Post-Mythical Era: I don't want to die in the third reincarnation

"Who are you?" someone asked as soon as Ding Huan entered.

Ding Huan smiled, "My name is Lu Renjia. I have just been recruited as the Immortal Plant Officer. Here is my Identity Plate."

During the conversation, Ding Huan handed over his Identity Plate to the newcomer.

This person was tall with short hair, wearing the specific attire of the Immortal Agriculture Department.

He glanced at Ding Huan, then at the Identity Plate, astonishment filling his eyes.

To think someone actually came to apply for the position of Immortal Plant Officer. The Immortal Agriculture Department had posted this recruitment only to show the Immortal Court that they were making an effort to remedy the situation.

According to the Immortal Agriculture Department, no one was expected to come forward for the position. To them, whether anyone applied was irrelevant; it was just for show.

If someone really did apply, all the better, because then the applicant would be the scapegoat.

Never had they expected someone to actually become this scapegoat. Could this Lu Renjia have an intelligence issue?

However, now that he had been recruited by the Immortal Agriculture Department, they naturally had to arrange a place for him.

"May I need to meet the Flag Leader?" Ding Huan proactively asked.

The man shook his head and handed back the Identity Plate:

"No need to see the Flag Leader. My name is Chen Guan, and today is my shift. You will come with me."

He couldn't help but chuckle internally. Not to mention Ding Huan, who was just a scapegoat—even if he were a properly recruited Immortal Plant Officer, he wouldn't have the qualifications to meet the Flag Leader.

It seems this newcomer really knows nothing about how things work here, no wonder he came to apply for the position of Immortal Plant Officer.

Chen Guan led Ding Huan to collect various necessities, including clothes, an Array Token to enter the fields of the Immortal Agriculture Department, a Jade Scroll of the Department's rules, and a Jade Scroll with a brief history of the Department's glories.

First things first upon arrival—understand the rules.

Ding Huan wasn't about to make any rookie mistakes; his Divine Will was strong, and he soon read through the rules Jade Scroll, which spelled everything out clearly.

A new Immortal Plant Officer in the Immortal Agriculture Department had to plant at least five acres of Immortal Spirit Rice.

Every acre had to yield at least one hundred pounds of Low Grade Immortal Spirit Rice or fifty pounds of Mid Grade Immortal Spirit Rice per year.

If one planted High Grade Immortal Spirit Rice, only ten pounds per acre were required; for the finest grade of Immortal Spirit Rice, only one pound per acre was needed.

Ding Huan read the Immortal Agriculture Department's brief history of glories.

Only one person in the entire history of the Immortal Agriculture Department had managed to grow the finest grade of Immortal Spirit Rice.

Having got the measure of things, Ding Huan packed the items away.

Chen Guan led Ding Huan again, passing through buildings and arriving at the edge of a lake.

Ding Huan scanned the opposite shore of the lake with his Divine Will, observing plots of land neatly laid out.

Each plot and the cave mansions beside them were all protected by an Array.

"Chen on duty, do I choose the plots myself?" Ding Huan looked at the fields before him and asked.

Chen Guan, looking at this somewhat naive fellow, sighed inwardly and slowed his voice:

"Lu Renjia, let me be honest with you. Your recruitment came because our Immortal Spirit Rice encountered some problems.

We, the Immortal Agriculture Department, must deliver some of the Immortal Spirit Rice to the Immortal Court in a month. So now that you're recruited, you must complete this task.

Normally, Immortal Spirit Rice matures in three months. To grow it in one month isn't impossible but requires... experience."

Even Chen himself couldn't comfort Ding Huan—experience? That meant, ha, growing Immortal Spirit Rice in a month. It wasn't just about experience; mastery over every characteristic of Immortal Spirit Rice was needed, as well as numerous extraordinary natural treasures.

Ding Huan certainly detected the subtext in Chen Guan's words; this was his role as the scapegoat, set in stone.

Even if he managed to grow the Immortal Spirit Rice within a month, would his solo efforts suffice for the Immortal Agriculture Department's dues?

Chen merely hinted that he should enjoy the month here and then prepare to be the fall guy.

Ding Huan decided to pretend he didn't understand.

Chen pointed at some of the fields enveloped by the Protecting Array, saying: "You're new, so you can choose either five acres or more.

But the dues for each acre have been set in stone, and those cannot change."

Ding Huan walked to a more secluded spot by the lake corner, pointing at a piece of land surrounded by the Protecting Array and said, "I'll choose this place."

"Field number thirty-one with the Xin marking, okay, just imprint your mark," Chen indicated the Array sign on the outside of the plot.

Having read the rules, Ding Huan imprinted his mark on the plot's sign, thus taking responsibility for the land.

Without hesitation, Ding Huan not only left his imprint but also his name, Lu Renjia.

Seeing Ding Huan finished, Chen hesitated briefly then said, "Well then, I'll leave first. If you have any questions, just head to the Immortal Agriculture Department."

Until now, Ding Huan had thought Chen was an upright person, but it turned out he was the same.

"Chen on duty, I'll plant these five acres, but what about the seeds?"

Chen gave an awkward smile, "I'll take you to collect them now."

It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to lead Ding Huan to get the seeds, he just hoped Ding Huan would forget about them so he could collect himself later without being caught in an awkward position.

He really didn't want to see Ding Huan getting tricked over and over again.

