"Let's eat something to fill our stomachs first, and then we can discuss the next steps later."

Jiaojiao pulled out a piece of jerky and casually handed it to the little bear's mouth.

The dried meat was carefully smoked from wild boar meat, and had a brownish-red color.

As she handed it over, she said softly, "Here, have a bite, it's delicious."

The bear's nose twitched slightly, its wet tip opening and closing a little.

Immediately afterwards, it pulled its head back, pressed its ears back, tilted its furry head slightly to the side, and took a half step back with its limbs, making its meaning very clear.

"This bear is quite picky about food."

Jiaojiao pouted, withdrew her hand, looked down at the piece of jerky that had been rejected, and muttered, "I specially saved this for you. I didn't even give it to my older brother."

Su Qingzhi immediately understood; it must be because she had drunk too much of that spiritual spring water that her tastes had become so refined.

Two days ago, she filled a bucket with spiritual spring water in her online space and secretly fed a few mouthfuls to the little bear.

At the time, I just thought it was very thirsty, so I gave it some water to quench its thirst without thinking much about it.

Unexpectedly, after only one day, the little guy already couldn't get used to eating regular food.

She couldn't help but chuckle, thinking to herself that this spiritual spring was indeed extraordinary, even able to cultivate the discerning palate of wild beasts.

This little radish is small, pure white, and has a smooth and delicate skin.

Having been soaked in the sacred spring, its surface still faintly glows with a light blue light.

A sweet fragrance instantly filled the air.

She gently placed the radish in her palm, extended it forward, and said softly, "Here, do you like this?"

The bear's eyes lit up, and its dark pupils suddenly dilated.

It immediately and carefully took it with its two furry front paws.

The crisp sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet forest, and juices overflowed. The little bear squinted its eyes, its ears twitched happily, and its tail swayed gently involuntarily.

In that instant, the curve of her lips turned up so naturally, and her eyes sparkled.

It even raised one of its front paws and gently rubbed against the back of Su Qingzhi's hand.

For a moment, everyone was stunned, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

Shen Zhiyu was leaning against a tree, adjusting the straps of his backpack.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and froze, his fingers hanging in mid-air.

Little Blackie opened his mouth wide, almost drooling, and forgot to close it.

Old Li suddenly stood up, nearly slipping and falling, muttering, "Strange things happen every year, but this year is especially bizarre... Can a bear even laugh?"

Jiaojiao swallowed hard, her voice trembling.

"Sister-in-law... does this bear prefer vegetarian food?"

After saying that, she unconsciously took a half step back, her gaze sweeping back and forth between the little bear and Su Qingzhi.

Because the bear cub was nearby, no other wild animals approached all night.

At night, the desolate mountains and wilderness are always filled with the howling of wolves and the crowing of foxes.

But tonight, all is silent, not even the chirping of insects is sparse.

The fire crackled, illuminating the wary faces of the group.

Only the little bear curled up next to Su Qingzhi, sleeping soundly, its belly rising and falling with its breath.

Apart from Su Qingzhi and Jiaojiao, the other three took turns keeping watch at night.

Shen Zhiyu was on the first shift, sitting on the outer perimeter with a hunting knife in his hand.

Xiao Heizi, in the second shift, was fighting off sleepiness, yawning constantly, and occasionally stuffing some dry food into his mouth to stay awake.

Old Li was on his last shift; he wouldn't be on duty until just before dawn.

He wrapped his coat tightly around himself, leaned against the boulder, and never dared to truly close his eyes.

As dawn broke and sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the ground, Su Qingzhi slowly opened her eyes.

She was a little dazed when she saw the little bear squatting next to her and didn't react for a moment.

It was sitting upright, its dark eyes fixed intently on her.

When she opened her eyes, she even let out a soft "woo" sound, as if she were greeting someone.

Su Qingzhi was stunned for a few seconds before she remembered what had happened last night. Her heart warmed instantly, and she reached out to stroke its fluffy head.

"You've been watching over me the whole time."

Everyone quickly packed their belongings and prepared to continue their journey.

This time, however, the team has a new, fluffy member – a little bear.

Su Qingzhi cleared out half of the spare bundle, stuffed it with some spiritual spring radishes and water, and made a simple little shoulder bag to hang around the little bear's neck.

The little bear stood obediently, letting her manipulate it, and even nuzzled her shoulder.

The others looked surprised, but didn't say much.

"We're going into the middle section of the wild hillside today, so be careful of poisonous insects and snakes."

Shen Zhiyu stood at the front of the group, holding a hunting knife, his gaze fixed solemnly on the depths of the hillside.

The trees there were denser, the vines intertwined like a net, and the ground was damp and dark.

He added in a low voice, "I heard that someone once stepped on a poisonous centipede here and died within half a cup of tea's time."

"clear."

The three responded in unison, each checking their weapons and equipment, their expressions becoming serious.

Jiaojiao tightened her trouser legs and sprinkled some insect repellent powder into her shoes.

Little Blackie picked up the wooden stick, his eyes wide like copper bells.

Old Li then took out a crumpled yellow talisman from his pocket and silently stuck it to his chest.

The group quickened their pace and headed up the mountain.

The little bear followed closely beside Su Qingzhi, its ears perked up.

It would gently pat Su Qingzhi's leg as soon as it sensed any movement.

What is this?

Little Blackie was leading the way, when he suddenly stopped, pointed at the ground, and shouted something.

He bent down, parted a clump of withered grass, and revealed something half-buried in the mud.

The sunlight shone at an angle, causing the object to reflect light slightly and display its vibrant colors.

"A pink bow hair tie, of course."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!