Chapter 30

The closer you get to the Qiling Mountains, the lower the temperature.

Jiang Shu looked at the temperature displayed on the detector—30 degrees Celsius.

This temperature was already considered warm before the cataclysm, but for people like them who had adapted to the apocalyptic climate, it felt quite comfortable.

It seems that cataclysmic events not only affect the natural world, but also have some impact on humanity.

Maybe any ordinary person we randomly pulled back to before the cataclysm would be considered a superman.

Jiang Shu felt so comfortable that her pores opened up:

"If it weren't so dangerous here, it could be used as a summer resort."

Jiang Wen laughed and said, "Do you think this is the emperor's summer palace?"

The No. 8 collection area was not far from the base; the group walked about three kilometers to reach their destination.

In the distance, a large, neatly arranged forest of mutated dwarf trees came into view. The trees were thick, with trunks half a meter in diameter, but only one and a half meters tall. As if they were planted by human hands, the distance between each tree was almost uniform. The rows and columns were perfectly aligned, as if they had been forcibly arranged by obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The entire forest exuded an indescribable eeriness.

Even the bark was rough and dark, as if it were wrapped in a layer of hard armor.

The undergrowth was dark and damp, with clusters of brightly colored mushrooms growing wildly. Some were eerily blood-red, with sap seemingly seeping from their gills; others were a sinister dark purple, with sharp, serrated edges on their caps; and a few clusters were deathly white, emanating a faint musty smell, making the quiet grove of low trees seem even more eerie.

Jiang Zhi and the others followed Jiang Hai through the muddy forest, but they couldn't find a single mutated mushroom that looked safe and harmless.

Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow: "Second Brother, are those the edible mushrooms you mentioned before?"

Jiang Wen was a little embarrassed. "Of course not these. We'll have to look for something else to eat."

Jiang Shu: "How big is this forest?"

Jiang Wen: "It's not very big. According to the base register, it's only about 20 acres, but there's a large swamp of over 100 acres behind it, so we have to be very careful."

Jiangzhi did her homework last night and knew the layout of the No. 8 collection area, but what was a little puzzling was that the boundaries of the swamp were not marked in the collection book.

Considering the Qiling Mountains behind it, it is very likely that the swamp is connected to the Qiling Mountains.

Jiang Zhi became interested: "Uncle, has anyone crossed that swamp?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu said, "I doubt it. Any normal person knows that if someone gets trapped, they'll die."

Jiang Zhi glanced at him sideways: "You know he's a normal person now."

Mutants are different.

There might be mutants in the base who can help people stay safe in the swamp.

Jiang Shu was speechless and couldn't refute it for a moment, so he looked at Jiang Hai expectantly, waiting for the other party to agree with his answer.

Jiang Hai shook his head. "I don't know either."

Jiang Zhi was immediately disappointed.

"Alright, although the temperature is low here, the radiation is still quite high at noon. Let's hurry up and find something to eat." Jiang Hai reminded, "Be careful of the bark of these trees. For the big trees, use your bone stick to tap them and drive away any mutated insects inside."

Jiang Wen nodded, "Yes, we went through a lot of trouble yesterday. In order not to bring the mutated insects back, we had to peel off the bark little by little first."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu exclaimed, "Great!"

Jiang Shu knocked on all the surrounding trees, and sure enough, he forced out a lot of insects and ants.

Jiang Zhi scanned the area, but found no warnings or anything of value.

Perhaps because of a previous injury in the wild, Jiang Hai was always in a tense state when outdoors.

"Let's get started. While there's still time, let's find as many as possible."

Jiang Shu looked distressed. "Uncle, I don't recognize any of the mushrooms here. What if I pick a poisonous one?"

"It's alright, just find the ones marked in the base's inventory. If you come across any that are poisonous or moderately toxic, bring them back too, and let your grandpa turn them into poison to use as weapons."

Jiang Shu was delighted: "This is great!"

Without further ado, the group began picking fruit around the area.

Jiang Zhi didn't rush to do it. She squatted down, parted the weeds under the tree roots, and the straw mushrooms, which were originally the size of eggs, were instantly revealed to be the size of a washbasin.

The mutated straw mushroom cap still has a regular oval shape, but the original soft brown color has been replaced by bluish-purple patches, and the edges of the patches are oozing a little bit of mucus.

Even the gills are no longer fine and neat, but sparse and thick, with a dark color that is almost black.

The stem is as thick as an adult's arm, yet only about thirty centimeters tall, making it appear quite sturdy. The surface of the stem is rough and uneven, covered with bumps, on which grow fine hairs, resembling a strange protective armor. Upon closer inspection, it lacks the pleasant fragrance of ordinary straw mushrooms, instead emitting a pungent, rotten-flesh-like odor.

