The convoy continued along yesterday's route, only to be stopped by a river just past noon. The guide, Kisin, scouted ahead and informed Professor Smord of Country M, "Professor, due to recent heavy rains, this river has changed course. It seems we'll have to abandon the vehicles and make a detour to reach the boarding point. The river is too deep and wide; we can't swim across carrying all this gear."

Professor Smord, the initiator of this expedition, held the authority for major decisions. "Notify everyone to rest here. Once we're prepared and have eaten lunch, we'll set off."

At the order, the team members became busy, as the substantial amount of cargo needed to be distributed among them for carrying. In reality, this detour meant entering the rainforest sooner than planned, which naturally made everyone feel a bit uneasy. According to Hua Qingqing, apart from the professors from Countries M and R and Jack and Kamino, none of the other team members had any prior experience in the rainforest, leaving them all unfamiliar with what lay ahead.

The first task after lunch was changing into gear and distributing weapons. All team members were instructed by the guides to change into tightly wrapped assault suits to guard against sudden bites from venomous snakes or insects. Those crates of weapons were also opened, allowing everyone to select a weapon they were comfortable with.

Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er each picked an AK-47, which looked quite impressive hanging around their necks, especially when paired with the helmets specially developed for us by Little Raindrop. Xia Huren chose a large-caliber handgun; he already carried over a dozen throwing knives and feared that carrying a submachine gun would be cumbersome in the jungle.

Hua Qingqing and I each selected a handgun to slip into our pockets. Putting on the assault suits felt suffocating at first; the body was constantly sweating, and it was particularly uncomfortable for someone like Hua Qingqing, who valued cleanliness.

Before setting off, the two guides gave a brief lecture on jungle survival. Then, one led Jack and others to clear the path at the front, while the other, along with Kamino, brought up the rear. The main group left the dirt road along the river and stepped into the dense rainforest.

After walking for about ten minutes, there was no discernible path in the woods; progress was made entirely by hacking a way forward with knives. Due to the ideal climate, vegetation grew rapidly; even plants cut down would regrow within a few days. If they were to return the same way, this path might well be an untraceable wilderness once more.

It was then that we truly witnessed the venomous flies the guides had mentioned last night. Their size was beyond our imagination. One Japanese team member was bitten on the face. Although he applied the medicine immediately, the spot soon swelled up to the size of a steamed bun. The guide said that without timely application of the antidote, death was not impossible.

To circumvent the diverted river, we needed to find a suitable crossing point upstream. But who knew that after walking for a while, a message came from the front of the main group: the section of rainforest we were about to detour through was an area even the guides had never traversed, demanding heightened vigilance from everyone.

Harsh sunlight occasionally pierced through the canopy, but Qiu Sihai had already discarded his parasol, so he could no longer shield Hua Qingqing. Walking beside her, carrying a submachine gun, he looked utterly dishevelled, struggling to utter a single sentence even after a long while.

At four o'clock in the afternoon local time, the group temporarily emerged from the dense growth into an area of sparse scrubland. The absence of branches overhead felt tremendously relieving. A command came from the front: everyone was to rest briefly before continuing.

Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er, thanks to their physical modifications, possessed astonishing stamina and were relatively relaxed while the other members were exhausted. The two looked around idly until their eyes fixed on the treetop. "Commander Zhao," Zhu Da called to me, "we’re going up to pick you a coconut to eat."

Hua Qingqing looked up at the fruit on the branches. "That’s not a coconut. It looks like the fruit of a temperate nut-bearing plant. Everyone, don't randomly pick anything. What if it's poisonous?"

Zhu Da popped open a bottle of water. "Fine, I promise to obey orders..."

Before Zhu Da could finish his sentence, a series of sounds like landmine detonations erupted overhead—Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang! Along with the explosions came hard nutshells flying through the air, moving with such force that they looked capable of piercing human flesh upon impact.

I had been walking just behind Hua Qingqing, and even during the rest break, I stood behind her and Qiu Sihai. The sudden, shocking turn of events, though brief, didn't seem that terrifying to me yet. Two hard nutshells, one large and one small, hurtled toward Hua Qingqing. The moment the explosions sounded, she had already dropped to the ground, covering her head for protection, but a mere crouch wouldn't suffice for protection in place.

I lunged forward, deflecting the two incoming shells. The initial explosion had triggered even more detonations. For a time, my ears were filled with continuous, deafening booms, nutshells flew everywhere, and the screams of various team members being struck by the debris echoed all around.

The bombardment lasted for three minutes before slowly subsiding. Looking to the front and rear of the group, only Zhu Da, Cai Bao'er, Xia Huren, and I remained standing. Xia Huren and I had managed to ward off the shell impacts, while Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er had taken the brunt of them head-on. Their clothing showed quite a few tears. The bottle Zhu Da was holding had long since been punctured, with not a drop of water left. He stared blankly for a moment before cursing and tossing the empty bottle away.