It wasn't just Ding Huan, the scapegoat; normally, newcomers were bound to be exploited.

When he followed Chen Guan back, Ding Huan asked, "Can these rice seeds be purchased?"

"Indeed, they can be purchased, but many places outside poorly preserve the seeds, resulting in an extremely low germination rate..."

Perhaps feeling pity for Ding Huan's situation, he took the initiative to explain, "Outside, this type of Immortal Spirit Rice is generally only Low Grade. But the origin of this rice is not simple..."

"Where is it from?" Ding Huan asked subconsciously.

Chen Guan chuckled, "I heard it comes from a higher-level realm; it wasn't originally called Immortal Spirit Rice, but had a nicer sounding name.

I also heard that the highest grade of this rice can sprout faint gold stripes. If such rice is available, just one grain could greatly enhance one's cultivation.

Once, our Immortal Agriculture Department even produced top-quality Immortal Spirit Rice, which was light purple in color."

"That impressive?" Ding Huan was also somewhat surprised.

Just rice, and cultivators don't even need to eat, yet it can enhance one's cultivation?

"Maybe it's even more impressive than what I said. This is what my master told me," said Chen Guan.

While they were talking, the two arrived at the rice seed distribution area.

The person distributing the rice seeds was a young woman; she glanced at Chen Guan and then turned her gaze to Ding Huan.

Without waiting for her to speak, Ding Huan handed over his identity plate, "I'm Lu Renjia, the Immortal Plant Officer of 'Xin' Character Field No. 31, here to collect rice seeds and other necessary items."

The woman didn't waste words with Ding Huan; she looked at his identity plate and then tossed out a storage bag.

Ding Huan didn't catch it, and the storage bag fell on the counter.

"What? Do I need to hand it directly to you?" The woman's eyes bore some disdain.

Ding Huan responded indifferently, "I'm planting five acres. If rice is harvested within a month, according to regulations, I am entitled to double the amount of rice seeds, which is one pound, but you have only given me half a pound.

Moreover, you haven't provided me with Immortal Crystals and fertilizer; without them, I can't make the seeds germinate."

Not only the young woman but even Chen Guan was surprised by Ding Huan.

Those rules were recorded, but the Immortal Agriculture Department's rule jade scroll had extremely voluminous content and the relevant record was at the very end in tiny print.

Many newcomers got exploited due to lack of attention to these details, because once exploited, there were no supplements allowed.

He hadn't expected Ding Huan to take notice of these details.

The young woman glanced at Chen Guan, who had a bitter expression; he indeed hadn't informed Ding Huan about these facts.

Ding Huan faintly understood why Chen Guan hadn't mentioned the deal with the rice seeds.

The woman had no choice but to take back the storage bag, switch the Low Grade rice seeds to one pound, and then included ten thousand High Grade Immortal Crystals and a packet of fertilizer.

Still, Ding Huan didn't take it, only saying indifferently, "The Immortal Crystals aren't enough. Ten thousand High Grade Immortal Crystals only cover the lowest Immortal Spirit Source after three months of harvesting rice."

In fact, the fertilizer wasn't sufficient either, but Ding Huan, having scanned the fertilizer with his Divine Will, didn't even want to mention it.

The young woman was provoked by Ding Huan:

"Take it or leave it. All fields of the Immortal Agriculture Department are planted with Immortal Spirit Veins. I gave you ten thousand High Grade Immortal Crystals, and you still aren't satisfied.

What else do you want? Are you here to cultivate Immortal Spirit Rice or to make a fortune?"

Ding Huan raised a crystal ball and said, "I recorded everything you just said. If you're sure you won't add more Immortal Crystals, I'll just take these seeds and Immortal Crystals and leave.

Since you're providing the Immortal Spirit Source for three months later, I'll provide the Immortal Spirit Rice after three months. If you don't clarify, I'll assume you agree."

With that, Ding Huan moved his hand toward the storage bag.

The young woman's expression changed—who didn't know the current dire straits of the Immortal Agriculture Department? Bringing Ding Huan in was meant to make him a scapegoat.

If Ding Huan had this crystal ball, wouldn't she become the scapegoat instead?

She quickly grabbed back the storage bag and then threw in ninety thousand more High Grade Immortal Crystals:

"Now there are a hundred thousand High Grade Immortal Crystals inside and one pound of Immortal Spirit Rice seed. All these are for one month of rice production, will you take it or not?"

Without any further discussion, Ding Huan crisply grabbed the storage bag.

"Thank you, Chen Guan." After thanking Chen Guan, Ding Huan turned and left.

He needed time for cultivation and had no backing to argue further.

Otherwise, what he demanded wouldn't just be a hundred thousand Immortal Crystals, but many times that.

Chen Guan left with his head lowered, having truly not told Ding Huan beforehand.

Who would have known that Ding Huan, in such a short time, would investigate all these rules?

If you said Ding Huan was clever, coming here to be the scapegoat; if you called Ding Huan foolish, today, his performance showed nothing foolish at all.

As Ding Huan left the rice seed collection site, his heart was still in shock.

This Immortal Agriculture Department's cultivation of Immortal Spirit Rice was too profitable; the lowest provision of Immortal Spirit Source always started at ten thousand High Grade Immortal Crystals.

Truly, had he not been the scapegoat, he could never have found such a good position as Immortal Plant Officer.