CH 100

Happy 100th chapter~ \(^o^)/

Yet the praised little one didn’t seem to have any issues at all. Its massive body tumbled through the air, causing those who had been crouching on the ground to wish they were lying flat on it.

Yu Jin couldn’t help but calm his racing heart. It wasn’t just him; everyone harbored contradictory emotions toward strength – fear and desire, avoidance and longing. This unprecedented level of power was both exciting and intimidating. On the wasteland planet, almost everyone was bellicose1an adjective that describes someone or something as being inclined towards aggression, hostility, or a readiness to engage in conflict or war. It implies a strong desire or tendency to fight or engage in aggressive behavior., for survival necessitated strength.

At this moment, Xie Feng was also beyond excited. The light bursting from his eyes was exactly the same as when Gu Lanyi had seen the books at Li Dream Study. Xie Feng’s primary focus was on technology, and the ultimate goal of technology was development and empowerment. It could be said that prior to this, Xie Feng had only seen this level of terrifying combat prowess in Gu Langu. Facing a hundred opponents singlehandedly, invincible in battle.

But that was when Gu Langu was at the peak of his abilities. Being a half-mechanical being, he had both prominent strengths and glaring weaknesses. Corresponding to his formidable combat power was the high maintenance cost. Sustaining Gu Langu in his peak state consumed astronomical amounts of energy resources. And this was the price of greatness.

Once such maintenance was disrupted, while Gu Langu wouldn’t die, his strength would rapidly decline, severely limited. Until he dropped to a critical point, although he would still be a powerful entity at that juncture, he wouldn’t be comparable to the former god of war that once roamed the stars. That’s also one of the reasons why the Galactic Alliance was at ease with exiling Gu Langu to this desolate planet.

However, the unnamed creature before them shattered the theorem Xie Feng had always believed in; that great power could possibly be unchecked, without the need to pay a predetermined price.

Generally, there’s a balance between reaping and investing. In the agricultural age of technological backwardness, people invested far more than they reaped. With technological advancement, this balance would gradually approach equilibrium.

Until now, Xie Feng had always believed that the endpoint of science was achieving a balance between investment and return. Yet, after witnessing such a crushing battle, he felt like something had shattered within his world. It was the shattering of a theorem he had always believed in. Simultaneously, it was the first time he was confronting an entirely new and unknown realm so directly.

In an instant, Xie Feng felt like there was something different about his body. Also, at that moment, he genuinely connected his body with the so-called spiritual power, officially crossing the threshold into cultivation.

Xie Feng marveled at the changes in his body. He was greatly curious about the Jiaolong as well. He even had an inexplicable intuition that everything happening today would have a significant impact on him and even on the Cang Zhan Star.

Because of this utterly one-sided battle, the desert planet seemed to harmonize. At least, nobody would ever think about attacking Gu Langu anymore.

Not to mention Gu Langu, they couldn’t even defeat his little son. What else was there to jump around for? Moreover, this gigantic flying monster gave off an invincible vibe.

The people didn’t know that this feeling wasn’t an illusion. After all, relative to this time and space, to this universe, the current Jiaolong was at the pinnacle of the world. It was the one taking over Lan Gu’s duties and responsibilities after his departure, guarding the world. In a certain sense, it could even be said that Jiaolong was the world’s fate and pillar.

The defeated group of people sat dispiritedly on the ground, somewhat at a loss about where to go from here. Without the city’s shelter, surviving tonight would be a challenge, let alone the fact that they had no food. No food meant no energy to replenish their spiritual bodies. If their spiritual bodies died, they would perish in reality as well.

Looking at the frustrated and resentful expressions on everyone’s faces, Shu Shuishui, on the other hand, remained just as cheerful as before. Smiling like a little angel, warm, cute, and considerate. However, after experiencing the battle just now, everyone deeply realizes that this person who seems to radiate light is also capable of darkness. They saw that he was the first to take down the person he ambushed earlier.

Shu Shuishui clapped his hands, capturing everyone’s attention. “In this situation, we’re like ants on a planet. I know the conditions here are harsh, maybe there aren’t even ants, but as long as we strive, there’s hope for everything. Believe that we’ll have a day when we can eat grasshoppers.”

Everyone: “…” Is this encouragement or a threat? While the tone sounds encouraging, how could it… so it must be a threat!

“In the days ahead, I hope everyone can help each other, love one another, have fewer children, plant more trees, and manage this desert planet. Who knows, we might clear the level.” Shu Shuishui racked his brains, recalling the few motivational speeches he’d seen before, and then pieced together his own version, finally satisfied.

