CH 39

TL: Moonlit

“I have no pressure, four simulators, perfectly completing the mission,” Liu Du said as he took out four Rubik’s Cubes emitting a sci-fi blue color and handed them one by one to Liu Po. “This one was picked up from the nearest prediction point to Zone B, and this one was picked up from the farthest point, the one that activates the energy shield. As for these two…”

At this point, a warm and proud smile involuntarily appeared on Liu Du’s face. “These two were obtained by exchanging four grasshoppers.”

Liu Po’s gaze toward his younger brother became even more puzzled, and his uncertain eyes turned to the other members of the team. However, everyone unanimously nodded, indicating that Liu Du was telling the truth. “Grasshoppers? Exchanged? Four golden grasshoppers?”

“Golden grasshoppers? That’s a great idea. I’ll prepare them and give them as a gift to Shui Shui when I see him next time! Brother, you’re really smart. Shui Shui will definitely like you,” Liu Du’s eyes lit up, thinking that the idea of golden grasshoppers was really good.

What a mess! Liu Po was completely bewildered, but before he could ask, Liu Du continued. “Brother, are four simulators enough? Shui Shui said we can go to trade. It won’t be long before Shui Shui migrates near our Zone B. By then, we can exchange for simulators, and the price can be negotiated. Shui Shui is super cute, completely different from you cunning old foxes.”

Liu Po “…”

He never expected that it would be just about finding a simulator, and Liu Du seemed as if his head had been hit and damaged. However, Liu Po also grasped a few keywords from his words and quickly came to several conclusions. First, someone had somehow bribed his foolish younger brother. Second, that person would migrate near Zone B in a short time. Third, that person had simulators in their possession, and there should be a considerable quantity; otherwise, they wouldn’t offer them for exchange. Finally, in his brother’s eyes, he was a cunning old fox.

Liu Du didn’t suffer much at the hands of Gu Langu, just took a punch, but he was almost beaten half to death by his own older brother. Finally, he woke up from his dream of raising Shu Shuishui and honestly confessed his experiences during these days.

After listening to Liu Du’s account, Liu Po also felt that this experience was somewhat convoluted, especially the simulators obtained by exchanging four grasshoppers, which completely caught Liu Po off guard. No wonder his silly younger brother had such a devoted look.

Although Liu Du had taken a beating, he persistently tried to brainwash his older brother, talking about how cute, kind, and innocent Shu Shuishui was…

In short, within just one day, Liu Po’s ears were rubbed raw by these compliments. Liu Po casually dealt with Liu Du, but his thoughts were not as naive as Liu Du’s. Onlookers often see more clearly than those involved, and it’s hard to say who gained or lost in the exchange of these two simulators obtained through grasshoppers.

If it were any other team, Liu Po would undoubtedly believe that the cunning talking field mouse named Shu Shuishui was using psychological tactics, and quite successfully at that. Their team’s migration to the vicinity of Zone B and gaining Liu Du’s favor was far more valuable than acquiring some supplies. Moreover, they had agreed upon future transactions, and judging by Liu Du’s current state, he would definitely not hesitate to give away fewer supplies in exchange. This mouse is not ordinary, could it be a robot made by Gu Langu? But would a robot eat grasshoppers? And since it’s Gu Langu’s team, it’s hard to say.

Liu Po’s brain was spinning rapidly while Liu Du continued his relentless brainwashing beside him, fearing that his older brother wouldn’t accept Shu Shuishui. What if they were rejected when Shu Shuishui arrived near Zone B? What would they do then?

Thus, the journey back to Zone B was carried out amidst the frenzy of brainwashing and wild conspiracy theories. When they returned to Zone B, Cheng Que’s expression showed a slight surprise.

Liu Du instantly felt displeased. “What? Surprised to see me back?” If it were before, Liu Du didn’t have any particular animosity toward Cheng Que, nor did he have any fondness. However, after encountering Shu Shuishui, along with the increased favorability towards Gu Langu, Liu Du naturally had some thoughts about Cheng Que. Why did it happen to be such a coincidence that the final simulator prediction point crossed paths with Gu Langu’s team? If it weren’t for the wealthy Shu Shuishui falling from the sky, neither team would easily back down.

