Free Web NovelChapter 801: Chapter 143: Temptation
After making up his mind, Chen Wen instructed the animals to stay in place.
He then transformed into a Horned Bee-eater, circling rapidly over the area and using the powerful visual abilities of the Horned Bee-eater to search for suitable targets.
However, even after circling for a long time in the form of a Horned Bee-eater, Chen Wen found about a hundred wild horses but had no success.
These wild horses did not have any special traits.
Moreover, their temper was extremely irritable.
While searching in the form of a Horned Bee-eater, Chen Wen repeatedly tried to get close to the horses to take a closer look.
But when faced with the approaching Horned Bee-eater form of Chen Wen, the wild horses had only one reaction—kick!
Many times when Chen Wen approached them, they would suddenly lift their hooves and kick towards him.
If it weren’t for Chen Wen’s quick reflexes and agility,
he might have really been injured by these irritable creatures.
"So grumpy!"
Chen Wen shook his head and gave up the search for special wild horses.
He felt that he might not find any this time.
After returning to the animals nearby, Chen Wen laid out his plan: "In a moment, don’t follow me. I’ll try to approach these wild horses alone to see if I can get their help."
"Remember, don’t get close. These creatures have powerful hooves, and being kicked by them can cause serious injury, even to me! You would be even more gravely harmed, understand?"
Upon hearing this, the three animals immediately indicated their understanding.
They wouldn’t risk their lives for excitement.
Once the animals were settled, Chen Wen approached the nearest group of wild horses empty-handed.
...
Wild horses have excellent eyesight.
They possess a wide field of vision of 330 degrees, able to see nearly everything around them.
Moreover, they are very wary, triggering a group alert if any creature approaches.
At the slightest movement, the wild horses would scatter and flee.
It’s extremely difficult to approach them.
Thus, after Chen Wen appeared within their sight, the large wild horses immediately showed heightened alertness. The mature horses on the periphery raised their heads to watch him.
Meanwhile, the young and female horses gathered together, looking ready to flee at any moment.
They communicated to Chen Wen with their actions the message: Do Not Approach!
"Tsk, it seems approaching them directly won’t work."
Chen Wen looked at the horses’ behavior and couldn’t help but shake his head.
These once-domesticated but now feral horses were extremely wary of humans.
Chen Wen didn’t attempt to get closer.
Instead of approaching them now and provoking hostility,
he thought it better to come up with another strategy for approaching the wild horses.
...
Back with the animals, Chen Wen began rummaging through the supplies he had brought.
When he initially left, he remembered he had brought some staple foods, namely corn kernels.
He hadn’t had the chance to eat them yet.
After all, with sweet corn cans available, it wasn’t wise to spend time and effort cooking corn kernels.
After taking out the corn kernels, Chen Wen decided to give it another try.
See if the corn kernels could attract the wild horses to come closer.
With the corn kernels in hand, Chen Wen hesitated for a moment, then took out a can of sweet corn along with an empty can.
He then proceeded towards the wild horses again.
This time, upon seeing Chen Wen, the wild horses still showed vigilance and alertness.
However, Chen Wen calmly stood his ground and took out the corn kernels.
Seeing Chen Wen’s actions, the wild horses seemed a bit confused, unsure of what he was doing.
Raw corn kernels didn’t have much appeal to the horses.
So they merely glanced at them before refocusing their wary gaze on Chen Wen.
It seems that dry corn kernels are hard to attract the wild horses.
Chen Wen scratched his head, half-expecting this result.
He took the sweet corn can he had prepared, opened it.
Before the horses could flee, Chen Wen took out a lighter—borrowed from Hunting Owl’s off-road vehicle.
He lit a campfire.
After placing the sweet corn can on the fire, the heat caused the sweet aroma to waft out.
The sweet scent of industrial civilization even made Chen Wen swallow a few times.
Simultaneously, he put the remaining dry corn kernels into another empty can.
He then poured some syrup from the sweet corn can over them and started heating it together.
As the aroma grew stronger and spread further,
the wild horses watching from afar gradually grew restless.
On one hand, Chen Wen showed no aggression after arriving.
On the other hand, as Chen Wen’s [Friendly] skill gradually took effect, the caution and wariness of the wild horses began to diminish.
Of course, the most important factor was the scent of the corn kernels.
The sweet scent was irresistible, even for the wild horses with fierce tempers!
Soon, the first wild horse couldn’t resist the lure of the scent.
It slowly began to step towards Chen Wen.
This horse’s behavior acted like a trigger, igniting the remaining horses’ desire for food.
The second horse quickly followed, stepping behind the first.
Then came the third, the fourth...
Soon, the entire group of wild horses couldn’t resist approaching Chen Wen.
Seeing the wild horses’ movement, Chen Wen began his plan.
His first plan was to get the horses accustomed to his presence.
As the horses gradually approached, Chen Wen suddenly stretched his arms, yawning.
He even added sound effects for himself: "Ho~ah!"
Hearing Chen Wen’s voice and seeing his actions,
even with food temptation, the wild horses dared not come closer.
They swiftly retreated.
Watching this unfold, Chen Wen remained calm; he had anticipated their reaction.
So after making the sound and gesture,
Chen Wen stopped immediately.
After the horses fled a certain distance and realized Chen Wen wasn’t pursuing them, they cautiously stopped, still watching from afar.
The aroma of corn kernels still lingered as Chen Wen scooped a spoonful of the heated sweet corn with the can’s lid and popped it into his mouth.
The taste was naturally not bad.
Chen Wen squinted, for sweet food always brings a sense of happiness.
But he didn’t eat much and continued to heat the remaining corn kernels by the fire to draw the wild horses closer.
After waiting for some time, the horses, confirming Chen Wen posed no threat,
approached once more.
This time, when the wild horses arrived nearby, Chen Wen once again made a big gesture—stretching.
However, this time he didn’t make any sound, and the horses only hesitated briefly before continuing to approach.
When the wild horses were about fifteen meters away, they didn’t dare come closer.
This distance was the current limit for them to tolerate Chen Wen’s presence.
But Chen Wen had a way to encourage the horses to come even nearer.
He carefully scooped some corn kernels with a spoon, then randomly found some plant leaves on the ground.
He then wrapped the corn kernels in these leaves, placing them about a meter away from himself.
Chen Wen made about ten of these corn-wrapped leaves, tossing them around his vicinity.
Some were four or five meters away, others just over a meter.
Seeing Chen Wen’s actions, the wild horses could hardly remain still.
