Jiang Wan had originally planned to ask her about the metasequoia tree, but upon hearing this, she forgot about scolding them for not sleeping yet and immediately asked, "How is the metasequoia tree now?"
Jiang Xiaoxin tried to sense it again and then said, "It's not very good. It seems like it could mutate at any time."
"Their wish is to become a real tree, producing oxygen during the day and breathing at night, instead of competing with us humans for polluted oxygen!"
"They also said that they were at a high altitude with too little oxygen, and they were about to collapse!"
Jiang Wan grew increasingly alarmed as she listened. Yes, these dawn redwood trees had only been transplanted recently, and they hadn't fully taken root yet. Their roots had been damaged, and there was also the issue of oxygen...
Ignoring the fact that it was already late at night, she immediately turned around and walked out. Only after reaching the outer room did she remember to remind them, "You all go to sleep! Mom is going out for a bit, I'll be right back!"
She went in and came out of the room again shortly after. Yu Fen was so shocked that he immediately jumped down from the wall and asked, "Sister-in-law, are you in trouble?"
While asking the question, he kept glancing behind her as if there were thugs in her room.
"Where is Cheng Zhen? Take me to him."
Jiang Wan hurriedly walked outside; the search for the optics expert couldn't wait any longer!
We must get the plants back to photosynthesis as soon as possible!
This is not only a need of all humankind, but also a demand of the plants themselves!
Yu Fen, of course, wouldn't stop her. He led the way for her, and soon they found the interrogation room where Cheng Zhen was.
This was a temporary interrogation room set up in the camp. Cheng Zhen had just gotten the key information when she arrived.
"What happened?"
Jiang Wan said directly, "Have you found any professionals in optics? There's no time left!"
Cheng Zhen looked around to make sure everyone around him was one of his own before whispering, "I was just about to tell you this. We've found an optics expert, but he's contracted the plague and needs treatment."
"There's one more important thing: do you know why these people came after you today?"
Jiang Wan thought for a moment: "Because they know I'm a botany expert?"
"Expert" is a title they bestowed upon her, but she is actually self-aware and knows that she is at most a talent in her professional field.
"Yes, not only that, they also know that you brought back a tall tree, a dawn redwood!"
They described the dawn redwood as a sacred tree, believing that with such a tree, they could survive the oxygen-deprived apocalypse. That's why tonight's organized and planned riot occurred. Their goal wasn't to leave the city; using the refugees to storm the city gates was merely a diversionary tactic! A feint to the east while attacking the west, providing cover for those who were leaving the city to seize people and the sacred tree!
"They belong to a non-governmental organization called Chaoyang."
"Also, there's a traitor within our camp."
Qiao Mu was sent back directly through the portal. The area around the camp was under strict security for several kilometers, and outsiders were not allowed to enter. Even if they could see the trees planted in the camp from outside the security perimeter, they might not be able to tell that they were metasequoia trees.
There's only one possibility—someone tipped them off.
With tonight's events, he has now identified the traitor as his target.
Jiang Wan's focus, however, was elsewhere. She astutely asked, "First, the optics expert was infected with the plague? Second, how did the people from the Chaoyang organization know that the trees we brought back and planted in the camp were dawn redwoods?"
Cheng Zhen was puzzled by her cold and serious voice: "What's wrong? Do you suspect that all of this is too much of a coincidence?"
Jiang Wan nodded and then shook her head: "Arrange for me to meet that optics expert. I have something to ask him. Also, who is the other person on that list? Haven't you found him yet? No need to look anymore, he's inside Chaoyang."
Cheng Zhen was about to refute her claim that she had gone to see plague patients, but after hearing what she said, her mind went blank for a moment, and she subconsciously asked, "How did you know?"
"Metasequoia, a living fossil, is an ancient and precious relict species that has almost disappeared in recent years. We can only learn about it through video materials in class. If he can recognize it as a metasequoia, he is either the other botanist you are looking for, or he is a senior plant enthusiast."
Cheng Zhen's expression instantly hardened. No matter what the situation, they couldn't leave the person with "Chaoyang," a private organization of unknown origin and intentions!
He will take care of this himself, but what's wrong with her?
"That man has the plague! You want to go see him now? Are you out of your mind?!" He would never agree to let her take the risk.
"In an oxygen-deficient apocalypse, relying solely on artificial oxygen production is insufficient. These oxygen stones and other energy sources will eventually run out!"
"Most importantly, there's no time left. If we don't solve the problem of plant photosynthesis soon, I'm sure these dawn redwoods, and all the plants outside, will mutate!"
Jiang Wan's gaze was cold and resolute. She had made up her mind; she had to find an optics expert as soon as possible to identify the problem and then come up with a solution!
As for the plague, she can take all necessary precautions!
She suddenly paused: "Hasn't Bai Rui Cao been continuously being sent to the city? Didn't your people give him the medicine?"
Wu Xuan clearly stated that the Hundred-Petal Grass is useful against this plague!
Cheng Zhen's face instantly turned ugly, and he gritted his teeth: "I just contacted the people in the city and learned that the medicine we sent in never reached the ordinary people in the city!"
This is yet another matter.
Jiang Wan said, "Hurry up and send me there. I just need to ask him a few questions."
Cheng Zhen couldn't dissuade her, so he had to personally prepare brand-new protective gear for her, ensuring that not a single hair of hers was exposed to the air, before taking her into the city.
"Aren't Xin Xin and Xiao Shu related?" This was the first time Cheng Zhen had seen her preparing to abandon her two children and act alone.
"We'll be back as soon as possible." Jiang Wan thought for a moment, then turned around and ran back to the dormitory quickly, leaving a note for the two kids: "Mom has to go out for a while and will be back as soon as possible. You absolutely cannot go out before Mom is back."
Then, he took out a box of milk and a box of bread from the tree hole space to make sure they wouldn't go hungry before going into the city with Cheng Zhen.
To Jiang Wan's surprise, the optics expert they were looking for actually lived in the Silver City Elegant Room.
And coincidentally, this person was Mi Mang's uncle, Mi Jun.
He is a single man in his thirties. He was married when he was young, but his wife died from a serious illness, and he has been alone ever since.
Jiang Wan knew that he was just a junior clerk in a research institution, and even faced the risk of losing his job due to the arrival of the oxygen-deficient apocalypse.
When Mi Jun saw them, he was also surprised: "What do you want with me?" He didn't know Jiang Wan.
Once inside the room and with the door closed, Jiang Wan asked directly, "Are you an optical researcher? Do you know what things in light can suppress the light needed for plant photosynthesis?"
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