Cheng Que, on the other hand, was not a patient person and responded coldly. “It is somewhat surprising. I thought you would be missing an arm or a leg.” Cheng Que’s face remained as indifferent as ever, but his inner turmoil was far from calm. The situation deviated from his predictions! He had once participated in Gu Langu’s transformation project, focusing on artificial neural aspects. Therefore, he had undergone deep hypnosis and delved into Gu Langu’s most authentic and deepest subconscious. People used to define him as the person who understood Gu Langu the best, and in that sense, it was true. It could even be said that Cheng Que understood Gu Langu better than Gu Langu understood himself.

It was precisely because of this understanding that Cheng Que deduced the possible search route that Gu Langu would take this time. Although the landing of the simulators was irregular, just like a bomb crater usually wouldn’t have two bombs dropped into it, the same applied to the simulators. Gu Langu’s brain was comparable to the most advanced computer and would calculate the most reasonable search route.

However, Cheng Que was uncertain how much control he still had over Gu Langu. He needed to probe. After a series of complex and precise calculations, Cheng Que devised the search route for Team B.

According to Cheng Que’s deductions, Liu Du would encounter Gu Langu near the fourth predicted point. In order to obtain the simulators, Gu Langu would kill Liu Du. As a result, the loss suffered in Zone B would not only be Liu Du, but also the four simulators Liu Du had collected. Whether it was Liu Po himself or the other members of Zone B, they would inevitably become enemies of Gu Langu.

What? Why would he do such a thing? Of course, it was because Cheng Que needed a reason to encounter Gu Langu. And Cheng Que was well aware that not to mention Liu Po alone, even if all of Zone B joined forces, they would still be no match for Gu Langu.

However, in the eyes of others, Gu Langu was still dangerous, and he needed to stand up and declare allegiance to Gu Langu, guiding him to unify Zone B. Why use the word “guide”? Because Gu Langu had no desire for unity, and even after unifying Zone B, Gu Langu would have no desire to lead it. Therefore, the ultimate control of Zone B would likely fall into Cheng Que’s hands. After all, they were old acquaintances.

Cheng Que’s meticulous plan seemed to have taken a long detour, but it was the most secure method. But it failed? Not only did Liu Du not die, but for some reason, he even seemed to develop some fondness towards Gu Langu. This was truly strange!

Had something special happened? So, when the Canghai Galaxy and Xian Ge Galaxy were destroyed, Cang Zhan Star could stand like an impregnable fortress, resisting the seven-dimensional civilization.

Indeed, the Canghai Galaxy and Xian Ge Galaxy would both be destroyed in the future. And before the two galaxies were destroyed, Cheng Que was conducting timeline experiments. Perhaps it was precisely due to the impact of the higher-dimensional world that the experiment experienced fluctuations, causing Cheng Que to return to a time before the great destruction after his death.

That great destruction was simply a joke. The Canghai Galaxy and Xian Ge Galaxy were still suspicious of each other, not knowing when the next galactic war would break out, when the seven-dimensional civilization arrived.

There were a total of eleven dimensions in the universe. The Canghai Galaxy and Xian Ge Galaxy were currently in a transition from the fifth dimension to the sixth dimension. When the seven-dimensional civilization arrived, the wealthy Xian Ge and Canghai immediately became the designated collection targets.

The seven-dimensional civilization needed energy stones, so they compressed the Xian Ge and Canghai galaxies into a space the size of a button and continuously extracted energy from them. As for the humans and other life forms in the two galaxies, well, they couldn’t even be considered ants. When one becomes powerful enough, they don’t even have the qualification to voice their resistance.

The overwhelming power of the higher-dimensional civilization directly led to the destruction of the two galaxies. But within the chaotic compressed space and dimensions, time and space were distorted and shifted. It became a matter of life and death to move, and that distant planet became unattainable. Cheng Que was among countless people who couldn’t touch Cang Zhan Star even until his death. The planet that had once been abandoned became a dreamland that no one could touch.

