Chapter 340: Chapter 0337: Recognizing by the Look in Their Eyes (Fifth Update, Alliance Hierarch Extra 6/18)
 

The second sea vessel for Fresh Flower Town arrived quickly.

It was a bulky and large two-masted sailboat with a shell that was neither brand new nor outdated, and its sails were still patched up. The Fresh Flower Vessel had just returned from transporting charcoal, docked at Fresh Flower Port, providing an excellent contrast to this sailboat.

Its width was roughly double that of the Fresh Flower Vessel, though its length was about the same.

The mast sails were also relatively broader, making it appear more cumbersome than the Fresh Flower Vessel. However, its bow was primarily wide and couldn’t compare to the sharp bow of the Fresh Flower Vessel.

With such a shape, it couldn’t achieve high speeds. The Fresh Flower Vessel could reach a ship’s speed of 7 knots, while the top speed of this one was limited to 5 knots.

To traverse the journey between Fresh Flower Town and Black Horse Island once, it was estimated to take fifteen or sixteen hours.

Setting sail before dawn, one wouldn’t arrive until after dark.

“My lord, we’ve bought it!” Goltai excitedly leaped off the ship and quickly reported to Liszt, “It cost a total of three hundred and forty Gold Coins. The Barley has been running for two and a half years without any accidents and is of quite good quality in every aspect. After comparing several cargo ships, the Barley is the most suitable.”

After a thorough inspection aboard, Captain Kostor of the Fresh Flower Vessel agreed with Goltai’s statement, “My lord, the Barley really is excellent. Three hundred and forty Gold Coins, well worth the price.”

Liszt didn’t know much about ships.

But he was essentially satisfied with the Barley. The overall framework of the cargo ship was good, and with a little refurbishment, it could certainly be made as good as new.

He thought for a moment and then said, “The name Barley doesn’t fit the temperament of Fresh Flower Town. Change it, change it to… Thorn Number.”

Thorn was a specialty of Fresh Flower Town and also the breed of the first Little Minor Elf, so naming it after Thorn closely matched the characteristics of Fresh Flower Town, pointing directly to the glory of him, the Landlord.

“The task of refurbishing the Thorn Number will be entrusted to Captain Kostor. Moreover, you need to quickly train a qualified new captain and a sufficient number of sailors… The future Fresh Flower Town will not only have these two sea vessels; I need more captains and sailors.”

Kostor spoke vibrantly, “Yes, my lord. Kostor is willing to serve!”

Sailing was his dream. Commanding a single ship was one thing, but leading a fleet was an entirely different realm. He longed for the day the Fresh Flower fleet would dominate the seas, and he firmly believed that day would not be too far off. In the near future, the great Landlord would bring it all to fruition.

…

Without further delay at the port, after receiving the Thorn Number, Liszt returned to the Castle.

Then he summoned the Smoke Mission.

“Mission complete, reward one Mangrove Minor Elf.”

Mission accomplished.

The Minor Elf was rewarded, and although he didn’t yet know where it was, seeing the two Serpent Script characters of “Mangrove,” he already understood where to find this Minor Elf— the subsidiary island of Mangrove Island, covered with Mangrove Forest, near Black Horse Island.

But the surprise seemed to lack much excitement.

It seemed there was also a hint of faint disappointment.

“Mangrove Minor Elf… The species is mangrove, a common miscellaneous tree found by the sea. Mangrove, which makes up the Mangrove Forest, what use does it have? Maintain ecological balance? Or to prevent soil erosion?” Liszt sighed inwardly.

Indeed.

One cannot expect much from a reward received without a Chain mission, compared to the Thorn Minor Elf, which could produce Magic Potions and Ironwood, the Mangrove Minor Elf seemed much weaker. When he had passed through the Mangrove Forest before, after a careful round, he found no traces of Magic Power.

It meant there were no Magic Potions.

