Chapter Four: Hunger

This task was extremely simple in itself, especially for Ling Mo. All he needed to do was circle through the Magic Beast Rainforest a few times, find the most crucial main ingredient—Spirit Leaf Grass—and hand it over to the system to be refined into a pill. That would be the end of it. The Spirit Leaf Grass looked just like ordinary weeds, making it hard to distinguish, and it preferred to grow in dark, damp corners. But none of these were problems for Ling Mo. The only real issue was that the damned system had an absurdly high standard for the quality of the Spirit Leaf Grass.

At first, Ling Mo found a plant, casually pulled it out, and submitted it to the system, only to have it rejected as unqualified. Then he became increasingly careful. Just now, in order not to damage the Spirit Leaf Grass’s roots and stems, he dug out the entire patch of earth around it—about two feet in diameter. Even so, the picky system still wasn’t satisfied.

With a sigh, Ling Mo restrained his slightly exasperated mood and began searching in earnest. He rubbed his stomach, recalling that this morning he’d only hunted a Thunder Lizard for food, which hadn’t added much energy. He’d also used up quite a bit just now to put on a show. He needed to hurry.

Soon, Ling Mo’s eyes lit up. Not far away, he spotted another Spirit Leaf Grass. This one was noticeably sturdier than the ones before, its pale green leaves more lush and spread out. Ling Mo knelt down, carefully controlling every muscle in his arm, and “peeled” the Spirit Leaf Grass from the soil. This time the process was exceptionally smooth—even the finest roots remained intact under his expert hands. Filled with hope, Ling Mo submitted this nearly perfect specimen to the system. After a long wait, the system reluctantly prompted:

“Obtained Spirit Leaf Grass of quality 61, meeting the minimum standard. Beginning pill refinement.”

“Pill refinement successful.”

“You have obtained one Foundation Establishment Pill. Please deliver it to ‘Kathleen’ and have her take it as soon as possible.”

With this notification, Ling Mo didn’t waste any more time and headed straight back the way he came. He estimated he’d been gone an hour. Hopefully, nothing had happened to that female streamer. However, with his scent left behind for deterrence, there shouldn’t be any problems.

When he returned, Ling Mo couldn’t help but chuckle. The female streamer must have been tired; she was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree as thick as a man, fast asleep. Around the tree she’d set up a few simple alarm traps—not much use, but enough to wake her if needed.

Though her face was still bruised, she slept soundly. Not long ago, she’d been knocked down by the Blood-Eyed Toad Chief and nearly became its meal, yet in sleep her brows were relaxed—it was as if she’d been completely unaffected. Ling Mo quietly admired this ability to adapt; her calm, accepting nature was far better than his own back in the day.

Ignoring the traps on the ground, Ling Mo strode to Kathleen, lifted her up with one hand, and shook her. “Hey, wake up!”

As he lifted her, Kathleen’s body dangled in the air. Her eyes remained closed but her limbs flailed like seaweed, and she mumbled in her sleep, “Five more minutes… just five… more…” Her arms and legs drooped again, and her head, rather outrageously, rested on Ling Mo’s arm—she looked ready to drift off once more.

“The streamer’s adorable routine is on point!”

“That arm-and-leg flailing was just like kelp—I suddenly feel inspired!”

“How does someone this absent-minded even survive?”

“New viewer? Our streamer’s always been this carefree—yet somehow never dies!”

“Did anyone record that part? I was too busy watching and forgot to hit record!”

“Look at the tough guy’s face getting darker. I bet the streamer’s doomed!”

“She’s definitely done for! I saw the veins popping in his left hand!”

“…”

Ling Mo stood speechless for a moment, then shrugged and tossed the girl onto the ground. Kathleen landed with a thud, rolled over once, then suddenly sat up, rolled again for reasons unknown, and sprang to her feet in a defensive pose, eyes wide and innocent, scanning her surroundings as she shouted, “Ruaaah! Don’t come any closer! I’m not afraid of you!”

Ling Mo’s forehead twitched as veins popped. Kathleen finally came to her senses, stared at Ling Mo for two seconds, then her face shifted from embarrassment to alarm. She hurriedly dropped the pose and sat upright, bowing forward. “Master, please accept your disciple’s respects!”

The live chat was overflowing with laughter and gifts. Ling Mo, a little speechless, pulled Kathleen up. Seeing her cautious look, he waved his hand. “Alright, relax. Let’s start with the basics. What’s your name?”

“Kathleen.”

