Chapter 64 Farm
Grubs don't actually bite, but they can be a bit creepy. Dealing with them is simple; earth-elemental ability users can just use their powers to force all the grubs out of the soil. The hundreds of acres of fields in Dongxiang Town were teeming with grubs; simply killing them would seem like a waste.
The superhumans sat around a group discussing how to deal with the grubs. After thinking for a while, Wang Chenggang gave a surprising suggestion: "Why don't we eat them?"
Jiang Rong and Chu Qiang's faces turned even paler. Forget eating it, just looking at it made their scalps tingle. Chu Qiang looked at them with a complicated expression: "Gangzi, your taste is a bit heavy..."
Chu Qiang considered himself to have rather unusual tastes, able to accept anything from bees, pupae, beans, and grasshoppers... He never expected Wang Chenggang to be so daring, even eating grubs. He gave him a thumbs up in admiration: "Impressive!"
Wang Chenggang quickly explained, "I've never eaten this stuff, but I've heard the older folks in my family talk about it. They said they ate it when they were kids. It looks ugly, but it tastes pretty good after it's been cleaned. I think with so many of them, if we could eat them, they would be such a good source of protein. And I've heard that grubs are also a kind of medicine, good for the human body. Chunlan, don't you think so?"
Wang Chunlan nodded slowly: "Yes, grubs can be used in medicine, and their medicinal value is quite high." However, processing grubs into traditional Chinese medicine requires many steps, and Wang Chunlan is not a pharmaceutical professional, so she is not very good at processing them.
Perhaps soldiers are more accepting of food. Jiang Jinhu crossed his arms and looked relaxed: "Isn't it great that we can eat it? We can get the masses to pick it up, wash it, and fry it in oil. Maybe it will taste like crispy chicken after we fry it up."
Fortunately, there wasn't much meat at the Starfire Base. The meat sold at the market lately was either hunted by the superhuman teams or vacuum-packed cured meat or canned goods. With so many grubs, it would be a good way to supplement the people's nutrition. As for how to cook them, that's up to everyone to figure out.
Pan Pan said regretfully, "It would be great if our base had chickens."
Hearing Pan Pan's words, Meng Weixian laughed and said, "What's wrong, Panzi? Want to eat chicken? Want to make soup with grubs and chicken?"
Pan Pan waved his hand: "No, I meant that chickens really like to eat these insects. Especially hens, after they eat them, the eggs they lay are big and good." When Pan Pan was a child, he used to go to the fields to find these insects to feed the chickens.
Unfortunately, due to the rural revitalization project, livestock were no longer allowed in the village, and now the entire base can't find a single chicken... They haven't eaten chicken or drunk chicken soup in a long time.
If only the farm had chickens, with so many grubs, it could definitely feed a lot of chickens.
After a moment's hesitation, Guan Shao said, "No matter what, let's catch the grubs first." If the grub army stays in the field for even a minute longer, countless seedlings will suffer.
After the order was issued, Pan Pan quickly accepted it. He led the earth-elemental ability user into the fields of Dongcun Village. As flashes of yellowish-brown light appeared, grubs in the ground clumsily crawled out of the earth.
Everyone couldn't help but exclaim, "What do these things eat to grow so big?" Most of the grubs were the size of a palm, with the largest being nearly half a foot long, and the smaller ones being the length of a thumb.
Seeing insects of all sizes writhing in the soil, Jiang Rong's stomach churned. Noticing the cold sweat on his forehead, Guan Shao said with concern, "Go rest in the car; we'll take care of the rest."
Jiang Rong apologized, "Thank you all for your help."
Hearing that grubs were edible, the people in the base quickly mobilized. They found many plastic baskets used for holding eggs, and the people lined up behind the superhumans, carrying their baskets to collect the grubs. The grubs were so big that they dared not handle them with their hands, so they had to use tongs to pick them up one by one.
The grubs picked up were placed in plastic baskets, and it didn't take long to fill a basket. Once the baskets were full, everyone neatly stacked them by the roadside, waiting for trucks from the base to transport them for centralized distribution.
Jiang Rong, with the car window open and the wind blowing, watched his companions working in the fields, and he felt really bad. They were just grubs, weren't they? He wasn't even afraid of mutated rats, so why would he be afraid of these soft, squishy insects?
