Chapter 417: Bound to the Childbirth System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 418: Wasteland Gathering Daily Life (46)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Shen Yao was still unaware of the situation at Dawn Base; right now she was diligently bending over to cut sugarcane.

Sugarcane is a sweet food crop growing on the periphery of Base No. 25, usually used to boil sugar or eaten as a snack.

After the mutation, the sugarcane's growth cycle was compressed, so every Mild Season it would sprout new branches and stalks, while mature sugarcane would be cut down section by section by people coming here for testing.

Shen Yao arrived at a bad time; the good-quality sugarcane had already gone into people's pockets, and all that was left for Shen Yao to scavenge were new sugarcanes barely as tall as an adult.

"These sugarcanes are fine as snacks for children, but they can't produce much sugar."

Su Wen casually snapped one, holding a deep purple sugarcane as long as an arm in her hand.

The wristwatch hand pierced into two gaps for testing, unsurprisingly triggering a high mutation alert.

Tsk

Su Wen was not very satisfied, turned her head and threw it away, continuing to search around this area.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao's luck was not bad, barely harvesting some edible sugarcane by relying on her cheat.

But just as Su Wen said, the new sugarcane's sugar yield was terribly low, only serving the purpose of being put in the mouth to chew.

"Wait until next year's Mild Season to come here; this base has a large area and all kinds of supplies are not lacking, unlike when we were at Base No. 25 where life was difficult."

Shen Yao cut down the tested sugarcane and put it into the back basket behind her, while Manman in her arms wailed and cried, as if echoing her mother's words.

Su Wen made a tsk sound and urged Shen Yao to look ahead; weren't things better now?

Base No. 25 had many people and great strength; for small and medium bases, the difficult Cold Season was nothing to Base No. 25.

"We now live in the Outer District of the base and have the qualification to buy coal," Su Wen explained that coal belonged to the base's specialty products, burned long without smoke and was more convenient for warmth, "every household in the Slum District can get one hundred jin for free."

Shen Yao sighed with emotion, "The base is really generous;" the population of the Slum District accounted for 20% of the entire base, and one-fifth of the number showed how huge it was.

People living in the Slum District could at most eat their fill, and relied on base aid for other aspects.

Since its establishment, Base No. 25 had never actively abandoned the Slum District. On the contrary, every Cold Season and Hot Rainy Season, the base would take out many supplies to provide assistance and support to the Slum District.

This might be the reason why Base No. 25 could grow bigger and bigger, with its population growth becoming stronger and stronger.

Although the Mutated World amplified the subtle relationships between people, making people more cold and selfish, such selfless giving without expecting returns was still an existence that humans longed for.

Even if she couldn't do it herself, she was still willing to be friends with this kind of person.

The two were talking, and in order to better harvest the new sugarcane, they had to raise their legs and walk into the sugarcane field.

"Ouch!"

Shen Yao looked up and saw Su Wen, who had originally been on her left, suddenly fall down, taking the back basket with her as she toppled over.

Shen Yao hurriedly ran two steps to help the person up from the ground, and cared about Su Wen's foot.

"How did you suddenly fall when you were fine?" There was nothing protruding on the ground; it was flat.

Su Wen gritted her teeth and patted the dry branches and rotten leaves stuck to her body, "A black thing suddenly darted out from the side, and I was startled," she lost her balance, and only then did she fall.

After listening to Su Wen's words, Shen Yao looked up and scanned front, back, left, and right.

To be honest, she really saw a particularly prominent black hole.

It was a rabbit hole!

Rabbits in the sugarcane field?

"What's strange about this," the system said it couldn't use previous experience to associate, after all, sugarcane didn't mature at this time.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao was speechless, helped Su Wen tidy up the back basket and put it aside, she came to the black hole as big as a washbasin, stretched her neck to look inside.

Su Wen came over and whispered, "It's an abandoned rabbit hole in the field."

"Abandoned?" Shen Yao pointed to a few clumps of long hair beside the rabbit hole entrance, indicating it didn't count as abandoned, and who knew if there were rabbits inside.

She and Su Wen discussed in a low voice how they could cooperate, successfully arousing Su Wen's interest; afterwards, the two of them found several rabbit holes around one after another, covered most of the rabbit holes with dirt, and left one person guarding each.

"Cover the back basket, I have a lighter here," Shen Yao threw one to Su Wen, and herself casually picked up some dry branches to light and stuff into the hole entrance.

The black smoke rising overflowed into the hole entrance, and Manman was also placed by Shen Yao on her back and tied up.

Shen Yao silently calculated the time in her heart, just waiting for the rabbits inside the hole to walk into the net.

"Ouch, there really are!"

Su Wen looked surprised, and suddenly a long-haired rabbit crashed into the empty back basket.

