The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Fertilization Process
Once Hera and the others finished wrapping up the pheasants and eggs, she tasked Bry with going back to the cabin to retrieve the cooler she had borrowed from the show’s crew. She also instructed Bry to request some ice to be added to the cooler, enabling them to preserve their fresh ingredients effectively.

Hera noticed a large lotus leaf near the tranquil waters of the river. She carefully cut a few pieces of it and used them to wrap the two pheasants together within one big leaf. Afterward, she stored away the remaining leaves for future use.

Xavier and Zen found themselves puzzled by Hera’s actions, but they wisely refrained from questioning the cook, recognizing their own lack of expertise in culinary matters. Instead, they wholeheartedly supported her decisions, trusting in her culinary prowess.

In a matter of minutes, Bry returned, sprinting from the direction of the cabin. “Sister, mission accomplished,” he managed to say amidst his panting.

Hera couldn’t help but feel guilty seeing Bry struggle to catch his breath; he must have sprinted all the way from the cabin. Knowing it was quite a distance to cover back and forth, she gave him an affectionate pat on the head, accompanied by a tender smile. “You could have just walked back, Bry. We’re not going anywhere.”

Despite still catching his breath, Bry wore a wide grin that managed to warm Hera’s heart. “Don’t worry, sister. I just didn’t want to endure those celebrities’ fake smiles,” he chuckled between breaths.

Zen stepped forward and playfully ruffled Bry’s hair. “Hey, kid! You know I’m one of those celebrities, right?” he teased with a smirk.

“If the shoe fits, it’s not my problem!” Bry retorted, letting out a giggle as he wriggled free from Zen’s playful grasp.

Before they parted ways to head to their respective stations, the group enjoyed a bit more lighthearted chat. However, for Hera, the second half of the day was dedicated to coordinating with the villagers assigned to the fields for fertilization duties. Fresh fertilizer that was just handled yesterday, dried in the sun for the next few hours, now awaits them, signaling a productive afternoon ahead.

As the elderly man leading the villagers in the field mentioned the task at hand, all eyes turned sympathetically toward Hera. They understood that she hailed from the city and likely wasn’t accustomed to the rigorous labor of rural life, particularly tasks like these.

It was commendable to see Hera persisting through the morning task, and now, here she stood among them, without seeking any special treatment despite her unfamiliarity with the rural lifestyle.

Even if Hera decided not to join in the fertilization of the land, no one would judge her. They all recognized her dedication to the morning task alone. However, what they overlooked was that Hera had also assisted in cleaning the cattle barn the previous day, exposing herself to a fair share of less-than-pleasant tasks.

There was little reason for Hera to abstain from participating in this task, especially considering that dried cow dung was more tolerable than the fresh ones. Hera offered a polite smile to those looking at her and reassured them, saying, “Please don’t worry about me; I’m not that delicate.” She couldn’t help but giggle as she finished her sentence, feeling grateful for the kind treatment she received.

“Alright, enough chit-chatting, let’s get to work! Time waits for no one!” The grumpy old man barked, scanning the group before his gaze settled briefly on Hera. “You can take your time adjusting,” he added, before pivoting on his heels and striding off to issue instructions to the other villagers.

Hera chuckled softly as she trailed behind the group. She recognized that the old man’s gruffness was his way of caring for her, and she couldn’t help but find it cute.

The male villagers, with stronger bodies, headed to the location where the cow dung had been sun-dried. Meanwhile, the female villagers gathered at the rear of the field near a stack of vegetable waste. They began shoveling it into a wheelbarrow. Once the wheelbarrow was filled, someone took charge of wheeling it to the fertilizer site.

As Hera and the others arrived at the site, they found the other villagers diligently shoveling and mixing the sun-dried cow dung until its exterior and inner parts were thoroughly blended, with a slight hint of moisture still present. The pungent odor was noticeable even from a few feet away, but Hera managed to bear it with a smile, a testament to her growing acclimatization compared to the previous day.

The female villagers proceeded to dump the vegetable waste into the center of the manual mixing area where the cow dung was being worked. Once this was done, those who had been shoveling resumed mixing, ensuring that the cow dung and vegetable waste were thoroughly combined. They meticulously integrated any hay stuck to the dung into the mixture as well.

Hera observed with keen interest as the villagers not only dumped vegetable waste but also added wood dust, dead leaves, and other materials into the mix. She was surprised by the variety of ingredients being combined. It seemed her understanding of the process was somewhat limited; she had assumed the cow dung would be used as is, but now realized there was much more to the villagers’ method.

Eagerly, Hera watched and joined in, assisting with dumping additional items into the mix to enhance the composition and fermentation of the fertilizer. In contrast to companies that utilize compost turner machines for easier mixing, the villagers still relied on manual labor. This method proved exhausting, especially considering the large quantity of cow dung piled up at the site awaiting mixing.

“Child, I see you’re doing a great job. Don’t overexert yourself,” the old man said kindly as he approached Hera, his eyes smiling with warmth.

Hera chuckled while continuing to assist the others in dumping more materials. “I’m actually enjoying myself. I’m learning so much!” Her face beamed with enthusiasm, despite the sweat glistening on her forehead and trickling down her face. A few strands of hair stuck to the side of her face and forehead, evidence of her hard work.

But Hera paid no mind to the exhaustion, seemingly forgetting it as she continued to work alongside the other villagers. They tirelessly went back and forth, gathering more vegetable waste and dried leaves to bring to the mixing site, where everything would be combined into the fertilizer mixture.

It took them an hour to complete one batch of fertilizer. After mixing, they began transferring the mixture into larger wheelbarrows. Hera expected them to head straight to the fields to begin fertilizing, but instead, those pushing the wheelbarrows headed behind the site.

Hera tilted her head in puzzlement, curious about their destination. She decided to follow the first person pushing the wheelbarrow, and soon they arrived at a large metal container, surrounded by several similar containers nearby.

“Are we not going to use this mixed fertilizer to fertilize the land?” Hera inquired, her face displaying visible puzzlement as she scanned the area once more.

The person accompanying her chuckled at Hera’s genuine curiosity, impressed by her sincerity. It was evident she wasn’t just feigning interest in the camera. He then addressed her question, explaining, “The mixture we’ve just finished still needs to undergo composting to enrich it with nutrients for the soil. To achieve this, we’ll transfer it into compost bins and let it mature over time until it’s ready to use.” Patiently, he elaborated, noticing Hera’s eyes sparkling with newfound knowledge.

He continued, “Unfortunately, without a grinding machine to turn the other waste into granules, we must keep the mixed fertilizer here and continue mixing it until it transforms into compost. Only then can we use it to fertilize the land.”

Baffled, Hera asked, “Can’t we use it right away since it will also turn into compost once mixed into the soil?”

“We can’t use it right away,” he clarified. “Fresh cow dung may still contain harmful bacteria and possibly grass seeds from their feed, which could hinder plant growth. To ensure the safety and nutritional value of the plants, we need to fully compost it. This process eliminates any unnecessary elements.”

“Oh, that makes sense!” Hera nodded in understanding. The person explaining chuckled lightly, amused by her genuine interest. He found it refreshing, considering even his own daughter doesn’t want to engage in his work; she often viewed the job as exhausting and dirty.