While uprooting the potatoes, two hours passed, and everyone was exhausted from working in the sun. "Let's take a break," John said, looking at everyone and realizing that they needed rest. He stood up and addressed everyone.
"Ah... Finally... Rest Time!" Brody, who had enthusiastically started uprooting the potatoes, was now feeling pain in his hands and legs. He had been eagerly waiting for someone to suggest a break, and upon hearing it, he felt relieved. He laid down right on the ground next to the potatoes.
"Come on, let's go rest under that big tree. Brody, get up! Do you want to sleep in the sun?" Derek said as he stood up, holding his back.
"I'll go get some water to drink," Dylan said as he stood up slowly. Unlike the others, he seemed less tired, as he had paced himself while uprooting the potatoes—not too fast, but not too slow either.
Clara, Uncle Tom, Brody, and Blake had all been working without changing their positions, either bending or sitting as they uprooted the potatoes. Because of this, their backs and legs were aching. Dylan, however, would bend over to uproot the potatoes, and whenever his back started hurting, he'd sit down for a while before continuing. This approach kept him from getting too exhausted.
John and the others started heading towards the shade of the tree to rest, while Dylan went towards the hut to fetch some water.
A little while later, they all gathered under the large tree and began to sit down.
"Ufff... Ahhh... It feels so good to be in the shade," Blake said as he lay down.
"Yes, it feels really nice to be here," Clara added as she sat down.
"I haven't felt this much relief even when we used to lift heavy loads while working in the factory," Derek remarked as he sat down.
"That's because, Derek, you didn't work under the sun in the factory. The sun doesn't reach inside the factory," Uncle Tom explained as he sat down and looked at Derek.
John, observing everyone, sat down with his back against the tree, listening to their light-hearted conversation, and looked up at the tree. He started talking to Info. "Info, how many days' worth of potato storage do we have now?" John asked as he thought about the pile of potatoes everyone had gathered and how long it would last.
[Host, according to my calculations, the potatoes you've collected so far will last for at least three months. If you add Glowfin Snapper food to your daily consumption, it will last for an additional month.]
"Hmm... It will last for the next four months. That gives me some time to prepare for other things. For today, this should be enough. Now, I need to find a place to store the potatoes we've just uprooted," John thought, calculating his next steps. He felt an impending danger approaching, so he wanted to be prepared in advance.
"This tree is quite large. Maybe underneath it would be a good place to store the potatoes, and we can also use it to rest," John examined the tree carefully.
Then, as he touched the tree, he muttered, "Analyze."
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| Name: Shadowheart Willow
| Age: Not Qualified
| Other Information: Host Not Qualified
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"What the...!" John blurted out, his eyes wide with shock as he read the screen. His loud reaction drew everyone's attention.
"What's the matter, John?" Uncle Tom asked, noticing the startled look on John's face. The others also turned their heads, curious.
"Uh... nothing, Uncle Tom. Something just poked me, and I yelled out because of the pain... ha... ha..." John awkwardly explained, glancing around nervously before sitting back down in the same spot he was in before.
"Be careful, John," Clara said, observing him for a moment before deciding it wasn't anything serious. She then turned back to the group and resumed their conversation. "So, as I was saying about Heaven's food..."
Meanwhile, John leaned back against the Shadowheart Willow tree, still puzzled by the strange message. He quietly asked Info, "Info, what do you mean by 'not qualified'?"
John found it hard to believe that learning about a simple tree would require special qualifications.
[Host, you currently lack the strength to unlock all the knowledge of this world.]
"It's just information, Info. I'm not fighting anything, so why would I need to be qualified for knowledge?" John replied, feeling frustrated by the vague response.
[Host, you are underestimating the significance of knowledge. It is the most powerful tool, more dangerous than any weapon.]
"How so?" John asked, still not fully understanding what Info was trying to convey.
[Host, if you attempt to tackle even a minor issue without the right knowledge, it can turn into a major problem. However, if you gain the correct information in advance, you can handle any situation, no matter how big, by preparing ahead of time and making the best use of your time.]
