CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: AM I SOME KIND OF MONSTER?!

"Old Wen, why do I feel like she wants to save that silly roe deer?"

Just as the words left his mouth, he heard Yi Chichi say, "Uncle, this roe deer can be saved."

The team leader, wearing a perplexed expression, looked at her, "Why save it?"

"To raise it!"

She said it so matter-of-factly that everyone’s foreheads were lined with disbelief.

What’s with this kid? What’s so good about raising a silly roe deer?

It can’t work, and raising it means feeding it and worrying it’ll run away.

"We won’t raise it!"

Yi Chichi fell silent, knowing that not raising it meant it would be killed for food.

A future secondary protected animal, yet today it was human food.

One could say it was fate or timing.

She gave a small response, and the team leader, who had a daughter of his own and some understanding of young girls’ minds, laughed and asked, "Roe deer meat tastes good. Do you want to eat it?"

"Yes!"

In this world, nothing is more important than filling one’s stomach. As for the idea of not eating future protected animals, that’s a joke.

As the saying goes, sing the song of the mountain you climb.

No matter if it’s a dragon or a roe deer, to people of this era, they’re all prey.

If everyone eats and you don’t, it’s not about having a moral baseline; it’s about having a problem upstairs.

If one were to strictly follow the wildlife protection laws, none of the hunted animals the team leader brings back could be eaten.

Because that would be illegal.

Silly roe deer, a future secondary protected species.

Flying dragon, scientifically named hazel grouse, similarly a secondary protected species.

Even wild boars once enjoyed a time of being listed as "three have" protected animals.

Snow hares don’t seem to be protected, but in times of desperate need for fat, hares really aren’t the best choice.

Thus, Yi Chichi wouldn’t let her stomach suffer over the wildlife protection law.

However——

"Are all these to be distributed?"

"Certainly not!"

The team leader explained, "According to regulations, we have to submit half."

So, the wild boar production team kept two large ones, and the remaining with three slightly smaller boars and the six silly roe deer were sent to the commune by the team leader and his crew.

The flying dragons and snow hares weren’t sent as there weren’t many.

In the evening, the team prepared dishes with the pork. The pig butchers were Wen Shi and Uncle Ping’an, one middle-aged, one young, both working so enthusiastically.

Aunt Ma and others built a large stove, set a roaring fire to heat water, preparing for the pork dish.

Niu Niu and the group of kids ran around playing, and when Wen Shi finished with the wild boar bladders, the children had two more toys to play with.

Watching Wen Shi methodically dissect the boar, He Yunsong squatted next to Yi Chichi and marveled, "Old Wen sure knows a lot."

Yi Chichi glanced at him, slowly responding, "You don’t know how to butcher a pig?"

"No, I don’t!"

Then, noticing Yi Chichi’s somewhat disdainful gaze—like saying how could someone so handsome not know how to butcher pigs—he felt stimulated, wishing he could explain in defense, "Mr. Yi, you have to know, not every man knows how to butcher pigs."

There are few like Wen Shi who can both write and fight on the battlefield.

One must have self-awareness.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have other strengths; self-awareness he certainly did.

Watching the change in his expression, Yi Chichi frowned, "Mr. He, may I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead!"

"Are you always this..."

After thinking a bit, she finally found a suitable word, "unstable."

A handsome cold face, yet an animated chatterbox; this contrast wasn’t charming but absurd.

"Pfft..."

Unable to hold it in, Bai Chen and others snickered, like air being let out.

He Yunsong shot them a glare, and they immediately composed themselves and looked towards Wen Shi’s group, discussing how much pork they might receive later.

"Yi Zhqing, speaking so directly is likely to offend people, you know?"

Retracting his gaze, He Yunsong looked at Yi Chichi, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Yi Chichi quietly moved aside, unable to provoke the unstable type.

Best to keep some distance.

Seeing this, He Yunsong complained, "What, do you see me as a wild beast?!"

Her disdain really hurt him.

After all, he was a young talent, how could he be so off-putting to Yi Chichi?

"No."

Unaware of his internal thoughts, Yi Chichi calmly responded, "I just don’t know what to say to you."

"Then let’s talk about the medicines the team leader brought into the mountains."

This one was quite straightforward, no beating around the bush, directly addressing the topic.

Yi Chichi turned to look at him, "You want to exchange for medicinal powder."

Statement.

He Yunsong, "... Ah, if you have extras, could you let us exchange a bit?"

It’s not impossible to exchange, but, "May I boldly ask, what military branch are you and Mr. Wen in?"

"I was in field operations, Wen Shi was in Border City, but we’ve both been reassigned. After this leave, we’ll be serving in the Navy."

"Then there’s no need to exchange."

"Why not?"

"The Navy spends most of its time at sea; beast-repellent powder isn’t effective against marine creatures, only against snakes, rodents, bugs, and ants. As for healing powder..."

Recalling the limited amount she had, she said with some helplessness, "I can’t make more for the time being."

"Short of medicinal materials?"

"Yes."

Yi Chichi nodded, "Uncle Yaozi doesn’t have the right medicinal materials."

She had used up the last batch, and medicinal harvesting is seasonal; one can’t just pick them whenever they’re grown and then make medicine.

The timing and seasons for harvesting have to be considered to ensure the remedy’s efficacy.

Before finding her, He Yunsong had inquired with the team leader about the effectiveness of the healing powder she made. Wen Sheng thought for a moment, "Which kinds of materials are you short on? Maybe we can check the county’s herb purchasing station."

If the materials can be gathered, it is possible to make them. Yi Family’s powder for inflammation and bleeding control is known for its effectiveness.

If it were a stranger asking, she definitely wouldn’t agree.

But He Yunsong and Wen Shi are soldiers defending the nation, and even more, they serve in the Navy.

Our Navy developed relatively late, with outdated equipment and vast coastal areas to defend.

Yet the Navy stood firm protecting our maritime territories, achieving growth from small to large, from weak to strong, gradually advancing from coastal lines to distant oceans through the efforts of multiple generations.

They deserve respect!

With this in mind, she started listing the names of herbs.

"Dianthus, Notoginseng, Large Thistle, Centella...and Roots of Ramie, etc."

The list was a bit long, and He Yunsong felt his mind going a bit foggy, unable to discern the specific differences between these herbs. Yet he knew one thing, the powders with the team leader’s certification were indeed effective.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out paper and pen with both hands extended, "Yi Zhqing, could you kindly write down the types of herbs needed and the required amounts?"

"Yes, I can!"

Yi Chichi took the paper and pen, quickly jotting down the list on the spot.

The pen flowed, words appeared, and seeing her handwriting, He Yunsong couldn’t help but praise, "Beautiful handwriting."

This cross between the Yan and Liu styles of regular script was simply brilliant.

But——