ATPnovel Chapter 45 Humus-producing lactating mother
Chapter 45 Humus-producing lactating mother
Yu Wang followed Uncle Dugong into the shed.
The room was well-lit and filled with the smell of the sea. The furnishings were simple: a rough wooden table, a few crooked chairs, and some fishing nets, tools, and dried seaweed piled in the corner.
"Please have a seat! Please have a seat! The tea will be here shortly! I'll go find the documents in the back room right away!"
Uncle Dugong hurriedly wiped the most stable-looking chair with his clothes, poured Yu Wang a cup of tea, and then dashed into the small shed behind the shed, where the sounds of rummaging through drawers and cabinets could be heard.
Yu Wang didn't stand on ceremony and sat down without any hesitation.
It was as if this wasn't a simple shack, but rather his temporary office.
He had been forced to go through the inspection process of the "marine conservation organization" more than once, and had long since figured out its tricks and common phrases. Therefore, he was not worried at all.
Seeing the steaming tea on the table, he picked it up and took a couple of sips without haste.
The warm tea soup, when swallowed, brings a unique, cool and refreshing sensation, as if a gentle breeze is brushing against tense nerves.
Almost simultaneously, a pleasant system notification sounded softly in my ear:
Drinking "Seaweed Tea" increases your Spirit by 5 and grants a "Concentration" effect for one hour (slightly improving focus and resistance to distractions).
The effect was immediate! Yu Wang felt his mind clear up a bit.
Unfortunately, the '+5' effect only appears on the first bite; it takes two or three bites to get the '+1' effect.
Yu Wang put down his teacup and urged towards the small cubicle, "Hurry up. Besides the basic documents I just mentioned, I also need to check the farm map."
"As you know, besides being an inspector, I'm also here on a mission. Tell me everything you know about the 'Gallbladder of the Ringed Thorn' later."
"Yes...yes!"
Uncle Dugong was in great distress.
Everyone says that survivors are easy targets, that they'll do whatever you tell them to do, and that you can just dump all the dirty and hard work on them without thinking.
Why did I have to run into such a tough opponent?
What puzzled him even more was how this survivor had passed the fishman's rigorous test.
He actually went ashore and became a patrolman!
Oh dear! What a miserable life!
Be careful not to get caught using excessive amounts of fertilizer!
A dozen minutes later, the dugong uncle, looking preoccupied, came out carrying a large stack of messy documents.
He was afraid that Yu Wang wouldn't understand and would give him a bad grade, which would attract a bunch of mad fishmen to ruin the farm.
So, without waiting for instructions, he took the initiative to approach the table and began to explain in detail, spitting as he spoke:
"Sir, please look at this farm map. Although it's rough, the locations are accurate. Our farm is mainly divided into three sections: the east section, the west section, and the central core area where we are located on the pier..."
"The seaweed in the core area is protected by netting, so there are no insect infestations yet. The west side has waterwheels, and the current is faster, so the seaweed grows sparsely and there are fewer sea urchins. Therefore, the most severely affected area is the east area, including here, here, and here, which are the main gathering places for sea urchins..."
As Uncle Dugong explained, Yu Wang also made marks on the farm's topographical map.
With this map, the sea urchin hunting operation can be more targeted, prioritizing the clearing of sparse sea urchin areas before gradually moving towards denser areas, which will greatly improve safety.
As they chatted, Yu Wang casually asked, "By the way, do you have any 'Starlight Seaweed' here?"
The dugong uncle, who was in the middle of a lively conversation, suddenly stopped.
The explanation abruptly ended, and a question mark slowly appeared on his face.
A few seconds of silence.
"Sir, are you referring to that little seaweed with leaves that look like tiny stars and emit a faint reddish glow like moonlight at night? We do have it on our farm! We grow it right here!"
Uncle Dugong pointed his thick, fat hand and landed on the edge of the eastern district, where the sea urchins were most severely affected.
"..."
"..."
"Uh... Inspector, um... the star-shaped seaweed is probably... likely... likely... eaten up by those damned sea urchins... How about dried ones? There should be some left in the warehouse."
Despite already knowing the answer, Yu Wang still held onto a sliver of hope and had Uncle Dugong bring over some dried seaweed to try.
Sure enough, the panel did not react when the star-shaped dried seaweed was touched.
The instance only lasts for 48 hours, so there's no time to replant or have Uncle Dugong source supplies from elsewhere.
The only hope right now
They pinned their hopes on the possibility that some living stargrass might still be found deep within the farm.
Yu Wang quickly adjusted his mindset, without showing too much disappointment. After briefly glancing at the documents that Uncle Dugong had brought out, he drank the remaining "Qingxin Seaweed Tea" in his cup in one gulp.
His mental energy level jumped again, and he put down his teacup.
"Alright, I understand the basic situation. Without further ado, get all the diving and underwater work tools you have ready. I'm going to begin the initial cleanup work."
He paused, then added casually, "Your data is a bit tricky. By the way, this tea tastes quite good."
This time, Uncle Dugong's mind worked incredibly fast. Knowing that his success hinged on this moment, he quickly nodded and bowed.
"I still have some of this tea in stock! It's all top quality! If you like it, I'll prepare some extra for you to take home. When you're tired from work, a cup of this will refresh you! As for the diving gear… well, you'll have to wait a moment!"
He turned and went back into the inner room, this time making a bigger commotion, accompanied by the sounds of metal clanging and wooden crates being dragged.
A moment later, he came out carrying a wooden box and a bottle of bubble solution:
"I'm sorry, I don't usually need diving equipment. This was given to me by the great 'Hydrogenating Mother' as a reward for the otherworldly guests who helped me. I've tried it, and it's very helpful for diving."
Well, so it turns out the dungeon runs weren't a waste of time after all!
You pocketed the reward!
Yu Wang silently complained, but he also learned about the faith of this dungeon NPC.
It turns out to be a 'humic lactating mother'.
This being existed in a previous life that I had heard of.
He is the benevolent and lawful spirit of nature who governs the humus cycle in nearshore areas, the nurturing of tidal flats, and the growth of lower marine plants.
Its common physical description is that of a massive dugong with bioluminescent seaweed and coral growing on its dorsal fin. Its secreted milk, flowing with the seawater over the mudflats, promotes plant growth. Legend has it that it once single-handedly revitalized a barren sea area.
[You attempted to visualize the existence and power of the 'Hydrogenating Wet Mother' in your mind, and your spirit has been impacted! Spirit -3, Reason -11!]
"Hiss..." Yu Wang quickly stopped recalling, a little cold sweat seeping from his forehead. He tactically drank some water, only to find that the water glass was already empty.
Uncle Dugong was very perceptive and helped Yu Wangman.
At this moment, Yu Wang's many questions were answered: "No wonder this guy was terrified when he heard the words 'environmental organization' and 'inspection'."
As a farmer who believes in "humic milk mothers",
He runs a seaweed farm, maintaining the prosperity of this sea area by planting seaweed, which in itself is a practice of his faith.
Therefore, he can benefit from this behavior.
For this reason, Uncle Dugong's behavior must conform as closely as possible to the core doctrines of his faith:
Promote growth and maintain the purity and vitality of the water and mudflats.
If it is found that he abused water, fertilizer, and pesticides in pursuit of higher yields, leading to eutrophication of local water bodies and even disrupting the natural cycle...
It would absolutely be seen as a blasphemy against their faith, a betrayal and disservice to the "humic milk mother"!
At best, they might lose the favor and protection of the gods.
In severe cases, its qualifications as a believer will be questioned, it will become infamous among the marine intelligent races, and it may even be punished by the faith organization to which it belongs!