Farming in the Tower Alone [EN]: Chapter 38

Michael McLaren, the vice president of Gagel, a massive food corporation that controlled 39% of the world’s food market, held up the small red tomato, his eyes wide with interest. “Is this it? The new Magic Cherry Tomato? They say it can melt away fat just by eating it. Amazing!”

Michael McLaren was not just a food company boss; he was also an Awakened person, someone with special abilities in this new world.

“What were the results of planting the E-grade Magic Cherry Tomato on Earth?” Michael had been researching the Magic Cherry Tomato for months and had recently harvested his first crop.

“We planted them in the best possible conditions for cherry tomatoes, but perhaps because the Tower’s environment is different, they grew into ordinary cherry tomatoes, not the item we expected.”

“Hmm…” Michael McLaren sank into thought.

Ten years ago, when Michael was learning the ropes under his father’s guidance, the Tower suddenly appeared in the world. It was a giant, mysterious structure that changed everything.

And a few months after the Tower’s emergence, Michael was lucky enough to enter it through Vanishing.

The Tower was far larger than it appeared from the outside. Securing a good spot on just one floor could yield 5% of Gagel’s current crop production.

Moreover, the sun shone 24 hours a day inside the Tower, shortening the harvest cycle. If they could grow crops in the Tower, dominating the entire global food market wouldn’t be a mere dream.

As soon as Michael exited the Tower, he persuaded his father, the chairman of Gagel, to spearhead the Tower Farm Project, establishing a large-scale farm within the Tower.

Everything was going smoothly. They started the Tower Farm Project, but they soon faced a strange problem. The seeds they brought from outside would not grow inside the Tower.

They tried various methods, such as changing the germination conditions and environment, and even bringing in seedlings, but all failed.

They discovered the reason for their failure through a research report from another team.

-A Study on Why Awakeners Become Infertile

The contents of the research report were shocking: Awakeners lost their reproductive abilities upon entering the Tower.

It was now known that this was a temporary side effect of mana adaptation, and most Awakeners regained their reproductive abilities after surpassing level 10. However, in the early days of the Tower’s appearance, it caused a massive shock to society.

The loss of reproductive ability applied equally to plants, and Michael, unable to raise the level of the seeds, abandoned the idea of bringing seeds from the outside.

Instead, he chose to acquire the seeds directly. The Tower also sold food made from various crops. So, when he tried to buy seeds from the Tower’s merchants…

“Seeds? The Tower merchants said a man named Grid on the 55th floor controlled all the seeds and was not selling them.”

Thus, Michael’s Tower Farm Project was scrapped, with people saying it was ahead of its time, as one needed to reach the 55th floor to do anything.

However, with the emergence of the Magic Cherry Tomato, Michael’s enthusiasm for the Tower Farm Project reignited.

“What were the results of planting the Magic Cherry Tomato in the Tower?”

“We experimentally sowed 100 E-grade Magic Cherry Tomatoes on the 1st floor of the Tower, and 10 of them successfully germinated and are nearing harvest.”

“Really?!”

“Yes, Chairman.”

The germination rate was currently 10%, but Michael believed that Gagel’s know-how could easily raise it.

“Immediately pass the budget for the Tower Farm Project and hire Awakeners to clear out the monsters around the area where we’ll build the farm.”

Thus, the halted Tower Farm Project of the giant food corporation Gagel was restarted thanks to Sejun’s cherry tomatoes.

Moo?

Upon hearing Theo’s words, Woo Cheonsam was furious. Was he, a warrior, being accused of thievery?!

Theo puffed out his chest, tail twitching. “Yes, thief! Or are you scared to face Park Sejun?”

Woo Cheonsam snorted, hot breath ruffling Theo’s fur. “Park Sejun? I fear no one! Show me this ‘Park Sejun’!”

Theo, already turning, called back, “Come on then, slowpoke! Follow me, nya!”

The cave where everyone was asleep.

Press. Press.

“Ugh… Theo?” Sejun woke up because of Theo, who was pressing his cheek with his paw.

“President, I’m back, nya!”

“Good job. Let’s sleep first.”

Sejun reached out to hug Theo, but—

Whoosh.

Theo stopped Sejun’s hand with his paw.

“No, nya! You have to come outside with me now, nya!”

“Outside?”

“That’s right, nya! I caught a thief, nya! You should be honored, nya! A cat who catches thieves this well is rare, nya!” Theo said proudly.

‘Did he catch a mouse?’ Sejun took Theo’s words lightly.

“Can’t we check in the morning?”

“No, nya! The thief might run away, nya! Let’s go outside quickly, nya!”

“Alright.”

Sejun got up from his spot at Theo’s urging and went above ground.

