She needed spiny amaranth to surround the back mountain. Only then could she feel at ease leaving Mother and the two children alone at home.
Even if they went to the back mountain pond to fetch water or catch fish, they wouldn’t need to worry.
Just like the town, encircled by spiny amaranth, those inside could live with peace of mind.
With the addition of wild mint’s pungent scent, beasts would be repelled by it and avoid coming close. Mutant beasts’ habits hadn’t changed much. Besides, this wild mint was mutated too—surely it was still effective.
It was a huge project, something impossible to complete in a day or two. She was only one person, her body still weak. Even with her ability, finishing in a short time would be difficult.
But all of this could only serve as protection, not true safety.
She wiped the fine sweat from her forehead and sighed lightly.
In her previous life, in the world she had lived in, there had been beast-repelling medicine. Anyone who went on missions knew how to make it, but it required over a dozen uncommon herbs to produce.
Later, once she had gathered them all, she would try making repellent powder to see if it worked against the beasts here.
If it did, there would be no need to plant the clingy “pest” that spiny amaranth was. That medicine would be safer and more effective than the plants.
At least in her past life, once the repellent was smeared on items or clothing, mutated beasts would retch from ten meters away, fleeing miserably and unwillingly.
Here, limited by conditions, it might only be possible to make it into powder, which would weaken the effect. But if it worked, it would still be far more efficient than planting spiny amaranth.
As she pondered, walking and resting along the way, she reached the back side of the mountain.
Luck was on her side today. On a flat patch of ground, she discovered red fruit.
Beside them stood a tall jujube tree!
Jujubes could also replenish energy. Their effect was weaker than red fruit, but they had the advantage of sheer quantity.
However, the fruits needed to endure several frosts after autumn before they turned sweet. If she ripened them now, they would be bitter and unpalatable.
Not far off was a stream. In the bushes beside it, she found a golden cherry tree. After mutation, its flowers had grown larger, and the plant spread nearly ten meters, covering the shrubs. That patch of white by the stream was strikingly beautiful.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t fruiting season. It would take several more months.
She refrained from using her ability to force it. Producing so many plants out of season would be difficult to explain.
Suppressing the excitement in her eyes, she looked over her day’s finds with delight. In the mountains, unclaimed things were hers for the taking.
She didn’t linger. She picked several dozen red fruits, transplanted two plants, and planned to grow them near the pond closer to home. When she had time, she would ripen them for seeds and plant a large patch. Even if they couldn’t eat them all, seeing them grow would be reassuring.
Moreover, the mutated red fruit could quickly replenish energy and stamina even for ordinary people, while also filling the belly and quenching thirst.
The more, the better.
After resting for a bit and eating two red fruits, she felt her strength and energy return, and continued deeper into the mountain.
Along the way, she spotted mutated wild chickens and rabbits. They were too fast—vanishing in the blink of an eye. Even using her ability to control plants to aid in catching them would take too much time. She would need to dig a few traps when she had the chance.
Today’s goal wasn’t small game; she couldn’t waste time.
When she reached the foot of the mountain and encountered no large beasts, she relaxed. She found a clearing and collapsed to sit.
After resting, she spent an hour sowing spiny amaranth seeds, using her ability to accelerate their growth. Even so, she only managed to complete the area right in front of her.
Looking out, she saw how vast the mountain’s backside was. Encircling it with spiny amaranth, even without planting too densely, would take ten days or more.
Spiny amaranth reproduced quickly. A few seeds planted at intervals would form a wall of plants by the following year.
If her body weren’t so weak, she could cut the time at least in half.
For now, she dared not bring the two children this deep into the mountains. She could only exhaust herself working alone.
Seeing the time, she ate two more red fruits, then set off on her way home.
There had been no paths coming in—she had opened them with her ability. The way back was easier. Along the way, she gathered many medicinal herbs: polygonatum, wolfberry, honeysuckle, ophiopogon—all common mountain herbs. Only because so few dared venture into the mountains these days could she collect even these common ones.
The only less common find was a few acorus plants deep in the forest.
On her way back, she detoured twice and found wild mint.
With a full basket of harvest, Yu Qiu stopped dawdling. Leaning on a stick she had picked up, she hurried toward home.
By judging the sunlight filtering through the dense leaves, she could tell the hour. It was already late—she couldn’t afford more delays.
She had spent the entire day in the mountains. Even with red fruit replenishing her energy, her frail body was at its limit.
Exhausted, she stopped near the water source to plant the red fruit seedlings, and the wild mint not far away.
After catching her breath, she continued on.
Before she even reached the pond, she heard the voices of San Ya and Er He.
Her heart lurched. “Reckless,” she thought, anxious. Though she was bone-tired, she quickened her pace.
The mountains weren’t safe. She only dared to come because she had her ability, and past-life experience surviving in the wilderness. The two children were far too bold to run into the back mountain alone.
The path was rough. She tried to hurry, but her legs gave out, nearly causing her to stumble.
After steadying herself, she heard Meng Ping’s voice too, and she finally eased. Letting her body collapse, she leaned against a tree to rest.
Perhaps hearing the noise, Meng Ping called out, “Big Sister-in-law?”
His voice was loud, startling a few mutated birds from the forest.
Yu Qiu pulled at the corner of her lips and answered faintly. She was so tired she couldn’t even smile.
The strength she had been holding onto had scattered with her earlier fear. Now, knowing someone had come to meet her, she couldn’t summon it back.
Seeing Meng Ping and another boy—the same one who had helped at her house the day she returned to the village—Yu Qiu managed a weary, strained smile. On her thin, pale face, it looked pitiful.
Forcing herself, she set down her basket before standing, apologizing, “I’ll have to trouble you to carry this.” Her lips trembled as she spoke.
Meng Ping, seeing her ragged state, couldn’t bear it. He shook his head and silently shouldered the basket.
The boy beside him couldn’t easily offer support, so he bent down to pick up the wooden stick and handed it to her. “Big Sister-in-law, I’m Zhou Guzi. You can just call me Guzi.”
Yu Qiu took the stick, leaning on it for support. “Thank you, Guzi,” she said softly.
Guzi waved his hand dismissively, then followed behind her while Meng Ping led the way toward the pond.