Chapter 73
A day later.
The Gardening Garden on Starplex's second floor.
“Haaaah...”
After sending seeds to the kids who were about to become farmers.
I slept for a while, got up, and was looking through the backlog of comments.
System-nim sent us seed potatoes!!!
ㄴ Whoa, seed potatoes!!
ㄴ Wait, potatoes?
Now I'm going to plant potatoes!!!
ㄴ Me too
ㄴ 333
ㄴ Kyaa
ㄴ The GOAT of survival crops
Potatoes!!!!!!
ㄴ Can we really eat potatoes now!!!
ㄴ The apocalypse's staple food has entered the chatㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Kyaa, this is it
ㄴ System-nim's pick is fucking incredible
ㄴ ㄹㅇ An educated man...
French fries, potato pancakes, potato stew—get ready, fuck ㅠㅠㅠ
ㄴ Nah, I'm just going to roast them
ㄴ Nah, I'm going to boil them
ㄴ I'll even eat them raw ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Bring on the raw potatoesㅋㅋㅋ
Seeing the users' reactions, it seemed I'd made a pretty excellent choice.
The reason I chose potatoes over the other seeds was simple.
I think I'd heard somewhere that they were pretty cost-effective.
“Even as much of a dumbass as I am, I know that.”
Self-awareness GOAA.
“Fuck, how do you spell GOAT?”
What was it again? It suddenly slipped my mind.
I think I just saw it.
“Jomssaem, do you know GOAT?”
Grrr-!
Zombie GOAT Jomssaem.
“Hmm.”
Anyway, from the perspective of the Gallery users who needed to become self-sufficient, I figured potatoes were a decent choice.
Of course, for now it was potatoes, but if I got the chance, I planned to send them other things to grow too.
“Mmm... watermelon...”
I suddenly had a craving for watermelon.
- [Troll NEET] : Anyone else craving watermelon?
- [Speedrun] : Auh-auh-auh-auh-auh-auh-auh-auh
- [Shop Wiki] : I have no choice but to agree with that claim
- [Head Mod] : ...I like watermelon... I want some;;
- [Healer Union] : : “You need to have some first.”
They want some too, apparently.
Should I just unlock the produce section on B1 right now?
“Let's think about it.”
When I scrolled past that post, a new featured post was pinned.
Title : *Featured [Shop Wiki] Analysis of WHY System-nim patched in farming content!!!
You were all surprised by the sudden appearance of farming content, but...
I analyzed this patch from the perspective of civilization's tech tree!!
As everyone knows, the evolution of human civilization began with hunter-gatherers >> and later continued into the Agricultural Revolution.
What have our lives been like over the seven months since the apocalypse?
Roaming outside and scavenging pre-apocalypse items—in other words, picking up scrap >> gathering
Hunting rat meat and animals, and killing mutants to obtain mana stones and food >> hunting
In other words, conceptually speaking, we had been living a rather primitive lifestyle.
But after experiencing the Chapter 2 patch, we became even stronger than before.
We established safer zones more firmly, took in even ordinary people, and awakened them.
In other words, the System-nim's algorithm judged that the conditions for our civilization to move on to the next stage had been met!!!
We've finally reached the gathering >>> hunting >>> agriculture stage!!!
Holy shit
ㄴ Oh, this actually sounds plausible this time?
ㄴ ㄹㅇ Good analysis.
ㄴ Is this... the dignity of a graduate student...?
It really makes sense ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Hunting >> agriculture >> That's it.
ㄴ Ooh
Besides, choosing Anseong, which is relatively safe compared to the Capital Area, as an agricultural region << this wasn't a coincidence.
ㄴ There really was intent behind it.
So System-nim is... the GOAT even at making geographic judgments...?
ㄴ [Healer Union] “Ma Sok.”
ㄴ Bro
ㄴ That's not it.
ㄴ I said GOAT at geographic judgment!!
ㄴ Fuck, why did you bring up Ma Sokㅋㅋㅋ
But then does that mean the System really is a data algorithm...?
ㄴ If it's truly a civilization tech tree... then it is an algorithm.
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] I have no choice but to agree with that claim!!!
ㄴ Ooh, the Wiki school strikes back!!!!
