Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 624 - 408 From a Professional Perspective_1

Chapter 624: Chapter 408 From a Professional Perspective_1

With so many villagers around and a big python wrapped around him, this was hardly an appropriate time for a chat.

"We’ll talk when we get back," Feng Yi said to Cai Bing.

Someone gently placed the python on the ground.

Having touched the ground, and already quite averse to the complex scents here, the huge python slithered away from them.

Although its crawling speed on the ground was limited due to its size, the python now displayed a determined attitude. In a short while, it disappeared from everyone’s sight.

The atmosphere onsite became more relaxed with the python’s departure. Those who had been quietly holding their breath and afraid to speak now sighed in relief.

The crisis averted and the missing person found, the group didn’t linger and quickly headed back to the village. There was hardly any conversation along the way; they returned in silence.

The night was deep, and although the villagers, led by the village chief, had many things they wanted to discuss with Feng Yi, now was certainly not the time.

After safely returning to the village, everyone went to their respective homes, and Feng Yi and his companions went back to their temporary lodging.

After closing the door, Cai Bing cautiously checked the window to make sure no one was approaching before relaxing and starting a conversation with Feng Yi.

Though it was late, the rainforest experience had been so thrilling that Cai Bing felt no sleepiness at all.

"Brother Yi, the pig that the villagers carried into the forest earlier, was it meant for that python?" Cai Bing asked.

Feng Yi nodded, "It should be."

Cai Bing said, "But the offering didn’t reach its intended recipient this time. That was a big pig! What a waste!"

The villagers had carried the pig to find the child who had entered the forbidden zone, but the python was not there; it was at the edge of the zone.

Feng Yi indifferently replied, "It smelled it; it will find it. The fact that it moved from inside the forbidden zone to the edge was to look for food. With its size, it should be able to handle it—like a food bin."

Today, that pig was stunned by the villagers and carried there while still alive; it will go eat it. Anyway, it looks like the python had almost finished digesting the previous pig it ate.

Cai Bing didn’t dwell much on the pig or the food bin issue; what he found more astonishing was today’s interaction between Feng Yi and the python!

Truly worthy of being an expert certified by the Joint Defense Bureau!

Handling the giant python as comfortably as one might a playful puppy!

But, considering the villagers see that python as a deity, he felt a bit of regret.

Cai Bing said, "Brother Yi, if you had interacted more with that giant python, the villagers might have started worshiping you too!"

Feng Yi explained, "There definitely wouldn’t be more interaction. Pythons don’t have that much brain capacity; they act on instinct. You can’t expect them to understand complex messages."

Feng Yi had merely utilized his own traits to convey a message beyond the species barrier, a simple and one-way communication, along with a bit of guidance, or else the python wouldn’t have cooperated so well.

As for anything more complex, it certainly wouldn’t be completed in a short time.

Cai Bing didn’t ponder too deeply. He thought Feng Yi was referring to normal information exchange and emotional expression between species, and indeed, you couldn’t expect much from a reptile like a snake. He found that a stray cat with a reasonably good temperament that he encountered on the street exhibited much more emotional expression and interactive behavior than this python.

Cai Bing: "That python looked really big, but it’s a pity it’s only seven meters. I thought I had encountered a supernatural one! At first glance, I thought it might reach nine meters, at least eight meters, right?"

Feng Yi said, "Seven meters is already extremely large, there are many records of sizes over eight meters, but in reality, there haven’t been so many accurate measurements, and past data hasn’t left sufficient evidence.

In the early years, there was a lack of various tools, so they’d just throw out numbers, but now we demand more precise measurement data. Seven meters is indeed considered an extremely large individual, but generally, anything over seven meters is artificially fed, as the wild environment can hardly support such a large size anymore."

Cai Bing: "But can this one really be considered wild? Isn’t it being raised... provided for by villagers?"

Feng Yi paused: "Semi-wild, I guess."

No shortage of food, no need to roam everywhere, and if there’s no food nearby when it’s hungry, naturally someone will bring food to it.

When hungry, someone feeds it; when full, it finds a place to sleep; its living environment lacks many risks, and it’s too lazy to venture too far. As long as it doesn’t encounter any serious illness, its life can be said to be quite comfortable!

No wonder it’s a bit fat!

Cai Bing recalled the python’s physique: "Could this size of a snake eat a person?"

Feng Yi: "It’s said that anything over six meters is already a threat. Theoretically, this size could indeed swallow a person."

Cai Bing touched the goose bumps on his hand that were breaking out in a cold sweat: "This one hasn’t eaten any humans, has it?"

Feng Yi said: "It shouldn’t have, given the pigs from the village it has been provided with. Whether it eats people or not, encountering a python of this size in the rainforest is definitely dangerous. It would be best for you to avoid one if you come across it."

Cai Bing clicked his tongue: "The villagers worship anything but they choose to worship a snake."

Feng Yi corrected: "They don’t worship a snake; they worship the ’Snake God,’ a title they’ve given themselves."

Cai Bing: "Isn’t a snake the same as a Snake God, like a pet of the Snake God or something? The symbolic meaning is similar, right?"

Feng Yi spoke pensively: "Is it possible that for the Snake God, a snake can be both a pet and food?"

Without saying more to Cai Bing, Feng Yi then said to Feng Shou: "The kind of fruit tree you’re looking for should be there too, it’s just not easy to search at night. We’ll ask the village chief again tomorrow."

He had also smelled the scent of the fruit tree Feng Shou was looking for in the rainforest today, but it was a little distance away, and the villagers were keeping a close watch on them, not allowing them to search.

