Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Chapter 514 Bestowing Favor (1/2)

Chapter 522: Chapter 514 Bestowing Favor

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They dig holes somewhat differently from ordinary mice, usually choosing smoother or more concealed rock layers and then digging a small hole just big enough for them to pass through. About two or three meters deep into the winding path, only then do they start to widen the interior and expand.

The purpose of this is to prevent enemies from invading.

The rock rats have poor eyesight and are far less agile in running and jumping than ordinary mice. They could even be considered clumsy.

If an enemy accidentally invades their nest, the whole family of rock rats would be doomed.

Through long-term evolution, they have developed a set of self-protection methods.

This kind of long, narrow passage can stop most of the enemies, with only small snakes being able to drill through. Most mice are afraid of snakes because they often become snake food.

Rock rats are an exception.

They possess great stamina and a super powerful gnawing ability.

Unless they encounter venomous snakes, they can usually rupture the hard scales of snakes with their sharp teeth and easily gnaw through the snake’s body and bones.

Snakes have only two methods of killing their prey.

One is a venom attack, and the other is constricting to death.

A python as thick as a small arm can crush an adult’s bones.

Many non-venomous snakes rely on constriction to kill their enemies. They also bite their prey during the attack, but their teeth are sharp and thin, making it hard to cause serious harm.

Thanks to their strong gnawing ability, rock rats can often gnaw through the body of a snake before it completes the constriction.

They also have an interesting defensive method of leaving a stone just big enough to block the mouse hole while they dig their nests. When they sleep, they push the stone to block the entrance.

From their habits, it’s clear that capturing a rock rat is no easy task.

But clever humans are not easily deterred.

Many hunters who specialize in catching rats would set traps or use smoke and other methods to capture them.

If someone wants to dig open their mouse holes to catch them, they would surely end up questioning their life choices.

Rock rats are difficult to capture and only appear on the wild cliffs and steep ledges, and they are relatively scarce, which all contribute to their high price.

Ten for one tael of silver, which is the equivalent of one hundred wen money per rat.

It doesn’t seem cheap, but in reality, many people might spend more than half a month’s time trying to catch a rock rat. They must take risks entering deep mountains, scaling cliffs, and then figuring out ways to catch the rock rats.

With good luck, they might capture several at once.

With bad luck, they might return empty-handed.

“Here is one tael of silver, I’ll take ten.”

Qin Niu paid the money directly and selected the rock rats himself.

The price was unimaginably cheap.

He caught a total of ten.

Unfortunately, among the thousands of rock rats, only one possessed the Gold-Biting Rat bloodline.

“Do you have any better cages for sale?”

Qin Niu asked the vendor’s wife.

She did not react at all.

Such a neglectful treatment of a customer was obviously not normal.

Her husband nudged her and gestured some signs. Then he turned to Qin Niu and offered a smile more frightening than a ghost’s.

“Sorry, my ears are deaf. This cage can hold them; only a rock rat with the Gold-Biting ability could possibly chew through these ordinary iron cages.” She said apologetically with a smile to Qin Niu.

It turned out that both the husband and wife were disabled.

“No problem!”

Qin Niu waved his hand and gave the couple a kind smile.

The three of them walked to an open space nearby, and Qin Niu stopped.