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Chapter 133 - Potato

"My Cat's Missing! Anyone Seen My Cat?!"

[Yu: Here's the deal—I picked up the cutest kitten a couple days ago. She looks like this [Photo: Cat glancing back]

Like this [Photo: Cat sitting regally, emerald eyes brimming with poise]

And like this, this, and THIS [Photos] x9

And finally, have you seen this cat milk tea? [Photo]

Oh? You're asking if she's lost?

My little darling's not lost, of course!

Just sharing her with you all!]

Chong: [Where's my knife?]

[I thought you were calling me—good thing it's not.]

—Yu: [Senior, look at my innocent eyes! How could Senior be my missing cat? But, like, you could be.]

—Chong: [Absolutely NOT!!!]

Gui Fan: [Knew it—click and watch Chong lose face.jpg]

Xue: [This cat's strikingly standard.]

—Chong: [Huh? Now that you mention it, she looks almost identical to the standard cat in our Shapeshifting textbook.]

—Yu: [Whoa! Really? But Senior's still watching videos, so my cat's clearly a prodigy!]

Unnamed: [?!]

[??????]

Night Sovereign: "…"

Yu Yu gleefully posted to her social circle. Night Sovereign leaped out of the cup. She'd never been so speechless in her life. Before, watching Feng Ye's antics, she found the kid amusing—lively, adorable.

Now…

Night Sovereign decided Yu Yu urgently needed headquarters' reeducation. She was already pondering who should discipline her once she arrived. Then a private message pinged.

Teacher: [Link—go ahead, disgrace Legendaries! Let's see what happens when you're exposed!]

[I told you to mimic my Invisibility, but no, you had to improvise, traitor, hah.]

On the rooftop, a cat cackled wildly, mocking his student. He hadn't laughed long—just from the moment he saw it until now, nonstop.

Cat milk tea, hah—Night Sovereign milk tea.

His ears twitched, sensing someone trying to delete the post. He swiftly blocked it with his Legendary privileges. Yu Yu, oblivious to the shadowy clash, posted happily, flaunted her cat, then plopped contentedly onto the sofa to log on!

Though the Grand Archon offered Felix a wristband, she declined to join online. She felt her stay was short—she'd be deported soon, and Silver Moon had long lost its charm. These days, Wolf Wolf binged videos, books, and music, or went out with Yu Yu. Though Yu Yu saw no overt emotions, she knew Wolf Wolf was secretly thrilled.

Yu Yu's word!

Once online, Yu Yu didn't tinker with her homestead system. Instead, she visited her small farm. Her potatoes, boosted by an overzealous Vine Growth, had half matured early. Now, she was here to inspect her bounty and plan a potato feast. What was her original goal?

Open a shop!

Conquer Silver Moon taste buds with potatoes and launch a chain restaurant!

But now, she realized she'd been naive.

She could just become a viscount—why bother with a shop?

Tax collection wasn't sweet enough?

Build her domain and shear small-time players—now that was the dream!

"Yields are nearly Federal levels, using just spells, no fertilizers," Yu Bai reported. "They're magically hastened, yet still—think the Federation could master Vine Growth?"

Yu Yu stroked her chin, buzzing with excitement. "Sure, once we get more spellcaster players."

Yu Bai: "Not enough people—too few."

Yu Yu: "Then I'll crack the protective array, then design automated Vine Growth machines."

Yu Bai: "Deal!"

"Weighed it yet? Total yield?" Yu Yu asked.

Yu Bai, confident: "Not the best potato strain, not scientifically grown, even hastened, but potatoes are potatoes. About 4,000 pounds per acre. Your plot's roughly 15 acres, but we harvested half, so around 30,000 pounds."

"Good thing players are strong, or digging would've killed us."

"Neighbors kept snooping. At first, they saw the Magic Circle sign and left, but more came later. No clue how word spread…"

She rambled on. "Now tons of self-proclaimed nobles and merchants are asking prices. I dropped your name, and they scattered."

Yu Yu was floored. "That many?"

Yu Bai, unimpressed: "That many? Top strains with scientific methods hit 10,000 pounds per acre. The Federation grows them too. Believe me, your yield's bottom-tier—critic-bait!"

Yu Yu, deadpan: "Mine mature fast. Zoom, zoom, done."

Yu Bai deflated. "Spellcasters are too OP. No comparison."

"You gotta research it—see if Vine Growth can be adapted. If it can…"

Yu Bai's eyes gleamed.

Yu Yu frowned. "Maybe I should open a chain restaurant. What do I do with all these potatoes?"

"They'll rot if I store them poorly."

Yu Bai: "They won't. Potatoes keep well with dry, ventilated storage…"

Yu Yu: "Wonder if the Duchess needs potatoes. I'll ask."

Potatoes were way tastier than Silver Moon's fare—she bet the Duchess would love them.

Speaking of, she'd never asked what Silver Moon's staple was.

Probably gross, whatever it was.

Moments later, at Meng's place.

Half an hour after Yu Yu arrived, Meng drifted in, bleary-eyed, like a ghost.

She was about to flop onto her recliner for a nap, as usual, when Yu Yu's eyes glinted, and she leaned in.

"Senior!" (loudly)

Meng flinched, hand clutching her chest, eyes snapping wide, round as moons.

