Chapter 29

Having two dogs to guard the door is better than just one. Although still in the forest, with only leaves for a bed, Zhao Mai slept soundly and peacefully. He even dreamed of his warm home, with a comfortable and snug mattress and a soft pillow.

When he opened his eyes, the campfire was almost out, with only a few red embers flickering in the morning breeze, like a rhythmic breathing. Not far away, the cheerful barks of Beizhunliang could be heard. It was dragging some prey with Gourou. Zhao Mai sat up and smiled. It was a tortoise, as big as a washbasin. Its legs were bitten by Gourou, so it couldn't run away and could only retract its head, allowing Gourou to drag it to the camp.

Zhao Mai drew his short sword and ran over, thrusting it into the gap in the tortoise's shell, ending its life. On Earth, many tortoises are protected animals. They are gentle, harmless, and do not destroy things, making them very popular. Only in this fantastical world, to survive and fill his stomach, would Zhao Mai hunt such animals.

The law of the jungle is not the whole world, but it does exist. The headless body of the gnome was still nearby, stripped of everything. Survival is the top priority, and protecting oneself is no joke. Therefore, Zhao Mai had no psychological burden about setting a trap to ambush the gnome or about the gnome's body becoming food for insects.

To break open the tortoise's hard shell with only a short sword and an axe was impossible for Zhao Mai. At least a hammer and a saw would be needed. However, cooking it with the shell on was still possible, though it would be a bit wasteful. Gathering enough firewood, he used his shield as a shovel to dig a shallow pit slightly larger than the tortoise, then started a fire and threw the tortoise into it.

This was a combination of teppanyaki and beggar's chicken, the simplest cooking method. While the tortoise was roasting, Zhao Mai put on his armor and organized his items, placing each tool where it was most convenient. Among the loot, the item he liked most was a rope, light but strong, over twenty meters long, now hanging from his waist.

This gnome was not an experienced adventurer, evident from the items he had. If Zhao Mai and his friends had enough funds and carrying capacity, they would have packed every possible item to avoid any unsolvable problems. The gnome, however, had brought a few odds and ends, useful for selling but lacking in practical tools.

After organizing his equipment, Zhao Mai used his hand axe to shape a thick, long branch into a short spear, which could also serve as a javelin to attack enemies when necessary. By the time he finished, the tortoise was almost done. The hard shell was now charred black, breaking into pieces with a single tap. Zhao Mai used a branch to drag the large black mass out of the fire, wiped his axe, and chopped an opening.

The tortoise's meat was a bit tough but very fragrant, and the wild surroundings added to the flavor. Zhao Mai sat cross-legged on the ground, sprinkled some salt, and began slicing the meat with his axe, feeding himself, then Beizhunliang and Gourou. The two dogs and Zhao Mai ate heartily, making no sound except for the smacking of their lips.

After eating, Gourou finally allowed Zhao Mai to pet its head, but only three times before it would dodge. Only its owner, Karl, could freely rub its head. Among the four closest friends, they had shared training under Ranger Karl, which counted. They had almost fought together, as Gourou was likely preparing to ambush the gnome, but Zhao Mai's quick action ended the fight before it could join. They had definitely shared loot, with the radiant gem pendant still under Gourou. As for the last one... Zhao Mai thought about it and decided to skip it.

Lately, he had been treating these animals as intelligent beings like himself, a trend that was understandable but still a bit strange. Zhao Mai pondered and decided he should quickly enter the civilized world and interact more with people. Although Beizhunliang was loyal and cute, it shouldn't change his aesthetic views, right?

After a full meal, it was time to part ways. The ceremony was simple: Gourou licked Beizhunliang and sniffed its rear, saying goodbye. It then carried the gem pendant and entered the forest without looking back. Beizhunliang sniffed the air for a long time, then turned around and nudged Zhao Mai's leg, asking to be picked up.

Once on his shoulder, Beizhunliang's mood improved, and its tail started wagging again. Zhao Mai carried it through the dense forest, returning to the shore of Ash Lake.

His car was still where he left it, but the branches covering it had somehow slid to the ground. Looking around, the car was spotless, without a speck of dirt or dust. The old angel had said, "This car is indestructible and self-contained, unaffected by the outside world."

This was convenient, saving him the trouble of clearing the camouflage. Zhao Mai sat behind the steering wheel, and Beizhunliang moved around the passenger seat, sniffing everywhere. Zhao Mai watched his little dog with a sly smile and suddenly started the car. Seeing Beizhunliang jump in surprise and bark nervously, he felt extremely happy.

Following the map, he drove south along the lake shore to reach Nibo Town. Since there were no roads, the journey was fraught with difficulties. Hard pebbles were easier to navigate, as long as he avoided large rocks. However, many areas were soft mud, not quite swampy, but still capable of trapping the car, so he had to go around them.

Zhao Mai often had to stop and use his axe to cut down some shrubs to clear a path for the car. Each day, he spent two hours gathering food to ensure he and the dog had enough to eat and drink. He wondered if the water in the car's radiator was drinkable but was afraid to risk damaging the car, so he put off the experiment.

Living off the land, Ash Lake was a vibrant body of water, rich in both fish and birds. Zhao Mai tried using a wooden spear to catch fish but had no talent for it, wasting a lot of effort without catching anything. However, Beizhunliang found some bird eggs in the reeds by the lake, which were excellent food.

With the car, the nights were much safer. As long as the doors were closed, nothing could harm the sleeping human and dog inside. The car had air conditioning, music, and soft seats to sleep on. Beizhunliang loved curling up on the passenger seat, like a fluffy ball.

Before bedtime each night, Zhao Mai dug a shallow pit by the lake, diverted some water into it, and made a fence with sharpened branches. The sharp ends faced the pit, so fish could enter without sensing danger but would be pricked if they tried to leave. The sharp points wouldn't hurt the fish's scales but would prevent them from escaping. Zhao Mai used ants and worms as bait, and in the morning, he would find greedy fish trapped in the pit.

By building a dam with mud to block the pit's exit, the rest was just harvesting. Beizhunliang was not picky and ate the grilled fish like a cat, eating whatever Zhao Mai gave it, very obediently.

This was the most perfect dog in the world, without a doubt.