advantage: Kim Haru didn''t have to worry about the water continuously flowing and drowning the wheat. He had tested the watering can the very first time he used it, and found that the water given to each plot of land was just the right amount. Even if he poured more water, it would simply flow back into the watering can.


    The watering issue was now solved.


    Kim Haru carefully stored the bamboo pipes and supports, ready to set them up just before he left.


    He then brought Sir Peckington and Little Nugget in front of him and seriously warned them, "In a couple of days, I''ll be leaving for a while. It''ll just be the two of you left here, so behave yourselves, okay? Don''t cause any trouble, especially don''t mess with the stuff I just set up. If it falls over and the wheat dies, there''ll be no food.


    And if there''s no food, I''ll have no choice but to cook the two of you."


    Kim Haru was trying his best to scare them, though he wasn''t sure if they could understand a word he was saying. Once he finished his speech, he let the two chickens go and let them wander around as they pleased.


    As he mentioned earlier, he didn''t plan on locking them in the cage while he was away for the next few days. He trusted the system-produced Little Nugget to keep its little follower, Sir Peckington, in line.


    Watching the two chickens scurry around, enjoying themselves, Kim Haru suddenly remembered he had set a trap in the mountains.


    He''d nearly forgotten, being so busy.


    As he walked up the mountain, Kim Haru started thinking: if his trap caught another small animal, should he braise it, deep-fry it, or maybe stew it? He wondered if it might be suitable for steaming...


    Without even seeing a single animal hair, he had already planned out every step of the process. You could say he was a little overconfident.


    He was about to be proven wrong.


    The last time Kim Haru left, the trap looked a certain way, and now that he returned, it looked the same, not to mention the little piglet he wanted.

 Chapter 107 Farm Expansion Plans

    Kim Haru wasn''t disappointed; in fact, he felt relieved."I told you, it can''t be that easy to catch something. Last time must have been just luck, a fluke," he mused. He even harbored a faint suspicion that the wild chicken might have been off; the root system of those plants on its legs seemed somewhat suspicious. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now it seemed like it really was just luck.


    "Let''s go, let''s go. I''ll check again the next time I come back." Kim Haru turned to leave. If he did manage to catch a piglet or something, he wouldn''t even know where to keep it; the small farm didn''t even have a pigpen.


    Ah, speaking of pigpens, he really should expand the farm buildings. He wanted to bring back a donkey to help with grinding, so he needed to build a shed for the donkey as well. If he were to get cows, horses, or ducks, he''d also need to build the appropriate structures for raising them.


    With the current size of the small farm, it was hardly enough.


    He also needed to expand the scale of planting; clearing more land was imperative.


    As he mentally planned the farm''s development, Kim Haru glanced at the seemingly unresponsive system and couldn''t help but complain, "Which farming game requires players not only to farm but also to build houses? I''m not omnipotent. I can barely manage a chicken coop, let alone a pigpen or cow barn."


    Kim Haru didn''t expect a response from the system, but surprisingly, this time it did reply.


    [ Upgrading the farm can unlock livestock-related buildings and more features. ]


    Oh, so it turns out he didn''t have a high enough level.


    "So how do I upgrade this?" Taking advantage of the system''s willingness to respond, Kim Haru quickly asked.


    [ You are seven types of mature plants away from the ''Small Farmer'' level. Please keep up the good work.]


    Kim Haru calculated that he had only grown four types of plants so far: cabbage, potatoes, soybeans, and wheat, and wheat was still far from maturity. If he had to wait for ten types of plants to mature, when would that be?


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    Kim Haru pondered, counting on his fingers what fast-growing plants could be planted in the autumn.


    Just after harvesting the soybeans, he received a message from Jang Dojang via a sound-transmitting snail.


    "Mr. Kim, the searching team heading to Gochang County is scheduled to depart tomorrow. Do you think you can arrange things on your end in time?"


    "Mm." Kim Haru agreed.


    After learning about the conditions for upgrading the farm, he grew increasingly eager to find new seeds. He really didn''t want to start from scratch to build a pigpen, cow barn, and donkey shed. Given the current conditions, he would likely need to figure out how to make bricks.


    Oh, he wouldn''t be able to make bricks; at most, he could make a mud wall like the chicken coop.


    But even for a mud wall, you''d need straw to mix in, otherwise it would collapse within days.


    Those cows, pigs, and donkeys aren''t like Little Nugget and Sir Peckington. If the houses aren''t sturdy, the animals would knock them down with just a touch. Kim Haru couldn''t bear the pain of constantly repairing the buildings every day.


    Fortunately, he had just harvested the soybeans, so he could take them to the shop on the way.


    Speaking of Kim Haru''s vegetable shop, even though he had limited the amount each customer could buy, the remaining stock sold out entirely by the morning of the second day. Not a single leaf was left.


    Hwa Jian had informed Kim Haru in advance via a sound-trqnsmitting snail about the situation, but since Kim Haru didn''t have any new stock ready, he had no choice but to tell Hwa Jian to hang a "Restocking" sign and close the shop temporarily.


    Kim Haru would occasionally check on the shop through the system, where he could still see little avatars representing customers gathered outside the shop door. It was clear they were waiting for it to reopen.


    Haru planned to lower the limit per person even further, from one pound to half a pound. This would also help prevent resellers from taking advantage. Once his production increased, he would gradually raise the limit again.


    On the day of the planned departure, Kim Haru got up early.


    The watering system was installed, the chicken coop door was left half-open, and food and water were set out for Little Nugget and Sir Peckington. After checking his backpack one last time, the timing was just right.


    He didn''t ask Jang Dojang to send someone to pick him up; instead, Kim Haru rode his balance scooter to the safety zone.


    There was still plenty of time before the team was set to depart, so Kim Haru went to the shop first and met up with Hwa Jian, who had been waiting for him. Together, they headed to the plant research institute.


    He had an appointment to meet with Baek Wonyeon.


    Along the way, Hwa Jian was dying of curiosity about what his boss was up to, but he played his role as a good assistant perfectly¡ªfollowing instructions without asking questions.


    At the research institute, Baek Wonyeon was already waiting for Kim Haru. When he saw him arrive, he greeted him with a wide smile, "Sir, you''ve finally made it. Let me tell you, those two seeds you brought are growing very well. The data looks great, just as you predicted. There is still some mutagenic virus content, but the level is very low.


    If this continues, they''ll definitely be graded as Level SS!"


    Baek Wonyeon was ecstatic.


    "Oh, by the way, I heard that Researcher Lee''s cabbage is doing quite well too. It''s already sprouted several leaves, though the hydroponic solution still isn''t as effective as soil. He''s working on a new nutrient mix, which is why he didn''t come today."


    "As for Researcher Seo''s potatoes, the results are still unknown. He pulled an all-nighter yesterday and only went home early this morning to catch up on sleep, so I didn''t call him."

 Chapter 108 Tofu Production Plans

    In truth, Baek Wonyeon had purposely avoided calling them.After all, Mr. Kim was here to discuss things with him. If he brought the other two along, they''d try to steal his chances, and Baek Wonyeon wasn''t about to let that happen.


    Kim Haru gave a small hum, indicating he was listening.


    Baek Wonyeon didn''t mind Kim Haru''s indifferent attitude at all, nor did he care that Kim Haru had brought along a stranger. After reporting on the basic status of the three types of plants, Baek Wonyeon shifted the conversation to what Kim Haru had mentioned when he contacted him for help.


    "Sir, what would you like me to help with? Don''t worry, as long as I can assist, I will definitely do my best. And even if I can''t help, we still have the entire research institute. You have no idea how much people here admire the plants you''ve cultivated. If it weren''t for Secretary Jang telling us that you don''t like crowds, they would have come to meet you a long time ago."


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    Kim Haru quickly shook his head in refusal.


    For now, the three researchers he interacted with were purely focused on their work, with no hidden agendas. Kim Haru felt comfortable dealing with people with such personalities, but even so, he couldn''t handle large crowds.


    Better to take things slow.


    "I''d like to make some tofu," Kim Haru said, as they arrived at the legume research room. He directly brought out 75 pounds of freshly harvested soybeans. The beans were plump and fragrant, a smell unique to legumes. Baek Wonyeon''s eyes widened in amazement at the sight.


    "Tofu? Great, great, you''ve come to the right person," Baek Wonyeon rubbed his hands in excitement. "Do you want all of these soybeans turned into tofu? Would you prefer firm or soft tofu? Any special requests? I can even adjust the flavors.


    Whatever flavor of tofu you like, I can make it!"


    Who knew how long it had been since Baek Wonyeon had the chance to use the lab''s equipment? It wasn''t a lack of energy resources, but a lack of soybeans. Now that he had so many in front of him, there was no way he was going to miss this opportunity!


    Kim Haru thought for a moment, then took back a portion of the soybeans, leaving only 50 pounds.


    "Make tofu from these. Plain flavor will do."


    One pound of soybeans could make about five pounds of tofu. With 50 pounds of beans, he could produce around 250 pounds of tofu. Tofu could be sold to a wider range of customers than soybeans alone. As for the remaining 25 pounds of soybeans, Kim Haru planned to keep them for himself.


    Turning this many soybeans into tofu wasn''t something Kim Haru could manage on his own. The sheer amount of work would exhausted him, and he still might not finish it. Only the research institute had the right conditions to handle this.


    Looking at Baek Wonyeon, Kim Haru stated the terms he had already thought through: "You can take 10 pounds of the finished product."


    To be honest, Kim Haru wasn''t sure if this offer was fair. He wasn''t a businessman, after all. If Baek Wonyeon thought it was too little, they could negotiate further. As long as Kim Haru felt it was reasonable, he would agree.


    Upon hearing that he could actually take some of the tofu as compensation, Baek Wonyeon became even more excited and immediately waved his hands in refusal. "No, no, I couldn''t possibly take your goods. You''re our institute''s special consultant, and you''re free to use any of the institute''s resources.


    If it weren''t for your soybeans, I wouldn''t have any reason to use this equipment in the first place. Being able to personally make so much tofu is already incredibly satisfying. I really can''t accept any payment."


    No matter how much Kim Haru insisted, Baek Wonyeon wouldn''t take the offer.


    Kim Haru wasn''t someone who liked to argue back and forth, so seeing that Baek Wonyeon was genuinely against taking any payment, he decided to drop the matter.


    He left Hwa Jian at the institute to wait for the tofu to be finished and bring it back to the shop for sale. Seeing that the time was just right, Kim Haru headed toward the gathering point for the searching team.


    He hadn''t walked far when Hwa Jian caught up with him.


    "Sir, how should we price the tofu?"


    Oh, right, I haven''t decided how much to sell the tofu for yet.


    Tofu is a processed product made from soybeans. After thinking it over, Kim Haru decided on a price of sixty crystal cores per pound.


    "If that''s too expensive, feel free to lower it," he added.


    Kim Haru wasn''t someone who often bought groceries, and he was even less sensitive to pricing. Worried that he might have set the price too high, he made sure to give Hwa Jian the authority to adjust the price before he left.


    Hwa Jian nodded, but in his heart, he had no intention of lowering the price.


    Too expensive? This was tofu! How many people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone had eaten tofu since the apocalypse? Even the safe zone commander likely hadn''t tasted it. They barely had enough soybeans to eat, let alone the resources or time to make tofu.


    His boss didn''t really understand the market prices, but Hwa Jian wasn''t about to let his boss''s profits suffer in the slightest!


    No price cuts. Absolutely no price cuts.


    If it were up to Hwa Jian, he would even suggest raising the price. The shop''s ingredients were all too cheap as it was.


    But before he could say anything, Hwa Jian watched his boss''s retreating figure and silently dismissed his selfish thoughts. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His boss was willing to sell such precious vegetables at such low prices and even set limits on how much customers could buy. Wasn''t that proof enough that his boss''s goal wasn''t to make money from the vegetables? His boss had a heart set on saving the world!

 Chapter 109 Journey to Gochang County

    Otherwise, with these vegetables, they could go to any safe zone, even the top-ranked safe zone like Huimang Safe Zone, and still secure considerable benefits. So why stay in this remote Pyeongseong Safe Zone?Of course, It was because Pyeongseong Safe Zones had the largest population of ordinary people.


    From the moment he met his boss in Fourth District, Hwa Jian had suspected this, and now he was more convinced than ever.


    In this post-apocalypse world, with someone like his boss, there was definitely hope for the future.


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    While his employee''s admiration grew to near-heroic levels, Kim Haru had already arrived at the meeting point.


    Before even stepping inside, he heard the loud and bustling voices from within.


    Immediately, he felt a strong urge to back away.


    Kim Haru glanced around. There were quite a few vendors trying to take advantage of the gathering of ability users at the meeting point, selling their goods. With sharp eyes, he spotted a hat and a few packs of masks.


    The hat and mask packages were intact and appeared quite clean. Kim Haru didn''t bother negotiating the price with the vendor, whether it was high or low, and paid fifty crystal cores to buy them.


    The hat was a black bucket hat with a long enough brim to droop down and just cover his eyes without obstructing his view. After putting on the mask, Kim Haru immediately felt a significant boost in his sense of security.


    Only then did he enter the meeting point.


    Upon entering, he found a corner to stay in, waiting for Jang Dojang to arrive.


    Before long, Jang Dojang showed up with his team. Kim Haru noticed right away¡ªit was a group of familiar faces.


    Following behind Jang Dojang were the four members of the Delta Squad, who also spotted Kim Haru and greeted him with smiles.


    Kim Haru nodded slightly in response.


    "This time, we''re definitely going to encounter a horde of zombies. We still don''t know what happened in Gochang County that caused such a large number of zombies to leave the area. Are you sure you want to go, Mr. Kim?" Jang Dojang asked once again.


    With Kim Haru''s firm nod of confirmation, Jang Dojang sighed helplessly. "Then please take care of yourself. The Delta Squad members are more familiar with you, so if anything comes up along the way, try to let them handle it. Their task this time is to protect you."


    "The searching team consists of official core members and a few squad leaders, but the rest are civilians who have formed their own scattered teams. In order to avoid unnecessary complications, I haven''t told too many people about your identity. I hope you understand."


    "In any case, stay close to the Delta Squad and remain in the center of the group. Above all, stay safe."


    Jang Dojang had a lot more to say, worried that this invaluable person, Kim Haru, might encounter trouble before returning. However, he was afraid that saying too much would annoy Kim Haru, so in the end, he simply entrusted him to the four members of Delta Squad with a serious expression.


    Shin Woncheon and the others nodded solemnly.


    Even without Jang Dojang''s instructions, they would have made Kim Haru''s safety their top priority. From the moment Kim Haru had saved them, they had already placed their lives in his hands.


    Even though Mr. Kim himself might not realize it.


    Jang Dojang didn''t linger at the meeting point for long, afraid that staying too long might draw unwanted attention and cause trouble for Kim Haru. After delivering his message, he quickly left.


    Shin Woncheon led Kim Haru toward the center of the group. The official members in charge of leading the team were there, having also been informed of Kim Haru''s importance. They would be introduced to him, and the group would be setting off soon.


    Gochang County wasn''t originally called Gochang County; its real name was Gokmul County. The area''s geographical advantages created a natural greenhouse effect due to the surrounding mountains, and the abundance of fertile soil and water resources gave it exceptional conditions for agriculture. Gradually, Gokmul County became a renowned major grain-producing region before the apocalypse.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone, located near Gokmul County, shouldn''t have faced such a shortage of food, but...


    "In the first few years after the apocalypse, everyone was busy trying to survive. The safe zones weren''t as stable as they are now, and no one really thought about Gokmul County. Even if they did, only small scattered teams dared to ventured there, and no one really paid attention to what happened to them. By the time people remembered that Gokmul County still had food, it was already too late."


    Ryu Hyunwoo, who was tasked with keeping Kim Haru entertained, was the kind of person who could chatter endlessly without needing any response from others. As soon as he heard Kim Haru ask about Gochang County, he launched into an enthusiastic explanation.


    "No one knows what happened in Gokmul County, but the place is swarming with zombies. In other towns, at least there are weak spots where people can sneak in, or they can just wander around the outskirts. But Gokmul County? Don''t even think about getting inside. Before you even get close, you''ll see hordes of zombies roaming around.


    As soon as they catch a whiff of human scent, they charge right at you. There''s no weak point to be found."


    As Ryu Hyunwoo spoke, he didn''t wait for any reaction from Kim Haru, shaking his head as if to dismiss any possibility he continues, "There probably aren''t any survivors left. With that many zombies surrounding the place, how would anyone still be alive in there? Now, all we can hope for is that the food inside hasn''t gone bad.


    Since Gokmul County was a major grain producer, they should have had some decent food storage methods, right? I''ve heard that well-preserved food can last ten years."


    Ryu Hyunwoo wasn''t the only one thinking this way. Everyone who knew of Gokmul County''s reputation as a grain producer carried the same hope.

 Chapter 110 Approaching Gokmul Count

    After all, this was normal food from before the apocalypse. Even if it was a bit old, could it possibly be more toxic than the mutated ingredients that turn you into a zombie?"And how about now?" Kim Haru was intrigued by Ryu Hyunwoo''s description of Gochang County.


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    Ryu Hyunwoo shook his head. "Now? No one can get in, so no one knows what''s inside."


    Ra Jinho, who was standing nearby, joined in on the conversation. "There has to be something special inside Gokmul County. Who knows what kind of treasure is keeping all those zombies there? They''ve never even bothered attacking Pyeongseong Safe Zone, even though it''s so close to them. It''s like they''re fixated on staying there."


    "Didn''t they say a bunch of zombies suddenly left the county this time? Could it be that whatever treasure was inside has lost its effect?" Ryu Hyunwoo speculated.


    Ra Jinho shook his head. He didn''t know either, and even the authorities hadn''t figured it out yet.


    Kim Haru heightened his vigilance during their conversation about the upcoming trip. No matter what was in Gokmul County, his priority was ensuring his own safety.


    To that end, Kim Haru carefully compared several items in the system''s marketplace, ensuring that he could quickly purchase and use the right tool in case of an emergency.


    Soon, the searching team set out.


    Ryu Hyunwoo was responsible for driving, and the vehicle of Delta Squad followed closely behind the official convoy, which was a very safe position. Shin Woncheon, along with Kim Haru and Ryu Hyunwoo, sat in the back seat, while Ra Jinho took the front passenger seat.


    "Sir, here''s your identification badge for this mission. Keep it safe and don''t lose it." Shin Woncheon handed Kim Haru a small round badge that looked like a glass fragment, and everyone else received one as well. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru examined the badge but couldn''t figure out its purpose, so he shot Shin Woncheon a questioning look.


    Before Shin Woncheon could answer, Ryu Hyunwoo eagerly jumped in with an explanation: "With a group this big, it''s impossible for the higher-ups to recognize everyone, right? There was a case in the past where the team leader got scammed badly. After that, the research institute developed these badges. They''re not just for identification.


    I heard the material contains crystal nucleus powder or something, and it could tracks the number of zombies you kill by carrying it. When we get back, the rewards will be distributed based on contribution points, which are tallied using these badges."


    Kim Haru found the small round badge fascinating.


    How should he describe it? The apocalypse had wiped out so much technology, reducing many things to a near-primitive state. But despite the regression, advanced tech like this kept popping up in unexpected ways.


    It was truly amazing.


    Knowing that the badge would be useless if it was stored in his inventory space, Kim Haru slipped it into the inner lining of his jacket.


    The searching team consisted of about two hundred people, including several large trucks, along with vehicles brought by the scattered squads. Along the way, they didn''t encounter many zombies, as a scattered squad was responsible for clearing the path, efficiently dealing with any zombies they came across.


    The convoy moved at a rapid pace, and when Kim Haru noticed the vehicle slowing down, he realized they were nearing their destination.


    Sure enough, Ryu Hyunwoo rolled down the window, allowing outside sounds to filter into the car: "We''re about to reach the destination. The convoy will enter a rest phase."


    "That''s a speed-type ability user sending the message. They can run from the front to the back of the convoy in seconds," Shin Woncheon explained to Kim Haru. As he spoke, he was reminded of his fallen comrade from their squad who also had speed-type abilities, and a trace of sorrow flickered in his eyes.


    But Shin Woncheon quickly suppressed the grief. In this apocalypse world, how many had lost loved ones? Grief was pointless.


    "Sir, we''re about to enter Gokmul County. Let''s get out, eat something, and restore our energy. Once we''re inside, there may not be another opportunity."


    Kim Haru nodded in understanding and followed them out of the vehicle.


    ...


    "Squad One, break through from the left! Watch the wind direction."


    "Have the Earth-type ability users finished digging the traps?"


    "How long has the zombie-luring team been gone? Someone responsible for communications, report the situation."


    "Everyone get ready, they''re coming!"


    On both sides of the desolate street, humans lay in wait, holding their breath, hidden in the shadows of buildings. The seemingly empty street was teeming with concealed danger, and the air above was thick with the stench of blood, lingering and inescapable.


    Kim Haru crouched with the four members of Delta Squad, following orders to suppress his breathing and remain quiet, patiently waiting for the zombies to arrive.


    It was the second day since the search team had reached Gokmul County, and this was the third wave of zombies they were clearing out.


    Soon, a strong vibration approached from the distance, growing more intense, accompanied by the continuous sounds of battle. Everyone, biding their time, finally caught sight of the enemy.


    It was a large horde of zombies, their faces still twisted in grotesque expressions, vicious and menacing.


    The zombie-luring team consisted of twenty people, their abilities firing non-stop at the approaching horde. Even if their aim wasn''t perfect, in this situation, they could hit a few targets even with their eyes closed.


    As they unleashed their abilities, they didn''t dare to slow down for even a second. The slightest lapse in concentration would result in being caught by the relentless zombies right behind them!


    Almost there! They were so close!


    The runners, now in an all-out sprint, spotted the ground markers and picked up even more speed!

 Chapter 111 Battle and Recovery

    Just as they passed the mark, the people who had been holding back their attack could no longer contain themselves. Even before their bodies fully emerged from their hiding spots, their abilities were already flying toward the zombies!"Coordinate carefully! Watch out for their claws!" One voice had just enough time to shout this warning before the person, too, threw themselves into the fight.


    Delta Squad, along with the rest, were locked in battle with the zombies.


    Kim Haru gripped his pickaxe, determined to smash it straight into the head of any zombie that came his way!


    The zombies'' heads cracked like watermelons under the blows of the pickaxe. With just one hit, the next second, another headless corpse hit the ground. Within the dark red flesh, the crystal cores gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight.


    The broken growls of the zombies mixed with the shouts of humans, creating a chaotic and continuous cacophony.


    ¡­


    As the battle gradually drew to an end, many of the ability users, exhausted from the fight, collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Without thinking, they picked up the crystal cores from the ground to replenish their energy.


    The captains finished off the last few zombies and began organizing the cleanup.


    The priority was checking for injured comrades. Minor wounds only required disinfection, but more serious injuries needed immediate treatment to prevent the mutagenic virus from spreading.


    This was why only ability users had been called for this mission. Only they could resist the zombie virus and avoid becoming one of the infected after being injured.


    Some people were responsible for tending to the wounded, while others were tasked with collecting the crystal cores scattered on the ground. After a day of fighting, the cores would be distributed among the group.


    Kim Haru found the members of Delta Squad and stood silently by their side. He couldn''t sit down no matter what, even though his clothes weren''t much cleaner than the ground itself.


    The four members of Delta Squad glanced at Kim Haru with envy written all over their faces.


    What else could they say? He really lived up to his reputation as a powerful figure. Taking down zombies with just one strike of the pickaxe, and without even using his plant-type ability¡ªhe truly was someone who could keep mutated plants in check!


    As for why such a strong person like Kim Haru would still be out here fighting zombies alongside them, none of Delta Squad found it strange.


    Perhaps his plant-type ability was exceptional, but he lacked experience in fighting zombies. Didn''t they all notice how awkward his close-combat moves were? He probably realized this himself and came here to train.


    Besides, Jang Dojang had already mentioned that Mr. Kim''s primary purpose in coming to Gokmul County was to search for seeds. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thought of the delicious crops Mr. Kim could grow¡ªwithout any concern for safety¡ªmade them all eager to escort him to the granary as soon as possible!


    "Are you injured, sir?" Shin Woncheon asked after resting for a short while. Most of the zombies they had just fought were ordinary first-level ones. Aside from the sheer number of them, which drained their energy, they hadn''t been too difficult to deal with.


    As a Level 2 ability user, Shin Woncheon recovered his energy faster than the others. By now, he was only feeling slightly tired.


    Although Shin Woncheon knew that Mr. Kim was very strong, during the chaotic battle, he had lost sight of him, and he still worried that Kim Haru might have run into some trouble.


    Seeing Kim Haru shake his head, Shin Woncheon finally let out a sigh of relief.


    That''s right, Mr. Kim wouldn''t get injured.


    Kim Haru indeed wasn''t hurt. In fact, if he wanted, he could have avoided getting stained with all that blood in the first place. Even with so many zombies around, they wouldn''t have bothered him if he hadn''t taken the initiative to attack.


    But avoiding confrontation wasn''t why Kim Haru had risked following the team on this mission.


    In just a few days, Kim Haru had gained the distinct air of someone who had survived an apocalypse¡ªa scent that could only be earned through combat.


    With this wave of zombies cleared, the surrounding area was almost free of threats. Once everyone had regained some of their strength, they started walking toward a nearby hotel.


    The hotel''s name was long gone, with only the word "hotel" still visible on the wall. No one cared, though, as they all headed straight to the dining hall on the second floor.


    On their first day here, they had cleaned the building and turned it into their temporary base for the mission. The ground-floor lobby and second-floor dining hall were spacious enough to accommodate everyone. The rooms on the upper floors had been assigned to each team.


    After the physically draining battle, everyone was eager to enjoy a hearty meal. One of the perks of doing missions for the official government was that they didn''t have to worry about preparing their own food¡ªthere were dedicated logistics staff who provided meals for everyone.


    "I wonder what we''ll get to eat today. That two-headed rabbit soup from this morning wasn''t bad at all."


    "It''ll probably be more rabbit meat, right? Two-headed rabbit are usually pretty big¡ªyou can''t finish one in just one meal."


    "Ugh, I really hate eating rabbit meat. It''s so slimy. The potatoes in that soup were the real treat."


    "Totally agree! I don''t mind rabbit meat, but those potatoes were especially delicious. I wonder where the logistics team got them. When I get back to the safe zone, I''ll have to find some to try. Hope they''re not too expensive."


    "You foodies only care about the taste. Did none of you notice that those potatoes didn''t have the usual virus taste?"


    "Ah! Now that you mention it, I did notice that. The logistics team was being generous this time, giving us such precious ingredients. No wonder the portions were so small¡ªjust two bites, and they were gone."

 Chapter 112 Meal Time Chaos

    "It''s just that we''re afraid you''ll die on this mission, so we''re letting you enjoy a good meal before you go!""Ugh, don''t jinx it with that kind of talk!"


    Without enemies around, the group bantered and joked, filling the entire hall with laughter and liveliness.


    Kim Haru, however, wasn''t comfortable with such large crowds.


    He didn''t leave outright or try to stand out, though. Instead, he quietly found a seat in a corner. Before entering the dining hall, he had made a stop at the restroom to change into a clean set of clothes.


    Shin Woncheon and his three teammates, familiar with Kim Haru''s habits, were already waiting there and showed no surprise at seeing him in fresh clothes once again.


    They had witnessed this yesterday, and it wasn''t just them¡ªother ability users had seen Kim Haru''s behavior too.


    Initially, some people weren''t too happy about it. One loud voice had even grumbled, "What a show-off, acting all pretentious," while staring directly at Kim Haru, clearly targeting him with their complaint.


    Before Shin Woncheon''s team could defend him, the official team leader, who rarely got involved with the team''s personal matters outside of battle, let out a cold snort and said, "If you''ve got the skills to change, then you''re welcome to do the same."


    The team leader''s blatant support for Kim Haru immediately caused everyone to start wondering about Kim''s true identity.


    After the team leader made that statement, he gave Kim Haru a slight nod and smiled before seriously returning to discussing battle plans with the other leaders. Those who witnessed this exchange no longer treated Kim Haru so casually.


    The downside to this, however, was that until people figured out who Kim Haru really was, no one dared approach him, aside from the members of Shin Woncheon''s team.


    Kim Haru had become somewhat isolated within the group.


    Yet what was a drawback for others was exactly what Kim Haru wanted.


    Soon, the logistics personnel came out with trays of food.


    As some had guessed, today''s lunch-and-dinner combo consisted of leftover two-headed snake meat from the morning. Earlier, they had used it for soup, and now it was stir-fried with oil.


    Well, it didn''t look like it had been freshly stir-fried. It was likely cooked earlier and kept fresh in someone''s space ability until now. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aside from the rabbit meat, each person also received half a tube of nutrient liquid.


    "There will be no combat tonight, so please rest as much as possible. Tomorrow, we will be advancing closer to the granary," the team leader announced briefly before stepping aside with his own meal that was identical to everyone else''s.


    It''s no wonder they were given nutrient liquid today. Even though it was only half a tube, it could sustain someone for one or two days without food. Chances were, tomorrow wouldn''t provide the luxury of such a leisurely meal.


    Kim Haru also received half a tube of nutrient liquid.


    He stored it in his system backpack and didn''t eat it.


    Shin Woncheon and his team didn''t start eating right away. Instead, they stared eagerly at Kim Haru, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    Seeing their expressions, Kim Haru immediately knew what they were waiting for. Without hesitation, he pulled food out from his system backpack.


    Yesterday, they had spicy potato slices and stir-fried cabbage, so today it would be sour and spicy shredded potatoes with potato and cabbage stew.


    It just so happened that the search team didn''t get soup for lunch today.


    As soon as Kim Haru took out his dishes, even before he could open them, Shin Woncheon and his team quickly pushed their crystal cores toward him.


    "What''s on the menu today, sir? How many crystal cores for a scoop? I want two scoops!"


    "I''ll take two scoops as well."


    "One scoop is enough for me. I''ll eat it with the rabbit meat to fill up."


    "And me! Don''t forget me!"


    Heaven knows how jealous they were yesterday, holding the roasted meat given by logistics team while watching Kim Haru take out his hot, fragrant stir-fried dishes. What made it worse was that Kim Haru hadn''t been annoyed by their longing gazes¡ªin fact, he even offered to share some with them.


    There was no way Shin Woncheon''s group would take it for free, so of course, they insisted on paying with crystal cores.


    Kim Haru couldn''t refuse them, so he thought about the prices of takeout meals in his previous life and casually set a rate of 20 crystal cores per scoop. To his surprise, they piled up a mountain of crystal cores in front of him.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Well, might as well eat together. This was his first time sharing his own cooked meals with others, and he hadn''t expected to make money from it.


    He felt a mix of emotions.


    After three meals a day, Shin Woncheon and his group had developed a habit: before eating, they would buy two scoops of something delicious from Kim Haru to mix with the logistics food. It made their meals much more enjoyable.


    This time, Kim Haru stuck to his usual price and gave each of them a scoop. And it wasn''t one of those large cafeteria ladles from his past life¡ªhe used his own small spoon for serving.


    There was no way he would carry a large restaurant ladle when heading out.


    In any case, Kim Haru himself felt like he was overcharging, but Shin Woncheon and the others kept praising him for his kindness. It made him feel a bit guilty.


    The aroma of the sour and spicy shredded potatoes was incredibly potent. As soon as he opened the dish, it caught the attention of the surrounding ability users.


    "Ah, here we go again."


    "Who is that guy anyway? The food he eats smells way too good."


    "The rabbit meat in my hand suddenly seems tasteless. How is anyone supposed to endure this? The difference is just too much."


    "I can''t take it anymore!"

 Chapter 113 Granarys Secrets

    A burly man abruptly set down the rabbit meat in his hands and charged straight toward Kim Haru.People around them, both openly and discreetly, turned their attention to the scene.


    Shin Woncheon''s group immediately tensed up, their bodies on high alert.


    "What do you think you''re doing¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, the burly man suddenly bent over in a flash!


    "Please sell me a scoop too! Even half a scoop will do!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shin Woncheon''s team: "..."


    Everyone else: "..."


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Uh, your behavior doesn''t match your size or your actions at all.


    As he thought this, the ability users glanced at each other, then back at the small portions of food in front of Kim Haru.


    In the blink of an eye, a large crowd had gathered around Kim Haru! Their bright, eager eyes all fixed on him.


    If you asked who the most popular person in the search team was right now, without exception, everyone would say, "Mr. Kim!"


    And his food.


    Once someone made the first move, no one could hold back anymore, afraid that all of Kim Haru''s food would be gone before they could get a taste. One by one, they squeezed forward toward Kim Hary, only to be loudly scolded back to their places by the various team captains. Even then, they couldn''t help but keep casting longing glances his way. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    This was truly the nightmare of someone with social anxiety.


    In the end, Kim Haru set aside some food for Shin Woncheon to distribute to the others and took his own meal back to his room to eat in peace.


    Once Kim Haru left, the four members of the Delta Squad weren''t nearly as easygoing.


    Shin Woncheon was still smiling, but he let out his energy, the pressure of a Level 2 ability user radiating out without hesitation to quell any further impulses. "If you want some, get in line. There''s not much left¡ªone scoop per team. You can divide it however you want once you take it back."


    "Twenty crystals."


    Though Shin Woncheon and the others felt that the price was too cheap, this was the price Kim Hary had set, and they wouldn''t alter his decision on their own. Their job was to ensure that all of Mr. Kim''s plans were carried out smoothly.


    ...


    Meanwhile, having escaped to his room, Kim Haru finally began to enjoy his meal. He was particularly interested in the two-headed rabbit meat provided by the logistics team. According to Shin Woncheon, these two-headed rabbit were enormous, each as thick around as a grown man''s waist, yet they weren''t hard to kill, aside from their large size and strong defense.


    These creatures loved to nest together, and except for their two heads, most of their meat was remarkably low in mutagenic virus content, making them a rare and valuable source of clean food. People often hunted two-headed rabbit as a food source since one could last for a long time.


    Other ability users might have grown tired of eating this, but to Kim Haru, it was a novel experience.


    The mutated two-headed rabbit meat, aside from having larger bones, looked very similar to ordinary rabbit meat. Its texture was also chewy like regular rabbit meat, but there was a faint, unpleasant odor, perhaps due to the mutagenic virus content or the rabbit itself. The smell wasn''t overpowering¡ªif Kim Haru hadn''t been so used to normal food, he might not have even noticed it.


    However, it was said that ability users had heightened senses, so maybe the smell was much more obvious to them.


    No wonder his dishes were so popular. Besides the lower virus content, the taste was likely another key reason.


    Kim Haru became even more determined to expand his planting scale and fully develop a variety of normal ingredients.


    He didn''t want to be stuck cooking everything himself if he wanted to eat something tasty in the future. There were so many recipes and skilled chefs out there¡ªhe couldn''t possibly make it all on his own, nor would his cooking be as delicious as theirs.


    His real goal was to live in a world where takeout was available again.


    Kim Haru''s inner thoughts soon received an answer. The next day, as the group cautiously made their way to the granary, they didn''t encounter any significant danger. By the time they reached the entrance, aside from a few zombies drawn by the scent of humans, everything had been strangely peaceful.


    Standing outside the granary, the squad captains were perplexed. "Do we go in now?"


    Everyone knew this calm was far too abnormal. There could be significant danger waiting for them inside. No one could make a decision easily.


    The team leader closed his eyes briefly, then made up his mind. "Go in."


    They had come to find the granary. No matter what danger lay ahead, they had to proceed.


    "Everyone, stay on high alert. Keep an eye on any unusual movements. And make sure that Mr. Kim stays in the middle of the group¡ªensure his safety."


    "Yes, sir."


    Soon, under the hands of the metal-type ability user, the iron lock on the granary door melted and deformed, and the door was opened.


    Just like outside, everything inside seemed peaceful.


    But even at the sight of this calm, no one relaxed their guard.


    Kim Haru was carefully shielded by Shin Woncheon and his squad members in the middle of the group as they walked in. The moment he stepped through the granary doors, the farming system in his mind suddenly lit up.


    [ Ding! More than ten types of seeds available for collection nearby. The map function will be activated ]


    A map? Was it what he thought it was?


    Kim Haru looked at the newly added icon in the system interface and clicked to open it.


    A two-dimensional flat map appeared on the virtual screen.


    Only three places were lit up on the map, with the locations marked, while everything else was shrouded in darkness.


    One was the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, another was Kim Haru''s small farm, and the third was Gokmul County, where he was currently standing. The roads between these three places were also visible.

 Chapter 114 Seeds of Survival

    Kim Haru''s small farm was marked on the map with a solid five-pointed star, simply labeled "Farm." The Pyeongseong Safe Zone was marked with an ordinary dot, and when zoomed in, the divisions between the central area and the four zones could be seen, along with the roads and buildings within the safe zone.The situation in Gokmul County was similar, but with the addition of several red dots.


    The largest, slow-flashing red dot represented Kim Haru''s current location, and the other densely packed red dots all marked various seeds.


    Sweet potato seeds, corn seeds, wheat seeds, rapeseed, sorghum seeds, soybean seeds, and even the rice seeds Kim Haru had been longing for.


    Seeing all of this, Kim Haru instantly became excited!


    According to the map, the locations of these seeds were right inside the granary ahead of him. Since the system had specially marked them, it meant these seeds were still viable and could grow.


    This trip was not in vain!


    In his excitement, Kim Haru didn''t notice that in a distant high-rise building, a small crack had opened in one of the windows, and a pair of eyes were quietly watching them. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    This granary was Warehouse No. 2 of Gokmul County, located on the outermost perimeter of the county.


    After cautiously circling the granary for a thorough inspection and clearing out zombies from the surveillance room, storage room, and guard room, without discovering any hidden dangers, the team leader finally gave the order for the others teams to spread out and search for supplies on their own.


    Participating in these official search teams didn''t require turning over all the materials found. Each team could keep one-third of whatever they found, while the remaining two-thirds had to be handed in.


    This was one of the reasons why the scattered teams enjoyed joining official squads¡ªit provided food and it was safer than searching on their own, although they couldn''t keep everything, the benefits were still clear.


    Everyone spread out by team, rushing straight for the granary.


    They had checked, and most of these granaries hadn''t been damaged. With the contents still sealed, there might be plenty of good stuff inside!


    Kim Haru quickly walked toward the warehouse marked with the most red dots on the system map.


    Shin Woncheon''s squad immediately followed.


    Noticing the commotion, the team leader also sent four official personnel to follow. They hadn''t forgotten that their mission this time wasn''t just to search for supplies; they were also responsible for protecting this "Mr. Kim."


    "Sir, slow down, please, be careful!" Shin Woncheon caught up to Kim Haru and asked which direction he was headed, then moved ahead to clear the path.


    Soon, Kim Haru stood in front of the warehouse that contained the rice seeds he needed.


    Besides the rice seeds, there were also corn and sweet potato seeds nearby. Kim Haru wasn''t going to miss out on any of them.


    "Break it open!" Kim Haru impatiently gestured to the warehouse in front of him, urging Shin Woncheon to take action.


    Shin Woncheon nodded and signaled everyone to step back.


    Once the others had moved a safe distance away, Shin Woncheon took a deep breath and raised his hands. Golden light rapidly gathered from all directions, and within a blink, a massive, sharp drill formed between his palms!


    What better way to break down a door than with a drill?


    Under Shin Woncheon''s control, the drill spun at high speed, and within moments, the neglected and unmaintained granary door gave way with a loud bang, leaving a large hole!


    The others quickly stepped forward to widen the opening.


    They could already smell the scent of stored grain wafting out.


    Shin Woncheonwas the first to go in, checking for danger before calling the others inside. Kim Haru, who had been waiting eagerly, immediately squeezed through.


    The warehouse, which was less than 100 square meters, was packed with burlap sacks, stacked neatly and filled to the brim. Over time, some of the bags had deteriorated, and the vibration from the door-breaking had caused one to tear open, spilling rice grains onto the floor.


    "Damn it, hurry up and get something to collect this!" Ryu Hyunwoo cursed, distressed. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The others snapped out of their daze and rushed to carefully block the torn bags. Some emptied their backpacks to scoop up the spilled rice, while others, with no time to clear their packs, stripped off their shirts to catch the falling grains.


    Meanwhile, Kim Haru started collecting the bags one by one into his system backpack, making the others green with envy.


    "Man, having space-type abilities when searching for supplies is totally cheating," Ryu Hyunwoo sighed, then quickly caught Shin Woncheon''s sharp glare and realized his mistake. He hastily apologized to Kim Haru. "Sir, I didn''t mean you! I was just¡ª"


    "It''s fine," Kim Haru didn''t mind. He knew Ryu Hyunwoo was just expressing his amazement. Besides, he was too focused on happily collecting rice seeds to worry about anything else.


    While gathering the seeds, Kim Haru silently thanked the strict storage regulations that had preserved these resources so well. All the bags were uniform, and since the rice seeds counted as a single item in the system, they only took up one slot in his backpack.


    It felt incredibly satisfying.


    Kim Haru collected every single rice seed into his system backpack, regardless of their quality or whether they were still edible. The only exceptions were the four torn sacks.


    He had tried to store them as well, but the system treated the torn sacks as different items from the intact ones. Since each of the four bags had spilled a different amount of rice, the system identified them as separate entities, each requiring its own slot in the backpack.


    Too wasteful.


    Luckily, Shin Woncheon''s squad and the four official team members were around.


    "My space rules won''t allow me to collect them. You guys can take care of it."


    Shin Woncheon and the others quickly started packing the rice into their own bags. They emptied out everything unnecessary; nothing mattered more than life-saving food.

 Chapter 115 Quest for Sweet Potatoes

    In fact, they hadn''t brought much with them anyway¡ªjust weapons out of habit and a few personal items. Most of the supplies were handled by the official logistics team, so they hadn''t needed to carry much.As for the weapons, they took them out and equipped them immediately, freeing up more space.


    Kim Haru didn''t wait for them and called Shin Woncheon to head to the next warehouse, where the corn seeds were stored.


    With experience from the last break-in, Shin Woncheon''s door-breaking became much smoother. He was even more careful this time, trying to avoid damaging the containers inside. The resulting tremor was far less intense.


    Sure enough, when they entered the corn seed warehouse, nothing appeared to be damaged.


    Kim Haru wasted no time. Without saying a word, he began collecting everything into his spatial backpack.


    Next were the sweet potato seeds.


    Finding them turned out to be trickier than the rice and corn seeds. Kim Haru stood where the map indicated the sweet potato seeds were stored, but no warehouse was in sight. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    If he hadn''t trusted the system''s accuracy, he would''ve thought it was playing a prank on him.


    At this point, Kim Haru started wondering if there was something wrong with his eyes, or if he was under some sort of illusion.


    Kim Haru''s pacing in circles, seemingly looking for something, naturally caught the attention of the others. Noticing his behavior, they glanced around, puzzled, and asked, "Mr. Kim, are you looking for something? We can help."


    Kim Haru quickly thought of an excuse that wouldn''t reveal the existence of the system. "I can sense that there''s a large batch of plant seeds here, but I just can''t seem to locate them."


    The others didn''t suspect anything unusual.


    Kim Haru had plant-type abilities and was known as a special talent who could grow normal plants in this post-apocalypse world. It was perfectly reasonable for him to have a special sense for seeds, right?


    Upon hearing Kim Haru''s words, the group immediately started searching along with him.


    Soon, Ryu Hyunwoo, who had Earth-type abilities, noticed something unusual beneath their feet.


    "There''s a large space down there; it''s not all soil."


    Kim Haru suddenly realized. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course! Sweet potato seeds are best stored in a cellar. It made perfect sense for their warehouse to be underground!


    Now that they knew where it was, opening it up was much easier.


    However, as soon as they entered the sweet potato warehouse, everyone but Kim Haru immediately became tense.


    The walls of this warehouse were severely warped and distorted, clearly the result of being rammed by something immensely powerful. It was unclear whether the culprit was a mutated subterranean creature or the root system of a mutated plant.


    Judging by the current state, whatever creature had attacked the warehouse hadn''t breached it yet, and the sweet potato seeds remained neatly packed in sacks.


    However, since there were already signs of an attack, it was likely that the creature would return at any moment. Mutated creatures were notoriously vengeful. If it hadn''t succeeded in breaking into this warehouse, it surely wouldn''t give up easily.


    "Mr. Kim, how much more can your space hold? We need to leave as soon as possible," Shin Woncheon said as he cautiously guarded Kim Haru while they moved into the warehouse.


    Kim Haru had been frowning ever since they entered.


    Whether due to the warehouse being damaged and exposed to air, a large portion of the stored sweet potatoes had already rotted, releasing a foul, nauseating stench. These rotting sweet potatoes were completely unusable as seeds and couldn''t even be eaten anymore.


    However, since the system map had marked this location, it meant there were still some viable sweet potatoes here.


    But finding the good ones among so many rotting sacks could take a considerable amount of time. With mutated creatures potentially lurking outside, there was no way their small group could handle it.


    "Let''s retreat for now," Kim Haru said, turning to head back out.


    Giving up on the sweet potato seeds was out of the question. Sweet potatoes, much like potatoes, were high-yield crops with excellent returns, making them invaluable in a food-scarce post-apocalypse world. Once they returned, Kim Haru would ask the team leader to send more people back to retrieve them.


    Shin Woncheon and the others didn''t oppose Kim Haru''s suggestion and quickly retreated to the surface.


    Just as they were preparing to head toward the rendezvous point designated by their team leader, a sudden, deafening crash came from the open sweet potato warehouse!


    They all turned around and their pupils constricted in shock!


    "Run!"


    "Mr. Kim, watch out!"


    "Golden Shield!"


    In an instant, Shin Woncheon jumped in front of everyone, summoning a massive shield. The next second, a giant, gaping maw shot out from the warehouse and smashed into the shield with a loud, ear-piercing clang.


    The members of Delta Squad had long developed strong teamwork with Shin Woncheon. The moment Shin Woncheon made his move, Gang Yuwon unleashed a torrent of flames that surged straight toward the creature, with Ra Jinho closely following behind. Ryu Hyunwoo grabbed Kim Haru, his Earth-type abilities flowing rapidly underfoot, transporting them away from the center of the fight like a teleportation.


    One of the four official team members trailed behind Kim Haru and Ryu Hyunwoo, while the other two, just a beat slower than Delta Squad, leapt into action, engaging the mutated creature in fierce combat!


    Another member quickly ran off, rushing to report the situation to their team leader as soon as possible.


    "Go help them, I''m fine," Kim Haru''s heart was racing, but now that he had regained his composure, he urged Ryu Hyunwoo and the others to assist in the battle.


    Ryu Hyunwoo was worried about his teammates, but he knew Kim Haru was even more important. No matter what, his mission was to protect Mr. Kim. He refused Kim Haru''s request and remained by his side, carefully ensuring that nothing would suddenly burst from the ground under his protection. All the while, he kept an eye on the battle not far away.

 Chapter 116 Encounter with the Oltura King

    One of the official team members assessed the situation and joined the fight, while another, like Ryu Hyunwoo, stayed firmly by Kim Haru''s side, unwavering in his duty to guard him.Unable to persuade them, Kim Haru could only shift his gaze toward the center of the battle.


    This was his first time seeing the mutated creatures that everyone had talked about.


    It was a writhing, segmented thing, with the part above the ground already towering three to four meters high. Its overall shape was cylindrical, and its body appeared soft and pliable. At the very top, there was a large mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth¡ªthe very thing that had just lunged at Kim Haru''s back! Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "What is that?" Kim Haru stared at the agile body, a thought flashing through his mind.


    Ryu Hyunwoo''s reply confirmed Kim Haru''s suspicion: "That''s a Mutated Purple Worm called Oltura, and judging by its size, it must be the Oltura King."


    The Mutatrd Purple Worm or Oltura is a mutation of the common earthworm. Ordinary mutated creatures only grow half a meter to a meter long. However, Oltura live in groups, and when their numbers reach a certain threshold, they begin to devour each other until only one remains.


    That last one that remains would become the Oltura King, whose power and size are several times greater than those of ordinary Oltura!


    Don''t be fooled by the Oltura King''s soft body; its skin is as tough as iron. The most troublesome part is that when it''s on the verge of death, it unleashes its final move¡ªa power that ability users like to call "Seed Explosion."


    ¡ªThis enormous creature explodes into dozens of smaller, one or two-meter-long Oltura.


    If any of these small Oltura escape, they''ll eventually grow back into a giant Oltura King. This makes it extremely difficult for small teams to completely wipe them out.


    Kim Haru felt somewhat relieved, though, knowing that while the Oltura King was tough to deal with, Shin Woncheon''s Metal-type abilities were its natural counter. With Shin Woncheon in the fight, his teammates shouldn''t suffer any serious injuries.


    Soon enough, the commotion attracted other ability users squads to the scene.


    Upon seeing the Oltura King, the newcomers recognized its cowardly final move. Some of them clicked their tongues in disdain, while others, with a look of scorn, activated their powers and joined the battle.


    One member, who had a baby-faced appearance, paused before jumping into the fray and called out to Shin Woncheon, "Captain Shin, since I''m helping you out this time, could you give me an extra portion of food the next time Mr. Kim shares some?"


    His voice was so loud that even Kim Haru, standing at a distance, could hear him clearly.


    Oh, judging by the way that guy deliberately glanced in this direction, he must''ve raised his voice on purpose to make sure Kim Haru heard it.


    Kim Haru kept a straight face, quietly suppressing the worry he felt inside.


    Since they still had the energy to bargain, it seemed that dealing with the Oltura King wasn''t going to be too difficult.


    The person who had gone to report to the team leader quickly returned with reinforcements. With more official team members now on the scene, the number of people fighting the Oltura King increased. Various abilities rained down on the creature''s body, and before long, the Oltura King began to convulse violently!


    "Watch out, it''s about to explode into seeds!"


    With a loud bang, the gigantic Oltura King instantly burst into dozens of purple serpentine creatures, slithering rapidly in all directions. The ability users swiftly pursued them, their movements practiced and efficient.


    "Earth-type ability users, hurry up and control the ground! Don''t let them burrow in!"


    As an Earth-type ability user himself, Ryu Hyunwoo, seeing that the major threat had been dealt with, stepped forward, stomped his foot, and the ground around him hardened rapidly.


    Soon, the small Oltura, unable to dig into the hardened soil, were caught one by one and suffocated.


    Ryu Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief, turning around to smile at Kim Haru. "It''s all over now, Mr. Kim... Mr. Kim?!"


    Not sure when it happened, but Kim Haru, who had been standing right behind him, had disappeared without a trace. The official team member who are standing guard next to Kim Haru also had a blank expression, frozen in shock, until Ryu Hyunwoo called out to him, snapping him back to reality.


    Realizing that the person he was supposed to protect had gone missing, both of them felt a chilling cold run down their spines.


    ...


    Just as the scene before Kim Haru suddenly shifted, he had no time to react before he found himself in another place entirely.


    The lighting was dim, the space cramped, and it wasn''t just him there¡ªhe was surrounded by several humanoid figures!


    Kim Haru''s pupils contracted sharply.


    He could clearly see the people encircling him. Their expressions were blank, their skin pale and devoid of blood, with bodies either mutilated or decaying. Their pupils were unfocused, and scattered.


    These were all zombies!


    A pickaxe instantly appeared in Kim Haru''s hand, and he raised it, ready to smash it down on the nearest zombie''s head.


    "They won''t hurt you," a voice suddenly called out from the shadows, freezing Kim Haru''s movements.


    There was a living person here!


    "Who''s there?" Kim Haru slowly scanned the dim room, his gaze finally settling on a standing cabinet.


    The entire room only had that one corner where someone could hide. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come out," Kim Haru said coldly.


    He had already pulled up the system map and confirmed that his current location was still within Gokmul County, though a little bit farther from the No. 2 grain warehouse than before. He wasn''t sure if he could escape or find a way to send a message to the search team.


    Seeing that Kim Haru had already noticed his hiding spot, a figure slowly emerged from behind the cabinet.


    It was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

 Chapter 117 Go Okrim and the Code of the Zombies

    The young man was holding half a candle. After stepping out, he handed it to one of the zombies that was encircling Kim Haru. To Kim Haru''s astonishment, the zombie extended its hand, conjuring a small fireball to light the candle.Then, it silently withdrew its hand and stood still in place.


    Kim Haru didn''t know whether to be more surprised that a zombie could actually cast a fireball or that it was so obedient.


    As the candle lit up the room significantly, the young man smiled at Kim Haru and introduced himself, "My name is Go Okrim. Nice to meet you."


    Nice to meet him? Kim Haru could see that Go Okrim was genuinely pleased.


    But just because Go Okrim was happy didn''t mean Kim Haru felt the same. No one would feel happy after being suddenly whisked away like this.


    "I saw you all come in," said the young man, who had introduced himself as Go Okrim, completely oblivious to Kim Haru''s expression. His eyes shone as he leaned closer to Haru. "I''ve been secretly watching you. You''re a zombie, right?"


    Kim Haru was startled. "No."


    Becoming increasingly wary of the strange young man before him, Kim Haru took a step back.


    Go Okrim shook his head. "You''re lying. I saw it¡ªthe zombies didn''t attack you. You must be one of them, or else there''s no way they wouldn''t be drawn to you. Don''t worry, I''ll keep your secret. What are you doing hanging around those people, anyway?


    Do you need my help? It looks like fun. Add me to the team!"


    Huh?


    Kim Haru keenly picked up on Go Okrim''s choice of words. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You... are a zombie?"


    The Go Okrim in front of him could talk and laugh. His expressions and movements were completely human-like. If this kind of person was a zombie, Kim Haru thought the future of humanity might be in grave danger.


    Hearing Kim Haru''s question, Go Okrim''s mood instantly turned sour. "No, I''m not."


    "In fact, I wish I were a zombie. That way, I wouldn''t leave my brother all alone. But the heavens love to play such cruel jokes. If I didn''t fear losing my mind, I would''ve already let a zombie bite me."


    "Oh, by the way, since you''re a zombie and still retain your rational mind like a human, do you know how to do it? Can you teach me? Please, I''m begging you. What do you want in return? crystal cores? Food?


    Oh right, are you after territory? The whole county is mine now. I''ll give it to you¡ªeverything. Just teach me how to do it, please!"


    With a thud, Go Okrim knelt in front of Kim Haru.


    The zombies surrounding Kim Haru still stood there dumbly, completely oblivious to what their controller was doing.


    Kim Haru''s grip on the pickaxe remained firm, poised to strike at the zombies'' heads at any moment, as he silently observed everything unfolding before him.


    It seemed he had indeed stumbled upon a boss-level situation.


    But if this guy was human, how was he controlling so many zombies? From the way he talked, it sounded like he had control over all the zombies in the entire county.


    "What''s going on with them?" Since he had questions, Kim Haru decided to ask directly. Judging by this person''s current state, Haru figured he would get an answer.


    Sure enough, Go Okrim responded without hesitation, "Because of my brother."


    Kim Haru then heard a touching story of brotherly love from Go Okrim''s mouth.


    Go Okrim''s brother had turned into a zombie shortly after the apocalypse began. However, unlike other zombies, his brother didn''t immediately pounce on him. In fact, when other zombies tried to attack Go Okrim, even though it seemed like his brother had forgotten everything, he still stood in front of Go Okrim and protecting him.


    Allowing himself to be torn apart by zombies, he didn''t let his younger brother suffer even the slightest harm.


    At that time, Go Okrim was just an introverted boy whose world revolved entirely around computers.


    He knew nothing about survival in the apocalypse. The world outside of his room was a mystery, and he was too afraid to step outside, unwilling to interact with other humans. Yet, under the protection of his zombie brother, he survived.


    When he was hungry, he ate raw food. After finishing everything in the house, hunger drove him to finally step outside and search the neighbors'' homes for something to eat.


    It was then that he saw his brother being surrounded and bitten by a horde of zombies, all in an effort to protect him. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    His brother, now a zombie, couldn''t speak anymore, nor could he cry out in pain. But chunks of flesh were torn from his body, wounds appearing one after another, constantly marring his skin.


    At that moment, Go Okrim finally have a courage to stepped out of his own world.


    And at the same time, he gained a supernatural ability.


    It wasn''t a power of "matter" or "substance," but rather an ability classified as something like "code," with no clear category to fit into.


    Kim Haru had established a connection with his zombie brother. The brother, who had lost all human characteristics, was like an empty computer. Kim Haru could etch "code" into the zombie''s body, just like programming a machine. He began to write programs for the zombies, as if they were computers.


    "I upgraded my brother''s level through coding. His combat abilities improved, and later, my brother even developed his own powers. As his level continued to rise, eventually, all the zombies in the county followed his commands. Our lives here became increasingly free."


    However, if things had truly gone that smoothly, Kim Haru and his group wouldn''t have had to show up.


    "But I didn''t anticipate that zombie crystal cores would be so irresistibly attractive to other zombies."


    Go Okrim''s brother got into a fight with another high-level zombie. In the end, his brother killed that zombie and took its crystal core.

 Chapter 118 Go Okrims Plea and Kim Harus Decision

    However, it didn''t end well for Go Okrim''s brother either¡ªhis own crystal core was ripped out by the other zombie in the final moment of the battle. Even though they managed to reinsert it immediately after the fight, it was already too late.Go Okrim''s zombie brother took his own crystal core out and placed it in Go Okrim''s body.


    In the final moments of his life, he was still thinking about Go Okrim, afraid that without his suppression, the other zombies would pose a threat to his human brother.


    "With my brother''s crystal core inside me, I can control some zombies as well, but I can''t suppress the whole county''s zombies like my brother could." Go Okrim looked at Kim Haru. "Turn me into a zombie. Once I become a zombie, I''ll be able to absorb my brother''s crystal core, and I''ll be able to control more zombies. I''ll follow you, do whatever you ask me to."


    Kim Haru chuckled. "If that''s the case, why shouldn''t I just absorb the core myself?"


    Go Okrim shook his head. "Because the crystal core only works through a combination of my brother''s powers and mine. Only I can absorb it¡ªanyone else won''t be able to use it."


    Alright, since things were now clear, Kim Haru directly stated, "I''m not really a zombie. If you don''t believe me, feel for yourself."


    Kim Haru had also doubted whether he had turned into a zombie. But he had passed the basic safety tests at the entrance to the safe zone¡ªhis body felt warm to the touch, his heart was still beating, and he breathed when he spoke.


    Yet no one could definitively say he wasn''t human.


    Go Okrim reached out and touched him.


    Then he collapsed to the ground in despair.


    "How is this possible? Why is it like this? You should be a zombie! The zombies ignored you¡ªI''ve only ever seen them act that way towards one of their own."


    Kim Haru said nothing.


    He certainly wasn''t going to tell Go Okrim that he wasn''t the original owner in this body.


    Seeing Go Okrim sinking into his disappointment, Kim Haru seized the opportunity. With a few swift swings of his pickaxe¡ªthud, thud, thud¡ªhe took care of the zombies in the room and extracted their crystal cores.


    Then he raised his weapon and aimed it at Go Okrim.


    "I don''t want to die," Go Okrim cried helplessly. "I don''t want to die. I still want to live with my brother''s crystal core for a long, long time. My brother told me to survive."


    "I don''t want to die..."


    Kim Haru hesitated, unable to swing his pickaxe.


    After all, this person had captured him, but aside from scaring him, hadn''t actually done anything harmful. In fact, Go Okrim even wanted to be his subordinate, though he had mistakenly thought Kim Haru was a zombie.


    And besides, Go Okrim was still human.


    Kim Haru had only ever killed zombies, never a human being.


    Nor did he want to stain his hands with human blood.


    But letting him go like this didn''t seem like a good idea either.


    Kim Haru could see that Go Okrim''s mentality had become distorted after spending so much time with zombies. To him, living as a zombie was now his normal things. If Kim Haru let him go, it wouldn''t lead to a good outcome.


    Whether Go Okrim eventually turned into a zombie, absorbed his brother''s crystal core, and became a Zombie King, or remained human while controlling zombies to attack humans, neither scenario was good.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into Kim Haru''s mind¡ªsomething he''d overlooked before.


    Code, programming, computers, machines.


    Wasn''t this exactly the automated robot system he''d always wanted?


    "System, I need your help with something," Kim Haru called out in his mind. "It''s about whether or not our farm can grow and thrive. Get back to me quickly."


    Whether it was because he mentioned the farm''s future or not, the system appeared almost immediately.


    [ Ding! Please input your question. ]


    "Is there anything that can control someone''s loyalty? This person must be kept completely under our control." Kim Haru didn''t care about morality or human rights. Those were something for others to worry about. If this person was as useful as he imagined, then he''d do whatever measures were necessary.


    Kim Haru wasn''t about to end up in some miserable situation where he got betrayed.


    Soon enough, the system responded.


    A "Recruit Farm Staff" button appeared in front of Kim Haru. The button was still greyed out, and unlocking it required either reaching the "Small Farm Owner" level, which was above the beginner level, or spending 10,000 gold coins.


    If this had been before, Kim Haru might have hesitated to spend 10,000 gold coins. But now that his shop was doing well, and the tofu made from his soybean harvests was selling like hotcakes, the amount wasn''t a big deal anymore.


    Soon, after deducting 10,000 gold coins, a new interface appeared on the system screen.


    ¡ª[ Staff Management ].


    The Staff Management screen provided some explanations. At first, Kim Haru could hire five employees. Later, he could unlock more staff positions by spending gold coins or as his level increased.


    Anyone bound by the system as a farm employee would be unable to act against the farm''s interests, unless Kim Haru himself terminated their employment. They would also be forbidden from breaking any of the rules explicitly set by Kim Haru, the farm owner. If they violated any of these, regardless of how they tried to do it, the system would detect it.


    Depending on the severity of the violation, the farm system would impose different punishments. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lightest punishment could be electric shocks or severe illness. The heaviest punishment could lead to death¡ªcomplete obliteration.


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    Kim Haru was very satisfied.


    He looked at Go Okrim, who was kneeling before him, and asked, "Do you want to become my employee?"


    ...


    The moment they realized Mr. Kim had disappeared, the entire searching team went into a panic.

 Chapter 119 Kim Harus Return and Go Okrims Loyalty

    Shin Woncheon and the team leader exchanged glances, too worried to blame their teammates. They immediately issued an order to begin a thorough search for Kim Haru''s whereabouts.Whether it was the official logistics team or the scattered squads, all the space-type ability users were also summoned, trying to figure out how Kim Haru had left and where he might be now.


    The search team, which had originally come for food supplies, no longer cared about the full warehouses of grain. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing this situation, the members from the other squads exchanged glances and elevated Kim Haru''s status in their minds once again.


    They knew he had delicious food and that his position seemed somewhat special, but they never imagined he was more important than all that grain! For a moment, who knows how many people harbored secret thoughts.


    Regardless of what the scattered squads were thinking, everyone followed the captain''s orders, they were splitting up to search for Kim Haru. Even if it was just for the sake of those delicious meals, or the large amount of grain Kim Haru had stored in his space, they were determined to find him.


    As time ticked by, neither the space-type ability users nor any of the other search teams found any useful clues. The faces of the members of the Delta Squad and the official team leader grew darker by the minute.


    "Damn it." Someone cursed in frustration.


    Ryu Hyunwoo and the official team member, who had also been responsible for guarding Kim Haru, remained silent. They were searching more desperately than anyone else. Even when they encountered a group of zombies, they were the first to charge in, afraid that Mr. Kim was trapped among them.


    However, no matter how hard they searched, there was still no sign of Kim Haru. As the atmosphere within the team grew heavier, the two of them separately approached their captains and dropped to their knees with a thud.


    "It''s my fault. I didn''t fulfill my duty properly. Please, Captain, punish me."


    Ryu Hyunwoo was deeply distressed. He couldn''t bear to imagine what would happen if something bad had occurred to Mr. Kim¡­ In that case, he would be a sinner to the entire world!


    Shin Woncheon clenched his fists, filled with both anger and anxiety. He wanted to hit someone, but the person in front of him was his comrade, someone who had gone through life and death with him. Yet, if he didn''t strike, this was such a serious matter!


    Gang Yuwon and Ra Jinho stood off to the side, not saying a word of comfort.


    They knew what needed to be done.


    Finally, Shin Woncheon let out a defeated sigh and released his grip. "Get up. Let''s focus on finding Mr. Kim first. This isn''t just your fault; it''s all of our fault. We were all too busy dealing with that Oltura and didn''t keep a closer watch on him.


    You were the only one left to guard him. Once we find him, I''ll go with you to ask for his punishment."


    "Yeah, Let''s do it together," Ra Jinho and Gang Yuwon said in unison.


    Ryu Hyunwoo pressed his lips together and stood up, once again joining the search party.


    But no matter how hard they searched, they couldn''t find a trace of Mr. Kim, not even a piece of his clothing. There was no clue as to which direction they should search.


    As everyone began to speculate whether something terrible might have happened to Kim Haru, Ryu Hyunwoo, who had been at the front of the group, suddenly spotted a familiar figure.


    "It''s Mr. Kim!"


    Kim Haru had returned.


    Not only had he come back, but he''d also brought a survivor with him!


    This news shocked the entire searching team. One by one, they all rushed over to see the person who had managed to survive alone for so many years in a place like Gokmul County.


    At the same time, their curiosity about Kim Haru grew even stronger. Not only had he ventured alone into a zombie-infested area and returned unscathed, but he had also managed to save someone and bring them back safely. In their eyes, Kim Haru''s figure grew even more towering and mysterious.


    At some point, everyone had begun respectfully calling him "Mr. Kim."


    The only one who didn''t was Go Okrim, who insisted on calling him "Boss," despite Kim Haru''s repeated corrections.


    Go Okrim would always respond, "This is my special name for you. ''Mr.'' sounds so distant. ''Boss'' feels more familiar."


    Since he couldn''t get Go Okrim to change, Kim Haru eventually let him be.


    The young man had already begun to see Kim Haru as his new source of reliance. The attachment he once had for his zombie brother had now transferred entirely to Kim Haru. Even when Kim Haru asked him to help pack two zombies into the system''s backpack, Go Okrim obeyed without hesitation.


    "Whatever the Boss asks, I''ll do it," Go Okrim said matter-of-factly. "I''ll be the person the Boss trusts the most, and I trust the Boss more than anyone else¡ªno exceptions."


    It seemed this kid had really grown up twisted.


    Kim Haru sighed but wasn''t entirely displeased with this outcome.


    Indeed, although it might have seemed like Kim Haru and Go Okrim had returned empty-handed, in reality, Kim Haru''s system backpack held two zombies.


    For some reason, perhaps because the two zombies looked different, they each took up a separate slot in the system''s backpack, which greatly annoyed Kim Haru. "They''re both zombies, so they should only take up one slot. What a waste."


    He also wondered if the system backpack had an automatic cleaning function. Kim Haru had already picked the cleanest, most presentable zombies he could find, their clothes relatively intact. But zombies were still zombies, and who knew what kind of dust, viruses, or bacteria they might be carrying?


    Thinking of this, Kim Haru felt an urge to quickly finish his business and return to his farm to wash the zombies clean.


    However, even though he wanted to head back as soon as possible, the searching team hadn''t completed their mission yet, so returning wasn''t an option.


    Even the items Kim Haru had listed in his small supply notebook hadn''t been fully gathered. It was going to be a while before they could return. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 120 Authority Established

    That day, the team set up camp directly in the granary. The supplies inside would take quite some time to fully sort through, and the smaller storerooms made for convenient resting spots. Even if zombies attacked, this location would be easy to defend.Since they weren''t pressed for time, Kim Haru took the opportunity to lead a small group of people to search the sweet potato storage room for any viable seeds. It wasn''t long before he found what he was looking for among the bags piled in the middle of the room.


    However, there weren''t many sweet potatoes that was still in decent condition. After carefully selecting, Kim Haru only managed to gather about one and a half bags'' worth.


    As night fell, with zombies becoming more active, Kim Haru decided to avoid any unusual behavior and followed Delta Squad back to the resting area in the granary.


    The logistics staff were preparing dinner in a small storeroom next door, while Kim Haru as always staying go to the corner of the room.


    Following behind him, in addition to the Delta Squad, was Go Okrim.


    When Kim Haru reached the corner, he noticed a chair there. Judging by the design, it must have been taken from the guard post, and the thick layer of dust on it had been thoroughly wiped clean.


    Kim Haru glanced around but didn''t see anyone claiming it.


    Shin Woncheon, however, took a quick look around, seemed to confirm something, and then said to Kim Haru, "Go ahead and sit, Mr. Kim. They saved it especially for you. They''re hoping you''ll be generous and share some of your vegetables with them."


    Kim Haru raised an eyebrow but didn''t refuse. He sat down without further hesitation.


    He really didn''t want to sit directly on the ground. If the chair hadn''t been there, he would have either laid his jacket down as a seat or simply just stood up.


    Maybe he should start carrying a chair in his system backpack for future trips. Or should he go all out and bring his rocking chair? Would that be a bit too flashy?


    Just as Kim Haru was lost in thought, a row of people suddenly knelt in front of him.


    It was the four members of the Delta Squad.


    "What are you all doing?" Kim Haru frowned.


    "It was our failure to protect you today and putting you in danger. Fortunately, you are skilled enough to return unharmed, but a mistake is still a mistake. Please, Mr. Kim, punish us as you see want!"


    Shin Woncheon kept his head lowered as he spoke.


    Kim Haru sighed.


    Only later did he find out that the reason he''d been abruptly transported to a different location was due to a space-type zombie under Go Okrim''s control. This kind of space transfer ability, unlike typical space storage, was incredibly hard to guard against. Even he hadn''t sensed it in time; how could he blame others?


    Kim Haru was about to dismiss the matter and tell them to stand up when Go Okrim suddenly took a step forward. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    "There should be a punishment! Do you guys know how many zombies were in the area where he was sent? It was packed, hordes of them, even including many ability users zombies! If Mr. Kim didn''t have the skills, he wouldn''t have made it back at all! Hit yourselves¡ªslap yourselves in the face, and make sure it''s loud.


    If you can''t do it yourself, then help each other until Mr. Kim is satisfied."


    Without a word, the Delta Squad raised their hands and began slapping themselves.


    The sharp sound of hands striking skin echoed, one slap after another, making even the onlookers wince.


    Kim Haru''s expression immediately darkened.


    "Stop."


    The Delta Squad obeyed and ceased immediately.


    Kim Haru shot a displeased glance at Go Okrim.


    What was this kid''s deal?


    Go Okrim was also looking his way, and when their eyes met, Go Okrim blinked.


    Kim Haru exhaled, understanding the kid''s intent.


    He was helping him establish authority. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was also a gesture of favor.


    By ordering the punishment on Kim Haru''s behalf, then allowing Kim Haru to intervene, dismiss it, or replace it with something lighter, Go Okrim ensured that Kim Haru''s standing with the Delta Squad would only grow. The outcome was clear: Kim Haru''s authority would be even more respected.


    And the beauty of it was that a lesson was still delivered, even without a full punishment.


    Seeing this side of Go Okrim, Kim Haru couldn''t stay mad.


    "Forget it, it''s fine." Kim Haru decided to let the matter go and motioned for Shin Woncheon and the others to get up.


    Respect and authority were things he didn''t need to strive for. With the farming system at his disposal, as long as he could continue to produce rare food, he''d never be short of followers.


    Since their leader had spoken, Go Okrim had no further objections. As the Delta Squad stood up, he muttered just loud enough to hear, "If there''s no physical punishment, a little fine wouldn''t hurt."


    The next moment, a huge pile of crystal cores was laid out in front of Kim Haru. Judging by the amount, this was likely the Delta Squad''s entire haul from the past few days.


    "You must accept these, Mr. Kim. We failed in our duties, and yet you still forgave us. If you don''t take them, we''ll feel truly ashamed," Shin Woncheon said, speaking on behalf of the team as he pushed the crystal cores toward Kim Haru.


    Gang Yuwon, Ryu Hyunwoo, and Ra Jinho all nodded their heads solemnly, adding their support.


    With no other choice, Kim Haru accepted the apologetic gift.


    And as soon as he did, the leader of the search team arrived in front of him, carrying another large bag of crystal cores.


    "Mr. Kim, I''ll make sure the negligent team member faces punishment when we return. I''ll reassign him to a sub-team as a disciplinary measure. These are a token of apology for the shock you had today."

 Chapter 121 The Seeds

    What could Kim Haru do? He could only nodded his head and accepted this bag as well.In order to avoid any more people coming over to deliver crystal cores¡ªeven though he didn''t mind collecting them, it was tiring dealing with strangers giving him things out of the blue¡ªKim Haru handed some vegetables to Shin Woncheon as usual and then moved to a different warehouse to stay.


    Go Okrim didn''t follow him right away; he was waiting for the logistics team to bring food and planning to fetch a share for his leader as well.


    ...


    The night passed peacefully, and by morning, everyone was well-rested.


    The plan for the day was to spend the morning to clearing out the No. 2 Grain Warehouse, gathering everything they could carry, and then proceed to the No. 1 Grain Warehouse.


    According to Go Okrim, he had survived for years by hiding in the No. 1 Grain Warehouse, relying on its food supplies. The Nom 1 Grain Warehouse reportedly had even more provisions than the No. 2 Grain Warehouse.


    Upon hearing this, the team was elated.


    As they left the No. 2 Grain Warehouse, Kim Haru found that in addition to the cabbage, soybeans, and wheat seeds he had previously unlocked, he now had seeds for rice, corn, sweet potatoes, sorghum, rapeseed, and garlic. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides these seeds, there were also reserves of wheat and soybeans in the warehouse. Although Kim Haru gathered them into his inventory, he didn''t unlock any new items this time since he already had these seeds unlocked.


    Among the seeds, the rice, corn, sweet potatoes, sorghum, wheat, and soybeans were stored in dedicated silos with various mechanical equipment for preservation. They were easy to locate because of their large quantities and visibility. However, the locations of the rapeseed and garlic surprised Kim Haru.


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    It was unclear if these two plants didn''t require special storage in the granary, but Kim Haru didn''t find them in the usual warehouse stockpiles. Instead, following markers on the system map, he discovered them in the dormitory used by the staff on duty.


    The rapeseed was still sealed in its original packaging, unopened and ready to plant. Kim Haru guessed that someone had probably bought it with the idea of planting it in their spare time, only to leave it forgotten here.


    The garlic seed was even more interesting. He found it buried in a lump of mud¡ªand there was only one clove.


    When he picked up the garlic clove, he noticed that it had already begun to sprout a small root. However, the color of the root didn''t look right; it had a faint, rainbow-like hue. Concerned that it might grow into a mutated garlic plant, Kim Haru quickly asked Shin Woncheon to use his Metal-type Ability to create a pair of scissors and snip off the roots.


    He wasn''t too worried about whether the garlic would sprout again after trimming its roots. Even if it didn''t, he could use it in cooking; plus, he had already unlocked the garlic seed in the system, so he could always buy more if he wanted to plant it.


    Aside from these, the No. 2 Grain Warehouse didn''t yield any other seeds.


