Chapter 140 Drought 1
As the protective shield in the town suddenly collapsed, the townspeople were horrified.
In the separate interrogation room, Lin Muqiu kicked Louis in the chest.
The kick was powerful, no less than a knockout blow. Louis screamed and spat out blood, soaking his chest with sticky plasma dripping down.
"Bitch!"
Lin Muqiu was so angry that his temples were throbbing. "How could someone's lord-level skill be able to enhance natural disasters?"
Louis was kneeling on the ground, gasping for breath. When he heard this, he turned around and looked at Lin Muqiu, as if he had encountered something funny. "Enhancement...natural disaster?"
Lin Muqiu frowned, "Otherwise?"
Despite the pain in his knees and chest, which felt like they were shattered, Louis still managed to stand up and smiled a pure, broad smile. "I can't believe someone as calculating as Lin Muqiu is afraid of natural disasters."
Lin Muqiu's eyelids twitched suddenly, and he glanced sideways. Disbelief, confusion, shock, and bewilderment all turned into questions. "What?"
"I said—"
Louis's eyes lit up with amusement. He spoke each word with a pause, as if deliberately torturing her. "I don't have the ability to enhance natural disasters. My skill is... to tap into the fear deep within people and then make it happen."
"Impossible!" Lin Muqiu frowned.
"How is it impossible?" Louise suddenly summoned the Lord System, and the continuously ejected scarlet fonts were unexpectedly displayed in front of her.
【Lord-level skills: Unearth the fear in your heart.
Description: You can unleash a curse-level spell on a target, causing them to sink into their innermost fear. You and the cursed target will both gain and lose. If the target's mental power can control and overcome their fear, you will suffer a double blow. Please use with caution.
Source of skill: You have suffered inhumane treatment since childhood, causing your heart to become twisted and deformed. You desperately desire power in order to forget those fears... but can you really forget them?
Note: Once a lord's skill takes effect, it cannot be revoked or terminated, and will last until death.
Seeing Lin Muqiu's scarlet eyes, Louis was still smiling to himself, "I've tried countless times, the unfaithful man who was afraid his wife would turn into a ghost, the general who was afraid the enemy he had killed would turn into a ghost seeking revenge, the noble who was afraid a natural disaster would kill him... The more people fear something, the more likely it is to happen."
"I have to say, this trick is really useful. Every time a mediocre person releases a skill, a natural disaster will occur in those areas, and the Imperial Capital will have an opportunity to take advantage of it. It's really good."
"But Lord Lin, I know you. You can't be the kind of mediocre person who is afraid of losing his life. Let me guess, let me guess..."
"Why do natural disasters terrify you so much that even your Lordship skill is to create an all-around, all-encompassing protective shield? Are you so afraid of natural disasters—"
"Or did your friends, relatives, or family members die in a natural disaster? From what I know, Lord Lin's identity seems to be a mystery because all his family members died..."
Before he could finish the three words "Is it all gone?", the stunned Lin Muqiu reacted and knocked him to the ground again with a punch.
Punch after punch hit him dully. Lin Muqiu was like crazy, twisting his body and dropping punches, just like hitting a stone, solid and solid, making a sound of bone cracking. In the end, it was no longer clear whether it was Louis's bones that were broken or her hands that were broken. Just like that——
Never ending.
Until it seemed as if Louis was about to be smashed into a ball of meat paste.
But Louis was still laughing, he didn’t hide, just let her attack, making intermittent breathing sounds, “It seems that I guessed right.”
Rage has always been a means of covering up fear.
"That's enough."
A loud roar rang in the ears of the two men.
"Master Lin?"
That was Augustine's voice.
Lin Muqiu only felt a ringing in her ears, so sharp and piercing that she could hardly stand, and her hands and feet were cramping and cold. Then, a pair of big hands grasped her blood-stained fists.
She stopped shaking.
Lin Muqiu was a little dazed, gasping violently. He looked at Augustine beside him and slowly regained his composure.
Augustine's hands were shaking slightly. "Sir, shall I take you out?"
"good."
Her voice was still as gentle as usual, but with a layer of hoarseness.
Augustine suddenly found it funny. Lin Muqiu seemed to always be like this, always able to quickly control his emotions, but in fact, there was no need to do so.
At least not in front of him.
After leaving the dungeon, Lin Muqiu looked at him with a smile, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to wait outside the interrogation room?"
Seeing her expression change so dramatically, Augustine burst out laughing and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's okay, I heard everything."
Lin Muqiu: "..."
What I'm saying is, do I have to say it out loud?
"I didn't expect you to be so embarrassed, host." The system floated out quietly.