Echoes of the Star Alliance’s announcement that Cang Zhan Star had entered the era of doom and lost all value still lingered in Cheng Que’s mind. It seemed that everything was so ridiculous.

After his rebirth, Cheng Que spent only a few days speculating countless ways to save himself, but in the end, only two methods could succeed. One was to board an interstellar spaceship and escape the Canghai Galaxy before the arrival of the seven-dimensional civilization, moving far away. But the appearance of the seven-dimensional civilization made Cheng Que realize that in the vast universe, there were still too many unimaginable and uncontrollable dangers. Moreover, once he left, unless he found a suitable planet for survival, he would forever wander.

Second, entering Cang Zhan Star. Regardless of the reasons for Cang Zhan Star’s survival, it seemed to be the last refuge. Although Cheng Que didn’t know the final outcome of this refuge because he died too early. However, compared to the first method, it seemed more acceptable to people.

As for resisting the seven-dimensional civilization, it was simply impossible to achieve. Even if they had several hundred or thousand years, the Canghai Galaxy might have had the possibility of a technological explosion, but there were only seven years left until the arrival of the seven-dimensional civilization.

These complex thoughts flashed through Cheng Que’s mind in less than a second. After a rapid analysis, Cheng Que arrived at a conclusion that was difficult for people to accept. Perhaps Gu Langu was the variable, the variable that changed the destruction of Cang Zhan Star.

As Liu Du returned to Zone B, the zone started to become lively. Perhaps it was their instincts developed over the years, or perhaps it was the genuine sincerity they witnessed in Shu Shuishui. Liu Du had a constant feeling of being tricked by Cheng Que, but it was just a feeling. Cheng Que would never leave any handle for others to use against him.

Compared to the chaotic Zone B, Gu Langu’s side was much calmer. The team successfully returned to their base and prepared to set off once the others who were out searching returned.

In addition to Gu Langu’s base, the other two bases, Hu Sichen’s and Fei Luo’s teams, also seemed to have made some gains. However, the people in both bases were highly vigilant and no one mentioned specific details, whether they obtained simulators or other items.

Naturally, Shu Shuishui wasn’t interested in actively approaching others to ask if they wanted to exchange simulators. The first thing the little dormouse did upon returning to the base was to check his formation.

As he stepped through the door, Yu Jin, who was still muttering to himself, said, “Why do I feel like I’ve had particularly good luck this year? It seems like there are quite a few simulators released in this area.” If it weren’t for knowing that only a hundred simulators were released this year, Yu Jin even suspected that there might have been thousands or even tens of thousands. Little did he know that nearby simulators, even those that were influenced from a distance, would be brought over by the Tornado Grass.

“Shuishui, we’re home. Can I touch those simulators?” Yu Jin’s attention quickly shifted to the nest of simulators belonging to Shu Shuishui. He hadn’t dared to touch them while the people from Zone B were present, wanting to experience what it was like to be a rich person.

With no response behind him, Yu Jin turned his head and looked at Gu Langu’s shoulder, only to find that the soft bundle was no longer there. Yu Jin was taken aback. “Boss! You lost Shuishui!”

Gu Langu responded with a slightly contemptuous expression. “Even if I lost you, I wouldn’t lose Shuishui. Shuishui has already gone upstairs.”

Yu Jin “…When? How come I didn’t see it?”

Seemingly understanding Yu Jin’s confusion, Gu Langu raised his hand, revealing Shu Shuishui’s bag of grasshoppers.

Yu Jin felt relieved. “Oh, as long as the bag is here, Shuishui is here.”

In the second-floor bedroom, Shu Shuishui struggled to open the door, then walked in with pattering steps, heading straight for the position of the formation. It had been several days, and the formation had long since ended. The formation lines had disappeared, and in the center of the formation, a flawless and exquisite top-grade spirit stone was placed securely.

Because it was a small piece of energy stone cut previously, the top-grade spirit stone was not large, but the abundant spiritual energy was enough to exhilarate the mouse’s heart. Shu Shuishui raised the top-grade spirit stone with his paws, let the sunlight shine on it, and the brilliant light reflected in Shu Shuishui’s pupils, like a sky filled with stars.

