Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1676 - 912: The Mouse Was Caught (Part 2)

Slowly, Jiang Ning began to fall into a disadvantaged spot.

Ding Shuyan offered a subtle smile. Her Transcendent abilities didn’t lead her to dismiss humanity’s tech progress from ancient eras to today. She merely selected options that served her best interests.

Right then, Ding Shuyan evolved into a Technology Warrior.

While she readied herself, quietly easing off a touch for Jiang Ning, she abruptly spotted Jiang Ning’s board pieces shifting in eerie ways, exuding a fierce, deadly vibe.

Ding Shuyan’s face grew rigid; even the Master-level computer started stumbling.

Ultimately, she poured everything in but still ended up losing.

Ding Shuyan gazed at the screen, staying quiet for ages, her stunningly beautiful features revealing a complex, hard-to-describe feeling.

That machine was Master-level; she’d battled it countless times without a single victory, and nobody close to her had beaten it either.

Yet now...

Had she overrated technology while underrating the Transcendent?

On the side, Jiang Ning retrieved his phone from Tongtong and lightly ruffled her fluffy hair, praising her openly: "As expected of you."

Xue Yuantong snorted: "Do you even know who I am?"

She went on, "I’m hungry, go get me a bamboo rat fast."

Jiang Ning: "Sure."

...

Before Jiang Ning acted, Xue Chuchu positioned herself in the dry small ditch, eyeing a spot of loose dirt on the slope.

"I believe I’ve located the bamboo rat hole," she announced.

Xue Yuantong dashed over promptly, prodding it with a tiny stick twice, uncovering a dark, grimy opening.

"That’s a bamboo rat hole! They seal entrances with soil!" Xue Yuantong cried out in delight.

Xue Chuchu aimed a flashlight into the bamboo rat hole and grabbed a branch to probe the ground.

"The visible section alone goes at least a meter down; how do we nab it?" Xue Chuchu wondered.

Unlike crayfish holes you can just fish into, bamboo rat burrows are trickier. And there’s the chance of getting nipped.

"Flood it!"

"Smoke it out!"

Chuchu and Tongtong shouted at the same time.

Jiang Ning’s Divine Sense swept out, akin to super-clear X-rays, piercing thick earth to reveal every inch of the bamboo rat tunnel.

A dim silhouette of a bamboo rat lurked in a shadowy nook.

Jiang Ning figured flooding or smoking wouldn’t work well and would drag on. Digging up the whole burrow was common for hunters, but it often took hours.

Not wanting the trouble, Jiang Ning fetched a small firecracker.

Xue Yuantong spotted it and yelled, "Ground mouse!"

Ground mouse refers to a spinning firecracker that whirls like a top once lit. Tongtong had fiddled with them young and almost ignited her wood pile.

Jiang Ning skipped a lighter. With a finger flick, a spark flared up, igniting the ground mouse, which he chucked into the bamboo rat hole.

Xue Chuchu saw this and wondered how Jiang Ning had made the flame.

Tossing just the ground mouse wouldn’t flush the bamboo rat for sure. His real ace remained.

Jiang Ning gathered his Mana, crafting an unseen spiritual hand that plunged into the bamboo rat hole, seizing the panicked bamboo rat.

Xue Yuantong crouched nearby, eyeing the ’ground mouse’ whirl wildly at the mouth, cheering, "The rat’s coming out for the festival!"

The strangled bamboo rat got yanked from its den. To mimic a genuine breakout, the spiritual hand branched into strands, steering the bamboo rat’s legs to scramble.

Suddenly, before their eyes unfolded the sight of the bamboo rat bolting in panic.

"Grab it now!" Xue Chuchu held back her nerves, scared the bamboo rat might slip away and waste everything.

Right then, Jiang Ning on the slope pulled back his spiritual power.

He stretched out, gripped the bamboo rat’s tail, hoisted it up, and showed the dangling, inverted critter to the three.

"Wow wow wow!" Xue Yuantong bounced with thrill, her lively antics outdoing even the caught bamboo rat.

The bamboo rat flashed its razor teeth, hissing fiercely, showing some savage beast spirit.

"Watch out, it bites," Xue Chuchu warned.

Jiang Ning extended his arm with the bamboo rat, grinning, "Don’t fret, it’s too plump to twist and chomp me."

