Chapter 227
“We went to battle!”
Hearing Mu Bao’s question, Lang Ze grinned and proudly displayed the badge on his chest.
“We’re all members of the Cub Squad!” He puffed out his chest with pride. “We fight monsters to protect the base and Earth Star!”
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
Mu Bao clapped his little hands, his gaze full of admiration as he looked at Lang Ze and Lu Jiao. The other cubs couldn’t help but feel a mix of embarrassment and pride.
Yes, they were the Cub Squad. Defeating monsters and protecting Earth Star was their responsibility!
Even Rong Heng, the most composed of the group, couldn’t suppress a small smile. After all, they were still young—who wouldn’t enjoy being admired and praised by their peers?
As for Mu Yuncheng, the moment he noticed Lang Ze’s badge, his eyes widened in shock. He quickly checked his communicator and found—
The Cub Squad was a legitimate unit within the Star Alliance!
Mu Yuncheng was momentarily dazed.
Returning to the homeworld had already been full of surprises and awe-inspiring discoveries. Not only was the Earth Spirit extraordinary, but even the cubs raised by the Earth Spirit were so strong!
Yet, as this thought crossed his mind, he also felt that it was only natural.
The Earth Spirit was the deity of their Wood-Elemental Tribe—how could anything associated with them be ordinary? These children, blessed by the Earth Spirit, were exceptional, as expected.
“Then… can I join the Cub Squad too?” Mu Bao’s voice was filled with hope and anticipation.
“Can you fight?” Lang Ze asked without hesitation.
The surrounding cubs perked up their ears. As the captain and vice-captain of the squad, Ran Lie and Rong Heng both looked at Mu Bao. Though they often clashed, they shared a common belief:
Membership in the Cub Squad was earned through strict selection. Not just anyone could join, not even friends.
Mu Bao froze at the question.
He nervously fidgeted with his fingers before shaking his head. “No, I can’t fight.”
His face fell in disappointment. After all, he was just a child raised in a peaceful environment. His plant bloodline wasn’t combat-oriented, and his natural state was fragile and in need of protection—a typical cub.
At that moment, Lang Ze asked another question, “Then what can you do?”
Mu Bao thought for a moment before hesitantly replying, “I… I can plant things. I know lots and lots of plants…”
Plants were his friends, and he could keep them in good condition, helping them grow happily and healthily every day.
But… surely that wasn’t something the Cub Squad needed, right?
As soon as he finished speaking, all the cubs widened their eyes in surprise. Even Ran Lie and Rong Heng, who had been sizing him up critically, couldn’t help but nod.
“Wow, Mu Bao, you can plant things? That’s amazing!” Lang Ze exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with genuine admiration.
The cubs’ own planting skills were rudimentary—digging holes, covering seeds, watering, and fertilizing. They knew from Uncle Zhuang that planting was a complex science. To make plants thrive required immense care and expertise.
They had promised Su Su that they would grow crops, but they were far too busy. Between training, studying, and dealing with monster invasions at other bases, they barely had time to focus on farming.
For now, they relied on urging the adults at other bases to handle the planting.
But Mu Bao had just claimed that planting was his specialty!
“That’s right! Mu Bao has a plant bloodline, so he must be amazing at farming!” Lu Jiao chimed in with a nod.
Ran Lie and Rong Heng exchanged glances before Ran Lie, the captain, finally spoke. “Joining the Cub Squad would be too dangerous for you, but you can stay at the nursery.”
Hearing this, Mu Bao’s eyes lit up with hope. “What can I do at the nursery?” he asked.
Rong Heng took over and said seriously to the child, “That’s right, we need you, Mu Bao.”
“Yes, Mu Bao, you can stay at the nursery and focus on farming—doing what you’re best at,” Lang Ze added.
Mu Bao had never been treated with such importance before.
He was overjoyed and immediately agreed without hesitation, “Okay! I’ll stay and farm!”
Meanwhile, Mu Yuncheng: “…”
Why did he feel like something about this situation was a little odd?
Still, seeing Mu Bao accepted so warmly by the children at the nursery made Mu Yuncheng happy. After all, his original plan was to stay on the homeworld to restore the environment… which wasn’t all that different from farming!
At that moment, he realized something and quickly asked Lang Ze, “The Earth Star you mentioned earlier—which ‘Earth’ is it?”
This was likely a name approved by the Earth Spirit, which is why the cubs called it that, right?
