NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 4 - Taming the Second Animal
Chapter 004: Taming the Second Animal
The next day, at the break of dawn.
Mino woke up, staring blankly at the wooden roof of the shelter.
She had spent the entire night thinking—should she leave with Mu Liang? The thoughts had kept her awake, and it was only after several hours that she finally drifted off to sleep.
“Sniff, sniff…”
Mino wrinkled her delicate nose. A rich aroma of meat filled the air.
Turning her head, she saw a few embers still glowing in the fire pit. Above it, a metal pot hung from a wooden frame, and the scent was coming from inside.
“You’re awake. Come eat something.”
Mu Liang stirred the contents of the pot with a ladle.
Mino was momentarily dazed. Until now, it had always been her preparing breakfast.
She hesitated before asking, “Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah, I’m fine now,” Mu Liang replied lightly.
Breakfast consisted of compressed biscuits and boiled lizard—a rather unappetizing meal, but enough to fill their stomachs.
The biscuits were one of the few things Mu Liang had brought from Earth when the ground cracked open.
“Oh.” Mino sat quietly by the fire.
“Once we’re done eating, let’s go hunting together.”
Mu Liang scooped the breakfast into a metal lunchbox and handed it to the girl.
Since they were leaving the camp for a while, he needed to stock up on food. There weren’t many biscuits left.
“Okay.” Mino obediently took the lunchbox.
She recognized it—it was from the backpack.
Five days ago, she had even considered using it to pay taxes, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Mu Liang noticed her low spirits but didn’t try to comfort her.
Instead, he scooped up some lizard meat porridge from the pot and quietly ate his breakfast.
“Sizzle~~”
The two ate in silence.
Mino pressed her lips together, stealing glances at Mu Liang’s profile.
For some reason, she suddenly felt at a loss for words. It wasn’t as easy to chat as before.
“Crunch…”
The Rock Armor Turtle scraped its foot against the ground, its emerald-green eyes fixed on Mu Liang.
Seeing this, Mino immediately found something to talk about. “What about the turtle?”
“It’s coming with us,” Mu Liang replied. He wouldn’t feel at ease leaving it behind in the camp.
A Level 1 Rock Armor Turtle wasn’t strong. If discovered, someone might just kill it for its meat.
Besides, the turtle needed food too. Out in the wild, it could hunt for itself.
“I see.” Mino nodded slightly.
The conversation ended, and silence settled between them once more.
After finishing breakfast, the two packed up any important belongings from the shelter to prevent theft.
Mino’s home was just a wooden shack built from dried wood and animal hides.
It sat on the edge of the camp—perfect for sneaking away unnoticed.
The Rock Armor Turtle moved slowly, no faster than an average walking pace. However, with its shell resembling brown rock, it was naturally camouflaged.
Once outside the camp, the two and their turtle headed north.
According to Mino, there was a rocky hillside in that direction, home to many small lizards.
Along the way, Mu Liang spotted other people, but they all kept their distance.
He could guess why—they were wary of being robbed.
After all, in this post-apocalyptic wasteland, survival meant constantly watching your back.
Before long, they reached the base of the nearest hill.
“Xiao Xuanwu, go find your own food,” Mu Liang said, crouching down to pat the turtle’s head.
He had named it Xuanwu—a small wishful hope.
“Roar~~”
The Rock Armor Turtle nuzzled Mu Liang’s palm before choosing a direction and slowly crawling away.
“Will it get lost?” Mino asked worriedly.
“No, I can sense where it is,” Mu Liang replied with a smile.
Tamed animals could communicate with him through their bond.
Mino sighed in relief and pointed ahead. “I set up some traps at the base of the next few hills.”
“You go check them. I’ll scout around for other prey.” Mu Liang decided to split up.
Small lizards weren’t what he was after. They didn’t have enough meat to be worth it.
“Alright.” Mino nodded softly. “If anything happens, just call for me.”
“Got it.” Mu Liang gave her a slight nod before heading off in the opposite direction of the turtle.
“Sigh~~ Why do I feel so uneasy today?”
Mino exhaled, patting her cheeks to shake off the gloom.
“……”
Mu Liang’s footsteps paused momentarily before he walked on.
Thanks to his bond with the Rock Armor Turtle, his senses had improved. He could hear Mino’s sigh clearly.
Loneliness weighed heavier on someone who had been alone for too long. Now that she had company, she was afraid to lose it.
But Mu Liang chose not to comfort her. If she decided not to leave with him, any kindness he gave her now would only make it harder for her later.
“This place is so barren… feels just like a desert.”
Mu Liang stepped lightly, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
He muttered to himself, “I really don’t know how people survive here long-term.”
“Rustle~~”
The sound of sand shifting immediately caught his attention.
He locked onto a nearby rock wall, scanning carefully. Soon, he spotted the source.
A small lizard was climbing up the rock face.
“If I see you, you’re not getting away.”
Mu Liang drew the combat knife from his waist and swiftly stabbed at the lizard’s head.
Squelch…
The small lizard was dead.
“Rustle~~”
Another lizard suddenly emerged from the rock wall, scrambling upward.
“A chameleon?”
Mu Liang hesitated for barely a second before reacting. He reached out to grab it.
He missed on the first attempt but managed to pin it down on the second.
“I didn’t expect to find a different kind of lizard here.”
Mu Liang observed the struggling creature in his hand.
It was nearly twice the size of the previous lizards.
Most intriguingly, its skin was covered in patches of red, green, and blue.
“Ding! A tameable animal has been detected. Would you like to tame it?”
Translator’s Note:
Xuanwu (玄武): A mythical creature from Chinese mythology, often depicted as a black turtle entwined with a snake. Mu Liang naming his turtle Xuanwusuggests he hopes it will grow into something powerful.
Compressed Biscuits: A common military-style survival food, lightweight and calorie-dense, often used in disaster scenarios.