[Target natural creations - North American Giant Column Cactus, commence plunder!]

[Plundering... Plundering complete!]

[Please select one from the following three traits]

[Turtle-speed growth (purple): Your growth and development rate is extremely slow]

[Note: Want to grow into a towering giant column? Impatience won't work, haven't you heard the saying? The first beam that sticks out rots first! - North American Giant Column Cactus]

[Water storage (purple): You excel at storing water within your body to meet future survival needs, but after storing water, your body expands and your speed slows]

[Note: Proper reserves will help you live longer during droughts, that's the cactus's life philosophy! - North American Giant Column Cactus]

[Resilience (purple): You are more able to endure sunny conditions, and the impact of solar radiation on you is reduced]

[Note: Resilience, what a beautiful quality! And all of us cacti have it! - North American Giant Column Cactus]

[Please make your selection within one minute or abandon! If overdue, the first trait will be chosen automatically!]

Looking at the familiar interface, Chen Wen slowly exhaled.

This is the rhythm!

The quality of the Giant Column traits is very high, all three are purple.

Chen Wen decisively chose [Resilience].

In the desert, without the support of a sunscreen trait, one can die very quickly.

After making his choice, Chen Wen clearly felt the difference.

Before [Resilience] was activated, the sunlight on Chen Wen's neck would cause a prickling pain similar to needle stabs.

But after the trait was activated, Chen Wen didn't feel this way anymore.

Instead, he felt as if he was basking in the sun on a winter afternoon.

Warm and comfortable.

However, Chen Wen could tell that although the prickling sensation weakened, prolonged exposure would still cause sunburn.

Anyway, this trait really eased the urgent need!

Chen Wen thought for a moment and continued searching for something edible around him.

In photos, he'd seen mesquite trees and prickly pear cactuses; both are edible, and Chen Wen didn't plan to miss them.

...

"Fool, not taking this time to find shelter, when the sun rises high, he'll be the first to be eliminated!"

In the program team's recording hall, someone watched Chen Wen's footage and issued a disdainful taunt.

These words made Lin Jiawei, also in the recording hall, feel somewhat uncomfortable.

To be precise, the comment was aimed directly at him.

Though Lin Jiawei also thought Chen Wen was being somewhat careless, focusing on finding food after landing was unwise.

But this was something he would only ponder himself—it felt inappropriate for an outsider to comment like that.

He looked up at the person speaking.

It was Char's assistant.

Noticing Lin Jiawei's gaze, the assistant snickered, "Heh, I hope this kid's strength matches his ability to talk big, only then can he last longer, until Char goes and knocks him out personally!"

Lin Jiawei didn't pay any attention to the person and simply watched Chen Wen's subsequent actions silently.

...

With Chen Wen.

After some searching, he soon found the mesquite tree.

The mesquite tree is a leguminous mesquite genus tree.

It originates from the North American continent and is a common species in tropical arid areas.

Its roots are extremely deep, making it an excellent tree for preventing land degradation and desertification.

The reason the Sonora Desert can maintain its vitality.

Aside from its special geographical location and history spanning only a few thousand years.

The widespread distribution of mesquite trees also deserves some credit.

Moreover, there is a symbiotic relationship between mesquite trees and North American giant column cacti.

When the North American giant column cactus hasn't matured, the mesquite tree provides shelter for it.

Offering shade to shield the giant column from the scorching summer sun, while blocking snow storms in winter.

In addition, since the giant column's roots are relatively shallow and the mesquite tree roots are exceptionally deep.

During drought periods when water is scarce, mesquite trees can even transport deep water sources to the surface.

For use by the shallow roots of the giant column.

The care that mesquite trees provide for the giant column is meticulous.

Many people call mesquite trees the giant column's babysitter.

But in Chen Wen's view, not even parents can help to such an extent!

Thus, where giant column cactuses are found in abundance, mesquite trees are sure to be present.