However, Lang Ze was stumped by the question. Scratching his head, he turned to Lu Jiao. “Hey, hey, which ‘Earth’ is the Earth Star named after?”
This was no challenge for their little scholar, Lu Jiao. His eyes lit up as he confidently replied, “I know! It’s the ‘Earth’ in ‘Great Earth’!”
He had asked Xiao Zhi before, who had confirmed it with Su Su, so there was no mistake.
“Uncle Mu, did you hear that? It’s the ‘Earth’ from ‘Great Earth’!” Lang Ze repeated excitedly.
“Yes, I heard it,” Mu Yuncheng said with a broad smile.
Earth Star, the Earth of Great Earth… How fitting!
Lang Ze thought Mu Yuncheng’s smile was a bit odd, but after giving him a quick glance, he returned his focus to his meal.
Over the past few months, the cubs’ meals had drastically improved. Gone were the days of surviving on nutrient paste. Now, every meal featured a variety of meat, vegetables, and soup, with a different menu every day of the week.
These ingredients came from two main sources: the nursery’s own farming and livestock efforts, and contributions from other bases.
Among the 36 bases on the prison planet, Base 24 had always been the poorest, lacking even its own livestock farm. By contrast, other bases had at least some level of farming or ranching.
While the blood mist invasion had caused significant losses, the larger bases had recovered quickly—especially with the help of the Cub Squad. Over the past few months, most bases had bounced back from the monster attacks.
Moreover, the conditions Su Ci had set—cultivating 10,000 square meters of greenery within one month—had been exceeded by all the bases. Many even continued the greening projects.
For one, the purified spirit grass not only neutralized the blood mist but also significantly improved air quality and reduced the frequency of monster appearances.
For another, the purified land became arable, yielding vegetables that were both edible and useful for livestock farming, further improving the quality of life for the garrison soldiers.
Most importantly, when the Cub Squad visited to help fight monsters, they strongly encouraged bases to continue their greening efforts. Bases that excelled at this were more likely to gain the cubs’ favor and attention.
Moreover, they discovered that as the greenery expanded, the frequency of extreme weather events around the bases significantly decreased compared to before.
It was worth noting that the monsters were particularly difficult to deal with not only because of their inherent strength and the blood mist that obscured them but also because they were often accompanied by extreme weather conditions, which caused significant disruptions for the garrison forces during battles.
Now, however, everyone could clearly feel that life at the bases was improving day by day.
When quality of life improves, who would willingly continue struggling in harsh environments? They were soldiers, but they were also human. Was it wrong to pursue basic living standards?
Even those bases that were initially reluctant to invest time and resources in greening efforts eventually succumbed to the persistent petitions of their garrison soldiers.
The issue wasn’t inequality but rather the perception of it. Previously, all bases had been in similar conditions. Now, however, some bases—like Base 26, which had the closest ties to Base 24—stood out.
Base 26 had not only completely eradicated the blood mist within its boundaries but had also replaced every scrap of metal flooring with arable soil for planting crops.
This base not only restored order at record speed but also significantly improved the quality of life for its soldiers. The troops could now grow stronger while maintaining their health and morale. How could the other bases not feel envious?
Moreover, the new recruits at Base 26 had no shortage of training opportunities.
After a period of recuperation and learning from previous monster encounters, they began expanding beyond the base, systematically scouting and clearing monsters in a planned manner.
This type of training was multifaceted and far less chaotic than the desperate struggles during monster invasions.
With such a “model base” leading the way, how could other bases on the prison planet not follow suit? As a result, a wave of greening and environmental transformation swept across the planet.
And, naturally, the Cub Squad—who had been instrumental in helping other bases—reaped the benefits of these improvements!
After all, no matter how much the cubs ate, with thirty-six bases supporting them, there was more than enough to go around.
In fact, due to the overwhelming supply of food from other bases, Base 24 had to implement a schedule to prevent waste and ensure freshness.
Even with one base allocated to each day, the rotation wasn’t enough to cover a full month!
When the schedule was released, some bases protested, demanding more opportunities. Visiting the nursery only once a month wasn’t enough—they wanted more chances.
Who wouldn’t want to see the little heroes of the Cub Squad in person? There were even stories of lucky visitors who not only spoke with the adorable cubs but also got to pat their fluffy ears—an experience so heart-melting it was almost overwhelming!
However, these protests were swiftly quashed.
After all, even the staff at Base 24 had to take turns volunteering at the nursery. Why should other bases have priority?
