Natural Disasters Strikes: I stockpiled like crazy!-Chapter 261: Sunflare Fruits

As the Iron Gale Squad and Zhao Lin were about to look for Luo Gang, they ran into the Thorn Team Leader’s younger brother and his minions.

Brother Ou had already woken up with a fever and splitting headache that morning. Thinking about going to that old man for treatment made his mood even worse.

He was in a terrible temper.

The moment he saw them, he cursed, "Are you blind—"

But when he raised his head and saw who it was, the rest of his words got stuck in his throat.

His minions were also shocked when they recognized the Iron Gale Squad — especially Wang Bo. The bruises he had given them before were still untreated. Just seeing him made their bodies tremble as painful memories resurfaced.

Wang Bo had never had a good impression of them after they beat up Elder Meng and his grandson. He didn’t hide his scowl.

"You dare show your faces? Want me to beat you again?"

"No, no, you misunderstood!" Brother Ou and the others panicked, shaking their heads. They turned to leave, but Zhao Lin suddenly spoke.

"Hold on."

She immediately recognized Brother Ou and his yellow teeth.

"It’s them! They kidnapped Elder Meng!"

The Iron Gale Squad’s expressions instantly changed. Their gazes turned sharp, especially Wang Bo’s.

Brother Ou and the other two froze.

How did this girl know?!

No time to think. Escape first!

But before Brother Ou could run, Wang Bo grabbed his collar and the pockmarked minion’s neck. The two nearly suffocated under his iron grip.

"Let go! Let go!"

The last minion was subdued by Liu Ming.

"So it was you! Didn’t you learn your lesson? You dare touch Uncle Meng again!"

Wang Bo shoved the pockmarked man toward Dai Run’s side, then punched Brother Ou in the face.

"Urgh!"

Brother Ou groaned, blood spraying as he cursed, "You—hiss... are you crazy? Do you know who my brother is?! Ah—!"

Another punch answered him.

"You think I care?! I’ll ask again! Where is Uncle Meng?!"

Brother Ou spat out two bloody teeth. His jaw was hit hard, and speaking hurt.

"You... hiss... when my brother comes back... I’ll—"

Bang!

The third punch knocked him out cold.

Dai Run shook his head. "You could’ve waited until he talked."

Dai Yun snorted. "Serves him right! Elder Meng and Luo Gang treated them well before, and this is how they repay them!"

Zhao Lin clenched her fists. "Brother Wang, you should’ve knocked out all his teeth!"

Thinking of the helpless old man yesterday made her feel even guiltier.

Wang Bo threw Brother Ou onto the ground without care and turned to the remaining two.

"You two. If you don’t talk, I’ll knock every tooth out."

He cracked his knuckles.

The two minions sucked in cold air. They had no loyalty to Brother Ou, and definitely didn’t want Wang Bo’s fists.

"We’ll talk! We’ll talk!"

Nearby survivors gathered to watch, but no one interfered. This kind of thing was common in the apocalypse. Besides, Brother Ou and his group were infamous bullies.

Some previous victims even gloated, including the man who was robbed of his jades yesterday.

Zhao Lin was new to the base and didn’t know they were from the Thorn Team until Dai Yun told her. Her face darkened.

"The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree. They even resorted to kidnapping!"

After hearing the deal they made with a stranger, everyone’s blood boiled.

"These bastards!" Dai Yun kicked them hard.

"Spare us! We told you everything!" the two cried, faces swollen and unrecognizable.

"Move. Show the way," Liu Ming ordered.

They didn’t dare delay and led them forward despite the pain.

Brother Ou’s unconscious body was slung over Wang Bo’s shoulder.

When Elder Meng was rescued, they would let him decide these three’s fate.

As for the Thorn Team Leader? They didn’t care.

With greedy people like Lan Fuyou running things, this base wouldn’t last long.

Once they gathered enough supplies and fuel, and the weather stabilized, they would leave.

In Longmen Base, the car carrying Lan Fuyou finally arrived.

Lu Meiying, eager to see her son, instead heard terrible news.

"A girl named Lu Nanzhi killed your son," Lan Fuyou said smoothly. "She snuck in during a monster attack and murdered Lu Jian. Lin Weihao was helping her."

"What?!"

Lu Meiying didn’t believe it at first.

Then Lan Fuyou added, "Before dying, Lu Jian told me she knew you and Lu Chenyu killed her parents. She killed him to make you feel the same pain."

All doubt vanished from Lu Meiying’s eyes.

Only she, Lu Chenyu, and her son knew that secret.

She slammed the table, shaking it violently.

"That bitch! She killed my son! I’ll kill her!"

Out of her sight, Lan Fuyou sneered.

This woman had been clinging to him for months. Time she became useful.

Unbeknownst to him, this move of his eventually sealed his fate of a cruel death.

After what felt like hours in the sandstorm, Nanzhi finally reached the third stage — Firestone Cliffs.

In her arms was a golden chest. Inside was the insect repellent serum recipe she desperately wanted.

The golden shimmer earlier had really been a chest — hidden above a fissure blasting scorching air. She had burned her hand retrieving it.

Still, it was worth it.

Once the dungeon ended, her injuries would heal automatically.

She stored the chest and recipe in her bag, then looked ahead.

Temperature: 65°C.

Debuffs stacked one after another.

[Late Stage Moderate Heatstroke]

[Stamina loss: 4 per minute | Severe headache | Vision distortion]

[Stamina: 14]

She was almost out of water and medicine.

She had to hurry.

The cliffs were solid black rock. Heat radiated from cracks. Geysers of scalding air burst occasionally.

Her vision zoomed in.

Bushes clung to rocky ledges. On crimson stems hung berry-like fruits glowing ruby with golden veins.

A name flashed in her mind.

Ding!

[3-Star Sunflare Fruits]

[Can be eaten directly. Permanently increases Heat Resistance slightly. Limit: 20 per person.]

[Ingredient for Heat Resistance Serum and Insect Repellent Serum.]

Her heart pounded.

There’s a heat resistance serum too?!

This dungeon was too generous!

She tied a rope to her waist and anchored it to a rock before descending.

"Hiss!" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Even through protection, the rocks burned her skin. These stones had absorbed heat all day — easily near 70°C.

[Stamina: 10]

Black spots filled her vision.

She used all her frost-bane serums and drank the last of her water. Temporary relief washed over her.

She climbed down fast, ignoring cuts and burns on her hands and legs.

[Stamina: 7]

Almost there.

[Stamina: 4]

Just a little more!

She pushed off the cliff wall, swung sideways, and grabbed the Sunflare plant.

Got it!

She stabbed her machete into the rock to stabilize herself, then plucked the fruits and stuffed them into her mouth.

[You consumed Sunflare Fruit. Heat Resistance slightly increased.]

System messages rang repeatedly.

Suddenly, the surrounding heat felt less suffocating.

Nanzhi let out a tired smile.