I Transmigrated Into the Number One Darling Tree in the Interstellar Era - Chapter 2

Lin Yu stared at the row of glowing orange text, stunned.

What is this?

Isn’t this the Plant Encyclopedia System I was casually working on out of boredom at the Space Station?

[Feeling empty? Feeling lonely?]

[Fear not! With the Plant Encyclopedia System, you can make friends with plants!]

[Translate plant language, convey plant emotions, even plant novices can experience the joy of gardening!]

He had been writing this description for the system when the accident on the Space Station occurred.

He never imagined the Plant Encyclopedia System would come through the portal with him!

The vine, sensing his gaze fixed above it, raised its soft tendril and poked blindly at the air above.

Lin Yu watched as the vine’s tip passed through the orange text, but the words remained unaffected, pausing briefly before disappearing on their own.

It seems the system’s text is visible only to me and can’t be interfered with by other objects.

That’s good.

This jungle is teeming with plants. With the Plant Encyclopedia System, I don’t have to be afraid of loneliness.

I can make friends with plants.

The Little Pea Vine is quite adorable, for example!

Lin Yu extended a branch and gently grasped the soft tip of the Little Pea Vine, which was still reaching into the air, swaying it up and down like a handshake. “Little Pea Vine, we’ll be good friends from now on.”

This time, Lin Yu didn’t even need to read the text to see the Vine’s delight.

The Vine joyfully circled around Lin Yu, its soft tendrils not only returning the gentle sway but also affectionately rubbing against the Little White Magnolia’s branch. Some sections of the Vine swayed rapidly, like a puppy’s tail.

But just then, highlighted text appeared above the Vine again.

This time, it was in bold red:

Warning! An open wound has been detected on the Pea Vine!

Lin Yu startled. “Are you injured?” he asked urgently, scanning the Vine from top to bottom. The Vine had been so lively, even energetic during the bison feast. He hadn’t noticed any wounds.

But the Vine’s reaction was indeed a little strange.

Just moments ago, it had been so happy. But when asked about an injury, the Vine suddenly looked awkward. Lin Yu, being observant, noticed a section of the Vine’s stem quietly retreating into the soil.

Lin Yu: “……”

What’s there to be embarrassed about?

“Good friends should be honest with each other,” Lin Yu said firmly, deliberately emphasizing his words. “We share both joys and troubles. Little Pea Vine, you wouldn’t hide an injury from me, would you?”

The vine quickly swayed its soft, pointed tendrils and obediently extended the hidden section of its stem for Lin Yu to see.

It simply didn’t want its good friend to think it was weak!

Losing a fight and getting injured was humiliating.

It had only lost once in its entire life…

“Ah—!”

Lin Yu let out a small gasp of surprise upon seeing the vine’s wound.

Three claw marks, resembling the scratches of a wild beast, marred the thick, dark green stem. Though they appeared to be old injuries, plants typically have strong regenerative abilities. The presence of these permanent scars suggested the original wounds must have been deep.

“What happened here?” Lin Yu asked, his heart aching for the vine, his voice filled with concern.

Only after asking did he remember that the vine couldn’t answer complex questions.

Lin Yu tried a different approach. “Was it injured by a beast?”

The vine’s tip nodded quickly but then swayed side to side.

Yes, but also no.

Lin Yu was baffled.

His worldview didn’t include the concept of Beastmen. After pondering for a while, he couldn’t figure out what species could be both a beast and not a beast at the same time.

He asked instinctively, “Was it a tiger? Or a lion?”

As soon as he asked, he felt foolish. He’d only assumed the claw marks resembled those of a large predator, but this wasn’t Earth. For all he knew, tigers and lions might not even exist here.

Unexpectedly, when he said the word “lion,” the vine’s tip nodded once.

So it really was a lion!

But normally, lions are lazy except when hunting. They wouldn’t randomly attack plants. And the Little Pea Vine was so well-behaved; it couldn’t possibly have provoked a fierce lion.

Lin Yu thought defensively, This must have been a Crazy Lion!

