Chapter 25
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu immediately and shamelessly moved closer, "Uncle, since my dad has said so, I don't need much, just a trident first."
Jiang Hai refused outright: "A trident isn't suitable for you. How about I make you a hammer instead?"
Jiang Shu objected: "Why?"
Jiang Zhi spoke quietly: "Because you're like a hammer."
Jiang Shu was furious, his face contorted like a pufferfish. "You little brat, A-Zhi, how dare you talk about your brother like that! Just wait and see how I deal with you—"
Jiang Zhi ran straight to Jiang Jun's back, "Big brother, look, my brother is bullying me again!"
Before Jiang Jun could even speak, Jiang Sui stepped in front of Jiang Zhi, saying, "Little uncle, you're shameless! A grown man bullying a little girl! Dad said a real man should give way to a girl!"
Ginger Tree: ...
The onlookers couldn't help but laugh.
In this world, such moments of relaxation are incredibly precious.
What could be more reassuring than having family by your side in the apocalypse?
At least, none of the four members of Jiang Shan's family regret their current choice.
Seeing everyone enjoying themselves, Ye Qingyun also felt happy.
Few people know that her hobby is making all kinds of delicious food, but she had put it aside in the past because of making a living.
Now that other people are taking care of the housework, she only needs to cook, which has rekindled Ye Qingyun's passion for food.
The more difficult the conditions, the more I want to make some delicious food with the limited resources.
Just as Ye Qingyun was thinking about what to eat for dinner, Jiang Zhi took out about ten kilograms of low-toxicity cotton aphids.
"Mom, shall we have this tonight?"
"Huh?" Ye Qingyun was confused, thinking it was no different from before, and scolded, "There's more? You really are a child, why didn't you take it out together before?"
Jiangzhi pouted and asked, "If I take it out, will we still have any to eat now?"
Ye Qingyun assumed that she was just being greedy and deliberately kept it.
"Okay, okay, I'll make it in a bit. I'll try a different way of cooking it today."
Ye Qingyun also wanted to give everyone some extra nutrition.
Leaving aside the rest of Lao Jiang's family, the four of them had long lived in the wild, sometimes going hungry and sometimes not. Now that they had the points to build a house and were a little more financially secure, Ye Qingyun was happy to improve his family's meals.
Ye Qingyun took out the meat given to him by Grandpa Lin and removed the fat from between the skin and flesh.
It's hot, and even the meat of mutated beasts will spoil if it's not cooked soon.
When the fatty meat touched the scalding hot pot wall, a few wisps of barely perceptible white smoke rose from the pot, followed by a sizzling sound.
Soon, the edges of the meat slices began to turn golden, followed by a series of crackling sounds as the meat slices began to shrink and deform rapidly. The fat of varying sizes quickly curled into small, delicate pieces, layer upon layer, with the golden color becoming increasingly rich.
The aroma wafted out instantly.
Jiang Shu couldn't help but lean closer and ask, "Mom, what are you doing today?"
"You wanted to eat cotton aphids?"
Jiang Shu asked suspiciously, "Mom, why are you being so generous?"
"When have I ever been stingy?" Ye Qingyun pretended to knock him. "Don't get in my way, or you won't get any food later!"
Jiang Shu quickly covered his head and ran away.
If his mother knew that Ah Zhi had given her a low-level poison... Jiang Shu couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of that scene.
On the other side, Ye Qingyun poured out the portion of low-toxicity cotton aphids that Jiang Zhi had given her.
The cotton aphids that had just expelled their juices were washed again with clean water. When the water came into contact with the oil, it made an even louder crackling sound.
But it also instantly brings out the scent of cotton aphids.
Once the cotton aphids were about 70% cooked, Ye Qingyun added the thinly sliced mutated animal meat and stir-fried it together.
The aroma was so enticing, it was almost intoxicating.
The aroma of the oil alone is irresistible.
That day, Ye Qingyun did nothing else but cook a large plate of stir-fried mutated beast meat with cotton aphids.
Jiang Shu hurriedly delivered a portion to the Lin family, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he returned and saw that no one had started eating yet.
Grandma Jiang smiled and said, "Don't worry, we won't touch our food if you don't come back."
Jiang Shu sat down happily, "Grandma still loves me the most."
This time, Jiang Hai and his son also sat down together.
Today's meal is the only one that can truly be considered a family gathering.
