Chapter 176
As a newly awakened spirit plant, the little garlic spirit was initially easy to trick. However, after being deceived repeatedly, even this tactic began to lose its effectiveness.
Yet, this particular garlic spirit had a notoriously bad temper. After splitting into five seedlings, its temperament didn’t improve—in fact, it worsened.
So, when it realized it was being tricked by cunning humans, every time it heard the “voice” of the Earth Spirit being played by the robot, the little garlic spirit would…
“So—angry!”
“So—angry!”
“So—angry!”
And then, it would release its garlic scent!
The scent, just as strong as when it was happy, spread throughout the base, driving away the vengeful spirits invisible to the human eye that lingered there.
Thus, whether the garlic spirit was happy or angry, Cen Liang’s tactic remained effective.
When Gu Qingshen heard from plantation staff about the magical impact of Su Ci’s voice, he was incredulous. Could having plant-related bloodlines really be that powerful?
Even a recording could influence a plant!
However, Su Ci’s abilities were now legendary throughout the base. In stark contrast, Gu Qingshen, who was also a purifier, had become something of a tragic figure.
His original job was to help base personnel cleanse pollutants from their bodies.
With the widespread use of garlic-scented spray, the number of people visiting the purification office had significantly decreased. Just as he thought he could enjoy a bit of downtime, the big incident happened.
Everyone learned that a purifier with immense power could be so strong—
Strong enough to fight off hundreds of monsters single-handedly!
People began to realize that purifiers weren’t just support staff; they could play a crucial role in combat as well.
As one of the base’s two purifiers—wait, make that one of two now—Gu Qingshen was promptly assigned to combat training by the base leadership.
As a medic with a military background, Gu Qingshen had undergone grueling training during his academy days. But years of inactivity had left him rusty. Now, picking up where he left off, every day felt like a nightmare.
Still, Gu Qingshen dared not complain too much.
After all, if he could develop combat skills, it would be a huge benefit for both the base and his personal future.
But what troubled him the most wasn’t his physical fitness—it was mastering his purification abilities.
He needed to not only enhance their power but also improve their control, allowing him to use purification energy externally. Currently, he still had to make physical contact with objects to apply his purification.
In battle against monsters, this limitation greatly increased the risks.
Looking at the robot carrying the little garlic spirit in the distance, Gu Qingshen thought to himself, perhaps it was time to seek advice from Caretaker Su.
Meanwhile, at the nursery, the young ones had left the gate and continued on to the green fields to play.
Although dispersing the blood mist was imminent, it didn’t yet directly affect them. Their daily routine remained the same: watering and fertilizing the plants in the green fields, harvesting fruits, and beginning their day of training.
Of course, one of the young ones’ daily routines also included helping the caretakers prepare ingredients.
These days, the task of cutting meat no longer required their assistance because A-Yan had successfully created a meat-slicing machine connected to the central AI.
The AI could analyze each piece of meat and, following A-Yan’s pre-set instructions, control the machine to cut it. The resulting slices were nearly identical in quality to those cut by A-Yan himself.
In other words, the base’s central AI, in addition to teaching classes, tutoring homework, and handling all sorts of quirky and peculiar issues and requests from the young ones and caretakers, now had a new responsibility: cutting meat.
When the AI received this “important duty,” its response was:
“…Really?”
This was exasperating.
With the most time-consuming and labor-intensive step delegated, one might think the young ones would be relieved of their responsibilities, but they weren’t. They had become accustomed to helping the caretakers prepare ingredients and, under A-Yan’s influence, had developed a strong interest in cooking.
Being able to transform various ingredients into dishes that exceeded the original flavor of the materials was, to them, an incredibly cool thing!
Moreover, Su Su had helped them so much, and they wanted to ensure Su Su ate well and stayed happy, remaining in the nursery with them forever.
With such pure and sincere intentions in their hearts, after finishing their patrol of the green fields, they all ran off to the kitchen in a flurry.
The young ones’ sudden dash left Yan Ya and Li Sinian momentarily stunned. Curious, they followed the children to the kitchen, only to find they couldn’t enter.
Even Wen Yan and the two caretaker robots were shooed out, leaving only the cubs and A-Yan inside.
The adults were confused, while the caretaker robots simply went off to do other tasks without lingering.
Wen Yan, seeing this, said, “Since A-Yan is there, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
For some reason, Wen Yan felt a natural trust in the young caretaker’s abilities. After all, he had managed to win over the young ones’ affection on his very first day—a feat not easily accomplished.
After bidding goodbye to the Li Sinian couple, Wen Yan returned to Room 301.
Overnight, Lai Ze and Qianqian had remained in their panda forms, and now it was time for them to eat.
Although the green fields behind the nursery lacked bamboo, they were abundant with fruits and vegetables. Wen Yan picked a basketful of fresh produce to bring to her husband and daughter.
Meanwhile, the Li Sinian couple, who had been left waiting outside the kitchen by the young ones, also decided to leave after lingering in the hallway for a while.
As they had discussed the previous evening, Yan Ya was preparing to donate the gifts originally meant for her children, as well as the supplies purchased on Mondar Star, to the nursery. Now, she needed to organize everything properly.
“By the way, have you seen Xue Wei?” Yan Ya asked suddenly as they stepped into the elevator, frowning.
The young ones who had rushed into the kitchen had all come from the green fields, and since Wen Yan and the caretaker robots had already cleared the dishes from breakfast, it was clear that Xue Wei must have finished eating.
So why hadn’t she been seen anywhere?
Li Sinian added, “I haven’t seen that red-haired boy either.”
