The Interstellar Queen of Scavengers

Chapter 1347: Overlooked

The temperature drops sharply, to what extent? Breath turns to ice, and if your hands and feet stop moving for even a short time, they seem ready to freeze into ice blocks...

In this environment, fighting is extremely difficult, and a slight misstep might not result in death at the enemy’s hands, but in freezing to death instead. Fortunately, human genes were generally improved in the interstellar era. These contestants are the top students from various schools, representing their schools in the competition, and are already excellent enough. Naturally, their Physical Strength is stronger than the average student’s. In such a night, as everyone listens to Ji You’s heartfelt words, the students, who originally felt their blood gradually cooling down with the temperature drop, find their emotions boiling instead.

Everyone stands tall and waits for Ji You’s orders.

Ji You declares loudly, "Everyone, listen up—"

"Archers quickly ascend the peak and find good positions for an ambush."

The next second.

A few ranged attack teams quickly step out, and without further instruction, dash with all their might to the peak. Within a few blinks of an eye, they disappear in front of everyone.

Once these people enter the peak, they stealthily blend completely with the mountain.

Ji You continues, "Close combat team, form groups by your squads and quickly find cover."

Soon, several close combat teams methodically and orderly hide.

...

While Ji You arranges personnel, Lou sits on a cold stone bench at the 5th group military base. However, inside the room, the stacked wood fire brings a hint of warmth to the extremely cold weather. Lou’s assistants gather around the fire, listening to the crackling of the flames, each looking up at the rooftop—

"Alright." Wei Yun uncovers the lid of the boiling pot of porridge and stirs it with a stick, nodding, "The porridge is ready, Squad Leader, you should eat first."

Grains are indeed too little, and must be used judiciously. In such a big pot, only a handful of rice was thrown in, and when cooked, it’s basically just water, with lantern required just to find a grain...

Truly—

Miserable.

Lou waves his hand, pointing to the porridge pot, and tells Wei Yun and the others, "You drink first."

His tone allows no argument, clearly trying to show respect to the Junior Sergeant, under his indication, Wei Yun and the others have to each pour a bowl and drink first.

Once everyone lifts their bowls, Lou then picks up his bowl. The porridge is scalding hot, not easy to drink in one go, but as Lou drinks it, his brow furrows involuntarily.

Too thin.

Drinking it feels no different than drinking water, does nothing to sate hunger.

At the same time, a massive sense of crisis rises in Lou’s heart: if this situation continues, the blow to his side will be fatal.

However—

No grain.

The entire camp has been searched thoroughly, not a single grain can be found.

Without food, there’s only one solution to the current predicament—quick resolution.

Exactly.

The moment of decisive battle must be brought forward, end this fight before we run out of supplies.

Lou understands this.

But executing this for real is extremely difficult. The main reason is the enemy is too cunning; they don’t just stand around waiting to be attacked. Another important reason is—Lou doesn’t have complete control over the camp.

Time is pressing, he managed to get half of the control, while the other half is in Charles’s hands. Without control, after issuing commands, achieving immediate response and mobilizing personnel for proper arrangements is impossible...

If Lou were given time, even using meticulous tactics, he would surely seize all control. Unfortunately, he only has so little time.

The porridge gets cooler, Lou drinks it all in one gulp, wiping his mouth and placing the bowl aside.

Others also drink in one go, and the entire pot is now empty. As one of them removes the pot from the fire, clutching his stomach, he sighs, "It’s the first time I know that satiating hunger and dressing warmly are such joyful matters."

His tone carries nostalgia for the past days of being well-fed.

"Indeed, now if you give me a piece of low-level nutrition, I’d find it a supreme delight."

"I really used to despise low-level nutrition. Now thinking about it, not only can it fill the stomach, but its nutrition is also utterly balanced, providing most of the nutrients humans need, it’s cost-effective too!"

"Yes, yes, the only flaw of low-level nutrition is the terrible taste. But in the face of hunger, this little flaw of bad taste is really nothing, right?"

...

Lou listens to the casual chats of his close aides, contemplating how to solve the current predicament. Suddenly, he hears someone say, "Fortunately, it’s not just us starving and freezing, thinking that the enemy suffers the same treatment somehow balances my heart."

Upon hearing this, Lou suddenly reacts: "Wait, what did you just say?"

The guy who said this, feeling puzzled, repeats himself. Lou suddenly claps his hands, "Not good!"

Wei Yun and the others raise their heads: "What’s wrong?"

Lou says, "The enemy surely won’t starve, even if they have to scrimp and save, they won’t preserve like we do. Do you know if there are edible wild plants in the terrain around the competition field?"

"Huh?"

"Wild plants?"

"Hmm, you mean—" the enemy might be using wild plants to fill up and hydrate their team?

Before Wei Yun could finish asking, Lou nods immediately. Thinking about this matter makes Lou restless. Suddenly, he stands up, clasping his hands behind his back, carefully recalling his memories when traversing within the camp’s range, trying to dig out if he ever saw suitable edible wild crops...

The others do the same as Lou.

Unfortunately, everyone’s focus and attention were all on the enemy, as well as defending and combating, so no one paid attention to the flowers and grass beneath their feet...

Lou thought for a while, couldn’t figure it out, and then decisively said: "3rd reconnaissance team, avoid the surrounding enemy; quickly go to the slopes and wild grounds to find edible ingredients and return."

After giving this instruction, Lou suddenly remembers something, immediately adds: "Go collect around the river banks, there’s a type of wild onion with very low radiation, temporarily harmless to the human body. It looks incredibly like a weed, hard to distinguish, but it has a strong onion aroma, you can identify it if you sniff carefully."

Having said this, Lou’s face is full of regret!

How did he not think of it?

Just when the 3rd reconnaissance team was about to set out, a student suddenly rushes in, "Squad Leader, the enemy has completely left, but the direction they’ve departed is towards the location of our camp’s Commander!"

"What?"

Everyone is startled.

The Commander’s location isn’t much, it’s all worthless, but! The flag at the Commander’s location is the key to deciding the victory or defeat of the competition, it absolutely cannot fall!