BXBX NOVEL Chapter 55: 54: Lubricating Mucus
“Before I teach you, you need to realize that when you prepare to track a monster, the first thing to understand is that they do not distribute evenly across the wilderness; they tend to move between places where they can obtain food, water sources, and their lairs. Water, light, and food are the three essentials no creature can do without.”
Zhao Liang was very thorough in his teaching.
“Once we’ve determined the general area, we then use distinguishing marks like footprints, dung, traces of nibbled grass and leaves, and bits of fur and scales left in their resting and sleeping areas.”
“Besides these obvious signals, there are also lingering scents in the air, residual heat, breezes they’ve breathed… these more subtle clues. However, these aren’t much related to us Beast Tamers, as some special Beast Tamers will master these abilities. For example, your Beast Taming includes the Salty Bay Crocodile, which has a keen sense of smell for blood, good vision, and a sharp perception of water currents.”
“Once we’ve found the traces of the target we need to track, we can rely on Beast Tamers’ keen senses to help us further track the prey.”
Chen Xing pondered, thinking this sounded a bit like hunters going up the mountain with hunting dogs.
Discover the target’s footprints or dung and let the hunting dogs track by scent.
“Actually, I feel the Ze City Secret Realm is not very reasonable. Such a vast swamp and there are neither snakes nor crocodiles.”
“Now there are.”
“That’s true, now let’s teach you how to hunt.”
“There are three kinds of fish in the Secret Realm: Red Silk Fish, Star Spot Loach, and Thorn Crown Fish. Thorn Crown Fish generally live in shallow water. With their head crowns camouflaged as dead branches, they are commonly found in shallow areas or indoors. Red Silk Fish and Star Spot Loach prefer slightly deeper water. They are carnivorous fish, and common methods include fish hooks and another method is using bait.” As he spoke, Zhao Liang took out two bags from his backpack.
Chen Xing took them, finding them filled with red clay-like bait, with eight bold red characters—Fangcun Brand Red Silk Fish Bait.
Chen Xing couldn’t help but look at the other bag.
Zhao Liang grinned and displayed the front of the package, “That’s right, it’s bait for the Star Spot Loach, too.”
Fangcun Brand Star Spot Loach Bait.
Chen Xing was numbed, realizing that high-end hunters often employ the most straightforward and crude methods.
“Isn’t this a bit…” Zhou Hao was conflicted for a long while, unsure how to describe it.
“Technology changes life; of course, we use the easy way when there’s one,” Zhao Liang spread his hands, “We’ve got technology so we use it, we’re not cavemen. We even use wireless walkie-talkies in the Exotic Region. We can’t be signaling with beacons and smoke, or sending messages by pigeon.”
“If technology can be used, of course, we use it. Mainly because the Red Silk Fish and Star Spot Loach have no distinct features, they’re aquatic monsters, lacking footprints or scents. Unless your Beast Taming includes tracking skills, it’s better to just rely on technology honestly. Human thinking should be flexible, not rigid.”
As he spoke, Zhao Liang grabbed a handful of Red Silk Fish bait from the bag and scattered a large amount over the nearby water surface.
The scattered bait fell into the water.
After a good while, Zhao Liang suddenly grabbed another handful and scattered it.
The water surface remained calm. Zhao Liang turned back to Chen Xing, “Your crocodile is in the water; the Red Silk Fish dare not come close.”
“Hold on, let me switch to a different bait.”
After saying that, Zhao Liang grabbed a handful of Star Spot Loach bait and threw it in.
A short while later, Taotie emitted a low roar from the water, signaling Chen Xing that some food was rapidly approaching it.
Bang!
The water surface exploded as Taotie’s enormous body flashed momentarily atop the water, fighting fiercely with the approaching Star Spot Loach.
“`
In the midst of combat, the body of the Star-Spotted Loach also emerged from the water. With eight barbels on its face, the creature was slender, with small mouth and eyes, and a grey-black back adorned with small white spots.
[Species]Star-Spotted Loach
[Energy Level]18
[Energy Level Limit]19
[Attribute]Water
[Body Length]2.12 meters
[Body Weight]72kg
[Skills]
Primary Skills: Bullhead Charge (Mastered), Water Column (Mastered)
Innate Skill: Slippery Mucus (Mastered)
Chen Xing was somewhat surprised, as this was actually a monster that had awakened an innate skill.
According to statistics, just like Beast Taming creatures, the probability of wild monsters awakening innate and passive skills combined is about 1%.
‘This Star-Spotted Loach is actually an excellent individual that has awakened an innate skill, but its species has a low energy level limit,’ Chen Xing thought to himself while watching the loach battle with Taotie.
Zhao Liang noticed Chen Xing’s expression and thought he was puzzled as to why the red satin fish was not attracted but the Star-Spotted Loach was.
Zhao Liang spoke up, “Because the red satin fish has good vision, it definitely saw your Beast Taming beast’s large size and didn’t dare to come over. The Star-Spotted Loach has poor vision and rushed over headfirst after smelling the bait.”
“It sure is reckless… Zhao bro, is a monster like the Star-Spotted Loach valuable?”
Chen Xing made a roundabout inquiry.
“It’s worth a little, but not much,” Zhao Liang replied with a smile, “Many big restaurants are buying them.”
“…Nobody buys them to use as Beast Taming beasts?”
Zhao Liang was taken aback and chuckled, “Who would get this thing as a Beast Taming beast? With such a large Beast Taming market, a N19 monster doesn’t have any competitive edge, especially since it’s purely aquatic and becomes useless on land. If you really want to take a few monsters out, I’d recommend the Scythe-Back Ghost Crab, which has the highest purchase price at the same energy level.
The Star-Spotted Loach has one advantage, though—it tastes good, even better than the red satin fish, especially in soup. When we get out, I’ll take you to a shop. Their signature Star-Spotted Loach soup is something else.”
“What if it awakens a passive skill? Is a loach with an awakened passive skill valuable?”
“That would be worth something. The loach’s passive skill is a Cold-Repelling Physique, which after consumption can invigorate. An adult Star-Spotted Loach that has awakened a passive skill is worth about twenty thousand,” Zhao bro gave an expression that every man understands.
“But honestly, it’s the Star-Spotted Loaches that have awakened an innate skill that are the most valuable. Some pharmaceutical companies specifically buy loaches that have awakened innate skills. Ordinary Star-Spotted Loaches are worth five thousand each, while those that have awakened an innate skill can be sold for up to one hundred thousand.”
Wang Bing took up the conversation, “I know about this.”
Seeing the others look over, Wang Bing continued, “My family is in the pharmaceutical business. The innate skill of the Star-Spotted Loach is called Slippery Mucus, which can generate a protective mucus layer on the skin. This mucus offers some defensive benefits, and some pharmaceutical companies, upon research, found this mucus to be colorless, tasteless, and harmless to skin, mainly because it also has a certain shock and impact resistance, so it’s specifically used for larger Beast Taming creatures…”
The rest were shocked, including Zhao Liang. He knew that there were people collecting loaches with awakened innate skills, but this was the first time he had heard what they were used for.
“This… for Beast Taming creatures?” Zhou Hao said in disbelief.
Wang Bing coughed, “Some pharmaceutical companies, in private, have different species of Beast Taming creatures interbreed, trying to see if they can cultivate new varieties with a high cost-performance ratio. Many pet dogs were bred this way in the past. There’s a big size disparity among some Beast Taming creatures, and this is to prevent injury to the female creature…”