Ziqian slept soundly and woke feeling refreshed the next day. His mood brightened even more when he saw that Gae had already returned.
He eagerly recounted everything that had happened over the past few days, focusing mostly on his adventures in the forest. Gae listened attentively, reacting as though he were hearing it all for the first time.
There was no harm in indulging Ah-Zi's happiness, Gae thought.
Even Phi and Ero joined in, giving comments from time to time.
They chatted and laughed for a while until the topic turned to the reason why Gae left.
Gae hesitated. After a moment, he took out the memory stone and explained its purpose.
He made sure to add that his master had only been worried about Ziqian's well-being and had personally obtained this rare item for him to use on his own accord. Gae emphasized her good intentions, careful to ensure Ziqian would not misunderstand.
Ziqian turned the crystal over in his fingers, tracing every corner as he was deep in thought. His expression grew solemn as he weighed the pros and cons of the decision before him.
Ziqian knew too well the impact his painful experiences on Earth had made on him, and precisely because of that, he could not decide lightly.
After a few minutes a smile bloomed on his beautiful face. "Thank you."
The three fluffballs were just about to rejoice when they heard Ziqian's next words.
"I know you're doing this for me, but I don't think I need to erase my memories to live happily. I am who I am now because of those experiences. Many of them were unpleasant, yes, but they became my greatest lessons. Every part of them made me who I am now."
Ziqian finished speaking and gently set the white crystal down in front of Gae.
Pain taught him endurance and patience. Hardship forged his resilience. Loss taught him contentment and the importance of treasuring what he had.
And not everything from his previous life had been pain and loss. There had also been happiness, warmth, and love, all of them memories he refused to part with.
What would happen if those things were sealed? Would he still be himself? Without them, how could he truly cherish what he had now?
Ziqian reached out and rubbed the three fluffballs. "Thank you once again, and I'm sorry for making you all worry about me."
The three fluffballs felt like crying and rushed towards Ziqian's arms. They wanted nothing more than to hug their ward, but they were not in their original bodies right now.
"Our Ah-Zi is the best!" Phi exclaimed as he rubbed his yellow fur that was turning golden to Ziqian.
"If I have another episode like that in the future, please be patient with me and stay by my side, okay?" Ziqian said softly.
"We will!" the three guardians replied in unison.
Of course they would. No matter what happened, they would always be there for Ziqian. He was not only their ward but also a beloved member of their family.
~
Three days had already passed since they returned to the tribe.
During that time, Ziqian stayed by Huo's side at every opportunity. Huo woke briefly five times, each time opening his eyes without any other response before slipping back into sleep.
Every morning, Ziqian checked on Huo before heading to the forest with Xue to continue searching for edible fruits and vegetables. He was determined to complete his second quest.
The progress of the second quest had stalled because of everything that had happened. Ziqian wanted to finish it as soon as possible, but he still decided not to venture deep into the forest until Huo had fully recovered.
He wanted to be able to return at a moment's notice in case Huo needed him, despite Lia's reassurance that Huo was recovering well and simply needed time and rest to replenish his drained energy.
Xue accompanied him to explore the parts of the forest near the tribe that they had not yet visited before.
[2nd Main Quest Progress: Find 4 more fruits and 4 more vegetables.]
Aside from the potatoes he had found near the waterfall, there had been no further progress. Ziqian wasn't anxious, as the quest had no time limit. He simply wanted to complete it as soon as possible and obtain the food encyclopedia.
The food encyclopedia would help him learn more about the food in Gaia. According to the guardians, it listed only edible plants and monsters, but what interested Ziqian most was that it also recorded the plants' other properties. This meant he could learn which edible plants could also be used as medicinal ingredients or possess healing effects, like the ginger that helped Pen with his allergic reactions.
After what happened to Huo, Ziqian wanted to learn more about the medicinal value of the plants around them. The forest was dangerous, but it was also a treasure trove of natural resources. He didn't want to rely solely on the shop. If the same situation happened again and he lacked the necessary points, what would he do then?
Ziqian planned to ask Lia to teach him, especially in potion-making. He would combine his knowledge with his own understanding of traditional medicine, his basic medical skills, and the information from the encyclopedia.
Ziqian was confident he would learn quickly, and he knew this knowledge would be invaluable in the future.
This world is based on strength and survival. Of course it will be helpful.
When they returned, Ziqian would go straight to check on Huo once again. He would stay by the beast's side and rest there, silently wishing for him to wake up completely. Then, before night fell, he would help Xue prepare for their dinner.
Many things had happened over the past three days. Ziqian planned to continue doing what he always had, but life didn't always follow one's plans.
The Patriarch handled what needed to be done regarding Lin's punishment, while the High Priest took responsibility for checking on the other injured beastmen, including Rei. Lia still couldn't believe how completely Huo's and Rei's injuries had healed.
Xue told him that Rei had woken up two days ago and was doing much better than Huo, even though his injuries had been far more severe.
Besides Ras and Xue, who had personally witnessed the ominous plant Ziqian had fed Rei to save him, Lia also learned about it. Ziqian hadn't hidden it from the High Priest, since it was impossible to explain how he saved Rei.
Although he couldn't reveal the origin of the man-eating tree's root, he could still describe the gamble they had taken at that time.
It was Rei who had been lucky to survive that ordeal. Still, the loss of his right arm and leg would be an obstacle in his daily life.
The people of the tribe now truly believed that Ziqian was the Beast God's Messenger.
The oracle that saved the hunting group, combined with his seemingly miraculous rescue of Rei and Huo—an act even Lia, their high priest, admitted seemed impossible—along with rumors that he could sense monsters even a tribe warrior could not, had cemented his identity as the God's Messenger, since no ordinary sub-beast could have accomplished such feats.
Ziqian later learned that Lia had announced to the entire tribe that he was the God's Messenger. The declaration came after Gio and Kea had accused him of being a spy from another tribe, intending to bring harm to their people.
Ziqian didn't quite understand what it truly meant to be the God's Messenger. The guardians had told him before that his quest in this world was simply to live happily and help improve the lives of the people.
If that was what being the God's Messenger meant, it wouldn't be a problem. As long as it didn't involve saving the entire world, he was willing to help, especially since the four guardians had promised to guide him until the end.
What Ziqian couldn't tolerate was how the tribe's attitude changed. They grew tense in front of him and treated him with such reverence that it almost seemed they wanted to kneel before him. Even the trio suddenly became overly respectful, their usual warmth and friendliness replaced by stiff formality.
Ziqian felt uncomfortable with all this unwarranted reverence. Once again, he felt isolated from everyone.
"If you keep acting like this, I will never talk to any of you ever again!" Ziqian angrily said after inviting the three into his tent.
Qiu fidgeted nervously.
Yan and Tei wore complicated expressions.
Even though they hadn't known Ziqian long, they genuinely considered him a friend, but after learning he was the Beast God's Messenger, they feared that being too casual with him might offend their God and incur his anger.
Ziqian had suddenly become someone worlds apart from them, and this is what everyone in the tribe also felt. They were all afraid to treat him as an equal like before.
"But—" Tei began.
"No but!" Ziqian interrupted. "Ever since I came to this tribe, the three of you have been my friends… and now you're treating me like this?" His voice trembled, and tears brimmed in his eyes.
The trio immediately felt guilty and anxious. They had believed they were doing the right thing, but hearing Ziqian's words now made them realize they were wrong.