Chapter 698 - 24: Beast Horde
In the blink of an eye, it has already been 28 days since arriving in the Prehistoric World.
Nearly a month has passed, and Chen Zhou and Paul, busy on the mountain, can clearly feel the harshness of winter descending upon this land.
After the Shelter was completed, they spent a few more days repairing it. Finally, the two were ready to set off and start gathering food and fuel to survive the long winter.
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The squirrels’ stores in the rock crevices and the pine nuts in the forest, about to mature in large quantities, became their first target.
Pine nuts are tasty and nutritious, containing protein, carbohydrates, and fats, making them high-quality food that is also long-lasting and abundant.
With three Serrated Tiger Cubs that had grown to over 20 pounds, Chen Zhou and Paul split up to take action.
With agile movements, Chen Zhou carried the Long Spear and Hand Axe, using a Beast Hide Pocket to search for newly matured pine nuts in the forest. During the search, if he encountered medium to large-sized beasts, he could also hunt them conveniently and store some meat.
Living on the cold mountain requires a high demand for fat, fur, and salt.
For a long time, Chen Zhou and Paul’s only way to acquire salt was through the blood of beasts.
But beast blood carries a fishy taste. After consuming it for a while, Chen Zhou always felt his mouth filled with a strong metallic flavor. If building the Shelter wasn’t more important, he would have set out long ago, following the traces of the deer herd to find the Rock Salt they licked.
Now, with some time freed up, Chen Zhou collected pine nuts while observing the movements of deer and antelope in the forest, placing his hopes of finding Rock Salt on these animals.
His senses are much sharper than Paul’s, so this task must be undertaken by him. This is the most rational distribution method.
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As for Paul, he traveled with the Serrated Tiger Cubs.
The intelligence of the Serrated Tiger Cubs seems akin to that of lions. They inherently understand the concept of "Clan Leader" and possess a natural talent for cooperation.
During the Shelter construction, occasionally Chen Zhou or Paul would take the little Serrated Tiger Cubs up the mountain to hunt and kill squirrels.
Under Paul’s careful guidance, the little ones quickly learned how to encircle and hunt these nimble and cunning creatures.
Paul’s sense of smell and hearing were far less sharp than the Serrated Tiger Cubs, so the cubs took on the role of his nose and ears.
Once they found squirrel droppings, the Serrated Tiger Cubs would lower their heads and sniff all the way, guiding Paul in the right direction.
When discovering traces of squirrels or scaring them into hiding in rock crevices, it was Paul’s turn to play his part.
Using Long Spear fixed with a Military Saber, a homemade slingshot, or Long Spear, Paul could swiftly hunt squirrels. Even if a squirrel retreated into its nest, he had ways to force it out and kill it.
The Serrated Tiger Cubs grew stronger day by day, making it naturally challenging for them to catch squirrels skilled at climbing.
However, thanks to the power of "tigers relying on humans," they often succeeded in eating these creatures that love to leap up and down.
This sweetness from cooperative hunting, imprinted in the Serrated Tiger Cubs’ minds with each successful hunt, made them increasingly collaborate with Paul, becoming more adept at tracking, signaling, and communicating.
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Of course, hunting alongside Chen Zhou presented a different picture altogether.
Chen Zhou’s sense of smell and hearing was just as good as the Saw-toothed Tiger. Coupled with his intellectual advantage, he knew how to analyze based on experience, environment, and other signs, widening the gap between him and the Serrated Tiger Cubs.
When traveling with Chen Zhou, the Serrated Tiger Cubs found no significance in their existence.
Chen Zhou always detected the prey first, so by the time they caught the scent of blood, poor squirrels, voles, or young antelope and deer had already been skewered by wooden sticks or Long Spear and lay on the ground.
All they had to do was celebrate around the spoils, then wait for Chen Zhou to bring the prey back to the Shelter and disassemble it for them to eat.
Throughout the hunt, the Serrated Tiger Cubs only needed to call out excitedly and feign urgency by running a few steps, for the prey would fall in a pool of blood, waiting to be consumed, a scenario that left the Serrated Tiger Cubs feeling uninterested.
But although they were always just spectators in the hunting process, the Serrated Tiger Cubs still learned a lot—
Towards Chen Zhou, this strong and formidable member, they showed nothing but respect and submission.
Sometimes, when the Serrated Tiger Cubs grew impatient with hunger, waiting for Paul to skin and roast the meat, they couldn’t resist and crowded in, stretching their claws to climb on Paul’s back or surrounding his legs without hiding their craving for food.
However, with Chen Zhou present, they dared not take any bold actions.
Even if a piece of grilled meat lay on the ground, they would not approach it unless Chen Zhou gave the word.
Chen Zhou had never hit the Serrated Tiger Cubs, nor had he loudly chastised them. What’s driving the Serrated Tiger Cubs to act this way is not just fear but also respect for the Clan Leader.
Even though they are not very intelligent, they could still grasp who the true pillar of the clan is, who is leading the clan forward, conquering formidable enemies, and providing them with food.
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The amount of pine nuts stored in the forest is enormous. In just a few days, Chen Zhou and Paul collected a full 400 pounds of pine nuts.
Most of these pine nuts were old ones stored by squirrels in rock crevices, with fresh pine nuts accounting for less than 50 pounds.
Considering the freshly ripened pine nuts would be collected with the help of squirrels, and seeing that the pine nuts were sufficient for short-term consumption, Chen Zhou promptly revised the plan and decided to take Paul down the mountain to hunt.
Aside from hunting large mammals to acquire fur to lay inside the Shelter and a substantial amount of meat suitable for drying or smoking, he aimed to find some plant-based foods to supplement vitamins and other nutrients.