Chapter 209: Chapter 209. Strange Encounter in The
Mountain
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
This time, Su Qing did not relinquish the opportunity to ask for the reward. Otherwise, the system would make things difficult for her when she asked for the reward she should have received.
“The host has already asked for the reward. You can’t ask for it again.”
Who knew that the system would be so shameless? It said that the plastic film Su Qing wanted was an advance reward.
“Do you want me to blow you up?”
Su Qing’s voice was light, but it scared the system. She was a ruthless person. She would rather destroy it than die together.
“Host, what reward do you want?”
The system was terrified and asked aggrievedly.
“Water.”
Su Qing didn’t want anything else. Without food, people wouldn’t die immediately. Without water, people wouldn’t be able to hold on.
“I can only help the host fill the containers buried in the sandpit.”
The system haggled with Su Qing and refused to give her more.
Su Qing stood up and asked Ji Shuisheng to move the four big pots to the back of the slope. Then, he dug four giant pits to put the pots in.
The system felt that its host was even more shameless than it was, but it had no choice. Who asked it to have such an overbearing host?
That night, everyone gathered together to keep warm. The people on patrol would also watch over the fire. They did not have to worry that the fire would go out in the middle of the night.
A small piece of meat from the two rabbits was not enough to eat. Fortunately, they had killed more than a dozen wolves and roasted the wolf meat. Although it tasted terrible, no one had the right to choose. As long as they did not starve to death, it was fine.
Su Qing didn’t sleep. She quickly made a thin blanket and covered Xiaoying, and Madam Li curled up into a ball.
They were like mother and daughter. Madam Li hugged Xiaoying and used her body to keep her warm. She loved her more than her son.
The first thing everyone did when they opened their eyes in the morning was to see if there was water.
The bowls placed under the bushes were filled with water. Everyone was overjoyed when they saw the water. They felt that heaven sent Su Qing to save them. They all hoped the pit behind the slope was also filled with water.
Su Qing did not let Ji Shuisheng and the others go over. She went to the back of the slope alone and pushed away the sand pressing on the plastic film. She lifted the plastic film and saw that the big iron pot in the pit was filled with water.
The system kept its word. Su Qing removed the plastic film from the dozens of pits and called Ji Shuisheng and the others over to take water.
Seeing that all the containers were filled with water, everyone boiled up and cheered as if they were celebrating the new year.
Seeing that the water was not easy to come by, everyone did not dare to waste it. They did not have to think about washing their faces. They all packed it into bamboo tubes and water bags to drink on the road.
Su Qing boiled a large pot of hot water. The weather was too cold, and her body could not take cold water. After boiling it, she put it into a bamboo tube and kept it warm for one or two hours.
Su Qing and Madam Li steamed three pots of dry food and a large pot of porridge. With water, they could cook. Everyone had a full meal and took the rest of the dry food for the journey.
After eating and drinking their fill, they hurried on their way. They still did not dare to remove the escort flags. Although there were no longer so many imperial court troops randomly arresting people on the road, they would still capture such a large group of people with weapons. They could not take the risk.
Half of the people on the team wore cotton shoes and cotton coats, but the other half did not have cotton coats. They removed all the clothes from their bags and wore them, but ten layers were not as good as one layer of cotton. They still could not withstand the cold wind in the north.
Everyone thought of their ways. Those in cotton clothes sat on the outer ring of the carriage to help resist the cold wind, while those in unlined clothes sat in the middle to hug each other for warmth.
Making cotton shoes was slow, so Su Qing thought of a compromise. She took the women to make cotton socks together. The cotton socks were longer and could cover part of the ankle. They were faster than cotton shoes, and the warmth was no less than cotton shoes.
The shoes on everyone’s feet were 80% new. There was no need to make extra shoes. They just had to make cotton socks and put them on.
Su Qing made a pair of cotton socks and put them on for everyone to see. She had made them according to her size. Putting on the cotton socks and shoes was a little tight, but it was not a big deal. The cloth shoes were soft and could expand at most. Anyway, it would not delay wearing them.
“This is good. Your ankles won’t feel cold anymore.”
When the girls saw the cotton socks that Su Qing had made, they felt that it was great. If they only wore cotton shoes without cotton pants, the cold wind would blow up the pants.
Su Qing’s darning had increased by one level by making cotton socks. She was still nine points away from the next level.
Now, it was tough for her to level up because the higher the level, the more experience points she needed. The slow increase in experience points would not even be able to move a square for a few days.
In this year’s drought, the grass and leaves in the northern wilderness had withered and fallen. Herbs were also scarce. Of course, gathering and collecting herbs to level up was as slow as a turtle crawling.
Su Qing had set her sights on hunting skills. There was still a lot of prey in the deep mountains and forests, so it was easy to level up the hunting skill.
After two consecutive days of traveling, the people were not too tired because they sat in the carriage, but the horses could not stand the lack of grass and water and still pulled a carriage of people. When they reached Five Deer Mountain, they could not walk anymore. Some weaker horses were so tired that they spat out white foam at the mouth and fell on the road.
The dry rations that Su Qing and the aunties had steamed had long been eaten. If they did not bring back some food, everyone would go hungry.
Ji Shuisheng got everyone out of the car to rest and fed the remaining water to the horses.
“The men will go into the mountains to hunt, and the women will go and pick some grass to feed the horses.”
Seeing everyone was exhausted, Ji Shuisheng let the elderly and children rest. He took a few young men into the mountains to hunt while the girls went to pick grass to feed the horses.
“I’ll go hunting with you.”
Su Qing came to Ji Shuisheng’s side and told him there were many ferocious beasts in the old forest in the northeast. It was hazardous. Ji Shuisheng did not want Su Qing to take the risk, so he whispered to her,
“You should take the girls to hunt! I’m worried without you around.”
Su Qing turned around and looked at the girls looking at her passionately. Ji Shuisheng was not the only one worried, and so was she.
“Alright then.”
Su Qing nodded. She could take the girls to hunt and gather fodder.
“Big sister.”
Ji Xiaoying brought her beloved crossbow and rushed to Su Qing’s side. Her bright eyes were as radiant as the stars in the sky. She was young and didn’t know the taste of worry.
Xiaoying’s personality was similar to that of a child. No matter how hard it was, she would be pleased if there was a little fun.
“Let’s go. Bring your baskets.”
Su Qing envied Xiaoying’s carefree and optimistic personality. She nodded at her eager eyes and carried a basket on her back to lead the way.
It wasn’t easy to walk through the sparsely populated mountains. Vines blocked the way. Fortunately, Ji Shuisheng and the other men used machetes to open up a path for them.
Su Qing asked Xiao Qi to check if a thousand-year-old Lingzhi was in the mountain. Xiao Qi looked at the gray screen and shook her head regretfully,
“Master, this mountain has no spiritual energy, so the thousand-year-old Lingzhi doesn’t grow here.”
Su Qing had no choice but to give up on finding Lingzhi. She was very anxious. A year sounded like a long time, but it was just spring and autumn.
“Sister, 1 want to go to the toilet. Can you accompany me?”
Xiaoying came looking for Su Qing and asked bitterly while clutching her stomach.
“Yes.”
Ji Xiaoying saw a cave behind the mountain rock and thought she would not be discovered if she went to the toilet there, so she ran over. Su Qing nodded and instructed everyone to wait there. Then, she took Ji Xiaoying to the back of the mountain rock. She did not expect to trip over a rock as soon as she entered the cave.
“What kind of stone is this? Why is it so dark?”
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