A large plateful of barley was served. Everyone was exhausted, so there were no fancy rituals. The dozen or so people simply sat on the ground, each with a large bowl of barley.
Ye Qingyun served everyone a large bowl of meat and said with a smile, "Everyone is exhausted, so there's plenty of barley today."
Jiang Shu and the two little ones cheered.
Soon, the only sounds in the courtyard were the sounds of people eating heartily.
The perfectly seasoned vegetable sauce, mixed with rice, is an absolute appetite stimulant.
"Qingyun, your cooking skills are getting better and better. I've only eaten half of this meal, but I already feel much better," said Grandma Jiang.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ying also said, "I have the same feeling. I thought it was just my imagination."
Xu Na swallowed a mouthful of rice. "Me too."
After the round, everyone felt relaxed, as if a huge boulder that had been pressing on their bodies had been removed.
Ye Qingyun and Jiang Shan didn't feel anything, except that they weren't as tired.
Jiang Shu: "I don't feel that way at all. Instead, I have this illusion that I'm very strong. Azhi, do you feel that way too?"
Jiang Zhi nodded.
Ye Qingyun muttered, "I think you guys have been without meat for too long and that's why you have this misconception."
Although everyone had questions, they couldn't find a reason, so they assumed it was because they hadn't had meat in a long time.
Jiang Zhi naturally knew why, but she didn't tell them the truth.
—The cotton aphids they eat are all low-level toxins.
Foods with low levels of toxins can not only help humans eliminate radiation poisoning, but also strengthen the body.
The Jiang family has had a tough time these past few years, accumulating a lot of radiation toxins in their bodies. That's why their bodies react so strongly to food with low levels of toxins.
This time, when Jiang Zhi ate food with low levels of toxins, that feeling of being slightly bloated resurfaced.
She was perfectly healthy to begin with. When she first arrived at the base, she even ate the heart of a fanged rabbit. At that time, the radiation toxins in her body had already been diluted. She felt her strength increase, and even the terrain dashboard in her mind became much clearer.
This time, the low-level toxic cotton aphids made her even more certain of one thing.
Low-level toxins can alter a person's constitution.
Although the amount is very small, the body's reaction does not lie.
"Brother Wen, when you were working at the secondhand store, did you sell any low-toxicity items?" Jiang Zhi asked Jiang Wen, who was sitting next to her.
Jiang Wen shook his head, "No, there are too few people willing to sell these things."
"Why? Is it because it has other uses besides detoxifying from radiation poisoning?"
Jiang Wen was taken aback by the question. "I don't know either. Actually, I've only seen low-level toxins in the store base. The previous owner did do this kind of business, but he handled everything himself, so we didn't have access to it."
Jiang Zhi frowned—it seemed that the information barrier between ordinary people and mutants was very thick. Ordinary people were always busy making a living and had no way of accessing information related to low-level toxins.
Jiang Wen: "A-Zhi, do you have any questions?"
Jiang Zhi suppressed her suspicions and continued to finish the rest of the barley.
"No, I just suddenly became curious."
"If you want to know, you can ask my childhood friend Tan Lei. He's in the reselling business and should have a lot of experience with it."
Jiang Zhi also knew Tan Lei. She often saw him come to play with her second brother when they were little.
Her eyes lit up. "Okay, when are we going?"
Jiang Wen didn't expect Jiang Zhi to be in such a hurry, so he said, "It should be fine in the next couple of days. He's helping us sell cotton aphids right now, so I'll go ask him how it's going."
Jiang Zhi nodded in agreement.
After dinner, everyone rested for a while before preparing to wash up.
Jiang He built an open-air bathhouse during the day, and each room had to fetch water to barely have enough for everyone to take a bath.
Ye Qingyun sighed as he boiled water, "Looks like I'll have to buy another water tank."
Jiang Shan said, "We still have enough points on hand, so we'll just buy what we need later."
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he squeezed Ye Qingyun's hand.
"Thank you for your hard work these past two days."
Ye Qingyun smiled and said, "What's so hard about it? I cook because I enjoy it. I used to be so busy with work that I was always in a rush when cooking for Dashu and Azhi. I always felt guilty about it. Now that I'm busy at home, I feel a sense of fulfillment."
Ye Qingyun is a traditional woman at heart. Although she is equally capable in the workplace, she always feels sorry for her two children.
Fortunately, the Jiang family raised the brother and sister very well, and they inherited the kind nature of the Jiang family.
