They stood halfway up the mountain and looked down at the small village not far away.

Only some bricks and tiles could be seen under the green plants that looked like pythons.

Xia Lunong stared at the houses that were almost broken into rubble under the green plants, and whispered in his brother's ear: "Brother, was the base like this before?"

The giant wolf "howled".

Xia Lunong couldn't tell what his brother meant, so he could only sigh softly.

They stayed halfway up the mountain for a while.

The big yellow dog that Liao Cheng transformed into took the lead, standing on all fours, arching his back, and jumped down in one leap, running around and sniffing from time to time.

The giant tiger that Yan Xinian transformed into also jumped down quickly, passing through the ruins of Xiaoman Village like a gust of wind.

After a moment, the two of them called out one after the other.

Xia Huoqu ran into the small village and stopped in a place with fewer trees. He turned his wolf head to look at his brother.

Xia Lunong

suddenly had an idea, "Can I come down now?" The giant wolf smiled, bent its legs and lay down on the ground.

Xia Lunong used his hands and feet to slide down from his brother.

Liao Cheng and Yan Xinian over there had already turned back into human form and took out clothes from their backpacks to put on.

Behind him, Xia Huoqu also turned back into human form and began to put on clothes.

Xia Lunong looked around and saw huge trees and vines everywhere. The few houses that had not collapsed completely had already half collapsed, with floor boards and tiles piled on top, bricks scattered, doors and windows rotten, and there was no sign of them being worth inspecting.

This was completely different from what he had imagined, going to some empty houses to inspect.

"Let's go." Xia Huoqu, who had dressed at some point, came over and called him forward.

"Brother." Xia Lunong turned to look at him and asked, "Where are we going next?"

"To the ruins." Xia Lunong said, "Let's walk around while the sun is not too high. When the sun is overhead, we'll have to go hunting."

Xia Lunong hurriedly followed his brother's butt and walked to the nearest residential ruins.

Yan Xinian and Liao Cheng also came to join them.

The four grown men cut vines and grass, and turned over the ruins one by one. They turned over and over, but they only found some wood and stones.

There were also other messy fragments, such as wardrobes, mattresses, mirrors, books, etc., which had long been rotten under the wind and sun, emitting bursts of moldy smell.

They carefully turned the pages with iron hooks while wearing hand socks, just like the people who came out to pick up scraps before the catastrophe.

This is a physically demanding job, and the time and energy spent are far from worth the rewards.

Xia Lunong turned the pages carefully, and soon his waist ached from bending over.

He finally understood why many people in the base would rather farm than go out to collect supplies. With their efficiency today, it is better to farm steadily than to run so far to try their luck.

The harvest from farming is certain, but there is no need to waste energy on the road.

Seeing Xia Lunong's depressed look, Yan Xinian smiled and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." Xia Lunong straightened up and patted his lower back. "Brother Xinian, are you usually like this when you go out to collect supplies?"

Xia Lunong couldn't help but wipe the sweat off his face as he spoke. The sun made his face red, and the sweat ran down his face, making his neck itchy.

Yan Xinian said, "It depends on where you go. In a small village like this, you will find fewer resources. In a big city, there will be more resources. There are treasures everywhere, just waiting for people to dig."

Xia Lunong was full of yearning for what he said, "Then why don't we go to a big city?"

"Big cities have their advantages, but they are also dangerous."

Xia Lunong asked, "Stray cats and dogs?"

"Not just that." Liao Cheng continued, "Stray cats and dogs are the most basic, but the most terrifying are not them, but rats. You know that rats now cooperate, right? They swarm up in groups, and each one is bigger than the cats before the disaster. If you are not careful, they will bite off a piece of your meat."

Xia Lunong was stunned, "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? Big cities have higher incomes and higher risks. If you don't have the skills, you wouldn't dare to go and die. I went there once and never dared to go again."

Xia Lunong turned around to ask his brother for confirmation.

His brother said, "There are rats in big cities, and there are also rats in small villages. Be alert."

"I know. We just walked around the village in beast form. We didn't smell any beasts. There shouldn't be rats here."

Xia Lunong breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Xinian looked around the rubble they were searching and said, "There's nothing here. Let's go find another one."

"Okay." Liao Cheng took the lead and walked out.

Xia Lunong followed, and his brother protected him from behind.

Yan Xinian was still the last one.

After walking a few steps, Xia Lunong's eyes fell on a dark purple wrapping paper under the vine.

His hands were faster than his brain. When he saw this thing, he squatted down and reached out to pick it up.

