Chapter 12: The Farm
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The faint hum of the system still lingered in Ava's ears long after Cream Puffs announced their reward from choosing the settlement. The soft glow of the icons in her vision made the room feel unreal, as if the walls themselves had melted into a field of potential. She sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the translucent menu of locked icons hovering in front of her. Each icon seemed alive, shimmering faintly as if breathing, waiting for her decision. The glowing chains across each one taunted her. Every flicker of color was a silent question: Do you have the patience? The foresight? The guts?
Fifty Energy wasn't enough to unlock anything too advanced, but Ava's gaze kept returning to the very first option. It was humble, almost unassuming, yet it called to her in a way nothing else did. It promised something tangible—a start.
[QQ Farm Simulation – 100 Energy]
"Let's vote," Ava said when everyone gathered in their safe house's living room. The team had grown accustomed to huddling together after missions, their collective energy forming a buffer against the outside world's chaos. "We've got fifty Energy right now. If we complete one or two more objectives, we'll hit a hundred. Do we all agree the Farm is our first unlock?"
Zephyr raised a hand immediately. "Farm. I want digital cows. And chickens. And bees. Lots of bees. I want honey." His grin was wide, almost manic.
Brian smirked but nodded. "Food is survival. Farming means independence. And independence is power."
Alyssa tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It's also scalable. Crops, livestock, refined goods. If factories later tie into it, this might be our most versatile investment. We're not just surviving—we're laying down the infrastructure for everything else."
Kael grunted in agreement. "Farm first. Everything else comes later. Food is the root."
Lyra gave a little shrug, though a smile tugged at her lips. "I won't say no to chickens. Or a small orchard. Maybe some goats. Cute little goats."
Ava's necklace pulsed faintly as she said, "Farm it is." Her voice carried more resolve than she had expected. Even to herself, it sounded like the command of someone who could shape the world.
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They didn't have to wait long. A day later, after scouting their chosen settlement site in person and mapping water sources, Cream Puffs announced:
[Objective Complete: Preliminary Scouting and Safety Check.]
[Energy Rewarded: +60 Energy.]
The glow of the notification washed over them like sunlight. Ava felt her pulse quicken, each beat echoing opportunity.
[Total Energy: 110.]
[QQ Farm Simulation Unlock Available.]
"Do it," Zephyr urged. "Unlock the farm! Unlock it now!"
Ava extended her hand, focusing on the icon. Chains shattered with a satisfying crack, dissolving into motes of light. The system hummed louder, almost vibrating through the floor beneath them, until the world around them shimmered. A second later, they stood in an endless, vibrant field under a sky painted in warm golden hues.
The ground was soft, rich soil, perfectly tilled and ready for planting. Fences stretched outward in neat grids, already dividing the land into pastures and plots. Small ponds dotted the landscape, shimmering like polished mirrors, and distant hills rolled lazily toward the horizon.
"Whoa," Brian breathed. "It's… beautiful. I didn't think a simulation could feel like this."
Zephyr dropped to his knees and scooped up a handful of soil, letting it run through his fingers. "Even the dirt looks edible. And it doesn't stick to my hands. Magic dirt."
Cream Puffs floated higher, glowing brightly.
[Welcome to QQ Farm Simulation. This is a persistent sub-program connected to the system core. Actions performed here correspond to resource blueprints in reality. Food security will no longer depend solely on external markets.]
Rows of glowing panels appeared across the sky, each depicting a plant or animal. The panels rotated slowly, their edges shimmering as they hovered.
Crops Available:
Wheat (basic grain)
Rice (floodplain crop)
Corn (multi-use grain/animal feed)
Potatoes (root crop, high yield)
Soybeans (protein-rich, oilseed)
Vegetables: cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, onions
Fruit trees: apples, oranges, bananas, mangoes (longer growth cycles)
Animals Available:
Chickens (eggs, meat, feathers)
Goats (milk, meat, hides)
Cows (milk, meat, leather)
Sheep (wool, meat, milk)
Pigs (meat, fat)
Fish ponds (tilapia, catfish, carp)
Bees (honey, wax)
Zephyr's eyes went wide. "We get bees? I want bees. Honey is basically candy. And wax! We could make candles. Candles are cool."
