Everything went smoothly along the way as they journeyed deeper into the heart of the uncharted territory. The team's strategy was to take down the mutant beasts that posed little threat, while exercising caution around those that seemed too powerful or unpredictable. Their primary objective remained unchanged: to safely escort the female Guide, Mira, to the East Galaxy.
As they neared the forest, the air grew thick with an eerie, unsettling energy. Towering trees loomed ahead, their gnarled branches twisted and tangled like skeletal fingers. The team moved with heightened vigilance, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Mira, sensing the group's tension, offered words of reassurance, whispering, "Don't worry, it just looks scary in here, but it's safe. This is the territory of the mutant Lily of the Valley. That mutant plant only awakens every full moon to replenish its energy."
The reason she knew about it was because of Mochi, her companion spirit. Mochi couldn't speak, but they had established a spiritual connection, allowing them to communicate telepathically. Mochi had many friends, particularly among the descendants of the Plant Kings, although not the Plant Kings themselves. Through Mochi, Mira had gained a lot of knowledge about the mutant plants in the area, which had helped her survive for a long time. The mutant plants would offer Mochi fruits or other useful items, which had become Mira's treasures.
Mira had agreed to join the Sentinels because she was confident in her safety, thanks to her "protagonist halo." Also, based on all the things that have happened to her, events that can surely kill an ordinary person, but she always manages to stay alive, that's the biggest proof that she's a female cockroach, oh, her bad, female heroine.
After analyzing and contemplating her situation, she had concluded that she had indeed transmigrated into a novel, and her role as a Guide made her a valuable asset. Observing the Sentinels' respectful and gentle behavior towards her, she had felt her guard drop, and she was eager to join them on their mission. She wasn't foolish enough to stay in the forest, despite Mochi's friendships with the mutant plants; she didn't entirely trust them, and the forest wasn't a suitable place for humans to live.
With Mira with them, the team had an easier and faster route to the meeting place. There were two teams who both had the mission to gather sap from Plant Kings, but Vernon's team mission was delayed due to Mira's presence. Compared to the Plant King's sap, escorting a Guide was far more important. Everyone was gentle and respectful towards this Guide, who was easy to talk to. They were already happy that she was well-behaved; females could be very arrogant and delicate, but unlike ordinary females, Guides were much easier to approach. Although most Guides were cold and aloof, they weren't arrogant. It was just that Guides didn't like the opposite sex approaching them without their consent and hated invading their privacy.
But to their surprise, not only was she polite and well-behaved, her knowledge of the mutant plants and her companion's ability to communicate with mutant plants undoubtedly proved invaluable. As they ventured deeper into the forest, Mira pointed out various plants and explained their unique properties, warning the team about potential dangers and offering advice on how to navigate the treacherous terrain. The Sentinels listened intently, impressed by Mira's expertise and her calm, collected demeanor. They couldn't help but wonder about her past, how she had ended up in this unforgiving environment, and they kept cursing whoever might be the reason for her to be stranded in this place. At the same time, they felt pity for her and already imagined a hundred sad and tragic stories of how someone had hidden her since birth for their own personal benefits.
Mira had no idea that behind those calm and serious faces, those Sentinels were already thinking of ways to track down the one who had abducted her and how they'd make his life worse than death.
Vernon had already reported to the other team about finding a female Guide, and just like them, they were also shocked and excited. At the same time, they also cursed the guy who had abducted her. After a few minutes of running in the forest, Mira's hair was already messed up, but Mochi seemed to be enjoying the ride. All the Sentinels, including Vernon, would steal a glance at the cute, fat, pink mushroom on Mira's head.
Plant genes could only be fused with females, which was why all Guides had plants as companion spirits. However, the Sentinels in Vernon's team all thought that Mira's companion spirit was the most adorable and cutest of them all. There were few females, and Guides were even more rare, so Guides' companion spirits had their own fan clubs. The most popular Guide spirit was a Lotus spirit.
The Sentinels decided to create a fan club for Mochi when they got back. They all secretly captured shots and some short videos. Posting pictures and videos of females without consent was illegal, but it was okay if it was their companion spirits. However, they would ask for permission later if they could post them; if the female Guide objected, they would just treasure all those photos to themselves, the Sentinels thought to themselves.
At first, they really had no thoughts about this petite female Guide except for excitement in finding a female Guide and awe and respect. But after getting to know her, everyone of them really liked this approachable and kind Guide.