It's like when you have so many fleas that the itching no longer bothers you.
Huai Shi realized that when you have too many problems to face, people can mysteriously become incredibly calm.
Lately, he had been plagued by confusion and unease about the Future, but when he was thrown into the wilderness, he suddenly became aware of the restlessness that had simmered within him without his notice. It wasn't just the burgeoning confidence, but also the growing anxiety that had been accumulating along the way.
The current arduous journey seemed like a slap that suddenly came flying at Huai Shi.
The slap was loud.
It was as if a brutal punishment from outside society jolted him awake from his previously meaningless rumination.
Idiot, stop dawdling so much. Hurry up and think of something you can solve!
No matter how complex and dark the past was, making it inescapable, or how vague and distant the Future was, making it impossible to make a decision... these were undoubtedly things worth confronting seriously and considering carefully.
But more importantly, it should be about the present.
The harsh reality forced Huai Shi back onto the ground. It compelled him, like everyone else, to begin a difficult journey on foot, rediscovering the real feeling of survival he once had.
Huai Shi felt joy and fulfillment from this.
Experiencing his powerlessness and limitations did not discourage him; instead, it made him increasingly happy.
As time passed, after getting through the trying initial period, Huai Shi gradually became familiar with this overly desolate world.
The pollution clouds from the edges of Australia had disappeared without a trace at some point.
But new problems started to emerge. The most pressing was water.
On the evening of The Sixth Day, Huai Shi, upon waking, went through his usual routine of checking his supplies and suddenly discovered that a third of his drinking water was already gone. He hadn't even walked one-fifth of the journey, yet his water was already running low.
He triple-checked his calculations and repeatedly reduced the daily water ration for the coming days. Even after cutting it down to the bare minimum for survival, a huge shortfall remained.
Huai Shi tapped his pencil against the notebook in his hands, lost in frustrated thought.
In reality, no matter how much he reduced his intake, it wasn't a solution to the problem.
There were only three choices before him now.
The first option was to turn around immediately and head back. Considering the risks and the possibility of getting lost, the remaining two-thirds of his water would undoubtedly be enough to support his return to Darwin for another round of supplies.
Fortunately, he had enough money.
At worst, he could find some troublemakers near the town, enforce the law, and get everything he needed—maybe even a car.
The second option was to adjust his course eastward starting now. If he controlled his intake, he could reach the Queensland Gulf before his current water supply ran out. By then, he would be able to replenish his water supply comfortably.
But the biggest problem was that the Queensland Gulf had been a radiation zone to this day and was also a focus of monitoring by the Astronomical Society. Even after more than a hundred years, the radiation there still hadn't returned to safe levels, but it was more or less within the Mountain Ghost's tolerance range.
However, Huai Shi didn't know if he could maintain his current physical and mental strength after consuming food and water from the radiation zone, or if it would still be possible to traverse the desert ahead and reach Canberra. This was a gamble.
And if the first option was the safest and the second was a moderate gamble, then the third option would be seriously risky.
That was to stubbornly forge ahead and muscle through, betting he could find a new source of water in the ruins of a former city.
If he succeeded, he'd arrive in Canberra and enjoy a big meal. If he failed... he'd be relegated to eating cold meals on the bench of the Astronomical Society's emergency rescue team.
It wouldn't be life-threatening, given the efficiency of the Astronomical Society.
But it would be extremely embarrassing.
Overconfident in challenging nature, and after getting knocked down, waiting for the rescue team to come to the rescue—it's even more ridiculous than amateur hikers blundering around and then having to call emergency services when they run into trouble.
Huai Shi found himself in a dilemma, facing three options.
The first was the safest, the second the steadiest, and the third the quickest.
Could there be no way that was both safe, steady, and fast?
Raven observed Huai Shi's naive expression as he indulged in wishful thinking and finally couldn't repress a sigh. "Can't you be a bit more self-aware... You're a Mountain Ghost, after all, aren't you?"
"Huh?" Huai Shi was bewildered.
"Are all those plant lives inside you accumulated for nothing?"
Raven rolled its eyes. "Were all those ecological structures you saw along the way for nothing? In theory, as long as there's a place where you can take root, you wouldn't die of thirst or hunger. So why are you being so embarrassing?"
"Huh?"
Huai Shi was stunned. "Can I really do that?"
"Why not?" Raven retorted. "If a Yin Soul can specialize into an Earth Bounded Spirit, Red-clothed Ghost, or Headless Ghost, why can't a Mountain Ghost adapt its genus and species?"
Feeling Raven's 'your whole family is disappointed in you' gaze, Huai Shi closed his eyes skeptically.
Trying... to turn myself into a plant person.
Well, I'm already a plant person, but this time I have to adjust myself from being part of the 'subtropical monsoon climate region' category of mixed plant person.
I'll temporarily seal away other unnecessary species and genera, then specialize as a 'tropical desert climate' type of solitary survival class Plant Person.
I need to minimize water consumption to the greatest extent and enhance digestive efficiency to adapt to the harsh desert environment with alternating high temperatures and severe cold.
Main constituent species: Crassulaceae, Cactaceae, Aizoaceae, Liliaceae, and so on...
Visible to the naked eye, Huai Shi's Source Fluctuation began to drop rapidly, as if taking a dive.
He had never really stored any Abyss plants. Now, after stripping and sealing away other ecological families from within himself, he could feel his strength plummeting.