Chapter 37
As the day of the ripe peaches finally arrived, Father Greenfield looked at the two acres of peach orchard in front of him with a nod of approval.
"What do you think, can these peaches be sold?" Father Greenfield asked, curious about the next step his son would take.
"Yes, not only can they be sold, but they can also be sold at a very expensive price," said Alex confidently.
Father Greenfield, who heard this, was a little skeptical. The fruits hanging from the trees appeared smaller than the ones available in the market. Additionally, the peaches didn't seem to have an impressive visual shape unless they were slightly lighter in color.
"Are you sure about your judgment?" Father Greenfield questioned.
"Of course, I am sure. Besides, I already have a market for the things I grow," Alex replied confidently.
Hearing this, Father Greenfield didn't argue anymore and shifted his thoughts to other matters.
"Okay, the important thing is that you handle it properly. Do you want to employ people to pick the fruit?" he inquired.
"No need, I can take care of that myself," said Alex in response, as he had something in mind.
"Alright, don't overexert yourself. I will head home first," Father Greenfield said, concerned for his son's well-being.
"Yes, be careful, Father," Alex replied, watching his father leave.
Once his father was out of sight, Alex turned his attention back to the orchard of fruit trees in front of him.
After a moment, Alex scanned the surroundings to ensure that no one was nearby. Satisfied that he was alone, he used his divine sense to pluck the ripe fruits effortlessly.
With this, Alex's job was very efficient as he effortlessly harvested every scattered ripe fruit in just one day.
On that day's harvest, Alex gathered 1 ton of fruit. The yield was not as high as expected because only a few fruits were truly ripe, and the abandoned gardens had led to a smaller and rarer fruit yield.
Nonetheless, Alex ensured that these tiny fruits were of excellent quality, suitable for premium sales. However, they were slightly inferior to the vegetables soaked by the dew of life. The difference was only slight, as the peach trees absorbed nutrients slowly through the roots, whereas the vegetables soaked in the dew of life absorbed moisture after being picked, making them less stable.
Perhaps if these peaches were grown with the dew of life and watered regularly, their quality would undoubtedly surpass that of the previous vegetables.
Alex then proceeded with his usual routine, watering every tree on the farm. After tending to the orchard, he packed up his belongings and began to walk back home.
Along the way, Alex encountered many people from the village. They put on friendly smiles in front of him, but behind his back, they would speak ill of him, mocking his decision to buy a bankrupt farm burdened with debts. Envy was also apparent when it came to Alex's car, which was considered a luxury in the village. People couldn't help but feel a bit envious of his seemingly comfortable life.
Alex, who could naturally hear the whispers around him, didn't let it bother him in the least and continued on his way home. Once he arrived, he quickly had his lunch and then rushed to the nearby town in his car.
After driving for a while, Alex finally reached a building that looked formal but not overly large. He parked his car and entered the building confidently. As usual, people couldn't help but glance at him due to his conspicuous appearance.
However, Alex paid no mind to the attention he received and processed inside without hesitation. The group of security guards at the entrance seemed slightly surprised to see him, but they let him pass without any issues.
Alex didn't pay much attention to the curious glances as he made his way to a woman who appeared to be a staff member of the place. He politely greeted her and immediately explained the purpose of his visit.
"Hello, I'm Russel. I own a peach orchard and would like to check the quality of the peaches I've harvested. Is there an administrative service available to assist me with this?"
The woman at the administrative desk seemed taken aback and momentarily speechless. It was evident that she wasn't accustomed to seeing someone like Alex in their establishment. Most visitors usually wore formal attire, unlike Alex, who was casually dressed in a T-shirt and sandals.
Alex, who noticed the curious stares and unusual treatment he received in public places, couldn't help but smile wryly. It was evident that he stood out among the more formally dressed visitors, but he was relieved that the security guards hadn't asked him to leave this time.
Clearing his throat, Alex gently brought the administrative staff member back to attention. "Cough..."
The woman quickly realized her oversight and appeared slightly embarrassed. She hurriedly addressed the matter at hand. "Of course, Mr. Russell! We do have a food analysis laboratory service that can assist you in checking the content of your peaches. Kindly bring a sample of the peaches you wish to examine to our laboratory."
"How long does the testing process usually take?" Alex inquired.
