Chapter Seventeen: Barbecue

The chimera was a true draconic creature. Unlike the raptors, distant dragonkin, legend had it that the chimera was closely related by blood to the green dragons. This enormous flying beast, nearly five meters in length, was considered the overlord among fourth-tier magical beasts. Its hide inherited the dragonkind’s traits, granting it remarkable resistance to magic. Twin heads—one red, one blue—represented the elements of ice and fire, each capable of spewing a breath of opposite nature. Its powerful forelimbs made it a fierce opponent in close combat. The instructors in Wilderness Survival had emphasized, time and again, the might of this creature: should you encounter one, do not look back—run! Run immediately! The chimera’s one true weakness was its sheer size, making it slow in flight; it would rarely pursue prey that escaped its range for long distances.

This particular chimera’s vast wings beat steadily as it flew straight toward Katherine. Its wings, bat-like but magnified countless times, stretched wide as both massive jaws gaped, ready to unleash their lethal breaths. Resigned to her fate, Katherine closed her eyes. It wasn’t simply that her strength was utterly spent and she couldn’t possibly dodge; even if she were still a high-level mage at full power, there was no way she could survive the chimera’s dual breath at such close range.

Countless chaotic thoughts flashed through her mind as death loomed. She realized, with some sorrow, that her life had been rather unremarkable—at this final moment, there wasn’t a soul she would miss, no one who would grieve for her. She’d spent her days restlessly roaming, with barely any friends. Perhaps she should have fallen in love, just once—so at least someone would mourn her passing?

A tear welled at the corner of her eye. She lifted her slender neck just a little, hoping to die with some dignity. But seconds passed, and the fatal breath did not come. Instead, she heard the heavy thud of something enormous hitting the ground beside her. Then came Ling Mo’s voice, struggling not to laugh, “Well, my dear apprentice, what’s this? Who scared you to tears?”

Katherine’s eyes flew open. She turned her head and immediately saw the massive chimera stretched out on the ground to her left. Its neck and hind legs were bound by some unknown rope, only its two wings flailing desperately, stirring a cloud of dust. Ling Mo sat astride the beast, right between its two heads, regarding her with an odd expression.

Heavens!

Katherine’s face burned as if on fire. She hastily wiped away her tears, stammering, “No… I—I wasn’t crying from fear, it’s just—”

Seeing her flushed face and frantic explanations, Ling Mo clearly misunderstood. He swung off the chimera, approached, and patted her on the head. “No need to be embarrassed, whether you were scared or not. You know, when I was younger and training, I once ran into a thunder lizard that went mad and chased me for a whole day. I was running and crying the whole time, nearly wet myself! What you’re going through is nothing.”

With that, he turned and kicked the struggling chimera. The beast was sent flying, crashed into a tree, bounced off, and tumbled to the ground, its wings covering its heads in utter defeat.

Katherine touched the top of her head, where his hand still left its warmth. Staring at Ling Mo’s back, she was suddenly seized by a desire to run over and hug him tightly. But her iron self-control forced her to bury the feeling deep inside. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Master, what are you doing with this chimera?”

“What for? To eat, of course!” Ling Mo leapt onto the chimera’s back, answering naturally. “Weren’t you suffering from that unbearable itch earlier? I said I’d find you an antidote—well, here it is.”

Katherine stared, speechless. “The antidote? This?!”

“That’s right, this.” Ling Mo walked a few steps along the chimera’s back, as if searching for something. “Most books describe the chimera as having ice and fire attributes, and I used to think so too. But after living in the magical beast jungle for years, I gradually learned that the chimera’s core trait is actually ‘poison.’”

With a deft movement, one of the chimera’s massive wings fell silently away, the cut smooth as glass. The sudden agony made both chimera heads rear up in a howl so loud it shook the air. But as soon as its huge eyes met Ling Mo’s unimpressed gaze, the beast shuddered with fear, abruptly cutting off its scream.