Given the current situation, Ye Qingyun doesn't have any particular wishes; he just wants his family to be together and live a peaceful life.
Jiang Shan smiled, but his guilt remained.
He said, "I'll try to find out more about my sister tomorrow."
Old Jiang's family was reunited, and he also wanted to help his wife find the Ye family.
The "sister" Jiang Shan mentioned is Ye Qingyun's older sister, Ye Qingyue.
Ye Qingyun nodded. Although the two had some disagreements before the disaster, they still had some lingering feelings for each other.
*
Ginger twigs that have eaten low-toxicity cotton aphids feel like they have inexhaustible energy.
Back in his room, not wanting to rest for a while, he took out his notebook to record information about the mutated creature he had encountered the day before.
Jiang Shu sneaked over and patted the curtain as if knocking on the door. "Azhi, why didn't you say earlier that we were eating a low-level poison tonight?"
Jiangzhi replied slowly, "Don't you want to continue eating tomorrow?"
Jiang Shu suddenly realized, and grinned slyly, "Oh ho, I understand what you mean. Don't worry, Azhi, I will definitely keep this a secret!"
If his mother finds out, the remaining low-toxicity cotton aphids will definitely be confiscated.
Jiang Zhi glanced at her brother and smiled.
"Brother, you're so kind."
Hopefully, when her brother takes the blame in a couple of days, he'll be smiling just as happily.
*
The Lin family.
When Lin Yuan returned from outside, he smelled the aroma of stir-fried meat.
"Old man, are you taking other people's food again?"
Grandpa Lin took out the half-bowl of meat he had saved for his grandson from the cupboard, snorted, and said, "By the time you come back, I'll be starving."
“That family is kind-hearted; this time they brought something with low levels of toxins.”
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He picked it up with his chopsticks and looked at it, remembering the girl he had met in the No. 3 collection area that day.
Those bright, clear eyes came to mind.
Lin Yuan: "It's a good thing, you can have it."
Grandpa Lin: "Aren't you going to eat?"
"No need, these bugs are no longer of any use to me."
"Alright then." Grandpa Lin happily took the rice bowl. "Perfect, I haven't had enough to eat yet."
As he ate, Grandpa Lin asked, "Did you hunt anything good today?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan took out a bird egg the size of an ostrich egg from his bag.
"Moderately toxic."
Grandpa Lin looked at it with some disdain, "Why is it only moderately toxic?"
They send you a low-level poison, but you're still using a medium-level poison. What kind of behavior is that?
He was too ashamed to offer it.
Lin Yuan: "You want to give it to the Jiang family?"
"What? You won't give it to me?"
Lin Yuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Next time. The mutant team members were injured recently and need a lot of low-level toxins."
"What's it to you?" Old Master Lin said bluntly. "Are you their father or their mother? You've been gone from the team for a long time, so why should they care if they die?"
Lin Yuan looked at the thin, long symbol of the psychoactive toxin in his hand.
His abilities have been restricted ever since he was poisoned by the mental toxin of a level-six mutated spider during a mission six months ago.
His mental strength was also on the verge of collapse.
The base was helpless in this matter, which is why Lin Yuan left the mutant team and planned to find a way to cure the mental toxin on his own.
When Grandpa Lin saw him like this, he got angry. "Alright, alright, if you have nothing else to do, go and rest. Seeing you like this annoys me."
*
For the next few days, the Jiang family focused entirely on building the house.
A mud house with four bedrooms and two living rooms was finally completed on the afternoon of the third day.
It's said to have four rooms, but it actually has eight.
Apart from the room for the two elderly people, the three-bedroom, seventy-eight-square-meter house was divided into two rooms.
Jiang Shan even built a wall around the room where Jiang Shu and his sister lived.
After all, men and women are strictly separated. Although the room is a bit small, at least the brother and sister can each have their own room.
The beds in each room were designed in the style of heated brick beds (kang).
When it was being built, Grandma Jiang was still feeling bad about the extra clay and cement she had spent.
They were unaware that this was Jiang Zhi's special request.
At first, Jiang Shan also felt it was unnecessary.
But Jiang Zhi persisted.
Jiang Shan: "A-Zhi, can you tell me why we need to build a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed)? Have you sensed something?"
Jiang Zhi hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's just a gut feeling. I feel that winter isn't too far away."
Jiang Zhi's words startled Jiang Shan and the others.
Ye Qingyun couldn't hold back any longer and asked repeatedly, "Azhi, are you serious?"
