Chapter 36
Jiang Sui has been eating well lately; her previously sunken face has gained weight, and she has grown quite a bit taller. If an ordinary girl were to do what Jiang Zhi just did, it would definitely not be so easy.
"Auntie is amazing! Uncle said he's gotten stronger, but he can't even beat Uncle Dali in an arm wrestling match!"
Ginger Tree, who was mentioned: ...
He laughed in exasperation, tossing the barley in his hand aside. "You brat, even if I'm not as strong as your Uncle Dali, I can still beat you up."
He then lifted the person up, saying, "Although your uncle may not be very strong, I have other amazing abilities! Come on, let me show you what I'm capable of!"
Jiang Zhi:......
That's so childish!
He even went so far as to show off his abilities to his child.
Thinking this, Jiang Zhi couldn't help but smile.
"Azhi, come and have a taste." Grandma Jiang brought out a flatbread as big as a face plate, along with a cup of sweet and sour water.
The freshly made pancakes smell so tempting!
The surface is slightly golden and has a caramelized aroma. When you bite into it, there's a satisfying "crunch," and the wheat flavor explodes between your teeth. The wheat aroma is pure and simple, with a hint of sweetness. The more you chew, the more flavorful it becomes, leaving a lingering aftertaste even after swallowing. You can eat several pieces without getting tired of it. Just one bite warms your stomach and pleases your heart.
Everyone shared a piece of flatbread with a sip of sweet and sour sauce, and felt that life was worthwhile.
Before he had finished his sweet and sour juice, Jiang Wen returned from outside, looking somewhat anxious.
"Ah Zhi, let's go to the consular hall and take a look. I heard there's news about a new collection area."
Jiang Shu, whose mouth was still stuffed with food, immediately stood up upon hearing this: "What's going on?"
Jiang Wen: "I don't know either, let's go take a look together."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi quickly finished the sweet and sour juice in her hand in a few gulps, greeted Grandma Jiang, and then went out.
Wu Xiu smiled and shook her head, "A-Zhi's personality is sometimes really unlike that of a girl."
Just like boys.
Yuan Ying also laughed and said, "She has a lot of ideas. You can see that her brother and Awen listen to her."
Xu Na glanced at the basket, watching the pure cotton gradually filling it, a smile appearing on her lips, before she continued to work diligently.
On the way, Jiang Zhi asked Jiang Wen, "Second Brother, we can go. If you're not here, will Second Uncle be able to manage?"
“Father, you have my elder brother to help you, that’s enough,” Jiang Wen said with a smile. “You’re not familiar enough with some of the base’s rules and regulations, so I might be able to help you if I go with you.”
At this point, Jiang Wen simply laid it all out.
"Azhi, don't abandon me! Although I'm neither a mutant nor an aberrant, I can still help out a little. Let me continue to collect with you. At the very least, I can help carry things. Don't worry, I definitely won't hold you back."
These past two days, Jiang Wen has been getting anxious hearing that the brother and sister are looking for Niu Dali (a type of Chinese herbal medicine) to collect.
I'm always afraid of holding others back.
Jiang Zhi felt a warmth in her heart. "Second brother, how could you hold us back? We're more than happy to have your help; we're just worried that our second aunt and uncle will be concerned."
Jiang Wen laughed and said, "You don't know this, do you? Our whole family agrees with this. Nana even said that if we didn't need to make some winter clothes for the family, she would have liked to come along too."
Jiang Zhi knew, of course, that Jiang Wen was saying this to put her mind at ease.
Jiang Shu grinned and put his arm around Jiang Wen's shoulder. "Second brother, don't worry. With us brothers working together, how could we leave you out?"
The three of them talked and soon arrived at the meeting hall.
The place was still packed with people.
Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu cleared the way, and they finally managed to squeeze under one of the small screens.
Jiang Zhi was protected by Jiang Shu and the other person, so she wasn't squeezed too much.
The three of them looked up at the task above.
I discovered that the base's recent announcements have all been about collecting food.
Jiang Shu: "Strange, why are all the tasks today so similar?"
Jiang Wen: "I came to check it out a couple of days ago and found that the tasks these days are indeed quite simple, all about collecting food."
Jiang Shu joked, "The base can't possibly be short of food, can it?"
