The morning mist hung low over Willow Village, carrying the scent of damp earth and, more prominently today, the sharp smell of sulfur.
Chen Yuan stood in the corner of the backyard, holding a wooden scraper. He was caked in dirt and grease, carefully applying a thick layer of sulfur-lard ointment to the patchy skin of the cow, 'Hope'.
The animal stood still, her eyes half-closed. The treatment stung, but the relief from the itching mites was immediate.
"San Lang," Liu Shi walked over, covering her nose with her sleeve. "That smell... it's enough to scare away the crows. Are you sure this works?"
"It's the only thing that works for mange, Mother," Chen Yuan said, wiping sweat from his forehead. He didn't mention that the System had provided the specific ratio—three parts lard, one part sulfur, heated over a slow fire. "We have to apply it every three days. In a month, her coat will grow back."
"Month?" A sharp voice cut in. Wang Shi stood at the kitchen door, stirring a pot of porridge. "We have to smell this for a month? And look at her, she's eating us out of house and home. She ate half of the bean stalks last night!"
Chen Yuan paused. "She needs to eat to recover. The grass on the hill isn't enough for her yet. We need to feed her."
"She's a bottomless pit," Wang Shi grumbled. "A sick, ugly bottomless pit."
Chen Yuan didn't argue. He simply led the cow out of the yard. "I'm taking her to the hill. The fresh air will help."
* * *
The walk to the East Hill was becoming a familiar routine.
As they passed the village lane, the usual whispers followed.
"Look, the skeleton walker is back."
"I heard he paid two taels for that bag of bones."
"Chen Dazhong must be crying in his sleep."
Chen Yuan ignored them. He kept his head high, his hand resting on the cow's flank. The cow, sensing the hostility in the air, moved closer to him, like a child seeking protection.
"Third Brother!"
Little Stone came running up the path. He was carrying a bundle of weeds on his back—wild grass he had collected from the edges of the fields.
"Boss! I brought food for the cows!" the boy panted.
"Good work," Chen Yuan approved. "Take it to the shed."
They reached the clearing on the hill. The makeshift shelter stood strong, and the three sheep were already out grazing on the lush patch of Ryegrass.
The difference in the grass was startling. In just a few weeks, the area where Chen Yuan had planted the System-enhanced Ryegrass looked like a green carpet. It was thick, tall, and vibrantly alive compared to the scraggly wild weeds surrounding it.
Xu Tie was there, chopping firewood. He stopped when he saw the cow.
"Hmm," the veteran grunted, squinting. "She looks a bit brighter today."
"Her appetite is back," Chen Yuan said. He guided the cow to a patch of the Ryegrass he had fenced off specifically for her.
"Hope, eat."
The cow lowered her head. She sniffed the grass. Then, she took a bite.
Her reaction was instantaneous. Her ears perked up. She began to tear at the grass with a vigor she hadn't shown for the stale bean stalks.
Chew, swallow, bite. Chew, swallow, bite.
She didn't stop.
Chen Yuan watched closely. *System, status.*
**[Subject: 'Hope'.]**
**[Activity: Feeding.]**
**[Current Status: Metabolic Rate Accelerating.]**
**[Brahman Gene Infusion: 1% Integrated.]**
**[Effect: Enhanced digestive efficiency. The subject is extracting 40% more nutrition from the Ryegrass than a standard cow. She is hungry because her body is finally able to utilize the food.]**
"She eats like a horse," Xu Tie observed, leaning on his axe. "I've never seen a cow so thin eat so fast."
"She's making up for lost time," Chen Yuan smiled. "Her body knows what it needs."
He turned to Little Stone. "Little Stone, today I need you to do something else besides weeding."
"What is it, Boss?"
"I need you to collect droppings," Chen Yuan pointed to the cow pats. "All of them. Don't leave a single one. Mix them with the soil in the pit I dug over there."
"The pit?" Little Stone wrinkled his nose. "Why?"
