Chapter 38 - This Thing Really Can Nourish the Body
Looking at Sister Goose happily enjoying the "delicacy," Li Nan Ke was dumbfounded, especially seeing the woman in the bamboo hat return.
Fortunately, she was far away and probably hadn't seen Sister Goose's crime.
"Is there something else, Miss?"
Li Nan Ke asked, coughing dryly and blocking Sister Goose from view.
The woman in the bamboo hat asked with confusion.
"What were you shouting just now, sir?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just practicing my singing," Li Nan Ke said, forcing a sincere smile.
The woman in the bamboo hat said softly.
"I came back to remind you that I saw a wild beast in this forest earlier. It would be best for you to go down the mountain to avoid danger."
What a kind person.
Faced with the woman's kind reminder, Li Nan Ke felt deeply ashamed.
He wished he could pry open Sister Goose's mouth and return her little pet right now. And then braise Sister Goose and offer her to this kind woman as an apology.
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss. We'll go down the mountain now," Li Nan Ke said with a serious expression.
The woman in the bamboo hat hummed in response and, after a moment of silence, added.
"There's one more thing I need to remind you. My pet caterpillar is highly poisonous, and there's no antidote. If you see it, don't touch it..."
Poisonous?
Li Nan Ke's composure faltered.
He glanced at Sister Goose and saw that she was alive and kicking. He couldn't help but wonder if the woman was trying to scare them.
Yes, she must be trying to scare them so they wouldn't take her pet.
The woman in the bamboo hat continued.
"If you accidentally touch it or swallow it, you'll experience convulsions and spasms..."
Seeing the woman speak so convincingly, Li Nan Ke laughed.
He looked back and saw Sister Goose, who was lively just a moment ago, now lying on the ground, twitching.
The smile on his face froze, and he tried to hide Sister Goose better.
The woman in the bamboo hat continued, "Then you'll start foaming at the mouth..."
Li Nan Ke looked back again.
White foam was already coming out of Sister Goose's mouth.
"And finally, you'll die."
As the woman finished her sentence, Sister Goose, behind Li Nan Ke, stiffened and became motionless.
Li Nan Ke forced a smile and said awkwardly, "That... does sound scary. Yes, quite scary, isn't it, wife? We should definitely avoid it if we see it."
"So be careful."
The woman in the bamboo hat said, then looked at Li Nan Ke.
"Sir, it seems the goose behind you is sick?"
"Oh, this..."
Li Nan Ke was taken aback, then grabbed Sister Goose by her long neck and shook her a few times.
"This is the game I just caught. Miss, would you like to join us and have a taste? It's very delicious. We can also make some soup. That would be a true delicacy."
"No, thank you," the woman in the bamboo hat said politely and left the forest.
Seeing her finally leave, Li Nan Ke quickly shook Sister Goose.
"Sister Goose, are you alright? Sister Goose?"
Seeing the white goose lying limp and motionless, Li Nan Ke helplessly dropped her to the ground.
"See? This is what happens when you're greedy," Li Nan Ke sighed and said to his wife.
"Sister Goose is poisoned and dead, so we can't eat her anymore. Why don't we go back and cook Grandpa Turtle? With Sister Goose dead, he surely won't want to live alone."
The man was still thinking about that turtle soup.
"Let's go."
Luo Qian Qiu looked in the direction where the woman in the bamboo hat had left, her eyes distant. She sighed softly and walked down the mountain with the bamboo basket on her back.
And Sister Goose, who was like a corpse just a moment ago, now followed behind the woman.
She held her long neck high, looking proud and energetic.
Li Nan Ke gave her a thumbs-up, his expression saying "as expected."
"Great acting. You deserve the Oscar for Best Actress."
Whether due to bad luck or something else, halfway down the mountain, they suddenly heard a deafening tiger roar.
Then, a large tiger with white forehead markings emerged from the forest.
The tiger was huge, its eyes fierce, its claws extended, and its long tail with black rings swayed like a steel whip. It exuded an intimidating and ferocious aura.
"Damn it, what the hell!"
Li Nan Ke cursed inwardly and stood in front of Luo Qian Qiu, gripping the delicate flintlock pistol and aiming it at the tiger.
Although the firearm in his hand was quite powerful, it wasn't realistic to take down such a ferocious and agile beast with a single shot.
Especially since this flintlock pistol could only fire one bullet at a time. If the tiger pounced, he wouldn't have time to reload.