Ling Mo picked up the severed wing, pointing to the cut for Katherine to see. “Look closely—do you see that pale green, sac-like structure? That’s the chimera’s venom gland. Special glands in its body convert the venom into ice or fire energy. The left wing’s gland fuels the right head’s fire, and the right wing’s fuels the left head’s ice. Rather well organized.”

Katherine peered closer, surprised to find it truly was a venom gland. “But I studied chimera anatomy—none of the textbooks ever mentioned this! Were the scholars who wrote those books blind? How could they miss something this large?”

Ling Mo shook his head. “It’s not their fault. When a chimera dies, the magic of ice and fire within it goes out of control, causing a chaotic reflux that transforms the venom sacs into two magic cores—one ice, one fire. Only by tearing off the wing while the chimera is still alive, and in exactly the right spot, can you see this structure.”

“Is there a similar gland in the other wing?” Katherine was intrigued. But Ling Mo just waved her off, untied the ropes binding the chimera, and kicked the beast far away. The chimera, as if pardoned, didn’t even pause to staunch the terrible wound on its back; with its remaining wing, it fled into the forest, its great bulk scrambling away in a most undignified, almost comical fashion.

Katherine cried out in dismay, “Master, all that meat—how could you just let it go?”

“With a wing this size, you couldn’t finish it anyway. Killing it would be a waste.” Ling Mo waved the massive wing with a grin. “Besides, this is for your antidote. If you tear off the wing in the right place while the chimera’s alive, the venom sac will form a poison-type magic core with powerful detoxifying properties. And the first time you eat it, your resistance to toxins will permanently improve.”

“Why does the venom gland turn into an antidote?”

“That I don’t know—I’m no magical beast scholar. All this comes from practical experience.” As he spoke, Ling Mo cleaned the wing, then, with a flick of his wrist, sliced it neatly into dozens of even pieces. Producing a smooth stone slab from who-knows-where, he set it up, quickly lit a fire beneath, and began grilling the meat.

Katherine was astonished. “Master, didn’t you say freshly hunted prey must be eaten quickly, or its energy dissipates rapidly?”

“Yes, that’s true,” Ling Mo replied, expertly flipping the dozens of ‘wings’ with a bamboo skewer, his movements precise and graceful. “But chimera wings are different. When the venom gland condenses into a poison core, some strange reaction occurs, locking the energy into the meat and preserving it for a long time. So chimera wings can be cooked and grilled.”

The tantalizing aroma made Katherine swallow hard. She ventured, “I suppose the chimera isn’t the only magical beast to react this way?”

“No, there are others.” Ling Mo sprinkled some powder over the wings, instantly intensifying their fragrance. Katherine nearly snatched a piece then and there. He continued unhurriedly, “Even with my years in the wild, I’ve only found nine such creatures. Well, eight, now—I accidentally ate one species of honeybee to extinction.”

Katherine looked at Ling Mo, speechless. It was the first time she’d heard of someone eating an entire species out of existence—but she didn’t doubt him for a moment. No wonder he’d spared the chimera; clearly, he was planning to harvest it sustainably. After all, chimeras were lizards and could regrow their wings.

Her thoughts didn’t last long. Hunger, stoked by the intoxicating scent of roasting meat, soon overwhelmed her reason. Like a kitten, she squatted by the slab, eyes fixed on the grilling wings, her gaze following their every flip, a picture of adorable longing. When Ling Mo finally said, “Ready,” Katherine immediately snatched a piece, forgetting the heat, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Ahhh—!

An explosion of blissful flavor burst across her tongue. Far chewier than any bird wing she’d tasted, yet tender and fragrant, the meat filled her mouth with sweetness, then richness, then a hint of spice, and finally a touch of heat, all blending with the fresh seasoning for a symphony of taste that lingered long after swallowing, leaving her craving more.

Finishing the first wing, Katherine let out a sigh of satisfaction, then quickly pulled all the wings toward herself, hugging them with both arms. “Mine! All mine!” she declared, pouting with playful possessiveness.