"No. Consider the space it would occupy. We already have several boars on board. I don’t want to waste more space on a lower-tier mutant beast."

The journey back wasn't far. As the duo emerged from the forest, a young white tiger atop a large truck let out an excited cry. It leaped down and charged towards Zhou You but skidded to a halt upon seeing the carcass of a hybrid tiger-leopard behind him, staring warily.

Zhou You cautiously observed the young white tiger's reaction and whispered to Shao Qi, "Do you think it's scared because it thinks we killed one of its kind?"

Shao Qi gave him a complicated look, "One is a flying white tiger, the other a tiger-leopard hybrid. Why would it consider that creature its kin?"

The animal kingdom has a strict hierarchy. Why would a higher-tier predator care about the fate of a lower-tier one?

As expected, after a few seconds of contemplation, the young white tiger pounced on the hybrid beast, tearing into its flesh.

Neither had anticipated this reaction, especially since the white tiger had been hunting on its own these past days.

Watching the tiger tear into the beast's leg, Zhou You lamented, "That single bite just cost me a fortune!"

Shao Qi laughed heartily, walked over, and cut off half the leg for the young tiger. Being small, it wouldn't need much to be satisfied.

"Let it eat. It's still young and has a high rank, needing the flesh of higher-tier mutant beasts to grow stronger."

"It's still a cub. Overfeeding it would be wasteful since it might not absorb all the energy. When it grows, it should hunt its own prey."

Together, the two managed to load the tiger-leopard onto the vehicle, instantly crowding the cabin and giving it a sense of being packed to the brim.

They drove on, making no stops this time, retracing their route before nightfall and journeying several more hours in the darkness before resting by a river in a canyon.

Thankfully, the truck's compartment was odor-sealed; otherwise, the carcass of this elite mutant creature would undoubtedly attract many predators.

As they prepared dinner, a disagreement arose. Shao Qi wanted to stew a piece of the tiger-leopard meat, while Zhou You was keen on fish, still not having had his fill from lunch.

Shao Qi suggested, "We should eat this tiger-leopard meat while it's fresh; by tomorrow, it'll be just frozen meat. We can have fish anytime."

"That's nonsense. Starting tomorrow, we'll be heading in a different direction without any rivers. But, you do have a point. I've decided to catch some fish and store them in the truck for later."

"Are you looking for more excitement tonight? Who knows what lurks in these waters?" Shao Qi knew he couldn't restrain Zhou You; had he been one of Shao Qi's soldiers, he would've likely been sent flying by now.

Chapter 060: Midnight Rescue

Shao Qi watched with great amusement as Zhou You used his Celestial Net to catch fish. A small white tiger pranced around the shallow waters, catching small fish Zhou You tossed its way, filling its belly to the brim.

Beside the fire that was roasting meat, Shao Qi captured the scene and uploaded it to a website with the title: "Alternative Uses for the Celestial Net".

This website was exclusive to elite martial artists. It often showcased oddities, unseen weapons in the market, or rare tools, along with esoteric knowledge. Shao Qi had his Celestial Net crafted with the help of an artisan he found on this platform.

Shao Qi's username was "Marshal Tianpeng". He wasn't a frequent user, but many recognized him as a big spender who not only was generous but could also source high-quality materials at reasonable prices.

There was no signal in the Yunlan Mountains, so any posts would be stored as drafts until they could be sent out. He often felt more inspired to post content spontaneously than when he had consistent access.

"Look at what I got!" Zhou You lifted the Celestial Net, showing off to Shao Qi, "A giant turtle! We can make turtle soup!"

Shao Qi covered his face with his hand and waved dismissively, "You can have it. I'm not touching that thing."

Zhou You dragged the net ashore, filled with over a dozen fish, ranging from twenty pounds to as small as seven or eight, each of a different species.

"I was just kidding about the turtle soup. But fish soup sounds good. Which of these do you think is best for that?" Zhou You mused, looking at the mutant fish struggling in the net, "Are there no normal fish left in this river? All I caught are mutants."

"Normal fish were probably all eaten. Compared to wild beasts, fish have a simpler habitat and stable evolution. But the ocean is a different story; no ship has yet successfully crossed it."

"With the ocean teeming with diverse and vast creatures, venturing out there seems incredibly challenging. Does this mean our nation has lost contact with foreign countries?"

"Yes, currently only our central government maintains overseas communication via satellite. Some scientists predict that in fifty years, once these satellites degrade, this link will be severed."

"I think that's a pessimistic view. In fifty years, humanity might have overcome the mutant beasts, or we might've developed advanced satellites for global communication."

"You might be right!" Shao Qi laughed, prodding one of the fish with a stick, "Let's use this one for the soup."

"Did you pick it because it's pretty?" The chosen fish sported colorful scales and fins that resembled ornamental fish; they would've kept it had they had an aquarium.

"It's the one with the most spines. Flamboyant things are often the least useful. Let's stew it."