Chapter 13 - Eleven: The Visitors from the Ancient City

Chapter 13: Chapter Eleven: The Visitors from the Ancient City

The chicken emergency took priority.

Unfortunately.

By the time Lin Yue reached the farm, General had already crossed the eastern field, destroyed two rows of lettuce, frightened a farmhand, stolen a piece of steamed bun, and climbed onto the roof of the tool shed.

He stood there proudly.

Lin Yue stood below.

They stared at each other.

General crowed.

"Get down."

General turned his head.

"General."

He looked at her.

"Down."

The rooster shuffled three steps backward.

Lin Yue pointed at him.

"Don’t even think about it."

General jumped.

"GENERAL!"

Shen Rui caught the rooster before it could land in the vegetable bed.

For a moment, man and rooster stared at each other.

General struggled.

Shen Rui sighed.

"You’re surprisingly strong."

General pecked his hand.

"Ow."

Lin Yue burst out laughing.

"You deserved that."

Shen Rui looked offended.

"I was helping you."

"You were holding him incorrectly."

"He’s a chicken."

"He has techniques."

Shen Rui looked at General.

General stared back.

"I believe you."

The Visitors

By sunrise, the laughter had disappeared.

A group of strangers stood outside the farm.

There were twelve of them.

They wore simple clothing.

Dark trousers.

Long coats.

Leather boots.

Each carried a strange golden emblem.

The same symbol Lin Yue had seen in the ruins.

At their front stood an elderly man.

His hair was completely white.

His posture was straight.

His eyes were sharp.

He looked directly at Lin Yue.

Then bowed.

"Keeper."

Lin Yue didn’t return the greeting.

"Who are you?"

The old man smiled.

"My name is Han Zhen."

"And the others?"

"Guardians of the Northern City."

Lin Yue’s expression remained cautious.

"You came from the ruins."

"Yes."

"How did you get here?"

Han Zhen pointed toward the mountains.

"The old road opened."

Lin Yue glanced at Shen Rui.

He had his hand near his sword.

She understood.

They needed information.

Not a fight.

"Why have you come?"

Han Zhen’s smile disappeared.

"To see whether the Keeper has truly returned."

Lin Yue frowned.

"I don’t know what that means."

"You will."

"That isn’t an answer."

The old man’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"You ask many questions."

"It’s a useful habit."

A faint smile returned to his face.

"So it is true."

"What is?"

"The Keeper’s temperament remains unchanged."

Lin Yue’s eyebrows rose.

"Have you met me before?"

"No."

"Then what do you mean?"

Han Zhen looked toward the golden mountains.

"Our records describe the Keeper."

Lin Yue became still.

"Records?"

"Yes."

"About me?"

"About the one who would inherit the land."

She glanced toward the ruins.

"Who was the previous Keeper?"

Han Zhen didn’t answer immediately.

Then he said:

"Someone who failed."

The wind moved through the trees.

Lin Yue’s expression became serious.

"How?"

"He believed the land belonged to him."

"And?"

"He used it."

Han Zhen looked toward the farm.

"He did not protect it."

A Warning

The elderly man stepped closer.

Lin Yue did not move.

"The inheritance does not grant ownership," he said.

"It grants responsibility."

Lin Yue looked at the golden space.

She already understood that.

The system had never given her unlimited resources.

Every improvement had required work.

Every expansion had required conditions.

Every reward had been connected to development.

"What happened to the previous Keeper?"

Han Zhen looked toward the northern mountains.

"The land rejected him."

Shen Rui frowned.

"Rejected him?"

Han Zhen nodded.

"The inheritance was sealed."

Lin Yue’s eyes narrowed.

"And now?"

"You awakened it."

"Why?"

"We don’t know."

That answer surprised her.

"You don’t know?"

"No."

"Then why did you come?"

Han Zhen smiled.

"Because we have waited a very long time."

The Northern City

Han Zhen invited Lin Yue to visit the ruins.

She refused.

Not permanently.

Just immediately.

"We need to negotiate first."

The old man smiled.

"Negotiation?"

"Yes."

"What do you want?"

Lin Yue thought carefully.

"Information."

"About?"

"The inheritance."

"The ancient city."

"The land."

"And why your people have been living there for so long."

Han Zhen looked impressed.

"You ask for much."

"You arrived at my farm."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Fair."

He nodded.

"Then we will speak."

A Table Under the Tree

The meeting took place beneath the same tree where Lin Yue kept her farm ledger.

Qiao’er brought tea.

The Guardians sat quietly.

Shen Rui remained nearby.

Moon slept beneath the table.

General stood on a fence.

Lin Yue placed three things on the table.

Her notebook.

Her farm ledger.

And a map.

Han Zhen looked at them.

"You record everything."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"So mistakes aren’t repeated."

He nodded.

"That is wise."

