Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Poisonous Guava Forest, Robbery

The Poisonous Guava is actually a shrub, but it can grow to over ten meters high. It’s able to grip tightly to the sand, preventing it from being washed away by floods.

The entire plant is poisonous—its leaves, sap, bark, flowers, and even its smell. The fruit is actually the least toxic part.

The sap of the Poisonous Guava contains many toxins, the most harmful of which to humans is called Foliate.

If this substance comes into contact with the skin, it causes severe, burn-like blisters, making it look as if one has leprosy. This is why the tree is also known as Mad Horse Euphorbia Wood.

Furthermore, this substance is water-soluble. Just now, for example, they were corroded by rainwater dripping from the trees without even touching the Poisonous Guavas themselves.

If you burn a Poisonous Guava tree, it releases smoke that irritates the eyes, leading to inflammation and even temporary blindness!

The Poisonous Guava, so toxic that one can be poisoned just by standing in its shade, is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the most dangerous tree in the world. It is also known as the tree of death, and there is currently no effective antidote.

Jiang Si consulted the limited information available and found only one folk remedy: in cases of minor exposure or ingestion of a small amount of fruit, drinking large quantities of milk could counteract the poison.

But this was just a folk remedy without any clinical evidence. If you pulled through, you lived. If you didn’t, you died.

Regardless, they all had to try.

There was no fresh milk left in the space, so they could only drink powdered milk.

As the milk went down, the burning pain all over their bodies did indeed lessen considerably.

But it only lessened.

They drank two entire large canisters of milk powder in one go. The irritating, burning sensation in Jiang Si’s mind gradually faded, and she could finally breathe steadily.

This proved the milk was indeed effective.

Lu Zhifeng’s case was the most severe, and his reaction to the milk was also the most obvious. The pitted blisters on his face shrank significantly.

In the middle of the night, everyone rushed to the toilet, and only then did they feel the toxins had been completely purged from their bodies.

Jiang Si emerged from the toilet feeling refreshed. Everyone shared a sense of having survived a great disaster.

It was also a wake-up call for everyone: in the apocalypse, no plant could be touched lightly.

Niu Niu cried, saying, "Niu Niu will never eat fruit again!"

She believed it was all her fault that Lu Zhifeng was so badly injured.

While the others comforted Niu Niu, Qin Shen steered the yacht, trying to change course and move away from the increasingly dense forest of Poisonous Guavas.

But there were countless Poisonous Guava trees in every direction.

After traveling for several dozen meters, the yacht was blocked by several tall Poisonous Guava trees.

As long as they didn’t touch the Poisonous Guava trees, they would be safe.

However, as the rain intensified, water began to seep into the cabin.

This water had washed down from the Poisonous Guava trees and was toxic.

To prevent Big Black and Little Black from accidentally ingesting it or getting it on their paws, everyone worked on sealing all the gaps around the cabin while Qin Shen turned the yacht around.

With everyone’s help, Qin Shen finally managed to turn the bow.

Only to discover that the channel they had come through, which had been clear of Poisonous Guavas, was now densely packed with branches over half a meter tall.

At first, they could still ram through them, but soon, the entire water surface was overrun with Poisonous Guavas.

The growth rate was just too fast. If they started to flower, this whole forest was bound to release an intense toxin.

Jiang Si’s expression was grim. She said to Qin Shen, "We still have a chance to ram our way out now. If we wait for these saplings to grow, they might even pierce the yacht’s hull. Pick a direction and let’s force our way through!"

The direction Qin Shen chose was against both the current and the wind. Everyone would have to go out on deck with him to unfurl the sails. The wind hitting the sails would generate a diagonal forward force, allowing the yacht to move.

It wasn’t a real sailboat, after all, and they were unfamiliar with handling the sails. Going on deck now, surrounded by Poisonous Guavas overhead, was definitely risky.

But the longer they delayed, the greater the risk.

Jiang Si and Jiang Linhai put on thick protective suits and went out onto the deck, while Lu Zhifeng and Jiang Chengwu were responsible for relaying Qin Shen’s commands.

The bow turned, first right, then left. They sailed against the wind, cutting through the dense thickets of the Poisonous Guava forest. Just as they were about to leave the dangerous waters, the sky cleared.

Everyone was overjoyed. At that moment, two fishing boats appeared in their line of sight ahead.

The fishing boats were letting off steam; they were two steam-powered boats, and there were definitely people on board.

To prevent them from accidentally entering the Poisonous Guava forest, Jiang Si tried to wave a flag to warn them, but the two fishing boats suddenly fired flaming arrows at them.

Jiang Si pulled Jiang Linhai aside to dodge. The arrows’ target, however, was the Poisonous Guava trees around them.

The sap of the Poisonous Guava was like gasoline; it ignited in an instant.

Seeing the Poisonous Guava forest catch fire, the two steam-powered fishing boats retreated rapidly, as if terrified of being caught in the toxic smoke.

’These people clearly know how toxic the Poisonous Guava is. They’re trying to smoke us to death.’

Jiang Si and Jiang Linhai rushed back into the cabin and had everyone find the oxygen tanks and masks in the storeroom.

Jiang Si strapped on an oxygen tank, put on her mask, and then hurried to help Qin Shen, who was still piloting the boat, put his on.

Billowing toxic smoke obscured the glass at the front of the cabin.

Sparks also ignited the sails.

If they couldn’t escape in time, the home they had worked so hard to build would be burned down.

Shen Baoying even grabbed Jiang Si’s hand and wrote a word in her palm: *Go.*

’She wants me to hide in the space and survive alone? I’d rather we all die together.’

Jiang Si shook her head, reassuring Shen Baoying with her eyes that everything would be okay.

They were just a short distance from completely clearing the Poisonous Guava forest. The yacht could definitely break through.

Jiang Si’s prediction was correct. The yacht soon broke through the thick smoke and gradually pulled away from the dangerous Poisonous Guava forest.

The two menacing steam-powered boats reappeared in their field of view.

Because the glass windows were covered in ash, the people on the two steam-powered boats couldn’t see their situation clearly.

However, through a special observation port, Jiang Si could clearly see a steel cable stretched between the two boats, apparently intended to stop their yacht.

’This isn’t the first time these people have acted like bandits.’

Jiang Si had always lived by the principle of "I won’t bother you if you don’t bother me." But if they wanted her group’s supplies, and their lives on top of that, they would have to pay the price.

Jiang Si reported the situation to the others. "They will definitely approach to board us. When they get on the boat, we’ll take them all out at once."

Shen Baoying was worried. "What if there are too many of them?"

Jiang Si distributed weapons to everyone. "This is just a small test. No matter how many there are, we have to kill them." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Jiang Si’s words were cold, but there was truly no other way.

In the future, they would likely face even greater dangers. If they couldn’t overcome this challenge, what hope was there for survival?

The way Jiang Si loaded her gun was sharp and heroic. Her piercing eyes, brimming with a fierce determination, showed her resolve to protect her family.

Niu Niu suddenly realized she shouldn’t be afraid. Her small, trembling hands gripped the pistol tightly. Lifting her face, she forced herself to look calm and said to Lu Zhifeng, "I’ll protect Papa and everyone too!"