Mid-summer, May.
The Yunling Mountains were lush and verdant, with streams meandering through the mist-shrouded peaks.
The aroma of bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms wafted to Luo He's nose.
In his mind, images of these mountain delicacies being transformed into exquisite dishes began to surface.
Driven by professional instinct, his consciousness gradually returned.
Luo He slowly opened his eyes.
Towering ancient trees filled his vision, their deep green canopies blotting out the sky. A few faint rays of light filtered through the leaves, illuminating the thick mist that blanketed the forest.
Luo He was momentarily stunned.
Have I... traveled through time?
There was no time to gather wild ingredients, even though the task was undeniably tempting to Luo He, a chef by trade.
The immediate priority was to figure out his current situation and ensure his own safety.
Taking a deep breath, Luo He gradually calmed himself and began to sort through the fragmented memories in his mind.
His current location was the Yunling Mountains.
The mountains were home to lush alpine vegetation and a wealth of rare flora and fauna.
His predecessor had been a forest ranger, intimately familiar with these mountains, and these memories provided Luo He with valuable information.
Luo He fished out the forest ranger's ID from his work uniform, examining the handsome photo on it, and exhaled a puff of white breath.
Coincidentally, his predecessor shared both his name and appearance.
It was as if he were looking at a parallel version of himself.
In this world, there existed a type of magical creature known as "Beast Pets."
Beast Pets possessed extraordinary powers, and their types included but were not limited to plants, animals, ghosts, and even machines. They provided great convenience to their contracted trainers.
Powerful Beast Pets could even control the weather, move mountains, fill seas, and traverse time and space, bringing their trainers immense wealth and fame.
In short, this was a world that revolved around Beast Pets.
Because of their existence, numerous professions related to Beast Pets had emerged, such as mechanics, breeders, and forest rangers.
His predecessor had been an excellent forest ranger. Although he hadn't contracted any Beast Pets, he had never made a mistake in over two years of work.
What could have caused his death, indirectly leading to my transmigration?
Luo He searched his memories but found no answers, so he shook his head.
"Let's get out of here first... I need to be extra careful."
Luo He surveyed the dark, towering forest and sighed:
"If I run into some ferocious Beast Pet, I'll be dead before I even get started."
The relationship between trainers and Beast Pets was generally friendly, but in the wild, there was no shortage of fierce and savage wild Beast Pets.
From what Luo He knew, the Yunling Mountains were home to the infamous "Blind Bear," a Beast Pet that didn't get along well with humans.
The Blind Bear was known for its monstrous strength, with a sleek black coat and a robust build. A single swipe of its paw could shatter a wild boar's ribs.
If I were unlucky enough to run into a Blind Bear...
With my frail physique, I'd probably just end up as a quick snack for the bear.
"ROAR!!"
A deafening roar echoed through the mountains, startling flocks of birds into flight.
Luo He stumbled, his expression complicated.
That sound... it's definitely a Blind Bear, and it's nearby!
In a panic, Luo He turned his gaze toward the source of the noise and saw the bushes rustling. A dark shadow was unmistakably moving closer.
Crap, it's a bear!
In this critical moment, Luo He surprisingly calmed down.
When faced with danger, don't panic. First, take out your phone... no, first, play dead.
The Blind Bear got its nickname because of its poor eyesight.
Although its hearing and smell were acute, it had trouble distinguishing stationary objects.
According to the forest ranger's survival guide, "The Forest Ranger's Survival Manual and 101 Ways to Die," the best way to survive an encounter with a Blind Bear was to play dead.
If you're lucky, you might escape unscathed.
If you're unlucky... well, you're just out of luck.
The rustling grew louder, and Luo He could almost smell the bear's pungent odor.
Without hesitation, Luo He lay down on the spot, closed his eyes, and folded his hands over his chest.
Peaceful.jpg
The "Blind Bear" slowly approached, its feet sinking into the soft layer of fallen leaves and crushing dry twigs beneath its weight.
The mountain wind whistled hollowly, brushing through the pine needles with a mournful sound.
Luo He's heart pounded, and he didn't dare to breathe too loudly, relying on his hearing to gauge the situation.
It stopped, right in front of me.
Should I seize the chance to run, or keep playing dead? Luo He's mind was in turmoil:
"Don't panic. Blind Bears don't like to eat dead things."
