Chapter 127: Catching Sheep
The evidence wasn’t immediately obvious—small round droppings scattered in the soil. Xia Lu Nong crouched down, holding his nose against the smell as he examined them closely.
“Are these rabbit droppings?” he asked.
Kong Zhi crouched beside him. “Probably not. Rabbit droppings aren’t this big.”
“That’s strange. If not rabbits, then what? Definitely not cow dung.”
They were familiar with cow dung since they had cows at home, and it certainly wasn’t that. Even though the droppings were black and vaguely similar, it was definitely not cow dung.
After a careful look, Kong Zhi concluded, “It’s likely sheep droppings, and not just one sheep. These sheep were larger than average.”
Xia Lu Nong asked skeptically, “Sheep droppings come in pellets too?”
“Yes, they do,” Kong Zhi replied. “I’ll transform back and take you up to fly around. Maybe we can spot the herd. If we find them, we can catch one to make up for our lost soybean shoots.”
Xia Lu Nong quickly nodded, “Great idea! Let’s go now!”
Kong Zhi transformed into his beast form, and Xia Lu Nong packed his clothes into his backpack before climbing onto Kong Zhi’s back for their patrol.
The mountains at the base were vast, with numerous valleys and interconnected paths, making the search challenging.
Kong Zhi circled the skies for a while but didn’t spot any sign of the sheep.
Kong Zhi nodded. “Hold on a moment, tie yourself with a safety rope, just to be careful.”
Xia Lu Nong was startled. “Is that really necessary? We’re flying from the sky; there shouldn’t be much danger.”
Kong Zhi replied, “Better safe than sorry. If you tie yourself up, I’ll feel more at ease when we face off against these sheep.”
Xia Lu Nong followed his advice.
They hadn’t brought much with them today, just a backpack. When they returned, it shouldn’t be too heavy.
Xia Lu Nong also thought that if the sheep Kong Zhi caught was large and difficult to carry while flying, he would just shift into his beast form.
After all, his beast form was strong now, and holding onto Kong Zhi’s feathers shouldn’t be a problem.
Xia Lu Nong’s plan seemed well thought out, but when it came to catching the sheep, he realized he was completely wrong—this herd of sheep couldn’t be judged by common sense.
As they dove down, the sheep quickly ran toward them, attacking.
This was expected, and Kong Zhi remained calm, ignoring the sheep as he flew toward his chosen target.
He was in the air, the sheep on the ground, so their attacks were ineffective.
But just as he got close to his target, the sheep didn’t stop running. Instead, they jumped right up, leaping toward them.
Each sheep weighed at least 100 to 200 pounds, and their jumping ability seemed to scale with their size—the bigger they were, the higher they jumped.
These pale-yellow sheep seemed to have springs under their feet, leaping three or four meters high, almost as tall as a two-story building.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes widened in shock. He was about to scream but managed to suppress it.
If it had been just one sheep attacking them this way, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But the entire herd was attacking like this.
The first sheep missed Kong Zhi, but the second and third collided with him.
The collision between the sheep and Kong Zhi’s body made a loud “thud.”
Xia Lu Nong heard the dull sound and felt his heart tighten, worried that Kong Zhi might suffer broken bones or internal injuries.
He looked on anxiously but didn’t dare interfere, afraid of distracting Kong Zhi.
The sheep, either because of their thick fur or their hefty size, rolled as they hit the ground, quickly getting back up and charging again.
Xia Lu Nong was panicking, clinging tightly to Kong Zhi’s neck, shouting, “Fly up quickly, avoid them! Forget catching a sheep!”
Kong Zhi had already started flying upward to escape the sheep, but his decision was a moment too late.
The sheep kept colliding with them, and there was no time to dodge.
Kong Zhi’s beast form was massive, with excellent flying and load-bearing capabilities, but it had one fatal flaw—his own weight was too great. When hit, the inertia was overwhelming.
After being struck twice, Kong Zhi lost his balance and plummeted to the ground.
The sheep seized the opportunity and swarmed them.
Xia Lu Nong was dazed from the fall.
At this point, he wasn’t thinking about capturing a sheep or defeating the herd; he was solely focused on their safety. The moment they hit the ground, he shifted into his beast form, his emerald eyes filled with ferocity.
The sheep swarmed over, kicking and biting at Kong Zhi.
Xia Lu Nong, now in his cat form, let out a sharp “meow,” hissing at the sheep.
Seeing Xia Lu Nong in this state, Kong Zhi became anxious and bent down to try and pick him up.
