CH 8

TL: Moonlit

While Shu Shuishui was diligently preparing supplies for the journey, Gu Langu also prepared to set off. According to the data sent back by the detector, Imperial City would not experience an electromagnetic storm for at least ten days. This was a good opportunity for Gu Langu to bring back the mysterious scrambled pet.

Upon closer observation, Gu Langu also realized the extraordinary nature of this unidentified creature. It was intelligent and skilled in cultivation techniques. Even in the harsh environment of Imperial City, it could yield bountiful harvests. Although Gu Langu didn’t know the exact methods it used, the seven-day growth cycle was enough to cause explosive attention, especially in the resource-scarce world of Cang Zhan Star, where people could kill for a piece of bread.

This small and clean-loving scrambled pet had no idea about the world it was in, nor did it know the kind of madness and danger its abilities could bring.

Gu Langu could easily imagine the crisis the scrambled pet would face if it fell into the wrong hands. Although its race couldn’t be determined yet, its appearance resembled that of a mouse, so Gu Langu temporarily classified it as a rodent.

“Yu Jin, I’m going to Imperial City. If other forces from Zone C arrive, just push them back,” Gu Langu said as he pushed open the gate of the base, not giving anyone time to react.

Yu Jin had just snapped back to reality when he realized Gu Langu had already disappeared outside the door. He could only scratch his head and wear a worried expression. “Boss has gone missing again. How do I explain this when Brother Nan comes back?”

Although Gu Langu enjoyed being alone, the power of one person was ultimately limited, especially in such an environment. Gu Langu’s semi-mechanical body couldn’t receive regular maintenance and would gradually weaken. That was also the reason why the Gu family exiled him to Cang Zhan Star.

However, shortly after his exile to Cang Zhan Star, some of his former subordinates and friends also arrived, some voluntarily and some involuntarily, but in the end, they all spontaneously gathered around Gu Langu.

As for the rumors that Gu Langu had annihilated not only the enemy but also his own army, they naturally didn’t believe them. Even if it were true, there must have been a reason behind it. After all, they had fought side by side and trusted Gu Langu, just like they trusted themselves.

After being exiled to Cang Zhan Star, Gu Langu indeed underwent many changes. The most noticeable change was the diminishing of his desires, not just the desire for battle, but all desires. Being a semi-mechanical being brought not only formidable combat power but also expensive maintenance costs.

Energy stones, nutrient fluids, and even skincare products couldn’t be obtained from Cang Zhan Star but had to be exchanged with the outside world. Their channel of exchange was the simulator. It was a one-way transporter that only transmitted non-living objects, and the tradeable items were limited and subject to strict scrutiny by the Interstellar Union.

Cang Shan Star earned the title of “Prison Planet” due to its strict closed management system. Except for valuable energy stones and various gems, no living beings or items could leave Cang Zhan Star.

Of course, besides that, people living in Zone C can leave Cang Zhan Star temporarily by extracting their spiritual bodies through the simulator. However, there are strict rules and purposes for this, but these are all secondary matters for now. Currently, the residents of Zone C are facing the question of whether or not to migrate, when to migrate, and where to migrate to.

In addition to Gu Langu, other forces in Zone C have also dispatched teams to enter Imperial City to investigate the specific situation of the electromagnetic storm, in order to determine the intensity and scope of the next electromagnetic storm. This concerns their own safety and personal interests.

Shu Shuishui, who was busy wiping potatoes with his belly, was still unaware that several waves of people were already heading towards the desolate Imperial City.

Shu Shuishui cleaned the potatoes and sweet potatoes one by one. He planned to continue drying them before storing them in the spiritual space. After organizing the potatoes and sweet potatoes, Shu Shuishui skillfully took out a small back basket from the spiritual space and put it on his back. It was something he had woven when he used to pick beans, and it was very convenient to use.

On the smooth floor, split bean pods scattered green beans everywhere. Shu Shuishui, carrying the small back basket, showed no impatience. He moved around the room, picking up plump green beans one by one. In no time, the small back basket was full. Shu Shuishui poured the green beans into bamboo tubes for storage and continued chasing after the beans.

