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墨書 Inktalez
Before writing, I must apologize. In the chapter titled "Border Station Chief Lei Xu" that I wrote yesterday, I mistakenly stated that pineapples grow on trees. In fact, they should grow on vines like watermelons. After finishing the writing yesterday, I felt something was off, and today I checked the relevant information and realized I had made a mistake! This is the first time Azure has blushed since starting to write. I apologize to all readers! I bow in apology! I'm still blushing...
Just when Xin Yi had nowhere to escape, the snake hanging from the branch suddenly lunged forward with a "swish." The snake's body, which had been upright, became straight as an arrow, and its triangular head shot toward Xin Yi's left cheek. At this moment, if Xin Yi wanted to avoid this deadly strike, the only way was to turn around and use Roxy's body to block the snake's attack. However, Xin Yi was not one to resort to such underhanded tactics, even against an enemy; it should be a fair fight without any dirty tricks. But this left Xin Yi with no way to evade. As the snake was about to bite, Xin Yi felt a chill in their heart, unable to believe that after ten years of killing, they would be cornered by a snake with no chance to fight back.
In this critical moment, Xin Yi could even feel the chilling sensation on their left cheek. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared before them; Xin Yi felt a splash of foul-smelling snake blood hit their face. The three-colored viper had been severed at its midsection by a single strike. Its head lost its strength and fell at Xin Yi's feet, still writhing. Xin Yi let out a quiet breath of relief, thinking how fortunate they were. It turned out that it was Yanming Shop Elder, who had been walking behind Xin Yi, who swung his knife to save them just in time. The speed and precision of that strike were extraordinary; it seemed that Yanming Shop Elder was not an ordinary person but at least someone skilled in combat. No wonder he had survived for so many years as a guide in the jungle; he must have some exceptional skills for protection.
Xin Yi was very grateful for Yanming Shop Elder's timely rescue and hurriedly said, "Thank you, Elder! That snake was indeed formidable; its attack speed was astonishingly quick, making it almost impossible to defend against!"
At this moment, Xu Maogong and Topology also heard the commotion and turned back in shock. They realized how close they had come to being bitten by the viper. Judging by its appearance, it must have been highly venomous; if bitten, there might not even be time for treatment. Yanming Shop Elder said, "You don't need to thank me; ensuring your safety in the jungle is my responsibility. This type of snake is called the Tricolor Viper. It is highly aggressive and moves quickly. Its venom is extremely potent; a single dose can kill several large water buffaloes. It is one of the most dangerous snakes in the jungle, so you should be cautious from now on. Generally speaking, snakes with brighter colors tend to have stronger venom; avoid provoking them unless necessary."
Hearing what Yanming Shop Elder said made everyone feel a wave of fear wash over them. The venom of that snake was indeed so potent that it could kill several large water buffaloes with just one bite. If Xin Yi had been bitten earlier, there would have been no hope for survival. Yanming Shop Elder continued, "The chances of encountering snakes in the jungle are quite high; it's like a paradise for snakes here. Generally speaking, you can pass by a snake every few steps; most of the time people just don't notice them. When encountering an aggressive snake in the jungle, it's best to remain calm and still; wait for the right moment to strike decisively. The biggest taboo is turning around and running away—no one can outrun a snake in the jungle. If it really wants to attack you, making sudden movements will only make you more likely to become its target."
Everyone listened carefully to Yanming Shop Elder's words; knowing more in such a perilous place could save their lives at critical moments. They all nodded in agreement with him. Roxy nodded too but remained clinging tightly to Xin Yi, like a koala bear around his neck without letting go; her expression seemed completely oblivious.
"Cough... The snake is dead now; can you get down?" Xin Yi asked.
"Ah? ... Oh, I'm sorry! I got scared..." Roxy suddenly came back to her senses as if realizing something and noticed how ambiguous her position was while hanging on Xin Yi. Her face flushed red as she quickly loosened her grip and slid down from him while mumbling an apology.
"Alright, let's go," said Xin Yi. Although Roxy was indeed quite charming—her allure different from that of Lijie, Shen Shanshan, or Shu Rui. While Lijie was coldly beautiful, Shen Shanshan gentle and graceful, and Shu Rui intellectual and elegant, Roxy exuded an innate seductive charm that made men want to possess her or break her down completely—a type of woman who could bring cities or nations down with just one smile—a true beauty who could ensnare men throughout history. However, despite this allure having lethal power over men—including Xin Yi, who couldn't escape its grasp—he remained rational amidst his troubles with three women: he was nearly driven mad by Shen Shanshan because of his issues with Lijie, while Lijie, having left due to problems with her own feelings for him regarding Shen Shanshan, was still missing. He dared not stir up any more trouble regarding women; moreover, he still didn't fully understand what motives lay behind Roxy's true identity as she approached him.
