Chapter 197: Mounts

“So, how do we tame them?” Gong Xiao was clearly intrigued. She thought about how convenient it would be to tame a giant turtle. She could ride it anywhere quickly and easily, without the hassle of paddling a raft.

Su Li said, “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s like taming a wild horse?” Although he had never tamed a wild horse, he had seen similar scenes in movies.

Gu Mingfeng rubbed his hands excitedly. “It looks like we’ll just have to try it out.”

Gong Xiao suggested, “Do we need rope then? We could use a lasso to catch them, then ride on their backs. If we can hold on without being thrown off, maybe they’ll be tamed?”

Xu Haishui nodded. “That sounds right. I’ll get people to bring down some ropes immediately.” He remembered a good supply of ropes was stored on the 43rd floor.

Gu Mingfeng urged anxiously, “Hurry up! Don’t let them escape.”

Fortunately, the Croc-Tooth Turtles were focused on the Croc-Tooth Giant Turtle’s corpse, extending their necks to feed. They showed no sign of leaving.

Xu Haishui immediately called for someone to bring down the ropes.

A coil of rope quickly arrived. Everyone cut a length and tied a simple lasso.

Many people were watching from the corridors on the upper floors. They were all curious about Su Li’s group preparing to tame the giant turtles below.

It was a novelty to realize that Spiritual Source Beasts in this world could be tamed and used as mounts. Riding these turtles anywhere would be incredibly efficient.

“Be careful when you go down. Don’t frighten them away, and everyone pick a target. Don’t rush,” Su Li advised. He also took a rope, looping it into a lasso, ready to slip it over a turtle’s neck and then ride its shell, using the rope to hold on.

Everyone was curious and nervous, mainly afraid of scaring the turtles away.

Descending to the 30th floor, they cautiously boarded the rafts floating on the water, moving closer.

Strangely, the Croc-Tooth Turtles completely ignored the approaching group, continuing to devour the flesh before them.

“I choose that one,” Su Li whispered, pointing to a turtle.

Gong Xiao also pointed. “Then I’ll take this one.”

“And I’ll take this one,” Jiang Shuijue added.

Everyone selected a target.

Su Li instructed, “I’ll count to one. Everyone move together so no one moves early and scares the others away.”

“Alright,” everyone nodded nervously.

Su Li counted down from three to one. Everyone moved at once, pouncing on their chosen Croc-Tooth Turtle and slipping the lasso over its neck.

To ensure success, Su Li even activated “Spider Walk.” His speed was instantaneous. He leaped onto his chosen turtle’s shell, accurately slipping the rope over its neck.

He pulled the rope tight, and the noose constricted around the turtle’s thick neck.

The others also succeeded, most accurately slipping the lasso over the turtles’ necks.

However, the reality was different from what Su Li expected. He had anticipated the turtle would thrash violently, like a wild horse, trying to throw him off. Instead, the turtle remained surprisingly calm and simply dove downward.

Su Li pulled the rope tight, and he was dragged into the water.

“Hmm?” Su Li frowned. He followed the turtle into the water, but it didn’t struggle; it simply swam downward.

The violent struggle he had imagined never materialized. The turtle was remarkably composed. It quickly swam several dozen meters deep, then stopped. It casually retracted its limbs and head into its shell and settled there, starting to rest.

Is it trying to hold its breath until I drown?

Su Li waited, quietly observing the turtle. It remained motionless.

“What kind of trick is this?” Su Li mused. He decided to pull the rope and drag the turtle back up to the surface.

The previously docile turtle finally resisted. It didn’t attack or struggle; it simply refused to be pulled up. Instead, it pulled Su Li deeper.

Su Li possessed over 6,000 jin of strength, but he couldn’t fully utilize it underwater. The man and the turtle were locked in a tug-of-war. The rope was taut, threatening to snap at any moment.

If the rope broke, he would have no way to get the turtle back to the surface.

“You brute!” Su Li was enraged. He suddenly unleashed a burst of blue-white lightning from his hands, firing a “High-Voltage Electrocution” attack.

He controlled the current, ensuring the jolt wasn’t fatal. But the high-voltage current instantly struck the Croc-Tooth Turtle, sending it into convulsions.

The electric current caused the turtle to lose all power to resist. Its body flipped over, belly-up.

Su Li was satisfied. He pulled the rope, dragging the turtle back to the surface.

