After a morning of meticulous and arduous exploration, Seratus absorbed everything he had seen and felt into the depths of his heart. He knew that to ensure the safety and fertility of the future farming area, he needed to thoroughly understand the surrounding environment and devise a scientific and meticulous plan. To this end, he returned to the towering tree near the farmland, choosing a shady spot to rest briefly. Though close to the fields, this was not his usual work area, and the long walk had left him in need of respite.
Sitting beneath the tree’s canopy, Seratus slowly retrieved the ten "magic plants" he had painstakingly gathered—plants imbued with magical elements. Though their rank was not high, they were invaluable to him in his current stage of growth; selling them could even fetch a fair amount of silver coins.
Yet, without hesitation, he swallowed the ten magic plants one by one. Instantly, he felt a surge of energy roiling within him, like a volcanic eruption, a warm current flooding his entire body, like countless tiny electric currents stimulating every inch of his dragon scales, nourishing every dragon vein. It was as if all fatigue and doubt had dissipated.
He could even feel the long-dormant magical patterns beneath his scales begin to warm and emit a faint glow. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, releasing all the confusion and pressure within.
However, just as the abundant energy of the magic plants began to nourish his dragon form, and a grand blueprint for expanding his territory took shape in his mind, a foul and insidious presence crept in, like a crawling insect—a weakling’s cowardice and malice.
To a mighty red dragon, such a presence should have been beneath notice, yet it was as annoying as a swarm of flies. Seratus’s dragon eyes opened with displeasure, the fleeting joy from the energy replaced by the innate majesty and wrath of his kind. Every subtle change in the air was now within his grasp.
A nauseating stench, mixed with the cowardice of inferior creatures, wafted from the depths of the forest—not trembling fear, but a sly probing. It was… goblins!
And through the gaps in the trees, he could vaguely see the swaying green figures, far more numerous than he had imagined!
The air also carried a faint sulfurous smell, the scent of the inferior gunpowder goblins often used. This meant they were not entirely harmless; at the very least, they knew how to wield simple weapons.
Meanwhile, the dwarves’ traces were nowhere to be found, and with them, the hope of crafting fine tools vanished. Seratus glanced down at the somewhat clumsy hoe in his hand and sighed. To establish roots in this land, sturdy fences were essential, but without a sharp saw, cutting timber neatly was impossible.
He knew that in this resource-scarce land, iron tools were as precious as gold, and an iron saw was a rare treasure. At this thought, he couldn’t help but chuckle wryly, recalling his past "masterpieces" of fence-building—crooked, lopsided, and seemingly ready to collapse at the first gust of wind. Any skilled craftsman who saw them would surely laugh themselves silly.
After carefully inspecting the surroundings and confirming the general safety of the farmland, Seratus relaxed, savoring the fruits of his morning exploration. He lay beneath the tree, closing his eyes and reflecting on the energy the magic plants had brought him. In his mind, he repeatedly constructed plans for future migration and farming. Now, he not only had a comprehensive understanding of the nearby water sources, terrain, and distribution of magical beasts but also a clear picture of the town structures under the feudal system of the Red Maple Empire.
In this tranquil corner where the lakeside met the farmland, a gentle breeze brushed his face, and the rustling of leaves soothed his mind. The tense vigilance in Seratus’s heart gradually dissipated, replaced by profound contemplation of the future. He knew his next steps must address two key aspects:
On one hand, he needed to use his keen memory and perception to ensure the safety and fertility of the land he cultivated. On the other hand, he had to adopt a strategy of risk diversification in response to the ever-changing external environment, never placing all his hopes on a single plot of land. The lurking magical beasts, goblin tribes, and potential future enemies could all pose threats to his farmland at any moment.
As the breeze swept by, Seratus lounged leisurely beneath the tree, his consciousness focused on the system panel’s exchange store. The daily specials had just refreshed, and the neatly arranged items on the screen momentarily dispelled the fatigue of the previous day, bringing a sense of calm to his heart.
He scanned the store’s list:
---【Daily Specials】---
[Icon: White Carrot Seeds]【White Carrot Seeds】-[Quality: Common]-[Effect: Basic food source]-[Price: 1 point each]
[Icon: Green Sun Mushroom Seeds]【Green Sun Mushroom Seeds】-[Quality: Rare]-[Effect: Provides energy, slightly enhances physique]-[Price: 5 points each]
[Icon: Basic Elemental Fertilizer]【Basic Elemental Fertilizer】-[Quality: Common]-[Effect: Increases crop growth speed and yield (basic)]-[Price: 20 points per bag]
[Icon: Standard Elemental Fertilizer]【Standard Elemental Fertilizer】-[Quality: Rare]-[Effect: Significantly increases crop growth speed and yield (standard)]-[Price: 50 points per bag]
[Icon: Advanced Elemental Fertilizer]【Advanced Elemental Fertilizer】-[Quality: Excellent]-[Effect: Drastically increases crop growth speed and yield (advanced), with a chance of mutation]-[Price: 100 points per bag]
---【Today’s Specials (24-hour refresh)】---
[Icon: Book of Prophecy]【Book of Prophecy】-[Quality: Unknown]-[Effect: ???]-[Price: 80 points]-[Special Offer]
[Icon: Instant Build House]【Instant Build House】-[Quality: Unknown]-[Effect: Quickly constructs a house]-[Price: 60 points]-[Special Offer]
[Icon: Random Plant Seed Unlock]【Random Plant Seed Unlock】-[Quality: Unknown]-[Effect: Randomly unlocks one plant seed]-[Price: 100 points]-[Special Offer]
His claws hovered over the icons for 【Standard Elemental Fertilizer】, 【Green Sun Mushroom Seeds】, and 【White Carrot Seeds】, his mind racing as he weighed the pros and cons of each choice.
