Chapter 399

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Dinner was still stewed goat meat; worried it would get tiresome, Shen Yao also prepared some stir-fried seasonal vegetables.

Fortunately, she had ordered enough winter vegetables; otherwise, seeing them devour an entire head of cabbage in one meal would have worried Shen Yao to death about the days ahead.

"Some can be traded privately, but the price won't be too cheap."

Cheng Qi understood these matters of the people suffering while officials turned a blind eye; after all, the base was too big, some ate well while others lived poorly, and everyone had to be given a way to survive. Push too hard, and it could easily cause irreversible consequences.

"Let's talk about it after this busy period. We live in B District, and our living supplies are already somewhat better than other districts. Making a scene now isn't a good thing."

Shen Yao picked up a chopstickful of tender, juicy stir-fried vegetables and put them in her mouth; the sweet, fragrant taste filled her mouth, leaving her with endless aftertaste.

Mm

In this post-mutation world, everything relies on oneself, but the food here really is getting tastier.

One chopstickful wasn't enough, so she reached for another; Shen Yao ate with her eyebrows and eyes curved in delight.

The two soon filled their bellies. Since picking cotton had taken too much time, and they hadn't deliberately increased their workload at night, they just lay on the bed browsing the forum on Cheng Qi's wristwatch, then turned off the light and went to sleep when the time came.

The next morning they got up early and continued going out to pick cotton. Cheng Qi carried the wooden box placed by the doorway into the room and locked it.

The two took the earliest military vehicle and arrived at the cotton field safely after an uneventful journey.

However, Shen Yao's luck wasn't great this time; the metal plaque she was assigned was number 256.

Tsk tsk tsk

That distance is a bit far.

Once issued, metal plaques cannot be returned or exchanged. Shen Yao took her tools and went inward along the route she had walked yesterday.

After about twenty-plus minutes, Shen Yao finally saw the number 256 plaque.

Not far ahead were members of the Patrol Team, holding weapons and constantly patrolling.

Finding a moment to send a message to Cheng Qi, who was at work, Shen Yao put on her veil hat, put gloves on both hands, picked up her back basket, and actively climbed the tree.

There were visibly more bugs on the cotton trees today than yesterday.

Shen Yao frowned and had the system add partitions to her space; she was not willing to collect untested cotton.

System:...

The system grumbled that the Host was too pretentious, but the work that needed to be done was still completed honestly.

The entire cotton tree was covered with dense small dots of various colors. Shen Yao, holding scissors, went click-clack click-clack; some went into the back basket to be turned over to the base, and some were put into her space as her personal wages.

Shen Yao's area was near the center of the cotton field; going further in, the probability of danger would be high.

Hurrying to finish picking the cotton from three trees before noon, Shen Yao carried her back basket and hemp sack back to the outside of the cotton field.

Cheng Qi ran over and grabbed Shen Yao's wrist. "Don't go there this afternoon."

Shen Yao:...?

"I know," Shen Yao nodded obediently. Some things didn't need to be spelled out.

After handing in the cotton in her hands at the staff office, Shen Yao also returned the metal plaque to them.

"If you don't go this afternoon, you won't get the full amount of cotton," the staff member said, adjusting his glasses and explaining calmly.

Shen Yao had no objection to this. She took her wages and turned to find Cheng Qi.

Cheng Qi was sitting in a shady spot resting, beads of sweat dense on his forehead.

Shen Yao handed over a handkerchief. "This afternoon I'll go look at the mountain forest behind."

If she didn't pick cotton, she could only wander around the surroundings. The most important thing here was that cotton field; there were very few other supplies to find.

"Mm, you be careful yourself. Try not to go too far in," Cheng Qi said, licking the corner of his lips, then unscrewed the kettle he had brought and gulped down a mouthful.

Cool plain water went down his throat. Cheng Qi wiped his face and mentioned that he had a day off the day after tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow?

Shen Yao touched her chin, pulled up her wristwatch and showed it to Cheng Qi. "How about we go there the day after tomorrow? We can also go into the mountains to pick some wild fruit."

Things like chestnuts and hazelnuts. The mountain forests around the base were rich in produce. If it weren't for the mutant beasts being too fierce and troublesome, the people at the base could live several times better than they do now.

Cheng Qi looked and nodded. "We can go there. There are several hawthorn trees in the mountains; picking them down can serve as snacks."

After hearing this, Shen Yao hurriedly marked and saved the location, then turned over and took out two nutrient agents from her back basket.

Grass-flavored.

Drinking it was light and plain with a grassy taste. It was said the raw materials were wild grass grown at the base exterior, generally used to feed the animals raised at the base.

Glug glug. The entire nutrient agent went into her stomach. Shen Yao reached out and touched herself; the previous feeling of hunger disappeared instantly.

