WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈

Chapter 144: Neighbor (2)

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Unexpected neighbors had appeared.

I didn't know why the raccoon family had moved here, but it wasn't bad news.

For starters, raccoons were smart and polite. That alone made them much more likable than the gorillas.

They were good with fire too, so if we worked together from now on, they could be a huge help.

First, though, I needed to figure out what this family wanted.

‘The most basic thing would be food, but that shouldn't be a problem.’

The Forest of Four Seasons had plenty of food, regardless of how difficult it was to hunt.

I didn't know what raccoons ate, but they were probably omnivores.

Besides, they weren't family I lived with like Fast Sloth and Wonmo. They were neighbors, so they would probably take care of themselves for the most part.

It would be enough if I helped them when things got truly dire.

“Keng. Keeeng.”

“This is your home?”

The raccoon family showed me where they lived.

It was a tree not far from the cave. Honestly, it was close enough to call it right next door.

A huge hole sat in the middle of its thick trunk.

It looked like they lived inside it.

‘Good thing I wasn't planning to cut down trees here.’

It would have been a little troublesome if their home overlapped with an area I planned to log.

Not only did it not overlap, but it was close enough for us to visit each other often.

I watched the raccoon family climb into the hole in the tree.

Then one poked its head back out, with the baby raccoon beside it.

There was no way I couldn't take pictures of this. I immediately snapped some photos for the Gallery.

[Post title] Raccoon Family Moved In

[Author] Wild Grylls

[Post] (Photo of the raccoon family appearing in front of me)

[Post] (Photo of the medicinal herb the raccoon gave me)

[Post] (Photo of the raccoon family peeking out from their nest)

[Post] (Photo of the raccoon waving happily)

[Post] The family of the raccoon that came to my cave moved in nearby. I don't know if this was their version of handing out rice cakes for moving in, but they gave me a medicinal herb.

[Post] Their house is a hole in a nearby tree. Looks like we'll be visiting each other a lot from now on.

[Post] At least they're way more social than those gorilla bastards. I'm happy to have neighbors too.

└ [Heavenly Demon]: What adorable neighbors. I hope you get along well.

└ [SwordTasteMaster]: Wow. I'm jealous. I don't even have neighbors.

└ [Heavenly Demon]: You never leave the house anyway. What use would you have for neighbors?

└ [SwordTasteMaster]: Fuck, do you have neighbors? You don't go outside either.

└ [Heavenly Demon]: I have no neighbors, only subjects. Like that raccoon dog, they occasionally bring me good things. Have you ever exchanged things with anyone?

└ [SwordTasteMaster]: ......No?

└ [Heavenly Demon]: Show your face once in a while. There are people who would be pleased simply to see you. Ah, unless you are ugly. Then it would have the opposite effect.

└ [SwordTasteMaster]: I'm pretty, you know. -_-

└ Proof please.

└ Can't believe it without proof lol

└ Heavenly Demon should prove it too. Who are you calling ugly lol

└ [Heavenly Demon]: As I said before, I was once called the greatest beauty under heaven.

└ [SwordTasteMaster]: If we're talking about that, I've got quite the reputation as a beauty too hehe

└ What a clash of titans lmao

└ Who's the greatest beauty under heaven in the Central Plains?

└ In the old days it was Yang Seolhwa. Now it's Heavenly Demon, but the rumors are a little scary.

└ What rumors?

└ Wasn't it said that even being drenched in someone else's blood couldn't hide her beauty? That's what I heard, though it sounds terrifying.

└ Before people believed she was the Heavenly Demon, wasn't her nickname Blood Flower?

└ A flower stained in blood, damn...

└ Damn...

└ [DontAbandonTheHero]: Hmm! Adorable! But regrettably, I'll have to ban you for one hour!

└ [Wild Grylls]: ??? Why? What did I do?

└ [DontAbandonTheHero]: There isn't a video! A video! Post a video and I'll let you off!

└ [Wild Grylls]: (Video of the raccoon family) Is this enough?

└ [DontAbandonTheHero]: I'll let you off this once!

└ Just this once......

└ This bastard of a Head Mod tells assistant moderators not to abuse their power while abusing it herself lmao

└ Being hypocritical is a moderator passive skill lol

└ Still, they're cute lol

└ Is that a baby? I want to hold it.

