My Apocalypse System Arrives 10 Years Early

Chapter 35: Chapter 34: No Chicken Past Six, No Dog Past Eight

The scene that followed was too much to watch. Li Xiang covered his face and fled.

’That lecherous old rooster... no, the Star Lord of the Pleiades may be a degenerate, but it’s just an animal. I can’t hold it to human moral standards.’

Even for Li Xiang, who had grown up in the mountains, the two largest Red Dragon Centipedes were an extremely rare sight due to their size. He took them to the kitchen and scalded them with boiling water to remove their venom and impurities. Then, he shaved two thin bamboo slivers, each the length of his forearm and the width of his pinky finger. He skewered the two potential Tier Two Exotic Beasts, stretched them straight, and hung them under the eaves. Once they were air-dried, he could add them to the jar of Medicinal Wine.

The next morning, Li Xiang finished breakfast, packed some dry rations and water, and headed back into the deep mountains to dig for Solomon and record his video. This time, he brought two large back baskets, as he wouldn’t be filming the entire process.

It wasn’t a livestream, so all he needed was enough footage for editing later. He had already filmed most of what he needed yesterday; today was just for gathering a little more.

Without having to worry about camera angles or providing commentary, his speed at digging up Solomon increased dramatically. He harvested twice as much as the day before. In addition, he also gathered some termite mushrooms, matsutake, and bigfoot mushrooms.

With such a bountiful harvest, he was naturally in a good mood. Li Xiang hummed a little tune as he walked through the forest.

Suddenly, he stopped. He saw something on a nearby hillside and broke into a happy smile.

Two fat rabbits were fighting.

Both rabbits were standing upright on their hind legs, their front paws continuously smacking each other’s faces. Their punches were surprisingly fast, making them look like a pair of brawling boxers.

Li Xiang remained perfectly still. He quietly slipped off his bamboo baskets, set down his shovel, and took out only his High-Density Blade. Using the trees for cover, he crept closer. By the time he was within ten meters, both rabbits had noticed him, but they were so caught up in their fight that they paid no mind to the intruder.

Perhaps they thought he was still too far away. To them, two-legged creatures like humans were slow and stood no chance of catching them.

Within ten meters, the system still hadn’t reacted. This meant the two rabbits were merely Mortal Items. Li Xiang wasn’t too surprised. After all, potential Mutated Creatures were quite rare. Besides, they would at least have to survive until the Apocalypse to even have a chance to transform.

Many animals, limited by their lifespans, simply wouldn’t live another ten years.

The two Gossipy Dragons back at his house, however, did have that potential.

This was because Li Xiang had grown up hearing a story about a poor Scholar in ancient times. Despite repeatedly failing the imperial examinations, he continued to study diligently, hoping to one day pass and bring honor to his family.

His wife was also incredibly supportive. Even though they often didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, she never complained. She single-mindedly managed the household inside and out so the Scholar could focus on his studies.

One year, the Scholar left home to take the provincial-level imperial examination in the capital city. But the roads were treacherous and travel was difficult, so the round trip took a full three months. When the Scholar returned home, he was covered in dust from his journey, looking like a beggar.

His wife’s heart ached for him, but they had spent most of their money on his travel expenses, and there was no presentable, nutritious food left in the house. So, steeling herself, she killed the old hen they had raised for many years.

The main reason was that the hen was so old it had barely laid any eggs since the previous year. But because they had raised it for so long and it had once laid many eggs, contributing greatly to the family, they had grown attached and couldn’t bear to kill it.

Now that there was nothing else to eat, she had to force herself to do it.

The old hen didn’t have much meat, making it incredibly precious to the family. She stewed it all in a pot, and every last bit went into the Scholar’s stomach. The Scholar’s wife couldn’t bear to eat a single bite.