Published: March 11, 2025
Chapter 25: Becoming Smarter
Zhao Hai and Merlin stood dumbfounded, staring at the valley. Exiting the cave led them right into this valley, which wasn’t very large—just over a thousand acres. Above, there was nothing but black soil, resembling the black soil of the Black Earth Wilderness.
In the middle of the valley, there was a pond about ten meters in diameter, and the water in the pond was clear and bright. On the opposite mountain wall from where Zhao Hai and the others emerged, there was another cave entrance. This entrance was smaller than the one they were in, and it was evident that it was also a mining tunnel.
Upon seeing these mine tunnels, Zhao Hai couldn’t help but admire the dwarves. They had actually hollowed out such a large mountain and built so many mines. What a massive engineering feat! It was hard to imagine how they accomplished it.
Zhao Hai scanned the surroundings and nodded, saying, “This place is really not bad. Mu Tou, you’ve done well! Tell me, how did you discover this cave entrance?”
Mu Tou chuckled and replied, “Young master, when I first saw this valley, I jumped down from the cliff into it. Then I found these two entrances. The other one was full of water with no way out, but this entrance has a way out. I came out from inside.”
Zhao Hai nodded, understanding now that Mu Tou had walked out from the cave, which explained how he discovered the exit.
Merlin was also observing the black soil, and just as Mu Tou said, it was indeed very suitable here. Although it would take some time to improve the land, this valley was perfect for planting. It was challenging for an ordinary person to discover.
Merlin wandered around the cave, which was an irregularly shaped circle. There were no large stones inside, just black soil and that pond, making it an excellent area for cultivation.
Zhao Hai was also evaluating the place, nodding as he looked around. He was truly satisfied with it. Not only could it be cultivated, but the pond also made irrigation much easier. Even if the water in the pond was insufficient, there were two lakes in the mountain caves on either side, which had plenty of water.
Seeing Zhao Hai nodding in approval, Mu Tou quickly said, “Young master, have you noticed something different here?”
Zhao Hai was taken aback, glancing around but not noticing anything unusual. He shook his head, saying, “I don’t see anything different.”
Mu Tou laughed, “Young master, don’t you feel it? The temperature in this valley is higher than that on the mountain. Plus, look at the grass on the mountain wall; it’s much taller than the grass outside. It’s spring now, and while the wild grass has sprouted, it’s not very tall. The reason we found it hard to walk earlier is that there was a lot of dry grass on the ground, which is tough and causes us to trip. But the grass on the valley's mountain walls is new and has grown quite long, with many already bearing seeds. This indicates that the valley hasn’t been hit by cold winds and has maintained this temperature. If that’s the case, then it can be cultivated all year round. What a great place!”
Following Mu Tou’s pointing, Zhao Hai indeed noticed a lot of wild grass growing on the mountain wall, and it looked quite different from the grass outside. The grass outside appeared green, but up close, one could see that it was new grass sprouting from beneath the dry grass and wasn’t very tall. However, the wild grass here was much longer.
Zhao Hai couldn’t help but nod, feeling puzzled. This valley was on a mountain, and the soil should be similar to the soil on the mountain. It shouldn’t be like the black soil outside. Yet the soil in this valley was exactly like the black soil of the Black Earth Wilderness. He couldn’t understand why.
At that moment, Merlin’s voice suddenly said, “Well said! I didn’t expect you, Mu Tou, to observe so carefully. When did you become so smart?”
When Merlin said this, both Zhao Hai and Mu Tou were taken aback. Zhao Hai felt somewhat strange because, in his memory, Mu Tou had never been this smart. Not only was he not very clever, but he also seemed a bit silly, often struggling to articulate his thoughts. How could he now observe so carefully and speak so articulately?