Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 227

Brazilian Amazon.

Scritch. Scritch.

The Amazon forest was dying. Where thick green plants once grew, now only a few giant trees stood. The air buzzed with the sound of locusts chewing. Red locusts covered the huge trees, so many that the green leaves could no longer be seen. It looked like the trees had turned red and disappeared.

Small purple dots started to show on the red locusts, like paint drops. As the locust population neared seven billion, the red locusts were preparing to become purple locusts.

At first, the Brazilian government tried to kill the locusts. But then, something bad happened. The tower in Brasilia suddenly vanished, and everything got worse.

Other countries saw that towers could vanish. They became scared. They started to protect only their own lands. They stopped helping Brazil as much.

Because of this, the locusts multiplied quickly, eating all the grass. The Brazilian government couldn’t even think about getting rid of them. They focused on protecting the cities instead.

The tower in Brasilia reappeared in Korea, which helped a little as hunters went back to Brazil. But it didn’t last long.

Flap. Flap.

The locusts were now completely purple, a dark, bruised purple. Their bodies looked harder, and their wings beat faster. They started flying towards cities, places where many people lived together.

For the first time, locusts attacked a city and no one lived. Everyone in the city died. The purple locusts were so many, and so hungry, that they overwhelmed everything.

“Pfu-ha-ha! My brethren, do you see?! Do you see the radiance coming from my body?!”

Theo, enjoying the golden light around him, bragged to his younger siblings.

Kooeng!

“[Big brother is so cool!]”

Kooeng-i exclaimed, truly envious.

(Big brother is amazing!)

The Golden Bat also looked at Theo, but he didn’t really care. After all, the Golden Bat was already golden.

As the golden light around Theo faded,

“Theo, what talent did you get?”

Sejun asked quickly, curious.

“Pfu-ha-ha! I have the talent of insignificant wealth, meow!”

“Really?!”

Sejun was happy that Theo’s talent had the word ‘insignificant’ in it, just like his own.

“So, what does it do?”

“I can burn insignificant wealth to make myself stronger, meow!”

“What?!”

The meaning was totally different, even though they both used the word ‘insignificant.’

Sejun thought, ‘Insignificant wealth? That sounds like my talent, but… wait a minute.’

His own talent, ‘Insignificant Presence,’ meant exactly that—insignificant. Theo’s talent, ‘Insignificant Wealth,’ meant that wealth was so insignificant that it could be burned like scraps of paper to become stronger.

‘I have a lot of money too… I’m envious! Annoyed! Should I eat another one?’

He had five incomplete Platinum Royal Jellies from the Poisonous Honeybee Queen. He was saving one for the Black Rabbit.

But,

“No!”

He thought it would be better to help the Black Rabbit than to get another talent like ‘Insignificant Presence.’

Sejun was thinking about all this when,

“President Park, lend me some money, meow!”

“What happened to your money?”

“I already used it all, meow! I am now a beggar, meow!”

Theo, having spent all his money to increase his stats, confidently held out his two front paws to Sejun, asking for money like a beggar.

“How much?”

“The more, the better, meow!”

“Here.”

Sejun didn’t want to seem selfish, so he generously gave Theo almost all his money: 70 million Tower Coins.

“Pfu-ha-ha. Thank you, meow!”

Theo’s body started to glow golden as he got the money from Sejun. ‘So that’s what burning money does… a very expensive special effect. My money is burning…’

Sejun was watching Theo burn money when,

Beep?! Beep!

“[Oh, Sejun, your abilities have increased?! Just a moment!]”

The Poisonous Honeybee Queen noticed that Sejun’s beekeeping level had increased and called one of her daughters, another Poisonous Honeybee Queen.

Soon after,

Whirr!

“[A wild Poisonous Honeybee Queen has decided to follow you.]”

“[10,000 Poisonous Honeybees led by the wild Poisonous Honeybee Queen have decided to follow you.]”

“[The number of Poisonous Honeybees has exceeded 100,000.]”

“[Proficiency in Beekeeping Lv. 9 greatly increases.]”

Sejun tamed the Poisonous Honeybee Queen and 10,000 Poisonous Honeybees.

