317 Familiarity… (1/2)
Su Ming opened his eyes and looked at the Fire Ape that was squatting down ten feet away from him. He whispered softly, ”I always wanted to catch it…”
Perhaps there would be someone who could truly tame this Fire Ape in the Land of South Morning, but all their taming methods would be related to brute force, because it was just like the boy had said, that Fire Ape was a new type!
That was why no one had any experience in taming Fire Apes. They could only use the taming methods they applied on other fierce beasts. Only Su Ming and Su Ming alone had the experience of befriending a Fire Ape.
Because when he was young, there was a Fire Ape that had been with him for his entire childhood.
”But I never managed to catch it…”
Su Ming stood up, and as he shook his head, he walked towards the Fire Ape. Almost the same moment, wariness appeared on the Fire Ape’s face. It let out a low growl, and as it did, the savage look appeared on its face once again.
”This lasted for several years before it let me catch it on purpose… At that time, I was really happy, but it was not until a long time later that I realized that it let itself be caught on purpose, because it was also very lonely in the forest… just like me,” Su Ming mumbled, walking towards the Fire Ape.
A fierce light appeared in the ape’s eyes, and the moment Su Ming walked over, it suddenly leaped up and swiped its claw at his face. It was so fast that in the blink of an eye, a huge gust of wind blew against Su Ming’s face.
Yet this time, almost the moment its claw was about to touch Su Ming, Su Ming’s body turned to the side. It looked as if he was ripped apart by the Fire Ape, but in truth, the beast had only torn apart an afterimage.
”Only then did I know that it was not me who found it, but that it chose me to be its friend… a friend for eternity…” Su Ming mumbled and shifted his body to the side before he took a step to stand behind the Fire Ape. He lifted his right hand and brushed the fur behind its head lightly. His touch was very gentle, just like how he petted Xiao Hong in the past. This particular action made Xiao Hong the most comfortable.
The Fire Ape shuddered and turned around. It bared its teeth and anger appeared on its face to hide that thump of its heart during that instant.
Su Ming looked at the Fire Ape snarling at him and said softly, ”You’re very fast. If you weren’t tied down by the chain, you’d be even faster… just like Xiao Hong. It’s also very fast. When I was young, I could never catch up to it…
”This place isn’t suitable for you to stay. Perhaps the land of the Shamans is a more suitable choice for you. I won’t harm you. Once I go to the land of the Shamans, I’ll release the chains, and I’ll… return your freedom to you…” Su Ming mumbled and looked at the Fire Ape.
The ape took a few steps back and looked at Su Ming warily, as if it did not understand what he had just said.
”Let’s make a bet and see who is faster.”
Su Ming suddenly smiled. That smile contained a sense of naivety that was rarely seen on his face since he arrived in the Land of South Morning. It was a smile that belonged to a young boy, not a man.
”If you win, I’ll unchain you right that instant and return you your freedom, but if you lose, then you must brush your fur. You look far too dirty right now.” Su Ming looked at the Fire Ape, and the Fire Ape also looked at Su Ming.
”We’ll race from here to the top of the mountain. Let’s see whose speed is faster… You have to follow the rules.”
Su Ming pointed towards the top of the ninth summit, then at the Fire Ape, before he let go of the chain in his left hand.
The moment he let go of the chain in his left hand, the Fire Ape charged forward, but it did not run towards the top of the mountain. It instead seemed to have jumped into the air and flown towards the world in the distance. It howled, and its voice was filled with mockery.
Zi Che was shocked still where he stood by the side. A wry smile appeared on his face. He had always thought that Su Ming was a bright person, but he could only smile wryly at the things he was seeing right now.
”At the very least, its first thought is to escape, not to attack me.”
Su Ming looked at Zi Che with a smile, then took a step towards the sky. The moment his foot landed, booming sounds came from his body. Four of the sixteen ice hoops on his legs had exploded!
Because of it, Su Ming’s speed instantly increased. In the blink of an eye, he rushed after the Fire Ape and even closed the distance between them. Once he did so, booming sounds came from his body once again, and four more ice hoops exploded. The moment that happened, his speed reached a level as if he could warp through space itself. With one step, his body seemed to have disappeared, and once he reappeared, he was already less than one hundred feet away from the Fire Ape!
The Fire Ape swiftly turned its head around, and disbelief appeared on its face. It let out a piercing screech, then as it charged forward at its full speed, two more booms fell into its ears.
Two more ice hoops exploded on Su Ming’s body. His speed increased to the point that he appeared before the Fire Ape in the blink of an eye and blocked its path forward.
”You have to follow the rules,” said Su Ming with a smile.
The Fire Ape widened its eyes and snarled, then it swiftly went backwards to run in another direction. Su Ming looked at its retreat, and praise appeared in his eyes.
Even the Fire Ape itself was not certain why it chose to change directions instead of brutally tearing apart Su Ming’s body like it had wanted to do previously.
Perhaps Su Ming’s words had had an effect on it, or maybe his smile had touched it, perhaps it was that gentle touch from Su Ming’s hand that made it hesitate, or it could have been something else…