Chapter 41

As soon as Jiang Shu entered the tent, he exclaimed, "Wow! What kind of high-tech stuff is this? How did it suddenly get so big?"

Everyone in the tent turned to look, and Jiang Wen felt a chill run down his spine from their stares. He quickly pulled the person over to Jiang Zhi's side.

Jiang Shucai didn't care about other people's opinions and said in a carefree manner, "The base has so many good things. When can you sell some to us ordinary people so that our lives can be a little better?"

Someone nearby laughed, "You wish! Do you know how much these things are worth? Even mutants might not have them! These special items are only granted to those who contribute to the base!"

Jiang Shu looked over and saw a tall, burly man, but he was bald.

Jiang Shu, ever the familiar type, asked, "Brother, do you know where to find these special items?"

The bald man glanced at him. "How would I know? If I had known, I would have been rich long ago. Would I still be here?"

Jiang Shu wholeheartedly agreed: "That's true."

Bald man: ...

Just then, a commotion arose at the doorway.

"Quickly, quickly, move it inside first, and take out the bandages!"

"Where's the hemostatic medicine?! Hurry, he's injured a major artery!"

Immediately afterwards, several burly men carried in a person covered in blood.

As soon as they entered, several people rushed to the scene to provide emergency care, and it took them quite a while to finish.

The man was lucky, and his team was well-prepared, managing to rescue him in time.

Jiang Zhi and the others exchanged a grave glance.

They both saw caution in each other's eyes.

Jiang Wen: "Judging from the person's appearance, he must have been bitten by something. The wounds weren't big, but they were all in vital areas."

Fortunately, the wound was small; otherwise, someone would have died long ago in that location.

Jiang Shu also looked grave. "We need to find out where they encountered danger."

No one present was stupid; some had already gone to gather information.

Seeing that more and more people were gathering around, the middle-aged man in the lead said coldly, "I can tell you where the danger happened, but if you want to know the specifics... you'll have to pay points!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent for a moment.

Then someone complained, "We're all here to get a bite to eat, is it necessary to be so stingy? Are you happy to see us all injured?"

The man remained unmoved. "Anyway, I've already said it. If you want to know the details, give me points."

Jiang Zhi then spoke up, "May I ask where you encountered the danger?"

Her voice was clear and crisp, and everyone was stunned for a moment. When they turned around, they realized it was a girl.

"It's near the cotton field," the man replied casually before turning back to tend to his teammates.

His words caused Jiang Wen and the others' expressions to change—a cotton field!

That was their final destination.

The four returned to their positions.

Jiang Wen: "A-Zhi, what should we do? Should we spend some points to find out what's going on?"

Jiang Zhi frowned. "Although cotton is very important to us, even if we know the specific situation over there, we may not be able to handle it, so these points may very well be wasted."

Jiang Wen was also afraid of this situation happening.

Jiang Shu said, "Why don't we ask how many points are needed first?"

That's all we can do.

After discussing it, the group decided to go back.

Jiang Zhi found the person who had just replied: "We want to know the relevant information, how many points do we need?"

Cotton was not a necessity for others, so after learning that the danger came from the cotton fields, almost no one went to inquire.

Upon seeing Jiang Zhi and her group of four, a hint of surprise flashed in the man's eyes: "200 points."

Jiang Shu's eyes widened. "200? That's way too expensive!"

The man remained noncommittal, saying, "This is money to buy your life. If you think it's too expensive, you don't have to buy it. I think it's too cheap."

Unable to argue with him, Jiang Shu looked longingly at Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, then looked at the wounded man's wounds and said, "If I'm not mistaken, the attackers were a group of small mutated beasts with sharp teeth, but their attack power wasn't very high. Judging from the wounds on his body, I guess the attackers were moles, right?"

The middle-aged man was startled, and even the others beside him couldn't help but look at Jiang Zhi.

"you……"

Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "We really want to get a consultation, can you give us a discount?"

The group exchanged glances, and the middle-aged man in the lead sighed, "100 points, that's the lowest we can go."

"make a deal."

After Jiang Zhi transferred the points, the middle-aged man began to explain in detail.

It turns out they had just gone to the sweet potato field next to the cotton field.

