Under Junya's guidance, Xiao Guang meticulously organized all the items with a sense of reluctance. Amidst their repeated backward glances, the three shouldered their bags once again and set forth.
For about half a day, the trio walked amidst the branches and leaves. Suddenly, a plump, green creature, resembling a silkworm, poked its head out from a corner. It had a mouth hidden within its chubby head, clutching a piece of half-eaten leaf, just like a silkworm with its front limbs holding onto the leaf.
The creature's body was smooth and hairless, and its mouth was buried within its fleshy head. It had two plump green antennae on top of its head, and its large compound eyes gazed at the three individuals with a bewildered look. Tilting its head, it exhibited a harmless appearance, much like a cute cartoon bug. For the first time, Junya found a bug to be so adorable and couldn't help but softly exclaim, "So cute."
Seemingly startled by Junya's gentle exclamation, the green creature's head quivered slightly. It hastily turned and scuttled away, its plump body swaying as it ran, accidentally dropping the leaf it held. Glancing at the trio and realizing they weren't pursuing it, the clumsy bug turned back, picked up the leaf with its front limbs, and resumed its escape.
Junya burst into laughter, the appearance of this creature dispelling the melancholy from earlier.
Turning around, she inquired, "What did I just see? Is it still that annoying caterpillar? Are we turning into predators?"
"I think not," Old Jin replied, "They're quite sensitive to predators. I believe they might have been frightened by the recent floods and fish. During this rainy season, they're on edge, which is normal."
"However, these bugs seem to have some intelligence, displaying a certain level of anthropomorphism," Old Jin added.
Meanwhile, Xiao Guang chased after the creature, calling out, "Wait for me, just a minute!"
Over this period of time, Xiao Guang had become increasingly proficient in manipulating the insect that resembled a grasshopper. Under Old Jin's guidance, he also took pains to categorize the flora and fauna of the forest. Dimly, they began to sense that certain insects were more approachable. These insects shared a common trait—they appeared to belong to a certain category, but they possessed features that deviated from the standards Old Jin had taught them. Furthermore, they discovered that most of the forest's insects and birds were herbivores, with very few predators.
Soon, Xiao Guang returned riding the adorable cartoonish bug.
This time, Junya wasn't afraid anymore. She circled around the bashful and evasive creature several times before gently patting its round face. "The chubby part near its mouth must be its face, right?"
"In theory..." Old Jin began to explain but was cut off.
"Alright, alright, no need to explain. I think that's its face," Junya hurriedly stopped her father's explanation. Some things were less fun once they were explained.
"Riding it while watching the sunrise with Junya would be quite fitting," Xiao Guang imagined. In his mind, an image emerged of him and Junya, leaning against each other as they watched the sunrise, while the bug foolishly munched on leaves beside them.
Though Junya and Old Jin had been intrigued by Xiao Guang's peaceful interactions with the bugs, they had tried numerous times without much success. Once, Xiao Guang had brought a tiny grasshopper to a tree hollow, and under his watchful eye, both Junya and Old Jin struggled to command the grasshopper's movements effectively. It seemed that this knack wasn't something everyone could master, even with high intelligence like Old Jin's or the dexterity of Junya's hands.
"See, I'm not keeping any secrets," Xiao Guang demonstrated. "A tap to the left, a tap to the right, and like this, a tap to the front, and it goes..."
Xiao Guang awkwardly demonstrated, showing Junya how to control the bug.
"Alright, that's enough playing. I can't stand these big bugs anymore," Junya walked over and gave the green grasshopper a kick. After personally testing them and discovering that these insects were surprisingly docile, Junya's courage had grown. After a few tries, she realized they weren't listening to her at all, so she started to pick on the well-behaved bug instead.
"They seem good and obedient on the surface, but inside, they're sneaky and cunning. Stubborn creatures, they resist going forward and retreat when pulled, just like someone I know," Junya glared at the glassy-eyed and bewildered little grasshopper, venting her frustration by taking it out on Xiao Guang.
Xiao Guang and his companions rode on the adorable bugs. Mischievously, Junya used a branch in her hand to touch the bug's antennae. At first, whenever she touched them, the antennae would retract or dodge skillfully. But later, the little green creature grew displeased. As it carried the three of them, it held onto a leaf while turning its head to look at them. Seeing its dissatisfied gaze, Xiao Guang discreetly pointed towards Junya, who was holding a twig behind her, and offered an apologetic smile. The little green bug grumbled, expressing its dissatisfaction, and continued crawling. Junya gave Xiao Guang a playful slap on the back of his head. "You betrayed me!"
