Chapter 339- Fierce and Ominous Top VS Pretend Weak but Actually a Big Boss (05)
Mu Jin even specifically instructed, “It’s best to dry the snake gallbladder, grind it into a powder, and consume it in portions. The effect should be better.”
In this primitive world, things were still very natural and unprocessed. Mu Jin had quickly assessed that the snake gallbladder here seemed to be even more potent than those in the modern human world. With the strong physiques of these primitive people, consuming it in portions to help Grandma recover would be quite beneficial.
Wu Po nodded in agreement, stood up with the gallbladder in hand, and took a few steps before suddenly stopping.
He hesitated, worried that if he left, Mu Jin might try to escape. After all, at the start, Mu Jin had rejected the idea of becoming his partner.
The man lowered his gaze, stepped back, and placed the gallbladder aside. Noticing Mu Jin’s curious expression, he explained, “There’s no rush to deliver this. I’ll give it to Wu He when I see him tomorrow. It’s getting late now, so I’ll prepare some food for you.”
Mu Jin, touched by his lover’s thoughtfulness, didn’t feel the slightest suspicion. Hearing Wu Po say he would prepare food, Mu Jin suddenly realized he was a bit hungry.
It made sense. Ever since the original host had left his tribe, he had been living rough, exposed to the elements. While hunting wasn’t difficult for him, his poor mood meant he hadn’t been eating well, leaving his stomach empty.
However, Mu Jin’s spirits were high. Not only had he reunited with his lover right away, but Wu Po had also immediately expressed his desire to be with him. There was nothing better than this.
Wu Po, speaking as he worked, quickly started a fire. He skewered the cleaned snake meat onto a sturdy branch and set it over the fire to roast. While doing this, he also handed the small fruits Wu He had given him earlier to Mu Jin, saying, “Eat these to tide you over for now.”
Mu Jin took a couple of bites of the wild fruits. Not only were they small, but they also tasted sour and astringent, not particularly pleasant. After two bites, he set them aside and sat patiently, his eyes fixed on Wu Po as he roasted the meat.
It had to be said that Wu Po’s grilling skills were quite rough. Additionally, people in primitive tribes weren’t particularly particular about their food preparation. Fortunately, most ordinary tribespeople at least knew to season roasted meat with salt.
However, the salt in Wu Po’s cave had just run out, and he hadn’t had a chance to trade for more. As a result, he had no choice but to roast the snake meat plain, planning to eat it as it was tonight and acquire some salt tomorrow.
After observing his lover’s grilling for a moment, Mu Jin concluded that Wu Po’s skills barely reached the “edible” range. He approached with a gentle smile and offered, “Would you like me to help you roast the meat? I’m actually pretty good at it.”
Wu Po was momentarily dazzled by Mu Jin’s smile and instinctively nodded. However, when he saw Mu Jin pick up a branch to roast the meat, he frowned slightly.
He had wanted to take good care of Mu Jin, but now it seemed like the roles were reversed, with Mu Jin taking care of him instead. Then again, thinking about it from another perspective, it wasn’t unusual for the partners of the hunting team members to prepare roasted meat for them upon their return.
With that thought, Wu Po felt a certain warmth in his heart. Mu Jin’s actions reminded him of a devoted partner at home, preparing food and waiting to eat together.
This pleasant notion made Wu Po feel content. He didn’t stop Mu Jin, and instead watched as the firelight illuminated Mu Jin’s soft features, filling his heart with a cozy warmth.
While Wu Po roasted the meat, Mu Jin reached into the animal-hide clothing he wore and retrieved a chunk of salt from memory.
The original host had carried a small stone knife and some salt while traveling. While the knife was much smaller than the one Wu Po had used to kill the giant snake, it was significantly sharper. As for the salt, it wasn’t a large amount and was rather coarse, but it was enough to season a few servings of roasted meat.
Mu Jin even managed to put those small, sour, and not-so-tasty fruits to good use. He crushed them with his hands and smeared the juice over the roasting meat.
Although the fruits themselves didn’t taste great, the tangy fruitiness combined with the roasted meat created a unique flavor. This was something he had done many times for his lover in previous small worlds, so he was quite adept at it.
As he roasted the meat, Mu Jin suddenly recalled his early days in the small worlds. Back then, his favorite foods were desserts like milk pudding and pastries. Yet somehow, his culinary expertise had evolved into mastering grilled meat. It was a testament to how life could take unexpected turns.
Still, learning such a practical survival skill had proven beneficial. Watching Wu Po take a bite of the roasted meat and light up with delight made Mu Jin feel incredibly satisfied.
Sure enough, he had once again won over his man with food.
It’s often said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Feeling smug but not letting it show, Mu Jin maintained a modest and gentle demeanor as he asked Wu Po, “How is it? Does it taste okay?”
“More than okay,” Wu Po said, taking another hearty bite of the roasted meat. With genuine admiration, he added, “This is the best roasted meat I’ve ever eaten in my life.”
After speaking, Wu Po immediately handed the meat back to Mu Jin and began mimicking his technique to grill the rest of the snake meat.
Wu Po’s praise was a bit exaggerated, but seeing him so cheerful made Mu Jin happy too. The main reason Wu Po found it so delicious was that people in this time didn’t know much about cooking techniques, and the snake meat itself had a rich flavor.
Otherwise, without any proper seasoning, Mu Jin doubted the taste would have been anything extraordinary.