Hua Qingqing slowly stood up. She glanced at the fallen team members and called my name with a hint of confusion, "Zhao Qian?"

I could only offer a bitter smile. This had happened before even reaching the boarding point; it seemed impossible that this scientific expedition could proceed smoothly now. "Qingqing, don't be afraid. These aren't aerial mines; they are nuts that explode when they mature. The temperature has been too high these past few days, and perhaps many fruits have ripened, leading to this attack."

Qiu Sihai's injuries weren't severe because I had shielded him from several 'shrapnel' pieces at the critical moment, but he still received some souvenirs on his arms and legs—he wouldn't learn his lesson without enduring some hardship.

Qiu Sihai scrambled up and cursed, "What kind of guides are you? Making such a basic oversight! Is this a safe place to rest?"

Hua Qingqing shook her head at him. "Don't scold him, Mr. Qiu. This plant isn't rare; it's being seen for the first time. I know of a tree in North Africa whose fruits are the size of pomelos and explode upon maturity, with a force greater than a small hand grenade; it’s called the Sandbox Tree. But this one before us is entirely different from that one, and its fruit is completely different too, although the shape and power are even greater. It's possible it’s a variant of the Sandbox Tree."

Considering that Professor Jiteng Gang from Japan was a botanist and even he failed to detect the hidden danger beforehand, we shouldn't blame anyone. The priority now was to save the injured.

People on the ground had begun to stir. Needless to say, everyone now understood what had just occurred. No one dared to speak loudly; there were still many unexploded 'coconuts' overhead. If they were agitated again, it was questionable whether anyone would survive to leave.

Over an hour later, the group finally cleared a path through the minefield. An inventory quickly produced a casualty report: one Japanese team member was killed instantly, pierced through the heart by a shell fragment. Six members were seriously injured and unable to proceed: three from Country M, two from Japan, and one from Great Dragon Country. Countless others sustained minor injuries, including both Professor Smord and Professor Jiteng Gang, who were hit in the waist and abdomen, fortunately not life-threatening wounds.

The strangest report came when Hua Qingqing, after helping attend to the wounded, pulled me aside with a blush to tell me that Meriya had been struck in the chest. While examining her wound, she discovered that Meriya had injected breast enhancement agents.

The main group decided to rest in a safe area outside the forest. Having nothing else pressing, I teased Hua Qingqing, "That American woman is truly pitiful. I'm afraid handling the situation after her chest got punctured won't be easy."

Hua Qingqing flipped through medications in her bag while replying to me, "These women who get breast enhancements—aren't they just trying to please you men? Like your wife, carrying such a heavy burden every day. I wouldn't do that."

I lowered my voice, "You helped my wife a great deal, so I should thank you properly. If Xiao Rou were to learn from those American women and get breast injections, I'm afraid it would affect the intimacy between us as a couple."

Seeing no one else nearby, Hua Qingqing asked me, "Do you two maintain your relationship through breasts? Breasts are human mammary organs, not something for you men to play with."

I countered, "You can't say that. In this society of spiritual civilization, breasts are gradually losing their meaning as nursing organs and increasingly signify sexuality. If you had both breasts removed, setting aside the future aspect of nursing, would you be willing?"

Hua Qingqing let out a light chuckle. "No, I wouldn't. How would others see me? Alright, I can't win this argument with you. Since you enjoy playing with breasts, I'll help Xiao Rou increase her size by another increment later, as thanks for saving my life just now."

I thought to myself that if Hua Qingqing helped Yi Xiao Rou again, I would definitely instigate Yi Xiao Rou to give her a good 'lesson,' making her deeply aware of the sexual significance of a woman’s breasts.

I replied politely, "You were lucky just now; I didn't save you."

Hua Qingqing walked away, pulling out medicine, "I have eyes. There was a pile of hard nutshells stacked next to me. If you hadn't blocked them for me, I might have fared worse than Meriya."

From behind Hua Qingqing, I said, "How could I dare let that happen to you? If your breasts were punctured, my wife would surely end me when I got home!"

Hua Qingqing kicked a stray branch back my way, signaling her 'anger,' but the look of playful reproach on her face delighted me. Discussing breasts with a woman other than my wife was proving to be quite entertaining.

The atmosphere among the expedition team, excluding myself, Zhu Da, and Cai Bao'er, was bleak. Few managed to finish their standard rations for dinner. After the meal, Hua Qingqing returned from a consultation with the professors from the other two countries. "The expedition team must be reduced. Tomorrow, the M and R delegations will arrange for ten injured members to be sent back to Kisangani for treatment, including one of ours. Jiteng Gang went back to the blast zone and collected fruit samples. He says this tree is likely a hybrid mutation between the North African Sandbox Tree and a tropical species. The mutation caused these fruits, which don't appear to possess explosive qualities, to fill up with high-pressure gas. The high temperatures and intense sun these past few days, coupled with the loud noises from our activity in the afternoon, led to this disaster."

