Farming Games are All About Grinding-Chapter 75 Gazing at the Stars

February 14th Log

Planting experience: +0

Foraging experience: +164

Fishing experience: +451

Combat experience: +0

Mining experience: +0

Character affinity changes:

None

Current funds: 6794 gold

Total earnings: 28401 gold

[Congratulations! Your Fishing skill has been upgraded to Level 3.]

[Fishing specialization +1]

[Your eyesight has improved again.]

[Your Beginner Fish Guide has been partially updated.]

[You have learned how to craft Crab Traps.]

[You have learned how to prepare Stargazing dish.]

[You can now purchase Crab Traps at the trade point.]

"Cluck... cluck... cluuuck..."

The old hen next door, scared witless by Little Prince, let out a pitiful cry.

The big rooster could hold back from crowing, but the hens couldn’t—they had to cluck a couple of times after laying eggs.

"I’ve got to teach Little Prince soon. If he scares our hens into not laying eggs, it’ll be a real pain." Han Qiwu thought while lounging in bed, using his lazing-around moment to check out the log messages carefully.

The Fishing skill leveled up again! In Han Qiwu’s set of five main skills, that was the highest-level one.

"Eyesight’s improved again, huh." Han Qiwu sat up and looked out the window. At a glance, he could see every grain on the bark of a tree dozens of meters away.

Human binoculars!

"This upgrade is pretty great. Whether it’s foraging or mining, the better the eyesight, the easier things will be. But since this is a reward from the fishing skill, it’s bound to be most useful in fishing. I’ll have to experiment later."

Continuing down the log, Han Qiwu noticed a glimmer of hope for automated fishing.

[Crab Trap]

[Materials required: Wood (9/40), Iron Ingot (0/4)]

[Effect: Place a baited Crab Trap in the water, and you’ll yield a harvest after 24 hours. Crab Traps can be used in streams, lakes, and the sea.]

[Note: Craving some crawfish?]

"I do crave them." Han Qiwu was unashamedly fond of crawfish’s flavor.

Garlic butter or spicy numbing ones were both fantastic. And if worse came to worst, steamed crawfish paired with vinegar could still last him a day, eating four or five pounds easily.

Craving aside, catching them wasn’t the same story.

The wood was easy to get, but there wasn’t even a shadow of iron ingots around!

Grind!

Mining it is!

Let’s go!

Both the sprinkler and Crab Trap require iron ingots to craft, so there’s no choice but to head to the mines more often.

Speaking of which, it’s kind of amusing how both of these devices are geared toward reducing labor—and both require iron ingots.

To achieve the bliss of an automated life, iron ore is absolutely indispensable.

Next up!

[Stargazing Dish]

[Ingredients: Potato Pancake ×1, Sardines ×2]

[Stamina: +120] freēwēbnovel.com

[Health: +50]

[Effect: Fishing skill level +2 for five hours after consuming.]

[Note: Stargazing might make you think of...?]

"Potato pancake with sardines? Isn’t this that infamous dish of dubious origin?" Han Qiwu imagined four lifeless fish-eyes staring out from the potato pancake, locking onto him.

Their gaze encompassed both disdain for death and a longing for the stars above.

...

Clearly, this wasn’t Chinese cuisine!

"Still, boosting the fishing skill by two levels with this dish is worth looking into." Han Qiwu pondered while getting out of bed, "The recipe for potato pancakes isn’t clear yet, and I don’t have sardines either. I’ll have to wait for a rainy day to fish up a couple and save them."

After tidying his harvest, Han Qiwu got up to water his crops.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh."

About halfway through watering, Han Qiwu decided to head back inside to prepare some breakfast.

Looking around the kitchen, he found just enough leftover pancake flour and took a big red potato out, cleaned it, shredded it finely, mixed it with a bit of flour, and fried it up into small potato pancakes.

Even after they were cooked, no system notification popped up.

Looks like the proper recipe is still required.

Still, regardless of the missing system notification, the pancakes were delicious.

Each of the dozen golden-brown potato pancakes came out crisp and flaky, crumbling with every bite. But as the shredded potatoes hit the tongue, they tasted richer and more fragrant the more they were chewed. After trying a few plain ones, Han Qiwu sprinkled some cumin powder, chili powder, and spicy sauce on the rest.

The more he ate, the more he craved.

Just as he was thoroughly enjoying them, Han Qiwu suddenly heard the sound of the door opening.

"Roar!"

"Crap, I didn’t lock the door—Little Prince must’ve opened it himself and come in." Han Qiwu quickly grabbed the last two potato pancakes from the plate as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Roar~"

Little Prince’s voice sounded full of grievance.

"How could you sneak off to eat alone in the house? Whenever I go out foraging, I always bring things back for you!"

Seeing the look in Little Prince’s eyes, Han Qiwu realized his error and quickly handed the two potato pancakes over, saying, "I didn’t plan for this—I’ll take better care next time."

"Roar!"

Little Prince grabbed the two pancakes and stuffed them into his mouth in one bite.

"Nom, nom, nom."

It might’ve been Little Prince’s first taste of fried food—after chewing for a couple of moments, his little black eyes lit up instantly.

"Roar, roar."

Little Prince ran over to give Han Qiwu a hug, pointing at his mouth.

"You can have more tomorrow. Be good; don’t overeat delicious food all at once. Otherwise, you won’t have anything to look forward to later," Han Qiwu lectured kindly.

There’s only one potato left. If you eat them all, how am I supposed to make Stargazing Dish?

"Aww..."

Little Prince dropped his head dejectedly, slowly sliding down to lean against Han Qiwu’s leg, looking pitiful.

"Is this your excuse for a breakup?"

Just then, the timely arrival of the deliveryman saved Han Qiwu.

"Prince, stay inside the house. I’ll bring you something tasty later!" Han Qiwu ran outside, quickly signing for the delivery and rushing back in.

Still leaning against the wall, Little Prince wore a mournful expression as he stared at Han Qiwu.

"Ah... No more potato pancakes... What’s the point of bear life anymore..."

Suddenly, Little Prince’s nose twitched, and he shot up as his body stiffened—his gaze locked onto the osmanthus honey in Han Qiwu’s hands.

"You’re really just a big kid. Go ahead, eat." Han Qiwu poured two pounds of the honey onto a metal plate and tossed in a few raspberries for good measure.

"Roar!"

Little Prince hugged the plate, stuck out his tongue, and licked away with delight, making happy slurping noises all the while.

While Little Prince focused on his feast, Han Qiwu turned on the TV.

Hmm, still doesn’t work—stupid TV!

Wonder if the old craftsman Gongshu Zi knows how to make a television.

If plastic casings are too advanced, a wooden TV would do just fine.

Living without a calendar is tough.

After finishing the two pounds of honey, Little Prince appeared utterly content, hugging Han Qiwu’s arm with a silly grin plastered over his face.

"Alright, enough fooling around. Now get to work." Han Qiwu opened Little Prince’s foraging interface, preparing to send him off to burn off some energy.

Looking at the map, Han Qiwu suddenly wondered if he could send Little Prince into the mines to forage.

There were carrots in the mines too!

[Hunting pets cannot enter the mines. Please select a new foraging route.]