Sunlight Potato

The potato seedlings steadily grew taller, spreading their stems and leaves. Once Accelerated Growth brought them to maturity, their leaves yellowed.

Lincon grabbed the roots and yanked them out in one pull. Under the bright sunlight, several potatoes hung clustered along the roots.

"So small!" Zhang Rui stared at the potatoes and could not help saying, "They were ultimately affected by the seed potatoes, which is why they're so small."

Plants used for breeding were generally the healthiest and strongest specimens, which avoided most hereditary plant diseases. The offspring they grew would also be larger.

These tiny potatoes before them were clearly unsuitable, but with Lincon here, Zhang Rui believed it was only a minor problem.

Plant Cultivators were truly reassuring abilities in the apocalypse, but they were simply too weak in combat, Li Zhouhai thought.

Cultivating plants was unlike the abilities of fire wielders or water wielders, which possessed powerful offensive strength. In Li Zhouhai's view, it was more suited for logistics.

Although the Ancient Maple Guardian put considerable pressure on him, if the ability user himself was not strong enough, most enemies could simply bypass the guardian and easily kill him.

Perhaps my arrival happens to make up for this fortress's shortcomings. Li Zhouhai could not help feeling somewhat pleased with himself.

He was already nearing seventy and had little desire for power, yet he particularly enjoyed the feeling of being needed.

Lincon gave one of the uprooted potatoes to Liu Ying, while he used all the rest to evolve into Sunlight Potatoes as seed potatoes.

[Sunlight Potato]

[An eggplant-family plant born after being burned by Purifying Fire and nourished by Sunlight Sunflower ash. When cooked, it has a soft, fluffy texture, as though it carries the taste of sunlight. Eating it provides ample fullness and satisfaction.]

"Looks like I'll be busy again from now on!"

Lincon stood up and returned Liu Ying to her father.

The man had followed them all the way here. There had been no lack of wariness in his eyes earlier; he had presumably been worried for his daughter's safety.

Liu Ying walked to her father's side and glanced back at Lincon reluctantly.

At the same time, a notification appeared on the panel: Liu Ying's loyalty had reached 80, and she was qualified to become his subject.

Lincon rather liked the little girl, so he agreed without the slightest hesitation.

However, when he saw Liu Ying's talent, he immediately called out to stop her.

[Subject: Liu Ying]

[Loyalty: 80]

[Talent: Growth Acceleration (awakening)]

[Growth Acceleration: Plants that are planted grow faster, slightly shortening their growth cycle, but consuming the user's mental energy.]

This was practically a weakened version of Accelerated Growth.

The way Lincon looked at Liu Ying gradually changed.

"Sir, do you need something else?"

"From now on, the work of growing potatoes will be entrusted to you two." After pondering for a moment, Lincon spoke calmly.

Liu Ying's father froze, then immediately revealed a delighted expression. He pulled Liu Ying along as they repeatedly bowed and thanked him.

This was no insignificant job.

In the Dark Age, food and water were the most important things.

Entrusting them with the task of growing Sunlight Potatoes showed how highly this lord regarded them.

More precisely, he valued Liu Ying.

Zhang Rui's gaze fell on Liu Ying as he pondered.

Lincon looked at Liu Ying and said evenly, "Next, I'll first accelerate enough potatoes to support the fortress for a while. After that, their care and cultivation will be left to you. Can you do it?"

Liu Ying was somewhat frightened, but after her father urged her on, she gathered her courage and nodded firmly.

"Very good." A faint smile appeared on Lincon's lips.

He said nothing more. Instead, he went to the plot of land he had previously selected for planting and ordered the Ancient Maple Guardian to use its vines to turn over the compacted soil. Then he tossed the potatoes in one by one.

After repeatedly using his ability to accelerate their growth, fresh shoots soon emerged from the soil.

To Lincon's surprise, the sprouts of the Sunlight Potatoes actually absorbed sunlight like Sunlight Sunflowers.

Furthermore, as Lincon accelerated them to maturity, the Sunlight Potatoes that emerged from the ground differed from potatoes of the old era. At the point where the mature potatoes connected to their roots were petal-like calyxes.

"Why do these potatoes look so strange? Are they edible?" Li Zhouhai asked in astonishment.

Lincon picked up a Sunlight Potato and weighed it in his hand. It was no lighter than an ordinary potato.

"These are Sunlight Potatoes. They're a different variety from old-era potatoes."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhouhai widened his eyes. He also picked up a potato and examined it closely in his hand.

"We'll know once we try them."

Lincon rubbed his stomach. He happened to be a little hungry as well.

So he had Zhang Rui gather some dry firewood, and the group sat down where they were to roast the potatoes.

After about half an hour, Zhang Rui raked aside the hot ashes and gently peeled off the charred, crisp skin of a Sunlight Potato. In an instant, an enticing fragrance drifted into everyone's nostrils.

"It smells so good!"

Li Zhouhai could not help swallowing.

The Sunlight Potato before them was golden yellow, with a layer of clear, translucent starch congealed across its surface. Its color was purer than any potato he had ever seen.

"Sir, you should eat first."

Zhang Rui was equally tempted by the Sunlight Potato in his hand, but he still offered it to Lincon first.

Lincon did not take the one in Zhang Rui's hand. Instead, he picked out a medium-sized one from the fire and handed it to the small, skinny Liu Ying beside him.

"You contributed it, so you should be the first to taste it."

Hearing that, Li Zhouhai, who had been about to swallow one skin and all, awkwardly halted his movement.

As everyone's eyes gathered on her,

Liu Ying slowly peeled away the blackened skin from the Sunlight Potato and took a bite.

Lincon did not know how the Sunlight Potato tasted either, so he felt somewhat uneasy.

"It's delicious!"

A blissful smile appeared on Liu Ying's little face, but tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks.

Now that Liu Ying had taken the first bite, Li Zhouhai, who had long been unable to endure it, hurriedly opened his mouth and bit down.

The sweet, soft, glutinous texture made Li Zhouhai feel as if he were bathing in warm sunlight. The unique satisfaction brought by the starch nearly made him cry out.

Ever since darkness descended, he did not know how long it had been since he had eaten something so delicious.

Lincon also took a bite. It truly tasted good, seemingly more fragrant and softer than ordinary potatoes, though it was still far inferior to the Beautiful Abalone Mushroom.

Wait...

Suddenly, all sorts of scenes flashed through Lincon's mind.

He stood up and looked toward the dense forest where the Pale Wraith was located.

He had gained some ideas regarding the residence in Shangmai City that Zhang Rui had mentioned earlier.

He remembered that when he had searched the dense forest for edible mushrooms, the first evolution path of the White Umbrella Mushroom was the Beautiful Abalone Mushroom, which enhanced its savoriness and could quickly restore physical strength after being eaten.

Its second evolution path was a strange plant called the Giant Mushroom.