However, the sweet potatoes there had been damaged by underground rats. The mutants at the base had already conducted three rounds of cleaning and thought they had almost finished. But when they were halfway through harvesting, two giant moles, about the size of the huskies they had seen before, suddenly appeared. The two moles did not attack them, but just poked their heads out. In a panic, the group ran into the cotton field next door.

When they arrived at the cotton field, dozens of moles of varying sizes suddenly emerged from underneath. Although the smallest was only the size of a palm, these moles were incredibly fast and attacked in very tricky ways, biting at the eyes, neck, hands, and feet.

Moreover, it was a one-on-one attack. After they stepped into the cotton field, the moles first attacked the middle-aged man who was in charge. However, the middle-aged man was skilled and fast. After injuring a few moles, the moles turned to attack the others.

"That's what happened. Later, a few of us worked together to carry Atao out of the cotton field, and that's how we escaped this disaster."

After the middle-aged man finished speaking, Jiang Zhi couldn't help but frown.

I have a feeling... there's something wrong with these moles...

Jiang Zhi had a guess in her mind.

She pressed further, "Didn't those two big moles do anything at the time?"

The middle-aged man said, "They jumped out and ran into the cotton field, probably wanting to go back to the cotton field."

In their view, the cotton fields were the moles' stronghold, and it was normal for them to run into their territory.

But Jiang Zhi was even more puzzled: "Molees burrow naturally. If they want to get back to the cotton field, they can just burrow underground themselves. There's no need for them to jump out and rush over there."

The middle-aged man was taken aback, then shrugged. "I don't know. I just described our situation at the time. We don't know exactly what the mole was trying to do."

Jiang Zhi asked what she wanted, but didn't say much. After thanking them, she returned to her place with the others.

It was already past noon. People were gradually returning to the area.

The tent quickly became crowded.

The noise level was also much higher than before.

Everyone was excitedly discussing what they had gained.

In other gathering areas, people used to hide their spots, afraid that others would find the places they had their eye on. But gathering area number 15 is different.

There are only about a hundred people here so far. The land is vast and sparsely populated, and there are so many resources that they can't be shared. Everyone is filled with the joy of the harvest and is naturally willing to share.

"Did you just walk over to the vegetable garden? There's a field of cauliflower there, and they're huge!"

"So what? We even found a mutated arrowhead mushroom!"

Like sweet potatoes, arrowhead is a tuberous plant with a high starch content, making it very filling.

Sure enough, as soon as he said that, everyone looked at him with envy.

"It's a pity I didn't come with my family this time, otherwise we could have found enough food for our whole family to eat for several months today."

"Yes, before I came here I knew there were still mutated beasts to be cleared out, so I didn't dare to prepare a big basket, afraid that I wouldn't be able to run when I escaped. I even wasted time just now to find vines and make a simple basket."

There are quite a few conversations like this.

The atmosphere inside the tent was very lively.

The sun was blazing outside, but inside the tent, there was only a slight warmth, without the scorching heat of direct sunlight.

Jiang Wen glanced at the top of the tent and said, "This tent must have been coated with something to protect against solar radiation, so the temperature inside isn't too high."

Jiang Zhi said, "Let's take a break."

Upon hearing this, Niu Dali immediately took out four portions of glutinous rice cakes from his bag, one of which was the same size as his head.

Jiang Shu and the others were dumbfounded.

"Dali, is this yours?"

Niu Dali chuckled and pushed the three smaller portions in front of them, saying, "You guys eat too, this was prepared by my wife."

As I took a bite, even though it had gotten cold, the glutinous rice cake was still chewy and sticky in this weather.

Niu Dali had been hungry for a long time, and now that he could finally have a bite to eat, he looked even more chubby.

Jiang Wen looked at the green glutinous rice cakes in front of them and said with a smile, "Brother Dali, we've prepared our own food. When you go back, tell your wife that you don't need to prepare ours anymore."

Niu Dali swallowed hard. "Huh? You guys aren't eating?"

Jiang Zhi: "You eat it."

The glutinous rice cake in Niu Dali's hand was made from glutinous rice flour that Liu Xu had specially bought at a high price. This stuff is very filling and is perfect for Niu Dali.

They are partners, and in Jiang Zhi's view, they are equals. She doesn't feel obligated to do anything for them just because the Jiang family helped them.