Lin Yue pointed to the map.

"What is the Northern City?"

"A remnant."

"Of what?"

"An old civilization."

"How old?"

"Older than our kingdom."

Lin Yue frowned.

"That doesn’t tell me much."

Han Zhen smiled.

"You want exact numbers."

"Yes."

"Your calendar isn’t ours."

"Then give me an estimate."

He considered.

"Many centuries."

Lin Yue sighed.

"Fine."

She pointed toward the agricultural diagrams she had copied.

"This system."

Han Zhen’s expression changed.

"Where did you see that?"

"In the granary."

"You entered the granary?"

"Yes."

"Did you touch the tablet?"

"No."

"Good."

Lin Yue paused.

"Moon did."

Han Zhen looked under the table.

The silver fox opened one eye.

The old man’s face changed.

For the first time, he looked genuinely shocked.

"The Moon Fox."

Lin Yue blinked.

"Moon Fox?"

Han Zhen stood.

Moon immediately woke.

The creature looked at him.

Han Zhen slowly bowed.

Not to Lin Yue.

To Moon.

Lin Yue stared.

"Why are you bowing to my fox?"

Han Zhen’s voice became quiet.

"He is not your fox."

Moon chirped.

Lin Yue looked down.

Moon looked innocent.

Han Zhen continued.

"He is a Guardian Beast."

Moon’s Secret

Lin Yue picked up Moon.

"He’s a fox."

Han Zhen shook his head.

"He only resembles one."

Lin Yue examined the creature.

Silver fur.

Long ears.

Glowing tail.

Tiny paws.

Very cute.

She looked at Han Zhen.

"He eats buns."

Han Zhen blinked.

"What?"

"He steals food."

The old man seemed unable to respond.

Shen Rui turned away to hide his laughter.

Lin Yue continued.

"He sleeps on my clothes."

Moon yawned.

"And he bites people."

Shen Rui raised his hand.

"He does."

Han Zhen stared at Moon.

Then slowly sat down.

"Perhaps..."

He paused.

"Perhaps the ancient records were wrong."

Lin Yue smiled.

"That happens."

The Keeper’s Library

Han Zhen eventually told her more.

The ancient civilization had possessed extensive knowledge.

Agriculture.

Engineering.

Medicine.

Astronomy.

Water management.

Architecture.

Metalworking.

Printing.

Navigation.

But the civilization had collapsed.

Not because it lacked knowledge.

Because its people had failed to use that knowledge responsibly.

Lin Yue listened carefully.

"Why did they collapse?"

Han Zhen shook his head.

"We don’t know the complete story."

"But your records say?"

"Records disagree."

Lin Yue nodded.

That made sense.

History was rarely simple.

"Then what does the inheritance want from me?"

Han Zhen looked directly at her.

"To build."

Lin Yue waited.

"That’s all?"

"No."

He continued.

"To build without destroying."

Lin Yue’s expression softened.

That sounded familiar.

She looked toward her fields.

Perhaps that was why the golden space had responded so strongly to environmental restoration.

It wasn’t rewarding accumulation.

It was rewarding balance.

A Test of Trust

Han Zhen reached inside his coat.

Shen Rui immediately moved.

The Guardians stiffened.

Lin Yue raised one hand.

"Wait."

Han Zhen slowly removed a small wooden box.

He placed it on the table.

"This belongs to the Keeper."

Lin Yue didn’t touch it.

"What is it?"

"A seed box."

Her eyes widened.

"Ancient seeds?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Twenty-seven varieties."

Lin Yue stared.

Then looked at the box.

"Why give them to me?"

"Because they have been preserved for generations."

"And now?"

"The Guardians can no longer maintain the old farms."

Lin Yue understood.

Their civilization had survived.

But its agricultural foundation had not.

The Guardians were preserving knowledge.

But knowledge without land was powerless.

Lin Yue carefully opened the box.

Inside were small sealed packets.

Each marked with an ancient symbol.

She smiled.

"This is priceless."

Han Zhen nodded.

"We know."

The Agreement

Lin Yue did not accept the seeds immediately.

Instead, she wrote something.

A simple agreement.

They would cultivate the ancient seed varieties experimentally.

No variety would be mass-planted until tested.

Seeds would be preserved.

Records would be maintained.

Successful crops would be shared with the community.

No person would be allowed to claim exclusive ownership of the entire collection.

Han Zhen read it.

"You want to share them?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because if the seeds disappear, everyone loses."

He looked at her for a long time.

Then smiled.

"You truly are the Keeper."

Lin Yue frowned.

"You keep saying that."

"You will understand eventually."

"I’d prefer sooner."

The old man laughed.

The First Seed Trial

Lin Yue immediately prepared a small experimental plot.

She did not plant all twenty-seven varieties.

Only three.

One grain.

One bean.

One root crop.

