Chapter 34

Magic Writing Class 

When Peder claimed he could farm, it turned out he really could. 

Though he had never learned from anyone or even seen a real farm before, he had somehow mastered many skills on his own. 

In fact, he’d even grown seedlings before arriving here! 

As soon as he reached the plot he rented, Peder delightedly walked around it, crouched down to feel the soil, and immediately began loosening it. 

His technique was so skilled that Ah Hai and the others were left speechless.

“Uh… Don’t you just scatter seeds on the ground to plant stuff?” Ah Hai asked dumbfoundedly.

Peder shot him a look. “No way! If you do it like that, even if the plants survive, they won’t grow well.”

“You need to start with seedlings. While they grow, you can loosen the soil to prepare it.” 

“The soil needs to be evenly loosened and fluffy. That way, the seeds sprout faster and grow healthier.” 

Although Peder didn’t understand the science behind it, he had discovered these things through trial and error. Being good at observing and summarizing, he applied his findings to every new attempt.

The abundant scallions in Eden didn’t appear overnight. It took real effort for Peder to cultivate a few tiny scallions into a whole field.

Ah Hai and the others shifted from confusion to admiration. Watching Peder bent over, breaking up a large clump of dirt, one of them sincerely said, “Boss, we didn’t expect you to be this good at farming! At first, I thought you were joking.”

“But you’re younger than us—how did you learn to farm so well?” Ah Hai asked, curious.

Peder, still focused on breaking apart soil clumps, didn’t even look up as he answered, “If not being able to grow anything meant you’d starve, you’d get good at it too.”

He was determined never to eat the food they used to give him. He knew they wouldn’t let him die; if he fainted from hunger, they’d just hook him up to nutrient drips—and maybe take the chance to do something else to him.

So he had no choice but to learn farming the hard way.

Pushing those memories aside, Peder focused on his work. 

Meanwhile, Ah Hai and the others stood by, observing closely before awkwardly joining in to help.

Even Juan, after briefly watching, started helping too.

Despite being newcomers to farming, their abilities varied greatly. 

While Ah Hai and the others clumsily managed to till only a small section of the field, Juan had already cleared a large portion quickly and efficiently. Peder crouched down to compare their work, stunned by the difference.

“Wow! Juan, you did even better than me! Have you farmed before, or do you have a secret technique?”

Although Juan had never farmed, he might indeed have a secret.

Walking up to Peder, Juan suddenly lifted Peder’s shirt in front of everyone.

“Hey?” Ah Hai, still munching on snacks and cluelessly observing, froze in shock. A moment later, Juan lifted his shirt too.

The cold wind hit Ah Hai’s bare skin, making him sneeze.

Juan then calmly patted both their stomachs—first Ah Hai’s, then Peder’s—and said with a straight face: 

“Different muscle ratios.”

Everyone stared first at Peder’s stomach: abs.

Then they looked at Ah Hai’s: just an ordinary belly.

Ignoring the wind on his exposed stomach, Peder pondered aloud, “So, it’s about muscle, huh?”

Juan nodded. “Whether it’s climbing through windows or farming, you need muscle strength.”

Everyone suddenly recalled how effortlessly Juan had climbed through the window earlier. Now, seeing how easily he tilled the land, they felt a new sense of motivation. 

From that point on, they worked even harder. 

Though they were just a group of teenage boys, their combined effort made a noticeable difference, and before long, they had roughly tilled the entire plot.

After tossing their tools aside, Ah Hai and the others collapsed, exhausted, on the freshly tilled soil.

Meanwhile, Peder and Juan quietly sat down at the edge of the field. Unlike the others, Peder still had energy to spare. Spotting a large clump of dirt, he got up, crushed it with his hands, and then returned to his spot.

As soon as he sat down, Juan’s calm voice broke the silence—

“Your powers… they’re really gone?”

His black eyes fixed on Peder, Juan’s expression made it seem like he was asking about something trivial.

Peder hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yes.”

“I don’t know if it’s because they pushed the gene toxin to its limit, but I survived. My abilities, however, are gone.”

Raising his hands, he let out a cold laugh. “That old bastard once told me I was born rotten, that my abilities were only good for hurting and killing.”

“Now that my powers are gone, I guess I’ve become a good person?” 