    Although Kim Haru had hoped to find an automatic watering system or some other helpful agricultural equipment, he wasn''t disappointed by the lack of results. After all, it was a grain storage site, not a factory or shop for farming tools, so it was only natural that none were here.


    On the way to the No. 1 Grain Warehouse, they started encountering more zombies. Kim Haru and Go Okrim joined the crowd, fighting off the zombies without drawing any attention to themselves. Soon enough, the team reached No. 2 Grain Warehouse.


    Following Go Okrim''s guidance, they quickly gathered supplies from within. Even the team leader, who had initially doubted Go Okrim''s information, seemed convinced after seeing signs of prolonged habitation in the No. 1 Grain Warehouse.


    Kim Haru subtly exhaled a sigh of relief.


    He wasn''t looking forward to dealing with any trust issues right after finding a reliable employee.


    In the No. 1 Grain Warehouse, Kim Haru didn''t obtain any new seeds to unlock in the system. Although the stockpile here was larger than in the No. 2 Grain Warehouse, it only stored three types of grain: corn, wheat, and rice. Most of the warehouse was filled with the same varieties.


    After filling up his system backpack, Kim Haru decided to stop.


    Even with his current inventory capacity, his space would already seem impressive to others; if he kept going, it would likely raise suspicions.


    Fortunately, the organizers had anticipated that, if they did find supplies in Gokmul County, they would need plenty of storage space. Several space-type ability users had come along with the logistics team; as soon as one person''s space storage was full, another one would took over, ensuring all resources were gathered.


    With everyone''s attention focused on gathering supplies, Kim Haru pulled Go Okrim aside and asked quietly, "Do you know where there might be a store with large-scale farming equipment? Or any places with a good selection of farming tools? I''m mainly looking for high-tech, automated equipment."


    Kim Haru remembered that Go Okrim had mentioned visiting this county''s shopping areas with his brother, so he probably knew the stores well.


    Although the system included a map, it only showed buildings and roads. Other than locations he''d already identified, the map didn''t specify what most buildings contained.


    And sure enough, Go Okrim knew.


    "There''s one if you turn left from the No. 1 Grain Warehouse and cross two streets."


    Seeing that it was still early, Kim Haru decided to head there immediately.


    He originally only wanted to bring Go Okrim. He himself wasn''t afraid of zombies, and Go Okrim could control them, so they could make a quick trip without issues. However, ever since Kim Haru had been unexpectedly taken away by the enemy the previous day, the members of Delta Squad had become increasingly vigilant in guarding him, especially Ryu Hyunwoo.


    Hou would even wake up quietly during the night to check if Kim Haru was safe.

 Chapter 122 Luring the Danger

    Given the circumstances, it was out of the question for only the two of them to go.So, they brought along the entire Delta Squad and six additional team members assigned by the team leader, leaving the No. 1 Grain Warehouse as a group.


    The location Go Okrim had mentioned was an agricultural tech park. On the day the apocalypse hit, an expo or some sort of event must have been taking place here; there were many small exhibition halls, now covered in thick dust and looking thoroughly abandoned from a distance.


    "Is there still anything usable in here?" Go Okrim craned his neck curiously. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru didn''t know, but since the seeds had lasted this long, there was a chance the machinery might still be functional. Even if they couldn''t be used immediately, he figured they might still be worth taking if they only needed a few parts replaced or a new power source.


    In any case, it was worth a look inside.


    Shin Woncheon stopped Kim Haru. "Sir, please wait here while we go check it out first. Since this place used to host events, it probably drew a big crowd, and there might be zombies hiding somewhere."


    Kim Haru was almost too thrilled by the prospect of getting his hands on machinery to even consider that.


    He nodded his head as six official team members stayed back to guard him, while the four members of Delta Squad crept stealthily toward the tech park entrance.


    They cautiously moved forward. After just a few steps, a fast-moving figure suddenly dashed toward them!


    "Be careful!"


    "Get back!"


    "Watch the left side!"


    The four Delta Squad members reacted instantly, dodging the attack while sending their abilities toward the figure!


    One strike, and it withdrew.


    The figure vanished back into the tech park.


    The Delta Squad retreated back to Kim Haru''s hiding spot, their expressions a bit grave. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That zombie might be at the peak of Level 2, it''s even possible that its already reached Level 3," said Shin Woncheon, a Level 2 ability user who could clearly sense the gap between himself and the opponent. "Just the few of us might struggle to handle it."


    "It''s not just it has high level; it''s also incredibly agile. It might be a speed-type zombie," Ra Jinho added, clenching his fists. He had almost managed to land a hit earlier, but in the blink of an eye, the creature dodged. He''d only experienced this type of opponent before when sparring against other speed-type ability users.


    A high-speed, high-level zombie¡ªit was going to be tough to deal with.


    "Maybe we should go back and get reinforcements?" one of the official team members suggested.


    Go Okrim immediately shook his head. "You think a high-level zombie can be taken down just by piling on more people? Adding a few more people might just mean more deaths."


    Kim Haru didn''t really want to go back for reinforcements either. After all, coming here to get these machines was purely his idea. Even if the others brought them back, they wouldn''t have the energy resources or place to use them. He''d feel guilty if anyone lost their life over something he''d requested.


    Besides, it wasn''t certain anyone would actually come.


    "So, what''s the plan now? Or should we try another location?" Shin Woncheon directed his gaze toward Kim Haru. Whatever Kim Haru decided, they would follow.


    Kim Haru hadn''t responded yet when Go Okrim spoke up first. "Going somewhere else is probably not an option. Boss, trust me on this; if we''re looking for the most advanced, fully automated machines, this is the best place to find them. Anything else we could find is unlikely to meet your standards.


    Plus, the storage facilities here are the best, so if we can''t find usable machines here, we probably won''t find any anywhere else."


    "Unless we go to the other side of the county."


    But Go Okrim didn''t recommend heading to the other side just yet.


    The zombie his brother had killed was on that side, and although it no longer had its crystal core, if any other zombies ate its flesh, it would enhance their abilities. Additionally, after his brother''s death, Go Okrim had driven most of the zombies to the other side of the county, keeping only the ones he could handle on this side. That meant the other side was especially dangerous now.


    Go Okrim just hadn''t expected that there would still be a lone straggler at the tech park.


    "So, what should we do now?"


    "We''ll have to find a way to lure it away."


    ...


    Outside the agricultural tech park, several figures moved swiftly, and in no time, a series of hidden traps had been set up.


    After some discussion, they agreed it would be unwise to engage the zombie head-on. Their goal was simply to retrieve the machinery inside the tech park. So, they quickly devised a plan to lure the enemy and buy some time.


    Shin Woncheon, who had strong attack and defense abilities, was the main decoy, while Ra Jinho, Ryu Hyunwoo, and three official team members assisted him. Together with the traps they''d set in advance, everything went smoothly according to plan.


    "Mr. Kim, let''s go." The remaining team members shielded Kim Haru as they quickly slipped into the tech park. A wind-type ability user used his powers to clear away years of dust as much as possible, revealing the machinery''s original appearance.


    ...


    The search team returned loaded with supplies.


    The food reserves from the two granaries were so abundant that even the space-type ability user couldn''t store it all. They ended up bringing in a large truck, filling over half the truck bed with sacks. The team members had to squeeze into other vehicles just to haul all the food away.


    On the way back, everyone wore relaxed smiles.


    This trip to Gokmul County was a resounding success. Out of the two-hundred-member team, although many were injured after the truck''s arrival alerted a large number of zombies, not a single life was lost.

 Chapter 123 Bringing Home the Spoils

    And they''d acquired such precious food¡ªjust talking about it was worth bragging about for days!As for the injuries? Oh, just some wounds. As long as nobody lost an arm or a leg, what was the big deal?


    Kim Haru was also very satisfied with this trip. In the tech park, he managed to find machinery that appeared to be in good condition. Since time was tight and he couldn''t test it on-site, he simply packed it all into boxes and stuffed it into his system backpack, planning to test it later.


    However, as the primary decoys, Shin Woncheon and Ra Jinho were heavily injured, which left Kim Haru feeling a bit guilty.


    Neither Shin Woncheon nor Ra Jinho expressed any complaints; they even reassured him that it was their duty. Kim Haru made a mental note to send some new food supplies to Delta Squad after the next harvest.


    Upon returning to the Safe Zone, the Safe Zone Commander of Pyeongseong Safe Zone had already received word from a messenger and was waiting at the city gate to welcome them. Hearing that the team had returned with a large amount of normal food, the Safe Zone residents who heard the news gathered at the gate, stretching their necks to catch a glimpse.


    From afar, Kim Haru felt as if he was witnessing a triumphant army being welcomed back in ancient times.


    He quietly shrank back into his seat.


    After meeting with the Safe Zone Commander, Kim Haru expressed his desire to return home quickly. The Safe Zone Commander promptly sent Jang Dojang to escort him to the logistics department, where they unloaded the food from his system backpack, calculated the portion that belonged to him, and personally saw Kim Haru off.


    Even after giving some seeds to the Safe Zone, Kim Haru''s backpack still held a substantial supply. He first went to the vegetable shop in tge Second District to collect the revenue from the past few days of his absence and instructed Hwa Jian to wait until the next restock. Then he took Go Okrim to the population registry to fill out an identity form, finally making it back to the farm by dusk.


    With Go Okrim along, Kim Haru could no longer travel alone on his balance scooter. He asked Hwa Jian to keep an eye out for any vehicles for sale and borrowed a high-chassis vehicle from Shin Woncheon, that was suitable for the mountain roads.


    Luckily, Go Okrim knew how to drive.


    The farm was located roughly on a central platform within the forest, so they could only park the car at the forest''s edge. As they walked toward the farm, Kim Haru started planning, "Looks like we''ll need to find a way to build a road."


    Go Okrim''s eyes sparkled. "Me, me, me! Boss, give me this task! I can get the zombies to build the road¡ªthey don''t get tired from working!"


    Kim Haru chuckled at the idea.


    That could work; he just wondered if any passersby who saw such a scene would doubt their sanity, maybe even think they were hallucinating.


    Just imagining the scene was amusing.


    "No rush right now." There was no need to build a road yet since his farm hadn''t fully developed, and he didn''t need to connect it too much with the outside. Anything he needed could just be stored in his system backpack, and besides, he didn''t have road-building materials at the moment.


    Kim Haru thought he should go back and jot down some notes about these plans¡ªmaybe he could even set a three-year goal or a five-year plan.


    "Oh," Go Okrim agreed obediently. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As someone who was socially withdrawn before the apocalypse and had never left Gokmul County afterward, Go Okrim knew as little about the Safe Zones, mutated plants, and Mutated animals as Kim Haru. So now, as they walked through the dense forest of mutated plants, he noticed nothing unusual.


    As soon as they stepped into the farm''s boundaries, a system dialogue box appeared in front of Kim Haru.


    [ An employee has arrived at the farm. Do you wish to build a new employee cabin? ]


    There was no need to hesitate¡ªof course, he wanted one!


    Without a second thought, Kim Haru clicked to confirm.


    He had been wondering where Go Okrim would sleep at night. His own cabin only had one bed¡ªwas he supposed to sleep on the couch indefinitely? Kim Haru certainly wasn''t comfortable sharing a bed with anyone.


    This solved the problem nicely; the system really was considerate.


    Kim Haru looked at the virtual cabin in front of him that was visible only to himself and waiting to be placed, he then turned his head to ask Go Okrim, "I''m setting up a cabin for you¡ªwhere do you want it?"


    Go Okrim, though he couldn''t see anything himself, was unfazed by this sudden gift of a house and quickly followed Kim Haru''s instructions, choosing a corner he liked.


    In no time, Go Okrim had chosen his spot.


    "I want to live close to you, Boss. Can I have my cabin right next to yours?"


    Kim Haru glanced at the size of the employee cabin. There was just enough space beside his own cabin.


    In the next instant, Go Okrim watched as a wooden cabin magically appeared beside Kim Haru''s, nestled closely together, one large and one small, as if conjured by magic.


    Staring at the cabins, Go Okrim murmured, "I don''t want to call you Boss anymore."


    Kim Haru was taken aback.


    What was this about? Was he unhappy because the employee cabin was half the size of his own?


    Kim Haru frowned, he about to say that Go Okrim could expand his cabin if he worked hard, but before he could speak, Go Okrim suddenly leaned forward and grabbed his arm, holding it tightly.


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    While holding his hand, he said, "I want to call you ''Hyung''! Let me be your little brother, okay, Kim Haru-hyung?"


    Seeing the two cabins standing side by side stirred something deep inside Go Okrim. After losing the older brother who used to protect him, here was someone willing to give him a home again.

 Chapter 124 Farming Boundaries

    Go Okrim had always been someone who acted on impulse, and now, driven by his feelings, he hugged Kim Haru without thinking.Having said what he wanted, Go Okrim didn''t wait for Kim Haru''s response. He letting go his hand and bounced toward his cabin with a cheerful shout: "Kim Haru-hyung, I can''t wait to see what my cabin looks like!"


    It was clear he had made up his mind, with or without Kim Haru''s consent.


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    Kim Haru shrugged his shoulder and followed him to the employee cabin.


    He figured it didn''t matter how Go Okrim addressed him; as long as he didn''t betray him, there wasn''t much difference between for him.


    ¡­Or so he thought.


    That very night, Kim Haru regretted how slow he had been to respond¡ªnow he was officially Go Okrim''s "Hyung." And who could''ve guessed how clingy he''d be with a big brother? He refused to sit across from him during meals and insisting on squeezing right next to him, even when it meant their arms were pressed so close that it was hard to move.


    While cleaning up the cabin''s dust from the past few days when he''s away, Go Okrim always stayed nearby, poking his head over now and then to ask, "Kim Haru-hyung, what are you doing?" And if Kim Haru hadn''t put his foot down, this guy would probably even insist on joining him for a bath!


    "Brothers should be honest with each other," he''d say.


    "Like hell I''m getting honest with you."


    In the end, Kim Haru had to threaten to "disown this little brother" before Go Okrim finally quieted down.


    But the very next morning, at the crack of dawn, a loud knocking echoed from Kim Haru''s cabin door.


    "What now!" Kim asked, exasperated, realizing that the knocking wasn''t going to stop unless he answered.


    Go Okrim''s energetic voice called out, "Kim Haru-hyung, it''s seven o''clock! It''s time to get up! Shouldn''t we let the two chickens out? And what should we feed them? Should I chop up those leaves over there? The soil isn''t very moist¡ªshould I water it now?


    Also, what are we having for breakfast? Let me come in and make breakfast for you, Kim Haru-hyung!"


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    It''s only seven!


    To thinking that today Little Nugget and Sir Peckington didn''t disturb his sleep, only for someone else to wake him up instead. Was he fated never to sleep in, no matter where he went? How was he, a person who barely got out of bed before noon, supposed to survive like this?


    Pulling the blanket over his head, Kim Haru resolved to pretend he hadn''t heard anything.


    Sleep¡ªhe would keep sleeping.


    ¡­


    However, He couldn''t fall back asleep.


    Finally, Kim Haru sighed, dragging himself out of bed. After washing up and getting himself ready, he opened the door.


    "First rule of the farm: don''t wake the farm owner up from his sleep." Kim said with dark face. "Do you got it?"


    Go Okrim: "¡­Oh, I got it."


    This was an officially written rule, and since Go Okrim was now a farm employee, he wouldn''t be able to break it.


    Now that the farm had an extra person, Kim Haru''s breakfast wouldn''t be enough for them both, so he told Go Okrim to handle breakfast by himself in the kitchen while he tended to the vegetable plot outside.


    They''d just arrived back yesterday evening and had only done some quick tidying¡ªstoring away the bamboo pipes for automatic watering and taking a brief look at the wheat''s growth¡ªbefore coming back to the cabin to rest. Now that the sky was bright, he could properly plan out the vegetable garden.


    The system had already unlocked ten types of seeds in total. Millet, corn, wheat, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and rice could serve as staple foods, so their planting areas could be a bit larger. Aside from the potatoes that came in the beginner''s gift pack, he figured the other crops would have longer growth cycles. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only rapeseed and garlic had short maturity cycles, so they''d quickly help him meet the system''s upgrade requirement of "ten mature plant types."


    In fact, green onions and chives also had naturally short growth cycles, and with the system''s enhancement, they would grow even faster, making them ideal for unlocking new levels. Unfortunately, he hadn''t found any on this in the last outing.


    Putting his regret aside, Kim Haru looked at the two small plots of land in front of his cabin that was fenced in by wooden railings, and sighed.


    This little bit of land wasn''t enough to grow so many things.


    Kim Haru decided to replan the entire farm layout.


    First, he removed the fence. Dismantling it''s quiet simple¡ªhe simply just need to placed his hand on the fence and stored it in his system backpack. In a blink of eyes, the entire fence was safely stowed in a bag slot.


    He didn''t fully dismantle the fence that was surrounding the wheat field, though. He only took down the side near the cabin. After counting and repositioning the fence, he reduced the original 10-by-15 plot to a 10-by-10 area.


    The ten wheat plants, which were growing taller every day, continued to thrive happily in this smaller plot, which he planned to turn into a sample field.


    Without further delay, while Go Okrim was still busy tinkering in the kitchen, Kim Haru grabbed a hoe and started digging.


    He had to get the seeds he''d gathered planted as soon as possible.


    ...


    Wait, what is this?


    As soon as the hoe struck the ground, Kim Haru immediately noticed that something felt off. Previously, thanks to the system''s hoe enhancement, a single strike would create a perfectly shaped pit, with grass roots and small stones disappearing effortlessly.


    But this time, he noticed that the hoe didn''t dig through smoothly; it snagged on something.


    Lifting the hoe, he saw a thick, grayish-brown root, about three fingers wide, in the pit.


    Curious, he pulled out the root, finding it looked fresh, with a cross-section that didn''t seem naturally broken and didn''t look like it had been chopped by his hoe either.

 Chapter 125 Morning Routines and New Tasks

    It seemed as if something had forcibly torn it apart.He dug a little bit deeper, but no other parts of the root appeared.


    "System, do you have a function to identify plant species?"


    Kim Haru couldn''t shake the odd feeling about it; this root looked as if it had just appeared here out of nowhere.


    The system provided no response.


    Which was normal, it''s in line with its usual distant attitude.


    With no answer from the system and no clues as to what it was, he stored it in his system backpack for now. Planting the seeds was more important at the moment.


    After that, the digging process was free of any other surprises. With only ten plots used out of a 10-by-10 grid, he had ninety remaining, which just required ninety swings of the hoe. It didn''t take long before all the plots were ready.


    Wiping sweat from his brow, Kim Haru looked at the neatly arranged garden beds and, feeling satisfied, opened the system backpack. Just as he was about to take out the seeds to plant, he paused mid-action.


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    He realized he''d made a bit of a planning error.


    He had already planted cabbages, potatoes, and soybeans, which the system had counted as mature crops. No matter how many times he replanted them, they wouldn''t be counted again. These three types of seeds didn''t need to be replanted in the sample plot but would instead be mass-planted in another plot he would create later.


    Then there was the garlic¡ªhe only had a single clove of garlic seed. Buying more from the system store would cost one hundred gold coins each, meaning nine cloves would be nine hundred gold coins.


    Very expensive.


    But he was reluctant to spend that much.


    Yet if he only planted a single clove...


    Kim Haru imagined the scene: rows of orderly garden beds, with just one plot sticking out awkwardly. It would look completely out of place, and once it grew, it would stand out even more in its row among the identical plants.


    Just picturing that scene made him feel it was a challenge to his sense of order.


    He remembered that garlic could be planted in a small pot instead.


    With that, out of the ten rows of beds, only six would be planted with crops.


    Then why did he dig so many pits in the first place?


    After a long moment of frustration, Kim Haru finally decided that since he had already dug them, he might as well plant an extra row. Besides, aside from the rapeseed, the rest were staple crops, so planting an additional row wouldn''t be a problem.


    With that cheerful decision be made, there was no further hesitation.


    After picking out the plumpest seeds, he got to work.


    He scattered the seeds, covered them with soil, and watered them.


    All the seeds were planted.


    Once these seeds sprouted, he would be able to see their maturity dates in the system interface. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as he finished planting, the distinct aroma of food began wafting from the kitchen.


    "Go Okrim, how much longer?"


    "Almost done! Almost done!" Go Okrim''s voice came from the kitchen, sounding a bit flustered.


    Kim Haru felt a twinge of concern.


    Only then did he remember that Go Okrim hadn''t cooked in years. Actually, could he even cook at all? Before the apocalypse, he was just an otaku kid¡ªwhen would he have learned how to cook?


    Cursing himself silently, Kim Haru realized that letting him into the kitchen must have been a mistake, it''s maybe due to he waking up too early and not thinking very clearly so he made that decision.


    He rushed into the kitchen, bracing himself.


    But to his surprise, it wasn''t the disaster he''d imagined.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, what are you doing here? I''m almost done; just wash your hands and get ready to eat." Go Okrim noticed Kim Haru watching and turned around with a smile.


    Kim Haru watched Go Okrim holding the pan of hot oil, his heart racing. "Alright, just be careful."


    Go Okrim hadn''t been wrong; by the time Kim Haru cleaned himself up, breakfast was ready.


    But having deep-fried potato slices first thing in the morning...wasn''t that a bit too greasy?


    Oh well, no point in complaining; at least someone made breakfast.


    Without saying anything, Kim Haru began to eat.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, how does it taste? I was trying to make potato chips, but it just didn''t come out right," Go Okrim said, a little disappointed.


    He still remembered finding an edible bag of shrimp-flavored chips at a supermarket over two years ago. Biting into it, he''d loved the crunchiness. It was one of the best things he''d ever tasted, and he''d wanted to recreate it for Kim Haru-hyung.


    But the fact that his attempt didn''t turn out quite right made Go Okrim unhappy.


    Kim Haru shook his head. "It''s good."


    And he wasn''t lying. Go Okrim had sliced the potatoes thin, frying them didn''t take much effort, and the blend of fried aroma with the softness of potatoes, plus the seasoning, made for a surprisingly nice dish.


    Except¡­the potatoes didn''t seem to be peeled.


    "Hurry up and eat. We have work to do afterward."


    "Got it!" Go Okrim perked up at Kim Haru''s praise.


    Breakfast wasn''t too heavy, so they finished quickly, and as soon as Go Okrim washed the dishes, he hopped over to Kim Haru. "What do you need me to do?"


    Kim Haru pulled out two zombies he''d been keeping in his system inventory and dropped them in front of Go Okrim. "Set up a program for them; something to help clear land would be a good start."


    Across the pond lay a large, flat area with just some weeds and scattered rocks, making it ideal for a large-scale field. Kim Haru had pressed his foot down on the soil earlier, and it felt as hard as stone. Whatever material it was, he doubted he could handle it alone¡ªperfect for the zombie-bots to try out.

 Chapter 126 Preparing for Expansion: Tools and Tasks

    "Clear land? What does that mean?" Go Okrim, clueless about farming, asked curiously.Kim Haru grabbed a stool, leading Go Okrim and the two zombie-bots to the empty plot he had in mind.


    They walked along the pond, and about halfway across, the wide, open land came into view.


    "Those two bots¡ªor zombies, rather¡ªneed to be able to use tools to turn all this soil. All the weeds here have to go, the rocks need to be removed, and the roots of the grass be pulled out too. This will clear the land for planting crops," Kim Haru explained to Go Okrim. "That''s what it means to clear land."


    As for whether the soil would be nutrient-rich enough to support plants after being turned over, well, that was something the bots couldn''t manage. It''d be up to Kim Haru to fertilize it later.


    "Alright, I got it. I''ll definitely create bots that meet your standards, Kim Haru-hyung," Go Okrim said, instantly adopting Kim Haru''s preferred terms without hesitation.


    "Good, thanks for the hard work," Kim Haru replied, setting the stool down. "You can work here. It''ll be easier to test data on both of them from this spot."


    With just one "employee," Kim Haru was already showing his "exploitive" side as a farm owner.


    Go Okrim agreed without delay, looking as if he was about to swear an oath to complete the task.


    After assigning Go Okrim with his workstation and duties, Kim Haru walked back to the front of the wooden cabin on the other side of the pond.


    He had his own work to get to.


    He needed to test the machinery he''d salvaged from the Agricultural Tech Park. He wasn''t even sure if they were functional yet, and if they weren''t, he''d need to see if he could fix them.


    With a clatter, he dumped a pile of neatly packaged machinery onto the open ground.


    First, he found the irrigation equipment.


    The watering system here looked quite similar to the ones Kim Haru had seen in his previous life: a small sprinkler head designed to spray water around it automatically once it was set into the ground. Besides the sprinkler head, it had a pipe that needed to be buried underground, with a fixed length. Kim Haru eyed it with some concern, wondering if it would fit the layout.


    Connecting the inlet to the kitchen faucet, he took hold of the sprinkler head and turned on the water.


    Nothing happened.


    What was going on? This should be the right way to use it, shouldn''t it?


    He inspected it up and down, shook it from side to side, and gave it a few good taps until he finally heard something rattling inside the sprinkler head. On closer inspection, he noticed a broken, corroded component inside.


    The other sprinklers each had similar issues¡ªeither the pipes were cracked, or the heads were rusted and corroded. Compared to those, the one with only a broken part was actually the best of the bunch.


    Kim Haru disassembled the other sprinklers, scavenging parts to repair this one.


    With skillful hands, Kim Haru soon had everything set up. Just as he tightened the sprinkler head, a system notification suddenly popped up.


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    [ Ding! Basic Sprinkler Blueprint is acquired. ]


    It''s right on time!


    Kim Haru immediately opened the system''s crafting interface, where he could see the newly available sprinkler option.


    The system''s sprinkler looked quite similar to the one in his hands, with one key difference: it didn''t have a long pipe. Instead, it was just a single sprinkler head. The small text explained that this system-made sprinkler used some high-tech method to draw water remotely.


    Why wait? Kim Haru promptly followed the system''s instructions to modify his sprinkler. He detached the pipe, took out two water-type energy cores, and placed them on the crafting table that appeared in mid-air.


    After a few clanks and clatters, a brand-new, high-tech system sprinkler appeared before him.


    The system sprinkler was incredibly simple to use. After setting the sprinkler head in the field, it would automatically connect to the water source from the system-supplied cabin, irrigating the surrounding four plots.


    What a convenient device!


    There''s no bothersome pipes, and it could water four plots at once.


    After doing some calculations, Kim Haru realized he currently had a 10x10 field, and since one sprinkler could cover a 2x2 area, he would need 25 sprinklers in total.


    "We''re short on sprinklers," Kim Haru muttered, counting the ones he''d brought back from the Agricultural Tech Park. At best, he had only 12. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "System, what materials are needed to make additional sprinklers?"


    [ Ding! ]


    [ Sprinkler: Requires two water-type energy cores, 50 grams of iron, 20 grams of copper, and 1 gram of gold. ]


    The system wasted no time responding to his question when it came to farm-related matters.


    Seeing the requirements appear in front of him, Kim Haru thought, "¡­Gold?"


    Gold? Where was he supposed to find gold?


    Just as this question crossed his mind, his gaze fell on the sparkling jewelry gleaming under the sunlight.


    Since he''d gotten these jewels dirt cheap, he''d stuck them on the window as decorations. They looked especially beautiful when the sunlight hit them just right. It dawned on him that this wasn''t the world he knew in his previous life, where gold was a precious metal; in this post-apocalyptic world, gold was probably worth less than food.


    He remembered that he had bought several pieces of gold earrings before. The craftsmanship was exquisite, perfectly matching his taste, so he had picked them up. Now was the perfect time to put them to use.


    Each pair of gold earrings had well over a gram of gold, so by using just two pairs and a single extra earring, he had enough to meet the system''s gold requirement for crafting additional sprinklers.


    With a solution for the gold, iron and copper were even easier to acquire.


    Kim Haru dismantled the equipment he''d brought from the Agricultural Tech Park, which was mostly made of iron, quickly gathering what he needed. As for copper, he knew just where to get it.


    ¡ªWiring.


    Most wiring contains copper strands. If he could strip them, he''d have all the copper he needed. But peeling those wires apart was going to be a hassle.

 Chapter 127 Farm Setup and Feathered Friends

    After spending several hours, Kim Haru finally gathered enough raw materials for thirteen system sprinklers.He loaded all the materials into the crafting table, and the system''s crafting mechanism began to hum and whir.


    Reflecting on the crafting table, Kim Haru found himself increasingly appreciative of how intuitive the system was.


    In the past, crafting a fence or weaving a chicken coop was manageable with his own hands, but making something as advanced as these high-tech sprinklers would have been another story. If he had to assemble each one by hand from scratch, he doubted he''d achieve anything substantial even after a year or two.


    He''d have to start with forging iron, after all!


    Thank goodness for the crafting table, Kim Haru mused once again.


    It didn''t take long before all 25 sprinklers were neatly laid out in front of him. Without hesitation, Kim Haru opened the gate and installed each sprinkler across his vegetable field. Since the field had already been watered today, the sprinklers remained inactive.


    But by tomorrow, his workload would be significantly lighter. No more daily watering¡ªhe could finally reserve more time for other tasks.


    He wondered how Go Okrim''s progress with the zombie-bots was coming along.


    Kim Haru looked at his densely planted vegetable field, feeling thoroughly satisfied.


    With the sprinklers taken care of, he turned his attention to disassembling other equipment, and his efforts paid off as he discovered a few more usable items.


    He found a threshing machine that could both thresh and shell, a pesticide sprayer for evenly applying treatments, and a temperature monitoring device that was ideal to be use in greenhouses.


    Most of the other equipment, however, was beyond repair.


    Looking at the unusable equipment, Kim Haru felt a slight pang of regret. But it was no big deal¡ªhe suspected the system might have a way to handle it. After all, once the farm grows bigger, manual labor alone surely won''t suffice. The intuitive system would undoubtedly take these needs into account.


    "Right, system?" Kim Haru probed.


    The system gave no response and entirely ignoring his attempt at flattery.


    Unbothered, Kim Haru went back to sorting the broken machinery in front of him.


    The usable items were, of course, kept aside, while he began disassembling the rest by material: iron with iron, copper with copper, and unidentifiable parts grouped together. When the system eventually called for raw materials, he''d have them ready.


    Looking at the resulting chaotic pile, Kim Haru sighed and held his head.


    "It''s would be good if I have a storage warehouse for all this junk."


    That statement only solidified his determination to upgrade the system soon. Once upgraded, he could unlock various types of buildings, sparing him from constructing them entirely from scratch.


    He bundled up the heap of spare parts and stashed them behind his cabin.


    Out of sight, out of mind.


    With that done, Kim Haru glanced up at the sky. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was almost time for lunch.


    Go Okrim had prepared breakfast, so Kim Haru decided not to ask him to cook again for lunch.


    He hadn''t even touched the system''s breakfast yet, so he could claim both breakfast and lunch together. The rice provided by the system wasn''t enough, but luckily, he''d picked up a load of rice seeds on his recent trip to Gokmul County. After all, de-husked rice was essentially just plain rice.


    To his delight, one of the intact machines was indeed a de-husker.


    Following the instruction manual, Kim Haru soon had the machine humming. Before long, it had de-husked an entire sack of rice.


    Out of the front chute came white grains of rice, while the machine''s rear released a growing pile of rice husks, slowly forming a small mound.


    "Cheep!"


    A tiny yellow ball of fluff suddenly dashed over, bouncing frantically in front of Kim Haru.


    He blinked. "What''s up, Little Nugget?"


    Of course, Little Nugget couldn''t answer him.


    But as Kim Haru watched Little Nugget staring eagerly at the de-husker, he instantly understood.


    Little Nugget was a chick, after all, and chickens just loved rice grains!


    "Don''t worry; you''re a part of the farm family now, so there''s a share for you, too." Kim Haru gently tapped Little Nugget on the head. It was warm, and the chick''s down feathers were gradually transforming into tougher adult feathers.


    It was quite nice to the touch.


    Oh, right.


    "Where''s Sir Peckington?"


    Kim Haru realized there was still another farm member unaccounted for.


    "Cheep."


    Little Nugget took a few steps toward the back of the de-husker.


    Kim Haru followed and burst out laughing at the sight.


    Unlike Little Nugget, who politely came to greet him first, Sir Peckington was far less courteous and had already buried itself in the pile of husked rice and pecking away furiously. Its head was moving so fast, it was practically a blur.


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    But that wasn''t the only thing that made Kim Haru laugh.


    Apparently, Sir Peckington had been there for quite some time. The de-husker had been working steadily, continuously spitting out husks, all of which had piled up on Sir Peckington. The little creature hadn''t bothered to move out of the way at all.


    Now, the once-vibrant, multi-colored wild pheasant was transformed into a plump, golden-brown "husk monster."


    This little husk monster kept pecking away at the rice husks, entirely unfazed by the growing pile on its body. At a glance, it looked as if the husk monster itself was expanding.


    Kim Haru couldn''t stop laughing at the sight.


    Where was the wary, sharp-eyed creature that Sir Peckington had been when he first caught it? Now, he doubted it would even run if he walked right up to it.


    "Alright then, you''re well-tamed now. I guess it''s time to untie your wings."


    Kim Haru stepped forward and paused the machine, taking advantage of Sir Peckington''s daze to catch hold of it with one swift motion.


    As he thought, Sir Peckington didn''t show any sign of struggle now that it was caught; it had fully transitioned from a wild bird to a tame farm hen.

 Chapter 128 Farm Fiasco

    "You''ve put on some weight." Kim Haru hefted Sir Peckington and, with a sudden idea, teased it, "Since we don''t have any meat for lunch, maybe I should stew you instead. After all, you were just stealing my food¡ªwhat do you think, Sir Peckington?"Sir Peckington: "¡­"


    "Cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck!"


    Finally, Sir Peckington began struggling frantically, kicking its little chicken feet in every direction, its beady eyes filled with sheer panic.


    Little Nugget who was standing nearby, chirped anxiously, circling around Kim Haru.


    Amused by their reactions, Kim Haru held back his laughter and untied the rope from Sir Peckington''s wings. "Alright, alright, I won''t eat you."


    Once set down, Sir Peckington quickly scurried away to a safe distance about a meter from Kim Haru.


    But then it couldn''t bring itself to go any farther.


    After all, its favorite rice husks were still piled up beside Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru glanced at the heap of freshly milled rice, reckoning that this amount would last him and Go Okrim a month or two, and decided to shut down the machine. There was no need to keep grinding; he could hull more rice the next time they needed it.


    He stowed away the de-husker and tidied up the processed rice and the remaining rice husks, carefully setting aside a small portion of each.


    "Alright, Little Nugget''s rice, Sir Peckington''s husks¡ªthese are yours."


    He clapped his hands, signaling Little Nugget and Sir Peckington to come over.


    Little Nugget with its bright and fluffy feather, immediately flapped its wings and ran over, brushing up against Kim Haru''s hand before scurrying off to the pile of rice, where it buried its head and started eating.


    This time, Sir Peckington, with its colorful feathers, didn''t rush straight to the rice husks. Instead, it looked at the husks, then at Little Nugget, then back at Kim Haru.


    Then, taking a few steps forward, it mimicked Little Nugget, stretching its head to brush against Kim Haru''s hand before quickly darting off.


    As it approached the pile of husks, Sir Peckington glanced back at Kim Haru.


    Somehow, Kim Haru understood its look. "Go on, eat. I''m not going to cook you."


    With that reassurance, Sir Peckington finally began to peck at the husks with confidence, its beak striking the floor with such vigor that Kim Haru felt a phantom ache.


    Seeing the two happily enjoying their meals, Kim Haru left them to it and carried the freshly hulled rice into the kitchen.


    This rice had been in storage for so long, it was practically an old rice. He wondered if it would taste alright. Kim Haru planned to mix it with the rice the system provided for lunch.


    That way, he and Go Okrim would each have half; it wouldn''t feel right to keep the good rice for himself and leave the older rice to Go Okrim.


    After all, he was part of his farm now.


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    The lunch was delicious as always.


    The system-provided meal included some meat, and Kim Haru added some stir-fried cabbage and potatoes, along with tofu he had previously ground from soybeans at the research center. Both he and Go Okrim were fully satisfied with the meal.


    The old rice wasn''t as unappetizing as Kim Haru had expected; mixed with the system''s rice, it created a unique flavor.


    After the meal, as usual, Go Okrim volunteered to wash the dishes.


    "How''s your progress with the zombie-bots?" Kim Haru asked after lunch.


    Go Okrim''s voice dropped immediately. "I''m sorry, Kim Haru-hyung. They''re still not very agile and don''t meet the requirements yet. They can''t even pull weeds properly."


    Kim Haru didn''t mind. "It''s fine; just take your time with it."


    Go Okrim nodded, feeling even more guilty that Kim Haru was being so understanding. After only a short break, he headed back across the pond with determination. He was set on creating the zombie-bots that would make Kim Haru-hyung proud!


    Meanwhile, Kim Haru stuck to his routine of taking a short nap after lunch. When he woke up, he planned to check the traps he had set on the mountain before his last trip, hoping they had caught something.


    ...


    After a few days away, it seemed as though the mountain''s vegetation had grown even more lush.


    Following his usual path, Kim Haru walked through the bamboo forest, taking a moment to glance at the base of the bamboo stalks.


    He was still thinking about the bamboo shoots he hadn''t managed to dig up before.


    Seeing no telltale tips of bamboo shoots, Kim Haru wasn''t disappointed and continued onward. As he passed the mushroom patch, he spotted a few mushrooms that hadn''t spoiled¡ªan unexpected delight.


    It must have rained a bit while he was gone.


    Without hesitation, Kim Haru picked up the mushrooms and put them in his system backpack. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he approached the trap area, he caught faint sounds in the distance, coming from the direction of the trap.


    Something was there!


    Kim Haru quickened his pace.


    The noise didn''t sound like a wild chicken¡ªno clucking, no flapping wings, just soft, grumbling squeals. The longer he listened, the more it sounded like a pig.


    Could it be that he''d actually caught a wild pig?


    As he drew nearer, he saw that something dark and pig-like creature was indeed struggling in the collapsed trap, and he was thrilled.


    It turned out to be a little piglet!


    The piglet in the trap was as black as coal, stuck on its back in the hole, with short, stubby legs kicking the air but unable to flip itself over.


    Kim Haru looked at the piglet''s plump, jiggly belly, lost in thought. "¡­"


    This piglet must have been too fat, or else it wouldn''t have been caught in such a makeshift trap, unable to climb out.


    Carefully grabbing its four legs, Kim Haru lifted the piglet out of the trap to inspect it.


    Now he could see more clearly¡ªit was definitely a chubby little pig.


    Kim Haru swallowed his saliva.


    This piglet was absurdly plumpy. Its fat jiggled visibly as he held it, its large, round head taking up a significant part of its body.

 Chapter 129 New Additions to the Farm

    The piglet''s small, soft trotters in his grip were pleasantly squishy, and he could almost imagine how tender and bouncy they''d be when he stewed it.Its body could be stuffed for a roast piglet, with crispy skin glistening with oil.


    The pig''s face would be ideal for a chilled dish¡ªthe ears crispy, with the face meat balanced between lean and fatty, and the snout offering a unique texture and blend of fat and meat.


    The brains could be used for hot pot, while the intestines could be partially braised and partially made into sausages, smoked for preservation and enjoyed gradually over time.


    Ahem.


    Kim Haru shook his head quickly, clearing his mind of the dishes he''d been imagining.


    The little piglet was so pitiful¡ªhow could he even think about eating it?


    "We must been fated to meet, so you''ll stay at my farm from now on," Kim Haru said, smiling down at the piglet. "I''ll make sure you''re well-fed and well-cared for. No more worrying about finding food, alright?"


    Although, truth be told, it would be even better if it grew a bit bigger and meatier first¡ªthen it would be worth it.


    With this thought in mind, Kim Haru decided he''d build a pigpen back at the farm. Should he have it do some exercise every day? Fatty meat was too greasy; he preferred a leaner cut.


    The piglet didn''t even try to escape as Kim Haru tied it up with a vine¡ªonly wriggling occasionally as if it had resigned itself to its fate.


    Kim Haru began to suspect his trap must have been set at some mystical point of fortune. First, it had caught a wild chicken, and now it had managed to catch a piglet. Who knew what it might bring him next time?


    He decided to leave the trap as it was, in hopes of finding more surprises in a few days.


    Back at the farm, worried the piglet might make a run for it, Kim Haru placed a large basket over it to keep it contained.


    It was the perfect chance to use that unsightly basket he had woven earlier, the one he''d tossed aside in a corner because it was too ugly to look at.


    The moment he untied the vine from the piglet''s legs, it sprang to life, bumping around inside the basket, almost managing to knock it over.


    Kim Haru quickly placed a heavy weight on top of the basket to keep the little guy from escaping.


    The commotion caught the attention of his two chickens, Sir Peckington and Little Nugget, who came over and circled the basket, they were curious with what containing inside the basket.


    Little Nugget didn''t seem particularly interested in the piglet, since it looked so different from her. But Sir Peckington was surprisingly chatty, it clucking and squeaking back and forth with the piglet as if they were having a lively conversation.


    Listening to their exchange of clucks and grunts, Kim Haru grew curious and leaned closer. "What are you two chatting about? Mind if I listen in?"


    Naturally, as a human, he couldn''t understand the language of chickens and pigs, even if he was the farm owner.


    Feeling a bit childish, Kim Haru chuckled and left the space for his animals, heading over to the woodpile instead.


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    "Oh well, I might as well go work on that pigpen."


    When the piglet entered the farm''s area, just like when Sir Peckington had arrived, a new blueprint for a Basic Pigpen appeared in Kim Haru''s crafting options.


    The required materials were items that was already available on his farm¡ªspecifically, his stockpile of wood.


    This basic pigpen was quite different from the ones Kim Haru remembered from traditional farming setups in his past life.


    Those pigpens usually looked like small houses, with fences or stone barriers inside, creating a comfortable and weather-resistant shelter for the pigs. Such a structure was practically a building in itself, but since Kim Haru was only at the beginner level, he hadn''t unlocked any construction functions yet.


    This Basic Pigpen was entirely made from the woods, consisting of just a fenced-in area and a simple canopy. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru didn''t want to place the pigpen too close to his wooden cabin. If he ended up raising a few messy pigs, he might not want to stay in the cabin anymore.


    He decided to situate the pigpen near the forest, where there was ample space between the trees. Given that the pigpen''s fence needed to be sturdier than the one around his vegetable patch, he planned to use the trees to secure it.


    Selecting four trees that were spaced appropriately, Kim Haru tied the rope around them to form a square. This would serve as the boundaries of the pigpen.


    Inside this area, there were some weeds and shrubs. Kim Haru decided to leave the shorter ones untouched¡ªthey could serve as a soft mat for the piglet or as snacks. However, the half-height shrubs that obstructed the area needed to be cleared. With the scythe and axe provided by the system, getting rid of these was a breeze.


    In no time, he had prepared a grassy pigpen area.


    Next, he began placing wooden stakes into the ground along the ropes. Although the piglet was still small, it would grow strong one day. In order to prevent it from breaking out, the stakes had to be driven as deeply as possible.


    The stakes couldn''t be placed too close together either, or the piglet might slip through.


    But without a sledgehammer, embedding the stakes into the ground would be challenging.


    Studying the depth requirements on the system''s blueprint, Kim Haru frowned.


    "What''s wrong, Kim Haru-hyung?" Go Okrim asked as he approached.


    Kim Haru pointed at the ground, explaining his predicament. Seeing Go Okrim also start to frown and ponder a solution, Kim Haru remembered to ask, "Why are you here, anyway? Have you finished with the zombie-bots?"


    Go Okrim immediately broke into a grin. "All done! Do you want to check them out?"


    Of course, he did.

 Chapter 130 Unexpected Help

    The piglet couldn''t escape from the basket, and as long as the pigpen was finished by nightfall, it would be fine. Placing the wood down, Kim Haru followed Go Okrim toward the open field.Two zombies stood there, perfectly still, without a hint of expression on their faces. They didn''t even blink¡ªfitting the name of zombie-bots


    These two zombies had been chosen not only because they were the cleanest and the most intact ones among Go Okrim''s controlled zombies, with no visible rot or missing limbs, but also because they were the strongest on his group.


    One of the zombies had Fire-type ability, the same one that Kim Haru had seen when it lighting a candle for Go Okrim before. The other had Space-type ability¡ªthe one that had helped Go Okrim "kidnap" Kim Haru away.


    The Fire-type zombie hadn''t quite reached Level 2 yet, but it wasn''t far off. Meanwhile, the Space-type zombie had already reached Level 2 and was significantly stronger than a human with equivalent abilities at that level. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to take Kim Haru away right under the search team''s noses.


    Now, these two zombies were officially under Kim Haru''s possession.


    Previously, when Go Okrim needed to program the Zombie-bots, Kim Haru lent him a hoe to use. Now, Go Okrim picked up the hoe from the ground and placed it in the front of the Fire-type zombie''s hands.


    "Start working."


    With the voice-activated command given, the Fire-type zombie raised the hoe high and brought it down hard in a precise motion.


    With a clang, a small indentation appeared in the hard ground.


    With each swing, the shallow pit deepened as the dark yellow-brown soil was turned over and loosened. After around ten swings, the previously compacted soil was fully tilled. Having gathered this information, the Fire-type zombie took a step forward and continued hoeing, creating another pit adjacent to the freshly tilled one.


    Kim Haru observed for a while, using a wooden stick to stir the loosened soil, and found it met his standards for softness and depth.


    He was thoroughly pleased.


    Go Okrim explained, "The advantage of using zombies as robots is that their senses, like sight and hearing, can all serve as channels for collecting information. Basically, anything we see, they can detect too. Their activation command is simply ''Start working,'' after which they''ll operate according to the preset program.


    I''ve already mapped this plot of land into its system, so when it reaches the boundary, it''ll see it and know to change direction."


    Furthermore, during the tilling process, if the zombie encounters something other than soil, it will recognize the object visually, pick it up, and place it aside. For instance, at that moment, Kim Haru noticed the Fire-type zombie uncovering a stone. It paused, picked up the stone, set it aside, and then continued its work.


    However...


    "It''s still a bit dim-witted, though." Go Okrim couldn''t help feeling frustrated at the limitations, lamenting that he couldn''t present a flawless zombie-bots to Kim Haru. "No matter how much I tweak it, it only places debris nearby. Next time it digs in that spot, it''ll move the debris over again. And again, the next time.


    It''ll keep moving the junk bit by bit, until, by the time it finishes the last row, the debris finally ends up at the edge of the field, out of the way."


    But somehow, it never knows to take the debris directly to an out-of-the-way spot.


    Kim Haru was speechless.


    Just listening to this sounded exhausting.


    Still, since it was the zombies doing the work¡ªand they didn''t feel fatigue¡ªthen let them be dumb.


    "You did a great job," Kim Haru said, clearly satisfied. It looked like picking up this person up was a wise decision. "You can take the rest of the time off."


    Go Okrim wasn''t having it. "Kim Haru-hyung, aren''t you fixing the pigsty? Let me help too!"


    That could work.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim decided to leave the zombie-bots to its own devices, diligently plowing the field, while the other zombie without a hoe waited off to the side.


    The two of them returned to the designated spot for the pigsty and prepared to find a way to hammer the wood into the ground.


    But as Kim Haru approached the pigsty site, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    "Has someone else been here?"


    When he left, there had only been a rope marking the area, with the timber scattered across the ground. But now, after taking just a moment to check on the zombie-bots, a dozen of those logs were already embedded firmly in the ground! Kim Haru thought that if he hadn''t returned so quickly, the rest of the logs might have been installed too.


    The most puzzling part was that they weren''t just haphazardly driven in; they were placed precisely along the line where Kim Haru had positioned the rope.


    Who could be "kind-hearted" enough to go out of their way to do this? The field they''d been working in wasn''t that far, yet they hadn''t noticed anything unusual here¡ªnot even a sound. If a hammer wasn''t used, then how had this "person" managed to accomplish it?


    Kim Haru experimentally pushed one of the logs, finding it firmly set, tightly embedded in the ground.


    System, was this your doing?


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    The system didn''t respond.


    It seemed it wasn''t the system''s doing. Then again, when had the system ever secretly helped him like this? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru gave Go Okrim a look, gesturing toward the other side. Go Okrim quickly caught on, nodded, and began to quietly circle around in the direction Kim Haru had indicated, positioning himself with Kim Haru to flank the area.


    The space-tyoe zombie stayed in place, unable to move but still useful as an obstacle.


    Kim Haru cautiously maneuvered around, his gaze fixed firmly on the pigsty. If there was something strange lurking there, it might not have had time to escape yet.


    Once they reached their positions, Go Okrim mouthed Kim Haru''s name silently, pointing at a long trail on the ground that looked like something had slithered across it, leaving a snake-like trace.


    It was still here!

 Chapter 131 Little Oakies Bargain

    Without hesitation, the two followed the trail, taking only a few steps before stopping beneath a tree.It was one of the four trees Kim Haru had chosen to support the pigsty, and now his expression grew somber.


    In that instant, he remembered the mutated plants he''d heard about but never actually seen.


    As for these mutated plants, maybe the original owner of his body had known about them. But since Kim Haru had arrived only after the original owner''s death, the memories he''d inherited contained little information, just a vague mention of the term.


    He hadn''t expected to find one around his farm!


    Kim Haru warned Go Okrim to be cautious. Relying on the personal protective shield he''d purchased earlier, he began inspecting the organism, trying to determine if it was indeed a mutated plant. After all, it could just be some creature hiding by the tree to avoid being seen.


    But after circling the tree twice, Kim Haru dismissed that theory.


    Aside from the trail they had followed, there were no other traces in any direction. The tree''s branches and leaves weren''t particularly thick, so nothing could be hiding up there unnoticed.


    So, it all came down to this tree.


    Kim Haru didn''t have experience dealing with mutated creatures, but he didn''t think this tree would be especially aggressive. Whether when he''d tied the rope or when it had secretly helped by driving stakes into the ground, the tree hadn''t shown any hostility.


    Had it not been caught by time constraints, Kim Haru might not have realized there was a mutated plant so close by until the pigsty was completely built.


    Raising his axe, Kim Haru struck a pose as if he were about to chop down the tree. "Are you going to come out on your own now, or do I need to chop you down to make you come out?"


    His expression was serious, his gaze cold and piercing, showing not a hint of amusement at threatening a plant.


    Beside him, Go Okrim''s eyes sparkled as he clapped his hands, thoroughly impressed. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next moment, the tree before them began to tremble, its branches and leaves rustling audibly, though there was no breeze at all.


    The mutated plant, afraid of being cut down, finally moved in front of Kim Haru.


    "Can you speak?" Kim Haru asked.


    A particularly thick branch in the middle swayed left and right. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru understood; that was a "no."


    This was going to make communication difficult.


    "Were you helping me just now?"


    The tree nodded.


    It was indeed helping.


    "How did you help?"


    One of its roots rose slightly out of the ground and waved in front of Kim Haru, indicating that it had used this.


    Kim Haru realized.


    Of course, plants inherently had strong growth power, with roots able to navigate soil with exceptional flexibility. And being a tree, its root system was far more developed than that of smaller plants. It made sense that a tree root could produce such an effect.


    Kim Haru wanted to ask why it had helped him, what its purpose was, but he knew the tree would only be able to respond by nodding or shaking, making it hard to get a detailed answer, so he decided not to ask.


    "Are you okay with me building a pigsty here?" Kim Haru asked. Truthfully, he had a guess as to the answer.


    Sure enough, the tree nodded.


    That made sense; if it didn''t want him here, the tree could''ve broken the rope entirely. Let alone helping him drive the stakes into the ground. This act convinced Kim Haru that the tree didn''t just tolerate him building a pigsty here¡ªit might actually be welcoming him.


    Thinking this, Kim Haru voiced his thoughts and received an enthusiastic nod from the tree.


    Could he have encountered a friendly plant?


    But every action has a purpose. Kim Haru doubted the tree was just feeling lonely and wanted a pig for company.


    "Do I have something you need? Point it out if you can." Kim Haru didn''t expect an answer, yet before he''d even finished speaking, both branches and roots pointed eagerly toward the vegetable patch in front of the cabin.


    It seemed like it was afraid the treasure before it would vanish in the next second.


    Alright then, Kim Haru understood the tree''s urgency perfectly. He posed one last question, "Do you want the soil, the fertilizer, or the water? Raise the left branch for soil, the right branch for fertilizer, and multiple roots if it''s water."


    Swish, swish, swish.


    Both the left and right branches, along with the roots, were raised high in front of Kim Haru.


    Just like a child begging an adult for candy.


    "Okrim, bring me my watering can." Kim Haru had made up his mind. While Go Okrim ran off to get the can, Kim Haru looked at the tree before him, proposing seriously, "Let''s work together. I''ll build the pigsty here as planned, and you help me manage the pigs. Be responsible for the safety of the entire pigsty and the piglets, keeping them from escaping. If the pen breaks, lend a hand to repairsl it.


    In return, I''ll regularly provide you with what you want¡ªwhether it''s watering, fertilizing, or even replacing the soil. If you agree, nod."


    The tree nodded eagerly, swaying so energetically it looked like it might bend a full 90 degrees, clearly wanting Kim Haru to notice.


    Kim Haru wasn''t surprised by this outcome. Just then, Go Okrim returned with the watering can, and Kim Haru gave the tree a good soak, its leaves quivering with joy.


    After dousing it with the equivalent of water for two small plots, Kim Haru stopped. "Alright, now help me reinforce the pigsty, Little Oakie. Drive the stakes into the ground, just like before¡ªmake it dense and tight."


    Freed from the need to hide, the tree''s roots moved swiftly and efficiently, completing the task far faster than before.


    Go Okrim noticed and asked, "Little Oakie?"

 Chapter 132 Farm of Quiet Beginnings

    "That''s the name I gave this tree. I can''t just keep calling it ''tree,'' right?" Kim Haru said confidently, showing no shame about how bad of the name he''d chosen.Go Okrim didn''t actually mind "Little Oakie" as a name. Even if it had been something like Branchy or Woody, he would think it was a great name simply because Kim Haru is the one that had chosen it.


    This was exactly how Go Okrim''s unwavering admiration for his "hyung" was starting to verge on idol worship.


    But Go Okrim did have one small complaint, "Little Oakie and Little Nugget have ''Little'' in their names. Kim Haru-hyung, I''m a higher rank than them, right? I don''t want a ''Little'' title¡ªcan you pick something else for me?"


    Kim Haru nodded thoughtfully and started seriously considering a new nickname.


    "How about Gojo?"


    Go Okrim nodded, pleased. "Sure."


    Gojo sounds like a cool name¡ªit confirmed that he was indeed Kim Haru-hyung''s favorite!


    Confident in this thought, Go Okrim didn''t feel at all that comparing himself to a chicken or a tree lowered his status.


    While the two of them were chatting, Little Oakie had already finished repairing the pigsty''s fence.


    Kim Haru took one look and said, "¡­How am I supposed to get in if it doesn''t have a door?"


    Why did this tree''s intelligence level feel similar to a zombie-bots? Well, to be fair, entering an unsealed pigsty wouldn''t be an issue for Little Oakie¡ªit could just go over or under and didn''t need a door.


    Unfortunately, as a human farmer, Kim Haru still needed a door for the pigsty. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, Little Oakie, following Kim Haru''s instructions, pulled out a few stakes facing the direction of the cabin, leaving a spot for the door to be installed.


    Little Oakie, having completed its task, shook its leaves in excitement, prompting Kim Haru to reward it with a bit more water.


    "Can''t give you too much¡ªtoo much water will drown you."


    The most challenging part, the fence, was now complete. The next step was covering the top to protect the pigsty from the wind and rain. However, there were currently no suitable materials on hand. Apart from using a large roll of plastic sheeting he''d bought earlier as a temporary measure, Kim Haru didn''t have anything ideal for this purpose.


    The system''s blueprints offered two options: thatch or tiles.


    But Kim Haru had neither thatch nor tiles on hand.


    It seemed like a trip to the safe zone was necessary. Thatch was unlikely to be easy to find, but tiles should be easier. He also needed to buy a hoe.


    Kim Haru hadn''t forgotten that while the Space-type zombie''s programming had been set up, he still lacked tools. If he had let the Fire-type zombie clear that large patch of wasteland, it would have been anyone''s guess how long it would have taken.


    Laying the plastic sheeting wasn''t too difficult, and with Little Oakie''s help, the two humans and one tree managed to get the basic pigsty set up without much trouble.


    Oh, it was still missing a door.


    The door was simple enough. There were still plenty of the fence posts Kim Haru had dismantled that morning. He used one section, securing one side tightly to the pigsty while making the other into a swinging latch. And with that, the door was done.


    "Alright, we can let Little Snort try out his new home now," Kim Haru said with satisfaction, clapping his hands. Go Okrim immediately ran over to grab the piglet.


    The piglet who is now called "Little Snort," was barely released from its vine leash before it began dashing around on its four plump little trotters. It ran straight into the fence with a loud clang and, undeterred, it turned around and tried another direction.


    After several loud thuds from hitting the fence, Little Snort finally accepted reality and slumped to the ground in defeat.


    Kim Haru suspected it might not be exhaustion but rather that Little Snort''s head was sore from all that bumping.


    "It looks like Little Snort is a bit of lively. I''ll leave it to you to keep an eye on him, Little Oakie."


    With a few branches twisted together, Little Oakie managed to form a clumsy but enthusiastic fist, vividly expressing its confidence.


    Kim Haru, pleased with Little Oakie''s dedication, he patted its trunk and cheerfully headed back. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    It was getting late¡ªtime for dinner.


    As he reached the cabin door, his eyes fell on the pile of soybean leaves he''d prepared for Little Nugget and Sir Peckington. Kim Haru realized he had forgotten an important detail.


    ¡ªThe pigsty didn''t have a food trough or a water trough yet.


    He hurriedly grabbed two large bowls and went over to the pigsty.


    That had been close¡ªhe almost starved his only little piglet.


    Once he''d set up the food and water bowls, this time he didn''t forget to fill them. He placed the soybean leaves in the food bowl; back in his previous life, these leaves were always meant for pigs, though in this one, they''d somehow become edible for apocalypse survivors.


    But then again, that was understandable¡ªfood was scarce, and anything edible for pigs wouldn''t kill humans either. Although Kim Haru couldn''t stop people in the apocalypse from eating these things, he was determined to keep the prices of his farm''s produce reasonable so that only the wealthy could afford them.


    As night gradually fell, Kim Haru''s farm grew quiet.


    Little Nugget and Sir Peckington were already nestled in their coop by evening, and Little Snort, tired from all the running, lay peacefully in a corner, dozing off under Little Oakie''s watchful care. Across the pond, the zombie-bots tirelessly continued to dig, the noise faint but not loud enough to reach the cabin.


    In the vegetable patch, the seeds quietly absorbed nutrients from the soil and began to sprout.


    Everything seemed so calm and peaceful.


    ...But this peace was only an illusion.


    If anyone were to zoom out and view the scene from a hundred or even a thousand meters above, the sight would leave them horrified, their hair standing on end.

 Chapter 133 The Secret Of The Forest

    The dense forest, which had been peacefully letting Kim Haru walk through it freely during the day, had transformed into a menagerie of nightmarish monsters. Towering, massive, bristling with countless writhing tendrils¡ªsome blazing with fire, others covered in icy frost, each plant was now turned into a wild and terrifying creatures.If Kim Haru were awake to witness this scene, his first thought would likely be: A parade of fiends and demons.


    But unfortunately (or perhaps luckily), Kim Haru was already fast asleep.


    In fact, had the mutated plants not confirmed through his cabin window that Kim Haru was truly asleep, they would never have dared to reveal their true form like this.


    Generally, these mutated plants managed their energies carefully; over the years, they''d established an unspoken understanding within this territory. Each mutant plant had its own turf, and without a compelling reason, they wouldn''t intrude upon each other''s domain.


    However¡ª


    Today''s events had left the mutant plants increasingly infuriated the more they thought about it.


    In the end, they simply couldn''t contain themselves any longer and decided to vent their frustrations by intimidating the source of their grievances first.


    They had all agreed earlier: before confirming this human''s views on mutated creatures¡ªand understanding the secret behind that incredibly enticing quality of his¡ªno one should recklessly reveal their true nature in front of him. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    The "secret" was only a pretext, of course. Mostly, none of the mutated plants wanted to see the others gain favor with Kim Haru first, to monopolize him.


    After all, they all wanted him for themselves. If it came to an all-out battle, no one would win; they would only be worse off. So, they''d reached a truce, resulting in this temporary standoff.


    They''d even set up a system: whenever Kim Haru left, the plants would take turns sneaking into his space for a bit of his rich soil, fertilizer, or water. Those who hadn''t had their turn would stand guard, prepared to alert any plants in Kim Haru''s vegetable area if he returned unexpectedly.


    They had pulled this off several times without him noticing, each plant being careful not to blow their cover.


    But who could''ve expected this? Today, one particular little sapling had broken ranks and succumbed to temptation, disregarding their established rules!


    And to make matters worse, that rogue sapling had even caught the human''s attention! Not only was it spared from being cut down by Kim Haru, but he had actually watered it¡ªand with so much delicious water, too!


    Did you hear what that human promised it? He said he''d even change its soil and add fertilizer! No need to sneak around; it could openly, proudly have such treatment, all for itself!


    Such a grand arrangement! None of them¡ªno matter how powerful they are¡ªhad managed to obtain such a privilege. Even the elder tree next to Kim Haru''s cabin didn''t get this special treatment, yet here this tiny upstart sapling had secured it!


    Wasn''t it just a matter of helping the human keep an eye on that little piglet? Any one of them could handle it too! Not only that, but they had personally caught the pig themselves and stuffed it into the human''s trap.


    Otherwise, how could that tiny trap catch anything? Could it catch a wild bird that could fly away or a wild pig that can destroy it with a simple bump?


    They had put a lot of effort into capturing those two little creatures. This whole area was already under the control of the mutated plants, and most mutated animals wouldn''t come near it¡ªespecially creatures like pigs that would chew on plants.


    The mutated plants had spread the word far and wide, finally finding a suitable little piglet from the territory of other mutated plants, and it had taken several days to capture it and bring it over.


    After working so hard to fulfill the human''s wish, none of them had dared to come forward and demand credit. Yet somehow, this little sapling, which had done absolutely nothing, had swooped in and stolen the spotlight!


    And it had even been given the name Little Oakie by Kim Haru. How could this not make the other mutated plants seethe with jealousy?


    ...


    The next day, Kim Haru overslept, missed the breakfast, and didn''t get up until mid-morning. His first thought upon waking up was to check how the little piglet was adapting.


    As he reached the pig pen, he was startled.


    "Little Oakie, what happened to you?"


    Yesterday, Little Oakie had looked vibrant and lively, but now it was drooping miserably. While it had never been overly leafy to begin with, today it looked utterly bare, with every single leaf gone.


    It was as if, overnight, it had gone straight from autumn into winter.


    And yet, the plants surrounding it showed no change from the day before¡ªthey were still as lush and green as ever.


    "Little Oakie, are you sick?" Kim Haru asked worriedly, reaching out to touch Little Oakie, trying to see if the system could assess the health of a plant that was not grown on his farm.


    Not long after that, the system reported back.


    [ Plant health: Normal. ]


    [ Leaf loss due to external factors. ]


    External factors?


    Kim Haru looked at Little Oakie, then at Little Snort who is still snoring away contentedly.


    "I get it," he concluded, deciding to give Little Oakie an extra dose of fertilizer that day.


    Little Snort clearly had been restless last night, trying to escape all night long, and Little Oakie had to stay up the entire time to guard it, causing it to shed all its "hair" (leaves) from the exhaustion.


    Who would''ve thought that the effects of an all-nighter would show up so dramatically in a plant?


    As someone who also loved staying up late, Kim Haru touched his own hairline, he was determined to go to bed earlier and adopt a healthier routine from now on.


    Little Oakie: "¡­"


    Although it was happy to receive more fertilizer, it knew that those tyrannical bullies would come by tonight to snatch it all! Last night, they had stolen every last drop of the water it had carefully saved.

 Chapter 134 A Growing Influence

    Not only did they take its resources, but it also got beaten up.Little Oakie felt aggrieved.


    To keep its treasures or to save its life¡ªthat was a serious question.


    In the end, it decided on the treasures; after all, if a tree gets cut down, it can always grow new shoots. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unaware of the complex politics among the mutated plants around the farm, Kim Haru added food and water for Little Snort and did the same for Little Nugget and Sir Peckington. He opened the chicken coop to let them come out and play.


    Today, the vegetable field didn''t need watering; the sprinkler he installed yesterday has been worked tirelessly, watering each plot perfectly. Across the pond, the Fire-type zombie-bot was still digging with its hoe, and a patch of the wasteland had already been cleared.


    Watching the zombie-bot''s slow but steady digging, Kim Haru finally could confirmed something.


    The tools that was awarded by the system only had special powers when he used them. In others'' hands, they were just ordinary tools; they needed him to unleash their magical effects.


    Take this hoe, for example. Even though the zombie-bots was using a system-issued hoe, it still had to dig multiple times to clear one spot, and it took even more effort if the ground was hard.


    But when Kim Haru tried it himself, he still only needed one strike.


    The results of this experiment led Kim Haru to plan on buying at least two hoes, more if possible.


    Kim Haru wasn''t about to shoulder all the land-clearing tasks himself just because he could do it in one strike. No matter how easy it was for him, he couldn''t single-handedly handle such a vast stretch of land. And this was far from the final plot size; he needed to expand his planting area continually, both to upgrade the system and to produce more ingredients to sell.


    For now, he could manage the small area himself, but did that mean he''d have to handle everything alone in the future?


    It''s fine if the zombies work a little bit slower.


    Kim Haru planned to leave the farm under Go Okrim''s watch while he made a trip to the safe zone to buy the supplies he needed.


    Calling Go Okrim, who was busy adjusting the zombie-bots, over to him, Kim Haru said, "Use the Space-type zombie''s teleportation skill to send me to the safe zone. You stay here and take care of the farm."


    Go Okrim happily agreed, "Don''t worry, Kim Haru-hyung, I''ll make sure everything here is managed well!"


    Then, Go Okrim called over the Space-type zombie, took out his brother''s crystal core as a medium, and began inputting the teleportation code and spatial coordinates into the Space-type zombie''s body.


    "Okay, it''s all set."


    As Go Okrim finished speaking, Kim Haru disappeared from the farm and reappeared at the entrance to the safe zone.


    Experiencing this swift travel method, Kim Haru grew even more satisfied with taking in Go Okrim on as an employee.


    ...


    Kim Haru''s shop had been closed for several days because the goods inside had been sold out, and every day the customers would kept coming and strolling around outside, worried that they''d miss their chance if the shop reopened.


    Hwa Jian felt restless and anxious with nothing to do each day, and hearing that his boss had returned, he quickly went out to greet him.


    Kim Haru came out of the safe zone''s observation area just in time to see Hwa Jian and Jang Dojang hurrying over.


    Regarding Hwa Jian''s unease, Kim Haru didn''t mind. The issue of limited supply stemmed from the farm, not from anyone else. For now, the only solution was to gradually expand the scale of planting.


    Hwa Jian could rest; there was no need for him to stay at the shop. He could go home to take care of his family or spend time training his abilities.


    Noticing Hwa Jian was still uneasy about receiving such good treatment, Kim Haru thought it over and assigned him the task of buying supplies.


    "I need hoes and tiles, in unlimited quantities."


    Receiving a task immediately put Hwa Jian at ease. "Don''t worry, I''ll find you the best one."


    After Hwa Jian left, Kim Haru looked at Jang Dojang. "Is something the matter?"


    Jang Dojang''s face was filled with delight. "It''s not a big issue, but since you guided it all, I thought I''d report it to you."


    "The first round of cabbages, potatoes, and soybeans in the research facility has matured. We tested them, and the quality is excellent. The soilless cultivation cabbages grown with rainwater have a mutagenic virus content as low as 0.8%, and the soybeans have fully reached Class SS. Only the potatoes have a slightly higher mutation level, but they''re still at the forefront of Class S."


    Talking about this, Jang Dojang couldn''t contain his excitement. The more plants with low mutagenic virus content there are, the more lives there are that can survive in this apocalyptic world.


    And it was all thanks to the man standing in front of him.


    Jang Dojang''s gaze toward Kim Haru was filled with gratitude.


    Hearing this news, Kim Haru was also quite pleased. Considering that the research institute had been cultivating these plants for less than half a month, under normal conditions, the growth period for these plants should have been longer. It seemed that plants produced by the system were indeed different. Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Jang Dojang then asked, "Mr. Kim, would you like to visit the research facility? Researcher Lee and the others have been eagerly waiting for you to come by."


    Kim Haru thought it over. He''d already assigned the task of purchasing supplies to Hwa Jian, and it would take a while for him to bring everything back to him. Since there wasn''t much else to do, he figured he might as well check it out.


    "Let''s go."


    ...


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Plant Research Institute had been making quite a splash recently.

 Chapter 135 Seeds of Change

    It wasn''t that the researchers hadn''t cultivated a crops with low-mutagenic virus content before, but usually, that success depended heavily on luck, with just the right combination of circumstances. Asking them to replicate it was almost impossible.In this situation, however, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Plant Research Institute had managed to produce three crops with very low mutagenic virus content all at once. Did this mean they had found a way to control the mutagenic virus levels?


    This thought set the rest of the research community buzzing. However, no matter how they inquired, Pyeongseong Safe Zone kept everything tightly under their wraps. They only knew it was thanks to a new consultant that had recently joined the facility, but no other details could be obtained.


    The arrival of the new consultant followed so closely by the birth of several high-grade vegetables. Nobody could believe it was just a coincidence.


    Soon enough, the research institutes that was the closest one to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone safe zone were planning to send people over.


    But all these matters were handled by the Safe Zone Commander and his team, so none of it would trouble Kim Haru. Upon arriving at the research facility, Kim Haru was greeted with an enthusiastic welcome.


    "Mr. Kim, you finally arrived," Lee Kang, Seo Woo, and Baek Wonyeon said as they stood at the front, they immediately stepping forward upon seeing the familiar figure. "The crops you guided us on have matured. We''ve been keeping them in the ground without harvesting, and we wanted to ask if there''s anything special we need to pay attention to when harvest them?"


    It wasn''t that the three of them didn''t know how to harvest mature crops; rather, they were concerned that such high-grade plants might have special requirements during the harvesting process. They had heard of cases where someone cultivated a particularly high-grade chili pepper, and when harvesting, they had to use fire-type ability user to scorch the chili stem to make it break off naturally.


    This way, the harvested chili would be a food item with particularly low mutation virus content.


    If they simply pulled the chili off without using fire-type abilities, the chili would turn into an explosive pepper within three minutes, causing tears and snot to flow uncontrollably, making one question their life choices.


    Since the apocalypse began, not much could be understood through common sense.


    Kim Haru was unaware of this and felt a bit puzzled by their caution.


    "Pick it if you want to eat it; leave it if you want to keep the seeds," Kim Haru said.


    Lee Kang and the others exchanged glances, their expressions filled with joy.


    They had considered keeping seeds but hadn''t brought it up for fear of what Kim Haru might think. Plus, they weren''t sure if the next generation of seeds would have the same effect.


    Now, having received Kim Haru''s assurance in person, their confidence soared.


    Why would they use such precious things for eating? Once they figured out how to expand production later, they wouldn''t worry about not having enough to eat!


    The three of them decided they would keep seeds.


    After confirming that the process of keeping seeds was similar to their own experience, the trio was filled with confidence.


    Just as Lee Kang and the others were about to express their gratitude to Kim Haru and try to build rapport, with the smiles barely on their faces, someone suddenly pulled them back by the neck.


    "Who dares¡ªDirector, when did you arrive?"


    Turning to shout at the person, they were met with the familiar face of their plant research institute''s director.


    Lee Kang, Seo Woo, and Baek Wonyeon instinctively shrank back and quickly gave way.


    Despite the director''s seemingly refined demeanor behind his glasses, he was actually a scheming person. Those who lacked cleverness wouldn''t stand a chance against him.


    Kim Haru also noticed this man, who was of short stature with slightly graying hair, appearing to be around 50 years old.


    Jang Dojang introduced to Kim Haru, "This is Jang Dojung, the Director of the Plant Research Institute. He was at the Haneulsae Safe Zone''s research institute for exchange meeting when you visited last time, which is why I didn''t introduce you then."


    He then turned his head to Jang Dojung and said, "Director Jang, this is Mr. Kim, the new consultant at the research institute that I have been mentioned to you."


    Jang Dojung had, of course, heard Kim Haru''s name.


    It could be said that during this return to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, the name "Mr. Kim" was the one he heard the most. Not only in his own Plant Research Institute but also among the Safe Zone Commander''s secretarial team, everyone spoke of Mr. Kim with admiration on their faces.


    Additionally, while casually strolling through the safe zone, he could hear people discussing about the vegetable shop in the Second District that was opened by this Mr. Kim.


    Jang Dojung knew that this shop was owned by Kim Haru.


    Particularly among the residents of the Fourth District, Mr. Kim had received high praise. If anyone dared to speak ill of him, seven out of ten people nearby would glare at them.


    Even the search team that had departed for Gokmul County had returned singing his praises. It should be noted that the teams entering the search operation were either official teams or capable independent squads that was predominantly composed of ability users.


    The comments from these people about Mr. Kim meant that anyone in the entire safe zone who wanted to offend him, regardless of their status, would need to think twice. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last time such a situation occurred was when Jang Dojung nurtured the first Class SS tomato in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Jang Dojung sized up Kim Haru and extended his hand. "Hello."


    Kim Haru waited a moment before he lightly touching the tips of Jang Dojung''s fingers. "Hello," he replied, immediately withdrawing his hand.


    Jang Dojung was momentarily taken aback.

 Chapter 136 Sowing Seeds of Trust

    He glanced at Kim Haru, who had his eyes half-closed, the brim of his hat pulled low, a slight frown on his lips, and his hands tucked into his pockets, appearing somewhat impatient.Even Jang Dojung couldn''t help but feel a surge of confusion and doubt.


    What was going on? Did he unintentionally touch upon a sensitive topic?


    Seeing this, Jang Dojang quickly smiled and guided Kim Haru into the research institute. "Everyone, let''s not stand around chatting here. Let''s head inside. If Mr. Kim isn''t in a hurry, he can take a look around the institute. He didn''t have the chance to explore much last time, and besides, it should still be a while before Hwa Jian finishes shopping."


    Kim Haru lifted his foot and walked inside.


    The other researchers who had followed to the entrance, eager to see the renowned Mr. Kim, saw that he didn''t seem to regard even the director''s authority much and appeared particularly aloof and hard to approach. They immediately lost the courage to obstruct his path, they hastily stepping back to clear a way for him.


    At this point, Jang Dojang quietly explained to Jang Dojung, "Mr. Kim has a cold personality, doesn''t like crowds, and isn''t very talkative. It''s not that he has any dissatisfaction with you, so please don''t take it personally."


    Jang Dojung certainly wouldn''t mind.


