Chapter 113: Extra Story #6
Chu Jiu placed Blue Puni in a basin filled with seawater and then put the basin in Rawr Rawr Rabbit’s special lean-to for shade.
According to the shriveled Blue Puni, this would allow it to slowly return to its round and plump self.
Although Blue Puni strongly requested to continue watering the seeds, Chu Jiu dared not let it spray like that again.
After Rawr Rawr Rabbit watered all the seeds on the entire reef, Blue Puni finally transformed from “a piece of Puni skin” back into a “not-so-plump Puni.”
This “not-so-plump Puni” poked its head out of the water basin and looked excitedly at the changes on the reef:
“Sprouting, sprouting! Really tiny green shoots have come out!”
“Growing so fast! Wow, the top of the hill is all green now! It looks like the big stone Puni grew hair!”
“Puni! The whole hill has turned green! It’s amazing!”
While Blue Puni was marveling at the small hill, Chu Jiu had already gone to the beach with Little Can.
Today, there were many more colorful sea fish in the fish pond.
And these sea fish had attracted several large birds, some white and some gray.
Chu Jiu stared intently at the large birds, finally waiting for the system to pop up a prompt:
[Gray Gull: Seabird. Feeds on fresh fish and shrimp. Although it eats fresh fish and shrimp, its own meat is sour and tough, difficult to eat, and has a strange foul smell!]
Understood, this one can’t be eaten.
[Great White Puffin: Seabird. Good bird. Edible. Delicious.]
…The prompts given by the little hamster system are becoming more and more concise and to the point!
Chu Jiu patted Little Can’s head: “Come on, let’s catch a few birds—get the white one, not the gray one.”
Little Can raised its right paw to its head like a salute, “meowed” once, and turned to pounce on the big bird.
Two minutes later, Chu Jiu successfully collected [Plump Seabird Meat X5] and [White Seabird Feathers X20].
Little Can did a great job!
Tonight everyone could eat grilled bird leg meat!
To make the grilled meat more flavorful, Chu Jiu decided to try adding a seasoning:
Fish sauce.
Fish sauce is a condiment made by fermenting sea fish with salt, relying on various enzymes secreted by microorganisms.
Back in WT0906, the “salty sauce” used by the locals for seasoning was made using this principle. However, their techniques were poor, and the fermentation temperature and timing were probably problematic, resulting in a final product that was unbearably fishy and stinky, completely incomparable to the soy sauce brewed by Chu Jiu.
Now, on this sea island without any fermentable soybeans, Chu Jiu decided to use this method to make a substitute for soy sauce.
Chu Jiu first? (scooped out) the small fish from the fish pond, descaled and gutted them, washed them clean, then cut them into small pieces and put them in a jar, evenly coating the fish pieces with sea salt.
After that, he poured enough clear water into the jar, sealed the mouth with cloth, and started fermentation. Every so often, he needed to remove the foam and scum from the surface.
After fermentation was complete, filtering out the remaining “fish dregs” would yield simple homemade fish sauce.
According to this process, making fish sauce would take more than half a year—the fermentation step alone would take several months.
But for Chu Jiu, who had the [Virtual Production Line] and [Quick Crafting], this was just an afternoon’s work.
Before dinner, he had successfully created [Uniquely Scented Fish Sauce Seasoning X10].
And he didn’t throw away the remaining “fish dregs”; they could be stored as fertilizer.
At dinner time, Chu Jiu broke the [Plump Seabird Meat] into diced meat and drumsticks, repeatedly pan-frying them on a stone slab. When the skin was golden and crispy and the bright oil sizzled out, he sprinkled a few drops of fish sauce on top.
These few inconspicuous light brown droplets instantly added a wonderful umami to the original meat aroma, rich and tempting, making Rawr Rawr Rabbit constantly wipe its mouth, and even Blue Puni opened its mouth, continuously “puni puni”ing.
Chu Jiu gave two whole drumsticks to Rawr Rawr Rabbit: “You’ve worked hard!”