Mangroves were often miscellaneous trees with little value for collection, and without the ability to produce Magic Potions, it was evident that the Mangrove Minor Elf was somewhat useless.

“But I shouldn’t be so hasty; after all, I haven’t investigated thoroughly. Maybe deep within Mangrove Island lies a source of Magic Potions. I merely glanced around the periphery last time, not even spotting any Cordyceps of the Mangrove Minor Elf, which should grow deep within the island’s forests… So how should I capture and bond with it?”

Even the most useless Little Minor Elf is still a Minor Elf, and if one day it mutates into a new variety of Magic Potion, that would be a huge surprise.

So Liszt shook off his disappointment and perked up, ready to set sail for Mangrove Island immediately to find the Mangrove Minor Elf and make a contract with it.

However, it was very difficult to land on the mangroves, and even harder to find a Mangrove Minor Elf.

“Right, I can take Ake with me, she’s a Sea Serpent, at ease in the sea. Perhaps she can help search the Mangrove Forest and find the Mangrove Minor Elf,” he thought.

He hurried towards the sea to look for Ake.

But he didn’t forget to glance at the new Smoke Mission.

“Mission: Drinking delicious high-quality milk every day, you might have forgotten the construction of the dairy farm and the cultivation of the Black Blood Treasured Horses, both need a vast amount of nutrients, please continue to expand the planting of Corn Grass by 500 mu. Reward: Four Dragon Breed Cows.”

After reviewing the new mission,

Liszt smiled at the corner of his mouth, “As expected, Dragon Breed Cows, or rather, the calves that were initially within the pregnant cows, were infected by the Formless Dragon and became Dragon Breed Cows… There were three cows pregnant during the Formless Dragon’s invasion, so does this mean that one of them had twins?”

Like humans, cows usually only have one calf per pregnancy.

Twins or triplets are very rare occurrences.

“However, although these four calves are indeed Dragon Breed Cows, their mothers, Dahuang, Dahua, and Dahei, must have also been partially infected, otherwise, the quality of the milk wouldn’t be so outstanding. The same goes for Little Hua and Little Black, their milk is of high quality as well.”

It seems all nine cows at the Fresh Flower Farm may have been infected.

Milk Hua, Milk Huang, and Milk Hei are also maturing, ready to become pregnant and produce milk; by then it will be clear whether they have been infected, and how good the milk quality is.

Zhuangzhuang, the male milk cow, probably got infected too. The calves he sires should show an improvement in physique.

Fresh Flower Farm’s foreseeable future will become a source of high-quality milk, continuously providing Liszt with nutrients.

“I have to expand the planting of Corn Grass by another 500 mu, I remember that all the wastelands of Barley Hamlet are already planted, with sorghum fields expanded to 100 mu and Corn Grass to 280 mu… So, I shall plant another 500 mu of Corn Grass on the wastelands of Thorn Ridge, what a pity it cannot benefit from the boost of the Corn Grass Bug.”

Amid his thoughts,

He had already reached the Sea View Villa.

Just as he was about to pull out the horn to call for Sea Sprite Ake, he suddenly discovered that Ake was reading a book in the Sea View Villa. And before Liszt could speak, Ake leaped up joyfully, “Brother, you’re finally here! Ake has been waiting for you for so long.”

“You were waiting for me? Is there something you need?” Liszt asked curiously.

“Mhm!”

Ake nodded enthusiastically and then waved towards the seashell on the lower floor, “Little girl, come out quickly.”

Little girl?

Did she find another Little Sea Monster?

Liszt was stunned for a moment, and then, he saw a little creature fly out from the shell of the stone house, flitting up the stairs. It was a light green Minor Elf with transparent wings, the size of a palm.

The Minor Elf seemed afraid of Liszt and immediately hid in Ake’s azure blue hair, burying itself in it.

At that moment,

Liszt suddenly realized, the so-called Mangrove Minor Elf, must be this one right in front of him… Obviously, it had been found by Ake beforehand.