Jiang Wen: "Our base cultivates its own mutant grains. We've mentioned this on the radio before. Most of these mutant grains are stored in the base's grain depot for strategic needs."
Jiang Shu didn't take it seriously and continued reading.
He could still hear the voices of people around him discussing: "I heard that the newly developed gathering area has a lot of good stuff. It used to be a privately contracted farming area, where a lot of coarse grains were grown!"
"Really? Every time a new gathering area opens, you say there are good things there. Don't try to fool me!"
The man blushed when questioned, “This time it’s true! I saw the exploration team’s convoy bringing back grain truckload after truckload with my own eyes.”
The other person laughed loudly, clearly not believing it. "You're just bragging. Do you think the exploration team is short of food? Every time they develop a new gathering area, they only collect high-level mutated creatures. People at their level wouldn't even look at the meager food we usually eat."
What this person said is true. If it were said that the exploration team was transporting high-level mutated creatures back, no one would question it, but to say that they were transporting food...
Even kids wouldn't believe it if you told them!
The person being questioned turned pale and refused to say anything more. "If you don't want to come with me, I'll find someone myself."
"Then go ahead and look for one. If you could find someone capable, would you need to tell me all this?"
The man, exposed, was both embarrassed and angry. "Just tell me if you're going or not!"
"I'm not going! All you do is say there are lots of good things there, but why don't you mention the field mouse infestation?"
Upon hearing the name "mutant field mouse," the people around immediately shrank back and went about their own business.
Seeing that no one believed him, the man stood there dejectedly.
Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu exchanged a glance.
Jiang Shu: "Tell me, is what that person said true or not?"
Jiang Wen: "It's hard to say. Some people might deliberately put on a show to discourage those who want to go. But what that person said about mutated field mice is probably true, it's just that we don't know the scale."
There won't be a large-scale outbreak, otherwise the base wouldn't be opening up new resources to collect now. But field mice usually live in broods and they burrow, so it's very possible that the mutants won't be able to kill them all.
Following this line of thought, the newly opened No. 15 collection area is indeed quite dangerous.
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment and asked Jiang Wen, "Second Brother, how long does it usually take for a newly developed mining area to stabilize?"
"It will take at least two or three months. If the base finds too many wounded or disabled, a second cleanup will be conducted."
Jiang Zhi immediately realized that the base did not have any instruments to detect mutated organisms. In this situation, the local people would have to try it themselves.
It sounds pretty cruel at first glance.
But the bold get rich while the timid starve. If you're lucky enough to find a good batch of goods, you might be able to live a good life.
The cotton aphids they found before are a good example.
Jiang Zhi stepped forward and asked the man, "Brother, you said you saw the exploration team transporting grain, did you see what kind of grain it was?"
The man, with his dark complexion, grinned broadly at Jiang Zhi's question, revealing a row of white teeth. "Little sister, you believe me?"
"You go first."
The man seemed to have finally met someone who believed him, and he was so happy that he told everyone he had seen in great detail.
“I encountered them at night. I couldn’t see them very clearly at the time, but I counted them carefully. There were twenty small trucks in a row, and each one was loaded with things in the back.”
Jiang Shu asked curiously, "Don't they usually cover these delivery trucks with tarpaulins?"
"Yes, but there were one or two vehicles that weren't properly covered, and I saw they were all covered in cassava. You know what cassava is, right? It's the kind of cassava that even dogs wouldn't eat back then."
Jiang Wen: "So, you only saw those two trucks loaded with food, and didn't see anything else, right?"
The man said sheepishly, "There were several cars between those two vehicles. What a coincidence that both of them were carrying cassava? That's why I guessed that they brought back all this kind of grain."
Jiang Zhi frowned, then turned to Jiang Wen and asked, "Didn't the exploration teams bring back food in the past?"
"It seems unlikely. Mutants have different physical needs than us. They can't get enough to eat with ordinary food. They usually only bring some for their own family members occasionally."
"What about the ordinary people in the base's management?"
The person standing nearby listened and gave Jiang Zhi a strange look, as if he thought she didn't even understand such a common-sense question.
"They eat food developed at the base, which is different from what we eat."
Jiang Zhi: ...Okay, class differences exist everywhere.
