Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

# Chapter 71: This... Couldn’t Be a Colleague, Right? Under Alina’s urging.

The vegetable seed in the flowerpot miraculously sprouted. Although it was just a tiny shoot, in this land of ice and snow where it was impossible to grow crops, it was nothing short of a miracle, symbolizing that life and hope were about to bloom in this land.

Alina was too excited to speak.

She knew, of course, what this meant.

They had tried before to plant some moderately cold-resistant plants in this icy place, but without exception, the freezing weather and extreme temperatures didn’t even give them a chance to sprout.

And now, this ability could directly catalyze a seed’s germination and further shorten the germination period.

Even in a place as warm as spring, it would normally take a seed several days or even a week to sprout after being planted, and... this had happened in an instant....

Alina’s eyes shimmered with a faint light.

For a moment.

It was as if she saw a new hope for the future of the Reunion Movement.

They were not afraid of the cold, nor were they afraid of the harsh living conditions. What they feared most was the lack of sufficient food.

And if the food problem was solved.

Then the Reunion Movement could venture deep into the snowy plains, completely avoiding the pursuit of the Infected Pickets. Even though living conditions would be much harsher deep in the snow, ... to be able to live without worry was already the greatest luxury for the current group of Infected.

*Huu!* 

*Huu!!* 

Alina’s breathing quickened. Even the usually gentle and quiet her couldn’t help but feel excited at this thought.

”Thank you!! Mr. Reeve!!”

An incredibly moving smile bloomed on Alina’s beautiful face. She was truly grateful to Lucas Reeve from the bottom of her heart. Although she had just met him, and... he was a soul that only appeared in movies, and though she didn’t know his purpose, he had helped her twice in a row. This was a tremendous kindness.

Alina etched it deep in her heart. Regardless of his motives, she would definitely find a way to repay him in the future!

”Don’t get too happy just yet. It’s only sprouted. There’s still a long way to go.”

Lucas Reeve was well aware that he couldn’t rely on this ability to solve the entire village’s food crisis in an instant.

After all.

Alina was just one person.

And the Originium energy within her body was truly limited. It was hard to say to what extent she could catalyze the growth, but at least it gave her hope.

”By the way, Miss Alina, what kind of village is this?”

At first.

Lucas Reeve had only thought that Alina was a simple village girl from a remote, ordinary village. However, while chatting on the way back to the village, he learned that this village seemed to be full of Infected. Lucas Reeve knew about the Infected; they were people with Oripathy. Ceobe seemed to have Oripathy too.

Lucas Reeve hadn’t been on Terra for long, and for the past while, he had been mostly with Jessica. And what kind of person was Jessica? A young lady of high society~ How could there be many Infected around her? So Lucas Reeve didn’t have much of a concept of this Oripathy. It was probably like a terminal illness; once you got it, you could only wait for death.

A village full of Infected, how pitiful...

However.

Just when Lucas Reeve thought this was just a remote village full of sick people, he encountered that man-shaped monster called ’Patriot’ at the village entrance.

*Hiss!!*

So this is a *truly* ordinary village, huh?

Does an ordinary village have something like that? What kind of incognito master is this?

After feeling the pressure from Patriot, even inside the room, Lucas Reeve didn’t dare to let his soul emerge from the bracelet.

Alina was taken aback, then immediately explained.

”I’m sorry, Mr. Reeve. I forgot to tell you. I thought Talu would have told you. Our organization is called the Reunion Movement. Talu and I founded it to take in the oppressed Infected who have fled from Ursus.”

”Ursus? We’re in Ursus?”

Lucas Reeve was stunned.

So this was Ursus. Jessica was in Columbia, and his main body seemed to be in Sargon.

”Eh? You didn’t know, Mr. Reeve?”

”I wasn’t sure.”

Lucas Reeve shook his head.

”I have a question. The one we met just now when we entered the village...”

Alina had a flash of understanding and said with a smile.

”That’s Senior Patriot. He used to be a soldier in Ursus, but he left later. After we met him a year ago, he simply joined us. Senior Patriot may look scary, but he’s a thoroughly good person. Over this time, he has helped us fend off Ursus’s pursuit countless times.”