If Rawr Rawr Rabbit hadn’t been able to grow tumbleweed so quickly and harvest a batch of [Tumbleweed Stems] before sunset, there wouldn’t have been enough fuel for tonight!
Chu Jiu also handed two drumsticks to Blue Puni: “Blue Puni, you’ve also worked hard…”
First time seeing someone dry themselves out for watering!
That was too much effort!
Chu Jiu naturally gave the remaining two drumsticks to Little Can.
He himself picked up some diced meat with chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
Although the system had previously prompted “delicious,” Chu Jiu couldn’t help but widen his eyes after taking this bite: it was actually so delicious!
The meat was tender, and although it didn’t melt in his mouth, it was definitely soft and not mushy, very easy to bite through.
Because it was fresh enough and cooked properly, the juices were perfectly contained, spreading in his mouth as his teeth exerted pressure.
The high-quality protein and fat had already produced enough aromatic substances under the high-temperature grilling, and the two drops of fish sauce added at the end were like the finishing touch, perfectly stimulating the inherent savory flavor of the poultry.
In short, it was really, really delicious!
Even Little Can, who rarely ate other meats, narrowed its eyes slightly, clearly very satisfied with this grilled bird leg.
Of course, it wasn’t just Rawr Rawr Rabbit and Little Can, the two meat-eating babies, who were very satisfied with dinner.
Besides the small fish like sardines and dace suitable for making fish sauce, Chu Jiu had also? (scooped out) sea lettuce from the fish pond today.
The shape of this seaweed was a bit like the commonly eaten kelp, but it was slightly thicker and had a more chewy texture. Chu Jiu used to really like this dish when eating hot pot.
Now, he washed the fresh sea lettuce, blanched it, cut it into slices, made it into a cold dish, and handed it to Kakaba.
Kakaba crunched on the sea lettuce, nodding as it ate: “Dang-dang-dang! So fragrant!”
Unfortunately, Chu Jiu searched the entire sea island and beach but couldn’t find anything else that could be made into a “sweet drink,” so he could only continue to give Glup-Glup the “juice boiled from coconut tree core.”
Fortunately, Glup-Glup didn’t feel dissatisfied at all for “eating the same food for three consecutive days.” It held its small cup, swaying the little leaf on its head, drinking with relish, occasionally stopping to chat with Kakaba.
Seeing Glup-Glup being so well-behaved, Chu Jiu couldn’t help but touch its little leaf and promised, “When we go to the next island, I will definitely use fruits and coconuts to make sweet drinks of all flavors!”
Looking through the telescope, that island was covered in green plants even along the coast, so the plants in the island’s interior must be even more abundant and diverse. It wouldn’t be surprising if bananas and mangoes grew there.
Hearing Chu Jiu’s words, Glup-Glup happily nodded its head and raised its cup high: “Mmm!”
It looked extremely expectant.
However, Blue Puni, sitting opposite Glup-Glup and nibbling on grilled meat in small bites, rolled its eyes and silently lowered its head.
*
The fourth day of arriving on the deserted island.
From today onwards, Glup-Glup and Kakaba’s most important task became “building a boat.”
Although they could stand on this deserted island and see the next island through the telescope, Chu Jiu was very clear:
On the sea, even if the distance looked only a few dozen meters, as if you could swim over in a few minutes, once there was wind and currents, those last few dozen meters could trap you for half a day, or even blow you further and further away.
In this situation, a too simple raft would be difficult to meet the requirements for such a voyage.
This time, they needed a real boat with a “rudder” and a “sail.”
This request was not simple.
Although Glup-Glup had helped Chu Jiu build a “bamboo raft” before, that was with blueprints, and the bamboo raft didn’t need to consider steering and propulsion systems.
Now the requirements were higher, and there were no system blueprints, so they could only design it themselves from scratch.
Fortunately, Glup-Glup had spent several months with Chu Jiu on a “long-voyage ship” and could use its [Architect’s Insights] to draw inspiration from this ancient sailing ship, saving a lot of effort.
It took a whole day for Chu Jiu and Glup-Glup to determine the wood and fabric needed for shipbuilding.