Lin Muqiu rolled his eyes in his heart.
"So, do you want to talk?" Augustine carefully observed her expression.
Lin Muqiu chuckled, "It's okay, you don't have to worry about me. I look grumpy because I'm just worried about the money I spent on the protective shield."
Augustine: “…”
The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Augustine's eyes became softer and filled with smile.
The tacit understanding between adults is to always move forward and not dwell on the past. People who dwell on the past cannot move fast.
Since she doesn't want to talk about it, forget it.
This is also the tacit understanding among adults.
"I'll take you back."
"good."
*
In sleep.
The dim land was mixed with hurricane force winds and a nauseating feeling of suffocation.
Broken walls and muddy earth walls collapsed.
At that moment she realized that just a violent storm or a mudslide could destroy the house she depended on for survival. It turned out that under natural disasters, everything would be destroyed.
Or rather, she had known this for a long time, but what was the use?
Grandpa always wants to renovate the house, but he has no money.
My chest feels tight and breathing becomes increasingly difficult.
"Don't be afraid, little wood. Grandpa is here to save you."
The familiar low sound was still in her ears. The old man who spoke was trying his best to comfort her, but his voice was trembling.
Lin Muqiu's consciousness was blurred, but she could only force a smile. Grandpa was obviously afraid too, so why did he comfort her?
Several beams that were pressing on her were removed, making her body feel much lighter and allowing her to breathe. As the soil, sand, and bricks were removed, she was able to see the light of day again.
The sunlight was so dazzling that it made the eyes red, mixed with the smell of earth and blood.
Looking up, I saw dark red blood soaking my grandfather's fingertips, making them a bloody mess.
Maybe grandpa dug for a long time.
But she didn't have the energy to ask anymore.
After all, if it were any other time, she would probably have puffed up her cheeks like balloons with anger and shouted to her grandfather, "Don't call me Little Wood! My name is Lin, Mu, and Qiu!"
But she really had no strength left and was so tired.
Under the narrow/cramped collapsed horizontal bar, people's internal organs would be damaged, which made her breathing a little difficult, but the flood continued and it was unknown whether the induced mudslide would stop.
They had to run, but she was afraid because when the mudslide started, it would start from the top ditch, and the sound it made was like a "boom...boom..." explosion, hoarse than a tractor.
She was really scared.
"Don't be afraid..."
Grandpa wiped her tears carelessly and tied a strong hemp rope around her waist, fearing that she would be washed away. Then he carried her on his back and ran towards the towering tree not far from the door, telling her, "Never, ever, ever cry."
On his bumpy and hunched back, Lin Muqiu looked at the big tree in front of him.
The tree has been there since she was born. She was born in autumn, so her grandfather named her Lin Muqiu. When teasing her, he would call her Little Wood.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, like a dream.
"Owner?"
"Master Lin?"
"Lord?"
The sound became louder and louder.
She suddenly felt a pain on the back of her hand, and her consciousness suddenly returned, gasping for breath.
Only then did she see clearly that her bed was surrounded by people with concerned eyes. There were Yunyi, Augustine, Medea, Kedro, Lindyaris... There were so many people, even townspeople outside the door were cautiously peeking in.
An IV drip was inserted into the back of her hand.
Lin Muqiu:???
Is this an attempt to usurp power (assassinate) and seize the throne?
Seeing her look of surprise, Medea quickly explained, "You've been sleeping for a long time, and you've been sweating profusely. We thought... I was afraid you'd choke on the life-giving potion, so I had to give you an IV."
Lin Muqiu:???
Is there any possibility that you could shake me awake first?
The scene became tense.
Medea immediately pointed to Augustine and said, "He was the one who told me that he was afraid something might happen to you, so he asked me to go and look after you."
Augustine immediately blamed Yun Yi, "I saw through the window that he sat by your bed for a long time, wiping your sweat. That's why I got scared."
Yun Yi immediately pointed at...
He had no one to point to.
But his face was full of doubts. "My master had a nightmare, and I felt sorry for her and wiped her sweat. What does it have to do with you?"
Everyone present: "..."
Lin Muqiu: No, this farce should be over :)
"At least everything's fine."
Medea breathed a sigh of relief. "I just used the [Empathy Potion] to help you sense it. You're just too frightened. The rest of you should be fine."
At this point, Kedero also breathed a sigh of relief. "If you are too worried, just take a good rest. We are here to take care of everything. Don't worry, okay?"
Lin Muqiu: "Isn't this my line?"
Everyone: “…”
Seeing them hesitating and unable to explain themselves, and blushing and scratching their heads in embarrassment, Lin Muqiu secretly raised the corner of his mouth.
