Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 61: Extraordinary

Mirek nodded once and said, "If you are done, I will take you back to the cave and start looking for materials I can use to make the stone vessel."

Lavayla turned in a slow circle, eyes sweeping the basin one last time. "Yeah, sure. I’ve found a lot of valuable things already. More than enough," she said, then froze mid-sentence. "Plus the Earth tubers... oh!"

Her eyes widened.

"Oh no. Come on. Let’s go, hurry!" she said, already moving. "I completely forgot about them."

She quickened her pace, almost breaking into a sprint as she headed back the way they came.

Mirek watched her for a moment, then the corner of his lips lifted slightly before he followed, lengthening his stride until he was only a step behind her.

They retraced their path through the basin, weaving between roots and shallow pools, passing the familiar patches of soil and stone. Once the initial rush of panic faded and she remembered exactly where the Earth tubers were hidden, Lavayla slowed down, her enthusiasm tempered by the reality of walking the entire distance again.

She sighed quietly.

Still, she kept going.

About an hour later, they reached an area where shallow pools had formed naturally between low ridges of stone. Water lay clear and still in some places, while other sections were disturbed by slow trickles feeding into the pools. The soil here was softer, nearly muddy near the edges, but farther in, the ground was blanketed in thick moss that compressed underfoot and sprang back when released.

Lavayla stopped.

She looked around, realizing they had passed this area earlier without paying much attention. The moss was unusually dense, spreading across the ground like a living carpet.

"There’s a lot of moss here," she murmured. "I didn’t notice this place before."

She shifted the fur sling on her shoulder and crouched, brushing her hand lightly over the plants. Her attention split between the ground beneath her fingers and the surrounding growth, curiosity stirring again.

Her hand reached a patch of moss that stood out immediately.

It was a vivid emerald green, far brighter than the surrounding growth, spreading in wide, connected sheets instead of loose clusters. The color alone made her pause. She touched it gently, wondering how something so thin could carry such richness.

Information surfaced at once.

[Name: Velvet-Web Moss]

[Origin: Native Plant Of The Beast World. Uncommon Grade (Mid-Low Grade)]

[Description: A thin, emerald-green moss that grows in long, interconnected sheets. It is remarkably strong and elastic, allowing it to be peeled off in strips and used as a natural, self-adhesive bandage.]

Lavayla’s smile widened.

No wonder it looked different.

She carefully peeled it from the ground, and to her surprise, it came away in a long, intact sheet instead of tearing apart. The moss stretched slightly, resilient beneath her fingers.

She brushed her hand through it, feeling its softness. "This could even be used as a mat," she murmured thoughtfully. "Or lining."

Just as she said that, a familiar translucent panel flickered into existence in front of her.

Lavayla was caught off guard.

She kept her gaze firmly on the moss in her hands, forcing herself not to stare straight through it. She continued peeling the velvet-green sheet carefully from the ground, fingers steady, expression unchanged.

From the outside, she only looked like someone deeply focused on examining a plant.

Inside her mind, she spoke calmly.

’Nessa, what’s on the panel?’

Nessa responded at once, voice bright with satisfaction. ’Host, the content of the panel is additional information related to the plant. Because you correctly inferred secondary uses that were not originally listed, the plant’s extended data has been activated. Would you like to view it?’

’Yes,’ she replied immediately. ’What is it?’

The panel updated and Nessa read it for her,

[Additional Information: Other Uses of Velvet-Web Moss]

[Secondary Application: When properly rinsed and partially dried, Velvet-Web Moss can be layered and bonded into a flexible ground mat. It provides insulation from cold surfaces, reduces pressure on joints, and maintains mild elasticity for comfort.]

[When layered thinly, it may be used as padding for infants or fragile individuals.]

[Usage Notes: Must be rinsed and partially dried before use. Over-drying will reduce elasticity but gain stiffness, allowing it to be used as a lining material or temporary structural reinforcement. Prolonged exposure to moisture after use may cause degradation.]

Lavayla’s lips curved faintly.

So she had not been wrong.

Satisfied, she dismissed the panel without ever looking at it directly. She turned her head and called out, "Mirek." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

He stepped closer at once, stopping beside her.

Lavayla stood and lifted the Velvet-Web Moss, holding it up between them. "I just found this moss," she said, then explained further by action instead of words. She pinched a small section and pulled. The moss stretched noticeably before resisting, fibers holding firm.

Only then did she cut a narrow strip free and held it out to him. "See this? It’s very strong and elastic. Elastic means it stretches instead of tearing easily."

Mirek’s gaze followed every movement.

"If someone has a wound," Lavayla continued, choosing her words carefully, "this can be peeled into strips and placed directly over it. It sticks on its own and covers the injury properly."

She paused, searching for the right word, then continued, "It sticks to the skin on its own. It seals the area instead of just lying on top of it. That makes it better than ordinary moss or leaves that need cloth to hold them in place. They trap dirt and cause infections."

Mirek studied the strip closely, turning it between his fingers.

