hsntnovel Chapter 188 Thomas's Worries
Chapter 188 Thomas's Worries
Chapter 188 Thomas's Worries
"Huh? Damn, that experience was actually quite accurate. You were right!"
Hearing the Baron's admonition, Eugene pursed his lips, then gave the Baron a thumbs up.
Then, he held the potato in his hand, frustratedly located the sprouting spot, and used a knife to cut the potato apart.
This process is repeated until the potato pieces with sprouts are separated and stored in boxes to await planting.
Meanwhile, Eugene was busy preparing potatoes in the manor hall.
Thomas, carrying a few simple pieces of equipment he had made himself and his guns, nodded to the fisherman Kelvin and Old Feng in front of him.
Seeing Thomas nod, Old Feng couldn't help but grin and say.
"You look quite serious, but we're just going to walk around the area a couple of times. It's not as dangerous as you think."
"I know, it's just that the manor is too safe, so whenever I'm sure I'm about to leave, I can't help but do something to remind myself to be more serious!"
Thomas responded as he left the manor with Old Feng.
The three arrived near the stable and waved to Wells, the mechanic who was repairing it.
Seeing Lao Feng and the other two approaching, Wells stepped aside to open the stable gate, and asked while carrying the nails and planks in his hand.
"Is the butler going out too? Are we about to start farming?"
"Indeed, Wells."
Thomas nodded to Wells, raised the equipment in his hand, and said with a smile.
"I made a few small tools to test soil moisture and temperature, and I plan to choose a suitable piece of land, not too far away, as our potato field and chili pepper field."
"If all goes well, we should see more tasks appearing on the task board tomorrow."
"If you're interested, you can take this job too. After all, it's very important; it's our future livelihood!"
At this point, Thomas raised his hand and punched Wells in the chest.
Logically speaking, they've only known each other for a few days, and their relationship shouldn't be this close now.
But let’s not forget that hardship is the primary condition that brings people together, and the apocalyptic environment is not lacking in hardship.
Although the time spent together at the camp was short, we experienced a lot. With each passing night, people would unconsciously become a little more united.
At least until a new class hierarchy emerges after the apocalypse, everyone will be like this.
Upon hearing Thomas's words, Wells grinned and nodded expectantly.
"certainly!"
He said expectantly.
"Our camp is great, Gavin is a good leader, our home is safe, and it would be even better if we had our own land."
"I usually only do car repair work, but there aren't that many cars here that I need to repair, so I keep an eye on the task board. I like planting potatoes~"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wells placed the plank in the appropriate position and continued hammering away.
Not far from him, Sariel was carrying a bucket and a brush to wipe the horses in the stable, while glancing around.
For guys like them who work outdoors, being able to keep their eyes open is the bare minimum requirement, and they always work in pairs.
After quickly confirming that there was no danger around, Sariel rubbed his head with his sleeve and then greeted Lao Feng and the other two.
After saying goodbye, Lao Feng and his two companions rode away, circling the west side of the manor towards the distant river.
As the river drew near, Thomas steered his horse to a gentle slope, found flat ground, and planted the instrument firmly into the earth.
Watching Thomas get busy, Old Feng couldn't help but frown.
"Is this step really necessary, Thomas? When I was farming back home, I never saw anyone do this before planting potatoes!"
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Thomas, while inserting the instrument at least ten centimeters into the ground, looked up and said to Lao Feng.
"Feng, you're not an agricultural professional. The reason you don't need to measure these data when farming is because there are many more professionals who have already measured them for you."
At this point, Thomas pulled out his self-made instrument and observed it for a day, then frowned.
"The soil temperature is eight degrees Celsius, which is not good news. Spring came earlier and the temperature is a bit higher than usual this year!"
"Is that so?"
Old Feng rubbed his cowboy hat and then asked Thomas.
"Is eight degrees Celsius too high? Won't it affect crop yields?"
"It's a little bit high, after all, the optimal temperature for potato tubers to sprout is five to seven degrees Celsius, but a little higher won't have a big impact on the yield."
