Chapter 55
The drying oven wasn't very big, and with so many vegetables, it was hard to say how long it would take to dry them all. So, Grandma Jiang called out, "Aying, you dry all the spinach. I'll start the fire first; that way it'll be faster."
Yuan Ying responded and put down her work to put the spinach in a winnowing basket to dry.
Grandma Jiang put a few thin branches in the iron bucket, and after it caught fire, she put in the chopped firewood. Once the fire was big, she put in the first batch of spinach.
Since it was the first time for everyone to use it, and they didn't know how to control the fire, Jiang Jun stayed by their side and took notes.
Wu Xiu: "A-Jun, let me do it."
Jiang Jun shook his head, "I need to see where improvements are needed."
Currently, it would be best to have a thermometer to control the temperature.
The first batch of dried spinach was quickly produced.
When I pulled it out, the dried spinach was wrinkled, dark green, and looked like crumpled old paper.
Most of the leaves became hard and crumbly, crumbling into dust with a single pinch, and smelled of burnt dried vegetables when smelled up close.
However, the leaves around the perimeter were still elastic and moist.
After looking around, Jiang Jun knew where the problem lay.
This simple drying box does not heat evenly enough, which can easily lead to a situation where the middle is dried but the sides still have moisture.
After Jiang Jun wrote it down, he replaced the iron mesh in the middle with an iron plate and removed the thermometer from the heater that Ye Qingyun had kept and installed it.
The dried vegetables produced in the second round were significantly better than the first time.
Yuan Ying took out a piece of [something] and soaked it in water. Seeing that it swelled up to about half its original size, she felt relieved.
She happily said to Grandma Jiang, "Mom, this method works. This way, even in winter, we can still eat fresh vegetables."
The fruit is too expensive, so they plan to put it in a refrigerator, and try to preserve the vegetables.
Ye Qingyun was also busy.
After washing more than a dozen large eggplants and dozens of kilograms of green peppers, cut them into sections.
Then, pour the mixture into a pan in batches and stir-fry over low heat until the skin wrinkles. Remove the skin and place it in a bowl to steam for a few minutes. Once cooled, peel off the wrinkled skin, add the chopped chives and seasonings, stir, and finally pour in hot oil.
Once coated with oil, the eggplant immediately becomes shiny and glossy.
The aroma of charred green peppers and a hint of spiciness wafted out along with the fragrance of oil.
The tangy aroma of chopped chives mixed with sour fruit juice is incredibly appetizing.
This jar of vegetable sauce can save a lot of space if you put it in an earthenware pot.
Of the 100 jin of green peppers and eggplants, only 70 jin of sauce was produced. Ye Qingyun packed it into 10-jin earthenware jars, waiting for the refrigerated display case to be put in when it returned.
Two days ago, Xu Na, Yuan Ying, and the others had already selected all the cotton seeds for the family's cotton plant; the next step was to gin the cotton.
Grandpa Jiang shamelessly went to borrow a cotton gin.
In this kind of weather, the cotton bow would have been covered in dust long ago, and the man never expected anyone would borrow it.
That was Jiang Dafa, an old friend from Jiangjia Village. Before the Great Catastrophe, his family made quilts for people.
That cotton-gluing bow was used his whole life. Back when conditions weren't so bad, he insisted on dismantling the bow and moving it to the base.
Jiang Dafa's family had told him countless times to throw away or sell the annoying cotton bow, but he absolutely refused.
This old man has a genuine affection for the tools that have been with him for most of his life.
Grandpa Jiang didn't let anyone suffer a loss; he gave Jiang Dafa 200 points as rent for ten days.
Jiang Dafa was very happy, never expecting that something his family considered trash could actually generate some revenue.
Grandpa Jiang and Jiang Wen brought the cotton bow back.
Once the cotton gin was assembled, the yard was clearly not big enough.
Ye Qingyun sighed, "Our house is still too small. We should buy more land when we have the chance."
Putting everything else aside, neither of their children is married yet.
If we get married, this 300-square-meter space won't be enough to house so many people.
With no other option, everyone had to move the half-finished cabinet that Jiang He had made to a corner.
Yuan Ying looked at the dirty parts of the cotton gin with some worry, "We don't know how to use this thing."