"Okay, I get it. Knowledge is an invincible power, but why do I need to be qualified to learn about this tree?" John understood the importance of knowledge from Info's explanation, but he was still puzzled about the specific requirement for this tree. He had previously received information about the Ironbark Oak Tree without any restrictions, so this requirement for the Shadowheart Willow didn't sit well with him.
[Because the Host, this tree is a Supreme Treasure.]
"Oh... Wow... But what does that mean?" John didn't understand what Info meant.
[Host, it's evident from your reaction that you know very little about this world.]
"Yes, I haven't been outside the three villages and Milltown; I've only traveled within this area. I don't know anything beyond that," John explained.
[Alright then, I will give you some information about this world. It's important for you to know.]
"Not right now, Info. I still have unfinished tasks. Once I complete them, explain everything to me at night when I can understand better and have some peace," John requested, preferring to absorb the information calmly later.
[As you wish, Host.]
With that, Info fell silent.
John then moved to join the others, who were quietly discussing among themselves. Just then, Dylan approached with a clay pot of water.
"You're late, Big Brother Dylan. What took you so long?" Brody asked, noticing Dylan's delayed return.
"Um... I had some other tasks to handle," Dylan said, slightly embarrassed, as he set the pot down.
"No worries, Dylan. You arrived just in time," Uncle Tom said as he poured water from the clay pot. He understood what Dylan was trying to convey and intervened to ease the situation. Uncle Tom then began to drink from the pot.
One by one, everyone drank water, and John was the last to have some.
"Alright, let's get back to harvesting the potatoes," Uncle Tom said as he stood up.
"No, Uncle Tom, this is enough for a few months," John tried to stop him.
"Why, John? We still have a lot of potatoes to harvest. If we don't, won't they spoil?" Uncle Tom asked, confused since there was still much area left to cover.
"We will harvest the remaining potatoes, but not today. We need to secure the potatoes we've already harvested by storing them properly. If we don't, they might spoil quickly," John explained.
"Oh, I see," Uncle Tom understood what John meant.
"Yes, Uncle Tom. We will build a small shelter under this tree to store the harvested potatoes. We'll make sure it's well-sealed to keep out moisture and keep the ground warm. We'll store all the harvested potatoes here and handle the remaining ones tomorrow," John detailed as he looked around.
"Great thinking, Leader. We were only planning to store the potatoes, but we hadn't considered the other factors," Derek said in surprise.
"Yes, John, we hadn't thought of that," Clara agreed, acknowledging Derek's comment.
"It's nothing, Aunt Clara. I just want the potatoes to last longer. If we leave them on wet ground or exposed to moisture, they won't keep as well. This place is ideal for storage because the large tree will protect the shelter from rain and keep the ground from getting too wet," John explained calmly without seeking credit.
After John's instructions, everyone understood the plan and looked at him, waiting for further directions.
"Has everyone rested enough?" John asked, looking around.
Upon receiving nods of agreement, John continued, "Then we'll start building the storage room for the potatoes."
He instructed, "You four, go gather wood of all sizes. Aunt Clara, Uncle Tom, and I will clear the area and lay down the stones for the base."
Once John finished giving instructions, the four brothers went into the jungle to collect wood, while Aunt Clara, Uncle Tom, and John began preparing the site. Clara leveled the ground, and John and Uncle Tom laid the stones.
A few hours later...
A large, sturdy hut was built under the tree, with a small door at the front. Inside, it was warm and well-prepared: the ground was covered with carefully laid stones, and there were wooden benches along the walls. Two small rooms were also constructed within.
"This type of stonework and room setup might be useful for our own hut as well," Clara suggested as they prepared to store the potatoes.
"Yes, Aunt Clara, that's a good idea," John agreed, liking Clara's suggestion.
"Alright, then let's start storing the potatoes. It's getting dark," Uncle Tom said as he went outside to begin the work.
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Next Chapter [ Secrets of Nexus ]