Each received its own section.

The soil was prepared carefully.

The seeds were planted separately.

Records were made.

Dates.

Weather.

Water.

Growth.

Pests.

Yield.

Nothing was left to memory.

Uncle Zhao watched.

"Why only three?"

"Because if something goes wrong, we’ll know which variety caused it."

He nodded.

"Good."

The first week passed.

Nothing happened.

The second week—

tiny green shoots appeared.

Lin Yue crouched beside them.

She smiled.

"Welcome."

Shen Rui stood nearby.

"Do you greet every plant?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It’s polite."

He laughed.

A New Problem

The root crop grew exceptionally well.

Too well.

Within a month, the leaves were enormous.

The roots beneath the soil were even larger.

Uncle Zhao pulled one out.

Everyone stared.

It was the size of a small melon.

Qiao’er gasped.

"Can we eat it?"

Lin Yue shook her head.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because we need to test it."

Qiao’er looked disappointed.

Lin Yue laughed.

"We’ll cook a small portion first."

The sample was prepared.

Everyone watched.

Lin Yue tasted it.

She waited.

Nothing happened.

She took another bite.

"It’s delicious."

Qiao’er immediately reached for it.

Lin Yue laughed.

"Wait!"

But it was too late.

Qiao’er had already eaten.

Everyone stared at her.

She chewed.

Then smiled.

"It’s good."

Lin Yue sighed.

"Next time, listen."

"Yes, Miss."

Five minutes later—

Qiao’er sneezed.

Everyone froze.

Qiao’er blinked.

Then sneezed again.

Lin Yue immediately examined her.

"No swelling?"

"No."

"Difficulty breathing?"

"No."

"Dizziness?"

"No."

"Stomach pain?"

"No."

Qiao’er sniffed.

"Just itchy."

Lin Yue frowned.

"Perhaps an allergy."

She immediately recorded it.

Potential allergic reaction.

The crop was temporarily removed from general consumption.

Uncle Zhao nodded approvingly.

"Good."

Lin Yue sighed.

"Even successful crops can have surprises."

The Guardians Stay

The Guardians did not leave.

They asked permission to establish a small camp near the edge of the northern field.

Lin Yue agreed.

But she made one condition.

"They work."

Han Zhen laughed.

"Guardians?"

"Yes."

"You want ancient guardians to farm?"

"If they’re staying, they can contribute."

The old man stared at her.

Then laughed so hard that he had to sit down.

"You are truly ruthless."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Food doesn’t grow by itself."

The Guardians began working.

Some knew farming.

Some knew construction.

One was a skilled carpenter.

Another understood metalwork.

Another knew herbal medicine.

Suddenly Lin Yue had gained an entire group of highly trained specialists.

She stared at them.

Then smiled.

"This might be useful."

Shen Rui looked worried.

"That expression again."

"What expression?"

"The one you make before creating another project."

Lin Yue pointed toward the empty land.

"Workshop expansion."

He groaned.

The New Workshop

The Guardians helped construct a larger workshop.

It contained separate areas.

Woodworking.

Metalworking.

Pottery.

Textiles.

Food processing.

Tool repair.

Lin Yue insisted on ventilation.

Fire safety.

Storage organization.

Waste separation.

Safe working distances.

Protective equipment where possible.

The blacksmith stared at the new layout.

"This is much better."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Efficiency."

He nodded.

"I like it."

The carpenter looked around.

"So what are we making?"

Lin Yue thought.

"First?"

"Yes."

"Better farm tools."

"Again?"

"Yes."

Then she added:

"After that, a grain mill."

Everyone became interested.

The Grain Mill

The mill took weeks.

It used a combination of wood and stone.

A rotating grinding mechanism.

A hopper.

A controlled feed.

And a simple sieve.

Lin Yue spent hours adjusting the design.

When it finally worked, the first batch of grain was processed.

Instead of several people spending hours grinding grain by hand—

the machine did most of the work.

Qiao’er stared.

"This is amazing."

Lin Yue smiled.

"This is productivity."

Uncle Zhao nodded.

"Less time grinding means more time farming."

"Exactly."

The Guardians watched silently.

One of them whispered:

"She is rebuilding the old system."

Han Zhen heard him.

"No."

He looked toward Lin Yue.

"She is building something new."

The Farm Becomes a Village

The eastern courtyard was becoming crowded.

Workers needed houses.

The Guardians needed shelter.

The workshop needed more space.

The granary needed expansion.

The seed house needed protection.

Lin Yue drew a new plan.

A small settlement.

At the center:

community well.

Around it:

houses.

Workshop.

Granary.

Market area.

School.

Clinic.

Kitchen.

Storage.

Fields surrounding everything.

Waste areas placed downhill and away from water.

She marked drainage channels.

Paths.

Firebreaks.

Tree belts.

