Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Lu Cian shook his head. "Bones aren't for eating. I need them for fertilizer."

"Fertilizer?"

Lu Cian nodded. "We don't have any entomologists right now who can formulate proper fertilizer, but bone meal contains multiple elements highly beneficial for crop growth. It can absolutely serve as organic fertilizer."

He didn't elaborate further. Since the workers had never farmed before, too much detail would go over their heads. Once the bones were ground into powder, he'd simply have them scatter it over the fields.

…

Before sowing, the seeds needed to be treated. The Prickly Fruit seeds they had weren't specifically reserved for planting; they were just randomly picked fruits.

Thus, some processing was necessary to improve germination rates.

Without mechanical assistance, hand-sowing required extra care. But even if the seeding wasn't perfect, it didn't matter—they could always use the remaining seeds to patch any sparse areas as needed.

After working all morning, Lu Cian straightened up and rubbed his sore back. "Finally done. Next comes weeding, watering, and topdressing."

He slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering another issue—pest management.

Weeding, watering, and topdressing were straightforward enough that the workers would figure them out on their own. But pests and diseases were trickier.

If the crops fell ill, there were no pesticides here, and Lu Cian had no expertise in this area either. That could become a real problem.

Then there was the issue of pests. This was an insect-run world—Lu Cian had no idea if there were harmful bugs here.

If pests weren't an issue, then it'd likely be animal pests. They could post a rotation of insects to patrol the fields in shifts, catching problems early.

"Weeding? What weeds? How do we remove them? Is there a limit to how much we water? For fertilizing, do we just scatter it like before?" Damon had many questions.

To Lu Cian, these seemed basic, but to Damon and the others, these were entirely new blind spots. They knew nothing and had never done any of this. Without clear instructions, even simple tasks could turn into head-scratchers.

Naturally, Lu Cian patiently explained everything, jotting down notes as he went.

"Anything that isn't a planted crop is a weed. To avoid mistakes, I'll give you field guides with a plant identification section. Compare the images at each growth stage—if it doesn't match, it's a weed. If you're still unsure, come find me."

"When removing weeds, make sure to pull them out by the roots to prevent regrowth. For now, we'll have to rely on manual labor with shifts. If we develop herbicides later, things will get easier."

"Watering depends on the crop's condition. According to the encyclopedia, Prickly Fruit doesn't need much water. This planet's environment is good—sunlight and rainfall are well-balanced—so drought shouldn't be an issue. But keep an eye out."

This was all based on experience. Farming wasn't as hard as it seemed—it just required hands-on practice and a learning curve.

Besides, short-term water shortages wouldn't immediately kill the crops. They'd adapt as needed.

"For topdressing, I'll draft a basic plan. Since this is our first time planting wild Prickly Fruit, we have no experience. We'll start with two rounds of fertilization. If the first round goes well, we'll proceed with the second."

Damon got pulled away temporarily, so he passed the baton to another insect, who listened attentively and nodded, clearly on board with Lu Cian's reasoning.

Lu Cian continued, "Of course, we should also set aside some plots as experimental fields—some with less water, some with less fertilizer, some with an extra round, or fertilized at different growth stages… That way, next time we plant, we'll know the best methods and cut out the guesswork."

Speaking of experimental fields, Lu Cian remembered that farming required high-quality seeds, which could only be obtained through gradual experimentation.

Currently, there were two ways to cultivate superior seeds: hybridization or genetic modification.

Hybridization involved crossbreeding parent plants with different desirable traits. This method was stable and preserved the plant's natural genes, allowing natural selection.

It adhered to the laws of nature, but the downside was the long time required, with no guarantee the desired traits would persist.

The second method required building a lab and recruiting top-notch science bugs to conduct genetic modification experiments.

This approach was faster and allowed precise control over desired traits, but it violated natural evolutionary laws. There was also no telling if the modified plants would be non-toxic or capable of reproduction—pros and cons.

Still, even if the new crops were toxic, the tough-shelled female bugs would be unaffected. Their robust constitutions meant they wouldn't die from poisoning immediately and could shake it off.

After finishing his explanation, Lu Cian looked at the insect. "Do you get it?"

It was a familiar face—Landon—who kept nodding.

Only after confirming Landon truly got it did Lu Cian hand him the field guide.

