Chapter 65 Sleepless Nights
The mutated geese were several sizes larger than ordinary geese, with a wingspan of nearly two meters. They came charging in with loud calls, and everyone held their breath to face the flock.
As the flock of geese approached the group's attack range, the lead goose raised its neck and cried out. Zheng Zhanqing translated, "The goose is saying: Attack!"
The flock of geese changed formation, rising higher and circling above the crowd. As they flew by, clumps of white down fell gently.
Large clumps of goose down slowly descended through the air, but Jiang Jinhu sensed a familiar vibration in these fluttering little things. His pupils contracted, and he shouted, "Watch out!"
Before the words were even finished, a bright flash of light appeared before everyone's eyes, followed by a series of explosions and intense heat. A burst of fire suddenly erupted from the pure white goose down, the flames from the tiny feathers reaching a meter in diameter. Thousands of feathers exploded simultaneously, with a power greater than that of a hand or a thunderbolt.
The heatwave flattened the grass and trees in the surrounding area, and the figures of the people were engulfed by the fire.
Seeing the crowd below engulfed in flames, the geese proudly raised their heads and honked. Even without Zheng Zhanqing's translation, one could feel their smugness.
The flames burned for a minute, the intense heat turning the ground a grayish-white. When the fire subsided, a mound of earth appeared at the center of the explosion. The mound, bleached white by the flames, cracked as the heat dissipated, revealing white ice crystals within. A soft, orange light flickered within the ice crystals, and the shadows of the people could be vaguely seen within it.
The instant Jiang Jinhu issued his warning, the team's superhumans unleashed their abilities. Hu Hechu shielded each of his teammates with two layers of protection, Ruan Hanyu condensed into a massive protective shield, and Pan Pan used all his strength to block the first wave of attacks.
Thanks to the concerted efforts of their three teammates, everyone escaped unharmed. Although physically uninjured, everyone looked pale and grim.
Having been on missions for so long, they had encountered many mutated plants and animals, but those had only acted on instinct. This was the first time they had encountered mutated animals attacking them with supernatural abilities, and this group of mutated geese was organized and disciplined. Fortunately, they reacted in time, otherwise, they would have suffered heavy casualties.
These geese cannot be kept; if they are taken into the base, there will likely be endless troubles in the future.
In a glance, they understood each other perfectly. The moment Ruan Hanyu's ice crystals shattered, Jiang Rong's team unleashed their trump card.
Under the combined attack of crossbows, arrows, bullets, and slingshots, the flock of geese that had been soaring high in the sky was scattered and broken. Dozens of geese, stained with blood, fell from the sky, struggling desperately. The rest tried to escape, but were ambushed by Xiaoguaiguai and Xiaoxiannv, who had been waiting nearby.
When the battle ended, the geese were covered in blood and had died.
Chu Qiang finally calmed down. "I was even thinking of bringing these guys back to the base, but who knew they'd give us such a big surprise right off the bat. This is outrageous..."
Wang Chenggang said slowly, "What you just said was: It's getting cold, so we can stew goose now."
Chu Qiang grunted twice: "Now we can indeed stew the goose."
Seeing that it was already noon, Wang Chunlan suggested, "How about we have stewed goose for lunch?" Leilei smiled and said, "My mom's stewed goose in an iron pot is so delicious, especially the cornbread on the side of the pot, it's so tasty."
Jiang Rong smiled and nodded, "Alright, Chunlan will take care of lunch today. Leilei and Hanyu will stay and help, and the rest of you will split into two groups to search the front and rear."
Wang Chunlan smiled and said, "Okay, everyone take your walkie-talkies. I'll call you back when the food is ready."
Before setting off, Jiang Rong took the potted cactus from the car and placed it on the roof of Wang Chunlan's car: "Little fairy, you must protect your sisters."
Since the two little balls fell off the fairy, it can now wander around like a little darling. However, the second ball that fell can't freely expand and contract like the first one, so it usually stays in the base.
During this period of time, Jiang Rong would bring the first little potted plant with her whenever she went out on missions. With the little fairy around, her teammates' safety level would be even higher.
The fairy shook the brittle black and yellow thorns on her body and said, "There's a problem!"