‘Fertilizer is essential for increasing crop yield, and the sun mushroom seeds are important as a food source… The carrot seeds are cheap, but they can’t be ignored either…’
He muttered to himself, as if making a critical decision for his future. In the end, rationality prevailed. He took a deep breath, first purchasing a bag of 【Advanced Elemental Fertilizer】 to ensure the productivity of his farmland.
Then, cautiously, he selected 20 【Green Sun Mushroom Seeds】 and 50 【White Carrot Seeds】 to lay the foundation for his food supply. When his eyes returned to his remaining points, the 100 points left stirred something in him. ‘Should I go for the 【Book of Prophecy】? Or… the random plant seed unlock?’ He fell into deep thought again, his fingers sliding back and forth between the two options, unable to decide. The allure of the 【Book of Prophecy】 whispered like a devil in his ear, while the random plant seed unlock glimmered like a treasure within reach.
‘Let’s take the gamble!’ In the end, his adventurous spirit overcame caution. Seratus gritted his teeth, as if making a solemn vow, and decisively clicked on 【Random Plant Seed Unlock】.
After much deliberation, Seratus finally made up his mind: today, he would purchase one bag of 【Standard Elemental Fertilizer】 for 50 points; then, 20 【Green Sun Mushroom Seeds】 for 100 points; and 50 【White Carrot Seeds】 for another 50 points. With 100 points remaining, he unhesitatingly bought the 【Random Plant Seed Unlock】 for 100 points.
A system prompt immediately appeared: “Congratulations, host, for purchasing the Random Plant Seed Unlock. The unlocking process is now underway. Please proceed with the draw.” Seratus watched the draw screen, his heart racing.
On the screen, the draw interface suddenly transformed. A massive gacha machine roared to life, its colorful orbs spinning like meteors, dazzling to the eye. Seratus held his breath, his gaze fixed on the spinning light screen, which resembled a wheel of fate. His heart pounded as if it might leap out of his chest. ‘Gold! Gold! Give me a gold legend!’ he silently screamed, pouring all his hopes and desires into this wordless prayer.
Finally, the spinning slowed, the light gradually converging as a deep blue orb came to rest in the center.
…Blue… Seratus’s heart instantly turned to ice. The excitement he had felt about unlocking a new seed was crushed by an invisible hand, leaving him cold from head to toe.
Not gold, not even red… just blue.
The overwhelming sense of disappointment washed over him like a tidal wave, drowning him in emptiness and silence. Doubt and confusion lingered like a persistent shadow over his heart. He felt like a traveler in the desert, desperately seeking an oasis, only to find it was a mirage. In the end, he realized he was just another unlucky soul.
He closed his eyes, feeling the ache in his heart and the lingering hope of a miracle. ‘Could these 100 points bring me a gold legend? If only I could hit the jackpot!’
Finally, he peeked through his eyes, watching as the rapidly spinning icons on the screen slowed and settled on a blue glow.
Seratus’s heart sank. Though the blue quality wasn’t the “gold legend” he had hoped for, he didn’t give up immediately. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. With a trembling claw, he clicked on the blue orb for more details. ‘Perhaps… even a blue-quality seed has its unique value?’ He clung to a sliver of hope, searching for some comfort—or perhaps a surprise—in the detailed description.
【Blue Quality Luminous Flower Seed】— 20 points each
--Description--: The Luminous Flower absorbs surrounding energy, converting it into pure light to dispel evil and darkness.
--Growing Environment--: Thrives in the presence of kind, hopeful, and pure-hearted beings, absorbing their radiant energy and emitting a soft, cleansing light that slowly purifies the surrounding land of corruption, restoring its vitality.
--Physical Traits--: Tall and elegant, with straight, sturdy stems that shimmer with golden light; each section of the stem is etched with intricate patterns, resembling ancient runes that record the passage of time and magic.
--Leaves--: Heart-shaped, with edges adorned with crystal-like shards that refract light into a kaleidoscope of colors.
--Flowers--: Vibrant yellow petals that transition to a fiery red at the center. When in full bloom, the flowers radiate light, filling the space with their glow. The pistil contains a golden crystal that gathers and purifies magical energy, driving away darkness.
--Purification Effect--: The light emitted by the flowers weakly purifies the surrounding area of dark and evil magic, restoring polluted land and water to purity.
After reading the description, Seratus was stunned. Questions flooded his mind: ‘Such a powerful plant should logically belong to the red or purple tier. How could it only be blue quality?’ This left him deeply perplexed and unsettled.
Seratus stored the blue-quality seed he had drawn into his inventory, silently calculating: ‘Though it’s not a gold legend, it’s still decent.’