This unequal relationship is destined to be short-lived, and that's not what Jiangzhi wants.

Jiang Shu also took out his own rice ball and said to Niu Dali with a smile, "We have some too."

They put frog legs in it.

Jiang Shu opened his mouth and took a bite; it tasted pretty good.

While eating, he asked Jiangzhi, "Azhi, are we going to the cotton field again this afternoon?"

Jiangzhi chewed her rice ball and nodded, "Go."

Jiang Wen asked with some concern, "What's this about the mole those people were talking about?"

Jiang Zhi: "I suspect these moles are very intelligent."

The group was visibly taken aback. Jiang Zhi continued, "Rat species are naturally intelligent, so it's not impossible for them to develop brains after mutation."

"They said that the two big moles came out and ran towards the cotton field, probably not because they wanted to go back, but because they wanted to drive them into the cotton field."

"So I suspect that the mutants were severely damaged during the cleanup of the base and wanted to take revenge on humanity."

Jiang Shu gasped upon hearing this.

"Do we still have to go over there?"

Jiang Zhi said, "These moles must be very weak, otherwise they wouldn't be attacking in groups."

I reckon the big ones have been mostly cleared out by the base, and what's left are just the little ones.

Otherwise, that wounded soldier would have died long ago.

Jiang Wen: "But if they really wanted to take revenge on humans, those two giant moles could have just done it themselves."

Jiangzhi: "What if they get injured?"

Jiang Shu stroked his chin. "If that's the case, then it makes sense."

Jiang Wen finished his rice ball in a few bites and said, "But it's quite dangerous for the four of us to go, isn't it? According to that person, there must be at least twenty or thirty of them. And they can burrow, so it'll be inconvenient for us to catch them, and we'll be in a very passive position."

Jiang Zhi nodded, "Second Brother is right, so if we go, we have to force them out, and even if we can't force them out, we have to make sure they can't come out."

Jiang Shu: "How do we force it?"

Jiang Zhi asked with a smile, "If you were in the cave, what would you be most afraid of the enemy setting up?"

Jiang Shu's eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when Jiang Zhi interrupted him, "Alright, there's still some time. Let's take turns resting. We'll be busy this afternoon."

As they were talking, several more wounded people were carried in.

One of them was covered in purple and green hues, clearly indicating poisoning.

Jiang Shu shuddered at the sight. "How can there be poisoning?"

Jiang Wen said with a heavy heart, "I guess that person won't survive."

Mutants should have an antidote serum, but it's incredibly expensive and ordinary people can't afford it.

Sure enough, a series of heart-wrenching cries soon followed.

For a moment, the tent fell silent, and the good mood of finding food was dampened by the scene before them.

In this world, there are many people struggling to survive, and those who survive are simply lucky.

In the afternoon, as the temperature dropped, people gradually left the tents.

Jiang Zhi and the others also prepared to head to the cotton field.

The two dead men have also disappeared; they were probably taken back by the team members.

Without delay, the group headed straight there, following the route they had scouted out that morning.

They encountered many vegetable fields along the way, but all four of them refrained from taking any.

Soon, a vast expanse of cotton fields appeared before them.

The soil on the ridges of the fields was loose and soft, recently turned over. Stepping on it felt like stepping on cotton bales, making a "plop" sound and sinking into a shallow pit. In some fields, the cotton was growing so vigorously, its lush green stems straight and taller than a giant.

The cotton bolls hung densely on the branches, plump and juicy, a delightful sight to behold.

When the wind blows, the opened cotton bolls collide with each other, making a "pop pop pop" sound. After they ripen and fall to the ground, the cotton bolls shrink, revealing the white cotton fluff inside, making people want to pick them all up.

A section of cotton field near the edge of the basin had been cut down; it was probably collected by the base's exploration team while they were cleaning up.

The closer they got to the cotton field, the slower their pace became.

When they were a few hundred meters ahead, Jiang Zhi stopped.

"Brother, use your abilities to see if there's anything unusual ahead?"

Jiang Shu carefully swept around the area until a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead before he stopped.

Jiang Zhi handed over a piece of low-toxicity roasted cotton aphid. "How is it? Anything special about it?"

Jiang Shu swallowed a cotton aphid in one gulp, and after a while, he said, "There are rat holes every few dozen meters in this cotton field."

