The Ambus River lay to the east of the He’an Tribe, wide but shallow.
Tribe members said the river usually started flowing later in the season, but the warmer weather this year had brought it back to life early.
It was only thanks to a hunting party passing by a few days ago that they didn’t miss the opportunity.
As Jian Mo sat on Wu Jiong’s back, he asked Zhou Fu ahead of them, “Does this river originate in our tribe’s territory?”
Zhou Fu rambled on for a while before pausing at the question. “I have no idea. You’d have to ask Ye Luo or the others.”
He then called out to Ye Luo, “Ye Luo, do you know?”
Ye Luo was seated on his father’s back, along with his dad. Hearing the question from behind, the old beastman—whose beast form resembled a clouded leopard—slowed down and moved toward the rear.
Ye Luo replied calmly, “Of course I know. The water from the Ambus River flows down from Ambus Mountain. It starts as a small stream and travels southeast. By the time it reaches the Lin Yan Tribe’s territory, it becomes much larger.”
Jian Mo rarely heard about the Lin Yan Tribe to the south of their territory. Seizing the opportunity, he asked, “It seems our tribe doesn’t interact much with the Lin Yan Tribe. Is there friction between us?”
Ye Luo’s father laughed. “Not at all. The Lin Yan Tribe prefers to operate in the southern parts of their territory, which is far from us. We rarely cross paths.”
Jian Mo nodded in understanding.
The group continued eastward, reaching the Ambus River by midday.
The river was indeed wide, its bed covered in smooth pebbles. The pale blue waters rushed rapidly, creating frothy white splashes as they flowed over the stones.
Spring grasses had sprouted, and colorful wildflowers were in bloom, adding to the picturesque scenery.
Under the bright sun, the blue sky, white clouds, snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and flowing rivers formed a stunning tableau.
Sliding off the giant wolf’s back, Jian Mo exclaimed, “The scenery here is incredible.”
The giant wolf nudged him gently with its muzzle before saying in a low voice, “If you like it, we can come back another time.”
As they spoke, a voice called out from the distance, “Get ready to head into the water! Everyone spread out and pick a section of the river to search.”
The group answered in unison, forming teams with their partners, families, or friends to begin fishing.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong teamed up with Min Dang’s family nearby, while Zhou Fu’s family was stationed on the other side.
Zhou Fu, brimming with excitement, explained to Jian Mo and the others, “Ambus fish are absolutely delicious. Back when our tribe didn’t eat much fish, we still made a point to come here every spring for these.”
Jian Mo glanced at the fast-flowing river. “They must be hard to catch, right?”
Zhou Fu replied, “That depends on your skills. The chief can catch them with ease.”
Jian Mo turned to Wu Jiong, poking him playfully and raising an eyebrow as if to ask, Confident?
Wu Jiong caught his wrist and, with a calm expression, gave an unspoken answer: Absolutely.
Encouraged, Jian Mo turned his attention to the Ambus fish, eager to try them.
The Ambus River was wide, with water reaching up to their thighs at its deepest. The riverbed was lined with pebbles, uneven but not slippery, and the water was icy cold.
As soon as Jian Mo stepped in, his legs turned red from the chill.
Wu Jiong glanced at him and gave a light push. “Go wait on the shore.”
“I’m fine. I’ll get used to it in a bit,” Jian Mo replied.
Wu Jiong frowned slightly, but Jian Mo reassured him, “I mean it. If I can’t take it, I’ll go dry off in the sun. I won’t push myself.”
Though his constitution wasn’t as strong as that of beastmen and sub-beastmen, he wasn’t fragile either. A little cold water was something he could endure.
Wu Jiong nodded and began searching the river.
Standing firm in the current, Jian Mo asked, “What do Ambus fish look like? I don’t see any.”
Bending over, Wu Jiong reached into the water and pulled out a palm-sized fish. “They look like this.”
Jian Mo studied it closely. The Ambus fish was slightly flattened, with gray-brown patterns on its back that made it resemble the river’s stones.
Its skin was smooth and soft, similar to a loach, rather than scaly like most fish.
It was indeed unique.
Wu Jiong tossed the fish into a basket submerged in the river, weighted down with a large stone to keep it from being swept away. The woven basket, filled with water, allowed the fish to swim freely inside.