ㄴ How long has it been since the Wiki school last struck back!!
[Head Mod] I cannot agree with that claim...
ㄴ Kyaㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ I never thought the Head Mod would say that...
ㄴ He stole the lineㅋㅋㅋ
No, the System is a constellation!!!
ㄴ No, we're talking about the Constellation school here. System-nim just gave us the key to advance to the next civilization.
ㄴ He started the Agricultural Revolution!
ㄴ Up until now, these were convenience patches, but this time it's production.
Oh, then... does that mean an Industrial Age will come someday...?
ㄴ Is an Information Age coming too?
ㄴ The Lost Technology boom is coming...!!
ㄴ ㄹㅇ Does this mean the Singularity is coming...
But then from the System's perspective, does that mean we were basically primitive cavemen monkeys all along?
ㄴ He... treats us like monkeys...?
ㄴ Ooh-ooh?
ㄴ Ooh-ooh-ooh?
But that's what we were originally, wasn't it?
ㄴ Why are you acting surprised now, ooh-ooh!
ㄴ Ooh-ooh-ooh
ㄴ Ooh-ooh
Hmm. Honestly, it was a coincidence.
“Ooh-ooh?”
But even if you fall backward, call it a backflip; if the result is good, it's all good.
Just as I was reading Wiki-guy's logical, well-reasoned post, another featured post appeared.
Title : *Featured [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] Harvested potatoes!!!!
(Roughly, a photo of potatoes covered in dirt inside a box. JPG)
I just harvested potatoes!! ㅇㅇ!!!
I'm going to roast these right now!!!! Kya!!!! Bring it on!!!!
?!!
ㄴ Huh?
ㄴ What the heck?
Didn't you plant the potatoes just yesterday...?
ㄴ It was almost a day ago...?
Wait, the potatoes fully grew in one day??
Fuck, are those actually safe to eat?
ㄴ It's fakeㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Obviously fakeㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] It's not fake, it's real!!!!
It was a post saying the potatoes had already fully grown.
“Huh?”
Wait, the potatoes fully grew in one day?
[Anseong Tangtang Ramen] Is it because the facilities are so good...? These things are growing at an absurd rate!!
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] They're growing fast enough to see with the naked eye!
ㄴ ???
ㄴ Is it a System-nim buff...?
No way, that's bullshit.
ㄴ What do you think this is, Core Keeper?
ㄴ Ahㅋㅋ Is this Stardew Valleyㅋㅋ
ㄴ Potatoes grew in one day, my assㅋㅋㅋ
But is there any reason they couldn't?
ㄴ There isn't, ㅇㅇㅇ
ㄴ We already have Awakeners, so what could possibly be impossible?
ㄴ Fair point.
But how long do potatoes normally take to grow?
ㄴ Even with plenty of sunlight... maybe two or three months...?
ㄴ Wow, that's fucking incredible, ㄹㅇ
ㄴ Look at that efficiency.
Most users were unable to believe this absurd sight.
Hey!! I'm in Pyeongtaek!!
ㄴ Our potatoes have fully grown too!
ㄴ ?!!
We're in Cheonan, and our potatoes are fully grown here too...!!!
ㄴ We're digging up potatoes right now!!!
ㄴ Huh??!!
ㄴ What?
Even the users in Pyeongtaek and Anseong were cross-confirming that all their potatoes had fully grown.
“Let's take a look.”
Perhaps because it was a smart farm, CCTV cameras had been installed inside, just as in the restrooms, though the setup was slightly different.
I could check this CCTV using a similar principle.
But then.
“Huh?”
In my view, the lush green potato plants growing inside the smart farm had flourished and emerged from the soil.
- It's potatoes! Potaaatoees!!!
- They're really potatoes! Potatoes!!!!
- System-nim!! Thank you!!!!
- We'll enjoy them!!!!
On top of that, I could even see both couples looking satisfied as they dug up the potatoes.
“Wow, it's real.”
But how did these grow so quickly?
[Multiple Gardening Garden tiles have been placed in adjacent areas!]
[Tile Resonance synergy activated!]
Ooh, is this another blessing from the synergy?
