Chapter 217
The concept of "eating" was completely beyond their comprehension.
You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?
They are not human, and naturally they do not know the meaning of the act of eating.
Xiao Huasheng looked at the curious gazes they all cast at her, and then realized that the "common sense" here was completely different from hers.
She had no choice but to patiently explain, gesturing with her hands. "It's like... chewing food, such as plants, fruits, or other edible things, and then swallowing it to convert it into energy needed to sustain life. Humans need to eat, otherwise they'll get hungry, have no strength, and in severe cases, they might even starve to death."
"Using food as fuel for life, and then surviving in this cruel world."
"Hungry?"
"Die?"
The gems repeated the word.
Chapter 4: Humanity in the Apocalypse [2 Updates]
Another unfamiliar term has left the Gem People even more confused.
Their lives are eternal; the concept of "death" does not exist unless they are shattered beyond repair.
And they simply cannot comprehend the feeling of hunger, a sensation that represents the fragility of life and the need for survival.
"Wow... that's amazing!" Phosphophyllite was the first to react, her eyes sparkling with amazement. "Xiao Huasheng, do you need to 'eat' to survive?"
"It sounds so complicated and troublesome." Rutile pushed up his glasses and analyzed from a rational perspective, "But, won't ingesting an unknown substance cause harm to the body?"
"Is this... the way of life for 'humans'?" Jade murmured to herself, stroking her chin.
The Gem People started discussing it animatedly, showing great interest and amazement at the act of "eating".
Xiao Huasheng demonstrated a completely new and incredible way of survival.
Suddenly, Xiao Huasheng realized that all the people in front of him were really stone figures.
She's at most half a stone man.
Just then, Kongo, who had been listening silently, slowly spoke.
"Hold on."
He left those words behind, then turned and walked steadily toward a room deep inside the school that was not often opened.
"What did the teacher go to get?"
"The teacher clearly favors Xiao Huasheng."
"The teacher really likes Xiao Huasheng."
The gems all expressed their feelings, and they didn't hide their thoughts, speaking them out directly.
Indeed, this is a form of favoritism towards them.
Not long after, Kongo reappeared.
He now held an item in his hand.
It was a gold cup that was being carefully preserved.
Kongo handed the golden cup to Xiao Huasheng and calmly explained.
"This is a container that my mother used to use."
"The teacher's... mother?" Phosphophyllite repeated softly, a word that was equally unfamiliar and distant to Gem People.
Kongo nodded slightly and continued to explain, "A long time ago, the world was not like it is now. Back then, my mother... just like Xiao Huasheng to you, needed to rely on 'eating' to sustain her life."
He gently lifted the golden cup. "What this cup contains is the 'food' she relied on for survival, as well as her own bodily fluids; these are the last remaining things in the world."
This explanation shocked everyone, and Xiao Huasheng's eyes widened as well.
Living off their own bodily fluids... just how scarce is food in this world?
"Your mother's departure is an unchangeable past." Kongo's tone remained calm, revealing little sorrow. "These bodily fluids are useless to her now. Perhaps... they are the only thing in this world that can be called 'food' and that you can accept."
He handed the golden cup to Xiao Huasheng again. "From a rational perspective, I think giving it to you is the most appropriate choice at this moment. It should alleviate your need for 'food'."
"This must be very special to you."
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Huasheng said, "You must love your mother very much..."
Kongo never forgot the mother who created him; despite being a machine, he retained those memories.
"Yes," Kongo said without hesitation, "But I think you need this more."
Kongo's words weighed heavily on Xiao Huasheng's mind.
She looked at the liquid called "body fluid" swaying slightly in the golden cup, and felt a slight discomfort in her stomach.
In this future, no matter what kind of food it is, there will be no need to worry about it rotting.
The same goes for the blood in this cup.
Because even microorganisms in this world were wiped out by the meteorite.
A total of six meteorite impacts created six moons over the Earth; under such intensity, no living thing could survive.
She took a deep breath and gently pushed the golden cup back.
"No, Kongo, thank you for your kindness, but I cannot accept this." Her voice was clear as she shook her head. "I haven't fallen so low that I need to drink blood to survive."
She used the word "blood," even though she knew it might not be real blood, but she still couldn't accept it.
This blunt refusal silenced the Gem People once again.
They didn't seem to understand why Xiao Huasheng would refuse the teacher's kindness, especially since it would solve her problem of "eating".
Xiao Huasheng glanced around at the pure yet confused eyes around him, forcing a relaxed smile onto his face.
She stood up and patted off any dust that might not have been on her clothes.
"Alright, the story's over, you should all go to sleep now." She said cheerfully. "Don't worry about me, I'll go look for it myself. The world is so big, surely I'll find something to eat?"
"Once I find more energy, I'll show you what human food actually is."
She waved to the jewels and nodded to Kongo, as if to say goodbye.
Goodnight, everyone! See you tomorrow!
Having said that, she didn't hesitate any longer and turned to walk towards the unknown area shrouded in night on the outskirts of the estate.
She walked quickly, her red figure standing out prominently in the deepening twilight.
The gems stood there, watching her departing figure, their hearts filled with a complex mix of emotions.
Puzzled, curious, and with a hint of worry.