Twenty plants of green beans yielded three full bamboo tubes. These bamboo tubes were like Shu Shuishui’s rice jars. They were made when Shu Shuishui and Shu Bao traveled through a primitive bamboo forest. The bamboo there was extremely resilient and sturdy, capable of accommodating three Shu Shuishuis with room to spare.

After picking the beans, the potatoes and sweet potatoes were also dry enough. After all, the weather was so hot. Shu Shuishui stored the food in the spiritual space, organizing it by category. He also dealt with the sweet potato sprouts and potato sprouts, as he still held hope of having some meat.

With the food preparations almost done, Shu Shuishui began to prepare other things. Shu Shuishui and Shu Bao had traveled through the Sahara Desert on Earth, so he knew what to bring in a desert.

The indispensable compass for humans was not needed. Animals have an innate sense of direction, and the dormouse was especially good at it. Even on the other side of the Earth, it could accurately find its own sleeping nest.

Considering the terrifying temperature difference between day and night in this desert, it was necessary to prepare sunscreen and insulation. Shu Shuishui was glad that he still had the down jacket he wore when he traveled to the North and South Poles. As for sunscreen, he could rely on the toy car.

Yes, Shu Shuishui had already made up his mind. It was too hot during the day, and his little paws couldn’t bear it. So he had to rely on driving to travel, using the toy car he had collected before.

Although it was a toy car, in this era, a toy car was as complete as a sparrow’s vital organs. It had everything it should have, including a steering wheel, brakes, accelerator, and even door locks. It was truly remarkable.

Even the steering wheel on the toy car could turn to control the direction. It was exquisitely designed. Of course, if the steering wheel was not used, it could also be controlled directly with a remote control, a design that Shu Shuishui really liked.

As for the tires, Shu Shuishui decided to go to a shopping mall at dusk and find a toy store to prepare several spare tires: explosion-proof tires, anti-skid tires, and off-road tires. If there was still space in the spiritual space, it would be best to prepare another car, just in case.

Shu Shuishui checked his little car and even opened the door to climb inside and study it. He had seen Shu Bao, the human-shaped one, driving before, but he couldn’t expect a mouse like himself to have a driver’s license.

The car couldn’t move without replacing the batteries, so Shu Shuishui started to change the batteries that had been charged previously. Then he sat back in the car, found the ignition key, and turned on the switch. The car vibrated slightly, giving a very realistic feeling.

Shu Shuishui was absolutely ecstatic. Almost every man had a dream of racing, and male mice were no exception. Shu Shuishui had never thought that one day he would actually be able to drive. So he stepped on the accelerator, and the car shot out at high speed!

Shu Shuishui!!!

Little dormouse hurriedly stepped on the brake, bringing the car to a harsh stop just before it was about to crash into the wall. Due to inertia, Shu Shuishui’s body leaned forward, but the seatbelt pulled him back, causing him to bump into the seat behind him.

Wow! Shu Shuishui’s eyes lit up. He put the car into reverse gear and started attempting to reverse.

In this way, a dormouse without a driver’s license honed his driving skills on the wide and smooth floor. He transformed into an experienced driver, proving that he had a talent for driving.

After playing crazily for two hours, Shu Shuishui finally emerged from the car. He noticed that the battery level had barely decreased and couldn’t help but marvel at the technology of this world. Not only were the toys incredibly sophisticated, but the batteries were also durable. It was unlike Shu Bao’s phone, which needed to be charged every two or three days.

Apart from the car, everything else, including the tents and sleeping bags, was readily available in Shu Shuishui’s spiritual space. All that was left was to prepare some extra tires and batteries.

Since it was noon, Shu Shuishui didn’t plan on going out. Instead, he decided to charge another battery by pedaling his bicycle.

This time, he performed the action noticeably faster. As the sun set over the desert, bathing the world in a golden hue, Shu Shuishui marveled at the golden ocean that seemed to encompass everything. When the sun reached the horizon, its color turned into a reddish-orange shade, as if it couldn’t withstand the scorching heat of the desert.

