Lucas Reeve was smarter this time.
When his main consciousness descended into the awakened remnant soul, he didn't immediately rush out, to avoid the awkwardness of his first meeting with Jessica. Instead, he stayed hidden inside and observed his surroundings.
When he awoke, Alina was strolling through her village. Lucas Reeve guessed that this Miss Alina was just an ordinary person from a village in this barren land.
Ordinary people were good. At least there was no one around who posed a threat to him. That was quite safe.
Moreover.
To prevent the remnant soul from developing its own consciousness and becoming a turncoat, Lucas Reeve hadn't endowed these souls with any consciousness when he split them. Even upon awakening, they were merely vessels for his consciousness to descend into.
Therefore, before his main consciousness arrived, he could only sense the remnant soul's location, but was completely unaware of the surroundings or the people.
It took Alina a long time to reluctantly accept the fact that Lucas Reeve was a soul.
"Um... Mr. Reeve, did you come out of this bracelet?"
Alina pointed to the bracelet on her right wrist, the one Talulah had just given her.
Suddenly.
Alina seemed to remember something.
Talulah had inexplicably given her this bracelet today, and this bracelet originally belonged to Talu. She couldn't have been unaware that there was a soul named Lucas Reeve inside. Giving it to her today might have been a way to provide her with a bodyguard, to ensure her safety.
Alina's mind raced.
Thinking about it, it was indeed very possible.
After all, if it weren't for Mr. Reeve's help, she very well might have died here today. Once those Infected Pickets discovered she was Infected, they would never have let her go.
Lucas Reeve had a peculiar trait.
After a single soul exchange.
The two souls would partially merge. Not only could Lucas Reeve share Alina's vision, but he could also communicate with her telepathically and share some of her innermost thoughts. Therefore, as Alina was speculating, Lucas Reeve understood the full story.
Since this Miss Alina believed he was a gift from her friend named Talulah, then so be it. He would pretend not to know and let her guess as she pleased, saving him the trouble of a lengthy explanation.
Since he was entrusted to her by Talu, he must not be a bad person! Although... he was a ghost... but ghosts didn't seem so terrifying if they all looked like this.
Alina's trust in Lucas Reeve grew considerably. Plus, if it weren't for his help, something terrible might have happened to her. So, she was genuinely grateful to him. And... Lucas Reeve's appearance naturally made people feel a sense of affinity.
"Mr. Reeve... what should we do with these two?"
Alina pointed to the two unconscious members of the Infected Pickets on the ground and asked with some concern.
"Just kill them?"
Lucas Reeve said casually.
"No!"
Alina immediately shook her head.
"If we kill them, it will arouse the suspicion of the nearby Infected Pickets. They might suspect there are Infected in the area and launch a large-scale search. We'll definitely be discovered."
"Then..."
Lucas Reeve thought for a moment.
"Let's just turn them into idiots."
As a soul form, even without relying on any external power, Lucas Reeve could directly invade an enemy's soul and attack it. However, if the other person was conscious, there was a high risk even if his own soul was stronger. But for someone who was unconscious, it was a different story...
Lucas Reeve directly slipped into the two men's bodies.
A couple of iron fists.
He smashed their souls to pieces, particularly tearing apart the areas responsible for memory.
Even if they woke up, their minds would probably be addled, and they wouldn't remember anything related to this incident.
"That should do it. Let's go...."
"Okay!! Thank you, Mr. Reeve!"
Alina checked the food in her basket, a sweet smile blooming on her face as she thanked Lucas Reeve.
The human and the soul walked and talked.
"Mr. Reeve, why are you in a soul form? Does everyone have a soul after they die?"
Alina asked a question that any living person would be curious about.
"No, I'm a special case. My soul was imprisoned in this bracelet for some particular reason. I need to grant many people's wishes to gain my freedom."
Hold on.
Lucas Reeve paused.
He felt that this explanation sounded very familiar. It seemed he had said the same thing to Jessica when they first met.
Sigh...
He had been quite nervous saying it back then, but now he was getting more and more proficient. It sounded almost real.
However.