If it weren't for the fact that its overall shape looks similar to a straw mushroom, I almost wouldn't have recognized it.

The smell alone tells you it's inedible; the ginger twigs weren't even tested before they moved on to the next tree.

There are indeed many kinds of mushrooms here, but after mutation, they look all sorts of different things. Not only is it impossible to recognize what kind of mushroom they originally were, but they also have a smell of rotting flesh. Even if they are found to be moderately toxic, they are inedible.

In Jiang Shu's words—what's the difference between that taste and eating shit?

Even if you're starving, you can't eat shit.

Twenty minutes passed, and Jiang Shu, having found nothing, was somewhat discouraged.

He moved closer to Jiang Zhi and whispered, "Ah Zhi? Should I use my X-ray vision to scan her? How long will it take to find her like this?"

Jiang Zhi refused expressionlessly: "No. Your mental strength is too weak. If you can't control your speed, we'll have to carry you back."

Jiang Shan had instructed last night that this ability should not be used outdoors until it has been properly trained.

Jiang Shu pursed his lips.

Jiang Zhi glanced at him and said, "If you dare to use it secretly, I'll tell Dad when we get back."

Seeing that his little scheme had been exposed, Jiang Shu quickly smiled apologetically and said, "How could I dare?"

After saying that, he slunk away and continued his search for mutated mushrooms.

The ground was very damp, and in no time, the legs of their trousers became soaked.

Although the temperature wasn't low, the sticky feeling was quite uncomfortable.

"Brother Wen, where did you find those two oyster mushrooms yesterday? The ones we found were all smelly."

Jiang Wen scratched his face. "I forgot. My dad was choosing the wood, and we were in charge of cutting it down. We found them all under those trees. There were quite a few mushrooms that looked normal at the time..."

Jiang Zhi thought for a moment and asked, "Second Brother, do you know how to select good timber?"

Jiang Wen nodded, "I know, my father taught me that before."

Jiang Hai turned to look at Jiang Zhi: "A-Zhi, do you mean it's related to trees?"

Jiang Zhi wasn't sure either, but they could try searching along this line of thought: "Anyway, we can't find anything edible using our current method, so why not give it a try?"

Jiang Shu slapped his forehead. "I think it's a good idea."

Without further ado, Jiang Wen followed Jiang Hai's method, walked forward for a while, found a few trees with good quality, and sure enough, found a small patch of fairly normal-looking tea tree mushrooms under the tree roots.

The only difference is that the mutated tea tree mushroom is a darker color.

Jiang Wen said happily, "A-Zhi, your method really works!"

Jiang Hai smiled slightly, "Azhi has always been the smartest among you."

Jiang Shu couldn't wait to squat down and start the test.

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

Several flowers were tested in succession, and all of them were highly toxic.

Jiang Shu, skeptical, was about to move to another spot when he heard a voice coming from Jiang Wen's direction—

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

Jiang Shu ran over to see, "Brother Wen, you've shipped the goods!?"

Jiang Wen said with a smile, "It's also an oyster mushroom, but the size is average."

Looking over, Jiang Zhi saw that the mushrooms in Jiang Wen's mouth, which were of average size, were the size of a face plate, and the flesh of the mushrooms was very thick; one mushroom could be enough for one or two meals.

Jiang Shu looked Jiang Wen up and down and said, "Brother Wen, I've noticed that you're quite lucky too. You're always the first to win."

Jiang Wen was very happy, saying, "I was always lucky when I was a child; I often found money."

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

As he spoke, Jiang Wen discovered another edible oyster mushroom.

Jiang Shu got anxious and continued with the testing as well.

It would be too embarrassing for the Air Force to go back today.

The more anxious you are, the more likely you are to encounter ghosts.

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

There wasn't a single edible mushroom in that small patch of tea tree mushrooms in front of the ginger tree.

Ginger Tree: ...

Jiang Hai said, "Big Tree, come over here, there are lots of oyster mushrooms here too."

Under the roots of the short tree in front of Jiang Hai, which was so thick that it would take two people to encircle it, many small oyster mushrooms grew, but they were all covered by the shed bark, so no one saw them.

This was noticed by the observant Jiang Hai, and the young people immediately felt as if they had discovered a treasure.

Jiang Shu: "With such a large area, I refuse to believe I can't find a single edible flower!"

Jiang Shu explained while demonstrating.