Only Grandpa Jiang and Jiang He in the whole family know how to use this thing.
Jiang He is extremely busy and has already set off for the No. 4 collection area.
Before leaving, he told Yuan Ying that he would teach them how to use it when he returned in the evening, but unexpectedly, Grandpa Jiang planned to do it himself.
Yuan Ying was afraid that the old man would overwork himself, so she quickly stopped him:
"Dad, let's wait until Ah He comes back before we do it. There's no rush."
He laughed and said, "Let me do it. You women can't handle the skills of cotton carding."
Ye Qingyun asked worriedly, "Dad, can your body handle it?"
Grandpa Jiang: "Don't worry, I'm in good health. I don't know if it's because I ate those low-level toxins, but I feel like my body is about the same as it was more than ten years ago. If this trend continues, I can work for another ten years."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
There was another urgent reason that Grandpa Jiang didn't mention.
If this trend continues, once the base announces the arrival of winter, the price of cotton gins will definitely rise, and it will be hard to say whether they will still be available for rent.
Therefore, we must make the most of every second.
Grandpa Jiang assembled the flintlock bow exactly as he remembered it.
Then, I moved the table out and pieced together the old bed boards that I no longer needed and put them on it.
"Ah Ying, you should spread out all the cotton."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ying and Xu Na took out several snakeskin bags filled with cotton and laid them out one by one.
Grandpa Jiang fastened a wide belt and tied a long, flexible bamboo pole to the back of the belt. A rope was hung from the end of the bamboo pole and tied to the middle of the cotton bow, so that the bow was suspended in front of him.
It was the first time for Jiang Sui and his sister, along with Niu Xiaolu, to see cotton carding. They found it very novel and surrounded the old man, asking him all sorts of questions.
"Great-Grandpa, what's that on your lower back?"
Grandpa Jiang laughed and said, "These are bamboo poles, which my great-grandfather bought at the base store—you guys stay out of the way, or you'll suffer if you run into them."
Grandma Jiang pulled Jiang Si aside and said, "You silly kids, come and help me spread out the vegetables."
Once the wooden board was covered with cotton, Grandpa Jiang gripped the bow with his left hand and rhythmically struck the bowstring with a wooden mallet in his right.
The vibrations from the tapping caused the cotton to loosen up little by little, with some even floating into the air.
This process is slow and physically demanding. Not only do you have to constantly turn the cotton over to ensure that every part is fluffed up until the cotton is completely fluffy and even, but you also have to keep changing the direction of the cotton.
Grandpa Jiang is getting old, so he had to rest after working for a short time.
Yuan Ying and Wu Xiu volunteered to try, but they were exhausted after a short while. Both were used to farm work and couldn't keep going for long.
Cotton carding is a highly physical job that requires both physical strength and skill.
Grandma Jiang felt sorry for her husband and gritted her teeth to make him a low-toxicity brown sugar and sour fruit drink.
After an entire afternoon, only two beds were made.
After the cotton was carded, Yuan Ying and Xu Na were responsible for arranging and flattening it, then spreading it into a rectangle about two meters by one and a half meters.
Not only that, but the areas that are too thick or too thin also need to be adjusted to be even.
Then, following Grandpa Jiang's instructions, the two of them laid yarn on top of and below the cotton, and gently pressed the cotton with a wooden board, little by little, from one end to the other, so that the cotton and yarn would stick together.
After doing all this, lay the prepared fabric flat on the table and place the arranged cotton wool in the middle of the cloth.
The next task was needlework, something that Yuan Ying and her mother-in-law were good at.
Sew the fabric and quilt together, and you've made a quilt for two people.
The whole process is very complicated and requires patience.
Grandma Jiang came to visit a few times, but in the end she went back to doing her own work.
There's nothing I can do; I'm not cut out for it, so I won't cause any trouble.
The family is making preparations for winter in an orderly manner.
On the other side, Jiang Zhi and her brother, along with Niu Dali and his wife, set off early in the morning with baskets on their backs for the No. 14 collection area.
This time they didn't bring the cart.
The base hasn't been peaceful these past few days; the handcart is too eye-catching and easily becomes a target.
Adhering to the principle of "better to avoid trouble than to cause trouble," the four decided to bring more snakeskin bags.