Glup-Glup even used a charcoal pencil to draw the shapes of some special wooden parts on the large table made from driftwood.
In this way, Chu Jiu could use these drawings to obtain the appropriate parts using [Quick Crafting].
After working continuously for three days, they had a “boat” they had built themselves:
This boat was about three meters long and two meters wide, and the “deck” was entirely made of tied-together shaved coconut tree trunks.
A straight mast stood in the middle of the boat, with a sail made of fish skin hanging from it.
Next to the mast was a small cabin, just big enough for someone to sit inside without getting sunstroke.
Of course, this cabin was also stretched with fish skin—that big black shark had really been utilized to its fullest.
And at the stern of the boat was the rudder, carefully designed by Glup-Glup. With a rudder, they wouldn’t have to worry about veering off course as soon as they set sail.
On the evening that the small boat was completed, Chu Jiu led the spirit beast babies around it for a walk,?? (tsk tsk)ing in admiration for a long time before finally saying, “Let’s have a bonfire party tonight! To celebrate that we’re leaving this small island tomorrow!”
Actually, the spirit beast babies’ bonfire parties were nothing more than Rawr Rawr Rabbit and Kakaba wrestling, and Glup-Glup using its tentacles to perform “continuously throwing ten small balls without dropping them,” with no particularly exciting events.
But the spirit beast babies just loved these kinds of parties.
Rawr Rawr Rabbit: “Hoo-hoo-hoo, yay yay! These past few days we’ve just been eating and sleeping, it feels like it’s been ages since we had a party, hoo-hoo-hoo!”
Having said that, the little rabbit looked at the capybara with a challenging expression: “Hoo-hoo! I’ve learned a new move, I’ll definitely be able to pin you down!”
Kakaba smiled good-naturedly without arguing, just “dang”ed once, which counted as accepting the little rabbit’s challenge.
Glup-Glup, on the other hand, shook its little tentacles and began to seriously consider: what should it throw for this performance?
Little Can, as always, looked uninterested and yawned on Chu Jiu’s shoulder.
And Blue Puni, squatted alone to the side, scratching its head, looking like it had something on its mind—it was hard to imagine that such a small piece of jelly could have such a worried expression.
Chu Jiu walked over: “What’s wrong, little Blue? Why is your face all wrinkled?”
Blue Puni: “……N-nothing.”
“Really nothing!”
“Puni! I, I’m going to check the grass Rawr Rawr Rabbit planted!”
Having said that, Blue Puni “peng peng peng” hopped away by itself.
Chu Jiu frowned slightly, said nothing, and didn’t have Little Can chase after the little guy.
*
That night.
After a hearty barbecue, plus a wrestling match where Rawr Rawr Rabbit challenged Kakaba ten times and was pinned down all ten times, and Glup-Glup’s fancy rope-skipping performance, everyone was sleepy.
Rawr Rawr Rabbit yawned widely and curled up into a ball in its rabbit nest lined with hay.
Glup-Glup shook the branches and leaves all over its body and happily jumped into the miniature nursery, closing its eyes.
Kakaba also stretched lazily, raising its two front paws.
It was about to slide into its wooden water basin filled with clear water when it suddenly remembered something and looked towards the seashell to the side:
Usually, in that snow-white seashell, there would be a small water-blue Puni spread out.
But now the shell was empty.
Kakaba looked around, finally looking at Chu Jiu with some worry: “Dang-dang-dang? Where did Blue Puni go?”
Little Can meowed once: “When you and Rawr Rawr Rabbit were wrestling, Blue Puni sneaked off to the beach.”
Kakaba: “Dang-dang-dang-dang?!”
What was Blue Puni going to do?
Chu Jiu said, “Don’t worry. I think Blue Puni still has its ‘work’ to finish. It’s just going to do what it needs to do.”
Kakaba: “…Dang.”
Alright then.
Since Chu Jiu had said so, Kakaba moved its short legs back to its water basin and slid into the water.
But the capybara didn’t close its eyes immediately.
It kept its eyes open, looking at the empty seashell beside it, wondering in confusion: what kind of work could little friend Blue Puni have?
