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When Kisha and Duke arrived back at the villa, it was already noon, and lunchtime was approaching.

Fortunately, the trio had already prepared the food and were in the process of setting the table.

Hearing movement at the entrance, they looked up to see Kisha leading a group of newcomers inside, with Duke following closely behind, a doting smile on his face.

The trio exchanged confused glances, silently questioning each other about the weak-looking old man and children Kisha was leading into the villa. ’Surely, she’s not planning a charity?’ their eyes seemed to ask.

Seeing their curious expressions, Kisha quickly explained, "This is Marcus, Mike, Gant, and Daisy Wyatt. They’ll be working with us from now on, mainly inside the villa where it’s safer." Her explanation seemed to satisfy everyone.

It made sense; with Sparrow and Vulture often out on supply runs or missions with Kisha and Duke, managing the growing number of people in the villa was becoming too tiresome for just the two of them.

This arrangement will allow them to focus on other important tasks, such as training and managing the group’s manpower, while also being involved in the internal affairs to maintain order.

Marcus will handle the farming with help from his grandchildren, who will also earn their keep by doing chores around the house, like cooking and cleaning.

By doing this, they could keep the villa constantly manned and under surveillance even when they are out. Besides, in a few days, the Winters and their subordinates would gradually join the group, making the villa as lively as possible.

The Trio welcomed the new additions to the group and set up plates and utensils for them at the table, not minding their current appearance or smell.

They were accustomed to far worse—the horrendous stench of decaying zombies, eating meals while covered in coagulated blood, and dining near rotting carcasses.

Compared to that, the smell of people who hadn’t showered in over a week was a minor inconvenience.

Marcus and the kids teared up at the sight of the hot meal, overwhelmed by the kindness they were shown despite their appearance.

They hadn’t expected Kisha and the rest to be so welcoming.

Daisy, the youngest among them, had matured overnight due to the harshness of their environment.

She used to be whiny and bratty, doted on and protected by her two brothers.

But after their parents died protecting them—turning into zombies after being bitten—she changed. Their grandfather even had to kill their parents to spare them further suffering.

Despite their hunger, Sparrow and Vulture carefully monitored Marcus and the children’s food intake, ensuring they didn’t overeat to avoid stomach issues, especially since they hadn’t eaten properly in a while and needed nourishment.

The Wyatts displayed good manners at the dining table, keen not to upset their new employers, and their lunch proceeded smoothly.

Afterward, Vulture escorted them to a separate building adjacent to the main house where the workers resided.

There, he provided them with the clothes Kisha had purchased earlier so they could clean themselves up before starting their tasks.

Kisha, after lunch and instructing Vulture to help the Wyatts settle in, headed straight to the backyard where there was ample space, though she wasn’t certain if it was suitable for farming.

Her knowledge of farming was limited, and she doubted it would suffice to make the land productive enough to sustain their needs.

As a novice, Kisha believed starting with easy-to-grow vegetables suitable for a backyard was the best approach.

She pulled out a handful of seed packets from her pocket while Duke crouched beside her, equally perplexed.

He struggled to distinguish one seed packet from another, unsure which seeds belonged to which vegetables.

Seeing the typically formidable Duke clueless about something made Kisha chuckle and find him adorable. Before she could tease him, Marcus came to the backyard as well.

"Allow me to handle this, Young Madam," Marcus offered as he approached, seeing Kisha and Duke crouched on the ground, puzzled by the seeds they held. He had taken to addressing them as Master and Young Madam, following Sparrow and Vulture’s lead, a fitting title given his role as their gardener.

He considered himself just a gardener, given the small plot of land available for simple vegetables. Little did he know that in the future, he would be overseeing hundreds of acres of farmland with the rest of the group.

"Marcus, do you think this backyard would be suitable for growing vegetables?" Kisha inquired, seeking Marcus’s opinion on the matter.

Marcus surveyed the backyard, crouching down to feel the soil and even digging a bit to inspect its quality. "Yes, the soil is loose and rich. We could grow a variety of vegetables here, especially if we have a water source to keep the plants hydrated," he explained cheerfully.

"Alright then, let’s start turning the soil so we can begin planting the seeds," Kisha said enthusiastically. She knew they had to take advantage of the fertile soil while it was still viable for planting before it turned rusty and couldn’t sustain life anymore.

She planned to start with the easiest crops and gradually move on to more challenging ones like wheat and rice as she continued her research into farming.

Seeing Kisha’s eagerness to start planting, Marcus no longer hesitated to involve himself. It was part of his duty as their gardener to educate Kisha about farming and plants. He guided them through the process of starting seedlings and when they needed to be transplanted into the soil.

Duke, on the other hand, was clumsily spreading small seeds onto the seedling tray, often pouring them all into one spot. He was then assigned to more basic tasks like constructing seedling boxes, turning the soil, and preparing the fertilizer mix before they could begin planting anything.

Kisha was assigned the simplest tasks that didn’t require much movement, such as spreading seeds evenly in the seedling tray and ensuring they were adequately hydrated for germination. She focused on maintaining proper spacing to prevent the seeds from spoiling or growing too close together.

She also ensured that the seedling tray was placed in a shaded area to protect it from the sun’s scorching heat. Kisha carefully spread seeds for iceberg lettuce, bok choy, and various leafy greens across the tray, mindful of providing each seed with adequate space to grow.

When Duke and Marcus finished tilling the land and removing the stones, Sparrow and Vulture arrived to lend a hand.

The children also pitched in, helping to clear stones, which sped up the process.

In just an hour, they had completely turned over the entire backyard, spreading fertilizer and thoroughly mixing it into the soil.

After completing the preparation, they divided the garden into sections, each labeled for easy identification of the vegetables planted.

One section was dedicated to root plants such as potatoes, yams, and other tubers, each marked with its own signboard.

In another section, they planted vine-growing vegetables like beans, peas, and chayote.

They also ensured to include essential crops such as onions, garlic, spring onions, radishes, carrots, and various herbs for spices.

Ding...

[A Class Mission "Planting and Harvesting"]

[Mission Description: Plant any edible plant for 10 acres worth and harvest them in 15 days.

Mission requirement: 100 kilos each of 10 different types of plants

Mission completion: 70,000 points and stats increase of 3

Mission failure: Points deduction of 150,000 points, stats deduction of 5, and system downgrade.]