Chapter 94: Dissecting the Giant Python

"Let's go, take a break, and bring the tools up later."

After a night of toil, Jing Shizhen was also feeling quite exhausted. The giant python was not at risk of being stolen here; apart from their group, it was difficult for others to reach this place.

When they arrived at the riverbed, Tong Dongjie had already made the call. The three people who came up yesterday had returned and would bring the tools back down later.

"Uncle Jing, the car and everything else are ready. In two hours, we'll have everything we need delivered here."

Seeing Jing Shizhen approach, Tong Dongjie quickly offered his folding chair. This chair was portable, and the guys waiting here didn't neglect themselves; each had one.

Jing Shizhen took the chair offered by Tong Dongjie and said, "Dongjie, Xiaofan's arm is injured, so you'll have to bear with it."

"Uncle Jing, rest assured, I won't let you down this time!" Tong Dongjie patted his chest, guaranteeing. He felt a bit embarrassed yesterday, being scared by the giant python and not daring to take a single step down the steep slope.

"Alright, I'll leave you more stuff later." Jing Shizhen nodded, giving Tong Dongjie a sweet deal.

Although not very brave and with average combat skills, Tong Dongjie was highly efficient in handling tasks.

It didn't take two hours for the three people to return, and they brought seven more with them.

"Uncle Jing, they're all family members, so there's no risk of information leaking."

Seeing Jing Shizhen frown, Tong Dongjie quickly explained in a low voice, "I invested in a logistics warehouse in Dazheng last year, and I needed people to manage it. These are family members who came over, and I called them to come here just now."

"As long as you know what you're doing. If this leaks out, I'll say you took everything."

Jing Shizhen gave Tong Dongjie a few warnings, glanced at the group, and said, "Do any of you have magical artifacts? Those with them can help us dissect the materials."

"Uncle Jing, they're all family members without any qualifications, so they don't have magical artifacts," Tong Dongjie said with a bitter smile. The best resources in the family were given to those with qualifications. If he weren't the representative of the Tong family outside, he might not even have a magical artifact for protection.

"Alright, let's do it ourselves then."

Jing Shizhen shook his head and picked up a backpack filled with tools.

Tong Dongjie carried a vacuum machine, a stack of specialized packaging bags, and four insulated boxes on his back.

Su Xiaofan almost laughed at the sight. This didn't look like the boss of a listed company; he looked more like a laborer.

Su Xiaofan, the most idle, couldn't use his injured arms and carried nothing, but he held a few fresh beef strips in his hand.

These were brought by Tong Dongjie, who said the tiger cat needed meat, as milk alone wouldn't satisfy it.

Sure enough, when Su Xiaofan put the finely sliced beef strips in his pocket, the tiger cat, which had been sleeping, woke up and started eating.

While feeding the cat, Su Xiaofan followed Uncle Jing and Tong Dongjie back to the village.

"Dongjie, I'll start by peeling the python's skin, and you'll remove the meat and put it in the bags."

Jing Shizhen looked at Su Xiaofan and said, "Don't just stand there; help with the vacuum sealing, which doesn't require much strength."

After assigning tasks, Jing Shizhen opened the backpack, which was filled with various knives. It was unclear where Tong Dongjie found all these tools in such a short time.

Jing Shizhen picked for a while and selected a small knife, about five inches long, with a curved tip, specifically for peeling skin.

Su Xiaofan was genuinely surprised. His usually refined master was so skilled at this task that even a butcher might not be as proficient.

Jing Shizhen started by cutting the python's lower jaw with the short blade.

Su Xiaofan noticed that Jing Shizhen used true qi when making the cut; otherwise, the knife might not have been able to cut through the python's skin.

After making the initial cut, Jing Shizhen quickly began peeling the python's skin, his movements extremely skilled, reminiscent of a butcher's expertise.

However, the giant python was enormous, over twenty meters long. Jing Shizhen squatted on the ground and worked for more than three hours to peel the skin.

The python's skin was not entirely intact, with many claw marks from the tiger cat, but the python's large body meant it wouldn't affect the making of the inner armor.

The python's skin was very thick, even after peeling, with fine scales. Jing Shizhen divided it into three segments, each about a meter thick, which would need to be tanned before use.

As for the python's blood, it had mostly drained away during the night, but the blood had coagulated into clots.

Tong Dongjie immediately started picking up the blood clots from the ground, ignoring the dirt, planning to clean and separate them later.

By the time they finished peeling the skin, it was already noon. The three of them ate a simple meal and continued working.

Removing the bones was also a skilled task, and Tong Dongjie could only assist.

The giant python mainly had a single vertebra running through its entire body.

Jing Shizhen handed the pieces of meat he removed to Tong Dongjie, who placed them in vacuum bags and then had Su Xiaofan vacuum seal them.