Alina was, after all, beautiful and kind-hearted. The purity of her soul was similar to Jessica's, as pure as flawless, brilliant crystal. People with such souls were incredibly rare. She naturally didn't doubt Lucas Reeve's words and felt immense pity for his plight.
"How pitiful... Mr. Reeve..."
"Mr. Reeve, you helped me once. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Lucas Reeve said, "Of course there is. Make a wish to me, help me complete my quota sooner and regain my freedom. That is how you can help."
"Make a wish....."
Alina was a bit conflicted.
After all, making a wish was, in a way, still asking Mr. Reeve to help her, wasn't it?
"Do you have a wish in mind? Any wish will do, you know?"
"Then..."
Alina hesitated for a moment.
"Our Reunion Movement is short on food. Mr. Reeve, is there any way... you can help us get some food?"
As soon as she said it, Alina regretted it.
She felt that this wish was too outrageous and might put Lucas Reeve in a difficult position. And Lucas Reeve, naturally aware of what was going through Alina's mind, was filled with a desire to comment. Why did this thought feel so familiar again?
Oh~
Jessica had thought the same thing back then.
As expected...
Another kind-hearted angel!
However, this Alina didn't seem as shy; in fact, she seemed quite outgoing in her kindness.
"Food, you say?"
"No problem."
"Really?!!"
Seeing Lucas Reeve actually agree, Alina was first surprised, then she clapped her hands happily, looking at him with anticipation.
[Wish captured. Assistance required? (7/10)]
"Confirm."
[1. Plant Affinity 2. Susanoo (First Stage: Skeletal Form) 3. Mini-Sun Tool (from Doraemon)]
Plant Affinity: Acquire a special constitution that can not only catalyze plant growth but also turn surrounding plants into one's own senses, and even absorb the power of nearby plants to enhance oneself or restore stamina.
The first ability was excellent, a functional support ability, which was exactly what Lucas Reeve currently lacked.
As for the second one...
It was a purely offensive ability. As for why this ability was offered, Lucas Reeve guessed the system's logic was... since you want food, you can just go and steal it, right? Lucas Reeve decisively disregarded this option. Firstly, he really didn't lack offensive capabilities at the moment. Secondly... Lucas Reeve only had so much 'mana'. What good would more attack skills do?
And as everyone knows.
Susanoo was notoriously mana-intensive and prone to causing blindness. Although Lucas Reeve was a soul and didn't have to worry about going blind, his host did. Lucas Reeve did not want his future hosts to be one-time use.
As for the third option, it was a bit of a roundabout solution.
The first option was to catalyze the growth of crops to obtain food. The second was to steal food from others. And the third... was to build a greenhouse in this world of ice and snow, then use the Mini-Sun as a light source to provide warmth, and let the crops grow bit by bit.
This....
It was more suited for a farming-style player, to leisurely start a farming journey, but it wasn't suitable for Lucas Reeve...
Given the current state of the Reunion Movement, by the time the food was grown, a large number of them would have already starved to death.
Lucas Reeve resolutely chose the first option.
A deep green light floated out from the void and was deeply imprinted into his soul. A small, grass-like symbol appeared in the depths of Lucas Reeve's soul.
Lucas Reeve carefully sensed the condition of the surrounding plants.
The small blades of grass buried under the snow responded positively to him.
Lucas Reeve could clearly feel the connection between himself and them, as if they were naturally linked in some special way. He could sense the plants' emotions and even perceive the surroundings through their 'vision'.
Seeing that Lucas Reeve hadn't responded for a while.
Alina, standing beside him, began to feel awkward. She wanted to say something, but after some thought, she decided against it.
Suddenly.
Lucas Reeve floated out of the bracelet and gave Alina an OK sign.
"It's done. I've granted you an ability. Miss Alina, please open your mind. A warm current will soon flow into your body, but please don't panic. It'll be over in a moment, I'm very fast...."
These abilities of Lucas Reeve were quite special.
Techniques like the breathing methods could be directly passed on to others. While abilities couldn't be directly transferred, after their souls were linked, the host could directly use any ability that Lucas Reeve permitted.
Of course, their proficiency would be nowhere near as high as Lucas Reeve's.
When Lucas Reeve learned an ability, it was by default at max proficiency. The host, however, was different. Even if Lucas Reeve was willing to share an ability, the host would start from zero proficiency.
