Chapter 24

Lin Bei returned after two days, and Longtan had already undergone significant changes.

First, a fence made of branches and shrubs was erected around a hundred-meter radius of Longtan, resembling an enlarged courtyard that completely enclosed it. Although the fence's function was minimal, it gave a sense of security. Although wild beasts lacked intelligence, they could still sense that this place was inhabited by humans.

Second, on the side of the taro field, the hunters had also built a wooden house. Lin Bei didn't have high hopes for the hunters, subconsciously assuming they would build a wooden shed. However, upon returning, he found that the wooden house was much larger than expected.

The newly cut logs, though uneven, were perfectly integrated to form a large house of at least a hundred square meters. The large door and a big window were added, with the window propped up by wooden sticks facing a shrubbery. Lin Bei wasn't sure where the hunters had transplanted the shrubs from, but he saw that they were actually goji berries, bearing small red fruits. The roof was decorated with leaves and grass to minimize the possibility of rain leakage. Additionally, the lighting was excellent, making the interior very bright.

Moreover, the three hunters had diligently cleared the weeds inside the fence, making the area very clean. Lin Bei's mood was already good when he returned, and it improved even more.

"Sir, you're back?" Cui Ailan was the first to notice Lin Bei. She straightened up and exclaimed in surprise.

Jiulang and Houtu also stopped their work and respectfully called out to him.

Lin Bei nodded, then nodded a few more times, using his tail to point at the surroundings, indicating that everything was quite good and he was very satisfied.

After all this, the place really had the appearance of a hermit's residence. Lin Bei liked this environment, even though he was now a python, he still enjoyed it.

Cui Ailan sighed in relief and smiled, "We were really worried that you wouldn't like it. It's good that you're satisfied."

At first, the three hunters had some disagreements. Lin Bei had only said to build a wooden house, and Jiulang and Houtu thought that altering things here might displease him. However, Cui Ailan was very insistent and explained her reasoning.

"Don't you think Sir is very human-like? The better the environment, the happier he should be. Moreover, Sir has a good nature. Even if we make a mistake, he probably won't blame us. We should at least try."

Little people have their own wisdom. Meeting Lin Bei could be considered a stroke of luck for the hunters. Cui Ailan knew that goodwill needed to be accumulated, just like regular interactions. Sir could trade with them or others, but leaving a good impression in his mind would be beneficial in the future.

Lin Bei didn't know the hunters' thoughts, but he found the three hunters very cute, working so hard. In just two days, they had done things Lin Bei hadn't even thought of, making him feel a bit embarrassed. Fortunately, this time he wasn't returning empty-handed; he had found the bone-growth herb.

Speaking of the bone-growth herb, Lin Bei thought it was rare because people nowadays were afraid to venture deep into the forest. During his two days in the forest, he found that there were indeed many wild beasts inside. The ancient trees stood in vast patches, with fallen leaves reaching over a meter in depth, not including the already decayed ones. Crawling over the fallen leaves, various insects emerged, making Lin Bei feel uneasy. Moreover, the decaying leaves produced miasma, which would cause dizziness and disorientation in ordinary people after a few minutes of exposure. This was why hunting was still possible at the forest's edge, but not deeper inside.

The resources of the primeval forest were undoubtedly abundant. If someone could enter, treasures could be easily obtained. Now, all these resources were at Lin Bei's disposal, including the bone-growth herb. This herb wasn't as rare as people imagined; there were traces of it on several cliffs deep in the forest. Lin Bei even saw some birds and beasts using the bone-growth herb to treat their wounds, a natural ability of animals.

With a quick thought, Lin Bei unfolded a large leaf beside him, revealing five bone-growth herbs, which he showed to the hunters.

"It's really the bone-growth herb," Cui Ailan took a deep breath, stared at it for a moment, and then suddenly knelt down before Lin Bei, "Sir, thank you."

Lin Bei quickly stepped back, as a modern person, he wasn't used to people kneeling before him. He didn't know what the bone-growth herb meant to Cui Ailan.

In ancient times, men were the heads of households, and women had a much lower status, which was related to the family's lineage. With Cui Dalang's accident, the entire Cui family was shrouded in a dark cloud. Now that Lin Bei had found the bone-growth herb, he could be considered the Cui family's savior. Cui Ailan's kneeling wasn't excessive.

Seeing Cui Ailan about to kowtow, Lin Bei quickly moved away, his tail waving frantically, looking very flustered. Cui Ailan, noticing this, felt that this Dragon Sir was indeed different and even quite adorable.

After Cui Ailan carefully stored the bone-growth herb, the awkward atmosphere in the area eased. Lin Bei pointed at the locust tree, and Cui Ailan quickly said, "They are doing well. They've eaten a lot of meat these past two days and are growing very fast."

Lin Bei finally put his last worry to rest, nodded to the hunters, and climbed up the locust tree to take a look.

The young birds had grown quickly. In just two days, their feathers had changed from pink to black and were fully grown. The tips of their wings had also developed hard feathers. The two birds were of different species; one was larger, and the other was smaller.

"Sir, one of these birds seems to be a cuckoo," Cui Ailan called out.

The cuckoo, also known as the common cuckoo, is a bird that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, letting them incubate. The two young birds were no longer just eating and sleeping; they had time to observe the world. When they saw Lin Bei, their eyes first showed some unfamiliarity and confusion, but then they sensed their mother's presence and called out affectionately. The smaller one had a red beak and tongue, which immediately identified it as a cuckoo. The larger one was of an unknown species, but perhaps it would become clearer as it grew.

Leaning close to the two little ones, they gently pecked at Lin Bei's scales, causing a tickling sensation.

"I should give you names," Lin Bei thought.

Initially, he hadn't named the two young birds because the mortality rate of young birds was very high. Lin Bei couldn't guarantee that they would survive, and naming them would make him sad. Now that they were past the early stage, the mortality rate had significantly decreased, so they could have names.

"I'll call you Doudou. Your original mother just casually dropped you into another bird's nest. And you, I don't even know what species you are, so I'll call you Qiqi. I hope that with names, you will grow up well."

If everything went smoothly, Doudou and Qiqi would grow up here and then fly into the sky that belonged to Lin Bei.