Yu Yu turned away, snickering.

Meng exhaled, murder in her gaze. "Yu. Yu."

Yu Yu cut her off. "Senior, what do Silver Moon folks eat daily?"

Meng glared coldly. "Don't change the subject. Get over here."

Yu Yu grinned. "Senior, why do you always wake up half an hour later than me?"

"I came way later than yesterday!"

Meng's eyelids drooped, sleepiness creeping back. "Because I'm tired, you heartless gremlin, scaring me like that."

Yu Yu: "Fine, nap a bit more. I'll read."

Meng mumbled agreement, collapsing.

Some people slept like they'd fainted.

Yu Yu thought Meng was one.

She'd actually wanted to share her cat with Senior.

After rummaging, Yu Yu realized Meng's library wasn't all-encompassing.

Summoning and enchantment books dominated, with some general knowledge texts—mostly bought after teaching Yu Yu.

Beyond that, miscellaneous books on music, languages, and history, but slim pickings.

Yu Yu scoured shelves but found nothing on agriculture.

So, she still didn't know what Silver Moon ate or their grain yields.

Guess there wasn't any.

Yu Yu gave up, plopped down, and kept reading.

When Meng wasn't rushing, the vibe was chill.

Her study, enchanted with some array, stayed perfectly temperate, with thick, soft carpets—insanely cozy.

Meng knew how to live!

"What're you looking for?"

Meng's lazy, husky voice broke the silence, fresh from her nap.

Yu Yu looked up to see her slowly rise and sip water.

"Senior, check out my cat!!!"

"Have you seen her?!"

Meng paused, eyelid twitching. "Chong?"

Yu Yu: "???"

"No way Chong's my cat! What're you thinking, Senior?!"

"Didn't know you were that kind of Senior!!!"

Meng scoffed. "When you were petting her tail, you didn't think of that? You're the bigger weirdo—even the Lord of Shadows and Dreams couldn't stand it."

Yu Yu: "You don't get it, Senior! Life's about ears and tails—you can't betray them!"

Meng pulled up Yu Yu's photos, studying them before praising, "Very standard. Like a textbook cat."

Yu Yu: "Hehe, right? My cat's a prodigy!"

"Milk tea?" Meng chuckled. "Clever. I'll try it next time."

Next time, I'll make Chang transform and stuff her in a cup.

Meng sipped water leisurely. "What were you asking earlier?"

Yu Yu, basking in cat-sharing joy, said contentedly, "Senior, what do Silver Moon folks eat? Is it good? High yields?"

Meng pondered. "Why the sudden interest? Oh, your potatoes ripened?"

Yu Yu nodded vigorously. "Yup, tons! I'm figuring out how to sell them!"

Meng perked up. "Potatoes are tasty. How many? I'll buy a bunch."

Yu Yu: "You might not clear them, Senior."

Meng blinked. "That small plot—how much could you grow? Worst case, I'll rope in Chang and the others."

Yu Yu grinned. "Guess, Senior."

Just then, the Duchess sent Yu Yu a flood of replies.

Yup, unable to find books, Yu Yu had messaged the Duchess directly.

Meng considered the plot. "You used Vine Growth on half, so only half's ripe… 400 pounds?"

Yu Yu: "…That low? Your staples yield that little?"

Meng's eyes flickered. "You'd probably gag on what we used to eat."

"We call it millet, roughly," Meng said. "As for yields…"

She mused. "About 150 to 200 pounds per acre, I think. I checked when I was town Archon. Probably hasn't changed much."

Yu Yu did the math.

Whoa, potatoes yield at least 2,000 pounds per acre, up to 10,000. Silver Moon's is crazy low!

Meng: "After the Verdant Calamity, all plant life's half-dead. This is the best Magic Circle's generations could manage."

"Stop teasing—how much did you grow?"

Yu Yu fired a number to the Duchess, then grinned at Meng. "30,000 pounds."

Meng's hand shook, water splashing half her black robe. "HOW MUCH???"

"Total 30,000 pounds. My strain's average, and I rushed, so per-acre yield's a bit low…"

Meng stared, her expression indescribable.

Yu Yu beamed back.

The next second, Meng lunged, grabbed Yu Yu's shoulders, and Teleported.

Meanwhile, in the castle.

The Duchess nearly bristled. "Impossible!!!"

Feng Ye nearly spat her water.

Brushing off stray wolf fur, she snapped, "Quit freaking out. You're a Duchess—have some dignity."

"What's going on?" she asked.

The Duchess's deep blue eyes were dazed. "Teacher, is there anything yielding 4,000 pounds per acre?"

Feng Ye blinked, puzzled, then ventured, "In the Golden Era, one plane's mushrooms hit that yield. Tasted decent, supposedly—fresh, savory."

The Duchess: "Yu Yu's potatoes came in."

Feng Ye's eyes widened. "She actually grew them? No mutations?"

The Duchess shot out like a gale, vanishing from sight.

Feng Ye: "?"

That's how you treat your teacher?!

After a beat, Feng Ye couldn't hold back.

Yu Yu kept jolting her every other day.

With a Teleport, Feng Ye beat the Duchess to the farm.

There, Yu Yu stood proudly before the warehouse.

"Senior, behold," she flung open the doors, "this is my empire!"

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