Chapter 261: Farm Crisis
Lu Li discovered that he had quite the qualification to be a shut-in. Apart from going out for adventures, he had hardly gone out at all.
Today, Lu Li, who rarely had free time, specially went to the farm.
Ai Ke’s Wildfire Gang had recently added several new members, all of whom came from Ai Ke’s orphanage.
Once it was heard that working here offered a chance to receive a Pokémon, many people wanted to come over, but Ai Ke was also a picky person.
He knew why he and his siblings had what they had today, so when selecting candidates, Ai Ke always adhered to the principle of preferring to lack rather than have excess.
Lu Li was quite satisfied with this point.
Although Ai Ke managed the farm’s affairs, the one truly in charge was actually Wei.
Wei came from a mafia family and had a solid grasp on gang management.
Now the Wildfire Gang had nearly 20 members, with as many as ten of them having Pokémon.
These people’s Pokémon were all the type biased toward farm work, like Tauros and Machop and such Pokémon.
“Boss, I think we can reclaim more ploughing land. It’s such a pity to let so much land go to waste,” Ai Ke advised very seriously.
“Is there enough manpower?” Lu Li asked with a furrowed brow.
He no longer relied on low-priced Pokémon ingredients like Wangwang Valley to increase income. Previously, planting Wangwang Valley was more for experimental purposes.
Ai Ke hurriedly guaranteed, “If it’s just Wangwang Valley, we have no problem here at all.”
“Then how much ploughing land do you think we can reclaim?” Lu Li kicked the ball back to Ai Ke.
He wasn’t clear on the Wildfire Gang’s specific strength, and the Wildfire Gang was also responsible for managing the farm.
After hesitating for a moment, Ai Ke said, “100 mu. With the help of Pokémon, we can manage 100 mu of Wangwang Valley.”
Hearing this, Lu Li raised his eyebrows, then looked at Ai Ke somewhat unexpectedly.
100 mu was quite a lot, but considering that the Wildfire Gang now had 10 people with Pokémon, one person and one Pokémon handling 10 mu each wouldn’t be difficult.
In the Pokémon World, the most troublesome part of farming was actually ploughing, but Pokémon that could plough could easily solve this trouble.
Take Onix as an example: in such relatively flat terrain, an Onix could plough 100 mu in about ten minutes.
As for watering and such…
“Does the Wildfire Gang have any Water Type trainers?” Lu Li asked.
“No, after all, Water Type Pokémon are relatively precious,” Ai Ke said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
Lu Li stroked his chin in thought, then asked, “Does the Wildfire Gang have anyone with significant contributions?”
“Yes, the insect plague in the farm last time was discovered and resolved by Yisha,” Ai Ke hurriedly said.
“Ask her if she has any interest in becoming a Water Attribute trainer. If so, take her to Wei to get a Water Type Pokémon Egg, then after the Pokémon hatches, go to Milotic to learn Rain Dance,” Lu Li decided decisively.
Lu Li continued, “Once the ploughing and irrigation are prepared, then expand the farm’s scale.”
Ai Ke gratefully thanked excitedly, “I represent Yisha in thanking the boss for his kindness.”
Lu Li indifferently waved his hand.
He didn’t take this matter to heart. In Ai Ke and their eyes, a Pokémon Egg was unattainable, but to him, a Water Type Pokémon Egg was just that.
Lu Li asked again, “By the way, has the cold wave affected the farm’s production?”
Ai Ke nodded with a serious expression, “The impact is very significant. This is also why I want to expand the farm’s scale. Due to the drastic temperature drop, the farm’s harvest will decrease by at least thirty percent.”
“Such a big impact?”
Lu Li’s brow furrowed slightly.
Wangwang Valley’s growth requirements weren’t harsh; as long as the temperature didn’t drop below zero, it was fine, but low temperatures still had some effect on Wangwang Valley, with the most direct being reduced harvest.
But there was no way around it. He couldn’t create a barrier just for Wangwang Valley; otherwise, the investment and income wouldn’t be proportional.
“It’s fine. If income drops, it drops,” Lu Li comforted.
Lu Li encouraged, “Still the same words: the farm’s harvest first satisfies ourselves, then consider selling.”
Ai Ke nodded. Because of Wangwang Valley, the Little Puddings at home had become much healthier.
Although the Alliance provided free three meals a day for orphans, in terms of nutrition, it was far inferior to Wangwang Valley.
