With Lu Jiamei moving into the container, they could free up one of the bitter grass plants.
The crocodile had been able to approach the planks so easily because there weren’t enough bitter grass stolons acting as a perimeter guard.
Currently, Ren Yuanyang only had one bitter grass plant handling both item collection and security.
This particular crocodile hadn’t encountered any of the item-collecting stolons at all, which was why its sneak attack had been successful.
If they had enough bitter grass, the system would immediately send an alert the moment a crocodile touched a stolon. That would give Ren Yuanyang enough time to react.
The container Ren Yuanyang and the others found was a double-door model, meaning it could be opened from both ends. Lu Jiamei used a stick fashioned from a broken plank, inserted it into the steel wire loop of the lead seal, and began to twist it in one direction.
The steel wire loop twisted tighter and tighter, but Lu Jiamei didn’t stop. When it reached a critical point, with a loud SNAP, the wire broke!
Ren Yuanyang gave her a thumbs-up.
The sneak attack from the evolved crocodile had made them realize just how dangerous this world had become. They couldn’t afford to waste the handgun’s bullets; they could be a lifesaver in a critical moment.
Lu Jiamei repeated the process, breaking the seals on the other end of the container. Then, she brought the planks inside and started to assemble a bed.
Without the proper tools, even if they put up planks to act as a partition, the planks couldn’t be secured and would fall over easily.
So Ren Yuanyang told her to assemble her own bed and wedge the planks between the two bed frames. That way, they wouldn’t fall over.
Lu Jiamei quickly assembled the bed. She first positioned the partition plank, then pushed her bed into place, clamping the plank tightly between her bed and Ren Yuanyang’s.
The container was about six meters long. Lu Jiamei took the initiative and asked for only two and a half meters for her side. Ren Yuanyang didn’t argue and readily agreed.
"Chief, once we have enough Duckweed, we can build up the sides of the container, right up against the doors, and then add a roof. It’ll form a shelter from the wind and rain!" Lu Jiamei imagined excitedly.
"The problem is we can’t find any more Duckweed," Ren Yuanyang said, feeling a bit helpless. "We’re short on bitter grass, too."
"We will definitely find more Duckweed and aquatic plants!" Lu Jiamei seemed full of hope for the future.
"Yeah. Once we get everything inside, let’s get back to work," Ren Yuanyang replied.
"Chief, can I go up on the container’s roof to observe the surroundings?" Lu Jiamei asked.
Ren Yuanyang paused for a moment, then answered, "Of course. Be careful."
"Yes!"
With an affirmative cry, Lu Jiamei went to the container doors. With a powerful leap, she grabbed the top edge, hauled herself up with her arms, and then used her core to flip onto the roof.
Hearing the sounds from above, Ren Yuanyang was surprised. ’She’s up there already?’
’I didn’t expect a policewoman to be in such great shape.’
Ren Yuanyang moved the Round Duckweed that had been propping up the planks to a spot beneath the container. The bitter grass plant that had been holding the planks in place was moved to the side of the container, where it resumed its duties of collection and security.
Once that was all taken care of, he once again enhanced the rice seeds he held.
This was his third enhancement of their growth cycle. The resulting seeds could now mature in ten days.
But Ren Yuanyang’s goal was a five-day cycle. He was just one enhancement away, which he estimated he could complete tonight.
He set the rice grains aside and glanced at the cell phone he’d salvaged from the water. With no way to dry it out, he didn’t dare try to turn it on.
"KNOCK KNOCK!"
"Chief, we’ve got a situation!" Lu Jiamei’s voice came from overhead.
"Did you spot some supplies?" Ren Yuanyang dropped his phone and asked urgently.
"No, I think it’s a small boat, and it’s heading toward us!" Lu Jiamei replied in a grave voice.
Ren Yuanyang froze for a second, then immediately replied, "Come down and get the gun. Await my orders. Prepare to fight."
Lu Jiamei jumped down from the roof, took the handgun, and took cover inside the container, peering out.
The rain was coming down hard. By the time Lu Jiamei could make out the boat’s silhouette, it was already close. They could even faintly hear voices coming from it.
"What do we do now? There’s no rescue coming!"
"What else can we do? Our food is all gone. Just lie down and wait for death!"
"No, I believe an Advanced Civilization will definitely come to save us. Otherwise, how could our phones suddenly become so advanced!"
Hearing the faint conversation, Lu Jiamei frowned slightly. "How do they know there’s no rescue? Could they have come from the big ship, too?"
She turned her head to look at Ren Yuanyang and found his expression had become incredibly grim.
Just as Lu Jiamei was about to ask, another snippet of conversation drifted over, and she began to understand why Ren Yuanyang’s expression was so dark.
"Why did we have to push him off the boat back then? If he was still here, wouldn’t we have a few more days of rations!"
"Everyone agreed to do that back then. What’s the point of you nagging about it now?"
"Of course there’s a point! If you hadn’t kicked him off, I wouldn’t be starving right now!"
"Mom, Dad, stop arguing! Look, what’s that over there?"
"It looks like a container. Maybe there are supplies inside. Let’s hurry over!"
Next came the sound of oars paddling through the water.
Lu Jiamei asked cautiously, "Chief, what are you going to do about them?"
"They’re already thinking about eating my flesh. How else is there to handle them?" Ren Yuanyang retorted.
Lu Jiamei nodded and asked again, "With the gun?"
"No need to waste bullets. We’ll just wait here for them to come to us," Ren Yuanyang said, shaking his head.
By this time, the small boat had drawn near the container. The people on board seemed to be deliberately lowering their voices, as Ren Yuanyang and Lu Jiamei could no longer hear them.
"Dad, something’s not right with this container. The doors are wide open, but it hasn’t sunk?"
"The world is like this now. A container not sinking isn’t anything strange!"
"Can’t you guys look closer? There’s Duckweed under the container. I think the Duckweed must have evolved, that’s why it can hold up the container!"
"Even Duckweed can evolve, so why haven’t we?"
"Dad, don’t get hung up on that. If what Mom said is true, then we can live in that container instead of rocking back and forth on this little boat!"
"Makes sense!"
"Can you two use your brains? There’s a light inside the container. That means someone is definitely living in there!"
"If there’s someone inside, that’s even better! No man can resist my charms!"
The three of them nodded in unison.
Ren Yuanyang’s ex-girlfriend and her family’s line of thinking was very simple. If a man was living in the container, they would use a honey trap to rob him, just like how they had stolen the small boat they were now on.
If it was a woman, she would be even easier to deal with.
As they spoke, the boat had already paddled to the end where the light was showing.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?" the ex-girlfriend asked, putting on a cute, affected voice.
Hearing that cloying voice, Ren Yuanyang felt a wave of revulsion.

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