Desert Island Infrastructure: Claiming the System Brings Many Blessings

Chapter 30 The Rubber Tree from Another World

After breakfast, the five of them sat in the courtyard to discuss their plans for the day.

Yang Mimi volunteered: "I'll take Feifei to the beach to dry salt, and while we're at it, we'll look for some spices in the woods. Yesterday's grilled fish and crabs were bland, they were just missing some seasoning."

Liu Yifei nodded: "Yes, I'll go with Mimi. We should be able to find natural salt layers on the salt flats by the sea; we can evaporate and concentrate them for use."

"Okay, you two go in pairs, don't go too far, and be careful," Qin Chuan instructed.

Fan Yubing originally wanted to team up with Lin Shishi to find some fruit in the forest, but halfway through her sentence, her expression suddenly changed.

"What's wrong?" Lin Shishi noticed.

Fan Yubing stood up, took two steps toward the wooden house, then stopped, turned her head to look at Qin Chuan and Lin Shishi, and bit her lip.

"I... am not feeling well."

Lin Shishi was stunned for a moment, then realized what was going on.

"Sister Fan, are you... here?"

Fan Yubing's face flushed red instantly. She didn't say anything, but her expression said it all.

Qin Chuan understood as well.

Aunt Flo.

Lin Shishi quickly went to Fan Yubing's side and pulled her into the wooden house. The two whispered to each other in the room for a while, and then Lin Shishi came out, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Brother Chuan, Sister Fan has indeed arrived. There are no sanitary napkins in the camp, only a few packs of tissues in the suitcase, but those things don't absorb well and won't last long."

Qin Chuan frowned.

This is indeed a tricky problem. On a deserted island, all kinds of supplies are scarce, and sanitary napkins are even less likely to be available.

"Let's make do with tissues and towels for now. Fan Yubing shouldn't go out to work these next few days; she should stay at the camp and rest."

Lin Shishi nodded: "Yes, I told her. She was a little embarrassed, afraid of holding them back."

"It's not her fault that she's on her period, so what's there to be embarrassed about?"

Qin Chuan thought for a moment, then added, "Shishi, come with me to the forest. We can gather herbs and see if we make any new discoveries. Mimi and Yifei can go salt production, and Sister Fan can stay at the camp to look after things."

Lin Shishi's eyes lit up: "Great! I'll pick some herbs along the way. It would be great if I could find some pain-relieving herbs, because Sister Fan will definitely have stomach cramps on the first day of her period."

After making the arrangements, everyone went their separate ways.

Yang Mimi and Liu Yifei walked towards the seaside.

Yang Mimi chattered incessantly the whole way, while Liu Yifei listened quietly beside her, occasionally nodding. Their figures slowly disappeared at the edge of the coastline.

Fan Yubing entered her room, and the curtain was drawn.

Qin Chuan and Lin Shishi set off towards the forest.

The sun had just risen, and the forest was still somewhat shady. The trees were tall and dense, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground.

Qin Chuan walked ahead, clearing the way while simultaneously using his pupil technique to scan.

All the information within a 300-meter radius kept refreshing in my mind.

Qin Chuan led Lin Shishi around several thickets of thorns and along a relatively easy route deeper into the forest.

After walking for about ten minutes, Qin Chuan's pupil technique suddenly detected a different piece of information.

[Unknown plant community 200 meters ahead. Detailed scanning is required within a 3-meter radius.]

There's something over there.

Qin Chuan quickened his pace, and Lin Shishi jogged to keep up.

After passing through a patch of low bushes, the view suddenly opened up before me.

A peculiar forest appeared before the two of them.

These trees are not tall, about three or four meters, with thick trunks and a layer of grayish-white bark covering their surface.

There are many longitudinal cracks on the bark, from which a milky white, viscous liquid seeps out and flows down the trunk. Some of it has already solidified into translucent lumps near the roots.

Qin Chuan walked to the nearest tree, squatted down, and touched the milky white liquid with his finger.

It's sticky and elastic.

Qin Chuan's heart stirred, and he scanned the area with his pupil technique.

[Otherworldly Rubber Tree. Level 2 Plant. Its trunk secretes natural latex, which can be processed into elastic materials. Wide range of uses: It can be used to make waterproof containers, sealing materials, elastic impact materials, mattresses, pillows, etc.]