Each vacuum bag could hold about fifty pounds of python meat, and they filled fifty bags in total.

Su Xiaofan tore a piece of python meat to feed the tiger cat, which, after eating a few beef strips, fell asleep again after eating the python meat.

The python's heart had been shredded by Jing Shizhen's sword and was not found during the dissection.

However, at the position of the python's gallbladder, Jing Shizhen found a gray, egg-sized object.

Jing Shizhen didn't give this to Tong Dongjie but put it in a small bag and kept it in his pocket.

After all the dissection was complete, the giant python had disappeared, leaving only dozens of bags on the ground.

The only evidence of the python's existence was the fierce python head, which Jing Shizhen said could be made into a specimen, a nice piece of art.

"Dongjie, let's talk. How much of this do you want to buy?"

After a day of hard work, Jing Shizhen was also quite exhausted.

Jing Shizhen, Tong Dongjie, and Su Xiaofan were all covered in the python's blood, emitting a strong, fishy smell.

"Uncle Jing, I want a thousand pounds of python meat. There are many people in my family, and they can all get a share."

Tong Dongjie, disregarding his appearance, sat on the ground. He had already discussed with his family what he wanted to buy.

"The python bones weigh about a hundred pounds. Uncle Jing, can I have half?" Tong Dongjie looked at Jing Shizhen, his tone asking for permission.

"Go on."

"The python skin, I want a hundred pounds, and ten pounds of python blood. What do you think, Uncle Jing?"

Tong Dongjie quickly listed the quantities he needed, looking nervously at Jing Shizhen.

"Two hundred pounds of python meat, one thousand yuan per pound,

Twenty pounds of python bones, fifty thousand yuan per pound,

The python skin is only about two hundred pounds, so I can give you fifty pounds at one hundred thousand yuan per pound,

For the python blood, I can give you ten pounds, but it's a minimum of one million yuan per pound,

I'm not overcharging you; the magical artifact Xiaofan destroyed was worth four to five million yuan.

If you think it's fair, we'll make the deal. If not, I'll take everything with me!"

Jing Shizhen quoted the prices he had discussed with Su Xiaofan, as if he were giving Tong Dongjie a great deal.

"Uncle Jing, can you give me a bit more?"

Tong Dongjie didn't think about haggling. Such creatures were rarely seen, and even if they were, he wouldn't have the chance to buy them.

Indeed, if not for the need to keep things quiet, Jing Shizhen wouldn't have sold any of it. Taking these items out, he could exchange them for things far more valuable than money.

"Alright, I can give you a bit more python meat, but that's it," Tong Dongjie said, sounding like a market shopper bargaining with a vendor.

"Two hundred pounds, take it or leave it."

Jing Shizhen shook his head. He had originally planned to sell more python meat, as he and Su Xiaofan wouldn't eat much of it.

However, seeing the tiger cat eat the python meat, Jing Shizhen had a change of heart. A tiger cat that could eat extraordinary creatures from birth was likely an extraordinary creature itself.

Jing Shizhen had no experience raising extraordinary creatures, but a tiger cat raised on python meat would be stronger than one raised on ordinary meat. So, he decided to keep most of the python meat.

"Alright, Uncle Jing, let's make the deal!"

Tong Dongjie knew he had little room to negotiate. Bringing these items back was already a significant achievement.

"Alright, if I'm not mistaken, that's eighteen million yuan. You can transfer it to Xiaofan."

Jing Shizhen stood up and said, "Let's get the items out of the mountain first. Dongjie, you'll have to make a few trips."

Even after dissection, the total weight was about three tons.

Jing Shizhen and Tong Dongjie made over ten trips to transport everything to the riverbed.

Getting out of the mountain was much easier with over ten people, and they managed it in one trip.

A five-ton refrigerated truck was packed to the brim. It wouldn't be opened again until they reached Luochuan, and Tong Dongjie personally locked it with two locks.

By the time they finished, it was already midnight.

Jing Shizhen, Su Xiaofan, and Tong Dongjie had been working non-stop for almost two days and were extremely exhausted.

Tong Dongjie didn't mention returning to Shuangmen Village and drove straight back to Fengcheng.

When they returned to the hotel, they changed clothes in the car, but the strong smell of blood still lingered.

Jing Shizhen and Tong Dongjie had no appetite. Tong Dongjie went straight to his room, and Jing Shizhen gave Su Xiaofan a few instructions before closing the door to shower and sleep.

Su Xiaofan was in better shape, having rested during the dissection. He fed the tiger cat another piece of python meat and gave it some water.

The tiger cat hadn't opened its eyes yet but was in good spirits, licking Su Xiaofan's fingers with its tiny tongue before falling asleep.