What kind of proper lion would waste its energy fighting a plant?!

I hope I never encounter that deranged lion again, Lin Yu thought. My scrawny frame couldn’t withstand even a single claw strike… Just thinking about it makes me wince.

Seeing the deep claw marks on the vine, Lin Yu gently caressed it, murmuring, “Don’t hurt, don’t hurt… heal quickly…”

The delicate branches of the Little White Magnolia brushed against the wounds, their leaves gently touching the vine’s scarred surface.

Then, something miraculous happened!

As Lin Yu focused his will on healing the vine, the deep, old wounds began to mend themselves, slowly but surely.

Huh?

Can I really heal plants?

Lin Yu was startled. He could feel energy flowing out from within him, but instead of stopping, he concentrated even more intently.

Gradually, the vine’s dark green skin smoothed over, as if it had never been injured. The entire vine even seemed to glow with renewed vigor, becoming stronger and more resilient.

After completing the healing, Lin Yu’s branches drooped limply, several leaves rustling and falling, and the flower buds turning dull and shriveled.

So tired…

It felt as if his entire being had been drained dry.

The vine retracted its healed stem and discovered that Little White Magnolia was in dire straits. Panicking, it circled Lin Yu repeatedly.

In its limited consciousness, all discomfort could be resolved with food. When it had been injured before, it had recovered by devouring massive amounts of meat.

One piece won’t do? Two pieces, then!

The vine twisted its body, tearing the tenderest strip of tenderloin from the bison’s back, and laid it flat at the base of Little White Magnolia’s roots.

Seeing that Lin Yu didn’t eat, it even used the tip of its vine to push the meat forward solicitously: Eat quickly, it’s delicious.

Exhausted from using up all its energy, Lin Yu was utterly drained, his entire seedling limp and weak. He glanced listlessly at the meat on the ground.

Is this an offering?

But Little White Magnolia seedlings needed sunlight and water, not meat.

Though he didn’t want to disappoint the vine, Lin Yu was too weak to speak, unable to explain that he couldn’t eat it.

The vine grew increasingly anxious as Lin Yu remained motionless. It circled the Little White Magnolia frantically.

Not eating will kill you!

Could it be that it’s not to your taste?

The vine recalled seeing some outsiders during its hunt that day. Those Beastmen had carried unfamiliar foods from beyond the jungle, and just a small bite seemed to restore their energy.

Meanwhile, while one end of the vine was dutifully caring for Lin Yu, the other was wreaking havoc, unleashing a reign of terror.

The Demonic Vine’s infamy stemmed from its incredibly extensive root system, burrowed deep underground. The exposed vines on the surface were merely a small fraction of its massive body; no one knew exactly how vast or widespread it truly was.

This meant it could launch a surprise attack at any time, anywhere.

It was utterly unpredictable.

The entire viewing audience witnessed the spectacle as the Demonic Vine suddenly erupted from the earth, its savage whips flinging several burly Beastman contestants into the air. It rampaged through the camp, leaving chaos in its wake.

Sharp thorns erupted from the vine’s surface, its whips slicing through iron like it was mud. They could shred any living creature like a meat grinder, or tightly coil around prey, devouring it whole.

The legendary “Killer Demonic Vine” left no survivors in its path. Everyone feared it.

Yet strangely, this time the vine showed no intention of dragging the contestants away to devour them. After snatching the supply packs, it retreated without a second glance, leaving behind only devastation and a dazed, battered horde of Beastmen.

And of course, the stunned viewers watching from their screens.

Unaware of what was happening, Lin Yu soon noticed the vine had somehow gathered several bottles and jars of what appeared to be nutrient solution.

The vine was remarkably cautious in caring for Lin Yu.

Instead of recklessly pouring the nutrient solution at the base of the Little White Magnolia, it tested a few drops on its own soft vine, as a mother might test the temperature of milk for a baby. Only after confirming the nutrients were suitable for the seedling did it evenly sprinkle the solution around Lin Yu’s root system.