As Thomas answered Old Feng's question, he looked up at the distant sky, his eyes seemingly gazing at something unreadable.
Noticing Thomas's thoughtful gaze, Old Feng became inexplicably nervous, so he asked Thomas in a low voice.
"What's wrong, Thomas? Did you spot some zombies?"
"No, I'm just—I'm just worried about something else!"
Thomas quickly shook his head and began to explain to Old Feng.
"The soil temperature this year is nearly 3.5 degrees Celsius higher than the same period last year. You should know that the soil temperature in central Texas in mid-March last year was only 9.5 degrees Celsius."
"This rise in temperature will likely increase the number of locust eggs that successfully overwinter. My concern isn't about the potato harvest, but rather—whether a locust plague will occur in the future!"
As Thomas spoke, his worry grew, and his words caused the fisherman not far away to show a look of horror.
As for Lao Feng...
"A locust plague?"
Old Feng looked puzzled, his face contorted, and asked Thomas in confusion.
"I've never seen a locust plague in my life. Are you sure there's a possibility of a locust plague around here? Like, a massive, overwhelming one?"
"You've never seen a locust plague before?"
Hearing Lao Feng's question, Thomas was slightly startled and instinctively replied to Lao Feng.
"Is the integrated cross-regional pest control system in the Eastern Kingdom really that comprehensive? Are you sure you haven't heard about the locust plague?"
"If so, then I'm quite envious of you. From 2000 to 2012, Texas experienced an average of about 2.5 locust plagues per year."
"The locust plague is mainly concentrated in the western desert areas and near the Mexican border in the south. Although the state government has tried its best to control it, it is still not enough."
"That was assuming our civilization hadn't collapsed. Now that human civilization has completely collapsed, trying to prevent locust plagues by human effort is simply a pipe dream. We can only leave everything to nature itself."
"All I can do is observe; I can only try my best to observe and predict the possible outbreaks of all natural disasters, including locust plagues."
"This feeling is really unsettling."
Thomas shook his head at this point, then proceeded to use the other devices.
Watching the busy Thomas, Old Feng took a deep breath, then looked worriedly into the distance.
As he looked southwest, Kelvin, who was staring northeast, suddenly clapped his hands.
"Feng, look there!"
He pointed into the distance, while Old Feng raised his binoculars to observe for a moment.
A moment later, Old Feng put down his binoculars, picked up the reins, and spoke to Kelvin.
"You stay here with Thomas, I'll go take care of them. There are only two zombies!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Feng spurred his horse and rode away.
Shortly afterward, gunshots rang out, and Thomas pulled out his instrument to check the soil moisture.
He put the equipment back in his bag and slung it over his shoulder, then turned to Kelvin and said...
"Feng's marksmanship is truly remarkable; I find it hard to believe he's a cook!"
"Hmm, who says otherwise? I even think the cook is some kind of secret designation for an Eastern special forces unit~"
Kelvin grinned and, together with Thomas, changed positions to continue measuring soil data in different areas.
For any data of this type, it is necessary to take a considerable number of measurements and calculate the average value before drawing a conclusion.
After dealing with the zombies, Lao Feng returned to the team and continued the operation.
The three of them worked for more than an hour, taking measurements from more than twenty different locations and obtaining the results.
Thomas then pointed with satisfaction to the large piece of land in front of him and began to speak.
"This will be our future farmland. It's only about 2.5 kilometers from the manor, barely keeping it within the manor's observation range."
"At the same time, this place can also make room for the future expansion of the manor. Our number will always increase, and maybe in the future there will be a doomsday town around the manor. I have to make room for the town."
"As for the initial amount of land to be reclaimed, I think I can't just plan it based on a scale of fifty people."
.
"Based on the approximate daily energy intake of an adult, which is about 2,000 calories, each person would need at least 1.5 acres of arable land to sustain them. Therefore, we need to cultivate at least 200 acres of land in the first batch, which is also to accommodate more survivors in the future."