After all, Wangwang Valley was a high-end ingredient that only elite trainers were worthy of enjoying.
“It’s a pity my Pokémon hasn’t learned Sunny Day, or this problem wouldn’t have arisen,” Ai Ke sighed with some regret.
Lu Li remembered that Yao Yifei’s Flareon knew this skill.
However, Lu Li didn’t want to trouble her for this matter, as Yao Yifei was already busy enough.
Now Yao Yifei had to guard the house at home, teach Milotic, and even Charmander was learning from the Fire Pokémon.
With her so busy, Lu Li still had some shame and didn’t think of troubling Yao Yifei for this.
“That’s it then, but while managing the farm, don’t forget strength improvement,” Lu Li encouraged, patting Ai Ke’s shoulder.
Ai Ke nodded heavily.
He still wanted to follow behind Lu Li for a long time and had never slacked on strength improvement.
After leaving the farm, Lu Li went to the Water Stone Mine with Tropius again.
In fact, Pokémon working was indeed feasible. With increasing proficiency, the Sandshrew family’s work efficiency had also improved.
They could harvest nearly one piece of raw Water Stone ore per day, which, when split into Water Stones, was at least five Water Stones at minimum.
After deducting expenses, this Water Stone vein could bring him at least 300,000 in income per day.
For him, who spent money like water, it was a drop in the bucket, but it added up; after all, it was 9 million a month and nearly 100 million a year.
Moreover, as they dug deeper, the quality of the Water Stones would improve, and the harvest would increase accordingly.
After a brief inspection, Lu Li continued deeper into the Qingyun Mountain Range.
He wanted to see what was really going on with the secret realm deep in the Qingyun Mountain Range.
As he went deeper, Lu Li could clearly feel the surrounding temperature dropping lower and lower.
By the time he entered the depths of the mountain range, the ambient temperature had already dropped below zero.
“Hot~”
（Trainer, is this still the place we came to before? The temperature change is too drastic, right?）
Lu Li sighed softly, “Worthy of being named after a god, none of them are simple.”
Passing by the gathering place from last time, it was already deserted.
“Even the gathering place is gone. Looks like the adventurers there have all left,” Lu Li muttered to himself.
Those adventurers had come for the secret realm in the first place, so it was normal for them to leave now that the secret realm entrance was frozen.
Arriving at the secret realm entrance, Lu Li activated his Spiritual Vision Eye.
As he imagined, these ices contained Dark Attribute energy, and Lu Li even sensed an aura of authority within these ices.
“As expected… it’s the Ancient Sword Leopard.”
Lu Li’s face was full of worry.
This was the real ticking time bomb. The Ancient Sword Leopard was no kind Pokémon.
As a disaster Pokémon, this thing was inherently opposed to humans.
“Now all we can do is pray that the Ancient Sword Leopard never leaves this secret realm in its lifetime,” Lu Li thought of that missing Psychic Heavenly King.
Freya, as an outsider, was trapped in a secret realm within the Jiuzhou Alliance.
If the American Alliance hadn’t happened to encounter the Death Tide event, with the American Alliance’s style, they would definitely have used this to make trouble for the Jiuzhou Alliance.
Wrapping his right hand in energy, Lu Li gently tapped the ices.
Even through a layer of energy protective film, Lu Li could still sense the bone-chilling cold.
“But this place is a treasure land for Sneasel. Unfortunately, there are no Sneasel in the Qingyun Mountain Range,” Lu Li thought of Ekaterina.
If she were still here, she would definitely seclude herself here, right?
After searching around some more without finding anything, Lu Li rode Tropius away from this cold place.
This environmental change could be called permanent; at least, unless something unexpected happened, this cold would last until the dimension’s end.
This was the terror of divine beasts in the Pokémon World. Their changes to the environment could be called permanent.
Back home, Lu Li flipped through the Heavenly King notes.
For the next week, Lu Li lived a two-point-one-line life.
Daytime at school, evenings at home, and during the black-and-white transitions, bonding with the Pokémon.
However, such peaceful days didn’t last long. Just after leaving the library, Lu Li was called into his office by the principal again.
The kind-looking Wen Gongmao asked with a smile, “Lu Li, how have these past few days been?”
“Pretty good, very fulfilling,” Lu Li answered honestly.
“I have another opportunity here. Do you want to give it a try?” After speaking, Wen Gongmao looked at Lu Li with a grin.