Landon accepted it seriously, impressed. This Mr. Lu spoke with such clarity and logic—he must truly be the real deal when it comes to farming.

…

Farming was a step-by-step process, demanding time and effort. The early stages relied entirely on Lu Cian's guidance, but once the first harvest was done and experience gained, he wouldn't need to hover over them.

Still, harvesting came with its own challenges, but that was far off. Lu Cian would cross that bridge later.

He knew the insects bought his logic but remained skeptical he could grow food successfully on the first try.

At first, Lu Cian had been nervous too, but if these plants could produce fruit in the wild, there was no reason he couldn't grow them properly.

Once the fruits appeared, their doubts would melt away.

Then, Lu Cian would have an excuse to approach Nair Inan—getting the green light for agricultural machinery would be much easier.

With the advanced technology of the insect race, manufacturing farming equipment shouldn't be hard. Maybe they could even make something more refined and advanced.

Machines programmed to operate autonomously would save them a ton of work.

Once vast fields were planted, they'd never go hungry again.

The hardest part was the beginning. Right now, seed varieties were in short supply, and without seeds, no amount of fancy talk would help.

Agricultural machinery could wait. Lu Cian recalled Nair Inan had a subordinate named Fletcher, who specialized in mechanics. Manufacturing shouldn't be an issue.

But Fletcher was busy with the spacecraft repairs. Since farming equipment wasn't top priority, Lu Cian didn't disturb him.

He filed it away for later to discuss ideas with Fletcher when time allowed.

Then, another worry popped up.

How much land should be allocated for Prickly Fruit? Should more be reserved for other crops?

Arable land wasn't infinite—it was limited and varied in quality.

Some areas had fertile soil, others were barren.

Lu Cian needed a solid game plan.

They couldn't keep eating foul-smelling dough made from Prickly Fruit.

Earlier, based on growth data, Lu Cian had figured out why the fruit stank and had some ideas to try out. But without crops to test, he couldn't prove it yet.

The funky odor of the dough required seasonings to mask. The spices he'd brought from prison weren't nothing, but with so many insects here, they'd burn through them fast. They needed new supplies.

His spices were all powdered. They'd have to wait until Brother Nan could trade for more or find spice seeds—and carve out some plots for those too.

Just as Lu Cian was pondering how to allocate the land, whether the heavens were moved by his sincerity or simply their good luck,

a few days later, the scout insects who had gone out to search for crops brought back good news.

"What perfect timing."

Though Lu Cian didn't yet know what kind of crop it was, he had already made up his mind to set aside only one-tenth of the land for Prickly Fruit.

Lu Cian went to meet the insects who had found the crop. They had discovered a plant bearing some resemblance to his sketch.

When he saw the food they brought back, Lu Cian was thrilled—it was rice, nearly identical to that from his homeworld, Blue Star!

Rice, once hulled, becomes edible rice, which can be cooked into meals or porridge, making it a dietary staple for ordinary people.

There were no records of this plant in the available data, so it must be a new species. Lu Cian couldn't be bothered to invent a name and simply called it "rice."

The area where the rice grew was a marshland, probably seasonal wetlands, perfectly suited for this crop.

However, Lu Cian wasn't sure how many generations this rice had evolved through or how its yield or taste measured up compared to the rice suitable for human consumption.

If it couldn't produce edible grains or if the taste was unpleasant, he would have to breed a superior strain—not just for higher yields but also for better flavor.

Many plants in the insect world were outlandish, and Lu Cian worried the rice might grow into some bizarre alien version.

"Perfect timing—let the female insects who previously planted Prickly Fruit tend to this rice crop. They already have experience."

Landon arrived with his work crew.

Landon was single-minded—whatever the Heir Apparent ordered, he did without question, never one to improvise.

Though not particularly clever, Lu Cian valued these compliant worker insects—hardworking, quiet, and reliable.

"Mr. Lu, what's the plan?" Landon asked.

Lu Cian pointed to one of the insects, the one who had discovered the rice and returned with the news, and said, "We've found a new crop. We're setting up new fields."

A new crop?

Landon was curious, but he wouldn't pry.

For years, this had been his way—no matter how curious he was, he never questioned orders, only focused on doing his assigned tasks.

Lu Cian also liked insects like Landon—those who spoke little, worked hard, and followed orders without needing too much flexibility.