Lin Yu’s wilted branches suddenly perked up.

So sweet!

The sensation was extraordinary. Having become a plant, he shouldn’t have had a sense of taste, yet he unmistakably tasted something sweet!

Lin Yu gulped down the nutrient solution from the soil like a parched man drinking rain after a long drought.

His flagging spirit quickly recovered.

Perhaps due to this surge of vitality, Lin Yu regained the strength to speak.

He raised his branches, curled the tips of his leaves, and frantically gestured to the vine. “I want to bask in the sun. Can you help me?”

If he could be directly exposed to sunlight, he wouldn’t lose any more leaves!

But this time, the vine hesitated, its movements freezing.

…Did it not understand?

After all, this was cross-species communication. Perhaps Little Pea Vine didn’t understand some of the words?

Lin Yu had given up hope, but then he saw the vine sway and its soft tendrils climb up the surrounding tall broad-leaved plants. The plants leaned together, rustling constantly like a group of people in a meeting, each striving to make their point.

And that was exactly what was happening.

The plants were engaged in a heated discussion.

The Demonic Vine had actually understood Lin Yu’s need from the start. However, its own nature thrived in shade and moisture, so it believed the Little White Magnolia seedling should be tightly wrapped to protect it from wind and sun.

The surrounding broad-leaved plants weren’t deliberately blocking the Little White Magnolia’s sunlight either. They were simply too curious, like parents hovering around a newborn’s crib, each eager to peek at the little sprout.

After discussion, the plants reached a consensus:

Whether the Little White Magnolia seedling could withstand direct sunlight needed to be tested carefully.

The vine slowly lifted a massive broad leaf covering Lin Yu, its movements as cautious as unwrapping a newborn’s swaddling clothes.

Lin Yu eagerly stretched his branches, catching that sliver of sunlight filtering through the gaps between the broad-leaved plants.

So warm!

The entire seedling vibrated with vigorous energy, trembling.

Only then did the Vine confidently flick its whip-like tendril, the thick vine cracking down with a sharp crack. In response, the towering broad-leaved plants around it all bent their trunks away, their clustered leaves suddenly unfurled.

A torrent of sunlight poured down and…

The Little White Magnolia basked in the warm sunlight.

So comfortable…

Lin Yu joyfully spread his leaves, and the oval-shaped tender leaves resembling little hands eagerly embraced the sunlight.

The Little White Magnolia’s branches straightened, instantly growing several inches taller. The curled leaves flattened, the yellow edges gradually turning green, radiating a vibrant vitality…

If the Demonic Vine and broad-leaved plants had faces, they would undoubtedly be wearing expressions of satisfaction.

They had been overprotective.

The seedling was far more resilient than they had imagined!

Warmed by the sunlight, the nutrients freshly absorbed by Lin Yu’s branches surged through his veins, reaching every branch tip.

He took a deep breath, driving his chloroplasts to laboriously perform photosynthesis. Every leaf bud and flower bud gathered energy, the fuzzy little flower buds swelling until they were plump and round.

Pop!

Finally, the first bud bloomed, its soft, pristine petals unfurling to release an intoxicating fragrance.

At that precise moment, the program’s backup camera was ready.

A mechanical ladybug carrying a camera stealthily flew over and carefully landed in a position that allowed a direct shot of the Little White Magnolia, then concealed itself behind a leaf.

The live stream chat was instantly flooded with comments:

“The sapling wasn’t eaten after all!”

“Heavens, it’s blooming! The precious tree is flowering!”

The audience was ecstatic that not only had the precious Little White Magnolia avoided being devoured, but it had also blossomed.

Moreover, according to the show’s rules, the first contestant to discover a rare plant would earn bonus points. It wouldn’t be long before the keen-scented Beastman contestants rushed to the location of the Little White Magnolia.

Lin Yu, now flaunting a head full of little white flowers, remained blissfully unaware of this peculiar rule.

He was simply worried.

Lions are known for their keen sense of smell and curiosity…

Would the sweet fragrance of his flowers attract that Crazy Lion?

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