TNAB ch 8

First-year students have three classes each week. Agronomy classes are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, while other majors have their schedules.

Since her roommate was studying horticulture, Zhao Linong knew that horticulture classes were held on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons, meaning they had just missed class time. It’s said that the base staggers class schedules to minimize student gatherings in the fields, which helps reduce the casualty rate in accidents.

It was the 4th of the month, a Friday, and Zhao Linong had a class in the Round Building. Tong Tong, her roommate, didn’t have a class but still got up early.

They went to the cafeteria together for breakfast. A bowl of porridge with an egg was the standard Friday breakfast for freshmen.

“I’m going to the field to check on the seeds,” Tong Tong said, not seeming too worried about the mutated plants but more concerned about the seeds. “I wonder if they’ve started to germinate.”

Zhao Linong was familiar with the sparkle in Tong Tong’s eyes. She had spent seven years at the Agricultural College. Unlike regular undergraduates, she had caught the attention of her tutor early on, who took her on travels across the country, visiting various farm bases and meeting many people.

She had always considered herself a practical person, focused on fame and success, hoping to stand out and make her parents proud. But she had encountered people who, after escaping the hardships of the land, chose to return willingly.

These individuals all had eyes like Tong Tong’s, filled with hope and determination, eager to learn and succeed, ultimately giving back to the land they knew so well.

“What are you two talking about?” He Yuesheng joined them, holding a bowl of porridge in one hand and an egg in the other.

“I planted the flowers I’ve always wanted to grow,” Tong Tong said with a smile. “I’ll water them later.”

“Be careful,” He Yuesheng leaned closer to the table, whispering, “A student from the graduating class didn’t make it back from the fields yesterday.”

Zhao Linong frowned, immediately recalling the image of their Agriculture Class C teacher, Kang Anru, with her arm in a sling and bandaged the previous day.

As if confirming her thoughts, He Yuesheng continued, “A fruit tree mutated so quickly that the guards couldn’t react in time, and the student died. I heard he was a top student—he was close to graduating and becoming a planting officer. It’s such a shame.”

“Are plant mutations at the base that common?” Zhao Linong asked.

He Yuesheng took a bite of his egg and replied vaguely, “Incidents like this happen daily at the Ninth Agricultural Base, but with the guards around, only a few people die each month.”

Tong Tong turned pale upon hearing this but quickly composed herself. “If we take good care of them, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Let’s hope so,” He Yuesheng said as he finished the last of his egg. “I hope we all make it.”

Zhao Linong quietly finished her porridge, trying to block out thoughts of her old world. She had to embrace the new reality now that she was in a different world.

After breakfast, Tong Tong parted ways with Zhao Linong and took the bus alone to the field area.

During the second class, Kang Anru looked much better, probably because her injuries had healed. She stood at the podium and asked the students if they had planted the new tomato seeds.

“Horseshoe tomatoes are the most popular variety at the central base. They have thin, sandy skin, a dense texture, and a sweet and sour taste. If you can grow one fruit by the end of the semester, it’s considered a pass. Ten fruits are good, and more than ten are excellent,” Kang Anru explained as she turned on the computer to show the students photos of horseshoe tomatoes at different growth stages, from germination to flowering and fruiting.

“The yield for horseshoe tomatoes is not low. As long as they survive, you should be able to harvest more than ten by June or July,” she added before turning off the computer. “Once your grades are recorded at the end of the semester, you can do whatever you like with the tomatoes—eat them or sell them.”

He Yuesheng, excited, chimed in, “A good-looking horseshoe tomato can sell for 800 points, and the more you buy, the pricier they get.”

The 800 points were equivalent to 800 yuan in her old world.

“Why are they so expensive?” Zhao Linong was aware that food was costly but was still surprised that a horseshoe tomato could cost 800 yuan.

“Horseshoe tomatoes are considered fruits,” He Yuesheng explained. “Fruits are more expensive than vegetables and meat. Most people can only afford pills to get their vitamins.”

“I see…” Zhao Linong started calculating how many tomatoes she could grow. If she could cultivate ten plants, her balance would be quite healthy.

During the morning class, Kang Anru briefly covered the growth cycle and appearance of tomatoes, and the students diligently took notes on their optical computers.

He Yuesheng was jotting down notes and recording the lecture simultaneously.

Next to him, Zhao Linong held her pen without writing. What Kang Anru was explaining wasn’t new to her and could even be considered elementary.

“This is the end of today’s class. Next time, I’ll discuss tomato diseases and their treatments. You’d better pay close attention because of the consequences of plant mutations… Class dismissed.” With that, Kang Anru turned and left the classroom.

