Chapter 18: Don't Be Infatuated with Me

Fragmented is how they would describe it before it was shrunk down. Now, each strip is about the size of a palm, with varying lengths resembling arms. Under Huang Mang's accumulation of these paper masses using his metallic palm, the paper wads became incredibly thick.

At this rate, a mere half-month's effort from the group would probably suffice.

"Mangzi, try to see if you can push these tissues down. It would make it more convenient for us to take them later!" Ji Chang suggested, observing the paper wad in Huang Mang's arms and the stack of tissues beside him.

Given the height of the windowsill, only a hornet mount could reach it. If the tissue package was pushed down to the ground, anyone could easily access it in the future.

"Sure, I'll give it a try!" Huang Mang nodded and set the paper wad aside. After rubbing his metallic palm a few times, he exerted a sudden burst of force.

However, the next moment, a 'squelch' sound rang out. Huang Mang's palm had penetrated the packaging of the tissue package, inserting into the tissues themselves...

"The contact area is too small. Try using your back!" Ji Chang contemplated aloud upon seeing this.

Following Ji Chang's instructions, Huang Mang transformed his entire body into a metallic form and pressed his back against the tissue package. With a low shout, Huang Mang slightly moved the tissue package.

Seeing the tissue package move, Huang Mang's face lit up, and he shouted once more. Initially, Ji Chang had thought of enlisting the help of a hornet, but Huang Mang, who saw the hornet taking off, hurriedly interjected, "Brother Ji, let me try first. If it doesn't work, you can still have the hornet help. It's also a consumption of psychic energy! It can make me stronger!"

"Alright, you push here for now. I'll go find something to hold water," Ji Chang nodded at Huang Mang and mounted the hornet.

With a flap of the hornet's wings, they sped away. Things that could be used to hold water were numerous under ordinary circumstances: water buckets, thermos flasks, pots, pans, ladles, and even mineral water bottles, and the like. However, these items didn't have shrunken versions.

Ji Chang had searched but found nothing suitable. Yet, as he flew by the bedside of the bedroom on the hornet, he spotted a withered tree branch, giving him an instant idea.

He might not have water buckets or thermos flasks, but he could create them himself. Taking a piece of the withered branch and hollowing out its center, wouldn't it be a ready-made wooden container?

Of course, before they were shrunk, a withered tree branch would never have been suitable for storing water. But with their current size, a water container made from a withered branch, even if it could only hold a few drops of water, would be enough for them to drink for several days.

Ji Chang, firm in his plan, flew towards the windowsill on the hornet. As he couldn't cut the dried branches himself, he could only let Huang Mang do it.

"Mangzi?"

After Ji Chang returned to the windowsill, he found the tissue package on the edge but without Huang Mang's figure.

As Ji Chang spoke, a weak voice reached his ears, "Ji... Ji ge, I can't do it anymore. I'm exhausted. You should take over!"

Seeing this, Ji Chang approached and helped Huang Mang, who was sitting on the ground. He then signaled for the hornet to nudge the tissue package downward.

Observing Ji Chang's hornet effortlessly moving the tissue package off the windowsill, Huang Mang couldn't help but twitch his lips a few times, muttering, "Such a huge gap between people!"

He had exerted a tremendous amount of effort and nearly depleted his psychic energy, yet he had only managed to move the tissue package a few centimeters. Ji Chang's hornet, on the other hand, accomplished it with ease.

For Ji Chang, the task of pushing the tissue package off the windowsill hadn't consumed much of his psychic energy. At most, he had used a fraction of it to command the hornet. The rest was the hornet's own strength.

Just as Huang Mang was about to say something, Ji Chang waved his hand to interrupt, saying, "Mangzi, I've found something to hold water. Let's take the paper wad back first, and then come with me. I'll need your help."

"Really? That's great!" Excited by Ji Chang's news of finding a water-holding solution, Huang Mang quickly replied.

Soon, the two of them mounted their hornets, carrying the paper wad, and headed toward their base. After placing the paper wad down and allowing Huang Mang to regain some psychic energy through food, Ji Chang led Huang Mang to the withered tree branch by the bedside.

"A tree branch?"

Looking at the branch thicker than his waist, Huang Mang glanced at Ji Chang with a hint of confusion.

Once Ji Chang explained his idea, Huang Mang slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "It's such a simple thing to hollow out a branch to make a wooden container. How did I not think of that!"

But then Huang Mang looked at the thick branch with a bitter expression, "Brother Ji, you're really overestimating me. This is thicker than my waist. How could I possibly break it... And even if I do break it, it probably won't turn out well..."

Before Huang Mang could finish, he saw Ji Chang take something from his waist and couldn't help but sigh, "Brother Ji, you're truly amazing. You've got it all figured out!"

The item Ji Chang took out was the remaining piece of a soda can pull tab.

Following Ji Chang's guidance, Huang Mang began to cut the tree branch using the 'blade'.

After about two hours, as Huang Mang collapsed onto the ground once more, the five wooden sticks were finally cut. Simultaneously, Ji Chang had already crafted all five sticks into wooden barrels.

Not only barrels, but they also made barrel lids. While Huang Mang rested, Ji Chang used the cut edges of the tree branches to create a variety of utensils, like chopsticks, plates, and cups. He even managed to craft a few round stools!

Admittedly, these items were rather rudimentary in appearance, but they were functional. For Ji Chang, this wasn't particularly difficult. During his time at the temple, many items were made from wood, and he had learned quite a bit about carpentry from his seniors.

...

Soon, the two of them and the hornets began transporting everything back.

Though there were many items, the distance wasn't far, and the bedroom floor was tiled, making transportation relatively effortless.

As evening approached, all the items were successfully moved back to their base.

When Chen Lingxue and the others returned, their expressions turned astonished as they looked at the newly acquired items at the base.

"Oh my gosh! We finally don't have to sit on the ground anymore! Ji Chang, you're really something!" Having learned from Huang Mang that Ji Chang was behind all these creations, Dong Xuan, sitting on a round stool, raised her thumbs in admiration.

Seeing the five large wooden barrels, Chen Lingxue couldn't hide her surprise either.

And there were the piles of paper wads near the 'room' entrance, along with various utensils and cups...

At this moment, both Chen Lingxue and the others looked at Ji Chang with a mix of awe and admiration.

Seeing this, Ji Chang lightly touched his forehead and said with a somewhat low voice, "Don't be infatuated with me. I'm not a legend!"