Wilderness Survival with Druid System

Chapter 382: Chapter 51: Turtle Nest

Chen Wen used the spear to end the bullfrog’s suffering.

Then he used local materials, binding the twitching bullfrog with reeds, and hung it on the side of his backpack.

This bullfrog is a typical adult specimen, more than twenty centimeters in length, weighing at least three pounds!

Although these creatures often have many parasites on them, particularly wild ones.

But if processed until fully cooked, it’s still safe.

Chen Wen felt this would be another sumptuous meal for him!

Holding the spear, he walked to where the turtle had been.

Chen Wen observed the traces left by the turtle.

”Stretching from the reeds all the way to the riverbank, looks like this turtle sensed danger and probably won’t be caught for a while.”

Chen Wen was somewhat disappointed.

After all, he’d entered the swamp for this turtle.

Though he ended up catching a tastier bullfrog, Chen Wen was a bit unwilling to let the turtle go.

He pondered for a moment, then decided to follow the trail left by the turtle.

...

As he moved towards the riverbank, the mud became softer and more hazardous.

But the experience Chen Wen had learned was still sufficient.

Accompanied by a final pull to free his calf from the mud, Chen Wen arrived at the river’s edge.

Instead of immediately searching for the turtle, he used the river water to wash off the mud from his legs.

Afterward, he stood up, observing the water’s surface and its depths.

Even though he didn’t find the escaped turtle, Chen Wen discovered some fascinating little things.

”Is this a turtle’s nest?”

Chen Wen said as he walked a few steps to the side.

In front of him was a sunken pit, very deep, about thirty centimeters wide.

Outside the nest were some white shells, shattered.

After getting closer, Chen Wen saw clearly.

This was a destroyed turtle nest, with some broken turtle egg shells outside.

Chen Wen dug out the collapsed soil.

As he excavated, some broken turtle eggs also emerged.

Chen Wen placed these egg shells aside and continued digging.

In the end, he found only three intact turtle eggs in the nest.

”Seems like the turtle’s nest was raided by something unknown, feels like it might have been a lizard.”

Chen Wen analyzed.

However, the turtle eggs had been destroyed for a long time, so the lizard probably had fled long ago.

”Alright, just these three turtle eggs left.”

Chen Wen said as he glanced around.

The escaped turtle didn’t appear; it seems it had indeed fled.

Chen Wen pocketed the three turtle eggs, thankful that the trip wasn’t in vain after all.

The entry had been secured.

...

Chen Wen circled back to where he had placed his equipment earlier.

He strapped on his gear and proceeded forward.

By noon, Chen Wen felt he had walked enough, finally finding a shaded spot to rest.

Sitting under a tree, eating smoked crocodile jerky, drinking water.

Chen Wen also mentally mapped out the route he had taken that morning.

The turtle swamp was approximately one-fifth of the distance between him and Yoshikawa Feng’s drop-off point.

He estimated it would take three more days of walking to reach the area where Yoshikawa Feng was active.

It seems that even with the hippo’s guidance, finding Yoshikawa Feng would take several days.

Chen Wen mused silently, his eyes scanning a distant hillside.

No wonder—such a hill stood out in a region like the Caprivi, dominated by plains.

Still, Chen Wen could not have imagined that the Yoshikawa Feng he wanted to eliminate was right on the other side of the hill.

Setting traps for rhinoceros antelope.

...

Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant was meanwhile praying to various deities, hoping Chen Wen wouldn’t continue moving forward.

”Damn it, why did Yoshikawa Feng choose to move towards Chen Wen’s location back then?”

The assistant whispered fretfully about his boss, anxiously.

Whether Yoshikawa Feng moves east or Chen Wen moves west, their chances of meeting are very high!

Go back! Go back!

This time your gains have already been substantial, isn’t that enough?

Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant shouted in his heart.

But things always go against one’s wishes.

After finishing a simple lunch, Chen Wen stood up and clapped his hands.

”Full now, took a little rest, continue westward.”

Chen Wen gazed at the hillside and said: ”It’s rare to see such hills in the Caprivi, I plan to check them out. Before I came, I read that the Caprivi Strip is home to a significant number of rhinoceros antelope. These large antelopes often hide in hilly and forested areas to evade predators.”

”I plan to see if I can encounter a rhinoceros antelope, mainly because I’m very curious about their horns.”

Saying this, Chen Wen recalled the first time he saw a photograph of a rhinoceros antelope.

The peculiar pair of large horns made it hard for Chen Wen to look away.

At that time, Jiang Chang was also there.

She described the rhinoceros antelope’s horns as.

”It’s as if the Creator was frustrated while making things, then twisted their originally straight horns violently, as a result of venting frustration.”

It sufficiently proves how unique these creatures’ horns are.

And now there is an opportunity to see the rhinoceros antelope up close, even to interact with them.

Curious Chen Wen naturally wouldn’t refuse such an opportunity.

...

It’s over!

All is lost!

Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant slumped in his chair, watching Chen Wen step by step approach the hillside, filled with despair.

Why?

Why would Chen Wen change his route out of curiosity?

Isn’t survival supposed to be serious and strict?

Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant looked at Lin Jiawei, hoping to get answers from him.

But Lin Jiawei calmly sipped his tea, no waves in his heart.

Chen Wen changing plans temporarily due to curiosity, or over a creature, isn’t uncommon.

After all, this boss is quite spontaneous in his thinking.

The only one who can keep up with his thought process would be his partner Jiang Chang.

And coincidentally, Jiang Chang was there.

She remarked with interest: ”Let’s hope Chen Wen finds a dead rhinoceros antelope and brings back its horns.”

Look at this!

What kind of assistant wishes for their contestant to find dead animals and take the least useful thing back?

And coincidentally, Chen Wen was muttering at that moment.

”Honestly, if I could catch a rhinoceros antelope, its horns would actually attract me more than the meat.”

There you go!

Lin Jiawei sighed: Didn’t I say so?

...

As Chen Wen gradually approached the hillside, Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant relaxed instead.

Since knowing that tragedy is imminent, one should deal with it gracefully.

However, on the other side of the hill, Yoshikawa Feng was unaware that Chen Wen was approaching.

After setting the third trap, he felt a burning hunger as if there was a fire raging inside.

He had been starving since the morning to make the traps.

After finishing the third trap, Yoshikawa Feng exhaled deeply.

”Finally done, three traps used up all my energy. Hope they bring rewarding returns.”

Yoshikawa Feng said this, packed his gear, planning to return to the shelter for a good meal as a reward.

His survival strategy was to periodically reward himself with food.

Keeping his mood and spirit in good condition.

This decision, in particular, prevented him from having a direct encounter with Chen Wen.

Yet this very decision also led Yoshikawa Feng into a prolonged ordeal.

...

Back with Chen Wen.

Once at the hill, he went straight to its peak.

While climbing, Chen Wen remembered the time at the Yukon, when he thought about learning rock climbing.

But there never seemed to be an opportunity.

After this survival event, there’s still a few months before the solo wilderness retreat.

Could find some mountain climbing instructors to learn.

Thinking about these matters, Chen Wen reached the peak of the hill.

He gazed out over the lowlands, and quickly, he made a discovery.