Chapter 105
As soon as Han Lei said this, everyone couldn't help but chime in with their own comments:
Yuan Ying: "If we can really solve this fog problem, then won't we have a place to collect samples in the future?"
Wu Xiu: "It's not that easy! Azhi and the others have been out for so long today, and they've only found some pine trees. I bet the other plants have all frozen to death!"
Grandma Jiang said, "It's good enough that we found some pine trees! At least we can have something to eat. Besides, Azhi and the others only explored a limited area today. Who knows what else they might find later? In my day, when it was cold, we could pick a lot of ferns and mushrooms on the mountain."
That's true.
After everyone had finished their discussion, Jiang Shan asked Jiang Zhi, "A-Zhi, what do you think?"
Jiang Zhi: "This fog can trap people inside and prevent them from getting lost. Conversely, those mutated creatures hidden in the mountains must also be trapped by the fog and unable to get down the mountain."
Jiang Shu asked, "Then why did Er Shun bring us down here?"
Jiang Zhi said, "Er Shun was able to bring us down smoothly today, probably because Qiu Qiu helped. Qiu Qiu's special ability is related to positioning."
The reason why Qiuqiu was able to find her in Shashi from the giant tree in the cloud nest was probably because of this ability.
It's safe to say that if it weren't for Ershun and Qiuqiu, they would probably still be trapped in the mountains today.
Jiang Shan pondered for a moment, "You mean, while these miasmas and fogs may trap people and kill them, they also indirectly protect us?"
Jiang Zhi nodded.
Everyone was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this.
If that's the case, then the plan to collect resources from the mountains will fall through again.
“However,” Jiang Zhi changed the subject, “we didn’t see any threatening mutated creatures on our way down Min’an Mountain today. The area at the foot of the mountain is relatively safe, except for the miasma. So as long as we can find a suitable boundary, there is still a chance to go up the mountain to collect them in winter.”
"Of course, there is a prerequisite—we must first understand the specific situation deep in Min'an Mountain."
But this is clearly not something that the people they have right now can accomplish.
Upon hearing this, Han Lei and the others felt a renewed sense of hope.
With so many mountains in the Qiling Mountains, if the foothills of each mountain could be cleared for ordinary people like us to collect resources, there would be hope for this winter!
Jiang Shan smiled and said, "It seems you've gathered quite a bit of information on this trip."
Jiang Zhi also laughed and said, "There is quite a lot. The miasma on the mountain will increase exponentially after 3 o'clock. Next time we go, we will have to adjust the time we set."
Jiang Shu still felt a lingering fear when he thought about those eerie mists. "When? Next time we go, should we deal with all the dead trees first?"
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "We need to wait a few days. Qiu Qiu is in a critical period of upgrading. Let's go when it's more convenient for her."
Otherwise, we might encounter a situation like today again.
Jiang Shu suddenly remembered something, "By the way, Azhi, I didn't see Sister Diao today, is she alright?"
Jiang Zhi laughed and said, "It's probably leveling up. Didn't you notice? Er Shun has already reached level 6."
Jiang Shu slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I knew it! I was wondering why you'd gotten so much bigger in just a few days. I thought the food in the mountains was too good, but it turns out you've upgraded!"
Grandma Jiang had no concept of these things. "Is Level 6 even more powerful?"
Jiang Shu proudly raised his head: "Grandma, this level 6 is much stronger than before! Remember the snake meat this big that we used to eat? That was level 6! Our Er Shun and that snake were on the same level. If it weren't for Diao Jie's mother, even Uncle Luo wouldn't have been a match for it!"
Grandma Jiang understood immediately and was overjoyed, beaming from ear to ear: "Good, good, good, this Ershun is really amazing!"
Just then, Wu Xiu, who was sorting through the harvest, suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! What are all these things?"
Everyone looked over and saw that Wu Xiu was carrying a piece of moss, and the water inside splashed everywhere.
Jiang Shu quickly stepped forward to take it, saying anxiously, "Oh dear, Auntie, you can't squeeze it like that! It's so delicate, you'll crush it!"
Seeing him take it, Wu Xiu's gaze fell back to the bag beside her. She reached out and picked up a corner to look at it, wondering, "Why is there still dirt in here?"
Just as she was about to lift it up for a closer look, Jiang Zhi suddenly remembered their haul and hurriedly ran over, calling out, "Auntie! Don't move! There's something good in this bag!"
Wu Xiu was amused.
"You two kids, what are all these things? If you don't tell me, I'm going to give you a piece of my mind."
