C12 Big Dali's Secret

At the crack of dawn, 7 AM sharp, Liu Feng had emptied his wallet, fishing out his last gold coin to purchase fertilizer.

"This system is a damn rip-off," Liu Feng lamented with a heavy sigh.

The shop assistants in the system store were easy on the eyes, but when it came to money, they were ruthless. Three measly bags of fertilizer was all he got for his coins, barely enough for three plots of system land. Yet, Liu Feng had a whopping thirty plots of chilies to tend to.

Thankfully, the chili yield was high, averaging about 1,000 kilograms per plot. That meant he could expect a harvest of 3,000 kilograms of top-quality chilies, surely enough to satisfy the system's demands. Whatever was left would be his to do with as he pleased.

Should he trade the chilies for gold coins, or sell them directly in the market for some cash?

Lost in his thoughts, Liu Feng was jolted awake by a booming voice.

"Mr. Liu, what have you got growing here? Looks like acres and acres!"

Only one person could make such a racket—Liu Feng turned to see Wang Dali's looming figure approaching.

"Don't come any closer..." It was an instinctive reaction as Liu Feng stepped back, eager to keep some distance from Wang Dali.

"Who would've thought, Mr. Liu? You're quite the farmer. I turn my back for a day, and you've sprouted a whole field."

"Well, I'm no match for you. Just planting these chilies has worn me out."

Indeed, Liu Feng's beginner hidden skill had taken effect on Wang Dali.

The skill allowed the host to choose a crop in the system land and project it onto real land at a 1:100 scale, maintaining the same growth progress.

It could adapt the growth rate to changes or simulate it to match natural conditions. The skill's effects would last until the host decided to switch to a different crop.

In essence, Liu Feng's thirty plots of devil peppers in the system land could be projected onto thirty acres in the real world. Wisely, Liu Feng opted to simulate natural growth conditions—anything else would have been overkill.

Moreover, even after harvesting the devil peppers, Liu Feng could let their projections persist until he decided to replace them with a new one.

"This is a chili plant? I never would have guessed that's how they grow."

It's understandable that Wang Dali didn't recognize it. Before the chilies ripen, they're just clusters of green leaves, quite unremarkable and indistinguishable. But once they bear fruit, groups of seven or eight chilies stand out, nestled among the leaves, their bright red color catching the eye.

"I'm working on a fast-growing chili variety. It should start bearing fruit in a few days."

Liu Feng decided to give Wang Dali a heads-up to avoid any shock later on and to keep his future endeavors under wraps. It would certainly raise eyebrows if he kept producing an array of different items every so often. No matter how skilled at farming one might be, it's not typical to have crops that grow a hundred times faster, courtesy of the system.

"That's incredible," Wang Dali said, genuinely impressed.

"You ain't seen nothing yet. There's more where that came from, hahaha."

"Mr. Liu, I'm sticking with you. I want to grow fast-growing crops too, so my family can have a better life sooner."

Liu Feng gazed at the earnest young man before him. Wang Dali's thinking was simple: grow more, harvest more, sell more, earn more.

But life isn't that straightforward.

"Dali, it's not just about growing and planting a lot. The soil's fertility is finite; it's not something you can exploit endlessly."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just don't have the head for all that."

Liu Feng smiled at the robust lad before him.

"Tell you what, once I develop a crop that isn't limited by those constraints, I'll let you plant it. That way, you and your parents can enjoy the good life sooner."

"Really? That's a promise, Mr. Liu! I'm with you all the way!"

"Keep your eyes open and learn as much as you can. Stick with me, and there'll always be meat on the table."

With that, Liu Feng took three bags of fertilizer and carefully distributed them across the soil of the three system plots.

Wang Dali's words had given Liu Feng much to ponder. Initially, the system had filled him with joy, but he soon realized it wasn't a ticket to overnight wealth.

Liu Feng initially set out to use the system to earn money, gain recognition, and reap the rewards of scientific research. That was his initial plan. But after encountering people like Wang Dali and the down-to-earth noodle shop owner, Liu Feng's perspective began to shift.

Maybe the system could make a small difference in other people's lives. As Wang Dali put it, it might help his family achieve a better life sooner.

It might not be much, and it might be slow, but it seemed more fulfilling than chasing personal fame and fortune.

"Hey Dali, do you have a thing for that girl, you know, the mayor's daughter?"

"Ah? No, no! Don't spread rumors, Mr. Liu, that's not fair to her."

Liu Feng chuckled to himself; Wang Dali's reaction was priceless.

"What's this 'no, no'? Is there something going on with you two?"

"There's nothing going on. Mingyue wouldn't even give me a second glance."

Alright, Dali was an open book—he was obviously smitten with her.

"We're actually what you call childhood friends."

"That's right. We grew up playing together. I was always the strong one as a kid, tall and big like a bull, and everyone made fun of me. Only Mingyue would play with me."

"Mingyue is smart and does well in school. I'm not like that. I'm slow. I stopped studying after junior high and started seeing less of Mingyue."

"Mingyue just gets more beautiful with time. She went off to college and I heard she's now with the vice mayor's son."

"Sigh."

Liu Feng barely got a word in edgewise, just listening to Wang Dali ramble on.

Wang Dali, a man of muscle, seemed to have muscles in his tongue too. He appeared simple and straightforward, yet he was quite the chatterbox. Liu Feng had come to realize this quite clearly.

"So, it's like that, huh? Well, still..."

Liu Feng found himself at a loss for words, empathizing deeply with the experience, having spent his own life always watching others from behind, never daring to act or speak out. From elementary school through college, and now as a graduate student, nothing had changed.

His thoughts drifted to his mentor, the ever-distant Moo Yanran.

"Ah, the struggles we share," he sighed.

But now, with the system in his possession, the future was unpredictable. Driven by a mix of emotions, Liu Feng felt compelled to lend Wang Dali a hand.

"Dali, I really think you and Mingyue would make a great couple," he ventured.

"Mr. Liu... please, no more," Wang Dali replied, his spirits visibly sinking.

"I'm just a farmer. How could I possibly be right for her? Especially when she's involved with the deputy mayor's son..."

"What's wrong with being a farmer? Isn't everyone from a farming background? Aren't I, Mr. Liu, also from the fields?"

Their laughter rang out, breaking the tension.

Unbeknownst to Wang Dali, Liu Feng had resolved to play cupid for the pair.

There might not be any guarantees, but he hoped that Dali would live without regrets.