Phosphophyllite even subconsciously took a small step forward, as if wanting to follow, but was gently pulled back by Jade.
Holding the rejected golden cup, Kongo stood silently, his gaze following Xiao Huasheng's figure until she disappeared into the vast night.
He said nothing, but simply gripped the golden cup tighter.
There are saints among humans, and this one before us is perhaps one of the few saints. He would rather starve to death than accept this gift.
Kongo knew that people would starve to death in this wasteland if they didn't eat for a few days.
He witnessed his mother starve to death, dying in that room that had been filled with hope.
Kongo closed his eyes, respecting Xiao Huasheng's choice, and led the Gem People inside to sleep.
Everything was fine today; there was no attack from the Lunarians.
Just before falling asleep, Kongo hesitated once more.
Is she human?
Kongo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately shook her head; even she wasn't exactly human.
Xiao Huasheng walked alone under the cold moonlight, leaving the warm area where the gems lived. The surrounding environment seemed increasingly desolate and lifeless.
Chapter 5: What can a finite life express? [3 updates]
The ground beneath our feet was hard, the vegetation sparse, and most of it had an unhealthy hue.
She tried to pluck a few blades of grass that looked relatively intact and put them in her mouth.
"Ptooey... Ptooey!" It tasted bitter, like dry firewood, and was completely inedible.
This made her vomit immediately.
Over a long period of time, these plants seem to have lost their value as food, being mostly fiber and unable to be classified as human food.
But she didn't give up. She continued walking, trying different plants, while a lost goat kept grazing on the grass.
There's always something to eat.
Xiao Huasheng didn't want her life to be only one hundred days long; she was still trying her best to find ways to extend it.
Her figure stood out remarkably persistently in the wilderness, and also... quite comical.
Angela would definitely laugh.
Just as she plucked another clump of moss that glowed faintly and looked different from the others, preparing to put it in her mouth, a clear and urgent voice suddenly rang out from the high place behind her.
"Stop! You can't put that in your mouth!"
Xiao Huasheng was startled and turned his head sharply.
A figure stood atop a huge, suspended rock that reflected the moonlight.
It was a slender Gem People with crimson hair, and mercury-like metal floated beside her.
She is Cinnabar, who is forced to act alone at night due to her unique characteristics, in order to avoid accidentally harming her companions.
Cinnabar had never seen Xiao Huasheng before, and the unfamiliar red hair and halo of gemstones on his head puzzled her.
But when she saw her trying to swallow the fluorescent moss, which was slightly toxic to gemstones and blocked some of the sunlight, she instinctively spoke up to stop her out of concern for her companion.
Xiao Huasheng was stunned for a moment when he saw the suddenly appearing Gem People with a cold and aloof demeanor.
She subconsciously loosened her grip on the moss.
Xiao Huasheng could sense that the other person was somewhat different from the Gem People he had encountered before; at least the constantly dripping mercury indicated that she was special.
"Why... why?" Xiao Huasheng asked, somewhat bewildered, pointing to the moss on the ground. "Is eating this... poisonous?"
Cinnabar leaped lightly from the rock, landing not far from Xiao Huasheng, maintaining a certain distance.
Her red eyes appeared exceptionally clear, yet also exceptionally distant, in the moonlight.
"That kind of moss, prolonged contact will weaken the body." Her voice remained cold, but her explanation was clear. "And...eat? What exactly are you? Why would you do such a thing?"
Her sharp gaze swept over Xiao Huasheng, finally settling on the halo above her head that belonged to no gemstone whatsoever, and her brows furrowed slightly.
Faced with Cinnabar's wary and confused question, Xiao Huasheng knew that it was time for him to introduce himself again.
She smiled helplessly, then found a slightly flatter rock to sit on, patting the spot next to her to indicate that Cinnabar should sit down as well.
Although the other party maintained their distance and did not approach.
Since we can't find food anytime soon, we might as well ask the Gem People in front of us where there's anything to eat.
"It's a long story..." Xiao Huasheng sighed and began to explain to Cinnabar, as concisely as possible, how he came to be in this world and his situation as a non- Gem People who needed to "eat" to survive.
She even pinched her own cheek, and the softness of her face made Cinnabar momentarily lose his composure.
The explanation took almost an hour, as the moonlight moved slowly overhead.
Cinnabar listened quietly, her expression gradually shifting from initial wariness and suspicion to a mixture of shock and incomprehension.
Especially when Xiao Huasheng emphasized again that eating was as essential to her survival as sunlight is to a gemstone, a very complex emotion flashed in Cinnabar's red eyes.
"That's about it." Xiao Huasheng finally finished her long-winded explanation. Since Angela left, she had become inexplicably talkative.
Then she looked at Cinnabar and asked, "Okay, I've finished talking about my business. What about you? Why are you here all alone when everyone else has gone to sleep? Don't you need to get some sunlight?"
Upon hearing this question, Cinnabar remained silent for a moment, then turned her head slightly, gazing at the hazy moonlight in the distance.
The silver venom dripping from his arm shimmered with a lonely luster under the moonlight.
"I... am different." Her voice was lower than before, carrying a habitual detachment. "My body can gather and store sunlight. Therefore, I will be in charge of the night patrol."