Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest
Chapter 94 - 28: The Second Exploration

Chapter 94: Chapter 28: The Second Exploration

Day 148 in the morning.

Roman woke up early.

Due to the midsummer and the basin, the whole Origin Manor was enveloped in a sultry temperature, like a giant steamer.

Roman also began to sweat profusely.

Even without doing anything, his body would naturally sweat, the sticky sweat clinging to his clothes, creating an unbearable and strange sensation.

One can only imagine what it would be like to work under such weather conditions.

At the hottest midday, it could even make someone dizzy from the heat.

The farmers were relying solely on their passion for summer plowing and Roman’s strong attitude, enduring the sun to sow soybeans and pasture.

First, they planted soybeans, then pasture.

The latter was not difficult to plant, but to achieve higher yields, it couldn’t be done hastily.

Roman was preparing for the breeding farm.

The livestock would only increase in the future. Without a large-scale ranch, this industry couldn’t be sustained.

The yield of pasture per acre could only afford to keep half a cow or two sheep.

Roman wasn’t demanding much; he just wanted this round of pasture to last through the winter.

For this, he demarcated an area of over two thousand acres alongside the riverbanks, specifically for planting alfalfa and black oats.

Compared to proper farming, the planting and management of a grassland were fairly straightforward.

But relying merely on scattering seeds would definitely not yield any results.

Planting, covering the soil with a bit of peat fertilizer, and just waiting for a summer storm, the plants would grow wildly, and by autumn, they’d be ready to harvest.

The farmers didn’t complain about the hardship or fatigue, it was the same in the past years, enduring the scorching summer sun, weeding, tilling the land, their backs to the sky, their bodies tanned dark.

Otherwise, it was impossible to feed everyone at home when the output was low.

Carpenters and blacksmiths were the same; they had to make various pieces of furniture and equipment, their hands couldn’t stop—they earned their wages, the more they worked, the more they earned, providing full-range services for Roman.

It was just that the already unbearable high temperature seemed to have soared to new heights.

This forced Roman to reduce the intensity of the labor.

From ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, he let everyone stop working.

With summer days long and nights short, starting work at six in the morning and ending at seven in the evening, they tried to make up for some rest time.

Roman specifically instructed the large kitchen to prepare herbal tea.

He had the recipe for the tea, which was simple to make, mainly made by using heat-relieving herbs like mint, honeysuckle, sage, and thyme, and was flavored with maltose and brine, offering both sweet and salty tastes.

These herbal teas could lower the chances of heatstroke among the laborers.

On this well-arranged morning, Roman went to the stable alone.

He led out the white steed, placed the Riptide Large Bow on the horse’s back, then wore a straw hat woven from reeds, tying his wrist guards and leggings tightly, dressing quite neatly, looking like a western cowboy.

He planned to set out early before the sun rose.

"Master Roman, where are you going?" Gwivelle asked.

"I have things to do."

"I’ll come with you."

Gwivelle stepped forward and said, Roman’s attire reminded her of several months ago when they had set out like this into the Wilderness. She had a deep impression, especially of Roman and Green’s quarrel over grilling meat.

Roman casually said, "No need, it’s too hot."

He saw Gwivelle walking over and touched her forehead with his finger, noticing some fine sweat there, purely from the heat; the sun hadn’t even risen yet, and it was like this already, he wondered what kind of hellish days had passed in Sige Town.

He was about to embark on an exceptionally grueling journey.

Last time, he took her out for fun, akin to a spring outing, but this time there was no need to bring Gwivelle along.

The summer temperature in Sige Town exceeded his expectations, far more intense than the summer in Duke Domain, and even the Conquest Knights had difficulty enduring it.

He asked, "Has Sanna been taking you swimming in the river recently?"

"Ah..." Gwivelle felt a bit guilty.

It was the maid who had mentioned this to Roman, and he understood the behavior quite well.

Now, with the weather being unbearably hot, if he had the time, he would also like to dive into the river to alleviate the heat brought by the sun.

But Gwivelle dared not do so; it was mostly Sanna who dragged her along.

In Sige Town, not many people knew how to swim. Jimmy’s father had drowned in the river, and the peasant women would only wash clothes in shallow areas that didn’t reach their knees.

With a stable and comfortable life, the childlike nature of the girl gradually came out, and it wasn’t bad for her to be lively.

He wasn’t worried about Gwivelle; even if she truly drowned, she wouldn’t die—the fierce beasts in the deep mountains hadn’t managed to carry her off.

What worried him was Sanna—Kao’s sister was always together with Gwivelle, and it was uncertain when calamity might grasp her throat—he had already warned Kao about this.

But the two girls remained inseparable.

Roman said, "Be careful, and don’t go into deep water. Think more of your friend."

Gwivelle nodded honestly; she would pay attention to this.

She watched Roman leading the horse away, the sun gradually rising and casting its brilliance on his back. The thin fabric could not conceal the robust contours of his body, which seemed full of beauty and strength.

She did not know where the courage came from, but she quickly rushed forward, wrapped her arms around his smoothly contoured waist, and felt his skin tight and elastic. Soft like a rock, hard enough to make her blush, and the tactile sensation was great.

Roman looked back at Gwivelle in surprise, but she had already released her arms. Embarrassed, she hid her hands behind her back, somewhat shy but still smiling brightly, "Mr. Roman, come back early."

Roman patted her head.

"I’ll be back in a few days."

He left Origin Manor and headed towards that undeveloped vast territory.

Roman followed the salt road; the path was smooth, with horseshoes clacking on the hard cement, occasionally seeing many thatches poking through the cement or fossilized in the lime.

But Roman’s target wasn’t the salt mine.

He entered the dense forest midway and gradually went further, soon completely entering the wilderness area.

Along the way, the "Breathing Story" map in his mind continually dispersed the fog along the route, revealing all the hidden resource zones.

Logging area, quarrying area, hunting area...

Swamps, lakes, streams...

He proceeded for dozens of miles.

Roman was soaked in sweat.

It was unbearably hot here; the plains were tolerable, but entering the forest was terrifying. The trees grew wildly, with numerous shrubs and dense canopies blocking the wind, and only heat continuously flowed from above, creating an exceptionally oppressive and humid environment.

And worse still were the mosquitoes constantly buzzing around his ears; no matter how he waved his hands, he couldn’t disperse these damned bugs.

After his "Hunting" skill improved, he gained basic wilderness survival experience. Before setting out, he had tightly bound both his thighs and ankles, not exposing any skin, and his face was covered with the thin mesh hanging from his straw hat.

But even so, throughout the journey, Roman was filled with sensations of pain, irritation, and rage.

Severe discomfort throughout his body.

Roman felt that perhaps he shouldn’t have recklessly entered this human-abandoned land in the summer; spring or autumn would have been more suitable. He thought he could overcome these difficulties, but within just half a day, he realized that he had underestimated the power of the wilderness.

He should immediately stop this foolish decision and head back to the manor.

Meaningless persistence would only make himself look more foolish!