This time, it wasn’t just the enemy camp, even the allied camp had sweat drops on their foreheads. Helping each other was understandable, but fewer children and more trees—was that serious? How could one even have children here? Men and women were strictly separated upon exile. And most importantly, what does he mean by “managing the desertification of the planet”?

Yu Jìn leaned in next to Shu Shuishui. “Shui Shui, are you talking about combating desertification?”

Shu Shuishui nodded as if it was a matter of course. “Yeah, otherwise, what will we all eat? No trees, no grass, no grasshoppers.”

Yu Jìn silently swallowed the words he wanted to say. He felt that if he raised doubts, he probably wouldn’t get to enjoy Shu Shuishui’s roasted grasshoppers anymore. So, planting trees was what it was, planting trees! But look around, there’s nothing but barrenness. Where would they find trees?

Regarding Shu Shuishui’s idea of greening the desert planet, naturally, there was a chorus of complaints. They came here to clear a dungeon, not to plant trees! It felt like this dungeon had broken free like an unbridled wild horse, galloping toward an unknown destination.

Though reluctant, as the defeated side, everyone didn’t have much say, especially with a mutant creature still watching from the sky.

Most people thought Shu Shuishui was joking, but in an instant, Nan Ge and Liu Po realized something. So, after entrusting the matter of personnel zoning management to the younger members like Yu Jin, Nan Ge, Shu Shuishui, and Gu Langu returned to the ruined city.

Once inside the city, Nan Ge spontaneously gave Shu Shuishui a brief explanation of what had happened after entering the dungeon and provided a preliminary analysis of the planet. According to Nan Ge’s speculation, this planet wasn’t entirely a desert, as a lifeless planet wouldn’t have been selected as a teleportation location.

While the simulator didn’t have many protective mechanisms, it wouldn’t directly teleport people to a dead end.

There might be some oases2plural noun for oasis on this desert planet, but they were probably rare. At least they hadn’t found any nearby. As for extensive oceans and forests, those were likely nonexistent. You could tell from the color of the sky that over ninety percent of this planet was desert.

“Shui Shui’s suggestion to plant trees isn’t just for the grasshoppers, right?” Liu Po inquired.

Shu Shuishui nodded. “Yeah, also for clams, crayfish, rice, sweet potatoes…”

Liu Po: “…”

Shu Shuishui finished listing his typical recipes, then continued, “Of course, aside from that, there’s the goal of clearing the level. After all, we can’t stay in the dungeon forever. What do you think the conditions for clearing the level are?”

Liu Po, living up to being the leader of Zone B, only hesitated slightly at the perplexing term before speaking. “Many people must have considered this question. The conditions for completing a collective task are usually not singular, especially in this kind of galaxy-level dungeon. People are in different environments, so the ways to clear the level are naturally diverse. However, in most cases, it revolves around identifying and solving problems.”

“In the case of an apocalyptic dungeon, it’s usually either the cause of the apocalypse or the method to solve it. I’m sure this dungeon is the same, but compared to solving the apocalypse, everyone prefers to search for the cause. After all, resolving the apocalyptic issue of a planet, or even an entire star system, is nearly an impossible task. For this one…” Liu Po’s voice halted, his face showing surprise.

“Shui Shui believes that greening the desert planet is the method to clear the level!” After careful consideration, Liu Po felt that it might not be entirely implausible. They might have overcomplicated the problem, getting caught up in exploring all sorts of unconventional phenomena, while forgetting that the simplest solution for a desert planet was to make it green.

A smile tugged at Nan Ge’s eyes. Shu Shuishui was still Shu Shuishui, as intelligent as ever, still fixated on grasshoppers, and still full of endless surprises. Nan Ge had no doubt that Shu Shuishui could green the sand sea; they had already witnessed the micro-farm, so what was impossible?

After some discussions, the grand undertaking of greening the environment began in earnest.

As for those defeated individuals, they became the best labor force. Shu Shuishui didn’t force them to work, but if they weren’t willing to plant trees, then they didn’t need to reside in the city.

Were there dissatisfied individuals? Of course, there were quite a few. Those who could control the simulator were considered exceptional or lucky on the deserted planet. And yet, they were now being asked to plant trees here; how frustrating that was.

“When I was outside, I never planted a tree. I can’t believe I came into the dungeon to plant trees. I feel like such a fool!”

“Don’t listen to their nonsense. There’s nowhere in this world to plant trees. It’s been two or three days, and there’s been no progress. Looks like it’s a lost cause.”

“Even if we plant trees, this is a desert, a desert planet. Water is so precious; drinking it might not even be enough. Do we have to water trees too?”

