All Chapters of The Strongest Farmer: Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
23 chapters
011 The Trial on His Back
Lala stared at him, confused."What are you doing?"Jaka didn't answer. He simply crouched in front of her, offering his back."Come on. Let me carry you to the outpost."Lala froze."C-Carry me?""Your foot hurts, right?" Jaka glanced over his shoulder. "If you force yourself to walk, we'll be stuck out here until dark."Lala bit her lower lip, hesitation written all over her face. After all, they had just met. Letting a complete stranger give her a piggyback ride wasn't exactly something she could easily accept.But when she tried to shift her weight, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, making her wince.Ultimately, she didn't have much of a choice."In that case... I'm sorry for the trouble.""Just hop on."Lala stepped closer. She carefully placed her hands on his shoulders, then leaned forward and climbed onto his back. Her movements were awkward, clearly unaccustomed to being carried.Jaka adjusted his stance, wrapping his arms around the backs of her knees to keep her from sli
012 The Rescued Girl
"Lala!"The shout sliced through the afternoon air, breaking the silence like the crack of a whip.A beautiful green-haired woman sprinted frantically from the direction of the guard post. She was pale, breathless, her once-calm eyes now swirling with a panic she could barely conceal. Her long green hair whipped wildly in the wind, a few damp strands clinging to her sweat-slicked cheeks.The moment she spotted Lala in Jaka’s arms, her pace quickened.Lala, whose body still felt incredibly weak, could only manage a helpless little smile. It was a pale, fragile thing, but enough to prove she was conscious and breathing. As Jaka gently set her down, her feet met the earth with a faint tremble. Her knees felt hollow, as if every ounce of strength had just been siphoned from her body by some unseen force.Before Lala could even utter a word, the green-haired woman pulled her into a tight, desperate embrace."Lala…!"The hug was so forceful that Lala winced slightly, but she made no move to
013 Too Late
Jaka fell silent for a moment.Beside them, Lala watched the exchange, a warm feeling blossoming in her chest. Whether it was the sheer relief of surviving, the lingering embarrassment of being carried in his arms for so long, or simply the sight of Jaka remaining so impossibly calm after everything that had just happened, she wasn't sure.There was something about the young man that defied explanation.It wasn't just that he had saved her. Anyone might help another when forced by circumstance. But Jaka had done it without a word of complaint, without seeking attention, and without trying to leave any sort of grand impression. It was precisely that unassuming demeanor that set him apart.“…All right,” Jaka finally said.He glanced briefly at Lala. Seeing that she was able to stand on her own, even if she still looked a bit unsteady, he decided his business here was done. The longer he stayed, the more awkward things were likely to get.“Since Lala is safe, I'll be going now.”With tha
014 Returning Home
After leaving the outpost, Jaka made good time on his way back, barely stopping on the road.The sky gradually shifted colors. The bright sunlight softened, turning golden at the edges of the clouds and spilling warm hues across the path home. The mountain breeze carried the scent of damp earth and wet leaves, its lingering chill still biting lightly at his skin.Throughout the journey, flashes of what had happened on the mountain kept playing in his mind.The fragile weight of Lala in his arms.The anxious gaze of that green-haired woman.And, hardest of all to ignore, the mysterious gift now resting inside him, buried like a grand secret he had yet to fully grasp.*Eternal Dew Art*The name still felt foreign, but its effects were already enough to make Jaka’s heart tremble. He had no idea if this was a blessing or the prelude to something far more complicated. His life had always been simple—perhaps too simple. After being framed and losing his job, all he wanted was to return ho
015 The Land Exacts Its Toll
Upon arriving at the field, Jaka’s footsteps slowed.The late-afternoon breeze swept across the rows of vegetables and chili plants. Yet, instead of carrying a refreshing chill, the sight before him felt suffocating. Leaves that should have been a vibrant green were now yellowing in patches. Several stalks were wilted, drooping like sick men stripped of the strength to stand. The soil around the roots looked dull and parched, not severely cracked, but unmistakably drained of its vitality.Jaka stood in silence at the edge of the field.For a long moment, he merely stared, speechless.The expanse of land that had once felt so alive now resembled an aging body, forced to labor without a single moment to breathe. A pale, sickly yellow spread like a plague through the rows of crops. It wasn’t glaring from a distance, but to anyone accustomed to feeling the soil, breathing in the scent of the leaves, and reading the subtle shifts that ordinary eyes overlooked, it was glaringly obvious.J
