Chapter 27: Lu Chen as the Mother Hen

The clouded leopard's canine teeth are exceptionally sharp, ranking first among felines in proportional length, and feature a pronounced blood groove. Their shape closely resembles that of the extinct saber-toothed tiger, earning the clouded leopard the nickname "little saber-toothed tiger."

Additionally, the clouded leopard possesses highly developed neck muscles, which generate a deadly bite force exceeding 160 kilograms—greater even than that of cheetahs more than twice its size. Thus, despite its relatively small stature, this creature is undeniably a formidable predator of the jungle.

When confronted by wolves previously, Lu Chen hadn't felt a significant threat; after all, their prey was terrestrial, and he could simply avoid wandering the forest too often. But the clouded leopard—this animal is adept at swimming and fishing. All felines are excellent swimmers; take the well-known tiger, which once set a record by swimming twenty-nine kilometers in a river in a single day, and twelve kilometers in the sea.

Though the clouded leopard cannot match the mighty tiger, its swimming prowess is still impressive. It is said to have a unique skill: it can swim hundreds of meters using just one hind leg. During underwater hunts, the clouded leopard tightens its nose and closes its nostrils to prevent water from entering.

Faced with such a creature, one can only keep a safe distance. Originally, Lu Chen thought the land was unsafe, but now even the water seems perilous. Had he known the wild was so dangerous, he would have stayed in Willow Lake Park with a few young crocodiles.

For a moment, Lu Chen considered retreating. Realizing he was no match for the clouded leopard, he gave up any thoughts of reclaiming his spoils and quietly slipped away underwater. Instead of returning, he continued swimming upstream along the river, moving with greater caution.

By now, the sun had risen high, and the riverbank jungle grew lively. Birds called, beasts roared, and monkeys leaped and played in the trees. Judging by their fur and form, they were macaques.

Could a crocodile hunt monkeys? Lu Chen's first thought upon seeing them was food; primates are certainly at the top of the food chain—perhaps they could provide more energy points. But catching them would be difficult.

After traversing more than ten miles upstream and surveying both riverbanks, Lu Chen finally floated downstream, returning to the cave. The three young crocodiles had already crawled out and were busy at the river's edge. They selected a shallow, level area and, using their claws, scraped mud and sand to build an irregular, narrow-necked bottle-shaped dam.

They were setting a trap.

While residing in Willow Lake, Lu Chen had taught them several times, and the little ones had fully mastered the technique.

In this new environment, they had not forgotten the skill. Yet here, near the river's mouth, the current was swift and waves churned. The three young crocodiles barely finished building their dam before it was quickly washed away.

"Roar... hiss..." After several attempts, the little ones grew agitated, letting out frustrated cries. They couldn't understand: why had this worked before, but now it failed?

Lu Chen didn't step in to instruct them; he wanted to see if the young crocodiles could devise a solution. In the end, he had overestimated their intelligence. After a few more tries, realizing they couldn't succeed, they gave up, dispersing to hunt small fish.

Lu Chen had no choice but to gather them again and demonstrate himself. Now, he felt less like their brother and more like a diligent, caring mother, worrying over them daily. Yet he was willing to make this effort.

Humans are inherently social creatures; no one can endure loneliness forever. With a human soul, Lu Chen was no exception. Though the young crocodiles couldn't engage in complex emotional exchanges, in a sense they were family, a psychological support. Each time he saw them, Lu Chen felt he wasn't alone and that he had a home to return to.

In other words, the presence of the young crocodiles fulfilled his longing and imagination for family. Thus, from his initial annoyance toward them, he had developed a bond.

He carried a stone in his mouth and placed it in the shallow water, signaling for them to do the same. The three responded quickly, fetching stones one after another. Lu Chen didn't build the trap himself but guided them to stack the stones, expanding the enclosed water area several times over.

Lu Chen's size grew rapidly, and the three young crocodiles were changing quickly as well. Though their growth wasn't as astonishing as Lu Chen's, it was still remarkable compared to their peers.

Now, the eldest crocodile measured sixty centimeters in length and weighed three kilograms. Its limbs were strong, and its scales thick and robust, giving it a fierce appearance. The second and third had also grown significantly over the past month.

Each day, the little crocodiles consumed about five pounds of food. Thus, the trap needed to be larger than before to catch more fish and provide ample food for them.

Lu Chen even considered, if conditions allowed, drying some fish for storage, just in case. After all, this was true wilderness, where any danger could occur.

Watching the trap take shape, the fourth crocodile let out an excited sound. Meanwhile, the eldest's beastly eyes showed a hint of confusion, as though pondering why things were this way.

Lu Chen didn't notice the eldest's unusual behavior; his attention was drawn to the second crocodile, who was quietly swallowing small stones. Only then did he recall that crocodiles actually eat stones—they help digest tough food and increase weight, making it easier to stay at the bottom.

Should he try swallowing a few himself? After brief consideration, Lu Chen dismissed the idea. Thanks to the system's enhancements, his digestive abilities were already powerful; stones would be unnecessary. As for increasing his weight—he was already several times heavier than a typical crocodile his age.

Once the trap was finished, the little ones searched through the grass, soon catching plump earthworms. They chopped them up and tossed the pieces into the trap as bait.

Then, they hid in the grass, waiting and basking in the sun. Lu Chen placed two large bundles of water plants in the pit, hoping the fish would linger longer; otherwise, they'd quickly leave after eating the bait.

Initially, Lu Chen wanted to build a stone labyrinth trap to keep fish longer, but doubted the young crocodiles could master it, and maintaining it himself would be too troublesome. After much thought, he abandoned the idea for now.

The trap worked perfectly. Within two hours, black backs could be seen wriggling inside. Roughly estimating, there were at least ten pounds of fish, enough to feed the little crocodiles for two days.

Lu Chen entered the river from another side, silently swimming to the entrance and quickly blocking it with stones.

Splash! The startled fish darted about, unable to find an exit, and hid among the water plants.

Now, things were simple. The three young crocodiles scrambled into the trap, happily devouring the fish.