Jiang Shu smiled sheepishly and said, "Auntie, that's not what I meant. The water in this moss is a good thing!"
He then described the condition of the moss piled up in the basket.
Everyone was surprised to hear that the water had a low level of toxicity, as it was clearly the first time they had ever heard of water with low levels of toxicity.
They couldn't help but crowd over to see what was going on.
Jiang He said, "This thing is really amazing; it can even be used as a desiccant."
Upon hearing this, everyone realized it was true.
Jiang Hai said with a smile, "Our cellar has been damp ever since it was frozen. Let's find a piece of wood, squeeze out the water, and put it in to see if it can absorb the moisture inside."
Grandma Jiang's eyes lit up when she heard this. "Great idea! I'll try it on a piece with moderate toxicity later."
Indeed, three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang.
Unexpectedly, this discussion led to the discovery of a new use for the moss.
Wu Xiu acted immediately. She put on work gloves, picked out a large piece of moderately toxic moss, squeezed out half of the water, and put it in the cellar.
Jiang Shu stroked his chin: "If it really works, could our family apply for a patent?"
Jiang Shan, who works at the research institute, knows a bit about this, and immediately explained with a smile: "I remember it's possible. Professor Yan from the next department is in charge of a project on the application development of mutant organisms. If someone can come up with some new inventions, they can apply for a reward. If the application is approved, they can get 5,000 points, which can be exchanged for an equivalent amount of food."
Before Jiang Shu could express his joy, Jiang Shan added, "However, Second Brother's idea still needs some refinement. For example, can these mosses be preserved for a long time? If not, how long can they be used..."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt a bucket of cold water had been poured on them. Sure enough, the base's points weren't so easy to collect.
Just then, Jiang Jun, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "I'll try to take a look."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was stunned.
Jiang Shu immediately said happily, "That's great! Big brother has always been good at modifying things. Maybe it won't be long before our family invents some kind of dryer."
Jiang Zhi also laughed and said, "Then let Big Brother experiment with the moderately toxic moss here. Big Brother, you must be careful when you do it, and pay attention to safety."
As Jiang Zhi spoke, she turned to look at Han Lei and the others: "Brother Lei, we'll split today's harvest 50/50. We'll exchange the moderately toxic moss for the less toxic ones."
Upon hearing this, Han Lei quickly said, "No way, Azhi, the water inside this thing is only somewhat useful. We don't need this moss for much."
Upon hearing this, Jiangzhi said, "Let's split the water in there 50/50, and we'll add some more to the pine cones for you."
Han Lei quickly said, "A-Zhi, don't be so polite with us. We're all helping each other out, so it's too formal to be so fussy. Besides, if it weren't for Er Shun, we wouldn't have made it out today..."
Jiang Zhi was adamant about this, saying, "Brother Lei, don't make things difficult for us. These things need to be set in order from the beginning, otherwise how can we continue to cooperate in the long run?"
Han Lei moved his lips, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He knew that Jiangzhi was using the "50/50" split as an excuse to try and give them more subsidies.
Jiang Zhi probably saw and remembered their plight.
Seeing that Ah Song and the other man's cheeks were so thin from hunger, Han Lei finally said, "Then... thank you."
Jiang Wen laughed and said, "Brother Lei, if you really want to thank us, just remember to give us a discount when your company becomes successful."
Han Lei knew he was joking, and laughed, "Of course."
In order to sort out today's harvest as soon as possible, everyone got up and started working without taking a break.
Wu Xiu brought over an old wooden basin, first plucking handfuls of pine needles, then carefully shaking off the withered branches and leaves inside.
She worked very quickly, and in no time at all, she had sorted out most of the clean pine needles into a basin and piled them aside.
Han Lei and his friends intended to eat these pine needles, so they were responsible for sorting through them once and then conducting a second round of selection.
Pick out those tender pine needles again.
The rest were set aside as kindling—dry pine needles ignite easily, much more convenient than firewood.
Ye Qingyun found a clean cloth and spread it on the ground, then sorted and arranged the pine cones.
The small ones with tightly packed scales are inedible, so she just throws them aside and uses them as decorations for her home later.
She piled the larger ones, whose scales had already opened, in the corner of the bamboo mat, and had Grandma Jiang and others pick out the pine nuts from them.
Meanwhile, Grandma Jiang sat by the fire pit with Yuan Ying, Xu Na, and the two children, each holding a small wooden awl to deal with the round pine cones.
