Chapter 32: Hidden Quest

Mi Yao felt increasingly nervous under Mi Ya’s piercing gaze. Her face stiffened as she asked, "Sister, what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Mi Ya gave her a long, inscrutable look. "You look very pretty today, but it’s a pity that the flower in your hair is quite ugly. Let me pull it out for you."

Without waiting for Mi Yao's reaction, she reached out, snatched the pink flower from her hair, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it fiercely.

In an instant, it was crushed into mud.

Mi Yao’s face turned pale. Her eyes were filled with fury, but she suppressed it and whispered, "If you don't like it, Sister, I won't wear it again."

Mi Ya cast a look of disdain at her. Her younger sister had been like this since they were children—never daring to speak up even when bullied. It was truly pathetic. She scoffed and walked away dismissively.

Watching Mi Ya’s retreating figure, Mi Yao gritted her teeth, her expression dark and gloomy. This wretched female was truly going too far. One day, she would make Mi Ya pay.

Wolf Fang, who had also been watching, looked equally displeased. He stared at Mi Ya’s departing back with a somber expression, glanced at Mi Yao, and then turned to stride away.

Su Xiyue caught the scene and twitched her lips. *This Mi Ya seems to have something wrong with her brain.* She shook her head and turned her attention back to washing her mushrooms and herbs.

Once finished, she hoisted her basket, prepared to head back, but before she could leave the riverbank, the females who had left earlier returned. Seeing her, they ran over with excitement.

One of them shook the mushroom she was holding, which had been snapped in half. "Su Xiyue, these mushrooms really aren't poisonous! We took them to the witch doctor, and even the witch doctor said they are safe to eat."

The other females nodded in agreement. "That’s right, they really aren't poisonous. The witch doctor even tested them on a beast, and it was perfectly fine."

The surrounding females and beastmen were astonished. *The mushrooms aren't poisonous? They can be eaten? Then why had beastmen been poisoned by mushrooms in the past? Was it because they didn't know how to identify them and picked the wrong ones?* Regardless, if the witch doctor said they were safe, then they must be.

Su Xiyue didn't know their exact thoughts, but she could guess. She smiled faintly at the group. "I told you they weren't poisonous. If everyone likes them, you can go to the forest to pick them; they’re delicious in soup or roasted."

The females were overjoyed. If these mushrooms were edible, it would add another source of food to their diet. Seeing their excitement, as if they were ready to rush off and start picking immediately, Su Xiyue added a reminder: "However, you must be careful when identifying them. Never pick mushrooms with bright colors; those are truly poisonous. Only those with pale colors are safe, but that isn't absolute. It’s best to bring them to me to check after you pick them."

The females nodded in understanding.

"Can you teach us how to tell which mushrooms are poisonous and which are not?" Shu Shan asked, stepping forward.

Su Xiyue turned to her and smiled. "Of course, but I don't have time today. I’ll teach everyone tomorrow." She had an appointment with Bai Qi to build a stove today and couldn't spare the time.

Shu Shan was pleased with the answer. Her gaze fell on the basket in Su Xiyue’s hand, and she asked with a shy blush, "Um… Su Xiyue, could you also teach us how to weave these baskets?"

Su Xiyue looked at her in surprise; she hadn't expected them to want to learn basket weaving. But it was understandable, as the baskets were truly convenient. She nodded with a smile. "Sure, but I’m busy drying things now and have other tasks later. I’ll teach everyone how to weave once I’m free. Anyone who wants to learn can come find me."

It made no difference to her whether she taught one person or a group, and it might help improve her reputation. Shu Shan and the others were delighted and promised to find her later. They realized that Su Xiyue had changed a great deal and didn't seem so hateful anymore. Though she was still quite unattractive, her personality had become more likable, and she was much sharper and wiser. She was nothing like the lazy, gluttonous, malicious, and infatuated Su Xiyue of the past. It was as if she had become a different person overnight. Though they didn't understand why, they didn't dwell on it.

Mi Yao stood nearby, looking at Su Xiyue with a complex expression, but she didn't approach and soon left. Su Xiyue had noticed Mi Yao but didn't pay her any mind. As long as she wasn't provoked, she couldn't be bothered to care.

After exchanging a few more words with the females, Su Xiyue headed back with her cleaned mushrooms and herbs. She found some flat stones near her cave and spread the items out evenly to dry. In a few days, they would be ready to store.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing a hidden task: initially improving your reputation among the others. Reward: 30 pounds of weight loss. Would you like to lose weight evenly, or target a specific area?"

Su Xiyue froze upon hearing the system's voice in her head. *Initially improving my reputation—there are hidden tasks like this? And the reward is losing 30 pounds? This is a wonderful surprise.*

She didn't answer immediately, considering how to distribute the weight loss. She looked down at her waist, where layers of greasy fat hung down toward her hips. Even she found it repulsive. She had previously controlled her diet, hoping to lose weight slowly, but now that she had this opportunity, she couldn't wait to shed the disgusting fat.

"Target the waist," she thought to herself. She truly couldn't stand her waist—or rather, she couldn't stand any part of her body; it was all unsightly to the extreme.

As she gave the command, the system took effect. Su Xiyue felt a strange sensation around her midsection, as if something was slowly dissipating. Looking down, she saw the fat on her waist shrinking at a visible rate. Although 30 pounds didn't make a huge difference compared to her total weight of nearly 300, it was quite noticeable when concentrated on her waist.

Her waist began to show a slight curve. It was still large, but much firmer, no longer the grotesque, layered mess it had been. Su Xiyue touched her waist and nodded in satisfaction. *At least I’m starting to look human.*

Moreover, as her waist shrank, her chest and hips appeared even more prominent. Her hips, in particular, were ridiculously large—at least several times larger than an average person's. She looked over her shoulder at them and twitched her lips, finding them hard to look at. Fortunately, compared to the greasy waist she had before, the large hips were more acceptable.

Furthermore, she noticed that as she lost weight, her body felt healthier. The fatigue and heaviness caused by her obesity had diminished significantly. She was in a great mood and felt even more motivated to complete tasks. Relying on herself to lose weight would take forever; system rewards were the way to go.

Humming a tune, she finished laying out the mushrooms and herbs. Just as she returned to the cave after completing her work, she saw Bai Qi approaching, carrying two wooden buckets and two wooden basins.