Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Another Guess About the Iron Plate
The hot pot restaurant’s jubilant celebration came to an end, and the gathering of students each made their way back to school. Ji You also intended to leave, but the alpaca named Mengmeng, with a sorrowful look, peered at Ji You, almost rooting her to the spot.
The shop owner, holding Mengmeng, said, "Ever since Mengmeng was sent here, she’s always been afraid of being alone. It wasn’t easy finding a companion, so she really doesn’t want to part with you."
Ji You: "..."
Mengmeng: "Baa baa..."
Ji You’s heart softened a bit, she bent down to meet Mengmeng’s gaze and said, "Mengmeng, look at me!"
Mengmeng: "Baa baa?"
Ji You said, "Mengmeng, your sister here is a student, and every day I have many learning tasks. These are things we humans must do, and they are a part of our sense of mission as human beings. Similarly, you are an alpaca, so you have your own alpaca tasks. Your task is to eat a lot of grass every day, to grow high and big in a happy and joyful way, got it?"
With that, Ji You reached out to pat Mengmeng’s head and said, "To me, you are now too thin and too short. So, I must issue you a mandatory task: to grow taller and bigger as quickly as possible."
Mengmeng raised her head: "Baa baa..."
Ji You suddenly turned serious and said, "Mengmeng student, can you do this? Can you ensure the task is completed?"
Mengmeng suddenly opened her mouth, with force: "Awo awo..."
Ji You shouted, "Well done, Student Mengmeng! I believe you can complete the task. Next time I come over, I want to check on your progress, okay?"
Mengmeng: "Awo awo!"
Mengmeng called out excitedly, then stretched out her hoof to kick forward, which clearly meant to gesture for Ji You to get going already.
Ji You waved her hand and said, "Goodbye, Student Mengmeng. Once I finish my study tasks, I’ll rush back to play with you."
Mengmeng: "Awo awo!"
After Ji You’s pep talk, Mengmeng transformed from a depressed and constantly melancholic alpaca into an alpaca full of fighting spirit and vibrancy, and energetically saw Ji You off with actual action.
It wasn’t until Ji You stepped out of the hot pot restaurant’s door and could no longer see Mengmeng’s melancholic face that she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Beside her, Xie Lingzhi said with a smirk, "Not bad, even managing to hoodwink an alpaca now."
Ji You: "..."
Feeling somewhat ashamed, Ji You could have never imagined that she would stoop to the level of deceiving an alpaca one day.
How shameful.
But—
Ji You wouldn’t admit, not in the slightest, that she was a big deceiver. She spoke with a righteous tone and loudly proclaimed, "What are you talking about, Sister Lingzhi? I’m instilling a proper outlook on life for Mengmeng. Even though it’s an alpaca, it should have its own sheep life. My words are to pull it out of its previous lazy and muddle-headed state, constantly relying on others to provide its food and clothing without enjoying what it receives, always complaining and often falling into depression and life’s doubts. I’m pulling it out of the fire and water! You see, after my talk, hasn’t it perked up, preparing to live its sheep life properly?"
Xie Lingzhi rolled her eyes: "Oh—"
—She almost couldn’t help but believe it!
Lea and Xie Chuanqiong, hearing Ji You’s words, couldn’t help but laugh too.
Xie Chuanqiong only laughed with her mouth without teasing Ji You out loud.
Lea, supporting her waist, said, "Very good... Our You is kind, adorable, and has aspirations. This kind of positive spirit has even crossed species and successfully infected the alpaca. Quite impressive."
Ji You: "..."
After seeing Ji You off to her dormitory, Xie Chuanqiong, Lea, and Xie Lingzhi left.
Back at the dormitory, Ji You hurriedly searched for things to experiment with.
During the watermelon eating contest, after she ate some watermelon, she discovered that Xiao You could also taste the watermelon inside the Iron Plate Space along with her. Although that watermelon in the Iron Plate didn’t have a physical form, it still managed to make Xiao You feel full.
So—
What does this mean?
