Becoming Intelligent

Chapter 25: Becoming Intelligent

Zhao Hai and Merine looked around the mountain valley they had entered from the cavern. The mountain valley wasn't very large, just over a thousand mu in size, covered in black soil similar to the Black Wasteland. In the middle of the valley was a pool about ten meters in diameter with clear water. On the mountain wall opposite the cave entrance they had come out of, there was another smaller cave entrance, which seemed to be an ore vein as well.

Seeing these mine tunnels, Zhao Hai couldn't help but admire the Dwarves. They had hollowed out such a large mountain range and established so many tunnels. It must have required great effort and resilience. He wondered how they had achieved it.

Zhao Hai surveyed the area and nodded in approval. He asked Blockhead, "Blockhead, how did you discover this cavern?"

Blockhead smiled and replied, "Young Master, when I first saw this canyon, I jumped down from the cliff into the valley and found these two cave entrances. The other one had water and no passage, but this one had a way out, so I walked from the inside outward."

Zhao Hai nodded, understanding Blockhead's explanation. Blockhead had walked out from the cave entrance, which was why he had discovered the other cavern.

Merine also looked around the black soil area and agreed with Blockhead's assessment. She thought it was suitable for cultivation, although it would take some time to improve the land. Merine explored the cavern further, finding a circular space with no large rocks except for the black soil area and the pool, which seemed like a well-cultivated spot.

Zhao Hai also inspected the area and nodded in satisfaction. He was pleased with what he saw. Not only could they cultivate crops here, but the presence of the pool made irrigation convenient. Even if the water in the pool was not enough, there were two ponds in the cavern on either side, providing additional water sources.

Seeing Zhao Hai's nod of approval, Blockhead realized that Zhao Hai was satisfied. He quickly said, "Young Master, have you noticed something different here?"

Zhao Hai looked around but couldn't immediately spot anything unusual. He shook his head and replied, "I don't see anything different."

Blockhead smiled and said, "Young Master, haven't you felt it? The temperature in this canyon is higher than on the mountain. Also, look at the grass growing on the mountain walls. It's longer than the grass outside. Although it's spring now and the weeds haven't fully grown, the grass here is new and very long. Many of them have seeds. This indicates that this mountain valley is not affected by the cold winds. If that's the case, we can cultivate here throughout the year. It's really a good place."

Zhao Hai followed Blockhead's finger and noticed that the mountain walls were indeed covered with long grass. It was different from the grass outside. The grass outside appeared green, but on closer inspection, it seemed to have grown from hay and wasn't very long. However, the grass in the valley was long and lush.

Zhao Hai nodded. He also found it strange now. This mountain should have the same type of land as the mountain, not the black soil seen here. He wondered why this was the case.

Merine suddenly spoke, "That's well said. I never thought that Blockhead, such a simple-minded fellow, could observe such details. When did you become so intelligent?"

Merine's comment shocked Zhao Hai and Blockhead. They also found it strange because in their memory, Blockhead wasn't particularly intelligent. Not only was he not intelligent, but he was a bit slow in his speech and actions. How could he suddenly observe things so keenly and think so rationally?

Blockhead was also puzzled. He didn't know what had changed. Ever since he entered Zhao Hai's strange space, he felt like something had clicked, and he became more observant and thoughtful.

However, Blockhead didn't have many opportunities to demonstrate this. He had always followed Zhao Hai and listened to him. Merine and the others hadn't noticed any difference in Blockhead's behavior until now when he spoke up, and Merine sensed the change.

Merine had only casually commented earlier and didn't pay much attention. Seeing that the two were silent, she continued, "Young Master, this is really a good place. I also feel that the temperature here remains stable throughout the year. The water element in the air is very active. It's truly a good place. With some land improvements, it can become the best farmland."

Zhao Hai nodded and said to Merine, "Merine Grandma, do you know why the land in this canyon is black soil? Normally, this mountain's soil should be similar to the mountain itself, not the black soil seen here. If it were like the mountain, it would save us a lot of trouble."

Merine smiled and replied, "Young Master, you shouldn't be greedy. Finding such a place is already very good. You can gradually improve it. As long as we find a suitable place, we have nothing to fear."

Zhao Hai smiled and admitted, "You're right, Merine Grandma. I was being a bit greedy. This is indeed a good place, but there is a problem. It's nearly 1,000 mu in size, and we currently don't have any magic beasts for farming. If we want to cultivate, we'll have to rely on manpower, which means we'll need more people. Moreover, this place is quite far from the castle. It would take a long time for people to travel here, which would delay our overall progress. It's not easy to cultivate the entire area."

Merine smiled and said, "Young Master, how could you forget? There's a lake within this mountain. If the lake is connected to the lake behind our castle mountain, we can use boats for transportation. It would not only save time but also allow us to keep things more secret."

Zhao Hai was startled. He hadn't thought of that. If they could travel by water, it would be much faster than walking. It would also provide better concealment.

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "That's a good idea. Alright, let's go back. Unfortunately, we don't have a boat. If we did, we could return by water and see if we can go directly to the back of the castle."

Merine chuckled and said, "Young Master, did you forget? I am a Water Element Magician. I can carry two or three people and move across the water's surface without a boat. You don't need to worry. We can go back by water."

Zhao Hai was surprised but nodded in agreement. To be honest, even though he had been on Ark Continent for several days, he wasn't familiar with all the mysteries it held. This method of using magic to travel on water was something he had experienced on Earth, but he didn't expect it to be possible here as well.

Zhao Hai nodded and looked at the land they had improved. He said with a smile, "Merine Grandma, let's go back. Unfortunately, Meg and Stonehead must be very busy in the mansion."

Merine looked at the location they were standing in and realized that she hadn't paid attention. She nodded and said, "You're right. Let's go back." The three of them turned around and walked back towards the cavern they had come from.

After about 15 minutes, Merine spotted the lake ahead. It was a large lake that extended beyond their line of sight, except where it was blocked by the mountains on either side.

Zhao Hai stood by Merine's side. They were about three meters higher than the lake's surface. As they walked down, they found that the slope was quite gentle, as if it had been used by the dwarves to transport ore in the past.

The ground was covered in stones, and because it was close to the water, moss had grown over them, making it somewhat slippery.

Zhao Hai gazed at the water's surface and sighed, "Who would have thought that in Black Wasteland, there would be such a valuable and auspicious place hidden? If we only knew there were no fish in this lake, we could have a large-scale fish farm here."

Merine nodded and said, "Indeed, this lake is quite big. We can raise a lot of fish here. It could become a lucrative industry for our Buda Family in the future."

Zhao Hai nodded and then turned to Merine, asking, "Merine Grandma, when we were in the water just now, if there were any magic beasts, wouldn't we have encountered any problems?"

Merine smiled with confidence and replied, "Young Master, don't worry. I can assure you that we won't have any problems." With that, she took the lead and walked towards the lakeside. Zhao Hai followed closely behind, while Blockhead held onto Zhao Hai's arm. Despite the slippery ground, Blockhead walked steadily like a mountain.