Duckie's Happy Day

Meanwhile,

As Chen Yuan examined the Moistening Duck beside the wok up close, he noticed several faint wounds on its body, as though it had been injured by some sharp weapon.

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes and asked, "Who did you fight with?"

Hearing that, the Moistening Duck immediately raised its head. Its once calm, round face instantly turned furious as it launched into an angry tirade.

Just this morning, some hateful fellow had stolen the Spirit Fish it had worked so hard to catch!!!

Chen Yuan fell silent for a moment.

Case solved.

Now he finally knew why the Gray Feather Falcon was covered in wounds.

Cola, on the other hand, was filled with righteous indignation. It bared its fangs and howled fiercely, declaring with great vigor that it would avenge its friend.

"Quack quack quack~"

Seeing Cola's intense reaction, the Moistening Duck was deeply moved.

What a true friend, quack~

Chen Yuan looked at the pair of friends who had known each other for less than half an hour and stroked his chin. "Though the Gray Feather Falcon has air superiority, it probably isn't a match for these two together."

Having been a Beast Tamer for some time now, Chen Yuan had become increasingly aware of the natural advantage of being able to fly.

As long as one could fly, one could endlessly kite and wear down an opponent. Even if they could not win, they could still run away.

A little while later,

The fried fish in the wok had been picked clean by the two little ones.

"Quack?"

The Moistening Duck first tilted its head, looking somewhat lost. Then it stuck its head into the wok and searched it carefully. When it failed to find any fried fish, its expression turned disappointed.

"Awooo."

Cola slumped onto the ground and let out a string of mournful sighs as well.

Chen Yuan shot the two little ones a fierce glare. "If you want fish, catch it yourselves!"

He still had Spirit Fish to catch.

Cola subconsciously looked at the calm, crystal-clear lake and shook its head rapidly.

"Quack."

Seeing its friend's reaction, the Moistening Duck patted its chest without hesitation. Its rear lifted slightly, and its fluffy hairstyle bounced from side to side like jelly.

Duckie can catch fish!

The next moment,

The Moistening Duck leaped into Mingyu Lake, splashing up waves of water before vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Chen Yuan leaned close to Cola's ear and whispered, "I've got a task for you."

"Awoo?"

Cola's triangular ears shot upright. Its eyes gleamed, and its body instinctively straightened.

"Become its real friend, then figure out a way to lure it back to our farm," Chen Yuan said.

"Awoo~"

Cola nodded thoughtfully, then gave an excited cry and decisively accepted the assignment.

Leave it to me!

Half an hour later,

Ripples suddenly churned across the tranquil lake. Sensing the movement, Cola abruptly raised its head, its azure eyes fixed ahead—soaking wet, the Moistening Duck burst out from beneath the water with a strange-looking fish clamped in its beak.

After coming ashore, the Moistening Duck smoothed out its fluffy hairstyle again, then looked at its reflection in the lake. Only after that did it nod in satisfaction.

"Quack quack quack."

The Moistening Duck placed the strange fish before Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan lowered his head to look at the dying fish covered in wavelike stripes and smiled. "Leave it to me."

First-time collection of Wave-Patterned Salmon. Origin Points +1

Name: Wave-Patterned Salmon

Level: Level 1 Spirit Fish

Good, good, good!

Moistening Duck, was it? I'll give you credit for this.

Chen Yuan ended the Wave-Patterned Salmon's brief yet glorious life, cleaned it up, and tossed it into the wok to fry.

The sizzling of hot oil rang beside the two little ones' ears like heavenly music. They stood guard beside the wok, watching quietly as the Wave-Patterned Salmon changed from gray to golden yellow.

Wisps of fragrance had already begun to rise. Cola sniffed, its tongue repeatedly slipping out and back in, while drool threatened to spill from the corner of its mouth.

The Moistening Duck was not much better. Its trembling pupils, wide-open beak, and shaking body all revealed its excitement and anticipation.

Once the frying was done,

The two little ones could no longer hold back and immediately dug in.

"Awoo awoo awoo."

Even though the fish was scorching hot, Cola did not care. It swallowed a slice of fish in one bite, flavor overflowing from the corners of its mouth.

The Moistening Duck was a little more refined than Cola at first. It had been savoring the flavor of the fish slices slowly, but when it saw Cola's lightning-fast pace, it instantly panicked. No longer caring about manners, it chewed faster and faster, its eyes widening more and more.

This, this was the taste of happiness, quack.

Even after swallowing the fish slice, the Moistening Duck was still chewing, as if relishing that fragrance and that feeling of happiness.

Compared to swallowing it raw, this was way too delicious!

Chen Yuan glanced sideways at the two little ones and secretly laughed. "This is what happens when you've never tasted anything good."

Then,

Chen Yuan scooped up a golden slice of fish and tasted it himself. His eyes suddenly widened as he muttered, "No wonder."

The meat and flavor of Spirit Fish truly surpassed ordinary fish by far. This was practically the difference between a roadside stall and a luxury restaurant.

Doubt the Moistening Duck, understand the Moistening Duck, become the Moistening Duck.

After eating two slices, Chen Yuan left the rest for the two little ones.

This Wave-Patterned Salmon was rather small, nowhere near comparable to that Golden Crucian Carp. The two little ones wolfed it down and quickly polished it off.

"Awoo."

Cola sprawled on the ground, pressed tightly against the Moistening Duck. Feeling a warm current flow through its entire body, it let out a blissful groan.

"Quack quack~"

The Moistening Duck rubbed its slightly bulging belly. Even as the blazing midday sunlight fell upon the ground, it merely squinted, its little webbed feet swinging back and forth.

So happy, quack.

Cola suddenly remembered something and turned to the Moistening Duck. "Awoo awoo awoo~"

Is my master's cooking delicious?

"Quack!"

Hearing that question, the Moistening Duck wiped the expression from its face and nodded very seriously.

Seriousness was the most basic respect for food.

Delicious, quack!

"Awoo awoo?"

Cola's eyes rolled as it stared at the Moistening Duck and asked again.

Then once we leave here, you'll never get to eat it again.

"Quack!"

The Moistening Duck instantly sat upright. A trace of panic flashed through its eyes as it shook its head rapidly like a rattle-drum.

Cola was quite satisfied by the Moistening Duck's reaction. It stretched out a paw, patted the Moistening Duck on the shoulder, and coaxed, "Awoo awoo?"

Then do you want to keep eating it?

"Quack quack quack quack quack quack!"

The Moistening Duck nodded at the fastest speed possible.

"Awoo awoo."

Then come with us.

"Quack?"

The Moistening Duck froze in place, apparently not expecting Cola to say that.

Then,

The Moistening Duck sank into thought.

It slowly raised its head and swept its gaze across Mingyu Lake—the tranquil surface remained still and unruffled. Occasionally, birds skimmed over the lake, casting fleeting shadows. Encircled by green mountains, Mingyu Lake was as peaceful as ever.

Cola watched the Moistening Duck with hopeful anticipation. Chen Yuan quietly pricked up his ears as well. Only Spark looked uninterested, staring blankly at the white clouds in the sky.

Seeing that the Moistening Duck had yet to answer, Chen Yuan had no choice but to say, "Actually, it's a place with food and lodging included—"

Before he could finish, Spark was the first to shoot him a resentful look.