The forest fragments are changing; the orcs belonging to the land will…
The three orcs holding wine jugs looked at Jiang Yunlan with equally bright eyes.
Jiang Yunlan only has two hands, which are not enough to hold three jars of wine, so she couldn't help but laugh. "Put the wine on the ground first. You've been holding these things while waiting for me to see them, it must be tiring."
After she finished speaking, she spread out both hands, indicating that she didn't have enough hands.
The three gray-feathered orcs were laughing, their curved eyes widening after hearing Lan's words. They happily accepted Lan's concern, squatting down to lay the wine flat on the ground, their expectant gazes still fixed on Lan.
Of the three orcs, the one on the far left was closest to Jiang Yunlan and was the first to allow her to inspect the wine.
022 sat on Jiang Yunlan's head and looked at the wine with her. Since the body she was currently using was not yet an adult, she did not taste the wine by drinking it. She simply took a cup from each of the three wine jars, first checking the color and then smelling the aroma.
Before she transmigrated to the Beast World, she was just a college student who hadn't graduated yet. She had very little experience with alcohol, only sweet rice wine and the osmanthus wine that her grandparents had buried in the yard for her. She had so little experience with alcohol that even though she felt that the three jars of wine in front of her were a success, she still chose to ask 022 first.
"002, I smell alcohol. Did they all succeed?"
022 glanced at the three different colors of the wine, which were clearly made from three different raw materials, and nodded affirmatively: "It's a success. However, these wines should be aged for a while longer."
This means the wine isn't strong enough. Jiang Yunlan understood and instructed the three Grey Feather orcs to close the lid of the pottery jar, seal it, and bury it back in the ground.
The three orcs moved swiftly. They pushed the black soil back into the pit and stomped on it to secure the spot where the wine was buried.
The three Greyfeather orcs, having successfully brewed the wine, wagged their tails from side to side, wagging even more happily when they heard Lan say they could go and collect their quest rewards. Their long-awaited praise from Lan was finally fulfilled.
"The wine is gradually developing color; it should look even better and taste even better when it's dug out next time. Although I haven't tasted it yet, wine always gets better with age," Jiang Yunlan said with a smile.
Thinking of the new crops that would be planted in the fruit-growing area during the fruit season, she slowly spoke, while also comforting the beastmen who had failed to brew wine: "Next time, try using the wine leaves harvested by the tribe to brew wine. That is the raw material specifically for making wine. Even if you fail once, you can try countless times."
The orc was so moved by this defeat that his eyes almost turned into egg drop soup.
"We'll definitely succeed in brewing it!" they secretly vowed to Lan next time.
The beastmen looked excited. Jiang Yunlan blinked, not mentioning at this moment that Xia would no longer use food to make wine in the next few seasons.
Her attitude towards alcohol has always been that drinking is acceptable, but excessive drinking is not; she isn't overly opposed to the existence of alcohol. When food is plentiful, it wouldn't be unreasonable to allow the beastmen to indulge their preferences and produce a variety of different types of alcohol.
The existence of wine is actually a manifestation of sufficient food; a clan that cannot get enough to eat will not have the resources to brew wine.
"Now that the alcohol issue is resolved, it's time to revise the accommodation requirements for the orc dormitories."
After finishing dinner at the cafeteria, Jiang Yunlan strolled leisurely towards her residence. Looking up at the sky, she immediately changed her mind, saying, "I'll deal with it tomorrow."
She has already obtained the list of orc contribution points for the Mountain Habitat. Tomorrow, she will go to the Central Building to retrieve the list of orc contribution points for the Grassland Habitat. She will then be able to refer to both lists to determine the conditions for moving into the dormitory.
The orcs, including Maple Syrup, who were traveling with her, supported her decision. Evenings were for rest.
Perhaps because it had been too long since she had returned to her dwelling, Jiang Yunlan walked the road back to her residence countless times, looking at the road surface on both sides that had undergone many changes, and felt a great sense of novelty.
The stone path beneath her feet had been replaced by a cement surface, and the place where she had once said she would build a house now contained the buildings she wanted.
She probably hasn't had time to observe the changes in the tribe these past few days. She's not in a hurry to go and see; she won't go out until she's dealt with the issues at both habitats.
She had plenty of time to witness the changes in the clan, but she felt a little sorry for Sveta, who had to wait for her for so long.
“I’m sorry, Sveta, I might be staying with the tribe for a while. You may have to wait for me for several seasons.”
Hearing Lan's words, Sveta said happily, "It's just a few seasons, not long at all. Don't worry about me, Lan, just follow your own plans. After all, my old friends may not still be in the same place. Just going there doesn't mean I'll see them again."
“I just felt too bored staying in the same place and wanted to see the outside world. Lan, your clan is very interesting, and I’d like to stay a little longer.”
The forest elf's laughter and words effectively dispelled Jiang Yunlan's concerns.
The night is beautiful tonight, with stars scattered across the sky.
Jiang Yunlan entered the residential area, the sounds of conversation never ceasing. Maple Sugar and the other orcs had chosen the route she took back to their dormitory, making her surroundings extremely lively.
The lanterns hanging on the road emitted a soft light. She turned her head slightly and spoke to Ah Bai, who had just been moved to her right.
"You didn't like gathering missions before, how did you feel about this trip?" she asked, her eyes fixed on the path beneath her feet.
Abai submitted her own application to leave this time. She considered that the Zelans and Xia's orcs were making their first contact and there might be friction, so she took Abai, one of the top mediators, with her, leaving Yanlin in the tribe to continue training several new mediators.
