Chapter 37
Jiang Wen was stunned.
Jiang Zhi: "The foundation of mental strength is our attention. Everyone has mental strength, but the mental strength of mutants is stronger than that of ordinary people. Now, Second Brother, try again and focus your attention on the scales."
Jiang Wen accepted it nervously.
"Second brother, close your eyes, and treat your mind like a messy storage room. Lock all the useless thoughts in the cabinet first."
Jiang Wen did as instructed.
He focused his attention, like tightening a rusty faucet, slowly bringing his scattered thoughts back.
This time, Jiang Zhi and her brother saw it very clearly.
First, Jiang Wen's hand holding the scale armor began to turn porcelain white and transparent. No, it shouldn't be said that it was transparent, but rather that the color of his hand blended with the surroundings, like a chameleon.
Then it spread to his arms, his body... and finally, when this spread to his head, Jiang Wen completely "disappeared" in front of the two of them!
Jiang Wen's "disappearance" was very slow, allowing Jiang Zhi and her brother to see it very clearly.
Seeing that the two remained silent, Jiang Wen hesitated and asked, "How are you? Can you still see me?"
Jiang Zhi came to her senses. "I can't see anymore, Second Brother. How are you feeling now? Is anything bothering you?"
Jiang Wen shook his head, realizing that the two people opposite him couldn't see him, and then said, "It feels pretty good. I feel like my body is like a transparent water film, which is different from usual."
This is similar to what Jiang Zhi just experienced.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu exclaimed excitedly, "A-Zhi, this thing is amazing! Even ordinary people can use it!"
Jiang Zhi still had some ideas that hadn't been verified, so she said to Jiang Shu, "Brother, try to see if you can touch Second Brother."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu stepped forward and groped around haphazardly, only to find that he hadn't touched anything.
"Second brother, how does it feel?"
Jiang Wen quickly said, "It felt like something passed right through my body, so amazing—"
Before he could finish speaking, his body was once again pierced by Jiang Shu's hand, and suddenly he reappeared with a "bang".
The three of them were stunned at the same time.
Jiang Shu: "What's going on?"
Jiang Wen looked down at his body, still unsure of what was going on.
Jiang Zhi pondered for a moment, then said, "It must be that the energy has been exhausted. If I'm not mistaken, every time Second Brother's body is touched and passed through by a physical entity, it consumes even more energy."
Jiang Wen nodded repeatedly, "Yes, that's the feeling."
Jiang Shu was somewhat disappointed, "This is too fast, it hasn't even been that long!"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "I didn't inject much energy just now, and this thing isn't a one-time use item, so we've already made a profit."
After Jiang Zhi finished speaking, she turned to Jiang Wen and said, "Second Brother, give me the scale armor first. I will inject a little spiritual energy into it every day during this period. Once it is full, you can continue to use it."
Jiang Wen was somewhat excited, "Ah, Ah Zhi, you really want to give this to me? If this thing sells—"
Moreover, Jiang Wen is well aware that he cannot maximize the profits from special items in his possession.
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "We don't sell these things. Most of my family are ordinary people, and having these special tools provides some protection. Besides—"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "Besides, I can find more like these, so Second Brother doesn't need to think too much."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen stopped refusing.
After the three of them finished their work, they went out.
Yuan Ying said angrily, "The three of you have been whispering to each other for ages. What are you plotting? You're just letting your eldest brother help with the work. Hurry up and go help!"
The three of them shrank back and quickly ran under the shed.
Wu Xiu laughed, "These kids have always loved to mess around together since they were little, and they're still the same now that they're all grown up."
For dinner, as usual, Grandma Jiang made a big pot of barley porridge.
However, for the two portions that Jiang Zhi and his sister received, Grandma Jiang added a small handful of low-toxicity fried cotton aphids.
“You two are currently undergoing physical evolution. Your uncle said that mutants get hungry easily and need to eat low-toxin foods. From now on, we will give you all the low-toxin foods in our house.”
Jiang Shu scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "Is that necessary?"
Grandma Jiang made the final decision, "It's settled then!"
Grandpa Jiang and Ye Qingyun returned early today, which is perfect for them to have a meal with their family.
At the dinner table, Jiang Shu recounted what they had discovered that day.