”Oh~”

Lucas Reeve nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, he said slowly.

”Um, Miss Alina, can you please not tell anyone else about my existence? The curse on me is a bit special. Unless it’s someone I have a contract with, no one else can discover my existence. Otherwise, I might disappear from the world.”

Lucas Reeve made up a random excuse.

He was genuinely afraid that Senior Patriot would, upon discovering him, unscrupulously tear him apart with a single slap. Although it was just a remnant soul, it would still hurt if it were destroyed.

”Ah!”

Alina exclaimed. She had been planning to introduce Lucas Reeve to Senior Patriot tonight. After Lucas Reeve’s reminder, she quickly dismissed the idea.

”Alright!”

”Don’t worry! Mr. Reeve!!”

”I can’t tell Talu either?”

Alina asked in a small voice.

”You can’t.”

Only after sensing that the powerful aura had disappeared from a distance did Lucas Reeve poke his head out of the bracelet and say cautiously.

”This is our little secret, Miss Alina.”

Lucas Reeve held out his fist towards Alina.

Alina’s pretty face suddenly blushed slightly, then she quickly concealed it.

”I will absolutely keep the secret! Mr. Reeve!”

Alina slowly extended her small fist and bumped it against Lucas Reeve’s. The agreement was made.

”Let’s continue training, and strive to cultivate the first mature crop as soon as possible.”

”Yes!!”

——Two hours later——

Alina lay on her bed, panting heavily. She was drenched in sweat, her simple outer coat clinging damply to her impressive figure. Her beautiful face was flushed like a ripe apple, her hair was disheveled and fell over her shoulders, and her eyes were glazed over, as if she had completely exhausted her strength.

”I’m so tired, Mr. Reeve. I don’t think I can go on....”

Alina said weakly.

”You worked very hard just now, Alina. Your body has exceeded my expectations. Why don’t we call it a day for now and continue tomorrow~

Lucas Reeve contentedly examined the well-growing vegetable sprout in the flowerpot on the table.

Just now, under Lucas Reeve’s guidance.

Alina had continuously mobilized the Originium energy within her body to catalyze the crop’s growth.

This so-called catalysis was not a process of creating something from nothing.

Fertilizer, water, and temperature were all indispensable.

This ability only sped up the process, meaning that if any of these three conditions were lacking, no matter how much she used the catalyzing ability, all she would get was a pot of withered crops.

For a full two hours.

Alina tried again and again. First, there was a lack of fertilizer; the nutrients in the soil were no longer sufficient for the plant’s growth, and the crop withered under excessive catalysis. Later, she found some fresh fertilizer, then added enough water, but it still didn’t work.

In this frigid land.

Even the temperature inside Alina’s house was far below the minimum required for this crop to grow. Under excessive catalysis, the crop froze to death.

After that, Alina simply moved the flowerpot next to the brazier to raise the temperature a bit. However, this didn’t help much either. In the end, it was Lucas Reeve who suggested building a simple greenhouse to ensure the temperature for the crop’s growth.

After that, Alina tinkered for a long time, trying over and over again, catalyzing again and again, and finally, she managed to create the conditions for the seed to continue growing after it had sprouted.

And from overusing her Originium energy.

Alina was truly exhausted. Although she was tired, she was very happy.

”I want to show the results to Talu and Senior Patriot. They’ll definitely be happy.”

However, at this thought, Alina became troubled again. How should she explain how she did it? Wouldn’t that expose Mr. Reeve’s existence?

Lucas Reeve said, ”Just say you awakened your Originium Arts a long time ago. You’ve just been researching it all this time and wanted to surprise everyone with your results today.”

The one good thing about Terra.

Any pot could be thrown onto the all-purpose Originium Arts.

”Is that really okay?”

Although Lucas Reeve said so, Alina was still a little worried. She was afraid that if Lucas Reeve were discovered because of her, what would happen if he disappeared...

Such a kind girl...

Lucas Reeve sighed, his gaze gradually softening.

”Go on, there won’t be any problem.”

”Okay!!!”