It seemed that as the Gardening Garden expanded and became a smart farm, the synergy effect had added something like increased growth speed.
“Even so, it's this efficient??”
But even then, producing potatoes in a single day was insanely efficient.
Who am I?
“Is this... a Black Zone Awakener?”
I can make potatoes grow in a single day.
I can control the growth rate of potatoes!
“This is fucking fun.”
It really feels like I'm playing some kind of game, so this is fun.
Seeing people able to farm made me feel a little proud too.
Just as I was turning my attention back to the comment section.
Ding-!
[An export duty has been deposited]
+ 10 mana stones
Along with an alert that suddenly appeared in front of me, mana stones plopped down.
Huh? This is the first deposit window I've ever seen.
“Payment for the shipment?”
What the hell is this all of a sudden?
[Harvests grown inside tiles are subject to an export duty when taken outside, according to regulations]
[Export duty: 10 mana stones per 10 kg of harvest]
“Oh.”
To take goods produced at the smart farm outside, they had to pay mana stones.
“About 10 mana stones per 10 kilos.”
I didn't know about this, but this is an interesting system too.
This is the first time I've copied a tile capable of production, so it's pretty novel.
“Then is the revenue structure basically rent and export duties?”
It wasn't a structure that generated an enormous number of mana stones, but this was satisfactory enough.
“That's not bad.”
After all, my primary sources of income were the always-available restrooms and medicine vending machines + open runs.
For now, those alone generated enough profit.
I'd built several smart farms in the southern region partly to earn mana stones.
But more than anything, it was also to promote regional development and activate the circulation of the mana stone economy.
“This feels like just the right balance, I'd say.”
The southern newbies had already been struggling because they had no mana stones, so this seemed like exactly the right amount.
Ten mana stones is a fucking steal!!!
How much should we sell this for??
System-nim! Thank you so much for giving us a way to live...!!!
And so the couple left, cheering inside the CCTV feed.
At the same time, a post selling potatoes immediately went up in the Gallery.
Title : [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] Selling System-nim's potatoes!!!!!
If you come to the front of the Anseong smart farm right now!!!!
Freshly harvested, piping-hot potatoes for mana stones!!!
They're fresh organic potatoes!!!!
?!
ㄴ Are you really selling them???
ㄴ Wow, they're really farm-grown...?
ㄴ Look at all that dirt on them.
How much?
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] Make me an offer.
ㄴ Bro
ㄴ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ “Make me an offer,” my assㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ What a fucking scumbagㅋㅋㅋ
[Anseong Tangtang Ramen] I'm kidding! Since the Head Mod recently received a quest from System-nim and established fixed prices!! I'm going to try to do my part too!!!
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] One box is 10 KG!! After calculating this and that, I was thinking maybe 80–100 mana stones!
ㄴ Niiice!
ㄴ That's an insane bargain.
Agriculture and distribution should be honest, as expected.
ㄴ This is it.
ㄴ On how an agricultural world without post-apocalypse price gouging or middlemen has been activated...
ㄴ This too must be System-nim's grace...
ㄴ Kyaa
Seeing the seller post the potato sale right away, they passed the employee test.
“Is this... the power of a building owner and a landowner...?”
I can sit back, collect rent and export fees, and live the good life.
And bring a virtuous cycle to the outside world.
Kyaa, System-nim really is the answer to regional revitalization.
ㄴ Reviving rural farms is the G r e a t S y s t e m
Is it hard to earn mana stones because of Fucking Jinhyeok?
ㄴ Is it hard because the population is small?
ㄴ System: “Uh... then you guys farm.”
ㄴ This is it.
ㄴ This is what I'm talking about.
This is a real content update, ㅇㅇ
ㄴ The farming content was genuinely innovative.
ㄴ Ah, I'm jealous of the southern newbies ㅠㅠ
ㄴ ㅠ
Besides, people's perception of the southern newbies was improving along with it.
Title : No, fuck, if potatoes grow in one day... can I move to the countryside...?
I'm tired of fighting every day, and sick of living by scavenging scrap...
Can I move down to the country and just farm for a living...?
A would-be rural migrant has appearedㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Rural migration, my assㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
No, but if potatoes really grow in one day, moving to the country really is an option.
