Lin Fan woke up before dawn, just as he always did. But this morning felt different. The air was cool and fresh, and the sky was just starting to turn pink. He stretched, feeling stronger than he had in years. The aches in his back and legs were gone, replaced by a gentle warmth that seemed to come from deep inside him.
He slipped out of the house quietly, careful not to wake his mother. The field was waiting for him, and so was the little spirit tree he had grown yesterday. As he walked through the muddy path, he noticed something strange wherever his feet touched, the grass seemed a little greener, the earth a little softer.
The spirit tree stood tall in the middle of the field, its leaves shining with a soft green light. Lin Fan smiled and reached out to touch its trunk. The tree felt warm, almost like it was alive and happy to see him.
[Spirit Farmer System]
[Level 2: Growth Touch unlocked]
[New Task: Use Growth Touch to help your field.]
Lin Fan looked at his hands, still glowing faintly. He remembered how the withered rice stalk had come back to life yesterday. Could he do that again? He knelt beside a patch of sickly rice and gently pressed his palm to the soil.
A wave of energy flowed from his hand into the earth. The rice stalks straightened, their leaves turning a healthy green right before his eyes. Lin Fan grinned, amazed at what he could do now. He moved from one patch to another, using his new skill to heal the field. Every time he used Growth Touch, he felt a little tired, but the system would flash a message:
[Spirit Energy -1]
[Field health improved!]
By the time the sun was fully up, most of the field looked better than it had in years. Lin Fan wiped sweat from his brow, but he was smiling. He knew this was just the beginning.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see his mother standing at the edge of the field, wrapped in a thin blanket. She looked tired, but her eyes were wide with surprise.
"Lin Fan, what happened to the rice?" she asked, her voice shaky. "It looks… alive again."
Lin Fan hesitated. He wanted to tell her everything, but how could he explain the Spirit Farmer System? He decided to keep it simple for now.
"I just tried something new, Mother," he said, smiling. "Maybe this year will be better."
She nodded slowly, still staring at the field. "Your father would be proud," she whispered.
Lin Fan felt a lump in his throat. He missed his father every day, but now, for the first time, he felt like he could really help his family.
After breakfast, Lin Fan went back to the field. He noticed a group of villagers walking by, their eyes wide as they looked at the healthy rice. One of them, Old Man Wu, stopped and called out, "Lin Fan! What's your secret? My field's half dead, but yours looks like spring!"
Lin Fan laughed nervously. "Just hard work, Uncle Wu. Maybe a bit of luck, too."
The villagers shook their heads, clearly not convinced, but they didn't press him. Lin Fan knew he'd have to be careful. If people found out about the Spirit Farmer System, there might be trouble.
As the day went on, Lin Fan kept working, using Growth Touch whenever he could. He felt himself getting stronger, and the system's progress bar slowly filled up. He wondered what other skills he might unlock, and what kind of person he could become if he kept going.
That night, as he lay in bed, Lin Fan stared at the ceiling and let his mind wander. He thought about the future—about helping his mother, saving the village, maybe even changing the world. For the first time, those dreams didn't feel impossible.
He closed his eyes, a small smile on his face. Tomorrow, he would work even harder. He was just a farm boy, but with the Spirit Farmer System, maybe he could become something more.