Chapter 31: Extreme Heat, Alligator Gar

Qin Shen’s reaction was unexpectedly strong, surprising Jiang Si.

Jiang Linhai froze in place, and Jiang Si quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. She handed the medicine to Qin Shen and said, “If the wound starts to itch or feels uncomfortable, just change the bandage in time—don’t force yourself to endure it.”

Qin Shen nodded and accepted it politely but distantly. “Alright.”

The sun climbed to its peak, and the group sat at the cave’s edge like meat about to melt in the scorching heatwave.

The millipedes had squeezed deeper into the cave. The smaller ones couldn’t fit and had their backs cracked open.

Their pain made the stench from their scent glands even more unbearable.

Niuniu clutched her nose tightly and asked Lu Zhifeng, “Daddy, can’t we think of a way to leave? I’m going to die from the smell.”

Everyone felt the same—they were being choked by the stench.

But solar radiation was more terrifying than sulfuric acid. Even steel from cars melted under it. If they went outside now, they’d be dead for sure.

Lu Zhifeng opened his water bottle, dampened the towel on her face, and said gently, “Just hold on a bit longer. We’ll be home soon.”

Niuniu, more mature than most children her age, nodded. “Okay.”

Shen Baoying sighed. “If only some scientist could invent clothing that blocks the solar rays.”

Jiang Linhai chuckled at her naivety. “Even if they did, without electricity to mass-produce it, they’d probably only make one for themselves. No way we’d ever get a share.”

Jiang Si heard their conversation and briefly fell into a memory.

In her previous life, during the second solar flare, the northern base had indeed developed clothing that could shield against solar radiation—but only the elite were allowed to wear it.

People like them, unskilled and deemed lower class, had to risk their lives just to eat. If they so much as looked at the suit, they’d be scolded or even beaten.

The daylight lasted for nearly twenty hours, but finally, night fell.

Their visible water supply had been completely drained.

And just as night arrived, the spiders also returned to the treetops, eyes glowing, still lurking.

Jiang Si glanced at Qin Shen, whose face looked a little pale, and asked, “What should we use now to lure the millipedes out?”

Qin Shen reached into his coat and pulled out three potatoes—the ones Jiang Si had previously given him.

“These will do.”

Jiang Si looked surprised. She had assumed he just had a small appetite, but now she realized he had deliberately saved one potato per meal—to bait the millipedes.

If only he’d said something, she would’ve given him more food.

Lu Zhifeng hoisted Niuniu onto his back and tied her with rope. “So how do we help you?”

Qin Shen walked to the edge of the cave and said calmly, “Just stand next to me.”

Everyone shuffled over.

Qin Shen cut the potatoes into chunks and tossed them toward the millipedes.

Startled, the creatures curled up again, waiting cautiously. After a while, their antennae emerged, twitching as they caught the scent of potatoes. One brave millipede closest to the food slowly wrapped around a chunk and brought it to its mouth.

That first bite seemed to signal to the others that the food was good. Soon, the entire cluster began to shift and squirm in search of more.

What should’ve been a horrifying sight…
With Qin Shen tossing potato chunks methodically…

…kind of looked like feeding chickens.

Under his expert guidance, the millipedes lined up in rows and began slowly crawling out of the cave, crossing the fire barrier and brushing against spider webs.

The spiders, sensing movement, suddenly snapped to alert and swarmed forward.

The millipedes, thinking they were on a tasty adventure, were caught off guard as the spiders lunged at them, biting viciously.

Thick webs were spat out, wrapping around the millipedes to cocoon and devour them.

Though usually gentle, even a rabbit bites when cornered. The millipedes began to fight back.

They broke free from the webs and counterattacked fiercely.

Spiders could climb trees—but so could millipedes, and they were faster. The spiders, cowards by nature, panicked when they realized they were outmatched.

One by one, they fled, shooting webs to escape in all directions.

Many millipedes died from spider venom. Niuniu looked at the carnage and muttered sadly, “They’re so pitiful…”

They were just sitting in their cave, minding their business—then got tricked by potatoes and died to spider bites.

Lu Zhifeng sighed inwardly. It’s not the millipedes who are pitiful. It’s us.

But he smiled and comforted Niuniu, trying to preserve her last bit of innocence in this apocalyptic world. “At least they got to eat a potato before they died—not a bad way to go.”

With the spiders driven off, the millipedes began returning to the cave.

The group wanted to leave quickly—but just then, splash!
Something leapt inside the cave with a loud noise.

Startled, the remaining millipedes instantly curled into tight coils.

Everyone exchanged shocked looks.

That sound—they had clearly heard water splashing.

There was water in the cave!

Did Qin Shen know?

Everyone turned to him.

Qin Shen shook his head. “Potatoes are tastier. This is the first time so many came out.”

That made sense.

If Qin Shen had known there was water inside, he wouldn’t have brought them here if he wanted to hide it.

Water in the cave was a huge discovery. It also explained why so many millipedes had gathered here.

Lu Zhifeng quickly asked Shen Baoying, “Sister-in-law, do you have more potatoes?”

If they wanted to draw out all the millipedes, they’d need more bait.

Shen Baoying searched her bag, and others followed suit. “We’ve got a few left.”

Everyone looked to Qin Shen again. He was the most experienced.

“Is it enough?”

Qin Shen calmly accepted the potatoes. “We’ll find out by trying.”

Right—if it’s not enough this time, they’d know how many are needed for next time.

This time, instead of tossing the chunks, he picked up a long branch nearby and turned to Jiang Si, holding out his hand naturally. “Rope.”

Jiang Si pulled one from her bag and handed it to him.

Qin Shen tied the potatoes to the stick like bait and raised it—like a professional angler.

The millipedes obediently lined up, moving in unison with their thousand legs, stretching their heads toward the potato as Qin Shen guided them out of the cave.

He turned back and said, “Go fetch the water. I’ll lead them farther away.”

He was… unbelievably selfless.

Jiang Linhai patted his chest and said sincerely, “Xiao Shen, be careful. We’ll collect your share of water too.”

Qin Shen nodded and walked off.

Jiang Si watched his retreating figure. If it weren’t for the horrifying swarm of millipedes following him…
…it would’ve looked almost leisurely.

Everyone quickly raised their torches and, hearts pounding, moved deeper into the cave.

After a sharp turn—splash!

A loud burst of water echoed, and instantly, everyone felt a cool, exhilarating sense of relief.

But Jiang Si grew even more alert.

That splash wasn’t natural—something dangerous and predatory had leapt from the water.

They advanced another dozen meters.

A deep pool, as wide and dark as a well, appeared before them.

Niuniu gasped in excitement. “Daddy! It’s water! So much water!”

Everyone was elated and moved forward to fetch it.

But Jiang Si stepped in front of them. “Let’s test it first with a rock.”

They all picked up stones and threw them into the water.

The moment the rocks hit the surface—

Whoosh!

A massive, razor-toothed, fanged mutant fish leapt over a meter into the air, landing with a splash that echoed through the cave.

Everyone’s heart sank.

Was that a mutated alligator gar?

Dear god—how did it get so HUGE?!