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

Jiang Shu's face grew darker with each test, and finally—

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief, "Finally, I've been infected once. Otherwise, I would have thought I was cursed with some kind of highly toxic substance that would be detected in tests."

Jiang Hai shook his head helplessly, "You guys continue testing, I'll look around nearby."

While Jiang Hai claimed he was going to find food, he was more likely cautiously observing his surroundings.

Jiang Zhi knew there were no threatening creatures nearby, and since Jiang Hai was a veteran and had some ability to protect himself, she didn't stop him.

She focused her attention on the base of a small, thin tree and soon found a small patch of straw mushrooms there.

Compared to those that had mutated to the point of being almost unrecognizable, the ones Jiangzhi saw this time were much more normal, and even their taste was just the ordinary fragrance of mushrooms.

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

A great start!

Jiang Zhi smiled.

"What!? Ah Zhi, how did you even get found?" Jiang Shu was indignant.

Could it be that he won't be able to find a single edible mushroom today?

Jiang Shu gritted his teeth, "No, Azhi, I'll go somewhere else with you!"

Jiang Zhi shrugged.

Anyway, she doesn't have the same kind of childish competitive spirit as her brother.

The two changed locations, and Jiangzhi casually examined a palm-sized oyster mushroom.

"Drip, low level of toxin, edible."

Ginger Tree: ...

I'm so angry I want to cry! What should I do?

Jiang Wen couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Big Tree, what a pity. If you had persisted, this low-level poison would have been your doing."

"Ah Zhi, you're luckier than me. You even managed to detect a low level of toxin. Looks like you're guaranteed a good harvest today."

Jiang Shu winced in pain and said angrily, "Even if you change the location, I can still find it!"

"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."

Ginger Tree: ...

Even Jiang Zhi laughed, "Brother, it's nothing, it's just bad luck. You can just follow behind us today."

Jiang Shu snorted, "I don't believe I can't find a single edible flower today."

Jiang Hai shook his head as he watched the group bickering and continued walking towards the next tree.

I had barely taken a step when my eyes were drawn to a mollusk with a spiral-shaped hard shell on its back in the tree.

This is……

snails?

The snail's two pairs of tentacles on its head were slowly extending forward, and its foot was secreting mucus as it crawled along, leaving a shiny trail of mucus.

Jiang Hai plunged the dagger in his hand into the snail's head, making a sticky "squeak" sound.

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

The sound filled the neighbor, Jiang Shu, with despair. "Uncle, even you detected it? -- Wait, Uncle, is that... a water buffalo?"

Water buffalo is also another name for snail.

Jiang Shu quickly went over and asked, "Is this thing edible?"

Jiang Zhi glanced at him: "Didn't that guy ask you to treat him to a French meal before? They have this stuff there. Back then, it would have been expensive."

Jiang Shu: Elderly man on subway using mobile phone.JPg

The person Jiang Zhi mentioned was someone Jiang Shu used to pursue. On their first date, the other person asked to eat French food. At that time, Jiang Shu was still in college and had very little living expenses. The meal made him starve for a month. At that time, Jiang Shu was only concerned about the money and didn't even look at the menu or have any appetite. When they returned from the date, Jiang Zhi saw the bill and laughed at him.

Jiang Shu: "This stuff is sticky and disgusting to look at. How can it taste good?"

Jiang Wen: "We could make garlic snails; they should taste pretty good."

Jiang Zhi nodded, "Spicy is fine too!"

Jiang Hai looked at the siblings with amusement, "You wish! You're struggling to even get enough to eat right now, so where would we get any side dishes to cook for you?"

Jiang Shu said with a long face, "Where can we get some side dishes? We're so tired of eating boiled vegetables every day."

The mutated beast meat given by Grandpa Lin has been processed, and there's no oil left to render from the fat. The bland soup makes it easy to get hungry.

Jiang Hai said, "It's not that there aren't any. The No. 1 collection area is about to open, so you can go there to buy some."

"...Buy some?" Jiang Zhi asked, puzzled. "Aren't the gathering areas for self-gathering?"

Jiang Wen collected all the oyster mushrooms he had collected into a bag, explaining with a smile, "Collection Area No. 1 is where the base grows its own mushrooms. It is opened to the public several times a year, and we can only go in after the crops inside have grown well."

Jiang Zhi recalled Aunt Zhu's introduction in front of the city gate and asked, "Isn't Area A in the base an agricultural area? How come there's one outside the city as well?"

“They’re different. Area A is called an agricultural area, but it’s actually a place specifically for planting experiments, while Area 1 is where a large number of mutated plants that have been successfully planted in experiments are grown.”

Jiang Zhi understood; that meant one was an experimental area and the other was a formal planting area.

