Chapter 180 Return to the End of the World 8
There was an autumn rain recently, and the chill of late autumn attacked the leaves in the mountain forests. It seemed that the red and green faded overnight, and the leaves fell. The layers of maple forests on Danxia Mountain near Linfeng Base were immersed in an intoxicating deep color, like the blush on the cheeks of a drunken beauty.
The Lan River in front of the base has also thinned a little, the water level has dropped gradually, some accumulated silt has appeared on the river bank, and some angular rocks have been carried by the water.
The river water is clear but the bottom is not visible. The water surface near the river bank is covered with a kind of aquatic plants with oval green leaves. The deep water surface is as green as emerald. Under the sunlight, the figure of a giant beast can occasionally be seen swimming underwater.
The land that Chen Qian applied for is near the Lan River.
Linfeng Base is located in a plain area with flat and open terrain and fertile land. Before the end of the world, it was one of the granaries that supplied food to the entire country.
A newly built asphalt road stretches straight into the distance at the gate of the base. On both sides of the road are square grids. Various vegetables have been planted in the grids near the base, adding a bit of vitality to the bleak autumn.
A grid is a flat piece of arable land, about the size of one mu. Generally, an individual can apply for 4-6 grids of land. The size of a farm registered as a family is generally assessed by the registrar based on the labor force of family members, and the land is ultimately allocated according to the number of laborers × 5.
Since the apocalypse, animals and plants seem to have entered a period of rapid growth and evolution, and humans are no exception. The bodies of humans who have survived the apocalypse seem to have undergone some kind of special training. Although they have not evolved various superpowers like in novels, the bodies of existing humans are much healthier than before the apocalypse.
At the bend of the river there grows a tall soapberry tree. The nearly ten-meter-high crown is covered with gray-brown soapberries. The withered yellow leaves fall to the surface of the river in the autumn wind. These soapberry leaves floating on the water drift along the flowing river to an unknown distance.
Chen Qian used a bamboo pole with an iron hook to hook the soap pods on the tree to the ground, and then picked them up and put them into a bamboo basket beside her. Soon, the basket was filled with heavy soap pods.
A long snake covered with grey diamond-shaped patterns coiled on the strong branches. It raised its nearly triangular head and released its black tongue, which flowed towards the roots of the tree like water. It would not let go of the prey that was delivered to its mouth after being disturbed from its rest.
The autumn wind blows through the leaves, making a rustling sound. A murderous intent is hidden in the quiet autumn scenery.
Chen Qian, who was concentrating on beating soap stalks, moved her ears. Then she bent down, picked up the machete next to the bamboo basket and threw it hard towards the direction where the wind came from. She jumped in the opposite direction. In the corner of her eyes, a bright blood flower was dotted among the yellow leaves on the ground.
The snake head with two-thirds of its body cut off was rolling in the dead leaves, and the birds resting in the treetops were startled by the movement under the tree.
Chen Qian took out the machete that was stuck in the tree trunk, picked up the tangled snake tails and put them into the basket. Then she stabbed the struggling snake head a few more times and waited for a few more minutes. After making sure that the snake was completely dead, she used a dead branch to pick up the snake head. After all, before the end of the world, there were many news reports of people bitten by chopped-off snake heads.
This long snake's triangular head looks extremely poisonous. If you get bit by it, you'll probably die.
On the way back, the patrol team on the military vehicle took a few more glances at the snake in Chen Qian's basket.
"Is that... a pit viper?"
"A pit viper? What kind of snake is that?" But that triangular head looked very poisonous.
The team member who spoke first paused and said, "Agkistrodon acutus is its scientific name, but most people prefer to call it Agkistrodon acutus."
"Five-step snake? Wow, that woman just now is really good at it!"
“Who who has survived to this day doesn’t have some skills? But how come there are five-step snakes here? We need to report this to the higher-ups. This poisonous insect has a very severe bite. More and more people have settled outside the city recently, so we hope nothing unexpected happens.” The leader of the seven-member team squinted as he watched the figures working in the fields. Although it was late autumn, the research institute had developed a new cold-resistant crop that was just right for sowing.
Chen Qian also received some "Handou" seeds.
In the thirteen years since the end of the world, animals and plants have mutated, and those that have been tamed by humans for thousands of years have begun to grow wild again.
The rice grown here has thick stems, but only a dozen grains on each ear. After the grains are husked, the rice tastes rough and strange when cooked, making it hard to swallow. It seems that the experience of being eaten by humans for thousands of years has turned on a strange switch when rice evolved, and it has evolved to be as unpalatable as possible.
In addition, common crops grown by humans have undergone varying degrees of variation in this biological evolution. Which food is edible, which vegetables are non-toxic, and which crops are suitable for large-scale planting all require continuous exploration by the research institute's staff.
Of course, in the vast land of the earth, there are always remote corners where some plants that have not mutated remain, such as the potatoes they found in the farmyard before, which leaves a buffer time for humans to explore new foods.
When Chen Qian got home, she found a wooden box at the door. Thinking of the patrol team that had just passed by, she realized that the base had distributed new relief rations.
The already stiff snake was placed on the chopping board in the kitchen. She first carried out a ball of colorful plastic cloth from the house and spread it under the sunshine in the yard. She then spread the freshly picked soap pods on it and ground them after killing the moisture inside. It didn't matter whether it was coarse or fine. After grinding, she put it into a pot and stir-fried it at high temperature to remove the toxicity. After a series of treatments such as oiling, kneading, pressing, and drying, she could get a large piece of pure natural soap, which was perfect for bathing and washing clothes.
Through the gray-brown soap capsules in the sunlight, Chen Qian seemed to see the moment when the soap was taking shape. Her eyes were filled with smiles. After the soap was made, she would definitely take a good bath.
The toiletries produced before the apocalypse have long passed their expiration date and can no longer be used. Today's production lines are busy producing weapons and food. The shampoo and shower gel that were common in the past have now become luxury items that only the families of high-ranking officials in the base can afford.
Therefore, the rich and poor people in the end times can be clearly seen at a glance, and one can tell a person's background just by looking at his skin color and texture.
Some high-ranking family members looked down on people from outside the city with inferior skin color, and thought that these inferior people exuded a disgusting odor.
Yes, running around in the dust all day, fighting with zombies, the smell of sweat and blood mixed with the stench of soil, this is the daily life of ordinary people struggling in the end times.
So, when the news came that Tang Yun was favored by the son of a high-ranking official in the inner city, Chen Qian was stunned. So is this a drama where the prince falls in love with Cinderella in the context of doomsday?
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