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces were filled with worry.
Ye Qingyun also said, "I saw it when I came back today. The convoy brought back a lot of goods. One of the trucks dropped a corn cob the size of a radish. Passersby almost got into a fight over it."
Ye Qingyun's words indirectly confirmed what the man in the meeting hall said today.
This also indirectly confirms Jiang Zhi's guess—the climate may really be about to change.
Grandma Jiang's eyes immediately reddened. "What kind of days are these! We finally get to enjoy a few good days, and now everything is going to change."
She initially thought it was just Ah Zhi's guess, and she was somewhat hoping for the best. After all, hoarding food wouldn't be a loss, and she didn't think the climate would really change.
But Jiang Shu's words forced her to face reality.
The others shared similar thoughts with Grandma Jiang.
Grandpa Jiang's expression was grave: "Old woman, how much grain do we have left in the house?"
"Not much. I measured half of the barley I bought last night, and there are only about 200 jin (100 catties) that I can eat. Adding some other miscellaneous grains, it's probably only about 300 jin (150 catties)."
Only about 300 jin (150 catties) – but their family has more than ten people, so this little bit of food is not enough!
If the cold winter lasts for three or four years, just like the summer...
Summer temperatures can reach 60 or 70 degrees Celsius, but what about winter?
Minus forty or fifty degrees Celsius wouldn't work?
Can ordinary people like them still survive?
Jiang Jun frowned: "Although the base hasn't announced anything, it seems they've made some preparations. Let's prepare our own first. If the temperature continues to drop, I believe the base will release new policies in a few days."
The atmosphere was somber.
They knew very well that unless the base could afford to provide everyone with three years' worth of food and warmth supplies, most people would have a hard time surviving the winter.
Jiang Zhi said, "Tomorrow we'll go to the newly opened collection area and pick some cotton."
As soon as Jiang Zhi finished speaking, Jiang Jun objected, "No, it's too dangerous!"
Jiang Jun didn't shy away from pointing out his own leg, saying, "I know you guys are getting stronger, but Niu Dali is too busy right now. It's too risky for you to go on your own. I don't want you to end up like me."
The desktop is quiet.
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, "Big brother..."
Jiang Jun: "The family's income is good now, so we can buy more grain from others."
After Jiang Jun finished speaking, she pushed her wheelchair back to her room.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense. Wu Xiu forced a smile and said, "Azhi, don't worry about it. Your older brother... he's just worried about you. Don't blame him."
Jiang Zhi nodded, "Auntie, I know."
She knew that her family was always worried whenever they went out, so she said, "Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt, you don't need to worry. We're not doing anything reckless."
Wu Xiu knew that her son had not yet fully overcome the hurdle of losing both legs.
She sighed.
"Sui Sui Si Si, go in and talk to your father."
Jiang Sui and Jiang Si obediently agreed.
Grandma Jiang blamed herself, "It's also because our health is not good enough. If we weren't afraid of burdening you, our whole family could have gone together."
Their health has indeed deteriorated significantly in recent years, and if they go together, they will only get in the way when it comes to escaping.
These old folks can only take care of things at home.
Jiang Zhi quickly said, "Grandma, don't say that. Actually, our strength isn't bad now. You'll see if you don't believe me."
As she spoke, she walked out of the courtyard and lifted up the largest piece of wood, nearly making everyone's jaws drop in astonishment.
Grandma Jiang stammered, "Ah, Ah Zhi, how did you become so strong?"
That log must have weighed at least a hundred pounds, right? It took three of them, Jiang Hai and the others, to lift it up, but Jiang Zhi lifted it up so easily?
Even the ginger tree was stunned.
How come he didn't know that his younger sister had suddenly become a strongwoman?
Actually, I only discovered ginger twigs a couple of days ago.
This is likely related to her conscious training of her mental strength, which led to a rapid awakening of her body.
Jiang Zhi put the wood down. "Brother's eyesight has also changed, and Second Brother has something that can save our lives. Let's not talk about anything else, we can protect ourselves."
Jiang Zhi deliberately raised her voice so that Jiang Jun inside could hear her. She knew that the reason her family was worried about them was because they felt they weren't strong enough.