"Moreover, there are quite a few mutated spiders among these cotton branches."

Jiang Zhi frowned.

"What about the quantity? And the size?"

Jiang Shu: "There are quite a few. There's one spider for every three plants. There are also a lot of spider webs among the cotton branches. The biggest one is about the size of a face plate."

No wonder these moles chose cotton fields as their base camp.

Most people, upon seeing these mutated spiders, would avoid approaching the cotton field to prevent being attacked.

Before this, these mutated moles must have considered this breeding base as their own territory.

When the mutants from the base's exploration team arrived, they wiped out most of the moles, forcing them to retreat into the cotton field.

Jiang Wen looked unwell: "A-Zhi, what should we do now?"

With mutated spiders above and mutated moles below with intelligence comparable to humans, the risks seem immense.

"Brother, can you see what those spiders look like?"

Jiang Shu described it.

Jiang Zhi immediately guessed what kind of spider it was: "It's a mutated three-pronged flower spider. It's not poisonous, but its silk can wrap around people very tightly, and it can't be cut with a knife. Once it gets close, the only way to kill it is with fire."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen breathed a sigh of relief; the fact that the mutated spider wasn't poisonous was the only good news so far.

Jiang Zhi pointed to the cotton field that the exploration team had cut down. "Let's go take a look over there first."

As the group walked around, they saw a patch of cotton fields with mottled scorch marks, and it wasn't hard to guess that the exploration team members had also engaged in a fierce battle.

Especially on the ground, there were many blackened marks, which suggested that the mutants who were able to restrain the moles were unable to continue fighting for the time being, so they were unable to continue harvesting the remaining cotton.

Jiang Zhi felt more confident: "Brother, where is the nearest mole hole?"

Jiang Shu pointed to the edge of the cotton field, "There are cotton fields over there and over there too."

Jiang Zhi nodded. "Okay, brother, you and second brother find some grass and branches to burn at the entrance of the cave. The more smoke, the better. Dali, you'll be on guard. If you see any moles attacking us, just kill them with a stick."

Jiang Wen was worried that Jiang Zhi would do something risky, so he asked, "A-Zhi, what about you?"

Jiang Zhi smiled upon hearing this, "I'll be in charge of cutting cotton branches."

Jiang Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, let's do it this way!"

After making the decision, Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu quickly harvested a lot of vines and branches nearby, and then piled them up on several holes near the outer edge.

Each mouse hole was about ten centimeters in size. Jiang Zhi probed with the instrument panel and found that the moles were scattered underground not far away. If there was any movement, they would either flee far away or dart out from other holes.

But Jiangzhi is more inclined to believe that the mole will escape.

Generally speaking, the more intelligent a species is, the more suspicious it is, so Jiang Zhi guessed that the mutated mole would definitely not rush out immediately.

This way, they will have time to harvest the cotton.

With Niu Dali blocking their way, their plan was able to proceed much more smoothly.

Soon, Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu lit the haystack with a flint and steel, and then stuffed it all into the mole holes on the outside.

Gray smoke slowly drifted into the cave entrance, and soon the air was filled with a pungent smell.

Jiang Shu, whose mental strength had somewhat recovered, immediately broadcast live: "Azhi! This method works! Those moles in the cave have run far away!"

Jiang Zhi: "Quick! Hurry up!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu and Jiang Wen immediately grabbed their shovels and sickles and rushed into the cotton field.

Niu Dali stood there nervously, gripping his stick tightly. Although he was strong, he wasn't agile enough, and now the pressure of the mole's attack was all on his head, making him somewhat afraid.

Jiang Zhi comforted him, "Brother Dali, don't be nervous. Once the smoke clears up, your second brother and the others will come to help you."

Niu Dali then relaxed.

Jiang Zhi and her two companions moved swiftly, harvesting a pile of crops and tossing them onto the open ground beside them before moving on to the next wave.

They moved quickly, ignoring the sharp thorns on the cotton branches. After several rounds, all three of them had many cuts and bruises on their hands.

Jiang Wen's thumb was even hooked, and a small piece of flesh was torn off, with blood dripping everywhere as if it were free.

The mole has small eyes and poor eyesight, so all its skill points are invested in its brain and nose.

