Chapter 25: Snake Meat

The large snake seemed to sense something amiss; its obsidian eyes locked directly onto Shi Nianqing, ready to bolt at any moment.

Shi Nianqing would never let prey right before her eyes escape. Just as the snake began to slither away, she snatched up a withered bamboo stalk from nearby and deftly flicked the water snake into the air. The creature was pitch black and roughly the thickness of an infant’s fist. With a few swift, practiced motions, she had it secured.

Perhaps realizing escape was futile, the water snake turned its head toward her, rearing half its body high in a classic strike posture. But it was clearly no match for Shi Nianqing. Before the snake could even react, a long dagger blurred from her hand, pinning it precisely through its vitals.

The two-meter-long snake dropped to the ground, its head lifeless, though its tail continued to writhe. Its mouth hung wide open, frozen in a look of lingering, unresigned death. Shi Nianqing waited a moment to confirm it was truly finished, then cut some bamboo and headed back to her shelter, the snake in tow.

She hung the water snake on the railing beside the hut and set the bamboo aside. Entering the room, she found the three tiger cubs fast asleep, their little mouths smacking as they dreamt—a scene so adorable that a smile involuntarily graced her face. Indeed, such cute little creatures were impossible not to cherish.

The entire livestream remained silent for a long while after the video of Shi Nianqing effortlessly dispatching the snake. No one dared to speak. While most knew Shi Nianqing was tough, seeing her finish off such a large snake without even blinking sent a chill down their spines.

[Is this the so-called "innocent flower" of the entertainment industry?]
[Your standards for an "innocent flower" are truly high. If this qualifies, then what am I?]
[That swift technique... the moment that dagger flew, I felt like my own head was going to fall off.]
[To all you haters who drag her online every day: aren't you afraid she’ll come to assassinate you?]
[The "innocent flowers" of your industry are truly terrifying!!]
[So, what does she plan to do with that snake?]
[Haters: I dare not open my eyes; I hope this is just a hallucination.]
[Gift: "Begging for Mercy" x 1000]

The entire chat room was flooded with haters sending "Begging for Mercy" gifts. This item, originally intended for trolling, had become an exclusive gift for the terrified. Anyone who watched a young girl take down a two-meter snake with such ease, only to nonchalantly carry it over her shoulder and hang it by her house, would find it truly chilling. The long-time haters, in particular, felt their hearts skip a beat at the thought of that dagger pointed at them. They shivered in fear.

Shi Nianqing remained completely oblivious to the commotion in her livestream. She had no idea that her efficient display of lethal skill had caused more than half of her haters to vanish. After all, no one wanted to risk the possibility that Shi Nianqing might kill a hater to vent her frustration on a bad day. Life was precious, and they had no desire to die.

She set the newly cut bamboo aside; it needed to dry for an afternoon to evaporate some moisture, which would make it easier to shape. At that moment, she took the freshly killed snake and other prey she had gathered along the way down to the beach. The animal remains she had left the previous day had been picked clean, and many sea snails had gathered around them. Shi Nianqing collected them all—a delicious treat for the evening.

Using her dagger, she processed the rabbits and chickens, setting the furs aside and collecting the entrails. Most importantly, there was the snake. At two meters long, it now lay limp. Snake skin was an excellent material, and the tendons could be used to make bowstrings, as they possessed impressive tensile strength. She planned to tan the skin and fashion herself a pair of shoes.

She went straight to work. Laying the snake flat on a stone slab, she severed the head, revealing the white, tender flesh. She sliced down the belly and used the dagger to separate the skin from the meat. Halfway through, she held the skin down and pulled with steady, even force; the meat separated perfectly, leaving the skin entirely free of fat or fascia. With a little processing, she would have a piece of high-quality material.

The audience in the livestream watched her work, trembling.

[Her movements are so precise. She finished skinning it in the blink of an eye.]
[She's not even pretending anymore; she’s butchering prey right in front of us.]
[I don't know why, but watching her process these things is strangely satisfying.]
[The moment that skin was peeled away, I felt like my own soul was being extracted.]

After finishing the butchering, Shi Nianqing stood up, looking at the piles of white meat with a sense of satisfaction. Once smoked, this would serve as her reserve, ensuring she wouldn't have to worry about food for at least the next seven days. It was a wonderful feeling!

She caught her breath and smiled contentedly at the camera. "I plan to tan the snake skin for shoes, and the rest can be used to make simple clothing. I haven't changed in days, and I feel like I'm starting to smell."

"However, tanning hides takes nearly half a month. I still need to find another solution; if I don't change soon, I'll really start to stink." She then displayed the snake tendons to the audience. "After I finish the bed, I intend to make a bow and arrow. These are far more valuable than the skin and will make for excellent strings. It will make hunting much easier and more comfortable."

In wilderness survival, one must prioritize personal safety above all else. The most important part of survival is the word "survive"—only by staying alive are there infinite possibilities. As someone from ancient Earth once said: Only by living is there a future.

With the tasks done, Shi Nianqing whittled the bamboo she had gathered into long skewers and placed the meat over the fire to smoke. In this heat, it would be thoroughly dried in two or three days. It was time to find a place to store it.

There was one other crucial item she needed for trips: a carrying basket. Before the apocalypse began, she had lived with her grandmother in the countryside for a time. Her grandmother had known how to weave baskets from bamboo. As she recalled her grandmother's movements, the memories played back in her mind like a slideshow, frame by frame.