Collection area 14 and collection area 8 are in the same direction.
Even though rumors had started circulating in the base that the number of people going out of the city to collect resources was several times higher than usual, there were still fewer people heading towards the south gate.
The reason why Jiang Zhi and her brother went to Nancheng this time was because of what Liu Xu said.
“I went to the No. 14 collection area when it first opened. The yield of wild fruits and herbs there was not high, so few people went there.”
Jiang Shu: "Then we probably won't find anything to eat over there, right?"
Collection areas No. 8 and No. 14 are not far apart and have similar terrain. When they went to collection area No. 8 to pick mushrooms before, they didn't have much of a harvest, so Jiang Shu didn't have a good impression of the collection area located here.
Liu Xu smiled slightly, "Our destination this time is not Collection Area 14."
Jiang Shu was taken aback. "If we don't go to the No. 14 collection area, where should we go? There's even less food in the No. 8 collection area."
Liu Xu said, "There was a gap in the boundary line of the No. 14 collection area. I got lost and accidentally walked out of there. There was a path leading to the mountains."
Jiang Shu was taken aback: "Sister Liu Xu, you're too bold."
Keep in mind that willow catkins are just ordinary people; they've only just left the collection area...
Even Jiang Zhi couldn't help but look over.
Liu Xu was a little embarrassed. "At the time, I didn't know I had left the collection area. There were a lot of wild strawberries there, and I was so excited that I didn't pay attention to the time. I stayed there for half an hour before I realized something was wrong. But in that half hour, I picked more than ten kilograms of edible wild strawberries."
Jiang Zhi pondered, "From what you've said, that place is relatively safe, and the shipment rate is high."
Liu Xu nodded. "If I hadn't been scared later, I probably could have picked more. And, most importantly, I saw a lot of grapevines over there."
Jiang Shu gasped: "Sister Liu Xu, you mean—grapevines?"
Liu Xu: "Yes, I'm sure I didn't see wrong. It's a pity that there were no fruits on those grapevines back then, so I wanted to go and take a look this time."
To quickly stockpile enough food, relying solely on daily gathering is far from sufficient.
Even if Niu Dali is incredibly strong, he can only bring back so much food each day.
The only way is to find the most valuable food, bring it back, and then exchange it for cheaper grain.
Jiang Zhi: "Okay, you lead the way."
Liu Xu was once again moved by Jiang Zhi's unwavering response.
It is important to know that crossing the boundary of the collection area is extremely dangerous, and even mutants must be very careful.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "Don't worry, no matter what, my brother and I are mutants now, and Brother Dali's strength is no less than that of a level two mutant. If we really encounter any danger, we can just run away."
Collection area 14 is closer to the Qiling Mountains than collection area 8.
The fog on the road absorbed most of the sunlight, and stepping into the No. 14 collection area even made people feel cool.
The mutant guarding the entrance glanced at them and muttered, "I don't know if you're lucky or what, but you managed to get here on the last day."
Jiang Shu, with his sharp ears, immediately asked, "Brother, what do you mean by the last day?"
The mutated member of the patrol team said indifferently, "It doesn't matter if I tell you or not, but Collection Zones 8 and 14 will be closed starting tomorrow."
Liu Xu's heart tightened. "Why?"
"You can probably feel that the temperature here is off, right? Since about half a month ago, the temperature around here has been dropping every day. The closer you get to the Qiling Mountains, the lower the temperature becomes. You should be careful when you go in later, otherwise you might catch a cold and get a headache or fever, which would be quite a hassle for you."
The three exchanged glances, thanked each other, registered, and then went inside.
Once they were far from the entrance, Liu Xu said, "The temperature here is indeed much lower than when I came last time."
Even without her saying it, Jiang Zhi could sense the abnormality—because they were too close to the Qiling Mountains, from their angle, they could already see that the mountainside not far away was covered with white frost.
As Liu Xu had described, the No. 14 collection area was indeed very dense with weeds, so dense that the path was invisible.
Moreover, due to the low temperature, the leaves were covered with dew.
In no time, all four of them were soaked through.
Fortunately, everyone wore long sleeves to avoid the sun, so there was no embarrassing situation.
There are also many more insects here than in other collection areas.