I conceived this novel a few years ago, just to comfort myself.
Unexpectedly, the joy she tried to heal herself for when she was twenty years old, would hit her right between the eyebrows many years later when she was traveling through another world, and the warmth would ripple like water.
Love is like a plant, which may not show up for many years. But when a person is vulnerable, the accumulated love will travel through the tunnel of time and space, take root in every inch of a person's skin, and support her flesh and blood.
*
"I want to know, what's the current situation? When will the spring disaster stop, and to what extent will it be?"
Lin Muqiu asked the system expressionlessly.
"Large-scale natural disasters are accidental, host. I promised you before that there would be no major natural disasters in the spring. This was to minimize the chances of a spring disaster while ensuring sufficient world exploration and not affecting the world's balance. And Louis's lord skills artificially enhanced the natural disasters, and the system cannot interfere, so..."
"I just want to know the conclusion." Lin Muqiu said bluntly.
"It's roughly equivalent to returning to the intensity and frequency of natural disasters that normally occur on the continent." The system whispered.
"In other words," Lin Muqiu took a deep breath, "you promised me in vain?"
system:"……"
The result hasn't changed, so why does it sound so weird?
After a while, the system uttered, "Host, I'm sorry."
Lin Muqiu: "..."
Sometimes a person is really helpless
*
Lin Muqiu recovered quickly and began to deploy.
She went to the town to check the remaining water levels in wells, streams and springs, and found the situation was not optimistic. It was estimated that the water could only be supplied to more than 1,500 people for drinking.
Ankang Town has tens of thousands of people.
And it is for drinking only, and does not include water used for planting, livestock, and bathing and washing clothes.
The more she calculated, the angrier she became: the water wouldn't last for a few days, and the protective cover was broken again. It looked like the outlook for spring would be bleak.
She underestimated Louis's viciousness and thought that his skills were auxiliary like hers. She didn't expect that his skills would fight to the death. There must be a winner!
Damn, how can there be such a hopeless person!
She immediately sent messages to all the major towns, asking them to speed up the search for evidence of Louis's crime so that the trial could be held as soon as possible.
She wants this bitch dead!
"Host, if you want him dead, why not just kill him secretly?" the system asked in confusion. "If you had killed him long ago, why would there be so much trouble?"
Lin Muqiu whispered, "You don't understand. The king can die on the guillotine of a popular trial, but he cannot die by my personal sword."
"Actually, this is fine." Lin Muqiu murmured, "You don't know, I haven't dreamed of him in many years."
The system was stunned.
Who was he referring to? Her grandfather?
The system curled its lips. Human love is truly a strange thing. People would rather endure the pain of being tortured than give up something so illusory.
*
Although Lin Muqiu tried his best to block the news for fear of causing a wave of panic like the salt rush, the townspeople were not fools and still sensed some movement.
It was simply because their plants were all wilted, drooping their heads, and in very poor condition:
[Plant status: Spring drought (urgent need for water)
Plant withering countdown: 72:00:00]
The townspeople were watering the trees, frantically complaining, "This weather is awful! We're covered up in spring and cold in autumn, and we can't even take off our down jackets. And the problem is, there's no water left. What the hell is going on?"
Another old man simply gave up on planting: "I used to think it was better to plant in the town. The temperature was high, and I could keep an eye on the land to prevent accidents. But I didn't expect there would be a shortage of water. Sigh. Now it seems that the land outside the town is better. There's still some ice and snow left on the plants, so I can rely on it to survive for a while."
The old man's son groaned, "There's a water shortage in the town right now. Why are you still thinking about your plants? Go get some water and store it!"
"If you ask me," the townsman who spoke first lowered his voice, "the decisive battle is coming soon, and we need to store more than just water."
The eyes of several townspeople jumped, and they understood what he meant and hurried home.
Lin Muqiu, who happened to be passing by, saw this scene and couldn't help but sigh.
Although this natural disaster is still within normal limits, the townspeople are still afraid. If there is another water grabbing incident, it will be troublesome.
glacier……
Glacier meltwater?
Lin Muqiu muttered silently.
This should be drinkable, right?
*
Lin Muqiu put the collected glacier fragments into a big pot and boiled them.
The cauldron boiled, and steam rose from it.
She smiled and waved to Yun Yi, "Come."
Yun Yi: “…”
I have a bad feeling
In the past, the master asked him to taste food, but now he is asking him to taste poison?
Without waiting for him to refuse, Lin Muqiu scooped two cups, one for him and one for himself.
The two of them shook it like tasting red wine and observed it carefully:
【Glacier Meltwater:
It comes from melted glacier water, which is rich in trace elements and may produce special effects.
