Chapter 116
Jiang Wen watched with delight.
"It's wet!"
Jiang Wang smiled and became more talkative. "When chiseling ice, tap a small area first. If you hear no muffled sound under the ice, then you can chisel. There might be undercurrents under the sea ice. If you chisel a large hole at the beginning, it's easy to cause trouble. You have to do it like this first, make a small hole the size of your palm, and wait until you see tiny bubbles rising to the surface before slowly expanding it. The smaller the noise, the less likely you are to scare away the fish."
Han Lei and the others listened attentively.
This is a skill that can earn you a living.
The more you learn now, the more foundation you'll have for yourself in the future.
Jiang Wang only has one hand, and he gets exhausted just from chiseling out such a small piece of ice.
I had to stop and catch my breath not long after.
Han Lei quickly went over and said, "Uncle Wang, let me take over from here."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Jiang Wang's face: "I'm too old, I'm no longer useful."
Having gritted his teeth and started, Jiang Wang figured things would go more smoothly afterward, so he stopped pushing himself and stepped aside.
Han Lei took the ice chisel and continued working on the small hole that Jiang Wang had chiseled open.
He gripped the ice pick tightly and dropped it onto the ice, making a dull "thud, thud" sound.
The small opening that Jiang Wang had previously chiseled became the starting point. Han Lei chiseled down along the edge, each chisel landing precisely and accurately on the brittle joints of the ice layers.
He didn't rush things. First, he chiseled a shallow groove around the entrance of the hole to loosen the frozen ice edge. Then, he changed the angle and chiseled deeper.
Gradually, the ice chips that were chiseled out accumulated more and more, piling up in a small heap at their feet. The opening also slowly expanded outwards, from the size of a fist to ten centimeters in size, with the faint light of water flowing under the ice shining through.
When Han Lei got tired of chiseling, he moved on to the next one.
During this time, Jiang Shu took out the only small tent left in his house and set it up with Wu Xiu and Jiang Wen.
I must say, once this tent is set up, it really does block out a lot of wind. Although it's not as good as the special tents used for ice fishing, it's better than nothing.
Three people took turns working on Han Lei's side, and before long, the original small opening had grown into a one-meter-wide opening.
Seeing this, Jiang Wang said, "That's enough, that's enough. It can't be any bigger, or the ice surface might not be able to hold up and will crack."
Upon hearing this, the group stopped fighting.
Jiang Wang looked at the underwater situation and his face lit up with joy: "It's suitable. We can try putting some bait in first."
Jiang Shu knew that his family members weren't good at fishing, so he put extra effort into the bait.
One type is made by soaking previously dried mutant snake meat in water and then kneading it together with cooked barley.
Ye Qingyun chopped the snake meat into small pieces, mixed it with barley, and made a small bowl of red meat scraps wrapped in barley.
The other dish was field mouse meat, which was skinned, tendons removed, minced, and then mixed with some banyan tree leaves.
The last dish was konjac cubes. Ye Qingyun and Grandma Jiang steamed the konjac until it was soft, cut it into small cubes the size of a fingernail, and then soaked it in the remaining snake meat soup to absorb the flavor.
He placed three small earthenware pots by the ice cave and said as if showing off a treasure, "Come on, try these baits! Snake meat and field mouse meat are fishy, so they might attract big fish. Konjac chunks are soft, so small fish can catch them too."
Jiang Wang looked at the fish bait with a pang of heartache. Such good bait would be better used to feed people...
Han Lei and the others weren't so conflicted.
They took the bait and fishing rods and started loading them. Then they handed them to Jiang Wang, saying, "Uncle Wang, you take the lead and make it a good start."
Jiang Wang originally intended to just provide guidance from the sidelines, but seeing that the Jiang family also shared this sentiment, he did not refuse any further.
He squatted by the cave entrance, flicked his wrist, and the fishing line made of hemp thread slid into the ice cave with a "whoosh," leaving only a small section of the line wrapped around the fishing rod.
Wu Xiu broke off two solid blocks of snow from the bridge pier and placed them on the ground for Jiang Wang to sit and rest. She then squatted down next to the corner of the tent, staring intently at the water.
While looking at it, he couldn't help but say, "We'd better get a decent one, otherwise we'll lose money today."
Jiang Shu laughed upon hearing this, "Don't worry, Auntie. Once we've learned how, we'll split into two groups and dig another hole in another place. That way, we won't lose out."
