Chapter 140: Family

“Take your time, there’s no need to rush. Try to keep your voice gentle.”

When he had left, the relationship between Feya and Liuli was quite strained. Upon his return, however, it seemed Ram had worked some magic of her own as the two girls were noticeably more harmonious.

Feya, however, still seemed somewhat uneasy in his presence, which, in turn, made him feel awkward.

The most critical application of Feya’s ability had yet to be tapped, prompting him to enlist Ram’s help and take her to a designated area.

This spot, a quiet corner within Orgrimmar’s inner city, had been meticulously prepared. Wu Qingsong had specifically ordered the selection of the most fertile soil, enhanced with an abundance of composted fertilizer, bone meal, and a dash of wood ash. Not knowing which nutrient was needed most, he opted for a full spectrum of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

A pond nearby served as a water source, and at this moment, under the midday sun, the conditions were perfect for their experiment.

Nearby, a bowl contained seeds that had been pre-soaked. Wu Qingsong handed them to Feya, who gently scattered them into the soft earth. Then, as she channeled her magic, seedlings swiftly broke through the soil, growing at an incredible pace.

The power of magic was breathtaking. The soil, initially moist, rapidly dried out as Wu Qingsong and Ram carefully managed the watering, while the plants absorbed the soil’s nutrients voraciously. Their growth was astonishingly rapid, completing the cycle of maturing, flowering, fruiting, and ripening all within an hour.

“Feya, your ability is truly amazing,” Wu Qingsong said.

Feya’s face turned a bit rosy, either from exhaustion or from the compliments she received. 

This was her first time trying such a thing, but Wu Qingsong had previously sought detailed knowledge about the growth process of wheat from rabbitfolk who understood it well, making all the necessary preparations. Under these circumstances, success seemed almost expected.

Feeling valued in this way left Feya feeling both somewhat anxious and pleased, with Ram encouraging her by her side, giving her a sense of achievement.

The plot of land was less than half an acre, yet utilizing her power in such a manner left Feya feeling a bit weary.

This differed from animating the giant trees, where she largely acted as an awakener. The treants expended more of their own life energy when moving, and when that energy was depleted, they reverted to trees and fell. Accelerating the growth of the wheat like this, however, required the use of her own energy entirely. Water, fertilizer, and air could be prepared beforehand, but sunlight couldn’t be hastened, making the rapid maturation of the wheat solely reliant on the energy from within her.

She tried to take a step forward but stumbled slightly, nearly falling.

“What’s wrong? You should rest immediately,” Wu Qingsong urged.

He and Ram led Feya to sit down in a nearby shelter, and someone was sent to fetch her a refreshing drink, which made Feya extremely happy.

At the end of the day, she was still just a child.

After making sure she was alright, Wu Qingsong went back to the wheat field.

All the wheat had reached full maturity. He wasn’t very knowledgeable about these crops but plucked a stalk and rubbed the grains from the head into his palm to take a closer look. Each grain was plump, gleaming in the sunlight with a glow that lifted one’s spirits.

“Take a look at this,” Wu Qingsong returned to the shelter with the grains.

Ram brought over a small handful of high-yield seeds cultivated by elves, acquired at a steep price. Comparatively, there was almost no difference between the two sets of seeds. In fact, the seeds grown by Feya seemed to be even more robust and larger.

“You’ve done it, Feya,” Wu Qingsong exclaimed again. “But next time, please don’t rush like this. Even if it takes a month to cultivate these seeds, it would still be an excellent outcome for us.”

“We still need to plant them in the usual way for one season to see the results,” Harold added.

Wu Qingsong nodded in agreement.

Seeds were another commodity tightly controlled by the elves, sold externally only through smuggling, with resistance forces across various regions as the primary buyers. If these seeds proved ineffective or led to crop failure, they could forget about selling anything to these groups in the future.

Ram was naturally delighted, as these represented a high-value, low-volume, lightweight product. It was clear that if this business took off, the profit would be substantial.

Thus, Wu Qingsong took the opportunity to discuss profit-sharing arrangements with Feya.

“Thirty percent? I don’t need that much money.” 

Feya was quite surprised by his offer. Serving their lord as vassals had become second nature to her, and she had never once demanded any compensation for helping the villagers with medicinal herb cultivation before. Wu Qingsong’s proposal to give thirty percent of the profits to her as a reward suddenly left her feeling overwhelmed.

“You’ve earned it,” Wu Qingsong responded, equally surprised. 

In his eyes, Feya had made a significant effort and provided magic that no one else could replace, deserving an even higher share of the profits. However, after considering the costs associated with smuggling and the expenses to protect Feya and her secret, he decided on this figure. And now she was hesitant to accept?

“But… Sister Ram isn’t getting a share, and neither are Liuli and Ling. Why should I get one?” Feya eventually asked.

Wu Qingsong found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

Technically, Harold was still on his payroll, managing tasks with the funds provided. However, Wu Qingsong was aware that Harold often spent his earnings on food for the children of fallen warriors within their group. Although the Thirteenth Mercenary Group did offer compensation, Harold took personal satisfaction in this act, and no one had reason to object.

Indeed, Ram had been working without any compensation, and the same went for Ling and Liuli. In reality, the fortunes and current standing of the Thirteenth Mercenary Group were significantly tied to their contributions. Notably, during the coalition of mercenary groups’ attack on Orgrimmar, if it were not for their involvement and merely relying on the warriors’ last stand, the Thirteenth Mercenary Group might have already turned into a forgotten name.

Wu Qingsong had always been generous with rewards for his warriors and martyrs, yet he had never considered what should be specifically given to them. In a way, whatever they desired, as long as he possessed it, he would give it without hesitation, so the issue of distribution never came up.

Because they were family.

“If they don’t want it, then I don’t want it either,” Feya finally blurted out with a blush, expressing her long-held sentiment before hastily making an excuse to run off in a flurry.

Wu Qingsong was left in a daze for a long while, eventually asking, “What did she mean by that?”

“Hmph~” Ram gave him a sharp pinch. “What do you think?”