She looked at the map.

"This could work."

Shen Rui leaned over her shoulder.

"You’ve designed a village."

Lin Yue nodded.

"Eventually."

"How long?"

"Years."

He smiled.

"You’re planning years."

"Yes."

"Good."

The School

The school was the first building.

It was simple.

Wooden walls.

Large windows.

A covered veranda.

Shelves for books.

Tables.

Chalkboards.

Lin Yue wanted children to learn more than memorization.

They would learn:

reading,

writing,

arithmetic,

nature,

farming,

hygiene,

basic first aid,

crafts,

and practical problem-solving.

The first class had twelve children.

The youngest was six.

The oldest was thirteen.

Lin Yue stood before them.

"What is the most important thing you can learn?"

A boy raised his hand.

"How to become rich?"

Everyone laughed.

Lin Yue smiled.

"That’s useful."

Another child raised her hand.

"How to read?"

"Very useful."

A third child said:

"How to grow food?"

"Extremely useful."

Lin Yue wrote one word on the board.

WHY.

She turned around.

"The most important thing is learning how to ask why."

The children stared.

She smiled.

"If you know why something works, you can fix it when it breaks."

Uncle Zhao, standing outside the window, nodded approvingly.

The First Printed Textbook

Lin Yue used the printing press to produce a small textbook.

The Little Farmer’s Book.

It contained simple lessons.

How to wash hands.

How to store food.

How to identify clean water.

How to avoid contaminating wells.

How to plant seeds.

How to recognize healthy soil.

How to keep animals clean.

How to calculate simple expenses.

How to record harvests.

The children loved it.

The adults secretly borrowed copies.

Lin Yue pretended not to notice.

A Moment Between Two People

One evening, Lin Yue sat beside the pond.

Shen Rui joined her.

"You’ve built a school."

"Yes."

"A workshop."

"Yes."

"A village plan."

"Yes."

"A printing house."

"Yes."

"A farm."

"Yes."

He looked at her.

"What are you going to build next?"

Lin Yue thought.

"Maybe a proper road."

"Of course."

"And a bridge."

"Obviously."

"Perhaps a clinic."

"Naturally."

"And..."

She stopped.

"What?"

"A house."

Shen Rui smiled.

"For yourself?"

Lin Yue nodded.

"A proper one."

"Where?"

She looked across the pond.

"Somewhere peaceful."

He nodded.

"That sounds nice."

She glanced at him.

"You could visit."

He smiled.

"I intend to."

Her cheeks warmed.

She looked away.

Moon suddenly jumped into the pond.

SPLASH!

Lin Yue stood.

"MOON!"

The silver fox emerged completely soaked.

He shook himself.

Water sprayed everywhere.

Including Lin Yue.

She stood dripping.

Shen Rui burst out laughing.

Lin Yue stared at him.

"Don’t."

He laughed harder.

"You look..."

"Don’t."

"...very dignified."

She picked up a small piece of mud.

He immediately stopped laughing.

"Don’t you dare."

She threw it.

It hit him directly in the chest.

Silence.

Then Shen Rui laughed again.

Lin Yue smiled.

"Worth it."

The Second Message

That night, the golden space reached:

34%.

Lin Yue expected another reward.

Instead, a new message appeared.

[Community development detected.]

[Knowledge dissemination detected.]

[Agricultural productivity increasing.]

[Social stability increasing.]

Then—

[New system unlocked.]

Lin Yue’s eyes widened.

[Civic Development.]

She stared.

The golden space was no longer simply responding to farming.

It was responding to civilization.

Another message appeared.

Available development paths:

Agriculture

Water

Sanitation

Manufacturing

Education

Trade

Medicine

Construction

Transportation

Governance

Lin Yue’s heart began racing.

This was no longer a farm.

It was becoming a complete settlement.

A small civilization.

She smiled.

Then the final message appeared.

[Next major milestone: 40%.]

[Warning: External civilization approaching.]

Lin Yue froze.

"External civilization?"

She looked toward the northern mountains.

The Guardians had told her the ruins were isolated.

But now—

beyond the distant ridge—

a line of lights appeared.

Not golden.

Not ancient.

Orange.

Lanterns.

Hundreds of them.

Shen Rui entered the golden space.

He saw the lights.

His expression changed.

"Those aren’t from the Northern City."

"No."

"Who are they?"

Lin Yue watched the approaching lights.

Then she noticed something else.

The people carrying the lanterns weren’t coming from the ruins.

They were coming from beyond them.

From the far northern wilderness.

And at the front of the procession was a carriage.

A black carriage.

Bearing a royal crest.

Lin Yue slowly closed her notebook.

The ancient Guardians had brought her knowledge.

The golden space had given her land.

Her family had given her support.

But now—

someone powerful had discovered the existence of her little farm.

And they were coming to see what she had built.