With each step, a large number of fist-sized insects flew away.
Some of the wild grasses had leaves as sharp as knives, and even the ox-like plants that were clearing the way ahead were cut in several places.
Finally, having no other choice, the group had to slow down.
After an hour, they had only made it more than 2,000 meters. Liu Xu couldn't help but get anxious. "Dali, you're moving too slowly. If this keeps up, we won't be able to find any food today!"
Seeing his wife getting anxious, Niu Dali's hands also started to move more quickly.
After a loud shout, Niu Dali used his brute force to dig out a large chunk of mud and rolled it in front of him like a ball.
Jiang Zhi: ...Is this what they mean by "anger for a beauty"?
I must say, this method is much more efficient than before.
The weeds blocking their way were trampled over, and the four of them arrived at the boundary line Liu Xu had mentioned in just half an hour.
But the area was already covered with weeds two or three meters high.
Jiang Shu swept it with a bone stick.
A swarm of mosquitoes was startled.
But after they took a few steps forward, the pile of weeds still seemed endless.
Jiang Shu couldn't help but ask, "Sister Liu Xu, is this really the place?"
Liu Xu frowned, looked around, pushed aside the weeds next door and took a few steps forward, then said happily, "It's this way!"
Upon hearing this, Niu Dali rolled a clod of mud over and, sure enough, saw a narrow crevice.
Jiang Shu was quite surprised: "This place isn't covered by weeds at all!"
Liu Xu smiled and said, "When I left before, I put a vine on each side to block these weeds. I didn't expect that the vine would actually grow this way."
She had only intended to give it a try, but it turned out that these mutated wild vines were incredibly resilient.
Looking out from the border, the path is at least a hundred meters long. Beyond that, it's shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see clearly. "Let's go in then."
Jiang Shu spotted it immediately.
His eyes widened. "Ah, Ah Zhi! There are so many grapes inside!!"
Everyone was stunned, and then a look of surprise appeared on their faces.
Jiang Zhi: "What's the situation inside?"
Liu Xu's face also showed an expectant expression.
Jiang Shu swallowed hard: "Anyway, it's just lots and lots of grapes..."
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but roll her eyes.
That's as good as saying nothing at all.
Is there anything special about it?
Although she didn't find anything special on her dashboard, the coverage of this cheat wasn't as wide as Jiang Shu's field of vision, so Jiang Zhi had gotten used to asking again.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu finally shifted his gaze from the grapes covering the hillsides.
He searched for a while and found three mutated foxes at the bottom of the mountain. They weren't very big and were probably cubs.
Liu Xu froze, then quickly asked, "How far are they from us?"
Jiang Shu looked at it carefully again, and then said, "It's about three thousand meters. Those fox cubs are sleeping now. They're not even as big as the old dogs. Judging from the size of the cave, there should be two adult foxes left. They may have gone out hunting."
Jiang Zhi frowned: "If that's the case, we need to hurry. Brother, use your ability to observe the surroundings every fifteen minutes."
Jiang Shu patted his chest: "No problem."
Liu Xu hesitated, "Maybe... we shouldn't go? What if those two adult foxes come back..."
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "Fortune favors the bold. If you want high returns, you can't do without taking some risks."
She looked at Niu Dali and said, "Brother Dali, if those two foxes come back while we're picking, we have to escape back to the gathering area as soon as possible. Remember to take Sister Liuxu with you then."
"Also, when we go inside, the number of us cannot exceed 2 meters."
Niu Dali nodded firmly: "Azhi, I understand."
After agreeing on the rules, Jiang Shu pulled out the large scissors that Jiang Jun had modified for them and began to swiftly cut the outgrown weeds.
Soon, the group saw wild grapes growing wildly all over the mountain. Large vines twined around shrubs and climbed rocks, and bunches of green and purple wild grapes were hidden in the leaves the size of washbasins, so many that it made their hearts race.
Jiang Shu pinched his cheek. "A-Zhi, am I dreaming?"
If we could buy all these grapes, it would be enough to purchase more than ten plots of land.
The fruit grown in the base rarely reaches ordinary people; it almost always circulates among the wealthy and powerful.
Even the base store only sells mutated vegetables; almost no one has ever seen mutated fruits.