Jiang Zhi nodded. "I can't be 100% sure either, but Mom and Dad, we can't afford to gamble."
Actually, Jiang Zhi had this feeling after that brief cold snap before returning to the base.
The cold weather will come sooner or later.
Moreover, it can often last as long as summer.
When Jiang Shu heard Jiang Zhi's idea, his scalp tingled. "You mean, the winter will last for three or four years?"
Jiang Zhi: "This is just my guess, but it's better to be prepared."
Jiang Shan's expression was serious. "A-Zhi is right. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we must take it seriously."
Afterwards, Jiang Shan overruled all objections and built heated kang beds and heated walls for each room and wall.
On the bitterly cold days that followed, the Jiang family members often admired the foresight of the Jiang family.
That's a story for another time.
Jiang Zhi and her brother's room is on the west side against the wall.
Two bathrooms and a dry toilet were built at the back of the house, and the kitchen was on the east side of the yard. Jiang Shan specially designed an underground ventilation system.
This design would be unlikely to be realized with current living standards, but Jiang Jun can modify the equipment.
He made several palm-leaf fans, tied them together to form fan blades, and made a few small electrical devices. As long as he turned them on while cooking, most of the smell in the kitchen would not escape.
The Jiang family is very satisfied with their new house.
Most importantly, I no longer have to stay in a tent that feels like an oven.
Looking at the brand-new house, everyone felt as if they were in a dream.
They never dreamed that their lives would be turned upside down in just a few days.
I had completely given up hope on life, but then things took an unexpected turn for the better...
Jiang Sui excitedly circled the house, murmuring, "We have a house again? Auntie, am I dreaming?"
After eating cotton aphids with low levels of toxins for a few days, he not only grew taller, but his face also started to fill out. He no longer always looked gloomy, and his face finally showed the expression of a child.
Jiangzhi patted his head and said, "Don't worry, we'll have an even better future together."
Jiang Sui knew that they were living like this because of her aunt's family.
He tilted his head back and said earnestly, "Auntie, I'll take care of you and Uncle in your old age!"
Jiang Si said anxiously from the side, "Me too, me too! I also want to take care of my aunt and uncle in their old age!"
Ye Qingyun teased them on purpose: "You only take care of your younger uncles and aunts, but not your aunts, uncles, and cousins?"
Jiang Sui became even more serious, "I also have to support my second uncle and second aunt, as well as my second uncle's wife and second aunt, and..."
Jiang Sui recited the names of all her elders, and everyone laughed.
Jiang Si added loudly, "If my brother can't afford to support us, I'll take care of him!"
The two children's innocent remarks immediately enlivened the atmosphere.
Looking at the two children who had changed so much, Yuan Ying sighed, "It's strange, really. We've only been living with Dashan and the others for a few days, and we're like completely different people, aren't we, Nana?"
Xu Na nodded somewhat awkwardly.
After eating cotton aphids with low levels of toxins for several days, the Jiang family members expelled a significant amount of radiation toxins from their bodies. Jiang Wen and his wife, whose health was relatively good, could clearly feel the difference in their bodies.
I've become stronger and have much more energy than before.
Both of them guessed the reason.
At first, both of them found it hard to believe.
They actually ate this precious, low-toxicity substance.
Jiang Wen and his wife felt as if this was probably one of the most luxurious meals they had ever eaten in their lives.
After hesitating for a long time, Xu Na couldn't help but tell the truth, "Mom, it's not strange at all. It's because we've been eating cotton aphids with low levels of toxins these past few days."
"What?!" The first to react was Grandma Jiang, her face filled with shock. "Xiao Na! What have we been eating these past few days?"
Xu Na shrank her neck. "...These past few days we've been eating cotton aphids with low levels of toxins."
Her voice trailed off, a look of shame on her face as she said, "Grandma, besides the moderately toxic cotton aphids we caught before, there were also low-toxic ones..."
This time, Grandma Jiang was not only in pain, but also felt pain in her heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys when she thought about how she had been eating low-toxicity food that was more precious than gold these past few days.
"You kids, why didn't you tell us? This stuff, if converted into points, could buy enough food for our family of over ten people for a year!"
Just as Jiang Shu was about to say something, he heard his younger sister say, "Grandma, my brother said that everyone has radiation poisoning in their bodies over the years. It's better to let the family eat the low-toxicity cotton aphids we found this time."
