Amidst everyone's confusion, Chen Wen began his operation.

Chen Wen maneuvered the drone over the hippopotamus herd.

The noise of the drone quickly agitated the hippos.

Some adult hippos raised their heads, staring intensely at the drone, making a series of grunting sounds.

Along with the noise, water splashed around their nostrils, as if they were spraying water.

Great, they're on alert now!

Excitement flashed in Chen Wen's eyes.

He knew the hippopotamus herd had been affected by the noise of the drone.

Now, it's time to provoke them.

Provoking hippos is something most people should never try or learn to do, as it's purely courting danger.

Hippos look clumsy and stupid, and their name doesn't suggest they're anything threatening.

But in reality, this mammal, ranking among the top five in terrestrial size, is quite ferocious!

Their incisors extend forward like shovels, growing over fifty centimeters, and weighing four or five pounds.

Their sharp canines are even slightly longer than the incisors.

Weighing one to three tons, some individuals can grow even larger.

They may seem heavy, but they are by no means slow.

Their short-distance running speed is about thirty kilometers per hour, while humans can manage around ten kilometers.

Even if Bolt were to race under the same conditions, the sprint winner would definitely be the hippo.

In water, their speed isn't slow either, at least overwhelming compared to humans.

Their main weapon is that big mouth, which can open up to ninety degrees.

In many online videos of feeding hippos, caretakers like to throw an entire watermelon inside.

The hippo gives a gentle press and the watermelon shatters, red juice splattering everywhere.

If you did the same with a human head, the result might not be much different.

Of course, a human head has a skull, which might make the hippo exert a bit more effort.

So, if you don't have a "carbon-based animal pacifier," it's best not to provoke a hippo.

Because a lone human facing a hippo can't outrun it, nor beat it.

But the covertly lurking Chen Wen daringly provoked the hippos.

Provoking hippos was quite simple.

Chen Wen controlled the drone, letting it sharply fly past the side of an adult hippo, and then approached the young calves.

The nearby adult hippos saw this and immediately went into a rage.

Accompanied by angry huffing, the river water erupted as if a bomb had been thrown in.

Water splashed everywhere, and the hippos frantically chased and drove away the drone.

This scene made the many onlooking staff and assistants shudder.

If a person were thrown in...

Everyone shivered and rubbed the goosebumps on their arms.

The Nile crocodiles not far from the hippo herd didn't even lift their heads upon hearing the commotion.

As longtime neighbors of the hippos, they're well aware of these creatures' temperaments.

Minor disturbances every three days, a big uproar every five days.

Pretty normal.

It's abnormal if they're not stirring.

Chen Wen saw this scene and couldn't help but click his tongue.

However, he was lurking within the reeds, benefitting from the [Night Shadow] trait making him hard to detect, along with [Hiding] which allowed him to conceal himself even better.

Most creatures wouldn't think of finding him.

Only those with extremely keen senses or special abilities could discover him.

Chen Wen concentrated on manipulating the drone, letting it weave through the hippo herd, constantly taunting them.

The entire hippo group started chasing the drone in the water, trying to snap at it.

But Chen Wen's operational skills were solid, often maneuvering the drone through gaps between the hippos.

He even let the drone fly swiftly between the hippos' open mouths.

As the drone slowly drifted east along the river, the infuriated hippo herd followed in pursuit.

At about a hundred meters, Chen Wen positioned the drone just out of reach of the hippos.

He then quickly gathered his equipment.

This distance was more than enough for him, even more than sufficient.

The hippos would find it hard to spot him, and the Nile crocodiles wouldn't approach at this moment.

So after packing everything up,

Chen Wen swiftly crossed the reeds and reached the delta's shallows.

He stepped onto the wet, soft mud and with a splash, plunged into the murky river water.

He swam across rapidly.

The Nile crocodiles seemed to sense something.

The crocodile that first spotted Chen Wen raised its head.

It maintained this posture for about five seconds, then lay back down.

The hippos were in a rage.

Approaching now would be asking for trouble.

Besides, the Nile crocodiles had just fed lavishly; they wouldn't go hungry for the next six months even if they didn't eat a thing.

So the Nile crocodiles stayed peacefully on the bank, watching the hippos rampage and Chen Wen swim across.

...

About five minutes later.

Chen Wen successfully swam across the Kuanduo River to the northern bank.

He stepped onto the firm ground and leaped up, successfully landing on the shore.

"Wuhu! Made it out!"

Chen Wen spread his arms wide, tilting his head to face the sky.

The warm sunlight poured over him, much like Andy, newly free.

Chen Wen was truly joyous inside.

Yet joy couldn't last long.

With the drone control returning to the staff, they discreetly piloted it back from high up.

The target-less hippo group was returning.

If he lingered by the water, the still-angry hippo herd might shift their focus to him.

So, Chen Wen decisively hightailed out of there.

But before dashing off, Chen Wen bent down to strip the soaked T-shirt off, using it as a towel to wipe his body.

He then rinsed, wrung it out, and draped it over his neck.

After addressing the hygiene issues, Chen Wen was about to leave.

But he was distracted by a few plants growing nearby.

"Are these water lilies?"

Chen Wen looked at those floating on the water, resembling lotus leaves, and the slender-petaled little flowers, stopping in his tracks.

"Water lilies are edible, to be precise, most water lilies are edible."

Chen Wen licked his lips, feeling the compelling urge.

"Of course, many people consider water lilies ornamental, thinking they're inedible, but in fact, the rhizomes contain starch and can be consumed, even brewed into alcohol."

"This is truly food, I can't just leave without grabbing some."

Chen Wen grinned, eyeing the returning hippo group, deciding to take the risk.

He crouched, going back into the water, edging closer to the water lilies.

Seeing the hippo group seemingly not noticing this side, Chen Wen started gathering.

The muddy water lily rhizomes were quickly uprooted by Chen Wen, cleaned of the silt, and stuffed into his coat.

The hippos hadn't noticed yet.

Chen Wen gathered with peace of mind.

After gathering a small bundle of water lilies, a short distance away, an adult hippo finally noticed Chen Wen, busy with his task.

This speed was already exceedingly slow.

Bear in mind, Chen Wen was now completely exposed with no cover, essentially in full view of the hippo herd.

The distance was only about fifty meters.

The still-angry hippo emitted a grunting noise, like a car engine, deep and rumbling yet loud.

People would know just by listening that this creature was not to be trifled with.

Realizing he'd been noticed, Chen Wen decisively bolted.

He activated [Swift], and the escape bonuses of [Iron Bear Triad] kicked in.

He shot out of the water at top speed, making it to land.

Amid the hippos' shocked and confused eyes,

Chen Wen slung his backpack and gear on, clutching a big bunch of water lilies in one hand, his shirt in the other.

Like a mid-laner stealing the blue buff in the jungle.

Swinging his arms, basking in the sun, he sprinted with all his strength.

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