A cold wind blew across the sea, making the tent rattle loudly. If Niu Dali hadn't been sitting inside, it probably would have been blown away by now.
Jiang Shu and the others stared at the ice cave entrance for more than ten minutes. Just as the water was about to freeze over with a thin layer of ice, the fishing line in Jiang Wang's hand suddenly dropped sharply!
"Got it!" he shouted, gripping the fishing rod tightly with one hand.
Although he only had one hand, his movements were decisive. He pulled his wrist back and tightened his arm—the force underwater was considerable, causing the line to vibrate with a "buzzing" sound, and a small whirlpool appeared on the surface of the water at the entrance of the ice cave.
The fish was quite strong, and Jiang Wang was almost pulled down by it.
Han Lei, who was standing nearby, immediately reached out to help. But when he took a hold, he realized that the force was so strong that it almost broke the fishing rod.
Jiang Wang's face turned red. "No, we have to pull the fish up quickly, or the fishing rod won't be able to hold up!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu was alarmed and immediately called out to Niu Dali, "Brother Dali, let's go help!"
The two ran straight over.
At this moment, the fishing line was being pulled taut, and the thing underwater was extremely heavy. Jiang Wang held the line in one hand, and the veins on the back of his hand were bulging.
Without saying a word, Niu Dali squatted down and grabbed the other end of the line, while Jiang Shu quickly reached out and pressed down on Jiang Wang's arm to help stabilize him.
"Bring them this way!" Jiang Wang shouted, and Niu Dali and Jiang Shu obediently pulled them back, one on each side.
The fishing line buzzed loudly, and the water at the entrance of the ice cave churned violently, splashing water onto the ice surface and wetting Han Lei's trouser legs, who was standing at the front.
The group tugged a few times, and the underwater force loosened.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jiang Shu slowly reeled in the fishing line. First, a string of bubbles rose to the surface of the water, and then with a "splash," a mutated bream that was at least 1.5 meters long suddenly darted up. Its silvery-white scales shone brightly in the snow, and its round belly made it look plump.
Han Lei was overjoyed: "It's a fat one!"
Jiang Wang suddenly sat up straight, his eyes shining brightly: "It's a bream! This must weigh forty or fifty pounds!"
In an instant, everyone excitedly gathered around.
Jiang Wen put down his fishing rod and came over to measure it: "This is such a big one. If we could eat it, it would be enough for all of us to have a meal!"
Jiang Shu couldn't wait any longer. "Quick, test it and see if it's edible."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen immediately brought the testing device closer.
"Drip—Highly toxic, not for consumption."
Everyone was greatly disappointed upon hearing this.
So after all that work, all I got was something inedible.
Jiang Wen quickly said, "Don't rush, don't rush. I just tested the fish head. There's still the fish body and tail to be tested."
As he spoke, Jiang Wen continued to test the fish:
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
I won!
Everyone's faces relaxed.
All the hard work paid off!
This proves we found the right place!
Jiang Shu exclaimed happily, "Uncle Wang, you're really something! You got the first one shipped!"
Jiang Wang was a little embarrassed: "It was just a coincidence. The ice has been covering the area for a long time, and with an exit here, it's easier to catch fish when there's oxygen."
Everyone just thought he was being modest.
When Jiang Wen tested the entire fish, it turned out that, except for the head, the rest of the fish contained moderate levels of toxins.
Jiang Wang said, "Although fish heads are inedible, we shouldn't waste them. We can use them as bait."
"That's a good idea," Wu Xiu immediately said. "I'll handle it. You guys go back to fishing."
Upon hearing this, Ayu said, "Auntie, let me help."
We have enough manpower now, and they don't need too many people over there, so we need to find something to do.
Jiang Shu was already calling out, "Quick, quick, I see fish swimming down below! Second Brother, hurry and get the net!"
Just as Jiang Wang had predicted, once the ice broke open, the oxygen level increased, and the fish flocked to this side. Jiang Shu, clinging to the edge of the ice, could see clearly the dark shadows in the water, each flick of its tail sending a swarm of fish flying by.
Jiang Shu wished he could reach into the water with his bare hands and grab it.
Jiang Wen rushed over with a net, about to lower it along the edge of the ice hole, when Jiang Wang quickly reminded him, "Slow down, slow down! Don't rush, or all the fish will get away!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen quickly calmed down.