The smell of blood emanating from the three immediately attracted the attention of the subterranean mole.

The mole that had run far away emerged from an even further hole.

Sensing that their numbers were small, more and more moles emerged from their burrows.

Jiang Zhi's heart skipped a beat.

The dashboard in his mind suddenly issued a frantic warning: "More than ten mutated creatures are approaching! More than ten mutated creatures are approaching! Please be on guard! Please be on guard!!"

Jiang Zhi immediately shouted to Jiang Shu and the other man, "Brother! Second brother! Stop cutting! Quickly set the rest of the haystacks on fire!"

As the mole swarm drew closer, Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu didn't dare to delay. They put down the cotton they were holding and ran back to set fire to the pile of straw they had built earlier.

Soon, thick black smoke billowed up and drifted into the air.

The dry climate caused the flames to quickly escalate into a raging inferno.

Upon seeing this, the mole swarm indeed slowed down.

efficient!

These moles are afraid of fire!

A few fearless little rascals couldn't stop in time and rushed in front of Niu Dali, but Niu Dali swept them away with an iron shovel.

Jiang Zhi seized the opportunity and said, "Brother! Let's continue while we have the chance!"

Since we've come all this way, we're determined to get the maximum amount!

These mutant moles are so intelligent, who knows if they'll come up with some way to defend against them?

The three of them huffed and puffed as they gathered handfuls of cotton.

Just then, a warning sound suddenly blared from Jiangzhi's dashboard—

"Warning! Warning! We are about to be attacked by a Level 4 mutated beast! Please take precautions!"

Jiang Zhi was startled.

He quickly shouted, "Brother Dali! Come back first!"

Upon hearing Jiang Zhi's words, Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu realized something was wrong and quickly retreated.

In the blink of an eye,

Suddenly, two moles the size of calves jumped out from where Niu Dali had just been standing.

Jiang Zhi felt a chill run down her spine.

These two must be the giant moles that the middle-aged man mentioned earlier.

I didn't expect that it would be even bigger up close than that person said!

Jiang Zhi stared intently at the two moles.

The two moles rushed over but didn't attack the group. Instead, they shrieked at the fire.

The next second, the burning haystack was suddenly covered with a thick layer of soil.

The flame was extinguished just like that.

Jiang Shu and the others were dumbfounded.

This mole has superpowers?! Is it trying to fly?!

Jiang Zhi thought to herself, "This is not good."

Unexpectedly, these two giant moles have evolved superpowers.

But the two moles didn't linger in the fight. After putting out the fire, they immediately dug into the ground with their two front paws.

Jiang Zhi looked at the dark mass of moles in front of her, gritted her teeth, and had no choice but to do it: "Brother, burn the cotton we just picked!"

Before Jiang Shu could even feel the pain, he rushed over, grabbed a cotton boll, and tapped it against the flint a few times.

The dry cotton petals instantly ignited and spread at an extremely rapid pace.

The fire shot skyward.

The moles indeed dared not go any further.

Jiang Shu grabbed a handful of cotton branches and swept them forward.

The leading few stood up, chirping and taking several steps back. After sniffing around a few times with their pointed noses, they finally burrowed into the ground.

Jiang Wen was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.

It wasn't until the mole disappeared that I realized my legs were weak.

With so many moles, even if they aren't very strong, I could still kill them with a bite.

"Azhi..."

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Jiang Zhi say, "Second Brother, don't stop! They've gone far away. Keep using smoke! Plug all the holes you see with cotton, and remember to light the fire!"

Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu dared not stop for a moment, and did not care about the cost. They burned the remaining cotton bolls and stuffed them into the hole little by little.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhi observed the mole's condition through the dashboard.

Jiang Shu, panting, asked, "A-Zhi, what are we doing now? Aren't we going to run?"

After the rush to harvest, although the cotton they had obtained was not enough for both families, it was still a considerable amount.

As a result, they were ambushed by the mole swarm, and only a small handful remained.

Jiang Shu was in excruciating pain; all the suffering he had endured earlier was for nothing.

Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the red warning dots on the dashboard converge in one place. At the same time, other thoughts came to mind. She calmly asked, "Brother, do you remember the snake venom on our hands?"

The mutated snake venom glands that they had specially collected before were also brought over by Jiang Zhi this time.

