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Chapter 47: The Honeyguide is a Good Bird
The so-called "Golden Duo," of course, was just a name people had come up with out of boredom.
In fact, Wang Ping only knew that in Africa, there was a bird officially recorded as the sole avian partner of honey badger in foraging—known as the honeyguide. From its name alone, it was clear what this bird ate, which explained why it would associate with honey badger, the infamous thug of the plains.
What Wang Ping didn’t know, however, was that the honeyguide, as honey badger’s only “avian” partner, did more than just help locate beehives. If one were to talk about it, the honeyguide’s reputation in the "bird world" wasn’t exactly stellar either.
Everyone in China knows the idiom "cuckoo takes over the magpie's nest," referring to how cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests, tossing out the original eggs and letting the unwitting host raise their young. And guess what? The honeyguide does the same thing.
Not only does it lay its eggs in another bird's nest, but once the host bird lays new eggs, the newly hatched honeyguide will ruthlessly eliminate its "step-siblings." It pecks through all the other eggs and even kills any hatchlings that have already emerged, leaving itself as the sole beneficiary of its "adoptive parents’" care.
Of the approximately 9,000 bird species observed worldwide, only five exhibit brood parasitism, including China’s "cuckoo" and honey badger’s "golden partner." One is a ground-level punk, the other an aerial thug. Together, they make quite the pair—"a match made in heaven."
Add to that the fact that these two unlikely partners—one obsessed with honey, the other with bee larvae—were destined to collaborate, their partnership written into their very genes.
But Wang Ping, though aware of the honeyguide’s existence, had never actually seen one. He couldn’t imagine that the legendary honeyguide would turn out to be such a small, scruffy-looking bird with an irritatingly grating call.
Then again, if a little thug looked handsome and sounded pleasant, wouldn’t that leave no room for other birds to survive?
Upon encountering his destined partner, Wang Ping’s stomach seemed to recognize a long-lost relative, betraying him with a surge of hunger-induced "acid" and a soft "gurgle," as if greeting the honeyguide.
If the bird above him really was a honeyguide, then its earlier circling and calling around Wang Ping wasn’t a provocation—it meant there was likely a beehive nearby.
Wang Ping glanced in the direction Gu Lang had gone. Since Gu Lang had taken the trouble to cover his tracks, it was unlikely the poachers would catch up anytime soon. So… why not take a break for lunch?
Hunger gnawed at him again, as if his stomach was forcing him to make a decision.
With the rain falling everywhere, the bees should have returned to their hive by now, right? Wouldn’t that make it a ticking time bomb of a wasp nest?
Wang Ping paused, then chuckled.
Damn, it was a wasp nest…
But a wasp nest could be pretty useful right now.
At this moment, Wang Ping had the clearest picture of the positions of Gu Lang, the poachers, and himself. Imagining himself perched on a tree, dropping the wasp nest onto the poachers’ heads, Wang Ping felt a thrill run through him.
This was something he’d dreamed of doing as a kid but never dared to!
"Let’s go! Lead the way!"
Excited, Wang Ping climbed onto Rosette’s neck, signaling her to follow the "idiot bird" above.
"Chirp chirp~~"
Seeing its fated partner finally acting normal, the honeyguide seemed delighted, flying deeper into the woods while occasionally returning to urge Wang Ping onward.
Following Wang Ping’s directions, Rosette sped through the forest, keeping pace with the honeyguide. At this speed, if not for Wang Ping’s need to cover a certain streamer’s tracks, shaking off the poachers would have been a breeze.
After nearly a kilometer, the honeyguide landed on a branch and called out to Wang Ping, stopping its advance.
By now, Wang Ping could hear a faint "buzzing" sound. His nose twitched, catching the intoxicating scent of honey.
Rosette hesitated, slowing her steps.
Bees, after all, were not to be trifled with. Whether you were a lion or leopard at the top of the food chain, or a human at the pinnacle of primates, the outcome of being stung was the same: swelling so severe your own mother wouldn’t recognize you.
But honey badger was an exception.
Looking at the basketball-sized hive hanging below the branch where the honeyguide had stopped, Wang Ping felt a fire ignite within him. His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Patting Rosette, he instructed her to hide in the bushes. Turning back, he instinctively tried to roll up his sleeves, but glancing down at his stubby arms, he sighed inwardly before his hunger surged again.
Climbing along the tree trunk, Wang Ping reached the branch where the honeyguide stood. Hooking his hind legs into the bark, he awkwardly folded his body downward, extending his paw toward the hive.
The gray bird tilted its head, perhaps puzzled.
Hadn’t this partner always charged straight at the hive and started gnawing? What was different today?
Wang Ping didn’t want to disturb the entire swarm just yet. After all, this hive was now his designated "biological weapon," and blowing it up here would be a waste.
But before that…
Carefully peeling away the wax securing the hive to the branch, Wang Ping hoisted the entire structure onto the branch. With one paw, he dug in.
A sticky sensation greeted him, accompanied by a fragrant aroma. A large chunk of dripping honeycomb was pulled free.
As long as there was no obvious vibration or noise, the swarm wouldn’t be disturbed. Only a small group of bees buzzed and attacked around Wang Ping.
But honey badger’s thick fur and natural resistance to toxins rendered these suicidal assaults meaningless.
Bringing the honeycomb close to his mouth, Wang Ping took a satisfying slurp. Leaning back against the tree trunk, he savored the sweet, smooth taste, his eyes nearly closing in bliss.
Finally getting a taste of something delicious—it hadn’t been easy!
"Chirp chirp~~"
The honeyguide’s call snapped Wang Ping out of his reverie. Looking up, he saw the gray bird hopping impatiently on the branch, glaring at him with dissatisfaction.
"Shit, I almost forgot about this guy…"
An odd smile, one that would never appear on any other honey badger’s face, spread across Wang Ping’s features. Extending his paw again, he scooped out a section of the upper hive teeming with bee larvae and gently placed it in front of the honeyguide.
"Chirp chirp~~~"
The little bird hopped closer, pecked out a fat larva, and swallowed it whole.
One badger, one bird—they sat there, enjoying the hive together for a while.
Feeling about half-full, Wang Ping stood up, ready to get back to "work." By now, the hive had been hollowed out significantly; eating any more would surely send the swarm into a frenzy.
Sliding down the tree trunk with one claw gripping the bark, Wang Ping waved a paw at the bird still perched on the branch before leaving.
"Buddy, I misjudged you—you’re actually a good bird!"
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