Ji Xingmi relied on her memory to find the place where she had seen herbs before and began to dig. Little Chicken and Mushroom kept watch around them; they couldn't help much with digging herbs and were prone to digging up the wrong ones. Gu Jingyi could only accompany her, unable to lend a hand. He had almost crashed earlier, and Ji Xingmi had almost lost her temper with him. Fortunately, he apologized quickly!
Ji Xingmi was very lucky. She dug up many herbs. When they weren't paying attention, she also smuggled some seedlings into her space. Her space hadn't had new seedlings for a long time, and this variety was new.
When Mantis returned, he also brought back two wild chickens and three wild rabbits. He said he hadn't seen any wild boars nearby, and their last encounter was likely due to Ji Xingmi's good luck. Ji Xingmi covered her mouth and smiled without refuting. Wild boars would come when they were meant to; there was no need to rush.
At night, Mantis handled their food. Ji Xingmi had brought a lot of seasonings for this trip, all from her space and specifically for barbecuing. The flavor was naturally excellent. Mantis kept lamenting. He recalled their past missions with Spider and the others, where having cooked food was considered lucky. To avoid detection, they often ate raw.
Ji Xingmi thought of the TV shows she had watched, where special forces soldiers and snipers ate insects or raw meat to survive. She admired these people, as many couldn't stomach such things.
Ji Xingmi looked up at the sky and said, "It will get better and better in the future!"
"Yes! It's already very good. Xing'er, you don't know how good your medicine is! We didn't have any problems this time, and someone's life was saved!"
"That's good! I was just afraid my preparations weren't enough," Ji Xingmi said with a smile. She didn't ask for details, knowing it was better not to inquire about certain matters.
Ji Xingmi smuggled some insect repellent powder from her space and gave it to Little Chicken, asking him to sprinkle it at the cave entrance to prevent snakes, insects, and ants from entering. At night, Mantis and the others took turns on guard duty, while Ji Xingmi and Gu Jingyi rested.
Returning to this cave, Ji Xingmi thought she wouldn't be able to sleep. However, with someone else by her side, she slept quite well. She slept soundly until dawn. When she woke up, Mantis had already made another trip outside and brought back plenty of wild fruits for sustenance.
After everyone had replenished their energy, they prepared to head back. It was then that Ji Xingmi mentally wished for wild boars. Looking at Mantis clearing the path ahead, she thought two large ones shouldn't be a problem.
Just as everyone was waiting for Ji Xingmi to dig for herbs, Mantis suddenly leaped down from a tree, shielding Ji Xingmi and Gu Jingyi behind him. Seeing his stance, Little Chicken and Mushroom knew that something dangerous was approaching.
Indeed, a moment later, two adult wild boars with long tusks grunted as they approached. One of them had blood on its body; it was likely injured.
"You attack the injured one later, and I'll deal with the other. Mushroom, protect Xing'er!" Mantis said, preparing himself. Little Chicken and Mushroom nodded.
Gu Jingyi also kept Ji Xingmi behind him, and the situation became tense. Perhaps the most composed person was Ji Xingmi, as she knew she had summoned these two wild boars and that they wouldn't last long.
With the cooperation of Little Chicken and Mantis, the two wild boars were quickly subdued.
"They must have just fought with other animals, which is why we took them down so easily. However, we can't stay here any longer; the scent of blood will attract other large predators. Let's leave quickly!" Mantis said, then hoisted one wild boar onto his shoulder to move forward. The other was carried by Mushroom and Little Chicken, who were strong enough to lift it. Gu Jingyi carried the herbs Ji Xingmi had gathered and, holding her hand, they walked down the mountain.
Because there were two wild boars, Ji Xingmi decided not to collect the marked herbs she had intended to gather on her way up the mountain, vowing to return another time. The group took some time to reach the foot of the mountain. However, how to bring the wild boars back posed a dilemma. Finally, Ji Xingmi thought of a solution: she contacted Elder Ye and borrowed a large vehicle from there to transport the two wild boars.
Even more thoughtful was that Elder Ye sent a vehicle and personnel from the military's mess hall, who could directly help them process the wild boars. Ji Xingmi watched as two soldiers expertly butchered and portioned the wild boars in just a few moves. Ji Xingmi was generous and gave them half a wild boar, asking them to take it back with them. The two soldiers from the mess hall thanked her profusely and then left with the wild boars.
Ji Xingmi cleaned the large intestines and other parts and placed them in a large pot, adding plenty of spices to make them into braised delicacies. The aroma wafted through every corner of the compound, drawing many children to the Ji family's residence. After finishing these tasks, Ji Xingmi asked her aunt to watch the fire and went out with her portion of the meat.