The fact that Jiang Zhi and her brother were able to buy those mutated fruits from Tan Lei was already incredibly lucky.
"If only we had a spacecraft, we'd definitely make a fortune!"
Jiang Zhi glanced at him and said, "Stop talking nonsense and get started."
So many opportunities are right in front of them, but they can only watch helplessly. It's heartbreaking to think about.
Each grapevine bears several bunches of wild grapes.
A bunch contains 8-10 grapes, each about the size of an egg, with a translucent, purplish-black skin that is shiny and round.
Liu Xu looked excited and examined a wild grape nearby.
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
Shipped!!
Jiang Shuli's eyes widened immediately.
Liu Xu smiled, her eyes crinkling.
Jiang Shu: "Sister Liu Xu, can I have one?"
He picked the willow catkins and handed them to Jiang Shu, saying, "Here, try them and see what they taste like."
Jiang Shu peeled the skin off the wild grape. To his surprise, the skin was surprisingly thick despite its translucent appearance. The flesh inside was a bright amber color, and the juice was as thick as honey. With one bite, the sweet and sour taste of the grape shot straight to his head. The juice was like freshly squeezed juice from before. Jiang Shu hurriedly sucked it into his mouth, but a lot still dripped down his chin.
Willow catkins: "How does it taste?"
Jiang Shu swallowed the last bite before saying, "It's so delicious! I've never eaten such delicious fruit before."
Although the blueberries I bought at home are delicious, these mutated wild grapes are different. Even after I swallow them, the refreshing grape flavor lingers in my mouth.
Jiang Shu even felt that his breath smelled like grapes.
Upon hearing this, Liu Xu was even happier.
She clutched her pounding heart, feeling so happy she was about to faint.
But the thought that this was the last day to harvest grapes calmed her down.
"We need to find a way to pick more of these wonderful things."
Jiang Shu nodded vigorously.
Without further ado, the four of them began their tests with great enthusiasm.
They were like ants that had fallen into a honey pot, with grapes within easy reach and the constant beeping of the testing equipment.
Jiang Zhi plucked a bunch of grapes: "Drip—highly toxic, not edible."
Jiang Zhi:......
Undeterred, she tested the entire bunch of grapes, only to find that not a single one was edible.
Jiang Zhi's smile cracked.
These grapes smell so good, how can I not eat them?!
She turned to look at the ginger tree beside her.
Her brother quickly tested one: "Ding—moderate toxin level, can be consumed in moderation."
As soon as the test ended, her brother couldn't wait to stuff the grapes into his mouth.
The same thing happened to several of them, and Jiang Shu ate them with great relish, wishing he could stuff his mouth full.
Jiangzhi: ...So you're treating this place like a self-service fruit picking orchard, aren't you?
Niu Dali and Liu Xu went even further.
Almost all of the substances detected were of moderate to high toxicity, and some were even of low toxicity.
Before long, the basket was filled with several bunches of edible wild grapes.
Jiang Zhi:......
She took a deep breath.
She refused to believe it; surely she could find a single grape she could eat!
She reluctantly picked off another string of tests.
Fortunately, this time, after detecting several highly toxic grapes—
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, consumption in moderation is recommended."
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, consumption in moderation is recommended."
Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, her luck wasn't completely bad.
Why not eat it if it's free?
Following Jiang Shu's example, Jiang Zhi popped a ginger tree directly into her mouth.
In an instant, the sweet taste of grapes filled my mouth.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but widen her eyes—
The mutated wild grapes were a hundred times tastier than the ordinary grapes she had ever eaten before!
Jiang Shu glanced at Jiang Zhi and chuckled.
"How is it? Is it delicious?"
Jiang Zhi nodded: "It's delicious. Pick more so that Mom and the others can have some too."
"Needless to say, if we had it—"
Before Jiang Shu could finish speaking, Jiang Zhi pinched him – “Enough, don’t say another word!”
The more I talk about it, the more upset I get.
She angrily picked another bunch of grapes—"Drip—low level of toxin, edible."
I initially thought only one or two were low-toxicity, but after a whole string of tests, it turned out they were all low-toxicity!
Jiangzhi couldn't help but wonder how much money she could make if she sold this bunch.
