Chapter 174: A Seafood Feast
Scraping seaweed might seem simple, but the yield was surprisingly low.
The collected seaweed needed to be washed and sorted, leaving only a small portion usable.
Fortunately, this seaweed was for medicinal purposes. If it were food, the amount gathered after such an effort would have surely tested everyone’s patience.
After a brief rest, Jian Mo and the others returned to the water to scrape more seaweed.
Some of the large fish drifted away, only to be replaced by new arrivals.
Jian Mo noticed that only the slower-moving fish carried the type of medicinal seaweed they needed.
While catching his breath on the shore, Jian Mo asked Xing Jiu, “How did you discover that this seaweed could be used as medicine?”
Xing Jiu replied, “I’m not sure. It must’ve been a chance discovery. It’s knowledge passed down through the generations. We’ve been using it for hundreds of years.”
Jian Mo sighed. “Having a tradition like that is really nice.”
Xing Jiu smiled. “You’ll establish your own traditions one day.”
Jian Mo nodded. “True. We’ve even started classes. When things quiet down in the winter, I’ll teach people to read and take on students. Over time, the knowledge will pass on.”
Xing Jiu gave him a thumbs-up. “That’s an admirable goal. My teacher has taught many students too. I’m the youngest; the others have already graduated.”
Jian Mo recalled, “The ones who came to observe the surgeries recently—those were Star Yi’s students, right?”
Xing Jiu nodded. “Exactly. I thought you might not have noticed. They’ve all returned to their own tribes now.”
After chatting and eating for a while, the group hurried back into the water to continue harvesting.
Before diving, Xing Jiu explained, “These fish only come to our waters during this season. You won’t see them here at other times.”
Wu Jiong asked, “Do fish migrate like that?”
Jian Mo gave Wu Jiong a playful look. “Of course they do. Sea temperatures change with the seasons, so fish follow the warmer waters. And when one type of fish moves, predators that feed on them will often follow.”
Xing Jiu chuckled. “Jian Mo, you really know a lot.”
Jian Mo laughed. “Maybe because I studied for more than ten years?”
Xing Jiu seemed surprised. “It takes that long to graduate?”
Jian Mo grinned. “Yep. That’s just how it works where I’m from.”
After exchanging a few words, the group dove back underwater to continue scraping seaweed from the fish.
As Jian Mo focused on his task, he suddenly heard strange noises muffled by the water.
It took him a moment to register the sounds before he looked up, spotting a large, familiar figure—Chirpy.
Somehow, Chirpy and Ying Ao had found their way to the group. They hovered over the water’s surface, their massive forms casting long shadows below.
Chirpy dipped its head into the water, seemingly searching for Jian Mo and the others. It even tried to dive underwater.
Worried that Chirpy’s large size might scare the fish away, Jian Mo quickly waved to signal it to stop.
But Chirpy, excited as ever, ignored the gesture. With a wiggle of its rear, it prepared to plunge.
Thankfully, Ying Ao calmly bit down on Chirpy’s wing, holding it in place.
Chirpy struggled for a moment before reluctantly giving up, settling to float on the surface.
Jian Mo swam to the surface and called out, “Chirpy, what are you two doing here?”
Chirpy, its feathers damp, nuzzled Jian Mo affectionately. “Chirp!”
Its large, round eyes sparkled with delight, making it look irresistibly cute, even with its wet, flattened feathers.
Unable to resist, Jian Mo ruffled Chirpy’s cheeks.
Chirpy then grabbed Jian Mo’s sleeve gently in its beak and tugged, urging him to climb onto its back. “Chirp.”
Obliging, Jian Mo clambered onto Chirpy’s back, finding it far more comfortable to rest there than floating in the water.
Chirpy, an excellent swimmer, folded its wings and floated gracefully, almost like a boat.
Wu Jiong soon surfaced as well, and Chirpy tugged his sleeve too, inviting him aboard.
Amused, Jian Mo cupped Chirpy’s round face. “Chirpy, you’re so thoughtful!”
Chirpy grinned, tongue lolling. “Chirp!”
The commotion drew the attention of the others, who emerged from the water to see what was happening.
While Chirpy couldn’t carry everyone at once, it provided a convenient spot for them to rest. The group marveled at Chirpy’s behavior.
Xing Jiu exclaimed, “Chirpy is really considerate! How did you find such a kind flying beast?”
Jian Mo chuckled. “It was fate.”
He recounted the story of how he and Chirpy first met.
Xing Jiu listened, awestruck. “Chirpy was wild? And you managed to tame it? It’s even better behaved than beasts raised from birth!”
Jian Mo scratched Chirpy affectionately. “Chirpy is amazing, and Ying Ao is just as great.”
Ying Ao, as if understanding the praise, flapped its wings proudly.
After a short break, the group returned to the water to resume their work, while Chirpy and Ying Ao floated above, watching curiously.
Chirpy soon grew fascinated by the fish darting below and attempted to catch them, diving like a clumsy duck. Despite its efforts, it failed miserably.
Unable to watch any longer, Ying Ao plunged into the water, swiftly catching a large fish.
Chirpy immediately snatched the fish from Ying Ao, proudly holding it in its beak as if it had caught the fish itself.