Qiu Sihai sighed from the side, "It seems none of the knowledge I learned in training courses is useful. I wasted so much money. I wonder what other dangers lie ahead."

Hua Qingqing said to Qiu Sihai, "Mr. Qiu, I am already very happy that you accompanied me to Africa. Now that this has happened, I suggest you lead the other four uninjured team members back home. The severely injured member can also be sent back after a period of treatment and recovery. You are skilled in company management, but dealing with these sudden dangers could easily cost you your life. If that happened, how would I explain it to your parents when I return?"

It was clear that Qiu Sihai was hesitant. During the rest of the conversation, he remained silent. Whether to stay or leave—Hua Qingqing wasn't in a hurry to hear his decision; they could discuss it tomorrow morning.

Late at night, apart from the patrolling rotating sentries, everyone else had settled into their sleeping bags and drifted into slumber. Hua Qingqing suddenly dragged her sleeping bag over to my side and whispered, "Zhao Qian, are you asleep?"

"I was," I replied. "Do you require any services? I’d be happy to oblige."

Hua Qingqing nudged me lightly then slid into the sleeping bag, lying head-to-head with me. "If you were asleep, you wouldn't be answering. I can't sleep, so let's talk."

I asked Hua Qingqing, "Are the events of the past two days making you a little scared?"

Hua Qingqing hummed in affirmation. "But I know that as long as you are here to protect my safety, I believe this victory will belong to us."

"Don't be so confident. I don't have that much faith in myself. Everyone has experienced it these past two days—the rainforest is mysterious and unpredictable. Even plants can kill. No one dares claim to be all-powerful. I can only try my utmost to protect you."

"Knowing that puts my mind at ease," Hua Qingqing said. "In truth, I really envy Sister Xiao Rou right now. It must be so wonderful to have a powerful man protecting you. No wonder she's carefree all day long and doesn't even spare a glance for that fellow Tan Tian. She has the capital to be proud."

I feigned helplessness and said to Hua Qingqing, "It's a pity you don't like me, or I could pursue you. Then you and Xiao Rou could be companions and still be happy together?"

Hua Qingqing tapped my head lightly. "I would never like a philandering man like you. Xiao Rou and I have a relationship as solid as iron. Even if you don't pursue me, you must protect me, or I'll tell Xiao Rou never to let you touch her again."

"Ms. Hua, how about I introduce Tiger to you? His abilities are definitely formidable, and he is completely devoted. He certainly won't be a philanderer. Consider it."

Hua Qingqing tapped my head again. "Little Xia is a good person, but I don't like that silent type."

I said with great difficulty, "You’ve truly defeated me. I finally found someone devoted to one person for you, and you complain that he’s too quiet. Yet, since I talk so much, you criticize me for being unfaithful."

Hua Qingqing said seriously, "Actually, you're not bad at all, but I can't accept your promiscuity."

I corrected her, "What I have isn't promiscuity; it’s being affectionate."

"It's pretty much the same meaning. Oh yes, can I ask you a few private questions? Very private ones. I hope you don't mind."

"Ask away. Since it's a long night and I can't sleep, having a beautiful woman for company to chat with is a nice thing."

Hua Qingqing asked, "Is the sexual capacity of a B-class Superman also exaggerated? Otherwise, how do you satisfy so many girlfriends?"

This question was quite personal. Although I didn't want to answer, I considered that Hua Qingqing was a doctor, and unlike Su Xue or Ouyang Qian—the latter two were purely interested in recreation—she also had an element of research in her curiosity. "I suppose so, because as you've seen, none of my girlfriends have ever been unhappy. Whenever they want me, I can always be there for them."

Hua Qingqing propped her head up and asked, "Can you control the timing of your ejaculation? How do you manage it? Are there any special techniques I could learn from?"

"Ms. Hua, I think it would be better to discuss this question with your future boyfriend in private. It’s inappropriate for us, a man and a woman alone, to discuss such matters."

"Fine, I won't ask that. I'll ask another: why do you like Xiao Rou’s breasts? Why do men go crazy over larger breasts?"

I stared for a while, unable to figure out how to answer Hua Qingqing. I hadn't expected such a refined young lady to ask such low, crude questions. Was she perhaps researching this?

Seeing my silence, Hua Qingqing continued, "Actually, I like Xiao Rou's breasts too. The feel is really nice. Don't be jealous; it’s fine for a girl like me to appreciate your wife’s breasts. Although I could achieve what she has, I don't think it's worth it for a philanderer like you. Ugh, I really miss your wife. It would be so nice to be holding her right now. When we get back, you have to lend her to me for a few days. I really miss the feeling of being with her."

It seemed the situation was developing unfavorably. Hua Qingqing likes Yi Xiao Rou's breasts! Had she, unable to find a suitable boyfriend for so long and constantly stimulated by Yi Xiao Rou, undergone a psychological transformation toward homosexuality? If this were the case, it would be a problem. If she truly asked to borrow my wife, should I lend her or not? Trouble loomed.

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