Survival in the Ruins: I can make everything evolve infinitely

022: Damn it, Why Do I Smell So Bad?!

The camp, inside a wooden shed.

Mino hugged the wooden box and asked worriedly, “What if someone digs it up here?”

“They won’t. There are so many houses in the camp. No one will bother with this one.”

Mu Liang glanced at the worn-out wooden shed and said softly, “If anyone does carefully search here, it would only be your sister.”

From his time as a special forces soldier, he knew that when people search for missing loved ones, they meticulously inspect places where they used to live, hoping to find clues.

By reversing this logic, it also became the perfect time to set traps for enemies.

“Seems so,” Mino hesitated before nodding.

“Alright, put it in,” Mu Liang stomped his foot, causing a spike of earth to rise and crack open a hole.

Mino placed the wooden box inside.

“I’ll set it up so your sister will be sure to find the drawing,” Mu Liang whispered.

He released a strand of spider silk from his finger, wrapping it around the wooden box and tying the other end to a stone.

“Now, just cover the hole,” Mu Liang instructed.

“Okay,” Mino obediently filled the hole.

Rustle, rustle…

Mu Liang took the stone tied with the spider silk and began carving it with his military knife. He was carving a rabbit-eared girl.

Curious, Mino, after burying the box, approached and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Creating bait to lure your sister into finding the box.”

Mu Liang placed the carved stone in the center of the shed, facing up with the abstract rabbit-eared girl design.

“Will my sister find the drawing this way?” Mino was still a bit confused.

“She’ll definitely find it,” Mu Liang assured, looking at the empty shed.

If Mino’s sister returned and saw a stone resembling her sister’s carving, she would definitely pick it up.

With the stone tied to durable spider silk, she would surely discover something buried underneath.

Don’t blame Mu Liang for being overly cautious—it’s a professional habit.

If this were an enemy’s house, there would be a bomb buried underground.

“That’s it?” Mino glanced at the stone.

The carved design was better than her drawing, making her feel tempted to take it.

“Trust me, it’ll work.” Mu Liang patted her shoulder.

As he stepped out of the shed, he noticed the silent Red Ghost Spider on the roof, receiving its message:

The spy tracking the camp residents had been subdued and poisoned by the spider.

“Let’s go. It’s time to follow the thieves’ scout,” Mu Liang said, leading the way to the Rock Armored Turtle.

“Coming!” Mino jogged to catch up.

With that, their work at the camp was done, leaving the rest to fate.

The two, along with the spider, stayed on the turtle’s back, heading towards the Blood Beard Bandits’ base.

Thanks to the Three-colored Lizard’s telepathic guidance, they wouldn’t get lost.

In the main hall of the house, they were sorting through their belongings.

Mino was installing the wooden shed door on the house, though she seemed distracted and hesitant.

Mu Liang, selecting wood for a table, noticed her behavior.

“What do you want to say? Just spit it out,” he said, annoyed.

“Mu Liang, aren’t we leaving too late?” Mino asked timidly, fearing she had disrupted his plans.

“No, I purposely delayed our departure,” Mu Liang said, carving wood with his knife.

“We go too early, and the Blood Beard people will still be at their base. Going later avoids a head-on clash.”

“Oh, I see!” Mino relaxed, quickly installing the door.

She turned, asking brightly, “Mu Liang, have you finished organizing your room?”

“There’s nothing to organize,” Mu Liang shook his head.

Their home was practically bare—no table, no chairs, no wardrobe.

Even Mino’s bed was made from old planks.

Everything had to be built from scratch.

“Then what should I do?” Mino asked, a bit lost.

“You?” Mu Liang looked at her—dirty face, dusty hair, and beast-skin clothes so filthy their original color was indiscernible.

He glanced at himself—he wasn’t much better.

“We need water,” Mu Liang sighed.

“Now you realize it?” Mino placed a hand on her hip, pouting.

“I told you we should save water.”

“I mean for bathing,” Mu Liang clarified.

“Bathing? Are you joking?” Mino’s blue eyes widened.

“We barely have enough to drink. How can we bathe?”

“When was the last time you bathed?” Mu Liang asked curiously.

“Seventeen days ago, after an acid rain. I ran out and bathed,” Mino’s cheeks reddened slightly.

“You’re bold,” Mu Liang raised an eyebrow.

“I-I… I wore clothes!” Mino snapped, flustered.

Seeing her reaction, Mu Liang decided not to tease her anymore.

“Looks like we need rainwater storage.”

He didn’t know when the next rain would come, but it was best to be prepared.

“Acid rain isn’t drinkable! It makes people crazy!” Mino grabbed his arm nervously.

“Hunters at the camp drank it and went on a rampage.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not for drinking,” Mu Liang reassured.

He planned to filter it and test it on animals before deciding its safety.

“Then what’s it for?” Mino asked, confused.

“For bathing,” Mu Liang replied naturally.

He glanced at her and asked, “Can’t you smell yourself?”

“I-I’m not smelly!” Mino pouted, running into her room.

“Muttering about me being smelly…”

“I’m not smelly at all… Hah! Cough, cough…”

A shocked cry echoed from her room.

“Damn it! Why do I smell so bad?!”