Ten and a half year old Jung wiped the sweat off his forehead as he stretched his aching back. For a moment, he looked up in the sky in the afternoon sun. Jung didn’t go to school today since his father needed him to help during the planting season. Instead, he is now dressed in a farmer’s garb, complete with the straw hat and the linen short towel in his shoulder to wipe his sweat off.
The cooperative has tractors that automatically plant the potato seedlings, but there is a limit to how long they can be use since the lack of spare parts, lubricants, and actual gas makes the machine unfeasible. This is a problem for the entire nation, and Hyusil’s cooperative actually had more use for their tractors than anywhere else in the kingdom except in Pyongyang itself.
That only means that the portion of the planting, despite propaganda from the ministry of agriculture, is still done by manual labor. So Jung meticulously planted the nursery seedlings at a proportional distance in the vast field of land allocated to them. Hyusil spent a vast amount of his political IOUs to convince the commissariat to change the crop they were planting this season to potatoes instead of corn due to a dispute from the neighboring cooperative over the share in irrigation water being supplied in their area. Corn needed a lot of water, and since they lost priority in water supply, it was simply not a good idea to plant corn.
Jung also persuaded his father several months to set aside a small plot of land for alfalfa legumes, which he learned can be beneficial to the soil as natural fertilizers. Many farmers frowned at this, but by the following year, many of them were praising his father for his insights because the alfalfa grew tremendously under Jung's supervision, and after it was grounded and tilled into the soil, there was a 76% reduction in the use of expensive chemical fertilizers. This resulted in massive savings for the cooperative, which were then used for other important things like pesticides and replacement tools.
Congratulations! You have upgraded the general skill “farming” to level 6.
-The crops you planted in the field are 34% faster to grow and mass resistant to many dangers in weather, insects, water contamination, and temperature.
Requirements: Strength 1, Endurance 1, Wisdom 1 (Requirements met)
Current level: 4
Needed skill points to upgrade to the next level: 1
Remaining Skill Points: 0
The task took three full days to complete, with the farmers working from dusk till dawn. Jung had to forego his weekend as well as this Monday to complete the task. Actually, his parents wanted him to attend school, but with both parents laboring in the field and already exhausted by the second day, Jung will not leave them. So on the end of the 3rd day and all the field are fallowed and planted, a small cheer came out of the farmers and then they went back to the co-op building to celebrate a little with some cobbled together minor feast.
Despite the physical exhaustion from their labor, the farmers were filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy, which was reflected in the tired cheer that erupted when the simple meal were presented to them. It wasn’t fancy, but there were plenty of them and more importantly, the meals were hot and filling.
Jung was recruited to serve the men and women and Jung was actually pouting because he wasn’t included in the plan when they were cooking the food, which are mostly rice, Kimchi soup, Korean dumplings and Ddeokbokki, which are simple spicy rice cakes. The grandma in charge of the food correctly pointed out that he was one of the farmers busy in the field so they couldn’t call him for help.
Slightly mollified, Jung proceeded to distribute the food to the waiting farmers. It was a big hit, and sometime in the night, soju was delivered and was added to the celebration. Then people began to relax even more and started singing.
Curious, Jung hee sipped some of the left over soju and received another prompt from the system.
Congratulations!
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You have unlocked the general skill “Drinking.”
-You will receive 2-4% increase in your base stamina if you are drinking certain beverages like water or juices. Stackable up to maximum benefit of 30% increase in stamina. Cool down time is 20 minutes.
-You will receive 2-4% increase in your base strength if you are drinking certain beverages with alcohol. Stackable up to maximum benefit of 30% increase in strength. Cool down time is 20 minutes.
-You will receive 5% increase in all base mind skills if you drink tea, coffee or any other caffeinated drinks. Not stackable. No cool down time.
-You will received 5% increase in any social oriented skills. Stackable up to a maximum of 30% increase. No cool down time.