Jiang Shu was stunned for a moment, "You mean...?"

“These moles have now scurried into a burrow 200 meters underground, and now there’s a chance to catch them all.”

Normally, these moles would roam freely, and Jiangzhi might not have a way to deal with them.

But now, perhaps they've huddled together to discuss how to deal with them; they've all come together.

Jiang Wen hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "Azhi, I'll listen to you."

Although it is very risky, the rewards would be huge if all these moles could be wiped out.

The progress of stockpiling the supplies they need can be accelerated significantly immediately!

Jiang Shu crushed another cotton aphid and said fiercely, "Done!"

Niu Dali scratched his head, "I'll listen to you all."

Seeing that everyone agreed, Jiang Zhi then revealed her plan: "Those two moles dug very large burrows. I can light cotton stalks and go inside. Once I get close to their nest, I can dilute the snake venom, pour it onto the cotton stalks, and then burn them..."

The smoke produced by burning in this way is also toxic.

This plan is truly audacious.

But Jiangzhi only dared to do this after she had just encountered these moles.

Although these moles are numerous and intelligent, they have a fatal weakness—they are not very strong in attack, and the two most powerful ones are seriously injured and unable to even launch an attack.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have only come out to put out the fire.

Jiang Wen frowned: "And what about you?"

Once the toxic fog is generated, the ginger twigs cannot remain unaffected.

He would absolutely not agree to let Jiang Zhi risk her life.

Jiang Zhi smiled, and a bubble suddenly emerged from her mouth, growing larger and larger... until it became the size of a basketball and covered her head.

Jiang Shu was greatly surprised.

"Ah Zhi...you're not..."

"Yes, this is an ability I developed after eating fish gills."

She figured out this ability on her own later.

Once bubbles are generated, she can not only breathe underwater, but also breathe normally anywhere without oxygen, as long as the bubbles don't burst.

Jiang Shu couldn't resist poking the bubbles on the ginger branch, but they weren't as easy to pop as he had imagined.

Jiang Zhi said, "Don't worry, this bubble won't burst unless I remove it."

Jiang Shu's eyes lit up. "Can we use it? If so, we'll go down with you!"

Jiang Wen wholeheartedly agreed, "That's right, it's too risky for you to go alone."

Jiang Zhi said helplessly, "My brother can come down with me. He can use his ability to see what's going on down there. The passage down there is too narrow, and it would be inconvenient if there were too many people. Second brother, you should wait for us up here."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen had no choice but to give up.

Having made her decision, Jiangzhi blew a few bubbles and placed them over the heads of the two of them.

Jiang Shu looked at the transparent bubble covering his head with great curiosity.

At this moment, Niu Dali asked, "Azhi, what about me?"

“Brother Dali, you’re too strong. It’s inconvenient for you to come down with us. You stay up here and keep watch with Second Brother. If we don’t come back in an hour, we’ll call it a day.”

Jiang Zhi handed over the homemade signal flares that Jiang Jun had made for them earlier.

"If you find any danger, you should run first and don't worry about us."

Niu Dali accepted the offer and said very seriously, "Azhi, I won't run away."

Seeing his stubborn expression, Jiang Zhi opened her mouth but ultimately didn't try to persuade him anymore.

After getting ready, the brother and sister went to the hole that the mole head had dug.

Although the two moles looked as big as calves, the entrance to their burrow was much smaller.

Jiang Zhi and the other person could barely manage to get down.

But just to be on the safe side, Jiang Zhi said, "I'll go down and take a look first. If it's too narrow, then you don't need to go down, brother."

Jiang Shu: "No need, you'll know once I take a look?"

Jiang Zhi glanced at him and said, "Save your energy. Who knows what will happen down there later."

After Jiang Zhi finished speaking, she went straight down.

Fortunately, the deeper you go, the more spacious the cave becomes; some places even serve as transportation hubs and can accommodate two people.

Jiangzhi carefully climbed back.

Back on the ground, that oppressive feeling vanished completely.

Jiang Shu hurriedly asked, "A-Zhi, how are you? Can I go down?"

"Yes, but it might not feel very good."

"Hey, it's fine, as long as it's enough for me to climb."

To confuse the mole's sense of smell, the brother and sister rolled around in wood ash until they were covered in the smell of smoke.

