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Wu Jiong thought for a moment and said, "There are similar creatures in the Green Marsh Source where we go to catch fish, but they are much larger. We call them plank worms."
Jian Mo was completely confused. "Why is it called a wood worm? Because it eats wood?"
Wu Jiong: "No, it's wide and flat, like a plank, so people call it the plank worm."
Jian Mo was curious about how much this thing resembled a wooden plank, and why the people here had given it such a shabby name. "How about we go take a look tomorrow?"
Wu Jiong: "Okay, I'll make the arrangements."
They hadn't been to Green Marsh Source in a long time. Jian Mo originally just wanted to spend some time alone with Wu Jiong, maybe with Jiujiu at most.
Upon hearing this, Ban Ming and the others clamored to go together.
Ban Ming's reasoning was quite sound, "The clan chief has never liked playing with these things since he was little, but we're different. We'll even go out of our way to catch them to play with when we're bored. We know exactly where the most wood worms are. Take us with you, we'll go catch the big, fat ones."
A Hu: "The wood worms still have their roe now. Although it's a bit troublesome to eat and there's not much meat, the roe is quite delicious."
Ran Wu, who was standing nearby, asked curiously, "Does that ointment taste a little fishy?"
A Hu: "It won't taste fishy. Just skewer it on its rear end with a wooden stick and roast it; then it won't taste fishy anymore."
Jian Mo was getting a headache from all the nagging, so she had no choice but to agree to take him along.
Seeing a large group of people trailing behind him, Wu Jiong told them to bring the little ones along as well.
Ban Ming was reluctant. "The little ones can't transform yet, what's the point of bringing them along?"
Wu Jiong: "Green Marsh Source is not dangerous. Let's take them out to play and see what the outside world is like."
Ban Ming and the others grumbled to themselves, but in the end they could only agree to bring the little ones along.
With Wu Jiong around, the parents had no objections.
The little ones had no objections either; one or two of them, their eyes sparkling, showed just how happy they were from the tips of their tails held high.
The kids were much more diligent than Ban Ming and his group, waiting outside Jian Mo early in the morning.
Jian Mo opened the door in the morning, she saw a group of fluffy little cubs and babies huddled together, fast asleep, which melted her heart.
He carried them one by one to the living room so the little ones could continue sleeping.
After breakfast, Ban Ming and his large group of teenage orcs and sub-orcs finally arrived.
Everyone has a tradition of taking care of the little ones in the tribe.
So, each giant beast carried several fluffy kittens, wolves, foxes, and little orcs on its back as it ran towards Green Marsh Source.
The little ones are all incredibly clever; whether they're grabbing their older brothers' fur with their little hands or carrying them in their mouths, they never fall off.
If one of the giant beasts runs too fast and the ride is bumpy, they'll laugh triumphantly for holding on tight enough not to be thrown off.
Jian Mo felt very sorry to see this, as her phone was out of battery.
Otherwise, you could just take a picture of this group of big, fluffy creatures carrying a bunch of little, fluffy creatures, and hang it in your home; that would definitely be an excellent decorative piece.
With the kids keeping the atmosphere lively, Jian Mo felt the journey wasn't too far, and she arrived in no time, laughing and joking.
Upon arriving at their destination, Wu Jiong directed the group of teenage giants to put the cubs down and then conduct cross-patrols to eliminate any nearby dangers.
There aren't many large wild animals around Green Marsh Source, but checking again would definitely make it safer.
There has been a lot of rain this year, and they haven't been here for a long time. They also need to check if there are any hidden swamps or if the streams and rivers have become deeper.
Jian Mo watched Wu Jiong give his instructions, his eyes almost glued to the screen.
The cubs and young sub-beastmen cheered from behind, Jian Mo said frankly, "Don't you think your clan leader looks especially handsome and charming at this moment?"
The little ones didn't dare shake their heads, but looking at Wu Jiong's serious face, it was clear they didn't appreciate it.
Jian Mo observed the little ones' expressions and smiled, "That's why I'm Wu Jiong's partner."
Wu Jiong, who was not far away, must have heard it; his ears turned slightly red.
Ban Ming and his friends, fearless of death, started a commotion.
The atmosphere at the scene was very joyful.
Wu Jiong assigned people to lead a group of cubs, one orc and one sub-orc, to ensure the cubs' safety while they played.
Once the responsibilities were clearly defined, Wu Jiong waved his hand, letting them move freely.
Jian Mo walked over to Wu Jiong and asked in a low voice with a smile, "Don't the two of us need to take care of the little one? Ban Ming and the others will probably complain that it's unfair."
Wu Jiong said indifferently, "Let them complain. Who told me to be the clan leader?"
Jian Mo laughed and pulled Wu Jiong along, "Let's go find the plank worm you were talking about."
Wu Jiong had already asked which plank worms were on the wood, and upon hearing Jian Mo's words, he immediately led him there.
They began searching in a small, muddy stream.
There weren't many people here, and there were quite a few fish in the stream. Before Jian Mo even caught a plank beetle, she had already caught several fish.
He didn't mind the fish; he threw them all into his basket, then put the basket in water to soak. When he got back, he could fry the fish or make fish balls, both of which would be quite delicious.
After searching for a while, Wu Jiong pulled a large, muddy creature out of the mud and said to Jian Mo, "This is a wood worm."
This creature was baring its teeth and brandishing its claws. Jian Mo examined Wu Jiong's hand and found that the insect was indeed flat and smooth, like a piece of wood.
It was wider than Wu Jiong's hand, its claws flailing as it struggled desperately, its head bobbing up and down, the two horns on its head forming two large claws that clamped down, trying to attack the person trying to catch it.
Jian Mo was stunned. "Isn't this a mantis shrimp?"
Wu Jiong: "The insects from your place?"
Jian Mo: "It's not an insect, it's a kind of shrimp from the sea. Um, I can't quite explain it, but this creature looks familiar to me, and it looks quite delicious."
Wu Jiong looked at the plank worm in his hand. This thing looked like it had more shell than meat, and it looked ferocious. It didn't look appetizing at all.
Jian Mo said enthusiastically, "Really, it's delicious whether steamed or stir-fried with chili. Quickly throw it into the basket, let's look for more."