Chapter 48: Ambition, Crisis

Growing radishes is indeed more profitable than growing oil trees; the returns from both are incomparable. One season of radishes can earn eight thousand gold coins, while the total monthly output of oil trees is only two thousand seven hundred gold coins.

However, don't forget that this time, Green has contacted the Makider Trading Company, one of the largest trading companies on the continent. They can only consume about four hundred thousand pounds of radishes per month, and any more would be impossible. After all, for the people on the continent, radishes at one silver coin per pound are still too expensive for many to afford.

This means that as long as Zhao Hai plants five seasons of radishes each month, it will be enough to meet their monthly consumption. Planting more would be unsellable. For Zhao Hai, planting five seasons of radishes is just forty hours of work, less than two days.

So, what will they plant with the remaining time? Use the space to grow ordinary vegetables on the continent? No need to think about it; the seeds of those vegetables will be immediately cleared by the space, making it impossible to grow them. Even if Zhao Hai doesn't know which vegetables can fetch a good price on the continent, even if those vegetables are as profitable as radishes and are magical vegetables on the continent, if there are no such vegetables on the continent, the people will need time to accept them, and the demand will not be high. It would be better to grow oil trees.

Cooking on the continent always requires oil. Moreover, fruit oil is very cheap. Ordinary families may not be able to afford meat, but they can certainly afford oil. Such families are often commoners who engage in heavy physical labor and need more nutrition. Therefore, fruit oil becomes the first choice. The daily consumption of fruit oil on the continent is astronomical, making it a sustainable industry. Although the profit is not as high as radishes, it is still enough to make most nobles envious.

A monthly income of two thousand seven hundred gold coins is a staggering figure. Even a small principality might not have such high monthly tax revenue. After all, the purchasing power of gold coins on the continent is quite remarkable.

One gold coin can be exchanged for ten silver coins, one silver coin for one hundred copper coins, and one copper coin can buy one pound of fruit oil or half a pound of rice.

Rice and oil are still quite cheap on the continent. Fruit oil is cheap due to its high production, and rice is generally eaten by slaves. Now, many commoners are also eating rice.

For Zhao Hai and his group of over a hundred people, the monthly living expenses are not much. Even if they feed the slaves well every day, about a hundred gold coins would be enough. They can net two thousand six hundred gold coins.

Moreover, don't forget that they can also sell five seasons of radishes. Even if each season doesn't fetch eight thousand gold coins, they can still get six thousand, and five seasons would be thirty thousand gold coins. This means that Zhao Hai's space can generate a net profit of thirty-two thousand gold coins per month, which is quite astonishing.

Of course, this is not very satisfactory to Zhao Hai. Having seen the radishes that can earn thousands of gold coins per season, he finds it hard to be interested in the oil trees that require so much effort to earn just over two thousand gold coins a month.

However, Green thought differently. After learning about the characteristics of the farm and recalling the matters Zhao Hai had asked him to investigate, he understood Zhao Hai's intentions. Zhao Hai wanted to develop both agriculture and animal husbandry simultaneously.

Radishes can produce radish leaves, which can be used to feed blue-eyed rabbits. However, blue-eyed rabbits cannot survive on radish leaves alone; they sometimes need additional feed. The residue left after pressing oil from oil trees is one of the best feeds. They can use it not only to feed blue-eyed rabbits but also to raise other magical creatures, such as horses and cattle, which are more common on the continent.

Horses and cattle fed with this residue are very strong. Therefore, oil-producing regions are often good horse-breeding areas. Although the horses produced are ordinary, not high-level magical creatures like Flame Horses, they are very strong and popular.

Moreover, the residue can also be used to feed water-based magical creatures, which can help develop the fish farming industry, bringing significant additional benefits.

Because of these ideas, Green was very excited. He paced around the room several times before stopping, taking a deep breath, and suddenly laughing out loud.

