BXBX NOVEL Chapter 191: 188: The Hatch is Welded Shut!
The so-called toothbrush and toothpaste were actually just a tender birch twig accompanied by some charcoal ash.
Birch sap is a pretty good refreshing drink and even has medicinal health benefits. Its branches have plenty of fibers that can totally be used as a toothbrush, and some of the older branches can even be made into arrow shafts.
Bi Fang chewed on a piece of the tender birch branch, then used the leftover fibers as a toothbrush and the water mixed with charcoal ash as toothpaste.
“The method of using charcoal ash for brushing teeth can’t be used all the time, because it can damage the teeth. But remember to mix it with water before using, as the alkalinity of the charcoal ash is very strong and can easily burn the skin.”
“As for the effectiveness, well, it’s definitely not as strong as modern industrial products. However, it’s not far off because charcoal ash has good adsorbency. It is enough for us to do a simple oral cleaning in the wild, but cleaning is all it can do. We also need to pay attention to sterilization, so we need to use it in conjunction with mouthwash.”
Mouthwash?
The audience became curious. At first hearing, this word filled with “modern” vibes felt a bit out of place. Many people at home don’t even use mouthwash when brushing their teeth. How do they use it in the wilderness?
Bi Fang held up the plastic bottle passed to him by Étienne, and through natural light, the audience could clearly see it was filled with light green water.
[Lake water? The color’s so green]
[Impossible, what’s the use of lake water?]
[Admin, someone’s swearing, give them a ban!]
[Lord Mu: I’m juggling millions every minute, how do I have time for this? So just let me be the admin, I’m super free (Dog’s head)]
[Master Fang: After all, I’ve trusted the wrong person.]
“Lake water isn’t this green,” said Bi Fang, shaking the plastic bottle, which was still a bit hot. “This is pine needle water that I had Étienne mash up the pine needles and boil them before filtering. Use it to rinse your mouth, it not only smells good but also has a certain antibacterial effect.”
Bi Fang blew on it to cool it down, took a sip from the bottle, swallowed with a gulp.
Audience: “???”
[Isn’t mouthwash for rinsing… why is he drinking it?]
[What happened to the mouthwash?]
Even Bi Fang himself was stunned and realized what he had just done, he instantly started coughing and choking.
After a while, Bi Fang, regaining his composure, was dumbfounded. “Damn it! I’ve gotten used to drinking hot water these past few days, I swallowed it before I could react.”
[Won’t he get poisoned from eating charcoal ash?]
“No, no worries,” Bi Fang spit out another mouthful of saliva and kept rinsing his mouth, “Charcoal ash itself isn’t poisonous, and it can even have an antidiarrheal effect. However, eating too much may lead to constipation. The amount I swallowed isn’t significant.”
A slip of the mind.
Bi Fang spit out the mouthful of water that still carried a hint of pine fragrance and shook his head with a laugh.
He hadn’t expected that he too would have a day of confusion.
After cleaning up, the two of them stewed some smoked fish for breakfast and prepared to hit the road again.
Who knew how Johnny had found them, whether it was by tracking them through the live stream or if Elvan had told him their whereabouts?
If it was the latter, they couldn’t continue following the map’s route.
Bi Fang opened the map, hesitated for a while, but ultimately chose to trust Elvan and did not change his plans, continuing along the route on the map.
“Johnny has got us in his sights now. We will minimize our rest time as much as possible to avoid being caught up with again.”
[Epic, being pursued and still calm.]
[Johnny: No one knows how to catch better than I do.]
[Today I just want to be beyond the reach of the law, and I’m even live-streaming it! A lawless rogue, that’s just how arrogant I am!]
The audience was thrilled. In their view, this was as exciting as skipping school to sneak off to the internet café without the teacher’s knowledge, and whether it was really illegal was still to be determined.
What if the problem lies with Johnny?
Bi Fang pulled on the throttle, the engine roared to life, and the sound of the rotating propeller grew from nothing to a loud hum, increasing in intensity until it became a thunderous roar.
“Weird, why has the engine sound gotten louder?”
He stepped on the pedal, somewhat puzzled. Was the engine broken? Why had the noise become so loud?
Bi Fang worried that the propeller was emitting smoke. Just as he turned his head back, a curse blurted out.
“Damn it!”
A dark green helicopter roared as it flew overhead, its huge rotor blades whipping up a fierce wind, slicing through the air like a knife, zooming past the forest canopy like an enormous bird.
What the hell!
It had only been three hours, yet Johnny actually sent a helicopter after them!
Bi Fang pulled the control stick to climb urgently, failing to understand why Johnny treated them as if they were smuggling a flock of geese with “questionable” health certificates. What did he think they were, Mexican drug lords?
…
“Minister, these are the hospital test reports issued by Elvan’s team, all negative, and none of the blood samples are older than a month,” the secretary presented the reports to the park director.
“But Johnny’s report came back positive…”
The minister pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t actually have clarity on what Johnny had been up to, resulting in the park’s upper management being completely confused about the situation.
Were the flocks of geese sick or not?
If not sick, then why positive results?
And who really was sick?
Me?
The minister couldn’t help wanting to pace, but seeing the secretary still there, he dismissed the thought.
The secretary was equally puzzled by Johnny’s strong reaction, relentlessly pursuing a few individuals. Was he ever this dedicated before?
“It should be as Elvan and his team said, a normal reaction after vaccine exposure. Johnny’s making a mountain out of a molehill,” the secretary pondered.
“Make a call and have him return, let’s not concern ourselves with this matter anymore. I’ve seen his dedication; grant him a promotion when he’s back,” the minister deliberated for a moment, “Also, have him send me the previous test reports. I want to take a look, better safe than sorry.”
In fact, whether the geese were sick or healthy, or even if they had been healthy a month ago but now ill, Johnny had to stop the pursuit immediately.
Because just an hour ago, the World Animal Protection Organization had called.
The minister felt a headache looming; the situation was spiraling, drawing even the scrutiny of the World Animal Protection Organization, which was not just any NGO, but an international body with comprehensive consultative status with the United Nations.
The World Animal Protection Organization saw it as an excellent opportunity to raise public awareness about wildlife conservation.
Based on the geese’s living conditions and behavior over the past ten-plus days, they judged the report as erroneous, the case needed re-investigation, and they demanded a halt to the apprehension of the animals, asking to aid Elvan with the migration plan.
Just as the secretary was about to go and contact Johnny, a male staffer suddenly burst into the office, shouting anxiously.
“Minister! Johnny has dispatched a helicopter to capture the geese! He’s already catching up to Fang Bi!”
The minister stood up hastily, full of confusion, “What?”
Shadows rose over the forest, a droning noise like giant bees flapping their wings approached at high speed. The helicopter hovered mid-air, circling like a hunting eagle, while the white plane ahead of it was merely a tiny sparrow, issuing a final, desperate scream amidst the roaring noise.
Étienne gripped the armrest tightly, the light aircraft’s speed pushed to its limit. He felt as if he could hear the plane’s structure groaning under the strain.
This was it, glider versus helicopter?
Was wildlife conservation always this dangerous?
Dad, please save me! I realize my mistake! I want off the plane!
Buffeted by the fierce wind, pressed hard against his seat, unable to move, Étienne shed two lines of tears. He felt his adrenal glands had been played to ruin, overworking, unable to restart.
The cabin door was welded shut!
No one could get off!