Alina nodded obediently, then opened her mind.
For some reason, she felt that Lucas Reeve's words sounded a bit off.
It felt...
a bit perverted...
Just as Lucas Reeve had said, a warm current flowed into her body. In Alina's mind, an ability to catalyze plant growth appeared.
Catalyze plant growth?!!
A flash of joy crossed Alina's delicate face.
This ability gave Alina a very bold idea. She was now eager to return to the camp and try it out.
"Thank you! Mr. Reeve!!"
"Don't mention it~
As Alina expressed her thanks, a small wisp of Prayer Power flowed into Lucas Reeve's soul. This wish was not yet complete; it would only be considered fulfilled once Alina had food.
Alina jogged all the way back, eager to try out this new ability.
As she ran to the entrance of the camp, she happened to run into Patriot's squad returning from a hunt. This trip had been fruitful; Patriot's squad had hunted down three beasts. Although the meat of such large beasts wasn't very tasty... it even had a sour, foul smell, but not being tasty didn't mean it couldn't be eaten. In this environment, having something to eat was already a blessing.
"Ah! Mr. Patriot!!"
Alina hadn't expected to run into Patriot returning from his hunt. It was a bit awkward, like a child caught doing something wrong. She trotted forward to greet him.
Her height of 1.6 meters was minuscule compared to Patriot's towering three meters. Seeing Alina, the iron-tower-like Patriot's tone softened slightly.
"Where have you been... Alina."
"Oh~"
Alina was in a difficult position, but she chose to tell the truth.
"I went out to trade for supplies..."
She pointed to the iron-rod-like baguettes and a good amount of dried meat in her basket and said with a smile.
Another frost-rabbit girl next to Patriot came forward, patting Alina's shoulder to brush off the snow.
"Sigh... Alina, you shouldn't push yourself so hard in the future. The Infected Pickets have been investigating strictly recently. You mustn't go out again. If anything happens.... Father and I will go hunting. There have been more beasts in the snowy mountains lately, so we should be able to get some."
"It's okay, FrostNova, I promise I won't do it again."
Alina and FrostNova were very close, or rather, she was on good terms with everyone in the Reunion Movement, including the tower-like Patriot. Although Patriot rarely spoke, Alina would occasionally go to chat with him. Her kind and lively nature easily won her the affection of her companions.
"I'm going now~~"
Alina trotted off and returned to her room.
However.
As Alina left.
The mountain-like monster slowly turned its head. Its glowing red eyes stared intently at the bracelet on Alina's wrist, as if it had sensed something was amiss, but it didn't say anything.
Meanwhile.
Lucas Reeve, hidden within the bracelet, felt his scalp tingle. He was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
He had never imagined that such a terrifying 'monster' would be hidden in Alina's camp!!
Isn't this just an ordinary little village?
Why would an ordinary little village have something like this!!
The power of that soul, as majestic and steadfast as a mountain peak, made even Lucas Reeve feel immense pressure. Compared to this monster, the tree monster he had encountered in Bolívar was laughably weak. If this man-shaped monster called 'Patriot' were to fight that tree monster one-on-one.
Lucas Reeve guessed.
The tree monster wouldn't last more than a few hits.
After all, its specialty, soul attacks, would be pitifully weak against this man-shaped monster whose soul was as sturdy as a city wall. It couldn't even break through its defenses.
Huu!!
Luckily, he had concealed his aura in time, otherwise he might have been discovered...
Alina's tribe was really quite dangerous... It seems I'll have to come out less often in the future. Although this is just a remnant soul, its demise would still cause some damage to my main body. The remnant soul with Jessica had only lost its power and weakened, it hadn't perished.
After storing the food, Alina eagerly returned to her room, took out some crop seeds, planted them in a flowerpot in her room, and after adding a little water, she slowly activated the ability Lucas Reeve had given her, following the instructions in her mind.
A faint green glow emanated from the palm of Alina's hand.
This green light, like a perfect catalyst, was directly absorbed by the crop seeds in the flowerpot.
A moment later.
Under Alina's excited gaze.
The newly planted seed sprouted a tiny shoot.