Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After completing his basic work, Lin Ming turned his sights again toward the animals he had captured in the short yet intense fight.
There were three monkeys, though none were golden monkeys. There was also a lynx, a black bear cub, two jackals, a panda, and that strange animal that looked like a cross between a cow and sheep. As for birds, Lin Ming had caught two little egrets and two red-crowned cranes.
There may not have been many of them, but they were all of quality.
After all, these animals were carefully picked from the crowd that had attacked Lin Ming and were mutated animals that were ‘Unranked’.
Since the insect wave was so easy to take care of with his Bamboo Whip, Lin Ming was able to take some time to evaluate the animals that had come forward to attack.
When he spotted an animal that would suit his needs, he would catch it with his Bamboo Whip. If he spotted a better animal, he would release the previous one. There were many animals around anyway, and there was nothing much they could do to him.
Lin Ming also paid attention to those that looked particularly rare. When a few pandas came at him, he was delighted. These beings had both combat effectiveness and were adorable — anyone would want them.
Lin Ming checked the personalized dashboard for the animal that looked like a cross between a cow and a sheep. It had antlers, hoovers, and a beard. He found its true species, it was a serow! This guy looked like it was not to be trifled with, but it did look kind of cute.
As for the lynx, jackal and the black bear cub, they were animals with powerful Damage in Lin Ming’s memory, which was why he caught them. They would become his able assistants once he nurtured them enough, right?
The three monkeys were initially just caught since they happened to be there. After checking, though, Lin Ming could see that their ‘Grades’ were quite high at Unranked Grade-4, far more superior than the others whose highest grade was Unranked Grade-2. They also struggled the least after capture, which he found to be quite strange.
The two little egrets and the red-crowned cranes were caught because Lin Ming had a preference for these kinds of birds. A lot of birds had attacked him, but most were sparrows. These four were considered quite a good catch, considering the circumstances.
After he was done with his inventory of catches, Lin Ming did not immediately allow his captors to enjoy the benefits of the gift of his Spiritual Fluid.
These mutated wild beasts had attained the level of ‘Unranked’ and did not immediately yield to him. Lin Ming understood this very clearly.
They were different from the Adorable Little Snake and the wolf pups, who chose to yield to him willingly. The animals here were still deeply fearful of his existence. If he opened up the bamboo branch cage, they would be sure to escape immediately.
If he wanted to tame them, he had to ensure that every cell in their bodies had a deep understanding of his abilities.
The second thing he needed to do was quite simple. He needed to starve them.
Animals, even if they were mutated, had a strong desire for food. This was especially true for those that had mutated. Their bodies were larger than before and they had a stronger urge to eat a large quantity of food.
Lin Ming was sure that if he kept these prisoners hungry for a while, there was no doubt that some of them would end up… damn it! Was that panda beginning to pluck off some bamboo leaves from the branch cage to eat?
Lin Ming suddenly had a slight headache. He had completely forgotten that the main food source of pandas was bamboo, and he was bamboo himself!
He had made a dreadful miscalculation.
Even though he was not too worried about the number of bamboo leaves the panda would eat, something about this did not sit right with Lin Ming.
He gave it some thought. The panda was his prisoner, how could it act with such audacity…
Lin Ming simply pulled the bamboo branch away from the panda, not looking to pick a fight with it. He decided to give up on taming this guy.
However, the panda seemed unhappy about Lin Ming pulling off his branches. It went to his culm and attempted to climb up it!
Lin Ming was quite speechless, even though technically he did not have a mouth…
Before he could chase it off with his bamboo branches, the Adorable Little Snake and wolf pups had surrounded the bold panda.
An intense battle seemed ready to erupt!
The panda had sharp claws and a terrifying bite force. It was also quite large in size, and was known as the ‘Iron-eating Beast’ in ancient times. It was an extremely vicious beast that was both adorable and highly deadly. After mutating, it was now Unranked Grade-2 and its Destructive Effect stood out when compared to the other animals!
However, opposite the panda was what was previously the wolf pups and were now the Wild Forest Wolves – Wolves of Septenary Level 7. Their Special Ability could now increase their combat effectiveness by 70%!
The Adorable Little Snake was closely observing the situation and already baring its venomous fangs as if prepared to give a lethal strike at any time!
Before Lin Ming’s bamboo branches could go into action, his pets suddenly settled down and turned quiet.
The huge panda who had previously just stood up and opened its mouth, roaring and showing off its sharp fangs, had also laid down once again on the ground. The seven wolves who had been baring their teeth and growling in a low tone with arched backs ready to strike were now docile once more. As for Adorable Little Snake, it had now relaxed from its previous attack stance and was back in adorable mode.
The seven little wolves went to surround the huge panda and circled it, sometimes licking it. In return, the huge panda exposed its tummy with all four limbs raised in the air cutely.
Lin Ming was baffled. What just happened?
Why were they not fighting anymore? What was going on with them?
Were they not just in attack mode, prepared to fight to the death? Why had they suddenly ceased hostilities and were now peaceful, even licking one another? The wolves, little snake, and the panda were now beginning to befriend one another instead.
However, Lin Ming quickly thought of a probable explanation for this.
‘Could it be that they have attained basic spiritual intelligence?’
Lin Ming did not doubt that such spiritual intelligence would unlock and grow exponentially after the animals had mutated and evolved. The Adorable Little Snake and the wolf pups’ actions had given him such an impression, as they seemed to possess the intelligence of a two or three-year-old child.
Now that they had grown quite a bit, it was only natural that they also now possessed higher intelligence.
As for the huge panda, its natural-born spiritual intelligence might be higher than that of the little snake and wolves. Even though it was only Unranked Grade-2, the panda had no problems communicating with the wolf pups and the Adorable Little Snake.
If not that, it would be difficult to explain why they would suddenly become so friendly after they were just about to fight with one another.
Lin Ming began to think about this more as he watched them play.
In this world of the Reawakening, it was almost impossible for a plant to unlock any semblance of spiritual intelligence when compared to animals.
As an extremely unique creature, Lin Ming possessed outstanding spiritual intelligence.
He had lived in this valley for a long time and was yet to bump into another plant that possessed spiritual intelligence as he did.
He had started from the bamboo forest and migrated all the way to this side of Spirit Lake, using the System and his natural-born wisdom as aids. Ling Ming had quickly taken control of everything within his three hundred meter range of this area. If he really wanted to, no animals nor birds would be able to pass through his territory safely.
In other words, as a plant that was growing at lightning speed and possessed infinite possibilities for what he could do with his powers, Lin Ming was quite sure he was the true overlord of this massive valley!