"Hey, is it Fang Tong?" Xiao Fang, who was gazing into the distance, was interrupted and turned around to see the person calling him from afar.
He recognized this tall figure, they called him Lao Xu, his full name was Xu Shénme Kǎi. In reality, he was quite young, but due to his scruffy beard and imposing stature, he had earned the nickname Lao Xu. Xiao Fang thought he was a good person, straightforward and bold, with a strong personality. In the few days he had been here, he had become friends with many people. He knew the story of how Lao Xu had led hundreds of people to live in the trees for several months and later returned to the base with Xiao Guang. There was also the tale of how he had voluntarily taken the responsibility of leading widows and orphans to an unknown land to search for Su Lao. In the story, while Xiao Guang was undoubtedly the main hero, Xu Dé Kǎi was also a resolute and stalwart figure. Not only Xiao Fang, but even the military officers spoke highly of him, giving him thumbs up and greatly liking him.
"Come over, got something to discuss with you," Lao Xu shouted as he looked at Fang Tong's dazed expression.
"Alright." Fang Tong put down the rope he was holding. The grasshopper swayed its head and antennae, looking quite content. The large green insect seemed to be in a good mood when no one was holding it. It even used its antennae to lightly tap Fang Tong's head. It had to be said that these familiar green insects were quite to Fang Tong's liking.
In another world, they might have eaten leaves and been considered pests. But in this world, they had been domesticated and turned into draft animals, like oxen and horses. Taking care of them was as simple as leading them to graze on grass, bushes, or even leaves. They had become the best "livestock" for cultivation. If their numbers weren't controlled, given their reproductive ability, they would have overrun this whole area long ago. Of course, they had their natural predators, but they were not birds. The birds in this area feasted on the plentiful caterpillars and hardly paid attention to these grasshoppers. This was why the scientific team had chosen them. Otherwise, riding on a grasshopper and being snatched away by a flying bird would have resulted in nothing but frustration, and perhaps feasting on bird eggs to vent anger.
After prolonged observation, the scientific team discovered that the main predators of these grasshoppers were ants. The ants didn't actively attack the adult grasshoppers; instead, they preyed on their eggs. In the wild, over ninety percent of grasshopper eggs ended up in the mouths of ants. Thus, as long as the eggs were protected from ant bites, they could be selected and bred. Nowadays, the scientific team chose the most well-behaved, robust, and human-friendly grasshoppers for breeding, releasing the rest back into the wild. Their growth cycle was very short, taking less than two weeks. Through generations of improvement, these grasshoppers had become the adorable "livestock" they were now.
"So, how's it going? Having fun?" Lao Xu said cheerfully.
"Yeah." Fang Tong nodded, indeed having a good time.
"I find it incredibly amazing. These things are practically tailor-made for us," Lao Xu said while grinning, riding one grasshopper and leading another. "You sit on this one!"
"Alright." Fang Tong wasn't very skilled at saying thanks, but he nodded sincerely.
"What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?" Lao Xu's voice boomed, full of joy.
"Yeah, this place is great," Fang Tong said sincerely, "It's mostly because everyone's good here. Anywhere would be fine with that."
"Definitely, we're all comrades here, true comrades."
"..." Fang Tong fell silent, feeling a myriad of emotions in his heart.
Fang Tong knew the purpose of Xu Dekai looking for him. When they had just arrived a few days ago, they had joined the construction efforts. Xu Dekai had briefly explained the current situation to them, informing them that once Su Lao and some others arrived, they would hold a meeting. Someone had told him yesterday that Su Lao and the others would likely arrive today, so Fang Tong figured they would find out soon.
As he walked, Fang Tong had already spotted, through the gaps in the leaves, a massive platform supported by a large leaf amidst the branches in the distance. The place was bustling with people. Countless threads of silken pathways radiated in the sunlight, leading from all directions toward that spot. Each path was filled with many individuals riding grasshoppers, all heading towards the center.
From afar, it resembled the central plaza of a magical world's city, welcoming envoys from all directions. Some daring riders, instead of taking the pathways, leaped between the branches on their grasshoppers. Some even spread their wings and glided for a distance before landing steadily on certain branches. A few managed to perform elegant mid-air flips, eliciting rounds of applause.
At this moment, Fang Tong was riding on a grasshopper, moving through the tree branches. The silken pathways surrounded him, and after several days, he still felt like he was dreaming. A few days ago, he had been anxious, but now he was walking in a world of forest spirits. This floating city, the dappled light and shadows among the branches, the green leaves holding various colored juices, the crystal-clear dewdrops, and the aroma of endlessly delightful roasted bird eggs – he touched the soft yet resilient silk outfit he was wearing and felt like he was in a dream.
Perhaps at this moment, Fang Tong was only reflecting, but many years later, in his memories, this day would be the first glory of his life. This was the first elven city, and today, considered the founding day of the Elven City, he was one of the witnesses to history.
Soon, he arrived at the edge of the verdant platform. Fang Tong unfastened the safety harness around him and leaped down from the grasshopper. A staff member approached, smiling and nodding, exchanging greetings with the two of them. They took their "rides," Fang Tong and Xu Dekai's grasshoppers. Fang Tong also wanted to try jumping between the trees, but Xu Dekai had told him that he needed to be trained in a safer space first to perform those actions properly, as controlling them required practice. The grasshoppers could become quite excited and might glide far away, posing a risk if they got too close to the ground, where predatory insects might lurk.
"Today, many people are coming, and the legendary Xiao Guang will be here too," Xu Dekai introduced. He favored Fang Tong. In these past few days, he had noticed that Fang Tong, though not talkative and a bit slow with words, was extremely genuine. Thus, he liked seeking Fang Tong out. Today, they could have gone separately to the gathering place, but Xu Dekai still wanted to come and bring this younger brother along.
"Xiao Guang?" Fang Tong asked, "He's been outside all this time, and he's coming back today?"
"Yes, a while ago, everyone was dispersed to gather information. Today, they're returning to share their findings." Xu Dekai said, "By the way, today you'll have to speak."
"Huh?" Fang Tong felt a bit embarrassed. "I, I've already told everyone about what I know."
"Sure, you told a few of us. But today, most of the group is here, and we need to gather all the information. Xiao Guang and Su Lao will each share their discoveries. You can't just tell me everything, right?"
"You can speak on my behalf. I'm not very good at talking."
"No worries, just talk about your own experiences. Today's focus is understanding the situation at the Northwest Base. You and your friends who've come are the main speakers. You don't need to draft anything, just speak about everything you've encountered, no matter how small the detail, we'll analyze it together."
"Alright, got it." Fang Tong nodded.
"Don't worry, you'll have about half an hour for your speech. That should be enough for you to explain."
"Okay." Fang Tong felt a bit awkward. He thought, I don't find the time too short, I find it too long. My speech is so clumsy, I'd prefer to finish in a minute.