Grandma Jiang first pinched off the pine cone stem, then poked it along the seam of the scales with an awl, and with a "pop," the pine nut inside was revealed. Her movements were slow but very smooth, and she threw the pine nut into the rough porcelain bowl beside her.
None of Yuan Ying and the others had ever done these things before, but they followed Grandma Jiang's example and quickly got the hang of it.
The two children were a little slow, but the adults didn't pay any attention.
Anyway, I'll just treat it as a way to kill time.
Jiang Hai and the other men bundled up the pine branches that had been processed.
For a time, everyone was busy.
The charcoal in the brazier crackled every now and then, making everyone's hands feel warm from their actions.
The fragrance of pine needles mingled with the woody scent of pine cones in the room, while the ginger tree squatted beside it, occasionally reaching out to hand something over.
When no one is talking, you can hear the rustling of pine needles being picked and the tapping of pine cones being tapped with an awl, mixed with the warmth of the charcoal fire, which is very comforting.
Jiang Zhi remembered the low-toxicity soil in her hand and said, "By the way, Brother Lei, this is low-toxicity soil. It was picked out from under those low-toxicity mosses. I won't share this with you; we'll trade you grain for it."
When Han Lei and the others heard this, they all thought they had misheard.
Ah Kuan's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Sister Zhi, did I hear you wrong, or did you say something wrong?"
Low-toxicity soil is currently only possessed by the planting master researcher, who reportedly managed to preserve it by chance before the Great Cataclysm because it was intended for experimental purposes.
I never expected that ginger twigs would be found today too?
Still in this radiation-filled world outside!
Han Lei is a middleman.
He knew all too well the value of what Jiang Zhi had.
Let alone 20 or 30 kilograms, even 3 kilograms can fetch an astronomical price.
He subconsciously glanced at the cloth bag in Jiang Zhi's hand. The soil looked no different from ordinary mountain soil, grayish and slightly damp. He never imagined that so much of it was actually low-level toxins.
Jiang Shu, standing nearby, looked bewildered: "Isn't this soil just for growing things? What use is such a small amount?"
Jiang Zhi naturally wouldn't say that this soil was for the seeds in her spiritual pool.
After all, that thing doesn't even have a physical form; if you really say it out loud, people will probably think you're hallucinating.
Jiang Shan then said, "Speaking of which, Colonel Huang sent someone to inform us today that the higher-ups have agreed to allocate land for you to cultivate."
Jiang Zhi's eyes lit up instantly, her voice rising involuntarily with barely concealed excitement: "Really, Dad!?"
Jiang Shan smiled and nodded: "Would I lie to you? The procedures are almost complete."
Jiang Zhi immediately smiled and said, "That's great!"
Now that thing will stop thinking about the word "territory" in her head, right?
Jiang Zhi originally planned to exchange the soil for grain and give it to Han Lei and the others.
Han Lei refused everything, so Jiang Zhi didn't insist.
This soil was originally meant to nourish the seeds in the pool of spirits; she never intended to distribute it further.
If they insist, she will share some, but in the future, when they go out to collect, she'll probably have to do it alone.
After all, there are some needs that are not convenient for too many people to know.
When it comes to planting, Grandma Jiang has a lot to say: "Azhi, have you decided what to plant on that plot of land?"
Jiang Zhi was a little embarrassed. "I haven't decided yet, but I think I should pile all these soils with low levels of toxins together."
Jiang He bent down, grabbed a handful of soil, and rubbed it between his fingers. "Azhi, do you want to plant flowers or trees? If you're planting flowers, you'll need at least 10-15 centimeters of soil. If you're planting trees, you'll need double that. This little bit of soil isn't enough for you."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi's face flushed even more, and she became even more embarrassed.
She didn't actually quite understand what those seeds were all about.
"Second Uncle, just consider it something I grow for fun. Just leave me one square meter of that fifty square meters."
When everyone heard this, they simply assumed that she had just decided to do some kind of experiment.
Jiang Hai said, "In that case, I'll go to the base store tomorrow to see if they have any seeds for sale. Now that we can grow something, we can't waste the opportunity that A-Zhi helped us get."
The base doesn't actually sell seeds, but each base store displays some second-generation moderately toxic seeds developed by the base. Jiang Hai figured that by bringing up their status as honorary advisors, they should be able to buy some.
When it comes to farming, Grandma Jiang doesn't feel sleepy at all. "Ah Hai, if you have any seeds like scallions or garlic, buy some of them."
These two plants can take root and survive even in the cold winter, saving you both time and effort.
Ye Qingyun also said, "These seeds must be expensive, brother. I'll transfer some points to you. You can buy them tomorrow."
