lcionline Chapter 24 Arriving at the Beach
Chapter 24 Arriving at the Beach
The dish was indeed tastier with the addition of Sichuan peppercorns. The young man took a bite of the rabbit leg, drank a sip of the broth, and then looked up at the three male orcs who were wolfing down their food. "How does it taste?"
Ma Yuan and Xiong Fei didn't bother to reply; they just nodded vigorously.
The White Flame Priest is truly amazing! Not only can she start a fire to identify food, but her cooking is also incredibly delicious!
Without even looking up, Lang Cang finished his second bowl of chicken soup, then nodded reservedly, "It tastes very good."
After dinner, the male beastmen divided up their watch times. Lin Baiyan didn't need to participate, so he transformed into his beast form, curled up near the fire, and fell asleep.
Lang Cang looked at the tiny kitten, and his expression gradually softened.
The next morning, Lin Baiyan stirred the fire that buried the beggar's chicken, knocking away the aroma of the yellow mud outside. The aroma wafted out immediately, and the chicken meat was so tender that it fell off the bone.
The group quickly devoured the beggar's chicken to fill their stomachs, and then began their new journey.
The journey to find the sea took longer than Lang Cang had estimated. After all, he had only traveled this route once, and they inevitably lost their way at times. However, Lang Cang always adjusted the route in time.
Along the way, they traversed jungles and climbed high mountains.
The further south Lin Baiyan went, the more animal tracks he saw in the forest, and the more relaxed he became. This indicated that the earthquake had indeed passed, otherwise the animals wouldn't be moving around so freely.
Autumn is the season when animals are most active, making it easier for them to hunt later in the year.
Finally, at sunset on the fourth day after they set off, they reached their destination.
Lang Cang stood atop a high mountain, looking down at the boundless sea. The kitten on his head poked its head out, raised its paw, and meowed happily.
Meow! "It's the ocean! We've really found the ocean!"
Lin Baiyan was overjoyed, his eyes sparkling with delight.
The young man quickly transformed back into human form, pointed to the vast expanse of blue, and excitedly turned back to them, saying, "Look, this is the sea I was talking about!"
Jack Ma and Xiong Fei were also very excited to hear that they had finally reached their destination, but...
The black bear tilted its head in confusion and roared.
Ouch?
"There's only water here, where can we find salt?"
The young man could tell what they were thinking just by looking at their expressions. He smiled mysteriously and said, "Salt, of course, is taken from the sea!"
"But there's no rush. We've been traveling all day and we're tired. Let's find a place to settle down by the sea first, and we'll start making salt tomorrow."
The group descended from the cliff and headed towards the sea, finally stopping on the beach. Lang Cang looked around and then down at the sub-beastman beside him, saying, "There's nothing to cover on the beach; it's not suitable for us to establish a temporary base."
Lin Baiyan nodded in agreement. Indeed, they didn't know if there were any large wild animals around.
So the group chose a temporary campsite at the junction of the beach and the forest, with a huge rock nearby and tall trees overhead for cover.
"You set up the shed here, and I'll go patrol the area and do some hunting while I'm at it."
Whenever Langcang arrives at an unfamiliar place, he will search the surroundings, not only for hunting and finding water, but also to make sure there are no traces of large animals.
As they traveled over the past few days, their teamwork became increasingly seamless. Lin Baiyan gathered up fallen leaves and twigs from the ground, both cleaning the area and using them as fuel.
Xiong Fei dragged several tree trunks of suitable size and used nearby vines to build a simple frame.
Ma Yuan placed some dry grass and huge leaves he found on the frame, and a simple little grass shed was completed.
Lin Baiyan took the hay that Ma Yuan had brought back and spread another layer under the straw shed so that it wouldn't feel too damp when he snuggled up on it to sleep.
After tidying up, Lin Baiyan looked at the small thatched hut with satisfaction. If nothing unexpected happened, this would be their little nest for the next few days.
While he and Ma Yuan were setting up the shed, Xiong Fei had already quickly lit the fire.
The young man glanced at the sun and thought it was still early. He rummaged through the loose items in his basket, put them on his back, picked up a small wooden stick, and decided to begin the most important task of the day.
That's right, he's going to go beachcombing!
Seeing Lin Baiyan all ready to go, Xiong Fei and Ma Yuan quickly asked, "Priest Baiyan, where are you going?"
Lin Baiyan smiled, revealing a set of neat white teeth. "I'm going to go beachcombing. There are lots of delicious seafood and fish on the beach."
Xiong Fei was a little nervous. "How about we wait for the clan leader to return and then go together?"
The young man looked at Xiong Fei with a puzzled expression, as if every bush and tree was a potential enemy.
“In my previous tribe, an orc fell into the river and never came back up. They all said he was swallowed by the river.” Xiong Fei’s eyes dimmed as he recalled the past.
The vast ocean was even wider than the river he had seen before. If the priest fell in and was eaten, Xiong Fei didn't even dare to think about how he would explain it to his people. Where would they find such a wise priest again?
Upon hearing Xiong Fei's words, Ma Yuan also became very nervous. "Xiong Fei is right. Why don't we wait for the clan leader?"
Seeing that the two of them were so in agreement, Lin Baiyan had no choice but to put down the small wooden stick for the time being. "Alright, let's wait for Lang Cang to come back then."
He looked at the two male orcs with amusement. Since he had nothing else to do, the young man gave them a serious explanation of the meaning of high and low tides.
Lin Baiyan could understand their concerns. After all, this was their first time seeing the sea, and the unknown fears of the orcs who had always lived inland made them even more afraid.
Moreover, Lin Baiyan had seen many people drowning in the sea in his previous life, but those were all under very special circumstances.
For example, the tides caused by a storm, with their surging waves like a giant beast, suddenly unleash a rolling wave that instantly engulfs people.
For those unfamiliar with swimming, once hit by these fierce waves, it is difficult for them to regain their footing and balance.
At this moment, people filled with panic often rush ashore and frantically thrash their arms and legs, only to be mercilessly swallowed by the waves, with no hope of survival whatsoever.
However, the sea is calm and peaceful right now, with no sign of rain or wind. At this time, there is generally no danger.
Xiong Fei and Ma Yuan listened thoughtfully to Lin Baiyan's explanation of the science.
So that's how it is...
"However, this is our first time at the beach, so it's right to be cautious."
Lin Baiyan's judgments about the ocean are all based on his knowledge of the ocean on Earth from his previous life.
On the Orcish continent, he had never been to the seaside and had no idea what unknown things might be there. What if an unknown animal suddenly appeared in the sea?
Xiong Fei and Ma Yuan both nodded in agreement.