I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 10 The Mystery in the Back Mountain

The mountain path behind the mountain is less of a path and more of a trace barely left by wild grass.

Song You carefully clipped his wood-chopping knife and trudged deeper into the muddy ground. The morning dew still clung to the blades of grass, quickly soaking his trousers and bringing a chill.

After his father contracted this mountain forest, he mainly planted some fruit trees at the foot of the mountain. The deeper parts have not been developed yet, and even his father himself rarely goes in.

After walking for about ten minutes, the view suddenly opened up, and a small orchard appeared before us.

The orange, peach, and plum trees are not arranged neatly, showing that they were planted somewhat haphazardly when they were first planted.

It is the height of summer, and several peach trees are laden with pinkish-red peaches. They are not very big, but they look delightful.

Song You walked to a peach tree and picked one.

He had visited this tree a few days ago, and at that time the leaves were somewhat yellow.

He casually nourished it with the power of nature, and the effect was unexpectedly good.

However, looking at the other fruit trees, which have been neglected for a long time, they are already showing signs of disease.

Unlike that orange tree, which grows right at the entrance of the yard and can be seen anytime.

Song You then realized that this meant his advanced quest for the [Jungle Druid] class was now complete, which was a small gain.

The peach felt heavy in his hand, with fine, soft fuzz on its surface. He casually wiped it on his clothes and took a bite.

Click.

After the crisp sound, an extremely sweet juice bursts in your mouth. The flesh is delicate and without any residue, with a pure sweetness and a unique fragrance that blends sunshine and earth.

"Hmm?" Song You paused in his chewing.

This peach tasted better than any peach he had ever eaten in his memory.

This must be an added effect of Druid power; it can not only cure diseases and save trees, but also improve the quality of fruit.

[Druid Log: You have tasted the fruit nourished by the power of nature for the first time. Jungle Druid Introductory Progress +1%, Current Progress: 13%.]

That's right, even eating a peach can increase your progress.

Song You finished one in a few bites and was about to pick another to satisfy his craving when he caught a glimpse of something in the grass under the tree.

He crouched down and parted the weeds.

Several peach pits, bitten into pieces, lay scattered on the ground. Nearby were some peach remnants, bearing tiny teeth marks.

"You've been sneaking food." Song You stroked his chin.

When he came before, he was focused on checking the health of the trees and didn't pay attention to these details at all.

It seems that what the village auntie said about "yellow weasels" was not unfounded.

He stood up, not lingering in the orchard, but following a less visible path deeper into the forest. The further he went, the taller the trees became, the dimmer the light, and the air was filled with the smell of decaying leaves and damp earth.

After walking a short distance, Song You suddenly stopped.

He stared at a spot on the ground ahead, half-hidden by fallen leaves. There were two unnaturally colored pieces of metal there, reflecting the faint light filtering through the gaps in the trees.

He walked over and used the handle of his machete to brush away the fallen leaves.

A rusty animal trap lay there quietly, its two serrated iron jaws open, exuding a chilling aura.

If this thing gets stuck in someone's leg, it'll break them.

Song You frowned. This must have been something left behind by a hunter in the village many years ago, long forgotten.

He crouched down and carefully studied the structure of the animal trap, finding the mechanism that controlled the spring. He picked up a thick branch and tentatively poked it into the middle of the trap.

"Snap!"

With a piercing metallic snap, the trap slammed shut, instantly snapping the branch in two.

If that force were applied to an ankle, it would shatter the bones.

A surge of anger rose within Song You.

This mountain is now his territory. Once the agritainment business opens, there's no guarantee that no unruly kids or curious guests will wander off. This thing is a ticking time bomb.

"We need to find some time to clear all the animal traps in these mountains, otherwise it will be a big problem if something happens."

He struggled to reopen the animal trap, then smashed it completely with a machete and threw it deep into the bushes nearby.

After dealing with this potential hazard, he continued his search further inside.

His goal this time was clear: to find the lair of the weasel that stole the peaches. As the [Beastmaster Druid] of this land, he needed to make sure all the creatures under his rule understood who the real boss was.

Unfortunately, after wandering around the woods for more than half an hour, he didn't see a single weasel hair, except for finding two more abandoned animal traps.

However, under a large tree, he found a few dark brown hairs stuck to a piece of raised bark.

Its fur is coarser and stiffer than that of a weasel, and it doesn't look like that of a pheasant or rabbit.

"What is this thing's hair?" Song You picked up a hair, put it under his nose and smelled it. It had a faint earthy smell.

He looked at the sky; the sun was already high in the sky, and he estimated it was almost noon.

"Alright, let's call it a day."

He put the few hairs into his pocket, then turned around and retraced his steps.

Back in the courtyard, the guests from Xiangcheng hadn't returned yet. Song You walked to the reservoir, closed his eyes, and submerged his consciousness in the water.

[Nature's Whisper] is activated.

The fish's collective consciousness immediately responded, and a calm yet slightly excited emotion emanated from them.

He could see that the bespectacled man was sitting by the water, his fishing rod bent into a nice arc, obviously having caught a fish. His wife and children were cheering him on, and the family was having a happy time together.

Safety is not an issue.

Song You felt relieved and then gave the fish a clearer instruction.

"Remember, the sacrifices are for those self-important anglers. For ordinary customers, let them catch a few small fish to have some fun, no need to go all out."

He didn't want to scare every customer so much that their arms would cramp; how could he do business in the long run if he did that?

People like Deng Shen are bait, tools used to build their reputation; you have to use huge fish to intimidate them. Ordinary tourists, on the other hand, are looking for fun. Catching a few small fish and being able to brag about it to their wives and kids when they get home—that's what makes the money worthwhile.

Differentiated treatment is the only way to maximize benefits.

A wave of understanding emanated from the school of fish.

Satisfied, Song You snapped out of his daze, turned around, and prepared to go to the kitchen to stew pork bone soup for the guests at noon.

He had just reached the middle of the yard when he heard the sound of a car engine outside the gate.

This time it wasn't a Volkswagen, but a black Mercedes that looked quite expensive.

The car door opened, and two well-dressed men stepped out. They looked to be around forty years old, one slightly overweight and the other lean, both exuding an aura of someone who had long held a high position.

They walked to the door and looked at the crooked signboard. The slightly overweight man frowned, clearly not used to the simple environment.

The lean man, however, pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate with great interest and walked in.

"Is the boss here?" he called out.

"Yes." Song You stepped out from the shade of the grapevines. "And you two are?"

"We were just passing by and saw this place had a sign that said 'Farmhouse Restaurant,' so we thought we'd come in and ask if we could eat here?" the lean man said, his gaze sweeping around the courtyard before finally settling on Song You.

"You're joking. Of course, you can eat at a farmhouse restaurant. Just order the food directly. Are there any promotions?" Song You asked.

"Yes, I just want to have a simple meal."

Song You glanced at them and made up his mind. These two didn't seem to have come to watch the live stream; they seemed more like they were just passing by and wanted to find a place to rest and eat.

This kind of customer is the best opportunity to test the quality of his "Gourmet Druid" skills.

"Sure," Song You replied readily.