Chapter 81: Chapter 79 Taro (4th update, subscription requested)
Although its appearance is somewhat different, it indeed bears quite a resemblance to the yam in my memory, even the smell seems almost the same.
"Is it a food similar to yam?"
Weighing the round tuber in his claw, Austin pondered silently in his heart.
This world is vastly different from the environment of his past life, so naturally, the types of food can’t be exactly the same. However, these ordinary foods have at least one or two similarities, though the reason is unknown.
But these matters don’t have much to do with Austin, anyway. Questions like why he traversed worlds are impossible for him to solve no matter how hard he thinks.
Currently, what’s more important is the significance of the "yam".
Although the Dragon Nest Tribe has begun the great undertaking of clearing land for farming, under sufficient manpower, the total acreage of recently cleared land is nearing one thousand large acres. However, even up till today, the food suitable for planting by the beastmen remains limited to kudzu root and a small amount of rice.
The food is too monotonous, which is very unhealthy.
Don’t be misled by the high spirits of the Dragon Nest Tribe’s beastmen militia laboring fervently in the fields, wild and enthusiastic under the open sky. Filling their stomachs is everything to them, they don’t care whether the food is monotonous or varied. Even if Austin wasn’t some expert in his previous life, he knows that a single source of food is insufficient to maintain the body’s balance of various elements.
More importantly, should the kudzu root they plant suffer a virus or pest infestation, leading to a massive die-off, given the current situation of the Dragon Nest Tribe, they would stand no chance against such a potential threat.
This is why seeking other food species to achieve agricultural diversification is very necessary.
Although there are plenty of edible foods in Kawa Great Forest, very few are suitable for large-scale cultivation.
Take for example one of the foods gathered by the Dragon Nest Tribe beastmen, the thorn fruit. This food grows on a type of thorny vine, thumb-sized, nestled in the crevices of rocky foothills. Upon ripening, it turns yellow, its taste dry, astringent, slightly bitter, with a hint of sweetness. However, its starch content is decent, making it relatively satisfying.
To achieve agricultural diversity, Austin once had the beastmen plant an acre of thorn fruit. Yet the space occupied by the thorny vine as it grew became too large, and consequently, not much could be planted on an acre. Furthermore, the growth cycle is long, producing only two seasons a year. Most critically, upon harvest, an acre could only yield about twenty pounds of thorn fruit.
This yield compared to the manpower invested initially in clearing the land is far from satisfying the needs of the Dragon Nest beastmen.
Although the lifespan of the thorn vines is very long, growing strong for ten or twenty years with sufficient care, and after harvesting a season, they continue to produce without replanting like kudzu vines.
But given that only two seasons can be produced a year, coupled with its low yield, it naturally can’t replace kudzu vine as the primary crop for the beastmen’s farming efforts.
The type of food that can support the Dragon Nest Tribe’s survival must possess high yield characteristics, enough to meet the basic survival material requirements of the beastmen.
Satisfying these two conditions, Austin, after examining the food gathered nearby by the beastmen, found only kudzu root and rice. However, wild rice isn’t yet domesticated, and its yield is low, so in the final analysis, only kudzu root fits the criteria.
Currently, in the nearly thousand acres of land cleared by the Dragon Nest Tribe, ninety-eight percent is planted with kudzu root.
If nothing happens, that would be good, but if a kudzu virus similar to a potato virus appears or suddenly, an infestation occurs, then there could be trouble.
"If it really is food similar to yam, then the issue of monoculture the Dragon Nest Tribe faces might be half solved."
Thinking to himself, Austin instructed Quik to bring the centaur leader Chiron over for detailed inquiry.
From Chiron, Austin learned that the tuber in his hand was a trophy they acquired during a raid on another tribe, but as for its name, growth appearance, growth habits and such, Chiron wasn’t aware. Nonetheless, it tasted good, initially thought to be finished, but unexpectedly, one was left.
As for the tribe Chiron and others raided, they later relocated and left, so currently it’s presumed that only Austin’s single piece remains.
Having listened to the entire story, Austin felt somewhat regretful, but what has happened can’t be changed.
"In that case, let’s call it yam."
Such a name serves as a nostalgic tribute to certain aspects of his past life.
Austin handed the sole yam to Quik and instructed him to plant it well upon returning to the tribe. If successful in cultivation and if it yields adequately, then the tribe’s agricultural repertoire would include one more crop, and thus their risk resistance capability would be enhanced.
The discovery of the yam was indeed a pleasant surprise for Austin. Subsequently, he searched the pile of trophies but didn’t find anything else valuable, so he had to stop.
"Forget it, the bounty from this time is already quite good."
Shaking his head, Austin decided not to dwell further.
"Quik, go fetch that little rodent, gather the Dragon Vein Attendants, and pick several elite squads."
After spending the better part of the day sorting through the battlefield against the Centaur Tribe, Austin finally started on the main event — exploring the cave purportedly left by a mage.
The location of the valley cliff is very close to the Centaur Tribe, about a kilometer away, and with the Ratman Priest leading the way, they arrived quickly.
In that stretch, the continuous mountains seemed to suddenly collapse, forming an almost vertical abyss. Looking down from above, clouds and mist obscured the view, raising Austin’s suspicion about how the Ratman Priest miraculously survived without falling to his death.
Of course, this time the rat would not mimic its prior tumble. The beastmen wove ropes from vines, securing them to a large tree above, and let the other end freely drop into the valley abyss. Then, several Dragon Vein Attendants grasped the ropes, descending step by step along the steep cliff face.
Meanwhile, Austin grabbed both the Ratman Priest and the fox-faced man Quik, one in each claw, spread his wings and soared into the valley abyss directly.
In no time, the group gathered at the valley floor without incident.
Austin glanced around; the surroundings were shrouded in a thin mist, not obstructing vision too much, but the soil was scattered with many white bones, seemingly from animals accidentally falling from above.
This sight again made Austin question the Ratman Priest’s luck; could this be the legendary protagonist? Otherwise, how could the legendary tale of surviving a cliff fall, discovering treasures in the cave, and rising to the peak of the Ratman Tribe occur with him?