After preparing himself for a long time, Jiang Rong got ready to get out of the car. Just as he opened the door, two residents of Dongxiang Town carried a basket of grubs past the car.
The villagers' faces beamed with excitement: "I heard grubs are very nutritious, even more so than eggs!" "Hey, yes, we haven't had meat in ages, this is perfect for taking some back to nourish the children. Look at this basket of worms, so big and plump, they'll definitely taste delicious!"
Jiang Rong glanced over and saw a basket of grubs, curled into balls, float past right under her eyelids. Although the grubs were playing dead, their abdomens were still twitching slightly.
Hundreds of worms wriggled slightly… It was a nightmare. Jiang Rong gasped and silently closed the car window. He wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled a sigh of relief. Oh well, he'd just be a useless bum for the day.
The flowers and trees in Dongxiang Village have fattened up the grubs, with each acre producing over a thousand kilograms of grubs. With thousands of kilograms of grubs tumbling in the soil under each acre, it's no wonder nothing grows well in Dongxiang Town.
According to the estimates of the superhumans, Dongxiang Town will produce tens of thousands of kilograms of grubs this time. If they are divided equally, each person in the Xinghuo Base will receive more than a kilogram of insects.
Not all residents in the base know how to cook at home, so Jiang Rong set up canteens in each village. As long as they pay points, those who don't know how to cook can have hot meals.
Baskets of grubs were loaded onto carts and headed to the brigades of various villages. Those who wanted to cook for themselves could take the grubs home and process them themselves, while cooks would help prepare them for those who couldn't.
This kept the chefs from various villages very busy. They quickly met to discuss how to prepare the grubs. Although the chefs had never eaten grubs before, those who are cooks usually have some intuition and talent.
When Jiang Rong returned to Fishery Village No. 3, a meaty aroma wafted towards her. The smell was very similar to the aroma of rendering lard during the Lunar New Year, and upon closer inspection, it also had a hint of the fragrance of fried chicken and crispy fried pork.
At the activity center, Chef Liu set up his wok once again. He coated the grubs, their heads and internal organs removed, in flour, and deep-fried them until they smelled wonderful. Once cooked, the grubs transformed into golden strips of meat.
Chef Liu gave this dish a nice name: Crispy Fried Earthworm.
Besides deep-fried grubs, there are also salt and pepper grubs, braised grubs, grub meatball soup... After gathering together, the chefs brainstormed and created more than a dozen ways to eat grubs.
Upon seeing Jiang Rong return, Chef Liu greeted her warmly: "Team Leader Jiang, come and enjoy some good food later! I've prepared freshly cooked silkworms for you; I'm sure you'll be satisfied."
Jiang Rong forced a smile: "No need, you all eat more, don't save any for me."
However, he had barely sat down in the conference room when Chu Qiang entered carrying a tray. On the tray were crispy fried worms and salt and pepper worms, along with a bowl of tender meatball and vegetable soup. Chu Qiang slammed the door shut and shouted, "Xiao Jiang, you have to try this! It's so delicious, I'm telling you, you'll regret it if you don't!"
Jiang Rong was completely against it, but Chu Qiang wouldn't miss a good opportunity to promote it: "Trust me, this tastes just as good as Dou Dan. I snatched this from Gangzi and the others; if you don't eat it, it'll really be gone!"
Jiang Rong glanced at the dishes with some skepticism. Apart from the salt and pepper grubs, which still vaguely resembled grubs, the other two dishes did not look like grubs at all.
If he hadn't experienced his past life, Jiang Rong would definitely have refused to eat this dish. But having experienced his past life, he understood the value of these dishes, and he reached out and pinched a strip of meat about the length of his thumb.
After being coated in flour and deep-fried, the grubs looked somewhat like crispy pork. The steaming hot strips of meat emitted a delicious aroma, and Jiang Rong took a bite.
Chu Qiang's eyes narrowed with laughter: "Isn't it great?"
The meat strips were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I thought they would have a strange taste, but both the texture and the taste were just like chicken. Jiang Rong's eyes widened in surprise, and after chewing a few more times, she praised, "It's delicious."
Next, he carefully tasted two other cooking methods. The grubs tasted very delicious, no less than any other meat he had eaten before.
Chu Qiang chuckled and sat down next to Jiang Rong. He pushed the plate towards Jiang Rong and said, "Eat more if you like it. Xiao Jiang, there's something I want to discuss with you."