    After realizing it wasn''t because he had angered the other person, he relaxed and smiled.


    "I understand, I understand. People with abilities often have a bit of their own temperament; that''s normal."


    Knowing that Kim Haru didn''t like crowds, Jang Dojung shooed away the other researchers who were eager to gather around: "Everyone, disperse! Have the plants you''re working on sprouted? Is the virus content lower than last time? Have you conducted the control experiments? What are you all doing here?"


    "..." The director really is a demon, isn''t he?


    The researchers silently scattered.


    With Jang Dojung, the director, leading the way, Kim Haru gained a deeper understanding of the Plant Research Institute.


    At least it was more comfortable than when Jang Dojang and Lee Kang had guided him before. The former was aware of Kim Haru''s personality and purposely took him through exclusive passages, avoiding places without dedicated paths and opting for less crowded routes.


    After a while, Kim Haru''s fondness for Jang Dojung increased significantly.


    "This room contains the seeds harvested by the safe zone this time. Most of them are stored in the logistics department, and we''ve been allocated a portion for our institute to see if we can grow them," Jang Dojung said, pointing to the room.


    Kim Haru turned around to look.


    Inside the room, five people were sorting through a pile of grains. Kim Haru could tell at a glance that they were selecting plump, vigorous seeds. He had also hastily picked through seeds when planting this batch.


    The selected seeds had a higher chance of germination. After all, these grains had been stored for so many years, and if they weren''t careful, the final germination rate could be dismally low.


    At this point, Jang Dojung glanced at Kim Haru and couldn''t help but ask, "I heard that Mr. Kim also received a portion of seeds. Would you mind sharing how you''re handling them? Are you planning to plant them all in the ground, or process them as food?"


    Jang Dojang also turned his attention to Kim Haru. This question was not just something Jang Dojung wanted to know; Jang Dojang and even the Safe Zone Commander behind him, as well as anyone aware that Kim Haru had cultivated a large amount of normal vegetables, were eager to find out. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, these grains were rightfully Kim Haru''s, but who didn''t secretly hope he would use them to grow even more normal food?


    Jang Dojang felt a bit nervous.


    He worried that the director''s question might upset Kim Haru, who might think they had ulterior motives. So, before Kim Haru could speak, he hurriedly said, "Mr. Kim, please don''t take this the wrong way. Even if you plan to use them for food, no one has any objections. These are your belongings, and you can dispose of them as you wish."


    "It''s just that everyone truly admires your ability in planting. If you don''t mind, the safe zone can provide you with seeds, and you can help plant them. The results would be split sixty-forty, with you getting sixty and us forty. I wonder how you feel about that?"


    Jang Dojung also pushed up his glasses and smiled, saying, "Yes, I''m just a bit curious, which is why I asked."


    The two men had considered this very thoroughly. Kim Haru wasn''t a petty person; in fact, he usually didn''t care too much about many things. As for how to handle this batch of seeds, what did it matter if others knew?


    "I''ve eaten some and planted some," Kim Haru replied. "For now, I don''t need too many seeds. There isn''t enough land or manpower, so I can''t plant them all."


    Upon hearing this response, Jang Dojang and Jang Dojung exchanged glances.


    This was better than any answer they had imagined!


    Mr. Kim not only intended to plant them, but based on what he said, the results would also end up in the hands of the residents of the safe zone. He didn''t even seem to plan on asking for compensation from the safe zone.


    Neither of them considered the profits from Kim Haru''s shop as payment from the safe zone. With such low selling prices, how could that be fair to such high-quality vegetables?


    However, not enough land? Not enough manpower?


    The expressions on their faces became complicated.


    In the end, Jang Dojung, relying on his years of experience in reading people, thought that Kim Haru wouldn''t be someone who would easily change his demeanor. Gritting his teeth, he made a suggestion: "If Mr. Kim is lacking in personnel and land, why not let the safe zone help?


    We can find you land that meets your requirements by asking the ability users; they should be able to locate suitable areas for you."

 Chapter 137 Animal Research Institute

    "Moreover, the research institute has plenty of land suitable for studying crop growth. The researchers here would be willing to assist you."This suggestion sounded as if the safe zone was trying to learn from him, and even with Jang Dojung''s authority, it felt a bit awkward to bring up.


    Fortunately, Kim Haru, as he had hoped, didn''t take offense.


    When it came to the conditions proposed by Jang Dojung, Kim Haru shook his head in refusal. "No, thank you."


    Jang Dojang immediately felt anxious. "If you have any requests, please don''t hesitate to mention them! I believe both the Safe Zone Commander and everyone in the safe zone would be willing to help you out!"


    "It''s not that issue," Kim Haru remained steadfast. "It''s that my abilities aren''t sufficient."


    The farming system only existed within Kim Haru himself. There is things that still couldn''t be avoided with his direct involvement, and expanding it to cover the entire safe zone was something he simply couldn''t handle at the moment.


    Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang felt a slight sense of disappointment.


    Right, Mr. Kim''s crops are completely free of the mutagenic virus¡ªsuch crops couldn''t be grown so easily. Mr. Kim must have made a crucial step in the process. And for him, that step surely wasn''t easy, so it''s not like he can just plant as much as they''d like.


    However, Mr. Kim''s abilities will certainly continue to improve! Perhaps, one day, they might even see a time when the whole safe zone can be cultivated with virus-free produce!


    The two quickly set aside their initial disappointment, and Jang Dojang stood by his promise to provide Mr. Kim with grain. After all, as a special consultant to the safe zone, Mr. Kim was entitled to his share¡ªand with all the precious vegetables he''d contributed, he deserved it.


    "When Hwa Jian''s supplies are ready, please take the grains with you as you head back. They''re already set aside in the logistics department," Jang Dojang said.


    "Alright," Kim Haru replied.


    He wasn''t going to turn down more grain.


    The three of them continued chatting and wandering around the plant research institute. Mostly, it was Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang talking, with Kim Haru occasionally responding.


    They reached the back door when Kim Haru heard a familiar sound.


    "What''s over there?" he asked.


    There was a series of loud grunts, rather distressing to hear. The sound was quite similar to that of Little Snort, the new member who had just joined the farm yesterday.


    It''s just that compared to Little Snort, the sound he just heard was rougher and louder.


    They were raising pigs here¡ªhe could definitely learn a thing or two from them!


    "That''s the Animal Research Institute over there." Jang Dojung glanced outside. "Mr. Kim, are you interested in animals as well? Would you like to take a look?"


    "Can I?" Kim Haru asked in surprise. Upon receiving confirmation, he eagerly agreed.


    Jang Dojung suddenly had a bad feeling.


    ¡ªHe might end up competing with the Animal Research Institute, his old rival, for talent once again.


    Regardless of his premonition, Jang Dojung still led Kim Haru over to the Animal Research Institute.


    The land that was occupied by the Animal and Plant Research Institutes was adjacent, although their main entrances were built at a considerable distance from each other, practically back-to-back. However, the back door where Kim Haru and his companions were now led directly to the Animal Institute''s back entrance, making it the quickest route.


    They soon reached the rear gate after passing through a small courtyard.


    Jang Dojung that was familiar with the route, raised his hand and knocked. "Open up; we''re just here for a look around." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was some movement on the other side of the door, and shortly after, it was opened by an assistant researcher tasked with miscellaneous duties, who was more than used to occasionally opening the back door.


    "Oh, Director Jang, what brings you here? Are you looking for our director? He just caught a mutated black boar and is training it right now," the assistant chuckled as he let them in. "I''d say that boar''s got a nasty temper, and it''s even rubbed off on the director, making him a bit irritable too. You''d best be careful not to get into a spat!"


    Jang Dojung pushed up his glasses. "Enough with the chatter."


    The assistant only laughed, undeterred, and closed the door behind them, giving them directions.


    Everyone in the safe zone knew about the rivalry between Director Jang of the Plant Research Institute and the Director of the Animal Research Institute. No one was quite sure why they didn''t get along with each other. They worked seamlessly together when dealing with outsiders¡ªrumor had it they''d outsmarted other safe zones for countless valuable research assets in the past.


    Yet, the moment they saw each other, they would start bickering, clearly irritated with each other. They really didn''t look like they got along at all.


    Over time, the members of both research institutes got used to it. No one was quick to intervene or pull them apart anymore when the two directors looked on the verge of trading blows.


    Some of the more lively researchers even when they heard that the two directors had crossed paths with each other again, they would came specifically to watch their quarrels for entertainment.


    Kim Haru was unaware of all this, he only interested in the pigs. When the assistant mentioned the black boar, his eyes lit up.


    After all, the little piglet back at his place was also has black color¡ªmaybe he could pick up a few tips on rearing it here!


    Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang immediately recognized from Kim Haru''s expression that he wanted to see the black boar, so they headed directly to the destination without any delay.


    As they got closer, the sound of the pig''s squeals grew louder.


    When Kim Haru finally saw the enormous black boar that was nearly the size of half a house, he was taken aback.

 Chapter 138 Little Snort Parent?

    He had forgotten that, in this world, most plants and animals had mutated and couldn''t be judged by ordinary standards. Even if both of them were black boar, a pig of this massive size likely required different rearing methods than the tiny one on his farm.But now that he was here, Kim Haru''s curiosity about the mutated creatures of this world was piqued, so he found a spot out of reach to watch closely.


    This gigantic black boar was completely black with two long tusks extending from its mouth, resembling a wild boar from his previous life. But unlike a wild boar, its fur wasn''t as tough and spiky; instead, it was soft, short, and sparse, like a domesticated pig.


    Despite its formidable size and apparent strength, Kim Haru could easily see that not all of its bulk was muscle¡ªthere were also waves of fat rippling across its body.


    In this respect, it looked surprisingly similar to a pig that was raised solely for its meat.


    As he watched the scene in front of him, Kim Haru suddenly felt puzzled.


    Why did this boar feel a little bit like his Little Snort?


    If he could enlarge Little Snort, then enlarge him some more until he was the size of this massive pig, and added a pair of tusks¡ªwell, they''d look nearly identical.


    The more he entertained this suspicion, the more similarities he found.


    Without even noticing his own social anxiety, Kim Haru turned his head to a nearby member of the Animal Research Institute and inquired, "Where was this pig captured?"


    The researcher was thoroughly engrossed in watching the show and, hearing Kim''s question, glanced over at him.


    "With that small frame of yours, you''d better not think about capturing it yourself. Don''t be fooled by how easily our director handles it¡ªhe''s a Level 2 ability user and will likely advance to Level 3 soon. Even then, he almost got skewered by this pig!"


    He pointed to the boar''s tusks, "Look at those on its snout¡ªscary, huh?"


    Kim Haru: "..."


    "Cough." Jang Dojung, who had been listening nearby, cleared his throat reflexively.


    Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    The Animal Research Institute member turned their head at the sound and froze momentarily when they realized it was Director Jang from the neighboring Plant Research Institute. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, you were asking where it was captured, right?" he stammered, recovering. "Not too far; just exit from the east gate of the safe zone and turn north. You''ll pass through a patch of wasteland forest¡ªthat''s where our director found this boar."


    The member looked at Kim Haru, then at Jang Dojung, and finally, fearing that Kim Haru might try something dangerous, he continued, "Actually, if you were planning to catch it, there probably wouldn''t be any left by now. Our director heard from an ability-user team returning from that direction that a boar had been running wildly from the north, heading this way for some unknown reason.


    Its strength level was very high, and if it kept going, it would soon enter the safe zone and might easily injure ordinary people."


    "So, the director went to try and catch it, and, well, you saw what happened."


    "The director said that this pig isn''t a species native to this area. It likely came here from somewhere else for unknown reasons. Apparently, when it was caught, it was still trying to head east. Who knows what was going on in its head."


    "Anyway, besides this one, there aren''t any others around here."


    East, black, coming here on its own.


    No matter how he thought about it, Kim Haru couldn''t believe there could be so many coincidences in the world.


    He recalled when he captured his Little Snort, and wondered if this enormous pig in front of him might be Little Snort''s parent. Perhaps Little Snort, being small and mischievous, had wandered off to play and ended up being caught by him. The big black boar must have been anxious about its missing child and had come searching for it.


    This¡­


    Kim Haru pressed down on the brim of his hat, feeling a bit guilty.


    Thankfully, the director of the Animal Research Institute had done his job well and managed to capture it. If it had injured someone, Kim Haru wouldn''t have known what to do, especially since, in the end, it was technically his fault.


    Who would have thought his trap would work this well? Could it even catch a pig from so far away? He wondered if he could catch a dragon if he set a trap and wished for one. Would it really happen?


    However, it''s better not¡ªwho knows what kind of strange creature might appear.


    While they were chatting, the black boar finally collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted. Its menacing tusks had already been severed right away, and now, aside from its large size, it no longer posed much of a threat.


    After the black boar fell, Kim Haru noticed the director of the Animal Research Institute, who had previously been hidden behind the boar''s massive body.


    Unlike Jang Dojung, the Animal Research Institute director was a tall man with a muscular body and a rough face that seemed worlds apart from a refined official. He looked more like a barbarian who came out from a primeval forest.


    Now, this barbarian stood in front of them shirtless, his upper body covered in the blood that had spurted out of the black boar''s wounds. Seeing the boar collapse, he raised his hand, and a ball of water poured over him from head to toe, leaving him completely clean within moments.


    Someone nearby, apparently well-prepared for this, immediately handed over a set of clothes.


    Just as he was slipping on a vest, the director of the Animal Research Institute noticed Jang Dojung who was standing beside Kim Haru.


    He raised a hand in greeting, saying, "Oh, Director Jang, you''re here! Did you catch my heroic display just now? Impressive, wasn''t it?"


    Jang Dojung''s brow twitched, feeling that this man could provoke him without even needing half a sentence. But now wasn''t the time to argue, not with Mr. Kim still standing beside him.

 Chapter 139 Do Seungjin

    Jang Dojung Ignored the man and introduced him to Kim Haru. "This is Director Do Seungjin. He used to be a butcher before the apocalypse happened, so he''s a little bit intimidating."Do Seungjin had already approached them when he caught Jang Dojung''s comment and looked mildly displeased. "What do you mean, a little bit intimidating? These muscles of mine are the envy of many men! Not like you with your weak body and stupid glasses. Which men that want to have a scholarly appearance like you¡ªyou wouldn''t even last three moves if you fight that pig!"


    Jang Dojung: "¡­"


    Take a deep breath, let''s take a deep breath, now''s not the time to argue with him.


    "Anyway, Mr. Kim, if you''re interested with the boar or anything else, feel free to choose."


    At this time, Do Seungjin finally turned his gaze to Kim Haru, eyeing him with a look that clearly said, Another weakling?


    However, Do Seungjin hadn''t earned his position just with brute strength; he also had a good head on his shoulders. For Jang Dojung to treat someone with such respect, they must have a significant status. And considering that the Safe Zone''s Deputy Commander was also accompanying them, it was even more likely.


    "So, who might this be?" Do Seungjin asked.


    Jang Dojung took a moment to introduce Kim Haru''s role as a senior consultant. Do Seungjin quickly understood who he was dealing with.


    The title of "senior consultant" wasn''t limited to just one research institute; it meant that Kim Haru could freely visit and contribute to any of the research centers within the institute''s network. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With such a high-ranking position suddenly filled, Do Seungjin had, of course, made it a point to learn about him. However, all the information he''d gathered had focused on plants, so he hadn''t paid much attention, assuming the consultant had no connection to animals. But here he was, after all.


    "Mr. Kim, is it? What can I do for you?" Do Seungjin waved his hand, signaling for his assistants to continue handling the black boar, and urged the other curious researchers to return to their work.


    Kim Haru glanced over, noticing that one of the researchers had produced a strange metal spike of unknown material, which was being inserted into the black boar''s throat. The boar had already lost all ability to move, and the blood flowed from the spike''s channel, draining rapidly.


    Turning his head away, Kim Haru didn''t feel any sentimental urge to spare the animal, even if it might be Little Snort''s parent.


    "I heard a pig squealing and came to see," Kim Haru explained. "Originally, I was hoping to ask you how you raising your pigs."


    Originally.


    Watching how these people handled the black boar, Kim Haru felt he likely wouldn''t get any answers here.


    Sure enough, Do Seungjin tilted his head and said, "This is how we raise them."


    With a skeptical look, Do Seungjin continued, "You don''t actually think we tame them, do you? These wild creatures are impossible to domesticate. The only way to deal with them is to bring them down and kill them. If you leave them even slightly weakened, the moment they recover, they''ll tear everything around them to shreds."


    "Our animal research institute isn''t like their plant research institute, where they actually raise things. Here, we mainly handle mutated animal meat, removing the inedible parts and preserving what we can eat. Sometimes we''re asked to identify new mutated creatures to figure out what they originally were. Of course, we have other tasks too, but I won''t bore you with all the details."


    "Simply put, it''s extremely difficult to keep animals these days. Only a lucky few get close enough to one of these creatures to be able to work alongside it. But even then, they''re more like combat partners¡ªtreating them like teammates. If someone did manage to raise animals just for food, I, Do Seungjin, would personally invite them to the institute."


    "Forget inviting them once or twice; I''d go thirty times if needed."


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Jang Dojung sighed from the sidelines. Only Do Seungjin could make such a claim so confidently.


    Kim Haru felt a pang of disappointment. But he also couldn''t help marveling at the power of his farming system.


    Thank goodness for you, System, he thought to himself, indifferent to its lack of response. I don''t know how I''d survive in this world without you.


    "Sorry to disturb you," Kim Haru said, turning to leave.


    Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang, though puzzled by Kim Haru''s brief visit, didn''t ask questions and followed him.


    They left Do Seungjin behind, who was left scratching his head in confusion.


    Do Seungjin shrugged his shoulder and turned back to admire his handiwork with the black boar.


    "Station a few more people on the northeast side these next few days. This boar might just be the scout. We can''t afford to be careless until we know what''s going on."


    The surrounding team members voiced their agreement.


    Meanwhile, the researcher who had spoken with Kim Haru earlier hadn''t gone far. Hearing Jang Dojung''s introduction of Kim Haru, he became increasingly curious about this man who could grow virus-free vegetables. Once they had left, he wandered over to where Kim Haru had been standing.


    He didn''t plan to do anything. He just wanted to savor the realization that he had just argued with someone so remarkable.


    He hadn''t expected that, while staring at the ground, he would discover something remarkable.


    On the brown earth, a faint yellow object caught his eye. It looked just like a feather!


    The researcher crouched down, carefully picking it up and bringing it close to examine it.


    Sure enough! It was indeed a feather¡ªand, if he wasn''t mistaken, it looked like it belonged to a baby chick!


    His eyes widened instantly.


    There was no way he''d mistake a chick''s feather. As a kid, he''d raised a baby chick for a short time. Back then, before the apocalypse, the vendors would often set up stalls in front of the school, selling brightly colored chicks to students, and he had fallen for the trick.

 Chapter 140 Chicken Feather

    He''d even given that chick a serious name, vowing to be best friends forever, and wrote an observation journal every day. But chicks like that rarely lived long; his had died after a little over a month.No matter how heartbroken he''d been back then, the experience left him with a strong impression. There was no mistaking a chick''s feather!


    Why was there a normal-sized chick feather here? Their institute had never raised chickens, much less ones so small.


    An astonishing thought crossed his mind, and he suddenly shot up, shouting toward Do Seungjin, who was a short distance away. "Director! Director, come take a look!" Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Hearing the shout, Do Seungjin raised his eyebrows, striding over with a fierce expression.


    "What is it?"


    "Director, take a look at this¡ªdoes it belong to our institute?" The researcher wasn''t fazed by Do Seungjin''s intense demeanor, knowing that was just his usual attitude. This was important.


    Do Seungjin leaned in, inspecting and sniffing the feather closely. Finally, he concluded, "It''s not from our institute. This scent is unfamiliar; it smells fresh, like it hasn''t been here long. Where did you find this? Could it be a new breed? Where''s the animal?


    Why is there only one feather?"


    The researcher pointed silently to the spot where he''d picked up the feather. "I found it right here. If it''s not from our institute, then it must have fallen off one of the people who were just here."


    Do Seungjin looked at the ground and asked, "Who was just standing here?"


    "The consultant."


    "You mean that consultant with the last name Kim?"


    "Yes. And Director, I overheard your conversation just now, and I have a suspicion," the researcher said, sounding uncertain even to himself. "I think... that Consultant Kim might actually be raising animals for food."


    Maybe more than just one. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His strange interest in the question of how to raise the black boar and now this chick feather in his hand...


    ...


    Hwa Jian had visited several trade markets before finally finding a few roof tiles at a stall in the Fourth District. These tiles weren''t even for sale¡ªthey were being used to display the goods the vendor was selling.


    After asking, he learned that the vendor had a pile of tiles at home. Following him back, Hwa Jian bought the entire lot. Worried that these might not be enough, he also found out that there was an old tile workshop in the Fourth District before the apocalypse happened. Although it was no longer in business and had been taken over as a living space, it probably still had plenty of tiles.


    Hwa Jian borrowed a tricycle and hauled back a full load of tiles.


    However, finding hoes as Kim Hary had requested proved more difficult. With not much land needing cultivation, people often repurposed hoes as weapons or melted them down. Eventually, Hwa Jian went to a weapons shop and commissioned a metal-type ability user to craft two hoes.


    Ordinary hoes were low-value items, lacking the technical skill required for weapons, and fetched much lower prices than other cold weapons. The shop owner was unwilling to make many of them.


    He thought he might as well use that time to make a few more valuable steel knives.


    Presenting the items to Kim Haru, Hwa Jian spoke in a low voice, "I''m sorry, Boss. This is all I could manage to find."


    "These will do." Kim Hary paid him in crystal cores, not bothering to negotiate, and put everything into his system''s inventory, ready to leave.


    "Oh, right," Kim Hary suddenly remembered, "you don''t need to come to the shop for the next three days. Come back again in three days."


    When he got back, he planned to start planting cabbages, potatoes, and soybeans across the cleared land. It would take at least three days before he had any stock ready.


    Hwa Jian agreed to the request, and Jang Dojang who is listening from the side, also looked pleased.


    When Kim Haru left, he exited properly through the front gate first. Once he reached a secluded spot, he activated the teleporter Go Okrim had given him.


    In an instant, he was back at the farm.


    The tiles were meant to fix the roof of the pigpen, so he poured them out from his system inventory and placed them beside the structure.


    Luckily, he had a handy helper here, so he didn''t need to do the work himself.


    "Little Oakie, I''ll leave the task of laying the tiles to you. Finish this, and I''ll give you two extra waterings today."


    Kim Haru patted Little Oakie''s trunk and receiving a rustling nod in response.


    With the tiles handed over, Kim didn''t rush to leave. Instead, he lingered by the pigpen, observing Little Snort inside.


    After a day of confinement, Little Snort had accepted his fate. He was now munching on soybean leaves with little interest, occasionally pausing to drink some water nearby, all without sparing his farm owner a glance.


    Kim Haru didn''t mind.


    His reason for staying here was simply that he''d thought of the black pig at the Animal Research Institute.


    Poor Little Snort. Who knows if it was your mom or dad that''s already gone¡ªprobably close to ending up in someone''s stomach by now. So just stay here and grow in peace.


    He wondered if a piglet born from mutated animals would grow into a mutated creature itself. If Little Snort did grow as big as half a house, he might struggle to handle it. Hopefully, Little Snort would take pity on the farm that''s fed him for so long and go easy on him.


    But how exactly do you raise a mutated black pig? Could it thrive on the same simple eating and drinking routine as an ordinary pig?


    Maybe he should look around for a pig-raising manual or something, just in case.


    After checking on the piglet, he headed to the newly cleared field, where Go Okrim had come forward to report, "Kim Haru-hyung, we''ve already dug up half the land."

 Chapter 141 Planting for Progress

    Kim Haru then handed over the newly purchased hoes to him. "Put the other one to work as well. Let''s try to get all the land cleared by the end of the day."Go Okrim took the task seriously.


    Kim Haru watched as the Space-type Zombie-bot who is now with a hoe and the Fire-type Zombie-bot, outfitted with the new hoe, each took a side and started digging. Suddenly, a question popped into his mind.


    "System, does the soil that was dug up with other hoes still retain the virus-purification function?"


    If he put in all this effort, only for the crops to end up nothing like he''d imagined, that would be disappointing. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The system responded promptly.


    [ All the land that was affiliated with the farm complies with farm regulations. ]


    This meant that as long as the land was cleared by Kim Haru and used for planting, it would count as farm territory. All areas would be included under the powerful coverage of the farming system, and the crops that were grown there would naturally be virus-free.


    The two zombie-bots were like "machines" under Go Okrim''s control, and Go Okrim himself was an employee hired by Kim Haru to work on the farm. Therefore, none of this would affect the system''s operational range on the farm.


    With that reassurance, Kim Haru felt more at ease.


    The area they were clearing was about the size of two soccer fields, roughly 30 acres. Thanks to the Fire-type zombie-bot working around the clock, half of the field had already been turned and softened, making it ready for planting.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, what should I do now?" Go Okrim, having adjusted the zombie-bots to keep diligently digging, found himself momentarily idle. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru handed him some cabbage seeds. "Just put one seed in each hole."


    Go Okrim took the seeds and carefully placed them one by one.


    Just the act of placing seeds in such a vast field was enough to make Kim Haru''s back ache. After finally finishing with two acres of soybeans, he could barely straighten up.


    No way, I need a break.


    Meanwhile, Go Okrim continued to plant seeds, showing no signs of discomfort.


    "People with abilities really do have amazing stamina," Kim Haru sighed.


    While Kim was still rubbing his sore back, Go Okrim finished planting the cabbage seeds, covering a full three acres of vegetable beds.


    He didn''t feel the least bit tired. "How much more do we need to plant, Kim Haru-hyung? Why don''t you rest, and I''ll handle the rest?"


    "Doesn''t your back hurt? Want to take a break, too?"


    "Nope, I don''t need a break. I''m just happy I can help you out, Kim Haru-hyung!"


    Alright then, seeing that Go Okrim really didn''t need a rest, Kim handed him the remaining seeds.


    "Plant three more acres of soybeans, then five acres each of soybeans and potatoes. After that, two acres of rapeseed," he explained, laying out his plan for the field. "Once those two finish turning the rest of the land, around fifteen acres, we''ll divide it for corn, sweet potatoes, wheat, rice, and sorghum, with each crop covering three acres."


    "I got it. Leave this to me," Go Okrim promised confidently.


    "Alright, if you get tired, make sure to take a break," Kim Haru said, slowly ambling back to his wooden cabin and collapsing into the lounge chair.


    Ah, this feels nice.


    He was still an ordinary person. Before coming into this world, he had been a homebody who disliked exercise. It was only because this body had toughened up a bit from the hardships of surviving the apocalypse that he could manage small tasks, like planting the vegetable patch in front of his cabin. But expecting him to personally handle acres and acres of farmland?


    His small physique just wasn''t cut out for that.


    The farm could hire up to four more employees. If it came down to it, he''d consider hiring extra help.


    However, this farm had a few too many secrets. The system tools, the two zombies for clearing the lands, and now the mutated plant, Little Oakie¡ªif he were to hire someone, it would have to be with utmost caution. For now, since he didn''t have any suitable candidates in mind, he''d leave it. The current labor force should be enough for the farm''s needs, at least for the time being.


    After a good rest, Kim Haru felt rejuvenated.


    Someone was already handling the planting, Tree was taking care of building the pigsty, the two chickens roamed freely, and he didn''t need to worry about watering either. Suddenly, Kim Haru found he had nothing to do.


    Thinking it over, he decided to sort through his system inventory.


    In one corner, he found a garlic bulb he''d forgotten about.


    He''d planned to plant it in a pot by itself, but after getting busy, it had slipped his mind. Now, with nothing else on his hands, it seemed like the perfect time.


    Potting was simple enough. Any container would do: fill it with soil, and water to moisten it, and plant the garlic with a small part sticking out. The only trouble was finding something to use as a pot.


    His farm lacked actual flowerpots, and there were no plastic like water bottles around. Eventually, he dug out a large bowl from the cupboard.


    Normally, pots have drainage holes to prevent over-watering from drowning the plant. Since the bowl couldn''t have holes, he decided to plant it as-is. He trusted the system''s watering can to manage the water amount just right.


    The garlic bulb, now potted, was placed on the windowsill of Go Okrim''s employee quarters.


    This wasn''t an attempt to add greenery for the employee''s sake; it was mainly because Kim Haru couldn''t stand the smell of garlic. Even in cooking, he never ate the garlic itself¡ªit was only there to add flavor, which would be missing otherwise.


    Looking at the single garlic plant in its pot and then at the still-quiet vegetable field, Kim Haru muttered, "I really wish you''d all grow faster. Isn''t there anything that could speed up the growth? At this rate, when will I even level up?"


    [ There is. ]

 Chapter 142 Fertilizer Factory

    The system''s voice suddenly chimed in, and right after that, [ Basic Fertilizer ] option started flashing in front of him.Only then did Kim Haru notice that, in the fine print on the Basic Fertilizer''s description, it mentioned not only providing essential nutrients for crop growth but also the ability to shorten the crop''s growth cycle.


    "How much can it shorten it?" Kim Haru felt a spark of hope.


    However, the system no longer responded.


    Alright, time to make fertilizer!


    The Basic Fertilizer blueprint was essentially a composting method. However, unlike regular ash fertilizer, it required adding system-designated crystal cores to the mix.


    Kim Haru didn''t know much about making fertilizer this way, but according to the system''s instructions, he needed to dig a pit to create a composting pit. Suitable materials like kitchen scraps, animal and human waste, and fallen branches and leaves would be added to it.


    Just as he was about to dig a pit nearby, he stopped abruptly.


    Looking at the list of materials, he could already imagine the kind of smell that compost pit would produce. How could such a biochemical weapon be this close to where he slept? He quickly decided to dig it somewhere further away.


    He headed straight for the wasteland.


    Finally, he picked a location far from his cabin but close to both the pigpen and the newly cultivated fields.


    With the compost being far enough away, the smell shouldn''t be too overwhelming, and being close to the pigpen meant that Little Snort''s waste could be conveniently added to the pit. Plus, fertilizing crops in the nearby fields would be easier.


    Once he settled on a spot, Kim Haru began digging according to the system''s measurements. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    The composting pit would be around 2-3 meters deep and about 5 meters wide. After digging, he''d need to set up a cover using bamboo or wood to support the structure, which would help during the fermentation and fertilizer production stages.


    Unlike planting crops, where the system-provided hoe worked like magic, creating such a large pit wasn''t a one-swing task. Kim Haru had to dig steadily, bit by bit.


    Thankfully, it wasn''t particularly hard. In fact, halfway through, he was met with a tree root pushing its way into the pit.


    Following it with his gaze, he saw it was one of Little Oakie''s roots.


    "Did you finish fixing the tiles?" Kim Haru walked over to Little Oakie''s side.


    Little Oakie''s branches rustled, as if proudly showing off.


    With so many branches and roots to work with, Little Oakie''s efficiency was indeed impressive. The area above the pigpen, where plastic sheets once covered the roof, was now completely replaced with tiles. Little Oakie had also found wooden beams of suitable lengths to support the tiles in crisscrossed layers. Although the arrangement looked a bit random, it was extremely sturdy.


    The roof tiles layered over each other neatly, just as well done as by a seasoned roofer.


    Kim Haru was quite pleased. "Not bad at all, it''s done nicely! I''m making fertilizer right now, and once it''s ready, you''ll get the first batch."


    Upon hearing this, Little Oakie''s leaves began to rustle even louder! Even though Kim Haru couldn''t understand exactly what it was saying, it was clear how thrilled it was.


    Little Oakie''s roots pointed at the compost pit Kim Haru was digging, then at the hoe in his hands, and finally back at itself.


    It even made an up-and-down motion.


    Kim Haru stared for a moment, piecing it together, before realizing that Little Oakie was offering to help.


    This was great news!


    Without hesitation, Kim Haru handed the hoe over to the tip of Little Oakie''s root and even helped it wrap around the handle.


    "Alright, alright, I remember your strength is impressive. Help me dig this pit according to my specifications. After all, once this fertilizer is ready, you''ll get to enjoy it too!"


    When talking to a non-human, Kim Haru had no language barrier whatsoever and carefully described the system''s requirements for the compost pit.


    Little Oakie quickly got to work under Kim Haru''s guidance.


    Mutated plants were indeed incredibly strong. In the time it took Kim Haru to dig a small section, Little Oakie had finished the entire compost pit as instructed.


    Not only was the pit completely dug, but Little Oakie also extended several roots to smooth out the walls and floor, leaving the inner walls perfectly flat and even. It even cleared out any dirt and debris inside, making the pit look exceptionally tidy. Watching this, Kim Haru couldn''t help but feel that recruiting Little Oakie was one of his wisest decisions yet.


    After finishing the compost pit, Little Oakie returned the hoe to Kim Haru, bending a root into a question mark, as if asking if this was acceptable.


    How could it not be? It was absolutely perfect!


    Kim Haru showered Little Oakie with compliments, practically throwing praises at it. Little Oakie seemed almost embarrassed, its branches curling in bashfulness.


    With the compost pit ready, the rest of the steps were simple. Kim Haru tossed in a few crystal cores to line the bottom, followed by some nearby dead leaves. The bathroom in his basic cabin had a drainage system that would automatically feed into the compost pit, and Little Nugget and Sir Peckington also had designated spots for their bathroom needs.


    After each cleanup, he would just dump the waste here.


    The last thing left was Little Snort''s waste from the pigpen. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, the compost pit wasn''t too far from the pigpen. Kim Haru considered digging a trench between the two.


    He remembered seeing something similar back in rural areas, where the compost pit and pigpen were separated by just a wall, with an open connection in between. It didn''t look too complicated structurally.


    True to his word, Kim Haru got to work right away, needing Little Oakie''s help once again.


    Kim Haru began by using the hoe to lightly dig a shallow path from the pigpen to the compost pit. Then he let Little Oakie''s roots that was burrowing underground to carve out a tunnel directly from below.

 Chapter 143 The Harvest Rush

    Kim Haru wasn''t sure about the soil''s ability to support weight above the tunnel, so he marked the path with small sticks, intending to reinforce it later with stone slabs or something similar.Otherwise, if the soil turned out to be too soft and someone were to step over it only to fall through into pig manure¡­ well, that experience would not be pleasant.


    With the tunnel in place, Kim Haru decided the pigpen''s layout needed slight adjustments too. He shaved down the area surrounding the tunnel entrance, creating a slope to channel waste directly toward the compost pit. This way, the waste would flow conveniently into the pit, and if it didn''t, it would be easy to wash down with water.


    With this last touch, the initial setup for the fertilizer production was complete.


    In the pigpen, Little Snort was curiously sniffing around the newly made connection to the compost pit, cautiously poking its nose toward it and even attempting to stick its head in to inspect.


    Kim Haru quickly instructed Little Oakie to block Little Snort. "Little Snort, you should try to be a clean little pig, okay? From now on, this is your designated bathroom spot. Every time you need to go, you come here. But be careful and don''t fall in. If you do, I''ll have to clean you up and roast you for dinner."


    Little Snort: "!"


    Humans are truly terrifying!


    Little Snort immediately took a few steps back.


    Kim Haru saw nothing wrong with his words. "Little Snort, you''ve already gotten yourself in trouble for wandering too far from your family to play and ending up caught by me. If you lose your little life just because you''re too playful, that would really teach you a lesson, wouldn''t it? But if you behave, I might even consider finding you a friend. This pigpen is huge, and having just one little piglet seems a bit lonely."


    Kim Haru remembered that the people at the animal research institute mentioned the black pig they captured had wandered in from the north, at least implying there were more pigs out there. If a team headed to north soon, he might tag along or even post a task for other ability-user teams to bring one back.


    He wondered if transporting a living mutated pig might be difficult?


    Even though he hadn''t successfully raised a single piglet yet, Kim Haru was already thinking about getting another one.


    What could he do? Pork was just too delicious.


    Hmm¡­ He remembered there was an important step to making pork taste good.


    Suddenly, Kim Haru recalled something from a novel he''d read: to make pork taste better and eliminate any odor, one had to castrate the pig.


    Unknowingly, Kim Haru''s gaze drifted downward toward Little Snort''s underbelly. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This¡­ hmm¡­ feels a bit hard to tackle.


    As an ordinary guy, just the thought of handling something like this could easily leave some mental scars!


    Anyway, Kim Haru figured he couldn''t bring himself to do it.


    Besides, Little Snort was still young and had just arrived at the farm and it''s not yet accustomed to the environment. He''d wait a month or two, let it get settled in, and then consider the matter again.


    Kim Haru thought he''d ask Go Okrim to see if he''d be willing to handle it when the time came. If he also had second thoughts, he might just post a task in the safe zone to find someone else who is willing to do it.


    ...


    Life on the farm passed by leisurely, and before he knew it, three days had gone by.


    The soybeans, potatoes, and cabbages he''d planted in the reclaimed fields had reached harvest time. Altogether, they spanned a full thirteen acres, stretching out in a lush green expanse, full of vitality.


    This time, Kim Haru couldn''t just push all the work onto others and take it easy. With so many crops to harvest, every bit of labor on the farm was needed¡ªeveryone had to pitch in.


    The two zombie-bots had completed their field-clearing tasks, and Go Okrim had erased their programs after that. A few days ago, he''d reprogrammed them for watering and assigning them to cover the areas that the sprinklers didn''t reach.


    This time, the two zombie-bots''s program were wiped again and equipped with harvesting software specifically for cabbage. Their job was to neatly pull the cabbages from the ground and stack them in rows.


    The soybeans were fairly easy to harvest, too. The pods were clustered on top, so it was just a matter of picking them off.


    Only the potatoes that were more labor-intensive. Not only were they high-yield and heavy, but they were all buried in the ground, making it easy to accidentally damage them while digging.


    Initially, harvesting potatoes would have been the perfect task for Little Oakie. Kim Haru hadn''t forgotten it¡ªhe and Little Oakie gave it a try, but they quickly realized that the field was simply too far from Little Oakie''s main body, so its roots couldn''t reach this area.


    Little Oakie''s current level wasn''t high enough to allow its roots to move through the ground like some other mutated plants. In the end, Kim Haru had to abandon the idea.


    All day long, the two people and two zombie-bots were out in the field, harvesting the crops.


    Even with all hands on deck, they hadn''t finished by the end of the day.


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    There was still an acre of cabbages left, which could be left to the two zombie-bots to continue harvesting at night. As for the soybeans, there were three and a half acres remaining, and even with Kim Haru and Go Okrim working together, they had only managed to harvest an acre and a half. The five acres of potatoes remained completely untouched.


    "Ugh, I''m done for..." Finally lying down on his bed, Kim Haru felt soreness all over his body.


    They had even rushed through their meals today and working well into the evening until they could no longer see in the field.

 Chapter 144 Hiring Help

    Just thinking about all the remaining crops that still needed harvesting left Kim Haru feeling dazed.


    "No way, I need to hire someone to help me." Kim Haru would rather stay up late playing games until he collapsed from exhaustion than work himself to death from labor. At least the former would bring some happiness, while the latter was just pure agony.


    After deciding this, Kim Haru brought it up at breakfast the next day, asking Go Okrim, "How many people can your Space-type Zombie''s teleportation skill transporting people at once?"


    "If they aren''t carrying much, it could transport three at a time," Go Okrim replied, counting on his fingers. "Why? What''s on your mind, Kim Haru-hyung?"


    "I''m going to the safe zone and find some temporary workers to help us harvesting the corps," Kim Haru said while glancing around the farm. "Let''s hide the two zombies first, and tell Little Oakie to stay hidden as well¡ªdon''t let anyone spot them. Just say your Space-type ability is space teleportation."


    "I got it," Go Okrim nodded his head, he understood how other people might view him if they knew he could control zombies. Without a word of complaint, he handed three teleportation devices to Kim Haru. "You know how to use them."


    Without delay, Kim Haru prepared himself. With the crops still waiting to be harvested, the sooner he brought people over to finish the job, the sooner they could plant the next batch.


    As soon as the breakfast was over, Kim Haru loaded yesterday''s harvested cabbages into his system backpack, activated the teleportation device, and headed for the safe zone.


    After Kim Haru left, Go Okrim followed his instructions, hiding anything that might draw attention. Little Oakie remained still where it was, and he decided to hide the two zombies further away¡ªsome people were known to have an incredibly keen sense of smell and were able to detect the scent of zombies from far off.


    After a moment''s thought, he decided to lead them into the woods and leave them there.


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    Upon arriving in the safe zone, Kim Haru didn''t waste time and went straight to his "Green Basket Vegetable Shop" to stock the shelves with cabbages. Three full acres of cabbages filled the entire shop''s shelves, barely putting a dent in his stored supplies.


    Seeing the sudden influx of fresh produce, both Hwa Jian and Jang Dojang gasped in amazement. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kim Haru mentioned that his storage space still held a large amount, their reactions couldn''t have been more different.


    Hwa Jian was thrilled; this amount of produce meant he could finally stop having to work for one or two days and then rest for five or six, a schedule that always left him anxious. He knew all too well how uneasy he felt those days eating from the boss''s food supplies.


    Jang Dojang, on the other hand, felt both shock and growing admiration. Curious thoughts had started to emerge, but he quickly suppressed them as soon as they surfaced.


    With the way Kim Haru had been conducting himself, anyone with any sense would know that it was best to maintain friendly relations rather than test his limits.


    At the same time, Jang Dojang decided that once Kim Haru left today, he would go to the Safe Zone Commander and propose increasing Kim Haru''s privileges even further. Perhaps even¡­ offering him a Deputy Safe Zone Commander position wouldn''t be out of the question.


    Anything to ensure that Kim Haru would be tied to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Seeing that the shop had no more space for additional cabbages, Kim Haru finally stopped unloading them from his system backpack.


    Since he would come by to settle accounts after the shop closed, Kim Haru decided he could just restock for the next day then.


    After he finished unloading the cabbages, Kim Haru was about to leave when a thought suddenly struck him.


    He looked at Hwa Jian and asked, "Did you bring someone in to help out at the shop a few days ago?"


    He had noticed an extra person in the shop while occasionally checking the system''s store interface. He had meant to ask about it, but either he forgot when he had time or he was too busy when he remembered, so it kept slipping his mind until now.


    Hearing his boss''s question, Hwa Jian quickly replied, "Don''t worry, he''s my best friend. I was worried about my low combat ability in case a troublemaking customer tried anything, so I asked him to help out. He would never take anything from the store or cause any issues. If he does anything wrong, you can punish me, or even fire me. I promise!"


    "No need," Kim Haru shook his head. He hadn''t asked to accuse anyone. "I should have thought of that myself. If he''s interested, I''d like to officially hire him at the same pay as you."


    "Really?" Hwa Jian''s eyes lit up with excitement. "He''d be thrilled! He''ll be a great addition, I''m sure! Thank you, Mr. Kim! I''ll let him know to start right away!"


    Hwa Jian had long been worried about Han Gwonhee''s job situation. Han Gwonhee was actually quite capable, and by rights, he should have had no trouble finding work, regardless of the role. But his past reputation had cast a shadow over him, and eventually, his personality changed, leaving him unable to find work even in the safe zone. None of the ability-user teams were willing to let him join, either.


    Even when Han Gwonhee put up his hunted mutated plants and animals for sale, few people dared to buy them from him.


    If Han Gwonhee hadn''t been strong enough to survive alone, it would have been difficult for him to even get the crystal cores he needed to level up.


    Now that Mr. Kim had offered him a job, Hwa Jian couldn''t be more excited.


    With a strong new employee on board, Kim Haru felt even more reassured about the shop''s security.

 Chapter 145 Hiring Harvest Hands

    The system''s shop details now showed one additional employee, and all the performance stats had increased significantly.


    With the shop matters settled, Kim Haru turned to the main reason he had come to the safe zone today.


    He asked Jang Dojang, "Where might I go to hire some people?"


    "What kind of workers are you looking to hire, Mr. Kim?" Jang Dojang asked. "If you need fighters, each district has an Ability User Center that was filled with skilled ability users and teams. The Ability User Center in the First District is where the strongest fighters tend to be. I''d recommend heading there if that''s what you need."


    "No, it''s just that I need some hands to help me with the harvest back on the farm," Kim Haru replied. "They don''t need to have any abilities; it would be good if they had some experience in this type of work."


    As soon as he heard the reason, Jang Dojang''s eyes lit up. "In that case, would you be open to letting the researchers at the Plant Research Institute help out? They have quite a bit of expertise when it comes to crops."


    "That won''t be necessary," Kim Haru replied. If he wanted people from the Plant Research Institute, there''d be no need to recruit anyone else. "They''re busy, so let''s not disturb them. Just finding some ordinary people will be fine."


    To Kim Haru, the researchers were treasures that needed to be protected. He preferred to let them spend their time on research and development rather than burden them with simple manual labor.


    Jang Dojang opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn''t say anything more and simply agreed. "Alright, then I''ll take you to the Ability User Center in the Fourth District. People usually post some tasks for regular people or ability users in the Ability User Center, so you should be able to find suitable candidates there."


    As they got into the vehicle, Jang Dojang felt an even greater sense of respect for Kim Haru.


    What he didn''t realize was that Kim Haru genuinely didn''t want to waste the researchers'' time. In his eyes, however, it seemed more like Mr. Kim didn''t fully trust the Pyeongseong Safe Zone and preferred not to involve them too deeply in matters that might touch on sensitive or confidential information.


    For all he knew, his suggestion may have already caused Mr. Kim some displeasure.


    Worried that his one comment might drive a wedge between Mr. Kim and the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, Jang Dojang grew increasingly anxious, fearing he might say something else wrong the entire ride.


    In his mind, he added another note to his understanding of Mr. Kim: not fond of being pried into.


    Meanwhile, Kim Haru was completely unaware of the turmoil that was going on in Jang Dojang''s mind. Once they arrived at the Ability User Center in the Fourth District, he quickly posted his requirements on the task board.


    ...


    [ Harvesting Mission ]


    [ Description: Looking for experienced crop harvesters, preference for those with experience in soybean and potato harvesting. ]


    [ Requirements: good physical strength and stamina; open to all genders; six positions available. ]


    [ Task duration: three days. Food was provided but no lodging. ]


    [ Task reward options: points, crystal cores, or food supplies. ]


    ...


    As soon as the posting went up, a crowd gathered around the task board.


    This kind of harvesting mission was too simple! It was just a matter of putting in some muscle! No technical skills are required, no special difficulty, and no strange requirements based on appearance, height, or weight. Who didn''t have a bit of strength to spare?


    Plus, they provided you with the food and they could even choose their reward.


    Usually, the mission that was available to ordinary people was compensated in points, but many shops didn''t prefer points as payment. And here they could choose food as a reward! Why were they working so hard to earn points anyway? Just to be able to buy food.


    Surely, any food used as a reward wouldn''t be too shabby, right? And if it was, they could simply choose not to pick that option.


    In no time, the six positions were highly sought after.


    Kim Haru hadn''t even stepped out of the mission room when the staff informed him that many people had already expressed interest in the mission, making it difficult to choose, and asked if he had any selection criteria in mind.


    Kim Haru thought for a moment and decided to leave it up to chance.


    "Let them draw lots."


    The staff: "¡­"


    They had seen all sorts of selection methods, but drawing lots was indeed rare.


    However, since Mr. Kim had made his request, it wasn''t difficult to set up. The staff quickly prepared slips of paper to serve as the drawing tools. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Outside, the people waiting to accept the mission were full of excitement, each one eyeing the others as competitors. They were already strategizing how to show off their strengths, whether it came down to physical power or their knowledge of soybeans and potatoes.


    What they didn''t expect, however, was for the staff member to come out holding a handful of paper slips, informing them that the selection would be made¡­ by drawing lots?


    Everyone was stunned.


    It was the apocalypse, after all¡ªdid ordinary people without awakened abilities even have something as fickle as luck anymore? And such a random selection method? Weren''t they worried about picking someone unqualified? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nevertheless, everyone lined up to draw their lot. Before long, six lucky winners emerged.


    Among them were four men and two women. The two women stared at their winning slips, hardly believing their eyes When they''d seen so many others waiting, they''d almost given up hope, especially since, although the mission specified it was open to both men and women, most people still tended to pick men for physically demanding work.


    But they''d both been unwilling to give up and decided to stay. Who could have known that they''d end up being so lucky?


    The six chosen were brought to Kim Haru, who stood alongside Jang Dojang.

 Chapter 146 The Harvest Crew Arrives

    As they looked at Kim Haru and the imposing figure of Jang Dojang standing behind him, the group shrank back a bit. Despite their excitement over being selected, they kept quiet and dared not speak too much.


    Kim Haru, faced with so many strangers at once, felt a little overwhelmed. But seeing that none of them were particularly talkative, he relaxed.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    Thinking of the harvest waiting for him at home, Kim Haru didn''t bother to leave the safe zone first and then use his teleportation device. He handed two of the teleportation devices to two of the group members, keeping one for himself, and simply instructed them on how to activate it.


    In an instant, the three figures disappeared.


    The four people left behind, along with Jang Dojang, were completely dumbfounded. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What kind of miraculous skill was that?


    In just a short while, Kim Haru reappeared.


    He took back the teleportation devices from the two people who had already reached the farm and handed them to the next two. Before pressing the activation button this time, he remembered to explain to Jang Dojang, "This is a skill of one of my followers."


    Under Jang Dojang''s envious, curious gaze, Kim Haru went back and forth three times, transporting each pair of the six people to the farm.


    On the final trip, Kim Haru told Jang Dojang to head back first since he had nothing else to do in the safe zone.


    Jang Dojang, still captivated by the teleportation skill, began to imagine the possibilities. If such an ability could be made common, wouldn''t it make so many things so much more convenient? For a moment, Jang Dojang''s mind wandered far and wide with possibilities.


    Just as he got in his vehicle to drive off and report the day''s events to the Safe Zone Commander, someone stopped him.


    It was a familiar face: Do Seungjin, the director of the Animal Research Institute.


    "Director Do, what brings you here?"


    "Where is he?" Do Seungjin anxiously peered into Jang Dojang''s vehicle, not finding the person he was looking for. He immediately gave Jang Dojang a hard stare. "Where''s Mr. Kim? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him!"


    "Mr. Kim just left, Director Do. You missed him by a moment."


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    Do Seungjin: "¡­"


    Damn it, how could he be this unlucky? He''d rushed over the moment he got the news First, he''d gone to Kim Haru''s Green Basket Vegetable Shop only to find he wasn''t there. Then, hearing that he''d gone to the Fourth District, he had hurried over. But he was still too late!


    Could this be karma, punishing him for being neglectful toward Mr. Kim in the past?


    Oh no, Mr. Kim, please come back! I was wrong! I just want to know if you really raising animals!


    "Did he mention when he''d be back?"


    "No, Mr. Kim is rather spontaneous." And now, with someone by his side who could teleport, tracking his whereabouts would be even more unpredictable.


    Do Seungjin: "¡­"


    Maybe¡­ it was time to prepare for the "thirty visits" strategy. Perhaps on the first visit, he could bring some pigweed? If Mr. Kim had livestock, he might appreciate it¡­ right?


    In the blink of an eye, the six people who had accepted the mission found themselves transported from the Ability User Center to an unfamiliar place. They were all instantly tense, their bodies rigid as they warily scanned their surroundings.


    "You''re here," said Go Okrim, who had already sensed someone arriving the moment the teleportation device was activated. Standing nearby, he added, "Follow me. There''s a lot of work for you to do, so don''t slack off."


    The six of them jumped in surprise, only now noticing someone standing there.


    One of them, a taller man with a bit more courage, asked Go Okrim, "Could you explain what just happened? What was that?"


    Go Okrim wasn''t particularly patient with these people¡ªhis patience was reserved solely for Kim Haru. However, since these six were brought in by Kim Haru to help out, he refrained from showing them any displeasure.


    Pointing to a nearby field that needed harvesting, Go Okrim said, "That was just my ability; no need to make a fuss. It''s simply a faster way to get you here. If you had driven all the way, who knows how long it would have taken."


    "That''s where you''ll be working for the next few days. You''ll need to harvest the soybeans and potatoes there. Since you were chosen, none of you should have any problem with this, right?"


    The six looked in the direction Go Okrim was pointing and were instantly wide-eyed.


    What was that?!


    They finally noticed the green crops stretching neatly across the brown soil on the other side of the pond, lined up like soldiers. The pods were plump, and the potato leaves were fresh and green, each plant swaying gently in the breeze.


    There were no odd mutated colors or vicious-looking appendages.


    For a fleeting moment, the sight in front of them made them feel like they were coming back to the world before the apocalypse when fields like this were a common comforting sight.


    At this moment, any concern for their own safety faded completely.


    Why worry? Someone that was capable of growing all this wouldn''t have any reason to harm a handful of powerless people with no special abilities. In this post-apocalyptic world, human life could be both precious and utterly expendable.


    With that thought, the six of them relaxed, their questions silenced. The tall man who had dared to ask questions even offered Go Okrim a sheepish apology, chuckling at his own nervousness.


    Go Okrim didn''t care; he was about to take the six people directly to the fields to harvest the soybeans and potatoes when he heard a noise from the teleportation device.


    Kim Haru was back.


    A genuine smile spread across Go Okrim''s face.


    The other six people noticed Go Okrim''s expression and understood that Kim Haru was their true employer, making them even more respectful.

 Chapter 147 A Harvest Well Rewarded

    "Kim Haru-hyung, you''re back! I was just about to take them to get started," Go Okrim said, winking and subtly indicating that he had already tidied up everything that needed to be done. "You can rest now; there are enough people here."


    This was a great opportunity to show off!


    The other six nodded their head in agreement. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru also felt that six people were enough, and since he had specified a three-day limit in the mission, he figured that with six experienced hands, they could finish the few acres of land in that time.


    "Okay, I''ll leave them in your hands," Kim Haru said. He preferred not to deal with too many strangers, and since Go Okrim was familiar with the situation in the fields, he didn''t need to worry.


    Go Okrim gave a somewhat awkward salute, happily departing with the trust of his employer.


    The six task performers looked at their aloof employer and adhered to the principle of saying little and doing much over the next three days, fearing that too many words might upset him.


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    For three days, the six of them gathered early in the ability user center. On the first day, Kim Haru personally came to lead them, but for the next two days, it was Go Okrim who came to pick them up with the teleportation device.


    As soon as they arrived at the farm in the morning, each of them received half of a steaming boiled potato.


    Although it was just half, it weighed about a pound, making it more than enough for breakfast. Even the man with the biggest appetite among them felt completely satisfied after eating half a potato.


    The two women, who had smaller appetites, could only eat half at a time. They didn''t waste the other half; after confirming that their employer wouldn''t mind, they wrapped it up to share with their families when they returned home in the evening.


    Lunch was even more enticing for them.


    Sometimes there were stir-fries¡ªlight, spicy, and sizzling dishes¡ªwhere potatoes and cabbage could be prepared in a variety of ways.


    Each person also received a large bowl of soft white rice.


    The dinner offered a different spread from lunch, with several variations of tofu dishes. One night, they even enjoyed a particularly delicious mushroom soup, made with just salt and a bit of MSG. One sip warmed their throats and filled their stomachs with warmth, and they could easily down several bowls of that soup alone.


    However, these meals were incomparable to the mutated virus content in the ingredients!


    At first, when their employer offered them food, the six only thought the meals tasted great, without realizing they were eating something so precious. After they noticed how especially sweet and fragrant the food was, they even wondered if it was just an illusion because they hadn''t had a good meal in a while.


    Once their gazes met with the others, they confirmed that this was not an illusion. They all felt the uniqueness of this food.


    In that moment, the six of them experienced a mix of wild joy and a hint of fear.


    With their employer providing such excellent conditions, could the tasks they were asked to perform really be as simple as just harvesting crops? Was there some other conspiracy or greater danger waiting for them?


    Carrying such anxiety throughout the day, when they were teleported back to the familiar ability user center in the Fourth District that evening by Go Okrim, they noticed Go Okrim''s figure disappear.


    After waiting for a moment without seeing any of the other task performers, they finally confirmed that what they were to do was indeed as simple as heading out to the fields.


    Once their fear dissipated, only the thrill of striking it rich remained!


    Subsequently, the six of them worked even harder, especially the two women, who were afraid that if they contributed less than the other men, their employer might think they were slacking off and send them away.


    They couldn''t imagine how regretful they would feel if they lost such a great opportunity.


    With their diligent efforts, they completed the remaining few acres of land by the morning of the third day. As for missing a meal, they felt only a slight disappointment before they immediately relaxed.


    With such great treatment and such simple tasks, they felt a tremendous amount of pressure. Thankfully, it was all over now.


    Kim Haru was also very pleased with the early completion. He had been observing how hard the six had worked, and for that, he planned to give them an extra reward in addition to the promised payment.


    "1,000 points, 100 crystal cores, or three pounds of food per person," Kim Haru presented the options to them. "Additionally, I''ll reward each of you with a pound of potatoes."


    The joy on the faces of the six of them was unmistakable, and they didn''t hesitate to choose the food.


    After experiencing the allure of this food over the past few days, they understood its value all too well. The flavor lingered in their dreams every night, making it hard to let go. What use were points and crystal cores? Could they buy such precious ingredients with them?


    Of course not.


    Kim Haru was no exception. He had become well aware of the obsession people in this post-apocalyptic world had with food and had prepared four pounds of ingredients for each of them. This included two pounds of potatoes, one pound of soybeans, and one pound of cabbage, all packed into sacks made from the seed bags of the grain store he had used. One bag per person.


    The six of them received the rewards with trepidation and were sent back to the safe zone by Go Okrim.


    Once they returned to the Fourth District, they were surrounded by their curious neighbors, who bombarded them with questions.


    Since the moment these six people took on the harvesting mission, everyone had been intrigued by them. Their mysterious daily comings and goings were typical for various missions. However, these six people consistently brought back particularly fragrant food, and the portions were substantial. If they saved some food, the delightful aroma would fill their homes the next day.

 Chapter 148 Sharing the Harvest

    These questions piled up in everyone''s minds, itching at them like a scratch they couldn''t reach.


    Finally, as the group finished their tasks, the neighbors couldn''t hold back any longer.


    "What kind of mission did you take on? Are they still looking for more people?"


    "Was all this food provided by your employer? That''s incredibly generous! What grade are these ingredients, can you tell us?"


    "I''d like to buy some¡ªI have a brother with crystal cores. Would you sell me just a little?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Someone else noticed the cabbages in their hands and remembered something.


    "Is this from a man named Mr. Kim by any chance? If so, I think I know who it might be."


    "Oh! I think I''ve heard of him too. Isn''t he the guy who showed up in the Fourth District? I heard he has a shop in the Second District now, and there''s always a long line outside, with demand always exceeding supply."


    "Yeah, I''ve heard that too. They say the food at his shop is top-notch, and the prices aren''t too high. Mostly, he only takes crystal cores, but it''s not that hard to get some. I even heard people from the Fourth District make trips just to buy his food."


    "And they''re even going so far as to sell their pots and pans to scrape together enough crystal cores. On the way, they cross the Third District and Second District border and are often sneered at by ability users¡ªso why would they still go?"


    "Honestly, I didn''t understand it either, but after seeing the vegetables that Han Sori and the others brought back, I get it a little more."


    Han Sori is one of the six people who are working on Kim Haru''s farm.


    Looking how he was now surrounded by the neighbors, he clutching the food protectively as if worried it might get snatched.


    Hearing their conversations, the group suddenly understood.


    So it was that man! They''d heard people from the Fourth District mention him before¡ªa person of true kindness and integrity. Han Sori had once privately scoffed, thinking, "In an apocalypse, who could still care about kindness and integrity?"


    But meeting the man himself had left him astonished. Only then did he realize he had judged too quickly and unfairly. "Yes, that''s Mr. Kim," Han Sori answered. "Tell you what, tonight I''ll cook up some potatoes and let everyone have a small taste."


    "But I don''t have much, so it''ll only be a tiny bite for each of you. I hope you don''t mind."


    Han Sori thought he couldn''t be as selfless as Mr. Kim, who seemed to care for the entire world in this harsh time. But he could do his part, however small, and help spread the word about Mr. Kim''s produce.


    After all, Mr. Kim surely hoped that more people could eat food that was free from the mutagenic virus.


    How could anyone possibly mind? Not to mention just taking a bite, even if it was just a glance, no one would mind at all. Everyone was surprised that Kim Haru was willing to share such precious things with them, and a flood of compliments poured out.


    The other individuals who also received rewards exchanged glances and smiled, saying, "Alright, then let''s add what we have as well and let everyone get a big bite together."


    Unbeknownst to them, something in this apocalyptic world was starting to change.


    After this wave of soybean, cabbage, and potato harvesting, Kim Haru decided not to plant any more of these. Firstly, the amount harvested this time was enough for him to use for a long while. Secondly, continuously planting one type of crop on a piece of land for too long can degrade the soil, so crop rotation is necessary.


    Coincidentally, the fertilizer had almost fully fermented over the past few days. Naturally, normal fertilizers don''t ferment this quickly, but due to the system''s enhancement, Kim Haru followed the system''s method and added crystal cores to the mix. Even though the raw materials in the fermentation tank were limited, it still successfully produced good fertilizer.


    The only minor drawback was that due to the insufficient raw materials, the amount of basic fertilizer obtained was also not plentiful, and he couldn''t even spread it all over the newly opened wasteland.


    Kim Haru could only focus on the plants in the sample field for now, of course not forgetting the garlic on Go Okrim''s windowsill. He decided to first plant ten different types of mature plants to let the system upgrade. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    All the plants in the sample field received a round of basic fertilizer. However, the crops here had already sprouted. Among the first ten wheat plants he had sown, the tallest one had already reached half a person''s height, while the other nine were around knee height.


    For crops that had already begun to sprout and grow, the effect of pouring fertilizer on them wasn''t significant, and if one wasn''t careful and bumped into the plants, it could easily cause seedling burn. Fortunately, Kim Haru''s basic fertilizer was provided by the system, so it wouldn''t cause such issues.


    The effects of fertilizing during the initial planting and now were still somewhat different.


    [ Ding! The crop growth cycle is reduced... ]


    [ Ding! Reduced to 58 days. ]


    [ Ding! Reduced to 30 days until maturity. ]


    [ Ding! Reduced to 75 days until maturity. ]


    [ Ding! Reduction failed. ]


    [ Ding! You are lucky! The crop will mature tomorrow. ]


    Kim Haru watched as the fertilized crops vibrantly responded to the nutrient-rich fertilizer, beginning to shrink their growth cycles. He couldn''t help but wonder whether the outcome depended on the plants'' condition, the quality of the fertilizer, or perhaps his own skills as a farmer.


    In any case, each plant had a remarkably unique reduction in its growth cycle. Some were unfortunate enough to show no reduction at all, while the lucky ones would be ready for harvest as soon as tomorrow.


    The plant set to mature tomorrow was sweet potato.


    Kim Haru felt a wave of joy wash over him.

 Chapter 149 Sweet Harvests and New Discoveries

    The food he obtained from the granary, particularly the sweet potatoes, was extremely rare. The entire storage warehouse had been devastated by that pesky Oltura King, and this particular sweet potato seed was one he had painstakingly unearthed.


    Once the sweet potatoes matured, their yield would be impressively high, and the efficiency for saving seeds would also be quick. It wouldn''t be long before he could continue planting vast fields of sweet potatoes again.


    Without realizing it, Kim Haru began to daydream about the delicious ways to prepare sweet potatoes. They tasted delightful, much like potatoes, whether boiled, roasted, mashed into a creamy dessert, or made into crispy sweet potato pancake. Each method resulted in something truly scrumptious.


    Winter was fast approaching, and during this chilly season, he loved to build a cozy fire and bury a few sweet potatoes in the embers. Before long, the heavenly aroma of roasted sweet potatoes would waft through the air, intoxicatingly reaching far and wide.


    Kim Haru particularly enjoyed holding a roasted sweet potato in his hands when it was cold, especially when his fingers were cold. He wouldn''t even eat it; he would just revel in the sweet, smoky scent, warming his hands in the process, and it felt incredibly comforting.


    After successfully creating the fertilizer, Kim Haru also remembered his promise to give Little Oakie a share. After all, throughout the entire fertilizer production process, Little Oakie played a crucial, if not the most significant, role.


    Strangely enough, every time Kim Haru used the system to check on Little Oakie''s status, it always showed as healthy, yet after so many days, Little Oakie still remained completely bare, with not a single leaf sprouting.


    Once, he had seen Little Oakie grow a tiny leaf, but just a few hours later, when he checked again, that lone leaf had already fallen off. This rapid leaf drop led Kim Haru to wonder if there was a glitch in the system; surely, the frequency of leaf loss was far too high.


    With the basic fertilizer now available, Kim Haru planned to give Little Oakie two extra rounds of fertilization. Maybe the reason for the constant absence of leaves was simply due to insufficient nutrients. After all, it was a mutated plant, and the energy needed for both its movement and growth should be significantly greater than that of ordinary plants.


    Deep down, Kim Haru felt a twinge of guilt. After all, this particular tree had started losing its leaves right after he proposed their partnership. How could he not suspect that Little Oakie''s leaves had fallen off because he had perhaps exploited it too harshly?


    Asking Little Oakie was out of the question, so he decided to secretly compensate by providing a little extra fertilizer and water. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once it received the fertilizer, Little Oakie seemed ecstatic, as if the entire tree were joyfully dancing. If its roots weren''t buried deep in the soil, it might have really jumped three feet high like a jubilant person.


    In this state, standing beside Little Oakie, Kim Haru could already feel the fluctuations of the ground nearby. This commotion was definitely caused by Little Oakie and no one else.


    After that, there followed a long stretch of leisurely days. Kim Haru counted on his fingers; aside from one sweet potato seedling that had matured, the other plants in the sample field would take at least another month. Those that hadn''t been fertilized in the main field were growing even slower.


    The fertilizer in the latrine still needed to accumulate. Neither Little Snort nor Kim Haru, along with Go Okrim, could produce waste that quickly.


    There wasn''t much kitchen waste left either; the dried branches and leaves couldn''t make up most of the fertilizer. Fertilizer produced this way would be marked by the system as inferior quality, leading to poorer results compared to regular fertilizer. It might even produce some unpredictable and strange side effects.


    Little Snort now seemed to have adapted to this new life. After the harvest, Kim Haru had set aside most of the fresh soybean leaves and potato leaves to feed Little Snort, Little Nugget, and Sir Peckington.


    With that, Kim Haru had fewer things to manage on the farm. Bored, he spent several days cooped up inside playing games.


    As long as his big brother was in a good mood, Go Okrim, the devoted younger brother, would not care about anything else. He dismissed any concerns about staying cooped up in the room affecting his health; nothing was more important than his brother''s happiness.


    This was how devoted younger brother Go Okrim put it.


    However, while Kim Haru was enjoying his hermit life, Go Okrim was anything but a recluse.


    Since hiding two zombie-bots in the forest last time, Go Okrim had developed a keen interest in the woods and frequently ran in and out for no particular reason.


    Fortunately, he remembered that his combat skills weren''t very high, so he always brought along a Space-type zombie for protection when he went out, which was excellent for fleeing.


    Kim Haru had seen him suddenly appear in front of him several times, shouting about being scared out of his wits.


    This time, Go Okrim once again flashed in front of the wooden cabin, but unlike before, he appeared excited this time.


    Go Okrim raised the item in his hand and shouted to his uncle, "Big Brother, Big Brother, look what I found! It''s something amazing!"


    Kim Haru had just finished a game when he turned around and was immediately surprised. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "An orange! Where did you find this?" Kim Haru took the orange from Go Okrim''s hands and gently squeezed it.


    The orange skin was very thin, and with little effort, he opened a small window. The juicy orange segments inside were plump and full of moisture, exuding a fragrant, sweet aroma.


    To his astonishment, this wild orange was unexpectedly not sour¡ªwhat a delightful surprise!


    Go Okrim pointed in the direction he had come from. "There''s an orange tree a bit further away over there. I thought I should bring this treasure to show you right away, so I sent a space-type zombie to guard it. Do you want to go over now?"

 Chapter 150 The Orange Grove Discovery

    Of course, Kim Haru wanted to go. Not only would he go, but he also needed to find a container to take with him.


    "Call your zombie back. We''ll walk over and get familiar with the route," Kim Haru said, tossing Go Okrim a backpack to carry.


    The backpack was something Kim Haru had asked someone to weave in the past few days. Ever since he learned about the mission hall in the ability user center, he had indeed discovered some talented individuals.


    The mission hall wasn''t just a place for employers to post tasks; it was also where many people needing to complete tasks shared their basic information and skills. The weaving skill was something Kim Haru had seen there.


    An old lady and a middle-aged woman were there; the old lady was particularly skilled at crafting bamboo products, making beautiful backpacks. The woman had good skills with soft threads; her technique was detailed in the skill descriptions, and Kim Haru thought that since she could weave yarn, perhaps she could also weave bamboo. He decided to give it a try, but it turned out the woman couldn''t weave bamboo; however, the old lady could.


    Unfortunately, the old lady had been worn down by the demands of the system, so she worked slowly; it took over a day to weave one backpack. Thankfully, Kim Haru wasn''t in a hurry. He brought all the bamboo strips he had cut to their homes, allowing them to weave as many as they could at a price of ten crystal cores each.


    The two backpacks in Kim Haru''s and Go Okrim''s hands were the only two he had managed to obtain.


    What Kim Haru didn''t know was that when he first found the old lady weaving backpacks, she had already contemplated giving up on life, thinking that she could end it all after one more night. She didn''t want to burden her daughter. Without her, her daughter could manage to survive with just about any job; having her, a mere old woman who could only eat, would make life exceedingly difficult.


    After her death, the middle-aged woman would likely lose her will to survive as well.


    At that moment, Kim Haru had come along.


    From that day forward, the two women firmly regarded Kim Haru as their lifesaver. They not only intended to honor him but would also pass on their gratitude to their descendants.


    But that was a story for another time.


    At this moment, Kim Haru was following Go Okrim toward the orange tree.


    As Go Okrim had said, the orange tree was indeed a bit far away, and the direction was different from the mutated iron tree forest and bamboo grove traps Kim Haru had visited before.


    "Why did you come all the way out here?"


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    Kim Haru felt increasingly helpless toward the person beside him. Spending time with Go Okrim had made him realize that he simply couldn''t sit still; he was always teasing the two zombie-bots or playing with Little Nugget and Sir Peckington. Even Little Snort in the pigpen had been coaxed by Go Okrim, and he never seemed to tire of it.


    Kim Haru had previously wondered if Go Okrim was unsuitable for this quiet life on the farm and if it would be better to send him back to a safe zone.


    However, just as he tentatively voiced this thought, he was startled back by Go Okrim''s expression, which was on the verge of tears.


    It was as if the moment he uttered those words, he would immediately be met with a sobbing employee.


    Seeing that Go Okrim really didn''t want to leave the farm, Kim Haru decided not to think about it anymore. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, the two of them arrived at the orange tree.


    Kim Haru was surprised by the scene before him. He had thought it was already great to find one orange tree, but unexpectedly, it was a whole grove of orange trees!


    "Let''s pick the biggest ones," Kim Haru instructed Go Okrim, and they both began searching for a tree to pick the oranges they found appealing.


    The orange trees here were laden with heavy fruit, and even the lower branches were full of bright yellow, large oranges. The branches drooped under the weight, so Kim Haru only had to stretch out his hand to reach them; there was no need to climb the trees or find any tools.


    As Kim Haru picked oranges, he also ate some. The orange skin was exceptionally thin; he used his fingernail to score a shallow line in the indentation, gently splitting it apart. Each segment was a bite-sized treat, bursting with juice and not a hint of sourness.


    By the time he had filled more than half of his backpack, Kim Haru was already full from eating oranges.


    Go Okrim was more efficient than Kim Haru. In just a short while, he had already filled his own backpack and was heading over to Kim Haru.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, it''s full."


    Kim Haru glanced at their backpacks and then at the heavy oranges still hanging on the branches, feeling a sense of reluctance.


    "We''ve picked too many, but the oranges are ripe. If we don''t pick them soon, they''ll over-ripen and spoil."


    Besides, birds would come to eat them, pecking the good oranges until they were a mess.


    Kim Haru couldn''t bear to let such good oranges go to waste like that.


    "Let''s pick a few more to sell," Kim Haru decided. "I want to include this area in the farm boundaries; this will be the orchard of the farm from now on."


    He thought that although it felt a bit wrong to sell something he hadn''t grown himself, as long as he used the money from the sales to take care of these orange trees, it wouldn''t be a problem!


    Making fertilizer, improving the road from the farm to the orange grove, trimming the branches of the trees, and protecting the grove from pests¡ªall of these would require crystal cores.

 Chapter 151 Harvesting Hidden Treasures

    After he took care of some things for the orchard, putting the money from the sales back into his pocket would feel completely justified.


    Go Okrim never disputed Kim Haru''s opinions and didn''t care about the difficulty of designating this area as part of the farm. As long as Kim Haru wanted to do something, he would help out.


    "Then I''ll go look for a space-type zombie," Go Okrim said. "If there''s space teleportation from the orange grove to the farm, it will be more faster. Even if I can''t catch a space-teleporting zombie, capturing a zombie with storage space can also lighten your burden, Kim Haru-hyung."


    Kim Haru thought this made sense.


    As the farm''s crops increased, it was impossible to store everything in his backpack; he needed additional storage equipment. The orange grove was somewhat remote, and the dense growth of these oranges indicated that not many people came here. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    Even if he set up a zombie here, it shouldn''t attract too much attention.


    "Okay, that would be great."


    Since they had decided to pick the oranges to sell, the two no longer hesitated. Kim Haru stored all the oranges they had already picked in his system backpack, and then they both went their separate ways to continue picking.


    Kim Haru preferred to move towards the edges. As he picked, he realized he had unknowingly wandered out of the orange grove''s boundaries.


    Noticing that the yellow oranges were becoming increasingly scarce in his line of sight, he finally realized he had strayed too far.


    Just as he was about to refocus and make his way back to the center, something snagged at his feet.


    "What is that... a chestnut?"


    Kim Haru was pleasantly surprised to discover that what had caught him was none other than a chestnut that had fallen from the tree, still covered in its prickly shell.


    Chestnuts were quite useful. Whether roasted as a snack, ground into flour for staples, or used in stews, they all had a great taste.


    Kim Haru looked up and saw familiar chestnuts hanging from the tree.


    The chestnuts still on the tree were not the processed black-shelled kind; they had a layer of green, prickly husks on the outside, resembling little green hedgehogs, all clustered together in balls.


    Kim Haru decided he wouldn''t continue picking oranges and thought it would be enough for Go Okrim to handle it alone. He wanted to gather some chestnuts to take back.


    The chestnut trees were quite tall, and the fruits were covered in prickles, making it impossible to just pick them by hand.


    Kim Haru looked around and found a suitably long branch, one end of which had a small fork. This shape was perfect for reaching fruits high in the tree.


    He raised the branch and inserted the forked end between the fruit and the tree stem, twisting it gently. The fruit would fall off with a light pull.