Following Jiang Wang's instructions, the net pole was lowered slowly, the edge of the net close to the edge of the ice hole, sinking little by little into the water—when the mesh of the net brushed against the ice layer, it didn't even splash water, only creating a few faint ripples on the surface of the water.
Jiang Wang squatted to the side, his one arm resting on his knee, and whispered instructions: "Push it down another half foot, hold it steady... Yes, stop there."
Jiang Wen held his breath, and the net remained submerged underwater for a good two breaths.
The water below the hole gradually calmed down, and the fish shadows that had been startled and scattered earlier slowly gathered again, with a few small ones even rubbing against the net.
Jiang Wang's eyes lit up, and he gave Jiang Wen a wink.
Jiang Wen understood immediately. With a slight flick of his wrist, he pulled the net back a little, then used his wrist to lift it steadily upwards.
As soon as the net left the water, five silvery-white fish were seen hanging inside, their tail fins still gently swaying in the net, barely struggling.
When Ah Song looked, he was shocked to see that they were five mutated sardines, each the size of a palm!
When they were fished out and tested, they turned out to be highly toxic and inedible.
The group did not lose heart.
Knowing that they could find food down below and that it was relatively safe was already a huge relief for them.
In the past, I was always afraid of encountering mutated creatures when I went to the gathering area.
In this vast, open space, with the mutated underwater creatures isolated by the thick ice, I feel quite safe.
Jiang Wen handed over all five sardines to Wu Xiu to handle.
Wu Xiu pulled out a wood-chopping knife, squatted down on the snow, and pressed the tail of the first big fish he had just caught onto the ice.
The fish struggled desperately, its body twisting violently in Wu Xiu's hands. Its tail fin thrashed against the ice with a "splat," and its gill covers were wide open, its slippery body almost leaping out of the water.
Ah Yu, who was standing nearby, quickly used the back of his broadsword to smash the fish's head hard.
With a muffled thud, the fish suddenly stiffened, its twisting body went limp, its tail fin drooped on the ice and stopped moving, its gill covers slowly closed, and only its mouth trembled slightly twice before it fell completely silent.
Seeing that the fish was no longer moving, Wu Xiu swiftly chopped it several times with a machete until the bream's head and body separated. Then, he chopped up the highly toxic internal organs along with the head and gave them to Jiang Shu and the others as bait.
Those five inedible sardines met the same fate.
Before long, Han Lei and his friends followed Jiang Wang's example and caught several mutated grouper and sea bream weighing forty or fifty pounds each.
To their excitement, every single one of them was moderately toxic, a harvest many times better than what they had obtained in the previous gathering areas.
Han Lei and his friends instantly fell in love with the place.
Ah Yu couldn't help but say, "If only I could come here every day."
Han Lei poured cold water on him: "Don't think too much. With the number of households in the base, you'd be lucky to get a turn every few months."
The base's rules are clearly stated—
Once one household has been visited, you have to wait until all the other households have had their turn before you can get a number.
Ah Song felt like he'd been struck by lightning: "Does that mean this might be the first and last time for us?!"
If it really takes several months for our turn to come, we won't even be able to get soup, let alone eat meat.
Don't even think about leaving any fish fry.
Han Lei: "So, we all need to put in our best effort today, and we should at least earn enough for three to five months' worth of food."
Han Lei's words immediately increased the pressure on everyone.
Jiang Shu: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's split up and quickly dig as many holes as possible, don't waste any time!"
Han Lei looked at Jiang Wang and said, "Yes, Uncle Wang, let's open another opening, shall we? One opening is too inefficient."
Jiang Wang nodded: "Okay, opening a few more is fine." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the ice beneath his feet, and then said in a deep voice: "But the holes should be far apart, at least seven or eight steps apart. This ice looks thick, but if we chisel it too close together, it will easily crack. We don't want to fall in before we catch any fish."
Jiang Shu and the others responded and split into two groups, each moving seven or eight steps to the left and right.
After choosing a location, they swung the ice chisel and began to chisel.
Before long, the round holes on both sides were finished.
The group quickly baited their hooks, lowered their fishing lines into the hole, and waited with their rods in hand.
Not long after, Jiang Shu gripped the pole and shook it, when suddenly his hand felt heavy and he was almost pulled forward.
"Good heavens! This must be a big one!" Jiang Shu exclaimed, both surprised and delighted. He quickly shouted, "Quick, lend a hand! We can't hold on to it!"
He gritted his teeth and pulled back, the fishing line taut and buzzing.
