Chapter 5 : The Rolling Tiger
The host being able to level up just by sleeping was something the system hadn't anticipated, so when faced with Jiang Mo's self-righteous question, it was momentarily speechless. Finally, after its earnest persuasion, the little white tiger rolled over and decided to sleep for another two days on the spot.
The system was dejected. The light orb circled around Jiang Mo a couple of times before finally whispering near her ear: "Host, aren't you hungry?"
A cub's nature is either sleeping or eating.
The white tiger cub was three days old and, barring any unexpected circumstances, hadn't eaten anything yet—its digestive system was brand new. If Jiang Mo hadn't leveled up three days ago, barely adjusting her body to optimal condition, plus the advantage of being a divine beast, three days would have been enough to starve her to death. However, even though she hadn't starved, that didn't mean a newborn white tiger who had slept for three days wouldn't be hungry.
Sure enough, the moment after the system's words fell, a "gurgle" sound rumbled from Jiang Mo's stomach. With one paw pressed against her belly, her round tiger eyes glared at the system, somewhat embarrassed and angry.
The system remained oblivious to this, looking at the hunger value on the data panel and gently persuading: "Host, you're hungry, right? When you're hungry, you should eat. Cubs shouldn't deprive themselves, or they won't grow properly."
The next instant, with a swoosh, the smug light orb was swatted away again.
The system persisted and flew back, bouncing up and down as it hovered before Jiang Mo: "Host, host, come on, let's go find something to eat."
Jiang Mo withdrew her paw and rolled over, turning her back to the system: "No. With my pathetic combat power, I can't even catch a rabbit. What do you want me to eat? Dirt?"
Hearing this, the suspended light orb wavered, suddenly realizing that the combat power value of 5 on the data panel might have truly discouraged the host. But it was clumsy with words and had no idea how to comfort her—not to mention it had bluntly stated the brutal fact that the host might get kicked to death by a spirit rabbit... What a sin, what a sin. It was all because it was too honest, saying whatever came to mind.
After silently reflecting for a second, the system regained its vigor, circled around, and once again appeared before Jiang Mo: "It's alright, host. Although you can't catch even a single spirit rabbit, there are spirit fruits growing nearby. The system can scan for them for free."
Hmph, making a tiger eat fruit—is that something a human would do?!
The little white tiger showed no interest and just placed her paw down, rolling over again—she had already experienced leveling up, which was an all-around improvement in her physical state, even resetting her hunger. Rather than expending effort to find fruits to gnaw on, she might as well sleep for another two days waiting to level up. At least after leveling up, her combat power would increase somewhat, and perhaps she could then catch a spirit rabbit?
The system seemed to guess her thoughts again and suddenly remarked softly: "Fragrant fruits are still easier to eat than bloody raw meat. Don't you think, host?"
Jiang Mo unexpectedly shuddered. She had only remembered that tigers eat meat, but how had she forgotten about the raw meat part?
After a long silence, Jiang Mo suddenly asked: "System, what's your full name?"
After three days, the host finally thought to ask this question. The system was so excited it nearly burst into tears, immediately answering in a spirited voice: "Hello, host. Please allow me to reintroduce myself. I am the Life's Peak System, code 223, with the main function of assisting the host in achieving success and smoothly reaching life's peak!" After saying this, it stealthily added: "Life's peak in any sense."
At this moment, Jiang Mo didn't grasp the deeper meaning behind the system's additional comment. She pondered briefly and said: "In short, system, your purpose for existing is to assist me?"
This statement was somewhat one-sided and self-centered, but the system didn't deny it: "Yes, host, so the system will absolutely never harm you."
Jiang Mo nodded with a profound expression: "So what exactly can you assist me with?" She didn't wait for the system to answer but asked a specific question based on her current situation: "For example, if I level up and catch a spirit rabbit, but don't want to eat raw meat, can you help me roast it into a fragrant roasted rabbit?"
The system seemed to have never encountered such a question before. After all, which of its predecessors' hosts hadn't treated them as treasures? The system's database scrambled for a moment before stuttering: "I, I suppose so."