*
At this moment.
Blue Puni, bathed in moonlight, emerged from the seawater.
“Puni!”
It jumped forcefully onto the beach.
Unlike that deserted island, this “Green Island” had large stretches of soft, white sand.
Blue Puni “peng peng” hopped on the beach. Because it was so light, it only left very shallow imprints.
Soon, Blue Puni hopped into the bushes.
“Pu—ni—”
It emitted a signal unique to the Puni.
Before long, the leaves in front rustled, accompanied by soft “peng peng” sounds.
A green Puni, a size larger than Blue Puni, hopped in front of Blue Puni.
Blue Puni was very happy: “Green Puni, Green Puni! It’s been so long since I saw you! I missed you so much!”
To prevent the invasion of outsiders, everyone scattered, and we usually can’t gather together, it’s such a pity.
Green Puni, however, behaved much more reservedly.
It solemnly nodded its head and asked Blue Puni, “Are those outsiders still on your island?”
Blue Puni: “Yes!”
“They’ve already built a small boat out of coconut trees and fish skin, and they’re setting off for this island tomorrow!”
Green Puni frowned: “Coconut trees and fish skin?”
Blue Puni nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, yes!”
“Shark skin, squid skin!”
“I didn’t know before that shark skin and squid skin had such uses!”
Speaking of this, Blue Puni was so excited it couldn’t stop, blurting out everything:
“They even built a fish pond out of rocks and coral stones! This fish pond can trap so many fish every day! Oh right, that big squid that was used as a rope was trapped in this fish pond!”
“Green Puni, can you believe it? They’re not even afraid of big squid! They chopped down the big squid in just a few swift moves! They’re so amazing!”
Green Puni: ……
Blue Puni didn’t notice the change in the other’s expression and continued excitedly:
“Besides the fish pond, they’ve also planted the reef full of [tumbleweed]!”
“It’s so fun and so beautiful! The reef full of grass looks just like it’s covered in green anemones, so soft and fluffy, it makes you want to jump on it!”
“Oh right, I even helped them plant the grass!”
“I, ah, used my [Puni Puni Water Spraying Super Technique] once to help them soak the seeds thoroughly!”
Green Puni finally couldn’t bear it anymore.
It crossed its two small arms over its chest, raised its head, and looked down at Blue Puni condescendingly: “You, helped them?!”
Blue Puni then realized with a start: Oh dear, I misspoke!
It quickly tried to make amends: “No, it wasn’t really helping, it was just, well, I was supervising their work, afraid they would secretly plant foreign seeds on the island…”
Green Puni “humphed” and continued to press: “You just said they built a fish pond—did you eat any of the fish from the fish pond?”
Blue Puni completely dared not look at Green Puni now.
Its voice also became smaller: “Ate, ate a little bit…”
Green Puni raised its voice: “A little bit?!”
Blue Puni: “Wuwuwu, it was really only a little bit… a little bit of grilled fish, a little bit of steamed crab, a little bit of grilled bird meat, a little bit of boiled lobster…”
Really, it only ate a little bit of everything!
Green Puni was so angry its body swelled up a bit.
Finally, it looked at the disappointing Puni in front of it and said resentfully, “You, as a Puni, were actually bought off by outsiders like this…”
Blue Puni drooped its head: “Puni…”
It thought and thought, its little lips pursed into trembling waves, its little arms also shaking. Finally, it clenched its fists and bravely raised its head to look at Green Puni: “I think, these outsiders this time, maybe they really aren’t bad people.”
“They haven’t harmed Tara at all, haven’t thrown strange things into the sea, haven’t used any fog that emits a terrible smell…”
“Green Puni, if you, if you’re willing to meet them, you’ll also find that they’re not bad!”
Green Puni shook its head with a look of disappointment: “Blue Puni, you’ve been completely bought off!”
Blue Puni opened its mouth, wanting to refute—
But when it thought of the bouncy grilled lobster meat it had eaten tonight, the sweet drink it had drunk, and the little seashell bed it slept in every day, it felt that its rebuttal would probably be quite weak.
