Horse Bone

Chapter 28: Horse Bone

Zhao Hai was very clear that his Space had no attack ability and lacked active defense capabilities. Its sole function, aside from growing vegetables, seemed to be only providing him a place to hide. He had little confidence in using the Space to deal with Carrion Swamp. After all, Carrion Swamp was one of the five Great Forbidden Lands on the continent and was filled with Undead Creatures and poisonous Magic Beasts. The Space had no attack power, so how could he cope with Carrion Swamp?

As time passed unconsciously, Zhao Hai couldn't come up with a good solution. In the end, he could only decide that if the Magic Beasts from Carrion Swamp were to emerge, they would have to rely on the castle to defend themselves. If that didn't work, they could only retreat to the Space. Although the Space had more than ten mu of space, it could only accommodate a limited number of people.

Outside, Zhao Hai suddenly heard a commotion. He looked outside and realized that it was almost noon, and the slaves should be returning to have their meal. Zhao Hai stood up and prepared to go outside to take a look. He saw Meg and Blockhead coming from outside and immediately greeted them with a nod, saying, "Hello, Meg, Blockhead. How are things outside?"

Meg and Blockhead immediately bowed and greeted Zhao Hai, calling him "Young Master." Zhao Hai smiled and said, "I have something to tell you three. In the open area outside, gather all the corn stalks and corn and use them to build a fire. If the slaves feel cold at night, they can use these to keep warm."

Meg looked puzzled and asked, "Young Master, what are corn stalks and corn?" Zhao Hai smiled and explained, "Corn is a main crop that we will be planting. It can yield over 2000 jin (0.5 kg) per mu. Both the corn stalks and corn can be used for fuel. I've already discussed this with Merine Grandma. We will start planting corn in the future."

Meg's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Young Master, is the corn yield really that high?" Zhao Hai nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, it is. Go ahead and arrange everything. Merine Grandma has prepared the food, so make sure everyone is taken care of. Afterward, come back and we can talk."

The three of them nodded and turned to leave for their tasks outside. Merine also came out of the room at that moment. She had heard the commotion outside but didn't pay much attention to it. She knew that Meg could handle things well. Merine then turned to Zhao Hai and said, "Young Master, it's time for lunch. The food is ready."

Zhao Hai nodded and followed Merine to the dining hall. Merine went to the kitchen to bring the food, and Zhao Hai sat in the restaurant lost in thought. He realized that he had become lazier since arriving in Ark Continent. Back on Earth, he had to prepare three meals a day and do all the household chores by himself. But now, as the Young Master, he didn't have to do any of that. It was a strange feeling, and in just a few days, Zhao Hai had become accustomed to being served by others.

Lost in his thoughts, Merine brought the food to the table. Although the meal was simple, consisting of bread, some vegetables, and meat (only for Zhao Hai), Zhao Hai could see the care that Merine put into it. In the entire castle, he had the best things and the best food. The entire castle revolved around him. While he felt grateful, he also felt the weight of responsibility.

Zhao Hai was not a playboy like Adam Buda. He was a responsible man. The better Merine and the others treated him, the more pressure he felt. These people's lives centered around him. In other words, their survival depended on him. Even though the Buda Family was in decline, as long as he was alive, the family would survive. These people could be mistreated by other nobles if he didn't fulfill his responsibilities. Merine and the others might not be happy about that.

But Zhao Hai wasn't dissatisfied. These people relied on him for their survival, and he had the responsibility to make their lives better. He had to think about the present and ensure they had a better life. The pressure on him was immense.

Merine noticed that Zhao Hai hadn't touched his food and seemed lost in thought. She asked with concern, "Young Master, is something wrong? Does the food not taste good?" Zhao Hai snapped out of his reverie and turned to Merine with a smile, saying, "No, Merine Grandma, the food is delicious. I was just thinking about when I can provide such meals for everyone in the castle. That would make me truly satisfied."

Merine's eyes reddened, and she smiled at Zhao Hai, saying, "As long as Young Master has the Space, one day we will achieve that. I believe in you, Young Master." Zhao Hai nodded and said, "Yes, one day we will." Just as they were talking, Meg and the others returned from outside, and Merine went to the kitchen to serve them their meal.

After everyone finished eating, Zhao Hai turned to Merine and said, "Merine Grandma, in the afternoon, please organize them to go to the quarrying site. As for the mountain valley matter, I will take care of it. Just make sure you bring them to me every day, and that's all."

Merine had gained more confidence in Zhao Hai after witnessing his mysterious performance in the Space. She immediately nodded and said, "Alright, this afternoon I will organize them to go to the quarrying site. Young Master, you should rest in the afternoon."

Zhao Hai nodded, knowing that he couldn't help with the quarrying work due to the effects of drinking the Water of Nothingness. He also needed some rest since he had been exercising his body in the morning and had traveled a long distance. He lay down and quickly fell asleep.

When he woke up, Merine and the others had returned. Upon hearing what Merine had to say, Zhao Hai realized that they had encountered difficulties. It seemed they couldn't find a suitable quarrying site. The iron mine in the vicinity had already been depleted by the Dwarves, and the only quarrying site they found could only yield a limited amount of stone. Merine sighed in disappointment. The plan had to be canceled.

Zhao Hai understood the situation and realized that they would have to wait for Green to return to sell the radishes and buy weapons from outside. These past few days without Green, they were unable to do much. If Undead Creatures and poisonous Magic Beasts from Carrion Swamp were to attack, they could only retreat to the Space for safety.

While Zhao Hai was feeling helpless, Meg came running in with an excited expression on her face. She entered the room and happily said to Zhao Hai, "Young Master, I have good news!" After hugging Zhao Hai in excitement for a moment, Meg's demeanor changed imperceptibly. When she saw Zhao Hai now, she no longer lowered her head and seemed more lively than before.

Zhao Hai and Merine were surprised, and Merine immediately asked, "What happened?" Meg smiled and said, "Grandma, some of the slave workers approached me. They said they can make various things out of straw, such as mats, curtains, straw sandals, and more."

Zhao Hai was taken aback at first, but then his eyes lit up. He saw this as a turning point. Originally, when he set the regulation to free these slaves, he had stated that as long as they had a professional skill and demonstrated their proficiency, he would free them from slavery. However, these past few days, none of the slaves had come forward, indicating their fear and reluctance to reveal their skills. Changing this situation would require a long process, and someone had to set an example.

These slaves had been oppressed for too long, and their thinking had become rigid. It would take a long time to make them accept this new regulation. But Zhao Hai had mentally prepared himself for that. Unexpectedly, today the slaves had pleasantly surprised him by taking the initiative. Although they only claimed to have a common skill, it was a fantastic opportunity. When Zhao Hai set the regulation, he had desired a thousand gold coins to buy horse bones. And now, it seemed that horse bones had appeared.