She said, "How can such a large base manage to collect samples solely from the residents themselves?"

So there was this extra layer of protection.

Jiang Shu was more concerned about the food: "How big is Collection Area No. 1? What kinds of grains are in it?"

“Over a thousand acres…” Jiang Wen said, “I’ve seen corn, sweet potatoes… and then some side dishes like ginger and green onions before.”

Jiang Shu jumped up, "Then why are we going through all this trouble to collect these resources? We can just buy them with points later!"

Jiang Wen smiled wryly: "Although they are cultivated at the base and have a higher yield, most of them are moderately toxic. However, the base has regulations that each household can only purchase a certain amount of staple food per person, and even side dishes are subject to purchase limits."

Jiang Shu felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

Jiang Wen also said helplessly, "There's nothing we can do, we still don't have enough food."

Ancheng is the provincial capital, and the Ancheng base is superior in terms of both management and the number of mutants. Now, in order to connect with other places, it is actively clearing the transportation links with small and medium-sized bases in surrounding cities. Judging from the current situation, more and more people will be stationed at the Ancheng base in the future, and they will all be capable people.

Because those who lack ability all die on the road.

Whether there will be enough food at the base to distribute at that time is another matter.

Jiangzhi: "Do you have any rapeseed?"

Rapeseed can be pressed for oil. If possible, Jiangzhi would like to buy some to press for oil. Her family is not yet at the level where they can eat low-toxicity food every day. When eating moderately toxic food, Jiangzhi always feels that her stomach is empty.

They had previously looked for azalea seeds, and Jiang Zhi had originally planned to extract oil from them, but at that time, even having enough to eat was a problem, so naturally, they couldn't think about satisfying their appetites.

Jiang Shu: "When will the No. 1 collection area open?"

Jiang Wen: "It should be soon. It was around this time last year too."

Although there aren't many things I can buy, as a seasoned foodie, being able to buy some side dishes gives me something to look forward to.

Jiang Shu immediately perked up: "Then let's find more food to exchange for points, and then we can find someone to buy us a spot for side dishes."

No wonder she's a foodie; her mind works incredibly fast when it comes to food.

Nowadays, people are thrifty, and not everyone is willing to buy side dishes like scallions and ginger. Spending some food to earn shopping credits is a good option.

Jiang Zhi said, "My uncle and I are looking for water buffalo. You two can continue testing the oyster mushrooms."

She turned to Jiang Hai and said, "Uncle, let's go up ahead and take a look. Maybe we can exchange these water buffalo for some grain."

Jiang Hai hesitated for a moment.

The swamp area is just a kilometer ahead, and the ground is getting increasingly damp. If you're not careful...

Jiang Zhi seemed to sense his concerns. "Uncle, don't worry. Have you forgotten my intuition? I didn't sense any danger, and we won't go far, we just won't go that way."

She took out the signal flare that Jiang Jun had modified for her. "My brother made this for me. If we encounter anything, this will be enough to notify the patrol team in time."

Jiang Zhi knew that Jiang Hai had never let his guard down. Having suffered such a serious injury before, he would inevitably have some psychological trauma, even with his strong will.

Jiang Hai's tense shoulders relaxed. "We still need to be vigilant. There are quite a few mutated creatures in the swamp area."

Jiang Zhi nodded obediently. The view was obstructed in this place, so they really had to be vigilant.

Although the dwarf tree is short, its branches are quite thick and its leaves are rather lush, which can easily obstruct the view.

Suddenly, a ginger tree tested positive for a moderately toxic oyster mushroom.

"Wow, I finally won! I thought I was going to miss out today!"

Jiang Wen laughed at him, "This is called 'after the worst comes the best,' and good luck will definitely follow."

He had barely finished speaking when he heard Jiang Shu say, "Huh? Isn't this bracken?"

Jiang Shu stuffed the oyster mushrooms in his hand into the bag, and used a stick to push aside the damp, brown weeds, revealing a few purplish-red ferns curled up in circles.

Before the cataclysm, the ferns' stems were straight, but after the mutation, they almost curled up into a ball, one circle next to another, like a small vortex.

He pulled up a ginger tree, but soon realized something was wrong.

"Wait—something's wrong with my eyes... I can't look away!!"

Jiang Wen, who was closest to him, was startled and rushed over. But when he saw the bracken in Jiang Shu's hand, his eyes were drawn to it and he couldn't look away.

Soon, a tingling sensation filled his eyes, and slowly, Jiang Wen felt his head spinning along with the shape of the bracken.

At this moment, someone slapped the bracken out of Jiang Shu's hand, and the feeling of being deformed and spun around finally stopped.