Jiang Shu chuckled when he saw Jiang Zhi taking all the credit for herself.
His sister really loves him; she lets him take all the good things.
He raised his head and said, "Of course, nothing beats a strong body."
Upon hearing this, Grandma Jiang felt that her eldest grandson was thoughtful, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Even so, you don't need to eat so much. We've eaten at least seven or eight pounds of food these past few days, haven't we?"
Jiang Zhi honestly replied, "About twelve catties."
This time, not only Grandma Jiang, but the whole family gasped.
What a spendthrift!
Even though it ended up in their own stomachs, everyone couldn't help but feel sorry for them. At least let them know what it feels like to eat food with low levels of toxins before they ate it!
Ye Qingyun gave a forced smile, "Big Tree, why didn't you tell Mom about this? It's such a big deal."
Jiang Shu said, "What should I say? You definitely won't agree. Look, we're not losing out by eating now. Look at Grandpa and Grandma, and look at Sisi and Suisui. They're all in good health. Even I've become much stronger."
Ye Qingyun chuckled, "Who told you that? Next time you act on your own, you'll regret it!"
If Jiang Shu still doesn't know what his mother is angry about at this point, then he's lived for nothing for the past twenty-one years.
"No, Mom, listen to me, this wasn't my decision, it was..."
Jiang Zhi quietly made herself less noticeable and packed her things into the new room.
She wouldn't listen to her brother's excuses.
Back in her room, looking at the sturdy mud walls, even though there was no furniture, Jiangzhi still truly felt the warmth of home.
At night, Jiangzhi slept on a heated kang bed covered with withered wild grass.
After placing the leaves obtained from the mutated snake under her pillow, Jiang Zhi took out her notebook to record the information.
The room was equipped with a hanging lamp modified by Jiang Jun, which gave off a warm, yellowish light.
—On October 18, 4 years after the catastrophe, the highest temperature was 67 degrees Celsius and the lowest temperature was 38 degrees Celsius.
After she finished writing, she flipped to the previous records.
I also drew a temperature fluctuation chart.
After seeing the chart show a clear downward trend, Jiang Zhi's expression turned serious.
Since the beginning of September, the highest temperature has been dropping, although it only drops by 0.5 degrees Celsius each day, but it has never risen during this period.
I wonder if the base has discovered this...
As far as she knew, the grain grown by the Ancheng base itself was not enough to feed everyone at the base, which was why the base spent a lot of effort clearing out so many collection areas for the base residents.
If extreme cold really does come...
Jiangzhi didn't continue thinking about it.
Hopefully, these figures are only temporary. If not... then all she can do is try her best to keep the people around her alive.
Jiang Zhi lay on the bed, the pillow filled with the fresh fragrance of wild grasses that had been exposed to sunlight for a long time.
It was made by Yuan Ying using mutated wild grass, with five layers stacked on top of each other, making it exceptionally comfortable to use as a pillow.
She went through the details of her family situation.
Although houses have been built, their foundation is still very weak, and the grain stored in their rice bins can not even last for more than half a month.
If the weather is indeed extremely cold, then there is still a lot to prepare.
Jiang Zhi pondered for a moment, then gradually drifted off to sleep.
She didn't notice that the leaves under her pillow gradually lit up as her thoughts sank deeper into the distance.
That night, everyone in the Jiang family slept exceptionally well.
The next morning, Jiang Zhi felt something was different about her mental state after getting up, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
She looked inside for a moment, and after finding nothing unusual, she left the room.
As soon as I stepped out the door, I saw my older brother with a mournful face.
"Ah Zhi, you made me take the blame again yesterday..."
Jiang Zhi went into the yard and started washing up: "Brother, don't you want to eat low-toxicity cotton aphids?"
Jiang Shu: "No, not really..."
"That settles it, doesn't it? You've already eaten it, so does it matter who suggested it?"
Jiang Shu: ...It feels like there's some truth to it, but it's also kind of weird.
Jiang Hai is training his two little ones in the yard.
Jiang Sui and Jiang Si stood facing the wall, looking quite professional, except their legs were trembling a little.
Upon seeing Jiang Shu and his sister, Jiang Hai smiled and said, "Big Tree, your father, Second Uncle, and Awen went to the wood-gathering area to cut wood. They asked me to tell you."
Jiang Shu asked in surprise, "Why didn't you call us?"
Jiang Hai said, "Your second uncle said you worked hard collecting materials a few days ago, so he wanted you to rest for a few more days."