Jiang Rong and his group planned to search the farm where the mutated geese had flown from. Although they had already killed the mutated geese, there might still be some living creatures left in the farm.
After driving about two kilometers south, the group saw the gate of the poultry farm. It was a large-scale farm that mainly raised ducks and geese; before the crisis, it housed nearly a million poultry.
Although there was less human feeding, quite a few poultry survived. As soon as they entered the farm, they heard the calls of ducks and geese, indicating that a considerable number of poultry had survived.
Jiang Rong had always imagined that animals in a breeding farm lived in cramped cubicles. However, after entering the farm, he realized he was wrong.
The farm is built along the lake, with a breeding shed every few dozen meters. Each shed is as big as a standard factory building, with half on the shore and half in the water, providing shade for the ducks and geese.
Outside the greenhouse, a waterway was originally enclosed by netting for poultry to play. Although the netting has been removed, the poultry, raised by humans, still retain their habits from when they were young. Even though the door to freedom has been opened, they still live inside the greenhouse.
They feed on the aquatic plants, fish, and shrimp of Yunshan Lake, and they all grow plump and strong. During this period of temperature drop, many ducks and geese have also laid eggs.
Jiang Rong said with relief, "It seems our base's poultry farm needs to be expanded." If he wasn't mistaken, the number of ducks and geese in the farm must be in the tens of thousands. With so many poultry, they are one step closer to being able to eat meat freely.
Just as Jiang Rong and his team were preparing to herd the ducks and geese into cages to capture them, a crackling sound came through the walkie-talkie. Pan Pan's excited voice rang out: "Boss! We found a ton of chickens up north, tens of thousands of them, big and small! Oh, and tons of eggs too, eggs everywhere!"
Jiang Rong pressed the call button: "We've found a lot of ducks and geese. Let's all work together and try to bring them all back."
There were simply too many poultry; it took the ability users several hours to fit them all into cages. Luckily, Leilei had a large enough space to hold tens of thousands of poultry.
Besides poultry, the group also collected hundreds of crates of chicken and duck eggs. Although some eggs might not be very fresh due to exposure to air, as long as they hadn't spoiled, they were still excellent food. The people at the base hadn't had eggs for several months, and with these eggs, the canteen chefs could add new variety to their menu.
The mutated goose meat is even firmer than that of a domestic goose, requiring a longer stewing time. Free-range geese are already flavorful, but the mutated goose meat is even more fragrant. The large pot of stewed goose meat simmered for several hours, its enticing aroma wafting for miles.
The aroma made everyone's stomachs rumble. They eagerly crowded around the large pot: "Sister Chunlan, is the goose meat ready to eat?"
Wang Chunlan smiled and lifted the lid of the pot. "It's ready."
A large pot simmered with goose meat, the rich broth bubbling gently between large chunks of meat. A layer of flatbread was placed along the edge of the pot; after baking, the surface of the flatbread was slightly golden brown and perfectly cooked. This dish was excellent in both appearance and taste; no wonder Wang Chunlan volunteered to make it.
A cheer erupted, and chopsticks rained down into the pot. When the chopsticks were lifted from the pot, each person had a large piece of goose head stuck to the tip.
The mutated goose was all meat, and its firm texture gave everyone a great sense of satisfaction. Enjoying a delicious meal after a busy day was a pleasure; it satisfied their hunger and lifted everyone's spirits. Plus, Wang Chunlan's cooking was excellent; even just rice mixed with goose broth was so delicious that people couldn't stop eating.
Meng Weixian let out a satisfied burp: "At this moment, I feel like I've gotten my revenge."
This puzzled everyone: "Why is it a great revenge?" Could it be that Meng Weixian was just frightened by the attack of the mutated goose?
Meng Weixian smiled sheepishly, "When I was a child, I was chased by geese, and I've avoided them ever since. I feel like my life is complete now that I can eat this mutated goose."
Everyone burst into laughter. "Once the number of geese at the base increases, you'll be able to eat goose every day."
Meng Weixian nodded happily: "Sure!"
Speaking of avenging his great enemy, Chu Qiang slowed down his eating of goose. He touched the scar on his leg through his pants, a determined glint in his eyes.