    At first, Kim Haru was a bit clumsy, but after picking a few, he quickly got the hang of it. Soon, the ground was covered with little green spiky balls.


    Carefully placing the unpeeled chestnuts into his backpack, Kim Haru continued picking.


    Speaking of chestnuts, Kim Haru initially assumed they grew on trees looking just like the sugar-roasted chestnuts he was used to eating. But when he ordered raw chestnuts online, the seller sent him a box of green, spiky balls. Kim Haru was immediately annoyed, thinking the store had sent the wrong items in a fit of carelessness.


    After receiving an explanation from the seller, he learned that chestnuts actually grew on trees in that prickly shell. He had to remove this spiky outer layer to reveal the familiar chestnut inside.


    The seller explained that the chestnuts were shipped in their shells to prevent them from spoiling during transit.


    At the time, the misunderstanding left Kim Haru incredibly embarrassed. The experience left such a deep impression on him that he would never forget what a chestnut looked like in its natural form.


    And here he was, finally putting that knowledge to use.


    He had picked every chestnut he could reach on the lower half of the tree, but the ones higher up were beyond his grasp. He figured he''d come back with better tools next time. After all, chestnuts had a long shelf life.


    From a distance, he heard Go Okrim calling for him. He responded briefly but didn''t plan to go back the way he had come.


    Since there were chestnuts here, who knew what other treasures might be nearby?


    Unwilling to leave just yet, he scanned the area with interest.


    To his surprise, he found something else. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon enough, Go Okrim reached him and asked, "Kim Haru-hyung, what are you doing? How did you end up all the way over here?"


    Kim Haru first pointed out the chestnut tree to Go Okrim and then showed him his latest discovery.


    "Look over there. What do you think that is?"


    Go Okrim squinted in the direction Haru indicated. "It''s looks like something like a pear?"


    "It''s not a pear; it''s a lemon," Kim Haru replied, walking toward the lemon tree.


    As he got closer, he confirmed his hunch. The lemons were already tinged with yellow color, but both the green and yellow ones could be picked, it was perfect for Making lemon tea or using the lemons as cooking ingredients would be perfect.


    Kim Haru unceremoniously picked every lemon he could see.


    The lemon tree was short enough that even the highest branches were within bis reach.


    This outing had been quite the haul, reinforcing Kim Haru''s determination to include this area as part of the farm.


    He still had plenty of wooden fence from his last project, along with a lot of leftover timber, so this time, he planned to use it to enclose the orchard.


    On his way back, Kim Haru kept planning out the next steps.


    Just as he reached the small cabin, before he could even start unloading and sorting the contents of his backpack, he heard an odd sound coming from inside the cabin.

 Chapter 152 Pigweed Gift

    "Ah, it''s the sound-transmitting snail!" It took him a moment, but he recognized the noise.


    Entering the cabin, he confirmed that it was indeed the sound-transmitting snail under the TV, with a faint glow illuminating the circle that connected him with Jang Dojang.


    "Jang Dojang?"


    "Yes, Mr. Kim," Jang Dojang''s voice came through. "When will you next visit the safe zone? The director of the animal research institute wants to meet you."


    "He does? What for?"


    Jang Dojang sounded a bit exasperated. "Director Do has been trying to reach you several times, but each time he just missed you. He''s a bit desperate, so he asked me to contact you. I think it''s about the piglet issue you brought up last time."


    "If you''d rather not meet him, I can turn him down on your behalf."


    After a brief pause, Kim Haru replied, "No, it''s fine. Tell him to wait for me at the shop. I''ll head over now."


    He had planned to take the oranges to the shop anyway and collect today''s earnings of crystal cores, so this wouldn''t delay him. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he said this, he faintly heard a muffled but distinctly excited cheer on the other end.


    Kim Haru emptied his backpack, pouring out the unpeeled chestnuts.


    "Gojo, if you don''t have anything else to do, can you shell these? Be careful not to prick yourself. The shells are pretty hard, so it''ll be easier if you use something to crack them open."


    Go Okrim was more than happy to comply. "I Got it, Kim Haru-hyung! Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it for sure."


    He even considered to reprogramming the two zombies to help him out, figuring that they weren''t occupied with anything else at the moment.


    With nothing else to pack, Kim Haru grabbed the oranges in his system backpack and activated the teleportation device.


    This time, he set his destination directly to his shop in South District Two.


    The director of the animal research institute hadn''t arrived yet, and Kim Haru glanced at the bustling crowd of customers that was packed tightly in his shop. He initially thought about just putting the oranges on display and then leaving.


    But on second thought, he decided to wait until closing time before going anywhere.


    So, Kim Haru found a corner to stay out of the way and waited.


    It wasn''t long before Do Seungjin arrived.


    The burly animal research institute director, with his broad, muscular frame, was already noticeable on his own, but today he had an enormous bundle of something green strapped to his back.


    Seeing this sight, Kim Haru had a sense of foreboding.


    Sure enough, Do Seungjin immediately spotted him among the crowd. He then strode over, and, with a thud, dropped the bundle right in front of him.


    "Mr. Kim, please accept this gift!"


    ...


    Kim Haru didn''t fully realize how he ended up at the research institute. Even as Jang Dojang carefully prompted him, "You can get out now, Mr. Kim," he remained dazed and vacant-eyed.


    Do Seungjin, now curled up awkwardly in the back seat, had wanted to talk to Kim Haru but quickly retreated when he noticed his expression.


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    How was he supposed to know that Mr. Kim wouldn''t appreciate such a grand gesture? Normally, wouldn''t people enjoy a big scene when someone''s giving a gift or apologizing? Doesn''t a larger gesture usually mean more honor?


    Fine, it was his fault for being too hasty. Was this gift a complete flop? Would Mr. Kim still be willing to share any tips on how to raise mutated animal with him?


    Jang Dojang helped steady Mr. Kim, who still seemed a bit dazed. Glancing back at the enormous figure of Do Seungjin in the back seat, Jang couldn''t help but sigh, covering his forehead with his hand.


    Only heaven knew the chaos that had unfolded when he''d rushed over after receiving the urgent message. Thankfully, Mr. Kim, in his generosity, hadn''t gotten angry¡ªor maybe he just hadn''t had the chance to get angry yet. Regardless, Do Seungjin''s behavior had been incredibly reckless this time; how could he, as a director, behave with so little composure?


    Jang Dojang didn''t know what exactly Do Seungjin hoped to gain from Mr. Kim, but it was beyond his ability to intervene meaningfully.


    "Director Do, let''s get out," Jang Dojang said, opening the car door for Do Seungjin, doing what little he could to facilitate things.


    Do Seungjin nodded, sliding out of the car with a sheepish expression.


    As Kim Haru looked at Do Seungjin, he was reminded of the painfully awkward scene just moments ago. Fortunately, they''d already arrived at the research institute, and aside from Jang Dojung, who had come out to greet them, no one else was in sight.


    This allowed Kim Haru to relax considerably.


    It was only then that his thoughts started coming back together, and he recalled what Do Seungjin had said while presenting his gift.


    "Pigweed?" Kim Haru asked.


    Do Seungjin, who had assumed Mr. Kim wouldn''t want to engage with him, had been preparing to ask Jang Dojung for some advice on what to do next. He was caught off guard when Mr. Kim actually asked him a question!


    He quickly pulled out the large bundle of pigweed he''d stashed under the back seat.


    "Yes, yes, Mr. Kim, here, take a look. This is pigweed."


    With that, Do Seungjin began introducing the plant, which, admittedly, didn''t quite resemble pigweed.


    The bundle he''d brought looked somewhat like seaweed, except it was straighter and sturdier; at least when tied together like this, it didn''t flop down. When touched, it felt smooth and springy, clearly brimming with moisture.


    "This plant, well, I just call it pigweed because the pigs over in the west really love it. I actually snuck over there to cut a whole bundle to bring back. It provides the pigs with the nutrition they need, and it''s especially good for piglets." Do Seungjin spoke with a tone of absolute certainty, as he had observed this firsthand. "Those mutated black pigs grew so plumpy from eating this stuff; it''s perfect for fattening them up."

 Chapter 153 Pigweed and the Orange

    Kim Haru recalled a black pig he''d seen before. He remembered being struck by how its layers of fat rippled over its body.


    So, this pigweed was the secret behind that.


    He had to admit, he was interested. There was no way he''d only raise one pig in the future; if this was something the black pigs enjoyed, other types of pigs might like it too, right?


    "Can it be planted?" Kim Haru asked.


    From the way Do Seungjin had described it, gathering a bundle of pigweed sounded no small feat¡ªnot only because you need to go to the west but also due to the mutated black pigs that was as large as houses, guarding the area. He doubted his own small stature would be up to the task.


    So if this pigweed could be grown, well, he had plenty of mountain and forest nearby. Expanding his farm to include a plot of pigweed wouldn''t take up valuable farmland or disrupt the ecosystem.


    Hearing Kim Haru''s question, Do Seungjin froze.


    Grow it?


    Why hadn''t he thought of that? Of course! If he could grow his own pigweed and find a way to get some piglets, he wouldn''t need to worry about them starving or failing to thrive. If the pigs couldn''t adapt to being kept by humans, he could even let them roam freely. As long as they stayed close to the safe zone and humans managed their movement, it would be just as good as keeping them.


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    As expected of Mr. Kim¡ªhe''d gotten right to the heart of the matter.


    However¡­


    "I''m¡­ not exactly sure," Do Seungjin admitted, shaking his head helplessly. He''d been so focused on observing the pigs and their food that he hadn''t looked into how this plant grew.


    "I know," said Jang Dojung, who''d just arrived and overheard their conversation. Before even coming to a full stop, he jumped in, "But let''s not talk here. Mr. Kim, please come to our research institute. In one of our labs that was dedicated to mutated plant studies, we''ve got research data on cultivating this grass."


    Jang Dojung glanced at Do Seungjin before turning back to Kim Haru. "Don''t worry, Mr. Kim. At this hour, most people are busy in their labs, and I''ve instructed the rest of them to keep things quiet. There''ll be no crowd or disturbance."


    Jang Dojung was already aware of the incident outside the vegetable shop.


    Do Seungjin usually would have been snapped back at Jang Dojung, but knowing he was in the wrong, he shrank back and took a half-step away.


    Still, he didn''t want to retreat too far. Mr. Kim had spoken to him directly, which meant he wasn''t all that angry. If Do Seungjin could show some improvement, maybe Mr. Kim would let him see the animals he was raising.


    By now, Do Seungjin was certain Mr. Kim kept animals at home.


    He wasn''t sure about chickens, but he was positive that pigs were involved. Otherwise, Mr. Kim wouldn''t have shown such interest in pigweed.


    With this realization, Do Seungjin grew even more spirited.


    The group entered the plant research institute, and just as they were approaching the lab Jang Dojung mentioned, Kim Haru remembered something.


    He pulled an orange from his system backpack. "Could you run a full analysis on this?"


    Kim Haru finally remembered that in this post-apocalyptic world, not everything edible was safe. Most of the food was contained with a traces of the mutagenic virus. Although he''d eaten plenty of similar things and hadn''t felt any effects, he hadn''t really thought about it at the time.


    In truth, a small part of Kim Haru still felt a twinge of worry.


    Jang Dojung, Do Seungjin, and Jang Dojang stared at the orange before them, unable to look away for a long moment.


    In this world, many mutated plants, if defeated, could yield edible parts. But fruit was an entirely different story. Even if they could overcome a mutated plant bearing fruit, they would never get to eat the fruit itself.


    What was fruit to mutated plants? It was a fruit, a seed, and even a weapon.


    Some mutated plants used their fruit as a long-range attack. Even if the fruit didn''t explode, release toxins, or turn into some hard projectile upon impact, it was still inedible¡ªone bite could cause instant death.


    If a fruit was used as a seed, it became even less consumable. In the plant''s final moments, it would channel all of its remaining energy into the seed. These seeds typically had one of two outcomes: they either sprouted into a new mutated plant right then and there, or the entire fruit became 100% infected with the mutant virus.


    Who would dare eat that? A single bite could turn you into a new zombie.


    And yet, here was an orange before them, one that hadn''t become a weapon, hadn''t sprouted into a mutated plant.


    It was about half a palm in size, and the fragrance of the peel was deeply refreshing. Who knew what the flesh inside would taste like? Just by looking, they could tell it was packed with juice and, maybe, bursting with the sweet aroma of oranges.


    Fortunately, these men weren''t strangers to remarkable sights. They snapped out of their daze after only a brief moment.


    With utmost care, Jang Dojung took the orange from Kim Haru. "Don''t worry, Mr. Kim. I''ll ensure it undergoes a thorough analysis. It might take a while for the results to come through, so please bear with me for a bit. I''ll be back once I hand it off to a researcher."


    "Sure," Kim Haru replied, unbothered.


    Jang Dojung then left, holding the orange like a rare treasure.


    He returned shortly after.


    "All set¡ªthe testing''s underway. Mr. Kim, let''s go check out the pigweed cultivation data," Jang Dojung said, showing Kim Haru even more respect than before.


    What he didn''t mention was the reaction from the researchers when he''d handed them the orange. Every one of them was eager to take on the analysis, nearly in a frenzy. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 154 The Luring Lotus

    He had finally selected the most meticulous researcher for the task, but the others refused to leave, crowding around to observe.


    Since they were managing themselves, Jang Dojung hadn''t objected.


    Soon, Kim Haru and the others arrived at the lab, where most of the plants under study were mutated species being monitored carefully.


    "The reproductive ability of pigweed is incredibly strong. Once planted, it quickly spreads over an area, with each region containing only one core, which also serves as its seed," Jang Dojung explained to Kim Haru as he reviewed the experimental data. "If Mr. Kim wants to grow it, he just needs a single pigweed core. Simply bury the core in the soil of your chosen location, and it won''t take long before it grows into a large patch of pigweed."


    "The bundle Do Seungjin brought over doesn''t contain a core, just the leaves."


    Kim Haru frowned slightly.


    Where would he find a pigweed core? He wondered if posting a task at the Ability User Center might bring someone willing to retrieve one.


    But considering Do Seungjin had mentioned that the pigweed regions in the west were highly dangerous, perhaps it wasn''t worth the risk.


    Do Seungjin who had been quietly trying to minimize his presence nearby, suddenly lit up, sensing an opportunity to prove himself. "Mr. Kim, I''ll get the core for you! I''m quite skilled in handling those pigs."


    He looked at Kim Haru with eager anticipation.


    Jang Dojang and Jang Dojung exchanged glances and joined in to support him. "This could work. Director Do can handle a black pig alone, so he should have an even better chance of locating a pigweed core without directly confronting one. He knows those black pig very well."


    Perhaps accomplishing this task could help make up for today''s foolish blunder.


    After a moment of thought, Kim Haru agreed.


    "If there''s only one core, don''t take it," he reminded them, recalling what Jang Dojung had said about each patch of pigweed typically having just one core. "The black pig herd relies on it, and taking it could lead to trouble."


    Whether it was starving everything the black pig didn''t eat or having them chase after the scent of humans in revenge, neither was something Kim Haru wanted to see.


    Do Seungjin nodded. "Of course, Mr. Kim, don''t worry¡ªI''ll handle it with care."


    As for his wish to see the pigs at Mr. Kim''s place, he decided he''d save that for after he brought back the pigweed core and earned Mr. Kim''s approval.


    Failure wasn''t even a possibility in Do Seungjin''s mind.


    And he wouldn''t let himself fail.


    After greeting Kim Haru and the others, Do Seungjin left to make preparations for infiltrating the black pig herd.


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    Seeing Kim Haru seemed somewhat interested in the other plants in the lab, and with the test results for the orange still pending, Jang Dojung suggested, "Mr. Kim, would you like to look around? The plants here are mostly low on offensive power, so it''s pretty safe."


    Kim Haru gladly accepted.


    Even if Jang Dojung hadn''t suggested it, he was already planning to. While he was examining the pigweed, he had noticed a plant that looked very familiar.


    Kim Haru headed straight for a water tank. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tank wasn''t very large, but inside was the plant that looked so familiar to him. Oval-shaped, broad leaves¡ªweren''t those lotus leaves?


    He thought of his pond, which looked somewhat bare and always felt like it was missing something. Planting lotus flowers across half of it would surely look stunning when they bloomed in the summer. Even if it wasn''t summer, the green lotus leaves could still add a touch of beauty to the pond.


    And there would be edible lotus roots and seed pods as well. Even the lotus leaves could be used as cooking tools, and the petals could be stir-fried.


    Before seeing these lotus leaves, the thought hadn''t crossed his mind. But now that he''d seen them, the idea seemed more appealing by the minute.


    Excited by the discovery, Kim Haru couldn''t resist reaching out to touch the leaves.


    "Be careful!" Jang Dojung called out urgently.


    But just as he spoke, Kim Haru''s fingers had already brushed the lotus leaf.


    The cool, smooth texture felt just like the lotus leaves he remembered. Kim Haru froze, only now recalling that Jang Dojung had mentioned earlier that all the plants here were mutated plant!


    He quickly withdrew his hand.


    From the moment he touched it to the instant he pulled his hand away, the lotus leaf in the tank hadn''t moved at all, as if it were lifeless, showing no reaction. It didn''t seem to match the description of a mutated plant in the slightest.


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but glance over at Jang Dojung.


    At the same time, Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang looked at Kim Haru, their eyes filled with shock.


    As Jang Dojung had mentioned, the plants in this lab were indeed all mutated plant. The lotus leaf occupying an entire water tank was no exception.


    This mutated lotus is called Luring Lotus. Unlike other mutated plants that looked drastically different from their original forms, the Luring Lotus appeared exactly the same as it did before mutation. It still bloomed, bore seed pods, and produced lotus roots, with a growth cycle that was shorter and more erratic than normal plants. Outwardly, there was no indication it was a mutated plant.


    That was the Luring Lotus''s skill.


    Thanks to this ability, the Luring Lotus had "lured" countless humans and animals who were fooled by its appearance. When a creature touched the lotus leaf, the Luring Lotus would reveal its predatory nature: a single leaf would suddenly expand, wrapping the creature tightly within its folds.


    When it eventually opened again, the creature inside would be reduced to nothing but bones.


    All the flesh would be completely digested.


    The leaf could even adjust its size based on the prey, ensuring that it could envelop the entire creature with no chance of escape.

 Chapter 155 The Heavenly Orange

    Those people who are researching the Luring Lotus often speculated that it might have some sort of "eyes" somewhere on its body.


    Yet, just now, when Kim Haru''s hand had clearly touched the lotus leaf, neither Jang Dojung nor Jang Dojang saw the leaf react at all!


    It was almost unbelievable.


    The two men exchanged a glance, gaining a deeper understanding of Kim Haru''s strength.


    Only when a mutated plant senses an overwhelmingly powerful being it can''t resist will it behave as if it wasn''t a mutated plant at all.


    "What''s the matter?" asked Kim Haru, unaware of the Luring Lotus''s nature and curious about Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang''s reaction.


    "Nothing," they both replied, shaking their heads.


    They assumed Kim Haru was already aware of the mutated plants'' nature and had simply ignored their concern. Of course, there was nothing strange about it. Who said that a powerful person couldn''t touch a weaker mutated plant? Why make Mr. Kim worry over their alarm?


    So, both men answered with a simple "Nothing."


    "Mr. Kim, do you like this plant?" Jang Dojung asked, pointing at the lotus leaf, without mentioning the earlier caution.


    Although he qas curious why Jang Dojung had warned him to be careful just now, Kim Haru figured it wasn''t a big deal since nothing happened. Jang Dojung had previously said the plants here were all mutated plant but not particularly strong, so maybe the lotus leaf he had touched was one of those.


    Upon hearing Jang Dojung''s question, Kim Haru nodded naturally, "Yes, I''d like to plant some."


    Jang Dojung exchanged a glance with Jang Dojang.


    Of course, a bigshot like him would talk about planting mutated plants as if it were nothing.


    Since Kim Haru could effortlessly suppress the Luring Lotus, Jang Dojung certainly wouldn''t deny his request. He carefully brought out some tools and began dividing a portion of the Luring Lotus for Kim, explaining the plant''s growth patterns as he worked.


    After all, the Luring Lotus''s attack was no threat to someone as powerful as him, so Jang Dojung didn''t bother with excessive caution. Instead, he focused on explaining details like when the Luring Lotus bloomed, produced lotus roots, and formed seed pods.


    Mutated plants already grew at speeds that defied natural laws, but the Luring Lotus was especially erratic.


    For this particular species, growth was based entirely on its energy levels and mood. It could bloom overnight, sprout a whole batch of lotus roots the next day, or even drop all its leaves by evening, leaving only bare seed pods.


    Or, it might not grow anything for several years.


    When Kim Haru heard this, his initial worry about the mutated plant''s abilities instantly eased.


    It seemed that this lotus leaf''s power was an unpredictable biological clock. That''s actually a great ability! Maybe if he nurtured it at his farm, he could see a pond full of lotus leaves in a few days, or even harvest lotus roots just as quickly.


    He was confident he could make this plant feel "at home." After all, he already had one mutated plant at his farm, and based on what he''d seen, that plant couldn''t resist the farm''s fertile soil, water, and fertilizer. Kim Haru was sure this one wouldn''t be able to resist, either.


    "Thank you," he said happily, accepting the lotus leaf, which had been placed in a small fish tank.


    Jang Dojung and Jang Dojang exchanged glances again, a shared understanding flashing in their eyes.


    Kim Haru put the lotus leaf in his system''s backpack. He intended to look around and see if he could find another gem among the other mutated plants, but just then, the results for the orange''s analysis came in. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    The three of them hurried over.


    "Director, come take a look! This orange''s energy is unbelievable!" The researcher conducting the analysis was too excited to bother with formalities. "Look here, here, and here¡ªthis orange seems as if it''s been imbued with every beneficial element known to the human body! It''s practically a gift from the heavens!"


    Even Jang Dojung, who''d already been holding high expectations for the orange, couldn''t hide his surprise upon hearing the results.


    He took the analysis report and began reviewing it carefully. Meanwhile, the researcher who''d done the testing continued to debrief his colleagues, who had been observing his every step, going over each procedure to ensure there hadn''t been any errors or missed steps.


    Only Jang Dojang and Kim Haru, who had little understanding of the technical aspects, stood silently to the side, watching the researchers'' excited expressions.


    As Jang Dojung''s eyes grew wider and wider with shock, he finally remembered the two people standing beside him. He quickly began to explain the report to them in terms they could understand.


    In short, this orange not only had zero traces of the mutagenic virus but was also packed with a variety of elements that was beneficial to the human body. Every nutrient typically found in an orange was present in this one, but in notably substantial quantities.


    For instance, a regular orange might contain components like malic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, carotene, and glucose, which can help prevent conditions such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and gout¡ªbut only as preventive measures that require long-term, frequent consumption to show minimal effects.


    However, with this orange that Kim Haru had brought in, even a single fruit could visibly alleviate these symptoms! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It could also address issues like scurvy, night blindness, skin whitening, and spot fading¡ªall with just one orange!


    This wasn''t just an orange anymore; it was practically a miracle cure.


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    He hadn''t expected the orange''s effects to be so powerful. He''d only intended to see if it had high levels of the mutagenic virus and confirm if the orange trees were mutated plants. He hadn''t anticipated such a huge surprise.


    Jang Dojung could barely contain his excitement. "Mr. Kim, where did you get this orange? It would be a tremendous help in improving the health of ordinary people in the safe zones. Our research institute would like to purchase it from you¡ªplease consider agreeing!"

 Chapter 156 Orange Deals

    "A hundred¡ªno, five hundred crystal cores per orange, though I know even that is still far too low. The institute simply doesn''t have enough cores to offer more. If that doesn''t satisfy you, we could sign a contract, and you would receive half of any future research profits. Would that work?"


    Only then did the surrounding researchers realize that this miraculous orange had been brought in by Mr. Kim.


    They all looked at him with eager expressions.


    Kim Haru''s mouth opened in shock.


    The five-hundred-crystal-core price tag astonished him.


    Thinking about how many crystal cores he''d effectively consumed, even someone as indifferent to money as Kim Haru felt a pang of regret.


    However, if he didn''t have many oranges, selling them at this high price would be perfectly reasonable. But thinking of the extensive orange grove back at his farm¡­


    Kim Haru shook his head.


    Jang Dojung''s face fell slightly, though he wasn''t ready to give up. Adjusting his glasses, he began explaining, "Mr. Kim, I know the oranges you have are incredibly precious. Even if you could sell us just a few¡ªor even just one¡ªit would be immensely helpful. The institute would try to extract the beneficial elements and maximize their effectiveness. If we could analyze their structure and eventually produce them on a large scale, the profit and contribution to the world would be enormous."


    "Sir, consider it an investment. I assure you, in my capacity as the director of the research institute, this investment will yield returns."


    Before Kim Haru could get a word in, Jang Dojung''s earnest pitch rolled over him like a wave, leaving him momentarily speechless.


    "Ahem." Jang Dojang, who had been observing from the side, cleared his throat, finally prompting Jang Dojung to realize that Mr. Kim seemed to have something to say.


    "Oh, sir, what is it you''d like to say?"


    "I have plenty of oranges." Kim Haru''s first words prompted an instant cheer from everyone nearby, startling him. "It doesn''t need to be so expensive¡ªfifty crystal cores per orange."


    He''d decided that this would also be the price when he eventually stocked them in the Green Basket Vegetable Shop.


    Initially, he''d thought about setting the price at twenty crystal cores, but now, knowing the oranges'' exceptional quality, a slightly higher price seemed fair.


    The researchers were astonished.


    This unexpected turn of events was like a miracle they hadn''t dared hope for!


    Or rather, it wasn''t heaven that had granted them this miracle¡ªit was Mr. Kim!


    "Mr. Kim, you''re a good man!"


    "Mr. Kim is the best!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Kim!"


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    "Mr. Kim, we love you!"


    Ahem, the "love" wasn''t necessary.


    With his ears turning bright red, Kim Haru quickly followed Jang Dojung to the meeting room to discuss the institute''s orange procurement in detail.


    In the end, with Jang Dojang as the witness, Kim Haru and Jang Dojung signed a contra mct.


    From now on, as long as he had oranges available, Kim Haru would supply the institute with one hundred oranges each month at a price of fifty crystal cores per orange. Should the institute need more, they would have to purchase them directly from his shop, Green Basket Vegetable Shop, where no special stock would be reserved for them.


    Once the research institute developed products from the oranges, no matter the type, Kim Haru would receive a twenty-percent share of the profits.


    Initially, Kim Haru hadn''t wanted so much, but Jang Dojung, worried that Haru might feel it was too little, even wanted to give him a larger cut. After negotiation, they settled on twenty percent.


    This was no small gain.


    Kim Haru was very pleased with the outcome. It was truly an unexpected surprise.


    Of course, Jang Dojung also considered it an unexpected boon for the research institute.


    "Oh, right, when the institute needs its monthly share, just send someone to pick it up at the shop," Kim Haru said. "I''ll let Hwa Jian know, so it''s arranged." He wasn''t keen on making frequent delivery trips by himself.


    Jang Dojung eagerly agreed.


    Watching all this, Jang Dojang finally couldn''t resist making his own request. "Mr. Kim, I was wondering¡ªdo you happen to have enough oranges left? I''d like to place an order on behalf of the Safe Zone Commander''s Office as well." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The oranges for the Safe Zone Commander''s Office wouldn''t primarily be for eating. They''d serve as impressive offerings when hosting guests from other safe zones. The Pyeongseong Safe Zone was always subtly looked down upon by visitors, and despite the disdain, they still had to smile and act courteously, especially since they occasionally needed assistance from others.


    The thought of such moments made Jang Dojang uncomfortable, though he hadn''t found any other way to push back.


    But with these oranges¡­


    Just imagine¡ªif others tried to make backhanded comments about the Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s lack of prosperity or progress, they could casually serve a plate of these oranges with a simple, "Pardon our humble offerings; we may not have much in Pyeongseong Safe Zone, but our oranges are quite tasty."


    Just picturing the look on their faces made Jang Dojang feel delighted.


    With that, Jang Dojang added, "We don''t have any research products to share profit from, but we''re willing to purchase oranges at a rate of sixty crystal cores per piece. If you feel that price is too low, we''re open to negotiation."


    Kim Haru: "..."


    How could he put it? It defied everything he''d expected.


    In Kim Haru''s memories, a fruit vendor would typically offer a wholesale discount to organizations or groups that placed steady, long-term orders¡ªgenerally below market price. One side sought to pay less and bargained, while the other side tried to secure a steady buyer by reducing prices.


    But here? Everyone seemed to be bidding for higher prices!


    Kim Haru wasn''t greedy. "How many would you like?"


    Jang Dojang resisted the urge to say, "As many as possible," and, after calculating the usage frequency for the Safe Zone Commander''s Office, replied, "Let''s match the research institute''s order¡ªone hundred per month."


    Kim Haru agreed.

 Chapter 157 The Power of Oranges

    As for the orange that had been tested today, Kim Haru left it behind, gifting it to the person in charge of the testing as a small gesture of thanks for their help.


    And the person was overjoyed.


    ...


    The appearance of oranges in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone created a massive stir.


    Before the apocalypse, oranges were as common as could be, and many people hadn''t even cared for them, only eating them when they could pick and choose¡ªsome wouldn''t touch them unless they were exceptionally sweet.


    But now? Countless people wished for just one taste of an orange, yet couldn''t get any. They hadn''t even seen a proper orange peel in ages!


    When one of the regulars, who had made it a daily habit to secure a spot at Green Basket Vegetable Shop for a chance to grab some vegetables, finally stepped in as the shop opened, they instinctively reached for the potatoes¡ªonly to be struck by a flash of bright color that immediately caught their eye.


    Oranges!


    Before their mind had time to process, their hand abandoned the potatoes and reached for the oranges, carefully picking one up.


    One sniff¡ªit was unmistakably an orange! The scent of orange peel was unique; anyone who''d smelled it before would recognize it immediately.


    Glancing at the display, they noticed the price label on the shelf holding the oranges.


    ¡ªFifty crystal cores per orange. Limit of two.


    It''s very affordable! They had enough today to buy two oranges and half a pound of potatoes.


    They imagined bringing the oranges back to share with their teammates; surely, each person would be able to get at least one slice.


    Overjoyed, they quickly picked up two of the biggest oranges they could find and slipped them into their pocket. The oranges all looked large and round¡ªclearly high-quality, needing no careful selection.


    Besides, they wouldn''t dare try to pick and choose anyway. If they accidentally dropped one or damaged it, they couldn''t afford to pay for it.


    And they weren''t the only ones. Every person who entered felt nearly the same way. The only ones who regretted anything were those who''d only brought around forty crystal cores, hoping to buy fewer items. They looked around, wishing to borrow the extra needed for the oranges, but who would be willing to lend at a time like this?


    They could only watch as one orange after another was bought by others.


    In less than half a day, every orange on the shelf had sold out. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon, more people arrived after hearing about the oranges, only to find they''d come too late. Some people regretted it so deeply that they nearly beat their chests in frustration. Fortunately, hearing that more oranges would be available later calmed their impulse to do anything drastic.


    Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee each received an orange today, as a reward from Kim Haru. The two of them¡ªone handling administrative tasks, the other taking charge of security¡ªhad managed the shop excellently, allowing Kim Haru peace of mind without any troublesome incidents. He began to consider whether, after a while, he might ask if they''d like to stay on as his long-term employees.


    Bound to the farm, in a way.


    The moment they brought the orange home, Hwa Jian, aware of his limited ability to protect it, quickly grabbed a bowl, peeled the orange, and squeezed its juice into the bowl.


    The orange was incredibly juicy, filling the bowl over halfway. He set aside half of the pulp for his younger brother, then popped the other half into his mouth, savoring it slowly, and began feeding the juice to his bedridden parents.


    Each of them drank half of the orange juice, and Hwa Jian carefully wiped away the few drops that had spilled before washing out the bowl.


    Without his knowledge, behind him, his parents¡ªwho had been lying completely motionless¡ªgently lifted their arms.


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    A man whose face had started showing the dark blue veins typical of infection, from eating too much food with high mutagenic viruses, finished an orange and was thrilled to notice that the veins had faded a bit.


    A woman with an infected wound that had worsened instead of healing ate the orange her companion offered and realized, with relief, that her painful injury no longer hurt.


    A child who had become dull and unresponsive after receiving an attack from psychic-type zombie ate the half-orange his parents had protected from thieves, and gradually, his eyes regained their liveliness.


    An elderly man, who had injured his leg in the harsh post-apocalyptic weather and was resigned to his fate, ate the orange his grandchild offered, and felt strength returning to his legs.


    There were also ability users who had suffered permanent injuries from overusing their powers in battle; after their companions forced an orange into their mouth, they suddenly felt the once-blocked flow of their powers circulating again!


    ¡­


    Throughout every corner of the safe zone, as more people got their hands on the oranges and ate them, the flow of exciting news grew.


    Gradually, and without anyone really noticing when it started, the term "Mister" became an exclusive title for the owner of the Green Basket Vegetable Shop. Whenever people mentioned Kim Haru, they would respectfully call him "Mr. Kim."


    Having heard so many people address him this way, Kim Haru couldn''t help but think that people in the apocalypse weren''t quite the heartless characters he''d read about in novels. They were actually quite polite.


    The Draco Virtus Squad had heard long ago about the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, although it was known for having few ability users, with most of its residents being ordinary people. The surrounding towns weren''t very wealthy either, but the safe zone''s terrain was advantageous for defense¡ªthis was the team''s first time visiting.


    "Just like the rumors said, it''s not a very prosperous safe zone," one of the Spirit Dragon members observed, looking around.


    "I saw so many ordinary people on our way in. Not many ability users here, and they still have to support these people with weak combat skills. No wonder they''re so poor."

 Chapter 158 The Orchard and the Farms Blessing

    "It''s strange, though¡ªwhy do these people look so healthy? Usually, only in resource-rich safe zones do you see regular people looking this well."


    "Exactly. And I heard a lot of them talking about some ''Mr. Kim'' with a lot of respect in their voices. How come we''ve never heard of any powerful ability user called ''Mr. Kim'' here?"


    Hearing this, the rest of the Draco Virtus Squad listened carefully, noticing the same thing.


    It seemed that the positive mental state of these people was somehow connected to this "Mr. Kin."


    Curiosity sparked among them. Exchanging glances, each member saw the intrigue mirrored in the others'' eyes.


    Feigning the need for directions, they approached a group of ordinary people. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before they even got close, the team''s member with Sharp Eyes ability suddenly cried out in surprise: "What is that? How are there such fresh oranges here?!"


    ...


    Since discovering the orchard in that forest, Kim Haru''s focus had naturally shifted a bit.


    The fields on the farm were growing steadily, and two of the three animals on the farm had excellent self-management skills, needing no attention from him. Little Snort, who hadn''t yet developed the same self-sufficiency, was being supervised by Little Oakie. The new lotus in the pond was also thriving¡ªafter Kim Haru had tossed it in with some fertilizer a few days ago, it had already sprouted twenty or thirty leaves.


    The farm didn''t need him constantly; the orchard, however, demanded much more attention.


    Over the past few days, Kim Haru had finally mapped out the area of the orange grove and grew increasingly satisfied with it. A full hundred orange trees stood tall, each one laden with plump, ripe oranges. In the center of the grove, there was an ancient orange tree that looked massive and majestic, just based on its appearance he could tell it had lived for a long time.


    Kim Haru also could tell that this entire grove had likely grown and spread from this single, old orange tree over time.


    He planned to take special care of this old tree, watering and fertilizing it as a token of gratitude for the generous grove it had provided him.


    Next to the orange grove, there were a few chestnut trees¡ªnot many, it''s 8 in total¡ªand only a single short lemon tree.


    But Kim Haru wasn''t bothered by the limited variety. After all, he hadn''t had to plant these trees himself; having them here was more than enough.


    After surveying the orchard''s boundaries, Kim Haru decided to start building a fence around it.


    For a grove this large, the wooden fences he''d previously crafted wouldn''t be sufficient. He used up all the wood stacked beside his cabin, and then grabbed his axe to cut more from the mutated iron trees. After two days of labor, he finally managed to enclose the entire orchard with a sturdy fence.


    The moment the last section of the fence was complete, his farm system let out a series of cheerful chimes.


    [ Ding! Acquired 99 Orange Trees (Top-grade). Orange tree saplings unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! Acquired 1 Orange Tree (Super-grade). ]


    [ Ding! Acquired 7 Chestnut Trees (Top-grade). Chestnut tree saplings unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! Acquired 1 Chestnut Tree (Super-grade). ]


    [ Ding! Acquired 1 Lemon Tree (Super-grade). ]


    [ Ding! Lemon tree saplings unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! Fruit Farmer title unlocked. ]


    [ Reward: 2 Scarecrows. ]


    [ Scarecrow ]


    [ Effect: Can deter birds from pecking at the fruit. ]


    [ Ding! Farm area expanded. ]


    [ Ding! Achievement unlocked! <<From East to West, It''s All My Land>>. ]


    [ Reward: Farm''s Blessing. ]


    Curious, Kim Haru clicked on the "Farm''s Blessing" description. This reward was permanently bound to him, without a physical item. Instead, if KimHaru encountered danger, the function would automatically trigger, summoning one of his farm''s creatures to aid him, no matter how far away he was. The creature would remain by his side until the threat was gone, then return to the farm.


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    This was a passive skill; Kim Haru couldn''t activate or deactivate it at will.


    After reading the reward details, Haru counted off on his fingers: Little Nugget, Sir Peckington, Little Snort, Little Oakie, Little Lily (Luring Lotus Nickname). Perhaps Go Okrim could be included too.


    These were all the creatures on his farm. As for the two zombie-bots, he''d rather leave them out of the count. Whether they still qualified as "creatures" was debatable, and even if they did, he had no idea whether they''d help or harm him if they appeared.


    As for the others, apart from Little Oakie, who might be able to hold its own in a fight, any of the rest would likely be useless in an emergency. In fact, if things got dangerous, it was hard to tell who''d be saving whom.


    If he excluded those few creatures, the only other "living" things on the farm were the crops in the fields and the fruit trees in the orchard. But what good would it do to summon these in a crisis? Were they supposed to buy time by feeding themselves to the enemy?


    Kim Haru sighed helplessly.


    "System, this reward is pretty useless. Could I get a replacement?"


    With his previous achievement for hosting guests, he''d had the option to choose between two rewards. This time, there was only one choice.


    Of course, the system didn''t answer him, let alone offer an alternative reward.


    Kim Haru had no choice but to accept it, and he quickly dismissed this "useless" skill from his mind.


    He did notice the system''s evaluation of the orchard, especially the old orange tree, which was rated as "Super-grade." Every other variety of tree was at least "Top-grade" or higher¡ªnone were merely "Good-grade." It''s no wonder they produced such delicious fruit with exceptional nutritional value.


    The orchard was now officially within the farm''s domain, so Kim Haru pulled up the information for fruit trees from the system. With a notebook and pen in hand, he began inspecting each tree one by one.


    He had already numbered the trees from one to one hundred, noting which ones needed branch trimming, which had too many fruits and would benefit from thinning to concentrate nutrients, which trunks were leaning and required support, which showed signs of pests, and which had fewer leaves and might need extra nutrition. Everything was meticulously recorded in his notebook.

 Chapter 159 Trouble at the Green Basket Vegetable Shop

    He hadn''t expected to own an orchard so soon, so he hadn''t prepared the necessary supplies. Once he completed his assessment, he''d go to the safe zone to find what he needed.


    After spending most of the day in the orchard, Kim Haru finally had a clear understanding of its condition and even managed to pick a large bag of oranges. Naturally, a good portion ended up in his stomach along the way.


    He didn''t even discard the orange peels and left it to dry anywhere, they''d make great seasoning for meat stews and the like.


    Leaving the orchard, Kim Haru didn''t ask the Space-type zombie to teleport him back. Instead, he wandered leisurely through the woods.


    He wasn''t in any rush, and the mountain air was fresh. Every now and then, he''d spot strange-looking plants that piqued his curiosity, turning his walk into a casual exploration.


    Still, if he''d need to transport a lot of goods from the orchard in the future, he''d probably have to build a road.


    This time, he''d check with the safe zone to see if there was any cement available.


    Kim Haru wasn''t overly hopeful about finding any, though. Cement was highly valuable not only for road construction but also for building repairs. Every time he passed through the fourth district in the safe zone, he saw many buildings that was hastily patched together or left dilapidated, without any hint of cement repair.


    He believed that it wasn''t due to neglect from safe zone commander; Its more likely, the safe zone simply didn''t have any cement left.


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    When Kim Haru returned to the farm, Go Okrim was there to greet him while holding a sound-transmitting snail. "Kim Haru-hyung, there''s a phone call for you. It''s from the shop. I was about to go find you."


    Go Okrim didn''t care for the term "sound-transmitting snail," thinking of it as just another word for a biological phone. "Phone call" sounded simpler anyway.


    Hearing that the shop was calling, Kim Haru quickly took the shell. "Hello?"


    "Boss, someone''s causing trouble."


    When Kim Haru arrived at the location of his Green Basket Vegetable Shop in the Second District, the area was already in chaos.


    To explain the scene, it''s worth noting how the road in front of the Green Basket Vegetable Shop had transformed over time.


    Originally, the area around his villa was part of a small villa complex, with low building density and wide streets intended for the convenience of car-owning residents. Nowadays, with fewer cars around, the roads looked empty and spacious.


    Apart from Kim Haru''s villa, most of the nearby ones had become property shared by different ability-user teams. These teams often went on missions and demanded a high level of security around their residences, making others too wary to come here casually for fear of provoking someone they couldn''t handle.


    Then, Kim Haru''s shop opened.


    Each day, a huge number of people gathered, all vying to be the first in line when the shop opened, fearing that if they were too late, everything would sell out. Some people who coming from far away and unable to arrive in time in the morning, even found spots nearby to stay overnight.


    In short, from the day the shop opened, the street had never been empty.


    Gradually, some quick-thinking people noticed an opportunity.


    They brought their own goods and set up small stalls along the road. More and more vendors began appearing, and since the customers waiting to buy vegetables already had crystals on hand, they passed the time by browsing and inevitably making purchases.


    Over time, the area turned into a bustling marketplace with a high volume of traffic.


    Now, with the Green Basket Vegetable Shop at the center of this new marketplace, any trouble there was sure to draw a crowd. Not only did people gather to watch, but they also began defending the shop, helping fend off the troublemakers. At first, everyone stayed level-headed, maintaining some restraint, but as pushing and shoving escalated, tempers flared. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one knew who struck first, but just as Kim Haru had barely stepped forward, he saw someone launch a fireball straight at their opponent''s face! If it landed, it would surely leave a permanent scar.


    Fortunately, the other person reacted swiftly, raising a water shield in time to protect their face.


    Then, in retaliation, they conjured multiple water arrows and shot them back!


    The ordinary people who had come from the Third and Fourth Districts had no way of getting involved in a battle between ability-users, so they took cover on either side of the street.


    Seeing Kim Haru arrive, Hwa Jian anxiously came over. "Boss, I already sent Han Gwonhee to find the patrol team, but I don''t know when they''ll get here."


    "What''s going on?" Kim Haru frowned.


    "The ones causing trouble are those in the middle," Hwa Jian said, pointing them out on tiptoe. "At first, they acted civil, but then they tried to buy up all the produce in the shop. I refused, so they began driving customers out and even threatened to trash the store."


    "Han Gwonhee threw them out, trying to avoid too much damage to the shop, so he didn''t hurt them much. But instead, that only made them more arrogant."


    Among the seven troublemakers, all were Level 2 abilityusers, with one already at the peak of Level Two. That person was of the thunder type ability user, known for its powerful offensive capabilities. If Han Gwonhee were to fight them head-on, it would be a tough battle with no quick outcome.


    But this wasn''t the only reason the situation had descended into such chaos.


    "One of them is a psychic-type ability user," Hwa Jian explained, his face grim. "It seems he has special skills with language. With just a few words, he managed to sway nearly half of the customers outside to take their side."


    "He was spouting absolute nonsense! He claimed that, Boss, your produce could save the entire post-apocalyptic world, so it shouldn''t be hidden away and should be given to them for free. Then he started talking about how they deserve to get more and better food, questioning why they should have to squeeze in with powerless, impoverished ordinary people to get it. He''s convinced some people to join them in directly raiding the shop, even promising how the spoils would be divided once they seized it."

 Chapter 160 The Power Ranger Gangs Downfall

    The more Hwa Jian talked, the angrier he got, though he knew his own limitations. Going out there to confront them would be suicide, so he focused on holding down the fort, securing the doors, and activating the shop''s defense systems, just as the boss had instructed. No one was getting inside on his watch.


    Kim Haru followed Hwa Jian''s gaze toward the instigators.


    Amid the chaotic crowd, the seven of them stood out.


    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven people, each with a different hair color¡ªred, green, yellow, purple¡ªbut no normal black. To top it off, these bright exotic colors adorned the heads of the seven burly men, and their hair wasn''t short and practical, but semi-long, some even brushing their shoulders.


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    My eyes. They hurt.


    This isn''t an anime world. What''s with these rebellious hair colors? Calling them "edgy" would be an insult to actual edgy styles! They''re like a rainbow. Who knows? Maybe they call themselves something like the "Power Ranger Gang."


    At the moment, the seven of them were flitting around like oversized rabbits, sometimes brawling at the forefront of the fight, sometimes on the sidelines, persuading more people to join their cause. Their promises were sweet enough to draw people in: "Once we take over this shop, you''ll never have to fight for vegetables again. Two pounds per person every day¡ªno, make that four! Eat your fill. You''ll be able to grab oranges at will, eat one, toss one¡ªno more scraping and sharing a single bite with five other people, only to be left wanting more!"


    "Come on! We outnumber them now. Victory will be ours! Who wants oranges? Who wants life-saving food? Follow me, charge!"


    Amazingly, even with such crude slogans, they managed to entice people. Kim Haru saw people actually hesitating and then switching sides, joining the fray.


    He couldn''t help but wonder if, in the face of food, people''s brains in the apocalypse had been half-eaten by zombies.


    Watching the numbers grow on the other side, Hwa Jian''s anxiety mounted. "Boss, maybe you should just store all the food on the shelves in your space storage, then leave. If it''s just the building left, the losses shouldn''t be too bad."


    "I don''t know when Han Gwonhee will get here. I hope he come here quickly."


    But Kim Haru didn''t move.


    Run? What a joke.


    Kim Haru was mild-mannered, but that didn''t mean he was someone you could push around. In his past life, he can guarding a big inheritance money against his distant, greedy relatives, proving he wasn''t the kind of person to be easily bullied.


    Even in the game, Kim Haru was known as a "big boss" by others.


    Retreat? Run away? Such words didn''t exist in Kim Haru''s vocabulary.


    "Don''t worry, they can''t break down the door," he reassured Hwa Jian.


    This wasn''t empty talk¡ªthis shop had already been fused with the farming system, which came with a built-in protection mode. Once the door was shut, no one¡ªnot even the so-called "King of Heaven"¡ªcould break in.


    Not even a nuke would blast it open.


    As for the noisy crowd outside, Kim Haru wasn''t about to let them keep causing a scene.


    "Stay here," he told Hwa Jian, then stepped out, casually closing the door behind him.


    The troublemaking Power Ranger Gang spotted him the instant he appeared. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    They exchanged a quick look, then charged at him without a word!


    "Bam!"


    "Bam!"


    "Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!"


    Seven resounding thuds, each followed by a figure flying backward and crashing to the ground.


    Instantly, the whole area fell silent as a grave.


    Kim Haru scanned the crowd, pleased with the newfound quiet.


    To him, these people were just human-shaped targets waiting to be dealt with. And even if they were merely targets, he preferred them to be quiet, well-behaved ones.


    "Not bad." He patted Little Oakie at his side and praised it, "I''ll reward you with some fertilizer when we get back."


    He''d assumed the "Farm''s Blessing" skill wasn''t of much use, but here it was proving valuable. Fortunately, Little Oakie, with its combat abilities, had shown up¡ªsaving him the cost of buying tools from the system store.


    Little Oakie''s branches and roots twitched with delight.


    Everyone nearby instinctively took a big step back!


    They stared at the tree that had suddenly appeared, recognizing it at once as the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree, which is ranked tenth among all the mutant plants! Even though this tree lacked leaves, that didn''t stop them from identifying it. Those agile branches and roots¡ªanyone who had ever seen them would remember them vividly, even in their nightmares.


    Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree: when it strikes someone, they might feel fine at first. But from the second day onward, the "Phantom Flames" part of its name comes into play. It drags its victims into a hellish experience, making them wish for death but unable to die, and to live is pure agony.


    That alone wouldn''t have secured its place as the tenth-ranked mutant plant; its ghostly nature is indescribable in words!


    Everyone''s gaze fell on the seven people who had been flung back. They hadn''t yet realized the severity of the situation.


    Then, they looked back at that Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree, and deep regret filled them for their earlier recklessness.


    This Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree might not have fully matured, but that didn''t lessen its fearsome presence in the slightest.


    The crowd stepped back again, putting even more distance between themselves and the tree.


    Kim Haru''s gaze swept over them, lingering on those who had chosen to join the Power Ranger Gang''s side. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He called Hwa Jian out and instructed, "Take note of those people. They are permanently banned from entering Green Basket Vegetable Shop. Effective immediately¡ªand for life."


    A bolt from the blue!


    Everyone who heard Kim Haru''s words¡ªevery last one of them¡ªwas stunned. Especially those he had pointed out; regret was written all over their faces, and they began to plead.


    "Sir! Sir! It wasn''t my idea; it was him¡ªhe''s the one who tempted me!"

 Chapter 161 The Rise of the Zombie-Bots

    "Me too, I don''t know what happened! He''s got psychic-type abilities; he must have made me do it!"


    "Yes, yes, it was all their doing. I''m a victim too, sir. I really need that food; the virus has already infected a third of me. If I don''t reduce it, I''ll turn into a zombie! Sir, please, I don''t want to die."


    "Please, sir, forgive me. I was misled! Punish me however you like¡ªhit me, scold me, anything. I have kids at home, they need food, sir!"


    But no matter how much they begged, no matter how they tried to appeal to his heart, or even knelt down in remorse, Kim Haru remained unmoved.


    People should pay for their actions.


    Seeing Kim Haru''s cold expression, one person finally snapped: "Kim Haru, you''re heartless! We''ve all begged you, and you''re really this ruthless? If we turn into zombies and die, it''ll be your fault!"


    "Yeah! If I do turn, the first one I''m biting is you! You think you''re some kind of savior? You cold-blooded monster!"


    "Stop begging him, everyone; it''s useless. Open your eyes and see for yourself¡ªhe''s leaving us to die right in front of him!"


    "Look at that mutated plant next to him; it''s so close to him. Who knows what he really is under that human skin! And those vegetables? The world''s filled with the mutagenic virus, yet he can grow healthy crops. There''s no way something isn''t up¡ªonly a fool would believe that!"


    "If I don''t buy, I don''t buy! You think I can''t eat just because I don''t buy from you? Ha! Starting today, I''ll wait right outside your door. If anyone dares to buy from you, I''ll just take it from them for free."


    "Kim Haru, remember, every one of us is dying because of you!"


    And that was mild compared to the flood of filthy insults hurled at Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru sneered, "Ha."


    People¡ªbeing affected by psychic-type abilities or not¡ªcan''t be tempted into something if there wasn''t ''demon'' lurking in their hearts. If they fell this easily, it''s because they already harbored darkness inside.


    Look at them now, showing their true colors.


    He paid no mind to their ranting, his attention fixed instead on the seven culprits who are finally managing to pull themselves up from the ground.


    Their faces twisted in discomfort, knowing exactly what had struck them. Even an adolescent Phantom Flames Phoenix Tree was more than they could handle.


    They had paid a steep price, and there was no way they could just let this go.


    The seven of them quickly regrouped, opting for a ranged attack instead of close combat to avoid the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree.


    The onlookers'' faces shifted as they realized what was happening. "Mr. Kim, look out! That''s the Seven Color Formation¡ªa powerful long-range attack! Your Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree is still young and can''t move freely!"


    "Mr. Kim, dodge!"


    "Watch out, Mr. Kim!"


    Would Kim Haru dodge? No. Was he afraid? Absolutely not.


    He didn''t just stand his ground; he walked straight into the formation''s center.


    The next instant, seven colored flames burst in midair, and a massive rainbow fireball streaked down, hitting the spot where Kim Haru stood with a deafening boom.


    Smoke engulfed the area, blurring everyone''s vision.


    Hwa Jian standing by Kim Haru''s order, he stared blankly at the smoke-filled center, tears streaming down his face.


    "Mr. Kim¡­"


    The seven troublemakers laughed, their eyes now fixed on the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree who is masterless and vulnerable. Although the curse of the "Phantom Flame" would remain on them for life, they knew that killing the tree and applying its sap could reduce the symptoms.


    After all, it was only a domesticated, adolescent mutated plant¡ªnot as dangerous as a full-grown Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree.


    Just as they were about to shift their attack toward it, a faint voice drifted out from the smoke.


    "That''s it?"


    The seven of them turned pale, staring in disbelief at the center of the haze.


    A figure stood there, calm and unmoving. As the smoke gradually cleared, his form became sharper and clearer.


    This person was completely unscathed, not even a speck of dust on his clothes. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was impossible!


    "Mr. Kim, you''re okay!" Hwa Jian exclaimed, his face breaking into a smile.


    Kim Haru cast a reassuring glance at him.


    He gently dusted off his sleeves and stepped forward, one foot in front of the other, toward the seven.


    "You, Power Rang Gang, very good."


    As Kim Hary drew closer, the seven of them felt their hearts racing faster. A powerful sense of oppression hit them; with each step he took, it felt as if he were stomping heavily on their hearts.


    "Are you human or a ghost?"


    "This is impossible! You can''t be alive!"


    "Monster! You''re definitely a monster!"


    "Don''t come any closer!"


    But Kim Haru had no intention of stopping.


    "I remember how the last team described me; they should still be struggling among the zombies, right?" Kim Haru said slowly, contemplating how best to punish these seven this time.


    "How about I turn you into robots?"


    A couple of days ago, Go Okrim had just complained that there weren''t enough zombie-bots to provide sufficient labor. These seven gangster looked like they had decent abilities. Fresh zombies would also appear cleaner and more presentable.


    The seven of them had no idea what he meant by robots, but that didn''t stop them from feeling a chill run down their spines.


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    Kim Haru stood in place, searching the system store for items that would meet his criteria.


    Fortunately, he wasn''t worried about a sneak attack; the protective shield produced by the system around him had never been turned off.


    As the Power Ranger Gang tried to escape, the moment they turned to flee, the nearby crowd had already blocked all their escape routes, showing no intention of letting up!


    The chaotic crowd that had been rejected by Kim Haru was now either cursing loudly or crying and pleading for mercy. Even those shouting curses had no courage to step forward and help them.

 Chapter 162 Vice Safe Zone Commander

    Was death all that awaited them?


    Despair washed over the seven.


    No, they didn''t want to die yet. Someone would come to save them, yes, yes, someone would definitely come to their rescue!


    As a particular team flashed through their minds, a glimmer of hope sparked in their eyes.


    Just then, someone spoke up to help them: "Hey, boss, in this apocalyptic world, we need to unite. There are already so few humans left; punishing them is one thing, but killing them isn''t quite right, is it?"


    Kim Haru turned his head to look.


    The speaker was also part of a ability user team, and judging by their attire, they didn''t seem to belong to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Kim Haru had no intention of paying attention to irrelevant comments from outsiders.


    The man wasn''t angered by being ignored; instead, he introduced himself to Kim Haru and those around: "I''m Bae Dongshin, a member of the Draco Virtus Squad from the Haneulsae Safe Zone. The people beside me are also from the Draco Virtus Squad. This is our first time in Pyeongseong Safe Zone, and it truly lives up to its reputation."


    As soon as the name of the Draco Virtus Squad from the Haneulsae Safe Zone was mentioned, others couldn''t help but glance at them a few more times.


    Noticing those gazes, the Draco Virtus Squad felt secretly pleased.


    However, when they looked at Kim Haru, they all found that he was still staring intently into the distance, seemingly oblivious to their presence.


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    It was as if their large group didn''t exist at all.


    Bae Dongshin felt somewhat displeased.


    However, saving the seven was the priority; everything else could wait.


    "Mr. Kim, do you intend to violate the rules of the Safe Zone?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, Kim Haru gave them a glance.


    He knew about those rules. When dealing with the previous owner''s enemy, the Flamma Squad, Jang Dojang had explained to him why they didn''t just kill people outright.


    However, the rules were the rules of the Safe Zone; what did they have to do with him, a person living outside the Safe Zone?


    Kim Haru remained unmoved.


    Realizing this, the members of the Draco Virtus Squad suddenly grew serious: "Mr. Kim, by openly violating the rules like this, every ability user has the right to apprehend you. If you really make a move, don''t blame us for being rude."


    "Who are you going to be rude to?" A voice came from outside the crowd.


    As the crowd parted to make way for the speaker, they lowered their heads in greeting.


    "Safe Zone Commander."


    "Greetings, Safe Zone Commander"


    "Safe Zone Commander."


    It was none other than the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, accompanied by his aide Jang Dojang, the director of the Animal Research Institute Do Seungjin, the captain of the patrol team, and the other three ability user team.


    Hwa Jian spotted Han Gwonhee beside the leader of thepatrol team, and his heart instantly felt lighter.


    Bae Dongshin, of course, recognized the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander: "Haha, I didn''t expect to have the honor of attracting your attention. It''s not a big deal; this Mr. Kim here seems to want to take action against those seven people. We were just thinking about the rule that prohibits infighting, so we didn''t want to see him punished for breaking the rules."


    Bae Dongshin felt that the situation was turning unfavorable.


    They had finally gathered intelligence through various channels about this shop that sold normal vegetables and fruits and had specifically sent their people to test the waters. If they succeeded, they would easily gain a valuable prize; if they failed, they could still find a way to strike back at Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    The Draco Virtus Squad members were also watching the situation closely.


    However, they never expected to see such a one-sided scene.


    The ones being dominated were their own people.


    These seven were all Level 2 ability users, yet they had been beaten down without any chance to fight back. The person referred to as Mr. Kim, the shop owner, was truly unfathomable.


    Realizing that their plan had completely failed, the group had no choice but to come out and clean up the mess.


    They thought that with the rule against arbitrary killings in place, the rest of the situation wouldn''t be difficult. As long as they rescued the people and administered a light punishment, it wouldn''t be a big deal¡ªthere were plenty of hands that could be used.


    However, not only was this Mr. Kim unpredictable, but he also managed to draw the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander over.


    Now, things had become troublesome.


    They could only hope that the Safe Zone Commander would spare the lives of these few people, considering the rules. It would be even better if he could give Mr. Kim a little punishment. It wouldn''t be acceptable for him to shelter someone who openly declared their intent to violate the rules in front of the public, right? After all, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone had always hoped that the Haneulsae Safe Zone could offer food support; surely they had to give some face to the Draco Virtus Squad, right?


    However, what Bae Dongshin did not expect was that the Safe Zone Commander not only refused to punish him but even publicly announced an appointment right in front of him!


    "Punish? No one has the right to punish the Vice Safe Zones Commander of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Jang Dojang."


    "Yes," Jang Dojang replied, holding a notice in his hands. After receiving the Safe Zone Commander''s directive, he loudly read to all the onlookers, "It is hereby appointed that Kim Haru becomes the Vice Safe Zones Commander of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, with no obligation to report to anyone and free to use the resources of the Safe Zone at will. All institutions within the Pyeongseong Safe Zone will unconditionally obey Vice Safe Zone Commander Kim Haru''s orders. This appointment takes effect immediately."


    This announcement caused an immediate uproar.

 Chapter 163 The Appointment and the Core

    The Draco Virtus Squad stood by, dumbfounded, while the usually eloquent Bae Dongshin was left speechless.


    This was a blatant cover-up! Did Pyeongseong Safe Zone want to turn everything upside down?


    The surrounding crowd exchanged glances. After some thought, they found themselves in agreement with this appointment.


    Mr. Kim was such an impressive person; if he were one of their own in Pyeongseong Safe Zone, wouldn''t that benefit everyone? Wouldn''t they no longer have to worry that the precious ingredients with no mutagenic virus would disappear from the Safe Zone?


    Moreover, every action Mr. Kim has taken so far has been praised by the masses. Each of his efforts had been for their benefit. It was only those treacherous people who had been easily tempted by a few words. What did it mean to give away for free? What did it mean that those capable should fight for themselves? What did it mean that ordinary people didn''t deserve good things?


    Bah! Nonsense.


    Only those who had been blacklisted by Kim Haru were left in despair. However, no matter how much they struggled and pleaded, crying and begging, they received no attention whatsoever.


    After reading the notice, Jang Dojang respectfully handed the paper to Kim Haru.


    "Mr. Kim, I wonder if you would be willing to accept this appointment?"


    Kim Haru glanced at Jang Dojang, then at the anxious Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, and ultimately accepted the appointment.


    This was essentially giving him control over the entire Safe Zone. Although there were elements of exploitation involved, Kim Haru didn''t mind.


    After all, if he was ever dissatisfied, he could leave at any time.


    Seeing Kim Haru accept the appointment, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander smiled and asked, "Mr. Kim, how about we celebrate your new position together?"


    Kim Haru nodded. "Sure." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the seven members of the Power Ranger Gang, Kim Haru had already discreetly placed the Soul Confinement Talismans, which he had bought from the system, on each of them. The moment they left the Safe Zone gates would be the moment their bodies transformed into zombies, trapping their souls within, and leaving them paralyzed and helpless.


    When the time came, he''d hand these pseudo-zombies over to Go Okrim in the farm, where they could toil tirelessly.


    As for when they''d be released? Ha, did they really expect forgiveness from the one they''d betrayed? They could find release by detonating their own souls¡ªif they dared.


    As for those who''d been swayed into joining the enemy''s side in the skirmish, merely blacklisting them from the Green Basket Vegetable Shop wasn''t enough. In the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, anyone caught stealing or looting others'' property faced a standard punishment: a year of labor clearing wasteland.


    Amid a chorus of cries and protests, the patrol team rounded up every single one of them.


    Meanwhile, Han Gwonhee and Hwa Jian regrouped and resumed their business operations.


    Do Seungjin who is sticking close to Kim Haru, waited for the crowd to disperse so he could discreetly hand over the core of the pigweed to him.


    This time, he''d learned his lesson; he wouldn''t present a gift in front of such a large audience.


    As for the Draco Virtus Squad¡­


    Jang Dojang walked over to them with a cheerful smile. "Welcome, honored guests from Haneulsae Safe Zone. Please register at the reception area and then rest at the guest quarters. As you can see, our Safe Zone Commander is quite occupied today."


    There was no immediate way to deal with Draco Virtus Squad, but that didn''t stop Jang Dojang from ensuring the reception team prepared a "special" room for them. After all, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone was poor and shabby, right? So a few cockroaches, rats, mysterious stains, and some stinking leftovers were only to be expected.


    Oh, and with our severe supply shortage, fresh, clean bedding was out of the question. Stone slabs would have to do in place of bed frames. As for food, there wasn''t much, so either they''d have to fend for themselves or simply go hungry. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    Jang Dojang didn''t feel that his actions were excessive in the slightest.


    If anything, he felt he hadn''t done enough.


    Who told them to target Mr. Kim the moment they arrived? Did they think he and his people were fools? Couldn''t they see it was the Draco Virtus Squad pulling the strings behind the scenes? Hmph.


    Kim Haru also received an apology from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander: "We will find a way to ensure the Draco Virtus Squad receives their due punishment. Just give us a few days, sir."


    Kim Haru nodded.


    He didn''t mind waiting a few days; patience had always been one of his strengths.


    Putting these unpleasant matters aside, Kim Haru turned his gaze to Do Seungjin. He recalled that this head researcher had gone to look for the pigweed core. Judging by his expression, it seemed he''d found it.


    Dealing with vile people was simple¡ªsnuff them out. Nothing was as satisfying as farming, raising pigs, and tending to the orchards.


    On his way to find someone from the patrol team, Han Gwonhee ran into Jang Dojang, who''d just heard about the situation. Without delay, Jang Dojang returned to inform the leader of the patrol team, and the Safe Zone Commander soon got wind of the matter and decided to join them.


    They encountered Do Seungjin on their way, so by the time Kim Haru saw them, the group had naturally gathered together.


    Do Seungjin didn''t have any opinions about Kim Haru becoming the Vice Safe Zone Commander; he was more focused on Kim''s animals. The moment Mr. Kim looked in his direction, Do Seungjin eagerly approached.


    "Mr. Kim, I found the pigweed core¡ªintact, without a single scratch."


    Do Seungjin said as he reached into his bag and pulled out a perfectly round object, offering it to Kim Haru.


    It was a ball about the size of a fist, woven tightly with dense plant roots that made it resemble a ball of yarn at first glance.

 Chapter 164 The Piglets Prospects

    Kim Haru looked at Do Seungjin, a bit puzzled. "You''re just giving it to me?"


    For the head of the research institute to personally search for the pigweed core was already strange enough to Kim Haru, but he assumed the animal research team wanted to study how to raise mutated pig.


    But if that were the case, Do Seungjin would likely plant the pigweed core on their grounds to attract pigs to their research institute. Why hand it over to him?


    There must be a catch.


    As he wondered about it, he found he was right. Just as he voiced his question, Do Seungjin suddenly seemed a bit hesitant.


    "Ahem, well¡­" Do Seungjin cleared his throat, worried he might say something wrong again, but his curiosity got the better of him. "I just wanted to know¡­ Mr. Kim, do you keep any animals at home? The kind you can eat, you know, as food?"


    Kim Haru was taken aback.


    That''s all?


    He nodded. "Yes, I do."


    With a loud clap, Do Seungjin jumped up. "What? Really?" He was so thrilled he rushed over to Kim, reaching out to shake his hand. "What kind of animals? Pigs? Chickens? How do you raise them? Could you share anything about it? Do you need help with anything? I can do anything! Especially when it comes to pigs¡ªI''m an expert!"


    Kim Haru sidestepped him.


    He hadn''t expected Do Seungjin to get this excited. Looking over, he saw that the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, initially surprised by Do Seungjin''s enthusiasm, became equally excited after Jang Dojang whispered an explanation to him.


    Fortunately, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander wasn''t as impulsive as Do Seungjin, although he still looked at Kim Haru with hopeful eyes.


    As for Jang Dojang, he was clearly emotional; his voice trembled as he explained the situation to the Safe Zone Commander.


    Kim Haru was still puzzled. "But I thought there was plenty of meat around here?"


    Based on the fragmented memories of the original owner and what he''d seen in the safe zone, people''s food primarily consisted of animal meat¡ªthree meals a day, all including meat. When Kim first arrived, he didn''t realize how rare his vegetables were.


    Later, he came to understand the mutagenic virus levels in vegetables but assumed that green vegetables were just scarce. As for meat, it didn''t seem like there was a shortage.


    Do Seungjin froze, then let out a bitter laugh.


    Jang Dojang took it upon himself to explain the situation to Kim Haru.


    It turned out that the reason people in the safe zone ate meat for every meal wasn''t because they were affluent, but because meat was all they had. As long as a group could find a mutated animal, they could kill it, process it, and then the entire creature could be consumed.


    Most of these mutated animals were enormous, like the black pig Kim Haru had seen earlier at the Animal Research Institute. Many creatures were even larger than that. Just one of these mutated animals could feed a lot of people for a long time.


    Compared to mutated plants, which were difficult to find and deal with, mutated animals were easier prey.


    Of course, "easier" was relative. Most of the time, killing a mutated animal meant losing one or more lives in the process. But without hunting, there wouldn''t be any food, and more people would die of starvation.


    The mutagenic virus levels in meat were the same as those in mutated plants. Eating too much of it could be deadly.


    As for breeding these animals?


    Do Seungjin had mentioned before that artificial breeding of mutated animals was simply impossible.


    That''s why, when Kim Haru admitted to keeping animals, Do Seungjin and the others looked so thrilled.


    "Mr. Kim, can you tell us what animals you''re raising?"


    As the head of the Animal Research Institute, Do Seungjin had tried countless times over the years to raise animals, but every attempt ended in failure. Domesticated animals had become an obsession for him.


    It wasn''t a big secret, so Kim Haru answered directly, "I have two chickens and a piglet."


    After a moment''s thought, he added, "One of the chickens is a wild one¡ªI caught it in a trap. And the piglet is probably a baby of that black pig you killed earlier, Director Do." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Do Seungjin was so stunned he could barely find words to express his excitement.


    He eagerly pushed the pigweed core into Kim Haru''s hands. "Take it, Mr. Kim, take it! Hahaha, what a coincidence! Make sure to feed that piglet well; let it eat plenty of grass. I don''t know if the piglet is male or female, but when it''s grown and you''re ready to butcher it, you must come to me first¡ªI was a butcher before the apocalypse!"


    He didn''t even know what he was saying, his thoughts all over the place.


    Do Seungjin was dying to ask Mr. Kim how he''d managed to get these animals to behave and live quietly under his care. He wanted to test their meat to check the mutagenic virus levels. But he knew this wasn''t a question he could just casually throw out.


    He was bursting with anticipation.


    Do Seungjin''s words reminded Kim Haru of something. "Director Do, do you know how to castrate pigs?"


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    Do Seungjin paused. "Castrate pigs?"


    "Yeah." Kim Haru sighed. "That piglet needs to be castrated. Only then will the meat taste good when it''s grown."


    "I do! I definitely do!" Do Seungjin was ecstatic. "To be honest, Mr. Kim, nobody does it better than I do. I can make it quick and painless for the piglet with just one clean cut. No pain, and it''ll be happily eating in no time."


    Castrating a pig? He could do ten, a hundred pigs if needed!


    So, Kim Haru quickly arranged a time with Do Seungjin to bring the piglet to the Animal Research Institute, where Do Seungjin would castrate it and, in the meantime, give it vaccinations, deworm it, and check its meat quality.

 Chapter 165 A Desperate Winter Plea

    Do Seungjin left, practically glowing with excitement.


    Just as he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something.


    "Oh, by the way, Mr. Kim, since you''re raising chickens, do you also want ducks? I know a place where a flock of mutated ducks lives. According to the season, it''s likely the time when they''re laying eggs. If you''d like, I could take some people to catch a few for you."


    Kim Haru''s eyes lit up instantly.


    How could he refuse? Of course, he wanted them!


    "It would be best to get ducklings. But if you can''t find any live ones, fertilized eggs would work too." Bringing them back to hatch himself could even make the ducklings more attached to him.


    Do Seungjin nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I''ll do my best to bring back both eggs and some ducklings. If possible, I don''t ask for much in return¡ªjust that you help teach the folks at our institute to raise ducks too."


    Kim Haru agreed. "Of course."


    With that promise, Do Seungjin finally left, clearly delighted.


    At the table, only Kim Haru, the Safe Zone Commander, and Jang Dojang remained.


    Jang Dojang excused himself to prepare some food for them, leaving just Kim Haru and the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander alone.


    The Safe Zone Commander looked at Kim Haru and smiled with a deep sense of gratitude. "Mr. Kim, you truly are our savior."


    Kim Haru gave a polite smile. "Is there something you wanted to discuss, Safe Zone Commander?"


    Whether it was appointing the Vice Safe Zone Commander or waiting until Do Seungjin had left, it was clear he had something to say.


    "As expected of Mr. Kim." The Safe Zone Commander stood from his seat, walked up to Kim Haru, and suddenly knelt down. "Please, Mr. Kim, save Pyeongseong Safe Zone!"


    Kim Haru instantly stood up.


    "What are you doing?"


    He reached out to help the Safe Zone Commander, but the latter remained motionless, showing no intention of rising from the ground.


    The Safe Zone Commander''s voice was somber. "Mr. Kim, winter is coming soon. Among all the safe zones, Pyeongseong Safe Zone has the fewest resources. This winter, I don''t know how to ensure that more people will live to see the next year."


    Kim Haru paused, his hand still in midair.


    The Safe Zone Commander continued, "Even with the supplies the search team recently brought back from Gokmul County, it''s still not enough to get through the winter. I can''t think of any more ways, Mr. Kim."


    "What about before?" Kim Haru asked.


    "Before? Things weren''t the same as they are now." The Safe Zone Commander let out a bitter smile. "In those early years, each safe zone still prioritized the future of all humanity; everyone was united. Pyeongseong Safe Zone was always able to get through with the support of the surrounding safe zones. But as time went on, people''s hearts¡­ slowly changed."


    The winters of the apocalypse are tough to endure.


    Ever since the virus started wreaking havoc, it triggered a series of catastrophic changes. Zombies are only the beginning; the mutations in animals and plants have made human survival even more difficult. Soil and water are contaminated with the mutagenic virus, disrupting any attempts to grow crops or raise animals.


    Then, there''s the weather.


    Kim Haru was fortunate. The autumn he arrived in was the calmest season in this world. Outside of this period, summer and winter are extremely harsh. One season is scorching, like a furnace that could bake people alive, while the other is freezing, like a walk-in freezer, where even the slightest misstep could lead to death by cold. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for spring? Spring doesn''t really exist. One day you''re wrapped in a heavy cotton coat, and the next, you''re sweltering in short sleeves.


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    In this kind of climate, those with special abilities can manage slightly better. Especially if a team has both Fire-type and Water-type ability users, they can maintain a bearable temperature in both summer and winter.


    Of course, for these ability users, the energy drain is tremendous. If they overextend themselves even a bit, they risk damaging their energy cores, which could cause permanent harm.


    If even ability users have it this hard, the ordinary people with no powers at all live in utter misery.


    In the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, each winter, ordinary people in the Third District and Fourth District die in large numbers. The majority of people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone passed away quietly in their sleep, frozen to death without a sound. Others, realizing they wouldn''t survive the winter, chose to end their lives, leaving whatever little warmth they had for their families.


    Winter is also the season with the highest rates of robbery and murder in the safe zone.


    Those who don''t have enough supplies to survive often resort to stealing from others.


    In the past, Pyeongseong Safe Zone could request aid from nearby safe zones, but just a few days into autumn this year, the Safe Zone Commander heard disturbing news: the previous Safe Zone Commander of the Haneulsae Safe Zone had died because he failed to breakthrough, and a new Safe Zone Commander had taken over.


    This new leader was the former Vice Safe Zone Commander of Haneulsae Safe Zone.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander had heard of this man''s reputation. He was cold-blooded and greedy, but those weren''t the worst traits¡ªthe most concerning part was that this new Safe Zone Commander had always opposed supporting other safe zones.


    The new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander had said, "Survival of the fittest. Weaklings are just weaklings. No matter how much you save them, they remain weak. What''s the point of saving so many of them? It''s better to keep vital resources for those who truly need them."


    The ones he deemed "truly in need" were ability users.


    Such beliefs, prioritizing ability users and viewing them as superior, were common. Since the start of the apocalypse, when some humans began to evolve with special abilities, these ideas have never been fully suppressed.