“Shut up! That snake will be coming over again soon.”

“…”

Amidst sighs and complaints, the people’s emotions hit rock bottom, yet they still feared the presence of the jiaolong and didn’t dare to express their frustration openly.

What had Shu Shuishui been up to these past couple of days? Of course, he was sitting with his books, Gu Langu, and Da Bai, traveling the world—no, it should be said, searching for the legendary oases. They were also setting up celestial formations and exploring the blessings of mountains and waters.

Even in a desert, there’s good and bad. Especially in this time and space, which is essentially a cultivation world, the concentration of spiritual energy is much richer and purer than the newly mutated Cang Zhan Star. It’s the best for practicing and setting up formations.

In three days, Shu Shuishui found six oases, three spiritual vein mines, two underground rivers, and seven city ruins. They also discovered numerous treasures and spiritual artifacts.

As Da Bai had previously mentioned, after nine thousand years, only extraordinary things could survive. Even the city ruins were no exception. The resentful miasma that appeared at night couldn’t be simply stopped by brick walls. It was because most of the surviving cities were equipped with powerful guardian formations that allowed them to endure for nine thousand years.

With resources in hand, the following tasks became much simpler. After recording the location information, individuals like Nan Ge and Liu Po naturally managed and divided the workforce.

As for Shu Shuishui and Gu Langu, they were happily enjoying the summer scenery in one of the oases, accompanied by the radiant light bulb Da Bai.

Da Bai seemed to have inherited a certain degree of Gu Langu’s ability to maintain a poker face. It was growing more mature, and at least now it could sit by the shore fishing without changing expression under Gu Langu’s gaze.

Shu Shuishui sat between the two, patiently holding a fishing rod while chatting with both sides. “Da Bai, have you ever eaten fish?”

Da Bai opened his mouth and responded evasively. “Seen it in books.”

Shu Shuishui nodded in understanding, indicating he hadn’t eaten. “Would Da Bai like to become a worm that eats fish? Do you prefer grilled, stewed, or boiled?”

Da Bai hesitated, clearly unsure which option to choose. As a bookworm that fed on the ink and color of books, Da Bai hadn’t eaten many things, at most the occasional spirit fruits and hazelnuts that the jiaolong occasionally brought to the study.

A voice came from the other side, Gu Langu’s voice. “Grilled, mildly spicy, with cumin.”

Shu Shuishui nodded. “Alright, we’ll make grilled, mildly spicy fish with cumin for Gu Gu.”

Da Bai chimed in. “Same, grilled, mildly spicy, with cumin!”

Shu Shuishui replied. “Alright, we’ll make the same fish for Da Bai.”

Gu Langu gave Da Bai a cold glance. “Not mildly spicy, extra spicy.”

Da Bai responded, “I also want it extra spicy.”

Shu Shuishui helplessly said, “Da Bai, extra spicy is very hot. Why not go with mildly spicy?”

Da Bai lifted his chin slightly. “Just extra spicy. What’s the big deal?”

Shu Shuishui sighed. This little arrogant bug, what could be done with him? He wanted to compete over everything, even when eating a fish. The most exasperating thing was that when Shu Shuishui was grilling the fish, Da Bai followed along, making sure he had the same amount of chili powder and refusing to have less than the other.

As a result, the outcome was that after his first time eating spicy food, Da Bai’s mouth swelled, his eyes turned red, and his voice became hoarse. He looked like he had been through a lot of torment.

One fish wasn’t enough. Da Bai had even unlocked the gourmet attribute; he actually ate another fish. If he hadn’t been overwhelmed by the spiciness in the end, he might have continued for a third fish.

Seeing Da Bai with teary eyes, Shu Shuishui scooped a bowl of milky white fish soup from the stew. “Try this, it’s a clear broth.”

Da Bai looked at it, finally not refusing this time, and took the fish soup, resuming his elegant posture and sipping it slowly. His facial expression finally eased up a lot.

Gu Langu happily wrapped up the remaining grilled fish. Shu Shuishui even had some suspicions about whether Gu Langu had done it intentionally, but then shook his head. How could that be? The adorable Gu Gu simply enjoyed spicy food.

So, the first family dinner of the trio ended amidst “open competition and secret schemes.” Before leaving the oasis, Shu Shuishui caught a few fish and grilled them, half in their original flavor and half mildly spicy, planning to bring them back for Xiao Jiao Jiao.

Aside from fish, the most things Shu Shuishui brought were naturally saplings. During their time at the oasis, Shu Shuishui would set up formations to accelerate the growth of the tree saplings.