At that moment, Luo He felt a wet bear tongue swipe across his cheek, and his heart leaped into his throat:
"But what if this one isn't picky?!"
Seeing that the human in front of it wasn't moving, the "Blind Bear" wasn't ready to give up yet. It began pacing around Luo He.
Luo He belatedly realized something was off.
Wait a minute, why are this bear's footsteps so light?
Could it be a female bear? No, even a female bear wouldn't be this light.
Luo He decided to peek through half-closed eyes.
If things looked bad, he'd summon his "cafeteria rush" skills and run for his life.
But what he saw made him freeze.
It was indeed a bear, but this bear was a bit small... and had an extra character in its name: "cat."
A red panda.
Red pandas weren't baby giant pandas but rather resembled raccoons.
They had fluffy red tails, pointed ears, and white markings on their faces.
They were also known as fire foxes or nine-tailed wolves.
Before him, a round-faced red panda with reddish-brown fur was sticking out its little tongue, curiously observing Luo He.
"Ying~"
Luo He could roughly understand what this little creature was trying to say.
You're awake.
Luo He looked up at the empty distance ahead, then down at the red panda, which didn't even reach his knees.
He chuckled at his own foolishness.
So, I was scared out of my wits by this little guy?
But it was understandable. After all, he had just transmigrated and was still on edge. That bear roar had been real enough to make him think the worst.
Having been a forest ranger for over two years, Luo He had some experience communicating with Beast Pets.
Of course, he couldn't compare to trainers with the "telepathy"天赋, but he could usually get the gist of things through a mix of guesswork and intuition.
Luo He bent down and tried to communicate: "What's the matter?"
The red panda nodded and pointed behind Luo He with its chubby little paw, its eyes filled with anticipation: "Ying~"
Luo He turned around and saw a tree laden with ripe, red fruits.
This tree was called a "snake fruit tree," a common spiritual plant.
The red snake fruits it bore were first-level spiritual fruits, known for their sweet and delicious taste. They were often used in gourmet dishes and Beast Pet training.
After some gesturing from the red panda, Luo He gradually understood its meaning.
It had seen him lying under the tree and assumed he was the tree's owner. That's why it had woken him up, seeking his permission to pick the fruits.
Most Beast Pets in the Yunling Mountains had strong territorial instincts and would guard the resources within their domains.
For example, the notorious "killer bees" of the mountains would display formidable teamwork when defending their honey against intruders.
It wasn't hard to understand why the red panda had chosen to communicate with the "terrifying upright ape" under the tree before picking the fruits.
This little guy isn't shy at all.
Luo He couldn't help but laugh, deciding not to reveal the misunderstanding:
"Go ahead and pick them. You have my permission."
"Ying!" The red panda's eyes visibly brightened.
With agile movements, the red panda climbed up the snake fruit tree, its fluffy red tail bouncing with each step. It plucked two fruits with its chubby paws, held one in its mouth, and quickly climbed back down, offering one to Luo He with its right paw.
Accepting the red panda's offering, Luo He smiled warmly:
"I'll just have one. The rest are yours."
The red panda grinned, its eyes shining even brighter. It nodded, then closed its eyes to savor the red snake fruit, its whiskers stained with juice.
Luo He watched the red panda with a smile, feeling a sense of relief.
I knew it was a false alarm.
How could my luck be so bad as to run into one of the Yunling Mountains' top predators, the Blind Bear, right at the start?
That roar must have just been the Blind Bear passing by... no big deal!
Just then, the bushes rustled again.
Luo He turned his head abruptly.
"ROAR—"
A ferocious black bear emerged from the bushes, its throat rumbling with a low growl. It bared its teeth, making the scar on its face look even more menacing.
A foul stench filled the air as an oppressive aura emanated from the Blind Bear. The trembling leaves and the sudden silence of the birds all signaled the arrival of the real deal.
The Blind Bear's eyes were wide and round, fixed directly on Luo He.
Luo He: "..."
He looked at the Blind Bear, then at the red panda.
Plop.
The red panda's mouth hung open in shock, the half-chewed fruit falling to the ground. The red snake fruit in its paw rolled away.
In the blink of an eye, the red panda stood upright on its hind legs and raised both paws in a gesture of surrender: "Ying!"
Hey, big guy, let's talk this out!
It was too late to play dead now, but luckily, I have another survival plan... Luo He mechanically turned around.
Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he took off running.
Fast!
...
(End of Chapter)