Chapter 12: Setting Off to the Fields

Before long, the students received word that the Queen had approved their stay in Building Twelve, sending them into joyful jumps and cheers.

They had been eager to explore the inside of the dormitory for a while now.

With permission granted, Mr. Nan Lü led the students inside. The building was unoccupied, and a lower-class demon on duty came to open the door for them.

It was the first time the young demon children had seen a lower-class demon up close, and their curiosity got the better of them—they secretly stole glances at him.

The demon who opened the door, A'Cao, was trembling. He had never been surrounded by city-born children before, and their stares made him feel anxious and uneasy.

Fortunately, the students weren't frightened by him, and soon the door was fully opened. A'Cao stepped aside.

"This building is vacant, so you can stay here without worry. If you need anything, just call me. Also, outside the city, you'll hear drum signals in the morning. The first drum is the wake-up call. The second is for everyone to take out their chamber pots—someone will come to collect them, and I'll help bring yours out. The third drum signals breakfast. Where will you all be eating?"

Mr. Nan smiled. "We have meals delivered specially for us, so we won't trouble you with that."

A'Cao lingered awkwardly at the doorway, while Mr. Nan suddenly thought of something.

"The Queen told you all before—what should you say when someone helps you?"

The students immediately turned to A'Cao and chorused, "Thank you, Uncle!"

A'Cao was stunned. These city-born children didn't look down on him at all—they even thanked him! He wasn't sure he deserved such kindness.

And from what Mr. Nan was saying, it seemed to be something the Queen had taught them. If only his son could attend school too... He had heard that the school provided meals and taught reading and writing.

"N-No need to thank me," A'Cao stammered, his face flushing. Meanwhile, the students, like birds set free, eagerly dashed into the dormitory.

The dormitory had different room types—eight-person rooms with bunk beds and desks, and four-person rooms. Each student was assigned a desk, chair, and a large wardrobe. Additionally, each room had a separate bathroom with a chamber pot.

"Mr. Nan, we want to stay here!"

Close friends had already picked their rooms. Most were fascinated by the concept of bunk beds and chose those rooms without hesitation.

"Alright, boys and girls will stay in separate rooms. If anyone is left without a group, you can stay with me. Feel free to choose your roommates."

Both Mr. Nan Lü and Mr. Zhong Shang had undergone temporary training with the Queen before school started, so they had a good grasp of how to guide the students—such as respecting their interests and treating everyone fairly.

"The Queen said that if you're staying here, you must clean the place every day. You also need to dress properly, keep your hair neat, and not make a mess of the rooms. Understood?"

The students responded in unison, "Understood!"

To ensure they had a proper dining space, the activity room on the first floor had been temporarily converted into a cafeteria, large enough for the students to sit and eat comfortably.

"Now, put down your schoolbags. We're going to visit the fields the Queen mentioned."

Though reluctant to leave their newly assigned rooms, the students obediently set down their bags. Even though there was nothing on the beds and the rooms were mostly empty apart from the furniture, they still loved their new space—it was brighter and more spacious than their homes.

In the city, demon families lived in relatively small houses. Homes were packed closely together, with no courtyards or second floors. Many houses were in such disrepair that they were uninhabitable, and it wasn't uncommon for children as old as eleven or twelve to still share a room with their parents.

Although these students were city-born, they weren't exactly wealthy—just slightly better off than those outside the city.

Mr. Nan Lü followed the guide to the fields.

The Queen had told them that crops were being grown here, but he had a hard time believing it.

It wasn't that he doubted the Queen's words—it was just that everyone knew scorched earth was barren and incapable of sustaining crops.

Still, the Queen had always worked for the benefit of the demons, and they all recognized her efforts. He simply thought this particular endeavor was an unfortunate impossibility.

Even so, he had brought the students out here to give them a broader view of the world.

The Queen was right—they couldn't remain frogs at the bottom of a well, never seeing the world beyond the city walls.

Meanwhile, after Mr. Nan Lü left with the students, Mr. Zhong Shang and Mr. Qing He arrived outside the city.

As they passed through the streets, they overheard parents packing bedding and clothes for their children.

But when they reached the outskirts, they were shocked.

When had these dozens of buildings been built?!

A'Cao, who was on duty, learned they were teachers from the city school and led them to Building Twelve.

"This building is reserved for students. No one else lives here."

Mr. Zhong Shang fired off a series of questions, and A'Cao, initially nervous, gradually opened up. By the end, he was talking freely.

Mr. Zhong Shang chuckled. "They say the demons outside the city are not talkative. Looks like I was mistaken."

A'Cao scratched the back of his head and replied sheepishly, "What you heard wasn't wrong. It's just that after talking to Mr. Nan earlier, I finally mustered the courage to speak more."

Mr. Zhong Shang laughed heartily, while Mr. Qing He smiled slightly. "If the city didn't hold so many prejudices, no one would be able to tell you were from outside the walls just by the way you speak."

A'Cao was taken aback, knowing this was the highest form of praise he could receive.

"Thank you for the compliment. I think life outside the city is quite good now—we have jobs and food. That's more than enough for us."

Mr. Zhong Shang mused, "Who knows? Maybe in a few years, the area outside the city will be even more prosperous than inside."

A'Cao didn't dare respond. He had never even considered such a possibility.

The towering city walls were like an unbreachable barrier, separating the safety and stability of the city from the hunger and disease of the outside world. Every few years, there was a beast tide, forcing demons living in the forests to hide in caves, rarely seeing daylight.

But now, they no longer had to go hungry. There was even a clinic for treating illnesses. Their houses were sturdy—strong enough to withstand a beast tide without collapsing.

The demons in the dormitory were all quite satisfied with their new lives.

Mr. Nan Lü led the students to the fields.

The remnants of abandoned houses still stood nearby, but they were unoccupied now. The surrounding farmland was fenced off, with soldiers guarding the perimeter.

When the soldiers saw Mr. Nan Lü approaching with a group of people, they stepped forward to confirm his identity.

"You're the teacher and students authorized by the Queen to harvest the crops, correct?"

Mr. Nan Lü took out the parchment bearing the Queen's seal.

After verifying it, the soldiers nodded. "All clear. You may enter."

The students stepped into the field but were careful not to move around too much—Mr. Nan had told them this was land where the Queen had planted crops.

One student raised a hand. "Class leader, didn't Mr. Nan say scorched earth can't grow anything?"

Lian Rui didn't know the answer, but she trusted the Queen.

"If Her Majesty says it can, then it must be true. No more questions—go get your trowels."

The students lined up and received small trowels from the soldiers. Their task was to carefully dig up the crops that the Queen had ordered planted.

Even Mr. Nan Lü took one, though it was almost comically small in his hands.

Kneeling on the ground, he demonstrated, "Watch closely. Gently push the trowel into the soil like this. If you hit something, pull it out and try a different spot. Be careful not to damage the crop."

A student asked, "What if we break it?"

Mr. Nan Lü dusted off his hands. "As long as it wasn't intentional, it's fine."

The scorched earth cracked easily underfoot, with no moisture beneath it.

He had knelt on the ground just moments ago, but after standing and patting off the dust, his clothes were clean again.

This was the same cursed scorched earth that had troubled the Demon King for years—yet today, they were about to see if it could truly yield a harvest.