Misty rain. This was a real misty rain.
It was like a snow-white veil that danced in the air, filling up the entire sky.
Beneath the misty rain was an endless field of paddy fields. The paddy fields had yet to fully mature, but some areas were already glowing with a golden color. It seemed that harvest season was coming soon.
In addition to the paddy fields, there were also many neat fields and green grasslands nearby. There were cows, sheep, chickens, and birds chasing each other and playing on the fields. A clear stream flowed through the middle of the fields, and the sound of the stream was very pleasant. Compared to the desolate, dark, and oppressive Black-Gold Base, this place was simply beautiful. It was like a paradise on earth. Even the humid air was accompanied by the fragrance of leaves.
Ding Meng could not help but close his eyes. He raised his head and took a deep breath. This was the smell of freedom.
Fred had already begun to explain. "Planet TT12 is a peripheral planet of the Empire. Since there is no energy source to be exploited here, but the natural conditions and climate are very good, this place is able to grow all natural green food and raw materials …"
Ding Meng could not help but sigh in praise. "This place is really good."
Fred could not help but turn his head and give him a strange look. "You are the first person to think that this place is good."
"Is there a problem?" Ding Meng asked.
Fred could not be bothered to answer his question. He pointed at a few empty patches of mud. "Kid, don't say that uncle didn't take care of you. From now on, this place is yours."
"What do you mean?" Ding Meng was curious.
Fred's expression became even more strange. "You can grow vegetables, farm, raise cows, and raise chickens."
Ding Meng wondered if he had heard wrong. This brother had finally gotten rid of his status as a laborer, and now he was here to be a vegetable farmer?
"Fine. If you want me to grow vegetables, then you need to have vegetable seeds. If you want to raise cows, you need to have calves, right?" Ding Meng was a practical person, so his question was more practical.
Fred rolled his eyes. "That's your problem. My job is only to bring you here. Everything else has nothing to do with me."
"This …" Ding Meng was dumbfounded.
Fred then pointed in another direction. "You are not alone. You still have neighbors."
Looking in the direction of his finger, Ding Meng could clearly see that his room was actually a simple wooden house. Next to the wooden house was a two-story cement bungalow, and in front of the house was a small courtyard.
An old man with a head full of white hair walked out of the courtyard. He was probably even older than Fred, but it was obvious from his face that he was a legitimate descendant of the Chinese. Fred was already greeting him. "Old Man Yu, come and take a look at your new neighbor. This kid is called Ding Meng."
Old Man Yu smiled happily. "Welcome, welcome, Ding Meng. Come, come in and have a seat."
Old Man Yu's house was definitely much better than Ding Meng's wooden house. At the very least, it had the most basic amenities. The moment he entered the house, Old Man Yu warmly greeted Ding Meng. He first poured him some water, and then brought over a plate of nuts. "Ding Meng, right? You can call me Old Yu. Come, come, come, eat some. I heard from the citizen officer that you survived the interstellar disaster. It must have been very hard on you.
You should eat more … "In the interstellar era where everyone took nutrient solutions, this kind of peanut-like nut was a very good snack. Ding Meng still had good taste. He knew that this was a famous specialty of the Norse Empire, sour plum pecans. It was very popular among the rich.
Ding Meng suddenly felt very uncomfortable. This was because he was used to the cold eyes and suspicion of others. He was used to the insidiousness and hatred of others. Suddenly, a stranger was showing concern for his well-being. This made him very uncomfortable.
Old Man Yu was an ordinary human. When he was middle-aged, his wife passed away in an accident, leaving behind a daughter to study in Autumn Ze City. He was the only one living alone on this rural farm, relying on this large piece of land to make a living. He was usually very bored by himself. Now that he suddenly had a neighbor, Old Man Yu was very happy.
When it was close to evening, Old Man Yu even took out three nutrient solutions and stuffed them into Ding Meng's hands.
"Ding Meng, I know that you've just arrived here, and the coming days will be very difficult for you. I don't know if you've done farm work before, but it will definitely be hard. Take these three nutrient solutions first. Have a good night's sleep. If you need anything, call me at any time tomorrow …"
Ding Meng held the three nutrient solutions and did not know what to say. In the current environment, of course, he could not refuse such a gift. After all, other than a claw knife and a bracelet, he really did not have anything else on him.
However, Ding Meng still asked, "Old Yu, you've planted so many grains, vegetables, chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep on this land. Why don't you cook for yourself?"
Old Yu's old face showed a hint of emotion. "In the end, the nutrient solutions are still cheaper. We can sell these green foods at a good price to the buyers. Ding Meng, you're still young. It's better to save up for emergencies in the future …"
Although his words were short, Ding Meng immediately understood. This was a planet on the edge of the Norse Empire. It was probably focused on farming. These green foods were not for people like Old Yu to eat, but to be sold at a low price to specialized buyers. The buyers would then sell them at a high price to the big cities of the Central Galaxy for the rich to enjoy.
This was the same nature as the workers mining in Black Gold Base. Diamonds stained with blood and tears would eventually become embellishments for those celebrities or beautiful women, not jewelry for the workers.
Ding Meng suddenly felt very emotional. He remembered an old proverb: "One who wears silk is not a silkworm breeder."
However, this place was still many times better than Black Gold Base. At least he could live freely. For Ding Meng, this was enough.
It was only now that Ding Meng finally understood what Fred meant. That was, he could freely plant the few empty plots of land in front of the gate. That was what he could rely on to settle down here.
If he wanted to farm, so be it. Ding Meng did not take it too hard. It was impossible for people to live as they pleased. Adapting to the circumstances was something that people should learn.
The three mixtures that Old Yu gave him were obviously not something that the cheap nutrient solution in Black Gold Base could compare to. First of all, the appearance was very beautiful. Naturally, it had the unique dagger logo of the Empire printed on it. Secondly, there was the name of the manufacturer: "Norse Empire Autumn Pool City Anvil Food Production Co., Ltd."
The label on the surface of the test tube also had a description of the capacity: "Energy 500 + Decars."
This was easy to understand. A normal person's daily energy requirement was around 120 Dikars. The nutrient solution in the Black Gold Base had a capacity of 40 Dikars. Almost 12 vials were equivalent to one vial from Old Yu. Since Old Yu had given him three vials, it was basically equivalent to giving him ten days' worth of food. Presumably, Old Yu was taking care of him.
Back in his house, Ding Meng felt very emotional. He had escaped from Black Gold Base to the Norse Empire in almost one night. Moreover, he had come to such a peaceful place.
Although he had escaped from a dangerous environment, survival was still his primary goal.
Survival, no matter which environment you were in, was never a simple matter.