Chapter 167: Good Luck
The fact that the rose could split itself into over a hundred conscious parts was terrifying.
A hundred plants of the rose, even bundled up, would have to be divided into two large bundles!
Xia Lu Nong pinched the rose’s leaf tip and asked, “Do you even understand what it means to divide yourself into over a hundred conscious parts?”
The rose protested, “Of course I do! I’ve counted several times out of boredom—there are almost two hundred plants here!”
Xia Lu Nong said, “Having nearly two hundred main bodies planted here is one thing, but splitting them up and planting them in different locations is different. Sending out too many conscious parts at once is risky.”
The rose muttered, “I think I can handle it.”
Xia Lu Nong gave it a patient, caring look, like an adult humoring a child, and pinched its leaf again. “Right, ‘think.'”
The rose was so angry it wanted to swat him.
Quickly retracting his hand, Xia Lu Nong said seriously, “Let’s not overdo it. We don’t need to do everything at once. Let’s try digging up a few plants first. If it works, we can always come back for more.”
The rose grudgingly agreed, “Fine. So, how many of my plants are you taking this time?”
Xia Lu Nong gave the answer he’d already decided on, “At most, ten. Any more and I wouldn’t have space to plant them. It would be a waste to dig them up.”
The rose replied, “Fine, ten it is! But don’t expect me to let you take more next time!”
Xia Lu Nong ignored its grumbling and said, “Move your branches aside a bit. I’ll do the digging this time. Your seedlings are growing too densely; I’ll thin them out.”
Although the rose hadn’t known him for long, it was already quite familiar with him and trusted him. Hearing his request, it obediently moved its branches aside.
The Golden Eagle stood guard nearby.
Xia Lu Nong took out a small hoe from his bamboo container. Based on his observations, he quickly selected the plants he wanted to dig up, and with a swift motion, he dug out the chosen rose.
These roses were relatively frail.
The rose shook its branches, feeling like it couldn’t quite control them. All of its branches seemed to have minds of their own!
Xia Lu Nong wrapped the roots in dried leaves and then secured them with a snakeskin bag. He spoke seriously to the rose, “This is the first time we’ve dug out so many of your main plants. If you feel any discomfort, let me know immediately.”
“No, I’m fine,” the rose replied uneasily. “Thank you.”
Xia Lu Nong patted its leaves and said, “No need for formalities between us. Let’s get ready to leave.”
The rose, of course, had no objections. It couldn’t move on its own, so it had no choice but to go along with whatever Xia Lu Nong decided.
When Xia Lu Nong transformed back into Xia the cat and they took to the skies, the rose suddenly realized that its “vision” had expanded significantly. It was the first time it had experienced such a sensation, and it was so excited that it twined its leaves around Xia the cat’s paws, constantly yowling and expressing its amazement.
Xia the cat knew the rose was just venting its emotions, so he didn’t pay much attention. He was focused on the landscape below.
They were now flying over unfamiliar territory. The mountains, plains, and ruins below were sights he hadn’t seen before.
With his green eyes wide open, Xia the cat carefully scanned the ground, trying to find the familiar place from his dream. However, his luck seemed to have run out today.
After flying for a whole day, they still hadn’t found anything, and by the time they set up camp that night, they were still empty-handed.
Xia Lu Nong returned to his human form, pulled out a portable hotpot, and began preparing dinner while jotting down his observations from the day in his notebook.
He intended to update the map so that any companions who hadn’t been to this area would have a better sense of it, reducing the risks they might encounter.
The rose was still overwhelmed by its new experience and couldn’t quite snap out of it. Its soft branches wrapped around Xia Lu Nong’s feet as it chattered in his ear, “So this is what it’s like to be an animal! You can see whatever you want! This feeling is incredible!”
Xia Lu Nong multitasked and responded, “Didn’t we bring you to our base before? You should’ve had a sense of it back then.”
“How is that the same?!” The rose was so excited it nearly used an exclamation mark. “Back then, I could only see what you wanted me to see. But today, I can look at whatever I want!”
Xia Lu Nong chuckled. “You’ll see even more clearly in the future. Xia Hua Jiao is already bored of it.”
The rose sighed with envy. “That sounds wonderful.”
Xia Lu Nong patted its leaves. “If you like it, we can go out more often. You’re not exactly mobile, but if Honeysuckle gains consciousness, I can take it along with you.”
The rose huffed, “Why do you know so many plants?”
That comment put the rose in a bad mood, and it stopped talking to him.
Kong Zhi, watching from the side, asked, “Are you two at odds again?”
“Maybe it’s just tired,” Xia Lu Nong said diplomatically. “You should get some rest too. I’ll wake you up when dinner’s ready.”
“No rush,” Kong Zhi replied, handing him a cup of rose honey tea he had brewed. “We’ve mostly explored this area, and tomorrow we’ll head to the next. Check if there are any spots you still want to visit. If not, we’ll move straight to the next destination.”
Xia Lu Nong glanced at the map and confirmed, “We’ve seen everything we wanted to see here. This area is all plains, so I don’t think we’ll find the crater we’re looking for.”
He then reviewed the area they’d be flying to the next day.