When asked for the information she wanted, Jiang Zhi turned to the two men and said, "Second Brother, let's go."
As the three prepared to leave, the man became anxious: "Hey, you've asked so many questions, what's your real intention?"
"I'm sorry," Jiang Zhi said with a smile, "I don't have any ideas. Look at our skinny arms and legs, how could we dare to be the first to try something new?"
Jiang Zhi's words made perfect sense, and the man choked, only able to watch helplessly as the three left.
The three of them squeezed into a corner.
Jiang Shu asked impatiently, "A-Zhi, how is it? Is what that person said true?"
Jiang Zhi: "He probably didn't lie."
Jiang Wen frowned. "Could it be that the exploration team brought back only low-toxin grains?"
But not only do others not believe him, even he himself doesn't believe it.
Such a huge quantity, more than twenty trucks, even if only half of it is low-toxic grain, is still a terrifying number.
Under such circumstances, the base cannot be opened to ordinary people.
Jiang Zhi: "There are only two possibilities. One is what Second Brother just said, those are all low-toxin grains. The second is..."
Jiang Zhi paused for a moment, then didn't speak immediately.
Jiang Shu asked anxiously, "What is the second one?"
"The second possibility is that the base's food reserves are likely insufficient, or rather, they have discovered something, so they are also stockpiling food."
The construction and development of a base certainly cannot be separated from basic materials.
Food is the most basic essential resource.
Because Ancheng Base has a research institute for mutated plants, food is not in short supply.
Each time the exploration team goes to develop the collection area, it serves two purposes: first, to prepare for the subsequent expansion of the base, and second, to make it easier for the local people to collect food.
The work of the mutants in the exploration team did not include collecting food for ordinary people.
But if what that person said is true, coupled with the recent news of rising food prices at the base store, then there's only one possibility—
The thing she guessed before has a high probability of happening.
Winter is really coming.
Jiang Wen was somewhat incredulous: "Why didn't the base leaders release the information?"
Jiang Zhi shrugged. "Maybe it's just a guess, as I think. I'm not sure yet."
Jiang Shu: "When will we be able to confirm it? We can't just announce it when the time is almost here, can we? That would kill a lot of people!"
Jiang Zhi murmured, "Maybe they'll announce it when the temperature drops to 30 degrees Celsius."
She took a deep breath. "Actually, it's very simple to verify whether my statement is accurate or not. Just look at the missions issued by the base. Do they include collecting mutated beast fur or materials for making thick clothes?"
Jiang Shu didn't believe it and actually went to several screens to stare at the taskbar.
A moment later, he returned, looking rather unwell.
"Ah Zhi, it really exists."
Jiang Wen said worriedly, "Now that the base has started its operation, we also need to speed up the collection of grain and cotton, otherwise we will lose our advantage once the base makes its announcement."
Jiang Shu: "Second brother is right! When we get back tonight, let's discuss it with Grandpa and the others again and see what else we can prepare."
The three then gathered a lot of information at the meeting hall.
Many of those who wanted to be among the first to try out the No. 15 collection area were preparing to spontaneously form teams to go there.
Those who are among the first to depart for Collection Area 15 will also receive an incentive bonus – 100 points per person.
Although these 100 points are nothing, they are a welcome bonus for someone who was already going there anyway.
After collecting all the information, the three of them left.
No one noticed that behind them, a pair of sharp eyes were staring at Jiang Zhi's back.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "Captain Lin, what are you doing here?"
Lin Yuan turned around, saw who it was, and said calmly, "I'm no longer your captain. Just call me by my name."
The man chuckled, "In my heart, you'll always be our captain."
Lin Yuan smiled, recalling Jiang Zhi's earlier words, "What's the situation at the base lately?"
*
Back home, Jiang Shu suddenly remembered the things they had bought with hundreds of points.
"Ah Zhi, didn't you buy something good yesterday? I almost forgot."
Jiangzhi remembered it too.
After buying it last night, I was too busy to take it out, so I just put it in a drawer.
Jiang Wen asked curiously, "What good stuff did you buy?"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "It's perfect that you're here too, Second Brother. That thing would suit you perfectly."
Jiang Wen was flattered. "For me?"
Jiangzhi took out the pangolin scale she had bought the night before from inside the house.