Could it be that one day, my Iron Plate Space could be used as a storage space?
The mere thought excited Ji You so much that her brain went into overdrive, wishing she could immediately stuff her storage space full of supplies.
So—
Being a person with exceptional initiative, she got straight to work. First, she tried with her homework notebook, hoping to put it in. She mentally chanted many times, but the notebook in her hand remained still as ever.
Ji You’s face turned a bit dark.
Next, she tried with several low-level nutrient solutions.
However, the nutrient solutions remained motionless, stubborn as a nailed-down tenant, not showing the slightest sign of moving from her hands.
Ji You kept a tense face, feeling a bit panicked inside, yet she persevered and tested a variety of different items experimentally, including food, materials, and mechanical parts... But without exception, all attempts failed.
Ji You: "..."
So, I misunderstood?
Ji You quickly contacted Xiao You and shared her speculation and the results of her failed experiments one by one, asking Xiao You to help analyze the situation.
After listening, Xiao You pondered for a moment and then said, "Sister, have you considered the possibility that this Iron Plate Space might only require things like the Soul Device’s spiritual power circulating Array Diagrams and natural food?"
"Tonight, the watermelon we ate is actually a type of natural food, and moreover, it should not be a low-level natural food but rather of an intermediate to high level. Hence, could the Iron Plate be directly absorbing its nutrients through you?"
"And also—actually, when you normally eat braised pork rib rice, I can occasionally catch a faint whiff of it. Maybe its ingredients aren’t as pure as watermelon, so I don’t feel it as clearly and can’t share the meal with you."
Ji You was startled: "You can occasionally catch the scent of the braised pork rib rice I eat?"
Xiao You nodded: "Yeah, just occasionally, I can’t always smell it."
Having heard this, Ji You replied with heartfelt sympathy, "Xiao You, you poor thing. You can’t eat or drink normally and still have to smell the delicious food I have. It’s just so pitiful and sad..."
Xiao You: "..."
Xiao You’s face turned pinkish red, "Sister, you’re focusing on such strange things."
Ji You waved her hand grandly, saying, "Don’t worry, I’ll look for more high-quality ingredients like watermelon in the future, so while I eat meat, you can have some soup. If that’s not possible, at least you’ll get to enjoy the scent more often."
Xiao You: "...Okay." Although Sister’s words were a bit funny, she was truly moved, so, so moved...
Xiao You’s cheeks still flushed, she whispered, "Um, Sister, have you thought about this—the place I reside in, including our Spiritual World, if we want to improve it, we can use Soul Devices or gradually nurture it with natural food. Why is that?"
Ji You paused, having actually considered this question before with some doubts, and then shared, "The Soul Device has an Array Diagram with spiritual power circulating in it, and what our spiritual power and the Iron Plate really need is the spiritual power flowing through that Array Diagram. But I know it shouldn’t be just simply called spiritual power, since it has been stripped from the Soul Artifact Master’s spiritual power and bestowed upon the Soul Devices, hence it can’t be simply referred to as spiritual power anymore."
"So, what should we call this force that can elevate and cultivate human spiritual power? Currently, the entire human world hasn’t unified a concept for it."
"Xiao You, let’s name it ourselves. How about... we call it Soul Power? The name comes from the Soul Devices."
Xiao You’s cheeks were still rosy as she gently nodded, "Okay. The name Soul Power is really nice, Sister, you’re good at naming things."
Ji You laughed heartily, saying, "Besides the Soul Power from Soul Devices, I suspect that natural food—whether low-level, middle-level, high-level, or rare treasures like Butterfly Honey—actually all contain Soul Power. The difference lies in their potency, which is why they can enhance and nurture our spiritual power."
Xiao You giggled softly, "That’s also what I suspect."
So—
Both Ji You and Xiao You’s faces fell at the same time.
With a woeful expression, Ji You concluded, "So, our Iron Plate Space can only absorb Soul Power and cannot be used as a storage space."
Ah!
This blasted Iron Plate, a scammer online.