The fish thrashed wildly, slapping Chirpy with its tail, but Chirpy remained unbothered.
When Jian Mo surfaced, Chirpy eagerly presented the fish, its eyes sparkling with pride. “Chirp!”
Jian Mo laughed. “I saw everything! That was Ying Ao’s catch. Stop pretending it was yours.”
Chirpy protested indignantly. “Chirp!”
No matter who caught the fish, Chirpy’s logic was simple: if it was in its beak, it was its own.
One of the members of the Star Reserve Tribe asked, “Does Chirpy like fish? How about shellfish?”
Jian Mo chuckled, “If it’s tasty, Chirpy will love it.”
The tribesman laughed. “There are some big, fat shellfish underwater. Let’s go get them!”
With that, everyone grabbed their baskets and dove back into the sea. They quickly located plump shellfish nestled among the rocks.
Jian Mo was amazed by the size of the marine creatures here. Perhaps due to the larger beastmen and sub-beastmen, the sea life in this world was far larger than what he’d seen on Earth.
Some of the shellfish were as big as a washbasin. Through the slight gap in their shells, Jian Mo could see the creamy, golden-yellow flesh inside, looking impossibly succulent.
After gathering shellfish, the group surfaced to catch their breath.
“I just saw a huge crab down there. Wait here, I’ll go get it!”
“I saw one too. I’ll come with you.”
“Chirpy must be a lucky charm. I’ve been to this spot a few times, and I’ve never seen crabs this big before!”
Jian Mo blinked in surprise. “There are crabs down there?”
“Yeah, over by the rocks. Maybe you didn’t see them because their shells blend in.”
“Plus, I spotted some arm shrimp too. Those are a rare treat!”
“Today’s haul is amazing. I’ll head down before the crabs and shrimp scuttle off.”
With one person leading the charge, the rest quickly followed, diving back into the water to catch their chosen prey.
The water here was deep, around seven to eight meters. Even for beastmen and sub-beastmen, diving to these depths was exhausting, especially when catching prey.
Fortunately, the rich harvest made the effort worthwhile.
Soon, they emerged with crabs larger than washbasins, shrimp longer than a forearm, and peculiar-looking sea urchins.
“Today’s catch is fantastic! These crabs taste incredible—firm, sweet, and delicious.”
“The shrimp are amazing too, whether you eat them raw or cooked.”
“And these sea urchins are the best-tasting ones in the area!”
As the group talked, their appetites grew. Abandoning the idea of collecting more seaweed, they unanimously decided to return and cook the seafood while it was fresh.
With it already growing late, both Xing Jiu and Jian Mo agreed to head back.
The group climbed ashore. Beastmen reverted to their animal forms to carry the sub-beastmen back to the tribe.
Wu Jiong intended to transform into his giant wolf form, but Chirpy and Ying Ao blocked him, insisting on carrying their humans instead.
Xing Jiu glanced at the two flying beasts. “Your flying beasts are really attached to you.”
Jian Mo laughed. “Maybe because they feel a little insecure in unfamiliar surroundings.”
Xing Jiu sighed, “It’s like raising kids.”
Carrying their wriggling haul of seafood, the group hurried back to the tribe, eager to feast.
When they arrived, the younger beastmen and sub-beastmen wasted no time setting up stone slabs and kindling fires outside Jian Mo’s temporary lodging.
“Fresh seafood tastes best grilled.”
“Jian Mo, Wu Jiong, leave it to us. We know how to handle seafood!”
“What kind of sauce do you want? We have tangy-salty and aromatic options.”
Jian Mo replied, “The tangy-salty sauce sounds great.”
The Star Reserve Tribe’s tangy-salty sauce resembled a type of plum sauce, rich in flavor with a mix of sourness and saltiness. Combined with fresh herbs and spices, it was the perfect complement to their food. Jian Mo particularly enjoyed the addition of their local spicy herb, which provided a gentle heat that was less intense than chili but equally delightful.
The tribe members quickly prepared the food, calling everyone over to eat.
The crabs and arm shrimp were split in half, and the shellfish, still containing their plump meat, were arranged on hot stone slabs to roast over charcoal fires.
They started with the sea urchins, a local delicacy. The soft, golden roe inside was sweet and buttery, with no hint of brininess.
Jian Mo took a bite, and the silky sea urchin practically melted on his tongue. He closed his eyes in bliss. “This is amazing.”
Chirpy eagerly pushed its head toward Jian Mo, beak open wide. “Chirp!”
Laughing, Jian Mo quickly fed it a piece. “Don’t rush.”
Chirpy happily gobbled the sea urchin and chirped in satisfaction. “Chirp!”
Nearby, Wu Jiong was feeding Ying Ao. “Slow down, don’t choke.”
Xing Jiu watched the scene unfold, marveling at the bond between Jian Mo and his flying beasts. “Now I understand why you get along with your flying beasts so well. It’s not just because they’re obedient.”
Jian Mo stroked Chirpy’s damp feathers with a smile. “It’s mostly because they’re naturally well-behaved.”
Chirpy, puffing up in pride, chimed in loudly, “Chirp!”
Thank you for the chapter~~