As he spoke, Peder rested his hands on his knees, his light brown eyes gazing out at the farmland ahead. “I’ll make my living by farming!” 

He turned to Juan and asked, “What do you think?” His expression remained serious. 

Juan met his gaze evenly and, after a pause, replied, “You’re different from any wizard I’ve met.” 

“?” Peder raised an eyebrow, confused by the sudden mention of wizards. 

“The wizards I’ve met are the laziest people around,” Juan said. 

“They’re both lazy and diligent—so lazy, they’ll go to great lengths to invent entirely new magic just to avoid work.” 

“Haha, are you saying I’m too hardworking to be a wizard?” Peder laughed heartily. 

Juan gave him a calm look. “At best, you’re just a magic apprentice.” 

“Starting today, we won’t learn new magic. We’ll begin with magical writing.” 

He glanced at Peder’s left hand. 

Understanding his meaning, Peder summoned his magic book. From that moment, the two of them began studying the letters of another world, using the soil as paper and stones as pens. 

Juan’s teaching went beyond how to write each character—he explained the context of their origin, who first discovered them, and under what circumstances. He also described the famous spells associated with the characters and the historical events that unfolded when those spells were cast. 

Juan spoke with care, and Peder listened attentively. 

Initially, it was just the two of them. Eventually, when Ah Hai and the others had rested enough, they noticed what was happening and couldn’t resist their curiosity. They approached and began listening in. 

What they heard fascinated them. They didn’t realize Juan was teaching Peder to read—they thought he was telling stories. 

These teenagers, who had rarely heard decent stories in their lives, were completely captivated. Forgetting about work, they sat behind Juan and Peder, engrossed in the tales. 

Juan didn’t chase them away. He continued his teaching, and once he was sure Peder had memorized a few symbols, he paused the magic writing lesson. Then, just as he had done back in Eden, he began to recite poetry. 

This time, it was poetry from this world. 

It had been a long time since Juan had taught, and once he started, he continued for quite a while. When he finally stopped, he noticed that the group around him had grown—it wasn’t just Ah Hai and the boys anymore. 

There were children, likely from families working the nearby fields, and adults as well. Some were parents, and others seemed to have just returned from missions. They hadn’t even entered the base but had stayed to listen to Juan’s storytelling. 

Whether child or adult, everyone was spellbound by his stories. When he finished, they still craved more. 

The way they looked at Juan changed. 

Though young, he was undoubtedly an excellent teacher. Not only did he tell stories, but through them, he also taught valuable lessons. In just a short time, even the children had learned several new characters—and the adults too! 

They all shared the same thought: We want more of these lessons!

In the post-apocalyptic world, survival was already a challenge, and education had completely collapsed. They didn’t know if things were different in the larger bases, but here, there were no teachers or schools. If parents knew something, they might pass it on to their children. But if they didn’t, there was little hope for the next generation. 

Now, they had discovered someone in the base who not only knew a lot but also taught in an engaging way. 

After the lesson ended, everyone thanked Juan. 

In these times, the most meaningful way to show gratitude was with gifts. Most of the listeners were farmers, so they offered fresh produce—vegetables, fruit, grains, and fertilizer. 

Those returning from missions contributed rarer gifts: a rabbit leg and a fish! 

After confirming that Juan would be teaching again the next day, the satisfied crowd dispersed. 

Juan and the others were left standing there, arms loaded with food. 

“Wow, who would’ve thought the most valuable profession in the base might be teaching? You’ve really hit the jackpot, Juan!” Ah Hai and the others exclaimed as they helped him carry the gifts. 

Whether Juan had hit the jackpot or not, he knew one thing: they wouldn’t have to worry about dinner. 

He kept only the supplies useful for farming and handed the rest to the front desk nurse, asking her to have someone prepare a feast. He invited everyone from the clinic, including the doctors, for a big meal. 

After sending off the well-fed guests, Juan lay down on the hospital bed. 

He hadn’t been lying down long when the window suddenly slid open from the outside, revealing a familiar face. 

It was the burly man they had encountered on the road! 

Clutching a familiar down jacket, the man climbed inside through the window.

Meanwhile, back home, a parent teaching their child magical writing: This teacher is amazing! I didn’t recognize half these symbols before… He must be incredibly knowledgeable!