CH 63

A few people by the bonfire immediately cast envious, jealous, and resentful glances toward Gu Langu’s side. Except for the gloves, even the hat was crafted by Shu Shuishui.

However, soon enough, they retracted their gaze, because their jealousy was futile. They couldn’t defeat Gu Langu; otherwise, they might have had a chance to snatch the hat that Shu Shuishui had made. And perhaps it was an illusion, but they even saw a sense of satisfaction in Gu Langu’s eyes.

It’s unclear when it started, but Shu Shuishui had become the mascot of the three bases. From the micro-farm to the purification of mutant creatures, coupled with Shu Shuishui’s previous collection of a large number of simulators, it seemed like even calling him a mascot was an understatement.

And on this final night of parting, it was destined not to be peaceful.

Especially after the first group of successful individuals emerged, more ambitious people started to stir. Before long, many more arrived in succession, some confidently volunteering early on, all of them possessing certain abilities. This development greatly amused Nan Ge. If it weren’t for Gu Langu’s vigilance, Nan Ge truly felt like embracing Shu Shuishui and stealing a kiss, maybe even taking a couple of sips while at it; his soft little belly was quite tempting, and Nan Ge had long desired it.

Nan Fang and Yu Jin also got busy, handling personnel registration and follow-up arrangements for accommodation. Nan Fang leaned over to Nan Ge, who was smiling brightly for once. “Bro, do you think the boss is becoming increasingly protective of Shui Shui? He won’t even let anyone touch him now. It wasn’t like this at the beginning.”

“Mind your own business.” Having come all this way, Nan Ge naturally noticed Gu Langu’s changes and the shifting attitude toward Shu Shuishui. It was a subtle feeling, but Gu Langu had been less discreet lately, and even Nan Fang had picked up on it. This… seemed less like raising a pet and more like raising a wife.

Nan Ge’s eye twitched. Could it be that Gu Langu’s emotions had gone awry during awakening? This inter-species emotion was truly hard for Nan Ge to fathom. Imagine if Gu Langu really married a mouse – Nan Ge felt like his whole worldview would need a refresh.

Although Shu Shuishui was special, and he did like him a lot, it didn’t change the fact that he was a mouse. What was he supposed to do about that?

The night at the base was unusually lively, especially with the continuous influx of people applying to join Gu Langu’s base. The situation was escalating.

Now, Fei Luo couldn’t sit still anymore, and even Shi An’an felt a bit uneasy. The practice of cultivation had yet to show progress. If they wanted to survive on Cang Zhan Star, they knew they couldn’t do without these talents. While the departure of Xie Feng was forgivable, Shi An’an had initially believed that technology wouldn’t have a significant impact. After all, Xie Feng had demonstrated abilities related to information and the brain. Of course, that perception had been shattered later on.

What they didn’t anticipate was that, upon reaching their destination, numerous experts in water resources, electricity, and energy were all tendering their resignations, preparing to join Gu Langu’s base. These were the foundations upon which a base thrived.

Hu Sichen’s base was in slightly better shape. Most of the individuals gathered there were enthusiasts of martial prowess, and intellectual laborers were initially few. There were a couple of exceptions, but they had been part of the founding group, so their loyalty was natural.

Fei Luo’s base was different. Fei Luo enjoyed recruiting talent, and most people joined the base later, thus lacking a strong sense of belonging.

However, what surprised both Fei Luo and Hu Sichen was that the convoy that had been trailing them all along unexpectedly approached the bonfire where Gu Langu and Shu Shuishui were stationed, carrying numerous parcels.

The Gu Langu group: “…”

They felt an unpleasant sensation of their treasured mouse being coveted.

However, each of the incoming individuals had their own strengths. Nan Ge had no reason not to keep them, so he registered them all. After a brief tally, it was discovered that the base had grown from the original 108 people to 160. While it might not appear as terrifying, one should understand that the various talents among these dozens of people accounted for at least eighty percent – a quite frightening number.

Fei Luo was anxious, and Dong Shijun, following the convoy, was also panicking. This was even more devastating than encountering a surprise attack from mutant creatures – inexplicably losing so many talented individuals.

Hu Sichen was also somewhat anxious, but his anxiety wasn’t about losing talents from his own base. All things considered, he had the least talent loss among the three bases. Hu Sichen was worried that the more people Gu Langu Base accepted, the fewer resources they would have for exchanges in the future. After all, the base still needed to prioritize its own development.

“Brother Chen! What should we do? None of us brothers are skilled at anything. Do you think Gu Langu Base would accept us?”

Hu Sichen raised an eyebrow. “What? Are you thinking of leaving too?”

The man scratched his head awkwardly. “No, I just want to have some good food to eat. Is that alright with you?”

In the end, Hu Sichen couldn’t help but walk over. Sure enough, Gu Langu had astutely taken the little mouse away. Hu Sichen could only go find Nan Ge.

Seeing Hu Sichen, Nan Ge joked, “What’s this? Mr. Hu, as the leader of your base, are you also considering applying to join our Gu Langu Base?”

Unexpectedly, Hu Sichen’s eyes lit up. Yes, they could also apply to join Gu Langu Base. Being a leader wasn’t all that meaningful, and it was probably more enjoyable to build snowmen. The base had been established initially for the purpose of surviving better. Joining Gu Langu Base would definitely lead to a better life. When looking at it this way, it wouldn’t really go against the original intent of creating the base. “If my brothers and I all want to join, could you accept us together?”

Nan Ge: “…”

Nan Fang and Yu Jin next to him were also a bit dumbfounded.