"To make magic," Chen Yuan said. "Just wait."
* * *
Over the next week, a strange rhythm took over the hill.
The cow ate. She ate an astonishing amount. She grazed the Ryegrass down to the stems, and Chen Yuan had to supplement her diet with the wild grass Little Stone brought in.
But something else happened.
The cow, which had been listless and dull, began to change.
By the fifth day, the dullness in her eyes was gone. She started exploring the perimeter of the fence. She even nudged Xu Tie with her nose, looking for treats.
And her coat. Underneath the scabs and the patches of shaved hair, new fuzz was beginning to appear. It was soft and downy, a stark contrast to the brittle hair she had before.
On the seventh morning, Chen Yuan arrived at the hill to find Xu Tie staring at the cow with a look of disbelief.
"San Lang," the veteran called out. "Look at the hump."
Chen Yuan rushed over.
The cow was standing in the morning sun. On her shoulder, just above where her neck met her back, there was a slight swelling. A small, barely noticeable rise.
*Brahman trait.*
"Is it... a tumor?" Xu Tie asked, concerned.
"No," Chen Yuan said, his voice trembling with excitement. "It's muscle. It's a hump. It helps her store fat and regulate heat. It's a sign of a strong breed."
He checked the System.
**[Brahman Gene Integration: 2%.]**
**[Trait Manifestation: Early onset of dorsal hump. Estimated time for full visual change: 2 months.]**
It was working. The genetics were rewriting her biology, fueled by the super-nutritious Ryegrass.
* * *
But biology didn't pay for immediate bills. The tax was covered, but daily life required cash.
Chen Yuan stood by the fermentation pit he had dug. It was a simple hole lined with clay, filled with layers of cow manure, sheep dung, rice stalks, and the 'Spirit Soil' bacteria he had cultivated.
"Brother Xu," Chen Yuan said. "We need to move the product. I need to go to town again."
"I'll come," Xu Tie said immediately. "The last time you went alone, you bought a cow. I'm afraid you'll buy a camel next."
"No camel," Chen Yuan laughed. "But I do need to buy salt. Lots of salt."
"Salt?"
"For the mineral lick," Chen Yuan explained. "The grass is good, but they need minerals to build bone. Without it, the calves will be weak."
They loaded the cart—a borrowed donkey cart from the village—that was filled with the second batch of fertilizer. The smell was controlled, earthy.
* * *
The trip to the Benevolent Hall was smooth.
The Shopkeeper was delighted with the new batch. "Perfect timing! The City Lord's estate is planting their private garden. They specifically asked for your 'Spirit Soil'. They are paying a premium."
Chen Yuan's eyes widened. The City Lord? That was an official. A high-ranking one.
"Can you supply more?" the Shopkeeper asked. "I'll pay forty-five coins per bag. The City Lord wants his roses to bloom for the Mid-Autumn Festival."
"Consider it done," Chen Yuan said.
He walked out of the shop with a heavier pouch.
"San Lang," Xu Tie said as they walked down the street. "The City Lord... if you enter his radar, it's dangerous. Officials are sharks. If they find out you have a secret method..."
"I know," Chen Yuan said. "That's why we are selling 'Spirit Soil', not 'Miracle Grow'. It sounds like a Taoist alchemy trick. They won't suspect it comes from a cow's backside."
Xu Tie chuckled. "You have a dark mind."
They stopped at a grain store to buy the salt. Chen Yuan bought twenty catties of coarse salt. It was cheap, meant for preserving food.
"Salt and clay," Chen Yuan muttered as they loaded the bags. "Mix them together, put them in a wooden box. The cattle will lick it. It will prevent bone diseases."
As they were leaving the town, walking past the busy meat market district, a loud commotion erupted.
"Move! Move! Mad cow!"
A terrified bellowing echoed through the streets.