“What are you doing this afternoon?” He Yuesheng asked as he packed up. “Want to take a walk around the city?”

Zhao Linong glanced at him and replied, “I’m going to the field area.”

“To water the plants?” He Yuesheng was reluctant. “There’s a trade event in the city center today. Aren’t you interested in checking it out?”

“Maybe next time,” Zhao Linong said, turning on her computer and showing him the screen. “I’ve accepted a mission.”

He Yuesheng looked surprised and leaned in to see the message on the screen: [Posted by: Mutation, retreat, retreat, retreat. Mission: Harvest vegetables/750 points. Executor: Farmer Xiao Zhao]

“I don’t have many points left,” Zhao Linong explained, putting away the screen. “I’ll need to buy things in the future.”

She had accepted the task late, so only the cheapest one was available, but 750 points were enough to meet her immediate needs.

“Be careful,” He Yuesheng cautioned. “If anything seems off, head straight to the guard team. Remember the route to the tool room—it can serve as a shelter.”

That afternoon, Zhao Linong took a bus to the northern part of the base. This was where the second-year students had their territory. Occasionally, guard teams patrolled the roads, each group consisting of twenty people, all armed with rifles.

The land in the north was flatter, and each plot was larger than those in the new area. You could sometimes see crops growing in the fields.

Following the directions, Zhao Linong found a flag with the words “Mutation, retreat, retreat, retreat” on it. She looked around and noticed that the flags above the sophomores weren’t their real names but their online aliases.

The person who posted this task was a sophomore. He had grown some vegetables and needed to submit his homework soon, but he was too scared to harvest them himself, so he posted the task online.

Zhao Linong took a photo of the flag and sent a message to the task poster: [I’m here, picture.jpg]

The response came quickly: [I’ll transfer 375 points to you first. Ping me after you finish the harvest.]

Zhao Linong checked her balance and saw an additional 375 points. She replied: “OK.”

“Mutation, retreat, retreat” messaged back: “Be careful when picking them. I think they’re about to mutate. There are these weird crooked white marks on the leaves!”

Zhao Linong looked over at the green vegetables in the field and thought, “…”

There weren’t any visible signs of mutation yet, but the vegetables were planted haphazardly and were growing poorly, with only six pitiful plants in total.

In her original world, an agriculture student with such a low level of skill would have been expelled long ago.

Zhao Linong walked into the field, bent down, and began picking the vegetables.

It didn’t take much effort; picking six vegetables only took a minute.

There were no mutations, so she held the six vegetables in one hand and took a photo with the other to send to the task poster: “I’ve picked them.”

“Mutation, retreat, retreat” responded quickly: “You’re fast, good thing there was no mutation. I’m in the tool room for Agricultural Science Class C. Just come over.”

Seeing the message, Zhao Linong realized the person was likely a senior.

She carried the six vegetables and walked to the tool shed, where about ten people were busy at the sinks.

Before she could message the senior, someone called her name, probably recognizing the six vegetables she was holding.

She looked toward the voice and saw a short-haired girl waving at her.

“…Mutation, retreat, retreat?” Zhao Linong asked as if confirming a secret code.

“That’s me!” The short-haired girl confirmed with a wave, staring at the vegetables in Zhao Linong’s hand.

Zhao Linong handed over the vegetables, and the girl immediately transferred the remaining points.

“Thanks to you, I can pass the midterm exam this time,” the girl said with relief.

Zhao Linong noticed the curved white marks on the leaves that looked like insect tracks and pointed them out. “These are from leaf miners. If you check the underside of the leaves, you’ll probably find larvae. Get rid of them early, and they won’t spread. You can also hang yellow boards nearby—leaf miners and little black flies are attracted to yellow, so they’ll get stuck.”

The short-haired girl looked surprised. “Aren’t you a freshman? How do you know so much?”

Only freshmen would take on such low-paying tasks.

“Yeah, I’m a freshman. I heard it from a teacher,” Zhao Linong lied smoothly.

The short-haired girl seemed confused. “Really? I don’t remember my teacher mentioning that…”

“Anyway, I’m heading back now,” Zhao Linong said, changing the subject. “Feel free to contact me next time you need help with a task.”

“Sure, I’ll remember your name, Farmer Xiao Zhao,” the girl replied earnestly.

Zhao Linong paused. She didn’t like that online name.

The short-haired girl then suggested, “Let me add you as a friend. It’ll be easier to stay in touch.”

