From the ground, the planet's garbage appeared as chaotic mountains, huddled together like burial mounds.
But from the sky, much more was visible.
The entire continent wasn't covered in trash heaps; there were still many open spaces. The soil in these clearings was a dark, incredibly fertile black, promising abundant harvests.
The garbage areas were vast, and Jiang Ye guessed that each concentrated mountain range of trash was the result of a single aerial drop.
Years of wind, sun, rain, and storms had gradually shaped them into hills.
Jiang Ye flew along the coastline for a while.
Cen Yemeng suddenly exclaimed, "There's something shining over there!"
"Plastic wrap?" Jiang Ye asked.
"No, it's on the reefs. Maybe some kind of animal," Cen Yemeng replied.
Jiang Ye, seated behind the control screen, had limited visibility.
He stood up slightly and peered down. About a kilometer away, a small island lay close to the shore, and the entire island was indeed glittering!
He manipulated the ship to descend, approaching the shining island.
As they drew closer, the robotic dog suddenly barked, "It's shellfish! They might be edible. Let's land and check."
Jiang Ye carefully found a flat spot on the island and landed the ship.
With a low hum, it settled into place.
Jiang Ye was cautious. He loaded his rifle, held it close, and gingerly opened the hatch, peeking outside.
The island, formed from black reefs, was covered in shining white shells, each as large as a hand, reflecting sunlight like mirrors.
"Woof, you go scout ahead," Jiang Ye said, widening the hatch.
The robotic dog immediately squeezed through the gap.
Jiang Ye, being quite cunning, subtly narrowed the hatch again, leaving only a crack to observe.
He had encountered too many alien creatures. Many seemingly harmless things could be deadly.
Therefore, he had to be extremely careful. Who knew if these shellfish were man-eaters?
The robotic dog first circled the area.
The island consisted only of rocks and shellfish; no other life forms were present.
Then, the robotic dog's head nudged close to a larger shell.
It extended a front paw and gently tapped the shell.
The shell stirred slightly, clearly still alive.
The robotic dog pressed its head against the shell, remaining motionless.
"I've got data!" Cen Yemeng suddenly announced.
Jiang Ye turned back to the control screen, where scan results were appearing:
【Item: Shellfish Organism】
【Analysis: Body divided into head, foot, visceral mass, and mantle. Possesses a muscular organ on the abdomen, allowing it to adhere to smooth rock surfaces. Non-aggressive. Outer shell primarily composed of calcium carbonate. Internal composition mainly protein, fat, inorganic salts, and vitamins. High nutritional content, edible. Contains a small amount of fungi, but harmless to humans. No parasites or heavy metal contamination detected.】
Jiang Ye smiled.
The scan results were clear: food for the entire island!
Although the base had a substantial stockpile of fish, there was a pregnant woman, and nutritional balance was crucial.
One way to ensure nutritional balance was to consume a wider variety of foods!
Ancient kings would eat many different ingredients in a single meal, not only to avoid poisoned dishes but also to ensure intake of various nutrients.
He opened the hatch and jumped out with a sack.
He reached for a shell on the ground.
It wouldn't budge.
The shell was firmly attached to the rock, as if glued.
Jiang Ye pulled with all his might, but the shell remained unmoving!
The robotic dog also tried to pry a shell loose with its paws.
The electric motor whirred for a long time, and the dog's paws were nearly breaking.
The shell remained steadfastly attached.
Jiang Ye grew angry.
Damn it, just a few shellfish, why the stubborn resistance?
So what if they were stuck to the rock?
Did they think he had no way?
Jiang Ye returned to the ship, opened the toolbox, and picked up a steel pickaxe.
The pickaxe head was heavy, at least seven or eight pounds, with a sharp edge. Smashing ordinary stones would be easier than smashing tofu.
If he could smash the rock to which the shellfish were attached, he could take the shell and the rock together.
Jiang Ye approached a large shell he couldn't pry loose.
He gathered his energy, took a deep breath, and swung the pickaxe down!
Sparks flew, and a powerful rebound jolted his hand, leaving it numb. He hadn't even managed to chip the stone.
Jiang Ye was surprised. The stone surface only had a white mark. Was it that hard?
The robotic dog was also startled and lowered its head to scan the rock.
After a moment, the robotic dog looked up. "Master, it can't be smashed. this rock is from the mantle. It's this thick; without several hundred kilograms of force, it's impossible to break."
Jiang Ye was furious!
He swung the pickaxe again, this time directly at the shell.
With a crisp crack, the shell shattered, revealing its tender white flesh, and juice splattered everywhere!
The poor shellfish, still alive, was cut open.
Under the scorching sun, it writhed in pain for a moment before finally dying.
Jiang Ye reached in, pinched off a small piece of meat, and popped it into his mouth.
Remarkably, it tasted incredibly good: fishy, savory, salty, and sweet!
It had a satisfying chewiness and a rich texture.
With a bit of soy sauce, it would be divine.
Cen Yemeng also leaned over and ate a piece.
"This is good!" she said. "If we can't get them off, we can just crack one open occasionally to eat. They won't run away, right?"
"Coming here every day would be too troublesome. We need to take some back," Jiang Ye frowned. "Let me think of a way."
The robotic dog was still struggling with a shell, trying to pull it with all its might, perhaps hoping it would eventually give way.
This tug-of-war method was clearly ineffective.
Jiang Ye thought for a moment, returned to the ship, and opened the toolbox.
He took out a thin piece of wire.
He found a shell and probed its edge with the wire, finally locating a gap. He then forcefully inserted the wire.
The shell was pricked and began to move.
Jiang Ye seized the opportunity and pulled!
He had it!
Cen Yemeng had a plastic bag ready, and Jiang Ye casually dropped the shell into it.
The shell was quite panicked, thrashing around in the bag.
"Should we put some seawater in to keep it from getting thirsty?" Cen Yemeng asked.
"No need. Look, the rocks around here are dry," Jiang Ye replied.
Holding a piece of wire, Jiang Ye continued to pry open other shellfish.
Only a few shells were sealed so tightly that the wire couldn't be inserted.
Most could be easily dislodged with a gentle poke.
Jiang Ye's speed increased, and he quickly collected at least ten pounds of large shells, filling five plastic bags.
There were still hundreds of pounds of shellfish on the island, an incredible quantity.
"Alright, stop struggling," Jiang Ye said to the still-working robotic dog. "Let these shells live a little longer. We'll come back for more after we've eaten these."
The robotic dog drooped its head dejectedly and boarded the ship.
The hatch closed, they ascended, and continued their journey.
The sky had darkened unnoticed, with cumulonimbus clouds gathering overhead.
"Something is flying to the north," Cen Yemeng said suddenly, looking out the window.