"You don't need to be too nervous; just draw whatever comes to mind!" Si Lu said softly, trying to comfort everyone who seemed a little anxious.
It's natural to feel a bit overwhelmed and nervous the first time.
"No problem, we've got it." Hei Yao nodded, understanding Si Lu's words.
He figured he would just draw a snake—after all, he was a snake himself. It should be simple to draw, and he would add some stars and moon symbols beneath it.
Even though he didn't fully understand what Si Lu had planned, as long as she was happy, he was willing to go along with it.
"Lulu, why aren't there any foxes?" Bai Di frowned suddenly. "Foxes are so cute."
His gaze, filled with stars and longing, turned to Si Lu. Could it be that Lulu didn't like foxes? Fortunately, she hadn't mentioned drawing a rabbit; otherwise, his heart might have been completely broken.
"Oh, right, we can add a fox too," Si Lu said after thinking for a moment.
The food chain could include foxes. For instance, foxes could eat rabbits and mice, while they could be prey for tigers and lions. As long as the food chain was complete, it worked.
"Great! I want to draw a fox. Lulu, you're so kind to me!" Bai Di exclaimed happily.
Si Lu felt a little awkward hearing that. He was so easily pleased just because she said he could draw a fox! It didn't take much to make him happy!
"What about rabbits? Rabbits are cute too! Can we add a rabbit?" Nan Si chimed in, looking at Si Lu with hopeful eyes.
He thought rabbits were just as adorable, and he felt a bit uneasy. Since there was now a fox, why not a rabbit? Moreover, since he was a rabbit, it made sense to include one, right?
"Of course, you can draw a rabbit. You could even draw plants, like carrots or grass, though you'll have to pick one between the two."
"As for the animals, you guys can decide. I'm not too strict on specifics, as long as the food chain is complete. You can discuss what animals you want to include," Si Lu said, giving them freedom to think creatively.
"Lulu, what do you mean by 'a perfect food chain'?"
"Yeah, I've never heard of that before."
"What's a food chain exactly?"
They all looked at Si Lu in confusion. The term was new to them, and they needed clarification. How could they draw these animals without understanding what it meant?
"The perfect food chain goes like this: for example, a tiger eats a fox, the fox eats a mouse, but what about the mouse?
The mouse can kill an elephant. It's about survival—one eats the other, and only the strongest survive."
"For instance, if a tiger and a lion fight, they both might end up dead, because neither can truly defeat the other. Or take a cheetah and a cat; both hunt mice."
"That's how the food chain works," Si Lu patiently explained.
"I don't believe that. Why would a lion and a tiger both die if they fought? What if the tiger wins? Who says lions are just as strong as tigers?" Song Zhan frowned.
"And I wouldn't eat Bai Di—we're family!" As a tiger, how could he possibly be killed by a lion, or even die alongside one?
Couldn't a tiger beat a lion? And there was no way he would ever eat Bai Di!
"How is that unfair? Life isn't always about strength alone. Sometimes, even equally matched opponents can end up destroying each other. And yes, it's true that in some cases, a tiger and a lion might both perish," Si Lu said helplessly.
Also, why did he have to drag Bai Di into this? It really left Si Lu at a loss for words. This tiger was both amusing and annoying!
"A Zhan, don't take it too seriously. You should be glad; at least you're not an elephant. Did you hear what Lu Lu said about mice killing elephants? That's way more unbelievable than tigers and lions fighting to a draw." Cheng Mo said, chuckling.
Elephant orcs were incredibly powerful, but the idea that a tiny mouse could kill one was mind-blowing to him. He had never heard of such a thing, and yet, he found himself intrigued by Si Lu's unusual logic.
"Okay, so that's what you think? You think I'm joking? Let me explain.
A mouse can really kill an elephant. For example, if a mouse gets inside an elephant's trunk, the elephant can't breathe. The mouse then gnaws at the elephant from the inside, and eventually, the elephant dies."
"Or what if it's a swarm of mice attacking an elephant? There's no way the elephant could fend them off," Si Lu explained, rolling his eyes.
It seemed like no one was convinced, and that wasn't exactly surprising. After all, these were powerful orcs, and the concept probably sounded ridiculous to them. However, it was based on scientific research from her world.
"Lulu, that actually makes sense. A mouse getting inside an elephant's trunk could indeed be fatal," Cheng Mo nodded in agreement.
"I had no idea! Lulu, you're so smart. I would've thought elephants were invincible," Hei Yao added, nodding thoughtfully.
Though he had never seen an elephant orc himself, he had heard about them. They were known to be tall, powerful, and almost unstoppable.
Yet, Si Lu's explanation made him reconsider their weaknesses, especially against something as small as a mouse. He now looked at Si Lu with even more admiration.
Si Lu's ideas were always surprising and insightful. The scenario she had described—mice swarming an elephant and overwhelming it—was entirely plausible, and it opened his eyes to new possibilities.
"See? Hei Yao understands my point, but the rest of you were doubting me. This is exactly how it works."
"So, this is what a perfect food chain is. Don't underestimate any creature, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Some animals can do things that others simply cannot," Si Lu said proudly, raising her chin with a sense of accomplishment.