Ah Bai didn't disappoint her, working with Yan Duoyu and Hati to resolve many conflicts, big and small. When soft approaches didn't work, Ah Bai didn't mind using hard tactics. This was a tactic he learned from his partner, Yan Lin.
After all, some orcs respond better to force than gentleness.
Upon hearing Lan's question, Ah Bai recalled the day he watched two of his tribesmen die in the mouths of the horned rhinoceros, and the day he told Cotton, "I don't like going out to gather."
“It’s not that I don’t like going out,” he said, glancing down at Lan who was walking intently, before turning his gaze back to her. “I later realized that what I actually hate is my own powerlessness.”
"Lan, I am weak. My strength can never compare to the warriors of the tribe, and my reaction time is not as fast as Black Soil's. The only thing I can compare with the warriors in is my running speed. I am an orc who is not suited to go out."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunlan paused for a moment before resuming her steps. "But you always did a great job when you were in charge of reconnaissance. Don't deny yourself."
Heitu and the others had quieted down at some point, looking at Abai with concern.
“I knew Lan would say that. So after the clan repelled the beast tide, I applied to go out,” Abai smiled shyly, looking at the worried Maple Sugar and other beastmen, his voice helpless, “I’ve figured it out, don’t look at me with such worry.”
When the beast tide appeared, he understood. He was weak and there were many things he couldn't do. He couldn't become Maple Red, nor could he become Black Soil, Ink Velvet, or Maple Syrup, just like he couldn't figure out how to fire the painted pottery in Cotton's hand.
However, even someone as incompetent as him has things he can do well.
During the beast tide, he could become Lan's legs, carrying her to the watchtower. Lan made him a mediator, and although he was initially confused and didn't understand, he tried his best and later received gratitude from his people.
In retrospect, it must have been Lan who discovered his problem back then and specifically asked him to be a mediator.
He was an orc who gained confidence from Lan.
"I want to do more and become an orc who can help Lan. If I can help Lan, I will try twice, three times, four times... until I succeed."
This is something he learned when he was a mediator. One failure means nothing; giving up is the real failure.
Most importantly, Lan wouldn't easily lose faith in him. Even when he gave up going out and left the gathering team, Lan wasn't disappointed. If Lan were to ever lose faith in him, it would surely be because he had committed a mistake that Lan could never forgive.
Lan is the most tolerant clan leader.
Feng Hong stared in surprise at the shy rabbit-beastman who was completely different from before, and patted his arm happily, "Not bad, Ah Bai, you've secretly grown up behind our backs!"
Cotton and the others hadn't expected his transformation to be so dramatic, and praised him several times. He blushed slightly upon hearing this, and when Lan praised him again, his already slightly flushed face turned bright red. He stammered, "Everyone is growing, so of course I should grow too."
"Hmm, come to think of it, am I the only one who hasn't grown?! I feel like I'm no different from before." Feng Hong thought about herself, but couldn't figure out where she had improved, and her expression became numb.
Jiang Yunlan, Maple Syrup, and the other orcs couldn't help but burst into laughter, pointing out several areas where she had grown. For example, her skills, knowledge, and sense of responsibility towards the clan.
She was overjoyed and chatted happily with her companions before seeing Lan to the door of her residence.
"Lan, see you tomorrow." The beastmen stood at the door, waiting for Lan to go in.
"See you tomorrow."
Jiang Yunlan stood by the door, and under their watchful eyes, she pushed open the door and walked into the house. When she was away from her habitat, Maple Syrup and Grey Honey would take turns visiting the Zephyranthes in her house every day, as well as the forest fragments, and they would also clean her house.
Therefore, when she entered the house, it was spotless, and nothing had changed. It was as if she had simply left yesterday and returned today.
The recliner and wooden chair the orcs had given her were placed against the table. All twenty-one Zeran eggs were still inside the nest.
Jiang Yunlan had a habit of checking on the Zelans as soon as she returned to the house, so she approached them very quietly. The moment she touched the Zelan egg, she noticed that the egg wobbled slightly, and all twenty-one Zelans swayed.
She stopped moving, her stunned expression turning into a gentle smile. "Thank you for waking up to welcome me. I'm back."
She spent a little time interacting with the twenty-one Zerans, listening to Sveta's conversation with the Zerans from afar, then turned and walked to the wooden frame to check on the state of the forest fragments.
"The forest elves' habitat is different from before; the color seems to have changed?" Jiang Yunlan picked up the original dark brown wooden branch, which had inexplicably lightened in color, and handed it to 022 on her head with a frown.
“022 can confirm that its color has changed,” said the round, transparent slime, holding a wooden branch.
The branches have turned brown. Why did this happen? The earth fragments haven't changed at all. The forest fragments hadn't changed anything before she left the clan.
Sveta overheard her conversation with 022, then turned her gaze to the brown wooden branch where no elves were present, and pondered for a moment.
“I remember there are only two scenarios when our dwelling changes. One is that the elves leave the dwelling and it disappears. The other is that the elves leave the dwelling and it becomes the dwelling of new elves. It seems to be the first scenario now,” Vesta sighed.
Jiang Yunlan recalled what Chaoxia had said: the Zelans no longer channeled energy into the forest fragments and earth fragments, and nodded in understanding.
It's probably just a matter of time. The forest fragments will become lighter, perhaps because they contain less energy than the earth fragments, so they dissipate more quickly.
She didn't notice that the twenty-one Zelan eggs next to her swayed slightly again.
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The author's note: Xia's mediators are categorized under police officers, which means they work at the grassroots level.
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