It took the four of them two hours to fill their respective baskets to the brim.
To prevent the grapes from being crushed, the group placed grape leaves on top of each bunch of grapes.
Seeing how cautious Niu Dali and his wife were, Jiang Shu couldn't help but say, "Sister Liuxu, you should eat some too. We can't bring back much anyway, so why not have some?"
Jiang Shu was filled with admiration for the two of them; they were able to remain unmoved even with delicious food in front of them.
A saint!
Liu Xu was a little embarrassed. "I'm used to being frugal, and I always think about bringing it back for my children to eat or to sell for money."
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "You should try it too, it's really delicious. We can't take all these grapes with us, so we might as well eat more to make our money back."
Willow catkins: "You're right."
She gave a few of the newly detected wild grapes, which contained moderate toxins, to Niu Dali.
The couple took a small, cautious bite.
The refreshing taste of grapes instantly chased away all fatigue.
Liu Xu exclaimed excitedly, "It's so delicious! I don't know how long it's been since I've had anything this good!"
Niu Dali nodded repeatedly in agreement: "My wife is right."
The tastier the wild grapes were, the more regrettable it was that the four of them couldn't bring them all back.
Although the shipment rate is not high, the amount of grapes from this mountain that can be eaten is quite considerable after all the tests were done.
Even at noon, the foot of the mountain, shrouded in mist, remained cool.
This gave us a lot more time to harvest.
It took the four of them another four hours to fill four burlap sacks with grapes, and it was already three o'clock in the afternoon.
Looking at the grapes that were still mostly untested, the group felt helpless.
Even if you pick them, you can't take them back with you...
Jiang Shu was extremely unwilling: "Are we just going back like this?"
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, "Brother Dali is strong, let's pack one more bag and head back—"
Before Jiang Zhi could finish speaking, the dashboard in her head started frantically warning: "Warning! Warning! Level 4 mutated beast detected in the scanning range. Please take cover! Please take cover!"
Without thinking, Jiang Zhi shouted "Lie down!" and pulled Liu Xu down to lie on the ground.
Seeing this, Jiang Shu and Niu Dali quickly lay down as well.
A few seconds later, two fiery red mutant foxes, each the size of a calf, flew overhead, their toes barely touching the grapevines.
Jiang Zhi tensed up, gripping the mutated tortoise shell, a special prop, tightly in her hand.
The two mutated foxes stopped on a grapevine a hundred meters away from them, as if they were riding the wind.
Surprisingly, their size did not damage the grape leaves.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but shake her head and look over.
Upon closer inspection, they met the mutated fox's eyes, which were as clear as glass beads.
--not good!
Jiang Zhi instantly activated the tortoise shell in her hand, and a transparent protective shield enveloped the four of them, centered on Jiang Zhi.
The next second, a gust of wind blew out from the fox's mouth.
It instantly blew away the surrounding grapevines, quickly forming a tornado that flew far away.
Fortunately, the people and the items inside the protective shield remained completely still.
At the same time, Jiang Zhi could feel that one-third of her mental energy had been consumed.
It seems that withstanding the attack from those two foxes took more energy than expected.
Seeing that Jiang Zhi looked unwell, Jiang Shu asked anxiously, "A-Zhi, are you alright?"
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "I'm fine."
She met the eyes of the two foxes again.
This time, she noticed the scrutiny and wariness in the other person's eyes.
She bit her lip and stood up.
Liu Xu was startled, "A-Zhi—"
Jiangzhi made a reassuring gesture.
She raised her voice and said to the two foxes, "We mean no harm."
The two foxes didn't react.
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips.
Although she still had trump cards like the white eagle feather and the trumpet flower, her opponent was clearly also a wind-type ability user, so the ability she used might not be effective.
Most mutated beasts of level 3 and above are highly intelligent.
Jiang Zhi decided to negotiate first, and only resort to fighting if that failed.
Jiangzhi: "We just want to pick some grapes, let's go now!"
The two foxes continued to stare at them without reacting.
Niu Dali asked nervously, "Azhi, what should we do now?"
Jiang Zhi gritted her teeth, "Grab your things, let's retreat slowly! Dali, protect Sister Liuxu!"