Requirements: The skill, “Tasting,” at least level 2, Endurance 1 (Requirement met)
Current level: 0
Needed skill points to upgrade to the next level: 1
Remaining Skill Points: 0
“Eh?!” Jung said intelligently. When a few adult look at him curiously, including his father, Jung immediately added some soda in the Soju to disguised it and not to get himself into trouble.
Congratulations!
You have unlocked the specialist skill “Mixology.”
-You now have the general understanding of the art of studying, preparing, inventing and mixing drinks, the so called cocktails. The higher the level the better the mix.
Requirements: The skill, “Tasting,” at least level 3, Endurance 1 (Requirement met)
Current level: 0
Needed skill points to upgrade to the next level: 1
Remaining Skill Points: 0
“Eeehh?!” Jung said incredulously. Where the hell are these skills coming from?! He thought, annoyed. Jung quickly swipe the message away and returned to the party after he threw away the concoction he made. He decided then and there that he didn’t like alcohol.
When everyone is eating, only then did Jung sat down with her parents and joined them. His father was in a jovial but slightly intense conversation with his fellow farmers about Agricultural policies and regulations. His mother is complementing the cooks who made the food while hugging Jung’s big head. Under her, Jung was muttering to himself with his arm cross, that he could have help in the preparation and then he too should have been praised for his cooking skills.
By 8 in the evening, the party is at a close and people are saying their good byes. Jung wanted to help clear the dishes but the older women shooed him away. So he and his parents left for their home. Her parents were holding hands as they leisurely walked the dark dirt road. Jung’s dad is holding a huge candle to lighten their way ahead. Jung, meanwhile, who is also holding his own lantern, was going back and forth in front of his parents, worried that they would trip or something. He warned them of uneven slope or potholes he discovered in the dirt road they are traversing, but his parents are more interested in their quiet conversation about the farmers’s drama than to actually listen to their son.
Jung was practically jumping up and down to get his parents’ attention, but all he got is a big pat in the head. Grumpily, Jung continued his patrol.
“Woooh!” someone said on top of a nearby tree they passed by. Jung ignored the sound since he already detected his giant pet owl a mile away. Bongcha is complaining that there is no food waiting for her and where did his servant go this late at night?
Jung wasn’t concern because their connection told him that the damn bird already hunted and killed a rat, a squirrel, a few wall lizards and even went to the forest and grabbed an entire rabbit. She was just annoyed that her normal cold food given by Jung is not arriving. Actually, the owl was a bit worried and came to greet meet them in the road.
While the pet was there, Jung asked it mentally if there are any predators near the road.
Like what? The owl asked.
Like wolves, wild boars or snakes. Anything big enough that can threaten my parents, Jung shot back.
Ooh snakes! I like snakes. They are tasty, thought the owl.
Bongcha! Jung thought irritated.
The bird sighed inside his mind. No, no, no. There are none of the bigger predators around. They are mostly asleep or ranging further inside the forest. This place are too open for the predators relying on stealth.
Satisfied, Jung relaxed a bit and followed his parents as they enjoyed the simple night.
Jung took a deep breath of the cold night and started to smile a little. It was a good day after all. He look at the beautiful stars in the sky.
Ding!
Congratulations! You have unlocked the specialist skill “Astronomy.”
-You have begun the study of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.
-5% better understanding of any physics related subjects.
-10% increase in understanding maps.
-10% better understanding and predicting the local weather in your area.
Requirements: Perception1, Intelligence 1 (Requirement met)
Current level: 0
Needed skill points to upgrade to the next level: 1
Remaining Skill Points: 0
“Are you freaking kidding me?!” Jung almost shouted, but he did start jumping around and stomping his little feet.
“What are you doing there, son?” Jung's mother, Jin Ae, said as she looked at her strange son. "Come on, don't wander off in the dark. You could be bitten by a snake or something."
“Wooo!” a bird responded somewhere in the dark.