"As for the crops to be planted, in addition to the essential potatoes, there will be sorghum, corn and rice. Well, the master likes rice, so I will also prepare an extra plan for the paddy fields."
"Let me think. Peppers and tomatoes can be rotated with potatoes to restore soil fertility. In addition, I also need to design our land into an ecological cycle model, which is a bit troublesome. We also need soybeans and other crops, and we need to rebuild a chicken farm."
"Let's go back. I need to think about my plan carefully. I'll have a good talk with the master tonight. The logistics work is going to get heavier. The current manpower is definitely not enough. We need to find more survivors."
After saying this, Thomas, with a head full of thoughts, returned to the manor with Old Feng.
When they arrived home, the stables had already been expanded once more, and Adriana, along with several field workers, rode off towards the cattle herd.
They want to add more dairy cows to the farm.
Thomas greeted the passing men, then went into the manor and sat down in the hall to write and draw.
While Thomas was busy, Wang Ling happened to walk out of the ward and immediately glanced into the lobby.
In her eyes, the people in the hall lived in an orderly manner.
Thomas, the butler, sat at his desk writing and drawing, while Horst walked around with a vacuum cleaner, busily wiping away everyone's footprints.
Old Feng crossed the hall and headed towards the kitchen, calling out from a distance, though it was impossible to hear what he was shouting.
Kelvin went to the bar and got two bottles of iced drinks. He gave one to Thomas and then sat down nearby to relax, occasionally striking a fishing pose.
At the second-floor guard post, Madison slapped his thigh in annoyance, muttering something unintelligible, probably complaining about the endless guard duty.
Tara and Hela walked out of the gym together, came from the botanical garden to the lobby, and sat down to rest.
Two children, one black and one white, followed behind Teacher Hela, meekly lying down on the sofa.
When the two children arrived, Kelvin took out two cups and shared some of his drink with them. The children immediately laughed and picked up the cups.
This scene made Wang Ling sniffle.
She thought of her home.
Children from poor families mature early, and Wang Ling was poor from a young age, with four siblings.
However, she lived up to expectations and achieved outstanding results, making it from the town to the city, and then to the national competition, winning a bronze medal in the World Olympiad with her team.
And so, she managed to get herself accepted into a foreign country through the exams. But even with scholarships, she still had to work part-time to make ends meet.
At first, she helped clean the University of Michigan's gymnasium and also found a part-time job at a kendo dojo in Chinatown.
Later, she learned kendo and joined a circus, occasionally performing at NBA games.
Later, she joined the circus and participated in Dallas's annual February celebration performance.
Since Gavin won the Super Bowl multiple times, it has almost become a traditional festival in Dallas. This is Wang Ling's second time coming with the group.
If nothing unexpected happens, this kind of life will probably end next year, because she will graduate next year and start thinking about graduate school applications.
But before she could even think about it, she encountered an apocalyptic crisis in the hotel where she was staying.
Thinking back to the time when I fought my way up from the middle floor of the hotel to the roof.
Reflecting on her experience of not only killing zombies, but also two living people who harbored ill intentions towards her and Anna...
Look again at the warm and peaceful environment before you —
For a moment, Wang Ling even felt like she was dreaming.
only----
When will I wake up from this dream?
Hey!
She couldn't help but sigh, and at the same time, Meryl, the little girl with freckles on her face who had come out of the hotel with her, happened to pass by her carrying a potted plant.
Upon seeing Wang Ling, Meryl was overjoyed and quickly moved closer to Wang Ling, whispering her question.
"Ling, you're here? Have you been keeping Anna company the whole time?"
"Yes, and you? I saw you've already started working?"
Wang Ling asked Meryl a question, and Meryl nodded in response.
"Yes, I chose some logistics work, but there's just too much to do. I'm about to take over the plantation work in the manor and select some suitable ones to send to the plantation garden."
"And you, Ling, what are you busy with? Are you in logistics too?"
"No, I'm a field worker, but no one has given me any work yet."
Wang Ling agreed, then couldn't help but put down the knife in her hand.
Then, she gripped the knife and whispered to Meryl, "..."
