The Bet (Continued)

Jian Mo looked at the rushing river. "Wouldn't it be difficult to catch?"

Zhou Fu: "That depends on individual skill. The clan leader should be easy to catch."

Jian Mo glanced back at Wu Jiong, nudged him, and blinked, as if asking if he was confident.

Wu Jiong grabbed Jian Mo's wrist, his expression completely calm.

That means you have confidence.

Jian Mo withdrew her gaze, filled with anticipation for the Ambus Fish.

The Ambus River was wide, and in its deepest parts, the water reached their thighs. The bottom was covered with stones of all sizes, so it wasn't very slippery, but it was cold.

Jian Mo went downstairs.

Wu Jiong looked at him and gently nudged him. "Go wait on the shore."

Jian Mo: "It's okay, you'll get used to it in a bit."

Wu Jiong frowned, Jian Mo said, "It's really nothing. If I can't stand it, I'll go ashore and sunbathe. I won't force myself."

His physique is indeed not as good as that of the orcs and sub-orcs, but he is not so fragile that he can easily overcome a little cold water.

Wu Jiong nodded and began searching in the river.

After regaining her footing, Jian Mo looked at the rushing river water and asked, "What does Ambus Fish look like? I don't think I've seen one."

Wu Jiong bent down, reached in, and accurately grabbed a fish the size of his palm. "It looks like this."

Jian Mo looked closely and noticed that the Ambus Fish was somewhat flat, with grayish-brown patterns on its back, making it look like a stone.

In addition, its skin is not covered with ordinary fish scales, but with delicate skin similar to that of a loach.

It's quite unique.

Wu Jiong threw the fish into a basket placed in the water. A large rock was placed at the bottom of the basket to ensure that it would not be washed away. The basket was filled with water, so the fish could still swim in it after being thrown in.

Jian Mo observed for a moment, then turned to look at the riverbed, rolled up her sleeves, and prepared to try her best to catch fish.

After searching for quite a while, and after Wu Jiong had caught several fish in a row, he finally spotted a grayish-brown figure.

He cautiously approached, reached out, and grabbed at nothing.

The Ambus Fish were moving so fast that, using the splash as cover, they darted forward and disappeared instantly.

Jian Mo stared wide-eyed for a long time, but still couldn't find the fish. Reluctantly, she prepared to look for the second fish.

Wu Jiong taught him how to catch fish. "You have to bend down and look close to the surface of the water. The fish aren't where you can see them; they're a little deeper down."

Jian Mo realized, "I remember now, the principle of water refraction—I understand."

Wu Jiong nodded.

Jian Mo rubbed her hands together excitedly. "Alright, you've learned the secret! Wait for me to catch two big ones for you to try."

Jian Mo was full of confidence, but she still couldn't outrun the speed of the Ambus Fish.

He struggled for a long time but didn't catch a single fish, while Wu Jiong kept throwing fish into his basket, which was already half full.

Jian Mo borrowed a basket, intending to trap the fish before catching them, but she didn't succeed—the pebbles underneath were uneven, and the Ambus Fish swam too fast, escaping in no time.

When the sun had passed its zenith and everyone stopped to rest, Jian Mo's record was still zero, while Wu Jiong had grabbed half a basket by himself. Together, their record crushed everyone else.

Someone remarked, "This fish is delicious, but hard to catch."

People around them chimed in:

"If it were that easy to catch them, they would have been completely wiped out long ago."

"It's not that it's really hard to catch fish, look at Jian Mo and the others—they've caught a lot of fish, haven't they?"

"Haha, it's mostly because Jian Mo is here. The clan leader used to be too lazy to catch fish, and he always had only a few more fish in his basket than we did."

"Having a partner makes all the difference, doesn't it, Chieftain?"

Wu Jiong listened to the various jokes calmly. "Isn't it only right to catch some good fish for my partner?"

Despite the teasing from those around them, Wu Jiong and Jian Mo remained unfazed. After a few more exchanges, seeing their lack of interest, the crowd changed the subject.

After resting thoroughly, everyone went back into the river to fish.

They fished until the sun was setting before packing up and heading back to the village.

Today, a portion of the fish was given to the tribe for collective distribution, while the rest was kept by each family.

Jian Mo and her group caught a lot of fish, and they had a lot left in their hands.

Looking at the still-live Ambus Fish, Jian Mo, "How should we cook this fish? Pan-fried or in soup?"

Wu Jiong: "Stew it, cut a piece of half-fat, half-lean cured pork and stew it together, the stewed fish will be exceptionally thick and delicious."

Jian Mo looked at the fish, then at the cured meat hanging under the eaves, unable to imagine how to cook it, so she gestured for him to come. "Why don't you come? I'll start the fire for you."

Wu Jiong: "I'll give it a try. Let's clean the fish first."

Wu Jiong took an old seashell knife and cleaned the fish in the yard. He first stunned the fish, then scraped off their scales.

Jian Mo then realized that the Ambus Fish wasn't scaleless, but rather covered in fine scales that had to be carefully scraped off.

The fish scales scraped off looked like shaved ice; Jian Mo wiped them off and they felt a bit like sand.

When you cut the fish open, the flesh is thick and looks very plump.

Just by looking at it, you can tell it's probably delicious.

Jian Mo squatted to one side, watching expectantly as Wu Jiong prepared the fish.

Jiujiu squatted on the other side, waiting expectantly for the fish heads they didn't want.

After gutting the fish, Wu Jiong threw the head, tail, and innards to Jiujiu didn't mind at all, holding them with her paws and eating very politely.

After finishing its meal, it Jiujiu twice and obediently squatted to the side, waiting for the next fish.

Jian Mo rubbed Jiujiu's bottom; the guy seemed quite pleased with himself.

Soon, Wu Jiong carried a basin of fish with the head and tail removed into the kitchen. He then went to the eaves and cut a piece of half-fat, half-lean cured pork. He washed it with warm water, sliced it thinly, and pan-fried it until translucent.

After frying the cured pork until it turns golden brown and curls up, and the aroma rises, Wu Jiong puts the fish into the pot, adds spring water, and stews it directly.

The large iron pot was heated to a rolling boil, and when spring water was poured over it, the soup immediately turned milky white, and a rich, savory aroma wafted out with the steam, lingering in the kitchen.