With quick eyes and quick hands, she pulled the rabbit out and put it into the hemp sack, Su Wen continued to watch the hole.

The rabbits coming out on Shen Yao's side were obviously larger, gray in color, with two front teeth particularly prominent.

The back basket covering the hole entrance was made of bamboo after all; it could stop one but not several.

In order to catch more rabbits and accumulate rabbit fur, Shen Yao secretly used a weapon from her space; one electric baton strike, and no matter how wild the rabbit was, it would lose consciousness.

After being busy for more than half an hour, Shen Yao and Su Wen each harvested a hemp sack of rabbits.

And this didn't even count those that ran out from the other blocked holes.

After all, they were only covered with dirt; how strong were the mutated rabbits? With their strength, bumping a few times could see the light of day again.

The harvest was greater than expected; Su Wen's eyes turned, and she invited Shen Yao to return to the base early with her.

"What's good about picking these sugarcanes? I still have a few stalks at home; wait for me to get them for you."

In front of rabbits, Su Wen completely didn't put sugarcane in her eyes.

Shen Yao smiled and said she still wanted to pick for a while; besides, there was too much harvested today, she couldn't carry it back alone with the child, so it was just right to wait for the man to go home together.

Su Wen:...

Su Wen felt Shen Yao wasn't wrong to think that way; she herself could help carry some, but Shen Yao couldn't handle a weight far beyond that.

"Go back quickly. I contacted Cheng Qi with my wristwatch earlier; the mercenary team is returning early today. I'll wait a bit more and can still take the car to save time."

Su Wen knew Shen Yao's man was named Cheng Qi, and with a look of pity said her own man wasn't on a mission, otherwise she might have been able to hitch a ride in this car.

"Then I won't waste words. You wait here. The road ahead leads back to the base. Private message me if anything comes up."

"Mm, this place is on the base's exterior. Look up and you can still see the houses in the slum district. It's fine."

"..."

Su Wen waved his hand, slung the hemp sack over his shoulder, carried the back basket on his arm, and left along the small path trodden out by people.

Seeing the person walk far away, Shen Yao picked up the machete and continued working on the newly grown sugarcane, until she suddenly said, "Really left?"

The words came out of nowhere, but judging from the context, the subject was clearly Su Wen, who had left.

"Left. Just now she was still hiding by the side of the small path looking back," the system didn't understand why this person, who clearly didn't want to leave, continued along the topic. "The host won't force her to leave." Truly judging a gentleman by the heart of a petty person.

"Who said I won't force her to leave? There are good things in the rabbit hole. One person occupying it alone is the least risky method." Shen Yao dropped the sugarcane in her hand, stood up, and came to the rabbit hole she had just smoked out earlier.

System:...

The system was incredulous, like a rooster caught by the neck.

"Keep watch on the surroundings for me. I'm going to dig open this rabbit hole."

She swapped the machete in her hand for a more convenient iron hoe, put Manman, who was full, into the back basket, and Shen Yao dug open the rabbit hole one hoe strike at a time, exposing the part buried underground.

About half an hour later, Shen Yao's iron hoe couldn't dig any further. It struck solid ground heavily. Shen Yao put the iron hoe back into her space, then grabbed the machete and jumped into the dug-open rabbit hole.

System:...

The system called out "hey hey" twice, meaning the child was just left outside uncared for?

"There's you, after all. Keep an eye on the situation for me. I'll go fast and come back fast."

System:... 6

Never having seen a host with such a personality, the system couldn't think of a specific adjective.

Muttering that the host was playing with fire, the system had to divert some attention to the ground, becoming extremely nervous at the slightest disturbance.

Shen Yao took out a flashlight for illumination and turned left and right along the dug-open rabbit hole.

It should clearly have been a narrow, deep rabbit hole, but unexpectedly the interior was so spacious.

Turning left and right, finally crawling sideways through a small path only a few dozen centimeters high, Shen Yao crawled out with a dusty face from a place dozens of meters from the entrance she had entered.

The dust on her body stained her entire clothes dirty. Shen Yao had no choice but to change into the same style of clothes prepared in advance, then pretended to be soundless as she filled in the dug-open rabbit hole.

The system's tone was impatient: "Found the treasure?"

"Didn't you see?" Shen Yao retorted. After everything was done, she hugged Manman tightly, then continued holding the machete to harvest sugarcane.

The system really hadn't noticed; all its attention was on the child.

"Let's talk when we get back," Shen Yao casually found an excuse to brush off the system.

Moving the back basket and hemp sack to the roadside, Shen Yao tapped the portrait on her wristwatch. Cheng Qi had replied to her more than ten minutes ago; the mercenary team was already on their way back.

This time the mercenary team went farther than the previous two days. By vehicle speed, they still had to wait more than half an hour.

Keep cutting some sugarcane. Even though there was only a hint of sweetness when eaten, it could at least count as a special snack for the cold season.