Niu Dali carried all the baskets on his shoulders, Liu Xu was weak and could only carry a bag of grapes, and Jiang Shu carried the bag of ginger branches as well.
After getting ready, the group faced the mutated fox and retreated step by step.
When the two foxes saw that the group was about to leave, they moved their paws, which terrified them.
Fortunately, the other party only took two steps forward and did not attack again.
Jiangzhi channeled her spiritual energy into the tortoise shell throughout the process, retreating with trepidation at every step.
Fortunately, neither of the two mutated foxes continued their attack in the end.
After the four returned to the defensive line, the mutated fox licked the fur on its paws and turned back.
The four watched them walk away, and their hearts immediately settled down.
The willow catkins collapsed to the ground.
"It's...it's terrifying..." Her voice was even trembling.
Thinking about how she had managed to escape unscathed from this place, Liu Xu felt incredibly awesome.
Jiang Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. She guessed that they had stumbled into the territory of these two mutated foxes.
The other side was also testing them. If they hadn't withstood that attack, they would probably have been torn apart and swallowed whole by now.
Jiang Zhi: "Let's go back."
Jiang Shu couldn't help but use his ability to look towards the fox den.
Seeing the two adult foxes bite off several bunches of grapes and feed them to the fox cubs, one couldn't help but say, "These grapes are actually food for those mutated foxes. Don't they eat meat?"
Jiang Zhi also found it strange. Logically speaking, these foxes, being so close to the gathering area, should have attacked humans for food.
However, she had not heard any news about the mutated beasts attacking the No. 14 collection area.
Regardless, these two level 4 mutated beasts are so close to the gathering area and the base that they are bound to cause trouble.
The four jogged back to the base.
Only when they saw the familiar city walls did the four of them relax.
Liu Xu was still a little weak from the fright when she heard Jiang Zhi say:
"Sister Liuxu, I want to report the fact that there are mutated foxes here to the base."
Liu Xu was stunned, seemingly not expecting Jiang Zhi to have such a plan.
"I'm fine with it, Ah Zhi. Do whatever you want, I'll listen to you."
Jiang Zhi shook her head: "You found this place first, so we still need your permission."
She paused, then said, "I have my reasons for doing this. It's hard to say whether these two mutated foxes will pose a threat to the base after winter comes. Informing the base in advance might reduce some trouble for them."
She wasn't a saint, but as a member of the base, if she encountered anything that threatened the base's security, even for her own sake and that of her family, Jiang Zhi felt she should report it to the base.
After all, when the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact?
Liu Xu smiled and said, "I have no objection. Anyway, we won't be able to come here again after today. Even if it reopens in the future, I won't dare to come again without you, so you can do whatever you want."
Jiangzhi was touched by Liuxu's trust in her.
She dialed Luo Yonghui's number.
"Jiang girl, what's wrong now?"
Jiang Zhi didn't immediately mention the mutated fox, but instead said, "My friend discovered a large vineyard near the gathering area."
There was silence on the other end for a long time, so long that Jiang Zhi thought the connection had been lost, when suddenly someone shouted, "Holy crap!"
Jiang Zhi:...?
"Jiang girl, what kind of luck do you have! You actually found a huge vineyard? Did I hear you wrong or did you misunderstand?"
"...You heard me right and I didn't say anything wrong. I can tell you where it is, but I want a reward."
Luo Yonghui: ...This girl is as direct as ever.
"Cough... What benefits do you want?"
Jiang Zhi glanced at Liu Xu and said directly, "I want four hundred catties of dried meat, two thousand five hundred catties of grain, and three to five sets of winter coats."
Luo Yonghui was taken aback. His first reaction was, "Jiang girl, did you already know that winter was coming?"
Jiang Zhi did not deny it.
Will you agree to my request?
"Agree! Of course I'd agree!" Only a fool wouldn't. Luo Yonghui didn't dwell on how the other party knew winter was coming; he assumed it was a leak from the logistics department. "But I need to know exactly how big this vineyard you mentioned is?"
Jiang Zhi: "It's only about seven or eight acres."
Luo Yonghui: "...Not Jiang Yatou, do you even know how much is one mu?"
If there really is such a large vineyard, after the base harvests the grapes, sending people to the base in the capital to exchange them for grain would be a great achievement.
