Lord Handanar

Chapter 4: The Meaning of Life

At the foot of the forest's hill, vast fields of lush ground tubers swayed like waves of wheat under the hot breeze. This region, with abundant rainfall and warm summer temperatures, was free of pests like voles, making the ground tubers thrive. The juicy leaves were a favorite food of the Thunder Rhinos, but to keep them fully energized, they were fed ground tubers rich in starch.

The soldiers of the Second Squad, under the scorching sun, wielded sickles to cut down swathes of ground tuber plants, then used iron hoes to dig out the tubers buried deep in the soil. These arm-thick tubers, each about a meter long, contained a faint toxin in their pale-yellow juice. If eaten by ordinary people, their lips would swell like sausages within an hour, tongues would protrude like dogs, and half of their faces would swell, making it difficult to speak. Thus, ground tubers were rarely consumed in the Green Empire.

However, Thunder Rhinos and some large livestock were immune to this mild toxin. Despite their hardy nature and high yield, making them commonly found even in the wild, it was the responsibility of the Fourth Battalion's Sixth Company to prepare half a month's feed for the regiment's Thunder Rhinos. All five squads were mobilized, spending three days to harvest the tubers from the hill.

Surdak and He Boqiang, wielding their sickles at the forefront, knew the most efficient ways to hook the tubers' roots. He Boqiang followed behind, bundling the tuber plants with prepared vines and neatly arranging them on the hillside. Their uniform arrangement was pleasing to the eye.

Jelonn, the black kid, and Klaus, with red hair, each carried a hoe, vigorously digging out tubers from the fertile, soft soil.

Working in groups of four, as suggested by He Boqiang, proved much more efficient than working alone, and the division of labor made the task more enjoyable.

Captain Sam loaded the neatly arranged tubers onto a flatbed cart and, walking over to He Boqiang, playfully punched him on the shoulder. He grinned, showing yellow teeth, and praised He Boqiang, "Well done! For someone so sturdy, I didn't expect you to be skilled in farming."

Surdak stopped his work, straightened up, and took a big gulp from his water bottle before handing it to He Boqiang, who drank the remaining water in one go.

"Are you a northerner?" Captain Sam, sitting on a bundle of tuber plants, tilted his head back, looked at He Boqiang, and asked.

He Boqiang, hesitating, recalled the endless snow-capped mountains from his merged memories and slowly nodded.

"After this war ends, we'll collect some travel money for you so you can go home," Captain Sam suggested, pulling a pipe from his pocket, dryly chewing on it with a hoarse voice.

He Boqiang squinted, recalling the other world with a bitter smile on his face.

"Don't you want to go home?" Captain Sam asked.

He Boqiang, although able to understand the imperial language through the memory fragments, was unable to articulate properly, making communication difficult. He could listen but not speak.

Surdak, who had been taking care of He Boqiang, had grown close to him. However, he seldom talked about these things with He Boqiang. Only when Captain Sam inquired did Surdak seize the opportunity to ask, "You haven't forgotten where your home is, have you?"

To Surdak's surprise, He Boqiang nodded, leaving him speechless and unsure how to comfort him, muttering to himself, "Damn this plane war!"

"What are your plans for the future?" Captain Sam asked He Boqiang, taking his silence as a sign of a mute who could hear. Turning to Surdak, he said, "Surdak, don't you know some merchants from Talayang? Maybe they need extra hands..."

Surdak agreed to inquire the next morning. As one of the few soldiers in the 57th Heavy Armored Infantry Brigade skilled in skinning, Surdak was more welcomed by the merchants following the brigade to profit from the war. He knew several managers in the caravans, so when Captain Sam suggested seeking their help, it was not without reason.

Jelonn, the black kid, interjected, "Captain, why not keep the big guy here?"

Since He Boqiang woke up, his injuries had gradually healed. Though he was temporarily mute, it didn't hinder his work. Many innovative ideas, arising from the memories of his body's original owner and combined with experiences from another world, had been proposed. Some were impractical due to various constraints, but others proved to be very effective. That's why He Boqiang, despite his injuries, was already accepted by everyone in the Second Squad.

Captain Sam, biting on his pipe, mumbled indistinctly, "Nonsense. We're serving in the military. With the Green Empire's conscription system in place, who would willingly come to war and live such a dangerous life?"

His words silenced Jelonn, who could only pull out a piece of roasted flatbread from his pocket, chew it dryly, and swallow it without needing a sip of water, though his eyes appeared slightly dazed.

The freshly cut ground tuber plants also needed to be transported back to the camp and dumped into the feeding trough outside the animal pen. The Thunder Rhinos, resembling small hills, came from all directions, able to swallow a bundle of tubers in one bite. These voracious eaters were the strongest transport force in the camp, but feeding them was a labor-intensive task. Usually handled by dedicated caretakers, it was only during times of preparing feed that soldiers were sent out to gather in the wild.

After the Fourth Battalion secured the privilege of cleaning the battlefield, they subsequently undertook several reconnaissance missions. This task of preparing fodder for the Thunder Rhinos was assigned by Earl Mond. Goss to balance the feelings of the other battalion commanders.

The Second Squad's work wasn't finished even after transporting the tubers back to camp. They had to shred the tubers and deliver the pulp to the logistics cooking team to be steamed into the Thunder Rhinos' favorite food - ground tuber cakes.

Making these cakes was one of the few tasks He Boqiang enjoyed, as it allowed him to observe the Thunder Rhinos up close. He was curious to ride on the back of these behemoths, each weighing several tons.

However, the animal keepers in the camp kept a close watch and were reluctant to let anyone near these giants.

Despite his endless curiosity about this world, He Boqiang always felt out of place. During his recuperation in the tent, to distract himself from the pain, he constantly hypnotized himself, silently reminding, "Don't be afraid, this is all just a dream. When I wake up, all the suffering here will disappear."

This became his nightly mantra before falling asleep, searching for the meaning of life in this new world with each new day's dawn.