The Spring Mine wasn't pitch black at night. The cave's ceiling glimmered with fluorescent light from mineral veins, dim but enough for Luis to navigate. Rocks of all sizes lay scattered about. Some revealed visible minerals inside, easy to spot. Others were well-camouflaged, requiring a smash to uncover their contents.
Typically, the first few floors of the Spring Mine yielded copper and silver ores, used for tool upgrades. But copper upgrades were barely worth it. In the game, Luis skipped copper for silver to maximize efficiency. Here, he decided to experiment.
The Spring Mine had 255 floors. Below floor 60, rare minerals worth thousands of G, like mythic stone, or unsellable items like the teleport stone, could be found. Luis swung his hammer at a few rocks clearly containing copper and silver. The ores that fell out varied in size. He figured selling or upgrading required a standard weight. A 1-pound ore couldn't fetch the same price as a 10 pounds. Without a scale, he could tell the ore yield from these rocks was meager—likely under a pound.
He cleared the rocks on the first floor, checking his haul. The results were dismal: a pinch of dirt, a few silver fragments, and a handful of tiny copper ores. He doubted this would even cover a hot spring visit. He grimaced.
Stuffing the paltry loot into his backpack, Luis grabbed his hoe to find a way to the next floor. Soon, he uncovered a hole just wide enough to crawl through. Satisfied, he didn't descend yet, instead hauling his tools. It was late, he was exhausted, and he needed rest.
That night, he fell asleep the moment he hit the bed. For years before arriving here, he'd rarely slept soundly. He dreamed of strolling through a farm bursting with crops, cows, sheep, and chickens roaming freely. He rode a horse, surveying his prosperous land. A sweet voice whispered in his ear: "Stay here with me! Stay with me!"
6:00 AM, Wednesday - 05th May 2015
Luis took a deep breath, stepping out refreshed. As he eagerly planned his day, he spotted a short man waiting by the gate.
The man had the stereotypical Hollywood look—black hair, mustache, a servile demeanor, dressed in traditional Chinese attire.
"Hello, young man! Handsome new farmer! You may not know me, but I know you! Zack told me all about you! A spirited, talented young man with grit, inheriting this lovely farm and house. You've got a fine name to match, Luis, right?"
Won rattled on, not letting Luis get a word in, his silver tongue waving:
"I'm Won, the merchant everyone loves for customer satisfaction! I'm here to offer a classic Chinese porcelain jar—beautiful, elegant! Nothing's better to spruce up your home!"
Won pulled the vase from his trunk, barging inside without waiting for approval, finding a spot and setting it down: "Gorgeous! Want to grab some flowers to try in your new vase now?"
Luis replied calmly, "I'm not interested in buying this vase, Mr. Won! Please take it back!"
Won didn't back down: "Don't like the color? Want a bigger one? Just say it, I'll find the perfect fit!"
"No! I'm not buying. Please leave!"
Luis pointed to the door, signaling Won to go.
Won's eyes drooped, and he shuffled out sadly: "Alright! Next time, I'll bring something better!"
Watching Won's retreating figure, Luis called out, "In a few days, I'll stop by your shop for some seeds!"
"Yes! My store welcomes you anytime!"
Won skipped off, as if he'd just landed a big deal. Luis needed to build a good rapport with Won, who bought produce at higher prices than Zack and dealt in items only he purchased, like the flowers Luis planned to grow.
Once Won was gone, Luis surveyed the farm. Yesterday's sprouts had swollen, round and white, half above ground, half below. The four turnip patches gleamed in the sunlight, as if saying, "Harvest us, we're ready!"
Luis inspected them. From the visible parts, they were larger than typical radishes from his old world, nearly uniform in size. Each patch yielded nine turnips. The four patches from the 2nd of Spring were ripe. He strained to pull one up. The turnip was slightly round, tapering to a point, about 20 inches in diameter—the largest he'd seen. He'd watched TV shows about farmers flaunting giant crops at fairs, but this was unreal. These turnips were so big and heavy that harvesting was grueling.
He labored to uproot each one. Oddly, their size and weight were identical. They were so heavy he could only carry three at a time to the shipping bin, where Zack collected goods each evening. After three trips, his back ached. Harvesting was satisfying, but his body protested. He needed those "assistants" more than ever.
Finished, he collapsed on the grass, panting. But seeing the fruits of days of watering, he couldn't help but laugh loudly: "Ha ha ha! Finally, my first harvest!" Deep inside, a burden lifted. It had been ages since he'd felt the joy of achievement. He'd only ever pushed to survive.
Tallying up, the turnips would bring 2,160 G. He beamed. This money would buy seeds to replant. He'd only expand when the Harvest Sprites agreed to help. For now, eight patches were manageable. Bright plans blossomed, fueling his drive. He stood, grabbed the watering can, and watered the entire garden, including the just-harvested patches to prep for afternoon planting.
With farm chores done, he foraged in the forest. With a packed day, he didn't leave until nearly noon. He only gathered resources, skipping lumber to save time.
At the beach, noticing the late hour, he hurried to the Harvest Sprites' house, dropped off their gifts, and rushed to the supermarket. It was nearly closing time, but he made it.
Luis exchanged brief greetings with Jeff, grabbed four bags of turnip seeds, and dashed home. Back at the farm, Zack had just arrived.