The effect was immediate. Even though the taste and ingredients of the nutrient agent were always criticized, it was still very effective.

Cheng Qi had only one empty tube left in his hand. It was useless, so he just threw it on the original spot.

After resting for about an hour, people got up and left one after another.

When it was time to start work in the afternoon, ordinary people at the base certainly couldn't just skip work like Shen Yao could. Besides, many people were counting on getting this cotton; it was their hope for survival in the future.

Shen Yao went with the flow and stood up, but the direction she walked was opposite to everyone else's.

Her back basket had long been emptied. Cheng Qi had directly carried away the hemp sack for cotton. Now Shen Yao had empty hands and a light body; wherever she went, she wouldn't be watched.

Squeak squeak

Stepping on the thick undergrowth of the forest, Shen Yao found several clusters of mushrooms.

She picked the edible ones and put them in her back basket, not forgetting to break some branches to cover them. The branches she broke were not ordinary; after the mutation, they could be used to hold seasonings.

Fortunately, the variety of seasonings bought at home was not many. Being able to restock in the wild was perfect.

Walking forward, Shen Yao discovered a wild autumn pear tree.

The tree was only one story tall, with several face-sized autumn pears growing on it. Shen Yao naturally wouldn't let it pass, asking the system to scan it before climbing up and picking them directly.

'Host, there are more ahead!'

The system, having nothing to do, scanned once and immediately found something around them.

Shen Yao hummed in acknowledgment and nodded, asking the system to lead the way.

'Probably ones that were missed,' wild autumn pears were heavy and had good texture, so if there really were fruit, they couldn't not be picked.

The place the system found had quite a few wild autumn pear trees, but few fruits hanging on them, and they were very hidden.

Shen Yao was like a nimble monkey, climbing up and down to pick autumn pears.

Soon filling the back basket she brought, Shen Yao felt it was about time to leave.

'Host, there is wild honey.'

The system clanged again to remind her, interrupting Shen Yao's thought of leaving.

Huh?

Wild honey?

This was a good thing, worth more than autumn pears and also an excellent tonic.

Putting down and hiding the back basket, Shen Yao picked up her weapon and asked the system to open the map.

'Not far from here, five minutes if we walk fast,' and there was no one around, so Shen Yao wasn't afraid of others taking advantage.

Wriggling her wrist, eager to try, Shen Yao bent over and tied her pant legs tight, jumped twice to confirm she couldn't break free, adjusted the veil hat she was wearing, then lifted her leg and strode forward.

'Buzz buzz——buzz buzz buzz————'

After mutation, the bees' bodies grew larger, each one as long as an index finger.

Shen Yao lay behind a rock, looking at a beehive about one meter in diameter not far away, planning to use fire attack to ambush it.

Direct conflict wouldn't be advantageous, and besides, one bee sting could take half her life. Shen Yao rubbed her cheeks and took out space cotton to use as fire-starting material.

She carried a lighter with her, just in case. She didn't expect it to come in handy right now.

'System, watch the surroundings for me,' after speaking, Shen Yao threw the fireball in her hand, landing it very precisely around the beehive opposite.

Boom—

Swarms of bees surged out of the beehive, pitch black, trying to put out the fire.

Pity that once cotton like this was lit, it burned very fast, reaching the edge of the beehive in an instant.

Now even more bees appeared inside the beehive, like moths to a flame, rushing forward one after another.

Shen Yao seized this time period, sneaking around to the other side.

Asking the system to detect the mutation level of the honey inside the beehive, Shen Yao chose places with more green and yellow points, swinging her sickle and hacking hard several times.

After cutting it down, the beehive was taken into her space, and many bee pupae and young bees instantly appeared on the ground.

The bees that had flown out to put out the fire discovered someone was stealing their home, turned around, and swore revenge.

Pity the beehive had already been taken by Shen Yao, there wasn't a hint of a hive-thief's scent around her, plus she was covered from head to toe and ran especially fast, so the bees found it hard to cause her trouble.

Shen Yao returned to the autumn pear tree feeling very satisfied, brushed aside the piled fallen leaves, found the back basket inside, and put it back on her back.

Reaching up to tidy her somewhat messy hair, Shen Yao happily showed off to the system.

'This wild honey must be dozens of jin,' removing the undrinkable parts, two-thirds would still remain, 'this trip was truly worth it.'

Better than simply picking cotton, after all, wild honey was always hard to come by, and the Exchange Center had no stock.

Patting the shoulder strap of her basket, before returning Shen Yao took out a hemp sack, and by the way picked a few leaves to wrap the beehive and put it inside.

'The honey scent is too fragrant, can't hide it.'

Shen Yao thought it over and simply put the hemp sack at the very bottom of the back basket, loosely covering it with a layer of autumn pears on top; the rest could only be carried in the sack on her shoulder.

