Carrying a Jurassic on me
Chapter 1426 - 691: Wild Boar

Chapter 1426: Chapter 691: Wild Boar

With a puff, a snake was gently flicked by a tree branch, curling up as it flew through the air and landed on a distant patch of grass, then flipped over and slid away soundlessly.

Old Niu chuckled from behind, commenting, "Folks around here don’t eat snakes, but down south, a snake like that could make a whole dish."

Secretary Qu chimed in humorously, "Are you talking about a dragon and tiger fight? We don’t even eat cat meat around here!"

It was nearing noon, and everyone was moving swiftly. Now, the group had left the lakeside and entered the small mountain forest.

Both Boss Niu and Secretary Qu were older, but Boss Niu had also come from harsher times. Although life had improved over the years, he was still in good shape. Secretary Qu also appeared to be no stranger to the field, not showing much sign of fatigue despite the long walk.

Although there were paths in the mountain forest, not many ventured in, and the trails weren’t well-trodden. Many areas were overgrown with weeds. Now, because the trees were sparser, they encountered a snake.

The girl wasn’t too afraid of snakes, with Yan Fei around, she wasn’t afraid of anything.

A roaring could be heard from a distance; it was Bear Da and Bear Er frolicking in the forest. They had eaten their fill before coming, and were not looking for food now, just indulging in their wild animal instincts. After all, they were born in the mountains, and despite getting used to a life in captivity, they could still have their fun in Dinosaur World when Yan Fei was in a good mood.

These critters weren’t roaming free for the first time at the behest of Yan Fei, and they behaved well – they didn’t stray too far. Even the little sables were scampering around nearby, with no intention of taking off on their own.

Yan Fei walked leisurely at the front with a stick in hand, focusing all his attention on his wife, accompanying her to take a closer look at anything that interested her.

Secretary Qu and Old Niu were not fools, they quickly realized that Boss Yan’s so-called outing was actually for the sake of his wife’s enjoyment. Hence, they simply took on the role of tour guides.

As the girl passed by some trees, Old Niu timely reminded, "Those trees are Mountain Fruit trees. They’re not in season right now and don’t look their best, but come autumn, they’ll be covered in little red fruits – a beautiful sight indeed."

Mountain Fruit is hawthorn, which is abundant in most mountainous areas. However, it’s not worth much. Nowadays, if you have relatives living near the mountains, a simple request during the harvest season would yield a large bag of them.

Because they’re so abundant, they’re not highly valued, and even bigger naughty children don’t bother much with them. Some people who harvest them string them up to dry, storing them as a household staple in traditional medicine – this includes mulberry leaves, thatch root, dandelion root, four-leaf grass, honeysuckle, kudzu, and many others.

Walking a bit further, Secretary Qu introduced, "These trees should be Cudrania tricuspidata, right, Old Niu?"

Seeing Old Niu’s affirmation, he continued the introduction, "That’s Cornus officinalis. They also bear red fruits, covering the whole tree when ripe, quite a sight to see."

The mountain inevitably had more than just these few trees, but both were catering to the lady’s tastes, pointing out trees that were either pretty in foliage, bloom, or fruit.

As noon approached, Yan Fei spotted an area where the trees were sparse and suggested, "How about we eat something before continuing?"

The remaining few cast their gazes on Xu Xiaoyan, making the girl feel bashful. She nodded gently, and Old Niu burst out laughing, "Alright, I’m a bit hungry after walking that far, let’s eat something quick and then keep playing."

It wasn’t like they were deep in the wilderness, so there wasn’t much danger to worry about, aside from the wild pigs that have been gradually increasing in number over the last couple of years.

After a simple meal of dry food, the group rested briefly before continuing their journey. They walked a bit further, and gradually the path became less discernible. It was then that Old Niu and his son took out their Mountain Opening Knives and even offered, "Anyone want to carry one for protection? As we head further in, we might encounter wild pigs."

The young man following Secretary Qu was eager to try, "Give me one!"

Yan Fei smiled and shook his head, "I won’t need it."

Old Niu didn’t press him and handed a knife to Secretary Qu, who had reached out for one.

With a few more individuals carrying Mountain Opening Knives, the amateur outing party finally acquired a slight taste of adventure – just a tiny bit.

In truth, it was rather uneventful, as there were not many wild animals around. With Tiger Da and Da Xiong creating a ruckus on the periphery, the group walked for another hour or so without even encountering a rabbit as they reached the mountaintop.

All things considered, the only native of the mountain forest they had come across was that snake.

However, for the girl who seldom traveled out, it wasn’t too bad. She had seen quite a few birds by the lake before entering the forest, and after entering, she saw many trees she had never seen before.

Old Niu said with a smile, "We’re a bit rushed today. If we really want to have fun, we’ll come earlier next time. Fewer people usually go to the area behind here, and that’s where it’s truly enjoyable. In the past, there were always stories circulating about what could be seen in the back mountain – that’s where the real interest lies."

By "real interest," he meant the thrill of exploration.

Folklore is never short on supernatural legends. Where there are mountains, there’s always the tale of mountain spirits and odd creatures, and while everyone swears by them, the number of actual sightings is probably quite few. But isn’t it exactly these bizarre legends that make more people willing to venture deep into the wilderness for exploration?

The girl seemed intrigued, but it was just that – intrigue. With outsiders present, she wouldn’t ask Yan Fei to take her in.