Chapter 176: Facing the Threat of Being Fired

In just a short while, the three of them had gathered a pile of banana leaves.

Concerned that Garlo might die from the giant mosquito bites, they discussed it and decided to let Tug leave first.

Originally, Xi Yi wanted her to go back as well, since this was still an unfamiliar place, and searching for and picking plants was hardly a relaxing or enjoyable task. But given her stubborn refusal and her wariness toward Garlo, he simply agreed to take her along.

The plant called Zhi was truly hard to find. The two of them spent a long time combing through large patches of bushes but still couldn’t locate it. Eventually, Sha Yi simply sat down to rest.

Xi Yi didn’t stop her and sat down beside her.

Focusing intently on the search, bending over despite his injuries, Xi Yi had broken into a sweat. His bare, bronze back was dotted with beads of perspiration, and the condition of his wounds didn’t look good either.

Just watching him made Sha Yi’s heart ache. She couldn’t help but curse that damned Garlo in her mind. Ever since Xi Yi had encountered him, he’d first suffered severe injuries, then endured all sorts of hardships—constant fear, fights, and misery. It was truly exhausting.

Now, with this situation, though it might seem like she was the instigator, the reason she had driven Garlo and Tug out of the cave was because Garlo had treated her so poorly. Tug could be considered collateral damage—or even Garlo’s accomplice. She wanted to say they deserved it, but in the end, it was Xi Yi who suffered the most!

For a split second, she suddenly had the impulse to stop searching for the Zhi plant altogether and let Garlo remain paralyzed for dozens of days, letting him experience what it was like to be immobile and constantly under threat.

It would be best if they couldn’t find the Zhi plant at all!

But she couldn’t help worrying about the future. Once Garlo and the others left, this place would only have her and Xi Yi. For safety’s sake, it was better to find the Zhi plant. Otherwise, if they were ever bitten by a giant mosquito, it would be too late to start searching.

Moreover, if they really let Garlo lie there for over ten days, they’d probably have to take care of him for dozens of days. She wasn’t cruel enough to let him starve to death, but a life where he was waited on hand and foot would be far too comfortable—hardly a worthwhile plan!

After much deliberation, she ultimately abandoned her vengeful idea.

After resting for a while, Xi Yi stood up again. She wanted to follow, but he gestured for her to stay seated, probably worried she was too tired. He emphasized it several times.

Sha Yi had no choice but to obediently comply.

Seeing this, he relaxed and focused on searching through the strange and peculiar plants.

Sha Yi sat and watched for a while, but feeling bored, she began examining the plants around her.

The spot where they had been sitting was beneath a cluster of tall, yellow-green plants that grew in an unusual way, reaching about the same height as Xi Yi. They had already produced elongated seed pods. At first glance, they didn’t seem remarkable, but upon closer inspection, many of the pods had begun to split open, with spiderweb-like strands hanging from them, forming a thin veil from top to bottom.

If not paying attention, one might mistake them for actual spiderwebs—just as Sha Yi had. At first glance, she was so startled she jumped up, only to trip while stepping back and let out a shriek.

Xi Yi turned around almost instantly at the sound.

She hadn’t fallen—Xi Yi had caught her in time.

When he saw what had frightened her, he laughed. “It’s just a plant. It grows in this strange way, especially before winter arrives. Its seed pods form and eventually split open, revealing these strands inside.”

As if afraid she wouldn’t believe him, he plucked one off, forcefully split it open, and handed it to her.

Inside the large, elongated pod, the outer layer was filled with fluffy white filaments, while the inner part contained pale yellow, translucent strands. It somewhat resembled modern cotton, though the two were vastly different in appearance.

At best, the contents of this pod could only be described as silk-like. Unlike cotton—she had seen cotton bolls before, which had a much denser texture—this was entirely different.

Sha Yi stopped comparing the two and instead turned to ask Xi Yi, “What do you usually use this for?”

“Not much,” he replied, resuming his search for the Zhi plant. “Occasionally for fire-making, but only in winter, since that’s when the pods form.”

“For fire-making?” Sha Yi was curious. “How?”

“You wrap it around the end of the stick you’re drilling. Once sparks appear, it catches fire immediately, making it easier to ignite dry grass.” He pointed at the pod in her hand and added, “The strands inside burn well. We sometimes use them as a substitute for dry leaves.”

“You burn them?” Sha Yi muttered under her breath, sighing inwardly. “Even if it’s not as good as cotton, it’s still silk. What a waste to just burn it…”

“Huh?” Xi Yi frowned slightly, not catching her muttering.

“Is winter here very cold?” She changed the subject, not planning to repeat herself. “How many animal hides do you need to prepare?”

“It wasn’t too cold before. We could get by without extra hides—not much colder than rainy season nights.” After a moment of thought, Xi Yi continued slowly, “But then it suddenly got colder, especially in recent years. Now, we might need two hides.”

What Xi Yi considered two hides might require doubling for her. He was used to going bare-chested, but she wasn’t. Even the rainy season nights felt cold to her—she had to curl up under furs to sleep. By comparison, winter temperatures here were probably around ten degrees Celsius—warmer than modern winters, but without modern amenities, she might feel even colder.

The strands inside this pod were actually a great resource. Even if they weren’t as good as cotton, their insulating properties likely weren’t worse than animal hides. If she gathered enough, she could sew them into hides for clothing or blankets, ensuring warmth.

Having made up her mind, Sha Yi pointed at the strange plants and asked Xi Yi, “Do you know what these are called? And are they common?”

