Qingcao chuckled. "Listen to me, sis. When we start gathering, stick close to me. There aren't that many edible wild vegetables in the Polar Forest. I might not be as sturdy as the older girls, but I definitely know more kinds of vegetables than they do."
Her earlier disappointment was gone, replaced by a voice full of pride.
Wu Yue nodded obediently. "Okay, I'll follow your lead today."
'Looks like I've found a little expert to rely on.'
All along the way, the females chattered like sparrows, the air buzzing with excitement.
Every now and then, one of the females would run over, Beast Skin in hand, to say hello to Wu Yue and ask about her.
Their eyes were full of curiosity, with no trace of scheming or ill will.
Since this was a place she would be living long-term, Wu Yue was happy to befriend them. They gradually grew closer as they talked.
Several females had already invited Wu Yue to gather with them next time.
Hearing this, Qingcao puffed out her chest. "Yue's with me, so don't even think about it."
The other females roared with laughter. "You're right about that! With Qingcao around, Yue, that little palm-sized pouch of yours will surely be filled to the brim."
Wu Yue glanced at the satchel at her waist—a bag easily the size of a shopping basket from her past life—and was left speechless...
'Seriously, whose palm is that big? I'd like to see it!'
"ROAR!" Suddenly, a beast's roar from up ahead echoed through the entire Collection Team.
The team, which had been advancing just a moment ago, instantly stopped.
Wu Yue looked toward the sound and saw the half-beast female at the head of the group raise her massive tiger paw high, shouting something.
Qingcao tugged on Wu Yue's loincloth. "Amu said we'll be gathering here today."
With that, she pulled Wu Yue to the side. "Come on, this is an area we gather from all the time. I know a spot with tons of wild vegetables."
As for Wu Yue, she tore her eyes away from the massive tiger paw, the corner of her lip twitching uncontrollably.
'Sure enough, nothing is impossible in the Beast World.'
'I was just complaining about their "palm-sized" bag comment, and reality decided to slap me right in the face.'
Following Qingcao, the two ran toward a spot where more of the females were gathered.
Many more mature-looking females were already gathered there, with large Beast Skins spread at their feet. Their hands were a blur, and the surrounding wild vegetables were vanishing before their very eyes.
A strange sorrow washed over Wu Yue. 'That kind of hand speed... I wonder how many years a guy in Hua Country would have to be single to even come close.'
"Yue, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and start gathering! We can't stay out here too long, it's dangerous."
Hearing Qingcao's anxious voice beside her, Wu Yue quickly took down her woven bag and started gathering the wild vegetables from the ground. They looked a lot like bitter greens.
This wild vegetable tasted like bitter greens, too. It had a bitter flavor, but it wasn't quite as intense.
Still, Wu Yue made a decision. She was just going to call it bitter green.
'Don't ask. It's just easier to remember that way.'
Seeing the dirt caked under the other females' fingernails, Wu Yue winced and curled her own fingers. The ground in this patch of bitter greens was rather hard.
She had only gathered a small handful before her fingers began to ache intensely.
She sighed, exasperated. 'Why exactly did I have to be the one to transmigrate?'
'Is this pathetic body any different from my old one back in Hua Country?'
"The difference is that this body has a longer lifespan." The system's mechanical voice suddenly rang out, nearly scaring Wu Yue into dropping the bitter greens in her hand.