Xia Huoqu didn't stop his feet and almost kicked him, "What did you find?"

Xia Lunong turned his head and picked up the thing he just found with two fingers, with an expression on his face that was difficult to describe, "This?"

Xia Huoqu looked carefully and found that it was actually two condoms, packaged separately, and with threaded threads.

Yan Xinian chuckled behind him, "Good stuff."

Xia Lunong originally wanted to throw it away, but he retracted his hand after hearing this, "Is this thing still useful?"

After thinking about it, it seemed that it was indeed useful. There is always a shortage of people who want to share the great harmony of life. He blushed and quietly took it back.

Xia Huoqu knew what he was thinking as soon as he saw his expression, and said, "It has many uses. It can be used as a tourniquet, water reservoir, isolator, etc. It is much more convenient to carry it when going out than to carry other things."

Xia Lunong looked at the square piece in her hand, which was not much bigger than a coin, and said, "Tourniquet, water reservoir?"

"Sometimes I have to go to the river to fetch water. If I don't bring a water bottle, it is more convenient to use this than to scoop it with my hands." Xia Huoqu said, "Keep it, and you will know it slowly."

Xia Lunong obediently put it in her backpack, and Liao Cheng was still praising her, "I said that novices have better luck. It's been a long time since we found such a magical item."

Xia Huo said, "Let's go to the next place first."

Liao Cheng understood what he meant, smiled and stopped talking about this topic.

The four of them went to the rubble next door.

This time, Xia Lunong found a bag and a half of candy, the kind of candy eaten during the Chinese New Year. The packaging was still intact, but it felt a little sticky to the touch, and the sugar inside was slippery and most of it had melted.

Xia Lunong was dumbfounded, holding the candy bag in front of her eyes and looking at it, "Can it still be eaten like this?"

Xia Huo said, "Take it back first, and if there is no strange smell, you can eat it."

Xia Lunong agreed.

In the next hour or so, they found a large bag of dried vegetables and dried chili peppers that were a little damp, a bag of beans with worms, several bags of salt, and some soy sauce, vinegar and other condiments that were still usable.

The bags of the three people were all stuffed full.

There was still half of the ruins in the village that they hadn't walked through, but judging from the space in the three people's backpacks, they couldn't bring more things.

Xia Lunong felt a little regretful.

Xia Huoqu stroked his head, "There is a leather rope in your brother's backpack. If you find anything useful in the afternoon, tie it to him and take it back."

Xia Lunong felt relieved, "That's good, otherwise it would be a pity to bring only these things back after going out."

Xia Lunong warned, "You are lucky to have collected so many useful things, don't be too greedy."

Liao Cheng said, "What kind of greed is that? You risked your life to come out, so you must want to bring back as much as you can, Xiao Nong, don't you think so?"

"Yes!" Xia Lunong nodded vigorously to show his agreement.

Xia Huoqu said, "Sometimes you have to do what you can. Forget it, I won't say it anymore. You will know after a few more trips. Let's go hunting and prepare lunch first."

Liao Cheng said, "I'll go."

Xia Huoqu rubbed his head, "Let me and Yan Xinian go. There is a group of mutated chickens in the north of the village. There should be some edible ones."

When Liao Cheng heard that there were chickens to eat, his eyes lit up, "Then you go. I promise to keep an eye on Xiao Nong. Otherwise, I will use the beast form to watch."

"No need. There is no odor in the village. There should be no medium or large beasts. We won't go far." Xia Huoqu said, "Just be careful."

Liao Cheng and Xia Lunong nodded in unison.

Xia Huoqu and Yan Xinian went to a place a little to the side and changed back to the beast form. They landed on all fours and jumped seven or eight meters like a gust of wind and ran out quickly.

Xia Lunong then realized that his brother had slowed down his running speed on the way here to take care of him.

Otherwise, at this speed, they would have arrived here long ago.

Xia Lunong looked at his brother's back with envy in his eyes.

Liao Cheng stretched out his hand and waved it in front of his eyes, signaling him to come back to his senses, "Let's not rest, go back and pick up the fallen wood, and then find a big pot, boil some water, and wait for them to come back and make lunch."

Xia Lunong retracted her yearning gaze, "Do you want to go outside to get water?"

"Isn't there a well behind the village? Let's go get well water." Liao Cheng skillfully led him to the back, "I'll see where to find a bucket."

Xia Lunong followed him, "Brother Liao Cheng, is hunting difficult?"

"It depends on who is hunting." Liao Cheng smiled, "I can't do it. Dogs' paws are blunt, unlike their cats. It's hard to catch prey."