Jiang Shu was stunned. "What happened? Why did I feel like my eyes were stuck here just now—"

Just as he was about to look at the bracken on the ground, he heard Jiang Zhi whisper, "Don't look anymore!"

Jiang Shu quickly looked away.

Is there something wrong with these bracken ferns?

Jiang Zhi: "As long as you don't look at it, there shouldn't be any major problems."

Jiang Wen, who was standing next to him, was stunned for a while before he recovered, looking terrified: "I felt like I was sucked into a spiral-shaped pipe, and it kept spinning around with me..."

Jiang Hai pulled the two of them aside, away from the ferns, and asked, "Are you feeling any discomfort now?"

Jiang Wen shook his head: "It seems like it's nothing if you don't look at it."

This bracken had never appeared in the collection, and none of them knew its characteristics.

Just as Jiang Hai was about to ask more questions, he saw Jiang Zhi squat down and pick up the bracken that Jiang Shu had just picked.

"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."

Jiang Hai frowned: "A-Zhi—what happened to you...?"

"Uncle, I'm fine." She examined it for a while. "This shouldn't be bracken; it's a tree fern leaf."

Jiang Hai was taken aback: "Tree fern?"

Jiang Hai glanced at it out of the corner of his eye and suddenly realized, "It's Dragon Bone Wind."

It's also a medicinal herb, which is very common in the mountains. Jiang Hai had helped the old man collect herbs for a while before, so he recognized it. He just didn't expect to find it in a place like this.

Jiang Zhi nodded, "It's also a type of bracken. This thing probably only has strong hallucinogenic properties on its surface. As long as you don't look at it, it's not dangerous."

Jiang Zhi had actually caught a glimpse of what Jiang Shu was holding, but she didn't react as strongly as the other two. She just found the bracken somewhat appealing.

The degree of hallucination depends on an individual's mental strength.

Jiang Wen, whose mental strength is weaker, will be more affected, while Jiang Shu, whose mental strength is stronger than Jiang Wen's, can still be lively and energetic.

Jiang Shu wanted to go look again, but Jiang Hai grabbed him by the back of his collar, so he had to ask Jiang Zhi, "A-Zhi, is it still edible?"

"I don't know. It used to be edible. Let's take it back to Grandpa and see if it can be made into medicine."

Jiang Shu was greatly disappointed; his first lottery win today was this thing.

Several packets of ginger twigs were tested, and all showed moderate levels of toxins. Each packet was about the size of a face plate.

Pack all the ginger branches.

If this stuff is edible, blanching it and then making a cold salad would be quite delicious.

After the ginger branches were collected, Jiang Hai asked Jiang Shu, "Big Tree, is A-Zhi always so..." reckless?

He didn't say the last two words, because he realized that Jiang Zhi's behavior would be reckless in other people's eyes, but in Jiang Zhi's eyes, it seemed to be a very natural thing.

Jiang Shu patted his uncle on the shoulder, "Uncle, don't worry. Although Azhi sometimes seems unreliable, she always manages to escape unscathed."

Jiang Hai: ...I'm even more worried now.

He shook his head helplessly.

He now understood why his third brother and sister-in-law had asked him to take better care of Ah Zhi.

Even he hadn't expected that Jiang Zhi, who seemed quiet and obedient, was actually quite unruly at heart.

Jiang Wen was somewhat embarrassed, "It's because I'm too weak, I almost dragged you down again."

“Hey,” Jiang Shu waved his hand, “Brother Wen, you can’t say things like that. If it weren’t for your ability to identify good trees, we wouldn’t have found edible mushrooms so quickly.”

Although Jiang Shu himself didn't harvest much, Jiang Wen's side produced quite a lot, with at least a dozen kilograms of edible ginger.

In addition, the tree fern leaves picked by Jiangzhi are enough to feed the family for two or three days.

Jiang Shu was a little disappointed that he could usually find some meat each time before, but this time there were only a few water buffalo.

"We didn't find much meat today."

Jiang Wen rubbed his face: "Big Tree, you should be content. We used to often fail, so today's harvest isn't bad."

Jiang Hai checked the time. "It's still early. Let's look around the neighborhood and see if there's anything else we can eat."

The low trees covered most of the No. 8 collection area, and the remaining two-thirds were swampy areas, which almost no ordinary people dared to set foot in.

The group quickly explored the nearby grove of shrubs. There were plenty of mushrooms, but not many that were edible.

In comparison, Zone 8 is indeed pitifully desolate, no wonder so few people come here.

