Out of nowhere, and even without any reason, Jake suddenly found himself with an additional task. Receiving two tasks in one day should have made Jake happy, but because both tasks were quite peculiar, he didn't know whether to feel excited or disappointed. However, since he had already accepted both tasks and the rewards were decent, it provided Jake with some consolation.
"Three days left. Let's take a look at the forest behind the mountain," Jake thought. In three days, he would temporarily leave the small village and change his plans of leaving only after reaching a higher level.
During these final three days, Jake planned to explore the forest behind the mountain. He had initially wanted to understand every area of the mountain, as it was practically his territory. Knowing the specific details of his territory was necessary. He could also level up by fighting monsters there and earn some gold coins. If he could obtain equipment as well, it would be even better.
The village elder had reduced the price for leasing the land behind the mountain by half, which gave Jake a new idea. He wanted to take advantage of this "discount" opportunity and extend the lease for a longer period, saving a considerable amount of money. This way, he could also secure the secret of the "Metal Wall" in the mountain. Therefore, there was still a significant financial gap for Jake, and earning more money remained a priority.
Arriving at the forest behind the mountain, Jake stood in front of the cleared land. He could already see that the once barren land was now filled with various crops. These crops were all planted using the seeds Jake had purchased with the money he earned from selling materials obtained by killing monsters over the past few days. Within a few days, all the crops had sprouted, and the first batch had already grown to about twenty centimeters in height. The growth was quite fast.
"Based on this growth rate, in about a month, these crops will mature. I wonder if I'll be back by then," Jake said, looking at the thousands of acres of crops with a mixture of grand ambitions and concerns about not being able to harvest them in time.
"For me, this place is like a game world, so it shouldn't be a problem if I don't harvest them immediately," Jake thought. With these crops, he could make a fortune just by selling vegetables and fruits, even if he didn't sell barbecue. Jake didn't stay in this newly transformed farmland for long and headed towards the nearby forest.
"Huh? These woods look familiar," Jake said as he reached the entrance of the forest. He was stunned because he saw a tree at the entrance that seemed oddly familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Curious, Jake casually used Appraisal on the tree.
Purple Sandalwood: A type of wood used to make bows, crossbows, weapons, furniture, and jewelry. "It's really purple sandalwood!" Jake exclaimed with excitement and joy. This was actual purple sandalwood!
Jake had come across information about purple sandalwood by chance, seeing a news report stating that it was a valuable wood worth millions of Dollar per ton, and the price could go even higher for better quality. At that time, Jake had thought about how great it would be to have a ton of purple sandalwood.
Jake had some impression of purple sandalwood, and when he saw this tree, he felt a sense of familiarity, prompting him to use Appraisal. The appraisal confirmed that he was not mistaken; it was indeed purple sandalwood!
"This is incredible!" Jake didn't know how much the tree in front of him weighed, but he was certain it was more than a ton. It was like a huge fortune right in front of him. The excitement in Jake's heart could be imagined.
Jake quickly looked around the forest and spotted several other purple sandalwood trees within his field of vision. Why bother with barbecue or farming? He could simply switch to selling wood!
At this moment, Jake was extremely excited. All he could see in front of him were stacks of banknotes, dazzling his eyes and clouding his mind. What made Jake even more thrilled was that after using Appraisal on the trees in the forest, he discovered many other valuable wood types such as Huanghuali, Nanmu, and Agarwood, some of which were even more expensive than purple sandalwood!
Jake felt his breathing becoming difficult. In his mind, there was only one thought: he had hit the jackpot this time! The idea of leasing the entire mountain was incredibly wise and correct! This place was like a gold mine, an undiscovered gold mine. The fact that the village elder and others had left it abandoned for years was nothing short of an incredible treasure trove.
"Calm down, Jake. You need to stay calm!" Jake took a few deep breaths and forced himself to shift his gaze away from the trees, attempting to calm himself down. He had already leased the entire mountain, and the village elder had mentioned that everything on the mountain now belonged to him, including these trees. He was definitely going to make a fortune.
However, turning these trees into money was not an easy task. Jake thought about his disadvantage. In reality, he was just an ordinary person who had no access to such valuable woods. Selling a small amount might be manageable, but if he sold a large quantity, it would raise suspicion. He wouldn't be able to explain the source of these materials, and he could even be accused of smuggling. It would be a disastrous situation.
"Do I have to hold a golden rice bowl and beg for food?" Jake lamented in his heart.
A gold mine was right in front of him, yet he couldn't find a way to monetize it. The frustration in Jake's heart was evident. It was all because he was too weak in reality, lacking strength and connections. If he were to possess something that didn't match his identity and it attracted attention, it would easily raise suspicions.
With over a year of work experience, Jake understood that in this world, people could do anything for money. If someone found out that Jake was making a fortune by selling wood and realized he was just an ordinary person, they might have ill intentions towards him. Not only would he be unable to hold onto the money, but it could also bring him significant trouble, even putting his life at risk.
The only solution was to continuously enhance his own strength, including personal abilities, financial capabilities, and connections. Only when he had enough power would he be able to safeguard a large amount of wealth.
"So, am I destined to continue as a farmer?" Jake lamented once again. He had thought that he would achieve great success this time, but in the end, he had to be cautious and take things one step at a time. However, selling a small amount shouldn't cause any issues.
"At least I have some startup capital for my business," Jake thought in his heart.