“What opportunity?” Lu Li didn’t refuse directly.
“A while ago, Saint Bảo University suddenly contacted us and decided to establish relations, then gave us three exchange student slots.”
“So I want to ask if you want to study abroad in the Extreme Ice Empire for a while?”
Wen Gongmao was quite happy to see Lu Li go to other regions and even happier to see something like the American Alliance incident happen again.
Although relations between the Jiuzhou Region and the Extreme Ice Empire weren’t particularly bad, they were still rivals.
Lu Li shook his head and refused directly, “Forget it. The school’s library is sufficient.”
“Don’t rush to refuse.”
Wen Gongmao had anticipated Lu Li’s refusal, so he continued, “Exchange students have another benefit. How much do you know about the Cambrian Secret Realm?”
“Cambrian Secret Realm? Could exchange students enter the Cambrian Secret Realm?” Lu Li looked at the old man with some surprise.
The Cambrian Secret Realm’s status in the Extreme Ice Empire was equivalent to the Dragon Island Secret Realm’s in the Jiuzhou Region.
If the exchange student slots were really tickets to the Cambrian Secret Realm, then the outstanding students at Kyushu University should be fighting over them right now, right?
And could such a good thing really fall to him, a new student?
Lu Li had a very clear idea of his own standing. Although he was this year’s Grand Festival champion, such honors came every year, and to those top noble families, it was just that.
As for strength, no need to mention it. Kyushu University’s outstanding students all had near Gym Level strength. What did he, a mere commoner Lu Li, have to compete with?
“There are three slots in total, but one is already set—it’s you,” Wen Gongmao said with a meaningful smile.
He was actually quite puzzled about this. The Extreme Ice Empire side had specifically named Lu Li to be an exchange student.
Wen Gongmao’s first reaction was that Lu Li being the Rainbow Hero might have leaked, but he quickly dismissed that guess.
If the Extreme Ice Empire really knew Lu Li was the Rainbow Hero, why specifically name him to go?
What the Rainbow Hero was, how could the Extreme Ice Empire’s higher-ups not know?
Calling the Rainbow Hero a disaster star might be forced smearing, but wherever the Rainbow Hero went, disasters followed—that was well-known.
Only if the Extreme Ice Empire’s heads were caught in a door would they actively invite the Rainbow Hero into the Extreme Ice Empire. You know, the American Alliance precedent still hadn’t recovered.
Wen Gongmao didn’t think the Extreme Ice Empire wanted to kill Lu Li, because someone had already proven with blood that the Rainbow Hero couldn’t be killed.
But the Extreme Ice Empire’s attitude was also very firm: Lu Li, this Rainbow Hero, must become an exchange student and study at Saint Bảo University for a month.
If Kyushu University couldn’t do it, then exchange with items of equal value for these three slots—accurately, the three passes to the Cambrian Secret Realm.
Exchanging Dragon Island Secret Realm passes for Cambrian Secret Realm passes would mean the Jiuzhou Alliance was at a loss.
After a series of meetings and discussions, everyone felt that Lu Li should become this exchange student and stay in the Extreme Ice Empire for a month.
“Go back and think about it,” Lu Li still didn’t agree directly.
You know, the Cambrian Secret Realm was a super large secret realm. How dangerous were super large secret realms? Even a Champion Level trainer like Qu Suxin had nearly capsized inside.
For an Elite Level trainer like him to go to the Cambrian Secret Realm was suicide?
Although entering the Cambrian Secret Realm would have Champion Level trainer protection, that Champion Level trainer wasn’t one of his own.
“You still need to think about this?”
Wen Gongmao looked at Lu Li puzzled. He somewhat suspected Lu Li might not know what the Cambrian Secret Realm meant; otherwise, why refuse such a good thing.
Wen Gongmao earnestly persuaded, “Child, do you not understand the Cambrian Secret Realm? Want me to tell you about the Cambrian Secret Realm situation?”
Lu Li shook his head and insisted, “Principal, really no need. I know about the Cambrian Secret Realm, but I still need to consider this matter.”
“Sigh, then think it over carefully. Tell me your answer tomorrow,” Wen Gongmao sighed helplessly.
After leaving the principal’s office, the somewhat uneasy Lu Li returned home and went straight to the bedroom.
Taking out the Bagua Diagram and Turtle Shell from the Space Ring, Lu Li let out a heavy breath.
