Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Savage Mountain Sparrow

“Mountain Sparrow, could you be a little gentler?” Changxia rubbed her forehead, shuddering at the scene in the reeds.

Anyone who knew what was going on would understand Mountain Sparrow was hunting wild chickens.

Anyone who didn’t would think she was eating them raw.

How could things get so bloody?! Was this hunting method something Elder Pukang taught her? Just biting down—what on earth was Mountain Sparrow thinking?

Earlier, Changxia and Nuan Chun had been strolling through the reeds, slowly collecting bird eggs. Occasionally, a wild chicken or duck would startle and fly up nearby, but neither of them tried to catch it.

After all, Chen Rong, Nan Feng, and the three kids were already hunting. There was no need for them to step in.

“Mountain Sparrow…” Nuan Chun covered her mouth and looked away.

Mountain Sparrow grinned, beaming with pride. “Changxia-jie, look! Isn’t this wild chicken I caught nice and fat?”

Changxia covered her eyes and waved her hand. “Lu You, take Mountain Sparrow to the lake and get her face washed. This is the first time I’ve seen someone hunt with their teeth. Mountain Sparrow, you’re in human form now—use your hands, feet, or weapons to hunt, not your mouth… Who taught you that?”

Off to the side,

Lu You and Wu Liu had already retreated a safe distance.

Clearly, Mountain Sparrow’s wild and ferocious display had scared them half to death.

“Changxia-jie, hunting with your mouth is Mountain Sparrow’s own invention. It has absolutely nothing to do with me, I swear!” Lu You said quickly.

Wu Liu’s face was pale as a sheet. He stammered, “M-Mountain Sparrow… how can you eat wild chicken raw? I remember you had breakfast this morning—are you really that hungry?”

Wu Liu’s little head just couldn’t wrap itself around the idea that Mountain Sparrow, this leopard girl, would choose such a bizarre way to hunt. Probably no one but Mountain Sparrow could have thought of it.

"沉戎 raised an eyebrow, stringing together the chickens and ducks he’d caught and tossing them at his feet. Then his gaze landed on Nanfeng, who stiffened and quickly shook her head. “I never taught her to hunt like that. Maybe… Elder Pukang?”

Elder Pukang had always been a bit unconventional.

Maybe. Possibly.

Did he teach her to hunt with her mouth?

“Elder Changxia—” Mountain Sparrow tilted her head, confused by Changxia’s strange expression. She’d just caught a plump wild chicken, but for some reason, no one was praising her. What was going on?

Looking at Mountain Sparrow’s adorable, clueless face, Changxia felt a wave of frustration stuck in her chest, neither rising nor falling—she was about to explode.

“Lu You, quick, take her to the lake to wash up,” Changxia urged.

Such a ferocious leopard girl—Changxia really couldn’t bring herself to love her.

Changxia: ヽ(*。>Д<)o゜

Lu You dragged Mountain Sparrow off to the lake to wash her face.

Nanfeng met Changxia’s suspicious gaze and hurried to explain again, “Changxia, I swear I never taught Mountain Sparrow to hunt with her mouth.”

She felt wronged, but couldn’t say anything.

First Shen Rong had doubted her, now it was Changxia’s turn.

When had she—Nanfeng—ever done anything so crude?!

“Nanfeng, we’re going back to the tribe today. Remember to tell the chief to assign a different elder to teach the young ones. If Elder Pukang keeps teaching them, I’m afraid all our cubs will end up with way too much… personality.”

Changxia gritted her teeth, emphasizing the word “personality.”

Elder Pukang was always unconventional and held grudges. Few in the tribe hadn’t experienced his “loving iron fist.” He was a brute who loved to style himself as a cultured man. If he kept teaching the cubs, who knew what kind of adults they’d grow into…

Hearing this, Nanfeng immediately tensed up.

She wasn’t stupid. Now that Changxia had said it outright, Nanfeng felt an urge to rush back to the tribe immediately.

Mountain Sparrow had always been a bit reckless and fierce, but at least she used to think before acting. But hunting with her mouth? What was that about?

Not to mention Lu You had actually encouraged Mountain Sparrow and Wuliu to sneak out of the tribe.

Put all these things together, and none of them were minor issues.

Nanfeng broke out in a cold sweat, soaked from head to toe.

“I understand,” Nanfeng said solemnly.

Once Lu You had cleaned the blood from Mountain Sparrow’s face, Changxia pulled her aside and repeatedly warned her not to do it again.

She nagged for a full quarter of an hour.

Everyone was nearly falling asleep from her lecturing, until finally Shen Rong spoke up, saying they had enough prey and it was nearly noon—they should head back to Bai Lake to fish.

Changxia finally stopped nagging.

“Nuan Chun, was Changxia always this naggy?” Nanfeng whispered, carrying the game.

Nuan Chun glanced at Changxia and shook her head. “No. I think Mountain Sparrow and the others just scared her this time, so she’s talking a bit more than usual.”

After all, Mountain Sparrow was their most spoiled little sister—even if Changxia nagged, it was understandable.

If it were anyone else, not only would Nanfeng be annoyed, even Nuan Chun would want to hit them.

“Little Changxia, I’m back—”

Suddenly, a thunderous voice boomed in the distance.

It startled the entire lakeshore, sending flocks of birds, chickens, and ducks flying in all directions, their cries echoing. Even the surface of Bai Lake rippled with waves.

Changxia stumbled, staring in fear toward their den.

The three little ones—Mountain Sparrow, Wuliu, and Lu You—were the weakest, and immediately toppled to the ground, their faces meeting the dirt. Just hearing the thuds made Changxia’s own face ache.

“Nuan Chun—” Nanfeng reacted quickly, dropping her game to shield Nuan Chun from falling.

Nuan Chun clutched her stomach, looking like she’d just survived a disaster.

“…Is everyone alright?” Shen Rong asked quietly.

“Y-yeah, we’re fine,” Mountain Sparrow replied dazedly, climbing to her feet.

Lu You and Wuliu were still sitting on the ground, not yet recovered.

Changxia rubbed her forehead. Elder Pukang had always been rough around the edges, but now he seemed even more intense. If they were on a snowy mountain, that shout could have triggered an avalanche.

“Xileilei—”

Before Changxia and the others could recover, that familiar laugh rang out again, and Elder Pukang’s fierce face appeared. “Little Changxia, why did you catch so many sharp-beaked animals?”

“Grandpa Pukang, these are chickens and ducks… we’re going to eat them for lunch,” Changxia explained. She remembered saying this just this morning—why was Elder Pukang asking again so soon?

“Oh! Is that so?” Pukang looked like he suddenly understood, showing not a trace of embarrassment or shame. Truly, his skin was thicker than armor.

“What are you all standing around for? It’s already noon—aren’t you going back to the den to cook?”

When Changxia and the others still didn’t react, Pukang’s face darkened and he urged them on.

They all stiffened, cursing him in their hearts, but none dared complain out loud.

“Mountain Sparrow, get up. Let’s go home and make something delicious,” Changxia said gently.

She gathered up the frightened group and headed back to the den.

As they passed Bai Lake, Shen Rong set down the chickens and ducks and started fishing in the lake. They’d planned to fish anyway, but seeing how impatient Elder Pukang was, there wasn’t time—so Shen Rong just scooped some fish straight from the water.

They’d have to wait until Elder Pukang was fed before making any further plans.