The scales weren't big, about the size of a ginger twig's palm.
She touched it and could feel the subtle energy emanating from the scales.
"Beep, golden item detected: mutated pangolin scales. Wearing it can be used for disguise and concealment."
Jiang Shu already had a golden item in his hand, and the excitement he had at the beginning was gone.
She took it out.
Jiang Wen and Jiang Shu approached curiously.
Jiang Shu: "A-Zhi, what's the use of this thing?"
When Jiang Zhi explained its function, Jiang Wen's eyes widened in shock: "Ah, Zhi, you mean, wearing these scale armor can make you invisible?"
Jiang Zhi touched her nose. "I guess...?"
The dashboard has never lied, but whether wearing it makes you invisible is debatable; otherwise, the shop owner would have discovered its value long ago.
Jiang Wen took it, turned it over and over in his hand, and looked at it with some disbelief—this thing can really make you invisible?
But Jiang Zhi's expression didn't seem fake.
He vaguely knew that Ah Zhi had a special ability to find good things, but since his sister didn't want to explain, he didn't ask any further.
Jiang Wen looked at it for a while but didn't find anything special. In the end, he put the scale armor into his pocket.
"A-Zhi, Da-Shu, I guess I've got it with me now? How is it? Can you still see me?"
As Jiang Wen spoke, he even shook his hands and feet.
Jiang Zhi:......
Jiang Shu laughed loudly: "Brother Wen, are you stupid? Do you think we can see you?"
Jiang Wen frowned: "You can still see it?"
Jiang Shu leaned closer and took the scale armor out of Jiang Wen's pocket. "Let me try it."
He tucked the scales behind his buttocks.
Jiang Zhi gave a disgusted look, "Can't you be a little more hygienic?"
Jiang Shu: "What do you know? Maybe carrying it close to your body will be effective?"
He shook his hands and feet: "How about it, can you still see me?"
Jiang Wen couldn't help but laugh, "What do you think?"
Jiang Shu knew immediately that he had failed, and dejectedly took out the item and returned it to Jiang Zhi, "A-Zhi, did you buy a fake? Are you sure it will work if you wear it?"
Jiang Zhi dodged away in disgust, saying, "Go wash up first."
Jiang Zhi left, grumbling to herself.
When it was handed back to Jiang Zhi, she examined it again.
A moment later, Jiang Zhi said to Jiang Shu, "Brother, take out your bone stick and let me see it."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu immediately ran off eagerly.
Jiang Zhi also took out several golden items from her hands.
Currently, the gold items they possess include bone clubs, leaves from the snake pit, tooth powder from fanged rabbits, and the pangolin scales they just acquired.
When Jiang Wen saw these things, he vaguely guessed what was going on and was somewhat shaken, but he didn't ask any questions.
After examining each of the golden items, Jiang Zhi noticed a subtle difference.
—The bone staff emits the most noticeable energy; you can feel it as soon as you hold it in your hand.
Secondly, there's the Fang Rabbit tooth powder; you can feel the air inside even through the bottle.
When it came to those few leaves, Jiang Zhi could only feel a faint aura, and holding them in her hand did not give her the same refreshing feeling as before.
Jiang Zhi guessed it was because she placed the leaves under her pillow and absorbed them every day.
Lately, Jiang Zhi has noticed that her mental strength is getting better and better, and the scanning range of the dashboard is increasing every day, all thanks to these few leaves.
She sensed the condition of these leaves.
"—Beep, golden item detected, ginkgo leaf, its scent can enhance mental power."
really……
Just as she guessed.
If I'm not mistaken, the reason her dashboard was able to be upgraded is also because of these ginkgo leaf blades.
She was certain that she hadn't sensed anything unusual about the special prop a few days ago.
Jiang Zhi calmed herself down.
It seems that venturing into the mutated snake's lair was worth it.
However, as her mental strength increased and the dashboard was upgraded, the energy in the ginkgo leaf was almost exhausted.
Finally, Jiang Zhi looked at the scales that had a slightly aura-like quality.
She was a little confused as to whether the energy of the scales had been used up or had not been activated.
She tried to use her mental energy to penetrate the scales, but was quickly blocked by a thick, invisible energy.
Jiang Zhi frowned and continued to intensify her mental probing.