The inspectors who had returned after a leave of absence often found themselves stunned by the dramatic changes. Who could have imagined that in less than a year, the nursery—or rather, the entire prison planet—could undergo such a remarkable transformation?
Who could have imagined that just a few months ago, the cubs were little “monsters” everyone avoided like the plague?
Of course, the most outrageous part was how the inspector, whenever he brought up this topic with colleagues, would be met with disapproving glares from everyone around him.
“The cubs were influenced by their berserk bloodlines and couldn’t control themselves. How can you say such things about them?”
“Exactly! The cubs are inherently kind and well-behaved children. Calling them little monsters is just too much!”
“That’s over the line. If you can’t fulfill your duties as an inspector, perhaps I should take your place.”
The inspector: …Well, there it is!
Still, today’s lunch at the nursery wasn’t entirely made with ingredients sent from other bases. One key item was produced locally—the fish from the river!
Autumn is the season when fish are at their plumpest and most delicious.
The river outside the base had absorbed spiritual energy, and fish raised in such water had particularly tender, flavorful meat, making them delicious no matter how they were prepared.
The only trouble with eating fish was the bones.
Lang Ze carefully picked a piece of fish with larger bones, patiently removed the tiny spines, scooped it into a bowl, and added a ladle of fish soup, which had been stewed to a creamy white consistency. Only then did he place it in front of Zheng Xing.
“Xing Xing, be careful—it’s hot.”
With that, he went back to devouring his own lunch, clearly starving.
“Thank you, brother…” Zheng Xing murmured softly. Seeing Lang Ze focused on eating, he lowered his head and began to scoop fish soup and fish meat with a small spoon.
He loved fish soup—it was his favorite!
The other cubs also ate with gusto, leaving nothing behind, diligently following the “clean plate” principle.
After finishing their meal and preparing to leave the cafeteria, Wen Yan stood up, clapped her hands, and said, “Little ones, has anyone noticed that they’ve gotten taller recently?”
Have they?
The cubs looked down at themselves, then at each other, but no one seemed noticeably taller. However, their pants were definitely shorter.
“Yan Ya and I are planning to make each of you two new outfits. We’ll consult Su Su about the designs. After you finish eating, come over here so I can take your measurements. Sound good?” Wen Yan continued.
Lang Ze was the first to raise his hand. “Does everyone get two outfits?”
“Yes,” Wen Yan replied with a smile.
“Awesome!” Lang Ze cheered, jumping up excitedly.
Even Ran Lie, who usually maintained a cool and aloof demeanor, couldn’t hide the sparkle in his eyes when he heard they’d each receive two new outfits.
Although he tried hard to keep his clothes in good condition, the battlefield often made it difficult to find places to change. Now, the nursery only had two sets of cub-sized clothes that fit him—the one he was wearing and another tucked away in his storage pouch.
Two new outfits weren’t much, but it was better than nothing!
The cubs obediently lined up as Wen Yan took their measurements and recorded their favorite colors. She believed that, with adequate resources, a little personalization wouldn’t hurt.
Once Wen Yan and Yan Ya finished drafting their designs, they brought the sketches to Su Ci to discuss, just as he had finished his meal.
Hearing their proposal, Su Ci thought it was a good idea but added, “Let’s include a few sets of training uniforms as well.”
“Training uniforms?”
“Mm.” Su Ci didn’t intend for them to handle this part and instead looked toward A-Yan.
Understanding immediately, A-Yan smiled and nodded. “Got it. I’ll make a few training uniforms for the kids to try.”
A-Yan’s training uniforms, of course, would be crafted using his refining techniques. He had recently gathered enough materials and already had a rough design in mind.
Wen Yan and Yan Ya hadn’t expected A-Yan to also make clothing—especially specialized training uniforms they had never seen before. Intrigued, they said eagerly, “We’ll leave it to you, then.”
After sending the cubs’ measurements to A-Yan, they took their leave.
A-Yan watched as Su Ci picked up a pen and sketched on a blank sheet of paper. With just a few strokes, he outlined the basic design of the training uniform. Its style was simple and traditional, a far cry from the modern aesthetics favored in interstellar society—but so what?
Suddenly, A-Yan chuckled and remarked, “With these uniforms, Little Ran Lie won’t have to take off his clothes before beast transformations anymore.”
Under their protection, nothing that happened in the nursery escaped their notice, including Ran Lie’s little habit.
But now that the problem would be solved, he was sure the boy would be thrilled.
