Chapter 397, Turn Into Fish and Die?

Translator: Silavin

 

*Croak croak croak…* A series of deep and continuous frog croaks sounded, and Su Bai looked toward the source, discovering a group of frogs not far to his left.

 

Although they were called frogs, these creatures did not really look like ordinary frogs. Their bodies were entirely greyish-blue, with powerful limbs that kept hopping. Behind them trailed fin-like tails similar to fish. Everything else was no different from normal frogs though, including the sound of their croaks.

 

These greyish-blue frogs kept jumping toward the river, one following closely behind another, like dumplings being dropped into water.

 

“What are they called? What are they doing?” Su Bai asked curiously, not quite understanding the scene.

 

“They’re Fish Frogs, and they only appear in large numbers during the rainy season. They’re rarely seen at any other time.” Yu Ying said.

 

Her pink eyes kept watching these hopping Fish Frogs, as they could only be seen once a year, so she was curious about them.

 

“Fish Frogs? Is it because their tails look like fish tails? Is that why they’re called Fish Frogs?” Su Bai once again marvelled at how simple and direct the Primitives Tribes’ people were at naming things.

 

“Fish tails?” Yu Ying paused for a moment, then shook her head and said. “No, Shaman, they turn into fish after jumping into the water.”

 

“They turn into fish after jumping into the water?” Su Bai raised his eyebrows, thinking what an unusual mechanism this was.

 

This was the first time he had heard of such a thing, but he quickly understood – after all, this was the primitive world. [Well, what strange things or creatures did not exist during this time? I guess jumping into the water and turning into fish is normal??].

 

“Yes, they do this every year. After jumping into the water and turning into fish, they die.” Yu Ying explained.

 

Co Co, listening from the side, was also surprised. She was not sure if this was the first time she had heard about it or if she just could not remember this fact.

 

“Why do they die after turning into fish?” Su Bai asked, puzzled.

 

“I don’t know. Every year, at this time, there are many Fish Frog carcasses on the river’s surface.” Yu Ying shook her head.

 

This was something she also did not understand – frogs turning into fish, then dying after entering the water. None of it made sense.

 

Su Bai blinked his black eyes and walked closer to the river, wanting to see how these Fish Frogs transformed into fish and why they died in the river.

 

*Step step step…* He stood at the riverbank, watching the Fish Frogs jumping out from the forest in groups, creating a magnificent scene.

 

It looked somewhat like the annual animal migration on Earth, with numbers too vast to count.

 

*Croak croak croak…* The Fish Frogs croaked with their two large vocal sacs. Those behind followed what those in front did.

 

Frogs’ vocal cords were two elastic fibre bands, stretched inside the cricoid cartilage. When air rushes out from the lungs, it causes the free edges of the vocal cords to vibrate and produce sound.

 

Male frogs have a pair of vocal sacs at each corner of their mouths, connected to the oral cavity through vocal openings. The vocal sacs act as resonance chambers, amplifying the sound produced by the vocal cords.

 

Female frogs do not have vocal sacs and rely solely on vocal cords to make sounds. That was why they were not as loud as male frogs. Additionally, toads, regardless of gender, do not have vocal sacs.

 

*Splash, splash…* The Fish Frogs jumped into the water one after another, each without hesitation, creating a scene that felt like warriors making the ultimate sacrifice.

 

After entering the water, these Fish Frogs first familiarise themselves with the river water, then began swimming back and forth.

 

“Has it not started yet?” Su Bai muttered, seeing that the Fish Frogs still maintained their original form.

 

In less than a minute, he saw a fish that looked very much like a frog, also greyish-blue in colour.

 

However, the frog’s four limbs were gone, replaced by four fish fins, with what appeared to be some kind of blue tissue on its head.

 

Su Bai was not entirely sure if this was indeed a transformed Fish Frog, so he continued watching those that had yet to transform.

 

Ten minutes later, those Fish Frogs began to change, their four limbs gradually shrinking until they completely turned into fins. Their bodies also began to change, starting from the head then to the tail, the entire process lasting more than ten minutes before completion.

 

After becoming fish, they began swimming freely, looking unrestrained.

 

[What happens next?] Su Bai continued watching those transformed Fish Frogs, wanting to know their next move.

 

After swimming around for a while, the transformed Fish Frogs began seeking companions, rubbing against one fish, then moving on to rub against another.

 

[Mating?] Su Bai thought to himself. [If we follow this line of thinking, everything makes sense. These Fish Frogs entered the river during the rainy season for the purpose of reproduction. They turned into fish in the water, mate, laid eggs, and then die.]

 

Su Bai watched the entire process for nearly an hour, and the result was exactly as he had thought.

 

Those Fish Frogs died one after another after laying their eggs. Their lives were so brief it was pitiful.

 

“Shaman, do you know what’s happening?” Yu Ying asked, as she too had also been watching.

 

“They’re simply continuing their lineage.” Su Bai smiled, standing up to look at the Fish Frogs still running toward the river behind them.

 

He raised his eyebrows thoughtfully, already having different ideas in mind. [How would they taste?]

 

He was thinking about catching some Fish Frogs to try tasting them. He wondered if they were as delicious as bullfrogs from Earth.

 

“Shaman, is something wrong?” Yu Ying asked curiously.

 

“Let’s have some people catch Fish Frogs. Tonight, we’ll have dry pot frogs.” Su Bai instructed.

 

How would they know the taste without trying? Especially with so many Fish Frogs here?

 

“What’s dry pot frog?” Yu Ying asked, confused.

 

“It will taste good, trust me.” Su Bai said with a smile. These Fish Frogs had such developed muscles, and since they were in their breeding season, the meat would surely be tender and delicious.

 

“Alright.” Yu Ying nodded and turned to find Yan Hua and Sha Lan.

 

*Step step step…* Yan Hua stopped what she was doing with her spear and came over, asking puzzledly/ “Shaman, did you say we’re having something for dinner?”

 

“Catch some of them first. I’m not sure if these Fish Frogs are even edible.” Su Bai said.

 

He wanted the girls to catch some first, and if they proved delicious and non-toxic, they could catch more.

 

“Okay.” Yan Hua got excited, put down her spear and took up a wooden basket.

 

Since these Fish Frogs had not emerged for a long time, their movements were somewhat sluggish, and they were not afraid of Humans. They just continued to hop around, making them not difficult to catch.

 

In less than ten minutes, the two girls had caught quite a few Fish Frogs, all stored in their wooden baskets.