Chapter 37

Lin Bei was naturally unaware of the commotion in Xishan Township, and thus did not know that the commotion had brought him a lot of trouble. At present, Lin Bei was still living a leisurely life.

Sometimes, Lin Bei would go out, either to get food or to beat up the adult snakes nearby. However, it was all in vain. After being beaten by Lin Bei several times, the large snakes did not submit but became fearful. Many of them had already left secretly, and Lin Bei had not gained a single follower.

The mother hyena's belly was getting bigger, and her pace was becoming slower. Lin Bei silently watched over her, as she might give birth in the next few days.

When Lin Bei was at Longtan, he was more accustomed to staying on the wooden roof, taking care of Doudou and Qiqi while keeping an eye on the snake eggs. It was said that the little life inside the egg, though not yet born, could already sense the outside world. Lin Bei felt it necessary to strengthen this sense so that the snakes would obey his commands after hatching.

Seeing that Doudou and Qiqi's feathers were almost fully grown and their sizes were suitable, Lin Bei thought it was time to teach them how to fly.

In the past, Lin Bei had heard about how some birds learned to fly. It was said that some eagles would carry their young eagles high into the sky and then drop them. If the young eagles did not learn to fly before hitting the ground, they would die from the fall. It was a cruel method.

Lin Bei, of course, would not do that. His method was much gentler, just making the two little ones walk first.

As everyone knows, after babies learn to crawl, they start to walk. When learning to walk, they swing their hands with their steps to maintain balance, which is an instinct. Lin Bei applied the same principle to teach the young birds to walk.

When the two little ones walked, their wings would continuously flap to maintain balance. This was beneficial as it helped to strengthen their weak wings, which would aid in their future flights. When the little ones felt the time was right, they would naturally leave the ground. This is where birds are more advanced than humans, as humans cannot fly on their own.

The time it takes for a bird to learn to walk and then fly varies depending on the species. The fastest, like eagles, can do it in one go, while the slower ones might take one or two months. Most take about ten days. Lin Bei, of course, had the time to spare.

However, the two little ones were quite lazy. Perhaps because they had always had good food, their bodies were a bit plump, and they did not like to move much. This was not a good sign, so Lin Bei had to be harsh.

To avoid accidentally killing the two little ones with too much force, Lin Bei found a soft branch and used it to poke them, forcing them to come out of their nest and walk forward. The two little ones did not understand their "mother's" actions and just looked at Lin Bei, chirping. Lin Bei ignored them, and eventually, they had no choice but to struggle out of the nest.

At first, their claws were still very soft, and they easily fell, which was normal. Babies also fall when they first learn to walk. The surrounding area was covered with soft grass, so they would not get hurt. Therefore, Lin Bei did not care and kept poking them with the branch. At this time, he had to be harsh.

Being harsh was necessary, but so was patience. Lin Bei had a daughter and was naturally patient, so he found this task not only not boring but also very loving. Watching the two little ones go from falling with every step to walking steadily and flapping their wings more powerfully gave him an unparalleled sense of fulfillment.

When the little ones made progress, they naturally deserved a reward. With more activity, they lost energy quickly and needed plenty of food. Lin Bei would catch shrimp and crabs from the river when they rested. At this point, the little ones no longer needed minced meat but could eat small pieces of meat. Lin Bei would place the shrimp and crab meat for them to tear and peck, to strengthen their sharp beaks.

If a bird mother wanted to train her chicks to hunt, she would usually catch live insects for them to peck. Lin Bei could not catch small insects, so he used this method. Lin Bei did not know the effect yet, but it was the only method he could think of.

Doudou and Qiqi needed to eat, and so did Lin Bei. The wild chickens behind the Flying Dragon Wall seemed to be running out. Besides those caught by Lin Bei, many had migrated because he had disrupted the ecological balance. Now, Lin Bei had to go further to catch wild chickens, but even though he had to go farther, the foolish nature of the wild chickens made them not too difficult to catch.

After removing the innards of the wild chicken by the river and throwing them into the water, Lin Bei noticed that as the innards floated away, several soft-shelled turtles emerged from a small hole downstream to feed on them.

"Hmm, wasn't there only one soft-shelled turtle before? Why are there several now? Were they attracted by the blood?"

A large lobster also emerged from a stone cave. Lobsters are omnivores, but they are more carnivorous, eating insects and animal carcasses in the water, and sometimes even snails. The innards Lin Bei threw down were a delicious meal for them.

Although soft-shelled turtles are gentle, they also have the habit of protecting their food. So, when faced with this brave lobster, the soft-shelled turtles attacked fiercely. A small but significant battle broke out, and soon the lobster retreated, hiding back in its cave. The soft-shelled turtles then tore the innards apart, each taking a piece, and the rest were carried away by the river, though they did not float far.

Lin Bei watched with great interest and some surprise. The more soft-shelled turtles there were, the more comfortable he felt. If there were more, he could even catch a few to make turtle soup, which is very nourishing, especially wild turtles, which are hard to find in modern times.

"However, wasn't it said that this small river is very short? Where did the soft-shelled turtles come from? I should check downstream when I have time. Also, soft-shelled turtles are excellent at laying eggs, producing about three to five clutches a year. This is the peak season for turtle egg-laying. If I prepare well, these soft-shelled turtles will be easy to catch."

The small river was in the forest, and the riverbank was full of stone crevices, which was not suitable for soft-shelled turtles to lay eggs, as they need sandy ground. If Lin Bei could create a large sandy area, it would attract the soft-shelled turtles to lay their eggs there. Then, whether he wanted to hatch baby turtles or eat the eggs, it would be easy.

Lin Bei did not have any long-term goals or plans for anything he did. He just followed his interests, doing whatever he wanted. After all, he was a snake now, and Lin Bei did not know how long this snake body would live. So, he felt that being happy was enough. As for leaving a mark in history, Lin Bei had never thought about it.

Go with the flow.