The couple sat beside the tent, each wielding a large, pointed knife as they hacked away at the parachute.
Although the training Return Capsule had been carried over by helicopter, it came with everything it was supposed to have, including the parachute, which the two of them now put to "wasteful use."
Song He had never studied parachutes. He had once subconsciously assumed they were one enormous sheet of fabric, but when he got one in his hands, he discovered that it was actually made of thousands upon thousands of slender strips woven together, rather like chain mail.
Thinking about it carefully, the design was quite reasonable. If the canopy were a single piece, any tear could easily spread and rip farther. But with countless strips stitched together, losing one or two sections was no big deal.
The connections between the strips were exceptionally sturdy. At first, the two tried cutting them with a small knife and scissors, but after half a day, they had barely left a visible scratch. They could only plunge the large pointed knife down with all their strength, like cutting through the tough hide of a fat animal, before they managed to sever them.
They cut the parachute fabric into pieces and used it to hold sand. After sealing the openings, they pinched the pieces into rectangular sandbags. One small sandbag after another was stacked up, and by nightfall, a chest-high Windbreak Wall had been built. It stood solidly around the tent, giving them an especially strong sense of security.
The couple crawled into the tent and lay down comfortably.
The sound of windblown sand dropped sharply. What had previously sounded like light to moderate rain now resembled only a fine drizzle, almost hypnotic to listen to.
"Hubby, you stink." Xiang Xiaotong leaned over and