Jiang Rong smiled and said, "You want to ask about whether it's possible to raise grubs, right?"
Chu Qiang slapped his thigh: "Hey! Jiang Rong knows me so well! Do you know how heavy the biggest grub we caught weighs?"
Jiang Rong hadn't paid attention to that; he only knew that the largest grubs were half a foot long. "I wonder how much they weigh?"
Chu Qiang's eyes gleamed: "350 grams! Do you know how long it took them to grow to this size?"
Before Jiang Rong could respond, Chu Qiang excitedly said, "Han Yu and I just checked the habits of grubs. They start laying eggs in July, then go through the hatching and growth process, and by October they burrow into the soil to prepare for overwintering. It's probably because of this year's abnormal weather that this batch of grubs is only starting to emerge now. To put it simply, all the grubs we caught today are larvae. They've grown this big in just three months."
"Most importantly, grubs are omnivorous insects. They can eat the roots and stems of plants, as well as straw and incompletely decomposed manure. Weren't you previously struggling with how to handle the composting problem at the base? With grubs, you don't have to worry about manure polluting the environment. Moreover, the manure digested by grubs is excellent organic fertilizer, even better than chemical fertilizers."
Grubs are high in protein and taste good. They grow quickly and eat things that people don't usually use. Raising them not only adds another type of meat to people's meals, but also puts the grass roots and tree bark in the farm to good use.
Jiang Rong laughed and said, "I had the same idea as you. Let's arrange for some people to try raising them first. However, the grubs that eat plant roots and stems should be separated from the grubs that digest feces. The grubs that appear on people's tables must be clean."
Grubs that eat plant roots and stems can be eaten by humans when they grow up, while grubs that decompose feces can be killed and used as fertilizer or fed to other animals. It seems that grubs are very useful insects. Although Jiang Rong is afraid of them, he will find ways to utilize them as long as they are useful.
Chu Qiang really liked talking about serious matters with Jiang Rong. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll send someone to take care of it in a bit."
The grubs that make it onto the dining table are the larger ones that have been selected. There are many smaller grubs left. If these smaller grubs can grow up, the people at the base can supplement their nutrition every now and then.
Chu Qiang picked up a grub and stuffed it into his mouth. Chewing on the crispy meat, he sighed, "Xiao Jiang, our base doesn't lack vegetables now, but it lacks meat. When will we be able to eat meat freely?"
The base built a breeding farm far from the village, but the farm currently only houses some mutated livestock. These were brought back by the superhumans when they went hunting, and the base was counting on them to raise excellent offspring, so why would they want to eat them?
The condition of the mutated livestock is unstable, and it's unknown when we'll be able to eat meat freely thanks to them. Chu Qiang sighed, "Gangzi just told me that what he misses most right now is the braised pork hock you gave me when we first met."
Jiang Rong looked puzzled: "Braised pork hock?"
He remembered now. He had met Guan Shao at the Chenggang Gym. Guan Shao had introduced him to the equipment and how to exert force, and even gave him a copy of some internal materials before he left. To thank Guan Shao, Jiang Rong ordered takeout from a nearby restaurant for the gym staff, which included delicious braised pork hock.
The pork hock was so delicious that Wang Chenggang and his group started drooling just thinking about it.
Jiang Rong smiled slightly, her eyes firm, and said, "We will achieve the freedom to eat meat sooner or later."
*
The number of silkworms was limited, and the first batch was consumed in just a few meals. Still wanting more, the villagers spontaneously gathered their gear and went to the fields to catch more silkworms. After a few days, some sharp-eyed individuals were able to determine the location and size of the silkworms by observing the state of the plants. These past few nights, walking through the fields, one could often see villagers carrying lanterns and wandering about.
The earthworms were as arrogant when they first appeared, but now they're much more low-key. If anyone manages to catch three earthworms, they'll immediately start a fire and roast them.
Jiang Rong started sweating the moment he saw the silkworms. But ever since the silkworm farm was built at the base, his view of them had changed. The silkworms were no longer terrifying insects, but rather a source of protein for the base's residents to improve their diet. With the help of filters, even the silkworms looked adorable.