Note: The older the glacier, the purer the effect.
The melting snow from the glaciers reflects brilliantly in the wine glass.
Not to mention, except for some sand and gravel, the water quality is clear. It is reasonable to speculate that those sand and gravel may be caused by covering the ground for a long time.
"What are your chances of guaranteeing that this glacial meltwater is non-toxic?"
Facing Yun Yi's sincere question, Lin Muqiu replied seriously, "50%, either it's poisonous or it's not."
Yun Yi: "..." Okay
"cheers."
The wine glasses clinked.
Lin Muqiu and Yun Yi drank it all in one gulp.
You will get the effect of glacial melt water, moisturizing! Long-term drinking will achieve the effect of beauty and skin care.
Hearing the system announcement, Lin Muqiu raised his eyebrows in surprise.
It’s good, tastes sweet, and is really natural.
From a side perspective, it also proves that her guess was correct, and the system will not give unsolvable natural disasters.
So to some extent, isn't the heavy snowfall in winter a preparation for the drought in early spring?
Lin Muqiu's eyes moved slightly.
But it is too troublesome to cook it in a pot. The density of ice and snow is low, and a full pot of glacier snow can only produce one pot.
We have to think of a way.
Just as I was thinking about it, the Lord System made a beeping sound:
Nicole: [Lin Muqiu, I heard there's a drought there? My mother asked me to find you. We have many glaciers in the western mountains, and we're very good at using glacial meltwater.]
[Hehe, of course, this isn't free. Fried chicken, barbecue, cola, iced drinks, massage, fishing, arcade games, give me one set of everything. Oh no, two sets. No, three sets.]
Lin Muqiu: "..."
This money-stealing technique is what I learned, right?
When it comes to money, Lin Muqiu types quickly, "Sorry, no money. I have now found a way to melt the glacier, so I won't spend any money."
Nicole: [Hehe, you're still so stingy.]
Lin Muqiu: "...Are you polite?"
Nicole: [Okay, enough kidding. It's free. After all, you're the Chamber of Commerce's headmaster. My mother, Marissa, asked me to remind you that it's not just the glacial meltwater that's usable that's on the surface. A lot of it has already seeped into the ground and can be used as well.]
[You know what? You could... well, dig a channel to divert the water.]
A flash of light passed through Lin Muqiu's mind.
Isn’t this a karez?
*
In fact, not only in the town, but also in the wild, the growers are very bitter.
The growers in the town envied the fact that there was still some snow on their fields, which they thought would last until planting. But in reality, the growers outside the town had their own difficulties.
Because it was so much colder outside the town than inside, many trees were cracked by the frost, and when the weather warmed up in mid-spring, insects would surely infest them. Many plants also suffered frost damage, their leaves covered with hoarfrost, crumbling like flour at the slightest touch, causing them great distress.
In the farmhouse manor, the villagers of Taohuawu Village gathered around the campfire and were discussing the matter collectively.
"If you ask me, why don't we buy some hand warmers and plant them in the fields? At least they can help us survive this frost damage." The village chief suggested, his nose red as he took a puff of his pipe.
Arthur shook his head. "There's enough snow in the winter, but there's only so much left on the ground. If we plant the hand warmers, I'm afraid there won't be enough water."
What this means is that you either lack water or suffer frost damage, you have to choose one.
In any case, it's a dilemma.
"Boss, another roasted sweet potato, please!" The noble man and his child ate with relish, shouting.
The village chief quickly stepped forward and apologized, "Ah... Sorry, we only have roasted corn now."
The man's face changed when he heard this. "Without roasted sweet potatoes, what's the point of running a farm stay? You might as well close it down!"
After saying that, the man still refused to give in and forced the village chief to kneel down and apologize to him. Finally, Arthur and the young man couldn't stand it anymore, their faces sank, they drew their knives, and scared the man away.
Arthur was very dissatisfied. "If you don't want to buy it, then don't buy it. Why are you acting so arrogant?"
The village chief sighed. "Well, forget it. Let's just consider peace as the most important thing. Our farm tourism business is supported by the pure natural green plants as a sign. Many customers come here because of our reputation, but in the end they can't even eat the sweet and soft roasted sweet potatoes. How can we not be anxious?"
The other young men were picking corn stalks, their heads hanging low. "Yeah, if the water shortage continues like this, we won't be able to grow any plants. Sooner or later, our business will be ruined."
"Forget it, don't think about it. Let's go to the stream and fetch as much water as we can. We don't know when this drought will stop." The village chief said, tapping his pipe.
"Okay." The boys put down the corn and responded.