“These children should be sent to the persimmon trees.”

Sejun remembered that his persimmon trees were starting to bloom with flowers. Honeybees were needed to help the flowers make fruit. These new honeybees could help!

The new Poisonous Honeybees didn’t have a hive, and Sejun had heard that the persimmon trees were blooming, so he decided to send them to the 49th floor of the Tower to help pollinate the trees.

“Pfu-ha-ha! President Park, I have burned all of President Park’s money and become stronger, meow!”

Theo, having burned all of Sejun’s money, clung to Sejun’s lap with a proud look.

“Pfu-ha-ha. From now on, President Park, you only need to trust me, meow! I, Vice President Theo, will protect President Park so that no enemy can even touch a hair on his head, meow!”

He rubbed his face against Sejun’s knee, speaking boldly.

“Alright.”

It was reassuring. It seemed worth spending the money.

‘From now on, I can get money from Kaiser and Kellion for Samyangju.’

Sejun thought about raising Theo’s stats by getting money from the dragons.

At that moment,

Kooeng! Kooeng!

“[No! Kooeng-i will protect Daddy!]”

Kooeng-i clung to Sejun’s left leg, as if to say he wouldn’t lose to Theo.

“Pfu-ha-ha. Kooeng-i, give up, meow! I am not the same Vice President Theo as before, meow! I am Vice President Theo, who has burned a whopping 70 million Tower Coins of President Park and become stronger, meow!”

Kooeng! Kooeng!

“[Kooeng-i can burn Daddy’s money too! Daddy, Kooeng-i needs about 80 million of Daddy’s money!]”

Kooeng-i politely held out his two front paws to Sejun, asking for money. He seemed to think he could win against Theo if he burned more money.

“Here, Kooeng-i, eat this!”

Sejun gave honey to the excited Kooeng-i to calm him down.

Kooeng!

“[It’s honey!]”

Kooeng-i got the honey and forgot all about defeating Theo.

Lick. Lick.

He happily licked the honey with his front paws.

Sejun completely distracted Kooeng-i.

“But Great Queen, what other flowers do I need to make a complete Platinum Royal Jelly?”

Sejun wanted to get a complete Platinum Royal Jelly, so he asked the Poisonous Honeybee Queen.

However,

Beep! Beep!

“[I don’t know exactly which flowers! It’s something I feel in my heart, a taste I remember. I need to taste honey from different flowers to find the right ones again!]”

The Poisonous Honeybee Queen made Platinum Royal Jelly using instincts in her genes, so she didn’t know the exact ingredients. She said she could only know by tasting it herself.

“Oh, really? I was hoping you would know. It’s very important for my friend. I understand. Then I’ll be on my way.”

Since he couldn’t do anything except grow more crops, Sejun decided to return to the farm.

Beep!

“[Goodbye, Sejun!]”

“Yeah. Take care. Let’s go, everyone.”

Sejun said goodbye to the Poisonous Honeybee Queen and left the hive with the animals and Poisonous Honeybees.

When they arrived at the entrance to the 99th floor of the Tower,

“Golden Bat, go with the Poisonous Honeybees and explain everything to Duku.”

(Yes!)

Sejun had the Golden Bat take the Poisonous Honeybees to the 49th floor of the Tower.

“You guys be careful too.”

Whirr!

The Poisonous Honeybees, having eaten their fill of honey, said goodbye to Sejun and followed the Golden Bat to their new home on the 49th floor of the Tower.

“Here it is.”

Lamter, scolded by Kaiser, handed over the Weakened Fire Stone to Kaiser. He had taken away most of its power, making it safe for Sejun to use. Now, it was just a warm stone, not burning hot like real fire.

“I will give it to Sejun.”

“Okay. Thank you. But how do you guys get Samyangju?”

Lamter asked how to get Samyangju.

“Kellion and I use statues with teleportation magic to get Samyangju.”

“Really?! Then I should make a statue and send it too.”

“Yeah. That’s how it will work. Just so you know, dragon gifts are never free, little dragon. You will pay with your scales…”

“Okay.”