Time quickly came to 10:50, and even though it was near the Qiling Mountains, the temperature had reached 40 degrees Celsius.

Jiang Hai said, "It's getting late, let's go back first."

Unlike gathering area number 3, there were no caves to rest in, so the group had no choice but to return empty-handed.

Before leaving, Jiang Zhi whispered to Jiang Shu, "Brother, use your abilities to see what's going on over there in the swamp."

If it weren't for her uncle Jiang Hai accompanying her, Jiang Zhi would definitely have gone over there to check the situation.

Jiang Shu gave her an OK sign, then focused his attention on looking into the distance.

Jiang Shu's mental strength was insufficient; even if he exerted all his strength, he could only see a distance of up to one kilometer.

It was a vast swamp, the dark brown muddy water murky and emitting wisps of putrid stench. Bubbles occasionally rose to the surface of the swamp, releasing a pungent odor when they burst. Scattered withered branches and leaves floated in the water, and the remains of animals, their original shapes unrecognizable, were half-buried within.

A few seconds later, Jiang Shu felt his head start to throb again and had to prepare to look away.

Just then, something burst out of the swamp—a green head the size of a football.

On its broad head, a pair of large, bulging eyes shone brightly, their golden vertical pupils resembling the mysterious eyes of a cat.

As soon as Jiang Shugang met those eyes, his mental strength gave out, and his eyes became so dry that tears kept flowing.

He quickly covered his eyes.

Jiang Zhi checked the time: eleven seconds.

It seems that Jiang Shu's ability to see far and wide is limited to about ten seconds.

"Brother, can you still hold on?"

Jiang Zhi went over and helped him up.

Jiang Hai and his companion, who were walking ahead, did not notice anything unusual about them.

Jiang Shu kept her sore eyes tightly closed.

"Damn, this is a bit uncomfortable. This ability is so useless. I've only been watching for a short time, and it's already like this."

Jiang Zhi said, "Next time, time yourself and don't exceed ten seconds. Go back and practice some more, and see how long you need to rest."

Jiang Shu agreed with teary eyes.

Jiang Wen turned around and saw him like this, and was startled. "Big Tree, why are you crying?"

Jiang Shu's nose turned red from tears. "I can't bear to leave this place..."

Jiang Wen: ...

Jiang Zhi suppressed a laugh and explained, "My brother couldn't find any meat to eat, so he's feeling down."

Jiang Hai said with a smile, "If that doesn't work, let Awen go back and ask Tan Lei if we can get some meat instead."

Seeing that Jiang Hai and the other man didn't suspect anything, Jiang Zhi secretly asked Jiang Shu, "Brother, what did you see?"

Jiang Shu recounted what he had seen, saying, "Those frogs were huge; we'd be in trouble if we encountered them."

Jiang Zhi frowned. "This place has already been cleared by the exploration team, so how come there are still such large mutated frogs here?"

But then I thought about it again, and it's normal that swamps are prone to hiding a lot of plants and animals, so it's not easy to clean them up completely.

She wasn't so arrogant as to think she could contend with that mutated frog.

But sending mutants to deal with mutant frogs shouldn't be a big problem.

Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, marked an address with the detector, and then sent it to Jiang Shan.

There are no communication base stations outside the base, so Jiang Shan can only receive the coordinate information after they return to the base.

Jiangzhi took a few low-toxicity roasted cotton aphids from her small backpack and stuffed them into Jiangshu's mouth.

Jiang Shu: "What the hell—oh my god, Azhi, how come you still have this stir-fried bugs?"

"They specially saved some milk for us."

Actually, it wasn't much, only about half a pound. Jiang Zhi specifically brought some with her when she went out this time to replenish her energy.

Jiang Shu chewed a few times with relish, and after swallowing, his body suddenly relaxed.

The soreness in my eyes has mostly disappeared.

Jiang Shu exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? My eyes don't hurt anymore! This low-level toxin has this effect? ​​Ah Zhi, did you already know this?"

Jiang Zhi did not deny it.

As early as when she was consuming the heart of a fanged rabbit, she discovered that low-toxin foods could alleviate the aftereffects of excessive mental exertion.

Jiang Shu: "Oh dear, that's a huge loss!" Jiang Shu felt a pang of regret. "If I had known that low-toxin foods had this effect, I should have eaten them sparingly before."

He couldn't control his voice, and Jiang Hai, who was in front of him, heard a few words and turned around to ask, "What do you mean by a huge loss?"

Jiang Shu quickly replied, "No, it's nothing."

"What are you two siblings discussing? Hurry up and walk faster, or the sun will get too strong!"

The brother and sister responded and quickened their pace.

