In the wasteland, mutated frogs were among the few mutated animals that had little to no offensive capability. Even when attacked, they would mostly choose to flee rather than fight back.

Frogs, rich in protein and with meat as tender and delicious as chicken, were fondly known as “field chickens.” As a naturally tasty wild animal, if you managed to find one with an edible level of radiation, it became a beloved delicacy among wasteland dwellers.

Every summer, torrential rains were both the most dreaded and the most beloved weather for those in the wasteland. This contradiction existed because, after the rain, large numbers of mutated frogs would appear. The cravings for food meant that, ultimately, most people loved this kind of weather.

So, the moment the rain stopped, residents whose homes had been soaked didn’t even bother dealing with their flooded houses. Entire families poured out to hunt mutated frogs.

After all, if you missed this brief window of time after the rain, once the sun came out and the land dried, the mutated frogs would vanish without a trace, as if they had never existed.

Although she had never eaten field frogs before, she had eaten bullfrogs—tender, smooth meat that made her mouth water just thinking about it.

So, when Huo Xiao said they were going out to hunt mutated frogs, which weren’t very dangerous, Zhuang Xiao eagerly geared up and followed his instructions out the door.

More meat!

There were puddles everywhere along the road.

Because their area was slightly higher in elevation, none of the nearby land had turned into small ponds. But the main road was full of water, and people were rushing out of the shantytown carrying buckets.

At home, the frog calls had been loud, but they were nothing compared to the deafening chorus now. To talk to each other, Zhuang Xiao and Huo Xiao had to shout, or they wouldn’t hear a thing.

Soon, they arrived at the grayweed harvesting area. The whole area was flooded. The grayweed stood tall in the water, lush and green after the rain.

And before long, Zhuang Xiao saw her long-awaited mutated frog.

When still, it looked short and squat, chubby, with big round eyes and a large head—adorably dopey. But once it moved—legs kicking off—it was graceful and agile.

So fat. So big.

This lively, clever, and adorable thing looked delicious.

Temporary ponds had popped up everywhere, and people crowded around them. Shouts of joy rang out constantly.

“Got one! Got one!”

Zhuang Xiao saw someone in the distance happily tossing a frog that looked to weigh ten pounds into their bucket.

She sneaked a peek into other people’s buckets—many were filled with mutated frogs.

Wait… was it really this easy to find edible mutated frogs?

She and Huo Xiao picked a spot and waded into the water.

The mutated frogs were dark green, nearly identical in color to the water grasses—spotting them took sharp eyes.

With a fish spear in hand, Zhuang Xiao moved slowly through the water, eyes locked on the surface.

Just as she bent down to look closer, something suddenly jumped onto her back, nearly knocking her face-first into the water.

Before she could figure out what it was, an eardrum-bursting croak croak croak sounded right behind her.

Startled, Zhuang Xiao jerked upright. With a splash, the weight on her back vanished, and water sprayed up around her.

A mutated frog.

She had finally spotted one.

She didn’t care how hard it was to move through the water. Stumbling and splashing, she rushed toward the spot where it had fallen.

But just as she got within two meters, the frog gave a mighty leap—three meters!

Now it was five meters away.

Zhuang Xiao: ……

Turns out mutated frogs didn’t just have more meat—they had stronger legs too.

Given her current strength and aim, the fish spear wasn’t the best option. Quick to react, she fired a sleeve arrow from her arm guard.

Hit!

All that practice lately had paid off.

Wading toward the fallen frog, she nearly slipped several times.

The water was murky.

Strapping the fish spear to her back, she bent down and fumbled through the water with both hands. Sure enough, she grabbed something slimy—with her arrow still lodged in its back.

She didn’t hesitate. Hauling the mutated frog out of the water, she sliced it open and smeared the fluid on her wrist device.

“Beep beep. Moderate radiation mutation. Edible.”

Frog hotpot, here we come!

Delighted, Zhuang Xiao tossed the frog into her bucket. She looked up and saw Huo Xiao not far off, with a frog on his spear too.

But he quickly threw his back into the water.

Carrying the bucket on her arm, Zhuang Xiao began searching for her next target, muttering cheerfully, “Come here, little frog… my back’s waiting for you…”

And the frogs in the pond didn’t disappoint.

Soon, she spotted another one.

It sat puffing up its cheeks on a clump of grayweed—thankfully, the plant was sturdy enough to hold its weight.

Still excited from her first hit, Zhuang Xiao was eager to try again. She raised her arm and fired another arrow.

Whoosh! The arrow grazed the grayweed stem—completely missing the frog.

Startled, the frog leapt with a splash, drenching her face.

But Zhuang Xiao wasn’t about to give up. That arrow was already sacrificed—no way she was losing both frog and arrow.

She wasn’t about to make a losing trade.

She hung her bucket on a tree and pulled her fish spear from her back, thrusting it toward the spot where the frog had vanished.

The spear wobbled a bit and sank into the water.

A miss?

Zhuang Xiao fished the spear back up—yep, empty. No frog, no arrow. Brutal.

After five or six more failed attempts, she gradually got the hang of it—she could now pinpoint frog locations in the water more accurately.

“Beep beep. High radiation mutation. Inedible.”

“Beep beep. High radiation mutation. Inedible.”

…

Her aim improved, but now the chances of the frogs being edible had plummeted.

Still, Zhuang Xiao didn’t get discouraged. She tossed the inedible frogs back into the water and continued hunting.

No wonder these frogs were so popular—compared to other mutated creatures, they were way easier to catch.

By evening, the sunset lit the sky in the west.

Finally, a true post-storm clear sky.

Zhuang Xiao’s bucket held two edible, moderately irradiated mutated frogs. She wondered which lucky one would get to satisfy her stomach tonight.

The pond was still packed with people.

She went over to check on Huo Xiao. Wow—his bucket had four mutated frogs.

Zhuang Xiao gave him a big thumbs-up.