Wilderness Survival with Druid System

Chapter 362: Chapter 33: Chen Wen Is Discovered

After gently patting the hippo on the head, Chen Wen softly said, ”Hello, friend. From now on, just call me Chen Wen.”

The hippo sighed, ”Hello, Chen Wen.”

With the hippo’s words,

there was a reaction from the system.

[You have received the acknowledgment of a friend. Please extract the entry prepared for you by your friend.]

[Your friend—the hippo, has prepared a gift for you.]

[Extracting... Extraction complete!]

[Please choose one of the following three entries]

[Charge Forward (Purple): Enhances your body’s impact resistance when moving quickly. If you collide with another creature, it will stun them. The duration depends on your strength and the opponent’s size. Smaller creatures get knocked out immediately.]

[Note: With your strength, I believe you can knock out an elephant! — Hippo]

[Territorial Consciousness (Gold): Once you claim a territory, your survival ability greatly increases when living within it. You can quickly detect enemies entering the territory, enhancing courage, combat, and physical attributes, though sanity may decrease. Restores after repelling the enemy.]

[Note: Owning a territory is the first condition for becoming a boss, and guarding it is the second! — Hippo]

[Sun Protection (Purple): You can secrete a red liquid as a natural sunblock with certain antibacterial effects.]

[Note: Survival in this place requires sun protection—here you go. — Hippo]

The entries provided by the hippo are quite balanced.

They’re not overly powerful, nor are they particularly weak.

Decisively chose [Territorial Consciousness].

Chen Wen looked at the hippo and said, ”So we’re friends now.”

”Yes, friends.”

The hippo replied gloomily.

Seeing the hippo not looking very happy, Chen Wen said directly, ”As a friend, I’ll help you heal your wound first.”

The hippo was taken aback.

When Chen Wen reached out and touched the hippo, he activated [Animal Doctor].

The hippo immediately felt a difference.

”Hmm... there’s a warm feeling.”

The hippo, surprised, looked at Chen Wen’s hand and said, ”Your touch is magical! I feel the pain in the wound decreasing, and it’s starting to itch.”

”Yes, that means your wound is healing.”

Chen Wen continued, ”Next, you can slowly recover in the water. I’ll regularly bring you food by the water’s edge.”

Hearing this, the hippo felt much less depressed and unhappy.

It asked, ”So what do you need me to do?”

Well...

Chen Wen waved his hand, ”No rush, let’s discuss once you’re fully healed. For now, I see you’re all dried up; quickly get back in the water for a soak.”

Upon hearing this, the hippo realized that it had stayed on land too long this time.

It trotted back into the water.

Chen Wen seized the opportunity to open the system and choose the entry obtained from healing the hippo.

[Extracting from natural creation—the hippo!]

[Extracting... Extraction complete!]

[Please choose one of the following three entries]

[Enhanced Smell (Purple): Your ability to perceive more and farther scents is enhanced.]

[Note: I can smell your scent! Don’t let me catch you! — Hippo]

[Lethargic (Blue): During the day, your thinking becomes sluggish, and you become less inclined to move.]

[Note: The daytime is for sleeping — Hippo]

[Nocturnal (Blue): At night, you prefer to move, and your mobility is enhanced.]

[Note: The night is the time for activity — Hippo]

[Please make a choice within a minute or the first entry will be automatically chosen!]

No question about it, chose [Enhanced Smell].

After making the choice.

Chen Wen felt as if a nasal blockage had suddenly cleared up, with various scents rushing into his nostrils.

The enhancement was significant.

But it also came with its inconveniences.

The stench of hippo dung, the smell of mud, the river’s fishy scent...

Chen Wen couldn’t help but cough twice and quickly moved away from the riverbank.

This entry needs some getting used to!

...

Meanwhile, at the program team.

Seeing Chen Wen peacefully coexist with the hippo and even pat it, everyone was dumbfounded.

How did he manage that?

Since Chen Wen had turned off the audio equipment, the team could only analyze through the camera.

But no matter how much they analyzed,

they couldn’t figure anything out.

Abel held his teacup, repeatedly watching Chen Wen tame the hippo.

After a while, he vaguely had a feeling.

Could Chen Wen possibly understand the meaning behind animal body movements?

But anyway, Chen Wen would have to record this segment again when he returned.

We’ll ask him then.

...

After becoming friends with the hippo,

Chen Wen returned to the camp, filled with emotion.

Who would have thought that upon arriving in Caprivi, the first animal he’d tame would be a hippo?

He thought it would be a cheetah or a hyena instead.

But now that there’s a hippo, survival strategies need to change.

A wise, communicative hippo brings a significant boost in combat power, not just a little.

But there are also drawbacks.

Chen Wen had just noticed that the hippo’s skin and physical structure meant it couldn’t stay on land too long during the day.

Therefore, hippos are more active at night.

And Chen Wen himself would definitely be more active during the day, meaning their activity times would diverge.

Just having the hippo act as a nighttime guard for the shelter, while reliable, seems like a waste to Chen Wen.

Assigning such a large, powerful creature as a security guard.

It’s like having Xiang Yu watch over a club.

Thus, figuring out how to use the hippo for survival was something Chen Wen continued to ponder.

...

Chen Wen sat by the campfire, contemplating.

Not far from him, a desperate Brad had a sudden idea.

He pulled out a drone and carefully reviewed the show’s rules.

There weren’t any entries prohibiting contestants from using drones.

So, Brad decided to use the drone for reconnaissance.

He operated the drone to conduct a detailed search within a one-kilometer radius, centered on himself.

Brad saw basking Nile crocodiles, African elephant herds wandering the plains, and a lone hippo in the river.

He ignored these irrelevant things, focused solely on finding any traces of human presence.

Persistence paid off.

When the drone flew over a forest, Brad spotted the shadow of a campfire through the foliage gaps.

His heart skipped a beat.

As the camera zoomed in, Brad saw clearly!

Chen Wen!

A sinister, smiling flash appeared on Brad’s face.

Days of trekking had led to this moment!

Brad swiftly retrieved the drone.

Passing by the hippo alone in the river, Brad paused.

Hmm, there’s a hippo here. If crossing the river, go through the reed marsh on the side.

With this thought in mind, Brad retracted the drone.

He planned to cross the river now, feast in the forest across the river,

and take action at night!