Jiang Zhi: "At least I used to be a college student."
Luo Yonghui readily agreed, "Alright, if there really is such a place, I will definitely give it to you as promised. Give me the address."
Jiang Zhi gave an address, then casually added, "Oh, by the way, we seemed to see a few mutated foxes when we left; they had wind-type abilities."
Upon hearing that the location was around Collection Area 14, Luo Yonghui was somewhat interested, but his expression immediately turned serious when he heard about the mutated fox with wind-type abilities.
"You mean, this vineyard is very likely the territory of those mutated foxes?"
"Very likely."
As for why there have been no attacks on the humans in the gathering area, one possibility is that the area around the gathering area has been sprinkled with powder that the mutated beasts hate. Another possibility is that the No. 14 gathering area is covered with weeds and insects, and is close to the Qiling Mountains, so most of the base's residents don't like to come here, which greatly reduces the probability of being attacked.
Luo Yonghui took a deep breath.
"I'll send someone to check it out right now."
After hanging up the phone, seeing Liu Xu's curious gaze, Jiang Zhi explained, "He's a squad leader from the exploration team."
She also had her own selfish motives in exposing the vineyard to Luo Yonghui.
As Liu Xu said, that vineyard wouldn't always bear fruit, and Jiang Zhi had considered the best course of action rather than watching so many grapes slip through her fingers.
First, Luo Yonghui had taken care of the siblings before, and after several interactions, Jiang Zhi felt he was a decent person, especially since he was a squad leader. Having him report to the base and secure this credit would maximize their benefits. If he benefited, he would likely take better care of them in the future.
Secondly, as a squad leader, Luo Yonghui was able to mobilize the amount of grain she requested.
If they reported it directly to the base, they might just be easily dismissed with some small favors.
Liu Xu smiled and said, "That's good too. That place is too close to the collection area. We don't know when those mutated foxes will hurt people. It's better to report it to the vanguard team to handle."
Although Jiangzhi knew that Liuxu wouldn't ask for anything, she still felt she should make things clear.
“The grain and coats I asked Captain Luo for were all for you. You were the ones who discovered the vineyard, so the reward should belong to you.”
Liu Xu opened her mouth as if to say something, but Jiang Zhi interrupted her, saying, "Sister Liu Xu, don't refuse. You still lack supplies for the winter. This is a good opportunity."
Liu Xu still disagreed: "Without you, Dali and I wouldn't dare to go. The three of us can't possibly eat all the food you asked for. We should each take half, or I won't take it."
Seeing Liu Xu's insistence, Jiang Zhi was getting a bit of a headache. "Sister Liu Xu, Brother Dali has such a big appetite, that amount of grain isn't much for you..."
When her husband was mentioned, Liu Xu hesitated for a moment, but still said, "We'll take at most 100 jin of dried meat, and split the rest equally."
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you can have all the dried meat, we'll take a third of the grain, and you can give me an extra bag of grapes."
Liu Xu wanted to offer more, but Jiang Shu interrupted her with an "Ouch!": "You guys are really something, treating this like a business transaction? You're haggling over the price. Sister Liu Xu, don't offer any more. Listen to what A-Zhi just said about how to divide it. Brother Dali has a big appetite, so you can have all the jerky. We'll just take some grain and grapes."
Seeing that the brother and sister were genuinely concerned for them, Liu Xu's eyes immediately reddened. "Azhi, Dashu... we owe you again..."
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "We are friends, helping you is also helping ourselves."
They left early today, and it wasn't closing time when they passed the meeting hall.
From afar, you could see that the entrance was crowded with people.
Those people looked somewhat panicked.
"Is it really true? My nephew, who works in the logistics department, told me that winter is just around the corner?"
"It must be true, right? Didn't you see that grain prices have gone up again today and there are rationing? The base must be doing this to ensure a stable food supply in the future."
"Shh, I'll let you in on a secret. I heard that those mutants started stockpiling food a while ago."
"What?! They already knew? Then why hasn't the base given us a definite answer yet? Are they trying to buy up all the grain on the market before we can react?"
...
There are quite a few people who share this view.
The base store next door had a long queue that stretched as far as the eye could see.
They hoarded grain and salt entirely because of rumors.
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