IMC Chapter 20

Lan Qing’s eyes lit up again. It was as if he was back at the registration site, where the fluffy ball had casually uttered the most provocative words, right in front of Fu Qing.

At that moment, Lan Qing, who had always walked a lonely path, felt a seed of friendship quietly sprouting deep within his heart. Perhaps, just maybe, if it was this mouse, it would be willing to be friends with a vegetarian snake.

So, on their way to the starship, Lan Qing leaned over discreetly. But how should he greet this formidable teammate? Would such a dominant partner consider a vegetarian snake unworthy? Lan Qing twisted himself into knots, almost tying himself into a bow.

Fortunately, the outcome turned out well. The fluffy ball felt secure after using the threat of not bathing, and Lan Qing gained his first friend in his snake life.

As Shu Bao leaned against the snake for shade, unaware of Lan Qing’s musings, he would surely clarify that during registration, he had merely spoken the truth and had no intention of provoking anyone. Who knew that you interstellar folks played such complex games, dividing into skill-based and luck-based categories?

The live audience found the scene of the snake and mouse seeking respite together quite idyllic, devoid of question marks cluttering the screen. However, some rational viewers remained skeptical of this pairing—after all, Shu Bao had offended both the strength and luck factions, while Lan Qing was pursued by the Lan Snake family.

Now, having just crash-landed, participants found it challenging to engage with each other. But as civilization expanded, interactions and clashes were inevitable. And without backup forces, the two of them would soon become prime targets for plunder.

Of course, these worries were premature. So far, only a handful of participants have constructed the mission hall. Most were still nomadic, simultaneously surviving and searching for suitable locations to establish their bases. After all, factors like water sources, population, and resources around the initial landing site would shape their future development.

Shu Bao and Lan Qing remained oblivious to the audience’s thoughts. After Lan Qing confessed his identity, Shu Bao responded candidly. The mouse sat up straight, attempting a serious demeanor. “Since you’ve been honest, I’ll be straightforward too: I’m not actually a simple mouse.”

Lan Qing looked at him curiously, and the live viewers perked up. Was this about to reveal another mysterious identity?

The fluffy ball patted its furry chest and raised its head with a hint of pride. “Actually, I’m a Treasure-Seeking Mouse!”

“Wow!” Lan Qing’s bright eyes fixed on Shu Bao, and he praised, “That’s truly impressive!”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the straightforward praise, Shu Bao playfully nudged his chubby cheek with a paw. “It’s not a big deal, really. I’m just luckier than your average mouse.”

Lan Qing nodded. “Luck is a form of strength too.”

Shu Bao blushed and nudged his face again. “You’re pretty amazing too.”

Lan Qing insisted, “You’re even more amazing!”

The audience: ??? What kind of mouse was this “Treasure-Seeking Mouse”? And was all this mutual praise really appropriate? Curious viewers rushed to search for information about the elusive creature, only to find no trace of it. They flooded back into the live chat, accusing the host of deception—no, deceiving the snake.

But then the high priest arrived, assuring everyone that the Black Snake had been dealt with, though there was just too much meat to store. Shu Bao decided to stash some of the snake meat in his system wristband and dashed off to help.

As Shu Bao disappeared into the distance, Lan Qing leaned in close to the high priest. “Do you know what a Treasure-Seeking Mouse is?”

The high priest looked bewildered and shook his head.

The audience: ??? Well, they could relax now. Mutual compliments and playful deception balanced things out.

Lan Qing, no longer fixated on his teammate’s identity, got down to business. “When do we start setting up the tents?”

The high priest hesitated. Why was everyone so concerned about tents?

To put the divine beings’ minds at ease, the high priest summoned some helpers to rebuild the tents. Lan Qing pitched in as promised, carrying small branches or dragging grass ropes with his neck. Occasionally, he even acted as a makeshift rope himself, tugging at the tent fabric.

Watching the little green snake bustling about in various shapes, the high priest found it challenging to compare it to the massive green snake.

With ample raw materials, the group quickly reconstructed the tents. After inspecting the freshly assembled tents and confirming their sturdiness, Lan Qing finally felt satisfied. He shook his slightly sore tail and happily slithered off to find his furry teammate.

After a quick search, he discovered that Shu Bao had already finished processing the snake meat and had apparently been inside the tent for quite some time. Guided by the Xia Wang tribe members, Lan Qing soon located Shu Bao’s tent. The snake raised his tail ready to knock, but when he realized there was no door, he simply asked, “Mighty Treasure-Seeking Mouse, may I come in?”

“Of course, esteemed Lan Snake,” came the swift reply from inside the tent.

The audience: ??? Please have a normal conversation.

