Xiao Yi, focused and confident, drew on his extensive wilderness survival experience as he walked at the front of the group, carefully guiding them through the dense forest. He would occasionally crouch down and gently stroke a leaf, carefully examining its shape, veins, and serrations along its edge. Then, looking up, he assured everyone, "This leaf has smooth edges and an oval shape. It's edible." Everyone nodded, taking his words seriously. Sometimes, he would stand in front of a plant, pointing to its flowers and fruit, patiently explaining, "Look, the flowers are vibrantly colored, and the fruit is plump. But don't eat it; it's poisonous." Everyone's eyes, filled with admiration and trust, followed his lead closely. When encountering similar yet difficult-to-distinguish plants, Xiao Yi would meticulously compare their subtle differences, from the texture of the stems to the arrangement of the flowers. As he explained, he used a branch to draw simple diagrams on the ground to help everyone understand more clearly. "This plant usually grows in humid places, and its roots can provide a certain amount of water and nutrients." Xiao Yi's voice was steady and powerful, as if giving everyone a reassurance. Under his guidance, everyone's understanding of various plants gradually became clearer, and their confidence in finding food grew stronger.
"This wild fruit is edible, but be careful not to eat too much," Xiao Yi said, nimbly reaching out to pluck a plump, round fruit. His eyes revealed a firmness and confidence, as if he knew the fruit's properties intimately. He held the fruit in his hand, displaying it to everyone. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting an alluring sheen on the fruit's surface. Xiao Yi gently turned the fruit in his hand, allowing everyone to examine it from all angles. "Look, the skin of this fruit is a uniform purple-red color, with no noticeable spots or damage. This indicates it's ripe and harmless." Xiao Yi's voice was steady and clear, and everyone listened intently to his explanation. He then carefully handed the fruit to the person closest to him, who took it with a look of anticipation yet a touch of caution. Xiao Yi encouraged with a smile: "Don't worry about trying it, but remember not to be greedy. Eating too much may cause gastrointestinal discomfort." Everyone passed the wild fruit in turn, and everyone's eyes were full of curiosity and desire for food.
Lin Meng's brow furrowed slightly, a look of caution and anticipation in her eyes. She gently took the fruit with her slender fingers. First, she brought the fruit close to her nose and sniffed, as if savoring its unique aroma. Then, she slowly opened her mouth, placed a small portion of the fruit in her mouth, and took a gentle bite. For a moment, her expression was subtle, as if she were savoring the fruit's flavor. After a moment, her brow gradually relaxed, a faint smile spreading across her face. "It tastes quite good," she said, her voice soft and sweet, almost with a hint of surprise. Lin Meng took another small bite, chewing it carefully, her eyes narrowed slightly, savoring this hard-earned delicacy. "It's really delicious. Everyone, try some," she said, offering the remaining fruit to the person next to her.
Chen Hao crouched beside a patch of slightly damp grass, his gaze fixed on a cluster of mushrooms poking out of the soil. His brow furrowed slightly, a look of doubt and caution in his eyes. The mushrooms varied in shape, some with plump, rounded caps, others slightly flat. Their colors varied, too: some pure white, others with light brown markings. Chen Hao reached out, wanting to touch one, but stopped short, knowing full well that touching one without knowing for sure whether it was poisonous was dangerous. He carefully examined the gills, trying to determine their density and color. He leaned in to smell the scent, but it was too faint to offer a clear clue. Chen Hao stood up and paced around the clusters, muttering to himself, "These mushrooms look tempting, but if they're poisonous, that's a problem." His face was filled with conflict and hesitation, unsure whether to take them home.
"Let me see." Xiao Yi hurried over upon hearing the voice, crouching down, his expression focused and serious. He first narrowed his eyes, taking in the overall environment of the mushrooms, then focusing his gaze on the mushrooms themselves, beginning to examine them closely. He reached out and gently moved the cap, carefully examining the surface texture and texture. Then, he carefully opened a mushroom, examining the density and color of the gills. His eyes were sharp and focused, not missing a single subtle feature. Xiao Yi even leaned in close to the mushrooms, sniffing their scent, his brow furrowing slightly, then relaxing. After a long moment, he straightened up, a look of assurance on his face, and said, "These mushrooms are non-toxic and safe to pick." His voice was firm and powerful, instilling confidence in everyone. "Look, the cap of this mushroom is smooth, free of slime, the gills are evenly arranged, the color is normal, and the scent is fresh, all consistent with non-toxic mushrooms." Xiao Yi patiently explained, pointing to the mushrooms again to ensure everyone understood.
Everyone scattered across the forest, absorbed in their food-gathering efforts. Some bent over, meticulously searching the underbrush, each wild vegetable they found a treasure, carefully digging it out with their tools and placing it in their backpacks. As they gathered, they chanted to themselves, reviewing the key points Xiao Yi had just taught them about identifying wild vegetables. Others gathered around fruit trees, diligently reaching for ripe fruit. They reminded each other to be wary of the thorns on the branches and discussed how to tell if a fruit was fully ripe. The mushroom-hunting group was even more cautious and diligent. Each time they found a cluster of mushrooms, they would stop to examine them carefully, recalling the characteristics Xiao Yi had described for non-toxic mushrooms, and only gently pluck them after confirming they were indeed non-toxic. They would also share their judgments, working together to improve their identification skills. Others crouched by traps set for small animals, their eyes fixed intently, silently calculating the moment they would trigger. They also discussed how to set more effective traps and how to choose the right location based on animal tracks and habits. The entire forest was filled with busy figures and whispered conversations. While collecting precious food, they were eagerly learning all kinds of survival knowledge to make full preparations for the challenges they might face in the future.
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