With his current strength, what level of mutated creature would it be to rival his power?
That thing was incredibly strong. When the ginger tree pulled backward, it struggled underwater, and the fishing line was pulled so hard it almost became a straight line.
Seeing this, Niu Dali rushed over to help grab the end of the rod. The two of them strained from the front and back, their arms trembling, as they wrestled with the thing underwater like a tug-of-war.
Both were strong, and it didn't take long for them to gain the upper hand.
Suddenly, the water splashed open, and a large brown object surged up—
Jiang Wen, who was helping to operate the net, was stunned.
It's an octopus!
The part that was pulled up was half a person tall, and its tentacles swung and landed firmly on the ice with a "smack," the sticky suction cups making people feel scared.
Before Niu Dali and the others could react, the thickest tentacle suddenly retracted and slammed back down on Niu Dali—
Fortunately, Jiang Shu reacted quickly, pulling out the cat's paw from between his legs and scratching it. The foremost tentacle that was about to smash into Niu Dali broke off with a snap, falling to the snow and wriggling haphazardly, its suction cups opening and closing as it clung to the ice.
Startled, the remaining tentacles still in the water suddenly surfaced and slammed onto the ice—
"Crack!"
The ice surface immediately cracked open with a black fissure, and the crack spread half a foot outwards from the edge of the hole.
This terrified everyone.
That octopus is incredibly strong.
If this continues, the ice will crack, and everyone will be doomed!
Jiang Shu also got anxious. He held the cat's paw in his hand, aimed at the octopus's head sticking out of the ice, and chopped down with all his might—with a "crack," he forcefully split the head in half.
As soon as the octopus was chopped down, it suddenly thrashed about, and a large gush of ink gushed out from the severed end. The black liquid splattered all over Jiang Shu's face and cotton-padded jacket, and even stained the ice surface next to him black, carrying a fishy smell.
The people not far away were all frightened.
Wu Xiu rushed over, "Big Tree, are you alright?"
Jiang Shu wiped his face, making his face and hands even darker.
...I was careless.
Fortunately, the ink wasn't corrosive, otherwise it would have been a real problem.
"It's alright, Auntie. Did you bring a towel with you this time? You need to wipe yourself down."
The wind at the beach is no joke; if you don't dry your hair in time, it will freeze solid in no time.
Wu Xiu quickly replied, "Yes, yes, I'll go find it for you right away!"
As he spoke, he jogged back to the tent to search for the things that Jiang Shu had previously released from the space device.
Taking advantage of the gap, Jiang Shu and Niu Dali worked together to pull the octopus. The two of them bent over and pulled back with all their might, but halfway through, the octopus's body got stuck at the entrance of the ice cave.
No matter how the two pulled, the octopus wouldn't budge, instead making the hole crack even wider.
Jiang Wen was dumbfounded.
"What should we do now? Should we widen the opening?"
But the ice surface had already been cracked in several places by the octopus's tentacles. If the hole were widened, something bad would definitely happen.
Jiang Wang rushed over from over there and, upon hearing this, quickly said, "Don't expand it! Just cut this octopus in half!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu swung his cat paw in a wide arc and chopped at the middle of the octopus's body. The octopus, which already lacked a head, was now split in two.
"Come on! Pull!" he shouted, and he and Niu Dali each grabbed one half. This time there was no jamming, and they were dragged onto the ice with a "whoosh." The two halves slid in two tracks on the snow, and sticky water dripped from the broken ends.
Only then did the others see the true form of the mutated octopus.
Its body alone is at least two meters long, round like a small jar, and its several tentacles can stretch five or six meters to the side, with the broken one still jumping around.
Ah Song watched from the side, his face turning pale.
This time, the group truly felt the difference between mutants and ordinary people.
If they had been the ones to catch that mutated octopus, they probably wouldn't have been able to pull it ashore; they would likely have been dragged back into the sea.
Wu Xiu ran over and handed towels to the group to wipe themselves. When she saw the octopus, she was so frightened that her face turned pale.
"My goodness, such a huge mutated octopus."
Jiang Shu wiped the ink off his face and smiled at his aunt: "It's alright, Aunt. Let's move this big thing over there first. I'm really afraid the ice won't be able to hold it here."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen bent down to lift it, but no matter how hard he tried, the half-octopus body wouldn't budge.
"Wow, it's really heavy!" Jiang Wen exclaimed in surprise.