"Brother Cheng, is that a sister-in-law by the roadside?" Qian Zhuang sat in the passenger seat, pointing at a faintly visible figure by the road ahead.

He had the visual ability of a gene awakener, able to see the farthest distance human theory allowed.

Cheng Qi grunted in acknowledgment, indicating he would stop the car to help in a moment. There weren't many seats left in the car, but the top of the vehicle compartment could still hold some supplies.

Qian Zhuang, in a good mood, waved his hand generously. "Let Qiangzi and them squeeze in the back. The sister-in-law brought the child out to work all day; let them ride back together."

Today the mercenary team had an abundant harvest and additionally hunted two wild oxen.

Beef tasted better and was firmer than other meats. Qian Zhuang planned to sell one to the base first, and divide the rest equally among the brothers.

Conservatively estimated, each person could get at least dozens of jin, enough to satisfy their cravings properly.

The car stopped in front of Shen Yao. Cheng Qi got down and put the things on top of the vehicle compartment, then led Shen Yao and her daughter into the car.

"Qian Eldest Brother, greetings to all the brothers," Shen Yao said with a bashful expression, greeting everyone while holding the obedient Manman in her arms, huddled in the corner.

With a child on the car, the ride back to the base was relatively quiet. Apart from Qian Zhuang occasionally asking about their situation in the base, the others just winked at each other without speaking.

Cheng Qi had to drive to the mercenary team to distribute meat, so he could only send Shen Yao and her daughter home first.

The back basket and hemp sack were placed at the doorway. Cheng Qi drove away along the main road.

Shen Yao pushed open the gate, dragged the things into the courtyard, then lay on the rocking chair motionless as if giving up.

Manman lay in her mother's arms pecking like a little chick eating rice, then turned her head and began to snore softly.

Shen Yao opened her wristwatch and sent Su Wen a message that she was back, then closed her eyes, only opening them again when she heard movement outside the door.

Cheng Qi walked in. "Tired today?"

Shen Yao grunted and handed Manman to Cheng Qi. "Caught a bag of rabbits. Need to process them in time."

Cheng Qi subconsciously looked at the hemp sack on the ground, thinking to himself that it was no wonder his hand felt pressed down when he carried it.

First sending Shen Yao and her daughter back to the house to rest, Cheng Qi rolled up his sleeves, cleanly slaughtered the rabbits in the hemp sack, and processed their skins.

After finishing all this in the courtyard, Cheng Qi entered the house and noticed Shen Yao sitting in the living room.

Beckoning Cheng Qi to come over quickly, Shen Yao blinked and said, "I found treasure in the rabbit hole today."

Treasure?

Cheng Qi lowered his head and saw several beautiful rhombus-shaped white crystal stones held flat in Shen Yao's hand.

His pupils shrank slightly. Cheng Qi subconsciously looked behind him, and only after confirming no one was there did he dare to softly speak the name of the crystal stones. "They are energy stones."

A treasure at Dawn Base that had value but no market, an essential raw material for making energy stabilizers, and something beneficial to gene awakeners.

Shen Yao smiled as she stuffed several diamond-shaped white crystals into Cheng Qi's hands.

Before coming to Base No. 25, Shen Yao had also tried searching at Dawn Base, but in the end found nothing.

Now that she had come to Base No. 25, she had harvested this many energy stones in just a few days, proving that coming out early was indeed the right choice.

"There's a detection machine at home; let's see how much energy is inside."

Cheng Qi said, then turned around and ran to the studio to carry out a cubical box.

Opening it revealed a small tray machine; placing an energy stone inside would display its energy value.

Generally speaking, the amount of energy contained in an energy stone is related to its volume.

To make Gene Stabilizer, energy stones need to be ground into powder with special tools and mixed with other ingredients.

"85"

The smallest energy stone jumped out a string of numbers; by energy level, it could only be counted as the lowest rank.

Shen Yao found five energy stones in total; the one with the most energy was 521, belonging to upper-middle grade, while the remaining three were all between 200 and 400.

Even so, selling even the smallest one could easily get them tens of thousands of points and other benefits that points couldn't buy.

Cheng Qi made a quick decision and had Shen Yao keep it, "Next year during the Mild Season, find an opportunity to exchange for a quota to enter the Inner District," preferably getting a house settled at the same time.

Shen Yao nodded, handed the smallest one to Cheng Qi, and had him absorb it.

"Gene Stabilizer is ultimately not as useful as energy stones," with a better means of treating Gene Collapse now available, they definitely couldn't not use it.

"There's still Gene Stabilizer," Cheng Qi was reluctant to use the energy stone in his hand; Gene Stabilizer was easy to get, but energy stones were hard to find.

Shen Yao finding several energy stones in Rabbit Hole today was purely incredible luck; next time she might not find them until who knows when.