"Bang!"
The shelf fell heavily to the ground.
Sethe had finally arrived home, utterly exhausted. He lay on the grass at the door, tongue half out, savoring the fragrance of the grass. At that moment, Sethe didn't want to move at all.
Although using a stretcher made it easier, the hundreds of pounds of weight from the huge boar were still a significant burden. The journey had nearly worn him out.
[Huff huff~]
Sethe lay there, resting for a while until his breathing gradually returned to normal. He didn't know how long it had been, but the burning sensation in his chest finally subsided. He sat up, his two thick hind paws splayed out, and looked up at the sky.
It was already dusk, and the sky was covered with golden clouds, making the earth seem draped in a holy golden veil. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, peaceful and serene.
Ah, but no, it's almost dark. I need to deal with this big boar quickly.
Realizing this, Sethe shook his round head, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from the beautiful sunset to look at the giant boar he had dragged back. The boar was huge, at least four meters long.
Sethe: (ˉ﹃ˉ)
Hehe~
This boar should last me for a while, at least a week, he thought, feeling a surge of energy. He got up and began the task of processing the boar.
First, he cut it into pieces, then hung them on wooden vines and placed them in the smokehouse next to the treehouse. These were simple steps, but by the time he finished, it was already early morning.
Sethe hung the last piece of meat in the smokehouse. The small smokehouse, about seven or eight square meters, had six hanging racks, each now laden with dozens of pieces of meat, glistening with enticing oils.
Looking at the nearly full smokehouse, Sethe proudly put his paws on his hips.
Humph, another productive day!
Satisfied, but also deeply tired, he felt the exhaustion wash over him. He had been busy all day. Feeling the weariness, he left the smoky smokehouse and returned to the wooden house.
He walked into the wooden house and looked at the large nest inside. He hadn't bathed after working all day and didn't feel like moving. Hmm, I'll just lie down here.
He didn't fall asleep immediately. Sethe closed his eyes, and in the next second, golden light appeared, dispelling the darkness inside the treehouse. When Sethe opened his eyes, six golden threads were floating in his vision.
This was today's gain.
[Strengthen all body scales]
The six golden threads embedded themselves in various parts of his body: head, back, chest, tail, front, and hind paws. Sethe could no longer see them as he had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
Inside the wooden house, a chubby red lizard with a large head and belly was curled up in a ball, tightly holding its tail with its paws.
[Huff huff~]
A soft snoring sound echoed in the treehouse. The night sky was dotted with stars, and the clear moonlight reflected a water-like moon.
"Croak croak~"
"Chirp chirp~"
The sounds of frogs and insects intertwined, heralding the arrival of summer. In an instant, the croaking and chirping stopped, and the environment near the stream fell silent.
Rustle~!
A large paw with golden fur lifted the tree curtain of the smokehouse, and red beastly eyes narrowed at the sight inside. The skin around its mouth twitched as if it were smiling.
Lucky~
Walking into the smokehouse, the fiery lion hesitated as it inhaled the aroma of the boar meat.
Is it wrong to steal the little guy's food?
Looking at the racks full of boar meat, it swallowed hard. This was an S-rank rare magical beast, even sought after by the Adventurers' Guild. Such high-level magical food was hard to come by.
The fiery lion lifted its head, its big nose twitching in the air. The smell was too tempting!
"Gulp~"
Swallowing another mouthful of saliva, it couldn't resist anymore. Just one piece, I'll only eat one piece.
And I always look out for this little guy; eating one piece of his meat shouldn't be a problem. It's like... like a protection fee.
Yeah, that's it. This is the protection fee.
The large paw lifted, and a sharp claw extended from the furry paw pad. With a light hook, it cut through the vine holding the meat. The smoked meat fell into the waiting, wide-open mouth.
[Crunch crunch~]
The red beastly eyes instantly widened into round pupils.
This taste is amazing! No wonder it's S-grade magical beast meat!
Another piece?
The greedy gaze fixated on the remaining meat in the smokehouse.
[Just one piece, and there are so many pieces here. The little guy probably won't bother counting them all.]
[Yes, just one piece.]
An insidious voice echoed in its mind.
The paw rose again, about to hook the vine, but it paused. The fire lion retracted its claw, shaking its head slightly as the greedy look in its eyes faded back to clarity.
No, no, eating one piece is already too much. The rest of this meat should be left for the little guy. S-grade magical beast meat would be very beneficial for the newly hatched little one.
The fire lion restrained its gluttonous desires and withdrew from the smokehouse. The tree curtain slowly fell back into place, restoring the peaceful scene.
[Croak croak~]
After about a minute, the frogs resumed their summer symphony in the night.
"Ah~"
Sethe opened the door of the wooden house, and the warm morning light instantly bathed him. Embracing the warmth, Sethe opened his mouth wide, revealing sharp teeth and a pink tongue as he yawned lazily.
His mouth slowly closed, and his gaze swept over the smokehouse beneath the tree. The smoke was thinning, with only a faint blue wisp drifting out—it was time to add more firewood.
He climbed down the tree roots, added a pile of leafy branches to the smokehouse, and then walked to the stream at his doorstep. After washing his body in the stream, Sethe stood upright in the middle of the water.
The stream was so clear that he could see the colorful pebbles at the bottom, and it reflected his image like a mirror. In the water, a creature with a round head, a big belly, and deep red scales covering its body, except for the white thick scales on its belly, stood quietly.
Sethe carefully examined his reflection in the water. He had changed quite a bit; his body had become more balanced and he no longer looked like a big-headed lizard. His scales had also darkened, looking much nicer.
But...
Sethe lowered his head, leaned closer to the water, and stared at his reflection.
A round head, a big belly.
Why do I look so silly?