Niu Dali and Asong quickly surrounded them, each of the four grabbing a corner and shouting "one, two, three" as they lifted it up. It took them quite a while to finally manage to lift the half-octopus off the ice.
The octopus's slimy body was so heavy that two people had to pull it from the front and two others had to support it from behind, moving it step by step toward the tent.
Jiang Wen, panting heavily, said, "This giant octopus must weigh at least several hundred pounds, right?"
Han Lei said, "I estimate it's more than that. Look, even Dali and Dashu couldn't pull it. It must weigh at least a thousand kilograms."
After everyone carried the octopus back to the tent, Jiang Shu took out the detector from his waist and leaned over, probing the severed octopus tentacle.
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
Everyone's eyes widened. Such a long tentacle, and they could actually eat it?!
They made a killing!!
Jiang Shu was very happy and continued the measurement with great enthusiasm.
result--
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
"Drip - Moderate toxicity, can be consumed in moderation."
Everyone's eyes widened and their hearts beat faster and faster.
This thing is huge, and it's full of moderately toxic substances!!!
Ah Song couldn't hide his envy. "The octopus meat is so delicious, Shu-ge, can we trade some with you guys later?"
The group had previously agreed that everyone would keep their own spoils this time.
This octopus was brought up by Jiang Shu, so naturally it belongs to the Jiang family.
Jiang Shu's mind had already wandered while he was on the testing machine, his head filled with ideas on how to cook octopus. Hearing Ah Song's words, he waved his hand generously, "No need to change anything, I'll give you twenty pounds!"
This is an octopus weighing over a thousand pounds!
Although there is a lot of water involved, it must still weigh several hundred kilograms after shrinking, which is quite a lot.
Han Lei laughed and said, "When we catch other kinds of mutated fish later, we'll share some with you too!"
Jiang Shu didn't stand on ceremony and said with a smile, "That would be great."
With the giant octopus-like ginger tree as a backdrop, everyone's eyes lit up, and all their previous restraint and concerns disappeared.
Seeing that everyone was so excited, Wu Xiu quickly reminded them, "Be careful, don't forget about safety!"
Everyone verbally agreed with "We know," but their hands didn't stop. They chiseled the ice even more enthusiastically, only moving their feet more steadily, as no one wanted to make a mistake at this crucial moment.
The group worked for most of the day, changing locations many times. When they encountered other people, they all tacitly kept their distance.
Perhaps because this was the first time this place had been developed, the fish below remained undisturbed.
Not only them, but several groups of people in the distance also pulled up a mutated fish from time to time. Some of them were covered in scales that shimmered with silver light, while others had tails like palm fans. Their joyful shouts could be heard from afar.
Under Jiang Wang's guidance, Han Lei and his friends caught a tuna weighing over a thousand pounds, which was two meters wide, far from the dock.
If Jiang Shu hadn't reacted quickly, grabbing an ice axe from the side and twisting it under the fish's gills to push it down, Han Lei and the others might have actually been dragged into the sea.
This mutated tuna is not like an octopus; it cannot be easily sliced open by a cat's claws.
Niu Dali and Jiang Shu put in a lot of effort to get this big guy up here.
The two of them painstakingly widened the ice hole, which was originally only one meter wide, little by little, until it was big enough to hold a tuna, before they were able to pull the fish out together.
Actually, such dangerous situations are not uncommon today.
Throughout the day, there was a constant, intermittent movement on the ice. They saw it twice from a distance—both times someone lost their grip on the fishing rod and was pulled into an ice hole by the big thing below, and the people next to them tried to pull them out but couldn't.
Some were even smashed through the ice by mutated creatures below, causing the entire group to fall into the sea.
With the experienced Jiang Wang by their side, and Jiang Shu and Niu Dali protecting them, they always escaped unscathed.
Niu Dali also caught a 17-18 meter long ribbonfish at the very end.
However, the level of danger was so high that it made one break out in a cold sweat despite the freezing weather.
When the head of the ribbonfish came out of the water, its body, which was more than ten meters long, spread out underwater, and its tail almost reached another place where ice was being broken.
When Niu Dali pulled it halfway out, the ribbonfish suddenly twisted its body with the force of pulling several old oxen. Niu Dali, holding the fishing rod, was pulled and slid half a meter away on the ice.