Qin Chuan's eyes lit up immediately.

rubber!

This is a great resource. On a desert island, rubber has countless uses. It can be used to make waterproof cups, resilient mattresses and pillows, and even simple sealing rings and straps—the applications are endless.

"Shishi, come and take a look at this."

Lin Shishi walked over quickly, squatted down next to Qin Chuan, and looked at the milky white liquid seeping from the tree trunk.

"What is this?"

"Rubber. Natural rubber." Qin Chuan rubbed some between his fingers, and it could be stretched into threads. "Look at this elasticity, it's almost exactly the same as the rubber from Earth."

Lin Shishi reached out and touched it; it was sticky, and when she pulled on it, it was indeed very bouncy.

"What can this be used for?"

"There are so many things we can make. Cups, bowls, waterproof sheets, mats, and..." Qin Chuan thought of the [small umbrella].

He stood up and walked around the rubber plantation, becoming more and more excited as he looked around.

This grove has about thirty or forty rubber trees, and each tree is oozing latex. By making a few cuts in the trunk, collecting the flowing latex in a container, and then heating it to solidify, you can obtain blocks of rubber material.

Qin Chuan used a folding knife to make several diagonal cuts on the trunk of a tree, and milky white liquid immediately gushed out from the cuts, flowing down the knife marks.

"The more you harvest, the more you get; the yield is good." Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction.

Lin Shishi, watching from the side, also laughed: "That's great! Now that we have rubber, we can make so many things."

Qin Chuan memorized the location of the rubber plantation, planning to return later to collect a large quantity. Since there were no containers to collect the rubber, he could only remember the location for now.

The two continued walking forward.

After walking for about ten more minutes, Qin Chuan's pupil technique displayed new information again.

[Unknown plant community 80 meters to the left front. Detailed scanning is required within a 3-meter radius.]

Qin Chuan turned to the left and passed through several large trees.

An even more peculiar plant appeared before us.

This plant grows to a height of over one meter, like a shrub, with thin branches covered in long, thin filaments.

The filamentous things varied in thickness and were mainly white and grayish-white in color, swaying gently in the wind.

From a distance, it looks like a bunch of white beards growing on a tree.

Qin Chuan approached, reached out and pulled off a strand, then rubbed it in his hand.

It is soft, resilient, and feels almost like yarn.

Qin Chuan scanned with his pupil technique.

[Otherworldly Wool Tree. Level 1 Plant. Natural fibers grow on its branches; these fibers are soft and highly insulating. The fibers vary in thickness and can be used to weave clothing, ropes, etc.]

Qin Chuan was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.

Yarn tree.

The plants on this island are just too outrageous. First there were square coconut palms, then natural plank trees, then rubber trees, and now there are wool trees.

"Shishi, come and see this!"

Lin Shishi ran over and saw the thread-like things hanging on the branches. She was stunned for a moment, then reached out and touched them.

"This feels...so fluffy and soft! Just like yarn!"

Lin Shishi's eyes lit up immediately, and she became excited.

She squatted in front of a yarn tree, pulling off strands one by one to examine them; some were thick, some were thin. The thicker ones were about the same thickness as the thickest yarn from Blue Star, while the thinner ones were about the same thickness as cotton thread.

"Brother Chuan, if these could really be used to knit things, that would be wonderful!" Lin Shishi's voice trembled. "The coarse ones can be used to knit thick sweaters, and the fine ones can be used to knit thin shirts. We don't need them now that it's hot, but what if it gets cold later? And we can also knit gloves, scarves, socks..."

Seeing her excited expression, Qin Chuan asked, "You know how to knit?"

"I learned to knit from my mom when I was little. I've knitted scarves, gloves, and sweaters, but my skills are just so-so." Lin Shishi stood up, clutching a large handful of yarn. "Brother Chuan, do you have many yarn trees?"

Qin Chuan looked around and saw that there were about twenty or thirty wool trees in this area, each covered with fibers.

"Not too much, enough."

Lin Shishi was overjoyed. She squatted down and pulled out handfuls of yarn, separating them into two piles of different thicknesses.

Just then, a sharp cracking sound came from above, and a thick, withered branch snapped off from the branches high above and fell straight down to Lin Shishi.

Qin Chuan's pupils constricted sharply, and he shouted sternly, "Shishi, watch out!"