With permission granted, Lan Qing poked his little head through the gap in the animal hide curtain and entered. Inside, he found Shu Bao holding a bone needle taller than a mouse, diligently sewing. Lan Qing raised an eyebrow. “Mighty Treasure-Seeking Mouse, what are you doing?”

Shu Bao placed the bone needle beside him as if he’d just set down a crimson-tasseled spear. He touched his chin thoughtfully. “I think our current titles could easily reveal our identities. After all, we’re not ordinary snake and mouse. We should be more cautious.”

Lan Qing tilted his little head, considering Shu Bao’s suggestion. “Maybe we should just call each other by our names from now on.”

Shu Bao nodded and pointed to the animal hide on the ground. “I’m planning to make a leather skirt.”

Lan Qing looked down and then compared his furry companion’s size. He gently reminded, “Isn’t that a bit large for you?”

“It’s for the high priest,” Shu Bao explained. “I accidentally scratched his previous skirt. But this needle isn’t very effective—it won’t pierce through.”

“No problem!” Lan Qing swam over, asking Shu Bao where to make holes. Shu Bao indicated the spot, and Lan Qing bit down, creating holes in the hide. Shu Bao praised the snake’s usefulness and was pleased that it would reduce wear on his paws. Having a helpful teammate was truly valuable.

With their combined efforts, the new leather skirt for the high priest was soon completed. The two of them carried it to find the high priest. Touched by the divine gift, the high priest examined the patched-up hide skirt he was wearing, now adorned with irregular holes.

Under the expectant gaze of their watery eyes, the high priest returned from his tent wearing the new skirt. Immediately, he drew many curious glances.

“How does it look? Do you like it?” Shu Bao asked, his eyes shining brightly. “I designed it to be form-fitting, accentuating the figure!”

The high priest wanted to mention that it was a bit snug, but ultimately, he praised the craftsmanship of the deity.

As Lan Qing observed the high priest in his tight leather skirt, he remained silent. Although he wasn’t a fashion expert, he knew the term “eye-catching”. He hadn’t expected his furry teammate to have such a unique sense of style. But that was fine—snakes didn’t need clothes, at least not until he transformed.

Satisfied after their busy work, Shu Bao couldn’t help but sigh, “Too bad we didn’t find any leopard-print hides; it would have looked even better.”

Lan Qing: “…” Hopefully, this world doesn’t have creatures like leopards.

After dealing with the black snake and the leather skirt, the next task was handling the captive slaves who had been delivered to their doorstep. It wasn’t too complicated, considering that they had hands and feet, albeit with rudimentary weapons compared to those produced by the system.

The high priest, now wearing a snug leather skirt, stepped in front of the numerous slaves. He explained the treatment method for slaves in the Xia Wang tribe. The Sishe tribe were all astonished—they had believed that their fate was either death or endless slavery. However, the high priest informed them that with hard work, they could soon become members of the Xia Wang tribe.

The Sishe tribe had just lost their tribal deity, and their future seemed bleak. However, a huge surprise shattered their despair. Fortunately, there was a group of captives ahead of them, and they could learn how to be diligent slaves.

And so, the slaves began their primary task upon entering the Xia Wang tribe: transporting supplies. Although they didn’t understand the purpose, obedience seemed like the right path.

To make a good impression, the Sishe people engaged in a frenzy of efficient labor—moving materials and chopping trees. Their speed left the Xia Wang tribe members in awe; clearly, the Sishe tribe excelled even at tree-cutting!

With the sudden increase in the labor force and unwavering enthusiasm, the resource bar reached an astonishing 59% by evening. Shu Bao, using the infrastructure system for the first time, wasn’t quite sure about the progress. Lan Qing informed Shu Bao that on a desolate planet, the average completion time in the mission hall was one to two months.

That night, the Xia Wang tribe enjoyed delicious roasted snake meat, while the Sishe people stuck to the game hunted by the Xia Wang hunting team—too afraid to eat snake meat.

Whether psychological or not, the roasted snake meat seemed to invigorate the Xia Wang tribe. They felt energized, and even the day’s fatigue vanished.

Shu Bao finally savored the long-desired roasted snake meat. With each bite, Shu Bao stretched out comfortably, nearly turning into a mouse pancake.

Beyond taste, being a tribal deity snake was extraordinary. The snake meat held a mysterious energy. Shu Bao speculated that it was a unique force inherent in this universe. As they ate, Shu Bao couldn’t help but exclaim, “Snake meat is so delicious!”

Lan Qing was quietly nibbling on a wild fruit, savoring its juice. It discreetly nudged the person sitting next to it, only to find that it was the high priest in a tight-fitting leather skirt with an awkward posture. The high priest sighed, “Snake meat is so tender!”

Other members of the Xia Wang tribe around them chimed in.

“Indeed, snake meat smells amazing!”

“Snake meat is truly delicious!”

“Why is snake meat so tender?”

Lan Qing: “…”

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