But Mu Jin chalked it all up to the influence of mood. Clearly, his lover adored him, and anything they shared together felt more enjoyable. With this in mind, Mu Jin smugly and self-indulgently concluded that Wu Po found the meal delightful simply because he was eating it with him.
Perhaps it was because he was extremely hungry, but Mu Jin found the dry roasted meat surprisingly tasty.
Even as he ate, he didn’t forget to praise his man. With a bright smile, he said to Wu Po, “Wu Po, you’re amazing. That python was as thick as a person’s torso, yet you killed it so effortlessly. Prey of this size usually takes at least three or four people to handle!”
This wasn’t an exaggeration. While the physical strength of people in this primitive society was far superior to modern humans, taking down such a massive python single-handedly was no small feat.
From this perspective, Wu Po could be described as having extraordinary strength. Reflecting on the fact that he himself now possessed impressive natural strength, Mu Jin couldn’t help but think that he and his lover were a match made in heaven—perfectly compatible even in their attributes.
As Mu Jin spoke, he found himself instinctively scooting closer to his man. However, in the process, he accidentally sat on a small stone, hissing in pain as it jabbed him.
Wu Po, whose attention was fully on Mu Jin, immediately put down his roasted meat when he heard the sound. He looked at Mu Jin with concern and quickly located the problem. Without a second thought, he wrapped an arm around Mu Jin’s waist, lifted him effortlessly, and cradled him in his arms.
It was only then that he noticed the red mark left on Mu Jin’s delicate skin by the stone. With a pained expression, Wu Po held Mu Jin closer and began gently rubbing the spot.
The situation quickly turned awkward, as the spot he was rubbing was in an… unconventional area. Mu Jin froze, his entire body stiff with embarrassment, not daring to move an inch.
Wu Po, however, didn’t overthink it. He was entirely focused on the fact that Mu Jin’s soft and tender skin had been hurt, and it made his heart ache.
In a worried tone, he said, “Does it hurt? I should’ve laid down some animal hides before letting you sit.”
Feeling a bit frustrated with himself for not being more considerate, Wu Po decided to take preventative action. To ensure Mu Jin wouldn’t get hurt again, he simply had him sit directly on his lap. Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, he handed the roasted meat back to Mu Jin.
Wu Po couldn’t help but think to himself: ‘My little partner is so fragile. If I don’t take good care of him, he might end up getting hurt all the time.’
He sighed at how delicate Mu Jin seemed, but after the sigh, he couldn’t help feeling a bit pleased. Mu Jin is so delicate that he wouldn’t be able to manage without me.
‘If I take good care of him and spoil him even more, he’ll become completely dependent on me’ Wu Po thought with a faint smile.
Mu Jin noticed the expression on Wu Po’s face and could more or less guess his thoughts. Blinking, he figured that he was probably being treated like some precious little flower.
Still, seeing how happy Wu Po seemed while doting on him, Mu Jin decided he might as well play along. After all, making his partner happy was important too.
Truthfully, it was just a red mark, nothing Mu Jin even noticed much.
Though his skin might look fair and smooth, it wasn’t so delicate that a small mark like this would bother him. If he were that fragile, there was no way he’d be able to survive in this harsh world. Besides, the original owner of this body had been an accomplished hunter. ‘Wu Po really is overreacting’ he thought.
That said, being so thoroughly cared for was undeniably enjoyable.
After the two finished their simple dinner, Wu Po began working on processing the python’s skin. The snake had been exceptionally long, leaving behind a significant amount of snakeskin.
The skin was incredibly durable—light yet warm—and could have been repurposed for clothing. However, Wu Po had no intention of using it for that purpose.
The weather was about to get warmer, and the snakeskin felt soft and cool to the touch. Once it was properly treated, Wu Po decided he would turn it into a layer of bedding to place over the other animal hides. When the hot season arrived, his little partner would surely find it especially comfortable to sleep on.
Wu Po also began planning for the warm season. He resolved to hunt more game, gather additional animal bones, and expand their current cave, arranging it properly.
Once everything was ready, Wu Po planned to visit the tribe’s priest to officiate a bonding ceremony for him and Mu Jin. With the gods’ blessing, they would become official partners, and Mu Jin would never be able to leave him.
Wu Po kept these thoughts to himself, not sharing them with Mu Jin. While working, he paused midway, worrying Mu Jin might get tired. He rummaged through the cave and brought out all the animal hides he had saved, offering them to Mu Jin so he could choose one he liked to rest on.
After finishing with the snakeskin, Wu Po returned to the cave and saw Mu Jin already dozing off on one of the hides. His gaze softened as he approached and gently kissed Mu Jin’s face.’
‘I’m no longer alone’ Wu Po thought, his heart swelling with joy. ‘From now on, I’m someone with a partner.’
Feeling elated, Wu Po kissed Mu Jin a few more times, his movements light and careful not to wake him. Once he’d kissed him enough, he lay down, wrapped Mu Jin in his arms, and drifted off to sleep, completely content.
The next morning, Wu Po woke early, as usual, and began preparing breakfast for Mu Jin.
The enticing aroma of food wafted into the cave, waking Mu Jin. Groggy and still half-asleep, he stumbled out of the cave, only to be immediately scooped up by Wu Po, who placed a large leaf holding roasted meat into his hands.
Happy new year!