Lyra laughed softly, shaking her head. "Of course that's your priority. Someone's got to dream big."
Alyssa stepped forward, her expression glowing with excitement. "Look—each crop and animal shows possible products." She pointed at wheat. The panel expanded, showing icons of flour, bread, noodles, beer. Corn expanded into cornmeal, oil, animal feed, ethanol. Chickens gave eggs, meat, feathers, broth.
Brian whistled low. "It's not just raw food. It's every step of the chain. We could survive, but we could also thrive."
Cream Puffs chimed again.
[Note: Refinement Options Beyond Primary Processing Require Factory Unlocks.]
The glowing images shifted, showing a locked factory icon. Beneath it, examples flickered to life:
Wheat + Factory = Flour mill → flour, bread, pasta
Milk + Factory = Dairy plant → butter, cheese, yogurt
Soybeans + Factory = Oil press → cooking oil, soy protein
Wool + Factory = Textile unit → yarn, fabric, clothing
Honey + Factory = Mead brewery, wax refinement
Kael folded his arms, considering. "So farming alone gives us raw products, but if we tie in factories, we control the whole chain. We could literally build an empire from scratch."
Ava nodded slowly. "And that means we won't just survive. We'll thrive. Food, clothes, even trade goods. With each new unlock, the world outside becomes… manageable."
Zephyr's grin was sharp. "Forget surviving. We'll be apocalypse billionaires. First farm, then factories, then… well, the world."
Lyra rolled her eyes, but even she couldn't hide her awe as she stroked the holographic image of an apple tree, watching its blossoms shift into ripe fruit before her eyes. "It's… mesmerizing. Like watching potential become real."
Ava's pulse quickened. "Alright," she said firmly, pulling them back from giddy wonder. "We start small. Chickens, vegetables, maybe wheat. Simple and high-yield. Then we expand once we have the Energy to unlock the factory."
Brian nodded. "Wheat for bread, chickens for eggs, potatoes for filler. That covers carbs and protein. We can rotate crops to keep soil healthy."
Alyssa added, "And bees. For pollination. And honey. Don't forget the honey."
Zephyr cheered. "Bees win!"
Even Kael cracked the faintest smile, a rare break in his usual stoicism. "As long as we don't overdo it. Balance is key. This simulation will teach us management as much as farming."
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The team spent the next few hours assigning plots, planting seeds, and mapping the rotation schedules. Each time Ava touched a plot, the soil rippled beneath her fingers, responding as if aware of her intentions. The chickens clucked and pecked curiously at the ground, and Zephyr immediately began imagining elaborate coops with secret candy compartments. Alyssa meticulously plotted crop rotations, calculating nutrition, pollination cycles, and soil enrichment. Brian experimented with small irrigation channels, observing water flow physics that felt disturbingly realistic. Lyra wandered among the plots, humming quietly as she touched the leaves and blossoms, noting which plants would attract the most pollinators. Kael silently monitored the perimeter, ensuring the land was secure, though no real threat existed here.
As dusk fell in the simulation, golden light poured across the fields. The team paused, watching their digital crops sway in a gentle breeze. Birds appeared as holographic projections, fluttering between fruit trees. Even the bees started forming tiny hexagonal hives in the air.
"I never thought planting seeds could feel like… art," Lyra murmured, crouching to examine a row of carrots.
Alyssa nodded, still checking calculations. "It's science and strategy at the same time. Nutrition, efficiency, sustainability."
Zephyr tilted his head back, watching the clouds morph over the simulation sky. "And it's fun! Don't forget the fun part. Farming can be fun."
Brian laughed softly. "You're enjoying this a little too much, kid."
Ava smiled faintly, feeling a warmth she hadn't realized she missed. The hum of the system was steady now, a rhythm that matched her heartbeat. They weren't just passengers anymore. They were creators, cultivators of a future they had a hand in shaping.
[Task Objective Updated: Begin Initial Farming Cycle.]
[Reward: Variable, dependent on yield.]
The countdown clock ticked faintly in the distance.
364 days, 01 hour, 19 minutes.
But this time, Ava smiled at it, feeling the weight of possibility instead of pressure. The farm wasn't just a simulation—it was the first step toward reclaiming the world.