Fortunately, Jiang Shu rushed over and grabbed his lower back, while Jiang Wang also picked up an ice pick and started stabbing the fish. The group worked around for almost half an hour, their arms aching so much they could barely lift them, before they finally managed to pin the big guy down on the ice.
In short, it was a very difficult day.
However, the rewards are proportional to the risks.
Their catch for the day was almost piled up into a small mountain—mutant octopus, a whole giant tuna, and the 17-18 meter ribbonfish that Niu Dali caught…
Besides these, there were other small fish scattered around, enough to feed three families for several months.
When Jiang Shu and the others gathered at the dock and started walking back, they realized that the number of people was sparse, and a rough count showed that there were probably less than a third of them.
Those who are still alive have gained a lot.
The base was well-prepared; several green pickup trucks were parked by the dock with their cargo compartments open.
Before long, everyone's harvest filled several vehicles.
The frozen fish were piled high, and even the gaps in the carriage were stuffed with smaller catches.
The car was crushed and sank considerably.
However, despite all these gains, no one spoke up.
Everyone tacitly suppressed their emotions, moving things with light steps and even speaking in hushed tones, afraid that their joy at their small gain might offend those who had lost their companions or families.
At seven o'clock in winter, it's already completely dark.
From the distant ice cave, the sounds of mutated fish thrashing about in the water could be heard intermittently.
The group crammed into the pickup truck and headed back, sitting close together as they had on the way there.
After a day of running around, almost everyone was exhausted.
The car hadn't gone far when the occasional coughs and whispers that had been going on gradually stopped.
Before long, the carriage was filled with snoring, some loud and some soft, piled together, adding a touch of real human warmth to the dark journey home.
*
By the time Qiuqiu brought Jiangzhi back to the base, it was already dark.
The closer you get to the base, the clearer the gray-black city wall becomes.
Jiangzhi gently patted Qiuqiu's neck, signaling it to slow down, and Qiuqiu flapped its wings and slowly circled the base.
It was only upon turning around that I truly realized the sheer size of the base—the city wall resembled a gray dragon, encircling entire clusters of buildings.
Inside the sentry tower on the city wall, two soldiers were staring at the sky. The one who saw Chirp first had his hand already on the siren, his eyes wide, and his voice trembling slightly: "Where did this big guy come from?"
He was about to press the alarm.
A hand immediately reached out and stopped him: "What are you pressing? Don't you recognize what kind of mutant bird that is? That's a white eagle! It's Comrade Jiang Zhi's mount!"
Legends of Jiang Zhi and the mutated white eagle had long circulated among the army in the base, and almost every soldier wanted to see the true appearance of the level 6 mutated white eagle.
Upon hearing this, the soldier immediately became excited.
He hurriedly looked up at the sky again.
Upon seeing Chirp's bright white feathers and its steady figure perched on its back, I was overjoyed: "So this is what it looks like... I actually saw it!!"
Jiangzhi, sitting on Qiuqiu's back, also saw the soldiers on guard below.
She recognized the somewhat familiar faces and guessed they were her comrades from her previous trip to Hunan Province, so she waved downwards.
This thrilled the green recruit who had never seen Jiangzhi before—the legendary person was beckoning to him!
The soldier's face turned bright red. Regardless of whether Jiang Zhi could see him or not, he swung his arm forcefully, shouting, "Comrade Jiang Zhi! I'm here!"
The soldier next to him swung his hand and chopped off his head. "Does he even know you? He's just waving at you."
The green recruit chuckled, "Whatever, what if Comrade Jiang Zhi remembers me?"
Jiangzhi waved politely and then told Qiuqiu to fly back to the base.
As soon as you enter the airspace above the base, you can see wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys and occasionally a few tiny, ant-like figures appearing.
In the darkness, the kerosene lamps at the base twinkled, their warm yellow light casting a sense of reassurance in the dim night.
As she looked around, Jiang Zhi couldn't help but drift into thought: I wonder what this place will become in the future?
Will more people move in, creating bustling streets, allowing them the freedom to venture out into the world, and enabling them to grow their own crops in their fields...?
Just then, Chirp chirped softly, and a layer of pale golden light shone from the crest of feathers on its head.
Before Jiang Zhi could react, the scene before her eyes suddenly changed—
This isn't the base's night view anymore.
What comes into view is a vast expanse of sky and earth.
The entire planet Earth seems to have changed.
Most of the place was a dark abyss, with gray mist churning from the cracks in the ground.
