Chapter 319 - 183: Settling the Wild Goats and Deer! The Brown Rice Sprouts! Venison Tonight

Chapter 319: Chapter 183: Settling the Wild Goats and Deer! The Brown Rice Sprouts! Venison Tonight

From talking to them, the students who hadn’t joined learned about some of the benefits and perks of joining Chen Chong’s team.

Gradually, many who had been disdainful or too afraid to join began to reconsider.

Now, after seeing Chen Chong so effortlessly catch so much prey, many students by the river felt an even stronger urge to join...

...

BAA—

Inside the pen, wild goats and wild deer mingled, occasionally nibbling on the grass at their feet and letting out calls.

After being brought home, the wild goats and deer were nervous and trembling, especially the goats, which had been terrified.

But after Wang Biao brought three buckets of fresh grass and poured it in, they surprisingly began to eat one after another. Even their trembling bodies and anxious states were significantly eased.

The most difficult part of domesticating wild animals in a new environment—getting them to eat—was solved so easily. There was no resistance at all!

Chen Chong glanced at the Grassland in surprise....

’This Grassland... It probably does more than just speed up livestock growth, right?’

’Could it also have a calming effect on them?’

’I didn’t notice it before.’

The wild rabbits, pheasants, wild ducks, and even the first wild deer he brought back had all smoothly adapted to their new environment.

Chen Chong had originally thought they just had resilient temperaments and never considered the grass as the reason.

But now, the change in the eleven wild goats and four wild deer made him absolutely certain: the grass from the Grassland was for more than just accelerating growth.

So many new animals, terrified by the Blood Eye Blade’s intimidation effect, couldn’t possibly have recovered this quickly, let alone without a single one acting strangely.

’Could it be that the grass is just so fragrant that these herbivores can’t resist it, making them forget their fear as they eat?’

Whatever the reason, Chen Chong was delighted.

At least this way, he wouldn’t have to worry about losses from captured animals failing to adapt to their new environment.

He could now go all out to capture more wild goats, wild deer, and other domesticable animals without any hesitation.

But Chen Chong still decided to use traps and his own speed as much as possible, and use the Blood Eye Blade less.

This was because, unlike the wild deer which showed no discomfort, the goats intimidated by the Blood Eye Blade still had hind legs that trembled slightly, even though they had started eating. They clearly hadn’t fully recovered.

To him right now, this livestock was incredibly precious. It was best to avoid harming them if he could, even psychologically....

"Brother Chong, this pen is getting a little small," Xu Jun said, looking at the pen, which was now packed to the brim.

The pen that had originally held only the pheasants, ducks, and one deer had been spacious. But now, with the addition of eleven wild goats and four wild deer, it was becoming noticeably crowded, if not packed to the gills.

And that was *after* moving the pheasants and ducks into the low-grade pen that had previously been used for the Rock Armor Eagle.

As things stood, they probably couldn’t fit even three more animals in the pen...

"We have to figure something out. We have quite a few buildings at home for raising livestock, but they’re basically all full now..."

Not counting the fish and shrimp in the ponds, they were already raising pheasants, wild rabbits, and wild ducks at the house.

All the cages and pens were almost completely full. It was safe to say that even if they wanted to raise more, there was no room.

For now, the most urgent matter wasn’t to go capture more wild animals, but to find a way to increase the number of buildings at the house.

Although they could also be raised at the gymnasium, for now, in the initial breeding stage, Chen Chong still preferred to keep them close.

For one, it was safer, and he could keep a close eye on them.

For another, in addition to the pen’s growth-acceleration effect, the grass from the Grassland also provided a huge boost to the livestock.

Once these wild animals were mostly domesticated and they had a surplus population, he could move some of them to the gymnasium—provided there were suitable buildings there—to further grow their numbers.

But the top priority was still to expand the home base first.

The bathroom area was getting quite crowded; they needed more Vacant Land Cards to keep up.