Anyway, the base store doesn't have anything good to sell in this kind of weather, so it's better to spend it than keep it in your hands.
Yuan Ying was also very happy to learn that she could farm.
They had always lived in the countryside and were all skilled at tending crops.
Although it was only fifty square meters of land, the moment they heard that they could pick up a hoe again and plant things, the deep-rooted agricultural sentiment of the Chinese people seemed to be awakened all at once.
"Ahe, Awen, you two need to figure out how to fence off that fifty square meters tomorrow. Make sure it's well-protected so no outsiders can see it. This is the first plot of land in our base. If we manage to grow something rare, someone might try to steal it!"
Jiang He and Jiang Wen have no reason not to agree.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but find it amusing to see her family getting excited.
This is something that's still far from being realized, yet everyone's acting as if it's about to succeed.
In this day and age, farming is no easy task.
Take the No. 1 collection area of the base as an example. Putting aside the fact that it was originally a plant cultivation base, the value of the mutated plant growth liquid that the base developed after the cataclysm, which involved a great deal of effort and resources, is far beyond what ordinary people can imagine.
These ordinary people might not necessarily succeed in planting it.
But Jiang Zhi didn't dampen everyone's spirits.
Since winter is long and there's nothing much to do, let's just mess around.
What if something actually happens?
While chatting about how to farm, everyone kept busy and quickly finished tidying up the day's harvest.
In the end, the edible pine needles weighed over 170 jin (approximately 85 kg), and the pine cones and other miscellaneous nuts weighed over 300 jin (approximately 150 kg).
That's not a small number.
After the statistics are compiled, it's time to distribute the fruits of labor.
Jiangzhi still wanted to press pine nuts for oil, as the oil at home wouldn't last long.
After all, once you get used to oily food, going back to eating bland, watery food always makes life feel tasteless and makes even the most hopeful things fade away.
So they discussed with Han Lei and the others about exchanging some of their pine nuts for a mix of barley, sweet potatoes, and potatoes from their home.
Han Lei saw that Jiang Zhi's request didn't seem to be specifically for the purpose of subsidizing them, so he agreed.
By the time everything was distributed, it was already quite late.
After Han Lei and his group made a promise to Jiang Zhi and the others that they would go into the mountains together again when they had the chance, they hurriedly left with the food.
After saying goodbye, Niu Dali also took the grain that had been allocated to him and went back.
Looking at today's harvest, Jiangzhi felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction.
Sure enough, it was adding some practical things to the house and making life more comfortable that made her happiest.
Despite the freezing weather, Jiangzhi decided to take a shower.
I simply wiped it with some hot water.
Back in the hall, they saw Old Mrs. Jiang worrying about how to deal with the moss.
After a while, the moss started to wilt.
The part that was originally full of water began to slowly overflow with clear water.
To avoid wasting water, Wu Xiu specially used an outside water tank to store it.
Jiang He felt that the plants had lost their vitality once they were removed from the soil, so he suggested, "If it doesn't work, let's dig up that patch of land outside now and plant them there first?"
Moss is very easy to grow, and it can continue to survive if it is put back in a damp place.
The weather is cold now, and the whole base is very humid after the cold wave, so it's easy for plants to survive outdoors.
Grandma Jiang was worried that the water in the moss would be contaminated with the high concentration of toxins after it was planted, so she said, "Let's work hard tonight to squeeze out the water from the moss before planting it outside."
No one had any objections.
Anyway, nothing special happened the next day, so I could just take another nap during the day.
Jiang Shan said, "Okay, we men are stronger, so a few of us can handle squeezing out the excess water."
Jiang He said, "Let Awen plant them with me."
Seeing that the men in the family were taking care of these matters, Wu Xiu and the others were happy to have an easier time.
"Okay, I'll roast some more sweet potatoes for you later. Eat some if you're hungry."
Everyone got right to it.
Jiang Shu originally wanted to help, but when he heard the old man coughing inside, he remembered that he still had a large centipede in his hand that he hadn't taken out yet.
He immediately exclaimed, "Wait!"
When everyone saw the giant centipede, which was as long as an arm, the women in the room were terrified.
Ye Qingyun's heart skipped a beat before she realized the centipede was dead. She was immediately furious and slapped him across the face: "You brat! Couldn't you have given me a warning? What if you scared Xiaona!"
Jiang Shu covered his head and tried to hide, "I was wrong, I was wrong. Don't worry, everyone, I killed this thing. It won't hurt anyone."
