After leaving Ceph's mother to rest, Yanz got bored. He didn't have anything to do, so he decided to go out in the farms.
-"Hey hazel let's go"
Yanz called Hazel but he didn't get any response. He looked up, Hazel was sleeping.
Yanz went up to her and looked at Hazel sleeping.
-"We just woke up, how can you sleep again,"
Yanz decided to leave hazel back and go out on his own.
He set out to find the farms, but the view was blocked by the disorganized cluster of houses. Remembering the direction from which he first entered the village, he retraced his steps, walking through narrow paths that twisted between the shabby, tightly packed homes. Each step kicked up dust, and he couldn't help but notice the weary faces of villagers who passed by, many of them too thin and gaunt to properly greet him.
The homes were in various states of decay—roofs sagging, walls cracked, and wooden doors barely hanging on their hinges. It was clear that resources were scarce, and even basic repairs had become a luxury most couldn't afford.
Eventually, after winding through a few more alleys, Yanz saw the first hints of green beyond the village's edge. The contrast was stark—where the village was brown and dry, the fields beyond were a vast patch of greenery. Crops stood tall under the morning light, though some sections seemed sickly and weak, their color fading. It was a large expanse of farmland, oddly lush compared to the desolate village surrounding it.
-"That's quite the sight,"
Yanz muttered to himself.
-"A strange mix of life and struggle."
As he walked closer, the distant murmur of voices reached his ears. At first, it was just a hum, but soon the sounds of shovels digging into soil, people chatting quietly, and the occasional barked orders filled the air. The farms were alive with activity. As he drew nearer, Yanz saw the true extent of it—rows of villagers bent over their work, tending to the crops with mechanical precision. Some had tools in hand, while others simply worked with their bare hands, pulling weeds or digging small trenches in the dirt. Their clothes were ragged and covered in dust, but despite their exhaustion, they moved with a sense of duty, as if there was no other choice.
Yanz was taken aback by the sheer number of people. He hadn't expected so many.
-"That's a large crowd for a place with such poor living conditions,"
Yanz thought. He estimated about 300 people working in the fields, men and women alike, most of them gaunt from hunger but determined in their efforts. The sun hadn't yet reached its peak, but beads of sweat already trickled down their foreheads, mixing with the dirt on their faces.
The sight of young children working among the adults tugged at him the most. Some couldn't have been more than eight or nine years old, yet there they were, tugging at stubborn roots or carrying baskets filled with harvested crops. They moved slowly, their faces drawn with fatigue, but they didn't stop. It was clear that everyone here had to pull their weight, regardless of age or strength.
As Yanz got closer to the fields, a tall, lean man stepped away from the rows of crops and approached him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Yanz walked alongside Ceph through the sprawling farms, the sun warming their backs as they meandered along the dirt paths.
-"Hey, let me show you around now that you're here!"
Ceph said, his enthusiasm infectious.
They strolled past rows of vibrant green crops, the air rich with the earthy scent of soil. Ceph pointed out various fields as they walked.
-"Look, these are the wheat farms,"
he said, gesturing proudly to the golden stalks swaying gently in the breeze. -"And these over here? These are rice crops! And you see in the distance? Those are the cotton farms!"
Yanz couldn't help but smile at Ceph's excitement.
-"These farms are bigger than they looked from a distance,"
he remarked, taking in the vastness of the fields stretching out before them.
-"Right? I don't know how we manage to cultivate such a large area,"
Ceph admitted, scratching his head as he led the way. Yanz suddenly found himself lost in thought. It was hard to believe they had managed to grow such a large expanse of crops in just four months. Cultivating this much land was no easy task, especially with the limited resources available in the village.
-"Ooh, look! The well!"
Ceph exclaimed, pulling Yanz from his thoughts.
-"This is what I was talking about yesterday. Look how big it is!"
Yanz turned his gaze to the well, his eyes widening in amazement. The structure was impressive—a massive stone cylinder, about two feet high, encircled by a gray wall. The hole itself seemed almost cavernous, stretching down into darkness.
-"The diameter must be around 40 feet,"
Yanz thought to himself, marveling at the craftsmanship. He could only imagine how much water it could hold.
-"Shouldn't we return soon?"
Yanz asked, glancing back toward the fields, where workers were moving purposefully.
-"That Doni guy looked like a strict boss."
-"Don't worry,"
Ceph reassured him with a wave of his hand.
-"We won't get in trouble... as long as we don't get caught."
He grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Just then, a girl about the same age as Ceph approached them, her brow furrowed in annoyance.
-"Yo, aren't you on the wheat farming duty? What are you doing here?"
She crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently as she stood by the well.
-"Should I tell Brother Doni?"