Chapter 415: Farming Skeletons
[You have received experience from the vassal [Soul Wailer - Orest].]
[You have gained 1500 XP.]
[You have gained 1300 XP.]
[You have gained 1200 XP.]
In the Iron Dragonwing Palace, Cassius sat on the throne, nodding in satisfaction as messages refreshed on the interface in front of him.
The silver dragon Olivia had recently moved to Istalia, the heart of the empire, claiming that she needed to fulfill her duties as a council member and make the Ember Empire a more just and peaceful nation.
The white dragon Tinia was being dragged through intensive lessons in history and politics, forbidden to return until she met her learning goals.
The blue dragon Kristina had seemingly disappeared lately. After the coronation, the Farya Family's stance toward the Ember Empire had grown complicated.
With the coronation complete, internal and external conflicts resolved, and the full unification of the Anzeta Wasteland, Cassius's life as the "Ember Emperor" had become surprisingly dull—
His days were filled with eating, sleeping, studying spells, and watching his experience points and gold piles in the treasury steadily increase.
What a boring life.
Cassius couldn't help but sigh.
"The players' enthusiasm is even higher than I expected. In just a few weeks, they've generated over 50,000 experience points."
"Tch, capturing that lich myself was definitely worth it. The results are impressive."
"Speaking of which, I wonder how things are going in Matra..."
Before he could finish, a magical communication request appeared in the hall. "Your Majesty, our experiment was a success. The undead can be used as farmers."
The excited voice of Imperial Agricultural Officer Arif Levi rang out.
Cassius turned to a mirror on the wall, which displayed a vast expanse of fertile farmland, its black soil so rich it seemed ready to ooze oil.
This was the Matra Plains. Once covered year-round in snow and abandoned by Northern nobles as a barren wasteland, it had been reborn.
Thanks to the red dragon's climate alterations that melted the ice, it had become Anzeta's largest and most fertile farming region—the Matra Grand Farmlands.
The arable area covered 43 million acres of flat, fertile land, enough to sustain the empire's food supply if properly developed.
"Roar."
The low growl echoed across the plains.
Rows of pale skeletons marched stiffly through the fields, wielding hoes with mechanical precision—they were farming.
Yes, they were farming.
These skeletons had no self-awareness but could be controlled to perform basic tasks.
In another part of the field, hundreds of skeletons followed the agricultural officer's lead, sowing seeds.
Anzeta had vast lands but a sparse population of less than ten million people spread across nearly 3 million square kilometers.
The empire lacked not land but people.
Under Langpu's initiative, factories in every city were hiring, and diverting precious human resources to agriculture seemed inefficient.
Industrial development required a sufficient non-agricultural population and abundant food production. Additionally, the empire hadn't yet developed large-scale agricultural machinery.
Thus, Langpu proposed the establishment of the Imperial Department of Agriculture.
Most "Agricultural Officers" were druids well-versed in the ways of nature, many of whom were players. Each officer led hundreds of cheap skeletons to perform large-scale, nighttime farming operations.
During the day, the skeletons rested in coffins or worked in underground mines.
The department collaborated with the Empire's Technology Division, with "gene scientists" from the [Mechanist Cult] developing higher-yield, climate-resistant crops.
Meanwhile, the druids used their nature-based spells to accelerate crop growth through unnatural means.
One player, known as [I Don't Eat Gold Fertilizer], took an unconventional approach by stockpiling and buying manure from cities to establish the "Gold Fertilizer Organic Company."
He partnered with the Department of Agriculture and, in just a few weeks, became a wealthy player.
Perhaps it was some innate talent, but players excelled at farming.
After this harvest, the Matra Grand Farmlands would supply food for the entire nation.
Once the "Skeleton Agricultural System" was fully established, the empire wouldn't face food shortages for the foreseeable future.
Cassius gazed at the endless fields, imagining the golden wheat that would soon grow there.
His eyes drifted toward the distant city, where the people, drenched in sweat, toiled beneath colossal machines like cogs in a giant mechanism.
"Heh."
"Farming, huh? You should be thanking me. At least now, you'll have enough to eat, won't you?"
The red dragon yawned, feeling drowsy—perhaps his next hibernation was near.
Night fell, and stars twinkled above.
On the vast Matra plains, a druid directed hundreds of skeletons, tirelessly laboring in the fields.
His name was well-known—[Wings of Freedom], or as players called him, "Holy Light Bro."
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he stood bare-chested, his muscular body illuminated by radiant holy light that obscured certain areas, making him shine like a star in the night.
He looked into the distance, flashing a simple, rugged smile.
"Ah..."
"What a beautiful wilderness. I can feel the breath of nature."
He sighed. "It's a pity that people are so ignorant, covering their bodies with crude fabrics instead of embracing the beauty of the natural form."
Holy Light Bro patted a nearby skeleton.
"You guys are the best—already dead, yet fully bare. We meet each other with honesty."
"Praise freedom!"
Holy Light Bro shifted into a brown bear form.
A glowing green aura of natural energy surrounded him, infusing life into the seeds being sown.
"Roar."
The skeletons groaned softly, tirelessly swinging their hoes as if they never knew fatigue.
In truth, Holy Light Bro was spouting nonsense. Druids and undead creatures were inherently incompatible, as druids despised beings that defied the natural order of life and death.
But the players didn't care—they were just looking for ways to indulge their peculiar whims.