Xue Yuantong noted from close by: "On TV, they snatch bamboo rats by the scruff."

Its fuzzy coat tempted her to pet it.

Xue Chuchu countered: "Nope, that lets it wriggle and snap at you."

After the trio inspected the wild bamboo rat a bit, Jiang Ning declared, "Nearly three kilograms."

Xue Yuantong: "Not tiny at all."

Xue Chuchu: "What to stir-fry it with?"

Jiang Ning: "Bamboo shoots, I’ve got some left at home."

Wild bamboo rat tastes great, particularly with fresh Hu Qi Mountain bamboo shoots. Clay pot stir-fry with scallions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, plus spices, boosts the flavor immensely.

Xue Yuantong drooled at the idea and demanded heading back.

...

The path home glowed beautifully, the moon shining even brighter.

They went past the rural tourism spot outbound and inbound, except now Jiang Ning clutched a chubby, round bamboo rat on the way back.

"Holy cow, you actually nabbed one?" Lin Zida gaped in shock.

His remark drew eyes from bonfire buddies, who glanced over and saw the bamboo rat in Jiang Ning’s grip.

"Fresh catch?" Zhuang Jianhui asked.

Jiang Ning wagged the bamboo rat, shedding fresh dirt, "Yep."

In the crowd, tag-along Wang Yong said jealously, "You’re in for a delicacy; wild ones are scarce these days."

Fellow onlookers eyed the bamboo rat, some checked out Xue Chuchu, others stared at Jiang Ning.

Wei Zishan scooted closer. A snake enthusiast, the hissing bamboo rat didn’t faze her; she was intrigued, "Male or female?"

As she poked it lightly, it kicked back.

Wei Zishan faked frailty right away, "Ah, scratched by a bamboo rat, I’m doomed, got a virus~"

Xue Yuantong felt quietly annoyed.

Xue Chuchu hid it but watched Jiang Ning sidelong.

Jiang Ning: "Better rush to the hospital; too late and you’ll recover."

Lin Zida cracked up laughing.

Wei Zishan dropped her pretense.

Jiang Ning didn’t hang around, heading off to prep the bamboo rat at home since Tongtong and Chuchu skipped dinner.

Mr. Qian jumped seeing the rat they held, "You truly caught one?"

Xue Yuantong: "It’s fake, just an illusion!"

Mr. Qian scoffed, "Think I can’t see?"

Though he’d dined already, and with Lantern Festival tonight, his mood turned lyrical. He proposed instantly, "Ah, such lovely lanterns demand riddle-guessing!"

Midway through, Xue Yuantong trailed Jiang Ning indoors.

Mr. Qian: "..."

Loneliness hit hard, utter isolation!

Abruptly, a ride approached from the east—Xingxing, still out, towing a four-wheeler cart to fetch rural tourism folks from the west.

Lonely Mr. Qian, creativity bottled up, pulled beef jerky snacks and hollered, "Xingzi, grab a bite."

Xingxing steered the cart nearer.

Mr. Qian challenged, "I’ll quiz you: ’Though the phoenix feather dazzles, what’s it when it hits dirt?’ Two-character lantern riddle—nail it and..."

Worn by life’s grind, hopeless Xingxing tuned out the prize, blurting:

"Chicken feather!"

Mr. Qian reeled in awe, clutching Xingxing’s shoulder shakily, "Genius, pure genius!"

Xingxing eyed the manic Mr. Qian in fear—the river dam was terrifying! He yearned to flee home!

...

By the rural tourism bonfire.

"Bamboo rat’s fine, tastes like rabbit but less chewy." The speaker shrugged casually, unimpressed.

Wang Yong heard this junior aimed for Class Eight soon, buzzing with hype. Grandpa preached, ’Life’s three iron ties: wartime bonds, same school, and...’

Class Eight cliques were sharp, just a year-plus of high school left. This junior would link up then, maybe outshining Zhuang Jianhui’s backing.

Wang Yong chimed in quick, "Right, Boss Yang stewed a village chicken today—whole different flavor!"

The junior sighed, "Too bad Shuyan’s missing."

Her name sparked Zhuang Jianhui’s longing tone, "River dam might not suit her."