Chapter 4: The Surprise of Waking Up

In any case, they finally exhausted that pile of Polygonatum that they had initially feared would be insufficient, having dug up too much. Unable to consume it, they used the half-cooked Polygonatum as weapons, throwing it around in hopes of alleviating the fear brought by the surrounding darkness and dispelling the faint sounds that emerged from it. Whenever they detected even the slightest movement, it would immediately trigger a reaction. At first, this would occasionally stir up a flurry of commotion, but as time went on, the noise diminished, leaving only sporadic faint sounds of chewing. They hoped to lessen the fear brought by the surrounding darkness and to dispel the indistinct sounds that came from it. Whenever they detected even the slightest movement, it would immediately trigger a reaction. Initially, this would occasionally stir up a flurry of commotion, but as time went on, the noise diminished, leaving only sporadic faint sounds of chewing. Liu Jing would occasionally be so frightened that she would jump up in horror, screaming loudly. Unfortunately, she still saw nothing, and those sounds faded away into silence.

Hmm, hmm

Perhaps it was exhaustion from shouting, perhaps it was fatigue from a day of physical labor, perhaps it was due to excessive mental strain, perhaps it was too late in the day, or perhaps it was a reflection of the time difference caused by the journey... Not long after eating to satisfaction, Liu Jingxue felt a powerful wave of drowsiness sweep over her entire body. After throwing all the yellow essence around her, she added several thick branches to the fire and climbed onto the carefully crafted first hammock, falling into a deep sleep.

Fortunately, the hammock was still high enough, and those wild boars did not seem to have any intention of making Liu Jingxue their breakfast. Although one wild boar had once nudged its snout to within less than ten centimeters of Liu Jingxue's face, carefully studying him from above for a while, it ultimately left.

The dog—oh, no, it should be a wolf. Liu Jingxue was nervously curled up on the hammock, looking at the jungle killer that was about to wear out its ears. Although she understood deep down that the hammock, which was over one meter high, would not pose much of an obstacle to it, Liu Jingxue still lay tightly on the hammock, not daring to move.

"No, one should prepare a weapon for self-defense, at the very least, one should have something. Otherwise, it is too dangerous." As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Liu Jing abruptly sat up from the leaves of the hammock, only to freeze again in a stiff posture. Her head remained in the position it was in while lying down, at an angle close to 90 degrees with her body.

"Oh, you scared me to death." Turning over and lying on the hammock, Liu Jing listened to her heart racing, unable to regain her composure for a long time: "That wolf should be in its prime, full of energy, probably weighing around one hundred pounds. It should be worth about a thousand or so, after all, this is a purely wild animal, and it shouldn't be a protected species here. It is said that dogs are afraid of being touched and wolves are afraid of being dragged; that is because in that world there are guns, a conditioned reflex developed over hundreds of years, an education. For a long time, she couldn't regain her composure: "That wolf should be in its prime, full of energy, probably weighing around one hundred pounds. It should be worth about a thousand or so, after all, this is a purely wild animal, and it shouldn't be a protected species here. It is said that dogs are afraid of being touched and wolves are afraid of being dragged; that is because in that world there are guns, a conditioned reflex developed over hundreds of years, an education. In this world, I don't know what weapons are used to hunt wolves, nor do I know what this wolf is afraid of."

Forget it, let's just consider it as eating fruit. Carefully taking a couple of bites, the part closer to the ground is a bit undercooked since it's farther from the fire, so I won't eat that to avoid upsetting my stomach. I casually set it aside and picked up another piece. Anyway, I dug out quite a bit, and there are plenty buried in the fire pit.

If it were not for Liu Jingxue's youth and relatively quick reflexes, he would have almost fallen off the hammock after barely catching the edge of it. However, his long howl once again ended in vain, being stifled in his throat.

One must first find a source of water to wash their face. It is simply too unsanitary. How dare one spit indiscriminately on another's face? After reprimanding that wild boar for its poor hygiene habits, Liu Jingxue decided to get out of bed and tidy up her personal hygiene.

Of course, if possible, it would be even better to learn how to brush teeth. After the danger had passed, Liu Jing teased the curious wild boar, comforting her young heart.

The solo has transformed into a chorus

It is often said that a full stomach brings peace of mind. After eating a few pieces of buried Polygonatum, Liu Jing's stomach also felt somewhat satisfied, so she began to playfully enjoy her meal.

