As soon as Liao Cheng said this, everyone looked at him, and then at the cart behind him.

Liao Cheng took a big sip of water, wiped his mouth and said, "Of course there are more than these things, there are more than 400 kilograms of rice, paddy, soybeans and other miscellaneous things piled up in the square, and Brother Quannan is there to help us watch."

Xia Huo said, "So many?"

"Yes, we just exchanged more than 1,000 kilograms of oranges and peaches, so it's normal to have so many." Liao Quannan said, "You went out for two days, and the harvest is greater than that of people working hard for half a year."

Xia Huo said, "Stay for dinner tonight."

"Okay, since you said that, I will definitely stay for dinner." Liao Cheng said, turning his eyes to the piles of pepper trees in the yard, "Did you really find the pepper trees?"

"Well, we also found a special prickly ash tree. We will have one more family member in the future." Xia Huoqu said as he made way for him to look at the small prickly ash tree.

Liao Cheng looked at it suspiciously for a long time, but he couldn't figure out anything. "This..."

He was just about to ask if there was anything special about this prickly ash tree. The prickly ash tree suddenly trembled, its crown lifted up, and its branches even danced.

Liao Cheng was shocked and took two steps back. "What is this?"

"Our new family member." Xia Lunong said, "A mutated prickly ash tree."

"Mutated... prickly ash tree?" Liao Cheng couldn't believe it. "This mutation, it manifests itself in?"

Could it be that it bites people?

Xia Lunong called out to the prickly ash tree, "Little prickly ash tree, come over and say hello."

The little prickly ash tree nodded its crown, came over and swayed excitedly, like a child, and even stretched out its crown to try to hold Liao Cheng's hand.

It is now used to saying hello to humans in this way.

Liao Cheng was used to seeing mutant plants that bite people, but when he suddenly saw the prickly ash tree, he was so scared that he subconsciously jumped to the side.

His movements were too obvious. The little prickly ash tree raised its branches, froze there, and then put it down again. The branches were limp and looked a little lonely.

Liao Cheng reacted instantly, took a step forward, and held the branches, "Hello."

Xia Lunong and the others couldn't help laughing when they saw this.

Liao Cheng asked, "Where did you find the treasures?"

"On the mountain," Xia Huoqu said, "It's getting dark, I won't be poor with you anymore, let's go get the supplies first."

"Okay," Liao Cheng said, "We'll push the cart again. Fortunately, your family built the second floor, otherwise we wouldn't know where to put the supplies we got back."

Xia Huoqu: "Who said it wasn't?"

Yan Xinian and the others went to move the supplies, and Xia Lunong stayed at home.

He searched around in the yard, knocking on each watermelon, and finally chose a ripe watermelon, took it to the kitchen and soaked it in water.

Xiao Huajiaoshu followed him in and out, curious about everything he did.

Xia Lunong's house was paved with floor tiles, and the little prickly ash tree kept slipping when jumping around in the house, and nearly fell several times.

Xia Lunong yawned, stretched out her hand to hold the tree trunk, "Go outside and have a rest for a while, where do you want to stand? Choose a place where you stand more often, and we will choose that place for watering and fertilizing in the future."

The little prickly ash tree understood and chose the place opposite Yan Xinian's house, which happened to be opposite to the big tree in front of Xia Lunong's house.

Xia Lunong took a bucket and scooped out water, poured water on the place where it stood, and touched its trunk, "Take a rest first, I'll use my supernatural power on you tomorrow."

The leaves of the small prickly ash tree rustled, which meant it agreed.

Xia Lunong stayed at home for a while, and the canteen sent food over.

Xia Lunong looked at the fried mutton, grilled lamb chops, fried bitter melon, and fried eggplant, which were all heavier dishes. She simply went to the side of the house to pick cucumbers and made a dish of smacked cucumbers. Xia Huoqu

and his team quickly returned with the supplies.

Everyone was exhausted and sweating.

Xia Lunong ran outside to take a look. They really brought back a lot of supplies today. Especially the rice on the cart. Xia Lunong counted it and there were more than ten bags.