Both hands full, it was clear she had harvested a lot. Shen Yao walked back all the way, countless eyes on her body, most of them envy and jealousy.

Cheng Qi wasn't at the resting place. Shen Yao put down the back basket and hemp sack to send a message to the other person, while she herself stayed in place.

After waiting half an hour, Cheng Qi returned, followed by several teammates who were also from the Patrol Team.

'Get in the car first.'

Cheng Qi said while speaking, very naturally picking up the back basket and hemp sack on the ground.

Shen Yao walked beside Cheng Qi, looking cute and obedient as she followed Cheng Qi away.

The others beside them were still in the mood to joke. They weren't familiar with Shen Yao, but they were very familiar with Captain Cheng Qi; it hadn't been long since the new official took office.

Cheng Qi helplessly shook his head, only saying a few words for them to pay attention to the surroundings.

Only when the two arrived at the military vehicle parking area did Shen Yao step forward and grab Cheng Qi.

Cheng Qi:... Huh?

Shen Yao smiled, gestured for Cheng Qi to lower his head, and leaned over to mutter a few words.

Cheng Qi looked surprised, 'Really?'

'Of course,' if it weren't for the lack of time, she would have continued cutting.

Cheng Qi glanced at the very bottom of the back basket, canceling his original plan to casually put it in the car.

Mm, treasures like this should be secretly hidden and not told to anyone.

'Still need to give some to my parents. Also, need the base's help to purify it.' They themselves couldn't handle these bulk wild honeys.

Because the honey was all mixed together, separating it required special tools; otherwise, if one accidentally ate highly mutated honey, it would be a deadly crisis.

'Leave it to me, but not recently. Wait for me to find a chance to ask someone.'

Taking it straight to the base's official side, what awaited them might be perfunctory treatment. No one wanted their hard-earned wild honey to be taken by others.

Cheng Qi knew the operational room here best; many people would take small advantages.

Shen Yao hummed and nodded, then thumped her arms and thumped her legs, and pointed to the crowd not far away, 'Is the danger inside resolved?'

Cheng Qi raised an eyebrow. "A few people died, and the Patrol Team hasn't made a fuss."

Once they make a fuss, it will trigger unrest, and cotton harvesting will plummet.

The Base's requirement is that nothing can affect the Cotton Field right now, after all, the entire Base has a huge shortage of winter clothing, all waiting for this batch.

Cheng Qi simply used public resources for private gain, arranging for Shen Yao to ride in the Patrol Team's vehicle; anyway, others always do this, and now Cheng Qi chose to "go along with them," while also letting the team members rest easy.

After all, they are all on the same boat now, no need to worry about anyone spilling the beans; there are always some captains who are unpleasant and make things difficult, but Cheng Qi doesn't have these bad habits and shares their fate, practically a great person.

Cheng Qi, who was handed a "good person card," was completely oblivious; he still had patrol work to do.

After staying with Shen Yao for a while, Cheng Qi took his weapon and left.

Even though Shen Yao was the only one left in the vehicle, she didn't let herself go, but instead closed her eyes to rest and lowered her profile.

Until footsteps came from outside the window one after another, Shen Yao opened her eyes and met Cheng Qi boarding the vehicle.

Cheng Qi walked over and sat beside Shen Yao, handing her the banana he was holding.

Shen Yao:...?

"There are bananas here?" Tropical fruits are unsuitable for growing before or after the Mutation.

"An improved variety researched by the Base; its taste and texture are far worse than bananas."

Whatever they can hand out must be some good thing; they're overestimating the Base.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao peeled the banana's yellow skin and took a bite herself.

Her face instantly twisted.

Speechlessly, she stuffed most of the rest into Cheng Qi's mouth, rubbed her chin, and stopped speaking.

The Patrol Team's vehicle was a medium-sized bus, with reinforced seats inside, able to carry many people and store plenty of supplies.

Shen Yao's back basket and hemp sack were beside her and around her feet; thinking that besides her there wouldn't be many family members, she didn't expect so many family members to come in today.

Cheng Qi explained in a low voice, "They were worried before, but seeing you come made them rest assured."

Since the whole team is up to Cheng Qi, and the Eldest Brother above hasn't spoken much, no matter how they comfort themselves, they still feel a bit insecure.

Shen Yao spread her hands to show understanding; being the Eldest Brother is indeed difficult sometimes.

One must consider the team members' emotions while also completing the mission assigned from above.

Including the incident at the Cotton Field; the first person to be held accountable will definitely be the Patrol Team.

Riding back to the Base, the Patrol Team people specially gave the Captain face, simply driving the vehicle inside.

Shen Yao took advantage of this east wind to walk much less road, easier than when she returned yesterday.

Her wristwatch received complaints from Song Ling and Cheng Ma; Shen Yao comforted her with words and also set the matter of going to the wild to harvest cotton the day after tomorrow.