Chapter 83: Arctic Hare Stewed with Corn
It's still the familiar rapid shooting.
But because the strength in her arm hadn't fully recovered from the previous archery.
This time, Hua Yun barely managed to shoot four arrows before stopping.
"These rabbits are quite vigilant and agile, only managed to hit two, what a pity."
Hua Yun said regretfully, releasing the bowstring.
She walked quickly down the hillside and finished off the two still twitching rabbits.
After picking up and carefully examining the rabbits, Hua Yun realized, "These are Arctic hares."
The Arctic hare, a rabbit mainly found near the Arctic Circle, is most common in northern Canada and Greenland.
It's even recorded in the Guinness World Records as the northernmost rabbit species on Earth.
They are very similar to snowshoe hares, both being animals that change their fur.
In winter, they are covered in snow-white fur.
But they are larger than snowshoe hares.
Hua Yun strapped the two Arctic hares to her back and said with some sentiment, "It seems we've traveled quite a distance to encounter Arctic hares."
After securing the rabbits.
Hua Yun called the lynx and started walking toward the shelter.
She didn't handle the rabbits outside.
After all, with everything shrouded in silence, there aren't many creatures that pose a threat to her and Chen Wen.
Hua Yun planned to take these animals back to the shelter for careful processing, preserving more of their nutrients and flavors.
After all, whether it's ptarmigan or Arctic hares, they're rare delicacies.
Long ago, in the last century and even before.
Arctic hares were extensively hunted for their tender meat and precious fur.
Their numbers even once dropped lower than that of Arctic foxes.
But as humans gradually realized the necessity of animal protection, the hare family in the far north flourished once again.
This desire to savor delicious food, however, brought Hua Yun quite a bit of trouble.
Not long after she left, the scent of blood attracted an unexpected visitor.
It wasn't very tall, but its gait was arrogant.
It seemed as if, besides itself, there was no one else in this world worth fighting.
However, despite its arrogant stride, this unexpected visitor was quite cautious.
It didn't recklessly follow Hua Yun but stood still, emitting a series of strange calls.
Like a frog's croak, but far more irritable than a frog.
Soon, with its calls spreading.
Two more creatures, identical to it as if carved from the same mold, emerged from the forest.
Teaming up in threes gave it the confidence to pursue.
Using their sense of smell, they trailed after Hua Yun's path.
...
Back at the shelter.
Seeing Hua Yun and the lynx return, Chen Wen was quite delighted.
"So many catches? What are these?"
Hua Yun unloaded the heavy game, a harvest smile on her face: "Ptarmigans and Arctic hares."
"Great, well done!"
Chen Wen's smile almost crooked his face.
Sitting still and getting two new entries.
What could be more joyous than a freebie?
The answer is two freebies.
"Do you know how to handle ptarmigan?"
Hua Yun asked, "I plan not to skin them, to keep the skin so we can absorb some fat."
Chen Wen was taken aback and said: "Isn't that just plucking the feathers? That I can do, heat up a pot of water and soak them, plucking the feathers while they're hot makes it much cleaner."
"Yes, that's it."
Hua Yun cheerfully said, "Since you know how, I won't interfere."
In the end, both of them worked together to finish the ptarmigans.
As it got darker.
Chen Wen hung the processed ptarmigan on the sled.
"This thing is really hard to handle!"
Chen Wen couldn't help but sigh.
The ptarmigan's feathers are notably dense, thick enough to make the balding envious and tearful.
Besides their density, their bodies are almost entirely covered with feathers.
Even their legs, toes, and the outside of their nostrils have fluff.
These feathers and fluff made processing difficult for Chen Wen and Hua Yun.
But tempted by the allure of crispy roast ptarmigan, they persevered through the challenge and fully processed this load of ptarmigan.
Handling the Arctic hares was comparatively simpler, simply skinning them was enough.
Chen Wen kept the rabbit skins, while the ptarmigan feathers and the internal organs of both animals were discarded a hundred meters away from the camp.
"Finally done, what should we eat tonight?"
Hua Yun cleaned the ptarmigan fluff off her clothes and looked at Chen Wen.
Chen Wen looked at the time, it was only around five in the evening, but it was dark as if it were five in the morning.
He slowly said, "Since we're resting, let's indulge a bit."
"I remember we have some corn left, how about corn stewed Arctic hare and roast a ptarmigan? What do you think?"
Hua Yun swallowed and nodded repeatedly, "Not bad, sounds really good!"
No sooner said than done.
Chen Wen found the corn, chopping it into small segments with a machete.
The Arctic hare was also dismembered by Chen Wen and chopped into pieces.
Hua Yun washed the pot, filled it with clean snow, and added a handful of firewood, increasing the heat.
Soon, with the snow water melted, Chen Wen added the rabbit meat.
After stewing for about an hour.
He added the corn.
Time cast its culinary magic, spreading the aroma of the corn.
Mmm, it smells so good!
Having survived for so long, the meat's aroma no longer stimulated Chen Wen's appetite.
But this corn aroma really opened up his hunger.
Half an hour later.
Chen Wen lifted the lid, not seeing the imagined golden glitter.
But the steaming hot vapor with its rich meaty and corn aroma was just as satisfying as the golden glow!
"The flavor is definitely great!"
Hua Yun said, unable to resist urging Chen Wen to serve the food.
Chen Wen didn't hesitate, using a purchased ladle to fill Hua Yun's enamel bowl to the brim.
Hua Yun held the hot enamel bowl, her eyes gleaming with green light.
She didn't care about burning her mouth.
She directly lifted the enamel bowl and took a big bite of corn.
Seeing this, Chen Wen hurriedly took out his canteen bowl.
He too set his sights on the corn.
One bite, full of fragrance!
But unfortunately, there was no entry.
Chen Wen could only transform his disappointment into appetite, chewing the corn vigorously.
"Huff huff~ The flavor is, huff, really nice!"
Chen Wen was so scalded he could barely speak, but he couldn't help sharing his feelings.
Hua Yun had finished an entire piece of corn, her mouth's temperature cooling down: "Indeed, it has the aroma of meat and corn, very delicious."
"It's time to taste the meat!"
As Hua Yun finished speaking, Chen Wen eagerly fished out a rabbit leg.
With a gentle bite.
The meat juice burst in his mouth, the rich flavor of the meat and corn-infused rabbit made Chen Wen's eyes shine.
"Sweet and delicious!"
Hua Yun gave her verdict.
Chen Wen nodded vigorously.
No wonder the Yukon and Alaskan people hunted Arctic hares crazily back then, this is seriously delicious!
[Launching a raid on Nature's creation—the Arctic hare!]
[Looting... Looting complete!]
[Please choose one of the following three entries]
[Decreased Reproductive Urge (Blue): Your reproductive urge will decrease, and the colder it gets, the lower the urge]
[Note: In this cold weather, only the Arctic hare's d can rise]
[Short Sturdy Body (Blue): When you gain weight and become stocky, you'll lose heat less easily]
[Note: Being a bit chubby means staying warm in winter!—Arctic hare]
[Digging (Blue): You become more adept at digging and more skilled at finding soft ground]
[Note: Buried underground are both food and home, to find them, you need to dig!—Arctic hare]
[Make a choice within a minute or give up! If time expires, the first entry will be chosen automatically!]
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