Exploring Freshwater Lakes Again

The skin of crocodiles is a valuable material, especially the skin of bay crocodiles, which is considered top-notch.

It can be used to make luxury items like leather shoes, bags, and belts.

But at this moment, Lu Zhe didn't want to do anything.

Cutting this thing would require both effort and a knife.

Exchanging a damaged blade for a roughly made bag isn't worth it.

Therefore, no matter how much Tang Xiaoguo pleaded, Lu Zhe's attitude remained unchanged.

The only thing he could think of for now was using it as a sunshade and rain cover, propping it up on a tree.

Unfolding the large crocodile skin, measuring 4 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, it was almost the size of two small beds. It actually worked quite well when placed above their heads.

Next, they had to deal with the meat.

At this point, Lu Zhe noticed that the protein reserves in the camp far exceeded what they could consume.

They hadn't finished eating a whole lamb, and now there was a big crocodile, not to mention the fish that Jiang Yao would catch from time to time!

Their lives had reached a point where they no longer had to worry about protein.

However, at the same time, new problems emerged.

Without a refrigerator, they couldn't preserve smoked meat for more than a few days, so it would definitely go to waste.

They had to bury or discard the remaining fish traps and whatever was left.

It might sound regrettable, but on a deserted island, lacking sufficient storage capacity, keeping all the animal carcasses could attract other predators or turn their camp into a paradise for flies and scavengers.

So, the correct choice was to preserve the food to the maximum extent possible without it rotting and then discard the remaining meat.

They had to dispose of a large portion of the bear meat earlier, and now they had to do the same with the crocodile meat.

It took Lu Zhe nearly two hours to prepare the crocodile meat.

After finishing all of that, it was already afternoon.

Now, he had to go back to the forest to take a look.

This time, his objective was to explore the lake and, if possible, find new sources of carbohydrates.

After all, the lake wasn't far from the camp, and having a thorough understanding of the types and populations of organisms in the lake would be of great importance for their future survival.

For this trip, Shen Bing accompanied him.

The previous night, the girls reached an agreement on this matter.

Unless there were special circumstances, Lu Zhe would need a companion on one of the weekdays from Monday to Friday, and it would be his girlfriend on duty who would accompany him.

Even if they needed more than two companions, the girlfriend on duty had to be included.

As for Saturdays and Sundays, it depended on the situation.

So, Lu Zhe and Shen Bing went out to work, while the other four girls continued to weave nets.

Carrying the necessary equipment and supplies, the two of them entered the jungle once again. Thanks to their relatively familiar path, they arrived at the lakeshore in no time.

The lake water was calm and deep, making it difficult to determine its depth.

Lu Zhe took a broadleaf and scooped up some mud, spreading it on the leaf. Then he placed small pieces of crocodile meat in the middle of the leaf and carefully put it by the lakeside.

If any wild animals came to eat it, they would undoubtedly leave footprints.

Then he stood up and said, "This time, our goal is to circle the lake, observe the water and the surrounding flora and fauna, and find new sources of carbohydrates."

Shen Bing nodded and asked, "Do we need to go into the water?"

"If you jump into the water without understanding the situation, you could easily be in danger. Not to mention alligators, pythons, and snakes, there may be other dangerous fish in the water."

"Water tigers?"

"That's in the Amazon River, but there might be similar dangerous creatures here."

"Well, let's be cautious. Better safe than sorry!" Shen Bing nodded in agreement. She thought for a moment and said, "How about we give this lake a name? It seems safe enough."

Lu Zhe nodded, "Hmm, that's a good idea. But I'm not good at coming up with names. You put some thought into it."

Shen Bing pondered, "To the north of the lake is a volcano crater, with purple wisteria trees and golden silk swallows inside. Since we have both wisteria and little swallows, how about calling it Da Ming Lake?"

"I've always wondered about something from my high school days. During the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Qianlong, there were severe literary inquisitions. Why would someone dare to name a place Da Ming Lake? And why was Emperor Qianlong so happy to go there and chase women? It seems like an easy target for assassination. Let's think of something else."

Shen Bing smiled wryly, "How about this? It looks calm, like a mirror. Let's call it Jing Lake."

"The Eight Scenic Spots of Wuhu? 'Water alone does not compete; all forms are reflected.' It captures the humanistic vibes, but it's still using someone else's name. It feels a bit out of place."

Shen Bing felt a bit helpless, "Then how about Xiao Jing Lake?"

Lu Zhe thought for a moment, "Hmm, the place where Duan Zhengchun and Ruan Xingzhu had their affair! It's where Qiao Feng slapped Ah Zhu to death. Not very auspicious, huh?"

"Lu Zhe, I really don't enjoy chatting with you and your group of college students! Not only can you argue, but your knowledge is also ridiculously broad. Forget it, from now on, you can come up with the names for everything. Whatever you choose will be fine."

Lu Zhe nodded, "Alright, the boy's name will be Lu Xiaohan, representing the Ice Shooter. The girl's name will be Lu Xiaoxue, representing the Snow Queen."

Shen Bing was annoyed, "I asked you to name the lake, and you name our children... Hey, don't think I've never played League of Legends. The Ice Shooter is also a female character."

"Is the gender the main point?"

Shen Bing suddenly froze, and she suddenly understood.

No matter if it symbolizes ice or snow, it seems to revolve around the word 'ice.'

What is this kid thinking about?

How did he even come up with names for our children?

"Can't you think of something useful? If you talk nonsense again, I won't help you anymore!"

Based on the reserve typical of girls, Shen Bing appeared displeased on the surface, but in reality, no one knew that she felt as sweet as honey.

The two continued to chat as they made their way around the lake, encountering thorny obstacles. Occasionally, they saw big fish leaping out of the water, shimmering with golden light, exceptionally beautiful.

"Could it be dragonfish?"

"It's quite possible. Compared to the silver dragons in the Amazon, the Southeast Asian golden dragonfish and red dragonfish have very high aesthetics. We just don't know how they taste!"

"I haven't eaten them either, but wherever there are dragonfish, the water quality must be excellent."

Lu Zhe nodded, "Exactly, leeches are very powerful."

"It's a pity we can't keep them. Otherwise, it would be interesting to have a few as pets."

"Sis, from now on, the entire lake is yours. Don't just talk about keeping leeches, if you want to raise sharks in there, I have no objections."

Shen Bing thought she misheard, "Hmm?"

As they were talking, both of them heard a chirping sound coming from the woods.

Following the sound, they saw two adorable little squirrels sitting on a tree. One was sitting quietly while the other one was happily bouncing back and forth.

"What are they doing?" Shen Bing asked.

"They are probably courting each other," Lu Zhe replied.

Shen Bing wanted to say, "How do you know that?" but then she remembered Lu Zhe's broad knowledge, so it didn't seem surprising anymore.

"Do they hunt for food?" she asked.

Lu Zhe shook his head.

With an abundant protein supply now, he couldn't bear to disrupt the tender love of these cute creatures.

Lu Zhe explained, "Male squirrels will dance in front of female squirrels. If the female squirrel agrees, the male squirrel will lead her back to his home and show her the nuts he has collected. Then, based on the number of acorns, the female squirrel will decide whether or not to mate with him."

Shen Bing found it amusing and said, "No wonder squirrels love to hoard things. It turns out their views on marriage and mating are quite pragmatic!"

"Yeah, even finding a partner requires considering the conditions. Let's not disturb them and give them a peaceful environment," Lu Zhe kindly reminded, then quietly left.

But not far away, they discovered a tree hole.

The tree hole was filled with acorns.