Seeing him running around, Xia Huoqu patted his shoulder and said, "Move aside, we will be able to unload these things soon."

"Brother, I'll go pour you some honey water."

"Pour more."

Having just collected honey today, Xia Lunong was not stingy.

He specially brewed a large pot of honey water, put it on the table, and also took out some wine.

Xia Huoqu and his friends piled the things on the second floor and went downstairs to eat.

Xia Lunong hadn't seen Liao Quannan for a long time, and he greeted him when he saw him.

Several people sat down to the table to eat, and Liao Quannan talked about what happened in the base in the past two days. Xia Lunong then realized that they had actually received radio telegrams from other bases.

"Really?!" Xia Lunong couldn't help but interrupt, "How many bases are still alive?"

Liao Quannan looked at Xia Huoqu and Kong Zhi, and seeing that they didn't object, he said, "According to the telegram we received, there are a total of 749 bases still alive."

Xia Lunong's hand holding the cup trembled on the spot, and some of the honey water in his hand swayed out.

He murmured, "So many?"

Kong Zhi grabbed his arm, trying to give him strength.

"Yes." Liao Quannan sniffed and said with a sigh, "There are many more than we thought. These are just the ones we have contacted. There are many more that we have not contacted, scattered in every corner of the country, and it is hard to tell how many there are."

Xia Lunong took a long breath and asked, "We are in a relatively developed place, why doesn't anyone come to find us?"

Yan Xinian said, "There are mutant plants and animals everywhere outside now, and it is not easy to contact them. Wait a little longer, and when everyone has come to their senses, maybe they will contact each other."

No one spoke for a while.

Xia Lunong thought of Zhang Shihai, the Spark Plan, and the catastrophe that was almost the end of the world, and her heart was in a mess.

Everyone finished their meal in silence.

Liao Quannan said goodbye.

That night, Xia Lunong lay on the bed, resting his hands on his head and looking at the dark ceiling. He was rarely unable to sleep, and countless things were running through his mind.

There were so many things that he even felt a headache. He

tossed and turned in bed until midnight, and then he got up to drink water.

After coming back, he couldn't fall asleep and continued to toss and turn until he felt the urge to urinate, so he got up again to go to the toilet. He

tossed and turned six times in one night.

When Xia Lunong got up for the seventh time, turned on the light and walked outside, Kong Zhi came out with a "click" and turned on the light in the living room.

The light instantly pierced over.

Xia Lunong shrank her neck in fear and rubbed her sore eyes, "Why haven't you slept yet?"

Kong Zhi's hair was a little long on his forehead, hanging down to cover part of his eyebrows and eyes, and he asked him, "Aren't you not asleep? You got up so many times in the night - you have to pee frequently and urgently?"

"Bah!" Xia Lunong said angrily, "You are the one who has to pee frequently and urgently!"

After saying this, Xia Lunong sighed, "I just couldn't sleep because I thought of the many survivor bases. Back then, the whole earth became a global village, and now we don't even know how many bases there are."

Kong Zhi said lightly: "It's amazing to be able to eat enough in this big environment now, don't think too much."

"That's too pessimistic." Xia Lunong said, "We survivors must find a way to contact each other, right?"

"Then?"

Xia Lunong didn't know what he wanted to say. He rubbed his forehead, leaned back on the sofa, and sighed.

Kong Zhi said, "You woke up very late. Brother Huo Qu and the others had cleared the mutant plants and animals near the base again and again before you woke up. All the mutant plants and animals you can see now are not too dangerous."

"Are they not very dangerous?"

"Not very dangerous." Kong Zhi said, "You haven't seen it. Some animals and plants are so powerful that even if I encounter them, I can only flap my wings and run for my life."

Xia Lunong really had never seen it, and some of them were hard to imagine.

Kong Zhi said, "We have finally established this safe human base. We still have a long way to go if we want to explore outside. Let's let the entire base eat first."

Xia Lunong nodded vigorously!

Kong Zhi pushed him, "Go to bed quickly, it's already past three in the morning. Get up tomorrow morning to plant the pepper tree and build a fence."