Huff. Huff.

Sejun blinked, adjusting to the brighter light outside the cave. Then he saw him. Standing there, blocking out the sky, was a Black Minotaur. He was huge, easily twelve meters tall, with thick, black fur like tangled shadows and massive horns that curved like polished ebony. Hot air rushed from his nostrils with each loud snort, smelling of earth and something wild.

“Theo, is this the thief you caught?”

“That’s right, nya! He’s the thief, nya! Woo Cheonsam stole President’s grass, nya!” Theo told Sejun as if he was tattling.

Moo! Moo!

Woo Cheonsam strongly protested Theo’s words, feeling wronged. “That’s not true! I picked it up!”

“No, nya! Woo Cheonsam is a thief, nya!”

The two began to argue, calling each other a thief. No matter how much Woo Cheonsam snorted, Theo didn’t flinch. Theo, with Sejun, was full of vigor.

‘What is this?’ Sejun quickly grasped the situation while looking at the two.

Judging by the horns on his head, it was the guy who had made a mess of his field during the Blue Moon. And listening to Theo, it seemed this guy was also the one who stole the Pae Parsley and corn stalks that had been covering the field last time.

And today, he had come to steal Pae Parsley again and was caught by Theo. The Black Minotaur, Woo Cheonsam, was claiming he had picked up what had fallen on the ground and was feeling wronged by Theo’s accusations.

“Catching a thief even though he’s not a dog.”

There was no other cat like this. Moreover, the thief he caught wasn’t just any thief, but a strong thief who was helpful for farming. Sejun looked at Theo admirably.

“President, your expression is strange, nya!”

“Huh?!”

“More importantly, quickly tell Woo Cheonsam whether he threw away the grass or not, nya.”

“Of course, he didn’t throw it away.”

Sejun shook his head firmly. He would have said he didn’t even if he had thrown it away.

“Tell Woo Cheonsam that I’m charging him 100 Tower Coins as compensation for messing up the field and stealing the grass I worked so hard to lay down.” Sejun knew 100 Tower Coins was a huge amount, more than enough to buy a lot of things in the Tower market.

“Understood, nya!”

Moo…

Woo Cheonsam made a desperate expression when Theo conveyed Sejun’s words. ‘I don’t have money…’

“President, Woo Cheonsam says he doesn’t have money, what should we do, nya?”

“What do you mean, what should we do? If he doesn’t have money, he has to pay with his body. I’ll give him 1 Tower Coin per day if he works here.”

Sejun offered Woo Cheonsam a job. Calling out an excessive price was all groundwork for this. Of course, there was also some resentment for messing up his field and making him work several times.

“Ah! So that’s possible, nya?!” Theo exclaimed at Sejun’s words.

‘So, if you don’t have money, you can pay with your body, nya.’ Theo realized a new means of transaction.

Moo!

Woo Cheonsam nodded at Sejun’s offer. As a Black Minotaur warrior, he couldn’t do the act of stealing from others.

“Tell him to rest and come to work in the morning.”

“Understood, nya.”

It didn’t seem like Woo Cheonsam would run away. He was a monster who would come back anyway because of the Pae Parsley. If so, giving him Pae Parsley as payment while making him work could be a win-win for both sides.

“This will mostly help Sejun,” Theo thought, then spoke clearly to Woo Cheonsam.

“Sejun says he needs your help to plough the fields.”

Woo Cheonsam, the large Black Minotaur, just replied with a deep, rumbling “Moo.”

He turned back to Sejun, his face looking sad. It seemed Woo Cheonsam wasn’t happy about something. But Sejun had already decided. He needed someone strong to work the land, and so he had hired Woo Cheonsam, this powerful Black Minotaur, to plough the fields.

“Theo, well done.”

“Did I do well, nya?”

Theo spoke, gazing at Sejun. His expression seemed to say, *You know what you have to give me if I did well, don’t you, nya?*

“Representative Theo, one month extension.”

“Give me more, nya!”

Theo attempted to bargain with Sejun.

Zzzrip.

Sejun ripped open a colourful Churu pouch, the tasty smell instantly filling the air, and brought it to Theo.

Chomp chomp chomp.

All thoughts of bargaining swiftly vanished.

Snatch.

Sejun held Theo, who was now engrossed in devouring the Churu, in one arm, descended into the cave, and went back to sleep.

Day 192 of the ordeal. Sejun, with Theo in his arms, drifted off into a pleasant slumber. But their peaceful morning sleep was not going to last for long.

Kroooooh?!(Why are you here?!)

Moo-ooo!!(Here to repay my debt!!)

Kkueh!!(Brothers, I’m here!)

