Yun Manman hurriedly gathered her emotions. Eight Returning Lotus Fruits appeared in her hand, and she placed them all before the wolf king and queen.
"These are my thank-you gifts. We're friends, so it's only right to return the favor."
The wolf queen's eyes softened with maternal affection. She stepped forward and nuzzled the back of Yun Manman's hand, letting out several howls.
Yun Manman knew they had accepted the Returning Lotus Fruits, so she could rightfully take these beasts. Turning to examine the prey, she marveled more with every look.
"My goodness, are these snow leopards? And brown bears and grizzly bears?"
"These wild boars are even bigger than the ones I killed!"
"Damn, there must be at least twenty lions here! Did they stir up a lions' den?"
"Oh, what a shame! If this wild yak weren't dead, I could keep it at home, let it have calves, and slaughter them for beef!"
With that, Yun Manman tapped her head. Enough thinking about that. She should build her house first, then return to the mountains to find wild yaks once it was finished. That happily settled it.
Feeling refreshed and invigorated, Yun Manman waved her hand and put all the prey into her space.
She turned to look at the wolf queen behind her and the three wolves standing beside her. Presumably, they were her children.
"Thank you all. I'm very happy with my haul from this trip into the mountains. I'll come play with you again next time."
Just as Yun Manman was about to leave, the wolf king and queen howled several times. A tall, large wolf beside the queen stepped up to Yun Manman first and crouched down.
Yun Manman was just about to say there was no need to bow to her again.
Then the wolf queen nudged her with her head once more, and Yun Manman suddenly understood. This wolf was going to carry her out of the mountains.
Thinking of the long, long distance she had walked to get here, Yun Manman hurriedly climbed onto the wolf's back.
The wolf howled several times and began running, with six wolves following behind, racing forward together.
Yun Manman hurriedly gripped the wolf's belly with her legs and wrapped both arms tightly around its neck. It truly lived up to being a northwestern wolf.
Watching the scenery flash past like a movie, Yun Manman thought its speed was seriously badass.
It was just that her backside had been jolted into two halves!
When I get back, I'll have Mother make me a cushion. Then I won't have to suffer when I ride a wolf again.
After just two hours, Yun Manman saw the exit where she had entered the mountains, and the wolves came to a smooth stop.
Yun Manman swung down from the wolf's back.
She cupped her fists toward the wolves and waved goodbye. These northwestern wolves really were impressive. They had run at full speed for two hours without slowing down at all.
She thought of how her home still needed a guard dog-no, a guard wolf.
Next time she came into the mountains, she would definitely ask the wolf queen whether their pack had any lazy, gluttonous, disobedient wolves.
Bringing one home to guard her house would be perfect!
After bidding the wolves farewell, Yun Manman looked toward town and released the Mongolian wild horse from her space.
The wild horse had been dozing sleepily when its surroundings suddenly changed.
Opening its eyes, it saw a familiar place and hurriedly stood up to look around.
A Returning Lotus Fruit appeared in Yun Manman's hand, and the wild horse immediately turned to look at her palm.
Yun Manman fed the Returning Lotus Fruit to the wild horse and patted its enormous head.
"Let's go to town. I'll give directions, and you run. Let me see if you're up to it!"
The wild horse had just blissfully narrowed its eyes to savor the Returning Lotus Fruit when it heard Yun Manman's doubtful words.
It raised its head and neighed. Is there anything I, a Mongolian wild horse, can't do?
Yun Manman chuckled and swung onto its back. Squeezing its belly with her legs, she rode toward town.
A third of a quarter-hour later (five minutes).
Looking at Red Camp Town a short distance away, Yun Manman gave the wild horse a thumbs-up.
This Mongolian wild horse truly lived up to being a first-rate warhorse. (A horse's speed was around 61 kilometers per hour.)
Its speed really was no joke. She had trudged along so miserably for so long last time, yet it could cover the distance in five minutes.
With no one around, Yun Manman put the horse into her space before leaving the woods and walking toward town.
Yun Manman did not intend to linger in town.
She first went to the blacksmith's shop to pick up her silver needles, then bought several outfits at the cloth shop, followed by a saddle and a pair of scissors.
Seeing that Zhenyuan Hall, which she had visited last time, was still packed with people, Yun Manman pressed her lips together and went straight to the counter. Using her sleeve as cover, she placed three jars on it.
"Shop assistant, I have two jars of scorpions and one of centipedes here. They're still fresh and alive. Does your medicine shop buy them?"
The assistant paused in wiping a table and leaned his head over, his eyes filled with some confusion.
Yun Manman opened the jar containing the centipedes, frightening the assistant into hurriedly retreating several steps.
He looked at Yun Manman as though she were some kind of monster. "M-miss, please wait a moment. I'll fetch the shopkeeper right away."
Yun Manman had just replaced the lid.
Then she heard hurried footsteps. The shopkeeper studied Yun Manman curiously before smiling and gesturing for her to enter.
"Miss, please come to the back room so we can discuss this in detail."
Yun Manman picked up the jars and followed the shopkeeper into the back room. The shopkeeper was just about to serve tea.
Yun Manman raised a hand to interrupt his pleasantries and probing.
"These are all freshly caught and alive. There are twenty-eight scorpions and eight centipedes. How much can you offer?"
The shopkeeper was taken aback by Yun Manman's directness.
In all his years of business, this was the first time he had met a young woman who dared to catch scorpions and centipedes and spoke so crisply and decisively.
"Miss, may I examine their quality? I certainly won't shortchange you."
Yun Manman took a tray used for medicinal herbs and poured all the scorpions and centipedes onto it, then gestured for the shopkeeper to look.
The sight of so many venomous creatures at once instantly made the shopkeeper's hair stand on end. Wasn't this young woman a little too fearless?
Yun Manman pursed her lips, not understanding why he was so frightened. She picked up a small bamboo strip nearby and prodded the centipedes and scorpions to stop them from escaping the tray, her voice clear and calm.
"Shopkeeper, what price can you give me for these?"
The shopkeeper pressed his lips together as he looked at the lively venomous creatures in the tray. These were indeed the finest specimens he had ever seen.
Judging by the young woman's extraordinary bearing and courage, she must catch them often. Perhaps she would have other good things in the future.
"Ten copper coins per scorpion and twenty per centipede. Miss, are you satisfied with that price?"
Yun Manman prodded them with the little bamboo strip, then looked at the shopkeeper and nodded. "That works. Let's settle the deal now!"
The shopkeeper wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, hurriedly took half a tael of silver from his sleeve, and handed it to Yun Manman.
Yun Manman looked at him with some confusion, and the shopkeeper plastered a broad smile across his face.
"Consider the remainder a token of our medicine shop's sincerity. If you have anything good in the future, please remember our shop. Our prices will always be fair."
Yun Manman was never one to stand on ceremony. She nodded, accepted the silver, and turned to leave the back room. The shopkeeper looked at the living creatures in the tray.
His rather plump body shuddered, and he hurriedly trotted out of the back room. These things really were frightening. He had better have someone else deal with them.
With her business finished, Yun Manman left town directly. After entering the woods and sensing no signs of anyone nearby, she slipped into her space.
Yun Manman dressed herself in men's clothing.
She looked at the mirror she had exchanged points for. This was her first time looking in a mirror, and the woman inside looked exactly like she had in her previous life.
She narrowed her eyes slightly at her reflection.