"Okay." Xia Lunong yawned, and when she was about to go back to her room, she turned to Kong Zhi and said, "I was in a mess at first, but I don't know why, but after hearing what you said, my heart suddenly became less chaotic."

Kong Zhi looked up at him, "What do you want to express?"

Xia Lunong was stunned and scratched her head, "Nothing, I just feel that you are very powerful, and a few words have the power to calm people's hearts."

Xia Lunong smiled and said, "I won't chat with you anymore, I'm going back to bed first, you should go back to bed quickly too, good night." Kong Zhi

stood in the living room, stared at his door for a long time, and went back to his room.

Xia Lunong went to bed late and woke up late. When he woke up the next day, it was bright outside. Everyone else had already had breakfast and was busy in the yard.

Xia Lunong ran to the yard and greeted the prickly ash tree in the corner of the yard.

The prickly ash tree was very happy to see him and shook its branches to embrace him.

Xia Lunong stretched out his hand and rubbed the prickly ash tree, and asked excitedly: "It's been a night. How do you feel here? Are you used to it?"

The prickly ash tree shook its crown and nodded.

"That's great. I was afraid that you wouldn't be used to it. Are you thirsty? Do you want me to give you some water?"

The prickly ash tree shook its branches, yes!

Xia Lunong went to scoop out some water, and then looked at the small watermelon that was buried last night under the prickly ash tree. Now the watermelon's husk was mixed with the soil, and it would become fertilizer in a few days and be absorbed by the prickly ash tree. It would take

a few days for the watermelon to become fertilizer, but today I could go to the canteen to ask for some fertilizer, Xia Lunong thought, and patted the prickly ash tree again.

Xia Huoqu saw him running around in the yard and said, "Don't hang around, hurry up and have your meal, and come out to help after you finish your meal."

"Okay!"

Xia Lunong went to have breakfast and came out to dig the tree pit with Xia Huoqu and the others.

At around ten o'clock in the morning, all the prickly ash trees they brought back yesterday had been planted in the yard.

Their two houses were connected, and the yard below was also very large. There was still space around the prickly ash trees after they were planted.

Xia Lunong stood in front of the newly planted prickly ash tree, touched his chin and said, "I always feel like I need to plant something else to fill in the gap."

"Let's cut some bamboo this afternoon and use it to surround the railing and it will be almost done," Xia

Huoqu said, "Since we've fenced it off, let's fence the backyard as well." "No problem, let's do it this way for now, and the rest will be done as the prickly ash tree grows slowly." Xia Lunong said, looking at the small prickly ash tree, "Should we give the small prickly ash tree a name, otherwise it will be too confusing to talk about it later."

Xia Huoqu: "You should discuss with it about what name to give it. Whatever it wants."

Xia Lunong then ran to discuss a name with the prickly ash tree. Before naming it, she had to explain to the prickly ash tree: what the name is, why it needs a name, what names can generally be given, etc.

After a discussion, each person named the little prickly ash tree "Xia Pepper", taking the surname from the Xia brothers and the original name from the prickly ash.

Xia Lunong read a few sentences and felt that the name sounded good, so he told his brothers.

With their big move, everyone at the base knew they were back. At noon, the oil mill came to inform them that it was their turn to press oil and they could bring the peanuts over in the afternoon.

Xia Huoqu pinched the back of his neck, "I want to go to the fields this afternoon. In that case, let's carry the peanuts to the oil mill this afternoon and press the oil first."

Xia Huoqu asked, "Do we need to do anything else before pressing the oil? Can we just carry the peanuts over?"

Xia Huoqu, "Yes. Before that, clean the big vat for the oil, as we will be loading the oil later."

Xia Huoqu said, "Then I'll carry it with you."

Yan Xinian stopped him, "Xiao Nong will wash the vat at home, and the three of us can carry it. Speaking of which, there is not much gasoline and diesel left in the base, otherwise we can just use a truck to transport it over."

"Don't waste it even if it's a lot. Why use a truck for such a short distance?" Xia Huoqu said, "Instead of using a truck, it's more convenient to use the beast form. Anyway, there is no shortage of food now, and we can just eat more after using the beast form."