Fortunately, Li Nan Ke had the 'brick' artifact with him.
The tiger, sensing the danger of the weapon in the man's hand, stood still and roared with its bloody maw wide open.
"Wife, check the surroundings and see if there are any other tigers," Li Nan Ke said in a low voice, trying his best to protect Luo Qian Qiu.
He was worried that there might be more tigers.
"I don't see any," Luo Qian Qiu shook her head and said softly, "Let Sister Goose handle it."
Let Sister Goose become a meal?
And they would take the opportunity to escape?
Li Nan Ke thought this was a good idea.
As he was thinking, Sister Goose had already charged towards the tiger without hesitation, flapping her wings and honking.
This scene confused the tiger.
Despite all its hunting experience, it had never seen such a fearless goose.
The tiger licked its sharp teeth and, with a roar, pounced on Sister Goose like lightning, determined to swallow her in one bite.
However, just as it pounced, the white goose nimbly dodged and then jumped onto the tiger's head, pecking fiercely at the 'king' character on its forehead.
The stinging pain on its forehead enraged the tiger. It jumped and shook its head, even rolling on the ground, trying to throw Sister Goose off.
But her feet seemed to be glued to its head, and no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't shake her off.
After struggling for a while, the tiger was exhausted. It couldn't even escape. Gritting its teeth, it charged towards a large tree.
Bam!
The tree, as thick as a bowl, was almost uprooted, and leaves rained down.
This time, Sister Goose was thrown off.
Seizing the opportunity, the tiger ran away towards the mountain.
This goose was not to be messed with.
But Sister Goose was faster. Her feet seemed to be equipped with electric motors, and in the blink of an eye, she caught up with the tiger, pecking fiercely at its rear.
At this moment, the tiger completely collapsed.
It regretted its decision.
It shouldn't have bothered coming out to hunt.
Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded: a large, ferocious tiger running frantically around the mountain, with a white goose chasing closely behind.
Li Nan Ke stood frozen in place, dumbfounded.
His expression was like that of Ng Man-tat in "A Chinese Odyssey": Wife, come out and see God with the Bull Demon King.
Luo Qian Qiu, however, was unfazed.
But she was interested in the tiger and said softly, "There's a medicinal ingredient on that tiger that could nourish your body, husband."
Medicinal ingredient?
Li Nan Ke was startled, then immediately understood, a strange look on his face.
"Indeed, very nourishing."
Seeing the tiger fleeing in a panic, he couldn't help but be tempted. Afraid that the tiger would escape, he quickly took out the brick and said, "I'll help Sister Goose. Just in time to try some wild game these days."
Li Nan Ke seized the opportunity and threw the brick in his hand.
The brick flew towards the tiger like a shooting star.
And then—
It knocked down Sister Goose, who was chasing behind.
Li Nan Ke's mouth fell open. He nonchalantly put away the brick that had returned to his hand, pretending that nothing had happened.
But fortunately, luck was on their side.
The exhausted tiger, noticing the silence behind it, looked back and saw the terrifying white goose lying on the ground. It was stunned.
In its moment of distraction, it forgot to look ahead and crashed headfirst into a large rock.
Thud—
Hey, it also fell.
Li Nan Ke was delighted. He quickly rushed forward and fired two shots, clapping his hands and laughing.
"How was that, wife? This is the 'Force Punch' technique I've been practicing for twenty years. Although I hit Sister Goose, it was actually the enemy who got hurt. Impressive, right?"
Luo Qian Qiu held her forehead, speechless.
Although they had successfully captured a tiger that could nourish their bodies, it was too heavy for Li Nan Ke and Luo Qian Qiu to carry down the mountain alone.
So Luo Qian Qiu asked Sister Goose to fetch Grandpa Turtle.
Thus, Grandpa Turtle, the handyman, diligently carried the huge tiger carcass back home.
"Awesome, truly awesome," Li Nan Ke said, stroking Grandpa Turtle's head. He had finally witnessed the capabilities of these two divine beasts.
Just as he was about to help his wife process the tiger carcass and prepare a feast of wild game, the round-faced beauty Meng Xiao Tu suddenly rushed over.
Big Bear and Little Bear were running alongside her.
"B-Big Brain!"
Meng Xiao Tu clutched her knees, gasping for breath.
"S-Something happened... Come with me quickly!"
Li Nan Ke said with an expressionless face.
"Don't tell me something happened at the Lin residence."