“They don’t have a name. Most people think they’re unnecessary. Winter is dry, with dead branches and leaves everywhere—fire-making is easy even without them. They’re not very useful, so no one named them.” Smiling, Xi Yi stood up and dusted his hands. “I don’t know about this area, but if they’re here, they might grow elsewhere too. There were plenty where we used to live.”

“Really?” Excited, Sha Yi impulsively threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Mhm.” Xi Yi froze for a moment before grinning, though he still asked, “What do you want them for?”

“You only think to burn them, but they could be stuffed into hides for insulation. That’s far more valuable than burning them.” Standing on tiptoe, she pouted. “Don’t burn them anymore—let them mature. We have lighters now, so we don’t need them for fire. Once they’re ready, bring me back here. They’re very useful—no more reckless picking, okay?”

Nodding vaguely, Xi Yi couldn’t help but think that this little woman hanging from his neck was full of surprises. Her ideas were not only numerous but also incredibly clever, constantly catching him off guard.

She had all sorts of strange yet impressive things, and her thoughts were unusually inventive. He sometimes wondered if she was a gift from the heavens.

But no matter what, what he loved most was her—everything else was secondary.

Having her was his greatest fortune.

His momentary astonishment faded quickly, and he soon refocused. “They should be fully mature by early winter. I’ll check other places then.”

Sha Yi nodded eagerly. “Just remember to heal your injuries first.”

Xi Yi’s mood brightened instantly.

They searched until nearly noon but still couldn’t find the elusive Zhi plant, forcing them to return empty-handed.

Back in the cave, Garlo sat wrapped in Tug’s hide, looking miserable, with a large red bump prominently swelling on his forehead.

Nearby, Tug was desperately fanning a half-burned leaf still emitting white smoke. From a distance, Sha Yi could see one of his eyelids swollen nearly shut, while the red bump on his nose resembled a clown’s round prosthetic—utterly ridiculous.

Sha Yi couldn’t help but feel a surge of schadenfreude, her mood lifting.

At the cave entrance, the two unlucky men had achieved impressive results—they had managed to smoke out and kill a large number of giant mosquitoes.

Seeing this, Xi Yi quickly fetched a burning stick from inside the cave and set the giant mosquitoes’ wings ablaze.

This time, he was more cautious than before.

Back then, he hadn’t paid much attention—perhaps because he was too worried about her, or because it was early in the rainy season, or maybe because they were about to leave.

Still, she supported his actions. After all, this was their future home, and the fewer of these terrifying giant mosquitoes around, the better.

Inside the cave, Tug noticed their empty hands and sighed. “No luck?”

Xi Yi shook his head without hesitation. “We checked all the nearby areas—no Zhi plant. If necessary, I’ll search farther out later. If we find it, great. If not…”

He trailed off, but Tug understood. “Then it’s ten days of paralysis. I get it.”

“So, what’s your plan?” Sha Yi shot them a sidelong glance, her tone sharp. “Planning to starve here, or fly back on your birds?”

Garlo sprang up in anger, tearing off the hide. “You vicious woman! Was yesterday really worth—”

“Shut up!” Sha Yi cut him off, unwilling to let him bring up last night’s events. “You brought this on yourself. Why should Xi Yi suffer for you? What right do you have?”

Garlo clamped his mouth shut, but a sly grin soon spread across his face. “I’m not leaving. You’ll keep looking for the Zhi plant. If you dare stop, I’ll tell everyone about yesterday—”

He didn’t finish, but the threat was clear.

Fury surged through Sha Yi. She nearly snatched the burning stick from Xi Yi’s hand and hurled it at Garlo.

But Garlo just kept grinning, looking utterly punchable.

Taking a deep breath, Sha Yi thought for a moment before smiling back. “You asked for this!”

“W-what are you planning?” Garlo immediately grew wary.

“We’ll keep searching for the Zhi plant this afternoon. What else?” She smirked, returning the threat. “Whether we find it or not, we’ll come back late. By then, you’ll be paralyzed—how I handle you will be entirely up to me.”

“You’re shameless!” Garlo pointed at her, trembling with rage. “Absolutely shameless!”

“No need to repeat it. Or is there some special meaning?” Sha Yi replied lazily, her smile widening. “Or you could just tell us now and spare us the trouble. It’s just a tantrum—I won’t suffer, but you? Once you’re paralyzed, I’ll make sure Xi Yi gives you a proper ‘welcome.’”

Outmaneuvered again, Garlo was seething but couldn’t retort. He could only sit back down, fuming.

Tug, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. “Maybe… we should search for it ourselves?”

“Then go ahead!” Still resentful over the previous day’s events, Sha Yi didn’t even spare Tug a glance. “Xi Yi is badly injured—thanks to whom? You brought this on yourselves, yet expect us to fix it. Fine, we searched half the day out of gratitude for you helping with Xi Yi’s wounds. But some people show no appreciation—even dare to threaten us. Since when does the world work like that?”

Knowing exactly who she meant, Tug felt a pang of guilt. But even if he was at a disadvantage, the problem still needed solving. He softened his tone. “Then at least tell us what the Zhi plant looks like. We’ll search ourselves…”

Sha Yi remained silent.

“How about this…” Tug coughed, glancing at Garlo sulking by the wall and then at Xi Yi. “If we find the Zhi plant early, we’ll leave today. If it’s late, we’ll go tomorrow.”

Before he finished, three pairs of eyes locked onto him.

Noticing Garlo’s anger and reluctance, Sha Yi quickly added, “You mean both of you!”

“Yes, both of us…” Tug sighed, nodding repeatedly.