As soon as Ye Qingyun's slap landed, Jiang Hai took two steps forward, his eyes fixed on the large centipede on the ground, his face revealing undisguised surprise.
"Big tree, this is a good thing!"
He squatted down, carefully pinched the centipede's tail with two fingers and examined it. He looked up and said, "This thing can be dried and used in medicine. It's especially effective for treating rheumatism and arthralgia. It might be useful for the old man's aftereffects!"
Upon hearing this, the fear on Grandma Jiang's face was replaced by joy. "Ah Hai, are you telling the truth?"
Jiang Hai nodded. "When the old man wakes up tomorrow, ask him about the age of the centipede and how it was prepared, and see how to handle it properly."
Grandma Jiang was so happy she didn't know what to say. "Good, good, good! This is truly... truly a blessing from heaven!"
Wu Xiu laughed and said, "Mom, don't say that. This is Da Shu and A Zhi's skill, not some blessing from God."
Grandma Jiang laughed and said, "Look at me, when I'm happy I can't even speak properly. You're right, it's all thanks to the children's abilities."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
The night grew even darker.
Jiang Zhi followed Jiang He and set aside one square meter of the fifty square meters allocated to them by the base. The remaining space was used by Jiang He and Jiang Wen to grow moss.
There was no need for her to do anything else, so Jiang Zhi didn't try to be strong and went straight back to her room to rest.
Before going to bed, Jiangzhi habitually records the day's events in her notebook, especially the situation with the miasma, writing it down in great detail.
After finishing recording, I finally lay down to rest.
The mental fatigue of the day quickly made her eyelids heavy, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
That night, she dreamed again.
Strangely, this time she didn't dream of seeds, but instead found herself back on the vast grasslands.
Like a TV series, her dream seemed to continue the scenes after they left.
After a brief period of turbulence in the space, the beasts gradually returned to normal.
The two lakes in the center of the grassland have become one.
Apart from that, it seems no different from before they left.
Jiang Zhi felt that her perspective was strange.
It's as if you're standing at the top of space, looking down on everything on the vast grassland.
The movements of every mutated beast and the form of every mutated plant were clearly imprinted in her consciousness.
This omniscient perspective made her feel somewhat dazed, as if she had become a part of this grassland.
suddenly.
A ripple spread across the center of the lake, and something could be vaguely seen churning beneath the surface.
A patch of green surrounding the lake caught Jiang Zhi's eye.
—Why does it look so much like the moss they brought back today?
A lush green expanse, neatly arranged beside the lake.
She wanted to see more clearly, but was pulled back by a force.
The intense feeling of weightlessness made Jiang Zhi suddenly open her eyes.
The warmth of the blankets made her a little dazed.
A sliver of light shone through the window.
Jiang Zhi suddenly opened her eyes; a sliver of light was already filtering in from outside the window.
A soft, rustling sound came from beside me.
It was the sound of water being drawn in the yard.
Before long, the crackling of firewood drifted from the direction of the kitchen, mixed with the hushed voices of Ye Qingyun and the others, indicating that the family was busy preparing for the day.
She actually slept through the night?
Ginger twigs are somewhat unbelievable.
Since becoming a mutant, I only need 3 hours of sleep a day to ensure I get enough sleep.
She hadn't slept for this long in a long time.
Just as Jiang Zhi was in a daze, a fist-sized white seed on the table suddenly caught her attention.
Its rounded and full contours, its surface texture as fine as frost, and even the faint milky white halo at the top were exactly the same as in my previous dream!
Jiang Zhi's pupils suddenly contracted, and her blood seemed to freeze for a moment.
She sat up abruptly, staring blankly at the seed, her heart pounding in her chest.
...Is this some kind of ghost?!
Jiang Zhi didn't even bother to put on a coat. She suddenly threw off the quilt and rushed barefoot to the table.
The moment my fingers touched the seed, a cool and warm sensation traveled up my fingertips.
It's actually true!!
It's not a dream!!
What exactly is this thing?
It couldn't possibly be that thing that grows the giant cloud-nest tree that Professor Yang and the others were talking about, could it?!
The seeds in her palm felt heavy, so real that they made her feel uneasy.
The ripples on the lake, the scenery of the grassland, the habitat of the animals, and the childish voice in her dream all overlapped with the seed at this moment, making her mind buzz.
Jiang Zhi had a vague guess, but she also found it hard to believe.
Just as she was lost in thought, Jiang Shu's voice suddenly rang out in the courtyard.
"Holy crap! Second Uncle! Come quick! The moss outside has been stolen by a thief!!!"
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