My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 308

Chapter 308: Chapter 308 The Harvest
Kisha was unsure how long Marcus had been working on the farm, but he had already tilled all available plots of land and planted every seed she had bought. He had even allowed some vegetables to mature enough to harvest their seeds, which would enable him to plant more.

He had also planted a substantial amount of corn, and Kisha’s eyes lit up at the sight of the healthy crops. She realized she needed to add rice and wheat to the list of plants, as her current inventory would eventually run out from feeding the base and supplying the Supply Center. To ensure a diverse and sustainable food supply, she needed seeds for a wider variety of vegetables and staple foods like flour and rice.

Luckily, some of the vegetables had grown quickly, and Marcus had already harvested 100 kilograms of them. Only a small amount remained to be harvested to complete her Class A Mission: “Planting and Harvesting.”

Kisha suddenly remembered, “Wait… Didn’t I ask Duke when we first met in this life to prepare all kinds of seeds?” It dawned on her that she had indeed requested Duke to prepare a variety of seeds, along with livestock and supplies, which were now in her inventory.

She had forgotten about this detail, as she was so focused on the bigger picture that smaller details had slipped her mind.

She stood dumbstruck for a few seconds before her excitement got the better of her. She quickly found a spot to sit and started fiddling with her inventory. Fortunately, her inventory was categorized, which made searching easier. However, since the seeds were categorized under ‘Other,’ she had to use the search bar to locate all the seeds she had stored.

It was then that she realized Duke must have raided a seed store, as her inventory was stocked with every seed she could imagine. There were strawberry seeds, watermelon seeds, melon seeds, rice seeds, wheat seeds, and a variety of grains and rice seeds from different countries. With such an extensive collection, she felt that even the 100 acres of land might not be enough to accommodate all the seeds she had.

After confirming that she had all the seeds she could possibly need, Kisha rushed over to Marcus, who was busy harvesting the first batch of cucumbers. “Marcus, look!” she exclaimed, holding up a stack of seed packets in her arms.

Marcus finally noticed Kisha in the territory. As he glanced up, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her running toward him with an armful of seed packets. He had been concerned about running low on seeds and had planned to let the crops mature and harvest their seeds, a process that would take time. But with this new batch of seeds, he was thrilled at the prospect of bypassing the lengthy approach. This meant he could focus on growing more crops without the added delay of harvesting seeds.

Kisha and Marcus found a comfortable spot to sit, and Kisha laid down the seed packets she had been carrying. Marcus eagerly began inspecting each packet with a broad smile. Seeing the top-notch quality of the seeds, he couldn’t help but ask Kisha where she had sourced them from.

Kisha rubbed the tip of her nose in embarrassment and explained, “I’ve had these all along. I asked Duke to prepare them before the apocalypse, and when I received all the supplies, I just stored everything in my inventory. I didn’t have time to check each item, so I completely forgot about the seeds until just now when I wanted to plant rice. I was actually considering going out to find some seeds. Hehehe.” Kisha looked awkwardly at Marcus, a sheepish smile on her face.

It was a rookie mistake, and she certainly wasn’t a rookie. Kisha felt a pang of shame for her oversight, but she was relieved to have discovered the seeds before she had to venture outside and inconvenience the warriors with a potentially unnecessary trip.

Seeing her like this made Marcus breathe a sigh of relief. Kisha usually wore an indifferent and cold expression, making it difficult to gauge her thoughts. She often seemed lost in complex considerations beyond her years, and her current display of embarrassment and excitement was a welcome change from her usual demeanor.

Seeing her express so much emotion over a simple mistake was both refreshing and novel for Marcus, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. Kisha, feeling a bit absurd herself, joined in the laughter. Once they settled down, she helped Marcus sort the seeds and plan their planting strategy, prioritizing which crops to sow after harvesting the one-time crops like cabbage, radish, and root vegetables.

Marcus was eager to plant a diverse range of crops to ensure that the Supply Center offered a variety of options. He hoped that this would help the base’s inhabitants feel a sense of normalcy, allowing them to momentarily forget their fears and indulge in the comforts they once enjoyed before the apocalypse, such as warm, delicious meals and the simple pleasures of good food.

Kisha shared Marcus’s vision and was eager to openly enjoy such good food without the need to hide it from the base’s inhabitants, which sometimes made her feel like she was hoarding. They decided to include rice and wheat among the crops they would consistently grow, ensuring that these staples would always be part of their harvest. They planned to make rice a permanent fixture in their planting schedule due to its necessity, alongside wheat.

Crops like okra, cucumber, bitter gourd, squash, tomato, and eggplant, which yield multiple harvests without the need for replanting, could remain in the territory. These crops could stay in the ground for months, as the season remains constant inside the territory space. This means they could be left to grow for extended periods, even years, without needing constant replanting which would save them time and energy.

Given this, Kisha and Marcus needed to find a way to expand the farmland so they could plant a greater variety of crops without worrying about seasonal changes or temperature fluctuations. Once they finished their planning, Kisha assisted Marcus in setting up stakes for the vining and crawling plants, ensuring that everything looked organized and tidy.

She then helped him harvest leafy greens like lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, and spinach, yielding about 50 kilograms of each. Afterwards, Marcus returned to harvesting the cucumbers, while Kisha focused on the tomatoes. To her amazement, the tomatoes were as large as her fist—an impressive sight she had never encountered before. It was fascinating to see that every tomato was consistently large, not just one but all of them.

As a result, the tomatoes Kisha harvested alone totaled 100 kilograms, and the cucumbers, each as large as a baguette, also weighed 100 kilograms. Previously, it took them considerable time to plant and harvest just 10 kilograms of each crop. However, thanks to Marcus’s Gift and Talent, combined with his meticulous care and hard work, he managed to till the entire farmland and significantly boost the crop yield. The result was not only larger, heartier produce but also exceptionally delicious.

Seeing such a substantial increase in yield, Kisha felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Working alongside Marcus and witnessing the impressive harvest made her feel lighter and more at ease. She was energized and optimistic, knowing that one of her missions might be completed by the end of the day, which brought her a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness.