Please support the translation by reading the translation and commenting on otakutl official site.
Thank you.
Everyone from Otaku Translation
Chapter 40: The Apprentice Strikes Back
What does it sound like when a foot over 40 centimeters in diameter steps on the grassland?
It’s certainly not as quiet as Rosette’s near-silent tread, with only the occasional snap of a grass stem. The vibrations rippling through the ground and the growing sense of pressure made Gu Lang feel like even breathing was becoming difficult.
In the past, when watching Jurassic Park, Gu Lang had often cursed at the screen whenever the protagonists tripped over bushes or ran around aimlessly while being chased by dinosaurs. He’d thought to himself, "If I were there, I’d definitely handle it better."
But now, faced with a similar situation, Gu Lang realized he wasn’t much smarter than those hapless characters. His body felt stiff, almost numb, as if his legs had suddenly lost all strength.
Of course, blaming gravity for this predicament would be unreasonable. In truth, while his body might have frozen up, Gu Lang’s mind remained surprisingly clear—perhaps clearer than ever.
"Was I spotted? Should I run? But what if I wasn’t seen yet? If I run now, won’t that just draw attention? Then again, staying put will probably get me killed too!" His left brain and right brain argued fiercely, leaving Gu Lang utterly unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, in the live stream chat, viewers who had finally focused on the content were now noticing the herd’s unusual movements.
To be precise, their attention was drawn to the increasingly close and clear figure of an elephant looming larger on the screen. Unlike the smaller Asian elephants they might see in zoos, African elephants were far more imposing. Their tusks and massive, fan-like ears were larger than those of other species, creating an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
The male African elephant now approaching the camera had tusks nearly two meters long, curving downward like twin swords pointed at the earth, evoking both awe and fear.
Then, a single comment abruptly scrolled across the screen, snapping everyone back to reality:
“Has he been spotted?”
Only then did the audience remember that this wasn’t some documentary—they were watching a live human being standing behind the lens.
“Is it coming for the streamer?”
“Stop filming!”
“Run already!”
“What are you waiting for? Run!”
“Are you stupid? Run!”
“Didn’t you say the herd was dangerous?”
“Hurry up before it’s too late!”
“Quick! Find a place to hide!”
Should he run or not?
Amidst the chaos in his head, Gu Lang suddenly realized something was missing from his body.
Right—where’s Boss?
Looking to his left shoulder, Gu Lang noticed the absence of the familiar weight. Wang Ping must have slipped off without him realizing.
Thwack!
A broken branch, still bearing leaves, landed squarely on Gu Lang’s head.
Instinctively turning around, his gaze shifted upward. There, perched on a sturdy fork of a crooked mulberry tree not far behind him, were Wang Ping and Rosette, who had apparently climbed up unnoticed.
Gu Lang: “….”
You two really are best buddies, aren’t you?!
Gu Lang seethed silently. They ran off without even calling me! Was losing one measly fish really worth holding such a grudge?
There was no time to dwell on Wang Ping’s betrayal, though. Seeing that both animals had fled, staying put would make him look utterly foolish. Gu Lang hastily stuffed the tablet into his pocket, turned, and tried to rise—but froze immediately.
Thinking about the massive creature behind him, coupled with his wobbly legs, Gu Lang abandoned any idea of standing upright. Instead, he dropped to the ground and crawled toward the base of the tree on all fours.
He looked up at the tree, one of the most common in the forest.
Hmm… its canopy was at least six or seven meters high—not particularly tall compared to the giants surrounding it, but still well out of reach for an elephant. The problem was, how could he possibly climb it? Elephants couldn’t reach it, but neither could he!
Standing beneath the tree, Gu Lang gazed helplessly at the two heads peeking out from the branches above—one large, one small—and felt a mix of frustration and resignation.
For creatures like Wang Ping and Rosette, equipped with natural climbing abilities, scaling such heights was effortless. For Gu Lang, however, it felt akin to scaling a fortress wall barehanded.
The sound of the approaching elephant grew louder, and Wang Ping, watching anxiously from the tree, couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
This guy didn’t know how to climb trees? Earlier, hadn’t he boasted about growing up in the countryside? Were there really rural kids who didn’t know how to climb trees?