"So it is a medicinal plant that can cover a wound efficiently," he said.

"Yes," Lavayla replied. "Something like that. But that’s not the only reason I called you over."

She gestured to the wide sheets spread across the ground. "This moss can also be used as a mat. It needs to be washed and then dried a little, not completely. If it stays slightly flexible, it can be layered together."

"A mat?" Mirek echoed, clearly surprised.

Seeing his hesitation, Lavayla explained further. "If several sheets are overlapped and pressed together, they bond naturally. When placed over stone or packed earth, it insulates against the cold and spreads pressure evenly. It won’t be as soft as fur, but it’s much better than bare rock."

She gestured at the ground. "Sleeping directly on a stone gives me aches, and you sit upright most of the time. That can’t be comfortable either. This would help both of us."

Mirek listened without interrupting, expression neutral, but internally his thoughts churned.

The way Lavayla spoke about plants was not guesswork. It was precise, confident, as if the knowledge simply existed inside her.

His thoughts drifted back to how she always touched plants before harvesting them. Always. Without exception. He remembered a conversation he heard between the tribe chief and the shaman about rare gifts that had nothing to do with brute strength. Abilities that manifested differently in different people.

But Lavayla was human.

Could humans possess such gifts?

He did not know. The thought lingered, stirring curiosity, but he pushed it aside and focused on her words.

When she finished explaining, he finally spoke. "So it can be used as a mat to sleep on. I understand what you are saying."

He paused, then added as she turned back toward the moss-covered ground, "You’re very wise, Lavayla."

She stopped.

Then turned around, blinking at him. "What? Why do you say that?"

"Because it is obvious," he replied calmly. "You are probably one of the wisest—"

Her laugh cut him off.

She stared at him, clearly amused. "No, absolutely not. I’m not wise. Definitely not. But maybe a little smart? Okay, I can take that."

Still smiling, she nudged him lightly toward the moss-covered ground. "Come on. Let’s bring back a wide sheet of it and try making a mat."

Mirek stared at her for a brief moment.

Then he nodded.

"Alright."

Lavayla moved forward along the moss-covered stretch, eyes scanning ahead, and quickly confirmed that the Velvet-Web Moss extended farther than she had first realized. The emerald sheets continued in wide patches beyond the shallow pools, spreading thickly across the ground.

Seeing that there was plenty more ahead, she stopped worrying about restraint.

"Well," she said lightly, already crouching again, "there’s more further on. We won’t be hurting anything if we take this section."

Mirek followed her lead without comment.

Together, they began stripping the moss from the ground.

Lavayla focused on choosing clean edges and lifting the sheets carefully so they stayed intact, but it was Mirek who truly made the work fast. With steady hands and controlled strength, he peeled the moss free in broad sections, separating it cleanly from the soil without tearing it. The elastic fibers stretched under his grip and then released smoothly, leaving behind bare earth and damp stone.

Within minutes, the once-lush patch had been reduced to exposed ground, only faint traces of green remaining where the moss had clung moments before.

Lavayla straightened and exhaled, impressed. "You’re really good at that."

Mirek glanced at the growing pile beside them. "It comes off easily if you pull evenly," he said simply.

They folded the harvested sheets together, layering them carefully so they would not stick too tightly to themselves. Even then, the bundle grew larger than Lavayla had expected. When she tried to lift it, she realized immediately that there was no way it would fit into her makeshift fur sling without crushing the other plants inside.

She hesitated, then looked up at Mirek.

Before she could say anything, he reached down and picked up the folded moss with one hand. Despite its size, he held it securely, the green layers draped neatly over his forearm.

"I’ll carry it," he said.

Lavayla smiled in relief. "Thanks. That saves me a lot of trouble."

With the moss secured, they resumed walking, leaving the stripped patch behind. The basin gradually gave way to firmer ground as they retraced their steps, the sound of water softening as the shallow pools fell behind them.

Lavayla glanced once at the bundle of Velvet-Web Moss in Mirek’s hand, satisfaction settling in her chest.

A sleeping mat, bandages, and padding, all from one plant.

Only a few steps later, as they walked along the edge of one of the shallow pools, something else caught her eye.

White.

She stopped immediately.

The contrast was striking against the dark soil and green moss. She stepped closer and bent down, examining it carefully. Thick clumps of white growth clung to the shaded side of a rock near the water, fluffy and dense, almost like piled silk threads.

"What is this...?" she murmured. "Is this also a moss?"

Already certain of the answer, Lavayla extended her hand.

[Name: Cloud-Silk Moss]

[Origin: Native Plant Of The Beast World. Uncommon Grade (Low-Mid Grade)]

[Description: A white, fluffy moss that grows in thick clumps on the shaded side of rocks. It is naturally antiseptic and incredibly absorbent, making it the perfect sterile padding for large wounds.]

Lavayla inhaled slowly.

Bandages. Padding. Antiseptic.

Her gaze lingered on the soft white clumps, then she looked around her.

This place was definitely extraordinary.