The boy in question was the Crimson Flame Tiger from yesterday, and Li Sinian had a vivid impression of him. He remembered that this child was the first to leave the dining hall after eating.
The fact that the boy could fully transform into a beast indicated a high degree of bloodline berserk potential. Now, with both him and Xue Wei unaccounted for…
Li Sinian’s eyes narrowed slightly. He immediately extended his spiritual senses and quickly discovered that Xue Wei was indeed with the boy named Ran Lie, who was already in his Crimson Flame Tiger form.
However, based on the feedback from his senses, the two seemed to be interacting amicably for now.
“They’re on the third floor,” Li Sinian reported.
Li Sinian opened his eyes and pressed the elevator button for the third floor. Moments later, he and Yan Ya arrived at the hallway.
However, when they got there, they only found Xue Wei standing at the door of Room 303. The little tiger was nowhere to be seen.
Surprised that they had come looking for her, Xue Wei quickly stood up and softly greeted them, “Madam, Sir.”
“Xue Wei, were you looking for Caretaker Su?” Yan Ya asked.
Xue Wei nodded.
Yan Ya walked over to her, crouched down, and gently held her hand, looking at her apologetically. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you earlier in the dining hall. Xue Wei, I’m so sorry…”
Xue Wei quickly shook her head. She had intentionally eaten slowly so that the lady and gentleman could spend more time with Little Li Hua and Rong Heng.
“Let me finish,” Yan Ya said, softly cupping Xue Wei’s face. “Originally, we came to the nursery to bring you back with us. But now, things have changed. We’ll be staying here for the time being, so we can’t take you with us.”
Xue Wei blinked. “You and Sir are both staying at the nursery?”
“Yes,” Yan Ya nodded. To be precise, they were staying on this planet to help Caretaker Su transform it and restore it to life.
While Yan Ya felt apologetic, Xue Wei was visibly relieved.
A smile appeared on her face as she softly said, “That’s wonderful. I didn’t know how to tell you that I wanted to stay here.”
“Now that you and Sir are staying at the nursery too, we can keep living here together.”
Her sweet smile and the joy shining in her clear eyes showed no trace of reluctance.
Yan Ya was momentarily stunned, then turned to look at Li Sinian.
Li Sinian frowned, sensing something unusual. Lowering his voice, he cautiously asked, “Xue Wei, don’t tell me… you also promised Caretaker Su to help him farm?”
Xue Wei looked up at him with innocent curiosity. “Sir, how did you know?”
Li Sinian maintained a neutral expression, but inwardly, he felt utterly helpless.
He hadn’t expected that not only his son and daughter but now even his adopted daughter had “sold herself” to that Caretaker Su.
“So, what kind of deal did you make with him? Is it also about your bloodline issues?” Li Sinian asked. “Did he help resolve your bloodline berserk problem?”
Xue Wei nodded. While her original agreement with Caretaker Su had been to help Chirp Chirp, it ultimately made no difference.
Now, she wanted to learn how to control her bloodline power, and for that, she would still need to rely on Su Su.
Yan Ya and Li Sinian looked at their adopted daughter, both amused and exasperated. But overall, if Su Su could truly help resolve bloodline berserk issues, it would be worth it.
What they began to consider next was—
Could they bring more people into this “partnership”? After all, if one person jumped into the pit, why not have everyone jump together?
Families with beast-blood young ones were always worried about their children’s education and development. If they could bring all those families to the prison star…
Wouldn’t the planet’s transformation be completed several years ahead of schedule?
Xue Wei watched the two adults leave with some confusion. After Li Sinian and Yan Ya entered the elevator, Ran Lie emerged from the stairwell, adjusting his collar as he walked over.
“They’re staying?” he asked.
“Yes,” Xue Wei said with a smile, nodding. Her normally well-behaved rabbit ears, which always hung neatly behind her, had sprung upright in her excitement.
Ran Lie glanced at her ears, which twitched with joy, but before he could comment, the girl asked, “Lie Lie, where did you go just now?”
He froze for a moment, then turned his head with a cold huff. “Nowhere.”
Xue Wei looked at him curiously, noticing that his neck seemed redder than it had been earlier.
Meanwhile, when A-Yan finished preparing breakfast and opened the bedroom door, he found Su Ci already awake.
The young man was sitting against the headboard on the left side of the bed, his pale fingers lightly touching his lips. His brows were slightly furrowed, as though lost in thought.
A-Yan froze mid-step.
He gazed at Su Ci, feeling an unusual tension.
Would Su Su still remember the kiss from that morning? Probably… not, right? After all, whenever Su Su’s “morning temper” flared up, he would have no memory of what happened once he calmed down.
Like the time Su Su scolded the book spirit after being woken up and later thought someone else had done it…
A-Yan felt a pang of disappointment.
Of course, Su Su wouldn’t remember.
He pressed his lips together and spoke softly, “Su Su, breakfast is ready.”
Su Ci lifted his eyes and looked at him. In the next instant, he appeared right in front of A-Yan. Before A-Yan could react, Su Ci reached out, grabbed him by the neck with one hand, and pinned him against the wall.
A-Yan leaned against the wall, staring blankly at Su Ci as he drew closer.
“Su Su…”
“What did you do to me?” Su Ci demanded. It wasn’t a question—it was a statement.
A-Yan opened his mouth to speak.
But before he could say anything, his eyes widened in shock as Su Ci suddenly leaned in and kissed him.
A-Yan’s heart raced uncontrollably.
Just as he was about to respond, Su Ci pulled away. Frowning, Su Ci shook his head and muttered, “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Then, without another word, he let go of A-Yan and left the room, leaving A-Yan sliding down to sit on the floor, dazed and unable to process what had just happened for a long time.