Jiang Wen nodded. "Yes, Ah Zhi got a bargain last night and bought a special prop that can make you invisible."
"Invisibility!"
Everyone was stunned when they heard this.
They don't usually come into contact with these special props, so hearing about them now feels almost unreal.
Jiang Wen nodded excitedly and told him about the scales Jiang Zhi had given him. "Yes, so don't worry, we are capable of protecting ourselves. For one thing, if there is danger, the big tree has good eyesight and can know in advance. If we really can't win, we can just run away."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt much relieved.
Grandpa Jiang muttered, "Why does this place look like a magical world?"
Grandma Jiang jokingly added, "No wonder you little brats are so fearless, so that's why."
Ye Qingyun said helplessly, "No matter what, you should prioritize safety when you go out. We would rather eat less than risk your lives."
Jiang Zhi nodded obediently, "I understand, Mom."
After this little incident, no one said anything more.
Just as they were about to clear the table, Jiang Shan finally returned carrying a frog leg. Ye Qingyun exclaimed in surprise, "Da Shan! Why are you back?"
Jiang Shan said with a smile, "Today is a bit special. The exploration team gave us some good stuff, so I applied to send it back."
When it came to good stuff, everyone's eyes naturally fell on Jiang Shan's hands.
The large piece of flesh, as thick as a human leg, had loose muscles, slightly whitish skin, and wisps of blood. Its cut was jagged, clearly indicating that it had been roughly severed, losing its former agile appearance when it frolicked in the fields and ponds.
Grandma Jiang quickly asked, "What is this thing?"
Jiang Shu looked at it and felt it looked somewhat familiar. "Why does it look so much like a '□□ leg'?"
Jiang Shan smiled and placed the item on the table. "You guessed half right. This is the hind leg of a mutated frog."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"So big?!"
Grandpa Jiang asked, "Dashan, where did you get this thing? Is it edible? It looks terrifying."
Jiang Shan nodded. "It's edible, but it's moderately toxic."
As he spoke, he looked at Jiang Zhi and casually made up an excuse, "This was given to me by Comrade Chen Li. He said that the cotton aphids we sold to him came in handy, and he was especially grateful to us."
Jiang Shu suddenly exclaimed "Ah!" as if he had thought of something—could it be the big frog he had seen in the No. 8 collection area before?
He looked longingly at Jiang Zhi.
Jiang Zhi pretended not to see it.
I didn't expect the exploration team to be so efficient.
Jiang Zhi had told Jiang Shan the news, and it wasn't long before Jiang Shan reported it. They actually managed to get rid of the mutated frog in the swamp of Collection Area No. 8.
Grandma Jiang, who was standing to the side, pinched the frog's leg with delight. "Chen Li is such a nice guy. We sold him things, and he actually gave us such a big piece of meat back."
Ye Qingyun smiled.
She looked at Jiang Shan: "Da Shan, when are we going back?"
Jiang Shan said, "I have to go back after dinner. The institute has assigned me research tasks, and I need to finish them as soon as possible."
Ye Qingyun was somewhat disappointed, but being able to see him today was still a good thing.
She smiled and said, "Okay, I'll make some of your favorite dishes tonight."
Jiang Shan nodded with a smile.
The old lady over there looked worried again, holding the meat. "It's so hot, how am I going to preserve so much meat?"
Ye Qingyun said, "Mom, let's make it into smoked meat. Smoked meat can be stored for longer."
Smoking meat is an old method.
Previously, wood chips or fruit shells could be used for smoking. Smoking creates a protective film on the surface of the meat and also has a bactericidal effect, making it ideal for today's environment.
The Jiang family has no shortage of wood these days, and the wood shavings that Jiang He usually cuts out come in handy.
The old lady did exactly what she said she would do.
"I'm going to smoke this leg tonight."
Jiang Shu hissed, "Grandma, couldn't you save some for tomorrow..."
Grandma Jiang smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll cut off a piece and stir-fry it for you later!"
Jiang Shu said happily, "That's right, life isn't complete without meat to eat."
Ye Qingyun swung his hand at him, "So you're just going to starve if you can't get meat to eat?"
Jiang Shugan laughed: "Mom, I was just saying it casually."