After observing for a while, Jian Mo rolled up his sleeves and prepared to catch fish himself.
He searched for quite some time. Meanwhile, Wu Jiong caught several fish, but Jian Mo only managed to spot one gray-brown shadow after much effort.
Cautiously approaching, he reached out—but missed entirely.
The Ambus fish darted away with incredible speed, vanishing into the frothy water.
Jian Mo stared at the spot, wide-eyed, but couldn’t locate the fish again. Frustrated, he resigned himself to searching for another.
Wu Jiong offered advice. “Bend down closer to the water. Fish aren’t where you see them—they’re a little lower.”
Jian Mo slapped his forehead in realization. “Of course—water refraction! Got it.”
Wu Jiong nodded in approval.
Jian Mo grinned and rolled his shoulders. “Alright, I’ve got the secret now. Just wait—I’ll catch a couple of big ones for you to try!”
Despite his newfound confidence, the Ambus fish proved too fast for him.
After hours of trying, Jian Mo still hadn’t caught a single fish, while Wu Jiong continued to fill their basket. By the time the sun reached its zenith, their basket was half-full, making them the top performers of the day.
When the group paused for lunch, Jian Mo’s record remained at zero.
Someone joked, “These fish are tasty but sure are tricky to catch.”
The others chimed in:
“If they were easy to catch, they’d have been fished out long ago.”
“It’s not that bad. Look at Jian Mo and Wu Jiong—they’ve caught plenty!”
“Hahaha, it’s probably because of Jian Mo. Back in the day, the chief barely bothered fishing. His basket was never much fuller than ours.”
“Having a mate really makes a difference, doesn’t it, Chief?”
Wu Jiong remained unfazed by the teasing, replying calmly, “Isn’t it only natural to catch some tasty fish for your mate?”
Despite the continued jokes, neither Wu Jiong nor Jian Mo showed any embarrassment, leaving the others to quickly change the subject when they realized they weren’t getting much of a reaction.
After resting, everyone returned to the river to fish again.
They fished until the sun began to dip low in the sky, then gathered their things to head back to the tribe.
As was customary, a portion of the day’s catch was handed over for communal distribution, while the rest was kept for personal use.
Since Jian Mo and Wu Jiong had caught so many fish, they still had plenty left for themselves.
Looking at the lively Ambus fish, Jian Mo asked, “How should we cook these? Pan-fried or soup?”
“Stewed,” Wu Jiong replied. “Stew it with a chunk of half-fat, half-lean cured meat. The result will be especially rich and flavorful.”
Jian Mo glanced at the fish, then at the cured meat hanging under the eaves, unable to picture how it would come together. He made a gesture of invitation. “You’re up. I’ll handle the fire.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “I’ll give it a try. First, let’s clean the fish.”
In the courtyard, Wu Jiong used an old shell knife to prepare the fish. He stunned each one with a sharp knock before scaling them.
Only then did Jian Mo realize that Ambus fish weren’t scaleless—they had tiny, fine scales that required careful scraping.
The scales fell off in a texture reminiscent of shaved ice. Curious, Jian Mo touched them and found they felt a bit like sand.
When the fish were gutted, their flesh was thick and plump, looking incredibly appetizing even raw.
Just by appearance, Jian Mo could tell they’d taste amazing.
Squatting nearby, Jian Mo watched eagerly as Wu Jiong worked.
Chirpy, also crouched on the other side, eagerly waited for the unwanted fish heads.
After cleaning each fish, Wu Jiong tossed the heads, tails, and guts to Chirpy, who politely cradled them with its paws and ate daintily.
When it finished, it chirped twice and patiently squatted back down, waiting for more.
Jian Mo chuckled as he rubbed Chirpy’s back. This little guy seemed perfectly content.
Soon, Wu Jiong carried a basin of headless, tailless fish into the kitchen. He then retrieved a chunk of half-fat, half-lean cured meat from under the eaves, washed it in warm water, and sliced it thinly. He fried the slices in a pot until they turned translucent.
As the cured meat browned and curled up, releasing its rich aroma, Wu Jiong added the fish and some spring water to the pot, letting it simmer.
The iron pot, heated to a high temperature, turned the spring water milky white almost instantly. The thick, fragrant steam filled the kitchen, lingering in the air.
Jian Mo sniffed the air. “How long does it need to cook?”
