"It''s still early. Going back to the tribe just means eating grass—no thanks."


    Li Qinwu had no intention of returning yet. Instead, he decided to ?farm some resources first. He motioned for Spear-Gob to follow as he headed north—if his memory served him right, there was a river in that direction.


    During his ?forced herbivore phase, he’d observed the tribe’s hunting patterns. Groups returning from the north often carried fish, so he’d deduced a river must lie that way. ?Fishing was easier than hunting.


    His guess proved correct. After trekking ?7-8 kilometers, they reached a ?massive river—so wide he could barely see the opposite bank.


    "Holy isekai..."


    His awe turned to terror when a ?colossal fish, easily ?over 100 meters long, breached the surface like a living torpedo, sending a geyser of water skyward.


    "NOPE."


    Li Qinwu immediately retreated, dragging Spear-Gob with him. That thing could ?snack on them like sunflower seeds.


    They followed the riverbank until they found a ?small tributary, its crystal-clear waters teeming with fish.


    Spear-Gob whooped and ?dove in bare-handed, flailing uselessly before emerging empty-handed—and slightly less stinky.


    Spotting a snail crawling nearby, he ?popped it into his mouth.


    "SPIT IT OUT!"


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    Li Qinwu ?slapped him spinning, then throttled him. ?**"That’s parasite city! You wanna die screaming like the others?!"**


    Spear-Gob rubbed his swollen cheek, bewildered.


    "Gather straight sticks and vines. Lots of them."


    Spear-Gob obeyed, returning with an armful.


    "Watch and learn."


    Li Qinwu wove the materials into a ?crude fish trap, which Spear-Gob replicated perfectly after one demonstration.


    "Damn, goblins learn fast."


    Baiting the traps with crushed snail meat, they cast them into the stream and waited.


    Their stomachs growled loudly. Taking pity, Li Qinwu summoned a handful of ?unhusked wheat from his inventory.


    Spear-Gob gagged at the bland, gritty texture but ?choked it down under threat of violence. Three handfuls later, his hunger pangs faded.


    Meanwhile, Li Qinwu’s ?Smithing skill (now 8/25) inched closer to its first perk.


    Returning to the traps, they hauled up the first two—two fat fish and several fingerlings!


    Spear-Gob nearly bit into one raw before remembering the ?no-eating-without-permission rule.


    "Good. The system-enforced obedience works."


    While Spear-Gob gathered firewood, Li Qinwu used his ?bow-drill to start a fire. They cleaned the fish with boar-tusk knives, skewered them, and roasted them over the flames.


    The aroma made Spear-Gob drool, but Li Qinwu stored ?both fish (5kg total) in his inventory, boosting ?party morale to 61.


    "More food = happier soldiers."


    He tossed Spear-Gob the tusk knife. ?**"Clean the small ones. Half are yours."**


    Spear-Gob cheered and got to work.


    Rebaiting the traps with ?fish guts (a stronger lure), they hit the jackpot—a fish every 10 minutes!


    Li Qinwu’s inventory swelled (20/40), thanks to Spear-Gob increasing the ?carry capacity by 10.


    But their ?success attracted unwanted attention.


    SPLASH!


    A ?3-meter horned crocodilian erupted from the water, snapping a trap in half with bone-crushing jaws.


    Dozens more surfaced, their ?red eyes locking onto the duo.


    [Enemy Detected: Horned River Caimans]


    Li Qinwu’s spear suddenly felt ?very inadequate.


    "RUN!"


    Grabbing the petrified Spear-Gob, he ?bolted for the trees as the caimans gave chase.


    "So much for a peaceful fishing trip..."