To get back, you have to go around a small depression, about two meters wide.

Fearing danger, Jiang Hai said, "I'll go first. If everything's alright, you can follow."

As he spoke, Jiang Hai took a few meters back, then sprinted forward and jumped over.

Jiang Zhi and Jiang Wen were prepared in the same way.

When it was Jiang Shu's turn, something unexpected happened.

Jiang Shu took a couple of extra steps, and when he jumped, his foot was blocked by a 10-centimeter-long mutated plant on the shore. He twisted his ankle and almost fell.

He flailed his arms and legs in the air for a moment before barely managing to stand firm.

That scared the people on the other side pretty badly.

Jiang Zhi was speechless: "Brother, can't you be more careful!"

Jiang Shu looked embarrassed and tried to save face, saying, "It's not my fault! I tripped over the grass!"

As he spoke, he pulled and plucked the mutated plant from the ground.

Jiang Shu raised his hand to throw it, but was stopped by the sharp-eyed Jiang Hai.

"Wait, big tree, don't throw it yet!"

Jiang Shu was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

Jiang Hai: "Bring that thing over with you, let me see it."

Jiang Shu picked it up and looked at it; there was a small stack of fist-sized stem tubers under the leaves.

—Is this thing edible?

Despite being filled with doubt, Jiang Shu jumped over again with the plant in his hand.

Jiang Hai took the mutated plant from Jiang Shu's hand and examined it carefully.

Jiangzhi leaned closer: "Uncle, do you recognize this?"

Jiang Hai: "It looks a bit like Alisma plantago-aquatica."

Jiang Zhi blinked: "Is it Chinese medicine?"

Jiang Hai laughed and said, "Yes, it's medicinal herbs. When your grandfather was young, he would go up the mountain to collect herbs by himself, and sometimes he would take me with him, so I can barely recognize some of them."

Jiang Shu: "So, is this really the Ze something you mentioned, Uncle...?"

“They look a little different from what I’ve seen before. They’ve mutated. I’m not sure. Let’s take some back and let your grandfather take a look.”

There were many more plants growing around this small depression, and the young people had no objections when they heard that.

Since I didn't get much today, taking some back won't be a waste of time.

Due to time constraints, no one detected any of the plants with moderate toxin levels, so they were put back into the bag.

By the time we got back to the exit, it was already past eleven o'clock.

Fortunately, the No. 8 collection area is not far from the South Gate, so it won't take long to get back.

Jiang Shu's eyes stopped tearing up not long afterward. Although there was still a soreness in them, it was no longer a big problem.

Unlike the East Gate, the items collected here must be tested by special instruments at the base.

Although it doesn't cost points, it's much more troublesome.

The group quickened their pace and finally made it home before noon.

As soon as the Jiang family's house came into view, Jiang Zhi immediately noticed the carved gate, with the lifelike dragon and tiger images particularly eye-catching.

For safety reasons, the wood was specially selected to be thicker, giving it a heavy feel that makes it look even more imposing than the gate of the villa area in Zone B.

Jiang Sui and Jiang Si were playing rock-paper-scissors on the doorstep when they saw the four of them return safely and ran over happily.

"Grandpa, Aunt, Second Uncle, Uncle, you're back!"

Jiang Si looked around like a little adult, then exclaimed, "Great! Nobody's hurt!"

Wu Xiu was washing things in the yard. Seeing that the others were alright, she squatted down again and said, "You came back quite early today. These two kids have been sitting at the door waiting ever since you left."

Jiang Si pouted, "Grandma is the one who's not focused on her work. She keeps looking at the door while she's working."

Wu Xiu blushed as the child exposed her, "You child..."

The family members were worried about them, and they all understood. Jiang Wen thoughtfully changed the subject: "Auntie, is that spider silk in your hand?"

While rubbing the spider silk in the basin, Wu Xiu replied with a smile, "Yes, there are too many mutated midges here. Sui Sui was bitten yesterday, and it swelled up quite a bit. Your dad's idea is to make some screen doors and windows."

The mutated midges are about the same size as the regular mosquitoes, and a bite from one can cause a bump the size of an egg.

Jiang Shu, who had been holding Jiang Sui, pulled him out to check on him upon hearing this, asking, "Where did you get bitten?"

Jiang Sui lifted her trouser leg, revealing her ankles.

Jiang Shu felt a pang of heartache; these legs had grown into little elephant legs.

"Is he alright? Should we go get him checked out?"

"It's not that precious. It will go away in a few days. It's just a little uncomfortable. Besides, your grandfather gave him acupuncture this morning."

