After the rain cleared, some parts of the forest became damp and stuffy. The air on the path felt like it could subtly moisten the clothes worn.
They gradually moved from the northern to the southern sector, encountering several teams assigned to the south. Due to mutual vigilance, neither side made a move easily upon detecting the other's presence.
"How can we not find them? There's no trace at all."
The Dragon Clan members began to feel anxious.
The sun was gradually setting, and the visible scenery was diminishing. If they continued forward, they might encounter things they couldn't easily deal with.
At night, lone wolves and various venomous creatures that dwelled in dark corners tended to emerge collectively. They needed to find a safe place in advance to provide a secure haven for the cubs.
"Let's search a bit further. If we don't find them within thirty minutes, we'll choose a spot to rest and regroup," suggested Lu Mingming, earning collective agreement and implicitly establishing her leadership.
Cheng Shiqin used his wood-element mental energy to explore ahead. Within a minute, he reported, "There's a group of people ahead having a dispute. Should we leave quickly? They're fighting over a crystal token numbered six, worth 400 points."
The Xingfu Star team, lacking even a single token, felt envious.
Hua Yu said, "I don't need a crystal token. I'm just here to go through the motions. It's all yours." With that, she retreated to the rear, signaling her stance.
"We'll wait here for their outcome and then take a look." With their current strength, a direct confrontation would surely be a loss, but what if they waited until after the battle when everyone was depleted of strength and mental energy…
The ground, covered with grass and trees, made it difficult to detect the use of wood-element mental energy, making it Cheng Shiqin's natural place to utilize his abilities.
He continued to report all his findings internally: "It looks like there are two teams, neither of whom seems to be a top contender. Each has three members. Currently, it's like a battle between squirrels and ducks. The squirrels, with their nimble movements, have the upper hand."
The fight, as it were, involved neither ferocious large predators nor familiarity with hunting techniques. Moreover, with cubs present, they dared not fight in earnest.
The Xingfu Star group crouched quietly in the bushes, observing the back-and-forth exchanges between the two sides.
Lu Mingming raised a finger, signaling everyone to be silent.
The cubs, with their bright, intelligent eyes, curled up into small fluffy balls. Even the cub that usually loved to play was acting sensibly, waiting for the adults' affairs to conclude.
The post-rain mosquitoes slowly discovered the delicious food source here, buzzing around and even landing on Hua Xia's nose.
Just as everyone was engrossed in watching, Hua Xia quickly covered his mouth and murmured.
"Wait…"
Lu Mingming's heart leaped as she looked over.
"Achoo!"
Hua Xia couldn't hold back a sneeze. The two teams engaged in combat noticed the disturbance in the bushes because of this sneeze.
"Who's there?" a loud voice from the leading duck-like figure questioned.
Cheng Shiqin swiftly summoned the surrounding bushes. The two opposing teams were not particularly formidable, and the scent of the branches and leaves was just enough to conceal the Xingfu Star team's presence.
There was no reply, and the entire environment seemed empty. The two teams in the center exchanged confused glances.
"Did I mishear?" the duck-like figure muttered, doubting himself.
The squirrel leader on the opposite side immediately sneered, "I think you're just looking for trouble. Or are you scared?" This remark reignited the dispute between the two teams.
The immediate danger had passed. Ultimately, as Cheng Shiqin had predicted, the squirrel team emerged victorious. However, they had clearly learned their lesson, all exhausted from the fight for the four hundred points.
The squirrel team, highly vigilant, scurried up a tree and escaped after snatching the token.
After the two teams left, the area was left in disarray. It was then that everyone from Xingfu Star poked their heads out.
Hua Yu, in a pose of feigned distress, said, "I like your way of doing things. I hate fighting; the fewer troubles, the better."
Is that so? I had planned to try and snatch it. They ran quite fast. Lu Mingming retracted her gaze, feeling a touch of regret.
Having found a satisfactory campsite, Cheng Shiqin buried thorns in the muddy ground. The little ones sat obediently in a row in the center, waiting for dinner.
The Dragon Clan members went to hunt a few wild chickens, their faces filled with helplessness, as they had no habit of eating chicken on the main planet. Before Lu Mingming cooked chicken noodle soup, everyone on Xingfu Star had avoided chicken, considering it difficult to prepare, second only to fish.
He said, "This is all I could find. Not even a rabbit."
"It's okay, chicken tastes just as good when cooked. Leave it to me!" Lu Mingming took on the role of head chef.
Hua Yu, unable to touch fire, gathered some unripe fruits to serve as a palate cleanser. "Our bird clan is the best at picking fruit!" she said, distributing them to the young cubs.
As everyone busied themselves, Hua Xia announced, "I need to use the restroom. I'll be back shortly."
People have urgent needs, so no one questioned him further. Only Lu Mingming glanced in the direction Hua Xia had left, thinking: He's going in the same direction as the squirrel team…
"Finally, I have some free time to continue completing my mission." Hua Xia moved, leaping between trees with more agility than the leader of the squirrel team earlier, leaving the viewers in the live stream speechless.
Since the leader had already contacted Count Gude Fen… Hua Xia glanced up at the camera overhead, paying it no mind. He quickly concealed his aura and ascended the nearest large tree to the squirrel team. From his sleeve, a peculiar monster, less than a palm in size but entirely black with bared fangs, crawled out.
"I didn't bring any other Gu insects, nor did I activate my mental energy. I'm truly sorry to use it on you little squirrels; it's overkill… Victory will surely belong to us."
…
"I haven't returned too late, have I? I spent a long time hiding from the surveillance cameras." Hua Xia returned to the campsite, greeting everyone with a calm expression as usual.
Cheng Shiqin laughed heartily at his words, "You must have had a tough time. Hurry up and help! We have five chickens to butcher today."
"What dishes are we making? The honey-glazed roasted meat at noon was delicious," Hua Xia asked curiously.
"Why are you talking so much more after going to the restroom?" Cheng Shiqin asked casually. Hua Xia fell silent again, unsure how to answer.
"Alright, he's just kidding. Tonight we're making beggar's chicken."
"Beggar's chicken?!" everyone exclaimed in unison.
"That's right! Everyone, please help me build a mud stove!" Lu Mingming rubbed his hands together, already eager.