As morning arrived, the ground was buzzing with loud noises and movement because of the mother Crimson Giant Bear and the Black Minotaur, Woo Cheonsam. Sejun felt worried and quickly got ready to see what was happening.

“I forgot.”

“What nya?!”

Sejun hurriedly strapped Theo, who could translate and was sleeping on the ship, to his back and went up to the surface. It would be a disaster if either of them got hurt.

Arriving on the surface, he saw the mother Crimson Giant Bear and Woo Cheonsam circling the cave, growling at each other. It was a dangerous situation.

“Wait!” Sejun shouted, trying to stop them.

Kroooooh!

“She says it’s dangerous and tells you to go inside, nya.”

Moo!

“He says he’s here to repay his debt, nya.”

Kkueh!

“President, that one is asking for more Churu again, nya! Scold him quickly, nya!” Theo, who was translating, pointed at the baby bear, agitated.

“Everyone, calm down. And… let’s eat first and then talk,” Sejun said, pulling out the magic words that would resolve the chaos in an instant.

Kkueh!

At Sejun’s words, Kkueh quickly sat down in his spot.

Kroooooh…

Moo-ooo…

The mother Crimson Giant Bear and Woo Cheonsam also awkwardly sat down in their places.

Kroooooh.

The mother Crimson Giant Bear, having eaten piranhas and crayfish, got up to patrol. After hearing the whole story from Sejun over breakfast, she lowered her guard against Woo Cheonsam.

Crunch crunch.

Moo-ooo?

Chewing on green onions and cherry tomato stems, Woo Cheonsam approached Theo and asked, *What should I do?*

“Woo Cheonsam is asking what he should do, nya!”

“What else? You need to turn over the soil.”

Sejun took Woo Cheonsam to the pit he had made during the Blue Moon.

“Make pits like this.”

Moo!

At Sejun’s words, Woo Cheonsam drove his sharp horn, which was about 1 meter long, deep into the ground.

Crack.

He lengthened the horn. The horn pierced the ground and extended to 7 meters.

Moo-ooo-ooo!

Thud.

With a powerful grunt, Woo Cheonsam lifted his head, and the ground lifted with it.

“Good. Just do this until lunchtime.”

Moo?!

Woo Cheonsam’s big eyes widened, and a soft ‘Moo’ full of gratitude escaped his lips. *You’re giving me lunch too?!*

“Of course. I’m not such a cruel employer.”

Although the working conditions were so poor that he could be sued by the labor board as soon as he went outside, being fed while working on the tower made him an excellent employer.

And so, Sejun put Woo Cheonsam to work and went down to the cave with Theo.

Bbyaang!

Bbyaap!

Bbyaat!

The baby rabbits ran towards Theo.

“Nephews, your cool uncle is here, nya!” Theo welcomed the baby rabbits with open arms.

But the baby rabbits ran past Theo and went to Sejun. In the short lives of the baby rabbits, Theo was already a stranger.

“How can you change so easily, nya!” Theo cried out desperately to the fickle baby rabbits, but they didn’t even pretend to hear him.

Sejun played with the baby rabbits for a while and then sent them back to the rabbit couple. He had to settle the accounts with Theo for this deal.

“I took lots of photos again and earned 612 Tower Coins, nya.”

Ratatat.

Theo grabbed his bundle, shook it upside down, and spilled out the Churu, coffee, and items he bought from the general store with the money he earned from taking pictures.

“There weren’t many hunters waiting for me this time, nya… I only took pictures with two people, nya.” Theo’s ears drooped. These hunters are people who like to take pictures with Theo.

“It’s okay. What about the lottery?”

“There was nothing that caught my eye this time, so I just came back, nya.”

“Good work. Here’s your incentive.”

Sejun handed Theo 35 Tower Coins as an incentive.

“Thank you, nya!”

“And this is an incentive for helping me today.”

Thanks to Theo, he decided to have Woo Cheonsam work for 100 Tower Coins, so he additionally paid 20 Tower Coins, which was 20% of 100 Tower Coins.

“T…then, all together, that’s 55 Tower Coins, nya!!!” Theo’s eyes sparkled as he gazed at the coins on his paws, a wide, happy grin spreading across his face. He earned more money in an instant than the 50 Tower Coins he had brought when he left his hometown.

*As expected, I’ll be successful if I’m with Park Sejun, nya! Park Sejun’s lap must be mine, nya!* Theo lay down to take up all of Sejun’s lap.

“Hey, move now. I have to work.”

“I don’t want to, nya!”

Day 193 of the ordeal. Sejun had a hard time today trying to pry Theo, who was being clingy on his lap whenever he had a chance, off of him.