"What you said doesn't make sense, Huo Qu. Otherwise, I'll just use the beast form." Yan Xinian stretched his shoulders and back. "I haven't used the beast form these days. I always feel that my muscles and bones are not active."

Xia Huo Qu did not object, so Yan Xinian turned into a huge white tiger, and the others tied the peanuts to him.

The peanuts are now packed in sacks, which are easy to tie.

Xia Lunong was also helping.

While working, he whispered to Kong Zhi, "I always feel that you have a misunderstanding of my ability. I am much better now and not that weak."

Kong Zhi said, "Wait until you can carry a load of 120 kilograms in one breath."

Except for Xia Lunong, the other three people in the family can carry 200 kilograms in one breath in human form.

Xia Lunong shut his mouth. As a beastman who is not in beast form, he is at a disadvantage in this regard. When he is in human form, his strength is much smaller and his skills are also poorer.

Yan Xinian and the others carried the peanuts over, and soon it was their turn to press the oil.

The oil mill has a complete set of oil pressing equipment.

The peanuts are sent over, first crushed into small particles with the shells, then put into the pot, stir-fried with a machine, and then sent to the oil press by a conveyor belt after being fried.

Xia Lunong followed them to fill the oil in the evening.

The newly squeezed peanut oil is particularly fragrant. When approaching the oil mill, the fragrance almost became real.

Xia Lunong smelled the fragrance and felt more and more hungry.

He said to Kong Zhi, "After frying the peanuts, there will be oil residue. I will go pick some peppers and fry them tonight, shall I?"

"Yes." Kong Zhi nodded and said, "I want to eat sour beans tonight."

Xia Lunong nodded immediately, "No problem, I will go to the cafeteria to see if there is any suitable meat, and then bring some back to fry the beans. Is there anything else you want to eat?"

Kong Zhi raised his head and asked, "Can I order whatever I want?"

Xia Lunong said cautiously, "You order first, I will see if I have the ingredients and whether I can make it."

They were talking here, and the people in the oil mill saw them and shouted, "You two guys, stop chatting. Come and move the peanut oil back, it's the next family's turn."

Xia Lunong asked, "Have we used up all the peanuts in our house?"

"It's finished, the last pot is here." The oil mill staff said, "The oil cake is here too, check the quantity to see if it's correct, if there's no problem you can sign and take the oil and oil cake back."

Xia Lunong was careful and really counted all the oil and oil cake, then nodded and signed.

Kong Zhi was waiting for him on the side.

The oil mill staff saw them like this and said, "You two brothers are really inseparable, you have a very good relationship!"

Xia Lunong didn't think there was anything wrong, he stretched out his hand to hold Kong Zhi's shoulder, "Of course, we are good brothers!"

The oil mill staff laughed at his funny look of stretching his hand to touch Kong Zhi.

Kong Zhi waited for the people in the oil mill to turn around and leave. Amid the roar of the oil presses, he asked, "Are we close friends?"

"Of course!" Xia Lunong turned around and looked at him warily, "Don't tell me you don't recognize me!"

Kong Zhi didn't say whether he recognized me or not, but only asked, "You used to have a lot of close friends?"

Xia Lunong was a little depressed, "That's right, I used to run after my brothers and rarely played with people of the same age."

Kong Zhi said, "So I am your only close friend in the base?"

"That's for sure! We've slept in the same bed before. Who could be closer to us than you and me? Those youngsters in your original base?"

Kong Zhi was originally in the same base with Zhang Shihai and his friends. After the tsunami, Zhang Shihai and his friends also joined the base established by Yan Xinian. Kong Zhi and them would greet each other from time to time.

Xia Lunong said, "I don't interact with others too much. You are the only brother around me. Unlike you, not only do you keep your old friends, but you also take care of your younger brothers in the previous base."

Kong Zhi looked at him and said, "Friends are friends. If something happens, I will do my best to help. If it were you, I would sacrifice my life for you."

Xia Lunong said, "I can do it too! A close friend! You will stick your neck out for your brother! Anyway, you have more friends in the base than I do. You are my only brother."

"Don't Captain Yan count?"