Wu Jiong checked the firewood. “When these logs burn out, the fish should be done.”
“That’s going to take a while,” Jian Mo remarked.
“Let’s go gather some tendon grass leaves to add later,” Wu Jiong suggested.
Jian Mo hesitated. “Just leave the pot like this?”
“The water won’t boil dry. Chirpy can keep an eye on it,” Wu Jiong assured him.
Chirpy, tasked with guarding the kitchen, salivated at the scent but sat diligently by the door, ensuring no sneaky animals would steal their food in their absence.
Its large size also meant it couldn’t sneak into the kitchen itself, making it the perfect guard.
When Jian Mo and Wu Jiong returned with the tendon grass, Chirpy was still waiting obediently outside.
Jian Mo patted it on the head. “Thanks for watching the pot. I’ll make sure you get a couple of extra fish later.”
Chirpy’s eyes lit up. “Chirp chirp!”
After washing and chopping the tendon grass, Jian Mo noticed the fish stew was nearly done. The broth had thickened considerably, forming a gelatinous texture with a thin skin on top.
Carefully preserving the fish’s integrity, Wu Jiong stirred it gently before sprinkling in the bright green tendon grass.
The white broth, red-brown cured meat, black fish, and green leaves made for a dish that was visually stunning and smelled divine.
They sat down in the kitchen to eat their dinner.
Jian Mo couldn’t wait and took a sip of the broth. “Hot, but so fresh!”
The stew was rich and flavorful, perfectly capturing the sweetness of the fish and the umami depth of the cured meat. The two flavors complemented each other so well that the dish was almost overwhelmingly delicious.
Tasting the fish, Jian Mo was surprised by its tender, tofu-like texture—a softness he usually only achieved with delicate sliced fish in hot pot dishes.
But the best part of the dish wasn’t the broth or the meat; it was the fish skin.
The skin was soft, springy, and incredibly flavorful—a true highlight of the fish.
Jian Mo marveled at how such an unassuming little fish could have such delectable skin.
He alternated between bites of fish and sips of broth, his nose beading with sweat. “Truly, top-quality ingredients only need the simplest cooking methods. This is amazing!”
Wu Jiong remarked, “I made a big pot. Eat as much as you like.”
Jian Mo glanced at the stove. “Did you save Chirpy’s share?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Of course. It won’t go hungry. Once it cools down, I’ll give it some.”
Reassured, Jian Mo dug in with gusto. The fish’s lack of bones and incredible flavor made the meal almost too enjoyable.
After eating several pieces, Jian Mo noticed Wu Jiong picking at the cured meat. He served him a piece of fish and suggested, “How about we go again tomorrow? The river still has plenty of fish. We can catch more.”
Wu Jiong replied, “The tribe usually fishes for several consecutive days. These few days are when the fish are at their peak—plentiful and fat.”
Jian Mo suggested excitedly, “Then let’s take Chirpy with us. It seems to like this fish. Maybe it can help catch some.”
Wu Jiong glanced at Chirpy, waiting in the courtyard. “Alright, it can help carry supplies too.”
“Great! I’ll bring the broken basket I used before. Catching them without tools is too hard.”
The two chatted as they finished dinner and went to feed Chirpy.
Having waited all evening, Chirpy was thrilled to finally get some fish, bouncing excitedly around them.
Jian Mo patted Chirpy on the head. “You’re coming with us tomorrow. But if you don’t catch any fish, no dinner for you!”
Chirpy buried its head in the bowl. “Chirp—”
Seeing how focused Chirpy was on eating, Jian Mo gave up on trying to get its attention.
The next day, they packed their tools, and Chirpy flew overhead, following them as they headed back to the river.
Yesterday, they had fished upstream; today, they moved further downstream.
This section of the river was wider and deeper, but it didn’t pose a problem for the group.
Teams quickly formed, with people pairing off or gathering in small groups to prepare for fishing.
With tools in hand, Jian Mo fared slightly better than yesterday. By the time Wu Jiong had caught over twenty fish, Jian Mo finally managed to catch his first small fish.
He tossed it into his basket and straightened up with satisfaction.
Except for Wu Jiong, most of the others hadn’t caught many fish either—certainly not more than Jian Mo’s single fish.
It was clear these fish were difficult to catch; Jian Mo’s failure yesterday wasn’t entirely his fault.
