Chu Jing gave him a look like he was an idiot.
"Who else do you think can go besides you and me? Are we supposed to live on fruit?"
Jiang Ji pouted and grumbled in discontent, "That wouldn't be so bad. That fruit is delicious. After eating it yesterday, I didn't feel hungry anymore, and I slept great."
Chu Jing's heart skipped a beat when she heard that.
'I can't believe the fruit I grew has such a miraculous effect.'
'Is it because of my dimension?'
She subconsciously glanced over at Xuyue and the others.
They were all skin and bones, with barely any flesh on their faces.
It was clearly the result of constant beatings and a lack of food.
Combined with what Jiang Ji had just said, Chu Jing guessed that their hunting expeditions were always a struggle.
And their previous, cruel master didn't care whether they lived or died after she had eaten her fill.
"No, you need to eat meat."
Chu Jing said this, then led Jiang Ji outside.
"Come learn how to hunt with me."
Turning to the three behind her, Chu Jing instructed, "As for you, focus on recovering from your injuries first. I'll figure out what to do with you after you're healed."
...
The forest was dense with trees, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
But Chu Jing quickly found a slightly more open area and knelt to examine the tracks in the dirt.
Then, she stood up and called Jiang Ji over.
"Dig a big pit here, about five meters deep."
Jiang Ji clearly didn't understand why he had to dig such a deep pit.
But he didn't ask any questions and simply followed her instructions.
Chu Jing seemed to notice his confusion and added, "If you can dig this pit properly, I'll reward you with one of those magical fruits."
These words seemed to give Jiang Ji a surge of motivation.
For Jiang Ji, who was desperate to advance, this was undoubtedly the most tempting reward possible.
So, he immediately began digging frantically, his hands flying as they tore through the dirt.
Meanwhile, Chu Jing wasn't idle either.
She searched the surrounding area for anything that could be food.
Unfortunately, despite making a wide loop, she came back empty-handed.
When she returned, she was surprised to find that Jiang Ji had almost finished digging the pit.
Chu Jing set down the dry branches she had just gathered and stood to one side, encouraging him, "You're so capable, Jiang Ji. You've dug such a big pit in just a short time."
Praised, Jiang Ji beamed, but his smile held a hint of expectation.
He held out his palm, his eyes filled with longing.
"Where's my fruit?"
Chu Jing stared at him, momentarily speechless.
'This guy is such a glutton!'
Though she felt a little helpless, Chu Jing still handed the prepared fruit to Jiang Ji.
As long as it wasn't a request to dissolve their partnership, she would generally agree.
Soon, Chu Jing had arranged the dry branches she'd collected over the mouth of the pit, then covered them with a layer of green leaves for camouflage.
The entire trap was quite cleverly made.
It looked just like a normal patch of grass, making it difficult to spot.
"Jiang Ji, we should go," she said to him softly.
The trap was set.
Now they just had to wait for their prey to walk right into it.
Although Chu Jing wasn't entirely confident they would catch anything, she was more worried that Jiang Ji would wear himself out.
So, she decided to take him to a nearby stream to rest for a while.
As soon as they reached the stream, seeing the plump fish swimming in the crystal-clear water, Chu Jing's spirits lifted considerably.
Her mind immediately flooded with different ways to cook them.
Just then, Jiang Ji's voice shattered her fantasy. "Chu Jing, you're not thinking of trying to catch those little thorny beasts in the river, are you?"
Chu Jing gave him a "why not?" look, her face full of confidence.
Then, she ambled toward the riverbank.
The water was so clear you could see the fish swimming below, looking exceptionally lively.
Her eyes filled with excitement as she turned to Jiang Ji and said, "Go down and catch a few. I'll take care of the rest."
Ever since the Apocalypse began, the scarcity of food had made Chu Jing an increasingly skilled cook.
Even with just a few ingredients, she could conjure up a feast as if by magic.
The main reason was that she grew seasonings like scallions, ginger, and garlic in her personal dimension.
So as long as she had the raw ingredients and these ready-made seasonings, delicious dishes could be prepared with ease.
Although he didn't quite understand her intentions, Jiang Ji obediently jumped into the water anyway, his eyes locked on the little thorny beasts as he watched their every move with intense focus.
Before long, he suddenly dove into the water with a mighty lunge, sending a huge splash into the air.
However, when he resurfaced and regained his footing, he found his hands completely empty. He hadn't caught a thing.
Chu Jing pressed her lips together, a little disappointed.
'I thought fishing would be a simple task for a canine-like creature such as a fox.'
'It seems I expected too much of Jiang Ji.'
So, she turned, found a straight, sturdy-looking stick, and waved for Jiang Ji to come over.
"Try using your claws to sharpen this stick into this shape."
As she spoke, she used her finger to sketch a rough shape in the dirt—a stick with a sharp point and a flat end.
Although he usually seemed a bit dense, Jiang Ji wasn't stupid at all.
Before long, he had sharpened the stick into the required shape.
Just as he was about to hand it to Chu Jing, he heard her say, "Now take this and try spearing the little thorny beasts."
Hearing this, Jiang Ji scratched his head in confusion, not quite understanding what she meant.
"You don't understand what I'm saying?" Chu Jing asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jiang Ji nodded.
Seeing this, Chu Jing took the freshly made spear and waded directly into the river.
The clear water came up to her thighs.
After waiting patiently in the water for a moment, a plump fish swam right toward her.
In the blink of an eye, with swift eyes and quick hands, Chu Jing firmly speared the fish with the specially made stick.
Seeing this, Jiang Ji, who was on the bank, was completely stunned. His round eyes widened like saucers, his face a mask of astonishment.
The afternoon sun bathed everything in light.
Holding the spear with the scaly, plump fish, she excitedly raised it high and shouted to the shore, "Now do you get it?"
As if in a daze, Jiang Ji nodded.
When he came to his senses, Jiang Ji was instantly filled with regret, wanting to slap himself a few times.
'God, how could I be so mesmerized by such a cunning woman!'
He cursed himself internally. 'I'm so useless. Letting her lead me around by the nose so easily.'
Just then, Chu Jing deftly climbed ashore and handed the spear to Jiang Ji. "Now it's your turn!"
She patted his shoulder encouragingly and said gently, "I believe you can do it! What we eat tonight is all up to you."