————————

Patriot’s squad’s hunting trip this time was quite bountiful.

There were three large beasts in total, each over two meters long and very large. It would probably take several armed, strong men to subdue one, yet Patriot had killed one with a single punch. Terrifying.

Since they were in the northern snowy plains of Ursus, which was cold all year round, there was no need to worry about spoilage. The three beasts were immediately butchered by the members responsible for it upon their return, and were then salted in batches to be made into unappetizing but filling jerky.

And for the Reunion Movement.

The importance of food surpassed everything else. For fairness and to prevent any members from acting selfishly.

Usually, when storing cured food, Talulah would personally supervise on-site.

Patriot’s return with three big catches, plus Alina’s risky trip to another village to trade for a lot of bread and jerky, meant that with some frugality, they should have enough to last for a while longer. The members, who had been sallow with hunger, were now showing smiles.

After experiencing the oppression of Ursus.

These Infected no longer dared to have higher expectations for life. Just being able to survive was the greatest luxury...

”Talu, Talu!!”

Just then.

The sound of Alina’s anxious and excited voice reached Talulah and the others’ ears.

”Alina?”

Talulah naturally knew that Alina had risked danger again to trade for food. Although she really wanted to scold her, ... she did it for everyone’s sake, so she swallowed the words she wanted to say.

Because Patriot was also nearby, Lucas Reeve completely concealed his soul, not wanting this man-shaped monster to discover his existence. He cautiously observed the leader of the Reunion Movement, Talulah, through Alina’s eyes.

She was a very attractive woman.

She had short, grayish-white hair that curled at the ends, and a pair of gray eyes that were incredibly resolute. On her head grew a pair of sharp dragon horns.

”Hmm??”

Dragon horns?

Lucas Reeve knew about them.

They were common among some races on Terra, like the Feline, which generally represented races of ordinary animals. Other races were relatively rare, like angels... actually, angels weren’t that rare, it was just that they rarely left Laterano. Or races representing mythical creatures, like dragons!

Western dragons and Eastern dragons. The only orthodox dragon Lucas Reeve had seen was Officer Ch’en from Lungmen. Liskarm didn’t count; her Vouivre race were bipedal wyverns, their bloodline far less noble than these two royal dragon races.

Talulah’s sharp horns reminded him of Officer Ch’en from Lungmen.

Wait a minute.

Inside this Miss Talulah’s body!!

*Hiss!!!*

Lucas Reeve sucked in a breath.

I haven’t run into a colleague, have I?!!!

”Talu! Senior Patriot, FrostNova, I have something I want you to see!”

The three of them looked at the mysterious object wrapped in coarse cloth in Alina’s hands, somewhat puzzled.

They had originally planned to wait until the food was stored before looking, but at Alina’s insistence, the three of them walked into the largest meeting hall in the village, perplexed.

”What is it, Alina? You seem a little strange today, so secretive.”

Talulah found it strange. Alina was usually very gentle, rarely showing any strong emotional fluctuations, but today’s...

Um...

How to put it.

It felt like today’s Alina was... a lot more lively.

Was it because she was so happy that I gave her a bracelet?

That shouldn’t be it.

It was just an ordinary bracelet.

Alina mysteriously placed the object in her hands carefully on the table, then abruptly uncovered it.

A pot of green plants was revealed before them.

Green!!

The three of them froze simultaneously.

For a moment, they were at a loss for words.

An ordinary potted plant might not mean much elsewhere, but in this land of ice and snow, it represented life!!

”Alina... this... what’s going on?”

Talulah was agitated.

It wasn’t just Talulah; even Patriot and FrostNova couldn’t help but be astonished.

A green plant!

A real, living green plant!

In this snowy land, it was impossible for green plants to grow... but... there was one right before their eyes.

Alina repeated what Lucas Reeve had told her before.

She gave the excuse that she had awakened her Originium Arts long ago.

As expected...

Just as Lucas Reeve had predicted.

They didn’t seem to doubt it much.

After all, Alina was also an Infected, and the Infected had a greater chance of awakening Originium Arts than ordinary people. Alina’s reason wasn’t entirely impossible...