"Besides, Ah Zhi is a girl, so it's better to let the men do the sawing work."
The house is completely bare, with no furniture, so the group decided to go to the No. 8 collection area to cut down trees.
The No. 8 collection area has a large area of low bushes. The trees are very thick, but only a little over a meter tall, making them perfect for making furniture.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu quickly asked Jiang Zhi, who was standing beside him, "A-Zhi, shall we go out today?"
Jiang Zhi nodded.
"Go, the house is finished, and we should have enough people at home. We need to take advantage of the hot weather and stock up on food."
Jiang Shu immediately said, "Okay, I'll tell Grandma and ask her to prepare some lunch boxes for us."
Ye Qingyun started going to "work" at the clinic the day before yesterday.
I arrive at 6:30 every morning and return at 11:30 at noon. I go there at 3:30 in the afternoon and don't return until 8:30 in the evening.
Therefore, the task of preparing meals fell to Grandma Jiang.
Jiang Hai, who had eaten low-toxicity cotton aphids, had recovered considerably. Seeing that Jiang Shu and his sister wanted to go out, he said, "I'll go out with you. It'll be good for us to stretch our muscles."
Jiang Zhi refused: "Uncle, you haven't fully recovered yet, it's better for you to continue to recuperate at home. Besides, the house needs someone to look after it. We'll ask Niu Dali to come along today. He's strong, and he can help out if anything happens."
Otherwise, if all the able-bodied men in the family go out, and someone covets their home, they won't be able to stop them.
Jiang Zhi's reasons were so compelling that Jiang Hai had no choice but to agree.
"Okay, you all must be careful."
Jiang Sui looked at Jiang Zhi longingly. "Auntie, I want to go too."
Jiang Zhi patted his head, "Once you've built up your strength, your aunt will take you there."
Seeing that Jiang Zhi didn't agree, Jiang Sui was a little disappointed, but still said sensibly, "Okay! When I become powerful, Auntie, remember to take me with you too."
Jiang Zhi nodded in agreement.
After washing up, Jiangzhi began packing her things for the trip.
After she finished tidying up, she walked into the hall.
Yuan Ying and Xu Na, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were working in the living room.
Xu Na didn't go out with Jiang Wen today. She went to the textile shop where she used to work and took on some work—drawing silk from mutated lotus stems to make thread.
This is a delicate job, and Xu Na is a meticulous person who is also skillful and hardworking. Her success rate in drawing silk is higher than that of the average person.
The shop owner was a little disappointed when Xu Na resigned, so he was happy to let her take on some freelance work.
However, the wages are low; ten bundles of fiber filaments only earn 15 points.
Fortunately, she was quick, and could pull out about thirty bundles a day.
45 points a day is a considerable income. Although it can't compare to the overnight riches that can be obtained by gathering things in the gathering area, Xu Na is still quite satisfied.
After all, catching so many moderate cotton aphids is like winning the lottery.
To increase efficiency, Yuan Ying would do the preliminary work of extracting the silk from the lotus leaf stems.
Yuan Ying did all the tedious tasks, such as cleaning the lotus stems and cutting them.
Upon seeing Jiang Zhi, Yuan Ying smiled and said:
"Azhi, you're awake? There's some porridge in the kitchen, you and Dashu should go and eat."
My family didn't think there was anything wrong with eating porridge or mush at all; on the contrary, they thought it was normal.
The days they had spent eating large amounts of meat were like holidays for them; they had indulged in a lavish lifestyle during this good time.
Jiang Zhi glanced around and, not seeing anyone else, asked, "Where are the others, Master and the others?"
Yuan Ying: "Your grandpa went out to give acupuncture treatments to someone."
To be fair, Grandpa Jiang's medical skills are quite good. Since moving, many people in the low-rent housing area have sought him out, hoping he could help them with their medical needs.
Acupuncture doesn't require much cost; a set of silver needles, after repeated sterilization, can cure diseases.
Jiang Zhi said "Oh" and went to the kitchen to eat some barley porridge to fill her stomach.
Xu Na knew that Jiang Zhi and the other person were about to go out the door, and wanted to go with them, but Jiang Zhi refused.
I heard that many people have been going to sugarcane fields to catch cotton aphids recently. Even if Xu Na goes with them today, she probably won't have much of a harvest.
Xu Na still had work to do, so she didn't insist. She simply took out a brand new mutated spider silk fishing net from the room.