Fearing an accident, Jiang Zhi moved very slowly. Jiang Shu, who was watching from the side, was getting anxious. He wanted to speak but was afraid of disturbing her, so he could only wait patiently.
finally.
Half an hour later, Jiang Zhi, whose forehead was already beaded with sweat, finally felt a slight sense of emptiness.
Then I sensed an empty, alien space the size of scales.
Jiang Zhi let out a long sigh.
It's done!
Jiang Shu asked impatiently, "How is it, Azhi? Have you figured it out?"
Even Jiang Wen, who was standing next to him, had an expectant look in his eyes.
Jiang Zhi wiped her sweat and nodded, "Yes. This scale armor is out of energy."
Ginger Tree: ...
He plopped down on the ground in utter disappointment. "So all that work turned out to be useless? We've really lost out! This thing is worth hundreds of points!"
Jiang Wen also looked disappointed, but still comforted her, saying, "It's okay, Azhi is so lucky, maybe she'll find someone useful again in the future."
Jiang Zhi laughed and said, "Who said this can't be used?"
Jiang Shu was taken aback, then got up again. "A-Zhi, you mean... it can still be used?"
Jiang Zhi: "If there's no energy, just inject more energy, right?"
Jiang Shu pursed his lips, "Who has that ability—" He suddenly realized something, his eyes widening, "You mean, you can...?"
Jiang Wen, however, had some concerns. "A-Zhi, why don't we go and ask around before trying? I heard the shop owner say before that sometimes if you use your mutant abilities incorrectly, you can ruin your life."
Jiang Zhi trusted her intuition.
Just now, I fused my spiritual power into the scales, which was also an act of instinct.
The results once again confirmed her intuition.
But Jiang Zhi knew that saying this would only increase Jiang Wen's anxiety, so she just smiled and said, "It's okay, Second Brother, the operation is very simple, nothing will go wrong."
Jiang Wen was skeptical.
Then I saw Jiangzhi start operating the scale armor with her eyes closed again.
This time it ended quickly. A few minutes later, Jiang Zhi opened her eyes, but her face was much paler than before.
Jiang Wen asked worriedly, "A-Zhi, are you alright?"
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."
She was actually conducting an experiment to see how many times the scales could be used after she infused them with her own mental energy.
Moreover, she didn't inject much, and she could recover after a good night's sleep, so the advantages outweighed the disadvantages.
She handed the scale armor to Jiang Wen: "Second brother, give it a try. Remember to focus on the scale armor when you use it."
Jiang Wen did as instructed, but still didn't see any changes.
Jiang Zhi frowned.
That shouldn't be the case; she clearly poured in so much spiritual energy...
Jiang Shu scratched his head. "Second Brother, let me give it a try?"
Jiang Shu got his hands on it and tried it out.
After focusing his attention on the scales, Jiang Shu suddenly felt an itch on the back of his hand. Looking down, he saw that the skin, like a piece of white paper soaked in water, was gradually becoming transparent.
Jiang Wen's eyes widened.
"Big, big tree! We did it!!"
Jiang Shu found it incredibly amazing. He excitedly looked at his hands and body that had become transparent. "A-Zhi, you're amazing! You can even turn trash into treasure. We can pick up even more bargains in the future."
Jiang Zhi: "Stop joking, brother, let me try it."
Jiang Shu reluctantly handed it over, and the porcelain-white transparency of her body instantly returned to its original state.
Holding the ginger branch in his hand, he had a thought and instantly vanished from the spot.
The speed was so fast that the Jiang brothers didn't even have time to react.
Jiang Shu, bewildered, waved his hand in the spot where Jiang Zhi had just been standing, only to find he hadn't touched anything, which startled him.
"A-Zhi, where have you been hiding?"
“I’m still in the same place.” Jiang Zhi reappeared.
The two men were incredulous to see their sister still standing where she had disappeared.
Jiang Wen: "This, this..."
Jiang Zhi was extremely satisfied with the effect of the scale armor. She smiled and said, "This thing is great. As long as you have enough mental strength, you can become invisible and no one can touch you."
She handed him the scale armor, saying, "Second brother, try it again."
A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Jiang Wen's face, but he quickly smiled and said, "Azhi, I don't think I can use this thing. I don't have any mental energy."
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