ㄴ Post-apocalypse rural life <<< This is romance.
[White Night] Tsk... Should I go too...? It does sound romantic...
ㄴ No, why are you interpreting that as romantic!!!
ㄴ You guys stay here!!!
But I just want to farm and live quietly...
ㄴ ㄹㅇ I just want to farm and live quietly ㅠㅠ
ㄴ I want to go too.
ㄴ Me too ㅠ
Is the System solving rural depopulation and Capital Area overcrowding like this?
ㄴ System-nim has a purpose behind everything ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Kyaa, this System bastard is seriously good at his job.
ㄴ He's System-nim, you bastard!!!
ㄴ S y s t e m - n i m, please learn already.
System-nim doesn't want anyone to be left out...
ㄴ The southern region wasn't a place to be discarded after all...
ㄴ Sob!!!
ㄴ How many sad days had they endured!!!
But first, there probably aren't any greenhouses.
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] That's true, but...
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] For now, we've decided to take turns using it one day at a time with our neighbors!
ㄴ Oh, how friendly.
ㄴ Is this... the warmth of the countryside...?
Besides, one or two more Gallery users were beginning to eye rural migration after seeing that impact.
“Post-apocalypse rural life... it is romantic.”
Was solving rural depopulation and Capital Area overcrowding really this easy?
Things are falling into place this neatly.
But not everything was going to be resolved so easily.
They still had one minor problem.
Anseong is too far away ㅠㅠㅠ
ㄴ Aren't they selling in Pyeongtaek??
We're selling too! Come to the front of the Pyeongtaek smart farm!!!
ㄴ Ooh!!!
ㄴ Cheonan is digging them up too, just wait a little!!
I'm packing my things to go buy potatoes right now ㅇㅇ
ㄴ I'm packing tooㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ It's pretty far, so I'm bringing food for the trip.
[Mythos] !!! Can we sign a contract with the guild?
ㄴ [God of War] Can you deliver here?
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] Uh... delivery... that's... kind of...
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] It's pretty far, so traveling is a bit difficult too...
ㄴ [Anseong Tangtang Ramen] We're... not combat-type Awakeners either... if we run into zombies on the way...
Hmm... this is a problem.
ㄴ It is a little far to walk, ㅇㅇ
ㄴ Even with an Awakener's body, running there like hell would probably take twelve hours round trip?
But what if they slowly attract zombie aggro along the way?
ㄴ Walking does make it easy to draw aggro, ㅇㅇ
ㄴ But we can't run that whole distance.
ㄴ Only Speedrun can do that, ㅇㅇ
But is that really a problem?
ㄴ They say we can eat potatoes?
ㄴ Exactlyㅋㅋㅋ
Fuckㅋㅋ Constipation, bring it on.
ㄴ Even if I die, I'll die after eating potatoes...
Then why doesn't Speedrun just deliver everything?
ㄴ [Speedrun] You must respect me.
ㄴ Speedrun's busy... would Speedrun even do it?
ㄴ ㄹㅇ It's not like Speedrun is heading out to exterminate zombies;;
ㄴ Entering the Red Zone, then scouting the Black Zone << Explanation –Complete-
The problem was that the distance made it difficult for non-combat Awakeners to trade potatoes.
“Hmm...”
Then should I just deliver them one by one?
Anything produced on copied tiles was legally recognized as my property, so of course I could deliver it.
If all else failed, I could simply register them in the Shop.
“But... this is a little annoying.”
Recently, I'd started quite a few things to mess with the Apocalypse System.
I also had my Kopang part-time job, and I had to check the Gallery and send out daily quest rewards.
Besides, if I registered them in the Shop, there was a problem: not everyone in the Capital Area would be able to purchase them freely.
“It's not impossible... Should I just do it?”
Of course, I didn't have much to do here, so I could if I wanted to.
But checking every day that the potatoes had fully grown and sending however many they needed sounded like a hassle.
Besides, I'd have to communicate with the newbie farmers too.
“Hmm...”
I was lost in thought for a moment.
At that moment.
“Huh?”
A genius idea occurred to me.
“Why don't I just let them handle the distribution themselves!!!”
I immediately got on the elevator.