Is That Even Your Job?

Isha's confusion didn't last long because she suddenly realized something.

Elon's behavior just now didn't seem like he was controlled or threatened by a necromancer; they seemed very natural, almost like friends.

Shane's reaction was also quite calm. He didn't make any threatening moves or comments, simply reining in his behavior.

Could it be that this camp wasn't actually under the control of a necromancer?

But before she could dwell on it, she noticed Shane's gaze locked onto her. She shuddered instinctively and walked toward the goods.

Whether the princess controlled the necromancer or the necromancer controlled the princess, it wasn't something a petty merchant like her could resolve.

“This batch of goods was specially prepared.”

By now, Isha's voice had steadied significantly. She reached into a cargo pack and pulled out an exquisite glass bottle.

It was the size of a fist, tightly sealed with a cork. Through the glass, countless tiny seeds could be seen packed inside.

Each one was only the size of a sesame seed, flat and obovate with translucent membranous wings. Most were yellowish-brown or dark brown with faint reticulate patterns on their dry surfaces.

“These are the seeds of a plant called Saxaul.”

Isha held the bottle up so they could inspect it more closely. “This plant was collected from the edges of other deserts. Once fully grown, it can reach about three meters in height. It has extremely deep roots, allowing it to bind sand and conserve water, and it has a wide range of uses.”

“For instance, its leaves can be used as fodder, its dried branches can be used as firewood, and it even has some medicinal properties.”

“I personally selected this batch of seeds. Every single one has undergone saltwater flotation, guaranteeing a germination rate of over seventy percent.”

“Although the quantity isn't large, for a trial planting...”

“Suosuo!”

Before Isha could finish, she was interrupted. She didn't dare show any annoyance, however, because the voice belonged to Shane.

She was merely confused by the name Shane had used, so she instinctively asked, “What?”

“Suosuo.”

Shane stared at the seeds in the bottle, his eyes lighting up slightly as he repeated the pronunciation.

But Isha truly did not understand what that meant, so she could only reply, “T-this is the seed of the Saxaul...”

Her voice was noticeably weaker than before, but her inner persistence still drove her to explain. Yet, Shane interrupted her once more: “I know, but I usually call it Suosuo.”

The corner of Shane's mouth twitched, his expression changing noticeably. There was a look of nostalgia in his eyes. “So just call it Suosuo. It's much easier to pronounce.”

“Oh, alright.”

Isha could only force herself to agree, but in her mind, she had already classified this behavior as the eccentric madness of a necromancer.

Shane, of course, was oblivious to her thoughts. He was currently completely captivated by the Suosuo.

He had never expected to see this plant in this world—a species known to desert reclamation workers as the "Guardian of the Desert."

In his memory, this plant needed only a single rainfall to drive roots several meters deep into shifting sand dunes. Its role was far more than just windbreak and sand fixation; it was the very first line of defense in desert ecological restoration.

The appearance of the Suosuo made Shane even more interested in Isha's cargo. His gaze drifted to the green fabric bundle on the camel as he asked, “That one over there isn't seeds, is it? What is it?”

Isha pursed her lips, turned back to the camel, pulled back the green fabric, and took out a bundle of neatly stacked cuttings.

The cuttings were about the length of an adult's forearm, reddish-brown overall, with pale yellow ring-like protrusions spaced along them. The bottoms of the cuttings were carefully wrapped in damp hay to keep the roots moist.

“This is Salt Cedar.”

Isha pulled a cutting from the bundle and offered it forward with both hands, explaining, “This plant was also discovered on the edge of the desert, but its environment is relatively harsher. It often grows in saline-alkali soil...”

“Red Willow!”

Shane's voice spiked half an octave, sounding even more excited than when he saw the Suosuo. His intense excitement caused Elon to look over in surprise.

In the next second, Shane's figure blurred, and he was suddenly standing right in front of Isha. He moved so quickly that even Lena behind her couldn't react in time.

Consequently, Isha didn't even have time to gasp before she froze in place.

But Shane didn't notice her reaction. His gaze was entirely fixed on the cutting in her hands. He reached out and carefully took it from her, handling it as if it were a piece of priceless porcelain.

“To think even this exists here...”

Shane murmured softly, his eyes scanning the cutting. Finding it perfectly preserved and flawless, he nodded gently.

He then carefully brushed aside the damp hay wrapped around the base, revealing the cut end of the cutting. It was still moist, a fresh yellowish-white color, with no signs of blackening or shriveling.

“Excellent. It's preserved incredibly well.”

“The freshness of the cut is also well-maintained; it hasn't lost its vitality. In this state, the survival rate could exceed eighty percent.”

Shane's voice carried an irrepressible joy. Although he was delighted, his rigid face couldn't display much expression. As a result, what he showed looked less like a smile and more like a state of sheer madness.

“Isha, come here.”

Lena quietly pulled Isha behind her, staring warily at Shane, who was grinning in a way that made it hard to tell if he was smiling or losing his mind.

Yet, compared to before, there was little fear left in Isha's eyes. Instead, she felt a trace of curiosity.

She watched Shane hold the cutting with sheer delight, completely lost in a state of ecstatic reverie. From time to time, he would reach out to gently touch the protrusions on the branch, the manic expression on his face growing even more pronounced.

He then turned and walked toward Elon, holding the Red Willow cutting high. “This merchant arrived at the perfect time. The oasis's current development is exactly in need of these two things.”

“As long as we plant these two species together, I believe we can expand the oasis's coverage by at least threefold!”

Hearing Shane say this, Elon also showed a clear expression of joy, though he appeared much more composed than Shane. “Then should we alter our upcoming planting schedule? Focus primarily on these two?”

“Exactly!”

Shane replied resolutely, then handed the cutting to Elon. “We'll plant the Suosuo at the very front of the shifting sands to act as a pioneer species to stabilize the sand. Once the dunes stabilize, the Red Willow can follow, its root system digging several meters deep into the ground to lock in moisture.”

“The combination of these two plants is practically a seamless match!”

Elon took the cutting and examined it, then looked up at Shane's unusually animated expression and couldn't help but shake his head. “It seems you've put a lot of thought into this. However, since these two plants are so suitable, perhaps we can use the Living Soil Pouch on their planting areas first.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

...

Isha listened quietly from the side, but the more she heard, the wider her eyes grew.

For she had finally realized—the saplings around this camp had not been planted by the druid, but by this necromancer!

Such a massive contrast made her head spin.

She had never imagined that the pioneer of desert reclamation in the Golden Sea wouldn't be a druid, but a necromancer!