Chapter 196: Big Brother, Are We Going to Hunt Beasts?
Meng Ci secretly thought to himself, "Why is Shen Que so powerful? I train every day, but I still can't beat him!"
If Shen Que knew what Meng Ci was thinking, he would probably offer a few words of comfort, but in his heart, he would be thinking, "Do you even call that training? You're only working out intermittently. There's no way you could beat me!"
After all, ever since the extreme heat arrived, Shen Que had been consistently training for at least an hour every day, barring any special circumstances. It had become a regular part of his routine.
This daily effort was what made him so strong.
Meng Ci, on the other hand, only trained intermittently.
So, Shen Que felt that there was no way Meng Ci could beat him.
Naturally, Shen Que didn't plan to tell Meng Ci the truth.
However, in this world shrouded by the polar night, even with the official security teams protecting people, many still lost their lives.
Due to a lack of evidence and clues, the officials had difficulty identifying the true perpetrators and could only watch as tragedies unfolded.
Moreover, during the polar night, electricity costs were prohibitive, and nine out of ten people had to live in darkness.
They only turned on their flashlights when they went out to scavenge for garbage.
As for the flashlights, the officials introduced shared flashlights at the beginning of the polar night.
These flashlights, like other items, could be exchanged using points.
People could exchange points for a flashlight from the officials, and once the battery ran out, they could swap it for another fully charged flashlight at a designated place for three points.
This system made it both convenient and affordable.
Since they needed to go out to scavenge for garbage, most people in the base had a flashlight.
However, people treasured this precious light and only used it when absolutely necessary.
Of course, they only used it when scavenging for garbage.
Because during the polar night, flashlight batteries were extremely precious, and garbage was crucial for survival.
Without enough garbage, they couldn't earn points, and without points, they couldn't buy essential items like food.
Therefore, they had to grope their way forward in the dark, conserving as much battery as possible.
The officials weren't worried about flashlights being taken and not returned, or getting damaged, as each exchange required a real-name card swipe.
This system ensured that everyone was accountable for their flashlight usage, and any issues or violations could be traced back to the individual.
Thus, the officials ensured the flashlights' safety and proper use, maintaining order and stability in the base.
Meng Ci and Shen Que weren't impacted by the polar night; instead, they changed their habit of sleeping during the day and going out at night, which they had developed during the extreme heat.
After all, the polar night lasted just over a month, after which the weather would return to normal for a while, followed by the arrival of the polar day.
Fortunately, although the polar day lasted over two months, temperatures typically remained around forty degrees Celsius. Compared to other extreme weather, the polar day was more tolerable.
However, just two days into their relaxed life, Zhang Mingtian appeared at their door.
"Big brother!," Zhang Mingtian placed his hands on his knees, looking very nervous.
Meng Ci was quite surprised by the situation.
"Zhang Mingtian, what is it? Just speak your mind."
Meng Ci was not accustomed to Zhang Mingtian being so timid, as he was usually so carefree.
Knowing Meng Ci disliked beating around the bush, Zhang Mingtian spoke straightforwardly.
"Big brother, recently many large birds have been seen at night. They are huge and feed on human flesh."
"Unable to find human flesh, these owls have started attacking living people."
"Therefore, the authorities have issued a notice allowing these birds to be hunted freely."
"So I wanted to ask, would the two of you like to join us?"
In fact, for others, hunting these birds was challenging, but for Zhang Mingtian and his group, it was not, thanks to their bait.
Two days ago, Zhang Mingtian killed a rabbit and used a small piece of its meat to catch two owls, earning over a hundred points at the point exchange center.
When Zhang's mother heard about this, feeling grateful and knowing that Meng Ci and Shen Que had helped them a lot, she suggested that Zhang Mingtian invite Meng Ci and Shen Que to join.
Moreover, Zhang's mother reluctantly decided to leave Huang Zhi at home and kill another rabbit for bait.
This way, Meng Ci and Shen Que would only need to provide manpower, not resources, as a small token of appreciation.
Zhang Mingtian knew that Meng Ci and Shen Que likely wouldn't value the points from catching birds, but he couldn't refuse his mother's request.
Reflecting on it, Meng Ci realized they had been confined at home for days, and it would be refreshing to go out and stretch their legs, so he agreed.
Zhang Mingtian was pleasantly surprised and quickly stood up.
"Good, good, good."
"Big brother, we'll set out at eight tomorrow morning."
"I'll have the bait and everything ready, so just come prepared."
Meng Ci nodded.
After Zhang Mingtian left, Shen Que started cooking.
Cumin ham and potato noodle salad, Di San Xian (a dish with three fresh vegetables), cold cucumber salad, and a portion of boneless chicken feet taken from the spatial storage.
For the eggplant, he boiled a few portions of noodles, mixed with some meat dishes, and the eggplant happily ate its meal in a corner.
The next day, Meng Ci and Shen Que arrived at the base's north gate on time.
Zhang Mingtian and Huang Zhi were already waiting.
Meng Ci brought them into the car and then drove north.
During the extreme cold, residents cut down trees on the ice and snow for warmth.
Now, during the polar night, residents, who initially went out to collect trash for points at the base, began eyeing the remaining trees.
However, to protect the ecological environment, prevent further disasters in this post-apocalyptic world, and ensure sufficient trees for air purification due to increased garbage burning for power generation, the authorities issued a notice prohibiting cutting trees for points.
Anyone who dares to cut down trees randomly will have all their points confiscated and be expelled from the base.
A dedicated channel was set up for reporting illegal tree cutting.
Consequently, residents did not dare to cut down any trees.
Consequently, many drought-resistant trees gradually grew.
With the increase in trees, the number of fierce beasts hiding within them also rose.
Among them, owls, goshawks, and others were frequently spotted.
These birds had undergone significant size changes. They had at least doubled in size compared to pre-apocalypse days.
In extreme cold or heat, lacking food, they resorted to feeding on dead animals and human remains.
With fewer corpses available, these birds began to kill each other, and the losers became their food.
Naturally, humans, unable to fly and with limited vision during the polar night, became their main targets.
Thus, eliminating these birds became a priority.
Additionally, the birds could serve as food.
For residents who hadn't eaten meat in a long time, this was a rare opportunity, so many ventured out to hunt the birds.
By the time Shen Que arrived at the destination, many people were already in the forest, searching with flashlights.
Some mimicked bird calls to lure them, while others climbed trees to search for nests...
However, without any meat, they couldn't lure the birds.
Near the edge of the forest, those who saw the SUV driven by Shen Que and his companions felt envious.