As they left, they unknowingly walked to Lin Muqiu's staple food shop. Well... they were a little hungry, but it was definitely not because they were craving hairy crabs, crayfish, and Bobo chicken, really.
My wallet was emptied: You say that again? Haha.
After Meimei finished eating, their attention was attracted by the shop next door.
It turned out that the sign of "Winter Supplies Store" was changed to "Spring Protection Store".
There were countless people gathered around, all staring at the new goods:
Product 1: Heater, suitable for use in snowy areas. It absorbs water and helps plants recover from frost damage. 50 copper coins each, unlimited supply.
Product 2: Tree wrap for cold weather protection, 20 copper coins per meter, can be used to wrap trees to prevent frost damage, and is reusable.
Product 3: Karez Project: This involves building underground channels to collect glacial meltwater for plant irrigation. Town residents can sign up, and the city will estimate individual costs and plan and construct the routes.
【……】
The sharp-eyed townspeople immediately noticed, "Why do these goods look so familiar to me?"
The rest of the townspeople: "Yeah...I think so too."
Isn't this anti-freeze heating pad just another name for a hand warmer? And that wind-cold wrap, the more I look at it, the more it looks like it's made from a down jacket.
Everyone: “…”
Very good, just change the name and continue selling the goods. Only Lin Muqiu can do this.
While the townspeople were in a daze, David, holding a clucking turkey*, immediately placed an order, "Give me five of that hot water heater!"
Feeling the pressure of being snapped up, everyone gasped.
It's him! That rich man is here again!
A wizard kindly reminded, "Friend, this heating pad is just a hand warmer, but it's 10 copper coins more expensive than before."
Some townspeople were even more confused. "Why do I remember you were in the guards and not involved in estate farming?"
"Oh, that's okay." David scratched his head. "The hand warmers were out of stock before, and now they've just been released. It doesn't matter if they're a little more expensive. I'll just stock up and keep them for later use."
Townspeople: ???
Do you want to listen to what you are saying?
What do you mean it’s more expensive?
Damn, I thought the other person was a fool who couldn’t even tell the difference between a hand warmer and a heat pack, but I didn’t expect that he was just rich and willful!
Damn it, same person but different fate!
While the rest of the townspeople were still wailing, the villagers of Taohuawu were already going crazy, "Give us a set of those karez! I mean, we all want them together!"
The rest of the townspeople: Why is there another person? Oh no, a bunch of people.
Let me say it again, it’s great to have money, boohoo.
Some people, jealous, tried to stop him, saying, "You haven't even studied geography, and you don't even know what a karez is, and you're going to buy it?"
The village chief said proudly: "It doesn't matter, I have money."
The speaker: “…”
Thank you, I feel like I am being Versailles.
The other townspeople counted their wallets, feeling distressed.
The karez was indeed a permanent solution, but after a winter, their wallets were empty and they could only go to Lin Muqiu and cry.
They spread the news quickly and began to sell their misery:
[Master Lin, ahhhh, is there a cheaper way to hydrate? If you come up with one, I'll definitely buy it!]
My dearest Lord, do you think the Spring Protection Shop is missing something? Oh, I can't hold it in any longer. I have to say it first. I think it's lacking water. Oh, oh.
[My Lord, please, please, please, please, the child is thirsty and needs water. Oh no, snow will do.]
Behind the screen, Lin Muqiu received countless pop-up messages. Seeing that everyone treated her as a wishing tree, her expression became complicated.
Each of them is at least several years older than her. Can they stop acting cute?
It's shameful to act like a spoiled child!
She typed quickly, announcing to the townspeople, "In five days, I will cause an avalanche to help water your seeds. Please take precautions and stay home that day. After the avalanche ends, residents in need can bring buckets to collect ice and snow for planting."
[This avalanche behavior is free.]
Town residents who received the news at the same time: !!!
The townspeople were extremely delighted, and let out sharp explosions, "Ahhh, Master Lin really accepted my suggestion!"
"How do you know she received your message and not mine?"
"Bah, Master Lin loves me the most!"
“…”
The growers were also very excited. "Oh my god, we can water the seeds again. God has blessed us with Mr. Lin! The best part is, it's free!"
"Originally, when the protective shield was removed, I was quite worried about an accident. But now I think about it, I never trusted the protective shield, but Master Lin Muqiu!"
"Restraining natural disasters, awesome!"
“…”
Everyone chatted back and forth until the excitement reached a climax, completely forgetting about Lin Muqiu's price increase. But after the climax cooled down, everyone present fell into endless confusion:
"Wait a minute, can I ask you a question, what did Lord Lin just say he was using for watering?"
"Snow... avalanche?"
The townspeople who reacted: ???
Is this really going to be okay?
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