They were headed into the mountains. Their main goal on this trip was to find the meteorite crater, so they didn’t have any specific destinations in mind, making the journey feel quite relaxed.
Xia Lu Nong made a note on the calendar—twelve days left before they’d have to return. If they hadn’t found anything after seven or eight days, they’d need to head back. He wondered if the goddess of luck would smile on them this time and help them achieve their goal.
After dinner, the two of them had to take turns keeping watch due to the lack of manpower. Fortunately, with the rose’s help, they weren’t too lonely, even during the night shifts.
Xia Lu Nong stayed on watch from a little past eight until around four in the morning.
Kong Zhi woke up, kissed him, and took his freezing cold hand, asking, “Did I oversleep? Why didn’t you wake me?”
“Go back to sleep. I can catch up during the day,” Xia Lu Nong replied, tilting his head up to look at him. “You’ve got to fly a long distance tomorrow, so you need the rest. Don’t overexert yourself.”
Kong Zhi replied, “You’ll also be searching for that crater during the day. When will you get to rest?”
Xia Lu Nong just smiled.
Kong Zhi ruffled his hair. “We’re not in a hurry. Let’s leave a bit later today—after lunch. We can head out around ten.”
Xia Lu Nong had no objections. With just the two of them, they could afford to be flexible.
Stretching, Xia Lu Nong closed his notebook. “Alright, I’m going to get some sleep.”
The sleeping bag was right next to him, still warm with Kong Zhi’s body heat.
But Xia Lu Nong didn’t feel like sleeping alone. He glanced at Kong Zhi and said, “How about I turn into a cat and keep you company while I sleep?”
“Why not?” Kong Zhi unzipped his jacket and opened his arms, signaling for him to come over.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes lit up, and he immediately transformed into Xia the cat. He wriggled out of the pile of clothes and jumped directly into Kong Zhi’s arms.
His embrace was much warmer than the sleeping bag—not only cozy but also carrying a unique scent. Whenever Xia Lu Nong snuggled against him, it gave him an overwhelming sense of comfort.
Xia the cat slept in his arms for a long time.
Now weighing over thirty pounds, Xia the cat could curl up in his arms and reach his chest. Despite his size, he was soft and warm.
As Kong Zhi stroked the cat while keeping watch, the corners of his mouth stayed curved in a smile.
Although the rose couldn’t communicate with him, it watched enviously as Kong Zhi petted the cat. Its branches trembled with admiration as it slowly inched closer.
Kong Zhi glanced at the rose but didn’t say anything. His movements became even more gentle as he petted the cat.
Xia the cat was long used to being petted. Far from being disturbed, he purred contentedly as he slept.
He slept soundly until morning, waking up only after ten o’clock. Refreshed, he stretched out his front paws, raised his rear, and gave a big stretch in the snow.
Kong Zhi had already prepared breakfast, brewed tea, and packed up most of their belongings. Even Xia Lu Nong’s clothes were hung up nearby, warming, ready for him to wear.
Xia the cat rubbed against Kong Zhi’s leg and looked up, meowing softly.
The morning was just too comfortable.
Even though it was cold, the frost had already dissipated by the time he got up, and there was still mist lingering in the forest. It was winter now, and the trees had shed their leaves, leaving only bare branches. The scene wasn’t much to look at, even though there was a forest just across from them.
Xia the cat’s thoughts drifted as he imagined how beautiful the place would look in autumn, with golden leaves filling the view.
As he stared at the scene, he suddenly began to see flashes of unfamiliar images, like a movie playing in his mind. He stood frozen in place.
Sensing something was wrong, Kong Zhi came over and picked him up, frowning as he asked, “What’s going on?”
Xia the cat couldn’t respond. He hadn’t transformed back into a human yet and had no way to speak. But he had a strong feeling that he knew what he had seen—it was the location of the meteorite crater.
The sensation was strange; there was no logical reason for his certainty, but he just knew.
Seeing that Xia the cat wasn’t answering, Kong Zhi felt a pang of worry.
Just as Kong Zhi was about to take action, Xia the cat snapped back to his senses and meowed at him, signaling not to worry.
Xia the cat quickly transformed back into his human form, not even bothering to put on clothes. He grabbed his down jacket and wrapped it tightly around himself.
Kong Zhi came over to help straighten his clothes. “What just happened?”
Xia Lu Nong, excited, replied, “I think I’ve found where the meteorite crater is! We need to change our destination today—we’re not going to the place we originally planned.”
His excitement made his thoughts jump from one to another, but Kong Zhi understood. “Sure, we can go wherever you say.”
More concerned about Xia Lu Nong’s well-being than their destination, Kong Zhi asked, “Did you see something again? Are you feeling okay? Did you overuse your powers?”
“No, I feel fine. It’s a very strange feeling,” Xia Lu Nong smiled, eyes full of joy. “Let’s follow my instincts. Maybe we’ll find it today and won’t have to keep wandering.”
Kong Zhi said, “Even if we don’t find it today, there’s no rush. We’re treating this like a trip, after all.”
“No! I have a strong feeling,” Xia Lu Nong’s face flushed with excitement. “Even if we don’t find it today, we’ll definitely find it in the next couple of days. I think luck is finally on our side.”