Gazing at the two pens packed with wild deer and goats, and the other pen holding a mix of pheasants and ducks, Chen Chong realized that in addition to the Cards he’d already posted a bounty for, he was also in dire need of Building Cards designed for raising animals.

That included animal cages.

’After all, we already have a fair number of wild rabbits. Once they start having kits, this single cage won’t be nearly enough.’

Thinking of this, Chen Chong said to Zhang Meng, who was beside him:

"Post another bounty for the team. We need to collect Vacant Land Cards and any Building Cards that can be used to raise living creatures."

"I’ll buy any type. As for the point reward, it’s not as urgent as the Waterfield Card, so just offer triple the points of a similar-type task."

Zhang Meng nodded. "Alright, I’ll get on it."

Chen Chong turned his head and looked again at the wild deer and wild goats in the bathroom, a faint smile on his face.

Today’s haul was nothing short of bountiful.

Of the eleven wild goats, there were three males and four females.

The four young kids were also evenly split, with two males and two females. It was a very balanced group.

The four newly captured wild deer consisted of one buck, one doe, and two female fawns.

Adding the doe from before and her two fawns—one male and one female—the total number of wild deer had already reached seven.

The ratio of males to females was also well-balanced.

With Sika Deer from two different herds, they had enough genetic diversity for short-term breeding and reproduction.

Later on, if he had enough Building Cards and space, he could capture even more to raise.

After all, the more animals they had, the faster they could breed them, and the less he’d have to worry about their food supply.

Chen Chong thought of the Grassland.

Before, when he was only raising wild rabbits, pheasants, and ducks, it felt like a waste of the Grassland.

After all, they only ate a few buckets of grass each day.

But now, with so many more wild goats and deer, the Grassland could finally be put to full use. The grass that regenerated daily would be enough to feed them.

If they raised more in the future, it might not even be enough.

’Looks like I’ll have to find a way to get another Grassland Card.’

’I wonder if I can buy a B-Level Card from someone.’

’It would be even better if the daily settlement rewards me with another one in the future...’

By the time they walked out of the bathroom, everyone was exhausted.

After swimming across the wide river and back, chasing wild goats, and then wild deer, everyone’s stamina was nearly depleted, even though it had only been an afternoon. They all collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted.

Only Chen Chong, thanks to his rapid recovery ability, didn’t feel as tired. He casually moved about the house, checking on the farmland and fishponds.

Later, he also lifted the lid of the styrofoam box where the Brown Rice was being cultivated.

To Chen Chong’s surprise, in just over half a day, most of the plump grains of Brown Rice had sprouted delicate shoots nearly half a finger long.

This growth speed far exceeded the normal germination speed of Brown Rice.

But Chen Chong was not surprised.

The reason these Brown Rice grains could sprout so quickly was entirely because before he left, he had taken out half a grain of golden fertilizer, dissolved it in water, and poured it into the styrofoam boxes.

Although the concentration wasn’t as high as when he’d thrown them one by one into the farmland, the effect of the golden fertilizer was self-evident.

Even just the potency of half a grain diluted in water was enough to make them grow at a rate far exceeding normal, and even moderately alter their genes to produce more grains.

The fact that most of this batch of Brown Rice was able to sprout was likely thanks to the golden fertilizer.

Under normal circumstances, a one-fifth germination rate for this batch of Brown Rice would be considered good.

But now, the germination rate had far exceeded Chen Chong’s estimates.

’Not bad...’

At this rate, it probably wouldn’t even take two days for this batch of Brown Rice to become full seedlings, ready to be transplanted into the Waterfield for formal planting.

At that time, he could again dilute the golden fertilizer into nutrients and sprinkle it into the Waterfield, and their growth speed would likely be even faster.

Everything was moving in the right direction.

A good harvest is always a joyous occasion, and Chen Chong was feeling that joy now.

"Brother Chong, come over and kill the deer."

Xu Jun’s voice came from the kitchen.

"Coming."

Chen Chong, with a smile on his face, rolled up his sleeves and walked over...

...