NOVEL FROG Chapter 131 – It’s being attacked by pests and needs treatment
Chapter 131 - Turf-rific Ant-venture
🙞❤︎🙜
After that terrifying encounter at Hongzhen, I stayed home for a few days to recover my equilibrium. On the one hand, my purported parentage didn’t impact my day-to-day life, but, on the other hand, it was pretty scary to find out that there was a global mind-control spell that made everyone forget about a whole town and its people. It gave me the shivers whenever I thought about it. It felt as if I had uncovered a secret room in a house everyone thought they knew, like finding a hidden nook that had escaped the notice of all its previous occupants.
Creepy! Maybe I’ll just stay at the farm and forget about the Mid-Autumn Festival Contest.
…Though it should be safe, right? Nothing bad happened last year, and it would be nice to get another trophy and an additional exp bonus.
I put those thoughts in the back of my mind for the meantime and continued taking care of the crops. It was now mid-season, and most of the plants were growing very well, except for the spinach plants.
“Look, the System says it's being attacked by pests and needs treatment!” said Kharli, pointing at the patch of young spinach plants.
At this stage of its growth, the plants were less than a handspan tall and had vibrant green leaves. The stems were also green blended with a pretty pink color at the edges.
“Wait a sec, let me check it.” I knelt and peered at the plant. “I see them.”
There were lots of beetle-looking insects crawling around the stems and undersides of the spinach leaves.
“I think I can catch them!” said Mo.
The three of them got busy catching the beetles and crushing them in their hands, but I knew we needed a more robust solution. I went to the System’s Farming tab and browsed until I found the item I needed.
“Guys, let’s fix this. Take this and sprinkle it on the earth around the plants. Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth, and make sure you don’t breathe it in. This should kill the pests in a few days.” I handed them the metal [Energized Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster].
[Energized Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster:
Press the button on the side to release a fine dusting of Energized Diatomaceous Earth. Diatomaceous Earth is a natural powder made from fossilized diatoms. It works on plant pests by dehydrating and disrupting their exoskeletons, leading to their desiccation and death.]
I had no idea what this item was. Diatoms? Diatomaceous? It sounded like gobbledygook to me, but it should work.
“Me! I want to use it, please!” said Kharli.
“Let me try it, too,” said Mo.
“Okay, okay, you guys can take turns. Remember to be careful,” I said.
I took a few steps away from the plants and covered my mouth and nose with a face veil from the Cash Shop while they sprayed the powder. To our disappointment, the beetles didn’t die out at once. The kids wanted to continue manually removing the insects, but I wouldn’t allow it since the patch had been sprayed with the natural pesticide.
“But, Teacher, this powder should be safe,” said Kharli. “It’s from the System, after all.”
“Yes, it’s safe to use on the crops, but that doesn't mean you should get it all over you. Let’s just wait for the pesticide to do its work,” I said. “Everyone, go and inspect the other plants to see if they’re okay.”
“Teacher, should we spray this on all the other plants, too?” asked Mo, gesturing at the [Energized Diatomaceous Earth Powder Duster] Kharli was still holding.
“No, that’s excessive. A lot of bugs don’t do any harm and could even be beneficial. We don’t wanna kill all of them,” I said. “This powder could kill the pollinators we need, you know.”
“Oh.” Mo looked longingly at the powder duster. “I guess so.”
“Hmm? Did you get a lot of exp or something?” I gave her a suspicious look.
Kharli laughed and handed me the device. “Not a lot, but exp is exp.”
I shook my head at their greed for exp. “If you guys want more exp, how about moving to the desert farm with me? I’m thinking of staying there for a few weeks.”
“Yes! Planting trees gives a lot more exp!” said Mo.
“But someone needs to stay here to take care of the plants,” I said. We all knew that the person who stayed at the farm would get all the exp for watering and tending the crops, which was a lot, but still less than what we would get planting trees all day at the desert farm. “Who did I leave behind last time?”
***
Three days later, we waved goodbye to Mo and boarded the flying carriage.
“Now, now, don’t be upset. You’ll all get the same exp.” I hugged her. We were going to spend fifteen days on the southern desert farm, with Lari, Kharli, and Mo taking turns so that they each spent five days at the main farm and ten days in the desert.
“Yes, Teacher,” said Mo.
“Watch out for pests,” said Kharli.
“Don’t eat too much and get a stomachache,” said Lari.
“I’m not you! I wouldn’t do that,” said Mo.
“Teacher, maybe you should bring Mo with you. I can stay behind,” said Kharli. “I’m not sure she’s ready to stay at the farm by herself.”
“I know what to do. I can do it.” Mo pouted. “Shoo!”
“She can do it. I’ve added more protections over the farm while we’re gone.” Meaning, I had turned on more of the privacy settings using the System. “Goodbye. Keep an eye on your energy and don’t exhaust yourself.”
“Goodbye! Stay well!” said Kharli.
“See you in five days,” said Lari.
The three of them hugged and we left. Fengying, Deming, and half of the household staff were going with us using the flying ox carts that I rented whenever I needed them. Cutie was in the System's pet tab, while Mr. Bear had been shrunk and attached to my headband as a cute yet dangerous decoration.
The trip took a few hours because I was a little scared of flying and asked the driver to use a moderate speed. My apprentices had all made some quick trips to the desert farm to check on the [Lizardwings] and replenish their water and food every seven days. They reported that at the top speed, they could go there and back in under three hours, but it was a wild, thrilling ride that made the carriage shake like it was going to fall to pieces at any second. Since I wasn’t in a rush, I decided on a more sedate pace and smoother ride.
We were on our way to the “desert” which was a total misnomer because it wasn’t a sandy desert but rather a semi-arid grassland.
According to the Adventure Incarnate lore, a cataclysmic disaster in the form of a giant meteor fell in the capital city of the Vermillion Bird clan, wiping out all its inhabitants. That was also the origin of the so-called “demons” who were actually alien lifeforms that now infested the Southerlands.
The Westerlands were also affected, and the southern part of their territory became a cursed land where almost nothing could grow. The grass only grew as long as it was literally watered by the blood of the clan members who hoped to reclaim their former home.
Last year, I started on the epic quest [Greening the Desert], which somehow has broken the curse. Plants can grow there now, and various families whose ancestors used to live in that area have begun their own desert reclamation projects.
“Teacher, look down!” said Lari, gesturing for me to move closer to the window.
“What is it?” I wasn’t exactly afraid of heights, but the thin glass that covered the windows on either side of the carriage seemed rather fragile, so I sat in the middle of the seat, as far away from the windows as I could.
Kharli looked out at what Lari was pointing at and gasped. “That’s amazing!”
“Hmm? Okay, please move aside and let me look.” I peered down at the scenery below. “What the heck! When did that happen?”
Below us, instead of the cracked dry land covered in brittle brown grass that I was expecting to see, was an undulating sea of grass varying in shades from deep green to pale olive that moved with the wind. Clusters of wildflowers interrupted the endless green carpet.
Lari and Kharli exchanged looks.
“Didn’t someone tell you, Teacher? They did it with blood. Lots and lots of blood,” said Kharli.
- Diatomaceous Earth is a real thing.
- They're flying south to the desert farm for more shenanigans. I hope you like the upcoming short arc.
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- Thank you very much for reading.
- Did you spot an error? Please leave a comment so I can fix it!
I told Violet her skirt was a little bit too short. She changed into this. Now who is gonna tell her that her dress is transparent in strong sunlight?