159: Processing bear skins

Lu Fan agreed from the bottom of his heart with An Lan's idea of properly processing the Bear Gall for future use.

He knew clearly that in this wilderness fraught with crisis and hidden unknown dangers...

...having one more safeguard meant one more real hope of survival.

The two sat quietly around a simple wooden table as soft light filtered through a worn-out window, spilling onto the tabletop.

Their gazes focused together on that precious Bear Gall.

"I remember the book saying that the membrane on the surface of the Bear Gall must be carefully peeled off first."

An Lan's voice was soft, as if she were afraid of disturbing this precious medicinal material.

Her slender fingers slowly picked up the sharp dagger. Under the warm and bright sunlight, she narrowed her eyes slightly and began this incredibly delicate operation.

Her hands trembled slightly, and fine beads of sweat unknowingly broke out on her forehead.

Every cut was filled with caution and focus, deeply afraid that a slight slip-up would damage this precious medicinal material that held so much value.

Lu Fan stared intently from the side, his eyes full of concern and worry.

From time to time, he gently handed her clean coarse paper, softly helping An Lan wipe away the bloodstains on the blade while whispering words of comfort, "Don't be nervous, take it slow. We'll definitely be able to handle this."

As time slowly passed second by second, the tough membrane on the surface of the Bear Gall was gradually peeled clean, revealing the smooth and shimmering gallbladder inside.

"Next, it needs to be rinsed repeatedly with clean water to remove impurities."

Following the steps from the book in her memory, An Lan cautiously placed the Bear Gall into the clear water and then gently shook the container with soft, slow movements.

The murky blood water, like an awakened spirit, slowly seeped out from the gallbladder, and the originally crystal-clear water was gradually dyed a faint red.

After the rinsing was complete, the most critical drying stage arrived.

An Lan gently placed the Bear Gall on a piece of clean white paper, then carefully set it on a well-ventilated windowsill to let the gentle breeze dry it naturally.

She paced over to check on it from time to time, using her slender fingers to gently adjust the position of the Bear Gall, muttering under her breath, "It must be processed well; this might be of great use in the future."

Watching An Lan handle the Bear Gall so carefully, Lu Fan's gaze inadvertently fell upon the bear skin he had temporarily set aside in the corner.

"An Lan, I think this bear skin shouldn't be wasted either. Once it's processed, it'll be very useful and might bring us a lot of convenience in the future."

He spoke enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

An Lan turned her head, her eyes full of curiosity and inquiry. "How do you plan to process it? I've never seen the process of treating a bear skin before."

Lu Fan stood up, brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes, a confident smile spreading across his face.

"I read about it in a wilderness survival book before. It shouldn't be hard to process, just a bit tedious. Just you watch; once it's done, we'll have a warm and practical bear skin! We won't have to fear the cold in winter anymore."

Action followed words. Lu Fan bent down, gripped two corners of the bear skin tightly with both hands, and laboriously moved it to a flat, open space outside the Shelter.

It was mid-afternoon, and the warm sunlight spilled unreservedly onto the earth. With a gentle breeze blowing, it was perfect weather for processing the bear skin.

He slowly squatted down, his eyes fixed on the bear skin as he examined it closely.

He saw that some dark red bloodstains and yellowish-white fat still remained on the bear skin. The fur also appeared somewhat disheveled, faintly emitting a slight fishy smell.

"First step, I need to scrape the meat and fat off this bear skin."

As Lu Fan spoke, he reached out and picked up the dagger lying nearby, its blade glinting coldly in the sunlight.

He took a deep breath to steady himself, then carefully pressed the dagger against the bear skin and began the arduous scraping work.

This was no easy task; the bear skin was thick and hard, as if intentionally opposing him. The meat and fat were tightly attached, requiring his full strength with every scrape.

Even with Lu Fan's enhanced body, after a while, dense beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his arms were so sore they felt as if they didn't belong to him.

"It seems this bear skin is quite stubborn."

Lu Fan twisted his aching neck, forced a smile, and joked.

Watching from the side, An Lan couldn't help but burst into a giggle, her laughter crisp like silver bells. "Keep going! I believe you can definitely tame it."

Lu Fan scraped stroke after stroke, trying to maintain a steady and even pressure with each one.

His eyes were glued to the bear skin, terrified that a single mistake would tear this hard-won treasure.

As time slowly passed, the meat and fat on the bear skin were gradually scraped off, and a small pile of "spoils" unknowingly accumulated on the ground.

"Phew, finally almost done scraping." Lu Fan straightened up and rubbed his aching arms.

Looking at the relatively clean bear skin, a strong sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Next was washing the bear skin. Lu Fan grabbed the edges of the bear skin with both hands and dragged the scraped skin to the Spring Eye.

He found a spot where the current was relatively gentle and the water crystal clear, and gently placed the bear skin into the water.

The river water was clear and transparent, but as soon as the bear skin entered, the surrounding water immediately became murky.

Dark red blood and residual impurities slowly spread with the current, like an abstract ink wash painting.

Lu Fan picked up a long branch and kept stirring the bear skin in the water, a serious expression on his face as if he were stirring a large pot of precious, delicious "soup."

"Hey, watch me wash you clean!" he whispered to the bear skin while stirring, as if the skin could understand his words.

Standing on the bank, An Lan laughed uncontrollably at Lu Fan's serious yet comical appearance. "Are you washing clothes or a bear skin? Why do you seem more excited than the bear skin itself?"

"You wouldn't understand. This is the 'Super Bear Skin' I'm about to create. It'll be very useful later, so how could I not be excited!" Lu Fan replied with a laugh that echoed along the riverbank.

After some tireless effort, the bear skin was finally washed clean.

Lu Fan fished it out of the water and wrung it out forcefully with both hands. Droplets of water continuously dripped from the bear skin, creating small splashes on the ground.

Then he draped the bear skin over a clothesline he had prepared beforehand.

The soaking wet bear skin was heavy, pulling the clothesline down significantly, looking as though it might snap the line at any moment.

"This bear skin is so heavy; it feels like dragging a soaking wet bear," Lu Fan remarked as he wiped the water droplets from his face, a helpless smile appearing on his lips.