Chapter 824 - 1: Type II Gene Modification Potion (Defensive)

Chapter 824: Chapter 1: Type II Gene Modification Potion (Defensive)

Mountains, grasslands, snowy fields, ice rivers, forests, rock beach...

Snow blanketed all; one man and three tigers, accompanied by a cart pressing ruts forward along the way.

The weather grew warmer, a gentle breeze swept through, reshaping this dead land. Grass seeds began sprouting beneath the snow, migratory birds returned from the south one after another, many creatures gradually crossed the border, coming back to this vast wilderness.

...

The bright sun hung high, the grassland after the snowmelt appeared a dull yellow.

Wood burned; the flames glowed crimson.

Chen Zhou sat on a hide, holding a skewer of wild ducks, carefully roasting them.

The Three-headed Saw-toothed Tiger lay not far from the campfire.

A few days ago, they had crossed the border, arriving outside the challenge area.

Compared to the challenge area, still covered in heavy snow, here it was warmer and the ground held less snow, even unfrozen rivers could be found.

Mammoths, Hairy Rhinoceroses, Great Horned Deer, and other giant and large herbivores could be seen everywhere here.

The wild belongs to the Saw-toothed Tigers; under Chen Zhou’s deliberate guidance, they were already beginning to try hunting on their own.

During their hunts, Tiger First and Tiger Second performed only moderately, but Tiger Third was noticeably different—

Not only was it smarter, knowing to avoid being seen by prey, it also summarized its experiences, and hardly ever failed due to repeating the same mistake.

Besides that, Tiger Third had far more stamina than its older brothers. When the chase started, it was always the first to sprint and the last to stop running.

Chen Zhou suspected Tiger Third’s abnormality was related to that injection—after all, it was a medicine made by the Space-Time Administration Bureau to treat humans. Aside from Paul, the "hard-head," probably no one else would waste such a precious injection on a Saw-toothed Tiger.

But Tiger Third being so clever and energetic wasn’t a bad thing.

At least, once Chen Zhou left, he’d feel more at ease. Tiger First and Tiger Second following their "promising" younger brother might end up with full meals every day, at the very least wouldn’t starve to death.

...

Having been cared for almost the whole winter, lazing inside the cave and stuffing themselves every day—even in their growth phase, the Three-headed Saw-toothed Tigers put on a hefty layer of fat.

Leaving the cave to begin hunting, after plenty of exercise, the Saw-toothed Tigers at last burned off some fat and their bodies seemed much healthier.

When Chen Zhou kindled the fire to rest, the Three-headed Saw-toothed Tigers no longer lay about as defenselessly as before.

Tiger First rested for a moment, then stood upright, legs straight, watching a small herd of mammoths far on the grassland. Tiger Second and Tiger Third continued lying on the ground, resting.

They kept watch by taking turns, monitoring the animals on the grassland. This not only helped them avoid danger, but also let them grasp the movement of prey at any time.

The wind was always blowing; standing downwind, they could catch useful information from scent particles carried by the breeze, thus locating the herd’s general position.

This habit was something Chen Zhou had intentionally cultivated. He hoped that, after he left, the Saw-toothed Tigers would stand atop the food chain as their wild kin did—or even do better.

And it proved true: with a "human," the spirit of all things, guiding them, plus their excellent physique and clever brains, the Saw-toothed Tigers did indeed transform as Chen Zhou wished, gradually changing from greenhouse blooms into wild grass, resilient and thriving outside.

These past days, Chen Zhou stopped interfering in their hunts; every hunting action was carried out by the tigers working together.

So far, their hunting success rate reached 50%—an average of one success in every two ambushes. For predators, that’s already very high.

Before leaving the challenge area, the tigers still relied on Chen Zhou for their meals. Now, Chen Zhou could benefit from them, occasionally eating fresh wild game.

Watching the once-small creatures grow bigger and stronger, with more refined hunting skills, Chen Zhou felt reassured—and he knew—

The time had come for him to leave.

"Sanwa."

He took the red box from the cart and placed it beside him, then beckoned with his hand.

Just earlier, Tiger Third had been lying on the ground; hearing his call, it reluctantly stood and slowly walked over, stretching out its big head.

"Moo~"

The Saw-toothed Tiger’s cry was nothing like the delicate mew of a housecat—except for the roar used in anger or to intimidate prey, their vocalizations came in two types: a soft "ao," or a "moo moo."

Perhaps their throats were too thick; sometimes, when they vocalized, it sounded less like a tiger and more like an old bull.

Chen Zhou rubbed Tiger Third’s coarse, hard, and dense fur. Facing yet another farewell, even though he’d prepared for it all this time, when the moment finally arrived, he still felt reluctant.

"Big guy, in a blink you’ve grown so much. After keeping you company for so long, today I have to go.

When I’m gone, take good care of your two brothers—among the three, you’re the smartest..."

Knowing full well Tiger Third couldn’t understand, Chen Zhou still rambled on like an old father—

The Three-headed Saw-toothed Tiger had been saved on Paul’s insistence; at first, Chen Zhou hadn’t cared much for these three little things, nor was he very interested.

But hearts are made of flesh; after so many days together, from tearing up meat to raising the tigers bit by bit, it’s impossible not to feel a bond.

Especially now, as they neared adulthood and no longer needed his care—they even proactively guarded him, their "Leader."

At night, falling asleep and waking up, Chen Zhou could always see the Saw-toothed Tigers faithfully keeping watch beside him. That sense of security and belonging reminded him of Lai Fu, of that loyal old companion.