Jiang Sui said shyly, "Uncle, it's okay. I used to get bumps every night over there, but I've only gotten one bump in all this time here. It's much better here than over there."

Wu Xiu: "Of course, and once the screen doors and windows are installed in the next couple of days, that problem will be solved."

Hearing this, Jiang Shu felt a pang of sadness, but could only rub Jiang Sui's head.

He carries a bone stick with him when he goes out during the day, so he can't leave it at home. Midges also frequently crawl into the house during the day. So it seems that installing screen doors and windows is indeed safer.

When Ma Yanhong from next door saw the group, she peeked out again, but then shrank back down when she saw that their bags weren't full.

They ignored it and went inside the house together.

As Jiang Hai walked along, he asked the two little ones, "Where is your grandma?"

"Grandma and Second Aunt are inside making clothes for us!"

Jiang He was still polishing a cabinet in the yard when he saw the group return. He immediately said, "Azhi, come and see. Do you like the table I made for you?"

Jiang He was very fast; he finished two cabinets in one morning: a cupboard for dishes and a desk for Jiang Zhi.

The cupboard is 1.8 meters tall. Because there are many people in the family, Jiang He specially made a large one. He also specially made a cabinet within a cabinet that is half a meter tall on the left side, and lined it with several layers of palm leaves to keep food fresh.

Leftover food from home is stored inside.

Jiang Shu rummaged around inside and found more than 30 kilograms of sugar cubes and seven or eight kilograms of roasted cotton aphids, but they were all moderately toxic.

At the very bottom, there was a container filled with oil rendered from fatty meat.

The right side is divided into five layers, and each layer can hold some tableware.

The cabinet door is covered with a mesh made from the silk of a mutated wolf spider. After being repeatedly soaked and rinsed in water, it retains only a small amount of stickiness and can be woven into a mesh with very fine holes.

Many households in the base buy these to make screens for windows and doors to block the mutant mosquitoes and flies.

Compared to the silk of golden spiders, which was previously used to make fishing nets, the silk of wolf spiders is indeed more suitable.

Jiang Zhi's bookshelf is much simpler.

Because the room was small, Jiang He specially made it to fit the wall, and nailed several shelves directly on it to store miscellaneous items.

It was polished smooth all over, and felt cool to the touch.

Jiang Zhi likes it very much.

Jiang He said with a smile, "When we were kids, everyone wanted toys for their birthdays, but you wanted a desk. Even though you don't have to go to school anymore, I think having a desk would make things much more convenient for you."

Jiang Zhi felt a warmth in her heart; she hadn't expected that after all this time, her second uncle would still remember her preferences.

Jiang He: "But this bookcase is made from leftover scraps from making cabinets, so please don't mind, Azhi."

Jiang Zhi: "I don't mind at all, I like it very much, thank you, Second Uncle."

Just then, Jiang Shan called, and Jiang Zhi answered it without thinking.

"Ah Zhi, what are these coordinates you sent...?"

Jiang Zhi glanced at Jiang Hai and the other man who were cleaning the oyster mushrooms, then went inside and told Jiang Shu what he had seen.

"Didn't Chen Li want meat? Collection area number 8 should be relatively safe. If he brings people there, he might be able to catch that mutated frog."

Anyway, it was just a casual remark, so I'll just consider it doing the other person a favor.

Jiang Shan immediately understood what Jiang Zhi meant.

"I see."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Zhi asked Jiang Shu to help move the desk back to her room.

She doesn't have many odds and ends.

A notebook, a few pens, a base booklet, and a small backpack.

When the house was being built, Jiang Shan nailed a row of hooks for her to hang things by the window.

Jiang Zhi took out a few tree ferns from the bag.

Jiang Shu was startled when he saw it and quickly looked away.

"Ah Zhi, why did you suddenly take this out?!"

Although you won't get hurt, the feeling of being frozen in place and having your eyes spinning is really uncomfortable.

Jiang Zhi: "Brother, concentrate and look again. Remember, if you feel like you're being sucked in, close your eyes immediately."

Although Jiang Shu didn't understand, he still did as he was told.

"If anything happens to me later, remember to pull me out—"

This time, following Jiang Zhi's advice, Jiang Shu looked at the tree fern again. When he felt a rotating force trying to pull him in, Jiang Shu held his breath and used all his strength to close his eyes.

The feeling disappeared as soon as I closed my eyes.

Jiang Zhi: "How are you? Are you alright?"

Jiang Shu exclaimed in surprise, "It really is nothing!"

Jiangzhi took out a tree fern and put it in Jiangshu's hand: "Then you can practice with this."

Jiang Shu was a little confused: "Practice what?"