Saplings couldn’t be stored in the spiritual storage, but luckily, Da Bai’s book could extend to a large area. Shu Shuishui labeled each of these saplings and brought them back to the city.

When the first batch of saplings was transported back, the city once again fell into silence, followed by a chorus of exclamations after a while. Green! Alive! There are actually tree saplings!

Because of this astonishment, people surprisingly became more enthusiastic about tree planting.

Shu Shuishui used his spiritual energy to lay down protective and catalytic formations outside the city, accelerating plant growth while defending against the attacks of the resentful miasma. The saplings Shu Shuishui selected were all spiritual trees. Once they grew and formed a forest, combined with Shu Shuishui’s modification of the surrounding terrain and formations, defending against the resentful miasma wasn’t an issue. That’s how these oases were preserved.

And so, the people who were once living aimlessly started a new chapter, throwing themselves into the grand endeavor of greening the environment for reasons unknown.

In addition to the saplings, Shu Shuishui also brought back a few plants adapted to the desert environment—some fruits and staple foods. After all, they couldn’t let people starve to death; food was still a necessity.

Gradually, the ruined city began to thrive. Some people were building houses, streets, and city walls within the city. There were also teams heading out to transport water sources. Lucky individuals were sent to live near the oasis, responsible for nurturing various plant seedlings, and some participated in the extraction of spiritual minerals.

No matter the type of work, everything was arranged meticulously. Within the previously chaotic group, an unexpected order began to form. Even the previous wariness and hostility among them slowly dissipated as they engaged in planting flowers and trees.

This transformation was quite remarkable. Unconsciously, imperceptibly, without the imposition of forceful ideologies, reality showed them that if they were willing, they could use their own hands to change the world.

As for Shu Shuishui, he remained mysterious in the eyes of the others. Ever since the first day when the jiaolong flattened them under his command, Shu Shuishui’s unwavering authority had been established. So, when catalytic formations and defensive formations appeared later, it didn’t even come as a surprise.

Moreover, gradually, they discovered that there wasn’t just one person who could set up formations. Gu Lanbai was one, manipulating a book that could fly across the sky at an incredible speed, circling the world within three days—a feat not just a dream. Gu Langu was another, as was Xie Feng. Even later on, Gu Lanyi, Yu Jin, Nan Fang, Liu Po, Liu Du, and Cheng Que all learned how to do it.

When Cheng Que received the gift from Shu Shuishui, he was both shocked and astonished. The preciousness of this book needed no pondering; Cheng Que had never even imagined having a copy of his own. Yet, Shu Shuishui had just given it to him.

Could Shu Shuishui’s intelligence truly not discern that they held numerous secrets? It was impossible not to discern it. After all, even Liu Du had long been suspicious, and others had more or less sensed something. Thus, over this extended period, though Cheng Que’s relationship with the others wasn’t exactly distant, it also couldn’t be called close.

“Thank you,” Cheng Que murmured with lowered eyes.

Shu Shuishui waved a hand dismissively. “No need to thank me. If Xiao Cheng Cheng doesn’t understand, you can ask me. After this little surprise, I’ll be responsible for explaining and translating for everyone.”

With that said, Shu Shuishui turned to leave, but Cheng Que suddenly asked from behind, “Aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”

Shu Shuishui turned back. “It’s alright. I’m a strong mouse. And if you turn out to be bad, shouldn’t you be the one afraid?”

Cheng Que’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden realization dawning on him. Yes, even after successfully entering Cang Zhan Star, he still remained restless, even sleepless at night. But why was that? “Shui Shui, thank you.”

Shu Shuishui didn’t know what secrets Cheng Que might be harboring, but at least since they’d met, Cheng Que had never done anything to harm any of them. “Xiao Cheng Cheng, no need to thank me.”

After Shu Shuishui left, Cheng Que stood in place for a long time, finally revealing a faint smile.

Time flowed amidst the fervent greening efforts of the group. This was the first time they forgot about clearing the dungeon, and also the first time they felt peace within the dungeon. Someone even secretly pondered, was it possible to stay here like this, to die here?

Recalling those initial days of being forced to plant trees, everyone felt as if they were from a different lifetime.

Looking at the present, what were the high-pressure sprayers used for? Of course, for irrigation! What about the solar energy converters? Naturally, for illumination at night, to aid tree growth! And the Sandland Rapid Tactical Supply Vehicle, how was it used? Certainly, to transport saplings!

Fighting? Impossible! In this lifetime, they would never fight. Was it that trees weren’t good to plant, or that grasshoppers weren’t good to eat?