Gently patting Rosette’s head to keep her calm, Wang Ping hooked his claws onto the trunk and scurried down in a flash.
Why come back down? Gu Lang watched, puzzled, as Wang Ping descended to eye level.
There’s no time! What are you spacing out for? Wang Ping swatted Gu Lang lightly on the forehead with the back of his paw, then adjusted his position. Gripping the trunk with both front paws and mimicking the motion with his hind legs, he demonstrated how to climb.
Though Wang Ping’s legs were too short to grip the trunk properly, his demonstration was clear enough. Turning to Gu Lang, he gestured upward.
“So… you’re teaching me how to climb?” Gu Lang hesitated. Could he really scale a tree where the lowest branch was four meters off the ground?
For fuck’s sake, hurry up! Do you want to die?! Losing patience, Wang Ping kicked out with his hind legs, landing a light blow on Gu Lang’s face.
“Ow…” Gu Lang quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, glancing instinctively toward the edge of the forest.
That glance confirmed his worst fears—the nearest elephant had already reached the treeline. Up close, the sheer size of its protruding tusks dwarfed even Rosette’s predatory presence.
No wonder the leopard had bolted the moment she saw it.
Mimicking Wang Ping’s posture, Gu Lang wrapped himself around the trunk, squeezing tightly with his legs as he began inching upward.
Don’t squeeze so hard with your legs! How are you supposed to climb like that?
Even in this dire situation, Wang Ping found the mental bandwidth to critique Gu Lang’s technique.
Clinging to the bark with his tiny claws, Wang Ping swung around to the back of the trunk, hanging upside-down as he reached out to tap Gu Lang’s leg. Relax! Climbing takes skill. Save your strength—you’ll need it.
Under the threat of imminent death, Gu Lang’s body seemed to unlock hidden reserves of strength. Without further instruction, he figured out the rhythm: gripping the trunk tightly with his hands, releasing his legs momentarily to propel himself upward, then locking them around the trunk again. Repeating this process, Gu Lang ascended three meters in mere seconds.
Just as he surged upward, Wang Ping, who had been clinging below, was abruptly kicked off by Gu Lang’s rapidly rising foot.
“Shit!” Wang Ping, who had been hanging precariously by one claw, tumbled downward in a spiral, landing with a soft thud on the thick layer of fallen leaves below.
Brushing leaves from his head and body, Wang Ping hooked his claws back onto the trunk and glanced up at Gu Lang, who was rapidly disappearing into the canopy. A dark expression crossed his face.
Being small really does mean having no rights!
Wang Ping didn’t rush to climb the tree. His small frame wouldn’t attract the attention of the massive creatures outside anyway. Clinging to the trunk, he peered cautiously at the elephant now less than ten meters away.
One thing was certain—it wasn’t here for Gu Lang. Wang Ping was sure of that.
Earlier, while still in the tree, he’d noticed that elephants had spread out in every direction around the forest’s perimeter. Their purpose remained unclear, but Wang Ping’s curiosity outweighed his anger toward the poachers or Gu Lang.
This was his first time encountering such behavior, and his thirst for knowledge burned brighter than ever.
Surprisingly, the elephant showed no intention of entering the forest. Stopping at the edge, it lowered its long trunk, wrapped it around several low-growing shrubs, and uprooted them entirely before dragging the plants away.
Huh? What’s going on here? Wang Ping stared, utterly baffled by this unexpected maneuver.
Meanwhile, Gu Lang finally grabbed hold of his first branch, pulling himself up into the canopy. He scrambled onto the thickest fork, where Rosette lay sprawled, and collapsed against the trunk, panting.
“Huh? Where’s Boss?”
Only now did Gu Lang realize that Wang Ping, who had been ahead of him moments ago, was nowhere to be seen.
Please vote for this novel at
If you would like to support this translation, you may choose any one of the options below.
There are advance chapters available now
Access will be granted 24 hours after the donation
Tier 1: 6 Advance chapters
How to find a list of chapters
Please find the chapter label next to your favorite translator's name, and click the label.
No comments:
Post a Comment