Jiang Shan smiled as he watched everyone chatting and laughing. When he met his daughter's concerned gaze, he gave her a reassuring smile.
Ye Qingyun served him a bowl of porridge.
Grandpa Jiang casually asked about Jiang Shan's work situation, and Jiang Shan gave a general description of the environment.
The area is similar to what it was before the cataclysm, and there are still many advanced instruments.
Everyone listened with great interest.
Frog legs were served directly at the dinner table.
Ye Qingyun cut the frog legs into three pieces, washed and chopped them, marinated them with clam shell powder for 15 minutes, and then coated them with a layer of sugar syrup.
Next, stir-fry the marinated frog legs in a pan over low heat until golden brown, then remove them from the pan.
Ye Qingyun gritted his teeth, used three small spoonfuls of oil to sauté the taro slices until fragrant, then added the frog legs and stir-fried them. The aroma immediately filled the air.
After it was done, Ye Qingyun scooped out two-thirds of the frog legs, added water to the remaining third and continued to stew it. After the water boiled, Ye Qingyun added a bowl of mutated soybeans.
After the soybeans have been stewed until they are soft and flavorful, sprinkle a handful of chopped wild vegetables on top.
This time, Ye Qingyun prepared a generous amount of food. Although there weren't many dishes, the aroma of the frog legs alone was enough to make one's mouth water.
Ye Qingyun first served a bowl to each of the two children.
The aroma of frog legs wafted through the air.
Jiang Si swallowed hard and reluctantly pushed the frog leg towards Grandma Jiang next to her, saying, "Grandma, eat first. Sisi is all grown up now, so she should respect the elderly and care for the young!"
Grandma Jiang was immediately moved to tears.
"Oh my, our Sisi has learned to respect the elderly and care for the young."
Wu Xiu laughed uncontrollably: "Sisi, you're showing respect to the elderly and love to the young! You're the youngest in our family."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Si's little head started to tangle with confusion. "Then...then I'll love myself."
The child's innocent words made everyone burst into laughter.
Ye Qingyun served her another bowl.
"Sisi is such a good girl, so Auntie will reward you with an extra bowl of food!"
Jiang Si's face flushed red from the praise, "Then, then I'll share with everyone."
Everyone laughed again.
Master Jiang smiled and said, "Eat quickly, meat is a rare treat, it won't taste good if it gets cold."
Only then did everyone begin to eat.
Jiang Sui carefully picked at a frog leg.
The frog leg meat is firm and chewy, easily falling off the bone with a gentle bite, and has a savory and slightly charred flavor.
The taro is stir-fried until golden and crispy, soaking up the savory juices of the frog meat, becoming soft, powdery, and flavorful. A bite of frog leg followed by a bite of taro—the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes.
After finishing the meal, I even wanted to mix the sauce at the bottom of the plate with rice and eat it all!
The soybeans soak up the broth and melt in your mouth. The aroma of soybeans blends with the savory fragrance of frog legs. The soup is thick, salty and slightly sweet, and the tender texture is just right for Jiangshan's taste.
Everyone was very satisfied with the meal.
Jiang Wen and his fellow young people finally experienced the happiness that the older generation in the 1970s and 80s felt when they looked forward to eating pork during festivals.
After all, anything becomes better when you add a sense of anticipation.
After dinner, the brother and sister pestered Jiang Shan to talk about things at the research institute.
Jiang Shan picked out the things he could say and said them.
"The research institute is divided into several departments. Some specialize in studying mutated organisms, while others specialize in studying mutants. Most of the main staff are ordinary people, highly educated intellectuals from before the cataclysm. My department has a lot of contact with mutants, and a lot of information needs to be provided by the front-line exploration team."
The two listened with great interest.
Jiang Shu asked, "Dad, are those exploration team members easy to deal with?"
Jiang Shan was both amused and exasperated. "I just went there too, so I can't tell anything."
At this point, Jiang Shan seemed to remember something. "Speaking of which, today wasn't entirely fruitless. I've always wondered how mutants deal with those large animals. After all, mutants have only appeared among humans for three years, and their ability upgrades are far behind the evolutionary level of other mutant creatures. Now I understand."
What is it?
"It's the golden item that Azhi mentioned."
Ye Qingyun's eyes widened.
