CH 142

As everyone cautiously contemplated what Gu Langu would do next, they heard Gu Langu speak in a calm voice. “Actually, I don’t think the quality of the down jacket has much to do with its size.”

The piece of bread on the plate trembled.

Shu Shuishui searched desperately for a suitable excuse to save the little hummingbird. ‘Gu Gu is right. The quality of the down jacket depends on the feathers. Cui Cui’s feathers haven’t fully grown yet. Look, you see?’

With that, Shu Shuishui walked over and lifted the sandwich. The little hummingbird, upon seeing the familiar Shu Shuishui, excitedly flapped its tiny wings, seemingly ready to fly over. However, before it could take off, Shu Shuishui caught it.

Shu Shuishui held the hummingbird up and brought it closer to Gu Langu. “Look here. This feather is still slightly lighter in color, this one doesn’t have enough down, this one has a bit of dust on it, and this one’s shape is a bit odd…”

Everyone was left speechless, trying to hold back their laughter at this earnest attitude and far-fetched explanation.

Although the explanation was incredibly stretched, Gu Langu eventually nodded, giving in to Shu Shuishui’s reasoning.

Shu Shuishui breathed a sigh of relief. “So, until Cui Cui grows up, Gu Gu will raise it together with me, alright?”

Gu Langu stared at the tiny creature. “How big will it grow?”

Shu Shuishui pondered for a moment. “Just about the size of a fist.”

The little hummingbird chirped in agreement.

Gu Langu and the others exchanged incredulous glances. It seemed unlikely that the hummingbird would ever grow that big.

Although the dinner had an awkward start due to the unexpected revelation of the hummingbird, as the issue was resolved, the atmosphere at the camp became lively again. Amidst the flickering firelight, the warm yellow glow illuminated everyone’s faces, filled with anticipation and joy for their new home.

Shu Shuishui was also happy, despite the perilous moment earlier. At least now they didn’t have to sneak around anymore. Once Gu Langu used the mimicry seal, he would realize that Cui Cui was much easier to take care of than grasshoppers. Thinking about this, Shu Shuishui believed that Gu Langu and Cui Cui would get along just fine in the future.

After being freed from Shu Shuishui’s hair, the little hummingbird fluttered around happily. It had been uncomfortable hiding in his hair for so many days, so now that it could stretch its wings, it was in high spirits, flying around Shu Shuishui.

Gu Langu silently added more firewood, making the fire burn brighter. Just in case the bird lost its balance and got too close to the flames, Gu Langu didn’t want to risk burning its feathers*note the sarcasm HAHAHAHAHAH. Lost in thought, he unconsciously added another log.

A few minutes later, the people sitting around the fire had moved back a bit, realizing that Gu Langu was determined to keep the fire going. They began to feel uncomfortably hot in the summer heat.

One of the group members finally spoke up, “Boss, the wood we picked is running out, and it’s getting too hot.”

Gu Langu’s movements paused, and then he nodded expressionlessly.

Everyone collectively sighed in relief. It was the middle of summer, and they had started the fire to ward off wild animals and dampness, not to prepare for winter.

Gu Langu stopped adding wood, and the group gradually moved back closer to the fire. They chatted about various topics, reminiscing about the past and planning for the future.

The little hummingbird, after a final round of flying, expertly landed back on Shu Shuishui’s head and began grooming his hair with its sharp beak. Seeing this, one of the group members, Yu Jin, couldn’t help but envy. “That’s a nice comb you’ve got there. It combs one strand at a time. But speaking of which, when Shui Shui sneezed earlier, I thought he flicked his snot into your plate, hahaha!”

The others couldn’t help but chuckle at Yu Jin’s comment.

In the midst of Yu Jin’s laughter, Gu Langu instinctively reached for more firewood. Clearly, the thought of keeping the fire going had returned to him. Eventually, the group decided to send Yu Jin out to gather firewood.

As the night grew darker, the once lively valley began to quiet down. The scattered campfires resembled twinkling stars, symbolizing the hope burning brightly in the hearts of the Shui Jing Gong members.

The next day, before the sun had risen, the valley was already bustling with activity. After a simple breakfast, everyone eagerly began working on the construction of their new home.

Nan Ge and Liu Po had carefully discussed the division of the valley’s areas. The most fertile soil was designated for farming, and now that Shu Shuishui had mastered his formation skills, several others had also made progress and could contribute.

Areas with good sunlight were designated for residential purposes. However, there was no urgent need for permanent housing at this point, so most of the Shui Jing Gong members set up tents. They were accustomed to moving frequently, and setting up temporary shelters was an easy task for them.

The Cangyu Mountains were rich in resources, including wood, stone, minerals, and food. These resources would serve as the foundation for their future development. Teams of scientists and explorers, led by the Gray Rats, were dispatched to explore the surrounding areas to locate usable resources for the construction of the base.