The group continued taking turns swinging their machetes through the dense foliage ahead but at such a slow pace that it was hardly commendable—after half a day they had barely covered two kilometers. Due to their efforts clearing paths wasting much energy combined with last night's lack of rest, by noon everyone felt exhausted and hungry. Thus, Xin Yi suggested they take a break for some food before continuing.
The humidity in the jungle was quite high; even without sweating one would feel sticky and damp all over. Once again,Topology suggested starting a fire to dry their clothes—even though they knew it wouldn't do much good this time—this time,Yanming Shop Elder did not oppose it either. So,Xin Yi and Topology cleared out a small patch of land among sparse vegetation using their machetes before gathering some dry branches and fallen leaves to start a fire in the center of that space.Yanming Shop Elder chopped down some banana leaves and took out a bamboo tube from his bag; after removing its stopper he poured some water inside before wrapping it with one of the banana leaves and tossing it into the fire pit. A few minutes later he pulled out the bamboo tube wrapped in banana leaves from the fire pit; at this point, while the outer banana leaves were perfectly dried out from being burned—the bamboo tube inside remained intact without any damage—the timing had been just right.
After taking out the bamboo tube, the Yanming Shop Elder cut a few pieces of banana leaves and laid them on the ground. He removed the stopper from the bamboo tube and poured its contents onto the banana leaves. Inside the bamboo tube was glutinous rice, which, when cooked with water, had now released a fragrant aroma. The group was already feeling hungry, and seeing such hot and delicious food made their mouths water.
Topology chuckled and said, "Hehe... I didn't know you could cook with this! It smells great, so I won't hold back." With that, he reached for a piece of banana leaf to take a bite.
Seeing this, the Yanming Shop Elder quickly called out, "It's not ready yet; you can't eat it now. We need to cook it a bit longer." He then wrapped the rice balls back up in the banana leaves and tossed them into the fire.
Topology reluctantly put down the rice ball and muttered, "Can't you just cook it all at once? Cooking it multiple times is such a hassle."
The Yanming Shop Elder ignored him and wrapped several rice balls before tossing them into the fire again. He then pulled out a piece of green "blanket" from his bag. Topology asked, "How much longer do we have to cook? Are you planning to take a nap with that blanket?"
At that moment, Xin Yi noticed something unusual about the "blanket." It wasn't a blanket at all; it looked like dried plants that had been pressed together into a block. Since it was fluffy, it resembled a green blanket. Sure enough, the Yanming Shop Elder explained, "This is dried moss; it's edible and tastes quite good." After tearing off a large piece, he skewered it with a twig and placed it over the fire to roast. A faint aroma began to waft through the air. The moss couldn't be roasted for too long; otherwise, it would likely burn. The Yanming Shop Elder placed the roasted moss on top of the banana leaves and then retrieved the rice balls wrapped in banana leaves from the fire. He announced to everyone, "Now you can eat! Come on, try some authentic Dai Ethnic Group flavors."
The group was already enticed by the fragrant roasted moss and glutinous rice balls. They quickly gathered around but were unsure how to eat, so they looked at Yanming Shop Elder to see how this authentic Dai Ethnic Group dish was supposed to be enjoyed. The Yanming Shop Elder took out a wide-mouthed jar that contained something that didn't look like canned food but rather a slightly brownish paste. He opened the jar and placed it in the center before unwrapping one of the banana leaf-wrapped rice balls. The steaming rice ball emitted an enticing aroma. The Yanming Shop Elder took a deep sniff before placing a piece of roasted moss on top of it. The once crispy moss softened against the hot glutinous rice ball. He then used a small knife to scoop some of the paste from the jar and spread it over the moss before taking a big bite, smacking his lips as if it were incredibly delicious.
The others followed suit and began eating as well. Although the paste looked unremarkable, it tasted surprisingly good—spicy, tangy, and very flavorful. Xin Yi asked while eating, "Elder, this must be some kind of sauce? I didn't expect Dai Ethnic Group sauce to be so tasty."
"It should also be called sauce," replied Yanming Shop Elder. "But we call it Nammi; it's an essential part of life for us Dai people. What we're eating now is the best Nammi made from whole crabs crushed together with chili and other seasonings. We call it Crab Nammi."
This Dai Ethnic Group-style lunch was indeed unique, featuring glutinous rice balls wrapped in banana leaves, roasted moss, and crab-based Nammi, which greatly opened Xin Yi's eyes.
While everyone was enjoying their meal, Yanming Shop Elder suddenly looked up at the sky obscured by tree canopies and said quietly, "Someone is coming from behind! At least more than ten people, and they all have weapons!"
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