Arashi, let's become partners. This is Arashi's clan.
In the universe, a lush tree bearing star-like fruits floats in a planetless galaxy. It was originally the tree of life on a planet, and now it is the embodiment of all life on this planet.
022 walked through a long passage of time and space and stopped in front of it.
The Tree of Life, floating in the universe, noticed 022's return and dropped a leaf. The green leaf touched 022 and merged into its body.
“You seem to have returned much earlier this time than last time, 022,” said the Tree of Life.
The transparent slime landed on a branch of the Tree of Life, looked at the main body and said, "Mother Tree, I want to end this record and become a participant."
The memories belonging to 022 reached the collective consciousness through the branches of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life witnessed what 022 experienced after leaving Earth. Through 022's eyes, it gazed upon the being named Jiang Yunlan.
That was the partner 022 wanted to choose, a gentle being who could see the suffering of others.
"The primordial beast world planet? I agree. I believe you will be a wonderful participant," said the Tree of Life.
“I will always remember, Mother Tree. We record a civilization, we experience a civilization, not to plunder, but to give. The power we possess should not be the power to destroy life, but the power to make life better.”
"We are the tree of life, and everything we have comes from the gifts of the life that comes into contact with us."
Just like its shape. Without the gift of transparent slime, it cannot become a round transparent slime.
022 carefully stored its memories as a recorder and bid farewell to the main body. It jumped off the main body's branch and bumped into 056, who was returning from afar.
The three-tailed black cat under the tree saw 022 jump down and swiftly swung its tail to catch 022, thus avoiding a potentially disastrous collision. It raised its golden eyes to meet 022's gaze, then released its tail, letting 022 fall onto the exposed roots of the Tree of Life in the universe.
"022? Didn't you just finish your observation of Earth and go to an ocean civilization?" 056 asked in confusion.
The transparent slime, which had been sprawled out like a pancake, slowly got up, smiled, and said, "I went to the Primitive Beast World Civilization. 056, I've decided to become a participant. There's a child from Earth who arrived at the Primitive Beast World Civilization just like me, and I'm going to ask her if she'd like to become my partner."
"A child from Earth? When I went to Exali this time, I also met a child who was reincarnated from Earth. She is a child who loves flowers, and her name on Earth was Ye An."
"I'm prepared to become her partner and work with her to overthrow the tyranny of Exali and establish a new civilization. What's the situation on your end? 022."
"My future partner. Her name is Jiang Yunlan, and she is a cub who loves snowflakes. I will build a civilization with her from scratch, a civilization that can embrace all races."
...
022 once again embarks on a long journey, traversing countless galaxies, to arrive at a planet covered in vast expanses of green. The Primitive Beast World Planet.
It returned to the forest, flying day and night along its edge, simply to find its future mate as soon as possible.
The transparent slime darted through the forest, oblivious to the leaves and branches brushing against its body. It didn't know how long its journey back had taken, and a sense of unease lingered within it. It feared it would return too late, and that Lan would be gone.
Day and night pass by.
A dusty, gray slime poked its head out of the forest. White sand and blue sea came into view, but it immediately spotted a tiny squirrel-like orc cub among the orcs.
Lan is still young, so it seems she hasn't returned too late. 022 relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.
"What is this? What a strange beast! I've never seen one like it before." A butterfly beastman noticed 022 in the distance and curiously approached.
022 dodged the blue-haired butterfly orc's grasp and calmly flew back to Jiang Yunlan's side.
The orcs were drawn by the blue-haired butterfly orc's cries and also saw the strange creature flying straight towards Lan. Several orcs, including Yan Duoyu, were startled by its movements and drew their weapons to aim at it.
Maple Syrup raised her bow and arrow, nocked the fletching, and precisely locked onto 022.
Feng Hong stepped to the side, blocking Jiang Yunlan's path, her hands clenched into fists, staring intently at the approaching 022, as if she were about to beat it up at any moment.
"Wait! Don't hurt it, it's my friend!" Jiang Yunlan, who was being shielded by the beastmen, hurriedly called out.
The maple syrup, which had already fired its arrow, froze, watching helplessly as the arrow flew away.
022 didn't look at the incoming arrow; as if it knew where it would land, it lightly dodged, almost hitting its weapon.
The arrow fell to the ground, and no orc tried to stop 022. It flew smoothly across the path cleared by the orcs and landed on Jiang Yunlan's shoulder. Now it could touch objects, unlike before when it would just pretend to rest on Jiang Yunlan's shoulder.
"Welcome back, 022."
Jiang Yunlan turned her head to look at the dusty slime and said apologetically, "Sorry, 022. I was too slow to react and didn't stop Maple Syrup's actions in time."
She never imagined it would turn out like this, and she never expected that the beastmen would be able to see it and not recognize it at first glance.
“022 accepts your apology, I forgive them,” 022 said. It wasn’t angry to begin with. It knew how much the beastmen cared about Lan.