016 A Father’s Burden
"If things keep going like this..." Bejo muttered, his voice hollow. "How are we supposed to survive next season? The savings are practically gone, and Dina’s midterms are right around the corner."Jaka rarely heard his father sound so defeated. Bejo had always been the pillar of the family, projecting an unshakable strength. Even when money ran tight, when the harvests failed, or when his body ached from sheer exhaustion, he would just wave it off and say, "Don't worry, we'll find a way."But this time, those words never came.All that remained was a quiet, suffocating despair he had kept hidden for far too long.Jaka stood frozen just a few steps away from the dilapidated hut. A heavy weight pressed down on his chest. He knew their situation was dire, but hearing the raw truth spill from his father’s lips made it cut so much deeper. Bejo had always shielded his children from the ugly realities of their poverty. He would rather break his own back carrying the burden alone than let
017 A Drop of Spiritual Liquid
Jaka walked toward the well.Bejo and Susi watched him in confusion, entirely unsure of what their son was trying to do. While they typically used that well to water the crops, ordinary water was useless for soil this severely depleted of nutrients.Jaka stood at the edge of the well, peering down at the dark, still water below.For a moment, he hesitated.It wasn't the fear of failure holding him back, but the stark realization that once he revealed this secret, his life would never be exactly the same. His parents would ask questions. They might be afraid. Or worse, they might build up their hopes far too high.But as his gaze swept over the yellowing fields, his father's pale face, and the gentle way his mother tried to stay strong for them, the hesitation slowly melted away.What good was power if he couldn't even save his own family?Jaka took a deep breath.With a calm, deliberate motion, he let a drop of the spiritual liquid fall into the well.It fell without a splash. Just a
018 Miracle in the Field
The crops in the field had turned green.And it wasn't just the dull, desperate green of thirsty plants finally getting a drink. This was a rich, vibrant green that defied all logic. Leaves glistened under the late afternoon sun, and stems that had been drooping only hours ago now stood tall, as if they had just woken from a deep slumber. Fat, ripe red chilies hung heavily from the branches, glowing like tiny lanterns amidst the lush canopy.Just moments ago, the field had looked like a terminal patient waiting for the end.Yellowing leaves. Limp stalks. Exhausted soil. Even the air had felt suffocatingly bleak, as if the entire plot of land was quietly surrendering to death.But now, everything had changed.The vegetables were thriving. The chilies were perfectly ripe. Crops that had been on the verge of withering away were suddenly ready for harvest, as if an invisible hand had forcibly fast-forwarded time.Jaka stood frozen in the middle of the field, staring at the impossible si
019 The Secret of Mount Sumbing
Jaka began his story with the strange premonition that had driven him to climb Mount Sumbing. He recounted his encounter with the mysterious figure who claimed to be the spirit of the mountain.The longer he spoke, the heavier the silence in the living room became.Susi repeatedly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening at the mention of the mountain's guardian. Bejo remained silent, though the occasional twitch of his clasped fingers resting on his knees betrayed his restless thoughts.Jaka also explained the technique the mountain spirit had bestowed upon him.He didn't dive too deep into the specifics, but he shared enough to make his parents understand that the sudden changes in their fields weren't the result of black magic or some dark pact. Everything stemmed from something older, far more mysterious, and perhaps more sacred than they could possibly comprehend.When he finally finished, nobody said a word.The yellow bulb overhead flickered softly. In the kitchen,
020 Bejo's Old Tale
Once Jaka left, the living room settled back into a quiet stillness.Susi turned her gaze to Bejo.“Do you really believe him?” she asked softly.Bejo didn’t answer right away. His eyes lingered on the kitchen doorway where Jaka had just disappeared.“His eyes weren't lying,” Bejo finally said. “And that field… there’s no way it could change overnight like that. Not unless something truly beyond our understanding was at work.”Susi lowered her head. “I’m scared.”“I am, too.”That blunt honesty left Susi speechless.Bejo leaned back slowly, his gaze drifting off into the distance. Deep within his mind, long-buried memories began to stir, rustling like dry leaves caught in a sudden breeze.Years ago, back when he was just a young man and his father was still alive, Bejo had encountered a mystical being by the river near their village.It hadn't been a mountain spirit like the one Jaka had met.Rather, it was a beautiful woman, the kind the village elders used to call a fairy.Her face