Kong Zhi’s beast form was large and could withstand a few hits without much issue. But his partner’s beast form was so small that one wrong step or kick from a sheep could endanger his life.
Both of them were sweating with worry. If they were in human form, they would probably be swearing by now.
Kong Zhi shielded Xia Lu Nong as best he could, taking several hits.
The sheep were incredibly strong. Though their teeth weren’t sharp, each bite left bruises on Kong Zhi’s skin, and he lost quite a few feathers in the process.
Kong Zhi’s heart sank. He realized they had underestimated the herd. At first, they thought the sheep only had three basic attacks—biting, kicking, and ramming. But they hadn’t anticipated that sheer numbers would make these sheep so formidable.
Even a tiger from before the disaster might struggle against this herd.
And right now, they weren’t as strong as a pre-disaster tiger.
At least tigers had sharp claws and teeth. But now that they were grounded, Kong Zhi’s beak and claws weren’t as effective, which put them at a disadvantage. Xia Lu Nong’s beast form was too small to do much damage, even if he managed to scratch or bite the sheep.
“Screech!” Kong Zhi didn’t dare revert to his human form.
If he transformed now, they might not survive the encounter.
Standing up against the sheep’s attacks, Kong Zhi used his wings to push them away. He screeched again and bent down, trying to grab Xia Lu Nong and fly back into the sky.
Compared to the sheep, Xia Lu Nong’s form was small but agile. The sheep couldn’t reach him, and in return, he managed to claw two of the sheep in the eyes, driving them away from Kong Zhi.
With the pressure easing around him, Kong Zhi was finally able to fend off the remaining sheep.
As he bent down to grab Xia Lu Nong, the fierce cat leapt onto a sheep’s head, trying to pounce on another, but Kong Zhi, quick to act, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and took off, flapping his wings.
Realizing it was Kong Zhi who had caught him, Xia Lu Nong stopped struggling, letting his four paws and tail dangle from Kong Zhi’s mouth.
From the sky, they looked down.
The sheep below were bleating loudly, neither eating grass nor ants, just staring up at them.
As they flew higher, looking down at the scene, it felt terrifying. Luckily, they had escaped. Otherwise, who knows what the outcome would have been today.
The nearby sheep were too fierce. They tried to catch them once, but unfortunately, they had to retreat in defeat.
Kong Zhi carried Xia the cat to a nearby hillside.
They had just been attacked by the flock, and neither of them knew if they were hurt. They needed to land and carefully check each other to be sure.
Xia Lu Nong, who had transformed into his beast form in a hurry earlier, hadn’t had time to gather his clothes, so he was now completely naked without anything to cover himself. He glared at the flock of sheep below with red eyes, gritting his teeth. “Revenge is a dish best served cold. Once we’re prepared, we’ll catch that flock and roast them as whole lamb!”
After inspecting Xia Lu Nong’s body and finding no obvious injuries, Kong Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. “As long as you’re okay. We’ll come back tomorrow. You wanted hotpot, right? We could catch those sheep and use them for that.”
“Exactly! We’ll discuss what to do with them when we get back.” Xia Lu Nong turned to inspect Kong Zhi’s injuries. “Let me check your wounds.”
Kong Zhi had taken quite a beating and had multiple wounds, which were starkly visible on his otherwise smooth body. Xia Lu Nong gritted his teeth. “These sheep are too dangerous. We have to find a way to take them all out. I should’ve reacted faster in the fight and used my abilities to bind them all.”
“You did great, way better than I expected. I didn’t think you had such powerful combat skills against the sheep, but you even outdid me this time,” Kong Zhi replied. “You deserve the most credit for this.”
“Let’s stop complimenting each other. How are your wounds? Did you get hurt anywhere vital? Can you still fly? Let’s get back so Dr. Ou can check you out.”
“I didn’t get hurt anywhere serious, and I can still fly. There’s no rush. Let’s go catch a straggler from the flock, and then we’ll head back. You wait here.”
“We’ll go together.” Xia Lu Nong wasn’t afraid of the sheep anymore; the battle had only made him more confident. “You saw what I’m capable of now. I won’t drag you down.”
Kong Zhi thought for a moment and agreed, “Let’s be careful. If we can’t catch one, it’s no big deal. We’ll come back with more people tomorrow.”
Xia Lu Nong nodded. “Got it. Let’s move quickly.”
The two transformed into their beast forms. Xia the cat climbed onto Kong Zhi’s back. This time, they didn’t use ropes for fear of needing to escape quickly, relying instead on Xia the cat’s own abilities to stay secure.
