Fleas are extremely resilient parasites. They don't need eyes; they can sense a host's body temperature with their antennae to find the best place to bite.
Flea eggs are very difficult to destroy. They fall everywhere as the host moves, and no matter how much you clean, as long as any remaining flea eggs are in a corner, they will hatch into larvae as soon as the temperature is right.
To kill the bacteria brought by the rats, the family hadn't used ice to cool down the house. The indoor temperature was around forty to fifty degrees Celsius, so it was no wonder that so much insecticide was ineffective.
Jiang Si crushed a flea between her fingernails with a POP. A moment later, she saw a second one on her protective suit.
Big Black and Little Black were covered in fur. Even wearing the special protective suits Grandma made, they were still the fleas' main targets. You could see with the naked eye that more and more flea colonies were gathering on Big Black. He probably hadn't been washed properly, and the flea eggs had hatched. He could only keep biting at his protective suit to relieve the itching and pain.
Little Black was too small and just kept whining. His helpless cries were especially pitiful.
Jiang Si's brows knitted tightly as she continuously sprayed insecticide.
Grandpa took out a set of hair clippers and said, "Let's shave their fur. It'll be too hard to deal with otherwise. The fleas hide in their fur, making it difficult to apply medicine. Besides, dogs are prone to skin diseases from flea infestations."
"Okay."
Big Black obediently lay at Grandpa's feet. As the clippers moved back and forth, patches of red, swollen skin were gradually revealed. Dad also shaved Little Black's fluffy fur. Because Grandma had protected him more, his skin was in better condition.
Jiang Si felt an itch on her waist again. She was a little scared that the fleas had fed on the blood of the disease-carrying rats and might transmit the plague bacillus to them.
The chances were slim, but it wasn't impossible.
Jiang Si remembered that she had bought all sorts of medicine, including streptomycin, which was specifically for treating various types of plague and could effectively control the virus. She quickly found it in the pile of medicine in her space and had the whole family, young and old, take an emergency dose.
But if the fleas in the house couldn't be controlled, just taking medicine wouldn't be enough.
While Jiang Si was trying to think of a solution, Grandma dug out a large glob of mint balm and smeared it on the whimpering Little Black. The moment she applied it, the fleas clinging tightly to Little Black's body were sent flying with a SWOOSH.
Jiang Si stared in astonishment. Then she heard her grandma suddenly say, "Sisi, I remember a traditional Chinese medicine remedy for getting rid of fleas. You crush mint, boil it in water, add white vinegar, and sprinkle it around the house to repel insects. Plus, you can use it for bathing to prevent wound infections! It's all-natural and harmless!"
'Mint does have detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and anti-itch properties. Maybe it's the bane of fleas, too?'
Jiang Si took out the mint she had bought at the Chinese pharmacy. "Then let's give it a try."
The dangers outside were far greater than staying in this flea-infested house. They couldn't leave this building unless it was an absolute last resort.
Therefore, the fleas had to be completely eradicated.
The mint and white vinegar disinfectant was simmering in the pot when suddenly, Big Black stood up and roared loudly toward the courtyard gate.
"WOOF WOOF WOOF—"
Jiang Si ran up to the second floor and peeked out from the side of a window. Several men with bloodshot eyes, carrying hammers and hoes, were rapidly approaching their courtyard wall.
They were once a group of bright-faced university students. After the sudden global blackout, resources in the city became even scarcer, and the crowded university campus became the primary battlefield for plundering others' supplies.
No water, no electricity, no food, high temperatures, and panic—it was like everyone was being roasted over a fire.
The eight of them from their dorm had robbed a family just to get one day's worth of food.
Not knowing when the disaster would end, they grabbed their tools and set out to find a place with water, land, a wide field of view, and good defenses, just to survive for now.
Lu Daji had been to the Longquan Forest Nature Reserve before and had even bought a drink from the small store in Longquan Village.
As soon as someone brought it up, he immediately thought of Jiang Si's house.
A lone house in a prime location. Aside from one abandoned building nearby, all the other houses in the village were spread out below, in plain sight. It was undoubtedly their best choice right now.
After walking for seven or eight hours under the scorching sun, they finally reached Longquan Village, at the end of their rope.
At a glance, Jiang Si's house didn't disappoint. It was the only "luxurious" house in the village that hadn't been destroyed or occupied.
But they didn't stop to think: how could a family that managed to stay untouched in these circumstances be an easy target?
Lu Daji licked the dried blood from his cracked lips, a smug smile appearing on his face. "We get inside, eat and drink our fill, then we'll scout out the rest of the village and gather more food. If anyone dares to refuse, we'll kill them."
If others didn't go to hell, they would. Robbery and murder had become commonplace.
Everyone nodded in unison. As their gazes fell on the two-meter-high wall of Jiang Si's house, a hint of blood-red madness crept into their hollow, numb expressions.
Anyone who dared to stop them would be met with bloodshed.
The courtyard wall was only two layers of cement and red brick. A few swings of a hammer would surely leave a gaping hole.
Jiang Linhai held up a nail gun downstairs and asked loudly, "Sisi, what's the plan?"
Jiang Si took out her pistol, aimed it at the leader, Lu Daji, and replied, "Dad, no need to go out. I can solve this right now."
Lu Daji raised his hammer high. "One swing!"
BANG—
The gunshot tore through the sky. Warm blood splattered across the stunned faces of the others.
Lu Daji fell heavily to the ground, a deep red hole in his head.
'That was—a gun!'
'This family has a gun!'
Terror instantly filled them, and they looked up, their hearts pounding in fear.
In the second-floor window, Jiang Si, her gaze cold and severe as she held the gun, looked as if she was about to pick her next target and fire a second bullet. The sight sent them scrambling, and they turned and fled.
'Two bullets used in one day.' Jiang Si stroked the pistol and shook her head in regret. 'If only I had an armory.'
Suddenly, a flicker in her peripheral vision. Qin Shen was standing silently in front of the dilapidated house gnawed by rats, watching her quietly.
'His deep, dark eyes, which seem to sparkle like tiny diamonds—is he thinking of making a move on our house?'
Jiang Si raised an eyebrow and stared back. Only then did Qin Shen avert his gaze, turn from his house, and walk toward the forest.
'Probably... going to hunt for prey?'
'What if he can't find any...'
Jiang Si frowned. 'The security cameras are useless. I need to figure out a way to keep an eye on him.'
The mint and white vinegar insecticide was very effective. The fleas were gone from every spot that had been sprayed.
But one pot of the mint and white vinegar insecticide was far too little.
To disinfect the entire house, they would need to brew at least a dozen more pots.
Moreover, they still had to guard against the rat swarm reappearing tonight and the fleas making a comeback.
Even using all the mint in Jiang Si's space would only be enough to brew two more pots at most. Just as everyone was worrying, her mother said, "The Qian Shou family used to grow a patch of mint behind their house. They used it to make sachets and mint tea to sell to tourists. I just don't know if it's still there."