"The testing process usually takes several days, depending on the number of samples to be analyzed. We will let you know the estimated lead time once we receive your sample," the staff member explained.
"Okay, I'll take the peach samples to the lab right away. How much will I have to pay for this test?" Alex asked.
"The fee will be adjusted according to the type of test and the number of samples you provide. We will inform you of the exact cost after receiving the samples," the staff member replied.
"Then can I make the testing process faster?" Alex wondered.
"Yes, you can, however, an additional fee will naturally be added," the staff member confirmed.
"Okay, I understand. I decided to speed up the testing process. Thanks for the help and information," Alex said gratefully.
"No problem, Mr. Russell. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact us again. We are here to help you with your peach content testing. Good luck!" the staff member replied with a smile.
With the arrangements made, Alex selected the testing option that suited his needs and handed over the peach samples he had brought.
The female staff member efficiently took the samples and recorded the necessary information. As she examined the fruits, she couldn't help but notice that they appeared quite ordinary, which caused a slight frown of doubt.
"Isn't it a waste of money to test these fruits?" the staff member wondered silently. Despite her momentary hesitation, she remained professional and carried out her duties diligently, ensuring accurate testing for Alex's peace of mind.
Apart from the initial doubt from the administrative staff, all administrative processes ran very smoothly. Alex completed the necessary paperwork and payment, feeling relieved that everything went well. As he exited the building, people around him still looked in his direction with some interest.
Approaching the gate, Alex exchanged smiles with the security guards. It was a small gesture of acknowledgment that made him feel a sense of belonging in the community.
"Thank goodness everything went fine. If anything strange had happened, I might have ended up feeling quite down and frustrated," Alex mused, recalling the incidents with the bank and car shop security guards. Those encounters had been quite challenging, but he was grateful that today's visit had been uneventful.
Deciding not to linger, Alex quickly made his way home, eager to see how his peach orchard was doing. The journey back was smooth, and he felt a sense of accomplishment as he thought about the growth of his once-struggling farm.
…
A helicopter landed on top of a building, and a man with a reddish-black beard and a large, muscular physique stepped out with a powerful aura. He stood at an impressive height of 6.23 feet, looking serious with several scars on his face. He was dressed in a formal jacket and cloth pants.
Upon seeing the man, a brown bear approached him with a slightly ingratiating look. Despite having casts on its body and using crutches, the bear hurriedly moved towards him.
"Red Bear brother, welcome," the brown bear greeted.
In a flat tone, the Red Bear asked, "How did you find the person who stole our belongings?"
"We haven't found Big Brother Red Bear yet. All our monitoring cameras detected nothing suspicious," the brown bear explained cautiously.
The Red Bear showed no emotion, neither anger nor happiness. They entered the elevator and continued the conversation.
"Was there anyone suspicious around when the items were stolen?" the Red Bear inquired.
The brown bear wanted to mention Alex as the suspicious person, but he was hesitant, fearing that the Red Bear might think he was betraying others.
"Brother Red Bear, there was indeed a suspicious person, but it seems impossible for him to be the thief. We had our eyes on him the entire time," the brown bear answered hesitantly.
"Then, is this person the one who fought against you and your men?" the Red Bear asked.
"Yes, Big Brother Red Bear," the brown bear replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The brown bear continued, "Initially, we confronted him, and tried to take him to the headquarters for interrogation, but not only did we gain nothing, he also defeated us."
Recalling that day, the brown bear felt upset, scared, and sad. He couldn't understand how such a powerful person could have been provoked.
"Do you know the identity of this person?" the Red Bear inquired further.
"Yes, Brother Red Bear, he is one of the dog kings of the Mad Dogs pack. However, our insiders say he was banished long ago," the brown bear explained, feeling a bit puzzled about why such a capable person had been expelled.
"Hmmmm…" the Red Bear pondered.
Ding!
The elevator reached its intended floor, and the two men stepped out.
"Do you know where he currently lives?" the Red Bear asked.
"Yes, Big Brother, we investigated and found that he lives in a small mountain village," the brown bear answered.
Hearing this, the Red Bear frowned slightly, prompting the brown bear to ask, "What's wrong, Big Brother Red Bear?"
...
thanks to: John_Carlo_Jalasco, and yasir321 for today's power stone.