    But the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander never expected that such a person would become the new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander.

 Chapter 166 Finding Purpose in the Harvest

    In other words, this winter, Pyeongseong Safe Zone will not be able to obtain supplies from the surrounding safe zones.


    The Safe Zone Commander had been deeply troubled by this situation. But aside from sending the search teams out more frequently to find resources, he couldn''t come up with any other solutions.


    Had he known about this sooner, he could have sent teams further afield to request aid from more distant safe zones. But it was already autumn, with winter approaching faster. With transportation systems paralyzed and the roads filled with dangers, any team sent out would be unlikely to return in time for winter.


    And even if they did, they''d need to haul back large amounts of supplies.


    Fortunately, there was some good news.


    One was the batch of food from Gokmul County. With careful rationing, it could feed a considerable number of people through the winter. The other was Kim Haru.


    "Mr. Kim, only you can save all of Pyeongseong Safe Zone now," the Safe Zone Commander said, looking at Kim Haru. "Your vegetables, your animals¡­ I know you have your secrets. I know you can save Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Please, you must save these people."


    Kim Haru looked at the Safe Zone Commander''s face, unsure of what to say.


    "¡­I''ll think about it."


    In the end, Kim Haru said nothing. He pressed the teleportation device and vanished instantly.


    Kim Haru stayed on his farm for five days. During that time, he didn''t tend to the crops in the fields, didn''t check on the orchard, and didn''t restock his store, which had long since sold out of goods. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After finishing the daily routine of watering the fields, feeding the chickens, and feeding the pigs, Go Okrim couldn''t hold back any longer. He approached Kim Haru and asked, "Kim Haru-hyung, what''s been going on with you? You''ve seemed down these past few days."


    Kim Haru looked at Go Okrim for a moment before asking suddenly, "Gojo, can I ask you something?"


    "Of course, hyung."


    "When you used to stay in that county with your brother, were you happy? And later, when you were on your own, were you happy then? Do you like being around people, or do you feel it''s enough just to live well on your own?"


    Go Okrim thought about it for a while, looking earnestly at Kim Haru. "Kim Haru-hyung, I don''t know what you''re going through, but I''ve thought about this question more than once."


    "In the beginning, staying in the county with my brother, of course, I was happy. I had freedom, no one restricted me, and no one stopped me from doing what I wanted. I could go wherever I pleased, and I had the ability to protect myself and my brother. But before long, I wasn''t happy anymore." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "My brother had already turned into a zombie. He couldn''t talk. He could only understand some simple words. I needed someone to communicate with; I wanted to feel a human presence. Even though I usually didn''t talk much to others, I wanted to know that there was someone there to talk to if I needed it. But with my brother''s presence, I couldn''t. I didn''t dare."


    "Later, when my brother was gone, there was a brief moment of relief. Not because I was happy to lose him, but because I felt that now I wasn''t any different from other humans. They wouldn''t be afraid of me anymore. But that feeling lasted only a moment and quickly disappeared."


    "But it made me realize that humans are social creatures. No one can live entirely alone forever."


    "Kim Haru-hyung, did my answer help you at all?" Go Okrim asked.


    Kim Haru smiled.


    He realized he had been trapping himself in a dead end. He truly couldn''t live entirely alone. His so-called "living alone" before came to this world was only possible because other people delivered what he needed. He had people to play games with, food delivery to bring meals to his door, and the internet to let him chat with others. All these conveniences made him think he didn''t need to leave his home, that he was fine on his own.


    But weren''t those conveniences all provided by other people, in one form or another?


    Kim Haru was sure that if he lost food delivery, express shipping, and the internet, he wouldn''t be able to stay at home and live a comfortable life alone.


    So what was he hesitating over now? As for whether he could really take on the responsibility, that was something he didn''t need to worry about yet. Even if he couldn''t save everyone in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, doing something was better than doing nothing.


    "It helped," Kim Haru said, no longer feeling lost. He patted Go Okrim on the head and thanked him. "For now, let''s just get to work."


    Kim Haru prepared to head to the safe zone to give his reply to the Safe Zone Commander, but just then, he heard the familiar ding of the system notification.


    [ Ding! The tenth type of crop has matured. ]


    [ Ding! Congratulations, you have advanced to "Small Farm Owner."]


    [ Ding! The construction function is unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! The detection function is unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! The consultation function is unlocked. ]


    [ Ding! The system inventory expanded to twenty slots. ]


    [ Ding! The employee recruitment limit increased to ten people. ]


    [ Ding! The beginner wooden cabin is upgraded to a Level 1 wooden cabin. ]


    [ Ding! The iron hoe is upgraded to a bronze hoe. ]


    [ Ding! The iron axe is upgraded to a bronze axe. ]


    [ Ding! The iron... ]


    The system notification sounds kept ringing one after another, only finally quieting down after a while.


    Kim Haru was momentarily stunned.


    How had he suddenly advanced to Level 2?


    He turned around to Go Okrim. "What crops have matured over the past few days?"


    Go Okrim, unsure why Kim Haru was suddenly asking this, counted on his fingers. "One of the sweet potato plants matured unusually fast, so you told me to dig it up and replant it as a seed. Two rapeseed plants also matured yesterday. Oh, and the garlic bulbs you left on my windowsill started sprouting a couple of days ago, so I split them in half and replanted them. They''ve been growing like crazy and might be ready to harvest too."

 Chapter 167 The Mystery of the Tenth Crop

    "And that''s all?" Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    "That''s it?"


    Something felt off. Including the previously matured soybeans, cabbage, and potatoes, there were only five types. Even with the recent rapeseed, sweet potatoes, and garlic, it totaled six types. Where did the ten come from?


    Go Okrim thought for a moment, then turned and pointed at the tallest of the ten wheat plants in the sample field that had been planted first. "That wheat looks a bit different from the rest¡ªcould it have matured too?"


    Kim Haru went over for a closer look. Sure enough, at some point, this wheat plant had already grown a whole bunch of plump, full heads of grain. From their look, they were definitely mature. However, oddly enough, the wheat was still a lush green, not the golden color he was expecting, and the ears of wheat were hidden beneath the leaves, which was probably why he hadn''t noticed them.


    So, counting this wheat plant, he now had seven types of crops.


    But what about the other three?


    Kim Haru''s gaze wandered around the farm.


    Suddenly, he looked toward the lotus leaves in the pond.


    "Gojo, can you swim?"


    "No, I can''t," Go Okrim shook his head and followed Kim Haru''s gaze toward the pond. "Are you planning to go down into the pond, Kim Haru-hyung? We could send in the zombies instead."


    He pointed at the two zombie-bots, who had just finished watering the fields and were now standing motionless in a corner.


    After all, they didn''t need to breathe, weren''t afraid of water, and could still see. They were perfect for the job.


    How the zombies would get back up after going in wasn''t his concern. They could just take their time climbing out.


    Seeing the two zombies, Kim Haru also felt it was a good idea.


    Before long, with their programming tweaked by Go Okrim, the two zombies plopped straight into the water with a splash. Not long after, a fat, white lotus root was tossed out of the pond.


    It landed right at Kim Haru''s feet. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected.


    He picked up the lotus root, delighted.


    It seemed that the system counted this lotus as one of his crops, and now that it had grown an edible lotus root, it was considered mature.


    It made sense, too. Although he hadn''t planted it from a seedling or seed, he had brought this lotus to the farm pond himself, so of course, it counted as something he had planted.


    Thinking along these lines, Kim Haru''s gaze shifted to the pigpen.


    Behind the pigpen, a patch of lush pigweed grew abundantly in the woods. Little Oakie, the manager of the pigpen, had the additional task of controlling the pigweed''s growth and feeding it to Little Snort, the black pig.


    Now that he thought about it, this pigweed had also been grown from seed by Kim Haru. Seeing it reach this flourishing state, it should definitely count as one of his matured crops.


    Although pigweed isn''t exactly a type of food for people, it''s something pigs can eat¡ªand once the pigs grow up, they can be eaten by people. So, in a way, it''s still a food source; no problem there.


    Counting the lotus and pigweed, that made nine mature crops.


    But what about the last one?


    No matter how thoroughly Kim Haru and Go Okrim searched, practically turning over every plant on the farm, they couldn''t find the last one.


    Just as Kim Haru started suspecting a bug in the system, his gaze fell on the dried orange peels he had set on the windowsill.


    "I''ve got it!" Kim Haru immediately pressed the teleportation device. In an instant, he disappeared from the farm and reappeared in the orchard.


    The Space-type zombie that he was placed in the orchard is still alive, so even though it was still in the water somewhere, it didn''t affect his ability to use the teleportation device.


    Once in the orchard, he walked toward the spot where he''d eaten an orange before.


    Sure enough, in the same place stood a mature orange tree. It was growing right where he''d spit out the seeds, which had evidently taken root and sprouted¡ªand now it counted as one of his crops.


    Having found all ten mature plants, Kim Haru didn''t feel relieved.


    He looked at the newly grown orange tree, which appeared no different from the other orange trees around it, his expression darkening.


    He pressed the teleportation device to return to the farm, grabbed an axe and a hoe, then teleported back to the orchard.


    Standing before the new orange tree, he raised the axe without a word and swung.


    With a loud crack, the newly upgraded bronze axe cut a deep notch into the tree with a single strike.


    The orange tree remained unmoved.


    A cold smile tugged at Kim Haru''s lips. Two more swings, and the tree was chopped in half, crashing to the ground with a loud rustle.


    Still unsatisfied, Kim Haru took up his bronze hoe and began digging at the tree''s roots. The bronze hoe was far stronger than the iron one, so it only took a few strikes to fully unearth the roots of the large, well-established orange tree.


    Then, Kim Haru switched back to the axe, methodically chopping the roots and trunk into chunks of wood. He even cut down all the branches on the trunk. Only after he''d tidied everything up did he put the pieces into his system backpack, press the teleporter, and return to the farm.


    Go Okrim came up to him, saying, "Kim Haru-hyung, where did you go? Why didn''t you call me to help?"


    Kim Haru set down the axe and hoe before instructing Go Okrim, "Make sure to check the orchard often for the next couple of days. If you find any trees that suddenly grow big, chop them down without hesitation. Don''t go easy on them, and be careful."


    Go Okrim looked puzzled. "Did something happen?"


    "Our orange trees in the orchard started mutating." Kim Haru showed him the wood he had chopped. "Just a few days ago, I spit out some orange seeds, and today, when I went to check, they''d already grown into a fully mature orange tree. Even with some miracle fertilizer, nothing could grow that fast. So it must be a mutated plant."

 Chapter 168 The Farmhouse Upgrade

    "Mutated plants are usually very dangerous, so it''s best to strike first before we know more about them. Anyway, we have plenty of orange trees in the orchard, so it doesn''t matter if we lose one. Plus, what if the mutated plant bullies the other trees? It could compete for nutrients and squeeze them out of their space. We can''t let it stay, no matter what."


    "I got it." Go Okrim nodded earnestly. "What about Little Oakie?"


    Kim Haru glanced over at Little Oakie, who was diligently cleaning out the pigpen. "Little Oakie is different from other mutated plants. It''s never shown any sign of wanting to attack us and even helped us fix the pigpen last time. It''s a good mutated plant, so it can stay." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mutated plants like the lotus and pigweed, which are harmless and beneficial to the farm, could stay too. Kim Haru considered himself a reasonable person who wouldn''t judge all of them the same way.


    Go Okrim nodded thoughtfully. "Are you still going to the safe zone, hyung? It might rain soon¡ªwhy not wait until tomorrow?"


    Kim Haru blinked. "Rain? It''s going to rain?"


    He looked up at the sky. There weren''t any dark clouds, though.


    Go Okrim pointed at the surrounding trees. "Yes, look around, hyung. All these plants are trembling, so there must be a sudden wind coming, and it might start raining soon."


    Kim Haru looked around. Sure enough, the plants around them were shaking, some even trembling all the way down to their trunks. The wind seemed strong, even though he couldn''t feel it from where he stood¡ªmaybe due to his position. Anyway, he decided not to go today. After all, he''d stayed home for five days straight, so an extra half-day wouldn''t make much of a difference.


    Next time, he''d go to the safe zone to find a decent umbrella or perhaps ask someone who knew how to make one.


    With no rush to go to the safe zone, Kim Haru now had time to explore the changes in his farm after the recent upgrade.


    The most noticeable difference was his wooden cabin. It had upgraded from a beginner wooden cabin to a Level 1 wooden cabin, with a larger space inside. Although it looked the same from the outside, but once he stepped inside, the space felt noticeably more spacious, and the decor was much more refined.


    It was like the difference between a simple one-bedroom unit and a luxurious open-plan apartment.


    Since the cabin was exclusively for Kim Haru, the expanded space still had only one bedroom. But now, the bedroom alone was as large as the entire cabin used to be. His bed had also upgraded, from a basic 1.5-meter one to a 2.3-meter model. There was a carpet, wardrobe, bay window, and even a display screen positioned perfectly for viewing from bed.


    Kim Haru noticed the screen could not only play TV but was also ideal for connecting a gaming console to play games on a big screen.


    The system really thought of everything.


    Kim Haru expressed his delight.


    Beyond the bedroom upgrade, there were significant changes throughout the cabin. Two new rooms had been added: a study room and a recreation room. The study room was minimalistic, featuring a wall of bookshelves and a low desk that suited Kim Haru''s taste. The desk was paired with a cozy lounging sofa¡ªbig enough for one person to recline comfortably¡ªset on a soft carpet, with a floor lamp beside it.


    However¡­


    Kim Haru casually picked up a book from the shelf.


    "Rice Cultivation Handbook?" He sighed, putting the book back where he found it.


    What was the point of such an atmospheric study setup if he''d end up with books like Postpartum Care of the Sow and Neonates? No stylish pose would create any ambiance with those topics.


    The system''s new consultation feature was also connected to the study. Every book on the shelf covered practical subjects, and if Kim Haru asked the system any question, it would find the relevant book and page numbers for him.


    Then he''d have to read it himself.


    "System, you''re nowhere near as flexible as other systems." Kim Haru had completely forgotten he''d just praised the system.


    The recreation room, however, was exactly as he''d imagined it. A full-wall projector and a motion-sensing gaming chair made it an ideal place for him to have fun.


    Besides the two added rooms, the living room and dining area had also been separated in this upgrade. The living room setup remained familiar: a coffee table, a row of sofas, and a TV. In the corner, two decorative potted plants had been added, but when Kim Haru touched them, he realized they were fake.


    The bathroom was now larger, and what had been a basic shower was now a versatile bathtub for both showers and baths.


    The kitchen, naturally, had also changed significantly. It was equipped with a microwave, oven, and dishwasher, and now had two stoves instead of one. High-pressure pots, frying pans, saut¨¦ pans, milk pans, and clay pots were all neatly arranged.


    Looking around the fully equipped kitchen, Kim Haru silently backed out. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Don''t want to cook. Don''t want to cook. Don''t want to cook."


    "Oh, right. After the upgrade, the daily three meals that came as part of the beginner benefits are no longer provided!"


    The realization hit Kim Haru, and he immediately felt deflated.


    This was basically like telling someone who''s used to ordering takeout that they''ll never be able to order it again and must cook every meal themselves¡ªand with limited ingredients, no less. It was a truly miserable piece of news.


    The farm''s staff quota had expanded with the upgrade, so he decided to hire a chef to handle the meals.


    Kim Haru had just stepped out of his cabin when Go Okrim came out of the neighboring staff cabin.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, Kim Haru-hyung! My place got bigger too!"


    The staff dormitory hadn''t changed much, it just expanded from a small 30-square-meter studio to a 40-square-meter unit.

 Chapter 169 Farm Expansion and a Deal with the Safe Zone

    After checking everything out, Kim Haru opened the farming system interface and went to the construction menu.


    He had been eagerly awaiting this feature. Little Nugget and Sir Peckington had both grown quite a bit, and without a proper chicken coop, the two chickens would soon outgrow their current space. And as for Little Snort''s pigpen, winter was approaching, and he couldn''t let it remain so drafty¡ªa proper shelter for warmth was necessary.


    The construction menu had several pages, but currently, only the icons for the chicken coop and pigpen were lit up.


    Wait, hold on.


    When he flipped to the second page, he noticed the cow barn icon had lit up as well.


    It took Kim Haru a while to understand. Apparently, the two zombie-bots, which had been diligently working on the farm, had been classified as "cows" by the system.


    Staring at the cow barn icon, which flickered like it couldn''t fully commit, Kim Haru sensed the system''s internal struggle.


    If these two zombie-bots were categorized as staff, they''d need to show human reasoning and intelligence, but they were clearly driven by nothing but instinct. On the other hand, if they weren''t considered human, what kind of animals were they, then?


    In the end, "cows" seemed to fit best. After all, they toiled tirelessly, just like livestock plowing and clearing land.


    Kim Haru glanced from the newly-lit cow barn icon to the two zombies standing blankly nearby.


    Alright, fine¡ªhe''d build them a cow barn. These zombies already looked rough enough. If they were exposed to the wind, rain, and sun, their flesh might decay even further, making them even more unpleasant to look at. Since they were still quite useful, it would be a shame to let them deteriorate to the point of being unusable.


    Speaking of zombie-bots, Kim Haru remembered something he had instructed Go Okrim to handle.


    "Gojo, how''s it going with that Power Ranger Gang I told you to bring in earlier?"


    Yes, the seven people with rainbow-colored hair who had caused trouble at the Green Basket Vegetable Shop had, unsurprisingly, turned into zombies later that night. Even though Kim Haru was stunned by the sudden news of being "entrusted with a safe zone," he hadn''t forgotten to instruct Go Okrim to discreetly retrieve these new workers. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Naturally, it was done so quietly that no one noticed.


    "Ah, just like what you have said Hyung, they''re over there by the mutated iron trees, training. They''re so clumsy! Even after I programmed them, they''re still so stiff in their movements, nowhere near as nimble as Little Aeris and Little Ignis. I plan to have them chop the mutated iron trees for a few more days until they''re a bit more flexible. Otherwise, I''m worried they''ll mess up the crops we''ve worked so hard to plant if they start working on the farm," Go Okrim explained, her lips pursed in disapproval as he mentioned the newly-arrived zombies. He had even more disdain for them after knowing they''d once eyed Kim Haru''s belongings with ill intentions.


    "They''ve been chopping those mutated iron trees for days now and haven''t even managed to get through the bark. They''re totally useless! Hyung, can''t we just throw them out?"


    "Why waste them? Let''s keep them around to work in the pond¡ªpulling up lotus roots, fertilizing, and stuff like that. Save Little Aeris and Little Ignis for more delicate tasks," Kim Haru replied.


    "Okay, Fine," Go Okrim agreed with a nod.


    "Here, give me a hand and help dismantle this chicken coop," Kim Haru added, completely unconcerned about those defeated enemies. Right now, his focus was on replacing the old chicken coop with a new one. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The upgraded chicken coop had levels. A Level 1 Chicken Coop could house five chickens, with higher levels could accommodating even more. Building a new Chicken Coop required 10,000 gold coins and 100 units of [Wood].


    With his bustling shop business, Kim Haru barely bothered calculating his daily earnings anymore. Gold coins weren''t a concern, and he had enough wood stockpiled. During the orchard fencing project, he''d harvested more ironwood and even cut down a mutated orange tree just now, bringing his wood count to exactly one hundred.


    Just like setting up the cabin, he quickly installed the new chicken coop in the spot where the old one had been.


    Hearing the commotion, Little Nugget and Sir Peckington came waddling over, clucking curiously as they circled their newly upgraded home.


    The new chicken coop wasn''t just spacious; it also had excellent insulation features. There was even a temperature regulator at the door, allowing Kim Haru to adjust the chicken coop to the ideal temperature for the chickens with each season. Inside, the food and water troughs were easy to replace, and there was even a special spot designed for hens to lay eggs¡ªtruly a thoughtful design.


    Little Nugget and Sir Peckington were absolutely delighted.


    After completing the chicken coop, Kim Haru spent an additional 15,000 gold coins to construct a pigpen, even setting up a warm enclosure for Little Oakie.


    The cow shed was positioned next to the pigpen, and two zombies had already wandered inside to take up the residence.


    The entire farm now looked revitalized.


    ...


    As soon as the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, who had been anxiously awaiting Kim Haru''s response, heard that Kim Haru was ready to speak with him, he immediately put down everything and rushed over.


    "Mr. kim."


    Not delay it anymore, Kim Haru got straight to the point. "I''ve decided to agree to your request."


    Before the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander could express his delight, he continued, "But I have one condition."


    "Name it¡ªno, even if it''s ten or a hundred conditions, I''ll agree!"


    "I want all the arable land in Pyeongseong Safe Zone transferred to me," Kim Haru said. "We''ll sign a contract, stamp it, and make an official public announcement."


    "Deal." the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander agreed without hesitation.


    Under Moon Baein''s leadership, there was little dissent in Pyeongseong Safe Zone.

 Chapter 170 Securing Farmland and a Winter Plan

    The entire Safe Zone''s available farmland was quickly tallied up. Unclaimed land was automatically considered Pyeongseong''s property, and a transfer contract was signed under the Safe Zone Commander''s authority, naming Kim Haru as the recipient.


    The remaining land that had owners was negotiated with by the logistics department, and it didn''t take much effort to get them to agree to the transfer in exchange for some supplies and food. Since farmland had become desolate in the post-apocalyptic world, people were willing to trade it for essential items.


    In less than three days, all the farmland in Pyeongseong Safe Zone¡ªboth usable and barren¡ªwas transferred to Kim Haru''s name, encompassing any land that could be used for planting.


    "Mr. Kim, does this look sufficient? Is there anything we might have missed?" Jang Dojang, now Kim Haru''s dedicated assistant, held a thick stack of contracts¡ªthe official paperwork for all the farmland in the Safe Zone.


    Kim Haru didn''t bother reviewing the contracts. He didn''t want the farmland for personal use; only the land that was registered under his name could be utilized by the farming system to produce normal vegetables.


    "This will do. Announce it."


    He didn''t know exactly how he''d save a poor Safe Zone on the brink of winter, but he was determined to start by focusing on what he could control.


    The first step was to stockpile enough food to survive the winter.


    The announcement of all of Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s farmland being transferred to Kim Haru''s name quickly spread throughout the zone. Alongside it came a newly issued task.


    "All residents are to help collect farming tools. Anyone with tools can report to the mission hall in the Ability User Center to sign up for farming work. The daily wages are set at 100 points plus ten crystal cores, with meals being provided."


    As soon as the task was announced, anyone with a bit of sense could understand what was happening.


    "It''s Mr. Haru! Mr. Haru is definitely going to teach us how to grow normal food!"


    "Farming tools, farming tools¡ªI remember seeing a hoe somewhere. Where was it?"


    "Can ability users join? I''m a metal-type ability user, so I could make my own farming tools."


    "I have a sickle. Does that count?"


    "Who has extra farming tools? I''ll pay to buy them¡ªI''m buying!"


    "Ho Chong, you took the axe I lent you before. Hurry up and return it; I need it to sign up."


    "Does a spade count? I have a spade."


    The entire Safe Zone became lively, with people rummaging through their homes for farming tools. Those without tools either found metal-type ability users to make them or formed groups to search outside.


    "Do you think this winter will be easier to get through?"


    Some had that hope.


    ---


    "Not yet," Kim Haru replied, curbing Jang Dojang''s optimism. "First, I don''t know if we''ll be able to grow the needed food before winter fully arrives. Second, food alone won''t be enough. Our measures for warmth are still inadequate."


    "True," agreed Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, joining the discussion. "We have only three months left before winter sets in completely. There''s still a lot to prepare, and many houses in the Fourth Zone aren''t insulated well. It''s a big issue." Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Do we have any materials for quick construction, like cement?" Haru asked. "And what about earth-type ability users¡ªcould we get them to help with building?"


    The Safe Zone Commander shook his head. "That won''t work."


    "A house constructed by earth-type ability users will collapse once it''s no longer supported by their energy, unless they continuously channel energy into it. But that would be too exhausting for them, and it''s not a sustainable solution. As for cement¡­"


    The Safe Zone Commander gave a bitter smile.


    "There''s a cement factory in the neighboring Haneulsae Safe Zone, but their production barely meets their own needs. They haven''t had any surplus to offer us in the past, and now it''s even less likely."


    "Not necessarily," Kim Haru tapped the table thoughtfully. "In the past, they were helping us out of goodwill. But now, we can propose a trade they won''t be able to refuse."


    "A trade they can''t refuse?"


    Jang Dojang and the Safe Zone Commander, no fools themselves, quickly caught on: "Mr. Haru, are you talking about food?"


    "Yes¡ªuninfected, clean food." Haru looked at them intently. "If we offer them virus-free food in exchange for the materials we need, do you think they''ll refuse?"


    Of course, they wouldn''t!


    In this apocalyptic world, food was already extremely precious, and clean, virus-free food was even more valuable. It was a treasure anyone who wanted to survive would be eager to obtain. If a leader of a safe zone was foolish enough to refuse such a trade, it wouldn''t be long before a new leader was appointed.


    But then¡­


    "Do we have enough food to trade?" the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander asked, concerned.


    "Let''s start by taking stock of the current food reserves in the Safe Zone." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, I''ll go call in the logistics department," Jang Dojang said, heading out hastily.


    Once he left, only the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, Moon Baein, and Kim Haru remained in the room.


    The Safe Zone Commander looked at Haru, his expression filled with remorse. "Mr. Kim, I apologize. This burden was never yours to bear. It was selfish of me; I couldn''t accomplish this on my own, so I pushed this responsibility onto you."


    Yet, despite his remorse, Moon Baein didn''t regret his choice. Since he had established this Safe Zone, he had been willing to sacrifice himself if it meant ensuring the survival of its people.


    Still, guilt and gratitude coexisted in his heart.


    Haru replied calmly, "No need to apologize."


    He had made it clear¡ªhis decisions were never forced. If he had taken on this mission, it was because he had chosen to. As Go Okrim had once said, he wanted there to still be a community when he was ready to rejoin it.


    Moon Baein gave a relieved smile.

 Chapter 171 The Winter Trade Plan

    Before long, Jang Dojang returned with the head of the logistics department, Sung Soo, entering the meeting room.


    "Safe Zone Commander, Mr. Kim," Sung Soo greeted them. On the way, Jang Dojang had briefed him on the situation, so without wasting any time, he opened his notebook and began his report.


    Overall, the current food stockpile in Pyeongseong Safe Zone isn''t too low. The main source is the recent batch brought back from Gokmul County, which significantly boosted Pyeongseong''s food reserves. Combined with what was stored earlier, it can sustain everyone in the Safe Zone for a month.


    In a month, a third of winter will have passed. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "It''s far from enough," Kim Haru shook his head. "The last batch of food needs to be kept as seed for this season''s crops; otherwise, my personal seed reserves alone won''t be nearly sufficient."


    Even though Kim Haru could buy seeds directly through the system, it would be far from cost-effective.


    No, this batch of supplies doesn''t need to be planted right now.


    Kim Haru suddenly realized that planting rice or wheat now wouldn''t make it in time. Not only do they have growth cycles of around 100 days, but even if he managed to produce high-efficiency fertilizers to shorten the growth period, waiting until the harvest was complete to use it for trading supplies would simply be too late.


    "How long would a round trip from Pyeongseong Safe Zone to Haneulsae Safe Zone take?" he asked.


    "A month at the fastest," Jang Dojang replied. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is Haneulsae Safe Zone the closest to us? Are there any other safe zones nearby with supplies we''ll need for the winter?"


    "Haneulsae is the closest. There''s also Bogang Safe Zone, a bit farther away; they''re close to salt flats and have a large supply of salt," answered the Pyeongseong City Commander. "Beyond Haneulsae, there''s Ahnhae Safe Zone, which produces a kind of mutated mycelium that can be woven like silk into fabric and it''s great for making warm clothes or bedding."


    "But a round trip to Bogang Safe Zone would take at least a month and a half. Ahnhae Safe Zone is even farther, probably around two months."


    Or rather, Kim Haru thought this might be even better since they could play with the timing.


    "Let''s do this¡ªfirst, gather a team and prepare to go out for trade," Kim Haru calculated. "Tell them not to bring too much food and go together to the three Safe Zones. On the return, bring back the supplies we need and let people from the other Safe Zones come along to pick up their share of the food here."


    "We''ll say that carrying too much makes travel difficult, and that Pyeongseong Safe Zone doesn''t have many Space-type ability users," Jang Dojang suggested.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander also understood what Kim Haru was aiming for. He considered it and instructed Sung Soo, "When you go back, record a video showing our food reserves, and I''ll record a commitment to the trade. We''ll guarantee that we''re willing to use these food reserves to trade for supplies and won''t deceive them."


    Kim Haru nodded.


    It took Sung Soo a moment to catch up with the group''s thinking, and she hesitated. "But Commander, when the trade team returns, will we have enough food to give out to them?"


    Yes, the key point of this plan was ensuring that, by the time the trade team returned, Pyeongseong Safe Zone would have sufficient food stockpiled.


    With limited time, they couldn''t afford to negotiate one Safe Zone at a time. All three trade teams had to head to the Safe Zones simultaneously. For the supplies needed to secure everyone''s survival through winter, it would take more than a minimal amount of food for barter.


    If each of the three trade teams took enough food for a full exchange, they could scrape it together from Pyeongseong''s current reserves. But what then? They''d be left with nothing. Not only would they lack reserves for winter, but even the seeds for spring planting would be gone.


    So, they''d only be offering a down payment for now.


    The video of the food reserves was meant to assure the other Safe Zones that Pyeongseong Safe Zone had the capability to fulfill their food promise. With a direct commitment from the Safe Zone Commander on video, the reliability would increase.


    If the people from the other Safe Zones agreed to the trade, they would accompany the team back to Pyeongseong Safe Zone with the supplies, both to ensure the exchange was honored and to transport their food back.


    This trading process posed no issues for either side in terms of time or security. Even for the farthest Ahnhae Safe Zone, they''d still have time to collect their food and return before winter''s arrival.


    Everything would be fine as long as Pyeongseong Safe Zone had enough food to trade by the time they sent people over.


    For Kim Haru, as long as timing wasn''t an issue, neither was anything else.


    He turned his head to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, "If we show rice and wheat in the video but use potatoes and cabbage for the trade, they shouldn''t get upset and back out, right?"


    The Commander of Pyeongseong chuckled, "Come now, it''s all food, isn''t it? As long as the quantity''s right, who cares about the type? Besides, your potatoes and cabbage are much better than those rice and wheat stocks that have been sitting around who knows how long¡ªthey''re fresher and tastier. Anyone with sense would know which to pick."


    Kim Haru shrugged.


    Exactly. He thought so too.


    At first, he almost made the mistake of assuming rice and wheat had to be used as seeds, forgetting that the system''s three beginner seeds matured in just three days. Potatoes especially yielded a massive harvest¡ªperfect for a time like this.


    "Let''s get started, then." Kim Haru stood up. "I won''t handle the trade itself. Just leave me to the planting."


    "Alright, you just handle the farming, and I''ll take care of everything else," the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander promised. With a major issue on the brink of being resolved, his mood lightened significantly, and he even mischievously flashed a "peace" sign at Kim Haru.


    ...


    Afterward, the entire Pyeongseong Safe Zone entered a busy phase.


    The ability user team in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone wasn''t that large. After the official call for three trade teams, there were less than a hundred ability users left in the Safe Zone.

 Chapter 172 Preparing the Fields for Winter Survival

    These ability users were responsible for protecting the Safe Zone, guarding against unexpected crises like zombie hordes or mutated creatures.


    Among them were some ability users like Hwa Jian, who had little combat power.


    The rest were ordinary people without abilities.


    However, Kim Haru''s farming didn''t require ability users.


    Once the preliminary preparations were done, almost everyone in the Safe Zone¡ªmen and women alike¡ªwas equipped with a hoe. Some, unable to get iron hoes, even made stone hoes from hard rocks. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    There were quite a few people using stone hoes.


    Kim Haru didn''t mind; as long as they found the tools comfortable to use, it was fine by him.


    With the tools ready, the first step was, as usual, to clear the land. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The land now under Kim Haru''s name was technically called arable land, but in reality, aside from the research facility area, where the researchers occasionally replanted for experiments, the rest had been abandoned. To plant seeds, the land had to be tilled again.


    The stones in the soil were all cleared away, and the larger clumps of dirt were broken up. Occasionally, they unearthed some plant roots, but they weren''t mutated; they were dried out and withered beyond recognition.


    Near the outskirts of the safe zone, however, someone digging up the ground unearthed a living root. After a sharp scream, an ability user, who was always on alert, quickly burned the root to ashes.


    "It''s fine. It''s just the lowest level of mutated grass," they reassured.


    After burning the root, the ability users comforted everyone and continued their patrol along the safe zone wall.


    The person who had been startled but unharmed let out a sigh of relief. Once their nerves settled, they went back to digging the soil.


    With a single strike of the hoe, the lingering fear quickly turned into a sense of joy.


    Perhaps it was the land itself that had a certain appeal for the people here. Just the thought of being able to personally grow food on the land in front of them brought a deep sense of security.


    Besides, this was Kim Haru preparing for the entire Safe Zone to survive the winter. How could they not contribute their share?


    The whole Safe Zone worked together, waking up early and working late into the day. Even though the land clearing was exhausting, just two days later, a large area of the field had been tilled and was now soft and ready for planting.


    Kim Haru took out all his potatoes, cabbages, and soybeans.


    This included the ones he had planned to sell in his shop.


    "Boss, these are your personal stock..." Hwa Jian, whose ability was too weak to be assigned any patrol tasks, had taken on the farming duties as well. Every day, he also cleaned the shop, even though the system-managed shop didn''t actually require cleaning.


    When he saw Kim Haru take all the inventory from the shop, Hwa Jian couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    He knew that what his boss was doing was helping the entire Safe Zone survive the winter, but perhaps because of his post-apocalyptic selfish tendencies, he couldn''t help but feel that using his personal stock to help everyone was somewhat unfair.


    Hwa Jian admired his boss and didn''t want him to suffer a loss.


    "It''s fine," Kim Haru said without stopping his work. He quickly packed up the things he needed and took them away.


    Although Kim Haru had already prepared himself to make a loss when he decided to help the Safe Zone through the winter, in reality, he wouldn''t lose anything. From the moment the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander handed over the control of the Safe Zone to Kim Haru, he had access to all the crystal core within the Safe Zone, which meant he could take whatever he wanted without issue.


    Of course, Kim Haru would never do something so dishonorable.


    From now on, the daily rewards for the people farming, including their food, would be provided by the Safe Zone, so Kim Haru didn''t need to pay for anything.


    Even if Kim Haru had to give something up now, once the harvest came in, if he wanted, he could easily recover what he''d put in. Of course, he could.


    Once the entire winter passed, what would he not gain from this? How could he lose anything?


    Hwa Jian, having been worn down by the hardships of the apocalypse, just hadn''t thought of that.


    The first batch of seeds had already been planted, all provided by Kim Haru. This batch wasn''t enough to fill all the fields, and at most, it covered about one-eighth of the entire Safe Zone.


    Kim Haru thought for a moment and decided to plant some rice in a small section of the land that had already been cleared.


    Rice and wheat needed 100 days to mature¡ªabout three months. If everything was planted later, relying on fertilizer to shorten the growth period might cause issues. Since there weren''t enough short-term seeds, he decided to plant a batch of long-growing crops first and wait for them to mature slowly.


    After the seeds were planted, the land clearing continued, while the already cleared sections of land were designated for building fermentation pits in suitable corners of the Safe Zone.


    Fertilizer was a necessity. To grow more food before winter, they had to rely on this fertilizer.


    Making the fermentation pits didn''t require Kim Haru''s direct guidance. Many people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone had farmed before the apocalypse and knew how to build these pits. Even if someone didn''t know, there were the researchers from the plant research institute to help.


    At this stage, it wasn''t just Kim Haru who was busy; the researchers at the plant research institute were also working tirelessly.


    Once the fermentation pits were dug, Kim Haru needed to personally sprinkle the crystal cores into them. Fortunately, this task didn''t require much physical effort. He simply rode around on a balance scooter, stopping at several points, and finished the task with ease.

 Chapter 173 An Unexpected Problem and New Beginnings

    The people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone didn''t understand why crystal cores were added to the fertilizer, but since Mr. Kim said it should be done this way, they followed his instructions without question. Although they were puzzled, their hands didn''t stop moving.


    Perhaps it was part of Mr. Kim''s ability, like using crystal cores to alter the properties of materials or something like that. In any case, they just followed his orders.


    After planting the first batch of the seeds, Kim Haru was almost ready to rest.


    Next, he only had to wait for the crops to mature, and then continue turning them into seeds and plant them in the other cleared fields, following the same process as the first batch. There was no difference. The cabbage seeds required a few more days to mature, waiting for the cabbage to bloom and age, so he would just plant more potatoes in the meantime.


    Anyway, potatoes produced in large quantities.


    However, before Kim Haru could fully relax, someone urgently came looking for him.


    It was Jang Dojung, the director of the plant research institute.


    "Mr. Kim, the potato sprouts in one of the fields have mutated!" Jang Dojung, now looking a bit disheveled and covered in dirt, as if he had been battling something, said urgently. "Luckily, they are just small plants that have just mutated, and the abilities users have already suppressed them. But no one knows where the problem started. Please, Mr. Kim, come and take a look!"


    Kim Haru immediately stood up. "Let''s go!"


    How could this happen? According to plan, the land had already been under his ownership as part of the farm. The plow didn''t require system tools, and the land that had been cleared by Little Aeris and Little Ignis¡ªthe two zombies-botw¡ªwas doing just fine. There shouldn''t have been any issues with this one either, right?


    Furrowing his brows, Kim Haru followed Jang Dojung to the mutated potato field.


    At this moment, the potato field was in chaos. The mutated potato sprouts that had been killed were lying everywhere, some still burning, others frozen into ice blocks, and some even had their leaves twitching, resembling octopus tentacles.


    Only a few potato sprouts had not mutated and were growing steadily.


    Kim Haru now understood why Jang Dojung looked so disheveled. He must have been one of the ability users who participated in suppressing the mutated potato sprouts, looking much like the others around them.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing Kim Haru''s arrival, the people around immediately stepped aside.


    Without a word, Kim Haru walked directly into the field and began inspecting the healthy potato sprouts.


    [ Potato ]


    [ Health Status: Mild virus infection. (Infection source: water, Solution: change the water.) ]


    Now he understood!


    Kim Haru slapped his palm in realization, a bit frustrated with himself.


    How could he have forgotten about this? The land that had been cleared earlier had either been watered by the system''s automatic irrigation or watered by the two zombies using the system''s watering cans. The water had been treated by the system and contained no trace of the mutagenic virus, so the crops remained unaffected.


    But he had grown accustomed to using water that was free of viruses, and he had forgotten that other water sources needed to be purified before use.


    Fortunately, the issue was caught early. The mutated potato sprouts hadn''t been very powerful, and no casualties had occurred, with only a small amount of crops wasted. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t water the plants yet, wait for a moment," Kim Haru said, leaving the instruction before pressing the transmitter and vanishing in front of the others.


    The people around looked at each other, unsure.


    "Did Mr. Kim figure out the cause?"


    "It sounds like it''s a problem with the water."


    "So what do we do now?"


    "Just wait. Mr. Kim must have a solution."


    "Inform everyone not to water the fields for now." Jang Dojung,l who is staying behind, took charge of the situation. Soon, the order was spread throughout the area.


    Kim Haru had returned to the farm.


    Go Okrim, who had been idly playing with the small flowers in the chicken coop, suddenly saw someone appear before him.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, you''re done?" Dropping the Sir Peckington, Go Okrim eagerly followed Kim Haru.


    In the past few days, Kim Haru had been busy with the Safe Zone''s matters, leaving Go Okrim to stay at the farm and look after things. They only saw each other in the evenings when Kim Haru returned to rest. Seeing him now, Go Okrim was delighted.


    "Not yet. I encountered a problem," Kim Haru said as he wandered around the cabin, finally grabbing a watering can. "I need to head out now. I''ll be back in the evening."


    Go Okrim waved, "Come back home soon, hyung."


    ...


    Kim Haru while holding a watering can, returned to the Safe Zone and found Hwa Jian. "Can you find Han Gwonhee for me? Please call him over."


    While Hwa Jian went to search, Kim Haru used the sound-transmitting snail to contact Jang Dojang, asking him to set up a few large water containers near the water source, the ones that would make it easy for people to fetch water.


    Jang Dojang immediately sent people to carry out the task.


    Before long, Hwa Jian returned with Han Gwonhee.


    "Boss, I''ll leave you to talk¡­" Hwa Jian started, intending to excuse himself.


    "You stay too," Kim Haru interrupted, stopping Hwa Jian from leaving.


    "Oh," Hwa Jian responded, nodding.


    Following Kim Haru, Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee entered the ''Green Basket Vegetable Shop'' and watched as he closed the door behind them. Suddenly, a sense of nervous anticipation filled the air.


    It wasn''t a fearful kind of nervousness but rather the kind that arises when someone feels they''re about to be entrusted with an important responsibility.


    Hwa Jian''s intuition was right.


    Kim Haru looked at both Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee and asked, "Would you like to become my employees?"


    Yes, Kim Haru intended to hire them as staff members in the farming system, just like Go Okrim.

 Chapter 174 Securing the Water Supply and Gaining Trust

    He had already noticed Hwa Jian''s excellent work and had been meaning to recruit him for the farm, though he had been too busy to get around to it. As for Han Gwonhee, he didn''t know him as well, but since he was a friend of Hwa Jian, he trusted that Han Gwonhee''s character was likely reliable. And with a critical task ahead, hiring Han Gwonhee as a farm employee seemed like the safest option.


    Hwa Jian was a bit stunned. "Boss, I''m already an employee of your shop, aren''t I?"


    But Han Gwonhee reacted more quickly. "Is there a¡­ condition?"


    Hearing this, Hwa Jian quickly realized what Kim Haru meant. The kind of ''employee'' Haru was referring to must be different from what he had imagined.


    "The condition is that we need an employee contract, and once you sign the contract you can''t betray me." As for what might happen if they did betray, Kim Haru didn''t spell it out¡ªboth of them could already imagine the consequences. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I accept," Hwa Jian said, raising his hand. He not only agreed right away himself but also encouraged Han Gwonhee. "The boss is a great person; you think so too, don''t you?"


    "¡­I accept too." Han Gwonhee didn''t hesitate for long.


    Kim Haru had expected this outcome. He pulled out two contracts prepared by the system, and both sides signed them.


    Once this was done, he took out the watering can and addressed Han Gwonhee. "I have a task for you now. This is an important tool, and I believe you can protect it. Starting today, you''ll be responsible for the water supply for all the farmland."


    Kim Haru demonstrated to Han Gwonhee how to use the watering can.


    It was actually quite simple¡ªjust fill it with water and pour it out. The old iron watering can could cover ten plots per fill, but the upgraded bronze watering can now covered fifty plots per fill.


    Meanwhile, Jang Dojang had finished setting up the water containers near the water source.


    The logistics department had also brought out a few old grain storage water jars, which they''d repurposed for this use.


    Kim Haru led Han Gwonhee to the water source.


    The water source for the Pyeongseong Safe Zone was a modest river¡ªnot fit for direct drinking, but suitable for washing things.


    Jang Dojang, who had set up the water jars, remained nearby as instructed, and he had also called Jang Dojung over.


    Seeing Kim Haru, both of them came forward.


    "Sir, is this enough water jars?" Jang Dojang asked.


    "Does this mean Mr. Kim has found a solution?" Jang Dojung added.


    In front of the three of them, Kim Haru used the watering can to draw water from the river and poured it into one of the water jars. Then he placed the watering can into Han Gwonhee''s hands.


    "From now on, Han Gwonhee will fill the jars daily. Everyone else can fetch water from the jars to irrigate the fields," Haru instructed. "After filling the jars, Han Gwonhee will return the watering can to the shop, and I''ll arrange for someone to pick it up."


    "This water¡­" Jang Dojang and Jang Dojung both peered into the water jars, and an incredible suspicion formed in their minds.


    Han Gwonhee also realized what this meant. Clutching the watering can close to his chest, his expression grew increasingly vigilant.


    If their suspicion was correct, then this item in his hands would be a treasure fought over by the world.


    Kim Haru nodded his head and confirming their assumption. "The watering can can purify the water. I only have this one¡ªif it''s lost, it can''t be replaced." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What Kim Haru didn''t mention was that if the watering can fell into the hands of someone without his authorization, it would simply function as an ordinary watering can, with no special abilities at all.


    As soon as he said this, the three people before him tensed up.


    Jang Dojang looked even more concerned. "How can something so valuable be protected by Han Gwonhee alone? I''ll arrange for a few more ability user to help guard it."


    Jang Dojung also seemed uneasy. "Mr. Kim, are you sure it''s wise to bring out something so precious? If clean water is what we need, perhaps we could rely on water-type ability user."


    "It''s not enough," Kim Haru replied, shaking his head. He had indeed considered using water-type abilities, but the farmland in the entire safe zone required irrigation, and they needed the purest water, free from any trace of the mutagenic virus. Only a few ability user could produce water of this quality, and certainly not in the quantities they needed.


    And they would have to provide it every single day.


    Jang Dojung fell silent, realizing the truth.


    Finally, the arrangements were settled. Jang Dojang not only assigned people to escort Han Gwonhee but also stationed guards at every spot where the water jars were placed.


    With the water supply problem resolved, the planting process moved smoothly.


    Each day brought visible changes to the initial plots of land. The soil that had been bare yesterday would have small green shoots peeking out by the next morning. Another day, and the plants were already stretching tall.


    At first, seeing this rapid growth, everyone was concerned that the plants might be mutating again. They specifically called in ability user to check, who eventually confirmed that the plants were, in fact, free from any mutation. The team from the plant research institute was so skeptical they even brought testing equipment to measure each plant. Every reading returned a solid zero for the mutagenic virus level.


    This result left the entire safe zone both astonished and overjoyed. Every day, the crowds would gather at the fields just to catch a glimpse of this green sight.


    At the same time, the people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone grew increasingly respectful of Mr. Kim, the man who are responsible for cultivating these crops. Some had even privately begun to revere him as a deity.

 Chapter 175 The Harvest and the Mysterious Wheat

    They believed that if someone like Mr. Kim, who had saved the entire safe zone, wasn''t divine, then who could possibly be?


    Kim Haru himself was unaware that people were elevating his status in this way. Over the three days the crops were growing, he finally allowed himself to relax and rest comfortably in his small cabin.


    On the third day, his sound-transmitting snail started ringing frantically.


    When he answered, Jang Dojung''s voice burst through, "Mr. Kim! Mr. Kim! They''ve ripened! The potatoes, cabbages, and even soybeans¡ªthey''ve all fully matured!"


    Kim Haru realized that three days had already passed.


    Time really flew by.


    "Oh," he replied calmly, "Then go ahead and harvest them."


    There was a pause on the other end, and Jang Dojung sounded slightly stunned. "Are you sure they''re ready to be harvested? Perhaps you should come take a look, sir. None of us have seen normal plants grow this quickly before, and we''re worried we might mess something up if we try to handle it ourselves."


    "Alright," Haru agreed. He had planned to oversee the harvest anyway.


    That day, nearly everyone who had heard the news in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone showed up. The crowds that was gathered around the lush green fields, forming a sea of people.


    The moment HlKim Haru appeared, cheers erupted from the crowd, louder and more enthusiastic than the reception for any international celebrity.


    Kim Haru was taken aback.


    "Why are there so many people?" he murmured, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the overwhelming crowd.


    Jang Dojang, who was aware of Haru''s preferences, quickly had a makeshift canopy set up and shielding him from view while explaining, "Everyone heard that the crops are ready to be harvested, so they rushed over to see. After all, with how long the apocalypse has dragged on, this is the first batch of completely normal plants anyone has grown. It''s only natural for them to be excited."


    Kin Haru understood.


    Alright, as long as he couldn''t see them now, he could just pretend they weren''t there.


    Jang Dojung approached and asked, "Mr. Kim, do you think these are ready for harvesting?"


    He leaned down to touch one of the plants. "Yes, they''re ready."


    Jang Dojung still seemed hesitant. "So¡­ we just harvest them? Is there nothing special we should keep in mind?" Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Oh, there is one thing."


    "What''s that?" Jang Dojung''s expression immediately grew serious.


    "When you''re digging up the potatoes, be careful not to damage them," Kim Haru advised, drawing on his own experience from previous harvests. "The potatoes in the ground are much larger than you''d expect."


    Jang Dojung: "..." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s it? Just that simple?


    After confirming that Kim Haru truly had no additional instructions, Jang Dojung gave the order to the research team to begin organizing the harvest.


    As the first shovel hit the ground, a potato popped up to the surface, fully exposed before everyone''s eyes.


    "Ahhhh! It''s a real potato! A normal, non-mutated potato!"


    "Haha, Dad, did you see that? We''ve grown normal food too!"


    "There''s hope now, hope for the apocalypse, hope for humanity!"


    "It''s all thanks to Mr. Kim! Thank you, Mr. Kim!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Kim!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Kim!"


    One voice after another rose as more and more crops were harvested and piled up higher and higher. Gradually, the dark clouds in the sky parted, and sunlight began to shine through.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone welcomed its first autumn harvest since the apocalypse began. The fields were so abundant with crops that it took more than a day or two to gather them all. Every day, countless people wandered around the edges of the farmland, to the point where it became a habit for them to look at the fields to feel assured enough to start their day''s work.


    Everyone knew that these fields were their guarantee for surviving the winter. Without needing instructions from higher-ups, people took it upon themselves to guard the area closely, even reporting if someone cast an odd look at the crops.


    With things this well-protected, Kim Haru didn''t have to worry much.


    After harvesting the first batch of potatoes, cabbage, and soybeans, he used them directly as seeds for the second batch. Once these were all planted, the remaining land was sown with wheat, rice, and corn seeds brought from Gokmul County.


    This round of planting also aligned with the fermentation of fertilizers from the various local pits, making them ready for use. Kim Haru didn''t need to supervise everything; he only had to give an instruction, and the tasks were efficiently carried out by others.


    With everything proceeding smoothly, Kim Haru could finally relax in his small cabin again.


    During the days spent setting up the safe zone''s farmland, he hadn''t had a chance to tend to his small farm. Returning to it now, he noticed that the wheat plant that had already matured seemed to have grown even taller.


    Squatting in front of the wheat, Kim Haru called out Go Okrim, "Gojo, can you bring me the sickle?"


    Go Okrim brought the sickle over. "Kim Haru-hyung, what are you doing squatting there?"


    "Harvesting wheat," Kim Haru replied, pointing to the wheat plant in front of him.


    Although it was odd that the mature wheat hadn''t turned golden and seemed to keep growing, it didn''t stop Kim Haru from harvesting it. The wheat''s head was full and plump, suggesting a good yield.


    With one hand holding the wheat and the other gripping the sickle, Kim Haru was about to cut at the base of the plant.


    The two little balls, Little Nugget and Sir Peckington, also wandered over to watch the scene, as if they were waiting for any fallen grains to snack on.


    Just as the sickle touched the wheat, Kim Haru suddenly felt his hand go empty.


    The entire wheat stalk in front of him vanished!


    "What the¡ª" Startled, Kim Haru thought he''d encountered something supernatural. Just as he stood up, before he could say a word, he noticed a familiar-looking plant.

 Chapter 176 The Mutated Wheats Strange Behavior

    The wheat that had just disappeared was now huddling near the fence, shivering, its leaves hugging one another tightly, almost as if it wanted to curl into a ball. If it had eyes, a nose, and a mouth, it would practically look like a person.


    The wheat had mutated without anyone realizing it!


    "Holy¡ª!" Kim Haru swore in surprise, unable to hold back.


    Go Okrim who is standing beside him, was also stunned by the sight. "When did this thing mutated? It was so quiet, not a single movement. If it hadn''t feared you were really about to cut it down, it might never have shown its true form, huh?"


    "This thing sure knows how to play dead."


    Kim Haru had the same thought.


    "Quick, go find some rope," he instructed Go Okrim immediately.


    For now, he figured it was best to just tie up the mutated wheat; who knew if it could be dangerous? While Go Okrim went to get the rope, Kim Haru held his sickle and kept a close watch on the mutated wheat, his eyes unblinking, afraid that if he looked away for even a second, the thing would run away.


    Fortunately, the mutated wheat didn''t make any attempt to flee; it just huddled against the fence, trembling.


    Soon enough, the green, mutated wheat was tightly bound with a thick hemp rope. To ensure it couldn''t burrow or escape in any other way, Kim Haru and Go Okrim moved a glass coffee table from the living room and placed the wheat on top, then covered it with an overturned basket.


    This way, there was no chance for the mutated wheat to escape, no matter where it tried to go.


    Both Kim Haru and Go Okrim pulled up stools and sat around the basket, watching. Little Nugget and Sir Peckington, curiously jumped onto the coffee table, their tiny eyes trying to peer through the basket''s gaps. Kim Haru gently nudged them back, warning, "Be careful, you two, or it might wrap you up with one of its leaves and gobble you up."


    "Kim Haru-hyung, plants don''t eat meat¡­right?" Go Okrim said, slightly unsure.


    "Who knows? It''s mutated, after all." Kim Haru shrugged, keeping his sickle firmly in hand. Since he''d learned the wheat feared the sickle, he wasn''t going to miss the chance to use it as a threat.


    "Can you speak? If you can, nod; if you can''t, shake your head," he said, poking the tip of the sickle through a gap in the basket.


    The next moment, the mutated wheat inside the basket began shaking its head frantically.


    Go Okrim couldn''t help but laugh, "Hyung, if it could actually talk, it wouldn''t need to nod or shake its head, would it? It would just¡­speak."


    Kim Haru paused, feeling a bit flustered from the shock. Shooting Go Okrim a look, he continued interrogating the mutated wheat. "When did you mutate?"


    Oh, right¡ªsince it couldn''t speak, it could only respond with a nod or a shake, so that question was unanswerable.


    Just as he was about to rephrase his question, the mutated wheat inside the basket twisted one of its leaves into a small, round shape, forming it into a little ball.


    "A ball? Zero? What does that mean?" Kim Haru muttered, confused.


    "I have no idea either," Go Okrim said, shrugging.


    The two of them frowned, thinking hard, but no matter how long they pondered, they couldn''t figure it out.


    Seeing this, the mutated wheat inside the basket grew worried that if the two humans couldn''t guess correctly, they might decide to kill it. In a panic, it waved a few of its leaves frantically, gesturing with urgency.


    Finally, when Kim Haru noticed two of the wheat''s leaves pressed together, forming a pointed shape like a young sprout, a light bulb went off in his mind.


    "A seedling?" he asked. "Are you saying you mutated as soon as you sprouted?"


    The mutated wheat nodded enthusiastically.


    Kim Haru finally understood.


    No wonder this wheat plant had been larger than the others from the very beginning, and no wonder using the system to check its growth cycle had shown nothing; mutated plants didn''t grow on a normal schedule. It turned out that from the start, his sample field had been harboring a mutated plant. It had been slyly pretending to be a regular wheat stalk, blending in to soak up nutrients, without showing any sign of its true nature. If its life hadn''t been in danger this time, who knows how much longer it would have kept up the disguise.


    Thinking back, Kim Haru realized that he''d been walking back and forth beside this mutated plant every day, even touching it from time to time. Not only him¡ªGo Okrim had watered it, and even the two chickens had been scratching the soil around it, hunting for food.


    Yet, they''d all coexisted peacefully this whole time.


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    Kim Haru couldn''t help but find it fascinating.


    What exactly was this mutated wheat trying to accomplish?


    At least now he was certain it wasn''t going to harm anyone on his side.


    Satisfied with that, Kim Haru withdrew the sickle and lifted the basket off the wheat.


    Before he could even decide what to do with the mutated wheat, it seized its freedom and, in an instant, launched itself at him! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Be careful, hyung¡­huh?" Go Okrim exclaimed in shock as she watched the scene unfold before her.


    Kim Haru was equally bewildered.


    The mutated wheat didn''t attack him as they''d anticipated. Instead, it latched onto his arm, wrapping two of its leaves¡ªone on each side¡ªaround his arm. It wriggled slightly, looking for all the world like a pitiful child seeking comfort.


    Kim Haru used his other hand to gently peel it off, but as soon as he released it, the wheat clung back to him.


    "What are you doing?" Kim Haru asked, unable to pull the mutated wheat off his arm, no matter how hard he tried or shook it off.


    Hearing the question, the mutated wheat didn''t loosen its grip on his arm, instead using two more leaves to form a heart shape.


    Kim Haru: "..."

 Chapter 177 Little Wheaties New Home

    Go Okrim: "Hyung, this thing probably thinks you''re its dad because you''re the one who planted it."


    To be honest, Kim Haru was also starting to think the same thing.


    He looked at the mutated wheat that was clinging to his arm and tried to reason with it. "Look, look here, okay? You''re green all over your body, but I''m, have black hair and white skin¡ªno green. I''ve got arms and legs, but you''ve just got leaves. I''ve got eyes, a nose, a mouth, and hair. I can''t be planted in the ground, and I don''t need watering or fertilizing. We''re not the same species, do you get it?"


    Mutated wheat: No, I don''t get it. I just want a hug.


    The mutated wheat continued to stick to Kim Haru, paying no attention to his reasoning.


    "Haru, let me try," Go Okrim said, unable to stand by and watch. He''d never even gotten to act cute with Haru''s arm, and now a plant had beaten him to it. He was fuming.


    Kim Haru stretched his arm out, and Go Okrim grabbed the mutated wheat''s roots, pulling it outward.


    Pull harder! Pull harder!


    With a loud thud, Go Okrim fell flat on his back, but the mutated wheat remained stubbornly stuck to Kim Haru''s arm. It didn''t break free, even with that much force. It was incredibly elastic.


    Go Okrim, frustrated, grabbed the sickle that Kim Haru had set down earlier and threatened the wheat, "If you don''t let go, I''ll cut you!"


    At that moment, the mutated wheat shuddered and shrank away, sliding off Kim Haru''s arm as though it were shaking in fear. A pitiful "Ying ying ying" sound seemed to echo.


    "Haru, this mutated plant might be dangerous. We should just get rid of it."


    "Ying!" The mutated wheat cried out again.


    Now, Kim Haru was sure he hadn''t misheard¡ªthe plant could actually make noises.


    Go Okrim heard it too: "Haru, did you hear that? It just said it couldn''t talk earlier. It lied to you! This little liar, what good is it? Let''s toss it."


    "Ying Ying!" The mutated wheat panicked, trying to grab onto Kim Haru''s arm again. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Go Okrim blocked it with the sickle.


    "Alright, stop teasing it," Kim Haru said, putting the sickle away. "It seems like you can only make this one sound. Since you''re harmless, I guess I can let you stay. But what good will be by keeping you around do?"


    Kim Haru pointed to the small green plant by the pigsty and the pig grass, then gestured toward the lotus flowers in the pond. "They each have a role¡ªone''s a worker, one''s food, and one''s feed. What about you?"


    Hearing that it could stay, the mutated wheat was overjoyed. It immediately began waving its leaves around, trying to show Kim Haru its abilities.


    With the previous experience, Kim Haru understood faster this time.


    After deciphering the gestures of the mutated wheat, Kim Haru felt overjoyed.


    "You can shorten the growth cycle of other wheat?!" he asked, astonished.


    "Ying!" The mutated wheat nodded vigorously.


    Worried that Kim Haru might not believe it, it jumped off the tea table and quickly walked toward a wheat plant in the sample field, signaling for Kim Haru to touch it.


    Kim Haru understood its intention. He checked the wheat''s remaining growth days with the system.


    88 days.


    After Kim Haru touched it, the mutated wheat began moving. Without doing anything obvious, it extended a leaf toward the wheat. Before it even touched the plant, it made a change. Kim Haru checked again.


    84 days.


    It was indeed shorter!


    Kim Haru was excited.


    Although it had only shortened by four days, it was still progress. And from the mutated wheat''s actions, it seemed that as its abilities grew and it gained more control over the wheat, the growth periods of the plants would shorten even more.


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    This was definitely a great skill.


    "Not bad, not bad, you can stay," Kim Haru said, even more impressed as he looked at the mutated wheat. "Since you can move around, you can pick where you want to stay. Feel free to root anywhere nearby, just don''t take over other plants'' territories."


    With that, Kim Haru took the mutated wheat over to the other side of the pond, letting it familiarize itself with its future working environment.


    "The wheat field is in your hands now." Kim Haru squatted down, patting what he assumed to be the mutated wheat''s "shoulder." "To make things easier, I''ll give you a name. Hmm, let''s call you Little Wheatie. Nice and simple."


    The newly named Little Wheatie didn''t mind its horrible name at all. In fact, it began to dance happily, or rather, waved its leaves and roots in joy.


    Only Go Okrim seemed less than pleased.


    He felt his position was being threatened by this little Wheat.


    Look at it, wobbling along behind Kim Haru, slowing down his steps. What if it actually tripped him up?


    Kim Haru shared Go Okrim''s sentiment, though he was more amused than annoyed.


    He stopped and looked back. "Could you maybe stop following me so closely?"


    Kim Haru didn''t mind if he tripped over it, but he was more concerned that the little guy was trailing him so tightly that if he made a sudden turn, he might accidentally step on it.


    This was his precious helper, the one that sped up the maturity of his crops. If it got damaged, he wouldn''t know where to find a doctor to treat a mutated plant.


    "Ying Ying~"


    Little Wheatie made a soft, pleading sound while lifting its two leaves toward Kim Haru, as if asking to be picked up.


    Why did this feel like a child asking a parent for a hug?


    Kim Haru who had been single in the previous life, and single now, and planned to stay single, gave a slight cough and shifted his gaze toward the pigpen.


    "Look over there¡ªthere''s one of your kind. Its name is Little Oakie. Be good, and go play with Little Oakie."

 Chapter 178 Lotus Root Harvest and Chestnut Treats

    Little Wheatie glanced over at Little Oakie by the pigpen, then quickly lost interest and turned back. Just as it was about to ask Kim Haru for a hug again, Go Okrim grabbed it in one swift motion. "When hyung tells you to go play with Little Oakie, you go play with Little Oakie. Disobedient kids might just get sliced up by a sickle, you know." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, Go Okrim carried Little Wheatie over to the pigpen and tossed it next to Little Oakie. "Little Oakie, here''s a playmate for you. Keep it entertained."


    As Little Oakie nodded, Go Okrim added with emphasis, "And especially teach it to distinguish between humans and plants. Not everyone''s its dad."


    Oh.


    Little Oakie nodded again in understanding.


    Feeling satisfied after ridding himself of the clingy Little Wheatie, Go Okrim dusted his hands off and made his way back to Kim Haru.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, I''ve finished peeling those chestnuts you asked for and let them dry a bit. What should we do with them now?"


    Oh, right¡ªthe chestnuts.


    Kim Haru had nearly forgotten that he''d gathered a big pile of chestnuts earlier until Go Okrim''s reminder.


    "Do you know how to make candied chestnuts?" Haru asked.


    Go Okrim shook his head.


    So that meant he would have to do it by himself. He hadn''t actually roasted chestnuts before, but he''d seen it done when he''d bought them, so he had a rough idea of the process.


    After washing a portion of the chestnuts, he and Go Okrim scored an X on the top of each one, then boiled them for twenty to thirty minutes before drying them off and tossing them into the pan to roast.


    For his first attempt, Kim Haru misjudged the heat, resulting in a slightly burnt smell. But with practice, his technique improved, and soon he''d roasted a whole pot of chestnuts, filling the air with a delicious, warm aroma.


    "Take some over to Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee, and bring the watering can back with you while you''re there," Kim Haru said, dividing up the roasted chestnuts and handing a portion to Go Okrim.


    Go Okrim nodded his head and activated the teleportation device.


    Since Kim Haru had hired Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee as farm workers, he''d introduced Go Okrim to them. Since then, Go Okrim had been in charge of transporting Han Gwonhee''s watering can back and forth.


    After a few trips back and forth, the three of them had been gradually become less distant with each other.


    Kim Haru set aside a portion of the remaining chestnuts, he had plans to use them later for either another roast or to stew them with meat. Most of the chestnuts, though, he ground into chestnut flour. Chestnut flour was much easier to be stored and lasted much longer than whole chestnuts. Plus, it could be used in various ways. He decided to use some of his fresh craft for tonight''s dinner to make steamed pork with chestnut flour.


    Ever since the farming system''s beginner period had ended, Kim Haru''s free meal deliveries had stopped. Now he had to rely on the ingredients he produced himself. He couldn''t eat the same thing every day, so he constantly tried to come up with new dishes.


    Oh, right¡ªthe lotus roots in the pond still hadn''t been harvested.


    When Go Okrim returned, Kim Haru was already crouched by the pond with tools in hand.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, what are you doing?" Go Okrim asked.


    "Digging up lotus roots," Kim Haru replied. "Your Little Aeris and Little Ignis have already gone down, but it looks like there aren''t enough hands. Go get those seven power ranger gang and bring them over."


    Go Okrim quickly did as he was told.


    The seven power rangers gang zombies soon followed behind Go Okrim. Kim Haru hadn''t bothered giving them individual names, he just simply calling them all "Power Ranger Gang."


    "Do they know how to dig up lotus roots?" He asked, a little bit doubtful. "Hopefully they won''t damage my roots."


    Surprisingly, Go Okrim was very confident. Although the seven power ranger Glgang seemed a bit clumsy and didn''t have the agility of Little Aeris and Litle Ignis, he patted his chest in assurance. "Don''t worry, hyung. I''ve trained them well enough."


    "Alright then."


    Kim Haru nodded, and one by one, the power ranger gang entered the water.


    The pond on Kim Haru''s farm was rather deep, and as he looked down from the bank, he could just make out some dark shapes beneath the water. The lotus roots were embedded in the thick mud at the bottom of the pond, and the zombies needed to pull them out from the sticky mire. Some areas of mud had a strong suction, making the task challenging.


    However, zombies had an advantage over humans. Other than the resistance from the water, it was no different for them than working in the air. Soon, the sections of freshly dug lotus roots floated to the surface.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim stood by the shore, using long sticks to pull them in.


    Some of the lotus roots were too heavy to float, so he lowered a basket attached to a rope. The zombies placed the extracted lotus roots into the basket. Once it was full, they tugged on the rope, and Kim Haru and Go Okrim would pull the basket up from the bank.


    A whole basketful of lotus roots, buoyed by the water, was relatively easy for the two of them to lift. But once they pulled it up onto the shore, the true weight of all those lotus roots became apparent. The roots were plump and white, segmented, with some even as long as a person''s arm. With a gentle snap, they broke apart, producing a crisp sound accompanied by delicate lotus root fibers¡ªjust the sight and sound promised an incredible flavor. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing so many lotus roots, Kim Haru suddenly craved for braised pig trotters with lotus root.


    "Gojo, keep an eye on things here. I''ll make a quick trip to the safe zone."

 Chapter 179 A Strategic Trade Visit

    Kim Haru remembered that when Do Seungjin had gone to retrieve the core from pigweed, he''d had to kill two pigs, which he''d sent to the animal research institute. Logically, they shouldn''t have fully processed them yet. With some luck, he might even manage to get a pig''s trotter.


    With such a large mutated black pig, even half¡ªno, a quarter of a pig''s trotter would be enough.


    "Mr. Kim!"


    "Mr. Kim, you''re here!"


    "Mr. Kim, are you looking for the director?"


    "Mr. Kim, Director Do, and Director Jang went to the fields. Shall I call them back?"


    As he walked into the animal research institute, various researchers greeted Kim Haru along the way. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickened his steps. "No need; I''m just picking up something quickly. Where''s the pig they killed earlier?"


    "It''s in the fresh meat processing room, number two. I''ll take you there, Mr. Kim."


    It seemed Kim Haru''s luck was in; most of the pig had already been processed, leaving only a few trotters and some broth stock. He selected a fatty piece, packed it into his system backpack, and said, "Let Director Do know I''m heading back."


    The researchers didn''t stop him.


    In fact, in the entire safe zone, if Kim Haru wanted something, he was free to take it. No one would object.


    When he returned with the pig''s trotter, a large pile of lotus roots had already accumulated by the pond.


    Go Okrim looked at the mountain of lotus roots and scratched his head. "Kim Haru-hyung, do we really have to dig all of this out?"


    "Let''s dig it all."


    This particular variety of lotus grew exceptionally fast. If they harvested it all now, the next crop would likely sprout soon after.


    Haru wasn''t worried about having too many lotus roots; if he couldn''t eat them all, he could always send some to the safe zone. Plus, he could grind them into lotus root powder. Even though it looked like a lot of lotus roots now, they''d be gone in no time if he processed them into powder; it took a lot to make just a small amount of finished product.


    Go Okrim continued leading the zombies in digging up lotus roots, while Kim Haru headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the evening.


    The trade team that was sent from Pyeongseong Safe Zone to Haneulsae Safe Zone was led by an official, and although it wasn''t a large team, consisting of only twenty people, it was still formidable. Aside from one space-type ability user, the rest of the team members were all skilled in combat, and the Delta Squad was one of them.


    Everyone in the team knew that Haneulsae Safe Zone had recently appointed a new Safe Zone Commander and that this new Safe Zone Commander didn''t think highly of their Pyeongseong Safe Zone. As soon as they entered the Haneulsae Safe Zone''s territory, everyone was on high alert.


    "Captain, we''ve been in Haneulsae for over ten minutes now. Why hasn''t anyone come out to greet us?" asked Han Geng, a team member with previous experience in trade missions.


    Normally, when a team from another safe zone entered, the people in charge of checking entry would report it to the authorities, and Haneulsae''s people couldn''t possibly not know about them. Since they had clearly stated their purpose was to carry out a trade between the safe zones, they should have sent someone to welcome them.


    Before the captain, Jo Sungmo, could answer, Ryu Hyunwoo from the Delta Squad rolled his eyes and replied, "What else could it be? They probably think we don''t deserve a greeting."


    "Hyunwoo." Shin Woncheon shot Ryu Hyunwoo a glare. "Be mindful when entering someone else''s safe zone. Don''t cause trouble and fail to complete the mission the Safe Zone Commander and Mr. Kim assigned to us."


    Jo Sungmo looked at the team members and said, "I know everyone''s dissatisfied with Haneulsae, but let''s remember why we''re here. We need to hold back for now. I believe that once we get through this crisis, with Mr. Kim''s help, next winter, Haneulsae will be the one who begging us for support." Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Hey, that future sounds good," the team members cheered, their spirits lifting. Just thinking about the role reversal next winter, the resentment they had carried during the journey seemed to dissipate almost entirely.


    They hadn''t walked far when the people sent by Haneulsae finally arrived, a little late.


    "Ah, sorry about that. Recently, we''ve been busy clearing out a mutated plant nest, and we''ve got a huge haul of edible mutated plants. Everyone''s busy sorting the supplies, so we couldn''t spare anyone to come greet you. My apologies again."


    Listen to that¡ªwasn''t it just a subtle boast about the abundance of food in their safe zone? As if no one could tell.


    The trade team from Pyeongseong Safe Zone exchanged looks, their thoughts were clear, but their faces still wore smiles.


    Captain Jo Sungmo extended his hand to shake. "It''s fine. Anyway, your safe zone''s entrance is close to the Safe Zone Commander''s office. We''ll walk there and be right there."


    Upon hearing Jo Sungmo''s words, the team members behind him almost laughed aloud.


    When he said "close," he didn''t mean Haneulsae''s safe zone was small in size; it was more about the fact that the entrance wasn''t far from the Safe Zone Commander''s office.


    The people from Haneulsae understood the underlying meaning and their expressions immediately soured. It was clear they weren''t pleased.


    Jo Sungmo was not at all afraid. "Since you''ve come, I won''t waste time. This time, we brought a batch of food that we''d like to trade with you. It''s all virus-free food. Please take us to the Safe Zone Commander."


    Although Jo Sungmo had advised his team to hold back, that didn''t mean they should tolerate being bullied by the other side.


    Jo Sungmo was confident that once he mentioned the virus-free food, no matter how displeased the Haneulsae people were, they would have to suppress their feelings and lead them to the Safe Zone Commander. A matter this big couldn''t be delayed just because of a small issue like greeting them.

 Chapter 180 A Calculated Exchange

    As expected, although the Haneulsae people''s faces were very grim, and they didn''t believe that Jo Sungmo and his team could bring such precious food, they didn''t dare to delay it and had to lead them to the Safe Zone Commander with twisted expressions.


    Jo Sungmo was no stranger to Haneulsae. He knew the new Safe Zone Commander, who was previously the Vice Safe Zone Commander. When they met, Jo Sungmo didn''t waste time with pleasantries. He immediately asked the team''s Space-type ability user to release a bag of rice.


    This rice was from the batch they retrieved from Gokmul County.


    "The Safe Zone Commander can test it as you wish. We only hope for a quick reply," Jo Sungmo said.


    The Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander squinted his eyes as he examined the food in front of him. He crushed a grain of rice and tasted the rice inside. Without needing to test it further, he could tell the mutagenic virus level was indeed zero, just as Jo Sungmo had said.


    "Are you sure you want to trade this food for cement and other building materials?" The Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander was puzzled. He didn''t understand what the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander was trying to accomplish. Pyeongseong Safe Zone should be the one most lacking in food, so why were they offering food in exchange for other resources, especially such precious virus-free food?


    Previously, when he had heard the reports that the trade team from Pyeongseong Safe Zone had arrived, he thought they were here to ask for assistance and was thinking about how to get rid of them.


    Jo Sungmo then handed over two prepared video clips.


    After watching the food reserves and the video from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander himself, the Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander finally believed what Jo Sungmo had said. Even if he didn''t fully believe it, there was no way he could casually dismiss such precious goods placed before him. Even if he knew there might be a trap ahead, he was still willing to take the risk and try.


    Besides, the Haneulsae Safe Zone was far stronger than the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Finally, the Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander said to Jo Sungmo, "This isn''t something that I can decide it alone. I''ll need to discuss it with others. How about you all rest here for a few days?"


    Jo Sungmo wasn''t afraid at all and replied confidently, "Then please hurry up, Safe Zone Commander. As you know, winter is fast approaching, and Pyeongseong Safe Zone urgently needs these supplies."


    Upon hearing this, the Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander''s wariness decreased even further.


    Indeed, winter was coming, and the situation in Pyeongseong Safe Zone was well known to the surrounding safe zones. It was possible that Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s buildings were too rundown to withstand the cold and would not survive the winter without help. That was likely why they had to trade food for supplies.


    The Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander had people escort Jo Sungmo and his team to the reception area while he gathered his subordinates for a discussion.


    "I heard that Pyeongseong Safe Zone had sent a search team to Gokmul County. This batch of food must have come from there. I didn''t expect them to be willing to part with it."


    "Winter is coming. What can they do if they don''t give it? Let people freeze to death? Safe Zone Commander, I think this trade is feasible."