"A-Zhi, this is spider silk that A-Wen bought from a second-hand store a couple of days ago. I was afraid you would need it urgently, so I made it a little hastily. I don't know if it's suitable."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi happily accepted the spider silk fishing net.
It was much bigger than the fishing net her father used to make from a hammock net, and the strength of the mutated spider silk was incomparable to that of a hammock net.
Xu Na has some skills; this fishing net looks no different from the professional fishing nets she had seen online before.
With this fishing net, the chances of catching that silver carp are much higher.
Jiang Zhi said happily, "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law! You've been a great help."
Xu Na smiled and said, "I'm glad I could help you. Please be careful. If the fish is too strong, don't try to be brave. It's okay if you don't need the fishing net."
Xu Na said the last sentence in a low voice, avoiding Yuan Ying's voice. None of them dared to tell their families about fishing, for fear of being nagged.
Jiang Zhi nodded, "I understand, Second Sister-in-law."
Once Jiang Shu was ready, the brother and sister decided to go out.
Grandma Jiang gave both of them a pot of sugar water.
"Remember to be careful, especially around big trees. Don't act impulsively, okay?"
Jiang Shu agreed with a bitter face.
Doesn't anyone in the family know that someone else was the one who acted impulsively? Don't let his loud and boisterous manner fool you; he's actually quite timid and cautious in his actions.
On the other hand, his sister seems reliable and steady, but she often does things that terrify people.
The wooden cart at home was taken by Jiang Shan and his family to move wood.
The brother and sister set off with minimal luggage.
Just as they were about to push the door open, Jiang Jun pushed out in a wheelchair.
"Wait a minute A-Zhi."
"I modified some unused appliances from home into a jet. If you encounter danger, just fire this. The colored mist it sprays out is similar to the signal flares from the base, but it can't be fired very far."
Jiang Shu was stunned. "Brother, your skills are amazing! You can even modify this?"
Jiang Jun smiled and said, "Anyway, I don't have much to do right now, so I'll just make some little gadgets."
Jiang Shu thought his brother was being too modest; it was just a small trinket.
He remembered that the equipment used to launch signal flares at the base was all rented, and each signal flare cost 50 points.
Does his brother know how many points he saved for them with this move?
Jiang Shu looked at the thing in his hand that looked almost like an air pump and was filled with admiration.
"Big brother, how about you modify my weapon for me next time?" Jiang Shu patted his bone staff.
Jiang Jun glanced at it and replied with a smile.
Before they left, Wu Xiu gave each of them a straw hat, saying, "Your second aunt and I made these last night, so you won't get sunburned."
When Jiang Zhi put on the hat, the large brim made her face look even smaller.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Jiang Zhi felt much cooler.
After preparing everything, the brother and sister went out and headed straight for the west gate.
Last night, Jiang Zhi informed Niu Dali and asked him to wait for them at the city gate this morning.
Sure enough, Jiang Zhi and her companion soon met Niu Dali carrying a hoe at the city gate.
Wanting to know about the extra red warning points as they approached the dangerous river, Jiang Zhi asked Niu Dali again, "Brother Dali, we might encounter danger in the collection area this time. Are you sure you want to help us?"
Niu Dali chuckled and said, "My wife said that since you helped us, it's only right that we help you back."
Jiang Zhi nodded and said nothing more.
The brother and sister took Niu Dali straight to the No. 3 collection area.
Jiang Zhi doesn't know if it's because she ate low-toxicity cotton aphids, but she feels that her physical condition is getting better and better, and she is much stronger. She can even keep up with Niu Dali's pace.
To Jiang Zhi's surprise, her brother Jiang Shu, who used to be a weakling, was able to keep up with them this time.
Jiang Zhi: "Brother, aren't you tired?"
Jiang Shu scratched his head. "I'm not tired. It's just walking."
Jiang Zhi didn't feel tired at all; she felt quite at ease.
She seemed to be deep in thought.
Could it really be the effect of low-toxin foods?
Jiang Zhi didn't dwell on it too much, and the three of them quickly returned to the No. 3 collection area.
As soon as I entered, I heard someone ask, "Did you go to the sugarcane field?"
"We went there, but they only caught those with moderate levels of toxins. Was what those people said true? Or were they lying?"
"Me too. Those people said some people got rich after catching bugs. I've been doing this for two or three days and I've only caught a few moderately venomous ones. It's such a waste of my time!"