Beyond that, there was only the boundless ocean. Yet, in this broken world, a few dozen points of light stood scattered about, like lonely islands in the darkness.
Where is this...?
Why did she see such a scene?
Just as Jiang Zhi was hesitating, she suddenly saw two familiar places.
Jiang Zhi's heart clenched—she saw it clearly.
Among the dozens of points of light, two stood out particularly clearly.
One was a towering tree, its branches and leaves shrouded in clouds; it was the same giant tree she had visited before, the Cloud Nest Tree.
And just a short distance from the giant cloud-nest tree, at another point of light, surrounded by gray walls, mountains, and terrain...
I can vaguely make out a familiar outline—it's the Ancheng Base!!
Within the Ancheng base, a giant vine supports this vast expanse of land.
Jiang Zhi stared blankly at the scene before her.
The world before us contains dozens of places like the Cloud Nest Giant Tree and the Ancheng Base.
Could this be what the world will ultimately look like many years from now?
But in the blink of an eye, the scene before my eyes shattered again, revealing the familiar night view of the base.
Chirp chirp's crest was restored to its original state, and it gently rubbed against the back of her hand, as if to comfort her.
Jiang Zhi immediately realized what was happening.
The scenes I just saw were Chiu Chiu's second ability—the Eye of Time!
Jiang Zhi's mind was in turmoil.
This superpower allows one to see visions of the future.
Could it be another superpower that arose from the influence of her mental power back then...?
Jiang Zhi wanted to tell herself that what she had just seen was an illusion, but the scene was too real, as if she had really stepped into the future and experienced it firsthand.
She clutched the feathered crest of the chick, her fingertips trembling slightly, the fleeting glimpse of the scene still vivid in her mind.
So that's what the world was like from then on. Did they really establish themselves on this land?
If that's the case, then wouldn't the vine she planted become humanity's last Noah's Ark?
The night breeze made Jiang Zhi's cheeks feel tight, and the coolness seeped into her collar, which eased her tense mood a little.
While they were thinking, Chirp had already crossed the boundary marker of Collection Area 1.
Jiang Zhi caught a glimpse of an unusual deep green out of the corner of her eye—she jerked her head to the side, nearly tearing off Chiu Chiu's feathers in surprise.
The vines that were only about 20 meters tall before have grown to over 100 meters tall in just one day!
The dark green main stem, winding and twisting, had grown to the same height as the base's city wall, and its diameter had reached four or five meters wide.
Jiang Zhi was stunned.
Her heart grew heavier and heavier—did the fact that the vines were growing so fast mean that the scene in her dream, the future that Chiu Chiu had shown her, would soon come true?
Go around the other side of the vines, and Jiang Zhi saw a glimmer of light.
Professor Shen and several assistants were squatting beside the vines, their white coats standing out against the greenery.
He held a notebook in his hand, the pen scratching across the paper. Several researchers nearby were also busy, some holding instruments and attaching them to the vines, others typing something on tablets, occasionally huddling together to whisper data, barely noticing the chirping birds overhead.
Jiangzhi patted Qiuqiu's neck, and Qiuqiu understood, slightly folding its wings and landing steadily.
As they got closer to the ground, Jiang Zhi seized the opportunity, lightly jumped off Qiu Qiu's back, and stood about ten meters away from Professor Chen and the others.
As soon as Jiang Zhi stood firm, a hurricane with flapping wings came from above.
Chirp circled above her twice, then flicked its tail feathers, flapped its wings, and flew towards the Qiling Mountains, instantly becoming a white dot.
"Comrade Xiao Jiang?"
Professor Shen's surprised voice came from behind.
He hurried over, forgetting to hand her the folder in his hand, and just patted her arm with a smile: "You're finally back! Colonel Huang has been looking for you like crazy."
Jiang Zhi thought it was such a coincidence; she also wanted to find Huang Xianming.
"What does Colonel Huang want with me?"
Professor Shen: "I don't know either—I heard your father submitted a report to higher authorities, but I don't know the specifics. I only know that several leaders at the base heard it and immediately said they wanted to see you."
Jiang Zhi understood.
It seems that her father reported the contents of her dream to the authorities.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi was no longer in a hurry.
She then asked Professor Shen, "Professor Shen, how is your research on the vines going?"
Upon hearing this, Professor Shen's smile faded slightly, and he shook his head, saying, "I haven't figured out any important information yet, but one thing is certain—it's the same kind of tree as the giant tree in Cloud Nest."
