C21 You Want to Fake a Certificate to Fool Me

Throughout history, laboring people have toiled on the land, their faces to the soil and their backs to the sky, diligently working to harvest just a few more pounds of grain. But with the advent of modern science and technology, agricultural science has revolutionized the way we cultivate crops, selecting and nurturing seedlings with precision to yield the most abundant and cost-effective harvests.

This ultimate solution has been provided by the system: altering the genetic sequence of crops. Should the system achieve this, it could potentially transform the global agricultural landscape.

Liu Feng was astounded by this revelation. He never imagined that the reward for a mission could reach such a significant level. It was merely an upgrade for a coffee bean, but it hinted at vast possibilities.

Yet, as one might expect, the system's nature suggested that altering the seedlings' genetic sequence would likely demand an exorbitant amount of gold coins or some other currency. Freebies were out of the question; the system's policy was a strict no-free-ride rule.

On that note, Zhong Yuyuan left Liu Feng's question hanging, the conversation suspended in an awkward silence.

"It's fine, I should get going. The library will be opening soon," she said.

"Oh, alright then," Liu Feng replied.

"Okay, I'm off then. Don't forget to change that dressing," she reminded him.

After Zhong Yuyuan departed, Liu Feng sat on his motorcycle at the entrance of his farm, lost in thought. He hadn't anticipated that Zhong Yuyuan's mission would be more challenging than Mr. Hai's, which had been straightforward—like having a pillow handed to you when you're sleepy, solved over a simple meal.

Zhong Yuyuan was a different story; he barely knew her, their paths crossing only because of her brother's situation.

"Ah! I forgot!" he exclaimed suddenly, realizing he had neglected to reassure Zhong Yuyuan that the issue with the gold teeth was no longer a concern.

Upon reflection, Liu Feng considered Zhong Yuyuan's unexpected visit. She had certainly come to express her gratitude, but perhaps she also had unspoken requests for help that she hadn't found the opportunity to voice.

This thought made Liu Feng feel somewhat guilty. But then again, this gave him a reason to seek her out again, increasing his chances of engaging in a deeper conversation and perhaps uncovering more of what she had wanted to say.

Without giving it another thought, Liu Feng pivoted on his heels, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle crawled out at a leisurely pace.

The journey's springtime beauty was self-evident, and after over half an hour of riding, they finally reached the System Sawmill.

The familiar old man was there, clad in his gray work clothes and topped with a black soft hat.

"It's you again? What brings you here this time?"

"Grandpa, I've come to chop some wood."

"Chop wood?"

The old man gave Liu Feng a look as though he were staring at an imbecile.

"Do you even know where you are? Are these your trees to chop down on a whim?"

"Ah?" While the logic was sound, Liu Feng couldn't possibly explain that the System had directed him to this so-called System Sawmill for logging. That would either land him in a psychiatric ward or make him the subject of some bizarre research.

And yet, why was he barred from cutting down trees when the System had designated this place as a logging field?

After all, this was clearly a government-owned forest.

"I suppose asking is futile, but do you have a logging permit?"

"No..."

"Last time, you came to buy wood and didn't have a timber transport permit," the old man grumbled. "Now you're here to chop trees without a logging permit? What's the matter with you, young man?"

At a loss for words, Liu Feng turned to the System for assistance.

"Kindly note, the System store sells both permits."

That's when it clicked for Liu Feng; he had been too quick to judge the System, which had cleverly provided a loophole all along.

"Apologies, Sir. I'll go get a permit and then return, okay?"

After saying that, Liu Feng hopped back on his motorcycle and sped off, leaving the old man in disarray.

"Where's that young man off to get a permit? He's not planning to palm off a fake one on me, is he? Thinks I've gone senile?" The old man grew more incensed as he pondered, eventually slamming the door and retreating to his cabin.

It took Liu Feng another 40 minutes of riding to reach the abandoned pump station on the outskirts of town, which doubled as the System store.

"Miss, do you carry logging permits and timber transport permits here?"

"Yes, the logging permit costs 3,000 RMB, and the timber transport permit is 4,000 RMB."

Liu Feng's jaw dropped. Sure, he had made the sale, but was he really able to foot such a bill? In the grand scheme of things, 7,000 RMB for both permits might not break the bank—it could even be considered a bargain. But for Liu Feng, it was as if he was being asked to pay with the moon.

A single penny can stump a hero, much less someone like Liu Feng.

With a sense of resignation, Liu Feng left the system store and began to ponder potential money-making strategies.

"First up, selling chilies. The mission only specifies harvesting 500 kilograms of high-quality chilies, without dictating what I do with them afterward. Plus, I've got 30 acres of chilies. Excluding the 500 kilograms required for the mission, that leaves me with at least..."

"About 1,000 kilograms per acre, which means... 30,000 kilograms for 30 acres!"

That's no trivial figure. Liu Feng had never crunched the numbers on how much he could make from selling his crops, since in the system, RMB was just an extra with no real purchasing power. But this quick calculation revealed a frighteningly efficient money-siphoning capability.

With chilies going for roughly two dollars a kilogram, selling the entire 30,000 kilograms would net him 60,000 dollars.

A fortune, indeed. Liu Feng was startled by his own estimate.

Why bother with scientific research? Isn't farming a joy in itself?

Yet, he couldn't let himself be swayed by the immediate, modest gains. Liu Feng mentally fortified himself, reminding himself that the true value in the system wasn't just about how quickly or abundantly one could farm.

The real treasures were those godlike abilities.

Rubbing his nose, the sting brought Liu Feng back to reality.

Alright, the chilies looked promising this morning, so the harvest should be ready by tomorrow. That means it's time to figure out the sales strategy.

Should he handle the sales himself? That seemed impractical, given the sheer volume of the crop—it wasn't a job to be finished in a day or two. He'd have to find a buyer. And to figure out who to approach, Wang Dali would be the man to ask.

Alright, let's head back to town first. Once we find Wang Dali, we can take him along to get his medicine changed.

Upon reaching Wang Dali's doorstep, sure enough, Dali was home. He called him out and had him hop on the motorcycle.

"Dali, who did you sell your crops to?"

"I sold them to Shu Zi, Liang Deshun. He's the one who buys up stuff around here. Everyone in town sells to him. There used to be folks from out of town who'd come to buy, but not anymore. They never offered as much as Shu Zi does."

"Okay, after we get the medicine, you'll need to take me to his place. I want to discuss selling my future harvests to him."

"Mr. Liu, are you ready to sell your produce already? Are your chili peppers growing that quickly?"

"Uh... Yes, I planted a new variety, so they grow... like that..."

Caught off guard, he found himself at a loss for words and couldn't quite explain it to Wang Dali.