A Huge Haul

When their wounds became infected, everyone was also in the habit of squeezing out the pus, so Jian Mo's actions felt quite familiar to them.

After the wounds were rinsed clean, the fur in many places on the Flying-Winged Beast was wet and clumped into strands. The area beneath its eyes was a little wet too, and it looked completely listless.

Jian Mo felt its belly and guessed it hadn't eaten in some time, so he had someone bring it food.

Flying-Winged Beasts were omnivores that could eat meat, roots, fruit, grass, and other things, so feeding it wasn't much trouble.

The beastmen fed it for a while. It wolfed down the food, gradually grew docile, and its eyes cleared.

Once they had finished treating it, everyone brought ropes and tethered it in the open space, warning the children to stay away.

Jian Mo turned to look at the Flying-Winged Beast, still uneasy. "Maybe we should tie it up with a few more ropes. It looks pretty strong to me."

Wu Jiong saw him watching the children with concern and smiled. He had someone bring more rope and tied up all four of the Flying-Winged Beast's legs.

The Flying-Winged Beast struggled for a moment, but couldn't break free. Giving up, it flopped down where it was.

Everyone was excited that the tribe had obtained a Flying-Winged Beast.

They discussed having a communal meal in the open space that evening, and everyone agreed.

Jian Mo looked puzzled, so someone explained, "We get together like this sometimes. When you're tired of your own cooking, eating someone else's doesn't taste quite so bad."

Jian Mo thought of the terrible taste of some people's cooking and nodded in rare agreement.

In an age without takeout, communal meals really were a good way to eat better.

Since they were eating together, they wouldn't divide up the meat they'd brought back from the hunt that day.

People came out with knives and cut the meat into small pieces, then divided the work and washed the various vegetables.

Jian Mo had planned to help wash the vegetables, but everyone said his cooking was delicious and unanimously chose him to cook.

Only then did Jian Mo learn that there were many kinds of seasonings here too; Wu Jiong's household simply didn't use them normally.

What surprised Jian Mo most was that they even had alcohol here!

In the summer, the sub-beastmen gathered fruit and put it in sealed containers. With the help of the natural yeast on the skins, it fermented into a low-alcohol fruit wine.

Seeing Jian Mo nearly stare himself silly, the sub-beastmen burst out laughing.

Qing Kuo personally brought over a jar and placed it in his arms, telling him to drink it.

Jian Mo felt a little embarrassed, but accepted it anyway.

The tribe had brought in a huge haul that day, and the whole place felt like a festival.

Everyone ate roasted meat and drank fruit wine. Some began singing, pulling those around them into a dance.

Jian Mo sipped his fruit wine and watched them, a radiant smile spreading across his face for the first time since he had come to this world.

He didn't notice that Wu Jiong, beside him, had also watched him for quite a while, looking away before anyone noticed.

Chapter 6: A Huge Haul

The previous night's bonfire party had given Jian Mo a rare chance to relax. The next day, not only did he feel no fatigue, he also woke up early.

Wu Jiong had woken up before him and was already busy with chores in and around the house.

The two divided the work without needing to discuss it and began their busy morning.

The sun gradually rose outside, dispelling the morning mist among the wooded mountains.

The aroma from the house gradually drifted out, carrying a long way.

First, curious little cubs who couldn't yet take human form came running over, peering inside with big, round eyes. Then the children who could take human form came over too.

The little ones all squatted in a row outside Wu Jiong's house.

Beastmen and sub-beastmen who had come out looking for their children were soon drawn over too, then enveloped by the rich aroma of cooking.

Someone couldn't help calling out to Jian Mo, "Jian Mo, what are you making? It smells incredible!"

Jian Mo had just finished dishing up the food. At the question, he said, "Just stir-fried meat and steamed eggs."

The others refused to believe him. "Stir-fried meat doesn't smell like that, does it?"

Jian Mo looked up and smiled. "That depends on what you stir-fry it with. I made the meat with pickled vegetables today. That's why it smells like this."

When Jian Mo answered, everyone walked in to look.

The freshly stir-fried meat was steaming hot, coated in a glossy, thick sauce. The pieces had shrunk slightly and looked tender at a glance.

Wu Jiong brought out clean bowls and plates and invited everyone to eat at their house.

Quite a few people were originally too embarrassed to accept and wanted to decline, but when they saw the beautifully stir-fried meat, many couldn't bring themselves to say no. They thanked him instead and quietly resolved to bring Wu Jiong's household a batch of meat that evening.

Everyone's jumbled thoughts lasted until they tasted the meat-

"Hot! And so fragrant!"

"It's so tender! How is there so much juice inside?"

"Is this still Fork-Horned Beast meat? Why does it taste like Fork-Horned Beast, but also not like it?"

"It's so delicious! I love this flavor!"

Jian Mo nodded. "It's Fork-Horned Beast meat, but I started marinating it in fruit wine and seasonings last night, so it absorbed more flavor."

The fruit wine had a hint of sweetness and an alcoholic aroma. Added to the meat, it gave the flavor more complexity, masking the gamey smell and enhancing its aroma.

To make the meat more tender, he had also mashed a tuber to use in place of a starch slurry.

As for the pickled vegetables, they were also there to add complexity to the meat's flavor.

To get that smooth, tender texture, the stone slab also had to be heated until it was extremely hot, with extra oil added. Then the meat had to be quickly stir-fried in batches and taken off the heat as soon as it was cooked.

Jian Mo went over everything, from knife work and marinating to controlling the heat.

Quite a few people listened with wide eyes, unable to say a word, and simply nodded furiously.

The children and little cubs squatting together also looked at Jian Mo with shining eyes.

Wu Jiong ate quietly beside them. He glanced at the visitors, then lowered his head and continued eating.

More and more people came into the house. After they finished eating, Wu Jiong took the bowls and chopsticks to wash them.

The others gathered around Jian Mo, asking him all sorts of questions.

The sun rose higher, and it was time to go hunting or gathering.

Contented, everyone said goodbye to Jian Mo one after another and prepared to head out.