Then Jiangzhi took the lead and crawled back into the hole.

As soon as you descend to five meters underground, a damp, cold, earthy smell instantly envelops your entire body.

Jiang Shu couldn't help but shiver.

The passage was very low and pitch black, so the brother and sister had to crouch down and crawl forward little by little.

The flashlight in Jiang Zhi's hand blinked weakly above her head.

The ground was covered in wet mud, and as I climbed on it, I made a "plop plop" sound, with wet bits of mud seeping into my shoes.

The walls were covered with deep scratches made by mole claws, and dirt was falling off in a soft rustling sound. Every now and then, a faint noise would come from a small hole that branched off to the side.

Jiang Shu followed closely behind Jiang Zhi, feeling a chill run down his spine at the thought of those mutated moles ahead, who might suddenly appear from any direction at any moment.

He swallowed hard and gripped the bone stick tightly in his hand.

After climbing forward for several dozen meters, Jiangzhi found that the road ahead was blocked.

Jiang Shu, unable to see what was happening from behind, saw Jiang Zhi stop and quickly asked, "A-Zhi, why did you stop?"

"You've gone to the wrong place."

Jiang Shu immediately said, "Impossible! I clearly saw that this side was open when I was up there."

Jiang Zhi: "I guess these moles blocked the passage."

This can also be considered a way to confuse the enemy.

Jiang Shu used his ability to take a look and, sure enough, it was blocked. He was speechless and said, "These moles are even more cunning than I am. What do we do now? Just dig it up?"

This path is one of the shortest routes to the mole's den. If we change the route, it will take even longer, and who knows what tricks these moles will pull.

"Dig."

Fearing that it would attract the attention of the moles, Jiangzhi could only carefully dig in little by little.

Jiang Shu could only watch anxiously from behind, unable to offer any help.

Fortunately, Jiangzhi is much stronger than before, and since the path had just been blocked and the soil in the middle hadn't been compacted yet, Jiangzhi was able to dig relatively easily.

It took about twenty minutes to dig through the half-meter-thick mud wall.

Jiang Shu breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but mutter, "Luckily, none of us have claustrophobia, or we would have gone crazy."

Jiang Zhi ignored him, and the brother and sister continued forward for more than ten meters until they finally encountered a fork in the road with a fairly spacious area.

Jiang Zhi exhaled and straightened up to catch her breath.

Being in a doggy-style position all the time is quite painful.

She shone her flashlight around and saw three forks in the road ahead.

"Brother, there's a fork in the road here. Use your abilities to see which way to go."

Jiang Shu straightened up and slowly scanned the area. "Go to the left, and it's about 70 or 80 meters to the big cave."

"Can you see how many moles there are?"

Jiang Shu silently counted, "There are thirty-seven in total, including the two big ones."

How big is that hole?

"It's about a hundred square meters and a little over a meter high—oh my god, Azhi! There are so many red snakes inside!"

Jiang Zhi frowned. "A snake?"

"No, it can't be a snake, it looks like an earthworm—this is disgusting!"

In the next sentence, Jiang Shu covered his mouth as if he was about to vomit.

Jiang Zhi frowned: "It's alive?"

Jiang Shu shook his head: "It should be dead. I didn't see any movement."

Jiang Zhi felt more confident.

"Brother, you wait here for me. I'll go over and light the fire. When you see these moles get infected, then crawl over."

Jiang Shu disagreed: "Azhi, this is too dangerous. Let me go."

Jiang Zhi shook her head: "You are not as strong or energetic as me, so it's safer for me to go. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing and won't put myself in danger."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade his sister, Jiang Shu had no choice but to agree.

He untied the cotton branches and leaves that were tied around his waist and handed them to Jiang Zhi, adding, "Alright, be careful."

He made up his mind that if Jiangzhi was in danger, he would rush over to help her.

After Jiang Zhi responded, she began to move with the pile of cotton stalks.

After advancing about thirty meters, Jiang Zhi noticed that the bright red warning dots ahead had stopped one by one on the dashboard. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately stopped.

Perhaps because they got too close, the moles realized something was wrong.

She dared not move, lying on the ground like a stone.