If it sees a strange creature suddenly rushing towards Lan, its first reaction will be to intercept and stop it.
"Thank you, 022."
As Jiang Yunlan spoke, she waved away the beastmen surrounding her and led the transparent slime to the salt fields where she and the beastmen used to dry salt.
The seawater had been left to dry in the evaporation ponds for several days, forming brine which was then introduced into the crystallization ponds for further evaporation.
Looking at the small amount of coarse salt that had precipitated at the bottom of the crystallization pool, 022 said with satisfaction, "Lan has almost finished making a batch of table salt."
"So you've come back just in time! After we finish drying the salt, we'll go find a new place to live," Jiang Yunlan said in a light tone.
This is the second batch of salt. Almost all of the clan's already limited pottery is ruined, leaving only a cooking pot. She wants to purify the coarse salt, but she'll have to wait until she finds a new habitat and makes new pottery to do so.
The first day after Jiang Yunlan was found was still sunny.
022, who could touch objects, experienced the joy of beachcombing. It walked ahead of Jiang Yunlan, picked up some non-toxic seafood, and happily flew back to Lan's side, throwing the seafood into the wooden bucket Lan was carrying.
Strange-looking fish were thrown into the bucket.
Brightly colored seashells were tossed into the bucket.
The shrimp and crabs hidden in the sand were thrown into the bucket.
022 possesses the ability to see the true nature of things at a glance; distinguishing the toxicity of food is effortless for it. It knows which seafood, which the beastmen dare not touch, is edible and how to prepare it.
The transparent slime was engrossed in beachcombing and unknowingly gathered all the orcs' dinner. Jiang Yunlan followed behind it, carefully noting down each type of seafood it put into the wooden bucket.
Those seafoods will be edible from now on.
Red flames illuminated the night, and the orcs gathered around the stone campfire, holding bowls and gazing longingly at the seafood in the pot.
It's food I've never tried before, I want to eat it!
The butterfly beastmen only eat vegetarian food and have no interest in seafood. They are more curious about 022 sitting on Lan's shoulder, and they stare intently at 022 while eating.
Maple Syrup received her food, but instead of eating it immediately, she held it up to 022. She only had two bowls of food, but she handed over the whole bowl, saying, "This is for you."
022 was surprised that Maple Syrup would give it food, especially a whole bowl of it. It stared at Maple Syrup for several seconds, then asked, puzzled, "Are you apologizing to 022?"
Maple Syrup recalled the meaning of "apology" that Lan Guo had mentioned and nodded sincerely.
“You are Lan’s friend, but I hurt you,” she said.
Arashi once said that friends are just as important as clansmen. Arashi's friends are equivalent to her clansmen, equivalent to her clansmen. Harming 022 is harming her clansmen, and this is unacceptable.
Warriors must not harm the orcs of their tribe. This was something she had been told by the deer-orc chieftain when she was still a cub.
"022 forgives you, but 022 doesn't need food. Take the food back."
Hearing this, Maple Syrup understood and promptly returned to her seat to eat the apology gift she hadn't been able to give. The beastmen all knew that Lan had a nature by her side called "022." She didn't understand why 022, which they couldn't see, had suddenly gained a physical form. That didn't matter, as long as it was still that friendly nature.
“022 can touch objects now, but it still can’t eat.” Jiang Yunlan said, using chopsticks to pry open a scallop, picking up the meat and putting it in her mouth, squinting her eyes in satisfaction.
022 is very good at picking food; the seafood she finds is all delicious.
It nodded. It had told Lan about this before.
"The fact that you can be seen now is probably related to your sudden departure from this planet," Jiang Yunlan asked again.
“Yes,” 022 floated off Jiang Yunlan’s shoulder and landed opposite her, looking her in the eye. “I went back and ended my role as a recorder, officially becoming a participant who can drive the development of civilization. Now I can be your help.”
"Lan, let's become partners. I want to build this civilization together, a civilization that begins with miracles."
Jiang Yunlan was drawn to the second half of its statement and asked in confusion, "A civilization that began with a miracle?"
“Yes. This is a civilization that began with a miracle. That’s what 022, who experienced it firsthand, believes.” 022’s tone was sincere, her round eyes curving into crescent shapes.
Long, long ago, it believed that the storm was a miracle.
Her resilient soul was able to support the self-repair of a dead body, enduring the pain brought by four hours of obsession until the arrival of Feng Hong and the other orcs. How could that not be a miracle?
"A miracle? It is indeed a miracle that Maple Syrup and the others were able to survive in such an environment and form a mixed-race clan," Jiang Yunlan said with a smile.
"Lan. They are miracles, but you are a miracle too." 022 spoke bluntly, leaving no room for her to misunderstand.
Jiang Yunlan froze, instinctively lowering her eyes. Was she also a miracle?
She could hardly believe it, but 022 never lied, so she looked up and flashed a bright smile: "022, let's be partners!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
