Chapter 13

He remembered the warm white light that had radiated from her palm, enveloping his entire body. He remembered the strange, woody fragrance. He remembered how she had forced herself to stay alert and deal with him, even though she was clearly unwell. It was as if she had suddenly become vivid and full of life. Though he couldn’t pinpoint the reason, he felt that Cheng Youyou had somehow changed into a different person. Even her face didn’t look quite so ugly anymore, and her presence wasn’t as unbearable as it used to be. She must’ve fed him the wrong kind of sweetgrass—otherwise, how could his brain be malfunctioning like this?

Under the effects of the herbal medicine, Cheng Youyou skipped dinner and slept straight through to the next morning. She sat up and stretched with a satisfied yawn, feeling completely refreshed.

The physical resilience of beastfolk was truly remarkable—illnesses didn’t linger at all. One bowl of medicine and a good night’s sleep, and she was fully revived.

She chopped up the leftover roasted meat and turned it into a hearty meat broth, slurping down an entire pot. Then she let out a loud, satisfied burp. She rubbed coarse salt onto the meat Lu Xi had brought and hung it outside the cave to dry, planning to make cured meat. Cured meat was incredibly fragrant. She also chopped up the sky bird Mu Feng had brought with a bone knife and sprinkled it with a bit of salt.

She planned to head into the forest to gather wild vegetables and mushrooms—tonight she’d finally get to enjoy the chicken-and-mushroom stew she’d been craving. As delicious as meat broth was, it got dull after a while.

Just as she stood up, her once-fitting beast-hide skirt suddenly slipped off and fell to the ground.

Cheng Youyou’s eyes lit up with joy—her recent dietary changes were clearly paying off. Though her body still jiggled with every step, losing a little each day meant she’d eventually slim down. She took out a bone needle and adjusted the now-loose skirt to fit again, then filled her beast-hide pouch with fresh water.

Today, she planned to venture deep into the forest, where many plants grew in the dense underbrush. After an hour and a half of walking, she reached the forest’s depths. The trees here were taller and thicker than those near the tribe, their lush foliage blocking out the sun almost entirely. It was eerily quiet, with only the occasional chirp of unknown insects echoing through the gloom.

But Cheng Youyou wasn’t afraid at all. The natural energy here was so rich that she didn’t even need to activate her powers. The green energy gathered around her on its own, making her feel light and comfortable. Even the heaviness of her body seemed to vanish. She walked through the forest, eyes wide with curiosity, marveling at everything around her. As she passed, wildflowers bloomed in her wake, seemingly eager to show off their beauty.

Towering trees swayed in the breeze, letting their most beautiful leaves flutter down before her, as if hoping to catch her gaze. She stopped beneath a vine-wrapped tree and looked up. The soft yet resilient vines brushed her cheek with gentle affection. Then the hanging vines began to grow rapidly, intertwining and gently lifting her into the air, forming a swing.

Suspended midair, Cheng Youyou laughed freely, her clear, bell-like laughter echoing through the forest. This place was full of delightful surprises. Just moments ago, her long-stalled level 5 wood-type ability had suddenly broken through. Now at level 6, she could faintly sense the emotions of the plants around her. They welcomed her. They liked her.

Hidden behind a thick tree trunk, a pair of silver eyes watched her intently, filled with a focus and seriousness even their owner hadn’t noticed.

After playing to her heart’s content, Cheng Youyou guided the vines to lower her back to the ground gently. She looked at the vines—there were far more edible and useful plants here than she’d imagined. Her beast-hide pouch couldn’t hold much. She needed a backpack.

Closing her eyes, she activated her powers. The soft, resilient vines began to intertwine, forming a sturdy base.

Before the apocalypse, Cheng Youyou had been a small-town student who got into college through sheer effort—only to face the end of the world right after graduation. As a child, she’d lived with her grandparents in the countryside and had watched her grandfather weave farming tools from split bamboo. So she knew how to make a backpack. Following the steps from memory, she quickly finished one. It wasn’t as pretty as her grandfather’s, but it was sturdy enough. She also made a handbasket, which turned out much more attractive than the backpack.

Cheng Youyou was thrilled. Her control over her level 6 wood-type ability was improving rapidly. Soon, she’d be able to craft all the furniture she’d imagined. Her life in the beast world was shaping up to be quite delightful.

She took the beast-hide pouch from her waist and drank a sip of sweet water, finally feeling alive again. She slung the backpack over her shoulders, picked up the handbasket, and couldn’t stop smiling.

The forest was rich with vegetation. Wild fruits were everywhere—big and sweet. But they weren’t her main goal. Tasty as they were, they didn’t store well. She picked a wild apple and munched on it as she walked toward her destination. Finally, she arrived. Before her lay a field of potato plants. Potatoes were excellent carbs—good as a staple or side dish, and easy to store and grow. They tasted amazing no matter how you cooked them—fried, boiled, stewed, or roasted.

She quickly set down her backpack and began digging with her bone knife along the thick stems. After much effort, she finally unearthed a massive potato.

Holding the heavy potato, Cheng Youyou’s mind raced with its eighteen possible deaths—no, eighteen delicious recipes. Her mouth watered uncontrollably. She hadn’t had any carbs since arriving in the beast world, and she was craving them badly. She carefully placed the potato in her backpack and looked at the vast field ahead, feeling a bit troubled. Her bone knife was too small—digging potatoes with it was inefficient.

Suddenly, she twisted the hand holding the knife and had an idea. After confirming no one was around, she took off her beast-hide skirt and folded it neatly on the edge of her backpack.

In the shadows, the silver-eyed observer flinched in rare panic and quickly looked away.

After setting her clothes aside, Cheng Youyou transformed into her beast form. She raised a paw and traced the potato stems to locate the tubers underground, then struck hard at the spot. The once-hard soil crumbled like tofu beneath her sharp claws, and another giant potato emerged from the earth.