    "But they didn''t bring that much food this time. They want us to go to Pyeongseong Safe Zone to pick it up. Could there be a scam in that?"


    "Our Haneulsae Safe Zone''s strength can''t be compared to their Pyeongseong, Safe Zone do you still fear there might be a scam?"


    "I also think it''s feasible. After all, our safe zone doesn''t have much food, most of it has medium mutagenic virus levels. Now that this batch of virus-free food is here, we definitely shouldn''t let it slip away."


    "Actually, I have a plan," someone suddenly said. "We don''t have to worry about being tricked, and we can still get this food."


    "What?"


    "Steal it."


    The others were instantly stunned.


    "Steal? Do you want to steal it in broad daylight? Do you think the other safe zones are fools, that the jointly established regulations are meaningless? As soon as we steal it, Haneulsae Safe Zone will be next."


    "Ah, of course not directly steal it." The person waved his hand. "The Pyeongseong Safe Zone didn''t restrict the number or strength of the people accompanying them to get the food, did they?"


    With this said, even the eyes of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander lit up.


    The new Safe Zone Commander, who had always believed that power determined everything, quickly made a decision: "Call the highest-level ability users in the safe zone over."


    ...


    Kim Haru didn''t know what kind of people the trade team would bring back. He was currently reviewing the fifth harvest of the safe zone.


    This harvest was still potatoes, cabbage, and soybeans. Just the amount of potatoes harvested this time, if saved a little, would be enough to help the people in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone to get through the next three months of winter.


    So, after this harvest, Kim Haru didn''t plan to plant too many of these three crops.


    Wheat, rice, and corn all had longer growth cycles, and if they weren''t planted now, they might not mature before winter. It would be a huge waste if they froze and died in the harsh winter. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After discussing and planning, it was decided that only the northern part of the more barren farmland would be left for the rotation of potatoes, cabbage, and soybeans. All other arable land would be used to grow wheat, rice, and corn based on the soil conditions. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "With the current yield, the crops from the north should be enough to exchange with other safe zones. The remaining wheat, rice, and corn in the fields will be our food for the winter," said Moon Baein who is standing next to Kim Haru, feeling relieved from his worries about the coming winter.

 Chapter 181 Plans and Preparations

    Kim Haru nodded his head, "How long until the trade team returns?"


    "The trade team that goes to Haneulsae should be back in less than half a month," Moon Baein calculated. "By then, you might need to stay out of sight for a while."


    "Alright."


    Yes, how could Pyeongseong Safe Zone not have thought about what kind of greedy wolves, tigers, and leopards they would attract by exposing their possession of such precious food? But at the moment, besides this plan, what other way did they have to quickly gather so many materials needed for the winter?


    As for those greedy wolves and tigers, Moon Baein had already discussed how to deal with them with Kim Haru.


    For people from other safe zones, simply stealing the normal food was definitely not their ultimate goal. Their real aim was to get Pyeongseong Safe Zone to reveal the method of large-scale cultivation of normal food.


    Even if they hadn''t thought of this before arriving, once the people from other safe zones saw the vast farmland everywhere in Pyeongseong Safe Zone, they would definitely come to this conclusion.


    If this method was something that the researchers had developed and could be transferred, Moon Baein would not have easily implemented such a plan.


    But who could have imagined that the core of this method lay in someone like Kim Haru?


    It could be said that without Kim Haru, no matter how they tried to farm, they would never be able to grow normal plants. As long as Kim Haru remained safe, the other safe zones would not succeed.


    As for Kim Haru''s safety, Moon Baein would guarantee it with the entire security of Pyeongseong. He would place Kim Haru''s safety above his own as the Safe Zone Commander, no matter who else in the safe zone faced trouble, Kim Haru must not be harmed!


    Kim Haru''s suggestion was that he should retreat to the small farm when the time came.


    So far, Kim Haru had been using teleportation device to enter and exit the safe zone since taking in Go Okrim. Only the four members of the Delta Squad knew the location of the small farm. As long as they didn''t speak, no one else would know. Even if others turned the entire safe zone upside down, they wouldn''t be able to find him.


    As for the loyalty of the Delta Squad, Moon Baein expressed his full trust in them.


    Kim Haru wasn''t entirely sure whether he could trust them, but he had already planned to give them a farm employee contract when they returned, just in case.


    However, to be honest, Kim Haru still felt a little nervous.


    Before he came this this world, although he had been unstoppable in the game and had faced all kinds of crises, after all, that had been just a game. Now, real people were eyeing his life. Wait a minute¡ªsince the other side wanted to get the answer about large-scale cultivation from him, they probably wouldn''t pose a direct threat to his life. They might try to attack him in other ways instead. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In any case, nervous? Yes, he was nervous.


    And excited.


    Back on the farm, Kim Haru smiled.


    Yes, aside from being nervous, Kim Haru wasn''t particularly worried about the current situation. He had already gone through all the items in the system''s trading store. He had memorized the names of those with high attack power, and he already knew how to quickly purchase them and use the ones with strong protective capabilities.


    He believed that with the system''s protections, even if he encountered real danger, he would surely find a way to get through it.


    As for the Farm''s Blessing skill¡­


    Kim Haru patted Little Oakie. "I wonder if you''ll be the one who comes out again next time."


    By now, Kim Haru knew that Little Oakie''s attack power was far from weak. However, besides Little Oakie, the rest of the farm''s members were terribly underpowered. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    ...,


    The trade team that was heading to the Haneulsae Safe Zone has entered the Pyeongseong Safe Zone area.


    Upon hearing the news, Jang Dojang immediately reported to Kim Haru.


    "Alright, I got it. I''ll keep an eye on things," Kim Haru nodded. Currently, the farmland in the safe zone was running smoothly, so he no longer needed to monitor it daily.


    However, Kim Haru was still quite curious about the other safe zones. He didn''t plan to hide on the small farm forever. If the opportunity arose, he might quietly visit one of the other safe zones. After all, no one there knew him, and he could teleport back and forth quickly.


    The trade team from Haneulsae arrived sooner than expected; Jo Sungmo''s round trip took only a little over twenty days, far less than the month they had estimated.


    It made sense, though, since Pyeongseong Safe Zone wanted to receive winter supplies as quickly as possible, so they likely sped up their travel. Haneulsae was also eager to confirm the existence of such a large supply of normal food, so they wouldn''t have been delayed on the road either.


    The teams that were sent by both Safe Zone are ability users with exceptional abilities, which naturally cut down travel time.


    The trade team was delayed briefly at the Pyeongseong Safe Zone gate due to a security check when someone in the team was found to have a wound.


    On their way back to the city, they''d unexpectedly encountered a mutated plant that could move freely. When Jo Sungmo''s team had passed through here earlier, they hadn''t run into it, so they were caught off guard on the return journey without having conducted proper scouting. A battle quickly ensued.


    Fortunately, the human team''s combat strength was superior, and they ultimately won the battle.


    Although no one died, injuries were inevitable.


    While they waited in the designated room during the observation period, the people from Haneulsae Safe Zone gathered to talk.


    "Have any of you noticed something different about Pyeongseong?" one team member asked seriously.

 Chapter 182 Secrets in the Fields

    At his words, the others turned around to look out the window, casting curious glances at the people moving in and out.


    "It doesn''t seem¡­ all that different?"


    "No, it''s definitely different." Roh Baekjin, the captain of the Haneulsae trade team, spoke in a low tone. "The spirit of these people is entirely unlike that of those in Haneulsae."


    With this reminder, the other team members focused more on the expressions of the people passing by. They soon noticed that most of these people were just ordinary people. Typically, in a post-apocalyptic world, ordinary people struggling to survive¡ªunless under the protection of powerful ability users¡ªwould have lifeless, dark gazes.


    Yet, the ordinary people they observed here all wore smiles, filled with satisfaction and joy. Even those who weren''t smiling had a certain light in their eyes.


    "Could it be that Pyeongseong Safe Zone has so much food now that they can live like this?" someone from Haneulsae murmured in confusion. "If I remember correctly, last year they were doing pretty badly, weren''t they?"


    "We''ll understand once we go inside and take a closer look," Roh Baekjin replied, his heart filled with questions. "Let''s not forget the purpose of our mission."


    Of course, they wouldn''t forget.


    The Haneulsae trade team members'' eyes glinted with a determination to succeed.


    In their fifty members of ability users, there were as many as ten Level 3 ability users, while the rest had all reached the peak of Level 2. They''d heard that the entire Pyeongseong Safe Zone had fewer than a handful of Level 3 ability users. Given this vast disparity in power, anyone with a bit of sense would know which choice to make.


    The Haneulsae trade team didn''t believe Pyeongseong Safe Zone would be so stubborn as to resist.


    Soon, the waiting room door opened from the outside, and Jo Sungmo appeared at the entrance with his team. "All right, everything checks out; you''re free to come out."


    The Haneulsae trade team followed Jo Sungmo. The rest of the Pyeongseong trade team had already gone ahead to the Safe Zone Commander''s building to complete the handover, so it was just Jo Sungmo and the secretary who had come to escort them.


    "Honored guests, would you like to rest in the reception area to recover your energy first, or would you prefer to see the Safe Zone Commander right away?"


    "We''re not tired at all; let''s meet the Safe Zone Commander first," Roh Baekjin declined the offer of rest.


    Jo Songmo wasn''t surprised by this and nodded in agreement, leading them towards the Safe Zone Commander''s building.


    Along the way, they inevitably passed by Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s farmlands.


    It wasn''t just the people from Haneulsae who were astounded; even Jo Sungmo and his group, who had left early for the trade, hadn''t seen these vast fields of green crops before! The lush green plants stretched across the neatly squared farmlands, growing vibrantly. When the breeze blew through, it created waves across the fields, carrying a sweet fragrance in the air.


    Some ordinary people moved carefully among the crops, occasionally bending down to inspect something. The green crops showed no sign of hostility or any intention to attack, allowing people to handle them freely.


    All of these were actually normal crops! Unmutated, exactly the same as the grains from before the apocalypse!


    The people from Haneulsae could barely contain their shock.


    Ever since receiving the private mission from the Safe Zone Commander, they had been wondering about the normal crops in Pyeongseong ¡ªwhether they had discovered a new, well-preserved grain storage from pre-apocalypse times or if they had developed a way to produce normal crops.


    But none of them had expected to see such vast expanses of farmland in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Since the apocalypse began, countless people have tried to grow normal plants on the land, only to end in failure. In a world where soil and water were all contaminated by the mutagenic virus, it was simply impossible. Even if success was achieved occasionally, it couldn''t be done on a large scale.


    Even in the Huimang Safe Zone, which had the most researchers and the highest level of technology, there was no news of large-scale normal crop cultivation.


    But here it was, right in front of them?


    The people from Haneulsae nearly thought their eyes were deceiving them or that they were collectively hallucinating. They even impatiently raised their hands to rub their eyes.


    No matter how openly they rubbed their eyes or secretly pinched themselves, every glance back showed vast fields of normal crops proudly growing in the farmland.


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    No wonder the Pyeongseong Safe Zone was willing to trade such valuable normal food for supplies this year. If their own Haneulsae Safe Zone could grow crops on this scale, they, too, wouldn''t hesitate to trade normal grain.


    The Haneulsae trading team exchanged glances, their eyes confirming a shared resolve.


    They must, absolutely must, uncover the secret behind Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s ability to cultivate large amounts of normal plants!


    While the Haneulsae trading team was still stunned by the surrounding farmland, not far from them, Kim Haru was quietly observing their group.


    After seeing the expressions on the faces of the Haneulsae trading team, Kim Haru knew that this trade would yield satisfying results.


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    Even though the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander had assured him that no one would reject such precious food, Kim Haru still hadn''t been entirely reassured before meeting the Haneulsae people in person. He realized that he didn''t yet fully understand just how valuable normal food was in people''s hearts during the apocalypse.


    "Hyung, the four people from the Delta Squad are already waiting at the Green Basket Vegetable Shop," reported Go Okrim, who had located him through the teleportation device.


    After watching the excitement, Kim Haru immediately got down to business.


    In order to keep the location of his small farm concealed, Kim Haru needed to sign a farm contract with the members of the Delta Squad.

 Chapter 183 A Taste of the Unthinkable

    Initially, Kim Haru had wondered what he''d do if the people from Delta Squad didn''t agree, but before he even finished explaining¡ªwithout even mentioning the penalties for breaking the contract¡ªall four of them immediately nodded their heads without hesitation.


    "We''re willing. We swear we will never betray you, Mr. Kim."


    Alright, as long as they were willing.


    Very soon, Kim Haru''s farm staff had increased by a few more people, bringing the total to eight.


    Go Okrim, Hwa Jian, Han Gwonhee, and the Delta Squad members Shin Woncheon, Ryu Hyunwoo, Ra Jinho, Gang Yuwon, as well as Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, Moon Baein.


    Yes, even the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander had become an employee in Kim Haru''s farming system. In fact, Moon Baein had signed the contract with Kim Haru even earlier than Hwa Jian and Han Gwonhee. When Kim Haru agreed to help Pyeongseong, the Safe Zone Commander had already signed his name on the contract.


    It wasn''t Kim Haru who had initially requested this, but rather the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander who had suggested it himself.


    Of course, Moon Baein didn''t know about Kim Haru''s farming system. At first, he had intended to seek the help of a researcher from the Animal Research Institute¡ªa specialist in rearing insects¡ªto ensure mutual trust by placing Mutated Gu Insects in each of them.


    Yes, the insect-rearing researcher was said to be an Insect expert before the apocalypse. With the emergence of the apocalypse, all types of organisms mutated, including insects, and this researcher, accidentally found this unique mutated Gu Insect in the apocalypse.


    The thought of having any strange insect on him made Kim Haru''s skin crawl. He straightforwardly proposed that he had a contract that could achieve the same effect. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moon Baein''s initial suggestion of the Mutated Gu Insect was meant to put Kim Haru at ease. Since Kim Haru trusted his own contract more, Moon Baein raised no objections.


    And so, not only did Kim Haru acquire control over Pyeongseong ''s farmland, but he also recruited the leader of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone under his command.


    After signing the contract with the Delta Squad, Kim Haru teleported back to the small farm, leaving Go Okrim in the safe zone to gather intelligence on the Haneulsae trading team.


    ...


    Even as they sat in Pyeongseong''s reception room, the members of the Haneulsae Haneulsae trading team still hadn''t quite recovered from the shock.


    Once they regained their composure, the members of the Haneulsae trading team gazed at the oranges placed in the center of the table, slipping back into shock.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone must have encountered some major opportunity; otherwise, how could they not only cultivate large amounts of normal crops but even have fresh fruit?


    Seeing that the representatives from Pyeongseong Safe Zone had yet to arrive, one of the Haneulsae members finally couldn''t resist picking up an orange from the fruit platter.


    "Captain Roh, may I have one?"


    The other team members cast eager looks at Roh Baekjin.


    Not just the others¡ªeven Roh Baekjin himself couldn''t stop staring at the platter of oranges, swallowing hard.


    It had been so long since they''d tasted fresh fruit, and the person who brought in the fruit platter had said it was prepared for them as guests. Although they hadn''t explicitly said it was free to eat, surely that''s what it implied, right?


    Roh Baekjin cleared his throat, "Go ahead, but be mindful."


    As soon as he gave the go-ahead, the Haneulsae team members immediately reached for the fruit platter, each grabbing an orange. Even Roh Baekjin himself couldn''t resist and picked one up.


    The oranges were easy to peel, needing only a slight press with a fingernail to open. This made the Haneulsae members handle them even more carefully, worried that they might accidentally damage the tender flesh inside.


    When they finished peeling the oranges, the plump, juicy slices glistened in front of them, a vibrant golden yellow and brimming with moisture. Unable to hold back any longer, they each took a slice and popped it into their mouths. When they bit into the juicy orange, the flavor filled their mouths, and they just wanted to close their eyes, savoring each taste.


    Heavens, this was delicious!


    They stretched out the experience of a single orange, eating it slowly for what felt like half a day, reluctant to swallow it too quickly. By the time the Pyeongseong representatives opened the door and walked in, each Haneulsae member was still clutching half an orange.


    Haneulsae team: "..."


    Awkward.


    The Haneulsae members never expected they''d be so enchanted by Pyeongseong''s food, only to be caught red-handed. Recalling their earlier expressions, they only wished they had a time machine at that moment.


    Oh, don''t get the wrong idea¡ªeven if they could go back in time, they''d still eat the Pyeongseong oranges. They''d just make sure to hide the oranges and adjust their expressions before anyone from Pyeongseong walked in.


    With a smile, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander entered, bringing along Jang Dojang and several other officials, seemingly unfazed by the expressions he''d just witnessed on the Haneulsae members'' faces. "Thank you all for waiting. I apologize for the delay; there was a small issue with the farmland outside, and I went to handle it. I hope you don''t mind."


    As for whether there was indeed a minor problem or whether they were intentionally kept waiting, that was hard to say.


    "No need to worry at all," said Jo Sungmo, the Haneulsae team''s main diplomat, stepping forward to greet him. "The farmland is, of course, the priority, and we didn''t wait long at all."


    "Since you''ve come such a long way, why not take some time to relax?" Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Sigh, with winter approaching, every bit of supplies we can gather could save another life in these times. We don''t have time to rest. When we heard that Pyeongseong was willing to trade virus-free foods, we wanted to come and take a look as soon as possible."


    "Indeed, indeed. Speaking of food supplies¡­ it''s really been a struggle¡­"

 Chapter 184 Building a Balanced Farm

    Both parties exchanged smiles, engaging in back-and-forth conversation, testing each other. Between the words, visible and hidden traps filled the dialogue, each side pulling out every stop to secure their desired benefits.


    ...


    Kim Haru could easily imagine the exchanges going on in the Safe Zone Commander''s building, but he couldn''t be bothered to care.


    He''d already made it clear¡ªhe was only responsible for farming and wasn''t interested in meddling with other affairs.


    At this moment, Kim Haru was idly flipping through the books that were lining in his study room''s shelves. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not a single literary book was in sight; every book was technical in nature. They covered a variety of subjects¡ªnot just farming and livestock raising, but also architecture, stonework, carpentry, manufacturing, and even mechanical repair.


    Unfortunately, the knowledge on mechanical repairs was rooted in the world Kim Haru came from. After following instructions from one of the electronics repair manuals and wrecking a gaming console in the process, Kim Haru reached this conclusion.


    Originally, he''d hoped to see if he could apply the knowledge to fix this world''s network towers so that he could connect his gaming console to the internet. He was getting tired of playing single-player games. However, given the current circumstances, it seemed this idea would remain a distant dream. He could only wait and see if he might find similar books from this world someday or perhaps discover people with the relevant skills.


    For a homebody like him, the lack of internet was a hard pill to swallow.


    He picked another book at random, this one titled Technical Guide to Raising Broiler Chickens, and looked at the cover image of a plump flock of hens, thinking to himself, "It''s about time I developed the livestock side of things."


    So far, Kim Haru''s farm had primarily focused on crop cultivation. As for animals, aside from Little Nugget, who was a system reward, Sir Peckington and Little Snort had both been caught by chance in traps. He''d taken a rather laissez-faire approach to raising them, as most of his attention was on the plants in the fields.


    Now that his crops were growing steadily, not only were the plants on his small farm flourishing in an orderly manner, but the cultivated fields even extended throughout the entire safe zone. For a farmer, managing such a large expanse of farmland was a major accomplishment.


    Kim Haru had already planted every seed he''d obtained. The next step was to let them grow on their own, apply some fertilizer here and there, and occasionally water them. Unless he managed to acquire new crop seeds, he''d completed this part of his work.


    He''d considered this possibility, but that was something he planned to pursue after getting through the winter.


    "So, how about I find you some new friends?" Kim Haru asked, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed at Little Snort in the pigpen.


    It wasn''t because the braised lotus root and pig''s trotters tasted amazing before. No, Kim Haru just didn''t want Little Snort, Little Nugget, and Sir Peckington to feel lonely. Yes, that was indeed the reason.


    Naturally, Little Snort didn''t respond to this odd human''s thoughts. Day by day, it ate and slept in its new pigpen. Over the past month or two, the once-small pig was no longer the tiny creature Kim Haru could carry around. Now, standing on all fours, Little Snort was as high as Kim Haru''s knees, and when it stood upright, it was taller than Kim Haru''s shoulders. Its weight? No doubt, it was likely the equivalent of two Kim Harus combined.


    When Kim Haru decided to do something, he wasted no time. After a quick word with Jang Dojang, he teleported directly to the Animal Research Institute to find Do Seungjin.


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    "Director Do, how''s the duck situation you mentioned last time?" Kim Haru is now more comfortable with the people at the research institute, so he can spoke without the usual awkwardness. "And, about catching a few more black piglets¡ªhow feasible is that?"


    Hearing this, Do Seungjin immediately gave Kim Haru a resentful look and pitiful eyes. "Mr. Kim, you''re so biased."


    "Cough!" Kim Haru was startled and he could felt a chill run down his spine, goosebumps rising. "Director Do, please speak properly."


    A grown man acting like a wronged woman, with a sulky tone, was just¡­ unsettling.


    Do Seungjin: "..."


    Alright, even he thought he''d gone a bit overboard.


    "Mr. Kim, look at all the land you''ve cultivated for the safe zone. The whole plant research team next door has been overjoyed for weeks. But our Animal Research Institute isn''t lacking either, you know. The animals we raise could be an important source of meat reserves for winter. Meat is fantastic¡ªit provides energy, fats, proteins, all the good stuff, and it tastes great. Mr. Kim, you shouldn''t only be focused on farming."


    Lately, Do Seungjin had shamelessly been running over to Jang Dojung''s department to lend a hand, feeling frustrated whenever he saw the plant research team''s smug satisfaction. They''d even bragged that Mr. Kim valued their plant research team the most.


    It''s so ridiculous.


    If Kim Haru hadn''t come over on his own, Do Seungjin was already thinking of finding an opportunity to quietly curry favor with him.


    Kim Haru hadn''t thought about it like that. He only knew that, since he had a system that provided three meals a day, he wasn''t exactly craving meat. Plus, he often saw people in the safe zone eating meat, so he was under the impression that it wasn''t in short supply.


    However, with some free time recently¡ªand after the lotus root and pig''s trotters stew he had a few days ago, which was made from mutated black pig''s feet¡ªhe began to reconsider. Though the system''s kitchen and various seasonings had removed most of the mutagenic virus, the taste still didn''t compare to pure pork. This got him thinking about raising more animals.


    "Well, I came to find you, didn''t I?" said Haru. "How about those ducks we talked about before?"

 Chapter 185 Animal Hunt in the Northern Territory

    "The ducks have been drifting down the river, heading north. And it just so happens that the black pigs are also up north. How about coming with me, sir? We can take some people and go catch them together." Do Seungjin''s eyes lit up at the thought of catching animals. "I''m not even sure what type of animals you want to raise, and it''d be unfortunate if we brought back the wrong ones."


    "Besides, you''ve been cooped up in the safe zone for a while now. It''s a good time to get out and stretch a bit."


    Do Seungjin was confident in his ability to keep Mr. Kim safe. He''d been to the northern territory, where the mutated black pigs roamed, several times already. Even if there were dangers, he''d mapped them out clearly. This time, he planned to bring others along too, so Kim Haru would just need to stand by and observe. Do Seungjin would handle anything that required action.


    Kim Haru felt a little bit tempted.


    He didn''t see himself as a fragile glass sculpture that needed to be strictly guarded. And besides, there was always the system to rely on. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then should we gather some people?"


    "I Got it!" Do Seungjin clapped his hands in excitement. "I''ll call a few research members who are skilled at identifying animals. If there''s anyone you''d like to bring along, sir, just say the word."


    Kim Haru thought for a moment and decided to bring Go Okrim along.


    Since Kim Haru had brought him back from Gokmul County, Go Okrim hadn''t left the small farm or the Pyeongseong Safe Zono. This outing didn''t seem particularly dangerous, so it would be a good chance to let him have a bit of fun.


    Maybe, on the way, they could even pick out a few good-looking zombies to bring back as "zombie-bots."


    It didn''t take long for their team to gather at the entrance of the Animal Research Institute, ready to depart.


    Of course, Kim Haru didn''t forget to inform Jang Dojang so they wouldn''t worry or jump to conclusions if they couldn''t find him. Jang Dojang, while not thrilled at the thought of Mr. Kim going on such a risky outing, couldn''t say much when he saw Kim Haru was determined. Besides, Do Seungjin and the others assured him they''d guarantee Kim Haru''s safety.


    Not that he could have stopped him even if he wanted to.


    The only person who could convince Kim Haru otherwise was the Safe Zone Commander, who was currently caught up in negotiations¡ªerr, bickering¡ªwith the Haneulsae Trading Team.


    Their group soon exited through the north gate, heading first towards the river.


    They took two vehicles in total: a modified van for the people in the lead, and a large truck with an open bed, driven by two members from the Animal Research Institute, following behind.


    The truck was, of course, intended for transporting animals, and the large bed in the back still had traces of blood from the last black pig they''d hauled.


    "Most people with space-type ability users can''t carry living animals in their spaces, and those who can aren''t from our Pyeongseong Safe Zone. We''ve only heard about them, possibly from the Huimang Safe Zone," Do Seungjin chatted as they traveled, trying to keep Kim Haru entertained. "But trucks like this guzzle gas, and with the current fuel situation, every drop counts. I have no idea how we''ll haul any huge mutated animals back once we''re out of gas."


    "I''ve heard the Huimang Safe Zone is researching ways to harness energy from crystal cores," another researcher chimed in, catching onto the topic. "If they manage to use crystal cores as a fuel replacement, we might still be able to drive."


    "I wonder how long that''ll take."


    "Even if they figure it out, the technology would probably be expensive. Who knows how long before we''d see it here in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone."


    "Hey, you''re forgetting Mr. Kim''s here with us! With his agricultural skills, we could trade for resources like that eventually, right?"


    "That''s so true! Haha, it won''t be long before our Pyeongseong Zone is thriving, and it''ll all be thanks to Mr. Kim."


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    Ahem, maybe they were praising him a bit much.


    They continued their idle chat until the truck came to a sudden stop.


    "What''s up?" Kim Haru glanced out the window but didn''t see any zombies or mutated animals blocking the road. Why had they stopped?


    Do Seungjin explained as he got out of the truck, "This is the area where we spotted that flock of mutated ducks last time. The noise from the truck might scare them off, so we''ll go the rest of the way on foot. We''ll leave the two vehicles here with a few people to guard them. Once we''ve caught something, we can drive over to load it up."


    Kim Haru nodded in understanding and got out of the truck.


    As soon as he stepped into the open wilderness, he felt a cool breeze wash over him.


    Winter was certainly approaching.


    "We''ll follow the river upstream," Do Seungjin led the way at the front. "There''s a patch of vegetation up ahead. If that flock of ducks is around here, they''ll probably head there to forage for food."


    Of course, the "vegetation" Do Seungjin referred to was the dry, withered, non-mutated type, yellowed and brittle. Even though it was dead, the size of the area still made an impact, with small bugs or animals scurrying within it.


    Kim Haru hadn''t noticed this detail yet. As he followed Do Seungjin forward, he was taken aback at the sight of the dry vegetation and was about to ask about it when he saw Do Seungjin make a shushing gesture.


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    He motioned for everyone to squat down slowly.


    Kim Haru looked in the direction of Do Seungjin''s gaze and saw a flock of ducks swimming over from across the river.


    How to describe it? The ducks came in shades of pure white, mottled, and black. Their shapes were similar to the ducks from his previous life¡ªflat bills, long necks.


    Except...

 Chapter 186 Chasing Giant Ducks

    Why were they all so large?


    Were all mutated animals in this world gigantic? The black pig had been, the Oltura too, and now even the ducks.


    Kim Haru calculated that if ducks of this size were kept in the pond on his farm, just two of them would be enough to cover the entire water surface. The lotus flowers currently growing there would be pushed down to the bottom of the pond.


    He began to wonder if his idea of raising ducks was a good one after all.


    Go Okrim, on the other hand, was marveling at the massive size of the ducks. "Hey, hyung, if we raised one duck this big, it''d last us ages!"


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    True, with ducks this size, he wouldn''t need to raise many¡ªjust one would be enough to eat for quite a while.


    But no, no. Kim Haru still couldn''t bring himself to imagine having such a huge duck in his pond.


    Whatever Kim Haru''s thoughts, the team had encountered this flock of ducks, and naturally, they had to make a move.


    "Mr. Kim, you all stay hidden here," Do Seungjin, filled with excitement, positioned Kim Haru and the others safely out of the way. He waved off help from the other researchers and charged in alone.


    Kim Haru watched as, in the blink of an eye, Do Seungjin had reached one of the ducks, leaped onto its long neck, and threw a water-type elemental chain around it.


    The duck started to struggle wildly.


    The other ducks didn''t run away either. One by one, they stretched their necks toward Do Seungjin, trying to peck him. Their wide bills struck the ground, each peck leaving a sizeable crater; a direct hit would easily be fatal.


    Kim Haru felt his heart race as he watched.


    "Does Director Do need any help?" he asked the researchers around him.


    The researchers all shook their heads. "The director loves fighting mutated animals. When he gets into it, he doesn''t notice his teammates at all. If we go in, we''d just be in his way."


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Kim. With just a few ducks, the director can handle them."


    Sure enough, despite the ducks'' massive size, Do Seungjin managed to stay in their blind spot. No matter how wildly they attacked, he held on tight. Before long, the duck bounded by the water chain went limp.


    In that moment, Do Seungjin''s water chain had tightly locked the duck in place, leaving it no chance to escape.


    Seeing they couldn''t rescue their companion, and with the clear difference in strength between the two sides, the other ducks fled in disarray.


    Do Seungjin flung the captured duck toward the shore, calling out to Kim Haru and the others, "Quickly, follow me¡ªthey''re heading back to their nest!"


    The researchers immediately followed, and Kim Haru and Go Okrim weren''t far behind. The duck trapped in the water chain on the shore had no chance of escaping unless Do Seungjin came back to release it.


    Just as Do Seungjin expected, the ducks splashed their way upstream and soon began moving onto the shore.


    At this point, Do Seungjin no longer charged forward noisily. Instead, he slowed his pace, moving stealthily.


    Kim Haru, who wasn''t in the best shape, was already out of breath from the chase. Now at the back of the group, he finally let out a sigh of relief as he saw Do Seungjin slow down. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    Finally catching his breath, Kim Haru took the opportunity to glance at the system map.


    Duck egg!


    On the map, just five steps to the side from his current location, a duck egg was marked as available for collection.


    Kim Haru looked around but didn''t see the large egg he was expecting.


    However, the system map wouldn''t lie, so he decided to head in that direction.


    After all, it was only five steps¡ªnot far at all. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without mentioning it to Do Seungjin, Kim Haru started moving toward the spot marked on the map.


    This area, too, was covered in dried, yellowed vegetation, though it was somewhat different from the patches they had passed earlier. The dry plants here looked softer and somewhat familiar.


    Kim Haru pulled a stalk from the ground and examined it.


    Wasn''t this dried thatch grass?


    He looked ahead and saw an entire field of dried thatch identical to what he held, stretching as far as he could see.


    Surveying the terrain nearby, he noted it was close to the river, with broad, flat ground along the bank. If this weren''t a post-apocalyptic world, this place would be ideal for growing rice or wheat.


    No wonder there was thatch grass here.


    And thatch, he knew, was excellent for making nests for chickens or ducks.


    Kim Haru rummaged through the thatch and, sure enough, found a duck egg.


    To his surprise, the egg was normal-sized¡ªnothing like the gigantic egg he had expected from these mutated, oversized ducks.


    It seemed these ducks must have grown to such an enormous size only after they were hatched.


    Without hesitation, Kim Haru stored the egg in his system backpack. He didn''t overlook the surrounding thatch either.


    Meanwhile, Do Seungjin, who was sneaking closer to the ducks'' nest, finally noticed that Kim Haru had wandered off from the group!


    The others rushed over. "Mr. Kim, what are you doing over here? Please be careful!"


    Kim Haru pulled out the duck egg. "I found an egg here. I think there might be more nearby. This area seems suitable for ducks to lay eggs, so let''s search around."


    The group couldn''t help but be impressed. Mr. Kim was truly remarkable¡ªhe had already found a duck egg so quickly.


    Do Seungjin felt a little sheepish. He had planned to follow the ducks until he saw them lay their eggs, even if that took a while. In his previous experience with this kind of task, tracking animals to their nests could take a day, if not three to five days.


    The other researchers admired Kim Haru''s luck as well.

 Chapter 187 Egg Hunt and Duck Soup (Part 1)

    Eggs were precious to animals, typically well-hidden, and yet here was Mr. Kim, casually stumbling upon one. He really seemed to have a natural affinity for animals! Just look at that luck!


    Go Okrim, brimming with confidence in his hyung, didn''t hesitate to praise, "Hyung, you''re amazing!"


    What else could Kim Haru say? He could only try to get everyone to focus on searching for more eggs.


    Do Seungjin, always vigilant, didn''t join the egg hunt. Instead, he kept watch over the area, alert in case the ducks came back and saw humans taking their eggs.


    If that happened, things could get ugly.


    Meanwhile, the others eagerly combed through the thatch field, thoroughly engrossed in the search for duck eggs.


    As the sky slowly darkened, Do Seungjin had already noticed the ducks getting closer.


    "Quick, retreat!"


    The others didn''t hesitate, swiftly grabbing their spoils and running back in the direction they had come.


    When they reached the spot where Do Seungjin had thrown the water chain, a few of them helped lift the nearly lifeless duck and carried it back to where the vehicles were parked.


    Today''s harvest had been quite fruitful.


    Except for Kim Haru and Go Okrim, the others in the team were all highly experienced in wilderness survival. They quickly found a suitable spot to set up camp, starting a fire. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their plan was to process the large mutated duck, make duck soup, and roast some duck meat.


    Kim Haru, knowing they would be going out, had brought seasonings from the kitchen. This time, whether they were making duck soup or roasting duck, the flavors were amazing with the added spices. The only downside was that the mutated duck meat had a slightly sour taste.


    "Guess we''ll call it pickled duck soup," Kim Haru reassured himself.


    He had initially worried that eating meat with mutagenic viruses might make him sick, but after trying it a few times, he found it wasn''t an issue. His body was that of the original owner, and it had long adapted to these foods. Besides, he had eaten so many normal foods from the farm that even a bit of mutated meat had already been purified.


    While cooking, the team also took out the duck eggs they had found and began counting them.


    The more they counted, the more they were convinced of Kim Haru''s luck.


    Kim Haru alone had found thirty-two duck eggs, more than all of them combined! The others had found at most three, and some had found none at all, bringing the total to only sixteen.


    "I wonder if all these eggs are fertilized. It''d be a shame if they don''t hatch after all this time," Kim Haru said, looking at the pile of eggs in front of him, sighing. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Why don''t you crack one open and see?" Go Okrim suggested, staring at the round, plump eggs.


    Kim Haru shot him a glare.


    Then, after a moment, he said, "Sure, why not?"


    Fortunately, the egg wasn''t cracked open in the end. The other researchers were all skilled in animal studies, and determining whether an egg was fertilized was nothing new to them.


    Soon, the pile of eggs was divided into two groups.


    Overall, more eggs were fertilized, with only four unhatched ones. These four duck eggs were immediately cracked into the duck soup, and four poached eggs were cooked.


    "With this many duck eggs, we should be good for now. Tomorrow, let''s head over to Black Pig''s territory," Kim Haru said.


    Do Seungjin was extremely familiar with the Black Pig''s habitat, almost as if it were his own backyard. This was also why he felt confident and bold enough to bring Kim Haru along.


    Kim Haru observed the environment, his eyes landing on large patches of familiar pigweed.


    "It looks like there''s a lot of pigweed core here," Kim Haru remarked. "Director Do, do you want to dig one up and take it back?"


    Do Seungjin''s eyes lit up as he understood what Kim Haru meant, which made him even happier. "Is that possible? Is one enough? The safe zone is so large¡ªshould we dig up a few more?"


    Kim Haru''s suggestion to dig up the pigweed meant he was willing to guide them on how to raise pigs, and Do Seungjin was thrilled!


    Kim Haru shook his head. "One is enough. You can''t feed the pigs just this."


    When Kim Haru discovered that the little black pig at his small farm was the offspring of a mutated animal, he had naturally been worried about raising a mutated black pig. However, as the little black pig grew, Kim Haru had not observed any signs of mutation.


    Even though it had grown a little larger, it wasn''t excessively big, and its tusks hadn''t developed. Its behavior was just like the ordinary pigs from his previous life¡ªeating and sleeping in the pigpen all day, without any attempts to escape.


    Furthermore, after testing the little black pig, Kim Haru confirmed that its meat was the same as regular pork.


    The reason for this, aside from the farm system''s assistance, was that the food and water Kim Haru provided for the little black pig were all non-mutated, mixed with pigweed, making it the most suitable diet.


    "Aside from pigweed, what else can we feed them?" Do Seungjin was somewhat confused.


    Kim Haru explained to Do Seungjin, "For the time being, mix the harvested soybean and potato leaves with the pigweed and feed that to the pigs. The water source also needs to be purified; only then will the pork be normal."


    "I see now," Do Seungjin said, understanding. In the past, there weren''t any normal plants available. Even if there were, people would prioritize feeding them to humans. Who would think to use them to feed pigs? No wonder no matter how they tried to raise other animals, they always ended up becoming more and more mutated with no good results.


    "Then when we return, I''ll discuss this transaction with Mr. Kim on behalf of the research institute. I hope Mr. Kim can offer us a better deal," Do Seungjin smiled.

 Chapter 188 Egg Hunt and Duck Soup (Part 2)

    Kim Haru gave a hum in acknowledgment and agreed.


    Currently, all the farmland in the safe zone was under Kim Haru''s name. The labor was paid for by the safe zone, and the harvested crops would be jointly owned by both Kim Haru and the safe zone.


    Once winter came, the portion belonging to the safe zone would be distributed on a per-person basis, with each person receiving a set daily share. Kim Haru''s portion would be sold through his vegetable shop, and the price wouldn''t be too high. As long as they worked hard planting crops to earn points and crystal cores, no one would find it unaffordable.


    It was a fair distribution system.


    Naturally, the animal research institute would need large quantities of soybean and potato leaves to feed the pigs, and they would have to buy them from Kim Haru.


    Since they needed to dig up another pigweed core, their plan to catch the pigs had to be slightly modified.


    Do Seungjin surveyed the area and chose a spot perfect for setting up a trap and surrounding the pigs. He placed Kim Haru and the others in position.


    "I''ll go dig up a core. The pigs will definitely follow me. Once I lead them over, you all should wait for the right moment to ambush them," he said.


    The others nodded, finding good hiding spots.


    Do Seungjin also had a target. While surveying the environment, he had spotted a nest of small black pigs and noticed two larger black pigs nearby. His goal this time was to eliminate the two large black pigs and capture the smaller ones alive to take back.


    The two large black pigs had distinct roles: one stayed behind to guard the young ones, while the other ventured further to look for food and defend against threats.


    Do Seungjin waited for the right moment and ambushed the lone black pig, swiftly taking it down.


    The pigweed core he wanted was also within the range of the black pigs'' territory. Do Seungjin seized the opportunity and extracted it.


    Though the pigweed had mutated, it wasn''t aggressive, and aside from growing quickly, it didn''t pose any threat. However, once Do Seungjin removed the core, the surrounding pigweed withered and turned yellow in that instant. The black pig guarding the piglets finally realized an intruder had entered its territory.


    Do Seungjin immediately began leading the pigs into the encirclement, as planned.


    The black pig with the size of half a house, stomped on the ground, charging forward with a huge commotion. Behind it, a series of small black pigs, still unsure of what was happening, followed. The sound immediately caused the researchers in the encirclement to hold their breath and stand alert.


    "It''s here!"


    The black pig grew closer, and with Do Seungjin''s shout of "Go!", the researchers from the animal research institute acted in perfect unison, rushing forward and using their abilities to strike at the large black pig.


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    It didn''t take much effort. With a series of shrill screams, the big black pig collapsed to the ground.


    "Don''t let the little ones escape, catch them alive!" Do Seungjin, unable to rest, quickly commanded the researchers to spring into action.


    The researchers, excited, hurried after the smaller black pigs, who had been frightened by the scene.


    They shouted as they chased: "Come here, little baby, Uncle has something delicious for you!"


    "Be good, little one, I''ll take you back to your mommy."


    "Come with me, little one, I''ve missed you so much."


    They sounded like kidnappers luring children.


    The researchers, unaware of how their actions might be perceived by Kim Haru, didn''t take long to catch up with the scattered little black pigs.


    There were twelve baby black pigs in total, and each researcher had one to catch, with some even managing to carry one under each arm, leaving them overjoyed.


    "Mr. Kim, you pick the ones you want. We''ll take the rest back to the institute and try to raise them," Do Seungjin called out to Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru, not being shy, took a good look at the twelve black pigs and quickly picked out one that was particularly fat.


    "One is enough for me. I already have one at home, and the two can keep each other company. I didn''t do much in this capture, so the rest are yours."


    Seeing that Kim Haru genuinely only wanted one, Do Seungjin didn''t insist any further. He allowed the happy researchers to tie up the piglets and place them in the back of a cart. To ensure the piglets wouldn''t get hurt during the journey, the researchers even took off a couple of their own shirts to cushion them.


    "Hope we can keep them alive this time."


    "With Mr. Kim around, not only will we keep them alive, but we might even be able to raise normal meat for food."


    "Hahaha, just thinking about that scene gets me all excited."


    "I remember before the apocalypse, our family would slaughter a pig to celebrate the New Year. The people who helped would even get a big meal afterward. Do you think we might be able to have a New Year''s pig feast next year?"


    "Well, pigs grow pretty fast. In a year, they should be big enough to eat."


    "I''m so happy¡ªI can''t wait for next year''s New Year celebration. I love eating pork intestines the most."


    Everyone was buzzing with excitement. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Do Seungjin, eyeing the little piglets with ambition, said, "Mr. Kim, do you think this is enough? Maybe I should go catch a few more?"


    Do Seungjin was nothing if not ambitious. In his mind, if they were going to raise animals, they might as well have hundreds or thousands of them. Just a dozen or so didn''t seem nearly enough.


    "Let''s split up, then," Kim Haru said, now somewhat familiar with the area. This was the black pigs'' territory, and there didn''t seem to be any other mutated animals around. Thinking he wouldn''t be of much help in catching more pigs, Kim Haru decided to explore the surroundings for anything useful.

 Chapter 189 The Pigs Territory

    At first, Do Seungjin was reluctant. He had brought Mr. Kim out here, so his top priority was making sure he got back safely without a scratch. But after Kim Haru demonstrated Go Okrim''s "Teleportation Skill," Do Seungjin hesitated.


    That teleportation skill was indeed handy. It might not be the best in battle, but it was certainly useful for a quick getaway in dangerous situations. If that was the case, it might just work.


    In the end, Do Seungjin couldn''t convince Kim Haru otherwise and agreed to the plan.


    "Just be careful, Mr. Kim. If anything happens, call for us right away."


    Kim Haru nodded and, with Go Okrim in tow, headed deeper into the territory.


    Kim Haru wasn''t acting on a whim by going off on his own. He had seen something light up on the system map¡ªa symbol indicating the presence of edible plant seeds.


    And not just one type! Several lines of text overlapped there, although all he could make out was something about "melons."


    Go Okrim didn''t argue against Kim Haru''s plan; he simply followed Kim Haru''s lead. Once they were deep enough into the forest and out of sight of others, he even had his Space-type zombie to summon the Fire-type zombie over.


    The Fire-type zombie was just as formidable in terms of combat strength.


    The territory occupied by the black pigs was quite extensive. Though it was referred to as a forest, it was really just an area full of bare tree trunks. The only noticeable green was the vast spread of pigweed. As Kim Haru walked, he occasionally spotted pig hoofprints as big as his head.


    Running into one of those black pigs wouldn''t be easy to handle.


    Kim Haru kept an eye on the map while moving toward his goal, doing his best to avoid the massive footprints.


    But as he went on, Kim Haru noticed that the hoofprints were increasing in number. If he wanted to reach the melon seeds marked on the map, avoiding the black pigs'' activity range was going to be impossible.


    "I see a pig," Go Okrim pointed out ahead.


    Kim Haru looked in the indicated direction. Amid the towering pigweed, he spotted a black pig with its head down, gnawing on the grass. The pig''s color blended perfectly with the surroundings. If Go Okrim hadn''t pointed it out, Kim Haru might have mistaken it for a shadow of some other object.


    "What should we do, hyung? Should we try to avoid it?" Go Okrim had previously seen Do Seungjin and the others battling a black pig, which had made him eager to jump into the fray. If he gave the go-ahead to fight the pig, Go Okrim would call over more zombies to help without a second thought.


    Kim Haru frowned slightly. "We can''t avoid it."


    The pig was positioned precisely where they needed to go, making it impossible to bypass.


    "Let''s wait and see," Kim Haru said. He didn''t intend to just charge at the black pig. Since the pig was busy eating, there was a chance it would leave once it was done.


    Go Okrim didn''t feel disappointed about missing out on a fight. He obediently followed Kim Haru''s lead, crouching down with him. Together, they used the pigweed and other obstacles to stay well hidden.


    As for the Fire-type zombie, it didn''t need much attention. After all, mutated animals and zombies typically didn''t bother each other, and it was rare for them to engage in combat.


    Sure enough, the black pig kept munching away, though at one point, it seemed to notice something and lifted its head to glance in their direction. But all it saw was a mindless zombie roaming alone, so it paid no attention and continued eating.


    Kim Haru didn''t just wait for the black pig to finish its meal idly. While crouched there, he kept a sharp lookout, observing his surroundings. Since the system had marked this area as having a variety of melon seeds, there was a chance this place held some unusual features.


    No matter how Kim Haru looked at it, aside from the fact that the pigweed here grew more densely than in other areas, he couldn''t find anything unusual.


    The water source and soil fertility didn''t seem any different from other places. So why were there so many seeds concentrated in this spot?


    Wait, if he had to point out a difference, there was indeed something. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru sniffed the air slightly.


    He detected an unpleasant smell.


    Before he could figure out what it was, Go Okrim suddenly whispered, "Hyung, look at that!"


    Following Go Okrim''s gaze, Kim Haru instantly understood the source of the smell. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The black pig had finished eating and was now using its front hooves to dig a shallow pit. After a few quick scrapes, it squatted down to relieve itself.


    Yes, the odor Kim Haru had smelled was pig manure.


    After finishing, the black pig even attempted to cover its waste with a few kicks, though it was a feeble attempt. True to its nature, it didn''t bother checking if the job was done properly and simply waddled away.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    His face turned dark.


    He finally understood why there were so many seeds here. It seemed these seeds had been left behind along with the black pigs'' excrement. The pigs must have eaten a large amount of melons somewhere, and since melon seeds are hard to digest, this area had likely become their regular bathroom spot.


    Ah, the smell wasn''t too strong, so it seemed that not all the black pigs came here¡ªperhaps only those nearby.


    However, this didn''t comfort Kim Haru in the slightest.


    If he wanted those melon seeds, he''d have to search through the pig manure. If he didn''t want to do that, he wouldn''t get the seeds.


    It wasn''t just the thought of digging through pig manure; even thinking about moving forward made Kim Haru hesitate. He dreaded stepping into something unpleasant just a few steps ahead.

 Chapter 190 The Seed Hunt

    But he couldn''t bear the thought of leaving those melon seeds behind.


    Kim Haru''s expression shifted several times. Just as he was considering cautiously moving forward to search, the fire-type zombie¡ªwho Go Okrim had ordered to blend in as a regular zombie and wander around¡ªreturned.


    Kim Haru''s eyes lit up.


    Why go through the trouble himself when he had a handy zombie at his disposal?


    "Gojo, reprogram your little ignis," Kim Haru said, passing the task of finding melon seeds to Go Okrim. "Have Little Ignis do the digging, and we''ll just watch from the side."


    "Got it, I''ll get started right away." Go Okrim, eager to be of help to Kim Haru, immediately pulled out a medium crystal core and began programming.


    Before long, a fresh "poop-digging zombie-bots" was ready for action.


    Kim Haru broke a suitably long stick from a nearby withered branch and handed it to the fire-type zombie, who then wobbled over to the black pig''s manure and started digging.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim stood to the side, watching.


    Both of them had makeshift masks over their faces, made by tearing strips from the hems of their shirts.


    If he could avoid it, Kim Haru wouldn''t want to stand so close. But the melon seeds were so small that he worried the zombie might overlook them, so he had to watch closely to make sure none were missed.


    As the manure was stirred up, the smell intensified, and even with masks on, they could still smell it. Even Go Okrim, who wasn''t usually bothered by such things, looked uncomfortable.


    Fortunately, they soon spotted what they were looking for.


    "Wait, have Little Ignis pick up those white particles," Kim Haru directed, pointing at the freshly turned manure pile.


    In no time, three flat seeds appeared before Kim Haru.


    These were pumpkin seeds.


    The system map confirmed it as well.


    Now that they''d separated some of the seeds, it was easier to see the rest. Kim Haru examined the pile and realized there were indeed quite a few seeds in it.


    Aside from the three pumpkin seeds, there were probably another twenty or thirty pumpkin seeds, along with some cantaloupe seeds, winter melon seeds, and even a watermelon sprout.


    The sight of the watermelon sprout delighted Kim Haru.


    When he first saw the melons, he had wondered if there might be a watermelon, but given that it was already autumn and winter was approaching, watermelons were typically a summer fruit. He hadn''t expected to actually find a watermelon sprout here.


    "Call a few more zombies over," Kim Haru quickly instructed Go Okrim. "Leave two to guard the base, and call the others here."


    Go Okrim nodded, and soon six power ranger zombies appeared before them.


    The space-type zombie and the leader of the power ranger zombies remained at the small farm as guards.


    Without needing further instruction, Go Okrim immediately reprogrammed these six power ranger zombies with new directives, similar to those given to the fire-type zombie. Once the programming was complete, the zombies began digging in the areas Kim Haru had indicated.


    As for the three pumpkin seeds the fire-type zombie had found, Kim Haru didn''t dare put them in his system backpack until they were thoroughly cleaned.


    He decided to temporarily store them in the zombie''s clothing pocket¡ªafter all, it was already dirty.


    The thing Kim Haru was most excited about was the watermelon sprout. He couldn''t help but marvel at how resilient this little sprout must be to survive and grow in this season.


    Before long, one of the zombies uncovered the watermelon sprout.


    Seeing where the sprout was growing, Kim Haru started to understand why it had managed to survive until now.


    The watermelon seed must have been brought here by a black pig during the summer, and this particular pig was unusually diligent. It had dug a relatively deep hole and covered the seed with a thick layer of grass. Over time, this created a small greenhouse effect by chance.


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    With warmth and fertile "soil," the seed gradually sprouted.


    Kim Haru also noticed some shriveled, lifeless watermelon seeds scattered around. Unfortunately, these seeds were no longer viable for planting. He wondered where these black pigs had found such good stuff.


    Kim Haru made a mental note, planning to have Gojo follow the black pigs in the future to see where they sourced so many melon seeds.


    Who knows? They might even discover an entire melon field, which would add a rich variety to his farm''s crops.


    He just hoped there wouldn''t be any mutated badgers guarding the melon field.


    The watermelon sprout was carefully dug up. Since it had already sprouted and was the only one of its kind, Kim Haru didn''t trust the zombies to hold onto it. These mindless zombies might accidentally damage the precious sprout.


    "Gojo, take it to the car and find something to store it in, then come back here," Kim Haru said, tearing off another piece of fabric from his clothes. He carefully wrapped the watermelon sprout, along with the soil around its roots, and placed it into Go Okrim''s hands.


    "Got it, I''ll be quick. Please stay safe, hyung," Go Okrim replied. He activated the teleportion device and disappeared.


    Go Okrim''s movements were so quick that by the time Kim Haru remembered to ask him to bring back some water to rinse off the other seeds, he had already teleported away. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh well," Kim Haru thought. "Might as well wait until all the seeds are found and wash them together at the end."


    The zombies were focused on their task, diligently turning over the manure with a wooden stick, searching and sifting through it. Any particles they identified as potential seeds were picked up and brought to Kim Haru for him to inspect.


    The zombies'' recognition skills weren''t too bad. Most of what they found were indeed seeds, although many were dried out and unlikely to sprout. However, a few were still viable and just needed a little nurturing to grow.

 Chapter 191 The Case of the Missing Chestnuts (Part1)

    Even if some seeds didn''t sprout, it wouldn''t be a loss. As long as he could unlock the seeds in the system, Kim Haru wouldn''t have to worry about running out in the future.


    However, the zombies had been in the manure pit for so long that each time they brought seeds over to Kim Haru, they reeked terribly.


    In the end, Kim Haru layered two masks over his face, but even with half of his clothes nearly torn to pieces trying to block the smell, it was no use. He couldn''t take it anymore and told the zombies to continue sifting through the manure on their own, piling up the unidentifiable seeds in one place until they had enough for him to examine all at once.


    As for Kim Haru himself, he headed off to an odor-free spot to get some fresh air.


    He didn''t go too far, though. As he left, he carefully watched his steps, making sure not to head in the direction frequented by the black pigs.


    He stopped at a higher ground with a favorable wind direction, where there was less pigweed, and the air was free of any foul odors. It was close enough that the zombies could still see him, so if they needed to bring seeds over, they could easily find him.


    This was a nice spot, and Kim Haru decided to stay here for a while.


    With his back to the zombies, he avoided looking at that stinky area. Just imagining the bizarre mix of odors was enough to make him feel nauseous.


    After standing for a while, his legs began to feel a bit weak, so he took off the tattered layer of his clothes that he''d torn earlier and laid it on the ground as a makeshift mat, then sat down to rest.


    As he sat there, he started to feel a bit hungry.


    He opened his system backpack and saw the stir-fried chestnuts he had made earlier, still warm and waiting. Now seemed like the perfect time to take them out and peel a few.


    Kim Haru sniffed himself from head to toe to ensure there wasn''t a trace of odor on him. Satisfied, he vigorously wiped his hands on the discarded piece of clothing he''d decided not to wear again, and only then did he take the chestnuts out of his system backpack.


    The fragrant aroma instantly wafted through the air. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru began peeling chestnuts, but having just come from such a foul-smelling place, he found it hard to actually eat them despite their tempting aroma. Sitting there with nothing else to do, he decided to peel them without eating, just to pass the time.


    Leisurely peeling chestnuts while waiting for the zombies to work, Kim Haru was quite content.


    As he continued peeling, he suddenly noticed the foul odor drawing closer. Turning his head, he saw the zombie-bots approaching while holding a handful of seeds and making its way toward him.


    Kim Haru let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he hadn''t started eating the chestnuts earlier. If he had been mid-bite when that stench hit, swallowing or spitting them out would have been equally unpleasant.


    He snapped a small twig off a nearby branch and used it to poke through the seeds the zombie-bots was holding, separating the shriveled, lifeless ones from the usable ones. Among a handful of seeds, only three to five were viable, but something was better than nothing. Kim Haru wasn''t particularly concerned about the quantity; he just needed some to plant. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After sorting through the seeds, Kim Haru instructed the zombie-bots to keep looking while he sat back down to pass the time.


    When he reached out to grab another chestnut from the pile next to him, his hand came up empty.


    Kim Haru froze for a moment, confused.


    Strange.


    He distinctly remembered not having finished peeling all the chestnuts yet. There had been so many earlier¡ªhow could they suddenly disappear?


    He turned his head to look in the other direction and was stunned. Good grief! All that remained were the discarded chestnut shells. The chestnut meat was gone. Every single piece had vanished without a trace.


    Now there was no way for Kim Haru to chalk it up to misremembering.


    He stood up abruptly, scanning his surroundings.


    In the short time it took him to separate the seeds, something¡ªor someone¡ªhad stolen his chestnuts. He hadn''t noticed a thing. Whether it was his curiosity about the creature or sheer indignation over having his chestnuts swiped, Kim Haru wasn''t about to let this slide.


    He carefully began searching the area.


    The spot he''d chosen wasn''t particularly overgrown with pigweed, and there weren''t many places something could hide. If it were a large creature, it certainly couldn''t have stayed out of sight.


    Kim Haru ruled out the possibility of black pigs.


    Even small black pigs couldn''t hide their plump, round bodies in this sparse patch of pigweed. Besides, how could a small pig have stolen so many chestnuts and slipped away without him noticing?


    Could it have been a mutated plant?


    Kim Haru speculated as he continued to search.


    Kim Haru still remembered how adept Little Oakie and Little Wheatie had been at hiding their identities before. Especially Little Wheatie, who had managed to stay on his farm for so long without being discovered. If it turned out to be a mutated plant this time, its quick movements might make sense.


    However, Kim Haru harbored some doubts about this theory.


    Judging by the personalities of the mutated plants on his farm, they seemed more interested in water, fertilizer, and nutrient-rich soil. Chestnuts weren''t likely to be on their menu, were they?


    Then what could it be?


    "Hyung! I''m back!" Go Okrim appeared next to the zombies. Not seeing Kim Haru immediately, he called out, "Where are you?"


    Kim Haru straightened up and waved his hand.


    Go Okrim jogged over. "Hyung, what are you looking for?"


    "Something stole the chestnuts I peeled." Kim Haru pointed to the pile of empty chestnut shells. "It must''ve left some traces behind."

 Chapter 192 The Case of the Missing Chestnuts (Part2)

    Hearing this, Go Okrim''s temper flared.


    How dare something steal Kim Haru''s food!


    Go Okrim hadn''t even had the chance to taste the chestnuts Kim Haru peeled, and now some unknown creature had devoured them? Really Unforgivable.


    "Don''t worry, Hyung. I''ll find whatever did this." Go Okrim rolled up his sleeves, then dropped to the ground, carefully inspecting the area inch by inch.


    Kim Haru opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn''t say anything to stop him.


    Wasn''t this a bit... excessive?


    Oh well, let him do his thing.


    To his credit, there was a noticeable difference between killing time and working seriously. It didn''t take long for Go Okrim to find a clue.


    "Hyung, take a look! There are small paw prints," Go Okrim whispered, gesturing for Kim Haru to look.


    Kim Haru bent down to examine them and thought the prints resembled those of a mouse.


    Could it have been mice that stole his chestnuts?


    The two of them quietly followed the trail of tiny paw prints, just like when they''d tracked down Little Oakie before.


    They trailed the footprints step by step, but after only a short distance, the tracks abruptly disappeared.


    "What happened? Where did it go?" Go Okrim jumped up in frustration.


    In front of them was an open field, the kind where not even a single blade of grass grew. It was a vast, barren expanse, yet the trail of paw prints they had been following mysteriously disappeared right there.


    If it had been a mouse, it might have burrowed into the ground. But Kim Haru carefully inspected the area and found no signs of digging whatsoever.


    "Hyung, be careful. Something''s off here," Go Okrim said, stepping protectively in front of him.


    Kim Haru frowned slightly. "Forget it. It''s not like chestnuts are a rare commodity. There are plenty more on the farm."


    It wasn''t worth the risk of confronting some unknown creature with potentially dangerous abilities over a few chestnuts. That wouldn''t be a wise decision.


    Go Okrim understood this reasoning, but he couldn''t help feeling reluctant. He had confidently promised Kim Haru that he''d catch the little thief, and giving up halfway felt like failing him.


    Even though Go Okrim knew Kim Haru wouldn''t think less of him for it, he didn''t want to leave even the slightest negative impression in Kim Haru''s mind.


    Go Okrim circled the area where the footprints vanished.


    Thud!


    Suddenly, he stumbled as if he''d collided with something and was thrown backward onto the ground.


    "What happened?" Kim Haru immediately helped him up.


    Go Okrim looked bewildered. It had clearly been an empty field, so what had he bumped into? He was certain it wasn''t a misstep¡ªhe had collided with something solid.


    Cautiously, both Kim Haru and Go Okrim extended their hands toward the spot where Go Okrim had stumbled.


    Sure enough, they felt something.


    The surface was slightly rough, like an irregular cylindrical object.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim exchanged a glance, their minds racing to figure out what the mysterious object might be.


    The surface felt icy cold and completely devoid of elasticity, clearly not the texture of a living creature. An image of a tree flashed through Kim Haru''s mind.


    If it were a tree trunk, this would indeed be what it felt like.


    Kim Haru pulled Go Okrim back a few steps.


    If this was truly a tree¡ªan invisible one at that¡ªit must be a mutated plant.


    "Hyung, step back. Let me call one of the zombies to test it out," Go Okrim said quickly, his hands moving deftly. Soon, a zombie from his power ranger gang, the one with the ash-gray hair, came shambling over.


    This particular zombie has strength enchantment-type ability. Go Okrim commanded it to punch the invisible object.


    The gray-haired zombie didn''t hold back, throwing a powerful punch with a loud thud!


    However, just as quickly as it struck, the zombie was violently rebounded, flying through the air and landing in a heap of pig grass.


    Luckily, it didn''t fall apart.


    Completely oblivious to the concept of pain, the zombie got up and prepared to strike again, but Go Okrim quickly stopped it.


    It seemed that this mutated plant not only had the ability to turn invisible but also possessed a defensive mechanism that could reflect attacks.


    But why would a mutated plant steal his chestnuts? Kim Haru couldn''t help but speculate. Could this mutated plant be a chestnut tree? Was it upset to see its "children" being eaten and therefore decided to reclaim the chestnuts?


    If that were the case, why hadn''t it targeted him directly? After all, he was the one who had "mistreated" its children. Yet, not only had it refrained from attacking him, but even his proximity to the tree hadn''t triggered the Farm''s Blessing skill. This indicated that the tree didn''t harbor any hostility toward him.


    This didn''t make much sense.


    Kim Haru was debating how to handle this mutated plant and whether he should call Wana and the others for help when a round object, about the size of a fist, suddenly appeared out of thin air. It fell to the ground with a soft plop and rolled a few times toward Kim Haru before stopping just short of his toes.


    "Hyung, watch out!" Go Okrim instantly tensed up.


    He grabbed the sleeve of Kim Haru''s shirt and pulled him back, worried that the object might be a bomb or some other kind of weapon.


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    Kim Haru shook his head to stop him.


    This wasn''t a weapon. The object was a bright red apple. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bending down, Kim Haru picked up the apple and brought it closer for inspection.


    He wasn''t mistaken¡ªthis was indeed an apple. Crisp, fresh, and clearly just picked from a tree.


    In other words, the invisible, reflective mutated tree before him was an apple tree.


    And not just any apple tree¡ªit was one already full of apples, ready for harvest.


    But why would an apple tree steal his chestnuts? Kim Haru was increasingly baffled.

 Chapter 193 The Case of the Missing Chestnuts (Part3)

    Go Okrim, too, rummaged through his memories of apples. The thought of sweet, crisp apples made him swallow audibly.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, can we eat this apple?"


    Kim Haru shook his head.


    He wasn''t sure if it was safe to eat.


    Since the apple tree had willingly given him an apple and hadn''t triggered the Farm''s Blessing, did that mean this mutated plant harbored goodwill toward him?


    Kim Haru thought back to Little Oakie and Little Wheatie on the farm. Tentatively, he addressed the empty space in front of him, "Can you reveal yourself?"


    He didn''t expect a response. The ability to turn invisible was likely this apple tree''s protective mechanism, something it wouldn''t easily abandon.


    But just as he thought that, the air before him rippled.


    A lush apple tree appeared right in front of him.


    Its dense canopy was dotted with vibrant red apples, as picturesque as the images of apple orchards in harvest books.


    "Hyung, it actually appeared!" Go Okrim exclaimed in astonishment.


    Kim Haru was just as surprised. This apple tree was far too friendly.


    Looking at the abundance of apples hanging from its branches, Kim Haru also understood why it had remained invisible. If it weren''t for its camouflage, no matter how powerful it was, it would undoubtedly attract countless greedy individuals.


    After pondering for a moment, Kim Haru asked, "Did you bring me here on purpose?"


    Besides this reasoning, Kim Haru couldn''t think of any other explanation for why an apple tree would steal his chestnuts.


    What Kim Haru didn''t expect, however, was for the apple tree to shake its branches in denial.


    It wasn''t the one who brought him here on purpose. Then why were his chestnuts stolen?


    Wait¡ªno, the chestnuts weren''t stolen by the apple tree!


    Kim Haru finally realized what he had misunderstood. How could an apple tree leave paw marks? It must have been an animal!


    Sure enough, before Kim Haru could ask, the branches of the apple tree quivered, and soon a small creature tangled in the twigs was brought into view.


    Looking at the chestnut thief the apple tree presented to him, Kim Haru fell silent.


    It was... a hamster?


    As Go Okrim observed the hamster delivered to them, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It''s so tiny. Not even enough for a bite."


    At these words, the cream-colored hamster began trembling violently. It let out high-pitched squeaks and rubbed its little paws against its cheeks as though kneading dough.


    Just as Kim Haru thought the little critter was trying to play cute to escape, something familiar fell from mid-air and hit the ground with a thud.


    It was a chestnut.


    What''s more, more chestnuts began tumbling down one after another, landing on the ground with clinks and clatters. Like a hailstorm, they quickly formed two small piles¡ªone of unpeeled chestnuts and the other of peeled ones, neatly sorted.


    It seemed that this little hamster was also mutated animal. Its mutation didn''t give it a massive body but rather a space-type ability that was connected to its cheek pouches.


    Kim Haru glanced at the chestnuts and the hamster in front of him, then at the apple tree full of bright red fruit. He didn''t want to let this opportunity slip away.


    He instructed Go Okrim to gather all the chestnuts on the ground and place them in front of the hamster. "I won''t hold you accountable for stealing my chestnuts. In fact, I even have more chestnuts you can take if you like. But in exchange, I want apples. Deal?"


    Kim Haru could tell¡ªthe apple tree and the hamster were working together. Otherwise, the little hamster wouldn''t have so smoothly darted into the apple tree for cover. It was clear that the hamster knew the apple tree could turn invisible. Although the tree handed over the hamster, its branches wrapped around the creature gently, not applying any force or causing discomfort.


    While Kim Haru didn''t know how this unlikely pair ended up together, their partnership made his proposed trade much easier to negotiate.


    Seeing the chestnuts it had spit out earlier returned to its sight, the little hamster''s round eyes lit up instantly.


    It turned toward the apple tree, squeaking animatedly as if holding a discussion. Who knew how the two were communicating When it turned back, the hamster agreed to Kim Haru''s request.


    It didn''t even negotiate the exchange ratio between chestnuts and apples.


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    Kim Haru hung the chestnuts on one of the apple tree''s branches in front of the hamster. The little creature let out an excited squeak and stuffed all the chestnuts into its cheek pouches in one swift motion before scurrying up the tree.


    Moments later, apples began falling one by one from the tree. The hamster even made an effort to pick the reddest and ripest ones.


    Go Okrim and Kim Haru hurriedly used their clothes to catch the apples, worried that they might hit the ground and get bruised.


    "Can''t you aim better?!" Go Okrim shouted in frustration as he dashed left and right, trying to catch the falling apples. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru chuckled. "I think it''s aiming pretty well."


    Go Okrim glanced over, only to feel as though he had just swallowed an entire lemon.


    It turned out that the little hamster was throwing apples to Kim Haru with near-perfect accuracy. Kim Haru didn''t need to move at all¡ªhe simply stood still with his clothes stretched out to catch the apples.


    Meanwhile, Go Okrim had to dart around frantically, chasing after the ones thrown his way.


    The stark difference in treatment left Go Okrim feeling utterly bitter.


    "Why is it treating me like this?" he asked, bewildered.


    "Well," Kim Haru said with a grin, "maybe it''s because you just said you wanted to eat it."


    Though, to be fair, Kim Haru''s first thought when he saw the little hamster wasn''t all that different. Luckily, he hadn''t said it out loud. After all, it wasn''t like the hamster could read minds.


    Go Okrim: "..."


    This little hamster really held grudges. Such a small body, yet such a big temper.

 Chapter 194 The Case of the Missing Chestnuts (Part4)

    After several more rounds of running back and forth, Go Okrim finally couldn''t take it anymore and began trying to coax the little creature. "Hamster, dear little hamster, I was wrong, okay? How could I ever eat a wonderful hamster like you? I was just joking."


    The apples being thrown from the tree started to come down in smaller arcs, making them easier to catch.


    Seeing that flattery worked, Go Okrim''s mouth instantly went into overdrive, spouting all kinds of sweet praise for the little hamster. It was like honey poured out as he heaped compliments upon compliments.


    The results were quick¡ªsoon Go Okrim could stand in one place and catch apples just like Kim Haru.


    He shifted closer to Kim Haru and let out a sigh of relief. "Hyung, my mouth is so dry from talking."


    "Aren''t you holding a ton of apples? Just bite into one," Haru replied, unconcerned.


    Before long, both of their arms were filled with apples, to the point their clothes could barely hold them. While the little hamster continued picking apples, Kim Haru took the opportunity to store the ones they had caught into his system backpack and then resumed catching the apples being thrown down.


    After catching several more bundles, Kim Haru glanced at his inventory. The apple count had already reached three digits. He couldn''t help but ask, "Is this hamster planning to strip the entire tree bare for us?"


    The hamster, busy as ever, popped its head out from the foliage and squeaked twice. Worried the humans might not understand, it even nodded vigorously for emphasis.


    Kim Haru realized he was getting an incredible deal here.


    Watching the agile little hamster darting among the apple tree''s branches, Kim Haru couldn''t help but think about his own orchard. If only he had such a nimble fruit-picking hamster, he wouldn''t have to worry about fruits growing too high to reach.


    Kim Haru entertained the thought of bringing this apple tree and the hamster back to his small farm to settle down, but he quickly dismissed the idea. He doubted he had the charm to convince them to stay.


    The tree was full of apples¡ªso many that the hamster stayed busy picking them, even after the zombies had almost finished gathering seeds from the area. Yet, plenty of apples still remained on the branches.


    Kim Haru checked the time. It had been a while since they had split off from Do Seungjin''s group, and he was concerned they might suddenly come looking for them.


    Kim Haru gave Go Okrim an instruction: "Send the zombie-bots back first."


    "Got it." Go Okrim nodded and called out to the hamster, asking it to stop tossing apples his way for a moment. He then quickly began teleporting the zombie-bots away one by one.


    The seeds the zombie-bots had collected in their pockets were naturally sent back with them.


    Once the zombie-bots were gone, Go Okrim returned to Kim Haru''s side, ready to resume catching apples from the little hamster. However, before he could get back into position, a shout echoed from the distance.


    "Mr. Kim, where are you?" Do Seungjin''s voice called out. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    With a thud, an apple missed its mark, brushing against Go Okrim''s arm and falling to the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, the apple tree and the hamster vanished completely. The spot where they had stood now looked empty and ordinary as if they had never been there.


    This mutant apple tree''s nerves were a little too timid, weren''t they?


    Kim Haru found the whole situation endlessly fascinating.


    "I''m here," Kim Haru raised his voice to respond.


    By the time Do Seungjin and the others arrived, Go Okrim had just picked up an apple from the ground and straightened up. Kim Haru still held the apples in his arms, temporarily refraining from putting them into his system backpack.


    The large, bright red apples, gleaming with freshness, instantly caught the attention of Do Seungjin and his team.


    "Th-this is...?" Do Seungjin and the others slowed their pace, their eyes fixated on the apples.


    "Real apples? How could there suddenly be so many apples here?"


    "Mr. Kim, did something happen to you?"


    "You weren''t in any danger, were you?"


    The sight of such an obvious pile of rare and precious apples made it impossible for the researchers from the animal institute to believe that Kim Haru and Go Okrim hadn''t encountered something unusual. They immediately surrounded the pair, expressing their concerns.


    Before Kim Haru could reply, Go Okrim rolled his eyes at them. "Of course we didn''t encounter any danger. Aren''t we standing here safe and sound in front of you? If we had run into trouble, do you think we''d still have the peace of mind to calmly pick apples?"


    The researchers weren''t offended by his tone. By now, they had grown familiar with Go Okrim''s personality during their travels. They knew he was constantly upset about how much time the Pyeongseong Safe Zone had been taking away from his beloved hyung. It was clear he was jealous.


    Besides, with Mr. Kim unharmed, the more pressing matter at hand was the apples. No one had the time or energy to bicker with Go Okrim.


    "Mr. Kim, where did these apples come from? Could you share the details with us?"


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Kim, we have no intention of coveting your apples. We''re just incredibly curious."


    Kim Haru hesitated, unsure if he should reveal the existence of the apple tree and the little hamster. Both of them had remained hidden so far, and it didn''t seem like they wanted to be discovered by more people.


    He was also worried that if too many people knew about them, someone with bad intentions might harm the apple tree¡ªperhaps by cutting it down or uprooting it. The little hamster could also end up in danger.


    With that in mind, Kim Haru decided not to disclose anything.


    Just as Kim Haru shook his head, Do Seungjin and the others instantly froze, their expressions shifting dramatically. Their bodies tensed as they adopted defensive stances, ready to fight whatever was behind Kim Haru and Go Okrim. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 195 Exposed (Part 1)

    Do Seungjin even reached out, trying to pull Kim Haru and Go Okrim behind him. "Mr. Kim, be careful!"


    Kim Haru turned around to look and saw that the apple tree had suddenly become visible. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An empty patch of ground now had a tree standing there, seemingly out of nowhere. It was no wonder Do Seungjin and the others were on high alert. A mutated plant that could turn invisible? While they didn''t know why it had chosen to reveal itself instead of attacking them outright, dealing with an enemy that could become invisible was far from simple.


    "It''s not an enemy," Kim Haru quickly assured them.


    Go Okrim chuckled from the side. "What kind of look is that? Don''t you recognize this tree? Look at those red fruits hanging from its branches. You were just grilling us about these apples a moment ago, and now that it''s come out to meet you, you want to attack it?"


    Do Seungjin and the other researchers froze in surprise.


    They cautiously studied the suddenly visible tree. Sure enough, it looked exactly like an apple tree. The apples hanging from its branches were identical to the ones Mr. Kim and Go Okrim were holding.


    "What¡­ what is going on here?" someone muttered in confusion.


    This apple tree was undoubtedly a mutated plant. For it to thrive in such a place meant it couldn''t possibly be a domesticated plant grown by a plant-type ability user. Why hadn''t it attacked them, though? Instead, it seemed to have offered Mr. Kim all these apples.


    Mutated plants were supposed to despise humans to the core. So why was this happening?


    Go Okrim recounted the events leading up to this moment, though he conveniently omitted the part about the zombie-bots rummaging through black pig''s manure to collect seeds. He simply explained that Mr. Kim had found the area to take a rest and had stopped to shell chestnuts, only to have one stolen by a hamster.


    The rest of the story remained mostly unchanged, leaving the researchers utterly baffled.


    This was the first time they''d ever heard of a human getting this close to a mutated plant without being attacked. In fact, the mutated apple tree even seemed¡­ eager to please him.


    What could they say? Truly, this was Mr. Kim at work.


