Rustle…
The dense shrubbery swayed slightly as a Scipionyx poked its head out, scanning the surroundings.
This was a dinosaur species reconstructed during the Jurassic Park era. As a product of dinosaur-resurrection experimentation, it possessed a well-developed genetic framework, albeit bolstered by a bit of pigeon DNA for good measure. Because of its morphological features, most paleontologists classified it within the Compsognathidae family, though a minority argued it belonged to the Carcharodontosauridae clade.
"Roar—"
After confirming there were no threats in the vicinity, the female Scipionyx let out a soft call. Instantly, five little ones emerged from the dense thicket, chirping happily at their mother.
A moment later, four more Scipionyx hatchlings scurried over, though they were quickly intercepted by another female.
Scipionyx One and Scipionyx Two locked gazes for a brief moment, exchanging soft trills. After a second of hesitation, Two stopped obstructing the group and allowed her own brood to mingle with One's.
It was a shame, really, considering how hard they had worked to tell them apart.
Scipionyx One was a mother, and so was Two. Furthermore, One was actually Two's mother, and they shared the same mate. As for how they ended up co-parenting six cubs… that was a long story.
Typically, Scipionyx leave their mothers around the age of one-and-a-half to live independently, reaching adulthood at roughly three.
When Scipionyx Two encountered her mother again after two-and-a-half years of separation, both were mothers themselves. Initially, the situation was tense, but because they looked so remarkably similar, their children couldn't distinguish between the two adults and got hopelessly mixed up. The mothers, exhausted and wanting to identify their own biological offspring, discovered that the children also looked identical.
I can't tell! I really can't tell the difference!!!
And so, through sheer confusion, they formed a two-parent household (the "two parents" being the two mothers).
Indescribable retching sound.
Scipionyx One's mouth opened slightly, her head lifting and swaying back and forth. After a few whimpers, she bowed her head sharply, regurgitating a pile of white, nutrient-rich substance onto the grass.
It was dinosaur milk!
"Eek-eek!"
The Scipionyx hatchlings cheered, rushing toward the white slurry to feast on the thick delicacy.
This "regurgitation" behavior stemmed from the pigeon DNA integrated into their systems. BioSyn had even capitalized on this, launching an entire line of dinosaur-milk-based products. After all… who wouldn't want to taste dinosaur milk?
I'm not one to judge.
"Aok!"
Scipionyx Two chirped a soft note of gratitude. Perhaps she could never have imagined that her mother would end up raising not only her but her grandchildren as well. Compared to One, Two's parenting experience was far too thin; she frequently failed to produce enough of the milk-like nutrient due to unsuccessful hunts.
"Roar?"
Although Scipionyx One looked relaxed on the surface, the act of regurgitation was, for a Scipionyx, much like suffering from nausea and vomiting, it was incredibly uncomfortable.
Therefore, as much for the children's sake as for her own ease, One decided to teach Two her secret trade: scavenging.
Though they were small predators, there were large carnivores nearby. Even the scraps left behind by those giants were more than enough for a Scipionyx to feast on.
Of course, she should wait until the children finished their dinner first.
…
China, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Buildings with distinct ancient-town character stood along the water. The misty haze rendered the entire scene in muted tones; paired with the bamboo and the black-and-white architecture, it perfectly captured the essence of a traditional ink-wash painting.
Stone bridges cross winding paths, green waters mirror the crimson towers.
The slightly uneven flagstones didn't ruin the town's charm; instead, combined with the chipped paint on the walls, they added a sense of ancient, weathered depth.
Swish... swish...
A woman sat on a small stool by the river, a washbasin and a washboard in front of her. She bent over, scrubbing the laundry over and over.
"Quack-quack—"
A few large white ducks paddled across the surface, creating ripples on the calm river and adding a splash of color to the emerald water.
"Old Zhao! Your ducks are running off again!"
The woman washing clothes turned her head and shouted in one direction.
"My ducks are right here!"
A response came from the opposite side a moment later, leaving the woman momentarily stunned.
Ducks were social creatures; the ones raised in town typically followed the leader of the flock. So, who were these guys…?
Splash… drip… drip…
A black figure slowly emerged from the undisturbed river channel. A Deinocheirus poked its head above the water to breathe, chewing on a clump of river weeds.
Though only half its body was visible, the most intuitive impression it gave was that of a… very large, very fat duck.
The Deinocheirus looked left and right, pondering whether to climb ashore to find a place to sleep. While they were decent swimmers, they weren't exactly diving experts, and it wouldn't do to accidentally choke on water.
Tap… tap…
The Deinocheirus's footsteps were slow. Its damp feathers hung down, water droplets sliding off its body and landing on the stone pavement of the town.
Passing through the alleys, the Deinocheirus reached the town's main street, which was not particularly wide, and then ducked straight into another alley.
"Quack-quack—"
The ducks formed a single file, following in an orderly line behind the Deinocheirus, crossing the main street in a way that left the passing pedestrians completely dumbfounded.
Did I just… did I just see a duck bigger than a house?!
…
Whoosh—
The freighter shifted laterally, creating a massive wake of white foam on the sea.
Just moments ago, Carlo had stood on the ship with one foot, while the other pressed against a stone pillar protruding from the sea floor. With a slight push, he had forced the ship to move laterally, clearing the reef zone.
This, however, was a total disaster for the three Velociraptors. While Carlo had successfully controlled the ship to avoid the threat, the massive motion caused the vessel to rock violently from side to side.
The Velociraptors tumbled about inside the hold; trying to maintain their balance under such conditions was a tall order. Luckily, Carlo had cleared the containers out beforehand, or else these raptors might have accidentally been compressed into a .zip file.
Sound of waves.
The freighter gradually steadied. Waves slapped against the deep blue hull as the light on the horizon dimmed. Carlo tilted his head to look backward, catching only a glimpse of the pale gray shadow of the land.
Deep breath.
He had officially embarked onto the Atlantic. What lay ahead now was the pitch-black, lightless night.
"Aok?"
Perhaps due to the violent rocking, Delta recovered from her state of existential crisis and began to curiously inspect the ship's control room, which Carlo had torn open.
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