└ What happens if Grylls takes the baby?

└ It'll just be visiting the neighbor's place lol

└ Ah, I see.

└ More importantly, won't Wonmo eat it?

└ Wonmo: Why are there more emergency rations now that I'm awake?

└ Who were the emergency rations to begin with? Don't tell me Grylls lmao

└ Wild Grylls is the emergency ration though lmao

They said it as a joke, but I couldn't dismiss it as just a joke.

Even if I accepted the raccoons as neighbors, would Wonmo accept them?

Fast Sloth seemed to accept them, at least, but I had no idea what Wonmo's appetite would be like.

‘It seems like the weather's starting to warm up, so Wonmo should wake up soon.’

I looked up at the sky rather than the tree and let out a breath.

The temperature had risen enough for me to feel it. Even the vapor from my breath had grown a little thinner.

By tomorrow, the weather would completely change, or at least show signs of it.

‘I'll know once Wonmo wakes up.’

Wonmo had begun hibernating the moment winter started, so the reverse would probably be true too.

After watching the raccoon family for a while, I returned to the cave.

They were good with fire, so I planned to make a campfire in the yard for them.

Crackle! Crackle!

I made them a campfire to use, then went inside.

First, I needed to identify the herb the raccoon had given me instead of rice cakes.

‘Heavenly Demon probably knows about this sort of thing, right?’

She knew a lot about herbs like this, including Inner Cores.

Even if she didn't recognize it, she could quickly figure out what kind of energy it contained.

I examined the snow-white Snow Ginseng from every angle, then sent Heavenly Demon a message.

[You]: Heavenly Demon, are you there?

[Heavenly Demon]: Speak.

[You]: You saw the picture in the post I uploaded, right?

[You]: The snow-white ginseng-looking thing.

[Heavenly Demon]: I was looking at it.

[Heavenly Demon]: It appeared to be no ordinary medicinal herb.

[Heavenly Demon]: My guess is that it is Snow Ginseng brimming with yin energy.

[You]: Want to take a look if I send it to you?

[You]: I don't want to eat it right away.

[Heavenly Demon]: Very well.

[Heavenly Demon]: I shall inspect it and send word.

I sent the white ginseng to Heavenly Demon. I would get a reply soon enough.

Until then, I considered how to get along with the raccoon family.

Simply keeping a campfire going might not be enough.

‘If they're good at finding herbs, they could be a huge help.’

What if the white ginseng turned out to be effective?

I would ask them directly. I would give them food, and they would give me medicinal herbs.

I could eat those herbs myself, or give them to Heavenly Demon to make Fasting Pills.

This was mutual cooperation. This was how an economy worked.

There was no currency, so calling it an economy was a little questionable, but whatever.

[Heavenly Demon]: Young master.

[Heavenly Demon]: Are you still there?

[You]: Yes.

[You]: I'm here.

[You]: Did you figure it out?

[Heavenly Demon]: That raccoon dog gave you a truly precious herb.

[Heavenly Demon]: It is no ordinary ginseng. It contains Internal Energy comparable to Thousand-Year Ginseng.

[You]: So it's extremely valuable?

[Heavenly Demon]: It is not as valuable as Human-Shaped Snow Ginseng or the king of all ginseng, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King, but it is still an exceptionally rare herb.

[Heavenly Demon]: Its strong yin energy is a concern, but you already possess cold energy, so it should not be a major problem.

[You]: Can it be made into Fasting Pills?

[Heavenly Demon]: It can, but that would be a waste.

[Heavenly Demon]: I believe it would be better for you to consume it.

[You]: Then how long until the Fasting Pills are ready?

[Heavenly Demon]: A pouch will be finished soon.

[You]: Then I'll use this ginseng to pay for it.

[You]: I'm already having trouble controlling my energy. If I eat that too, I think it'll be a disaster.

[Heavenly Demon]: A reasonable point.

[Heavenly Demon]: I shall give this to one of my close aides.

An aide would probably be able to sell it for a high price.

That would help them much more than it would help me.

After asking Heavenly Demon to wait a moment, I headed outside.

I had something to ask the raccoon.

“Keeeng.”

“Keng.”

“King, king.”

Outside, the raccoon family was huddled cozily around the campfire.

They all held out both hands to warm themselves.

