After a thorough cooling-down, I felt much more comfortable.

Top was also soaking in the water, as if he were in a hot spring. His monkey eyes were almost slits, and he looked like he was about to fall asleep.

I climbed out of the water, took off my python skin coat, washed it in the stream, and hung it on a tree branch to dry.

This thing is like a raincoat; it doesn't get wet much, and it dries quickly after hanging for a while.

I didn't bring any extra clothes, since there's no one else here anyway. Top is one of us, and a male at that, so I don't think he'll mind me having a little wild time now and then.

I walked along leisurely with my hands behind my back, like a naked leader inspecting work by a stream.

I found that there were quite a few Egyptian catfish here. This guy has always had a bad reputation and is often called a trash fish or a cesspool fish.

Actually, this isn't a problem with the fish; it's a problem with us humans.

We produce all this garbage and sewage ourselves and then discharge it into the river. Now we're blaming the whole mess on a fish. Did they have a choice?

In fact, this kind of catfish that is entirely black simply has a strong vitality. It is this strong vitality that allows it to adapt to and survive in the harsh environments created by humans.

A fish that doesn't complain about the terrible environment created by humans is now being looked down upon for being dirty by humans. What a ridiculous irony.

I know that as long as this fish doesn't grow in a harsh environment, its flesh is just as delicious as most other catfish.

When we were kids, we often used earthworms to catch fish in the river. Back then, the river was very clear and clean.

Even the Egyptian catfish, which is often called a "trash fish," eats small fish and shrimp from the river.

We brought the fish we caught home and had the adults make fish soup. The delicious taste was just as good as some expensive fish.

Moreover, this fish is known for being silly; most fish would swim away immediately when they see people approaching.

However, these fish have a rather laid-back personality. They are not in a hurry to swim away. If you chase them, they will swim a little further away. As long as you don't seriously disturb them, they basically won't run away.

So while humans call them dirty, they are also among the most frequently injured fish. They can be hunted relatively easily with harpoons, arrows, or even stones.

Of course, when I saw these black Egyptian catfish, which were about half a meter long, tears of genuine sorrow welled up in my eyes and flowed uncontrollably from the corners of my mouth.

Unlike those bad people who call it dirty, I actually defended it. So, as a token of gratitude, it's reasonable for me to taste it and see if it's contaminated.

I think using a harpoon to deal with this kind of fish is overkill. Luckily, I have a long spear on hand, which saves me the time of making one.

Armed with my spear, I returned to the water naked, swinging my two rather nice silver bells.

I stood quietly in the water for a short while, perhaps because there were too many of these fish, or perhaps because they were too enthusiastic.

They actually swam towards me on their own, seemingly particularly interested in my natural earthworm-like body.

I used my own earthworms as bait, and soon a large group of "gourmets" gathered.

Faced with such a warm welcome, I was so moved that tears welled up in my eyes. I had to do something to express my gratitude, didn't I?

I've decided to randomly select a few lucky viewers to come ashore with me and experience the everyday life of ordinary people. Being able to eat with me is probably a lifelong dream they could never attain.

Before long, several plump Egyptian catfish appeared on the shore, all of which had been brought ashore by spears.

I beckoned Top to come ashore and help me with something, like burning some kind of firewood.

Before it rained, I ran to a nearby place and collected a bundle of dry firewood.

Since no one comes here year-round, it's not difficult to get some firewood; many of the branches on the ground have been broken off by the wind.

I set up a simple earthen stove and took the small golden pot that I had been carrying with me out of my backpack.

I quickly started a fire using tinder and charcoal fiber as kindling. After cleaning the fish and removing their innards, I chopped them into large pieces.

I marinated the fish with a little salt beforehand to make it more flavorful.

Next, I put a small piece of oil into the pot. When I came out, I didn't bring much oil with me, so I had to use it sparingly for the time being.

After heating the oil, lightly fry the fish and then remove it from the pan and put it in a bowl. Add some water to the pan and bring it to a boil before adding the fish pieces back in to simmer.

Soon the aroma of fish wafted out, and I added some salt. The fish was now ready.

At that moment, Top also peeled the two taro roots that had gone cold from his basket and threw them into the pot to heat them up. Taro should be eaten while it's hot, otherwise it will be choking if it gets cold.

Pat seemed to sense it was mealtime too, and it flapped its wings and flew down from the tree. But it probably wasn't there to beg for food; it was there to show off and boast.

Under Pat's claws, a porcupine about 30 centimeters long lay quietly, with a scratch on its neck from Pat's beak, which was probably caused by Pat's killing move.

This sub-adult guinea pig weighs at least 15 kilograms. Since its hide isn't very large and wouldn't be of much use, it's better to stew it and eat it.

I burned off the hair by the fire, then scraped off the black layer on top, and rinsed it with my hands.

I fed Pat all the internal organs. He'll need to lead the way and scout ahead for me, so I can't skimp on his food.

Pat also enjoyed the soft innards, and soon he had cleaned all the innards of the entire guinea pig.

I propped open the abdomen of the hunted pufferfish in a cross shape with a stick, then placed it near the fire to dry out some of the moisture inside. This would allow the food to be preserved for a little longer.

The guinea pig mainly eats fruits and plant roots, and its meat tastes quite good. If I hadn't already cooked a pot of fish, I would have definitely cooked this guinea pig first.

Top and I, one monkey and one person, sat in front of the pot and cleaned the fish thoroughly. Afterwards, I patted my round belly and felt very content.

Unfortunately, the weather turned against us, and a downpour began unexpectedly.

The sound of raindrops echoed through the jungle. Just moments before, the heat was unbearable, but now the rain felt cool on my skin.

To avoid catching a cold from the sudden change in temperature, I still wore my python coat.

Just as I put on this raincoat-like leather jacket and prepared to continue my journey, a sudden clap of thunder rang out above my head, startling me.

What I didn't know was that danger awaited me not far ahead.