"Alright, Brother Yi."

Feng Shou wasn’t in a hurry at the moment. Even if the villagers didn’t agree, he’d find another way to search. Tonight’s exploration into the rainforest, at the very least, gave him an idea of what was inside.

Due to the events of the night, everyone wasn’t feeling great the next day. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to catch up on sleep, but rather they weren’t used to the environment.

In their hut, which wasn’t soundproof, it was just getting light out and the outside was already bustling. Not only were there sounds of people moving about but also animals, like birds socializing and looking for food early in the morning.

The villagers had prepared a generous and plentiful breakfast to show their gratitude for their help from the night before. If one were accustomed to the local diet, this could certainly be considered a feast.

Cai Bing looked at the vast spread of breakfast before him, plate after plate, and actually didn’t have much of an appetite, feeling like he couldn’t finish it all.

Last night, after finally falling asleep, he dreamed of the python emerging from the murky muddy water, suddenly wrapping around him, startling him awake in the middle of the night.

Pondering over it, he felt somewhat listless, eating absentmindedly, and then realized his plate was empty. Cai Bing looked at the others, then at himself.

Shocking!

The only one with a poor appetite was myself?!

I looked again at Feng Shou beside me. He, too, looked drained and obviously had dark circles under his eyes, but his spirits were quite high.

Understandable, given the situation with the fruit trees had been settled.

The most striking contrast was with the trio near Feng Yi.

They all seemed pretty cheerful, especially Feng Yi, who was aglow and did not at all look like someone who had caught snakes in the middle of the night.

After eating and resting for a while, the village chief called them over to talk about the fruit trees.

The village chief, being advanced in years, and having drained his energy with last night’s events, had not yet recovered even after a night’s rest.

Feng Yi and the others arrived at the village chief’s cottage, set aside for receiving guests, and saw the equally weary village chief.

Because of the incidents from the previous night, the village chief’s attitude towards Feng Yi was much more amiable than the day before.

Feng Yi, Feng Shou, and Cai Bing were invited inside. Ding and Jia couldn’t enter and were politely asked to wait outside.

Normally, the village chief would not easily invite outsiders into his inner chamber. This showed a significant shift in his attitude towards Feng Yi.

Upon entering the inner room, Feng Yi first noticed a wooden tube hanging on the wall, polished and shiny.

"Is that a blowpipe?" Feng Yi asked.

Cai Bing translated.

The village chief laughed and said, "Yes, it’s a blowpipe. I’ve hunted quite a few animals with it."

The blowpipe combined with poisoned arrows was one of their hunting methods, not a weapon unique to this locality. Feng Yi was familiar with it, having often seen it in historical dramas.

Of course, the ones in the dramas were more exquisite.

They sat down in the house, and the village chief’s family brought some food on wooden platters, heaps of it in coconut shells, full of sincerity, served to the guests.

Cai Bing was about to reach for it when they bypassed him and delivered it straight to Feng Yi, presenting him with the largest portion with warm smiles. This was their special preparation for an honored guest!

To them, food was the best expression of sentiment!

Only after that did they serve slightly smaller portions to Cai Bing and the others, the smiles on their faces turning slightly more polite.

There was no custom here of "eat in silence, sleep in speech," and discussions were resolved amidst eating and drinking.

The village chief specifically had the meal prepared to be more elaborate and complex compared to breakfast, which smelled even more delicious and was quite tasty, indeed.

Grateful for Feng Yi’s help in finding his grandson the previous night, the village chief sincerely thanked him and agreed to help them find the tree species, but he refused to let Feng Shou come along.

If it was Feng Yi, considering what the village chief had seen the day before, he might have hesitated.

But Feng Shou?

Who are you?

This is our sacred area!

That place is where the deities once resided!

What business do you have with the deities?

Do you think you’re worthy?!

Feng Shou didn’t let Feng Yi get involved in the negotiation from the start; instead, he started discussing terms with the village chief. As Cai Bing was translating and seeing that things were not going well, he was also contemplating how to intervene.

Ultimately, it would have to be Feng Yi who stepped in. With his shrewdness, he was certain to persuade the village chief...

In thought, Cai Bing raised his eyes, intending to signal Feng Yi with a look.

And then he saw—

Our sponsor eating as happily as though he were a food bin!

Brother, do you still remember why we came here?!

It hasn’t even been that long since breakfast!

You ate quite a lot this morning too!

Having not digested breakfast at all and with no appetite whatsoever, Cai Bing felt deeply defeated. Even Feng Shou could barely muster a bit more endurance, but Cai Bing couldn’t take another bite.

Indeed, the only weak one is me!

While doubting his own constitution, he also marveled at the enormous appetites of the others.

Cai Bing gently nudged Feng Yi with his foot, reminding him: Brother, remember what we agreed on before we came here, to help Feng Shou with this little issue!

Feng Yi’s attention shifted away from the food.

Cai Bing cleared his throat and said, "Brother Yi, say a few words."

The village chief looked at Feng Yi, his expression somewhat softened, but only slightly. On matters of principle, he was not interested in Feng Yi’s persuasion!

The village chief hoped to reject him tactfully, unwilling to strain a budding rapport. He thought about how to refuse, then heard Feng Yi’s words.

Feng Yi spoke earnestly to the village chief, "From an expert’s perspective, the one you venerate, um, seems a bit on the plump side!"

Cai Bing... Cai Bing translated honestly.

The village chief’s face fell, and he slammed the table in anger, "Plump what plump?! It is the epitome of strength and beauty! Are you blind?!!"