“Mr. Hu, are you joking?” Nan Ge didn’t take it seriously. After all, Hu Sichen’s own base had a certain scale, and he was also a leader in his own right. Would he really give up that authority to be governed by others?

“We’re not joking!” Hu Sichen’s eyes widened. “I know that our base consists of a bunch of rough guys. We don’t have many experts or researchers and the like. You’d probably look down on us, but we know how to fight! On the way here, can you deny the contributions our base has made?”

“I’m not looking down on you, but are you serious? Maybe go back and discuss it with the others in your base.” Nan Ge felt that something was a bit fantastical. It was fine if scattered individuals joined, but there were even groups applying together.

However, what Hu Sichen said was indeed true. Along the way, the base he was from had undoubtedly been the one to hunt down the most mutant creatures, but it was also the side that consumed the most meat. This illustrated just how strongly the people from Hu Sichen’s base desired to eat meat.

“You don’t need to discuss it with them. They were already clamoring to have a hearty meat meal before coming here. What easier path is there than joining a base?” The more Hu Sichen thought about it, the more he felt this approach was feasible. “Of course, I know our base has quite a number of people. You should consider that. But accepting us would truly be a great deal, a profitable transaction.”

Hu Sichen vigorously pitched his case and then received a promise from Nan Ge that he would carefully consider it. Nan Ge would provide an answer before they left the next day.

The people from Hu Sichen’s base remained oblivious to the fact that their leader had just sold them out like that, fearing that others might reject them. However, when they learned of this news, they didn’t find it too hard to accept. After all, the one suffering the greatest loss was Hu Sichen.

Due to being preoccupied with the upcoming journey to find the auspicious feng shui site, Shu Shuishui had gone to sleep early. After Shu Shuishui fell asleep, Gu Langu, as usual, slipped away stealthily. He found an empty room, logged into the simulator, and persistently attempted to modify the login space of the simulator. Despite the considerable time that had passed, there was little progress.

On the second day, while the sky was still dim, the base was already bustling with activity.

Fei Luo eventually left, taking the remaining portion of his talents and personnel to search for a new foothold. It seemed he intended to distance himself as far away from Gu Langu’s base as possible.

The people from Hu Sichen’s base appeared unusually anxious, afraid of being rejected.

Nan Ge felt somewhat helpless, thinking they were worrying too much. Having a high combat force like theirs was a security guarantee for the base. Although they had Gu Langu, he wasn’t constantly present in the base. “Mr. Hu, it seems your decision hasn’t changed. So, from now on, we’ll be part of the same base.”

It took Hu Sichen a couple of seconds to react, then he exclaimed with delight, “This means you’re accepting us! Rest assured, integration won’t be a problem. After all, we all came here together, so there’s already some tacit understanding.”

In this way, Gu Langu Base, which had the lowest number of people before the migration, suddenly became the largest in terms of population. This outcome was unforeseen by anyone. Who could have imagined that a micro-farm and the purification of mutant creatures would yield an entire base for them?

In reality, most bases rarely accept an entire group from another base, as it poses significant risks. However, with Gu Langu’s absolute strength and the luck of Shu Shuishui, these risks could be overlooked.

As the sky brightened and the temperature gradually rose, Nan Ge began organizing people to explore the previously designated spots, searching for the best place to settle for the winter.

As promised, Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu entered their own world and headed towards the auspicious feng shui site that Shu Shuishui had always yearned for.

This morning, Gu Langu was frequently lost in thought. Shu Shuishui sat on Gu Langu’s shoulder and clearly noticed the issue. “Gu Gu, is your battery running low? I have a hand-cranked generator here. I can help you recharge.”

“I’m fine; I’m just lost in thought.” In reality, Gu Langu had hardly rested over the past few nights. Modifying the login space of the simulator was one aspect, and eagerly awaiting for Shu Shuishui to transform into human form in his dreams was another.

“What is Gu Gu thinking about? Are you thinking about me?” Shu Shuishui extended his paw and playfully tapped his own cheek, making his mouse face look a bit rounder and cuter.

“Hmm, thinking about Shui Shui,” Gu Langu openly admitted. “Have you ever thought about what you would look like if you turned into a human?”

Shu Shuishui tilted his head. “I’ve only seen one mouse that can turn into a human, but we’re all mice. There’s no reason I should look ugly. I should be a handsome guy, around 1.8 meters tall, with long legs, the kind where everything below the neck is legs.”

Gu Langu fell silent for a moment. Why did Shu Shuishui have such an unconventional aspiration? And after observing for so long, Gu Langu was quite certain that Shu Shuishui’s human form wasn’t 1.8 meters tall but around 1.78 meters. However, the good news was that Shu Shuishui knew he could transform into a human.

“How tall is Gu Gu?” Shu Shuishui suddenly thought of this question.

“1.87 meters,” Gu Langu honestly replied.

Shu Shuishui nodded his little head. “I wish I could grow as tall as Gu Gu.”

Gu Langu commented, “1.78 meters and 1.87 meters are quite similar.”

But Shu Shuishui kept shaking his head. “No! If I can’t reach 1.8 meters, how will I protect Gu Gu?”

Translator’s corner:

I am setting up a goal for weekend updates. 2 ko-fi = 1 chapter. This will be applied to all the series I’m currently translating…

To those who bought me ko-fi’s before and weren’t dedicated a chapter yet, there will be weekend updates in your names this Saturday and Sunday. All the ko-fi’s bought, be it a congratulatory and thank you’s for completing the series, I’ll divide it with the current series I’m working on for the weekend updates.

That’s all~