This top-grade spirit stone was slightly small and not very useful for the formation. Shu Shuishui pondered for a moment and casually noticed Gu Langu’s tooth mark on it. His little ears twitched, and he instantly had an idea.

Since Gu Langu was picky and didn’t like to eat live grasshoppers, he would give him something else. Oh, right, he hadn’t taken notes yet.

Thinking of this, the little dormouse took out his small notebook from his spiritual storage and flipped through several pages, finding the page he wanted. The words above the page read: “Pet Care Diary.”

Below were listed various points to note.

…

There were many similar points to note, some of which were trivial matters, and some might not be accurate at all. But Shu Shuishui recorded them diligently. At this moment, the little dormouse held the pen and added another note earnestly.

After finishing writing, Shu Shuishui put his notebook back into the spiritual abode and began preparing his first non-food gift.

The little dormouse rummaged through the spiritual abode in search of tools but found nothing. To be honest, those simulators took up quite a lot of space. If he hadn’t deliberately cleared the space in the spiritual storage before leaving, he might not have been able to fit them.

Now that he was back, Shu Shuishui immediately piled the simulators into a corner and put back the things he had moved around earlier. Then he patted his cheeks, feeling much more comfortable.

The little dormouse hurriedly ran downstairs, deliberately avoiding Gu Langu, and mysteriously approached Yu Jin to ask for an energy stone cutter. Yu Jin curiously asked, and Shu Shuishui dropped an “it’s a secret” before scurrying back upstairs.

Yu Jin was speechless. Secret? What secret could a mouse1They still don’t know that Shui Shui is a dormouse so when it is related to people’s thoughts and thinking, it will be a mouse but if its a narration, it will be a dormouse, or something like that hehe… possibly keep?

There are many types of energy stone cutters, and Shu Shuishui naturally took the smallest one. The little dormouse deliberately positioned himself with his back facing the door, nestled in the corner, and began modifying the top-grade spirit stone with the engraving knife.

When Gu Langu went upstairs and opened the door, his gaze swept around. He first lingered for a moment on the scattered simulators, then noticed another chubby little figure in the corner.

The little figure heard the footsteps, turned its head to look, and then raised its hand to wave a greeting. “Hey, Gu Gu, do you want to go outside for a walk? Come back later in the evening.”

Gu Langu: “…”

Although he felt that going for a walk was meaningless, Gu Langu still nodded. “Alright, I want to. I’ll come back in the evening.”

Shu Shuishui: (＾-＾) “Goodbye, take your time. It’s okay if you come back later.”

Gu Langu: “…”

In the evening, Gu Langu did indeed return late, missing dinner time. Shu Shuishui seemed to have already fallen asleep. The little dormouse lay on his little bed, sleeping soundly on his back.

Gu Langu felt slightly lost but still smiled. He walked to the bedside table and pointed at Shu Shuishui’s little forehead with his finger.

In his sleep, Shu Shuishui murmured unclearly, “Goodnight, Gu Gu.”

“Goodnight, Shuishui.” Gu Langu whispered softly. Satisfied, he then went to wash up and rest. However, the moment he lay down, Gu Langu keenly felt that there was something beneath his pillow.

Quickly sitting up, Gu Langu lifted the pillow and saw a small crystal. The crystal was transparent like a water crystal, but strangely, it emitted a beautiful light. The shape was very familiar—it was the kind of nut called “hazelnut” that Shu Shuishui had given him before.

At the stem of the nut, a colorful thread passed through, turning the crystal hazelnut into a necklace.

Gu Langu picked up the necklace and carefully examined it. He discovered that there were shallowly carved words on the hazelnut: Gu Gu, goodnight.

Gu Langu held the necklace, and a blue light flickered in his eyes in the darkness. Then, he put the necklace around his neck and lay back down. As time passed, the corners of Gu Langu’s lips slowly lifted uncontrollably. Even with his eyes closed, it seemed that joy overflowed from within him. Gu Langu was grateful that he no longer shed tears, or else he might have felt a bit embarrassed at this moment.