"They call these golden items special items. The base divides these special items into two categories. The first category grants special abilities upon use, such as increased superpowers or physical enhancements. The second category consists of wearable items, like the bone club in the tree's hand..."
"I can tell they all value these special props very much."
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyun's expression became somewhat complicated.
She could already imagine how many people would covet Jiang Zhi's abilities once they became known.
Jiang Zhi: "Dad, does the base have equipment that can detect special props?"
Jiang Shan nodded: "I've heard there are some, but I don't know the specifics yet. There isn't much communication between departments in the research institute. I'll find out more after I've been here longer. Other matters involve confidentiality, so I won't tell you."
Afterwards, Jiang Shan talked about some trivial things that had happened during the day, and then prepared to return to the research institute.
Ye Qingyun quickly packed some roasted cotton aphids for him.
Jiang Shan refused: "They provide food and lodging over there, and the nutrition is excellent. Let the children eat these."
Ye Qingyun shoved the food into his hand without saying a word, "Don't I know you? You tend to forget to eat when you're working. These can help you fill your stomach occasionally."
Jiang Shan was both amused and exasperated. "These days, you can forget anything but eating."
Despite saying that, knowing it was his wife's way of showing concern for him, Jiang Shan still accepted the cotton aphids.
Seeing Ye Qingyun's expression as he saw Jiang Shan off, Jiang Zhi pursed her lips.
"mom……"
Ye Qingyun turned around and saw Jiang Zhi looking worried. He smiled and said, "I'm fine. Your dad used to go on business trips all the time."
After saying that, she touched her daughter's hair: "My Azhi has grown up and can be the pillar of the family now. Your parents are very proud of you."
It was evident at the dinner table today that the family is gradually starting to prioritize their daughter.
She felt a pang of sadness.
My daughter used to be a fair-skinned little girl, but now she's been exposed to the sun every day and she's gotten so dark.
Jiang Shu asked expectantly, "Mom, what about me?"
Ye Qingyun smiled, "You too."
Jiang Shu was delighted and chuckled, "Don't worry, Mom, we'll work hard to give you a good life!"
Ye Qingyun was helpless.
This silly boy, why doesn't he understand? In the hearts of parents, it's enough for their child to be safe and sound.
"Go to sleep. Didn't you plan to pick cotton tomorrow?"
The brother and sister responded well.
The next morning, Jiang Zhi got dressed and left her room early.
Upon entering the hall, one sees the entire family dressed neatly, with even Wu Xiu and the others sitting there in long sleeves and long robes.
She paused, then looked at Ye Qingyun, "What's going on here?"
Ye Qingyun said helplessly, "I got up early this morning and your aunt and uncle said they wanted to go to the gathering area together."
Wu Xiu said with a smile, "I thought about it a lot last night and I still felt that we can't just let you young people work hard. Since there's not much time, the whole family should work together to find something to eat."
Yuan Ying: "That's what I think too. It's fine to leave your second uncle at home. He can take the child and A-Jun with him and work on the furniture. Your grandparents are too old to come with us."
Jiang Zhi didn't know what to say for a moment.
Judging from their behavior, they probably got up early and discussed it beforehand.
Jiang Shu scratched his head: "Didn't you say that the No. 15 collection area was very dangerous? If you all go, we won't be able to keep an eye on everything."
Wu Xiu glared at him, "We've discussed it. We won't go to the No. 15 collection area. We'll go somewhere else. Besides, your uncle is leading the team here. We can just spend a little money to buy a signal flare for self-defense."
Wu Xiu smiled and said, "I was thinking that although we are old, we still have hands and feet, and our physical strength is not much worse than that of young people. Why are we afraid to go out to collect and gather? There are plenty of people our age who go out to collect at the base. We can't be afraid to leave the base just because we had an accident once before."
Every time she saw these children go out, she felt both worried and guilty.
The whole family relied on the children to find food; just thinking about it makes me feel ashamed.
After thinking it over, Wu Xiu decided to go out and scavenge as well, so that she could bring back more food.
Yuan Ying laughed and said, "Oh my, this time my sister-in-law and I are really on the same page. I thought so too. Maybe we middle-aged and elderly people can be just as good as the children."
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