Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
When they were leaving, Grandpa pulled Gao Peng aside and instructed him quietly, âDonât refuse Shaotang. Heâs doing it for your own good.â
âNo, I wonât. Why would I reject Master Liu?â Gao Peng said quickly.
âRight... It wasnât as good back then, in Shaotangâs family. He originally had two younger sisters. That year, there was a famine, and after one winter, his family was left only with him, the only son.â Ji Hanwu sighed.
Suddenly, Gao Peng didnât know what to say. It had never occurred to him that the ever kind Master Liu had such a past.
âEat some more. When you eat more, you have more nutrition, and you wonât get hungry... Itâs never wrong to eat a bit more. To be able to eat is a blessing.â Master Liuâs laughing words echoed in Gao Pengâs ears. Perhaps there was a strong, hidden obsession in the depths of Uncle Liuâs heart.
âI know.â Gao Peng nodded quietly.
Leaving from the north region of Yuzhou City, they passed by the Mountain Spirit Station. Gao Peng stood on Stripeyâs back and took a look from afar, but he didnât walk in to visit.
From time to time, the strange hunting teams from the Mountain Spirit Station could be seen along the way. These strange hunting teams were mostly rushing and seemed to be extremely busy.
Occasionally, their hearty laughter in the mountains could be heard, echoing with the joy of another great harvest.
At least everything was developing in the right direction, and Gao Peng silently prayed from the bottom of his heart. After all, human beings were highly adaptable creatures, and they were also the creatures that could create the most miracles.
The Million Mountain occupied by the Mountain Spirits had been thoroughly cleared. To consider it his back garden might have been a bit too arrogant, but Gao Peng could walk around it with his eyes closed without any problems.
They left the Million Mountain and continued westward for hundreds of miles, passing a rushing river. The turbid red river was raging, and a vortex swirled over the water. It was the Red Sand River.
Dumby recognized the river, and the flame of the undead flickered in its eye sockets.
âSince weâre here already, go visit your people,â Gao Peng said to Dumby.
Dumby was somewhat moved, but the soles of its feet seemed to be rooted to the ground.
âGo ahead. Come back after visiting them. After all, you were their king,â Gao Peng said encouragingly.
Looking doubtful, Dumby twisted its head and remained silent. Then it nodded to Gao Peng and left after leaping a few times on Stripeyâs back.
Deep in the jungle, a group of Red River Apes lived freely. On the towering old trees, a vine fell, and the inside of the forest was cheerful and peaceful.
In the middle of a large tree, a six-foot-long red scale hung, and the energy emitted from the red scales expelled the natural enemies of the Red River Apes.
One female ape sitting on the tree was holding and nursing a baby ape. By its side was a monkey wearing a melon on its head and throwing its poop at other Red River Apes. As a result, there was a clamor, and a few Red River Apes chased each other and started a fight.
Dumby watched this scene silently and looked a little dazed.
...
Dozens of boats in the impetuous red river were sailing through the water. There were three people standing on each boat. Some were steering, some were sprinkling small nets, and others were assisting.
âHurry up, Laosan, faster.â A muscular man with a cigarette in his mouth yelled towards the steering wheel of the ship.
âDonât pester me. These fish are very smart, and it wonât be good if you scare them away.â The young man, known as Laosan, wore a red jacket with a white vest inside and seemed powerful and stout.
âFor me, I would just directly catch all the fish with a gold wire hooked on the net. It isnât necessary to make such an effort,â said the only boy in the team with short hair indifferently.
âThat wonât do. According to the rules of the river gods, we canât use large nets. We can only catch fish with small nets. If we violate the rules set by the river gods, weâre going to be banned.â
âThe one who wins the first prize will receive the scales of the river god as a reward. The shipyards in the city of Lizhou are buying the scales of the river gods. I heard that the scales that Chen Xiaoliang got last time sold for a million Alliance dollars.â
âWhat is that!?â The gigantic body of Stripey attracted the attention of the people at the site when passing by the shore.
The big man who was holding the rudder was shocked. He had never seen such a big monster before.
âThat must be a mountain, right?â
âThere seems to be a house on the back of the mountain, as if someoneâs on it.â
In the eyes of these people, the 200-foot-tall Stripey looked like a small hill.
The audience who cheered on these players from the shore were stunned and couldnât help but stare at the huge Stripey with their mouths wide open. To many people, it was the first time in their life to come across such a terribly large monster.
The water in the river suddenly surged. Layers of red waves pushed forward, and ships were drifting about helplessly in the waves as they were rocked further away.
Immediately after that, a dry piece of large red land floated up from the bottom of the water, flashing red scales that were smooth like mirrors, just like an island rising slowly from the middle of the river...
âRiver God!â
âItâs His Majesty, River God!â
âThe River God is revealing himself.â
People by the shore started praying, while some of the elders even knelt and bowed down.
In this remote area, the Dragon Blood Red Sand Carp that protected Yifang base city had been regarded as a river god and was worshipped and admired by the local people.
The Dragon Blood Red Sand Carp had sensed a powerful aura passing through the Red Sand River in its own territory, so it couldnât help but sneak out from the bottom of the river to reveal itself.
By doing this, it was sounding out a warning that this territory was already owned, but it was also curious about the identity of the auraâs master.
Seated on Stripeyâs back, Gao Peng smiled and greeted the Dragon Blood Red Sand Carp. âHow do you do!â
The Dragon Blood Red Sand Carp looked at Gao Peng, who didnât know whether it had understood what he said, and spat out two water bubbles, then withdrew back to the river floor.
Very quickly, someone from Lizhou Base City came over to welcome Gao Peng.
âSo itâs the arrival of the Cataclysm of the Undead.â The receptionist that welcomed him was about 30 years old, with common features and a gentle character.
âIâm just passing through. Hopefully, I didnât interrupt your competition.â Gao Peng said apologetically.
âNo, no, the fact that you can watch their competition is their honor,â the receptionist replied hastily.
âWhat are they doing here?â Gao Peng was rather curious.
âTheyâre having a fish catching competition using small nets and net pockets to catch fish in the Red Sand River. Based on the final weight, the champion will get an old scale from the carp king,â said the receptionist.@@novelbin@@
âAn activity like this exists? How many times has it happened?â Gao Peng felt like this was new. It was actually a competition that had been organized by both monsters and humans. It was very interesting.
âItâs just for fun, and this is the second competition; itâs held once a month. The first was held last month.â
Gao Peng nodded and glanced at the dozens of ships on the river. If this game were to continue, maybe it could become a local custom in a few decades or centuries, maybe?
Traditions that were spread by word of mouth all evolved slowly like this, after all.
This is just a game I witnessed. There may be more happening in the places that I havenât been to yet.
Gao Peng smiled, and after watching the game for a while, bade farewell to the receptionist and continued to move west.
Lizhou was just sightseeing on this trip. The real destination was still waiting for him.