Chapter 162

Chapter 162: Welcome Back.

Jié Jié wasn’t too clear about the words of the investigators behind him; he was merely observing this familiar Coastal Plain.

This plain had been submerged by the sea level during the fight between the Abyssal Wave Dragon and the Steel Dragon, then turned into a swamp by the rain.

The natural environment is easily altered by monsters but also develops corresponding corrective abilities.

The rising sea level had long since retreated with the disappearance of the storm, leaving only a few ponds and dried-up puddles in the swamp.

The plants and animals that invaded from the sea left with the tides or became nutrients for terrestrial organisms.

The “bad” coconuts not picked up by the Team Leader took root, growing into short but straight coconut trees. It would take a long time to grow as tall as their predecessors.

As soon as the seawater receded, the swamp would dry up under the efforts of plants and sunlight.

When grass leaves spread across the ground again, it could once again become a sacred place for Herbivore Dragons.

The initial estimate of several years was indeed an underestimate of nature’s corrective power by Jie Jie.

Seeing the Spiny Dragon looking around as if reminiscing, the Team Leader suppressed the idea of using stink bombs among his team members.

“Compared to using stink bombs, I’m thinking, can we use traps plus tranquilizer balls to directly capture the sleeping Spiny Dragon without resistance?”

The Team Leader proposed a more creative idea.

Other monsters wake up at the slightest wind when they enter sleep, but the Spiny Dragon sleeps deeply and won’t wake up unless there’s a big explosion.

Capturing an uninjured Spiny Dragon seems really possible.

“Hiss! Not bad, Team Leader!”

“But even if we capture the Spiny Dragon now, we have no way to relocate it elsewhere. As long as it doesn’t cause substantial hindrance to us, it’s necessary to maintain peace.”

“I’m really curious about what happened during its absence.”

The Team Leader looked at the dull patterns on the Dark Green Shell of the Spiny Dragon, muttering while stroking the pouch containing tranquilizer balls.

Still, let’s not consume resources and wait for the Spiny Dragon’s natural sleep.

But Jie Jie had no intention of sleeping at this moment. He flapped his wings and chose to shake off the persistent gaze following him from behind.

“Flew away, what a pity, but there will always be opportunities later.”

Even the Herbivore Dragons were left uneaten?

The Team Leader looked at those Herbivore Dragons, gently rubbing his chin.

“Let’s go, just as well they’re gathered together, let’s catch a Herbivore Dragon and go back.”

“Choose one on the edge, don’t disturb the couples who are newly married and in love.”

He took out the bait ball, threw it towards a single, plump Herbivore Dragon, and pulled the rope, slowly luring the Herbivore Dragon closer.

The smell of the bait ball was specially adjusted by the Chef Cat Leader based on the Smoky Snow Weasel’s scent, deeply loved by everyone.

When the Herbivore Dragon woke up from the shadow on the ground and raised its line of sight away from the bait ball, what it saw were several fierce-looking men.

The Herbivore Dragon was tied to a stick, carried by the Team Leader and another investigator without tasks, heading towards the base.

At the foot of the mountain where the base was located, they encountered a Smoky Snow Weasel carrying a Circumnavigation Rabbit.

Their eyes swept over each other, moving away from each other’s prey, then met again.

“Team Leader? What’s wrong?”

The other investigator holding the Herbivore Dragon peeked out from behind the bulky body of the Team Leader, seeing the figure that made the Team Leader pause: “It’s the Smoky Snow Weasel!”

The four eyes woke up, Jie Jie hurriedly crawled up the mountain on all fours.

“Phew! The missing person has returned, this is truly a good day. Looks like catching this Herbivore Dragon was the right move!”

The other end of the stick was snatched away from the investigator’s hand, and the Team Leader directly shouldered the Herbivore Dragon larger than himself, rushing up the mountain.

“Come on! What are you standing there for?”

“Not that, Team Leader…”

Looking at the Team Leader who was bearing the entire Herbivore Dragon alone, the investigator froze, his hands awkwardly unsure where to place them, but his legs involuntarily followed along.

“Good afternoon!”

Jie Jie walked into the cave with the Circumnavigation Rabbit in his mouth, stood upright, and waved to the Chef Ailu Cat passing by.

“Meow?”

The Chef Cat was stunned, still walking forward, but his head unconsciously turned toward the Smoky Snow Weasel, falling down in a daze.

“Meow!”

Realizing this, the Ailu Cat landed on all fours and entered the cave with Jie Jie, calling out loudly.

“Meow? Meow~”

The Chef Cat Leader, who was facing away from the cave entrance, didn’t turn around, patiently sprinkling some salt on the ingredients, saying something as if scolding the Chef Cat for being too hasty.

Jie Jie stopped and put down the Circumnavigation Rabbit, patiently waiting for the Chef Lady Ailu Cat to finish her work, watching the Chef Cat anxiously turning around her and pulling her apron.

“Meow?”

Finally, the Chef Cat Leader turned around, her eyes following the incident cat downward, seeing the Smoky Snow Weasel looking at her.

She rubbed her eyes, feeling something climb onto her and nestle into her arms.

“Meow!”

She opened her eyes and exclaimed softly: “Meow~Meow~”

Her padded paw gently stroked the head of the Smoky Snow Weasel.

Despite being wild in battles outside, it didn’t stop him from still liking fluffy things, especially the fluffy Chef Ladies who cook well!

Jie Jie emitted a satisfying “squeak,” responding to the gentle whispers of the Chef Lady Ailu Cat.

The perspective swayed, she bent down and gently picked up the Circumnavigation Rabbit from the ground.

When she looked up, she saw the burly man carrying the Herbivore Dragon running up the mountain.

“Cough! Welcome back.”

The Team Leader wiped the slight sweat from his forehead, also noticing the Chef Leader who had already embraced the Smoky Snow Weasel, satisfiedly nodding and putting down the Herbivore Dragon.

As the Team Leader, he knew that after the disappearance of the Smoky Snow Weasel, the Chef Leader had been emotionally low for quite some time, and the Commander had even commissioned him to look for it during outings.

After the investigators failed to see the spirited Smoky Snow Weasel, they also felt disheartened.

The Chef Leader nodded at him, her eyes sweeping over the Herbivore Dragon, returning to the Circumnavigation Rabbit in her hands.

Rabbit meat is high in protein and low in fat, easy to make hungry, so it naturally needs fatty Herbivore Dragon meat to complement it.

The Herbivore Dragon, dead in its dreams, could never have imagined that its nutritious and meaty self would one day fall to the role of accompanying rabbit meat.

The news of the Smoky Snow Weasel’s return quickly spread, and the third to arrive at the cave was the usually calm Commander.

After the mascot of the Investigation Team disappeared in the New Continent, it should have been him next to the Chef Leader, even specifically requesting the Team Leader and relatives to pay attention during outings.

In the evening, the gathered investigators surrounded the Smoky Snow Weasel on the table, filled with joy watching it eat.

Being watched like this, Jie Jie almost went into a shutdown. No matter how unrestrained monsters were, no matter how intertwined in appetite and passion, nothing compared to the terror of a group of human gazes!

But emotions always spread around. As plates of Herbivore Dragon meat were served, everyone began eating, and Jie Jie gradually blended back in.

~~~~~

Chapter 163