The baby raccoon stretching out its tiny hands was especially adorable.

‘It's nice, but...’

I was happy to have neighbors, but someday, I had to leave this place.

Still, until I got out, we would have to live alongside each other.

They had shown goodwill first, which made it easier on me.

Until then, we could help each other and make a little profit.

“Raccoon.”

“Keng?”

When I called out, “Raccoon,” it somehow understood and poked its head up.

The other raccoons did the same. Its mate and baby looked up at me too.

‘Should I give them names?’

Or maybe it would be better to call this one Papa Raccoon.

Anyway, I took Papa Raccoon with me for a moment. Papa Raccoon followed without any wariness.

We went into the cave, heading straight for the map where I had marked all the places I explored.

“Now, Papa Raccoon. You see what you gave me here?”

“Keng.”

“If you find something similar, can you give it to me? If you do...”

Scrape-

I showed Papa Raccoon the white Snow Ginseng he had given me, then pulled over an iron container.

Inside were fish still frozen solid. Eco-friendly frozen storage.

“I'll give you these fish. They're frozen now, but the weather will warm up soon, and you'll be able to eat them.”

“......”

“If you don't want fish, I can give you something else. Fasting Pills will be arriving soon, and I'll give you some of those.”

Thump-

The moment I said that, someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

When I turned around to see what it was, Fast Sloth was staring at me.

It had the look of someone saying, You're giving those away when I don't even have enough to eat?

Fast Sloth was usually not greedy, but Fasting Pills were different.

It had been a little sensitive about them ever since the gorilla stole some last time.

“You eat them one at a time anyway. And we can make more with the herbs this guy brings.”

“......”

“He could practically be our supplier of Fasting Pill ingredients, so cut him some slack.”

Fast Sloth seemed convinced and withdrew its hand.

The Forest of Four Seasons might be full of medicinal herbs, but I was practically an amateur.

Wouldn't it be better to leave it to an expert(?)? Appropriate compensation would be an added bonus.

“......”

Papa Raccoon seemed to deliberate over my offer for quite a while.

Maybe Papa Raccoon didn't trust me. More importantly, this was closer to a trade.

Papa Raccoon could end up losing out. He had a family to support.

Still, perhaps Papa Raccoon decided I was someone worth trusting despite the risks.

“Keng!”

Papa Raccoon held out a hand and readily accepted my offer.

I clasped the tiny hand, signaling that the deal had been made.

That wasn't the end, though. There were things I needed to tell Papa Raccoon.

That was why I had brought Papa Raccoon over to the map.

“Now, see here and here? This is where the gorillas live. They're hostile toward intruders, so never go in there.”

“Keng.”

“And this is the cave where the kangaroos gather. See that pig-looking thing? It got attacked the moment it went in. They're not good guys. And down here is the lake, but on the way to the lake, there are deer...”

I carefully explained all the dangerous areas in case something happened to the raccoons.

They might have known their old home well, but perhaps not this area.

After finishing my trade with Papa Raccoon, I sent the white ginseng to Heavenly Demon.

‘I'm glad I found good neighbors.’

Maybe they weren't neighbors anymore, but business partners.

Either way, it didn't matter as long as we got along.

‘Come to think of it, should I build them a house near the campfire?’

That was worth considering.

* * *

Around the same time, at the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.

“Found ginsengggg!!!”

A demonic cultist held up the snow-white ginseng and shouted at the top of his lungs.

The cultist was Wi Seorak. A snow-white ginseng was clutched in Wi Seorak's hand.

The Heavenly Demon had summoned Wi Seorak and suddenly given the ginseng as a gift.

Wi Seorak had been puzzled at first, but it did not take long to realize that it contained tremendous Internal Energy.

‘G-Grylls definitely gave it to her, but... To think she would give me something like this...!’

Its value in money was equivalent to several years' worth of budget.

Inner Cores had a clear origin, making them difficult to sell, but ginseng was another story.

Wi Seorak could just say it had been buried in the mountains behind the sect.

In a world ruled by money and force, it held value beyond rain during a drought for Wi Seorak.

No, rather than rain during a drought, it might be the signal flare announcing a bumper harvest.

‘Heavenly Demon is a god. Grylls is invincible.’

Wi Seorak's favorability toward Grylls began to skyrocket.

Footnotes:

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