From a side alley, a massive black bull charged out. It was frothing at the mouth, eyes red with pain and rage. A butcher was chasing it, holding a bloody cleaver, but he was too slow to catch it.
The bull saw the donkey cart.
It lowered its head and charged.
"San Lang!" Xu Tie shouted, grabbing his staff.
Chen Yuan froze for a split second. He saw the sheer mass of the animal. It was a beast meant for killing.
"Get the donkey!" Chen Yuan yelled, snapping the reins.
But the donkey was paralyzed with fear.
The bull closed the distance.
Xu Tie leaped off the cart, landing with a heavy thud. He planted his good leg and swung his staff like a baseball bat, aiming for the bull's nose.
*CRACK.*
The staff hit the bull's sensitive snout. The bull bellowed, skidding to the side, its momentum broken.
But it wasn't down. It shook its head, turning its rage on Xu Tie.
Xu Tie gritted his teeth, preparing for the impact.
Then, a voice cut through the chaos.
"Hey! Stupid beast!"
Chen Yuan had jumped off the cart. He was holding a handful of salt he had just ripped open.
He threw the white crystals into the bull's face.
The salt blinded the animal momentarily, stinging its eyes and nose. The bull snorted, shaking its head frantically, trying to clear its vision.
"Over here!" Chen Yuan shouted, banging on the side of a wooden stall.
The bull, disoriented, turned towards the noise.
Just then, three guards in uniform rushed forward with spears. They surrounded the bull and quickly brought it down, pinning it to the ground.
Silence returned to the street.
Chen Yuan leaned against the cart, his heart hammering against his ribs. His hands were shaking.
"Boy," Xu Tie walked over, panting heavily. "You have guts. Throwing salt at a bull?"
"Better than getting gored," Chen Yuan tried to laugh, but his voice cracked.
A man in a silk robe walked out of the shop the bull had charged from. It was the owner of the meat market, Master Lin. He looked at the chaotic scene, then at the bull being restrained.
"Idiots!" Master Lin shouted at his workers. "Can't you even handle one bull? Worthless!"
He turned to Chen Yuan and Xu Tie. He looked them up and down, his gaze pausing on Chen Yuan's calm face despite his shaking hands.
"You two... you have quick reflexes," Master Lin said. "My workers are useless. That bull was worth ten taels. Now the meat will be bruised and sour from the stress."
He spat on the ground. "Get out of here. You're blocking the road."
Chen Yuan looked at the bull. *System.*
**[Subject: Bull.]**
**[Status: High stress (Adrenaline poisoning). Meat quality: Dropped to Grade F.]**
"What a waste," Chen Yuan said quietly.
"What did you say?" Master Lin narrowed his eyes.
"I said, it's a waste," Chen Yuan looked at the man. "Master Lin, if you slaughter that bull now, the meat will be tough and sour. No one will buy it. But if you let it rest for two days in a quiet pen, with clean water and some hay... the meat might recover."
Master Lin scoffed. "You think I don't know that? It injured two of my men! It's a killer!"
"It's a bull," Chen Yuan corrected. "It was scared. Animals feel fear."
He looked at Master Lin. "If you want to sell that meat for a profit, don't kill it today. Let it calm down."
Master Lin stared at Chen Yuan. He saw the knowledge in the boy's eyes.
"And who are you to tell me my business?"
"Just a rancher," Chen Yuan said, bowing slightly. "We are leaving."
He climbed back onto the cart. Xu Tie followed.
As they drove away, Xu Tie whispered, "That was the Lin Family. The butchers. You just gave advice to the enemy."
"Enemies can become customers," Chen Yuan said, looking back at the bull. "Or they can become obstacles. I'd prefer customers."
He clenched his fist. The encounter had shaken him, but it also solidified his resolve.
*I need to be stronger,* he thought. *Not just rich. Strong. Strong enough that no one can push me around.*
He looked at the bags of salt.
"Let's go home, Brother Xu. The cows are waiting for their dinner."