"Of course not, Brother Xinian is my older brother."

The two of them went back arguing.

Xia Huoqu and Yan Xinian, who had transported the previous batch of oil back, came to pick them up.

Hearing some words from their quarrel, Xia Huoqu asked, "What, brother? What are you talking about?"

Xia Lunong immediately felt embarrassed, "Nothing, just a few words."

He quickly changed the subject, "Brother, should the oil cake be sent directly to Aunt Zheng?"

Zheng Linguang raised pigs for their family, and she was the one who cooked the pig food usually. Instead of transporting it there bit by bit, it would be better to transport all the oil cake directly over.

Xia Huoqu nodded, "We'll go over now, dinner is up to you."

"No problem. I just told Kongzhi to make a dish of chili oil residue tonight, the oil residue smells so good!"

Xia Huoqu said, "Make more, your brother Xinian is in beast form today, so prepare more meat."

"Got it."

Xia Lunong has mastered the skill of cooking, and with Kongzhi's help, he cooks very quickly.

Xia Huoqu and Yan Xinian came back just in time to serve hot dishes and meals.

The oil was pressed, and everything was going well in the fields.

Especially the wheat planted by Xia Lunong, which is now filled with pulp and can be harvested soon.

Xia Lunong now goes to the fields every day and takes care of them very carefully.

There was nothing specific to do in the field. The four of them spent their time doing all kinds of trivial things.

The summer pepper was placed in their yard and now it has adapted well. After all, it is a plant and doesn't like to move around. It mainly moves around in the yard every day.

The people in the base were surprised at first, but after ten days or so, they got used to it and it was not strange at all.

It was mainly because Xia Lunong's family had a fenced yard, so you couldn't see what was going on inside his house.

Time flies and it's almost Mid-Autumn Festival.

Xia Lunong remembered the previous agreement and nagged his brother, "We agreed before that after we finish pressing the oil, we will go out to fish for crayfish on Mid-Autumn Festival. Brother, you have to keep your word."

Xia Huoqu glanced at him, "When have I ever broken my promise? Isn't it Mid-Autumn Festival yet?"

"Hehehe, I'm just reminding you in case you forget. Do we need to make some preparations before we go out?"

Xia Huoqu: "It's just going out to fish for crayfish. What preparations do I need to make?"

Xia Lunong scratched her head, "Then I'll put the arrangements on the agenda when we go out."

Yan Xinian said from the side, "There are no crayfish nearby. A few days ago, it was said that the gasoline or diesel in the base was used up. Since... We have to go out again, and we have nothing to do for the time being. Why don't we go a little further and collect some diesel and gasoline?"

Xia Huoqu objected, "So many crops at home are about to mature. If we go out now, I'm afraid we won't be able to get back in time and will be delayed."

Yan Xinian said, "It's not much. The main crops are wheat and rice. How can these two crops be harvested in less than ten days and a half? How can we take ten days and a half a month to make a trip?"

"Then who will take care of it during this time? Should we ask Liao Cheng to help look after it?"

Yan Xinian had already thought about it. "I see that the group of scientists in the Bai Building have nothing to do recently. Should we ask them to look after it? It just so happens that they don't want to do research, so let them help out."

Xia Huoqu said directly: "I'm worried that they are not familiar with planting and may cause trouble."

"It's okay. Lao Jin and the others are reliable. Let Liao Cheng help look after it and give technical guidance. There should be no problem."

There are agricultural experts like Yan Mingqing in the Bai Building. The possibility of problems is extremely low. It's just that Xia Huoqu doesn't like him, so Yan Xinian deliberately avoided him.

Yan Xinian said: "It has been a long time since we have gone out together to collect supplies. We were busy planting before and had no time. In a while, we will have to go out together to clean up ants and build a protective belt. Now should be the best time."

Their base is built in the mountains. Even if there are no ants, they are still facing the threat of wildfires. It is still necessary to build a protective belt.

This work can be done in winter when everyone is free and the grass and trees are withered.

At that time, we can also chop some firewood and bring it back.

Xia Huoqu doesn't like to sacrifice public affairs for personal reasons, so he no longer objects.