“Okay,” Zhao Linong agreed.

After adding each other as friends, Zhao Linong left the tool shed and waited for the bus.

She gazed at the vast fields in the distance, hesitated for a moment, then opened her computer again. She added “AAA” to the front of her online name.

—AAA Farmer Xiao Zhao.

Now, her name would appear first in other people’s contact lists.

“Everything is for survival,” Zhao Linong comforted herself.

…

On Saturday afternoon, Zhao Linong picked up a pair of large-size men’s jeans she had ordered. She had earned some points and placed a few more orders, including two bags of soil and another pair of jeans, though those were still on the way.

She hadn’t bought flower pots yet, but she used some of her points to buy tools like watering cans, scissors, and ties in the city, though she had few points left.

He Yuesheng seemed busy with other things and stayed in the city, planning to return on Sunday. Since she needed soil, he agreed to bring the soil and flower pots to the tool shed in the field area for her.

The ridges between the fields weren’t very wide, and with He Yuesheng’s flower pots plus her “flower pot,” there wouldn’t be much room to walk.

Zhao Linong stood before the two plots of land for a long time before her eyes settled on the iron fence at the edge, which separated the fields from the wasteland.

She spread out the jeans, cut several small holes in the legs, tied the legs tightly with ropes, and then fastened the jeans to the iron fence.

After that, she returned to carry a bag of soil. She unzipped the jeans and poured most of the soil into the waist area.

Ten kilograms of soil barely filled the legs, but the seating area was still lacking. She’d have to wait for the next bag of soil to arrive.

Standing up, she watered all the holes in the pants, pressed lettuce seeds into each, and then gave them a final watering.

This pair of jeans could hold 25 lettuce seeds—much cheaper than a flower pot.

Zhao Linong felt satisfied as if she could already see the future growth of the lettuce.

This was the first time she had found any comfort since arriving in this world. On the way back, she was so happy that she even chatted with her roommate, Tong Tong, that evening.

The next day, He Yuesheng came to join Zhao Linong in the field area. Tong Tong, who had no classes, came along as well.

“I put all your soil and flower pots in the tool shed,” Zhao Linong told He Yuesheng on the way.

Each plot in the tool room had its own designated area, and Zhao Linong and He Yuesheng’s plots were adjacent.

Tong Tong remembered to ask, “Li Nong, what seeds did you choose?”

“Lettuce,” Zhao Linong replied, pointing at He Yuesheng. “He’s planting lettuce too.”

“I’ll plant the rest of my lettuce seeds later,” He Yuesheng said, rubbing his hands together like he was ready to get to work.

The three got off the bus. Tong Tong didn’t rush to the gardening area but followed Zhao Linong and He Yuesheng to the tool shed of Agronomy Class C to help He Yuesheng with the flower pots.

“I heard that after three years of cultivation, you can apply for a greenhouse area,” He Yuesheng said as they walked, carrying two bags of soil. “You can control the temperature in a greenhouse, so you don’t have to worry about the weather or your plants dying from too much sun. The rental price is steep, and it’s hard to get a greenhouse spot, but it’s patrolled by guards, so you don’t have to worry about safety.”

Tong Tong, holding a stack of flower pots, said, “I’ll have to work hard to earn enough to apply for a greenhouse in the future.”

Walking behind, carrying the half-bag of soil leftover from yesterday, Zhao Linong mentally noted this information.

When they arrived at the plots, He Yuesheng put down the two bags of soil and instinctively reached up to rub his shoulders. But then he caught sight of something and suddenly jumped, shouting, “Ahhh!”

Tong Tong, who was in the middle, looked up in confusion. She saw the flower pots crash to the ground and also began screaming, “Ahhhhh!”

Both of them turned pale and backed away quickly, dragging a bewildered Zhao Linong with them.

Standing between them, still holding the half-bag of soil, Zhao Linong asked calmly, “What are you… doing?”

“There’s a mutated plant! Someone’s dead… huh?” He Yuesheng looked more closely at what he had seen hanging from the wire mesh. Instead of a grisly scene of intestines spilling out, he just saw a pair of dirt-filled jeans.

Tong Tong, still shaken, said hesitantly, “It… doesn’t seem to be a person?”

The three of them stared at the barbed wire. Hanging on the fence was a pair of jeans filled with soil, looking disturbingly like the lower half of a person’s body. At first glance, it seemed like someone had been eaten, leaving only half their body behind.¹image

He Yuesheng and Tong Tong both gasped, four words simultaneously coming to mind: “How terrifying!”

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