So it could only lower its head again, without saying a word.
Seeing that Blue Puni seemed to be reflecting, Green Puni didn’t scold it any further.
It sighed deeply and reached out its little arm to rub Blue Puni’s round head: “Forget it. You’re still young and haven’t seen much.”
“You didn’t see how terrifying black lumps the ‘poison’ those outsiders brought would form…”
Blue Puni’s head drooped even lower.
Green Puni patted it: “Don’t worry.”
“When the outsiders arrive on my island, hmph, the plants and animals on my island will definitely not make things easy for them!”
As soon as it finished speaking, a tree not far from the two Puni opened its large mouth and made a strange “gagaga” sound.
Blue Puni shivered in fright.
Green Puni, on the other hand, showed a smug smile: “Hmph, these outsiders will definitely reveal their true colors and be ejected from Tara!”
*
The next morning.
This was the eighth day since Chu Jiu arrived on the deserted island. It was also the day, according to the system prompt, to [leave this place by transportation].
Chu Jiu got up very early.
He noticed that Blue Puni had returned sometime and was staring blankly at its little seashell bed.
Chu Jiu didn’t disturb Blue Puni and first fried some oysters for breakfast himself.
The oil used for frying the oysters was rendered from the skin of the [Great White Puffin], a light yellowish color, even more fragrant than chicken oil.
Using this oil to fry seafood could add some fat to the all-protein seafood, making it more delicious and more “filling.”
Today they would be sailing out to sea! They had to maintain sufficient physical strength!
Soon, a fresh and fragrant aroma spread from the stone slab, lingering throughout the campsite.
The spirit beast babies woke up one after another.
Blue Puni also jumped off the seashell bed.
It ate some fried oysters, drank some puffin soup stewed with sea lettuce, and then stared blankly back at the entire campsite:
A small house built of black fish skin and white stones.
Outside the small house, a bonfire would be lit every night.
Above the bonfire, there was always hot soup cooking and fragrant meat roasting.
Next to the bonfire was a strangely shaped table, with various drawings made by Glup-Glup with charcoal pencils on it.
Everyone would gather around the table to eat, chat, and sit beside the table to watch Rawr Rawr Rabbit and Kakaba fight…
How lively.
But this liveliness… would leave it today…
At this moment, Chu Jiu sat down beside it: “Blue Puni?”
Blue Puni: “Pu, Puni?”
Chu Jiu: “Will you come with us to the next island?”
Blue Puni shook its head: “No.”
I have to guard this island.
Chu Jiu wasn’t surprised, just said, “We won’t dismantle this house, and the fish pond will be left as it is. I’ve also left some dried fish and dried oysters, all packed in wooden barrels.”
Blue Puni: “Puni.”
Chu Jiu patted its head: “The tumbleweed on the hill will grow by itself when it rains, you don’t need to water them.”
Otherwise, what if you dry yourself into a Puni jerky again.
Blue Puni: “…Puni.”
After giving Blue Puni instructions, Chu Jiu stood up, preparing to go push the boat into the sea with Glup-Glup and the others.
Blue Puni suddenly jumped up: “Puni! That, after you arrive on the next island—”
Chu Jiu: “After?”
Blue Puni: “You, you must not be afraid no matter how strange the plants or animals you see are. And absolutely do not use anything like incendiary bombs…”
Chu Jiu: “Don’t worry, we won’t.”
Blue Puni: “Also, also, if you build a house there too, be sure to put more flowers and plants around the house!”
Green Puni likes flowers and plants the most!
Chu Jiu nodded: “Got it.”
Blue Puni hopped onto the ground: “…I, I’ll see you off onto the boat.”
*
The small wooden boat slid smoothly into the sea.
Driven by the spirit beast babies, it went further and further away until it was completely out of sight.
Blue Puni stood on the reef, tears streaming down its face.
To prevent itself from dehydrating and turning into Puni jerky again, it could only jump into the sea on its own, crying while thinking:
Can Chu Jiu and the others survive on the next island?
I really hope they stay.
I still want to join their bonfire parties!
