The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 2308 - 2283: Farewell

Manbao took the problematic stone from the excavation robot’s frame and added it to the pile of stones set aside. Then, under Keke’s guidance, she picked up the small broken stones as well.

The pit has many stones, including a badly fragmented large rock. Even though it was smashed into a deep pit, there were still stones underneath.

The meteorite must have hit the sand layer and encountered the rock, causing both stones to shatter into pieces together.

Apart from a few stones that shot into the sand below, other meteorite fragments are on the surface, and they’re quite shattered.

Bai Shan added the gathered stones to the stone pile. He had no guidance, but having observed enough, he could distinguish which were meteorite fragments and which were ordinary stones.

Manbao mostly found meteorites buried in the soil, which Bai Shan couldn’t help with, as his vision couldn’t penetrate the ground.

Manbao took all the meteorite fragments to the classroom where Teacher Mo was already waiting. After retrieving the items, he packaged them, isolated the radiation, and emailed Manbao, asking, "Is everything here?"

Manbao let Keke reply with a "Yes."

Teacher Mo asked, "Is the excavation robot still usable?"

Manbao replied, "It’s too old. It broke while excavating a meteorite last time."

Teacher Mo said, "If it’s broken, let it be. You can treat it as scrap metal; it’s an obsolete item anyway."

After sending this email, Teacher Mo decided on the ownership of the temporarily borrowed excavation robot, an issue long forgotten by the League and Encyclopedia Museum granting him access.

Or rather, there are now more important and pressing matters for them to focus on, making this trivial matter too insignificant to capture their attention.

The matter of how Zhou Man’s provided meteorite would be distributed somehow leaked out, leading several planets to compete for the item.

Everyone wants to study the meteorite to quickly unravel the secrets of genetic mutations, stabilize genes, benefit all intelligent species, and achieve lasting fame...

Even Teacher Mo mentioned to Manbao, "I’ll be very busy lately. If anything comes up, email me; if there are things you don’t understand in your studies, email me as well. I’ll answer once I read them."

He continued, "I recorded many lessons recently; listen to them first. There will be assignments later—complete them and email them to me. The recommended reading list for the next year is already in your inbox. Finish this year’s list, then get next year’s. If you don’t understand, email me, but I suggest you first try resolving it yourself. If you truly can’t or are unsure, then ask me."

Manbao realized she was becoming a semi-independent student starting today.

For some reason, she wasn’t disappointed; instead, she felt slightly excited and happy.

She whispered to Bai Shan, "Once we’re back in Xizhou City, let’s go find a teacher for an outing?"

Bai Shan raised an eyebrow, asking, "What about the smallpox matter?"

Manbao replied, "The news should reach Xizhou City; if it doesn’t, it’s fine. We can say we met someone outside and learned the basic method of vaccination. We can test it out ourselves to know the truth."

Bai Shan asked, "Where will you test it?"

"Your suggestion?"

"I suggest testing it in Xizhou," he said. "Since we’re here for the vaccination method, we naturally need definite information before returning."

Manbao pondered, "Other things are manageable; I have smallpox scabs. I can buy a couple of cows for experimentation, but what about people?"

Manbao felt troubled, "This place isn’t the capital. Our relationship with General Guo isn’t good yet." In the capital, with the emperor, the crown prince, and the Imperial Hospital’s support, her rational suggestions would receive assistance.

After a brief thought, Bai Shan said, "We’ll talk to General Guo first. It’s great if it works; if not, we can send a request to the capital. Meanwhile, we’ll have time to study the method more thoroughly."

Manbao was still troubled, "Whom should we use?"

Bai Shan replied with a smile, "Naturally the prisoners. Xizhou, originally Gaochang’s territory, has many prisoners post-conquest. There are also prisoners exiled from other places, definitely more than in the capital."

Xizhou indeed holds many prisoners, but apart from a few locked up or directly executed at the market, the rest were conscripted into the military by General Guo.

They retain their criminal status, relying on military merit to reduce their sentences. With luck and dedication, they could finish their sentence after a few years of fighting. Then, General Guo would enlist them in the military permanently, as soldiers.

Though they could earn rewards through merit.

However, General Guo is stingy, harsh on both his recruits and court-conscripted soldiers, let alone these convicted soldiers.

Yet, harsh as it may be, fighting is preferable to being test subjects, especially for smallpox experimentation.

Daji discouraged them, "Young master, those prisoners may not be willing. In the capital, prisoners have no other options and take the risk. Here, they have alternatives."

Bai Shan said, "We can offer money; with a heavy reward, some will be courageous. I don’t believe nobody will step forward."

After all, they have the money; what’s there to fear?

Manbao, however, was frugal, "Let’s first see if we can recruit among the prisoners."

Bai Shan looked at her, laughed, and nodded.

Everyone relaxed after dealing with meteorites in the three pits.

Returning to Danshi Village, Manbao gathered the six villagers to draw their blood one last time for Teacher Mo’s testing.

The results were promising; their rejection effect was good, and the potion even repaired some of their bodily damages.

Manbao straightforwardly prescribed several remedies, "We left hastily, lacking medicinal materials. Here are the prescriptions; take them to brew the medicine for consumption, better nurturing your bodies for fertility."

She continued, "If you’re unable to go out, no worries. Once we return to Xizhou, we’ll arrange delivery for you. We’ll automatically send medicinal materials, and I’ll write your names for you to prepare the medicine."

The village chief and villagers were extremely grateful.

Especially the chief, who accompanied them for ten miles, then another ten. When he insisted on a third ten-mile send-off, Manbao couldn’t resist stopping him, "Partings are inevitable; or does the village chief wish to come to Xizhou with us?"

The chief, timidly afraid of venturing outside, declined with a shy acknowledgment.

Yet as Zhou Man and the others prepared to say goodbye, he hesitantly asked an awkward question, "Sir, can people of their age still have children?"

Manbao thought: ...If you’re going to ask this question, ask it in the village; why come twenty miles out?

Manbao replied, "Childbirth isn’t guaranteed even for healthy individuals, but their reproductive capabilities aren’t weak. Normal couples should be able to conceive."

The chief breathed a sigh of relief, gave Zhou Man and the others a solemn bow, then watched them leave.