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Roasting a spirit rabbit was just a thought; with Jiang Mo's current strength, she couldn't catch one yet. Finally, after the system's persistent harassment, the little white tiger shook her fur and ultimately stood up—sleeping on an empty stomach wasn't particularly comfortable either. Since the system insisted, she might as well go see these so-called spirit fruits.
Thus, under the system's guidance, the little white tiger took her first step in foraging for food in her tiger life.
This was an unfamiliar forest with ancient trees that nearly blocked out the sky. The yellow light orb floated through the air, passing through branches that jutted out obliquely as if they were nothing, unable to hinder it in the slightest.
The system led the way quite leisurely, in stark contrast to the little white tiger following behind, who was stumbling along the entire way. She truly was a very small white tiger cub; being newly born, tiger cubs aren't large to begin with, and when set against the surrounding massive trees that would take two arms to encircle, she appeared even smaller. The tiny white tiger was already unsteady on her feet, and the uneven ground with protruding tree roots here and there only added to the difficulty.
Finally, the little white tiger, forced to hop along, grew tired and lay down on a protruding tree root, unwilling to continue: "System, how much further are these spirit fruits you mentioned? If we keep going, I'll die of exhaustion."
Having finally coaxed the host out, the system immediately floated back, saw the little white tiger so tired her tongue was almost hanging out, and felt a pang of distress. It quickly assured her: "Not far, not far, it's just ahead, less than a hundred meters in a straight line."
The little white tiger was panting with exhaustion, but hearing the specific answer of a hundred meters, she ultimately mustered her energy.
Jiang Mo had never known forest paths could be so difficult to traverse, nor that walking on four legs could sometimes be more tiring than on two—probably due to her currently short legs. However, after much struggle, she finally covered that hundred-meter distance. Then she lifted her head, tilted it back further, until she lost her balance and fell backward, still unable to spot the spirit fruits the system had mentioned.
Well done—the system had led her to the edge of a cliff, then excitedly pointed at the mid-air cliff face, saying: "Look, host, the spirit fruits are right up there, bright red and smelling delicious."
"..." The useless little tiger's face was expressionless as she swatted the system away with one paw.
The system wobbled back, full of grievance as it complained: "Host, why did you hit me again?"
Jiang Mo ground her tender claws, very much wanting to rush over and stomp on it again: "These are the spirit fruits you mentioned? Do you think with the cliff this high, I can climb up to pick them?!"
The system silently calculated, and the answer was naturally negative. The light orb flickered with dejection: "You could have just said so nicely. I'll go up and pick them for you—did you really need to get physical?"
Hearing this, Jiang Mo's eyes brightened, and a gleam of satisfaction flashed in her golden tiger eyes.
The system immediately caught this and solemnly declared: "Just this once. It's only because of the special circumstances now; I won't help like this in the future." Then it lowered its voice and muttered: "It's so energy-consuming."
Jiang Mo dismissively waved her paw and perfunctorily replied: "Fine, fine, fine, just this once. After I level up, I'll do it myself."
The system was actually quite easy to placate. Hearing this, it bobbed with satisfaction, and the light orb flew up into the air.
It went quickly and returned just as fast. When it came back, the light orb was wrapped around a bunch of red fruits—not much larger than cherries, grape-like in a cluster of about a dozen. Even from a distance, Jiang Mo could smell their fresh fragrance.
The famished little white tiger swallowed her saliva, all prejudice against eating vegetables instantly swept away. But just as her paw moved forward a step, the system's mechanical voice urgently sounded: "Host, run quickly, there's an eagle coming from above!"
An eagle's cry rang out at that moment, and the black dot in the sky gradually grew larger.
The next moment, the red spirit fruits fell before Jiang Mo. The little white tiger had no time to think; she grabbed the hard-earned spirit fruits in her mouth and ran. She looked just like a melon thief being chased.
The eagle flew swiftly; the little white tiger ran clumsily. She accidentally caught her paw on a tree root.
Unable to check her momentum, she immediately fell face-first and tumbled forward several times. When she stopped, the entire tiger was dazed from the fall. Only one fruit remained in her mouth from the whole bunch. She shook her head groggily for a while before recovering, only to find a blue hem of a robe entering her field of vision.