As for the name of their new settlement, in order to distinguish it from the original Shui Jing Gong, it was named Shui Jing Cheng. However, the base itself retained the name Shui Jing. Judging by the name Shui Jing Cheng, it was clear that the scale of their ambitions this time was much larger. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this place would become the foundation and center of the Shui Jing Gong’s development in the northern hemisphere.

During this time, various other tasks were also being carried out systematically.

For example, establishing contact with other bases for timely communication. Communicating with the mutated creatures, Shu Shuishui briefly explained the concept of cultivation. Teams from the sea exploration unit gradually returned with three small fleets, all of which eagerly joined the Cangyu Mountains.

As the dry season intensified, temperatures soared, and the water levels rapidly declined. Lakes and rivers of all sizes gradually dried up, the earth cracked, and the relentless heat scorched the land. The entire Cang Zhan Star felt like an oven, baking under a relentless sun, tormenting all living creatures.

Of course, the people in the Cangyu Mountains didn’t have it so tough. During their leisure time, they could chill a couple of bunches of grapes in the small stream and enjoy them while chatting.

They would discuss which base had visited the Shui Jing Gong today, which base had switched to a micro-farm, and which base had failed in their application to join the Shui Jing Gong, and so on. In the end, they would sigh and say, “This is the life of immortals. Forget about Zone A and Zone S. If you’ve got the guts, come and fight in the Cangyu Mountains!”

“It seems like there’s internal discord among the Northern Hemisphere bases.”

“But now that the water has receded and there’s land, what’s there to fight about?”

“I heard that after the interception order was issued, several bases didn’t respond. And because of the land issue, Zone A and Zone S offended quite a few people initially. It’s said that those bases accepted help from the Southern Fleet and are treating the trees they planted like treasures, which has irritated Zone A and Zone S.”

“Planting trees, huh? I wonder what kind of trees the Shui Jing Gong will plant next time. Tree planting missions are not easy to compete for!”

“You’re right. I’m thinking of exchanging for a micro-farm before winter arrives.”

The casual chatter echoed in the lush jungle, accompanied by the murmur of the stream, the songs of birds, and the fragrance of flowers.

The intelligent mutant creatures also realized the benefits of cooperation. At least this year, life in the Cangyu Mountains was much more comfortable, and there hadn’t been a severe drought in water sources. It seemed that those small saplings planted along the banks played a crucial role. With a secured water source, the forest thrived.

Moreover, the method of cultivation that Shu Shuishui mentioned surprisingly worked well for them. Although the results varied, it did enhance their abilities effectively.

Due to various benefits, the mutant creatures and humans developed a much more harmonious relationship. Many had even attempted to communicate with humans, with the help of the diplomatic efforts led by the gray rats. Of course, half of the income from these endeavors went to the gray rats, who in turn shared half of it with Gu Langu.

Gu Langu, like a local landowner, secretly counted his private funds every day but always felt it wasn’t enough, especially compared to Shu Shuishui. Greedy Gu Langu gradually developed a love for counting money.

On the other hand, what Gu Langu disliked the most was taking care of the little hummingbird. Since Cui Cui was liberated, it had become bolder, flying around the camp every day. Sometimes it even had a peculiar fondness for staying close to Gu Langu, which would frighten him.

Shu Shuishui, seeing this, felt relieved that his prediction was correct. Gu Langu and the little hummingbird would get along well. He trusted Gu Langu to take care of Cui Cui.

Gu Langu flashed a white-toothed grin, looking exceptionally handsome. “You can trust me with Cui Cui, Shui Shui.”

Shu Shuishui nodded and then went to instruct the mutant creatures in their cultivation.

When he returned that night, he coincided with the returning exploration teams. Yu Jin chattered about the interesting things they had encountered during their trip, while Nan Ge and Liu Po discussed their future plans. When they all returned to the camp together, they inquired about Gu Langu’s whereabouts. Learning that he had been taking care of Cui Cui all day, they were taken aback and thought that Cui Cui might have caused trouble.

Hastening to the living area, they saw Gu Langu’s back in a newly constructed corner.

Gu Langu was crouched there, facing the corner, and mechanically making noises. “Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.” Like a clockwork toy, he had no expression on his face, not even bothering to blink. In his hand, he held a strand of dogtail grass, rhythmically swaying it in front of the little hummingbird. From his mouth, mechanical sounds emerged, resembling an attempt to soothe a child.

The crowd stared in disbelief. They had never seen Gu Langu appear so much like a robot, devoid of emotions or preferences, simply mechanically fulfilling Shu Shuishui’s task of taking care of the hummingbird.

“Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.” Gu Langu continued to squat there, showing no emotion whatsoever, not even blinking. He mechanically made the sounds, and in his hand, the dogtail grass swayed rhythmically in front of the little hummingbird.

Shu Shuishui proudly raised his head and whispered to those around him, “See, I told you that Gu Gu and Cui Cui get along great!”

The others: “…” Did this strange scene really count as getting along well?

The little hummingbird sighed to itself, thinking: I’m in for a tough time.