He looked at Jiang Zhi, "Comrade Jiang, tell me, are these vine seeds...?"
He didn't finish his question, but Jiangzhi knew what he was asking.
He wanted to ask if this seed was the same white light they had seen in the satellite images.
Jiang Zhi nodded. "Yes, Professor Shen, it's exactly what you think."
Professor Shen took a deep breath, his chest heaving. The folder in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud," but he didn't bother to pick it up. He just stared at Jiang Zhi, his eyes wide with surprise and excitement. His lips moved several times before he finally managed to squeeze out, "It really is..."
Jiang Zhi said earnestly, "Professor Shen, this vine is very important. It may very well be related to the future of humanity. Please take good care of it."
Professor Shen was taken aback upon hearing this. After seeing Jiang Zhi's serious expression, he nodded vigorously, his expression full of solemnity: "Don't worry, Comrade Jiang. Although I don't know why you say that, you can entrust it to me with confidence. I will make sure it doesn't go wrong in the slightest."
Seeing that he agreed, Jiang Zhi relaxed her tense shoulders and nodded to Professor Chen: "Then I'll leave it to you."
After saying that, she didn't linger any longer. She greeted Professor Shen and the others, then got into a military vehicle and returned to the base.
Jiang Zhi originally thought that even if the things in her dream happened, she would still have some time to prepare.
But seeing how these vines are growing now, I'm a little uncertain.
She didn't dare to gamble.
We must report everything we've seen to the base as soon as possible.
The military vehicles quickly returned to the base and stopped in front of the administration building in Area C.
Jiang Zhi got off the bus.
Night had fallen, but many lights were still on inside the building, creating an unusually somber atmosphere.
As soon as she arrived at the door, a sentry recognized her and quickly went in to report. He came out a moment later and said, "Comrade Jiang Zhi, the Commander and the Colonel are waiting for you. This way, please."
Jiang Zhi followed her inside to the office at the very back on the second floor. As she pushed open the door, she first smelled a faint scent of tobacco.
The office wasn't large. Against the wall stood an old bookcase, crammed with documents and a few worn-out books. By the window was a solid wood desk with a base map and a topographical map of the surrounding area spread out on it, and an enamel mug next to it was still steaming.
She recognized the people standing by the table at a glance.
Her father, Jiang Shan, dressed in casual clothes, breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing her.
Colonel Huang Xianming, who was standing next to her, nodded to her as she entered, which was considered a greeting.
The person sitting in the main seat was none other than Commander Wang, whom they had met at the clinic before.
He held a cigarette in his hand, but didn't smoke it. He just tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. His gaze was on her, scrutinizing yet gentle.
Commander Wang raised his chin, pointed to a few sheets of paper on the corner of the table, and pushed them aside, causing the reports to slide in front of Jiang Zhi. "Comrade Jiang Zhi," he said in a deep, authoritative voice, "this is a report written by your father. Take a look and see if there are any omissions or additions."
Jiang Zhi bent down and picked up the report, her fingertips quickly scanning the pages. Her gaze lingered on a few points for a moment before she looked up and said, "Yes."
Commander Wang stubbed out the cigarette between his fingers and put it in the ashtray.
His gaze fell on Jiang Zhi's face, and he uttered only two words: "Tell me."
"First, I can't be sure about the extent of the plate separation. I only know that it includes a part of the Qiling Mountains. Today, I explored along the Qiling Mountains and found that at the end of the mountains, which is Gansu Province, cracks have already begun to appear."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I'm not sure if this is a precursor to crustal movement. You could have someone else check it out."
"Secondly, the vine that saved us in my dream is growing very fast now. At its current rate of growth, it won't be long before what happened in my dream occurs."
"Third, my companion, that level seven white eagle, one of its special abilities is the ability to see the future. It verified my dream."
Commander Wang listened to the first two points, his fingertips occasionally pausing on the edge of the table, his brows slightly furrowed, but his expression remained relatively calm.
Upon hearing the third point, he abruptly stood up from his chair and stared intently at her.
Jiang Zhi didn't flinch at all; her back was ramrod straight, and she stood firmly in front of his gaze.
The office was quiet for a moment, with only the rustling of the night wind blowing through the window.
Commander Wang's voice was heavy with solemnity: "I only want to ask one question—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the map on the table before finally settling on Jiang Zhi's face. He said, word by word, "In your dream, at that time, where did all the humans from other places go?"
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