Xia the cat’s strength had grown so much that Kong Zhi no longer had to worry about him. Kong Zhi simply flapped his wings and focused on the battle.
It was hard to pinpoint exactly when, but Xia the cat had changed from someone who needed protection into a warrior. This transformation had happened gradually, and while many hadn’t noticed, Kong Zhi had clearly seen it and was captivated by Xia the cat’s growth.
This time, they were more cautious, planning carefully before acting. Kong Zhi flew high, scanning the flock below before diving down to grab a sheep. His steely claws dug deep into the sheep’s flesh, and with a powerful flap of his wings, he lifted it off the ground.
Kong Zhi had grown stronger, and lifting something that weighed 200 pounds was easy for him now. The sheep was heavy, but still within his limits, so the flight went smoothly.
When the rest of the flock realized one of them had been caught, Kong Zhi and Xia the cat were already airborne.
The captured sheep bleated and struggled fiercely, trying to kick them, but it couldn’t reach.
Xia the cat, perched on Kong Zhi’s back, was in high spirits. His green eyes gleamed with satisfaction. There was nothing more rewarding than catching their former foe.
They flew straight back to the base.
The process of catching the sheep had taken longer than expected, and by the time they returned, it was already past 3 p.m.
The guards at the base, seeing them return with a sheep, weren’t surprised. Everyone knew there were sheep in the area, and occasionally, people managed to catch one or two. But this sheep was unusually large and fierce, making the onlookers envious as they remarked on the feast awaiting them that evening.
Kong Zhi and Xia the cat returned to their yard, transformed back into their human forms, and quickly grabbed some clothes and ropes. They tied up the sheep, which, having lost a lot of blood during the journey, was now weak and hardly resisted. If it hadn’t been injured, they might not have been able to subdue it in human form.
Xia Lu Nong looked at the sheep and sighed, “This creature’s way too tough. We really pay a price for venturing outside the base. Otherwise, we’d have no idea how much the mutant plants and animals have evolved while we sit here smugly.”
Kong Zhi, noticing Xia Lu Nong standing naked by the door, averted his eyes in embarrassment and lightly patted his waist, urging him quietly, “Get back inside. Someone might see you.”
“There are trees all around. No one can see me,” Xia Lu Nong said casually.
“You’d be surprised. Everyone’s eyesight is really sharp,” Kong Zhi replied, walking inside to get dressed. He handed Xia Lu Nong his clothes. “Don’t strut around like that. Even if no one else sees you, if Xia Hua Jiao does, it won’t leave a good impression.”
Xia Lu Nong teased, noticing the slight blush on Kong Zhi’s ears, “What’s this? Are you getting flustered from looking at me? Thinking about a little daytime…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a voice came from the yard. “Daytime what?”
That voice was unmistakable—it was his brother.
He was completely startled and quickly snatched his clothes from Kong Zhi’s hands, dashing into the bedroom and slamming the door shut with a loud “bang.” The force he used was so strong that the whole house seemed to shake.
Xia Huo Qu walked in from outside, puzzled, and asked, “What happened?”
“We just went to catch some sheep,” Kong Zhi replied, his face now calm. He explained what had happened, “Those sheep were really aggressive. If they stay near the base, they could become a real threat. We need to take care of them soon.”
Yan Xi Nian entered as well, adding, “Is that the sheep you left in the yard? I just took a look at it. Wow, have you noticed? Its teeth are serrated, sharper than a saw!”
Kong Zhi hadn’t noticed this before. They hadn’t had time to inspect the sheep after returning—they rushed inside to get dressed right away.
By this time, Xia Lu Nong had already gotten dressed and stepped out of the room.
Worried that his brother might ask more questions, he quickly jumped into the conversation, “We took a bit of a hit when we faced the sheep. Kong Zhi got injured. We need to head over to Dr. Ou and check if it’s anything serious.”
“Go quickly,” Xia Huo Qu urged, “We’ll handle this sheep.”
“Great, I’ll bring the base currency along,” Xia Lu Nong slung his backpack over his shoulder. “Brother, don’t kill the sheep just yet. Wait for us to get back. I suspect there might be something unusual about it.”
Yan Xi Nian nodded. “No problem. If necessary, we could borrow a sheep from Old Liu for comparison and see if there’s anything different between the two.”
Xia Lu Nong agreed quickly, “Good idea. You guys check it out first, and we’ll take a look when we’re back. Brother, Xi Nian, we’ll catch up later—we need to get going.”
