Chapter 664: I Want the Egg, Too

Looking at the eggs below, Shen Yibin felt completely exasperated. ’What am I supposed to do? Do I take an egg now, or do I wait here for the white giant python to hatch them and then take a baby snake?’

’If I wait, there’s no telling how long I’ll be stuck here. Who the hell knows when the white giant python will manage to hatch the eggs? I only brought three days’ worth of water and rations into the forest this time. To stay long-term, I’d have to go back to town and resupply. But my stamina is limited, and I’m dragging this whole crew—Hah’Er, Xiaoliu, and Carmen—along. Even if we camped here, I’d have to go back to town every two or three days. In the end, it’s just too much of a hassle.’

’Besides, while there are few tourists here, it’s not like there are none. If someone else stumbled upon this same spot, encountered the white giant python, and snatched the egg before I did, I’d be left with nothing to do but cry.’

’When I left Yunzhong City, I promised Qi Jian I would bring Carmen back in a week at most. There’s simply no way I can stand guard here for an extended period!’

It looked like the only option was to take an egg first and figure out how to hatch it later. After weighing all his options, Shen Yibin made his decision. Now, it was a matter of how to proceed.

Shen Yibin surveyed the current terrain. This slope would not be easy to traverse. It was entwined with vines, and all sorts of lush plants blocked the incline, making it impassable. He had left Carmen behind, so Shen Yibin had no idea how much effort it would take for him to get down there by himself.

Even if he successfully reached the bottom, the white giant python would probably have returned by then, full from its meal. The moment it saw Shen Yibin, it would definitely attack. ’Am I supposed to race a python through the forest?’ Shen Yibin had no desire to provide a little extra nutrition for the white giant python.

’Luckily, I had a flash of insight on the way here and brought Xiaoliu along.’ It would be much easier for Xiaoliu to swing down from the large tree than for him to climb. Shen Yibin couldn’t help but give himself a mental thumbs-up for his brilliant decision. He beckoned Xiaoliu over, patted its head, and pointed to the top of the large tree beside them. "Go on, get to the top and see if that python is about to return!"

This tree stood right at the top of the small slope, offering the most open view for dozens of meters in any direction. If he went up for a look around, as long as the white giant python was not within his field of vision, there would still be time to go down and steal an egg.

"CHEEP CHEEP!" Xiaoliu understood and immediately scampered up the large tree. In just a few bounds, it reached the very top. It mimicked the classic pose of a lookout, shading its eyes with a hand as it peered into the distance. Then, it leaped directly from the canopy, grabbing onto the vines between the large trees to break its fall a couple of times before landing safely in front of Shen Yibin.

"CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP! CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP!" Xiaoliu gestured wildly, and Shen Yibin quickly understood its meaning. "Oh, you’re saying the snake is hunting to the east and will probably be gone for a good while!"

"CHEEP! CHEEP!" Xiaoliu nodded repeatedly, confirming Shen Yibin’s guess. From its description, the snake had gone more than a kilometer away. ’That makes sense,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’With a giant python like this around, other animals are bound to stay far away. After all, who wants to be its snack for no reason?’

"Alright, Xiaoliu, beautifully done." Shen Yibin gave it a thumbs-up in praise. He then put an arm around Xiaoliu’s shoulders, led it to the edge of the slope, and pointed to the nest below, saying, "See those eggs? Look to the left. Yes, that’s the one, next to the purple flower. I need you to hurry down there and bring that egg up to me!"

"If you can bring that egg up to me, I’ll find a way to get you some fine wine to try when we get back." To motivate Xiaoliu to complete the mission, Shen Yibin didn’t hesitate to offer a grand prize. While Xiaoliu’s favorite was Monkey Wine, it was certainly willing to sample other good wines from time to time. After all, it’s good to switch things up once in a while.

"CHEEP CHEEP!" At the mention of wine, Xiaoliu immediately perked up. It grabbed a vine and was about to start climbing down when Shen Yibin quickly pulled it back. "Be careful when you go down. If that python returns, you run, got it? Remember, your safety comes first. I’d rather you not get the egg than have something happen to you!"

After repeating his warning a few more times, Shen Yibin finally let go. Xiaoliu tugged the vine, its body soaring into the air. In just a few swings, it was at the bottom of the slope. Had it been Shen Yibin, he’d probably only have descended a meter or two in that time.

Once at the bottom, the little fellow scurried over to the nest and scratched its head as it looked at the eggs. Shen Yibin’s instructions from above had been perfectly clear, and it had seen everything plainly, but now that it was down here, it was all a bit confusing. The view from above and the view up close were two completely different concepts. Xiaoliu couldn’t seem to find the target anymore.

"Hurry up! Bring the egg up here!" Shen Yibin urged in a low voice, his eyes fixed warily on the direction the white giant python had gone to hunt. ’If you keep dawdling, that snake is going to be back!’

Urged on by Shen Yibin, Xiaoliu seemed to make up its mind. It grabbed an egg, scrambled up the large tree, and started swinging back up on the vines. The sight made Shen Yibin’s heart leap into his throat; he was terrified the egg would suddenly slip. If it fell from this height, it would undoubtedly smash to pieces, and his mission would be over before it began.

Thankfully, Xiaoliu had developed some serious skills back on Emei Mountain. It managed to bring the egg back safe and sound, delivering it into Shen Yibin’s hands.

"Excellent... huh?" Shen Yibin had barely gotten the praise out when his eyes subconsciously flickered back to the nest. He saw that the egg he had targeted was still resting there peacefully.

’Damn it, you grabbed the wrong one!’ Shen Yibin was so exasperated he wanted to cry but couldn’t. He quickly pointed below again. "Xiaoliu, it’s not this one! It’s the one next to it! See it? The one farthest from the edge of the nest! Yes, yes, that’s it! Please make one more trip and bring that one up for me."

’Good thing I noticed early,’ he thought. ’If I’d only discovered this after we’d left, coming back to find it again would have been incredibly difficult. By then, the white giant python would surely be on alert and guarding its nest much more tightly. The thought of stealing an egg then would be out of the question.’

"CHEEP CHEEP!" Xiaoliu scratched its head sheepishly and grabbed the vine, preparing to go down again. But Shen Yibin stopped it once more. He handed the egg back to Xiaoliu. "You can return this to them while you’re at it."

’I’m only here to complete the mission, not to raid the place,’ he thought. ’I already feel bad enough taking one egg; how could I possibly take a second?’

And so, Xiaoliu once again swung down, cradling the egg. Shen Yibin felt another wave of heart-stopping fear as he watched Xiaoliu land safely at the bottom of the slope, approach the nest, and return the egg to its original spot.

’Yes, yes, yes, just like that. Now, just grab the one next to it and bring it up!’