David didn’t dwell too long on the mystery of the potatoes, realizing it was pointless to keep speculating. The situation before him was far more pressing. Instead of getting lost in questions that may never have clear answers, he turned his focus to the task at hand: preparing the field for potato planting.

Mark Watney, in his hand, held a bag of live potatoes—the very ones he had originally planned to grow on Mars in his fight for survival. Now, those same potatoes were sitting in front of David and Fording, offering hope for the future of Cold Winter Village.

“Isn’t this a potato?” Fording said, eyeing the bag. Despite coming from a different world, Fording recognized the crop immediately, as potatoes were just as common in Azeroth as they were on Earth.

David blinked, suddenly remembering that the world of Azeroth, like this one, had many familiar crops. He had been so wrapped up in the day-to-day survival of the village that he had overlooked such simple details.

“Yeah, but these aren’t for eating,” David quickly explained, anticipating Fording’s next question. “When I took Mark around earlier, we found wild potatoes growing near the village. Mark thinks the soil here is good for growing more.”

Fording’s eyes widened with realization. “If that works, we could have a stable food source.”

David nodded. Fording was quick to grasp the implications of this discovery. Cold Winter Village, as small and isolated as it was, had struggled mainly due to the lack of reliable food sources. The cold winters were harsh, but they could be managed with enough firewood and proper shelter. The real issue had always been food.

If they could grow their own crops—especially a staple like potatoes—it would mean everything for the village’s future. They wouldn’t just survive the winters, they could thrive. More importantly, a stable food supply would allow David to attract more settlers to the village. Farmers, blacksmiths, tailors—once word spread that Cold Winter Village had a steady source of food, it would draw all kinds of people, and the village could finally grow into something sustainable.

“The other challenges—winter, the cold, shelter—they’re manageable,” David said thoughtfully. “But the food problem... it’s the biggest obstacle.”

Fording nodded in agreement. “Once food is taken care of, everything else falls into place.”

While David and Fording discussed the possibilities for the village, Mark Watney seemed lost in his own thoughts. For Mark, the novelty of traveling between worlds still had his mind racing. As a scientist, he couldn’t help but wonder what caused such a strange and extraordinary phenomenon. The idea of stepping between different realities fascinated him to the point where even the prospect of potato farming faded into the background.

For Mark Watney, most of the food problem was solved when he discovered he could come to this world. Finding wild potatoes made any lingering concerns disappear. As an accomplished botanist, he had complete confidence in his judgment. A bounty of potatoes awaited him, just needing time to cultivate.

“It’s amazing. I went from being the first human to live alone on Mars to the first person to step into another world... Maybe even one far from the solar system,” he mused, excitement tinged with disbelief.

After that moment of wonder, he turned his focus to cultivation.

“Where do you plan to grow the potato fields?” David asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

“Do you have any requirements?” Mark replied, scanning the vast river in the distance. “If possible, I want to plant them here.”

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He eyed the west side of the village. It was a bit away but close enough to the Winter River for easy access to water.

David watched him for a moment before suggesting, “Why not plant next to the wooden house? It’ll be easier to care for them that way.”

Mark nodded, appreciating the advice. “You’re right. The closer, the better. We can’t underestimate the danger from the forest beasts.”

David’s suggestion was rooted in caution. The sudden appearance of wild potatoes and the odd conditions around the cabin made him wary. He wasn’t about to gamble on the unknown.

With the site chosen, they moved on to the manual labor. The three of them, strong in their own right, set to work. Mark, trained to meet the rigorous demands of being an astronaut, was no stranger to hard work. He had the physical prowess to match his botanical expertise.

The atmosphere buzzed with energy as they dug into the earth. Cold Winter Village, which seemed on the brink of disappearing, came alive in this spring-like moment.

David, full of enthusiasm, lost track of time as they toiled. It wasn’t until Mark called out, “This size is enough,” that he paused.

“What? Enough? I haven’t even exerted myself yet,” David replied, looking down at the patch they had tilled. Had they really done enough?

He glanced at Fording, who towered beside them. The man’s efficiency was staggering; he had done most of the heavy lifting without breaking a sweat.

Fording leaned on his shovel, seemingly unfazed. “This isn’t even a warm-up for me,” he said casually.

As they prepared to plant the potatoes, Mark took charge. “Just leave it to me. I guarantee we’ll have a bountiful harvest soon.”

Though they had just planted, David could already envision piles of potatoes in front of him. He began to consider sending for farmers from Iron Tree Fort after the first harvest.

Lost in his bright future, he barely noticed Lara approaching from a distance. She looked worse for wear—disheveled and worn out.

“Lara!” he exclaimed, concern rising as he released a holy light, illuminating Lara like a three-kilowatt bulb.

“Don’t worry, David. I didn’t suffer any serious injuries. The blood isn’t mine,” she assured him, her voice steady despite her appearance.

Hearing Lara's words, David sighed with relief. “So, you’re covered in enemy blood? How many robbers did you take down?”

“I don’t know. There were too many on the island to count,” Lara replied, her voice tinged with fatigue—not physical, but mental exhaustion.

Since her ordeal on the island, everything she had learned over the years had been challenged. Countless unreasonable events unfolded before her, with relentless enemies appearing at every turn. Lara had no choice but to confront them with sheer strength. After two or three grueling days, she was running on empty. If she hadn’t made it to David’s safe haven for rest, food, and water, she might have collapsed.

As Lara recounted her harrowing experiences, David encouraged her. “You can do it! Let’s figure out what to do next.”

According to Lara, she had successfully sent a distress signal to the outside world, even getting a plane dispatched to rescue them. But then, strange occurrences began, as if some mysterious force was intent on keeping them trapped. The rescue plane crashed under bizarre circumstances.

“Meanwhile, this group calling themselves the Brotherhood of the Sun seems intent on sacrificing my friend Samantha. I need to rescue her urgently. If I wait too long, something terrible might happen.”

David nodded, understanding her urgency. “I get it. You really don’t have much time to breathe. Those few breaks you get might just be from sheer exhaustion.”

After eating a few bites of meat, Lara wiped the grime from her face and hands. “I’m glad I met you.”

“Don’t mention it. Just a small effort on my part,” David replied, releasing his holy light again to provide her with shelter. “But if you want to thank me, how about you bring some delicious food after you rescue your friend and escape from that terrible place?”

“Deal!” As the golden light around her began to fade, Lara felt the magical protection it provided, shielding her from harm. In countless battles, this force had kept her alive, sparing her from injuries that would have taken her life.

Without David’s intervention, she suspected she wouldn’t have made it off that island. Her gratitude ran deep, and she resolved to do whatever she could to help him once she returned home.

With the resources and connections of the Crawford family, developing a remote village wouldn’t be too difficult. However, they would need to figure out how to bring materials to this world quickly.

“It’d be convenient if you could drive here,” David remarked, unaware of the support waiting in the wings.

He prepared to grab his bow and arrows to hunt for more prey when Mark suddenly interrupted him.

“Wait! I’m heading back to Mars to bring you some food. Come and taste my world’s sweet and sour chicken!”