Xiao Guang protested, "I just told it that you were the mischievous one, so it wouldn't stop playing with us."
"When did I become mischievous? I was merely checking if it had become sentient."
The little green bug carried them quite a distance before refusing to go any further. It focused on munching leaves and paid no more attention to the three of them.
"Perhaps we've exceeded its territorial boundaries," Old Jin said. "Let's move on."
Once again, Junya boldly stood in front of the little green bug, reaching out to touch its head. It felt incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something useful. As she interacted with Xiao Guang, bidding the bug farewell, it seemed to sense something and lifted its head to glance at her before turning away.
"Oh my, it really does have intelligence! Is this a dream?" Junya marveled.
"It seems the insects here are truly remarkable. Or were they always like this? Are we experiencing a greater sense of understanding between organisms just because we've become smaller?" Old Jin's pondering had elevated from science to philosophical musings.
"Recalling the world I knew, were many insects originally unafraid of humans?" Junya contemplated.
"Of course, flies and mosquitoes often approached humans on their own accord," Old Jin replied nonchalantly. "However, we've never observed insects from this perspective, at an equal size, to study the connection between us."
"I don't find it strange. I think shrinking down is already a science fiction concept, so encountering anything unusual seems normal," Xiao Guang remained the most composed among them.
"You don't understand, it's called 'ignorance is bliss.' Shrinking down and coming to this world has a cause that can be traced. Just ask my dad what they've been up to lately..." Junya stopped abruptly, as she saw her father turning around to glare sternly at her.
As usual, Xiao Guang took the lead, scouting ahead while the three moved through the branches. After Old Jin's simple ecological analysis, the trio felt more at ease in the upper-tiered environment with reduced danger.
As the trio navigated downward through the dense branches, they encountered ants walking solo, plump caterpillars busily munching on leaves, and the most adorable of all, a certain type of larva—round and chubby like an oversized, green watermelon.
"Dad, is this the 'Shell Thorn Moth'?" Junya asked. "So, are we on a small island in the south?"
"No, I've examined them closely," Old Jin replied. "Their appearance is quite similar, and they might even be Shell Thorn Moths, but I've noticed that these larvae don't transform into moths. You see, some of these larvae—let's temporarily call them 'Shell Buds'—are already laying eggs."
"Not turning into moths is a good thing. They'd be ugly as moths, but as they are now, they're incredibly cute," Junya observed the Shell Bud larva that resembled a watermelon. She seemed to have transformed herself; she was no longer afraid of insects and, instead, unleashed her feminine side towards certain insects, finding their silly cuteness quite charming.
"Many of the creatures here have their unique characteristics. The Shell Buds, which won't transform into moths, the vine that looks like grapes, the scarcity of insect species compared to the mangrove mudflats, and even the vines resembling dried bean pods that we've been using as salt substitutes—there are no biological records of these phenomena," Old Jin explained as he walked. "Look over there, that's 'Salt Master.' Those fruit grains are what we know can be used as salt substitutes. Here, we encounter both familiar and unfamiliar flora and fauna. Therefore, based on the presence of different plants and creatures, it's difficult to determine the exact location of this island and how far it is from the mainland."
While walking, Old Jin revealed his concerns.
"The temporary resting place Old Mi led everyone to might not be suitable for staying for too long. Judging by the terrain, even during the rainy season, it won't be submerged. However, it's been a month since then, and I believe they've already left. Most likely, they headed for higher ground, as it appears to be safer there. Our current goal is to find traces they've left behind in order to reunite with the group."
Following the plan, they continued on their journey. They traveled during the day, resting at night, and seized opportunities for hitchhiking whenever possible. After about ten days of walking, they noticed that the vegetation became even lower. It seemed like they were on a steep slope, and they could feel it as they maneuvered through the branches.
Old Jin continually corrected their direction. Eventually, he pointed ahead and said, "It should be right up ahead."
The trio quickened their pace and after a little more than half a day's effort, they pushed aside the leaves obstructing their view and were met with a sight of a clearing in the forest—a massive stone. Over a month ago, it had been covered by a thin layer of mud, resembling a yellowish clay slope. Now, it had been thoroughly washed clean by rain, and numerous raised parts covered its surface, along with holes that initially made it seem suitable for habitation.
Although it was a bit far to see clearly whether there were people there, the trio's emotions were heightened. Xiao Guang, with the best eyesight, gazed into the distance and spotted what appeared to be discarded items scattered haphazardly beneath the yellow clay slope. The area was crisscrossed with gullies, like it had been ploughed over harshly with a rake, creating a sense of unease.