Chapter 35: Extreme Heat, White Tiger

Qin Shen had no objections. Jiang Si’s entire family even expressed their gratitude warmly:

“Thank you, Xiao Shen. If you ever run into trouble, just let us know. If we can help, we definitely will.”

This was a life-saving favor—something to be remembered and repaid.

Qin Shen didn’t bother with polite refusals and simply replied,

“Alright.”

His calm and composed demeanor gave off the feeling that he didn’t really need their help anyway.

He followed them to their dilapidated courtyard gate, then politely stopped, waiting for them to bring things out so he could help carry them.

His tall figure, capable of lifting hundreds of pounds, radiated a deep sense of security.

Shen Baoying couldn’t help but lean closer to Jiang Si and gave her a meaningful glance, whispering,

“Qin Shen’s personality is really solid—steady, reliable, and capable.”

Even outside of the apocalypse, he’d be a top-tier candidate for a husband.

Jiang Si didn’t think too much of it and nodded in agreement:

“True. He’s completely different from when he was a kid.”

Back then, Qin Shen was a crybaby—the village scapegoat. Jiang Si had thought he looked delicate and even mistook him for a girl once, saying she’d protect him.

Because of her sense of justice, Qin Shen had followed her around like a shadow for a while.

Now, he had transformed into a cool, reserved, and handsome man.

Seeing that Jiang Si was still clueless, Shen Baoying didn’t press the subject further.
Let it happen naturally. After all, they hadn’t seen each other in years. A connection would take time to build.

After pouring water into the tank, Jiang Si took out a water-quality tester and ran a check.

The results showed it was drinkable—but she still wasn’t sure if there were any bacteria or mutated substances harmful to the body.

All the usual small animals had vanished from the area.
They hadn’t even caught a wild rabbit lately.

With all their livestock made into cured meat, Jiang Si’s eyes fell on the squirming maggots—and she suddenly had an idea.

Maggots need moisture to survive. Jiang Si submerged a mushroom in the water and let the maggots feed on it.

She observed them closely.
Nothing unusual at first glance.

She decided to raise the maggots for a while. If they didn’t die or mutate, it meant the water was likely safe to drink.

If the water source proved reliable, the underground river didn’t dry up, and the sunlit periods didn’t last forever, then they wouldn’t have to worry about water anymore.

Everyone relaxed a little watching the maggots happily eat the mushroom in the box.
Shen Baoying turned to Jiang Si and asked,

“These mushrooms can resist solar radiation—can we make clothes from them to wear?”

Jiang Si was startled, recalling the radiation-proof suits she’d once seen at the northern base.
Maybe they could research something similar using giant mushrooms.

She pulled out a mushroom from her spatial storage.
Everyone gathered around her, curious.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to test what special substances are in the mushroom. If we can extract them, maybe we can use it like sunscreen.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up, praising Jiang Si for her cleverness.

She then pulled out a bunch of experimental chemistry equipment from her space. Not being a science major, she even brought out a tablet to study.

After a long struggle with the instruments…

She gave up.

She just wasn’t cut out to be a scientist.

Maybe Qin Shen could do it—but she didn’t want to ask him just yet.
Instead, she decided to try something else:

Extracting mushroom fibers by roasting and compressing the mushroom into threads, then using them to make sun-resistant clothing.

Shen Baoying, who used to work at a textile factory, had experience with cotton, silk, nylon, synthetic fibers, and hemp—but had never heard of using mushrooms to make clothes.

She looked doubtful:

“Are you sure you don’t want to ask Qin Shen to help?”

Jiang Si shook her head:

“We’ve got all this equipment, and no one in the family is trained in medicine. Wouldn’t he find that suspicious? Besides, I always felt there’s something mysterious about him. Even during a mosquito outbreak, he could venture into the forest alone and come back unscathed with water. Better not get too involved—safer that way.”

“Alright then… so what’s the plan?”

Jiang Si explained:

“Help me slice the giant mushroom into thin pieces, boil them, and see if we can extract fibers once they’re dried. If we get any fibers, we can spin them into thread and weave fabric. Then we can test whether the dried material still resists radiation like fresh mushrooms.”

Zhang Qingfang chuckled:

“Sounds like how we used to make clothes from ramie. Back in June and August, we’d be all over the hills collecting vines.”

Jiang Si nodded:

“Exactly. I was inspired by how they made Ge cloth. Let’s try this first. If it doesn’t work, we can try preserving the mushrooms instead.”

They sliced open the giant mushroom, revealing its dense, tender white flesh.
Boiled in a pot, it even looked quite appetizing.

Jiang Linhai came over and asked,

“Wonder if we can eat this?”

Everyone glanced at his still-swollen hand and burst into song:

“Red cap, white stalk—eat it once, and you’ll lie flat!”

After boiling, they set the mushroom slices by the window to dry.
The intense heat rapidly evaporated the water, shrinking each slice from umbrella-sized to basketball-sized.

Jiang Si tried tearing one into strips—but it crumbled instantly.

The dried mushroom had no toughness at all, breaking into powdery bits.

A failure for clothing-making.

Zhang Qingfang suddenly suggested:

“The mushroom caps are more convenient anyway. Let’s try growing some at home. If we can wear mushroom caps when going out, it’s just as effective. Plus, we can use them to make poison too.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

“Let’s try that!”

Jiang Si’s main concern about mushroom clothes had been preservation.
If they could grow mushrooms anytime, then heading out wouldn’t be a problem.

She thought it was a great idea and smiled:

“I can grow them in my space—pull them out whenever we need. Grandma, you’re brilliant!”

Zhang Qingfang grinned:

“Honestly, making sunscreen would be most convenient. Too bad no one in the family knows how.”

Jiang Si thought for a moment and replied:

“Later, I’ll find an excuse to get more equipment. Once the mushrooms grow well, we can try asking Qin Shen then.”

Suddenly, the sky darkened again. Jiang Si went up to her watch post in the attic.

Under the blood-red moon, Qin Shen’s home was shrouded in darkness.

Strangely, she’d rarely seen lights on at his place.

Had he gone out again?

Just then, two sneaky figures appeared in her field of view.

They were holding guns, creeping closer. Clearly, Zhang Xianchao had sent them to finish the job.

Jiang Si rattled a bell, warning her family to stay alert, then raised her gun and aimed at the intruders.

Suddenly, the two men stopped and reached into their coats.

Using her infrared binoculars, Jiang Si zoomed in and gasped—

They were holding grenades.

Heart pounding, she held her breath and waited for them to step into her shooting range.

Just then, the two men froze in place, staring at something in front of Qin Shen’s broken-down gate.

Then—

“Awoooo—!”

In a flash, a massive, fierce creature lunged out of Qin Shen’s house.

Within seconds, both men were knocked to the ground, letting out only a brief, blood-curdling scream before falling silent.

Jiang Si lifted her binoculars just in time to see a pair of crimson, dangerous eyes lock onto her.

A huge white tiger filled her view.

The white tiger had spotted her—and came charging in her direction, leaping over the wall in a single bound.

Jiang Si’s entire body tensed.
She grabbed her gun and ran from the attic, determined to shoot the beast before it reached the rooftop.