Chen Wen discovered the mesquite tree among several massive giant columns.

Compared to the surrounding giant columns reaching seven or eight meters in height, the mesquite tree appeared slightly smaller, standing only half as tall as these giant columns.

Chen Wen stretched out his hand and found many pods hanging from the mesquite tree's drooping branches.

These are the fruits of the mesquite tree, shaped like long peas.

Their fruiting season is generally around July.

It is now the end of the fruiting period.

The pods and beans of the mesquite tree are fully matured; the pods are dried and shriveled, but inside are swollen beans.

They appear very promising.

According to Chen Wen's research, both the pods and beans of the mesquite tree are edible and are considered premium fodder.

Chen Wen picked a few pods and stored them in his backpack.

He cracked open a pod and took out the beans inside.

These beans are generally not recommended for raw consumption, as they might cause some adverse reactions.

Such as bloating or indigestion.

But Chen Wen isn't an average person.

He placed a bean in his mouth and chewed; the texture was ordinary, and the taste... quite complex.

A faint earthy flavor combined with a nutty taste.

Yet a slight sweetness emerged with thorough chewing.

However, texture and taste are minor concerns; Chen Wen is focused on the traits.

[Target natural creations - Mesquite tree, commence plunder!]

[Plundering... Plundering complete!]

[Please select one from the following three traits]

[Summon mosquitoes (purple): You will attract mosquitoes more, and they will be inclined to feed on your blood]

[Note: Mosquitoes? I'm just a tree, what can I do about them? - Mesquite tree]

[Drought tolerance (purple): You can better withstand drought, enduring thirst at the cost of weakened physical strength, yet maintain mobility without drinking water for long periods]

[Note: Drought tolerance, a virtue of desert plants - Mesquite tree]

[Deep concealment (purple): You hide your strengths and can accumulate energy in secret, sustaining life processes, but outwardly appearing in poor condition]

[Note: Heard you humans like playing the fool while actually being strong; we mesquite trees may not match such feats but can play the fool - Mesquite tree]

[Please make your selection within one minute or abandon! If overdue, the first trait will be chosen automatically!]

Desert plants, are all their characteristics so strong?

All purple?

Chen Wen couldn't help but think.

Yet for plants surviving in the desert, weaker traits would have perished long ago.

Chen Wen ultimately chose [Drought tolerance].

Weakened physical condition can be compensated with [Legendary Endurance King].

But thirst is extremely difficult to tolerate.

Moreover, maintaining mobility without water intake for extended periods is rare.

After choosing, Chen Wen's body underwent transformation once more.

He clearly felt a decrease in his water requirements.

Generally, an average healthy adult male needs at least two thousand milliliters of water per day to maintain bodily functions.

But Chen Wen felt his demand could be reduced by a significant amount.

Perhaps nine hundred milliliters would be enough to keep him vibrant?

He might look a bit weaker, but it certainly wouldn't affect survival.

In this desert, which one might call vibrant, nine hundred milliliters of water is definitely not hard to find.

...

After collecting the mesquite tree pods, Chen Wen felt a sense of satisfaction.

Two traits to help him adapt to the desert made him stronger.

As for the prickly pear cactus, Chen Wen scanned around but couldn't find it.

With the sun growing ever hotter, Chen Wen gave up on circling the vicinity.

He looked around and saw nothing but flat rocky grounds.

However, to the northwest of Chen Wen, there was an obvious small hill.

The distance, Chen Wen estimated, was about five kilometers in a straight line.

Because when he looked at the small hill, it was already quite blurry.

And if he were to walk there, the distance would be longer!

Typically, water tends to accumulate at the base of hills.

A flat rocky ground like this makes finding a water source very challenging.

So, Chen Wen packed his gear and took off his sunscreen jacket, throwing it over his head.

A five-kilometer run straight after landing, bringing a bit of Asian Superman shock to the Americans!

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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