Lu Wanqing rested in the cave for a while at noon. After her nap, her spirits revived, and she went out again in the afternoon.
No matter what, she couldn't give up hope.
If there was no other way, she would have to eat the mutated, blackened plants. Regardless, she and Cui Cui had to survive.
However, to eat, she needed to find edible plants.
If there were no plants, animals would do. In any case, they had to survive!
But to catch animals, basic tools or traps were still necessary.
As Lu Wanqing pondered the problem, she moved aside the stones blocking the cave and stepped out.
Cui Cui watched her mother leave. She really wanted to go with her, but in the end, reason triumphed over emotion. She knew that if she went out and encountered danger, she would only be a burden to her mother, so she obediently stayed in the cave and did not leave.
After Lu Wanqing went out, she searched the forest diligently. Without tools, it wasn't easy to make traps for hunting. Finding some wild vegetables might be more practical.
Lu Wanqing continued to search further afield. When she was thirsty, she conjured some clear water to quench her thirst and then continued searching.
She searched for a long time. Just as she thought she would return empty-handed, she suddenly saw a fruit tree. It was peaches!
The peaches were also black, clearly mutated!
Lu Wanqing was still happy. She hurried over and picked a peach.
Lu Wanqing was unsure what the mutated peach looked like inside. She picked one and then opened it to take a look.
However, as expected yet incredibly disheartening, the flesh of the peach was also black, just like its skin. It looked... poisonous.
Despite this, Lu Wanqing still picked many peaches in one go, bagging them with her clothes. Seeing that it was getting late, she hurried back to the cave.
It might be dangerous after dark, and she didn't want to risk it for now.
Inside the cave, Cui Cui had been waiting anxiously. However, through the livestream, she saw her mommy on her way back, which made her happy. She kept looking towards the cave entrance, wondering if Mommy had returned yet.
Lu Wanqing returned quickly. The mother and daughter moved aside the stones blocking the cave entrance together, and then Lu Wanqing quickly went inside and placed the peaches she had just picked in the cave.
"Mommy, I need to use the restroom," Cui Cui suddenly said.
Lu Wanqing was slightly stunned, then quickly reacted and said, "Okay, let's go outside to take care of it."
Nature called, and it had to be answered.
Cui Cui wanted to go out.
Lu Wanqing remembered something and quickly said, "Wait a moment."
Cui Cui: "???"
Lu Wanqing looked at Cui Cui. She thought for a moment, took off her jacket, and then said to Cui Cui, "Alright, let's go out now."
Cui Cui didn't understand what her mother was doing, but she still nodded, "Mm."
The recording spheres on the insectoid side, or rather, the big eyes, were the same as those on the federal side. When she and Cui Cui separated, their eyes would split into two, each watching them. When they were together again, the big eyes would merge back into one. 138 Reading Network.
Lu Wanqing took Cui Cui outside and looked up at the big eyes floating above them.
The big eyes stared at them.
Lu Wanqing raised her hand and waved casually at the big eyes. The big eyes immediately retreated.
Lu Wanqing suddenly rushed forward, threw her clothes, and directly covered the big eyes!
The citizens of the Federation and the Empire watching the livestream: "..."
The hundreds of billions of insectoid viewers on the insectoid side: "..."
The livestream interface went completely dark. This was an outcome no one had expected. Lu Wanqing's move was too... much. Even if the scene was something people shouldn't be watching, she couldn't just cover the recording lens without a word. Did she ask for the recording lens's opinion before doing that?
It wasn't just Cui Cui who needed to use the restroom; Lu Wanqing also needed to take care of her own physiological needs.
Lu Wanqing followed Cui Cui, and the mother and daughter took care of their needs together before quickly returning.
Back in the cave, Lu Wanqing reached out and removed the clothes covering the big eyes.
Once the clothes were removed, the livestream resumed, and everyone was relieved to see that they were still alive and had returned to the cave without incident.
Lu Wanqing and Cui Cui were both very hungry. Their eyes simultaneously turned to the peaches Lu Wanqing had brought back.
"Let's not eat them yet. If we get too hungry to bear it, then we'll eat them," Lu Wanqing said to Cui Cui.
Cui Cui agreed, "Okay."
Lu Wanqing thought for a moment, then took them to the cave entrance, conjured water, and washed all the peaches.
Even if they ate them later, washing them first would be better.
Cui Cui watched from the side. The peaches really didn't look edible, but she was really hungry.
Cui Cui unconsciously placed her little hand on her stomach. It's okay, she could still hold on.
"Let's sleep. Once you fall asleep, you won't be hungry anymore," Lu Wanqing said to Cui Cui.
"Mm," Cui Cui replied.
"Mommy, I want to drink water," Cui Cui said after a while.
Lu Wanqing quickly agreed, "Okay."
Lu Wanqing suddenly felt fortunate that she had come to Old Earth with her third brother last time. If not for that experience, which caused her genes to mutate and awaken her water-element ability, she and Cui Cui might have been truly doomed this time.
Lu Wanqing conjured water and gave it to Cui Cui to drink. Then, the mother and daughter lay down and slept.
Time passed unnoticed, and it became darker in the cave. Lu Wanqing held Cui Cui and told her bedtime stories.
As Lu Wanqing told stories, the atmosphere in the cave also became warm. However, this warmth, combined with their current predicament, made those outside the livestream feel heartbroken and distressed.
Empire.
Little Harvey watched the livestream and anxiously nudged Ouyang Jian, "Uncle Ouyang, hurry and think of a way! Your Tianxing is very powerful, right? Let's just think of a way to kill all those insectoids and then rescue Mommy."
Ouyang Jian's head ached, "I want to, but I just can't think of a way!"
Little Harvey then looked at his father, "Dad, what about you?"
Xavier frowned, remaining silent.
Little Harvey hesitated, then said, "If all else fails, we could sneak in. Earth is so big, and the insectoids are over there. We could quietly sneak in from another direction."
Ouyang Jian was speechless, "Where is this 'other direction'? Every path that could lead there is guarded by insectoids. Didn't you see that so many armies from the Federation and the Empire are guarding it, and they still can't do anything?"
"Idiot!" Harvey angrily cursed.
Ouyang Jian: "..."
Xavier glanced at the little brat.
Harvey frowned. He thought for a moment, then said, "How about we disguise ourselves as insectoids? Humans can't get in, but insectoids should be fine, right?"