HLM -Chapter 1116 The Rugby Opening

Wang Bo had never tested the soil in his own forest, but he stubbornly believed that as long as it had the “heart of the forest,” especially being a second-level forest heart, soil pH, air humidity, and such things didn’t matter.

Moreover, he was using a woodland cultivation method. Forest land has abundant humus, high organic content, loose soil, and good aeration, moisture retention, and drainage—ideal conditions for ginseng growth.

After visiting the ginseng seedlings, all that remained was to pay for the seeds and transport them back to Sunset Town. Upon learning they were from Sunset Town, MC Plant Breeding Company became very enthusiastic.

Sunset Town was extremely well-known in New Zealand, even outshining Queenstown in fame at the moment. If ginseng seeds from their company were planted there, it would serve as a living advertisement.

Initially, the company arranged for Pete, one of their cultivation workers, to accompany them on the tour. Once their identity was revealed, MC quickly assigned breeding experts to accompany them, providing professional explanations.

Wang Bo thought even Pete was better company. Pete was humorous, while the breeding experts, although knowledgeable, were quite dull.

So he had Atulu handle the payment, after which MC’s company would provide a rental transport vehicle to bring the ginseng seedlings back to Sunset Town.

Planting them was the next step.

He had purchased small seedlings, not seeds. They couldn’t just be scattered on the soil—they had to be planted individually. To do this, he hired ten Māori farmers from the town to help.

Now he realized having Māori in town was quite convenient, at least when it came to finding temporary labor.

Planting ginseng seedlings wasn’t complicated—it mainly involved selecting the right forest land and observing the surrounding vegetation.

Ginseng prefers moisture and shade, so it should be planted on the shaded sides of the forest. It grows best alongside trees like oaks and lindens and broadleaf weeds, which was tricky since the forest areas didn’t have these trees.

During the visit, the breeding experts had said that the companion tree requirements for ginseng weren’t very strict, as long as the planting area didn’t have many birches, poplars, willows, or alfalfa.

The forest had some birch trees, but poplars and willows were scarce, though they were more common at the foot of the mountains.

Once the ginseng was planted, that task was complete—they only needed to wait a couple of years for the harvest.

Planning ahead, Wang Bo had Juan start developing domestic sales channels, looking for ginseng distribution companies, particularly large pharmacies.

By the end of October, Oakley was returning to the U.S. for a competition. Before leaving, the town’s sports hall was finally completed, and the rugby field was ready for use.

With a rugby field, Sunset Town finally had a proper stadium.

Rugby is New Zealand’s national sport. It’s deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of New Zealanders, and watching rugby has, to some extent, become almost a religious experience.

Statistics show that while the number of Christians in New Zealand has been declining, rugby fans continue to grow.

Many New Zealanders see rugby as an inseparable part of national culture—they love the sport, watch it, play it themselves, and encourage their children to participate. This is a form of family activity, and the government strongly supports it.

The countries most skilled in rugby are the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, and a few others. While the Super Bowl in the U.S. is wildly popular, other sports like basketball, baseball, and even ice hockey are also common.

In New Zealand, however, rugby dominates the entire sporting landscape.

Being a typical Chinese, Wang Bo had little interest in the sport. He had never seen a rugby field back home and didn’t know anyone who played or even watched it.

If it weren’t for Oakley investing in the rugby field, he wouldn’t have built it so quickly.

Fortunately, spring had arrived—gentle winds, warm sunshine—the best weather for sports on the South Island. The timing for opening the rugby field was perfect.

No publicity was needed; the whole town eagerly awaited the opening. Once everything was ready and safety inspections completed, hundreds of people rushed in as soon as the gates opened.

Watching the townsfolk excitedly sprint across the field, Wang Bo shook his head and muttered, “What’s so fun about this sport?”

His team immediately opposed him:

“No, boss, this is rugby—it’s so much fun!”

“Higher, stronger, faster! Every man loves rugby!”

“You just don’t understand it yet. Once you do, you’ll love it too.”

Seeing his usually obedient subordinates rebel, Wang Bo straightened his face. “How could I not understand it? Rugby, All Blacks, right?”

The All Blacks are New Zealand’s national rugby team, a formidable and respected force. Though New Zealand’s population is small, the All Blacks have always been filled with top talent.

The name comes from their all-black uniforms. Joining the team meant joining the ranks of the country’s most famous sports stars.

“What else do you know?” Hani asked with a smile.

Wang Bo replied, “Don’t underestimate me. I know a lot. For example, each team has fifteen players, the rules are simple, and you score by carrying the ball over the opponent’s goal line, right?”

“And then?”

That was it. Wang Bo only knew that much. He argued, “I know the number of players and how to score—isn’t that enough?”

“That’s extremely amateurish,” the group shook their heads. “Everyone knows a man and woman can make a baby through sex, but knowing that rule doesn’t make a baby appear, right?”

Wang Bo said, “That’s sophistry. I may know very few rules, but I bet I could play this sport just using those two rules!”

“Then let’s bet.” The group immediately became interested.

The person who knew Wang Bo best was Uncle Bing. He hesitated and said, “Wait, are we going to have a match? Who are you playing against? If it’s us, I bet you’ll win.”

Rugby differs from basketball and soccer in one big way: the latter require ball-handling skills to advance, which is difficult for beginners. Rugby, however, is all about holding the ball and running.

Uncle Bing knew Wang Bo’s speed, explosiveness, and strength. Wang Bo, nicknamed the “Humanoid Tyrannosaurus” in Sunset Town, had long been famed for single-handedly killing four wild boars.

Many townsfolk doubted Wang Bo could actually do that, but Hani and others believed it. First, they knew Wang Bo’s abilities; second, they trusted that Uncle Bing never lied.

Hearing Uncle Bing’s words, the others became discouraged. Hani said, “Then I’ll bet on you too, boss. This isn’t a fair match—some people are just naturally advantaged in certain sports.”