Returning to the surface, the Croc-Tooth Turtle stopped struggling. It raised its head toward Su Li and lowered it repeatedly. Its forelimbs extended and came together, as if bowing respectfully.

Su Li watched, heart stirring. He cautiously approached it.

The Croc-Tooth Turtle didn’t attack him. Instead, it stretched its neck, making a movement that seemed to beg for something.

Su Li climbed onto its shell. He pointed to the floating island 300 meters away. “Go there.”

Surprisingly, the Croc-Tooth Turtle seemed to understand his command. It immediately turned and began paddling.

Its speed was immense, incomparable to the rafts. It shot forward, carrying Su Li like an arrow.

Su Li quickly tightened the rope around its neck to keep from being flung off.

The Croc-Tooth Turtle carried him 300 meters and quickly reached the floating island.

“Haha—”

Su Li was ecstatic to have successfully tamed the turtle. He realized that taming it was simpler than taming a wild horse. All he had to do was beat it severely until it submitted.

Riding the Croc-Tooth Turtle, he returned to the B-Building. Su Li was in high spirits. Upon reaching the building, he released the rope from its neck.

The rope would cut into the turtle’s flesh, making it uncomfortable.

The Croc-Tooth Turtle was extremely fast in the water, and riding it meant risking being flung off. Su Li found some rope, wrapped it several times around the turtle’s shell, and secured it tightly. He then tied several loops into the rope to serve as handholds. Now, whether sitting or standing, he could hold on tightly and wouldn’t be thrown off.

Besides Su Li, Gong Xiao and Ling Yi also mastered the technique, each successfully taming a turtle. Everyone else failed.

Hearing the process, Jiang Shuijue regretted her failure. “It was so simple! If only I had known. I should have just beaten it up when it dragged me into the deep water.”

She wanted to try taming another Croc-Tooth Turtle, but the rest had already fled.

“We’ll leave the Croc-Tooth Giant Turtle’s corpse here. It might attract more Croc-Tooth Turtles. With this experience, you might succeed next time,” Su Li comforted Jiang Shuijue with a smile.

Jiang Shuijue insisted that Su Li take her for a ride. Su Li, needing to practice his riding skills, agreed.

Gong Xiao took Xu Xuehui, and Ling Yi took Gu Mingfeng. The three Croc-Tooth Turtles set off together.

Gu Mingfeng shouted, “Let’s race! Let’s see who reaches the floating island first!”

“Alright! Brother Su, hurry! Beat them!” Jiang Shuijue was thrilled, gripping the ropes tightly and urging Su Li to speed up.

Xu Xuehui was equally excited. Her small face was flushed, and she stopped cracking sunflower seeds.

The three Croc-Tooth Turtles were incredibly fast. They raced neck and neck, arriving at the floating island almost simultaneously.

Jiang Shuijue suggested, “We need to name them. The three turtles look identical. We can’t tell them apart.”

Su Li said, “We can distinguish them by the ropes tied on them.”

Jiang Shuijue looked. Indeed, although the three turtles looked the same, the ropes tied to their shells were different.

Jiang Shuijue laughed. “Since your turtle was the first tamed, we’ll call it Yī Hào (Number One). Gong Xiao’s is second, so we’ll call it Èr Hào (Number Two). Brother Ling Yi, yours will be Sān Hào (Number Three). That’s simple enough.”

Su Li smiled. “Those names are great. I’ll call mine Yī Hào from now on.” As he spoke, he gently patted his turtle’s head.

The Croc-Tooth Turtle seemed to understand him. It slowly nodded, accepting the name.

The others watched, amazed.

Su Li’s heart stirred. No wonder the data said the Croc-Tooth Turtle is highly intelligent. It seems to understand human language.

Gong Xiao heard the names Jiang Shuijue gave the turtles and offered a dismissive laugh.

Ling Yi nodded, agreeing to the names.

A raft appeared. Wu Feng and his girlfriend Lin Meimei had paddled to the floating island.

He had noticed from a distance that people were riding turtles. Out of curiosity, he had come to investigate. He was surprised to see the three tamed turtles.

After explaining the situation, Wu Feng was filled with envy. Lin Meimei held his arm, pouting and insisting that he get her a Croc-Tooth Turtle.

Wu Feng smiled wryly. “I know, I know. Next time we find one, I’ll definitely get one for you. By the way, how do you tame them?”

(End of Chapter)