Taking a break from fishing, Jian Mo wandered over to check on Chirpy.
Chirpy was working diligently downstream but, being both chubby and clumsy, its paws splashed around in the water for ages without catching a single fish.
Indeed, Chirpy was also a member of the “Air Force” for now.
As Jian Mo observed, Ban Ming and his friends approached him. “Brother Jian Mo, how many fish have you caught so far?”
Jian Mo showed them his basket. “I’ve caught one, and Wu Jiong has caught half a basket.”
The young beastmen, arms slung around each other’s shoulders, peered into the basket. When they saw it was brimming with fish, their envy was almost palpable.
Ban Ming, with a hint of jealousy, remarked, “It really is half a basket. Chief, with your skills, fishing for Ambus fish is such a waste. You should be catching Three-Eyed Fish!”
Jian Mo tilted his head in confusion. “What’s a Three-Eyed Fish?”
Ban Ming gestured with his hands. “A big fish that swims extremely fast and hides even better. Its meat isn’t particularly special, but its gallbladder, when dried, is fantastic for reducing fevers.
“There was a year when a cub in the Dian Xin Tribe had a fever that wouldn’t go down. The parents were frantic, afraid the cub would not recover. They rallied several nearby tribes to search for a Three-Eyed Fish. They eventually used a fresh gallbladder, and the fever broke that same night.”
Jian Mo asked skeptically, “That wasn’t just a coincidence?”
Ban Ming shook his head. “Nope. This fish’s gallbladder is incredibly effective. It’s a remedy passed down through generations—everyone in the nearby tribes knows about it.”
To emphasize his point, Ban Ming turned to Qing Kuo for confirmation. “Right, Dad?”
Qing Kuo nodded and added, “If you use other medicines, it’s hit or miss whether they’ll work. But with this gallbladder, it’s never failed.”
Jian Mo remarked, “If it’s so effective, the tribe should keep a stockpile of it.”
Hearing this, the others eagerly explained:
“We’d love to, but Three-Eyed Fish are so fast and hide so well that they’re nearly impossible to catch.”
“They like to burrow into sandy holes, and when the water rises, their scent is completely masked.”
“This river is full of fish, and the mixed scents make it impossible to pick up on the Three-Eyed Fish’s faint smell, even for us beastmen.”
Jian Mo glanced doubtfully at Wu Jiong and nudged him with his shoulder, silently asking if this was true.
Before Wu Jiong could respond, Ban Ming jumped in, “Brother Jian Mo, don’t bother looking at the Chief. You’re not a beastman, so you can’t understand how faint their scent is. In a chaotic environment like this, it’s impossible to track them—unless you’re a super-sensitive armored beast like Yun Long, the chief of the Meng Shui Tribe. Only someone like him might have a chance.”
Yun Long had a long-standing interest in recruiting Jian Mo, which Wu Jiong disliked, even if he didn’t say so outright.
Jian Mo suspected Ban Ming was trying to provoke him.
Realizing this, Ban Ming’s companion, Ah Hu, gave him a shove. Ban Ming quickly added, “But armored beasts are slow and clumsy—they wouldn’t be able to catch a Three-Eyed Fish even if they found one.”
Wu Jiong’s attention shifted to Ban Ming’s earlier remark. “Impossible to find? What if I do?”
Ban Ming thought for a moment. “If you find and catch one, I’ll bring a prime beast to your home as a gift.”
Wu Jiong raised an eyebrow. “One beast per fish I catch?”
The group burst into cheers. “Are you two making a bet?”
Ban Ming gritted his teeth. “Deal! But if you don’t catch a single one, you’ll have to send a prime beast to my home.”
Wu Jiong remained unfazed. “Agreed. If I don’t catch any, I’ll send ten prime beasts to your home—you choose the type. But for every fish I catch, you’ll bring me an Arrowbone Beast, one for each fish.”
“Deal!” Ban Ming declared. “I’ll be waiting for your beasts!”
It wasn’t often that Wu Jiong made a bet, and the group buzzed with excitement.
Qing Kuo laughed. “We’ll all be witnesses. The wager ends at sunset. If the Chief catches one before then, he wins. If not, Ban Ming wins.”
Both Wu Jiong and Ban Ming agreed, and the wager was officially on