"Sigh, we've definitely been scammed. Forget it, I'm not going tomorrow. If we can't find food, my family will starve to death."
The person speaking didn't notice Jiang Zhi and the others, and their voices gradually faded into the distance.
The ginger tree and the ginger branch looked at each other.
It seems they didn't lose out by not coming back to catch cotton aphids; listening to those people, the chances of winning later have been much lower.
They were incredibly lucky to encounter so many moderately toxic cotton aphids that day.
Jiang Shu asked, "Shall we go fishing today?"
Jiang Zhi took out the map and looked at it.
They had been to most of the No. 3 gathering area, and apart from the depths of the cave she had discovered before, there was nowhere else to gather anything of value.
She turned to Niu Dali and asked, "Brother Dali, have you been here before?"
Niu Dali nodded, "I've been here with my wife before."
"Are there any other places where it's relatively easy to collect food with moderate levels of toxins?"
Niu Dali thought for a moment: "My wife once said that there aren't many good things here. Even if you work yourself to death all day, you can only find enough to eat for one or two days."
Jiang Zhi understood, and she believed Liu Xu's words to some extent.
Although she hadn't had much contact with the other party, Jiang Zhi knew that Liu Xu was a very shrewd woman.
Jiang Zhi immediately decided, "Brother, let's go fishing. If we have time later, we can pick some wild vegetables to take back."
Jiang Shu nodded.
The three walked towards the upper reaches of the dangerous river, intending to go downhill and scan the area bit by bit.
Few people come to the area near the riverbank, and it gets overgrown with weeds in just a few days.
Niu Dali volunteered to lead the way, while Jiang Shu and Jiang Zhi followed behind.
Jiang Shu felt a pang of envy as he watched Niu Dali effortlessly knock down large swaths of mutated weeds of equal height.
"Dali, were you born this strong?"
As Niu Dali swept the weeds with a hoe, he replied, "I was very strong when I was a child, but I also ate a lot."
He was born with superhuman strength—a power that so many people dream of.
Seeing Jiang Shu's envy, Jiang Zhi asked, "Brother, haven't you felt your strength increasing these past few days?"
Jiang Shu understood what she meant, "There might be a tiny bit, right? Do cotton aphids have that effect?"
Jiang Zhi: "I don't know, but I'm a bit stronger than before."
Jiang Shu curled his lip: "How about we have a competition?"
Jiang Zhi also planned to have an arm wrestling match with him.
You wouldn't believe it until you compare; after one round, Jiang Shu actually lost to his sister.
This made him feel like the sky was falling.
"Ah Zhi, how did you suddenly become so strong?!"
Jiang Zhi clenched her fist with great interest, "Perhaps my body's potential has been unlocked."
If she wasn't mistaken, the reason those mutants needed to consume low-toxin foods was to unlock their body's potential.
Jiang Shu didn't take Jiang Zhi's explanation seriously, and consoled himself, "Oh well, maybe after I ate it, I put all my skill points into my luck stat?"
He could only brainwash himself—losing to his own sister wasn't shameful.
As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp explosion suddenly rang in Jiang Zhi's mind.
Jiang Zhi was startled.
Only after realizing that she was the only one who heard it did she realize that it was the sound coming from the terrain dashboard in her mind.
When did this dashboard start issuing warnings on its own?
Suppressing her doubts, Jiang Zhi turned on her phone and saw a huge red warning dot appear about four or five hundred meters away from them.
It is in the middle of the river.
For some reason, Jiang Zhi felt a sudden pang of anxiety as she looked at the large red dot. She stepped forward and grabbed Niu Dali, saying, "Brother Dali, let's go around this area."
Just as Niu Dali was about to ask why, Jiang Zhi pulled him back.
The three of them ran back a kilometer before Jiang Zhi let go of their hands.
Ginger Tree: "A-Zhi?"
Jiang Zhi knew what he wanted to ask. She wanted to check the dashboard, but she knew it wasn't the right time, so she could only nod to Jiang Shu and say, "It's a big one."
That feeling of palpitation was the same as when I encountered a herd of rhinoceroses before.
This dangerous river truly lived up to its reputation. If the dashboard hadn't flashed a red warning, something terrible would have happened if they had stepped into the mutated creature's sensing range.
Jiang Shu's face paled upon hearing this. "So, are we still going to fish today?"
Jiang Zhi didn't answer, "Let's walk down and take a look."
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