Sitting by the French window, Shu Shuishui gazed at the red-orange sun. Suddenly, he had a strong craving for roasted sweet potatoes.

However, he knew she had more important matters to attend to. Taking advantage of the dusk and the decreasing temperature, Shu Shuishui set off for a nearby shopping mall. The ground floor of the mall was mostly submerged in yellow sand, so Shu Shuishui simply climbed in through a window on the second floor.

Following the directions, he headed straight to the children’s toy area. Clearly, this place had been neglected after the disaster, showing no signs of recent visitors. While some toys were partially collapsed and scattered, most of them remained neatly arranged, covered in dust.

Shu Shuishui easily found spare tires for the same model of the toy car, as well as an extra car. In addition, he stumbled upon a set of assembly molds for a villa. Intrigued by the completed model displayed on the packaging, he decided to take it along.

Leisurely strolling through the second floor, Shu Shuishui’s gaze briefly paused at the skincare counter. He climbed onto it and rummaged through the bottles and jars, quickly finding the information he was looking for.

[“Production date: Year 7311, valid until Year 7331”]

[“Production date: Year 7310, valid until Year 7327”]

[“Production date: Year 7311, valid until Year 7333”]

…

Evidently, the preservation technology in this era was superior to that of Earth. Shu Shuishui could confirm that the disaster occurred around the year 7311, but the question remained: How many years had passed since then?

Shu Shuishui couldn’t make a judgment based on the degree of food decay in his surroundings. In this unfamiliar world, the technological level was clearly higher than that of Earth, including the quality and wear of products.

Leaning on a bottle of perfume, Shu Shuishui held another bottle of pale green perfume in his hand. The color resembled mung bean soup. Curious, he opened the cap and attempted to press it twice in the air to smell the fragrance.

However, no matter how hard he pressed, the perfume nozzle remained motionless.

Shu Shuishui hugged the bottle and shook it a few times, then pressed it again twice persistently. Finally, he found success as the pressure triggered the switch, and a faint vanilla scent sprayed from the nozzle.

Unfortunately, Shu Shuishui was standing directly in front of the nozzle and ended up getting sprayed. He immediately sneezed twice but then raised his paw to sniff his arm. The faint vanilla scent was pleasant and comforting. Determined, Shu Shuishui placed the perfume bottle into his spiritual space and hurriedly dashed towards a nearby mirror on the counter.

Although the mirror was covered in a layer of dust, it didn’t dampen Shu Shuishui’s excitement to admire himself in it. To match the perfume, he even took out a black bow tie from his spiritual space and tied it around his neck.

Being a creature covered in fur, Shu Shuishui didn’t actually need to wear clothes, but he needed the fabric. He collected a few good-quality garments and two down jackets that appeared to have ample insulation before leaving the mall.

Satisfied with his findings, Shu Shuishui returned to the library. He planned to stay for the night and depart in the morning.

As the night deepened, the temperature outside continued to drop, reaching below minus thirty degrees Celsius by midnight.

While pedaling the “bicycle” to charge the battery, Shu Shuishui observed the temperature changes, determining the best time for his next move.

Before the sky had fully brightened the next day, a little dormouse wearing a hat, scarf, and gloves emerged from the broken window of the library.

Sliding down a slightly steep slope, leaving behind a trail of fine sand, Shu Shuishui walked to a flat area and retrieved the toy car from his spiritual space. Glancing back at the library, he opened the car door and climbed inside.

Within the library, only six large flower pots remained. However, the protective formation around the pots remained intact. Inside each pot, a seed of a spiritual plant was planted. These spiritual plants were not rare or extraordinary; they grew quite similar to weeds.

Their only advantage was their tenacious life force, and many could even grow in intense flames.

Shu Shuishui didn’t know if the remaining spirit stones would sustain the growth of the spiritual plants, but he hoped to bring a hint of greenery to this barren and abandoned world.

Driving away, Shu Shuishui left the library farther and farther behind. And within those six large flower pots, life was being nurtured. Amidst the harsh environment, the plants grew stubbornly, fighting for a glimpse of vitality.