After the conversation,

“······.”

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Kaiser and Kellion looked at Lamter, who was staring at them blankly. ‘You need to leave so we can keep drinking.’

But Lamter didn’t want to leave.

Gulp.

“Can’t I drink with you?”

Lamter swallowed, looking at their alcohol.

“Hmph. A dragon’s drink is not for just anyone. But… if you insist. Alright. But you have to pay me back next time we get alcohol.”

“Okay! I will!”

Since alcohol tastes better when drunk together, Kaiser didn’t kick out Lamter, who had become a new drinking partner, and shared the alcohol.

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

Clink!

The three dragons clinked their three golden glasses and began to drink.

“It’s already time to eat.”

It was already lunchtime, even though he had only gone to the Poisonous Honeybee Queen’s hive.

“Lunch is simply sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn.”

Lunch was simple: sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn, cooked over the fire. The sweet potatoes were soft and orange, the potatoes were fluffy inside, and the corn was juicy and sweet.

Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn were the staple foods of the 99th floor of the Tower. You should get tired of eating the same thing, but he didn’t. Surprisingly, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn were delicious no matter how much you ate.

Kooeng!

“[The food you eat after working is the most delicious!]”

Kooeng-i grabbed a sweet potato and a potato in each of his front paws and ate them deliciously, as if he had worked really hard.

‘Work? Kooeng-i, all you did was cling to my leg!’

Sejun looked at Kooeng-i in disbelief. And then he realized. For Kooeng-i, just breathing was work.

After eating lunch,

Slurp.

Sejun was drinking coffee and spacing out when,

“President Park, I’m going to go down and come back, meow!”

Theo, who had been lying on Sejun’s lap, getting belly rubs, suddenly got up and started packing his bags. Theo sat up, stretching. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then suddenly his eyes widened.

“Suddenly?”

Theo usually only moved when Sejun told him to go down.

‘What’s going on?’

Sejun looked at Theo, puzzled.

“Pfu-ha-ha. I need to earn money so that President Park can lend me money, and I can burn President Park’s money to become stronger, meow! Don’t worry, meow! I’ll be back soon, meow!”

Theo puffed up with pride and got up, packing his bags.

“Good attitude.”

He didn’t seem to want to pay back the money, but Sejun was happy that Theo was motivated to work hard. He’s still crazy, but at least he’s motivated.

“That’s right! Let’s get a buff from Bulkkot before you go.”

Sejun remembered Bulkkot’s golden flames could bring luck with money, so he had Theo get Bulkkot’s buff.

“Pfu-ha-ha. I like the golden light, meow!”

Theo was pleased as golden flames wrapped around Theo, making him glow like a small, furry sun.

“Then I’ll be off, meow!”

“Okay. Be careful on your way!”

“I understand, meow!”

Theo, having received the golden buff, went down the Tower to earn money.

Sejun watched Theo leave and then went to the walnut field.

“I won’t be able to bring these to the Black Rabbit’s wedding.”

Sejun looked around the walnut field, disappointed. The ten walnut trees had grown to his waist. A groom should be strong. It seemed that the walnuts would need to grow for more than a month to be ready.

“If I can’t bring walnuts, maybe I can bring something else special for the Black Rabbit’s wedding. I should pack some elixirs.”

Sejun went to find the mushroom ants to see if they had any elixirs for the Black Rabbit.

Kke-ek!

Kke-ek!

The mushroom ants gathered around Sejun, showing their backs and asking him to pick the mushrooms.

“Okay. Let’s line up.”

Three of the mushrooms had nutrients, and the rest were ordinary mushrooms, but Sejun lined up the mushroom ants and picked the mushrooms off all of them. There were no major gains.

At that moment,

Kooeng!

“[Daddy, Kooeng-i brought an herb for Black Rabbit hyung!]”

The filial Kooeng-i knew his father’s heart and brought a good herb. Of course, the herb that was good for the body was very bitter. It was a bitterness that he couldn’t handle, so Kooeng-i was giving it to the Black Rabbit.

Oh, Kooeng-i is trying to help! That’s sweet, even if it’s probably something terrible.