The silkworms grow very quickly; given enough food, they can grow a full circle in a single day. Wild grasses, tree roots, and decaying wood stalks are all delicious foods for them. However, the silkworms don't grow indefinitely; after a certain period, they will spin into pupae.
The people who cultivate native silkworms have been extremely busy lately. They need to carefully record the growth habits of native silkworms so that the people in the base can eat the best native silkworms.
By mid-to-late October, the vegetables in the base had grown to a considerable size, and some of the shorter-growing varieties were already on people's tables. The entire base was lush and vibrant, and everyone's enthusiasm was even higher.
During this time, Jiang Rong and his team have ventured even further, taking advantage of the good weather to gather as many supplies as possible. The more supplies they find, the better the base can be built.
Today, Jiang Rong's team is going to Yunshan Lake, which is southeast of the base. Yunshan Lake has a water area of more than 90 square kilometers. Before the major crisis, it was a famous scenic spot in D City, just like Lingshan Reservoir.
The saying goes, "Those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water." Before the major crisis, the people around Yunshan Lake had enclosed a lot of water area along the lake to engage in aquaculture. Jiang Rong came here because she heard that there were several large-scale aquaculture farms around Yunshan Lake.
Although livestock and poultry are easy to die without human care, if they survive, they will become a source of meat for the Xinghuo Base in the future.
Once outside the base's perimeter, everyone was extra vigilant. The mutated plants and animals of today were far more dangerous; a moment's carelessness could lead to an ambush. Even with Little Darling and Little Fairy leading the way, they couldn't rely on these two little guys for everything.
At noon, Jiang Rong and her group finally arrived at the northwest side of Yunshan Lake. The lake surface shimmered, and the reeds on the shore swayed gently in the breeze. Seeing the beautiful scenery, Ruan Hanyu couldn't help but stretch and say, "It's so beautiful. I should have brought my sketchbook."
Leilei snuggled up to Wang Chunlan and said, "Mom, the scenery here is so beautiful." Wang Chunlan stroked Leilei's soft hair and said, "Yes, Yunshan Lake is a famous wetland park. If we're lucky, we can see a lot of water birds here."
Meng Weixian laughed and said, "Don't even think about it. I'm most afraid of encountering birds now." These days, many birds that can fly are unpredictable. If they encounter a few fierce little birds, their drones will be in trouble.
As they spoke, several drones emitted a few "whoosh" sounds and took to the sky, flying off in different directions. With the drones' assistance, the group would soon be able to ascertain the surrounding area. If any mutated plants or animals were lying in wait, they could also detect their tracks through the intelligent detection system.
Soon, the drone Wang Ting was piloting spotted their target: a farm three kilometers directly ahead. However, the farm's fence had collapsed, so any animals inside had likely escaped.
Chu Qiang was somewhat discouraged: "Hey, are we too late? There's nothing inside." Even if there were live animals in the farm, they would starve to death after so long without being fed.
At that moment, the screen began to shake violently, and Wang Ting suddenly raised his voice: "The drone has been attacked by something!"
Everyone quickly looked at the screen in Wang Ting's hand, only to see it shake violently a few times before going black. Wang Ting swiftly pressed the stop button, zoomed in on the image, and after processing it, everyone quickly saw the appearance of the culprit who attacked the drone.
A ferocious head froze on the screen, its mouth wide open, the barbs on its beak clearly visible. Through the gaps in the mouth, viewers could see a white neck and outstretched wings.
Everyone stared at the screen in silence. After a long while, Wang Ting reported with a distorted expression, "My drone was shot down by a duck."
Jiang Rong said quietly, "Maybe...it's a goose?"
As if to prove Jiang Rong's point, a long, drawn-out cry of geese echoed from the sky. Looking up, they saw fifty or sixty large white geese lined up in a row, charging menacingly towards them.
Zheng Zhanqing looked up and his lips twitched: "It really is geese. The geese are saying: Brothers, charge! Don't let them get away!" This group of geese is also very talkative, and each of them has a very loud voice. Zheng Zhanqing's head was buzzing: "They said we are intruders and they are going to teach us a lesson."
Veins bulged on Chu Qiang's forehead as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth: "It's getting cold; it's time to stew some goose."
Author's Note:
Zheng Zhanqing: Do you know what the geese are saying?
Wang Ting: I don't know.
Zheng Zhanqing: They say you're the duck, your whole family are ducks.
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