Hehe... a leopard. Liu Jingxue seems a bit dazed

After a night of deep sleep and enjoying a beautiful dream, Liu Jingxue finally decided to get up. However, after stretching out a big yawn while sitting on the swaying hammock, she let out a long howl towards the sky

"Why doesn’t he brush his teeth at all?" Although she herself is not particularly fond of brushing her teeth, Liu Jing still has a strong opinion about that wild boar's lack of dental hygiene

The cradle of childhood, swaying to the lullabies of mother, swaying from carefree beauty, also swaying the warmth and comfort absent in the concrete jungle made of steel and cement

Until the sun is high in the sky

Cocooned in the thick fallen leaves, Liu Jingxue once again felt the clarity of that childhood tranquility and ease. Perhaps wishing to savor the sweetness of dreams a little longer, after being awakened by the bright sunlight, he remained motionless, curled up on the gently swaying hammock, a faint smile playing on his lips, lying quietly and still.

Cold and Liu Jingxue exchanged glances for a moment, baring their teeth and giving Liu Jingxue a mysterious expression. The wolf turned its head and ran away, its soft limbs and thick pads moving silently over the fallen leaves, without a trace of sound

Aww

What a beautiful leopard Liu Jingxue is a bit infatuated

In the fleeting corner of her eye, Liu Jingxue seemed to notice some movement beneath the large tree beside her, and she quickly leaned back, focusing her attention on that shadowy area

After a day and night of adaptation, Liu Jingxue did not experience any coughing fits, and his long howl was successfully released. There was no discomfort in his body. This indicates that he has successfully acquired the most basic qualities necessary for survival in this world

The surroundings were also stirred into a commotion by the last piece of yellow essence thrown by Liu Jing, and then, everything returned to silence in a deep slumber

The leopard lazily stretched, and the same action, when performed by it, was evidently imbued with a grace and a vibrant beauty that far surpassed that of domestic cats. It shook its head and wagged its tail, casting a glance at the dazed Liu Jingxue, as if awakening from a spring slumber. The corners of its mouth twitched slightly, and in an instant, it vanished from Liu Jingxue's sight.

Ah, a leopard smiled at me?! Under the immense fear, surpassing the psychological bottom line of the *illustration* book, one becomes fearless. However, upon reflection, the cold sweat pours down. Liu Jingxue now feels a chill all over, as if cold air is seeping out.

Satisfied, I took a bite of the warm, fragrant yellow essence. I carefully pushed aside the surface layer, which was covered with dirt and ashes, and cautiously took a bite. "Mmm—hiss... ha... ha..." Fortunately, it wasn't too hot. However, the taste was a bit bland, lacking oil and salt, which might not be very appealing to modern individuals who prefer cooked food and are accustomed to seasoning.

It was impossible to stay here any longer. Jumping out of bed, she picked up a relatively sturdy tree branch beside her, spread her legs, and Liu Jing dashed out like a rabbit struck by an arrow, stumbling as she went. Before leaving, she certainly did not forget to stir the pile of ashes from the fire that had long since gone out, ensuring that not a single spark remained. She did not want to end up roasted like a duck by a forest fire ignited by the embers she had left behind.

Puh—, puh—, eh—eh—. Watching the wild boars leave, turning back every few steps, Liu Jing let out a big sigh of relief. She vigorously wiped her face, trying to completely rid herself of the curious spittle that the wild boars had sprayed on her, while complaining about their poor hygiene habits.

"It smiled at me, ah," Liu Jingxue stiffly fell back onto the bed, her face filled with a lovesick expression: "That leopard smiled at me, and its smile was so..."

Burying it underground does not fully cook it, so I will throw it into the fire to burn, skewer it on a branch to roast, place it on a stone slab to bake, and also imitate the Turkish bath method by heating the stone slab to scald it, hanging it high for moxibustion...

Truly, it is the food of the immortals; even when buried underground and roasted by fire, it still emanates a series of delicate fragrances, akin to freshly fermented fruits, devoid of any significant smoky aroma. It is as elegant as a fairy.

Due to the backlight, Liu Jingxue was unable to discern the color of the spotted leopard, only managing to vaguely distinguish the beautiful camouflage colors that were blended into the shadows of the forest, hidden within the sparse shadows of the trees, as if they were originally part of those shadows

This Liu Jing will definitely not be confused with a cat; what cat can grow so large, yet be so elegant and graceful, like the legendary elf, making one completely forget its danger

Several large wild boars swaggered back and forth beneath Liu Jingxue's bed, their small tails—almost as thick as Liu Jingxue's wrist at the base—curling and swaying. The enormous tusks were covered in mottled black spots, highlighting the glistening tips of the teeth in front.

Silently, a familiar figure gently rose from the shadows, the gray silhouette having perfectly concealed itself in the darkness of that corner just moments ago

a spotted leopard

Hungry, Liu Jing carefully moved the campfire aside, meticulously clearing the embers on the ground. After checking to ensure that there were no hidden dangers nearby that could lead to serious consequences, she quickly dug through the layer of soil covering the rhizome of the Huangjing, unearthing the fragrant tuber beneath.

Who... the tone has changed, still carrying a hint of tremor

Holding tightly to the edge of the hammock, Liu Jing leaned out from the side of the bed

Oh, wow