The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Chapter 0485 Mutated Crops (Second Update)

Heavy snow was whirling in the air, swiftly enveloping Fresh Flower Town in a silver garment, with only the roads remaining clear.

The officials organized the serfs who had no tasks at hand, continually clearing the accumulated snow on the roads to ensure all the pathways throughout the town were unobstructed.

Meanwhile, some roads were still under construction, with rocks produced by the Blizzard Beasts being constantly broken into cobblestones to pave the roads. The main thoroughfare of Fresh Flower Town had already been expanded to accommodate four carriages driving abreast, and the roads between various settlements could also fit two carriages side by side.

While other towns commonly had mud roads, Fresh Flower Town had already achieved modernization in transportation.

Viscount Liszt, the Lord Landlord, always remembered the slogan, "If you want to be rich, build roads first." Without smooth roads, the development of Fresh Flower Town would always be limited.

Although fundamental construction required the burning of a substantial amount of funds, it was absolutely a significant boost to economic development.

Liszt even had a plan to collaborate with Tulip Castle to build a gravel road from Fresh Flower Town to Coral City to further reduce the travel time between the two. However, this road would be costly, and the Earl might not agree.

At least until Black Horse Island experienced an economic boom that would greatly enhance trade between the two, it was highly unlikely that the road would be built.

People in this world did not yet have the concept of "infrastructure development."

To the nobles, it made no difference whether the serfs walked on a gravel road or a mud road; whether they trod on green pastures or through excrement and wastewater.

Only Liszt would go to great lengths to build infrastructure.

On Black Horse Island, he had already planned numerous future roads wide enough for four carriages to drive side by side—simply called four-lane roads.

Between every two towns, there would be a four-lane road. In the future, as the cities of New Harbor Town and the port town developed and were upgraded, a direct six-lane road would also be built.

He believed that Black Horse Island's industries would need such roads for support.

...

On this day.

More good news arrived.

The serf household that had discovered the Pea Cordyceps reported a miraculous change in their peas—the influence of the Pea Cordyceps allowed peas to grow even in autumn and winter. However, as the Pea Cordyceps were removed, the leftover peas at home could no longer thrive.

Now that the pea shoots had withered, the serfs planned to uproot them and gather the mature peas as seeds—these peas had developed well and were excellent seeds.

But.

When he pulled out the roots of the peas, he found nodules the size of fingernails. The serf remembered the Lord Landlord mentioning that leguminous plants had rhizobia in their roots, which could enhance crop production, so he excitedly reported his discovery.

The local officials, naturally having heard Liszt explain the benefits of rhizobia for the soil and plants, immediately reported to the Castle, informing Liszt.

"Many nodules the size of fingernails?" Liszt understood at once that these were the "peas that produce rhizobia" from the previous Smoke Mission reward.

He immediately led the Retainer Knights to the serf's home to see the peas.

The roots of the peas were quite loose, indeed harboring a large number of nodules. Not only were they numerous, but also significantly larger than the artificially inoculated soybeans with nodules that Liszt had seen on Earth.

He immediately ordered all the peas to be uprooted, discovering that there were more than twenty plants with rich nodules on their roots, while the rest of the peas were quite ordinary.

"Gather all these nodules and preserve them carefully. Next spring, when planting peas, soybeans, peanuts, and the like, remember to use soil mixed with these nodules. Also, buy up all these pea seeds for focused cultivation next year, planting them near the Pea Cordyceps," he ordered.

"Yes, Lord," the officials hastily noted down Liszt's instructions.

The new variety of peas were named "Mushroom Peas" by Liszt, meaning they were peas that could produce rhizobia.

```

He believed that with the continuous cultivation of the Pea Cordyceps, the Rhizobia that Liszt was hoping for would be produced in large quantities, boosting the yield of all leguminous plants and enriching the fertility of the soil.

"The estate now has more and more new varieties of crops."

On the way back, he suddenly thought that many new varieties of crops had been born in this land over the past two years.

The Black Tulip was first, followed by Corn Grass, Smoked Grass (Smoked Grass probably doesn't count, as it should grow in other areas too; after all, Liszt recognized it from a Knight's Novel), and then the Flame Mushroom, the Ice Snow Flame Mushrooms, and after that came the Rapid Growth Thorn.

The Rapid Growth Thorn set off a trend of crop mutation and led to Liszt's unique naming method.

Suddenly, five new varieties emerged—Rapid Growth Thorn, Rapid Growth Poison Thorn, Rapid Growth Spiky Thorn, Rapid Growth Iron Thorns, and Rapid Growth Magic Thorn.

Two new varieties of Rubber Tree were developed—Fruit Rubber and Fan Rubber (a new Cordyceps species, its use currently unknown).

Corn Grass developed into three new varieties—Grain Corn, Oil Corn, and Stick Corn.

Now peas have also yielded a new variety—the Pea Cordyceps.

In addition, there's the mutated Auxiliary Medicine Dragon Mallow; these new mutant crop varieties were all named in the format of "property" plus "original name," creating new names.

"These really are interesting names, distinctive and self-explanatory, simple yet expressive." He was quite satisfied with his own naming ability.

...

The Pea Cordyceps was just a small episode.

The chaos in the estate caused by the influx of new serfs soon settled into stability, without needing Liszt's concern. He resumed his usual schedule, living a plain but fulfilling life. Lately, his greatest pleasure was to train Thorn Minor Elf Jela, teaching it to be an elf again.

Without the prompting of the Smoke Mission, Liszt probably wouldn't have had any idea how to educate an elf.

He would simply think of elves as straightforward farming tools, without considering "ideological reformation." Now it seems, at times spiritual power should not be underestimated, as it can brainwash humans, unleashing enormous productivity in work; similarly, why couldn't it brainwash elves.

He had experience in teaching the Blizzard Beast.

So, he quite enjoyed educating Jela, continuously guiding her to channel her anger into growing thorns. After five days of training, Jela finally completely adapted to the new behavior, whenever she disliked other minor elves or got angry.

She would run to the Thorn Garden, use her magic power to promote the growth of thorns.

"Good girl!" Liszt would then offer loving encouragement, a rewarding word of praise, a gentle pat, or a little treat.

Jela would be instantly delighted.

Afterwards, he summoned the Smoke Mission.

"Task completed, reward one Thorn Elf Bug."

No surprises, having spent every day recently in the Thorn Garden, the Smoke Mission's reward indeed originated there. It was a Rapid Growth Magic Thorn that had undergone a change; a large bulge had grown on its branches. Magic power gathered inside, evidently nurturing an Elf Bug.

"It looks like it has been nurturing for several days, not just recently developed; seems like it's not influenced by Jela?" Liszt mused.

Thorns are evergreen plants all year round, with slower growth in the winter.

Because Magic Potion itself has magic power, Liszt hadn't noticed the abnormality of this particular Magic Potion before; now judging from the degree of magic power accumulation, it had been nurturing for at least half a month.

Regardless.

The emergence of this Thorn Bug came just at the right time, alleviating the shortage of Magic Potion.

```