    Do Seungjin glanced between Mr. Kim and the apple tree, then at the bright red apples in Mr. Kim''s arms, and finally at the apples still hanging from the tree. He swallowed hard.


    "Mr. Kim, since it''s willing to reveal itself to us, do you think it might also be willing to share its apples with us?"


    The other researchers lit up at the suggestion, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.


    Kim Haru had no idea. "Ask it yourself."


    And Do Seungjin actually did. He stood right where he was, careful not to move any closer, and softened his voice as if coaxing a child. "Oh, apple tree, dear apple tree, could you spare an apple for me too?"


    The apple tree: "¡­" Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    The little hamster: "¡­"


    Thwack!


    Something flew over.


    Do Seungjin caught it, only to find it was a leaf. On the leaf, two bold lines had been scratched into a large X with tiny claws.


    Well, that symbol clearly conveyed the apple tree and little hamster''s answer.


    The other researchers crowded around let out a collective sigh of disappointment.


    Then, as if by instinct, all their hopeful gazes turned to Kim Haru.


    What could they do? They had encountered this peculiar apple tree, and those big, shiny, red apples were practically flaunting themselves right before their eyes. The more they looked, the harder it was to resist. After all, the apple tree didn''t eat apples, and the little hamster couldn''t possibly consume so many. Eventually, the apples would just fall to the ground and rot. Wouldn''t it be better for them to pick and enjoy them instead?


    Kim Haru sighed. "¡­Let me try."


    He couldn''t guarantee that the apple tree and little hamster would agree. After all, the apples belonged to them, and it was entirely up to them whether they wanted to share or let the apples rot.


    "How about giving them a few?" Kim Haru cautiously suggested.


    The next moment, there was a faint squeak, and a shiny red apple was hurled straight at Do Seungjin''s face, which he caught with ease.


    Do Seungjin was overjoyed. "Mr. Kim, you''re amazing! Thank you, Mr. Apple tree! Oh, and thank you too, little hamster."


    He treated the apple like a priceless treasure, looking around nervously before finally lifting his shirt and stuffing it under his clothes. Neither his pockets nor his bag seemed secure enough for such a valuable fruit.


    Seeing that their leader had successfully gotten an apple, the other researchers eagerly raised their hands, one after another.


    "Me, me, me! I want one too!"


    "Me too! Apple tree, you''re the most beautiful, magnificent tree I''ve ever seen! And little hamster, you''re the cutest hamster in the whole wide world! Please give me an apple!"


    "Generous, lovely, kind-hearted apple tree, and adorable, angelic little hamster¡ªyou''re like the angels of the plant and animal kingdoms. I''d love an apple too!"


    With every word of praise, another apple was tossed into someone''s arms. This only encouraged the others, who scrambled to outdo each other with compliments.


    Listening from the side, Kim Haru couldn''t help but laugh. If he didn''t know better, he''d think they were all fawning over a peerless beauty instead of a tree and a hamster.


    Once everyone had received two apples, the excitement finally died down.


    "This place isn''t very safe. The black pig come here often," Do Seungjin said, pointing to the area where the black pig had left their droppings. "Let''s leave this place."


    Kim Haru nodded and followed the group as they started to leave.


    But just as he turned, something tugged at the hem of his coat.


    Kim Haru looked down and saw it was a branch from the apple tree.

 Chapter 196 Exposed (Part 2)

    The little hamster shook itself, then scurried along the branch to stand in front of Kim Haru, waving its paws around in an elaborate display.


    Kim Haru¡­ couldn''t understand a thing.


    The little hamster grew agitated, mustering its courage to climb up Kim Haru''s clothes. It made its way to the pocket of his shirt, dove in, and poked out just the tips of its ears.


    At that point, it was impossible for Kim Haru not to understand.


    "You want to come with me?" he asked.


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    The little hamster poked its head halfway out of his pocket, nodded its head, and squeaked softly. It even lifted a tiny paw and pointed at the apple tree.


    Kim Haru followed the gesture and looked at the tree. The apple tree was trembling slightly, rising taller and taller. To his astonishment, it pulled its roots out of the ground, transforming into a form more suitable for walking.


    Then it took a step forward¡ªtoward Kim Haru.


    With that step, the apple tree was practically brushing up against him.


    The commotion naturally drew everyone''s attention. But the shy apple tree immediately vanished from sight.


    Kim Haru, however, knew it was still there. The branch hooked onto the hem of his coat hadn''t let go.


    This was the first time Do Seungjin and the others had ever seen a mutated plant willingly follow a human. Every single one of them was opened their eyes in disbelief. After the initial shock, their admiration for Kim Haru only deepened.


    "Do we have room for the apple tree in the vehicle?" Kim Haru asked Do Seungjin.


    There was no way Kim Haru would even consider turning the apple tree away. If anything, he felt lucky it wanted to come along. How could he ever reject such an offer? The tree had a shy disposition and would turn invisible when flustered. It didn''t have any offensive capabilities beyond deflecting attacks, and it came with a nimble little helper skilled at picking fruit. The helper even had its own spatial storage abilities. Only a fool would refuse such a gift.


    Do Seungjin nodded his head repeatedly. "There''s room, there''s room."


    Even if the truck bed couldn''t fit it, they could always secure it to the roof. Overloading wasn''t a concern right now¡ªthis was an apple tree, after all. There was no way they were leaving it behind.


    The thought of Kim Haru''s store selling not just oranges but apples in the future filled everyone with excitement. With apples and oranges already accounted for, could other fruits be far behind?


    And so, Kim Haru brought the little hamster nestled in his pocket and the invisible apple tree trailing behind him to the place where they had parked the vehicle.


    The bed of the large truck was already packed with squealing piglets. On the ground beside the truck lay two massive black pigs, clearly deceased. One glance was enough to tell that the team had had a bountiful hunt.


    Looking at the truck and its load, Kim Haru made a decision. "I''ll take the tree back first using the teleportation skill."


    He wasn''t sure if the apple tree would suffer any effects from being out of the ground for too long. Besides, those who were close to Kim Haru in the safety zone were already aware that Go Okrim had teleportation abilities. There was no need to keep it a secret.


    Hearing Kim Haru''s plan, Do Seungjin and the others raised no objections.


    And so, Kim Haru and Go Okrim teleported back to the small farm, bringing along the apple tree.


    In the blink of an eye, the two humans, the tree, and the little hamster appeared in the clearing in front of Kim Haru''s wooden cabin.


    Then, Kim Haru froze in place.


    What¡­ what was this?


    The once-modest experimental field was now completely surrounded by thick, root-like growths. These tangled, sprawling appendages extended in every direction like writhing tentacles, their origins indistinguishable. Some were as thin as small snakes, while others were thicker than a person''s body. Some were bare and smooth, in a dull grayish-brown hue, while others were covered in sharp, sprawling leaves. The sight was both bizarre and unsettling.


    A little further away, eerily colored plants were digging their roots into the fermentation pool. A plant with a large, sharp-toothed mouth lay sprawled by the edge of the pond, doing who-knows-what. As for the cleared farmland on the other side of the pond, it now looked more like a primeval jungle than any real jungle ever could.


    Kim Haru closed his eyes and reopened them.


    If it weren''t for the familiar sight of his small wooden cabin and the zombie-bots he had left standing in front of it, blankly awaiting new orders, Kim Haru might have genuinely thought he had teleported to the wrong place!


    What in the world was this haunted, monstrous place?


    "Hyung..." Go Okrim was visibly shaken by the scene before them.


    Kim Haru was even more bewildered, his face filled with utter disbelief.


    He was absolutely sure that the strange, grotesque things in front of him had been moving when they first teleported in! In the instant he blinked, it was as if all those things had suddenly frozen in place.


    Even now, with everything immobilized, it didn''t matter anymore¡ªhe''d already seen them move!


    Without saying a word, Kim Haru pressed the teleportation device again. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Do Seungjin and the others were standing together, happily chatting about apples while waiting for Kim Haru''s return. They didn''t expect him to come back so quickly.


    However, they immediately noticed something unusual¡ªboth Kim Haru and Go Okrim looked visibly disturbed.


    Before the people from the animal research team could even ask what had happened, Kim Haru posed a question that he''d neglected for far too long.


    "How do you tell the difference between mutated plants and non-mutated ones?"


    Do Seungjin and the others froze for a moment, confused.


    Wait¡ªdid Kim Haru not know?


    Though curious, Do Seungjin answered the question, pointing to the withered plants nearby. "99% of non-mutated plants in this world can''t survive¡ªthey end up looking like this. The plants that are alive and thriving are all mutated to some degree. Some mutations are strong, others are weaker."


    Kim Haru: "¡­"

 Chapter 197 Exposed (Part 3)

    His expression darkened further as he thought about the dense, jungle-like vegetation surrounding his small farm. It was as if he were living in the middle of a primeval forest. The more he thought about it, the blacker his face became.


    So, he''d been living in a nest of mutated plants all this time?


    The wood he''d chopped for his fence¡ªmutated plants. The bamboo he''d been eagerly waiting to harvest for shoots next year¡ªmutated plants. The area where he gathered mushrooms¡ªmutated plants. The vines he casually grabbed to use as ropes¡ªalso mutated plants. Even the massive tree next to his cabin that shielded him from wind and rain¡ªit, too, was a mutated plant.


    And then there were the orange trees, chestnut trees, lemon trees...


    Kim Haru didn''t know whether to marvel at his uncanny ability to pick such an "outstanding" location or be amazed that he''d lived in such a place for so long without a single scratch¡ªhis life miraculously intact.


    "Mr. Kim, is something wrong?" Do Seungjin asked, puzzled.


    Kim Haru shook his head. He had no patience to join Do Seungjin and the others in a leisurely drive back.


    "Don''t wait for me. You all can head back now¡ªI''ll teleport directly."


    With that, Kim Haru disappeared. Go Okrim quickly followed.


    Do Seungjin and the others were left standing there, bewildered.


    "Forget it. We can never guess what''s on Mr. Kim''s mind anyway. Let''s just head back to the safe zone. First, let''s untie the piglets and let them stretch out a bit. We can''t have them getting injured¡ªthey''re the foundation of our future livestock farming!"


    ... sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim reappeared at the farm.


    This time, the entire farm showed no trace of the nightmarish mutated plants they had just seen. The roots tangled around the sample fields¡ªgone. The mutated plants at the fermentation pool and the cleared land¡ªgone. By the pond, only a single graceful lotus plant remained.


    There wasn''t even a sign of something being dragged across the ground, no fallen leaves that didn''t belong.


    The entire small farm was so clean it seemed like everything they''d seen earlier was a hallucination.


    How could it possibly be a hallucination?!


    Kim Haru refused to believe that.


    Recalling the terrifying scene from earlier, Kim Haru told Go Okrim to head back to the dormitory and not come out unless summoned. Go Okrim obediently followed his instructions.


    Kim Haru, meanwhile, grabbed an axe in one hand and a watering can in the other. Standing amidst the surrounding plants, he yelled loudly, "Which one of you is a mutated plant? Whoever it is, I''m giving them water!"


    As soon as Kim Haru finished speaking, every plant around him¡ªwithout exception¡ªtrembled and raised their leaves nervously. The shorter plants, afraid that Kim Haru might not see them, lifted their branches high, some even helping each other raise their stems higher.


    Even the inconspicuous little grasses under the trees weakly positioned their leaves to mimic the act of raising a hand.


    Not a single normal plant among them.


    Kim Haru''s mind went completely blank.


    Without making a fuss, he began watering the plants one by one in mechanical silence, circling around them methodically.


    After two rounds of watering, his brain finally began to process what had just happened.


    Looking at the vast mountain forest in front of him, he sighed. "Since we''ve been coexisting peacefully for so long without any trouble, it''s clear you all don''t mean me any harm. I''m too lazy to move anyway, so I''ll stay here."


    The plants around him rustled their leaves in response, and Kim Haru could almost hear the cheers in their jubilant movements.


    Kim Haru chuckled.


    He could faintly imagine how nervous and uneasy these plants must have felt, having suddenly been exposed. Now, with his decision, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "There are so many of you. I can''t water and fertilize each of you individually, and there''s no way I''m going to replace the soil for this entire mountain. From now on, I''ll prepare ten extra portions of water, soil, and fertilizer daily. You''ll have to figure out how to divide it amongst yourselves."


    Kim Haru knew these plants had their own ways of communicating.


    "But let me make one thing clear: you are absolutely forbidden from stealing nutrients meant for my crops! If I catch anyone doing that, I''ll chop them down with my axe."


    After cutting down that orange tree before, Kim Haru was fully aware that his axe worked just as effectively on mutated plants.


    "If someone does steal nutrients and I can''t figure out who it is, I''ll reduce the amount of resources I give to all of you. Every time it happens, one portion less."


    Immediately, the plants around him shook their leaves frantically.


    Being chopped down wasn''t their greatest fear, but losing their share of nutrients? Absolutely unacceptable!


    "Also," Kim Haru continued, "I''ll still be wandering through the forest in the future. You all better keep pretending to be normal plants, and I''ll pretend I don''t know anything."


    Though he already knew, pretending not to notice was far better than walking through a forest of writhing, animated plants.


    "If I end up picking or cutting something that disturbs you, just let me know, and I''ll be careful." After some thought, Kim Haru decided to set some boundaries in advance. "Like the wood I''ve used before¡ªI''ll probably still need more in the future." Continue your journey at My Virtual Library Empire


    When Kim Haru had cut down plants before, there had been no reaction from the mutated plants, suggesting they didn''t mind such actions. However, now that he knew the truth, he felt it necessary to address the matter.


    The plants nodded, then shook their leaves.


    Kim Haru understood¡ªthey were saying it was fine, they didn''t mind.


    Having settled things with these plants, Kim Haru activated his teleportation device.


    Next stop: the orchard.


    The orange trees in the orchard stood as still as statues.


    Looking at these trees, which appeared completely ordinary and unmutated, Kim Haru got straight to the point. "Who''s in charge here?"

 Chapter 198 The Orange Groves Secret

    The moment the words left his mouth, Kim Haru couldn''t help but laugh at himself.


    Why did that sound like he was here to cause trouble? Especially with the axe in his hand¡ªit made him seem even more like a thug.


    Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the orange trees began trembling violently.


    They had already heard the news that their companions near the cabin had been exposed. Now that this human had come to the orchard, was he planning to chop them all down too? Wuwuwu.


    But they couldn''t ignore the human''s question. As if on cue, all the orange trees extended their branches, pointing towards the center of the orchard.


    Following the direction of the branches, Kim Haru walked deeper into the grove. Even before he reached the tree in question, he already had a guess about which mutated orange tree was "in charge."


    Sure enough, it was the largest, sturdiest orange tree in the orchard.


    At that moment, the massive orange tree had its leaves curled inward nervously. Though it towered over Kim Haru by several times his height, it now stood before him like a timid, wronged child. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surrounding orange trees, all of normal height, began wriggling slightly, shifting their largest and sweetest oranges to the side of their crowns facing Kim Haru. If they dared, they would have stretched their branches to hand him the oranges directly.


    Orange trees: Look, we''re being obedient and nice!


    Seeing the orange trees acting like this, how could Kim Haru possibly stay mad?


    He watered the massive orange tree as a sign of goodwill, then asked, "What''s your relationship with the other orange trees around here?"


    Based on what Kim Haru understood, it didn''t make much sense for all these orange trees to have fully "gained sentience"¡ªor rather, mutated¡ªat the same time. Some of the trees must be extensions, offshoots, or even under the control of others.


    Sure enough, after a series of chaotic yet cooperative gestures from the orange trees, Kim Haru pieced together the general picture of how this entire orange grove came to be.


    To put it simply, the large orange tree in the center had sprouted the ring of medium-sized orange trees around it. Among those medium trees, only one had its own consciousness, while the rest were controlled by that one tree.


    The medium-sized trees, in turn, sprouted a wider array of smaller offspring trees. Similarly, only one of the smaller trees had its own awareness, with the rest being mere extensions.


    Typically, the non-sentient offspring would be reabsorbed by the conscious parent tree. However, this batch of smaller trees hadn''t been absorbed yet when they encountered something far more intriguing: Kim Haru himself, a human who was irresistibly fascinating to them.


    Thus, through a rather cunning chain of events, this orange grove of interconnected trees came into existence.


    And sure enough, they managed to lure a human right to them.


    "This is like three generations of a family living together," Kim Haru muttered after hearing the explanation.


    In any case, since this grove was already part of his farm, Kim Haru had no intention of letting these orange trees go free. The same went for the chestnut and lemon trees, which were also mutated plants on his land.


    "All right, let''s leave it at that," Kim Haru said with a nod, ready to press the button on his teleportation device.


    Before he could do so, though, a branch hooked onto the corner of his clothing.


    Kim Haru glanced down and couldn''t help but chuckle. "Do all you trees like using this trick?"


    He turned his attention to the small orange tree tugging at him. Judging by its "generation," this one would be considered the grandchild among the orange trees. "Don''t worry, I''m not getting rid of any of you. You''ll still get your share of fertilizer and water. Oh, by the way, a new neighbor¡ªa little apple tree¡ªwill be moving in soon. It''s quite timid, so don''t bully it, all right?"


    The orange trees nodded repeatedly in unison.


    Back at the farm, Kim Haru called out to Go Okrim.


    "Hyung," Go Okrim greeted, now well aware of the mutated plants surrounding them. He glanced at Kim Haru, wondering if this meant they''d have to relocate.


    Kim Haru briefly explained his approach to dealing with the plants: they weren''t moving out and would continue coexisting as they had before. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Gojo, take the apple tree to the orchard later and help it settle somewhere near the orange trees. I''ve already told them about it. Also, adjust the fencing to include the apple tree''s spot."


    Although Kim Haru wasn''t sure if the orchard even needed a fence anymore, since it was already built, it might as well be put to use.


    "I got it," Go Okrim nodded. "What about the little hamster?"


    Kim Haru turned his gaze toward the little hamster''s usual spot.


    The tiny creature, which had previously been nestled safely in Kim Haru''s pocket, had long since scurried into the apple tree''s canopy, terrified by the overwhelming presence of so many powerful mutated plants surrounding them.


    Hearing Kim Haru calling for it, the little hamster peeked out its head cautiously and squeaking twice.


    Both the apple tree and the little hamster now seemed to understand that this area was a safe place for them. The apple tree, in particular, was immensely relieved that it had dared to cling to this human with the appealing scent. One sniff of the surrounding soil and fertilizer confirmed its luck¡ªthis was truly a premium quality land!


    "Do you want to stay here, or would you rather go with the apple tree to the orchard?" Kim Haru asked the little hamster. "If you stay here, you''ll have two little chickens and a little pig¡ªoh wait, it''s now two little pigs¡ªas your companions."


    The little hamster poked its head out, glanced at the little chickens and little pigs Kim Haru had pointed out, and immediately shook its head furiously, squeaking insistently while clinging to the apple tree.

 Chapter 199 The Mutated Grove and New Allies

    "Fine, then go with the apple tree. I''ll make a proper nest for you later and bring it over," Kim Haru said, not forcing the matter.


    With that, the apple tree and the little hamster followed Go Okrim toward the orchard. Meanwhile, Kim Haru tossed the piglet he''d claimed into the pigpen and addressed his Little Snort, saying, "Here''s a new companion for you. Don''t bully it, all right?"


    He also didn''t forget to instruct Little Oakie, "This newcomer is your responsibility. Feed it the same as Little Snort."


    Once these tasks were done, Kim Haru collapsed into a chair, utterly drained. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    A few zombie-bots still lingered aimlessly in the clearing, awaiting orders, but Kim Haru''s energy had already been completely spent dealing with the sudden revelation of these mutated plants. He didn''t have the strength to handle the melon seeds he got today. Since delaying for another day wouldn''t cause any harm, he decided to leave the task for tomorrow.


    Dragging his rocking chair over to the big tree beside the wooden cabin, Kim Haru was just about to close his eyes for a nap when he suddenly realized¡ªthis tree was also a mutated plant.


    However, Kim Haru remembered that when he had suddenly appeared earlier, this tree hadn''t shown any unusual behavior¡ªno changes in color, no new features. If it weren''t for the fact that it thrived so vibrantly in this nest of mutated plants, Kim Haru might not have even realized it was one as well a mutated plant.


    As he walked up to the tree, a light, fragrant scent wafted toward him.


    Looking up, Kim Haru saw a few small pale-yellow flowers gradually blooming among the leaves.


    It turned out to be an osmanthus tree.


    Kim Haru was pleasantly surprised.


    When an osmanthus tree wasn''t blooming, he couldn''t recognize it, but he had always been fond of the scent of osmanthus flowers. Before he transmigrated, every time he passed by a blooming osmanthus tree, he would stop to savor its fragrance for a good while before continuing on his way.


    And the food made from osmanthus flowers¡ªdelicious.


    Cough.


    Looking at the osmanthus tree before him, Kim Haru felt his heart settle with the calming fragrance. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re a mutated plant too, aren''t you?"


    The mutated osmanthus tree extended a branch about the same height as Kim Haru and lightly tapped his head, as if patting him gently.


    Kim Haru felt as though he were sensing the presence of his grandfather. This mutated osmanthus tree exuded the same gentle and kind demeanor that his grandfather had when he was a child.


    Feeling increasingly at ease, Kim Haru''s mood brightened. "I''ll make sure you get your own share of water and fertilizer every day. If it''s not enough, just let me know, okay?"


    The mutated osmanthus tree didn''t react much, completely unlike the other excitable and rowdy mutated plants.


    Kim Haru found this tree increasingly reassuring, like a calm, mature adult who could instill peace in those people around them.


    Settling back into his chair, Kim Haru closed his eyes, surrounded by the soothing scent of osmanthus flowers.


    ...


    At the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, when Do Seungjin returned with a truck full of people and black pigs, a crowd of people quickly gathered to watch the scene.


    When they heard that Mr. Kim planned to teach the safe zone how to raise normal animals on their own, the entire safe zone erupted in cheers of joy.


    The Haneulsae trading team also caught wind of the news.


    "It seems that this Mr. Kim is the person we''ve been looking for," someone in the team remarked.


    The Haneulsae team began devising a plan to approach this so called Mr. Kim. However, with only a name to go by¡ªnot even a full one¡ªand no idea of his appearance, their discussions yielded no feasible solution.


    At that moment, someone came to find them.


    "I''m from the Draco Virtus Squad," the visitor said in a hushed tone, appealing to the Haneulsae trading team for help. "The leaders of Draco Virtus Squad have been detained by Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Please, save them! By the way, are you looking for Mr. Kim? The Draco Virtus Squad members know what he looks like and have information about him."


    The Draco Virtus Squad had been enduring an incredibly frustrating time.


    Ever since they instigated trouble at Kim Haru''s vegetable shop, the people of Pyeongseong Safe Zone had treated them politely on the surface. They were invited to the reception area and then promptly ignored. They weren''t allowed to leave either. Initially, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone used various excuses, but eventually, they stationed guards at the entrance, claiming that an important event was happening outside and that, without the Safe Zone Commander''s permission, they could not leave.


    This was outright detention, no matter how you looked at it.


    The Draco Virtus Squad had considered making a break for it, but somehow, the people of Pyeongseong Safe Zone had placed an ability suppression device outside their room. With their abilities rendered useless, their considerable strength amounted to nothing. Escaping through the heavily guarded checkpoints was simply impossible.


    Besides, the Draco Virtus Squad had legitimate business in Pyeongseong Safe Zone. If they dared to flee, they could kiss their chances of ever returning goodbye, and their mission would be utterly ruined.


    So, they remained trapped in the reception area, being ignored, for over a month. Then, one day, they keenly noticed a new team arriving at the reception area¡ªmembers of the Haneulsae trading team!


    This discovery thrilled the Draco Virtus Squad to no end. After much effort, they managed to sneak a message to the Haneulsae trading team.


    At first, the Haneulsae trading team was skeptical, worried it might be a trap set by Pyeongseong Safe Zone. But their doubts were dispelled when the Draco Virtus Squad messenger presented the team badge¡ªa mark no team would hand over lightly.


    "Captain, should we rescue them?" someone from the Haneulsae trading team asked.


    Roh Baekjin made a decisive call. "We rescue them."

 Chapter 200 The Draco Virtus Squad Connection

    Whether the information was true or not, the Draco Virtus Squad claimed to have news about Mr. Kim. That alone was worth the gamble.


    Besides¡­


    "If I remember correctly, isn''t there someone in the Draco Virtus Squad who is the son of Director Oh Daehan?"


    Oh Daehan was the current director of the Haneulsae Logistics Department.


    "Yes, his name is Oh Yongho."


    Hearing this, Roh Baekjin was even more resolute in his decision. "Seohan, gather intel on the Draco Virtus Squad''s situation and look for an opportunity to get them out."


    The fact that Director Oh Daehan''s son had poor aptitude was well-known among the Haneulsae trading team. Oh Daehan doted on his son and rarely allowed him to leave Haneulsae Safe Zone, let alone travel far. For the Draco Virtus Squad to have come to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, Oh Daehan must have discovered something even more important than his son''s safety.


    With the Haneulsae trading trading team''s capabilities, rescuing the Draco Virtus Squad from Pyeongseong Safe Zone wasn''t particularly difficult. It didn''t take long for them to pinpoint the Draco Virtus Squad''s location.


    After the Draco Virtus Squad reunited with the Haneulsae trading team, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Thank goodness, I thought we were going to be locked up by them forever. Pyeongseong Safe Zone is way too petty!"


    "Forever? No way. With Yongho here, Director Oh would definitely come to rescue us."


    "Are you saying you''d rather stay locked up for a few more days? Fine, fine. Let them take you back. I''m not sticking around for that."


    "Don''t! I was just saying. Who wants to stay locked up? The people of Pyeongseong Safe Zone didn''t even give us a shred of kindness."


    "It''s all because of that Mr. Kim."


    Hearing the Draco Virtus Squad mention Mr. Kim, the Haneulsae trading team immediately jumped in. "How much do you know about this Mr. Kim? Tell us everything."


    The Draco Virtus Squad member Bae Dongshin glanced at Roh Baekjin. He was very familiar with this powerful ability user and captain of top rank of ability user team whom the new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander valued greatly. Hearing the question, Bae Dongshin immediately understood the trading team''s intent. Since the Draco Virtus Squad also didn''t have favorable opinions of Mr. Kim, they fully supported the idea of taking action against him and didn''t plan to hold back any information.


    "Have you ever seen the vegetables and oranges that ordinary people in Pyeongseong Safe Zone eat? All of them are perfectly normal and free of any mutagenic viruses. Based on our observations, these things are all produced by this person named Mr. Kim," Bae Dongshin explained to Roh Baekjin and the others. "He runs a vegetable shop in the Second District, selling these normal, fresh vegetables at very low prices. We''ve sent people to infiltrate the shop."


    "Mr. Kim is also a plant-type ability user. Not only can he produce these normal foods, but he can also summon a Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree. However, the tree is still immature, so its combat strength is much weaker than that of a fully grown one."


    "Additionally, I suspect he''s a dual-ability user."


    "A dual-ability user? Are you certain?" Roh Baekjin''s interest piqued immediately upon hearing this.


    Dual-ability users weren''t unheard of, but they were rare. People with dual abilities tended to develop more slowly than single-ability users, but once their abilities matured, each power far surpassed those of single-ability users. Not only did their combat strength grow significantly, but they also often exhibited unexpected and extraordinary phenomena.


    There weren''t many dual-ability users in existence.


    What intrigued Roh Baekjin the most was the rumor that dual-ability users weren''t born with their powers. Instead, they could awaken the second ability later in life through specific methods. How one became a dual-ability user, however, was something only those who had undergone the process knew.


    Roh Baekjin who never turned away opportunities to increase his power, was eager to learn how to become a dual-ability user himself.


    The other members of the Draco Virtus Squad also looked at Bae Dongshin curiously.


    "How come we didn''t know about this suspicion? Bae Dongshin, you''ve been keeping this from us? Don''t you trust us?"


    "It''s not that I don''t trust you," Bae Dongshin explained. "I just wasn''t sure about it. Whether I mentioned it or not didn''t make much of a difference. But now that Captain Roh and his team are planning to act against Mr. Kim, I have to bring this up. If my guess turns out to be wrong, that''s fine. But if it''s correct and I don''t say anything, it could severely impact the outcome of their plan."


    Bae Dongshin''s explanation was direct and reasonable. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yes, being overprepared is always better than being underprepared," Roh Baekjin nodded his head in agreement. "Tell me your reasoning behind this speculation."


    Bae Dongshin recalled the scene when they caused trouble. "If my eyes weren''t playing tricks on me, that Mr. Kim appeared out of nowhere inside the shop. Since there was a glass door in the way, I can''t be certain if I saw it right. But if I didn''t see wrong, then he must also have space-type abilities."


    Roh Baekjin''s expression grew serious.


    "This is crucial information."


    A space-type ability user capable of teleportation would mean they''d need to be fully prepared to confront him. Otherwise, if he teleported away, their entire plan would fail.


    Fortunately, before setting out, Roh Baekjin had considered the possibility of the enemy having teleportation or other space-type skills. He specifically brought along a Space-type zombie''s crystal core.


    When dealing with space-type ability users, crushing a space-type crystal core could create severe spatial disruptions. The instability on the surrounding space would nullify any teleportation or spatial movement abilities, making it the best countermeasure against such opponents. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, space-type zombies were rare, and so were their crystal cores. Most space-type ability users awakened storage-type skill rather than teleportation, so this method wasn''t often applicable.

 Chapter 201 Trouble in the Fields

    "Next, we need to find out where he lives or find a way to lure him out."


    ...


    The news that the Draco Virtus Squad had left the reception area to meet with the Haneulsae trading team didn''t escape the attention of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander. Just as they were preparing to address this with Haneulsae trading team, the Pyeongseong trading team that was sent to the Bogang Safe Zone returned.


    "Safe Zone Commander, Bogang Safe Zone had sent more salt than we initially agreed upon. They also expressed a willingness to trade for as many potatoes as possible," reported Jeong Gongeun, the team leader in charge of the negotiations with Bogang Safe Zone.


    His face was filled with a delighted expression.


    Bogang Safe Zone, being near the coast, had always been a good source of salt, even before the apocalypse. Salt was a necessity, and while their food supplies weren''t particularly abundant, they were relatively stable. However, normal, virus-free food was scarce everywhere. This time, the negotiations with Pyeongseong Safe Zone proceeded exceptionally smoothly, giving Bogang Safe Zone the confidence to request more staple potatoes.


    As for why they didn''t request rice or wheat, all three trading teams had been instructed before leaving to subtly disclose that their safe zone had limited supplies of those grains.


    With such smooth progress, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander was also pleased. "Make sure to properly host the people from Bogang Saze Zone."


    Ten days after Bogang trading team arrived, the last team from Ahnhae Safe Zone that also wants to engaged in trade with Pyeongseong Safe Zone, showed up.


    "Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, this is rather unfair," Jang Jihyeok, the Haneulsae negotiator, pointed to the two other trading teams from Bogang Safe Zone and Ahnhae Safe Zone. "Negotiating with three safe zones simultaneously¡ªdoes Pyeongseong Safe Zone even have that much food? Remember, we''re all asking for normal food with mutagenic virus. Don''t think of fooling us with mutated goods ones."


    This concern was shared by the teams from both Ahnhae and Bogang.


    "Exactly, Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander. We all brought what you needed in good faith. If you turn this into some kind of competitive auction, it''d be an insult to our sincerity." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moon Baein smiled and reassured them. "Everyone, please rest assured. Since we invited you here, Pyeongseong Safe Zone has the capability to fulfill its promises. Now that everyone is present, let''s begin the trade."


    The logistics department had long cleared an open space suitable for trade. The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander led everyone to the area, where three large piles of food were already stacked neatly.


    "According to the requirements from your respective safe zones, Pyeongseong Safe Zone has prepared your requested supplies. Feel free to inspect them. With so many people watching, there''s no way we''d pull any tricks."


    The sight of so much food, with the aroma of fresh grains wafting through the air, was overwhelming. The trading teams from other safe zones, unused to seeing such an abundance of normal food without mutagenic virus, were visibly awestruck, their eyes lighting up with excitement.


    Even the people of Pyeongseong Safe Zone couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride and joy at the sight of so much food.


    Each trading team meticulously inspected the quality and quantity of the food to ensure it matched their requests. In turn, they displayed the supplies they had brought for trade, which were also carefully examined.


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    Many ability user teams had brought extra goods and took the opportunity to exchange items among themselves. For those who couldn''t finalize their trades with other teams, Pyeongseong Safe Zone was happy to take everything left over.


    After all, these were essential resources, and having more was never a problem.


    With the trade complete, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander led everyone to the reception hall for a banquet.


    Although it was called a banquet, it wasn''t the extravagant affair of pre-apocalypse times. The meal was prepared using cabbages, potatoes, and other ingredients traded from the three safe zones, along with some meat from mutated creatures. Still, it managed to be a proper feast under the circumstances.


    As everyone ate and drank, the Haneulsae trading team was preparing to subtly probe for information about Mr. Kim. But before they could make a move, someone burst through the banquet hall''s entrance.


    "Report to the Safe Zone Commander! There''s trouble in the wheat fields!"


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander immediately stood up, his expression tense. "What happened? What''s the problem?"


    This was the first and only batch of wheat before winter, critical for their survival during the colder months. Any mishap here would jeopardize their winter supplies. Nothing could go wrong!


    The trading teams from Haneulsae, Ahnhae, and Bogang also overheard the report, and their curiosity was instantly piqued.


    The messenger quickly explained, "An ability user is trying to steal the wheat!"


    At these words, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander could no longer remain seated. He strode swiftly toward the door, saying, "Let''s go immediately. Explain the details as we walk."


    Before leaving, the Safe Zone Commander didn''t forget to apologize to the trading teams. "My apologies for the sudden incident. Please enjoy yourselves."


    But the three trading teams had no intention of staying behind. They had long been curious about Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s fields, which were always heavily guarded and impossible to approach. Observing from afar revealed little, and now, with this opportunity, they naturally wanted to tag along to take a closer look.


    Roh Baekjin stepped forward and said earnestly, "Food is essential for the survival of everyone in the apocalypse. This isn''t just your responsibility, Safe Zone Commander; we should all lend a hand. Haneulsae is willing to join the Safe Zone Commander to help."


    Help? More like trying to steal the technology.


    The representatives from Ahnhae and Bogang quickly chimed in as well, saying, "Ahnhae/Bogang is equally duty-bound to assist."


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander wasn''t in the mood to argue with them. Since they wanted to come, they might as well join.

 Chapter 202 The Mutated Wheat Incident

    "Thank you, then," he said, gesturing for someone to lead the way.


    On the way, the messenger who had reported the incident finally explained the whole situation.


    It turned out that just after sunset, the guard assigned to the wheat field had finished his dinner and returned to his post when he noticed something moving within the wheat field. However, being a non-ability user, he couldn''t sense anything unusual. Erring on the side of caution, he went to call the patrol team.


    When the guard returned with the patrol team, they arrived just in time to witness the scene.


    "Out of nowhere, a mutated wheat plant appeared in the field. Its leaves were flailing wildly, and it even lifted its roots out of the ground to walk around. The mutated wheat was furiously chasing and attacking two men. One was a plant-type ability user, and the other had water-type powers. When we found them, they were locked in an intense fight with the mutated wheat."


    "But the two men weren''t a match for the mutated wheat. Before long, they were flung to the edge of the field, where our patrol team apprehended them."


    By now, more and more people had gathered around the wheat field. The mutated wheat plant remained in the middle of the field, and the Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s patrol team was unsure how to deal with it. They were afraid that attacking it might damage the surrounding crops, yet leaving a dangerous mutated plant there was not an option.


    Then there was the matter of the two men beaten by the mutated wheat. They clearly weren''t from Pyeongseong Safe Zone. How should they be dealt with?


    Unable to decide, the patrol team had no choice but to report everything to the Safe Zone Commander.


    When the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander arrived with his team, he immediately recognized the two men lying on the ground.


    "Draco Virtus Squad?" The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander frowned deeply and cast a scrutinizing gaze at the Haneulsae trading trade delegation. "Come to think of it, you people from Haneulsae took the Draco Virtus Squad away without informing us. Now they''re here trying to steal our wheat. What exactly is the meaning of this?"


    Roh Baekjin''s face darkened. He had come expecting some excitement, only to end up being the focus of someone else''s spectacle. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    What surprised him even more was that the Draco Virtus Squad''s so-called "task to lure out Mr. Kim" turned out to involve such a foolish method as stealing wheat. Not only did they fail to steal it, but they were also intercepted by a mutated plant.


    Though these thoughts crossed Roh Baekjin''s mind, he certainly wouldn''t admit them. Instead, he looked at the mutated wheat plant flaunting its arrogance in the middle of the field and said, "Safe Zone Commander, I believe they weren''t trying to steal your grain. They must have discovered the presence of a mutated plant and were worried it might harm others, so they came here to handle the situation."


    He then turned his head to the two Draco Virtus Squad members and asked, "Why don''t you explain why you were in Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s wheat field?"


    The two members, still wracked with pain from the beating they''d received from the mutated wheat, didn''t dare show their distress too openly in front of everyone. They had no choice but to endure it. Hearing Roh Baekjin''s words, they immediately realized they''d messed up and quickly followed his lead.


    "Yes, we were just curious about Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s wheat and got a little too close. When we sensed the presence of the mutated plant and saw no one around, we acted quickly to prevent it from causing harm, which is why we entered without informing anyone." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wheat field''s guard was livid.


    From the look in his eyes, it was clear he knew the truth: the two had come to steal wheat and were now twisting the facts. But without concrete evidence, what could he do? Let these wheat thieves just walk away?


    "I was right there when you entered! I saw the wheat moving! It wasn''t at all like you claim¡ªyou didn''t see anyone and just went in!" the guard argued indignantly.


    "You say you saw the wheat moving, but you must have been mistaken. What you saw was clearly the mutated plant in action," one of the Draco Virtus Squad members retorted.


    The Haneulsae trading team members then turned to the Safe Zone Commander and added, "Safe Zone Commander, our people from Haneulsae acted out of goodwill to help you. Not only are they now gravely injured, but they''re also being accused of theft. Are you Pyeongseong people not even going to offer an apology?"


    "No apology? Fine. But at the very least, shouldn''t there be compensation for the Draco Virtus Squad? They shouldn''t have to suffer injuries for nothing."


    "You¡ª!" The guard''s anger flared.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander''s expression darkened as well.


    Anyone with a discerning eye could see the truth of the matter. But without solid evidence, Pyeongseong had no grounds to confront Haneulsae openly.


    Just as the Safe Zone Commander was about to shift his focus back to the mutated wheat, he suddenly noticed someone walking toward it from the edge of the field. The others were so preoccupied with the Draco Virtus Squad that no one else had noticed.


    The Safe Zone Commander couldn''t help but shout, "Mr. Kim, don''t go over there! Be careful!"


    That''s a mutated plant!


    ...


    Kim Haru woke up one afternoon to find that Go Okrim had already gone to the orchard.


    Ever since they knew the plants around the farm were mutated plants, no one had been happier than Go Okrim. Taking advantage of his status as Kim Haru''s "little brother," the mutated plants wouldn''t harm him. Instead, they would even entertain his various wild ideas. For instance, the orange trees¡ªespecially the youngest one¡ªwere currently scheming with Go Okrim to produce an extraordinarily large orange.

 Chapter 203 Little Wheaties Mischief

    Kim Haru couldn''t be bothered to interfere with their antics. As long as his farm progressed as expected, he remained completely unconcerned.


    A new melon patch had been established, located across the pond. Kim Haru had cleared out the land that had previously been used to grow potatoes, cabbages, and soybeans, and he didn''t plan to plant those crops again. After all, the safe zone had plenty of arable land for staple crops. His small farm, on the other hand, was better suited to cultivating rare and fresh varieties.


    However, the melon seeds weren''t planted in the ground just yet. After doing some calculations, Kim Haru realized that there was still one month left until winter. He wasn''t sure how cold it would get, and planting the seeds prematurely might mean they wouldn''t even sprout¡ªor worse, they might sprout only to freeze to death.


    That would be such a waste.


    Kim Haru decided to wait until winter was over or until he could set up a greenhouse before planting the new seeds.


    Meanwhile, the apple tree and the little hamster were thriving in the orchard. The recently arrived little black pig had also settled in and bonded with Little Snort, the older pig. However, the two pigs that had been taken to the animal research institute by Do Seungjin for experiments a few days ago were still holding a grudge. They refused to pay any attention to Kim Haru.


    Not that Kim Haru minded. Seeing that they had adjusted well, he simply left them in the care of Little Oakie.


    Little Nugget, the hen, had grown significantly. By the time winter passed, she would likely start laying eggs. Previously, Sir Peckington had been forcibly dragged around by Little Nugget, but now, even without Little Nugget prompting him, Sir Peckington followed her everywhere on his own.


    Watching Sir Peckington behave like this, Kim Haru finally realized something about the little wild chicken whose gender he couldn''t determine before¡ªSir Peckington was definitely male. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, something felt off.


    His still-groggy brain mulled it over until he finally figured out what was wrong.


    Today, Little Nugget wasn''t trying to follow behind Little Wheatie!


    Ever since Little Wheatie''s mutation was discovered and it had been let out from the fence in the experimental field, its heavy head of grain had caught Little Nugget''s eye. No matter where Little Wheatie went, Little Nugget would always try to peck at it. Kim Haru had often seen Little Nugget flapping her wings in an attempt to fly higher, just to taste the mutated wheat.


    Only to be blocked by Little Wheatie leaves. Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    A game of chase between Little Wheatie and Little Nugget was a common sight around the farm.


    But why was it so quiet now?


    "Little Nugget, where''s Little Wheatie?" Kim Haru asked the passing hen, trying to figure things out. Little Nugget chirped twice in response.


    Kim Haru couldn''t understand a word of it.


    Eventually, it was Go Okrim who explained. "Kim Haru-hyung, weren''t you worried before about the wheat in the safe zone not being able to grow properly before winter? So, I sent Little Wheatie over there to help by releasing its abilities."


    Kim Haru sighed. "And then you just came back by yourself?"


    Go Okrim nodded matter-of-factly. "Yeah. The wheat fields in the safe zone are huge! Who knows how long it''ll take for Little Wheatie to finish. I''ll just go pick it up later."


    Kim Haru: "¡­"


    The problem wasn''t whether Little Wheatie could find its way back. The problem was that this mutated plant hadn''t been officially registered in the safe zone yet!


    Kim Haru hurriedly activated his teleportation device, hoping that Little Wheatie hadn''t been discovered or caused any trouble.


    However, when Kim Haru arrived, the scene before him made it clear that he was too late. A large crowd had gathered, including the Safe Zone Commander and members of several other safe zone trading teams. This was definitely not the picture of "nothing happened."


    Standing quietly in a corner, Kim Haru listened to a few snippets of conversation and quickly pieced together what had occurred. He decided to recover Little Wheatie while everyone''s attention was focused on the thief at the center of the commotion. But before he could act, his lack of ability to walk sneaky got him spotted by the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander.


    The Safe Zone Commander shouted so loudly that it was impossible for Kim Haru to remain unnoticed.


    Kim Haru pulled his hat lower, reluctant to deal with so many people at once.


    Even though he had only revealed the lower half of his face, everyone in the Pyeongseong safe zone instantly recognized him. A chorus of respectful "Mr. Kim" immediately erupted from the crowd.


    The patrol team grew even more anxious, shouting, "Mr. Kim, please step away from that mutated plant! Its attack speed is incredibly fast¡ªit must be highly dangerous!"


    Moon Baein who is standing nearby, was equally worried. All his plans about keeping a low profile around people from other safe zones were thrown out the window in the face of concern for Kim Haru''s safety.


    Since he had already been discovered, Kim Haru decided to walk directly over to Little Wheatie. The mutated plant, which had been gleefully smacking people around moments ago, immediately recognized Kim Haru. With a series of rhythmic thuds, it lifted its roots and hurried toward Kim Haru.


    Little Wheatie''s long, quick strides brought it to Kim Haru in just a few steps. Two vibrant green wheat leaves extended toward Kim Haru as if greeting him.


    The surrounding crowd erupted in alarm.


    The patrol team clenched their teeth, their attention entirely focused. If not for the fear of accidentally harming Mr. Kim, they would have charged in already!


    At this moment of heightened tension, Kim Haru reached out his hand.


    He grabbed hold of one of the mutated Little Wheatie''s leaves.


    "It''s too big to carry. Not happening," Kim Haru flatly refused without hesitation.


    In response, Little Wheatie let out a series of pitiful whining sounds.

 Chapter 204 Little Wheaties Heroics

    The next instant, the massive mutated wheat shrank down to the size of a regular wheat plant. It wrapped its leaf around the hand Kim Haru was holding it with and climbed onto his arm, snugly clinging to him.


    The wheat head at the top even nuzzled against him from side to side.


    With Little Wheatie wrapped around his arm, Kim Haru walked straight toward the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander.


    The Safe Zone Commander didn''t move, he was too stunned by the turn of events to even know how to react.


    The surrounding crowd was equally dumbfounded, their faces frozen in shock. Many of them hadn''t managed to control their expressions, their mouths agape.


    "Goodness gracious, does this mutated wheat really belong to Mr. Kim?"


    "¡­And it even knows how to act spoiled?"


    "It''s more clingy than my daughter!"


    "Mr. Kim is truly amazing!"


    Every member of the Haneulsae trading team, without exception, was floored by the scene before them. Especially, Roh Baekjin and the two Draco Vistus Squad members¡ªthey were still haunted by the words they''d just spoken moments ago. The realization that this mutated wheat belonged to Pyeongseong''s own people hit them like a ton of bricks. What the heck?! Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Roh Baekjin''s face turned an unsightly shade. "Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, are you doing this on purpose?"


    He absolutely refused to believe that the dignified Safe Zone Commander of Pyeongseong wouldn''t know that this mutated plant belonged to one of their own people. This had to be a deliberate setup aimed at tarnishing Haneulsae''s reputation!


    Unfortunately for Roh Baekjin, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander really hadn''t done it on purpose. While he did indeed have some schemes in mind, he hadn''t gotten around to carrying them out yet.


    That being said, this unexpected development rendered his plans unnecessary.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander stepped aside to make way for Kim Haru while retorting to Roh Baekjin, "What are you insinuating, Captain Roh? While I may be the Safe Zone Commander, I can''t possibly expect every single person in the safe zone to report every detail of their abilities to me. How was I supposed to know that this mutated wheat turned out to belong to one of our own?"


    Kim Haru also spoke up at this point. "My Little Wheatie was sent by me to protect the fields. It says it saw someone damaging the crops and acted to stop them."


    At those words, the faces of the two members of the Draco Virtus Squad turned ashen gray.


    "Stealing food is a serious crime, especially something as precious as normal crops with no mutagenic virus. These two will be appropriately punished in my safe zone. I assume Captain Roh wouldn''t go so far as to shield them, right?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Roh Baekjin naturally couldn''t openly admit to protecting them in front of everyone. He could only watch as the two were taken away by Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s patrol team.


    With the matter settled, the members of the Ahnhae and Bogang trading teams, who had enjoyed a free spectacle, quickly shifted the conversation to Kim Haru.


    "Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, this young man is really outstanding. Why don''t you introduce him to us?" They had long been curious about this enigmatic Mr. Kim, and now that they had encountered him, there was no way they were letting this opportunity slip.


    Although the Haneulsae trading team was still upset about what had just happened, they, too, recognized that Mr. Kim was the more important figure here. Their gazes joined the others, focused on him.


    Moon Baein glanced at Kim Haru, seeking confirmation and unsure of his feelings on the matter.


    Kim Haru gave a small nod.


    Although he had already secured the traded goods, the other teams hadn''t yet left, meaning the deal wasn''t fully stabilized. With winter supplies on the line, he figured it was worth it.


    Besides, this was just an introduction, not a requirement for him to personally engage with anyone. He could simply ignore their presence if he wanted to, so it wasn''t much of an inconvenience.


    Upon receiving Kim Haru''s approval, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander led the group back the way they came. "My apologies for the commotion. The banquet isn''t over yet, so let''s all head back to our seats. No need to stand out here in the cold."


    "As for this gentleman, he is our Pyeongseong Research Institute''s Special Consultant, Mr. Kim."


    Kim Haru followed the group back to the banquet, taking the opportunity to grab a free meal since he hadn''t yet eaten dinner.


    Throughout the banquet, Kim Haru could feel the frequent glances cast his way. However, he focused solely on his meal. Occasionally, he raised his head, but only to reach for dishes that were farther away. Attempts by others to strike up a conversation or probe him for information were met with complete indifference.


    With the entirety of Pyeongseong Safe Zone backing him, Kim Haru had no need to worry about offending anyone.


    Indeed, regardless of what the trading teams might have thought privately, none of them showed even a hint of displeasure on their faces. On the contrary, they exchanged smiles and praised Mr. Kim''s strong sense of individuality.


    After filling his stomach, Kim Haru announced his intention to leave.


    The atmosphere at the banquet instantly grew somewhat awkward.


    Kim Haru, seemingly oblivious, declined Moon Baein''s offer to escort him, leaving the banquet with Little Wheatie by his side.


    As for the reason why he didn''t use the teleportation device.


    Kim Haru, who was being blocked by a group of people just after he turned the corner, said this was the reason.


    "Mr. Kim, please stop," Roh Baekjin said as he and his men surrounded Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru obediently stopped in his tracks. "What''s this about?"


    "Mr. Kim, I represent the Haneulsae Safe Zone. I''d like to propose a trade," Roh Baekjin explained while crushing a space-type crystal core in his hand. "Judging by your appearance, you don''t seem adept at combat. We have no desire to harm you and hope this will be a pleasant collaboration."

 Chapter 205 The Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree (Part 1)

    He wasn''t lying. From the first impression back in the wheat field to their interactions at the banquet, Roh Baekjin and the rest of the Haneulsae trading team were convinced that Kim Haru was a genius in farming and plant research. As for combat? They doubted he could hold his ground for even a short while.


    It wasn''t just the Haneulsae trading team that thought this way. Both the Ahnhae and Bogang trading teams shared the same assumption.


    Kim Haru found this quite amusing.


    It seemed that judging a book by its cover was unavoidable no matter where one went.


    "And if I don''t cooperate?" Kim Haru asked, feigning ignorance.


    Hearing this, the Haneulsae group immediately tightened their formation, completely encircling Kim Haru.


    "Are you really planning to make a move here?" Kim Haru gestured toward the Safe Zone Commander''s Buildings not far from them. "My reinforcements can arrive in no time."


    "That''s precisely why we hope for a peaceful collaboration," Roh Baekjin reiterated. "We''ve already sealed off this space. Unless we choose to lift the barrier, this area exists as a separate dimension. The outside can neither see nor enter, and you can''t leave."


    "We''ve also heard that you possess space-type abilities, but even here, they won''t work."


    It seemed they had come fully prepared.


    Kim Haru raised an eyebrow. "And yet, you don''t know that I also have plant-type abilities?"


    He didn''t, of course, but in everyone else''s eyes, he did.


    Roh Baekjin didn''t flinch at the remark, unfazed by the possibility that Kim Haru might be stalling for time. "Of course, we know. You have a Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree and that mutated wheat plant. But rest assured, we''ve come thoroughly prepared for that as well."


    The Haneulsae trading team had discussed strategies for dealing with the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree many times. As for the mutated wheat, based on today''s battle in the wheat field, they only needed to watch out for the attack speed of the blades¡ªit didn''t seem to have any other unusual offensive capabilities.


    Hearing this, Kim Haru lost any interest in continuing the conversation. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These Haneulsae people were clearly dead set on resorting to underhanded tactics. If that was the case, he wouldn''t bother holding back.


    Activating the [Absolute Defense] shield he''d purchased from the system store, Kim Haru said calmly, "Alright then, let''s make this quick."


    His unperturbed tone instantly lit a fire of rage in the hearts of the Haneulsae group.


    Was he looking down on them? Did he think that he could take on so many of them by himself?


    "In that case, don''t blame us for being rude!" Roh Baekjin who is prideful himself, couldn''t stand being so blatantly dismissed. Without another word, he waved his hand and led the charge.


    However, even then, he still gave a command, "Don''t kill him."


    Kill me? Kim Haru''s lips curled into a faint smile. We''ll see who ends up beating who.


    [Farm''s Blessing], let''s do your best! he thought.


    Hopefully, he won''t have to spend money on more items. Even though he has plenty of money, it''s best to save where he can. After all, frugality is a virtue.


    In the blink of an eye, over twenty figures closed in on Kim Haru. The heat from fire-type abilities could be felt as if it was already licking at his eyelashes.


    Kim Haru hadn''t even made a move.


    Just as the Haneulsae team began to feel a small spark of victory take root in their hearts, a bone-chilling cold rose in the air.


    Crack!


    The person closest to Kim Haru turned into a brilliant blue ice sculpture from the arm down in an instant. Even the fireball mid-flight turned into frozen solid, its flickering flames transformed into vivid, icy spikes.


    With a soft plop, the now-frozen fireball lost its support and fell to the ground, shattering into icy fragments.


    From where Kim Haru stood, a wave of frost rapidly spread across the ground, radiating outward with biting cold.


    "It''s the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree!"


    Someone from the Haneulsae team shouted in alarm.


    Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree? How could it be an Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree?! How could something like this appear here? Could it also be one of Kim Haru''s plant-type abilities? No, no, that''s impossible! He already had the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree. Every plant-type ability user could only form a bond with one particularly powerful combat plant. More than that, and they''d start to reject one another.


    At best, both plants would be lost. At worst, the plants could backlash against the ability user, stripping them of their powers¡ªor even costing them their life!


    That''s why they had only studied countermeasures against the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree and hadn''t considered anything else. So how could the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree which was ranked seventh in the mutated plant list, suddenly appear here? This didn''t make any sense!


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    Various thoughts flashed through their minds, but it was too late to do anything.


    The extreme cold engulfed them in an instant. Apart from a few Level 3 ability users who were still resisting with great effort, the others were completely immobilized, unable to do anything in blink of eyes.


    "Stop! Please, stop!" Roh Baekjin couldn''t care about anything else and immediately shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Kim Haru glanced at the mutated bamboo beside him. "Pause for now."


    The spreading frost slowed down immediately.


    Within the sealed space, everything visible was a frozen blue. Ice particles hung suspended in the air, and any breath exhaled instantly crystallized into beads of ice, falling to the ground with soft plinking sounds. The thick ice covering the ground radiated an icy chill that made it even colder than the lowest setting of an industrial freezer.


    The people who had been frozen into sculptures had their facial expressions perfectly preserved in the ice¡ªfear, panic, shock, pain, despair. It was like a frozen tableau of a hellish nightmare.


    Even the attacks that were launched by those people were frozen mid-air. Some had fallen to the ground, while others remained suspended, connected to their users'' hands in the shape of their original trajectories. Not even fire-type abilities that was supposedly the nemesis of ice, had escaped being sealed in frost.

 Chapter 206 The Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree (Part 2)

    The Level 3 ability users who had narrowly avoided becoming ice sculptures looked at the polar-like scene around them, their disbelief etched across their faces.


    None of them had expected that it wouldn''t be the Phantom Flame Phoenix Tree they''d meticulously prepared for, but instead the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree! And it wasn''t some immature sapling either. Judging by its power and the intensity of the cold, this was undoubtedly a fully mature specimen! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Roh Baekjin looked at Kim Haru who are standing exactly where he had been when they surrounded him. He hadn''t moved an inch. Meanwhile, the people who had tried to trap him had either fled or fallen. The roles of predator and prey had been completely reversed in an instant.


    "Mr. Kim, we were wrong." Roh Baekjin immediately lowered his head and apologized to Kim Haru.


    If he could, Roh Baekjin wouldn''t mind kneeling before Kim Haru. The only problem was that his legs were already frozen solid.


    Yes, even though the Level 3 ability users present had resisted the intense cold and avoided being turned into ice sculptures on the spot, they weren''t in much better shape. Without exception, their feet, where they contacted the ground, were encased in thick blue ice. For the most powerful among them, Roh Baekjin, the ice had reached his calves, while for others, it had climbed as high as their waists.


    A moment''s delay, and they''d all be completely frozen.


    Even though their hands were still free, none of them dared to recklessly break the ice encasing their bodies.


    Hearing Roh Baekjin apologize, the others hurriedly lowered their heads and followed suit. "We''re sorry. We were out of our minds. Mr. Kim, please be magnanimous and spare our lives."


    Everything had happened so quickly. From the moment Kim Haru had been stopped to the point where the Haneulsae trading team members were begging for forgiveness, not even ten minutes had passed. It was almost laughable in its absurdity.


    Even Kim Haru was a bit taken aback by how fast things had unfolded.


    Yet, no matter how quickly it had all transpired, it didn''t lessen the severity of what the Haneulsae trading team had done.


    Kim Haru''s expression remained impassive. "And if I don''t let you go, then what?"


    As he spoke, the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree beside him moved slightly, its leaves rustling, sending the remaining Level 3 ability users into a panic.


    Fortunately for them, the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree wasn''t targeting them. Its long, narrow leaves stretched toward Kim Haru instead, like slender fingers, gently poking at his waist.


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    Kim Haru''s stoic expression immediately cracked.


    ¡­You just poked my ticklish spot!


    He reached out and smacked the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree''s leaves lightly, muttering, "Stop messing around."


    Couldn''t it see there were still enemies here? It needed to act more serious and not ruin his image.


    No matter how softly Kim Haru spoke, the confined space amplified everything, making it crystal clear to Roh Baekjin and the others. They also saw the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree''s small gesture in perfect detail.


    And the clearer they saw and heard, the more hopeless they felt.


    This man had such a good relationship with the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree. Even if they wanted to fight back, what chance did they possibly have?


    Roh Baekjin''s gaze swept over his teammates who had been turned into ice sculptures, then over the despair on the faces of the remaining Level 3 ability users. Gritting his teeth, he channeled all his ability into his legs.


    With a series of sharp cracking sounds, the ice around Roh Baekjin''s calves shattered and fell to the ground.


    Unable to maintain his balance, Roh Baekjin dropped heavily to his knees.


    "Captain!" one of his subordinates cried out in shock.


    "Captain Roh!"


    "Roh Baekjin, what are you doing?"


    "Captain, stop!"


    The Level 3 ability users cried out in alarm.


    Roh Baekjin''s expression was filled with agony. When the ice shattered from his calves, the flesh and blood on them broke apart as well, falling to the ground in chunks. Now, looking at his legs, only bare bones remained. Even those bones were riddled with fractures, as though a mere touch would cause them to snap into pieces, just like the shattered ice.


    It was only thanks to Roh Baekjin''s immense power that his bones had remained intact. Anyone slightly weaker would have lost their entire leg under the same circumstances.


    Ignoring his mangled legs, Roh Baekjin crawled forward and prostrated himself on the ground, his forehead slamming hard against the frozen surface. "Please, Mr. Kim, spare their lives."


    The Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree''s ice wasn''t just about freezing people. For ability users, being frozen might have meant they could survive as long as they were thawed in time. But the ice from the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree wasn''t ordinary¡ªit was the coldest substance in the world that was capable of freezing even the soul.


    If he delayed even slightly in saving them, every one of his team members would either be permanently crippled or worse. When the frozen space was lifted and the external temperature rose, they would either melt into puddles of water or shatter into fragments, leaving nothing behind¡ªjust as his calves that had been reduced to bare bones.


    Faced with the lives of so many team members, Roh Baekjin had no choice but to sacrifice his own legs, terrified that Kim Haru might think their apology lacked sincerity.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Honestly, Kim Haru was stunned.


    He hadn''t expected the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree''s ice to be so devastating. That man''s legs were now reduced to nothing but two skeletal remains. This wasn''t a game; it had happened right before his eyes, catching him entirely off guard. It was horrifying.


    Fortunately, Kim Haru''s mental resilience had been strengthened by the many horrors he''d encountered in this zombie infested world. Otherwise, he might have been paralyzed with fear. As it stood, the sudden shock just left him momentarily speechless.


    Roh Baekjin''s kneeling gesture snapped Kim Haru back to his senses.

 Chapter 207 The Frosts Warning

    "And this is your apology?" Kim Haru''s voice, tinged with the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree''s icy chill, pierced through the hearts of everyone from the Haneulsae Trading Team. "How insincere."


    "...What do you want?" Roh Baekjin asked after a moment of silence. "As long as you spare my teammates'' lives."


    "Are you in charge?" Kim Haru asked.


    "I am."


    "Remember what you just said."


    After speaking, Kim Haru patted the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree beside him.


    The ice spreading across the ground began to shrink and melt away, and the biting chill in the air gradually diminished, returning to a normal temperature. The ice encasing the Level 3 ability users thinned more and more until it completely disappeared.


    At that moment, all of them collapsed uncontrollably to the ground. Any part of their bodies that had been frozen was now entirely numb, devoid of any sensation.


    Then came the Level 2 ability users, who had been frozen solid from head to toe, like ice sculptures. When the frost finally melted, not a single one of them remained conscious. When they would awaken depended entirely on their own resilience.


    Those who had been frozen first were in the worst condition. Their skin had already begun to crack, and when the ice melted, blood flowed freely from their wounds. If they had been left frozen any longer, saving them would have been impossible.


    Even so, it was uncertain whether these people could regain their previous abilities and physical strength once they woke up. For all anyone knew, they might spend the rest of their lives bedridden and crippled.


    Of course, Kim Haru wasn''t aware of any of this.


    Even the name of the mutated bamboo beside him was something he had only just learned from these people of the Haneulsae Trading Team.


    "Thank you, Mr. Kim," Roh Baekjin said with a sigh of relief.


    "I froze you once; I can freeze you a second time," Kim Haru said, his gaze fixed on Roh Baekjin. "You''d better behave."


    Kim Haru hadn''t yet decided what to do with these people. From the beginning, he hadn''t planned to kill them outright. While it was true that the Haneulsae Trading Team had attacked him first, killing them all might have been easy, but handling the aftermath would have been far more troublesome.


    He would discuss the matter with the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander later.


    After finishing his words, Kim Haru plucked a handful of leaves from the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree and stuck one onto each of the people before him. "If anyone dares to discard this, I won''t be so lenient next time."


    Before the conscious Level 3 ability users could even nod, the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree leaves had already melted into their bodies, leaving a bone-chilling cold that lingered within them.


    No explanation was needed; the members of the Haneulsae Trading Team already understood that they had been marked by the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree. At any moment, it could refreeze them into ice sculptures, the kind that would never thaw again.


    Any defiance brewing in the hearts of the Haneulsae Trading Team was snuffed out in an instant.


    The Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree, pleased with its intuitive understanding of Kim Haru''s intentions, extended its leaves toward him again, poking at him playfully.


    Kim Haru sighed helplessly. "Fine, fine. When we get back, I''ll give you an extra meal."


    Obtaining what it wanted, the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree instantly became jubilant. Now that the crisis for this human was resolved, it could finally return to its lair. Hopefully, its promised extra meal would arrive soon¡ªthere was no way it was letting those other creatures snatch it away.


    The Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree disappeared. Following Kim Haru''s instructions, Roh Baekjin also lifted the spatial confinement.


    The sudden appearance of so many people startled passersby. Upon seeing their miserable state, onlookers gasped in alarm.


    Before long, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander arrived with his men.


    After understanding the situation, the expressions of those from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone turned to disgust as they regarded Roh Baekjin and his group. "Does Haneulsae Safe Zone really think we''re afraid of completely falling out with them?"


    Their revulsion toward Haneulsae Trading Team''s shamelessness was matched only by their exasperation with Kim Haru''s recklessness.


    "Mr. Kim, our hearts can''t take tests like this."


    Clearly, he had sensed that something was wrong with the Haneulsae Safe Zone people earlier, yet he didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he deliberately waited for them to catch up and then confined the space. While everyone knew Mr. Kim was incredibly powerful, they had been worried sick that something might go wrong.


    How could he be so reckless about something like this?


    Kim Haru shrugged his shoulder.


    After their initial shock subsided, the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander discussed with Kim Haru how to deal with the members of the Haneulsae Trading Team.


    Though it was evident that the actions of the Haneulsae Trading Team were directly authorized by the new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander, everyone¡ªwhether from Haneulsae Safe Zone, Pyeongseong Safe Zone, or even Ahnhae Safe Zone and Bogang Safe Zone, who had only heard snippets of information¡ªunderstood this fact. However, as long as the issue wasn''t brought into the public, Pyeongseong Safe Zone couldn''t escalate the matter to involve all of Haneulsae Safe Zone for the sake of maintaining stability. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    In the end, the Level 3 ability users from the Haneulsae Trading Team were detained in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone, while the Level 2 ability users were sent back with the food supplies from this transaction. Of course, not all the food was handed over. To express their "apology" to Mr. Kim, the supplies were cut in half. Haneulsae Safe Zone wouldn''t dare protest. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, if Haneulsae Safe Zone wanted their remaining Level 3 ability users returned, they would need to bring a certain amount of supplies after winter to negotiate their release.


    Why not keep the Level 2 ability users?


    What use would those near-crippled people be? Letting them become a freeloader in Pyeongseong Safe Zone?

 Chapter 208 Winter Preparations

    By the time the Level 2 ability users frozen by the Unmelted Frost Bamboo Tree were sent back, few of them had regained consciousness. If Roh Baekjin hadn''t had the presence of mind not to bring everyone to besiege Kim Haru, there might not have been enough people to deliver the food and escort these injured people back.


    As for the ten remaining Level 3 ability users, aside from Roh Baekjin, the others had mostly recovered. The Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander immediately assigned them to assist with infrastructure projects to prepare the Safe Zone for the coming winter.


    Roh Baekjin''s injury to his lower leg was severe, rendering him unable to move. For now, he could only be monitored and rest under Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s supervision.


    Out of boredom, Kim Haru had come to chat with him once. Aside from asking about the situation in the Haneulsae Safe Zone, he had also expressed his curiosity: "You guys really rushed things, didn''t you? Was there a ghost chasing you? You just came straight to ambush me? Did a zombie eat your brain or what?"


    Looking at Kim Haru, who was sitting unceremoniously across from him, playing a single-player game while casually chatting, Roh Baekjin didn''t know what kind of expression to make.


    Why? Of course, it was because they didn''t have enough time to slowly deal with Kim Haru. If time had allowed, they would have chosen a more subtle approach. For example, they could have first gotten close to him, deceived him to gain his trust, and pried into his secrets. Or they might have tried to sow discord between Kim Haru and Pyeongseong Safe Zone to lure him over to Haneulsae Safe Zone.


    But¡­


    "Because the new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander is a full-blown control freak." Jang Dojang, who had just walked in to deliver a plate of freshly washed and sliced apples to Kim Haru, answered after hearing the remark. "Mr. Kim, you probably remember when the Safe Zone Commander previously mentioned about using Gu Insects to make contract with you, right? Well, the Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander also has a similar method¡ªonly his methods are even more brutal."


    Following that, Kim Haru listened as Roh Baekjin and Jang Dojang described a post-apocalyptic version of a tyrannical leader. Haneulsae Safe Zone was practically a doomsday version of a cult-like sect. The Safe Zone Commander poisoned every key member to maintain control, distributing antidotes on a strict schedule. Kim Haru couldn''t help but wonder how long this person had been planning such a system. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s why they had been so desperate to come back as soon as possible. In situations like these, finding the perfect solution was often not an option.


    "Then isn''t staying here just waiting to die for you guys?"


    "We''re Level 3 ability users. Our bodies suppress toxins more effectively, so lasting until the start of spring shouldn''t be a problem," Roh Baekjin replied.


    As for whether Haneulsae Safe Zone would send people with supplies to rescue them come spring, Roh Baekjin couldn''t guarantee it. Although they were Level 3 ability users, in the eyes of the new Haneulsae Safe Zone Commander, that also made them harder to control.


    "Don''t other Safe zones step in to do something about this?"


    "Who cares? Other than the Huimang Safe Zone, which Safe zone isn''t struggling to take care of itself? Who has the time to meddle in someone else''s business? Huimang Safe Zone is so far away anyway. As long as no one dies, they just leave it alone."


    What could Kim Haru say to that?


    He was just grateful he hadn''t ended up in a place like Haneulsae Safe Zone from the beginning.


    Aside from the hiccup with Haneulsae Safe Zone, the trades with Ahnhae and Bogang went smoothly without any incidents. Of course, it was possible they had considered making a move, but seeing Haneulsae''s misstep likely scared them into behaving.


    In the end, the teams from the other Safe zones left Pyeongseong Safe Zone with the food supplies they had obtained.


    The weather gradually turned colder.


    The plots of land that Kim Haru had cultivated in his small farm were all ready for harvest. Wheat, rice, and corn had the highest yields in this batch, while sorghum, being planted in smaller quantities initially, had the lowest yield. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    The sweet potatoes in the fields were also ripening in large batches, while the sugar beets, which matured earlier, weren''t replanted for a second wave.


    The nine zombie-bots worked tirelessly day and night, harvesting non-stop. They finally managed to complete all the harvesting before winter fully arrived.


    Looking at the mountains of grain stored in his system backpack, Kim Haru felt that he could go the entire next year without planting anything and still have enough to eat. At the same time, he realized it was high time he built a grain silo.


    The people from Pyeongseong Safe Zone also approached Kim Haru and said, "Mr. Kim, the logistics department doesn''t have enough space-type ability users to store all this grain. Do you think we should build a grain silo somewhere?"


    "Then build it," Kim Haru replied, waving them toward the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander. "Talk to the Safe Zone Commander about that kind of thing."


    He wasn''t a construction expert¡ªhow was he supposed to know how to build a grain silo?


    Kim Haru made it clear that he was only interested in building a silo for his own farm. As for the one for the Safe zone, that was better left to the Safe Zone Commander.


    Building the small farm''s silo was straightforward¡ªat least much easier than constructing one for the entire Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Not only did Kim Haru not need to do the work himself, but it was also completed in a single afternoon.


    The farming system''s construction menu included an option for a grain silo, but the silo was still locked. If Kim Haru wanted to use coins to build it directly, he would first need to meet its unlock conditions.

 Chapter 209 The Swamps Secret

    The conditions for unlocking the grain silo were different from those for the chicken coop, pigpen, and cowshed. The latter required only the presence of the respective animals on Kim Haru''s small farm (zombie animals excluded) to automatically unlock the corresponding building options. However, the grain silo required Haru to gather sufficient materials.


    A grain silo capable of properly storing food had very high requirements: it needed excellent ventilation to prevent the grain inside from getting damp and molding. At the same time, it had to guard against animals that might steal the grain, such as rats, sparrows, and ants. Naturally, such a silo couldn''t be built out of wood.


    "Is there any suitable clay in the mountains?" Kim Haru called Go Okrim over to ask.


    Unlocking the silo required a significant amount of clay and a small amount of iron.


    The iron wasn''t an issue for Kim Haru. He still had plenty left over from dismantling the pile of scrap machines he brought back from Gokmul County. The clay, however, was another story¡ªhe wasn''t sure where to find it.


    Go Okrim, being someone who couldn''t sit still, had gone up the mountains far more times than Kim Haru since arriving at the farm. Naturally, Haru''s first thought was to ask him for help.


    After thinking for a moment, Go Okrim indeed came up with a location.


    "About a kilometer past where you set the traps, there''s a big patch of swampy ground. It''s all water and mud mixed together, but it''s incredibly sticky. I threw a stone in once, and it got swallowed up almost immediately."


    "What do you need clay for, hyung?"


    "To make something," Kim Haru replied as he started walking in the direction Go Okrim had described.


    If Go Okrim hadn''t mentioned the traps, Kim Haru might have completely forgotten that he''d set one there. Since he was passing by, Kim Haru decided to check on it.


    The trap he set up before was now overgrown with mushrooms¡ªclusters upon clusters of them, the same kind he''d picked last time and found to be particularly delicious.


    "Pick all these mushrooms. Let''s cook a dish with them tonight," Kim Haru instructed Go Okrim as he inspected the trap. After a moment''s thought, he added, "And water the surrounding plants a bit too."


    The moment he said that, Kim Haru noticed out of the corner of his eye that the nearby plants were subtly swaying. But as soon as he turned to look directly at them, they instantly froze in place, standing perfectly still as if they were ordinary, unremarkable plants.


    What could Kim Haru even say to that?


    He stared at the crude trap he''d made and decided not to dismantle it after all.


    By now, Kim Haru had figured it out. The reason he''d managed to catch Sir Peckington and Little Snort in this trap wasn''t because he was particularly skilled at setting traps or had picked an excellent location¡ªit was thanks to some kind mutated plants that helping out behind the scenes.


    Looking back, he''d noticed the root on Sir Peckington''s leg at the time and had even wondered how a piglet as strong as Little Snort could have been caught in such a simple trap. But he hadn''t looked deeper into it. If he had, he might have...


    Might have what? Realized sooner that the plants here were mutated?


    Kim Haru thought about it. If he had discovered that back then, he likely would have chosen a different spot for his wooden cabin. Perhaps many things would have turned out differently after that.


    But he didn''t regret it.


    These mutated plants were actually quite cute.


    This trap will stay here as a memento. Who knows, I might stumble upon something strange again in the future.


    While Go Okrim stayed behind to pick mushrooms, Kim Haru followed the path Go Okrim had pointed out and moved forward.


    With so many mutated plants around, there was no way Kim Haru would lose his way. It wasn''t long before he reached the swampy area Go Okrim had described.


    "This is a swamp, isn''t it?" Kim Haru guessed, eyeing the large pool of mud before him.


    The mud pool was bigger than the pond on his small farm. It looked as though a mischievous child had stirred water and mud together and dumped it here. On the surface, it seemed shallow enough that even a slightly taller shoe sole wouldn''t sink into it.


    But was that really the case? Of course not.


    Not only had Go Okrim mentioned that the stone he threw in was quickly swallowed up, but from what Kim Haru was seeing now, this place was far from harmless.


    Scattered across the surface of the muddy swamp were pale, skeletal remains. There were large bones, small bones, single fragments, and even entire skeletal frames. Some were barely visible above the mud, while others looked like they had been freshly tossed in, slowly sinking into the mire.


    As these skeletons sank deeper, bubbles began to rise and pop near the area. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bubbling sound seemed almost gleeful, as though the swamp itself was sighing in satisfaction, saying, So full and content!


    Kim Haru stopped in his tracks.


    He opened the system''s construction interface and asked, "Can this mud be used?" Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    The system didn''t respond directly, but the grain silo icon in the interface lit up faintly.


    What did that mean? Haru tapped into it.


    A notification popped up.


    [ The materials too far away. ]


    It looked like he''d have to figure out a way to extract the mud from the swamp.


    Kim Haru looked around but didn''t see any suitable tools nearby. His gaze landed on a patch of vibrant green plants.


    These were clusters of shrub-like plants. Kim Haru still couldn''t identify their species, but the small red berries, no bigger than a fingernail, hanging from the shrubs seemed vaguely familiar.


    "You''re a mutated plant too, aren''t you?" Kim Haru asked tentatively.