"Meryl, how was your night? Did anyone bother you?"
"It's alright. Although there are a few guys who always like to stare at my chest, they don't even have the guts to talk to me."
Meryl immediately smiled and said to Wang Ling.
"This isn't the hotel we used to stay at, Ling. There's a really tough boss here. Gavin is a legend in Luanzhou. Nobody dares to cause trouble for his men. Don't be as wary as you used to be."
"Heh, easier said than done!"
Wang Ling wasn't so easily convinced by Meryl's words.
The reason why the four people in the hotel where they survived were all women was because the man who had ill intentions towards them was killed by Wang Ling!
Even so, Wang Ling could not forget that night when those two men inexplicably sneaked into her tent!
If she hadn't always carried a knife with her, she probably would have been raped that night!
Having had such an experience, how could she easily trust such a person?
Seeing the wariness on Wang Ling's face, Meryl shrank back sheepishly.
She had always been somewhat afraid of Wang Ling, after all, Wang Ling had killed people and had even cut off Manager Anna's arm in front of her.
Recalling that scene, Meryl nervously pursed her lips and asked in a low voice.
"How is Anna's injury, Ling?"
"Don't worry, Anna survived when we lacked medical supplies. Compared to then, Anna's situation is so much better now. She even had a fever last night!"
As Wang Ling answered, she stepped aside through the ward door, gesturing for Meryl to go in and take a look.
After a moment's thought, Meryl slipped into the ward and went to Anna's sleeping side.
Wang Ling glanced back at the hospital bed, then turned and strode away.
After arriving at the hall, Wang Ling rested her right hand on the samurai sword at her waist and asked Thomas with a flat mouth.
"Mr. Butler, is there anything I can do for you? I've had a whole day off!"
"Oh?"
Upon hearing Wang Ling's words, Thomas looked around, then pointed at Aunt Tara and said.
"Tara, explain to her that I have a lot of things to do."
"Alright, Mr. Butler, you go about your business. I'm going to have a good chat with the Chinese girl."
Tara immediately waved to Wang Ling.
Wang Ling glanced warily at Tara's figure, then moved closer to her.
Once bitten by a snake, twice shy. Wang Ling was quite paranoid, seeing danger everywhere.
Seemingly sensing Wang Ling's wariness, Tara grinned, her lips pursed, and chuckled.
"You're also a field worker, right? I think I saw you at the Qipei office this morning."
"Well, I've chosen the life of an explorer. Last night I even went out with Gavin—the boss. So, what should I do now?"
Wang Ling'er asked in a low voice.
In response to Wang Ling's question, Tara shrugged and replied with a single sentence.
"Why do you always like to find work for yourself? Don't you know that having no work is the best? Don't make yourself so stressed."
"Explorers have their own risks to take and their own lives to live. Since the boss and others haven't pulled you into a team to go out exploring, you might as well spend more time at the shooting range and gym."
"Look at me, I spent the whole afternoon at the gym after I got back this morning. Who would think I did anything wrong?"
"Stop joking. Exploration never ends. As long as we live, our steps will continue to expand. Whether we rest, train hard, play games, or have a good drink, it's all to build up strength for future explorations, isn't it?"
"Don't think you're new just because you're here. I've only been here a few days longer than you. I'm new here too. Hey Thomas, there's a car coming this way. It's behind the farm, and it seems to be approaching us from the other side of our broken fence."
Before Tara could finish speaking, Madison shouted something from the Erkang outpost.
Upon hearing this, Thomas abruptly put down his pen, then stood up and scanned the hall.
After circling around, Thomas waved to Wang Ling and Tara.
"Tara, Wang, you two come with me. We're going to test the new recruits and see if they're qualified to join us!"
"Yes, Mr. Butler, and Wang, did you bring your handgun?"
Tara answered Thomas first, then looked at Wang Ling's waist.
Meeting Tara's gaze, Wang Ling patted her lower back.
"I brought a gun, but I only practiced for one morning, so my marksmanship is really mediocre, extremely mediocre!"
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