Fortunately, after a short while, the warning point resumed its slight movement, and Jiang Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After a while, she took out a water bottle that had been prepared in advance and mixed with mutated snake venom, and poured it onto the cotton branches and leaves that weighed more than ten kilograms.

With a "sizzle," the spark from the flint leaped up, and the dry cotton wadding ignited instantly.

When the fire first started, the smoke wasn't too thick. A few wisps of grayish-white smoke rose gently from the cotton bolls and, as the fire spread, burned directly onto the cotton stalks.

The smoke billowed upwards, turning yellowish-brown and carrying a pungent, acrid smell that made people want to back away. Before long, the smoke spread in all directions along the tunnels dug by the mole.

Jiang Zhi stared intently at the smoke.

Soon, the smoke spread into the mole's nest.

In Jiang Shu's field of vision.

Inside the cramped and dimly lit mole burrow, wisps of gray smoke seeped out from the openings on all sides. The previously restless mole swarm instantly quieted down, each one perking up its ears alertly, its short fur standing on end.

In a short while, the mist containing mutated snake venom spread rapidly.

The pungent smell caused the mole swarm to cough in unison and frantically dash around their nest, trying to escape.

In their panic, many moles dug deep furrows in the ground.

In less than a minute, even the moles that had escaped their dens began to collapse. Without exception, every mole began to breathe rapidly, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, and some of the smaller ones even convulsed.

Moments later, the moles that had inhaled the poisonous fog began to stiffen one by one.

Jiang Shu watched with trepidation.

The venom of this mutated snake is incredibly potent. Luckily, they avoided getting venom, or they would have ended up in a similar situation to these moles.

He crawled forward quickly. "Ah, Ah Zhi, it's okay now, all the rats have stopped moving."

Upon hearing this, Jiangzhi quickly used soil to extinguish the fire.

When the damp soil comes into contact with the venom on the cotton stalk, it immediately makes a "sizzling" sound.

Jiang Zhi pouted.

This venom is truly a great ingredient for murder and robbery.

After this incident, the number of red dots on the dashboard instantly decreased by more than half.

Based on Jiang Shu's description, Jiang Zhi guessed that the remaining moles, even if not dead, had been poisoned and rendered unconscious.

The brother and sister mustered their courage and climbed over.

Soon, the two arrived at the mole's nest.

The vast space made the light from the flashlight on the ginger branch appear dim.

With bubbles covering their heads, the two couldn't smell the nest, but Jiang Zhi could already imagine how mixed the original smells must have been inside.

The cave walls were covered with claw marks and scratches, all left by the mole's daily digging. The ground was uneven, with clods of dirt scattered everywhere.

In between, they ate the earthworms that Jiang Shu had just seen, and there was also a pile of corn kernels and grass seeds, as well as some small insect shells, which were the mole's food.

In the corner, a tangled clump of dirty, withered grass served as the moles' nest, with a few small pebbles scattered nearby. Further in, several winding paths branched off in different directions.

Jiang Zhi immediately spotted the two largest moles in the middle.

The dashboard indicated that the two moles were not dead, and displayed a bright red warning sign.

Jiang Zhi walked over slowly, her heart pounding.

He then swiftly stabbed one of the large moles in the head with the dagger in his hand.

The giant mole let out a pitiful "squeak—" and then kicked its hind legs, dying instantly.

Seeing that one of the warning lights had been extinguished, Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and then took out a rope to tie up the other large mole.

Jiang Shu rushed over to help, "A-Zhi, shouldn't we kill this one?"

"Don't kill them yet. Capture them alive and take them upstairs to see if we can sell them to those mutants."

Jiang Zhi's intuition told her that these two moles with special abilities would be very popular among mutants.

After tying a knot in the rope, the brother and sister finished off every mole present.

"Brother, just remember to tap his head, don't damage his body. These mole furs can be used to make winter clothes."

The mole's fur is short and dense, like freshly cut stubble. It feels rough and prickly to the touch, and it's grayish-brown, the same color as the soil. If you look closely, you can see specks of dirt on it, as if it had just rolled out of the ground.

Although it's not very comfortable, it's fine for keeping warm.

Only when there was only one red warning dot left on Jiangzhi's dashboard could the two of them catch their breath.

Jiangzhi didn't rush to collect the mole carcasses, but instead went to check the moles' food rations.