The new homes had already been prepared.
They were still the same wave-eroded oyster shells that had weathered countless storms, but the internal substrate formula had been upgraded once again.
Ling Shuying applied the concept of a “layered nutrient matrix”:
Bottom layer: An increased proportion of fine sand to ensure good water permeability and firm root anchoring.
Middle layer: A blend of more diverse humus-rich sea mud, dug up by Hai Yao from mudflats of varying depths and regions, providing a more comprehensive profile of organic matter and trace elements.
Top layer: A significantly higher proportion of diatom Algae Powder, evenly mixed with finely ground, specific coral powder rich in macronutrients like calcium and magnesium.
It also included a “secret recipe” contributed by Hai Yao: a trace but crucial amount of crushed, deep-purple micro-seashell powder.
This was rich in phosphorus and certain rare metal ions.
Between each layer, fresh, tougher Algae Cleaning Membranes were carefully placed as separators to prevent the nutrients from leaching too quickly or mixing together.
Following Ling Shuying’s instructions, Hai Yao carefully spread these substrates into the oyster shells layer by layer, as meticulous as if she were setting a delicate trap.
Ling Shuying then used fish-bone tweezers to gently implant seven algae segments into the top substrate.
She made sure the growing points faced upward and the cut ends were in full contact with the nutrient-rich bed.
Every movement was as gentle as handling a newborn baby.
Soon, the seven new culture dishes were ready.
Ling Shuying meticulously numbered them.
The cuttings from the A-1 mother plant were named A-1-1, A-1-2, and A-1-3; the A-2 cuttings became A-2-1, A-2-2, A-2-3, and A-2-4.
Like an engineer planning a city, she reorganized their layout based on the age, size, and specific needs for light and water flow of each algae seedling.
The mother plants and early cuttings occupied the core positions, while the new members surrounded them.
Hai Yao, acting as both porter and guard, flawlessly executed Technician Ling’s orders.
She placed each oyster shell precisely into designated reef depressions, ensuring they were stable and perfectly level.
When the final seedling was securely positioned, the two stepped back.
The sight before them swept away the exhaustion of the past few days.
Clear seawater rippled gently inside the shells, and vibrant emerald green served as the dominant color of these “fields.” The mother plants stretched out their robust leaves like Guardians.
The early cuttings were already standing tall and graceful, brimming with life, while the newly implanted segments, though tiny, radiated infinite hope through their flecks of tender green.
Afternoon sunlight pierced through the seawater at the entrance of the Sea Erosion Cave, refracting into dancing dapples of light that fell gently upon this small, green array.
Every leaf seemed to breathe in the light, shimmering with the luster of Life.
The protective cover formed by the jellyfish inner membrane acted as a soft filter, making this “Jade Forest” appear serene and sacred.
The faint murmuring of water currents and the occasional PLOP of a water drop from the cave ceiling were the only background sounds in this vibrant secret realm.
“They’re alive…
they really survived…” Hai Yao muttered, entranced by the sight.
Her calloused fingers subconsciously reached out to touch the alluring green, but she stopped halfway, terrified that her recklessness might disturb this fragile miracle.
Just a few days ago, there were only two solitary little specks here.
Now, it had already become a burgeoning oasis.
Witnessing this power of Life spreading across the barren wasteland stirred her heart far more than hunting down a Sea Beast.
Ling Shuying stood quietly beside Hai Yao, her profound gaze sweeping over each seedling.
Her fingertips absently brushed against the tender tip of a newly sprouted leaf, feeling its faint yet incredibly resolute pulse of Life.
Qing Ling operated steadily and powerfully within her.
A massive stream of data flowed silently, calculating the seedlings’ future growth trajectories, potential mutation directions, and adaptability to different environments.
Countless future branches, teeming with possibilities, unfolded in her consciousness.
This sensation was a hundred times more fervent and a thousand times freer than being confined by the rigid rules of the well-equipped laboratories at the Green Algae Institute.
This was her territory.
Her future.
“This is only the beginning, Hai Yao.” Ling Shuying’s voice was low but carried a heavy weight.
Her gaze bypassed the small “forest” before them and cast outward to the shimmering, unfathomable expanse of the ocean beyond the cave.
“Once they grow a bit larger and their genetic traits stabilize, we can attempt to transplant them. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
The shallow reefs, the tidal mudflats, and even the moist, shaded soil in the woods…
This island and this sea will all become their experimental fields.”
In her mind’s eye, she could already picture algae blankets covering the reefs, algae forests swaying in the shallows, and Algae Fields dotting the woods.
“We are going to make this green cover the entire island.
And then, spread it outward.”
Following Ling Shuying’s gaze, Hai Yao looked out of the cave.
Sunlight shattered across the sea’s surface like countless dancing golden scales.
She felt as though she could truly see the future—those magical “green specks” acting like living carpets, blanketing the island’s shores, dancing with the waves in the clear water, and even climbing up the moist humus in the woods, transforming the desolate land into a vibrant emerald wonderland.
An island where Life and hope intertwined.
The emaciated, sallow faces of the City State refugees who suffered from famine flashed through her mind.
She smacked her lips.
She didn’t say anything grand, but her eyes—which always gleamed with a wild light—were now astonishingly bright, brimming with absolute certainty and yearning for that green future.
Bending down, she picked up a water ladle and scooped it full from the nearby bucket of settled, crisp, clean seawater.
Then, with extreme care, she evenly sprinkled the water over the array of emerald Life.
Crystal-clear water droplets landed on the tender leaves, rolled off, and seeped into the hope-filled substrate.
“Watering time,” Hai Yao said, her voice low and earnest, as if performing some ancient blessing ritual rooted in her very blood.
“Grow fast, grow fast!
Grow up big and strong!”
Ling Shuying stood to the side, watching Hai Yao’s clumsy yet incredibly sincere movements.
She observed the green Life looking even more vibrant under the nourishment of the water droplets, then looked down at this burgeoning base of green hope she had built with her own hands.
A solid and warm sense of strength quietly grew within her heart, like a sturdy root system burying itself deep into the bedrock of this Wave Ruins Island beneath her feet.
At the same time, a clear and warm wave of resonance pulsed from Qing Ling in her chest.
It felt like a silent echo of the green future envisioned in her heart, an affirmation of this deeply rooted strength.
The isolated island, the green seedlings, the symbiotic spirit, and Hai Yao beside her—who had transformed from a “savage” into a true partner…
All of this formed Ling Shuying’s brand-new world, a world fraught with challenges yet pregnant with infinite hope.
Her path of Algae Technology had truly taken its first solid step on the forgotten fringes of the Wave Ruins.