Zhao Hai and the others understood why Green was laughing. Green had been under pressure for a long time. If Zhao Hai felt a lot of pressure after waking up, Green had been under constant pressure. He and Merlin had watched the Buda family decline from its glory, and they thought the Buda family would slowly fade away. If not for this belief, he would not have converted all his money into supplies.

Although Zhao Hai's situation improved later, Green was still worried because the Buda family lacked a stable source of income, which was a fatal weakness.

However, after understanding the space, all of Green's worries disappeared. He felt that a sun had suddenly appeared in his dark life, a sun that shone brightly, dispelling the gloom in his heart.

Zhao Hai and the others did not stop Green. They knew he needed to vent; he was too happy.

After a while, Green calmed down and walked up to Zhao Hai, saying, "Young Master, once we go out, we will immediately deliver the magic radishes to the Makider Trading Company and use the money to buy what we need. We need machines to press the oil from these oil trees, and we must buy them."

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "I understand, but Grandfather Green, we have a major problem to solve: the magical creatures and the Corpse Swamp outside. Even if our plans are perfect, we cannot hide in this space forever. We need to develop our territory outside. But if we encounter attacks from magical creatures as soon as we go out, what should we do?"

Green immediately calmed down, frowning and pacing around the room. He was very clear that Zhao Hai was right. All their plans were like bubbles in the air, which would vanish if they were attacked by magical creatures as soon as they went out. They wouldn't even be able to protect themselves, let alone develop.

But how to solve this problem? It seemed unsolvable. Although Green was confident in his abilities, he knew they could not conquer the Corpse Swamp. For so many years, countless strong people had appeared on the continent, but the five forbidden areas remained forbidden, never conquered. This showed how formidable the five forbidden areas were.

After pacing for a while, Green had no good solution. He sighed and sat down at the table, his previous ambition vanishing instantly.

Zhao Hai was also at a loss. The five forbidden areas on the continent were notorious, and no one could confidently say they could leave unscathed. They didn't need to enter the Corpse Swamp, but even the attacks from magical creatures were a significant concern, given their current weakness.

Seeing Green's low spirits, Zhao Hai said, "Grandfather Green, please tell us more about the situation outside." As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at the screen. His eyes narrowed when he saw green dots reappear on the 3D map.

Zhao Hai immediately stood up and walked to the screen. Green and the others noticed his actions. Zhao Hai didn't immediately check the castle's situation but carefully counted the green dots on the screen.

There were only a dozen green dots, but they had just appeared, as the green dots had disappeared two days ago.

Merlin and the others also stared at the screen, and Meg said, "What's going on? Why are these things appearing again?"

Green said calmly, "There's nothing surprising. When I came to the castle, many magical creatures and undead were wandering in the Black Earth Wasteland. If I hadn't been in a hurry, I wouldn't have risked rushing in. Those things might have followed me here."

Zhao Hai nodded and tapped the screen, and the inner courtyard of the castle appeared again. This was where the most green dots were. The scene on the screen shifted to the courtyard, where a dozen undead appeared.

Indeed, all the green dots on the screen were undead, not magical creatures. Zhao Hai was taken aback, remembering that the last to leave the screen a few days ago were also undead. What was going on?

Zhao Hai examined the screen carefully, confirming his judgment, and said, "Grandfather Green, why are there only undead here? And a few days ago, the last to leave were also undead. What's happening?"

Green didn't speak, but Merlin said, "There's nothing strange about it, Young Master. Undead have an almost insane craving for fresh flesh and blood. They can smell the scent of living beings from many places and sense their presence. When Green ran from the Black Earth Wasteland to the castle, the undead naturally discovered him. In this aspect, magical creatures are no match for the undead."

Zhao Hai nodded and shifted the scene to the living room, where an undead crocodile, about ten meters long, was wandering. It was now just a skeleton, swaying its head and tail, its bones glowing green, looking quite terrifying.

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