*
The mutated goose weighed over 20 kilograms, and with the rice, soup, and flatbread, everyone was stuffed.
Goose meat is generally considered warming and nourishing, especially since the goose they ate was a fire-type mutated goose. After eating the goose meat, most of the members of the superpowered team felt restless and agitated that night.
Jiang Rong was no exception; he felt as if his body was on fire, too hot to sleep. If even the usually calm Jiang Rong was like this, Guan Shao's condition was even worse. Before he could even fall asleep, Guan Shao had already drunk three jugs of water.
After putting down the kettle, Guan Shao looked intently at Jiang Rong: "Can't sleep, how about we..."
Jiang Rong quickly rolled up a thin blanket and wrapped himself up, then lay down on his side: "No, no, we still have to go see the construction of the breeding farm tomorrow. I need to go to bed early tonight..." As he said this, his ears burned.
Since confirming their relationship, Jiang Rong and Guan Shao have been in contact every day, but they haven't been able to take the final step. Jiang Rong is currently burning with desire, fearing that if things get out of control, he won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow.
Guan Shao bent down and whispered in Jiang Rong's ear. His body temperature was higher than usual, and his breath was hot and moist. Guan Shao placed his hands on either side of Jiang Rong's head and gently took her hot, red earlobe into his mouth, murmuring, "Xiao Rong, can you sleep?"
Jiang Rong's breathing became erratic. Sparks flew from Guan Shao's kiss, and he abruptly turned his head. He saw two tiny versions of himself in Guan Shao's eyes. Their lips drew closer and closer until they locked in a passionate kiss.
The kiss was like a wildfire that couldn't be stopped. Guan Shao's hands slipped under Jiang Rong's clothes, and the thick calluses on his palms rubbed Jiang Rong sorely.
With two soft pops, a button on Jiang Rong's shirt broke. The white button rolled on the floor, its smooth surface reflecting a warm, orange light. On the bed behind the button, two figures were overlapping.
The white shirt and black T-shirt quickly flew off the bed and covered Button, and the sounds of kissing and panting in the room grew louder.
Just as the arrow was about to be released, the intercom on the bedside table rang. Chu Qiang's hoarse voice came through: "Xiao Jiang, did you sleep with Guan Tou'er?"
"Xiao Jiang, I can't sleep. Are you free now? Want to go raid a beehive with me?"
"Xiao Jiang, are you asleep? Hey, wake up! Come with me to raid a beehive, I'll fry some bee pupae for you. It's really nutritious!"
"Jiang Rong, Jiang Rong, answer me quickly, I can't sleep. How can I sleep with my great revenge still unavenged?"
At Chu Qiang's repeated calls, Jiang Rong and Guan Shao got up, their faces dark. Guan Shao grabbed the walkie-talkie and gritted his teeth: "Take out the beehive?!"
Chu Qiang perked up immediately: "Hey, you're still awake at this crucial moment? I've prepared a few bee suits; it'll be perfect for raiding beehives tonight when it's dark and windy. Want to come? It's about 20 kilometers from here; if all goes well, we'll be back in two hours."
"It's a crucial time. July and August are empty, September and October are full. If we don't go this season, the wasps will hatch next month. Wasp pupae are delicious and very nutritious. Shall we go?"
"If you guys aren't going, I'll go!"
Author's Note:
Guan Shao: Actually, what I want most right now is to extract Chu Qiang's brain marrow.
As people get older, their immune systems weaken. Old Cat has noticed that in the past two years, he starts to feel unwell whenever the temperature drops in December.
It's either a headache or fever, or a cough and runny nose, or it's so dry that my nostrils bleed and my skin is itchy.
I didn't have any of these problems when I was younger.
These past few days have been a nightmare of writing. My head is spinning, and I'm constantly writing and deleting. I often write five or six thousand words, but after all the editing, I only have three thousand left.
Oh, by the way, my go-to illustrator finally finished the cover. She said she doesn't know how to draw cacti yet, but she'll add the little fairy in a couple of days after she's figured it out.
The cover now features Xiao Rong and Xiao Guai Guai.
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