“And your family name?”

“Aio.”

Ling Mo paused. “Aio” was the name of the Creator God in the legends of the Noahfa Continent. According to their customs, orphans with no known identity were all given the surname “Aio.”

“I’m Ling Mo.”

“Ling… Mo? Master, are you from the Chana Empire?”

“I’m not sure, maybe. How old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“Not bad. Not too late. Do you exercise regularly? How’s your basic physical fitness?”

At this, Ling Mo noticed a hint of pride on Kathleen’s face. She spoke with confidence, “My physical condition is excellent. I can do over two hundred push-ups, and about thirty wide-grip pull-ups!”

Afraid Ling Mo wouldn’t believe her, she even lifted her shirt slightly to reveal half her stomach. “Look, Master! I have abs!”

“Very impressive. How about endurance? Explosiveness?”

Ling Mo’s questions were thorough, covering all aspects. For some, he even had Kathleen demonstrate on the spot. By the time she finished answering, more than half an hour had passed. Ling Mo pretended to ponder—though in reality he was consulting the system. Five seconds later, the system replied:

“Meets foundation requirements, though barely. Success rate: 95.3%.”

That was good enough. Ling Mo took out the Foundation Establishment Pill and set it before Kathleen. He said seriously, “Swallow this pill, then close your eyes. The process will be painful—you must withstand it. No matter what happens, do not panic. Understand?”

Kathleen couldn’t help swallowing when she saw the pill, which was about one centimeter across and bright red. It didn’t look appealing and had a metallic sheen—clearly not something good. But for some reason, the moment she saw it—or more precisely, the moment she smelled its faint, fresh fragrance—her stomach rumbled uncontrollably. Her entire digestive system seemed to scream: This is it! This is what I need! Eat it!

“That looks disgusting! Is the streamer really going to eat that?”

“Streamer, don’t do it! It reminds me of mithril! What if you end up with gallstones?”

“Looks just like snake oil!”

“All you keyboard warriors, hush! Does she have a choice?”

“Exactly! Eating it might not hurt, not eating it is certain death!”

“Still, you shouldn’t eat it. I just feel like it’ll make you bleed from every orifice and die on the spot.”

“If you don’t eat it, at least you’ll die in one piece…”

Kathleen didn’t think too much. The pill held her attention completely. She snatched it from Ling Mo, barely even glancing at it before popping it into her mouth.

The pill melted instantly, flooding her mouth with saliva. The taste was surprisingly good. Despite its metallic exterior, it was soft and slid down like pudding, a gentle warmth trailing down her esophagus. The further it went, the deeper and more soothing the heat became. When it reached her stomach, the comfort peaked—Kathleen let out a moan of relief. Before she could enjoy it any longer, agony like a thousand blades erupted in every corner of her body!

A silent scream! Kathleen’s mouth gaped in pain, but her voice box—wracked with the same torment—would not obey, so no sound emerged. Her body convulsed violently, sweat soaking her from head to toe. After a short while, it wasn’t just sweat anymore; a foul-smelling black substance oozed from her pores. This tar-like, viscous muck soon coated her entire body. Watching, Ling Mo felt a twinge of nostalgia—so this was what he looked like during his own foundation establishment? How wretched.

As the black substance gradually seeped out, Kathleen’s convulsions eased. She became distinctly aware that the inhuman pain was fading, her body regaining control bit by bit. When the last trace of agony vanished, Kathleen jolted upright. Staring at her hands in disbelief, she clenched and unclenched her fists, marveling at the newfound strength coursing through her body.

Was this really her own body? Explosive power surged through every limb. The towering trees seemed less daunting, as if she could leap onto them with a single bound; as for those great trees two people could barely wrap their arms around, she felt sure she could kick one down!

But that wasn’t all. Every one of her senses had been heightened to an ethereal level. She could hear the faintest rustle of the breeze, the steady thump of her own heart. Every detail on the forest floor was crystal clear; even the veins on leaves ten meters away stood out in sharp relief!

It was as if she’d evolved! Elated, Kathleen swung her arms experimentally. Finally, she remembered Ling Mo. Just as she turned to thank him, she caught the peculiar expression on his face—an odd mix of sympathy.

Sympathy? Why?

Before she could ask, she felt something strange. Her reborn body’s stomach contracted, a tight, fist-like clenching. Hunger and thirst radiated from her gut, instantly engulfing her entire being. Every organ, every cell seemed to be screaming at her—

Hungry!

So hungry!

Starving!