    He thought, even though this spot was quite far from the farm, the fact that he''d made it here without being attacked probably meant these mutated plants were just as friendly as the ones near his farm.

 Chapter 210 Grain Silos and the Little Hamster

    Sure enough, as soon as Kim Haru finished speaking, the shrubs in front of him began to sway excitedly.


    One shrub even tried to present its tiny red berries to him. Kim Haru chuckled and declined politely.


    "Thank you, but I don''t need them. Could you do me a favor?"


    The shrubs nodded vigorously.


    Haru pointed to the swamp. "I need some of the mud from in there. Could you help me get it out?"


    Kim Haru figured that since the shrub-like plants were able to thrive right next to the swamp, they likely wouldn''t be harmed by pulling mud from it.


    As expected, the shrubs didn''t see it as a challenge at all. Their branches grew wildly, interweaving into a dense mass that shaped itself into a large scoop. Without hesitation, the scoop dove into the swamp and started hauling mud.


    The shrub''s branch-formed scoop easily pulled out a massive load of mud, even shaking off the excess water before dropping the mud in front of Kim Haru. The result was even better than he had hoped.


    "Thank you," Kim Haru said with satisfaction. "When I get back, I''ll bring you some fertilizer as a reward."


    Hearing this, the shrubs grew visibly more excited, increasing the frequency of their scooping efforts.


    Before long, a massive pile of sticky mud had accumulated in front of Kim Haru.


    Stepping back, Kim Haru opened the system''s construction interface and selected the grain silo. As the mud pile gradually disappeared into the system, a translucent silo materialized before him.


    Kim Haru immediately added this silo to his system backpack. Then, waiting for the shrubs to pile up the mud again, he constructed another silo.


    "That''s enough, thank you," Kim Haru finally said, stopping the shrubs from extracting any more mud. He even had them return the excess mud on the shore back to the swamp.


    While it was unlikely anyone would come across this spot, Kim Haru didn''t want to risk someone accidentally stumbling upon this eerie mud and causing unnecessary trouble.


    Keeping his promise, Kim Haru later brought a batch of fertilizer from the farm and applied it to the shrubs before heading back to his farm to select suitable locations for the two new silos.


    The system-produced silos were exceptionally efficient, offering a substantial storage capacity. What pleased Kim Haru most was that each silo wasn''t limited to storing a single type of crop. Like his system backpack, the silos were divided into ten compartments, each capable of holding a different type of crop. Items stored in the silo would remain exactly as they were when placed inside, essentially functioning like a fixed extension of his system backpack.


    Even better, the silos could connect to Kim Haru''s system backpack. As long as an item existed in the silo, any matching item Kim Haru added to his system backpack, no matter where he was, would automatically transfer to the silo and merge with the existing stock. For example, if Kim Haru stored wheat in the silo, any wheat he added to his system backpack¡ªeven from thousands of miles away¡ªwould bypass his backpack''s storage limits and appear directly in the silo, seamlessly combining with the previous stock.


    This feature made things significantly more convenient for Kim Haru.


    If Kim Haru wanted to retrieve items, he could only take out as much as he originally stored. He couldn''t remotely access other crops or items that had already been stored in the grain silos.


    Each of the two silos had ten compartments, and even after Kim Haru stored all his current crops, there was still plenty of space left. Besides the crops he had grown, Kim Haru also used one compartment to store the straw he had gathered from the ducks.


    Straw was bound to be useful later. Once livestock farming developed, the demand for it would skyrocket.


    Kim Haru also stored the oranges he had collected from the orchard in one of the silo compartments. Since he didn''t have many crops at the moment, he planned to dedicate a silo to fruits once his harvests increased. When that happened, he would place the fruit silo directly in the orchard, which would make collecting and organizing much more convenient.


    Speaking of the orchard, Kim Haru couldn''t help but marvel at how wise it had been to bring the apple tree and the little hamster along.


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    The apple tree was incredibly timid, especially in this area filled with mutated plants. It remained invisible most of the time, making it difficult to spot. The little hamster, on the other hand, was a stark contrast¡ªit was bold and brash, completely at odds with what one would expect from a creature of its kind.


    Ever since it arrived, the little hamster had become well-acquainted with every tree in the orchard, scurrying up and down to help pick fruit. Whenever Kim Haru visited, it would always pick the freshest and sweetest fruit for him.


    The orange trees in the orchard didn''t seem to mind the little hamster climbing all over them. Besides the apple tree, the little hamster''s favorite was the chestnut tree. Although the chestnuts were spiky and tricky to harvest, the tree''s height gave the little hamster a great vantage point to look out over the area. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The one tree the little hamster didn''t like was the lemon tree. Its surroundings carried a strong sour scent, which irritated the little hamster''s nose whenever it got too close.


    Luckily, the lemon tree wasn''t very tall, so Kim Haru didn''t need the little hamster''s help to harvest the lemons. He didn''t mind its reluctance to approach the tree.


    Kim Haru eventually gave the little hamster the official title of "Orchard Manager." Equipped with spatial abilities, the little creature became incredibly useful, even though its storage capacity wasn''t infinite like the grain silos.


    This convenience made Kim Haru think of the little hamster when he heard Jang Dojang report occasional difficulties with building grain silos in the safe zone.


    Kim Haru didn''t want to separate the little hamster from the apple tree and send it to the safe zone. Instead, he asked the little hamster, "Do you have any other companions? Like members of your clan? Preferably those with spatial abilities who might be interested in working here. We can negotiate the benefits."

 Chapter 211 Journey To The Spatial Hamsters Tribe

    After all, whether it was fixed grain silos or large-scale space-type ability users, nothing matched the convenience of the little hamster''s portable space. Small enough to fit in a pocket or backpack, the little hamster''s spatial capacity was remarkable, akin to that of a human space-type ability user. Its storage could even upgrade over time, and the little hamster''s upgrades progressed much faster than those of humans.


    The more Kim Haru thought about it, the more he felt this idea was brilliant.


    The only concern was whether there were enough of the little hamster''s kind to make this work.


    At first, the hamster didn''t quite understand Kim Haru''s question. When he repeated himself and explained in detail what the job entailed, the hamster grew increasingly excited. All it needed to do was use its cheek pouches to store items, and in return, it would be given regular meals, a place to live, and human caretakers. Such a sweet deal made the little hamster squeak in excitement. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The little hamster nodded its head enthusiastically. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Yes, of course, yes!


    The question came from Kim Haru, a human it found had pleasant smell and incredibly approachable. The thought that Kim Haru might be deceiving it didn''t even cross the little hamster''s mind.


    Seeing the little hamster nodding, Kim Haru realized that it likely did have clan members that fit the requirements.


    "Are your clan members far from here? When can we go and invite them over?" Kim Haru asked. "You''ll need to act as a translator during the trip, and there will be others accompanying us. Do you mind?"


    The little hamster, well-acquainted with humanity''s social nature, naturally didn''t mind Kim Haru bringing more people along.


    However, its clan members were indeed far away, meaning it would have to leave its beloved apple tree for several days. It was reluctant.


    Kim Haru couldn''t help but laugh at the little hamster''s gestures, which clearly conveyed its concerns. He suggested, "Why don''t we take the apple tree with us?"


    After all, the apple tree could be stored in Kim Haru''s system backpack, something he had already tested. The system backpack could hold living things, and since others couldn''t see the invisible apple tree, it wouldn''t cause any major issues.


    Once things were settled with the little hamster, Kim Haru shared his idea with the people in the safe zone.


    Moon Baein was utterly stunned.


    "Mr. Kim, you truly are¡­"


    What exactly? Moon Baein couldn''t find the right words to express his amazement. He had already used phrases like "incredible" and "outstanding" countless times, yet every time, Kim Haru''s ingenuity continued to exceed his expectations.


    At this point, if Kim Haru suddenly claimed to be an alien, Moon Baein wouldn''t even be surprised.


    What amazed him most was that Kim Haru had found a way to cooperate with mutated creatures¡ªand not just cooperate, but do so in a formal manner, akin to hiring employees.


    Moon Baein thought back to the scenes he had witnessed during a visit to the Huimang Safe Zone. The researchers there had also studied the potential benefits of mutated animals for humans, but their approaches were all about exploitation or experimentation. Not once had they considered working with these creatures as equals.


    Perhaps this was what made Kim Haru so unique.


    "What exactly are you trying to say?" Kim Haru asked, unaware of Moon Baein''s thoughts. To him, this mutually beneficial arrangement with mutated creatures was a common trope in many novels and didn''t seem like a big deal. "Do you think this plan is feasible? Would the safe zone want to implement it?"


    "Of course, we''d use it," Moon Baein immediately agreed. "We''ll proceed with both plans¡ªcontinue constructing the grain silos while also dispatching a team to search for spatial hamsters."


    "It''s just¡­ we''ll have to trouble you again, Mr. Kim," Moon Baein added, feeling a little embarrassed.


    He really didn''t want to trouble Mr. Kim with everything. After all, Mr. Kim had done so much for the safe zone, yet the zone hadn''t been able to offer him anything in return. But for this task, it had to be Mr. Kim who came along. Other humans wouldn''t even make it to the mutated creatures'' territory¡ªlet alone negotiate with them¡ªwithout being attacked outright.


    Kim Haru, however, didn''t think it was a big deal.


    The plan was quickly set. To make it back before winter, the team prepared at full speed and planned to set off the very next day.


    ...


    The weather was getting colder.


    Kim Haru sat in the car while the little hamster poked its head out of his jacket pocket, giving directions to the driver beside him. Even though the car doors and windows were shut tightly, Kim Haru could still feel the biting chill of the wind stinging his face.


    "If the temperature keeps dropping like this, winter might come even earlier this year," said Ryu Hyunwoo who is seated in the back seat. The car was being driven by Gang Yuwon of the Delta Squad.


    Most of the people accompanying Kim Haru on this trip were familiar faces: Do Seungjin from the animal research institute, the four members of the Delta Squad, and Kang Yeongseok and Wang Woo from the logistics department.


    Kim Haru still had a bit of an impression of Kang Yeongseok, the capable woman who had initially facilitated the connection between him and the leader of Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Shin Woncheon had reached out to her, and she had escalated the matter, ultimately paving the way for Kim Haru''s collaboration with Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    As for Wang Woo, while Kim Haru might have seen him in the logistics department before, he didn''t have much memory of him.


    The goal of this mission was to establish partnerships with the spatial hamster tribe. Whether it was negotiating material requirements for collaboration or determining the usage of the spatial resources, the logistics department was deeply involved, which was why two members of the logistics department had been brought along.

 Chapter 212 Winter Preparations

    Naturally, Kim Haru was the main negotiator for this mission. Do Seungjin and the Delta Squad prioritized his lead, with their main task being ensuring safety throughout the journey.


    Fortunately, according to the little hamster''s description, the destination wasn''t too far from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Roughly the distance of two trips from the Pyeongseong Safe Zone to the Black Pig Territory.


    In response to Ryu Hyunwoo''s comment, Do Seungjin didn''t seem too worried. "Pyeongseong Safe Zone this year is nothing like it used to be. Even if winter comes early, we''re not afraid."


    "That''s right," Wang Woo replied with a laugh. "The logistics department has been insanely busy these days. We''ve been harvesting piles and piles of food every day, processing it, and preparing winter supplies. Since the logistics department got fully up and running, it''s never been this hectic."


    "Still, it''s the kind of busy that I''m more than happy to handle," he added with a smile.


    Kang Yeongseok''s expression softened as she chimed in, "No matter how exhausting or frustrating it gets, all those feelings vanish the moment you see the warehouse overflowing with supplies."


    Kim Haru sat in the passenger seat, listening to the people in the back chatting. Their conversation eased some of his worries about the coming winter.


    Since the trade delegation from other safe zones had left, Pyeongseong Safe Zone had been racing against time to prepare for winter. The spaces for using cement had already been cleared. It was impossible to upgrade everyone''s houses to be fully insulated and airtight in such a short time, so they eventually came up with a solution.


    They decided to build a certain number of communal residences in each district. The houses in the First District, Second District, and the Central Zone were mostly in good condition, with insulation measures not being much of a concern. The Fourth District, however, was in the worst state, so more communal residences would be built there.


    The Third District would have slightly fewer communal residences than the Fourth District.


    In order to speed up the construction of the communal residences, they wouldn''t build the houses from the ground up. Instead, they sought existing buildings with suitable space, modifying and reinforcing the current structures. The goal was for each communal residence to house about a hundred people, which was considered the optimal capacity.


    Making the buildings too large would actually make insulation less effective, so this size was just right.


    While the houses were being built at full speed, the mutated silk purchased from the Ahnhae Safe Zone wasn''t being neglected. Women who didn''t have enough physical strength to help with construction were assigned tasks at the Ability User Center''s mission hall. The silk was distributed in fixed amounts, and everyone in the safe zone worked together to produce as many silk quilts as possible before winter arrived.


    Kim Haru himself used his private stash of supplies to trade with the Ahnhae trade team for a batch of mutated silk. Though he had his system-provided wooden cabin with no shortage of bedding, and it was unlikely to get too cold in winter, the mutated silk was far superior to the system''s ordinary silk quilts. It was thinner, lighter, and exceptionally warm.


    As for who would make Kim Haru''s silk quilt? This was where he had to give special praise to one of the mutated plants¡ªa pine tree.


    Despite its towering, rugged appearance resembling that of a burly man, the mutated pine tree''s ability to sew was nothing short of miraculous. When Kim Haru was worrying about his lack of sewing skills and hesitating to trouble others in the safe zone, the mutated pine tree demonstrated what "flying needles and fine stitching" truly meant.


    The needles weren''t just flying figuratively¡ªthey were literally flying. Its countless pine needles danced in the air as if a thousand people were sewing in perfect synchronization. The final product had stitches so precise and dense that they rivaled the work of the best artisans.


    When Kim Haru paid the pine tree in fertilizer and water for its work, he also handed over the remaining batch of mutated silk.


    He didn''t just want quilts made; he also planned to use the mutated silk to make a few sets of clothes. If he needed to go out during the winter, they would certainly come in handy.


    The silk in the safe zone wasn''t just for making quilts; it was also used to make clothing. However, the amount of silk they had traded for was limited, so it was impossible to make a full set of outdoor clothing for everyone. At best, each household would have one set, and whenever someone needed to go out, they would be the one to wear it.


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    For many, even having one set per household was a luxury. In tougher circumstances, several nearby families might have to pool resources to acquire a single set, taking turns wearing it to handle outside tasks.


    After the crops were harvested, these concerns were no longer something Kim Haru needed to worry about.


    The only remaining issue that required his attention in the safe zone was the little piglets that he recently brought back to the animal research institute¡ªand the duck eggs. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The duck eggs were still incubating. The portion of eggs Kim Haru had brought back to his farm had been placed directly in the chicken coop. He covered them with a thick layer of straw and even dismantled an old cotton quilt, pulling out the cotton to make a warm nest for the eggs.


    Of course, Kim Haru hadn''t forgotten about the coop''s original residents.


    Although Little Nugget and Sir Peckington weren''t ducks, their similar structure made them the perfect candidates for the job. Kim Haru promptly assigned them the task of incubating the eggs. Little Nugget which is the product of the system understood some of his instructions, so when Kim Haru told it to sleep on the eggs at night, it obediently did so. By morning, the eggs stayed warm enough.

 Chapter 213 Raising Piglets and Mutated Territories

    As for the less cooperative Sir Peckington? Well, that''s what Little Nugget was there for.


    Kim Haru wasn''t sure if this method would work, but he made sure to remind Go Okrim to monitor the temperature in the egg nest regularly. So far, it seems to be working.


    Meanwhile, the safe zone had a much easier solution than Kim Haru''s small farm. Somehow, they''d unearthed an egg incubator from the logistics department, and it had been running nearly 24/7. The entire animal research institute''s limited electricity was funneled into keeping this incubator operational. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru had originally hoped to get one himself, but after searching thoroughly, they found only this single machine.


    Thinking about it, it made sense. In the apocalypse, most energy sources for these machines were depleted, and with animals mostly mutated, who would bother bringing along an incubator? Finding even one was a miracle. Whoever had the foresight to stash it in the logistics department''s storage space deserved praise¡ªit was now proving incredibly useful.


    For now, there was no rush with the ducks; whether the eggs would hatch remained uncertain. The bigger headache for the animal research institute was the little piglets.


    There were over thirty piglets, both male and female, though most were sows. The researchers had no plans to cull the pigs for now, choosing to keep them as breeding stock. Once their numbers increased and farming capacity expanded, they would consider loosening restrictions and eating them.


    All thirty-plus piglets were currently housed in a large communal pigpen. When the animal research institute was first established, it had been designed to study livestock farming, so its basic infrastructure was well-suited for large-scale pig farming. The layout, much like the pig farms Kim Haru remembered, featured individual pens for each pig, complete with standardized feeding and watering troughs. The environment was decent.


    However, these piglets were far less docile than Little Snort had been when it first arrived at Kim Haru''s farm. They were naturally aggressive, and even as young as they were, they charged at any human who came close without hesitation. Their strength was surprisingly significant for their size.


    Fortunately, the animal research staff had quick reflexes. Apart from one person getting a nasty bruise from an unexpected charge, no major injuries occurred. The pigpen, however, wasn''t as sturdy¡ªit had been constantly battered by the piglets. At this rate, it wouldn''t last more than a few days before collapsing.


    So far, the piglets in the animal research institute were all tied up, not with all four hooves bound together, but with the left hooves tied together and the right hooves tied together, with a certain distance between the ropes in the middle. This way, the piglets could slowly move their limbs in unison, but if they tried to charge quickly...


    Sorry, they would likely stumble and fall right from the start.


    Do Seungjin had previously been worried that these aggressive piglets would never settle down. When they had tried to raise them before, no matter how much time had passed, these animals remained extremely aggressive, and later they stopped eating, making them impossible to domesticate. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Kim Haru had also seen the piglets raised in the animal research institute. He didn''t have any better solutions, only suggesting that at the beginning, they shouldn''t feed them with pigweed that contain mutagenic virus. Instead, they should feed them ordinary potato leaves and soybean leaves, or the husks removed from rice, which is bran.


    If possible, it would be best to slightly cook the bran.


    Of course, the water they provided had to be clean water without mutagenic viruses. The animal researchers also had water-type abilities, and even Do Seungjin himself was a water-type ability user, so raising these pigs didn''t require Kim Haru to help them purify the water sources.


    Kim Haru speculated that as the mutagenic viruses in the piglets'' bodies were gradually purified, they might become as docile as Little Snort.


    Although Kim Haru already knew that Little Snort in his own farm, including the latter one, was initially so docile because it was suppressed by the pressure from the surrounding mutated plants.


    However, Kim Haru''s method wasn''t wrong. From the time Do Seungjin and his team captured the little piglets and brought them back, it hadn''t been long, and some piglets were no longer so aggressive. Their personalities had become much more docile, and they would approach humans to take food, even proactively waiting beside the feeding troughs. This delighted the responsible researchers immensely.


    As for the pigweed, it still needed to be added eventually. Not only does the pigweed contain elements that make the piglets like it and adapt to this post-apocalyptic world, but eating the pigweed also allowed the piglets to grow larger and larger.


    After all, it''s all meat. The same pig, of course, having the meat mass of half a house meant that more people could eat from it. If they degenerated to their size before the apocalypse, no one would know how many would need to be raised to be sufficient.


    The piglets were being raised slowly, and Kim Haru would occasionally visit the safe zone to check on them. Overall, everything was going smoothly.


    Throughout the journey, the group chatted casually, but the speed of travel was not slowed down at all. All meals were handled on the vehicle; when Gang Yuwon ate, he would switch shifts with Ra Jinho, and the vehicle almost never stopped along the way.


    They hurried all the way, and by around eleven o''clock that night, the group arrived near their destination.


    "Just a little bit further and we''re in the territory of the mutated animals," Do Seungjin checked the surroundings. The group decided to set up camp here and not proceed further that night.


    Mutated animals had extremely sensitive senses, much more sensitive than zombies and mutated plants. If they detected that their territory had been invaded by humans, they wouldn''t care whether it was day or night; they would attack them immediately.

 Chapter 214 Arrival of the Hamster Tribe

    Of course, the Black Pigs weren''t included in these mutated creatures. These guys, even if mutated, had the same temperament as before the mutation¡ªlazy. As long as you didn''t bother them, they wouldn''t care to interact.


    However, according to the little hamster''s indications, ahead was the territory where their tribe lived, and rodents were much more sensitive than the Black Pigs.


    Kim Haru didn''t have any other understanding of these things than others did, and he wouldn''t contradict their opinions on such matters. The others began to take things down from the vehicle to set up camp, while Kim Haru took this opportunity to release the mutated apple tree from the system backpack to let it take a breath and let it meet up with the little hamster.


    Later, Kim Haru quietly said to the little hamster, "If we humans recklessly go in, your companions might misunderstand. Why don''t you go first and explain the situation to them?"


    With the little hamster taking the lead, Kim Haru wouldn''t have to worry about the group having to fight first before entering their territory. This was beneficial for the progress of future cooperation. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The little hamster''s tiny head also thought this was a great idea. With some effort, it made an "OK" gesture with its small paw. After saying goodbye to the mutated apple tree, it pitter-pattered off into the night.


    Kim Haru returned to inform the others about the little hamster scouting ahead. No one had any objections.


    "Mr. Kim, please rest for now. We''ll take turns keeping watch," Do Seungjin said as he guided Kim Haru to his single tent. "There''s a bell inside. If anything happens, just ring it, and the people outside will hear you."


    Kim Haru didn''t refuse. Spending time declining the offer would only cut into everyone''s rest. This time, only eight people had come along, and they had brought just one vehicle. The tents they carried included a single one for Kim Haru and two others for three people each. Whoever was on watch duty stayed in the vehicle, while the rest slept soundly in the tents, waking up on their own when it was time to switch shifts.


    Everyone had been surviving in the post-apocalypse world for so long that no one had the luxury of oversleeping or failing to wake up on time.


    Of course, Kim Haru was an exception.


    The tents they used for expeditions were custom-designed for ability users. Their material was nothing like what Kim Haru had known before he came to this world. Instead, they were made from mutated plants, offering excellent protection against insects, wind, and cold. The tents were also highly effective at masking scents. Even if more people slept inside, there was no need to worry about attracting zombies.


    At night, zombies tended to be more active. However, the spot Kim Haru and his group had chosen was near mutated creatures. Whether by some unspoken agreement or natural boundary, zombies, mutated plants, and mutated animals rarely interfered with one another. From the time they set up camp until four in the morning, the temporary campsite remained peaceful.


    But just before five o''clock, while Ryu Hyunwoo was on watch, his strong sense of earth elements as an Earth-type ability user keenly noticed something burrowing toward their camp underground¡ªsomething in significant numbers.


    Ryu Hyunwoo immediately woke everyone up.


    Kim Haru who is still half-asleep, was quickly bundled into the vehicle by Do Seungjin and the others as a precaution. There was no time to pack up the tents. By the time they finished, the rustling noises from underground grew louder and more intense.


    At this hour, the sun had not yet risen, and the sky was murky and dark. From his spot in the car, Kim Haru couldn''t see what the others were warily guarding against. However, he glanced around himself and noticed that the effect of [Farm''s Blessing] had not been activated.


    This didn''t seem like an enemy attack.


    Kim Haru speculated quietly.


    Still, he didn''t suggest that Do Seungjin and the others lower their guard. What if he was wrong? Or what if [Farm''s Blessing] was still "asleep" and failed to summon mutated plants in time?


    Before long, even Kim Haru could hear the sounds clearly.


    The noise came from underground¡ªsharp scraping, things colliding, and¡­ squeaky rodent-like chirps?


    The moment Kim Haru heard the sound, he instinctively turned around to look in the direction of the mutated apple tree.


    Ever since the system had classified the mutated apple tree as part of the farm''s crops, it had ceased to be entirely invisible to Kim Haru. Instead, he could now see its translucent silhouette. At this moment, the semi-transparent branches were quivering, and every leaf seemed to radiate a sense of delight.


    Kim Haru immediately relaxed.


    It was the little hamster returning.


    Judging by the commotion, it might have brought its companions along as well.


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak!"


    The little hamster''s tiny head popped out of the ground with a plop and squeaked at the vigilant humans.


    Except for Kim Haru, everyone else present was an ability user, their vision only minimally hindered by the darkness. They all recognized the small creature that had spent an entire day in Kim Haru''s pocket. Once they realized it was the same hamster, they collectively let out a sigh of relief. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    The group had already heard from Kim Haru that this tiny creature had gone to find its companions. Now that it had reappeared, the other noises were likely caused by its newfound friends.


    Sure enough, as soon as Do Seungjin and the others lowered their guard and stepped back, more heads began emerging from various spots underground. Some were big, some were small, but on average, they were about the same size as the little hamster.


    The newly surfaced rodents cautiously observed the humans, looking them over again and again. When they saw their leader¡ªthe little hamster¡ªcrawl entirely out of the ground and approach the humans without inciting an attack, they relaxed as well, emerging one after another from the soil.

 Chapter 215 Negotiating with the Hamsters

    These creatures weren''t natural burrowers, nor were they the long-tailed kind of rats. They were hamsters¡ªclean freaks by nature. If not for being forced by circumstances, none of them would willingly stay in the dirty, grimy soil.


    Kim Haru stepped out of the car.


    At this close range, even someone with ordinary vision like him could clearly make out the scene before him.


    His hands began itching with an uncontrollable urge.


    He suddenly wanted to play Whack-a-Mole.


    Kim Haru felt that he couldn''t be blamed for this. Anyone seeing the scene in front of them would immediately think of the classic game Whack-a-Mole. Look at all the holes in the ground! And there were even mouse heads popping out of them. This was practically a real-life version of Whack-a-Mole.


    Fortunately, Kim Haru kept his rationality in check. He knew these weren''t ordinary mice¡ªthey were their future collaborators. Once they became more familiar with each other, perhaps he could even jokingly play along. For now, though, he needed to leave a good impression on this little hamster.


    Kim Haru crouched down, making it easier for the little hamster to climb back into the warm pocket it called home. Staying in that position, he greeted the other hamsters that had emerged from the holes.


    "Hello."


    The sound of a human voice made the hamsters pause for a moment, but once they saw who had spoken, the ones already out of their holes scurried over. Those still underground scrambled to climb out, desperate not to lose the best spots near him.


    "Squeak squeak!"


    "Squeak!"


    "Squeak squeak squeak!"


    The little hamsters surrounded Kim Haru, gesturing animatedly and chattering about something he couldn''t understand. If he had, he would have been shocked by their words and would''ve reconsidered his impression of them.


    These seemingly adorable hamsters were fiercely competing to introduce themselves while slyly badmouthing one another. Their behavior resembled the antics of certain shameless suitors who were vying for attention.


    But Kim Haru didn''t know that. He just smiled and continued talking to the hamsters. "No need to rush. Who''s your leader? Little Hamster should have already explained why we''re here. Since you''ve come, I assume you''re interested in the proposal. Why don''t we discuss it in detail inside the tent? It''s warmer there."


    The hamsters were more than willing to share a tent with this human who smelled so appealing and exuded such an irresistible aura. For his sake, they were even willing to endure the stench of other humans.


    With that, Kim Haru''s single-person tent was no longer needed. The group rearranged themselves into two three-person tents. One tent housed Kim Haru, Do Seungjin, and Kang Yeongseok, along with Little Hamster and over a dozen new arrivals. Shin Woncheon and Wang Woo shared the other tent with the remaining hamsters, crammed together.


    Meanwhile, Ryu Hyunwoo and Ra Jinho stayed in the car, continuing their watch.


    Kim Haru looked at the dozen or so hamsters in front of him, thought for a moment, and pulled two potatoes out of his system backpack. Handing them to Do Seungjin, he asked him to use her water-type ability to rinse them thoroughly and then cut them into small pieces with her water blade. Once prepared, he placed the pieces before the hamsters.


    "This is a temporary camp, so we don''t have anything fancy to offer. For now, you can snack on these."


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    As this was a meeting with potential collaborators, it was only proper to serve some refreshments. Since there was no tea, the least he could do was present virus-free potatoes.


    Kim Haru recalled that Little Hamster had a fondness for nibbling on potatoes. Sure enough, the moment the potato pieces were placed before them, the hamsters'' round eyes lit up. They squeaked in delight and eagerly grabbed the chunks, munching away with great satisfaction. Some of the larger pieces were too big for their tiny paws to hold. Unwilling to let go, they pressed the pieces onto the ground and gnawed at them directly.


    Seeing this, Kang Yeongseok quickly reacted. She stepped out and instructed Wang Woo to bring more potatoes to wash and deliver to the hamsters in the other tent.


    Kang Yeongseok made no attempt to lower her voice, so everything she said was clearly audible in Kim Haru''s tent. He also noticed that after Kang Yeongseok returned, the hamsters in front of him displayed a noticeable improvement in their attitude toward her.


    It wasn''t until the hamsters finished munching on a potato chunk that they finally snapped out of their delicious trance and remembered what they had come for.


    "Squeak."


    A larger hamster pointed at Kim Haru and then spread its paws wide, perfectly conveying its intention for Kim Haru to speak first.


    Kim Haru began, "This little one here should have already explained to you that we want to hire you. Your cheek pouches have spatial abilities, and that''s exactly what we need. We want you to help us store things and essentially act as our pockets. In return, we''ll provide you with a stable living environment, as well as food just as good as this potato. With the coming winter, you won''t need to fear the cold anymore. What do you think?"


    In order to ensure his intentions were fully understood, Kim Haru had the small hamster translate his words for the group.


    What followed was an interspecies discussion that went on for most of the morning, continuing until daylight fully broke. Finally, they reached an agreement.


    It turned out that mutated hamsters had a unique trait: every hamster, without exception, had two spatial compartments in their cheek pouches. In addition to that, each hamster also had its own special ability.


    The little hamster''s special ability was speed¡ªan extraordinary speed unaffected by gravity or external factors.


    The other hamsters each had a variety of abilities. One of their requests during the discussion was the provision of regular crystal cores of similar types, which they could use to level up their abilities. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 216 Alliance with the Hamsters

    Even if the hamsters hadn''t brought this up, Kim Haru would have. After all, the more they upgraded their abilities, the larger their spatial compartments would grow, enabling them to carry more items.


    Aside from that, the discussion also covered living conditions for the hamsters.


    First, they couldn''t be caged; they needed a free, open space to move around. Secondly, every hamster had unique preferences for their nesting spots. Additionally, they wanted materials like wood shavings or cotton balls for warmth during the winter.


    While Kim Haru could provide wood shavings for the small hamster, the rest of the group would have to wait for now. Cotton balls, on the other hand, seemed easier to source, and the hamsters didn''t require a large quantity.


    Lastly, the conversation turned to food. Each hamster had its own preferences, but they were universally drawn to clean, virus-free water and food. The humans promised that whatever the hamsters were fed in the future would match what humans ate.


    In other words, if humans ate normal food, the hamsters would also get normal food. If humans had to resort to mutated food, then the hamsters would receive mutated food as well.


    Kim Haru''s group didn''t guarantee that they''d always provide normal food, not because they doubted Pyeongseong Safe Zone''s ability to supply it, but because they had to consider unforeseen circumstances. For example, if they were traveling and couldn''t find enough untainted food, they needed to prepare for such possibilities.


    As for the hamsters'' responsibilities, they were straightforward: they had to act as spatial storage, taking in and retrieving items as directed. They couldn''t run off with the stored goods, secretly keep anything for themselves, or conceal items inside their spatial compartments. Of course, not harming humans was a fundamental rule.


    With these terms set, the collaboration between humans and hamsters officially began.


    After such a long negotiation, both the humans and the hamsters expressed satisfaction.


    To ensure trust between the two sides, Kim Haru proposed establishing a contract-based arbitration organization. If any disputes, conflicts, or cases of deception or harm arose between humans and the spatial hamsters, this organization would mediate and deliver fair judgments.


    For both parties to feel secure, the human side would be represented by the Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander and Kim Haru, along with individuals deemed trustworthy by the hamsters. On the hamster side, the intermediaries would include the little hamster and several spatial hamster elders.


    This suggestion was well-received by both sides. As for the finer details, they agreed to discuss and finalize them later.


    Kim Haru had no idea that this proposal, intended merely to reassure the spatial hamsters, would one day evolve into a colossal organization in the apocalypse. This organization would become a beacon of trust for both humans and non-humans, a utopia of hope capable of stabilizing the entire world with its influence.


    For now, this future institution was only a fledgling idea. After securing the cooperation of the spatial hamsters, Kim Haru and his group didn''t linger. They had a simple breakfast of dry rations before loading the car with people and hamsters and heading back.


    The apple tree didn''t return to Kim Haru''s system backpack this time. It leisurely followed behind the car. The hamster tribe that didn''t like riding in the vehicle climbed onto the apple tree''s branches and was carried along invisibly by the tree.


    The remaining hamsters found comfortable spots inside the car. The little hamster no longer stayed in Kim Haru''s pocket, instead joining its companions on the apple tree, chirping away about who-knows-what.


    Things had been resolved faster than expected, so the return trip wasn''t rushed. On one hand, the group knew they had plenty of time. On the other, they didn''t want to risk any of the tiny hamsters accidentally falling out of the car.


    This saved Kim Haru the trouble of asking them to slow down to wait for the apple tree trailing behind.


    The journey there had taken a full day, but the return trip lasted an entire day and night. By the following morning, the car finally entered the Pyeongseong Safe Zone.


    Sleeping in a moving vehicle was far from comfortable. Unlike the other ability users, Kim Haru didn''t have any special powers to keep him energized. After handing the hamsters over to Moon Baein, he waved them off, activated his teleportation device, and returned to his small farm. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    The first thing he did? Take a long, satisfying bath before diving straight into bed.


    He slept until the afternoon.


    "Hyung, I left your lunch in the microwave. Should I heat it up for you now or wait a bit?" Go Okrim immediately approached when she saw him wake up. "The apple tree has already returned to the orchard. The small hamster said it wanted to play with its companions in the safety zone for a while and asked me to pick it up tonight."


    Kim Haru hummed in acknowledgment. He didn''t trouble Go Okrim further and microwaved the meal himself, combining lunch and dinner into one hearty meal.


    Over the past few months, Go Okrim''s cooking skills have improved significantly. Ever since he met Hwa Jian, he often visited the safety zone to learn cooking techniques from him. Although Hwa Jian was a man, his culinary skills were exceptional. Even with just cabbage, he could prepare several dishes with different flavors that one wouldn''t tire of eating.


    After studying under Hwa Jian for so long, Go Okrim''s talent in cooking began to shine. His proficiency improved rapidly, completely dispelling Kim Haru''s earlier thought of hiring a chef.


    Today''s lunch, prepared by Go Okrim, consisted of tofu jjigae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew) and Gamja-tang (Korean pork and potato stew). Both dishes were perfect with rice. The strong seasoning of the pork effectively masked the slight taste of mutated pork, and when paired with ordinary potatoes, the dish tasted completely normal.


    Kim Haru cleaned his plate, leaving no trace of food behind.


    After finishing his meal, he opened the windows of the wooden cabin to let in some fresh air.


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 Chapter 217 Windy Chaos on the Farm

    The crops in the fields had all been harvested, leaving the farm looking barren except for a single patch of vibrant green mutated wheat, which was still strolling around leisurely.


    Oh, the lotus leaves in the pond hadn''t withered yet. The surrounding mutated plants also showed no signs of shedding their leaves for autumn. Could this be the difference between mutated and ordinary plants?


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    Although the lotus leaves hadn''t withered, the seed pods had grown one after another. They were big and plump, making Kim Haru crave some silver ear lotus seed soup.


    Now that he was full and ready to digest his meal, he decided to act on his craving. Grabbing a sickle, he asked Go Okrim to find a long stick that could reach the seed pods, intending to harvest a few for eating.


    While Go Okrim went to look for the stick, Kim Haru checked on the chicken coop and pigpen. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The insulation equipment in both buildings was working fine. The temperature displayed at the entrances was moderate, and inside, the ducks, Little Nugget and Sir Peckington, and the two black pigs in the pigpen were all comfortably settled.


    There would be no issues getting through the winter.


    While inspecting the chicken coop, Kim Haru didn''t forget to check on the duck eggs.


    The eggs were still warm to the touch, showing no signs of hatching yet. Resisting the urge to crack one open to check their progress, Kim Haru carefully put them back in place.


    As his hand brushed against the straw used to line the nests, he recalled the pile of straw stored in the granary.


    Tomorrow, he decided, he would visit the orchard to ask the orange tree, chestnut tree, and lemon tree if they needed anything to stay warm for the winter.


    Kim Haru remembered reading in his previous life about wrapping trees to protect them from the cold. He didn''t have plastic sheeting, but using traditional methods¡ªwrapping the trunks with straw¡ªwould work just as well.


    Of course, if the fruit trees didn''t need it, he wouldn''t go to the trouble. After all, these weren''t ordinary fruit trees but mutated plants.


    "Hyung, how about this one?" Go Okrim returned with a long, thin stick in hand.


    Kim Haru glanced at it and didn''t know what to say.


    A stick? That was clearly a hardened vine. Did Go Okrim think he didn''t recognize plants? While Kim Haru wasn''t familiar with many, this particular vine was one he had stripped countless times to use as rope. Even with a poor memory, he couldn''t fail to recognize it.


    Looking at Go Okrim, who obviously knew exactly what he''d brought, Kim Haru sighed.


    Fine, fine. If both parties were willing, so be it. A vine was a vine, but since it had disguised itself as a stick, it could serve as one for now.


    "Here, you hook the lotus pod over, and I''ll cut it," Kim Haru said, pointing to a pod not far from the shore and directing Go Okrim.


    "I got it!" Go Okrim deftly extended the "stick" to fish for the pod. As soon as it touched the lotus pod, the tip of the "stick" bent into a hook, easily grabbing onto it.


    And the lotus pod? Under the subtle manipulation of the inconspicuous mutated lotus, it didn''t resist at all. Instead, it obediently allowed itself to be pulled in front of the sickle and cleanly cut off.


    The mutated lotus, seemingly worried that Kim Haru wouldn''t be able to reach the pods farther away, secretly moved them closer to the shore whenever he turned around to place the harvested pods.


    To an observer, the interaction between Kim Haru and the lotus pods looked like a game. Every time Kim Haru turned his back, the pods scrambled to move. The moment he turned back, they froze in place as if nothing had happened.


    It was immensely entertaining.


    As for whether Kim Haru noticed?


    Well, at first, he genuinely didn''t. But when all the lotus pods were suddenly within arm''s reach, it was impossible for him not to realize.


    "I''ll go peel the lotus pods. You go add some fertilizer to the lotus plants," Kim Haru eventually relented, softening his stance. "And that thing in your hand as well."


    ...


    "Kim Haru-hyung, it''s getting windy!"


    Kim Haru was awakened by the noise outside just in time to hear Go Okrim say this.


    The wind outside roared ferociously, slamming against the windows like an enraged villain throwing a tantrum and smashing everything in sight.


    The wooden cabin provided by the system didn''t look like much, but when it came to stability, it was flawless. In the middle of this raging wind, it stood as firm as a mountain, with not a single corner or edge lifting up.


    This gave Kim Haru a false impression of the wind outside. When he pushed open the door, a gust of wind rushed in, nearly knocking him over.


    "What''s going on?" Kim Haru stared at the scene in front of him, seriously suspecting that he hadn''t just slept for a day but for an entire month.


    The farm''s open space was littered with debris¡ªbroken branches and leaves scattered all over. The lotus pod stems he had cut the day before were also lying around, and the lotus pods that had been peeled but not yet processed were rolling across the ground, blown everywhere by the wind.


    Some of the lighter items hadn''t even hit the ground yet; they were swirling through the air, caught in the wind.


    The sounds Kim Haru had heard while in his bedroom were mostly from these airborne objects colliding with the wooden cabin, as well as the noise of them crashing to the ground only to be swept back into the air by the wind.


    Looking at the mess around him, Kim Haru felt like this wind had blown every dead branch and leaf from the nearby forest right into his yard.


    Around the small farm, the mutated plants were being tossed around by the gale. The thicker trees held their ground, but the softer vines were in trouble, swaying wildly in the wind like ropes. Kim Haru was worried that at any moment, they might snap.

 Chapter 218 Joyful Chaos in the Breeze

    As Kim Haru considered whether he should help rescue these plants, he suddenly heard the high-pitched "yi yi yi" sound¡ªthe voice of the mutated wheat, which was always pulling its roots out of the ground and wandering around.


    At this moment, the mutated wheat had pulled its roots out again, its limp body swept up by the wild wind, floating in mid-air. It had only one leaf, which was wrapped around nearby plant branches to ensure it wouldn''t be blown too far away.


    As for the "yi yi yi" sound, Kim Haru could detect a note of happiness in it.


    Yes, the mutated wheat wasn''t frightened at all by being blown into the sky; in fact, it seemed quite thrilled, making sounds just like a person on a roller coaster at an amusement park, both scared and excited at the same time.


    Kim Haru: "..."


    Alright then, he had been projecting his own feelings onto the plants. It seemed these mutated plants weren''t distressed at all¡ªin fact, they thought this was just a fun game.


    Kim Haru didn''t bother trying to save the vines swaying in the wind. They definitely wouldn''t snap. He had tried to use them as ropes before, tugging and tying them into knots, and they hadn''t broken then. A mere gust of wind wasn''t going to do it.


    Now, it was time to check if the wind had affected his farm in any way. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Kim Haru checked on the chicken coop and pigpen, he listened to Go Okrim, who was explaining the situation with the wind.


    "I was half asleep and felt like the zombies were acting weird. When I got up to check, I saw this crazy wind blowing." Go Okrim wasn''t sure what was happening either. "I almost thought it was a typhoon or a tornado!"


    Seeing the situation, Go Okrim immediately rushed over to find Kim Haru.


    "Are the zombies alright?" Kim Haru asked.


    "It''s nothing serious, just went from standing to lying down after getting blown over."


    "That''s good." These zombies were now part of the farm''s workforce, even getting the cow shed as their living quarters. Losing them would be a shame. "Go check on the orchard and see how things are over there."


    Kim Haru instructed Go Okrim.


    Go Okrim nodded and disappeared with a teleport.


    Kim Haru braved the wind as he carefully inspected the chicken coop and pigpen, finding no major issues. Even the cow shed where the zombies lived, a structure provided by the system, was sturdy enough to withstand the storm. Not even the thatch on the chicken coop''s roof had been blown away. However, the commotion did frighten the animals inside.


    Little Nugget and Sir Peckington decided to stay inside today, nesting quietly in the duck egg corner and leaning on each other to keep the eggs warm. With food and water readily available in the coop, they showed no interest in venturing out.


    In the pigpen, Little Snort, now growing larger by the day, was unbothered by the wind. However, the newcomer, Big Snort, was spooked and turned aggressive, charging around the pen and even bumping into Little Snort multiple times.


    Little Snort, clearly annoyed, decided to put Big Snort in its place.


    With one hefty sit, Little Snort plopped down on Big Snort, pinning it firmly to the ground. No matter how much Big Snort struggled, kicking its legs, it couldn''t move. Finally, it gave up and calmed down.


    After this little incident, Big Snort quickly adjusted to the storm. Wherever Little Snort went, Big Snort followed. When Little Snort got up, so did Big Snort. When Little Snort ate, Big Snort ate. When Little Snort drank water, Big Snort followed with loud gulps.


    Seeing the two pigs getting along, Kim Haru felt relieved.


    Little Oakie nearby, swayed happily in the wind. Its vibrant leaves fluttered rhythmically, making it clear it was in a good mood.


    Satisfied with the scene, Kim Haru''s worries about the orchard eased.


    Sure enough, when he arrived at the orchard, he found the fruit trees swaying joyfully in the breeze. Their rustling leaves and branches created a sound that almost formed a melody, harmonizing with the wind like a grand outdoor concert.


    "You''re here, hyung!" Go Okrim greeted him casually, leaning against an orange tree while peeling an orange to eat.


    Kim Haru nodded in acknowledgment. "How are things here?"


    He didn''t really need Go Okrim''s response¡ªthe state of the orchard had already told him everything he needed to know.


    As expected, Go Okrim shrugged. "Everything''s fine. These plants aren''t afraid of the wind at all. That cheeky orange tree even said it loves windy days the most. You don''t need to worry, hyung."


    "Hmm." Kim Haru acknowledged with a nod. "What about Little Cinnamon and the apple tree?"


    "Little Cinnamon isn''t scared either, but its small frame can''t handle such strong wind, so it''s already taken shelter in the hamster nest inside the apple tree. The apple tree is loving the wind as well¡ªit''s even revealed its true form and is keeping rhythm with the nearby orange trees." Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    Go Okrim was also someone who loved lively scenes. If he could understand the beat of the fruit trees, he''d probably already be joining in, singing and dancing along in complete chaos.


    "But the old orange tree isn''t doing much. It even dropped a few leaves," Go Okrim added, observing closely.


    He was well aware that the reason these mutated plants treated him normally was mostly thanks to Kim Haru. Older trees like the old orange tree or higher-level mutated plants wouldn''t usually bother with him unless necessary.


    So Go Okrim didn''t push his luck, keeping his distance to avoid annoying them unnecessarily.


    After hearing the report, Kim Haru approached the old orange tree to inspect it.


    The old orange tree indeed didn''t care much for the wind and wasn''t swaying along with the other trees. When Kim Haru asked if it was cold, the tree responded that if possible, it wouldn''t mind wearing some clothes.

 Chapter 219 Thatch, Trees, and the Windstorm

    Kim Haru remembered he''d been planning to cover the fruit trees with a layer of thatch for warmth. Without delay, he asked Go Okrim to fetch some from the granary.


    Before leaving, Go Okrim retrieved Little Cinnamon from the apple tree and brought it along.


    There was no way he could carry much in one trip, so he made use of Little Cinnamon''s "hamster space."


    Little Cinnamon''s cheek pouches were already mostly filled with fruit, but after two trips, it managed to transport all the thatch from the granary to the orchard.


    After his mission was accomplished, Little Cinnamon scurried back to its nest to nibble on its stockpile and calm its nerves.


    Kim Haru and Go Okrim worked together, fumbling through the process of wrapping the old orange tree in thatch. Neither of them had ever done this kind of thing before, and their efforts were hilariously clumsy. The relentless wind didn''t help either¡ªjust as they managed to tie a few pieces of thatch to the tree trunk, the wind threatened to blow it all away again. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t until the old orange tree extended a branch to hold the thatch in place that they managed to stop it from flying off.


    After that, the two humans and one tree cooperated more efficiently. Kim Haru pulled the thatch from his backpack and laid it over the old orange tree, the tree used its lower branches to press the thatch down, and Go Okrim tied it all together with rope, securing it tightly.


    After what felt like an eternity, the thatch "coat" was finally complete.


    "Feeling warmer now?" Kim Haru asked.


    The old orange tree nodded in satisfaction.


    As for the other orange trees? Forget it. Judging by how they were enthusiastically "dancing" in the strong wind, they clearly weren''t bothered by the cold at all.


    Kim Haru then went to check on the chestnut tree, which didn''t need thatch either, nor did the apple tree. However, the lemon tree mentioned it felt a little cold.


    Thus, Kim Haru and Go Okrim began wrapping the lemon tree in thatch.


    Having gained experience from the previous attempt, Kim Haru directly asked the lemon tree to extend its branches and assist with the process this time. With its help, they managed to complete the task much faster.


    Afterward, Kim Haru learned from the fruit trees that the windstorm was likely to last two to three days. Once the wind subsided, the fruits on their branches would undergo some changes.


    For the fruit trees, producing virus-free fruits edible by humans like Kim Haru was seen as creating the "useless" batch. After the windstorm, these "useless" fruits would start to fall off naturally, eventually being reabsorbed by the tree roots as nutrients to replenish the mutated fruit trees'' energy. Otherwise, leaving them exposed would be wasteful.


    On the other hand, there were also "useful" fruits, such as those prepared for reproduction or for use as weapons.


    These "useful" fruits were not edible by humans, nor would they fall off. They would remain on the branches throughout winter, continuing to grow. When spring come, the fruits meant for reproduction would drop to the ground to sprout into new saplings, while the weapon fruits would stay on the branches.


    Upon understanding this pattern, Kim Haru immediately knew what he needed to do.


    During the windstorm, he needed to prepare enough manpower to ensure the timely harvest of the "useless" fruits. This was also why the fruit trees had informed him of this detail.


    As for manpower? What could be more suitable than the hamster tribe, just like Little Cinnamon?


    Without delay, Kim Haru headed directly from the orchard to the safe zone.


    The safe zone was already bustling early in the morning. The damage caused by the windstorm to the Pyeongseong Safe Zone was far greater than the impact on Kim Haru''s farm.


    Kim Haru''s small farm was surrounded by towering trees and nestled in the mountains and forests. The few buildings there were constructed using the system''s technology, making them exceptionally sturdy. With the windstorm sweeping through, the only noticeable aftermath was an increased amount of fallen leaves and debris¡ªthere was no significant damage.


    The safe zone, however, was a different story. Without the mountain forest plants to shield them from the wind, and without the farm system''s advanced technology to ensure the stability of buildings, the safe zone was left in shambles. When Kim Haru arrived, he saw the area littered with debris, with some rooftops even blown off entirely.


    The sky hadn''t fully brightened yet. If it weren''t for the storm, Kim Haru would still have been sound asleep. He thought he was up early, but the people in the safe zone were even earlier.


    From the moment the wind began to pick up, the safe zone''s alarm had sounded once. Now that the wind showed slight signs of subsiding, groups of three or five people tied heavy objects to themselves and ventured outside to retrieve scattered belongings.


    Tables, chairs, quilts, pots, and pans were scattered everywhere. Lightweight items like clothing were even more widespread, strewn across the area. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Although this was Kim Haru''s first time encountering such a windstorm, it was an annual occurrence for the residents of the Pyeongseong Safe Zone. Most of their possessions were marked for identification, and particularly valuable items were stored securely in places where the wind couldn''t reach. As long as the items didn''t blow beyond the safe zone''s walls, they were relatively easy to recover.


    Even if they couldn''t retrieve their own belongings right away, after the windstorm passed, unclaimed items would be gathered into a central location for people to reclaim later.


    The Safe Zone Commander''s building remained relatively sturdy. Apart from the wind blowing papers and other items into disarray indoors, nothing had been swept outside. When Kim Haru arrived, the staff was busy reorganizing the documents that had been scattered by the storm.


    "Mr. Kim, why are you here so early?" Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander, Moon Baein, looked surprised upon seeing Kim Haru.

 Chapter 220 Hamsters and the First Snow

    Anyone who had spent any amount of time with Mr. Kim was well aware of his fondness for sleeping in. Not to mention, Moon Baein vividly remembered that when he became one of Kim Haru''s contracted employees, there was a specific rule stating, Never disturb his sleeping time.


    Of course, no one dared to criticize Mr. Kim for sleeping late. After all, this was Kim Haru¡ªsomeone so remarkable that he had every right to sleep in. Who would have the audacity to judge him?


    Kim Haru himself saw no issue with everyone knowing about his love for sleep. In fact, he preferred it that way. The more widely known it was, the less likely anyone would bother him unnecessarily.


    Kim Haru asked Moon Baein, "Where is the hamster tribe located? I need their help with something."


    "They''re in the office on the far-right side of the basement level," Pyeongseong Safe Zone Commander replied. "Would you like me to accompany you?"


    "No need."


    Kim Haru made his way to the basement on his own.


    The hamsters'' office was easy to locate. For the convenience of others, the wall had been decorated with a simple drawing of a hamster''s head, with its paw pointing toward the far right. The office, now belonging exclusively to the hamsters, had undergone renovations. A small door was installed at the bottom center of the main entrance, allowing the hamsters to open and close it themselves with ease.


    When Kim Haru arrived, he happened to see a hamster crack open the small door, poking out half its head to look outside.


    It must have heard the vibrations of Kim Haru''s approaching footsteps.


    "Hello," Kim Haru greeted them. "I need your help with something. May I come in?"


    Kim Haru''s social anxiety only applied to interactions with his own species¡ªhumans. Talking to a group of hamsters posed no psychological barrier for him at all. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hamster at the door, recognizing the human who had garnered their admiration, immediately waved a paw to invite him inside.


    With a soft click, Kim Haru heard the main door unlock. He tested the handle and found it opened smoothly.


    The hamsters were far more sensitive than humans in every way. Even though the basement level was untouched by the raging wind outside, all the hamsters were already wide awake and gathered together.


    The hamster Kim Haru had seen at the door was the one chosen to investigate the situation outside.


    Now that it had opened the door for Kim Haru, it abandoned its original plan and shuffled back to its companions. Together, they edged closer to Kim Haru, each trying to get nearer to the pleasantly scented human.


    It would be perfect if they could get a chance to sniff this human up close.


    "Squeak squeak."


    The hamster leader jumped onto the table and pointed at a chair, inviting Kim Haru to sit.


    Kim Haru didn''t hesitate. After sitting down, he took out a pile of peeled chestnuts from his system backpack and handed them to the hamsters. Then he explained his purpose: "I want to hire some of you to help me pick up the fruits. There are quite a few oranges and several chestnut trees."


    As for the lemon tree, since the hamsters didn''t like the smell of lemons, Kim Haru planned to keep those for himself and Go Okrim. The apple tree, of course, would remain under the care of Little Cinnamon.


    "Squeak?"


    How many of us do you need?


    The hamster leader gestured with its tiny paws to ask.


    "As many as you can spare¡ªanyone available." Kim Haru placed no restrictions on the number. The more hamsters there were, the faster the fruit could be harvested. If his guess was correct, once the wind subsided, winter would be right around the corner.


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    And Kim Haru''s guess turned out to be spot on.


    The strong winds howled for two full days. When they finally stopped, Kim Haru led a troop of hamsters into the orchard, racing against time to pick the fruit. They worked tirelessly until midnight.


    Then, in the darkness of night, snow began to fall.


    The orchard at night was dimly lit. After two days of fierce winds, the weather still hadn''t improved. The thick cloud cover showed no signs of breaking. The brightest light sources came from the orange trees.


    Ever since the orange trees revealed their mutated nature, they had been producing glowing oranges at intervals. These glowing oranges were much larger than their edible counterparts. At night, their soft yellow glow made them look like small lanterns hanging among the trees.


    These orange lanterns were a great help during fruit picking and allowed Kim Haru to notice the change in weather as soon as snow began to fall.


    The snowflakes drifting down from the sky were thin and sparse. Back in his previous world, such snow would have melted into water droplets before even hitting the ground. But here, Kim Haru realized as soon as he touched the first snowflake that the common sense he had before crossing worlds no longer applied.


    "Get all the hamsters back¡ªit''s starting to snow," Kim Haru quickly ordered.


    The snowflake he had just touched was already discarded on the ground. Yet even after coming into contact with his body heat, it showed no signs of melting. The bone-chilling cold that had spread to Kim Haru''s hand upon touching it still hadn''t subsided.


    If those little hamsters were touched by such snowflakes a few more times, who knows how frozen they might become.


    Right now, the snowfall was still light, but if it got heavier later, it would be a serious problem.


    The hamsters reacted even faster than Kim Haru. The moment it started getting colder and snowing, they stopped what they were doing and began clustering together. By the time Kim Haru spoke, they had almost completely gathered.


    Go Okrim and Kim Haru didn''t hesitate. They scooped the hamsters into backpacks lined with dry straw and prepared to teleport back to the small farm.

 Chapter 221 Snowfall (Part 1)

    As for Little Cinnamon, Kim Haru asked about its plans. It didn''t want to go back with Go Okrim and insisted on staying with the apple tree. The apple tree could keep it warm during the winter.


    Kim Haru left it with a teleportation device, telling it to come to the small farm if it got too cold, before finally leaving.


    As for the fruit trees, they were mutated plants. Before Kim Haru arrived, they had undoubtedly survived countless winters like this on their own, so there was no need for him to worry about them.


    Upon returning to the farm, Kim Haru immediately placed the hamsters in the living room.


    The system''s wooden cabin had already detected the drop in external temperature and activated the heating system. The room was now warm and cozy. The hamsters, fresh from the cold outdoors, instantly melted into comfortable, relaxed piles.


    They became, quite literally, hamster pancakes.


    Next door, Go Okrim''s employee dormitory also had its heating system activated. The wooden wall that connected their two spaces had a door that could only be opened from Kim Haru''s side, saving Go Okrim from having to step out into the cold to enter the house.


    "Everyone can rest here for now. I''ll send you back tomorrow," Kim Haru said, settling the hamsters in the living room. He placed food out for them and let them relax before heading off to wash up and go to bed himself. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before sleeping, Kim Haru didn''t forget to check the status of the chicken coop, pigpen, and cattle shed on his system interface. All the necessary heating was operational, ensuring that he wouldn''t wake up the next morning to find his animals frozen to death.


    ...


    The next morning, Kim Haru woke up to a warm and cozy room. For a moment, he almost forgot that it had snowed the night before.


    Just as Kim Haru pulled open the curtains and glanced outside, he was startled.


    Although he had known the snowfall yesterday was particularly intense, the transformation outside was far beyond what he expected!


    Everywhere he looked was covered in a blanket of silver-white. The vibrant green color of the mutated plants from just a day ago had completely vanished. There wasn''t even a hint of green left. The ground, too, was entirely hidden under the snow, leaving no trace of the brown earth beneath. The snow appeared thick and heavy, blanketing everything in sight.


    Leaving the bedroom, Kim Haru found the hamsters in the living room already awake, they were gathered around the fruit platter on the coffee table and happily munching on their breakfast.


    When they noticed Kim Haru come out, they raised their tiny paws and squeaked twice, as if to greet him.


    Just then, a knocking sound came from the door that connected to Go Okrim''s area.


    Kim Haru opened the door to see Go Okrim entering the room. "I figured you''d be awake by now, Hyung. It snowed all night long, and the snow outside is piled up to knee height. I just tried pushing the door open, and it took quite a bit of effort. If we want to go out, we''ll have to clear a path first."


    "Or we could just stay inside. We''ve got the teleportation device, after all," Go Okrim added with a shrug.


    Kim Haru hadn''t expected the snow to accumulate so quickly.


    "We still need to clear it. What if the weight of the snow collapses the house?" Kim Haru reasoned. Although he trusted the system-built wooden cabin to withstand the snow, he didn''t want to take any chances. "Even if the house doesn''t collapse, if the snow keeps piling up for a few more days, clearing it will only become harder. If the house gets buried entirely, even if we don''t need to leave, we won''t have enough air to stay holed up all winter."


    Go Okrim nodded his head in agreement.


    "You start by clearing the snow at the door. I''ll take the hamster tribe back and then come help you," Kim Haru said, motioning for the hamster tribe to climb into the basket on his back. Once they were settled, he prepared to head out. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    If the temperature hadn''t dropped so drastically, Kim Haru wouldn''t have been in such a hurry to send the hamster tribe back. After all, his place was equipped with heating, whereas the safe zone''s heating conditions were much less reliable. But he didn''t have a choice¡ªmost of the safe zone''s winter supplies were stored in the cheek pouches of these hamsters. If they didn''t return quickly, the people in the safe zone would face a harsh winter with limited resources.


    Kim Haru had explained this to the hamster tribe in advance, worried they might think he was sending them away just because his own conditions were better.


    However, the hamster tribe had proved to be remarkably reliable. Since they had signed a contract with humans, they didn''t let environmental challenges affect their duties. Once they were delivered back to the safe zone, they dutifully handed over the supplies without a single complaint and quickly followed the logistics team members who came to retrieve them.


    By now, each hamster had formed a one-on-one partnership with a logistics team member. They could recognize their human partner, and the humans could identify their hamster companions just as easily.


    Kim Haru, on the other hand, couldn''t tell one hamster from another if several similar-looking ones were placed in front of him. This only made him admire the logistics team members all the more for their dedication.


    When Kim Haru arrived at the safe zone this time, he didn''t immediately see Jang Dojang or Moon Baein. After inquiring, he learned that Moon Baein had been out since before dawn, organizing people to clear the heavy snow and checking the Fourth District for anyone who might have frozen to death during the night or lacked adequate heating measures.


    Jang Dojang had naturally followed Moon Baein, as there was still plenty of work for them to handle.

 Chapter 222 Snowfall (Part 2)

    When someone offered to call the Safe Zone Commander back, Kim Haru stopped them. Instead, he decided to take a short stroll on his own.


    Thanks to Moon Baein''s early efforts, all the roads in the Pyeongseong Safe Zone had been cleared into passable paths. The residents were busy shoveling snow in front of their homes, while organized snow-clearing teams took care of public areas. Snow on the rooftops had already been removed earlier in the morning.


    However, some people remained indoors, unable to venture outside. Most of them were individuals with weaker constitutions who couldn''t withstand the sudden cold and didn''t yet have sufficient heating measures.


    While some were busy clearing the snow, others were working against the clock to produce more heating equipment.


    Kim Haru didn''t linger in the safe zone for long. As long as he stayed there, people kept trying to entertain or accommodate him. Not wanting to add to their already heavy workload, he quickly returned to his farm.


    This time, the teleportation device transported him directly to the living room of his wooden cabin.


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    Go Okrim was at the door with an iron shovel, digging through the snow that had piled up outside.


    The small farm''s iron shovels were made by a metal-type ability user during the safe zone''s farming initiative. After the initiative ended, Kim Haru had bought five shovels from them, which were now proving their usefulness. However, if he remembered correctly, the shovels had been stored in the barn. How had Go Okrim gotten his hands on one?


    Perplexed, Kim Haru voiced his question.


    Go Okrim sighed. "I teleported to the barn to grab it. Hyung, those zombies in the barn are completely useless. Just a bit of snow, and they''ve all frozen stiff. I was hoping they could help clear the snow, but no luck."


    That response took Kim Haru by surprise.


    "All of them froze?"


    "Pretty much. Seven from the Power Ranger Gang are completely out of commission, they were buried entirely under the snow. Only Little Aeris and Little Ignis are somewhat resistant. They can still move a little. Little Ignis, being a fire-type zombie, is faring better than Little Aeris, but if this snow keeps falling like this for another two days, they''ll probably stop moving too."


    Kim Haru frowned in confusion. "Isn''t there heating in the barn?"


    He distinctly remembered checking this before going to bed last night. The barn, chicken coop, and pigpen were all equipped with heating. How could they end up frozen like this?


    Hearing this, Go Okrim became even more exasperated.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, you probably don''t know this yet, but the zombies have this weird attraction to weather. Whether it''s raining or snowing, as long as something is falling from the sky, they''ll run outside to soak in it. This time was no exception¡ªthey went out on their own and spent the entire night standing in the snow."


    It seemed to be an inherent instinct for zombies. Even though Go Okrim had already turned them into robot-like creatures, he still couldn''t change this behavior. On the bright side, after being soaked like this, the zombies would act as if they had been lubricated, moving more nimbly than before. For this reason, Go Okrim didn''t usually pay much attention to it.


    However, life on the farm with Kim Haru had been so carefree that Go Okrim completely forgot about this particular quirk of the zombies. As a result, he didn''t take any precautions in advance. When he checked on them in the morning, he found all the zombies lying neatly in a row outside the barn.


    This caught Kim Haru off guard too.


    Now, nearly half of the small farm''s labor force was incapacitated.


    Oh, right, there was another important issue. Kim Haru asked, "If Little Aeris is frozen, can it still use its abilities?"


    He hadn''t forgotten that his convenient teleportation skill was all thanks to Little Aeris''s abilities.


    As soon as Go Okrim heard this question, his face froze in shock.


    Seeing his expression, Kim Haru immediately understood.


    "Looks like it can''t," he concluded.


    This was troublesome. Without Little Aeris teleportation skill, he''d have to figure out an alternative, like finding a reliable means of transportation.


    Moreover, he had to think about how to explain this to the others in the safe zone. After all, they had originally claimed that this ability belonged to Go Okrim. It would raise suspicion if Go Okrim''s space-type ability conveniently stopped working every winter while other space-type ability users had no such issues.


    "How about I just say I''m awakening a second ability?" Go Okrim, no longer the novice he''d been when they left Gokmul County, quickly came up with an excuse. "I can ask the Nicaraguan Blood Sucking Vine for help. It gets along well with me and can pretend to be my ability. People awakening second abilities display all kinds of symptoms, so I''ll just say my space-type ability is temporarily unusable during the process."


    The Nicaraguan Blood Sucking Vine he referred to was the same plant he had been using as a pole to hook lotus pods and the same one Kim Haru often used as a makeshift rope.


    "Alright," Kim Haru agreed, unable to think of a better solution. They settled on this plan.


    With the zombies out of commission, the two of them had no choice but to grab shovels and clear the snow themselves. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cabin door could open both inward and outward, but with snow piling up outside, they had to pull it inward. Thankfully, the inside of the cabin was heated, so the snow near the entrance was easier to remove. Before long, they cleared a narrow path that was wide enough for one person to pass through.


    The moment Kim Haru stepped outside, the freezing air hit him like a slap in the face, making him shiver uncontrollably. He quickly fetched the silk clothes that was woven by the Mutated Pine Tree and sharing some with Go Okrim.

 Chapter 223 Cryo Wolf (Part 1)

    As an ability user, Go Okrim was much more resistant to the cold than Kim Haru. At least this level of cold was still manageable for him.


    The two of them continued clearing the snow together.


    The snow was anything but soft, packed thickly and densely. Not only was it bone-chillingly cold, but it was also heavy and hard as stone. Judging by its texture, Kim Haru''s initial idea of piling the snow onto the pond and letting it melt into water wasn''t going to work. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Pile it all on the open ground, shape it into a rounded mound, and make it taller," Kim Haru said, roughly outlining the area with his finger.


    He wasn''t planning to make a gigantic snowman, though. Instead, he was inspired by something from the cold regions before his reincarnation¡ªigloos.


    Looking at this snow, it was clear it wouldn''t melt for the entire winter. If they could build an ice house and cover it with plastic sheeting, they might even be able to make a ready-made greenhouse for growing vegetables.


    "Alright," Go Okrim responded and got to work.


    By the end of the morning, the two of them had cleared most of the snow from the entrances of both wooden cabins. They had also shoveled paths leading to the chicken coop and the pigpen. As for the barn? Well, since there were no cows, they left it alone.


    Kim Haru checked on the animals in the chicken coop and the pigpen. The heavy snowfall didn''t seem to have affected them much.


    The Little Nuget which is now grown much larger, had fully developed the appearance of a hen, especially when it sat in its nest, brooding over eggs with perfect motherly poise. Meanwhile, Sir Peckington had also grown but not as quickly as Little Nugget. However, its feathers had become increasingly beautiful and vibrant.


    The two mutated black pigs lived a leisurely life, eating and sleeping in turns. When Kim Haru shoveled his way to their pigpen, he took the opportunity to refill their food and water.


    This was originally Little Oakie''s job, but Little Oakie hadn''t shown much activity lately.


    In fact, it wasn''t just Little Oakie. Kim Haru noticed that all the surrounding mutated plants had gone completely quiet. This wasn''t the kind of quiet where they pretended to be normal plants. This was the kind of quiet that looked like they had fallen asleep.


    Looking at their state, Kim Haru could only think of one suitable term¡ªhibernation.


    Even though he didn''t understand why plants would need to hibernate, he decided not to disturb them. Instead, he silently reminded himself that during winter, he would have to feed the pigs himself. He didn''t want to forget and accidentally starve them to death.


    Even if they didn''t die, it would be bad if they got too skinny.


    While the teleportation ability was still usable, Kim Haru and Go Okrim split up to handle their tasks. Go Okrim headed to the orchard to check on the situation there. Since all the fruit had already been harvested, they likely wouldn''t need to visit that area for the rest of the winter. However, if there were any plants that hadn''t entered hibernation, Kim Haru would need to plan ahead and clear a path to them.


    As for Kim Haru, he grabbed an axe and made his way to the mutated Iron wood grove.


    The small farm''s supply of lumber was running low. If they needed to build or repair anything during winter, the distance between the grove and the farm, combined with the poor condition of winter roads, would make it a hassle. It was better to chop extra wood now while the opportunity was still there.


    Ever since learning that mutated Iron wood trees were also mutated plants, Kim Haru had developed the habit of asking before chopping them down. He knew which branches could be cut freely and which were part of the main tree and off-limits. Even now, with the plants in their hibernation state, he remained careful not to make mistakes.


    Before long, Go Okrim joined Kim Haru in the mutated Iron wood grove to help. As for the orchard, it was just like the small farm¡ªall of it had entered a dormant, hibernating state.


    "The apple trees and the Little Hamsters aren''t hibernating. But the Little Hamsters said they''ve always spent winters like this, so they''re not afraid of the cold," Go Okrim reported to Kim Haru.


    Kim Haru immediately felt reassured.


    If the Little Hamsters weren''t afraid of the cold, it was likely that the other hamsters of their kind wouldn''t be either. This was a significant advantage for the safe zone''s operations.


    The first day of winter passed like this. Both the small farm and the Pyeongseong Safe Zone were bustling with activity, with everyone completely occupied.


    That evening, it snowed again. This snowfall was even heavier than the first. When Kim Haru got up the next day, he was greeted with bad news.


    "Kim Haru-hyung, the teleportation skill isn''t working anymore." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kim Haru had no solution to this.


    If it wasn''t working, then so be it. First, they needed to shovel the snow and figure out a way to move around more easily. With the entire Pyeongseong Safe Zone relying on him, Kim Haru couldn''t just stay on his small farm all the time.


    When it came to moving quickly through snow, the first things that came to Kim Haru''s mind were sleds and skis.


    He was grateful he had learned skiing before.


    However, sleds would be even more convenient if there was something to pull them. He wondered if Little Snort and Big Snort could be used for this.


    While Kim Haru and Go Okrim were huddled in the small farm making tools for snow travel, the sound-transmitting snail rang.


    "Mr. Kim, there''s a strange group of mutated animals outside the safe zone."


    Strange mutated animals? Kim Haru didn''t quite understand why something like this required a call to him.

 Chapter 224 Cryo Wolf (Part 2)

    "Just handle it as the safe zone usually does," Kim Haru replied. He didn''t feel like going out. It was cold and inconvenient. He trusted the safe zone''s usual procedures for dealing with incoming mutated animals, whether that meant driving them away or exterminating them.


    The Pyeongseong Safe Zone indeed had its own methods for handling such situations. When the group of strange mutated animals approached the safe zone, the patrolling ability users had already spotted them. They were planning to gather reinforcements to test the situation.


    If the mutated animals were highly capable fighters but didn''t exhibit strong hostility toward humans and were merely passing through, the safe zone would remain vigilant but let them go. However, if the mutated animals approached the safe zone due to a lack of food in winter and were targeting humans, the safe zone would naturally come up with countermeasures and implement preemptive defenses.


    Yet, when the ability users, as usual, sent out a team to investigate, they noticed something unusual.


    These mutated animals weren''t in a hurry, nor did they appear to be targeting humans. At the same time, they didn''t seem to be merely passing through either.


    "This time, it''s a little bit different," Jang Dojang said while looking at the report that had been submitted. He couldn''t help but smile wryly. "In any case, we''ll have to ask Mr. Kim to come over. We suspect these mutated animals might be here looking for you."


    Kim Haru found this increasingly strange.


    Looking for me? mutated animals looking for me? That''s definitely odd. And how are you so sure about it?


    He was intrigued. Winter wasn''t exactly an exciting season, and something novel like this piqued his interest. However¡­


    "Gojo is in the middle of awakening his second ability, and his space-type ability suddenly stopped working," Kim Haru explained, using the excuse they had previously agreed on. "It''s not convenient for me to leave right now."


    "In that case, I''ll send someone to pick you up," Jang Dojang offered immediately, recalling that Mr. Kim didn''t know how to drive and didn''t have a vehicle at his small farm. "I''ll have the Delta Squad drive over right away. I''ll also give them the sound-transmitting snail so you can contact them directly."


    Kim Haru agreed.


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    Since someone else would handle clearing the way, he was more than willing to go and see what was going on with those strange mutated animals.


    The roads outside the safe zone were treacherous in winter, and the vehicle driven by the Delta Squad moved slowly. Gang Yuwon who is Fire-type ability user worked continuously to melt snow as they progressed. By the time they reached the base of the hill where Kim Haru''s small farm was located, several hours had already passed.


    The team contacted Kim Haru: "Mr. Kim, we''ve arrived at the same spot where we parked last time. We''ll need to trouble you to come down a bit."


    "Understood."


    Kim Haru had already prepared himself. He was wrapped in warm silk clothing, his bedroom wardrobe having been updated by the system with a batch of winter apparel. Pulling on a super-thick padded coat, he bundled himself up with a large scarf, hat, gloves, and snow boots. Everything was ready.


    He asked Go Okrim if he wanted to come along, but the latter, worried about exposing issues with his abilities, opted to stay on the farm.


    Kim Haru didn''t press him and with fully armed, he headed down the hill.


    The snow in the woods, untouched for several days, had accumulated layer upon layer. The treetops and the ground were covered in a vast expanse of white. Whenever Kim Haru brushed against a branch, a large clump of cold snow would tumble down.


    Fortunately, this snow wasn''t as icy as the snow outside the woods. It felt more like the ordinary snow he remembered from before his reincarnation to this world. While walking in it was still uneven, with every step sinking deeply, there weren''t any additional challenges beyond that.


    Once out of the forested area, the snow became harder and more piercingly cold, like layers of ancient, frozen snow.


    This situation made Kim Haru even more determined to craft a pair of skis or a sled.


    He definitely didn''t want to freeze to death while trudging through the snow.


    The vehicle driven by the Delta Squad was quite conspicuous and had not been turned off since arriving. In this kind of weather, once the engine stopped, there was a high chance it wouldn''t start again.


    Gang Yuwon continuously kept his fire-type ability active around the vehicle to prevent it from freezing and breaking down.


    When the group saw Kim Haru''s figure approaching, they quickly opened the door for him. "Mr. Kim, please get in!"


    Kim Haru climbed into the car, where several floating fireballs provided a comfortable warmth, far better than the freezing cold outside.


    He loosened his scarf and gloves slightly, letting out a breath of relief. "Let''s go."


    On the way to the safe zone, Kim Haru asked the Delta Squad for more details about the strange mutated animals they had encountered.


    Though described as a "group of mutated animals," there were only about ten of them in total. Their average size, standing on all fours, was roughly as tall as an adult human. Hearing this, Kim Haru couldn''t help but feel they were "smaller" than expected.


    He was already accustomed to the apocalyptic norm of mutated animals, which usually involved creatures growing several times larger before anything else.


    These mutated animals were covered entirely in long, snow-white fur, with no visible noses, eyes, or mouths. Their heads and limbs were also indiscernible, leaving them looking like giant oval-shaped snowballs.


    "We usually call them ''Cryo Wolfs.'' Their barking sounds just like dogs, and they only appear in winter. They''re incredibly fast, very strong, and they love pouncing on people. Anyone they pounce on disappears without a trace¡ªno blood, no signs of struggle. We''ve never figured out where those people end up." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.