Live Streaming: Great Adventure in the Wilderness

Reserved a spot again.

Finished editing before 3 am, just refresh this chapter.

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The rough pottery jar was blackened by the flames, and the scalding boiling water emitted copious amounts of steam, gushing out towards the mouth of the jar.

Four cleaned weaver birds tumbled in the pale rolling water, with occasional flecks of oil floating above, giving a glimpse of a few slices of smoked meat mixed among them.

Bi Fang took out the stomach pouch, scooped the coagulated blood blocks from within, expertly cut them into small pieces with a dagger, and poured them into the jar.

Under the gentle action of the water flow, the blood blocks swiftly hardened and floated erratically.

Breaking open a solid baobab fruit, Bi Fang took out the pulp and dripped the sour juice into the jar while also sprinkling in a handful of spices, most of which were dried plant powders.

Beside the bonfire, there were also four weaver birds just beginning to redden on the outside. Seasoned Bi Fang took this moment to flip them over, allowing the heat to spread more evenly, while also brushing on the baobab fruit juice to infuse a richer flavor.

Eight weaver birds had been caught in total during the day; half stewed, half roasted, all the freshest, which made for the most satisfying meal.

Bi Fang loved eating fresh, which had its own unique taste. If it weren't for removing moisture to preserve food, he would not have smoked the remaining majority of the turn-horned antelope meat.

After doing all this, Bi Fang briefly left the camera, seemingly to get something.

"Looking at this is making me hungry."

"Why do I feel like I'm watching the host make dinner on Wilderness Survivalist's channel?"

"Good thing I just finished my meal bowl, hehehe."

"Is this the skill of Master Fang? Having nothing and still not worrying about food or clothing, even eating better than me."

"Today's boxed lunch only had two vegetables, feeling totally drained."

"Quite like Master Fang's big cat."

"Next time I'll release you into the wild."

"Too bad there's no salt, if there were salt, I feel like it would definitely taste good."

"Add one, I was on a low-fat, low-salt diet last month, felt off the whole time. Even after eating to fullness, it felt like I had nothing at all."

"Who said there's no salt?" Bi Fang, who had briefly left the camera, threw a big bundle of reeds onto the ground with a boast, pointing at the scattered big bundle of reeds on the ground, "Lo and behold, isn't this it?"

Seeing the reeds on the ground, the audience slowly typed out a question mark, puzzled.

Since today had been busy with claiming spoils of the hunt and the campsite had not been moved, it was still beside the river that had been found initially.

Given there was a river, there naturally would be reeds, especially in this weather that was neither cold nor hot, densely covering the riverbank.

The campsite was merely a few hundred meters away from the river, a distance that was neither far nor close, allowing for avoidance of drinking predators but also convenience for collecting water and other necessities. Reeds, being of little value, could be fetched in about half an hour's walk.

Previously, the audience had thought Bi Fang had brought back so many reeds to spread on the ground as a mattress, for a more comfortable sleep at night.

It seemed now that might not be the case?

"Could it be that salt can be extracted from these?"

"There are salts in the reeds?"

"No way?"

"It's plant ash salt, remember? Master Fang made it once, don't you remember?"

"Oh, I remember now, ash salt from plants and trees, but why look for reeds, can't regular ash do the job?"

"It really doesn't work as well." Bi Fang smiled and took a torch from the fire pit, ignited the entire patch of reeds, and let them burn. "The salt extracted from the ashes of plants and trees is potassium salt, which can be edible if done properly, but it's only effective for a short time and cannot replenish electrolytes in the body over the long term."

"We eat salt, which is fundamentally sodium salt, because we need to supplement the sodium ions in our body, not just for the salty taste."

Sodium plays a significant role in the human body, promoting metabolism and acting as an electrolyte to maintain stability and balance of internal cellular hydration.

Sodium also participates in muscle contraction, the operation of the nervous system, and the absorption of sugars, among other physiological phenomena.

Therefore, it is necessary for the human body to maintain an adequate sodium content to achieve health and balance.

"Those who have studied high school biology should know that humans have sodium ion channels, as well as potassium ion channels. Although they seem similar, sodium ions have a smaller radius and are more tightly hydrated, making it difficult to shed the outer hydration layer."

"Furthermore, due to its small diameter, it cannot bind well with side chains, so sodium ions cannot pass through potassium channels. The functions of the two are irreplaceable."

The dry reeds were highly flammable, and as soon as they came into contact with the torch, they erupted into a roaring blaze.

The night became even brighter.

The large bundles of reeds quickly turned to ashes under the flames.

"So you're saying, potassium salt only serves to make food taste better and cannot be used long-term, but reeds can help us get it right in one step, providing both the needed sodium ions and the right amount of saltiness. This type of salt is called reed salt, which is a bit of a Kenyan specialty, right?"

Reed salt?

A specialty?

[Another unheard-of thing added to my list.]

[But isn't what's produced still plant ash? What's the difference?]

[I can't figure it out, I can't figure it out.]

[Can salt also be considered a specialty?]

"Don't worry, you'll understand in a moment."

"We eat meat at every meal; in fact, our bodies aren't lacking sodium. The main point is to provide everyone with a different way of thinking, while satisfying our own cravings. I've been without salt for so long my mouth has started to taste bland."

The amount of salt found naturally in meat is sufficient for survival; in theory, as long as prey can be caught, there's no need to go out of one's way to make salt in the wild.

But, as Bi Fang said himself, his mouth had started to taste bland.

It was sufficient, but not comfortable.

That's why salt-making was necessary.

Once you decide to make salt, naturally you want to do it the best way possible; otherwise, Bi Fang would have used ordinary plant ash to make salt days ago.

Bi Fang poked at the reeds with a tree stick, allowing them to come into full contact with air to hasten burning while also adding more reeds.

Clearly, that one bundle wasn't quite enough.

"Kenya is one of the largest countries in Africa, with vast territories and abundant resources. Making edible salt from reeds is an ancient and quite common method passed down among people."

Bi Fang narrated the method of making salt.

Whenever the dry season approached and rainwater was scarce, local salt-makers would choose riverbanks where reeds were plentiful in advance. Once the reeds grew over one meter tall, they would organize the whole family to harvest.

The reed stems, once harvested, were placed on large, natural rocks, where the blazing sun would drain them of moisture over three to four days.

Then came the burning of the reeds, collecting the remaining ashes.

Salt-makers would mix the ashes with water and use a fine sieve to filter repeatedly until most of the impurities were separated out. Finally, they would pour the remaining brownish "brine" into pots and heat it up.

"After multiple boilings, a layer of yellow-brown salt crust will remain at the bottom of the pot. These are the legendary 'reed salt.'"

"Typically, this process takes several days. The smoky and fiery work environment is quite torturous, the yield isn't much, and because the production technique is very primitive, the purity of the resulting salt crust is not high, and it contains a lot of impurities. Hundreds of pounds of reeds often only produce a small packet of reed salt."

"As for the taste, locals say it's delicious and has a unique fragrance."

"As for why reeds can be used to make salt, it's actually due to the soil structure in Kenya."

Reeds burn very quickly, and soon this large bundle was burnt out, leaving only a pile of black ash.

Taking advantage of the small flame that remained, Bi Fang threw in the second bundle.

"Nearly all of Kenya's land is unsuitable for cultivation; the vast majority of its soil is saline-alkali. Once there is insufficient rainfall, the salt content in plants like reeds can shoot up to a level that makes salt production possible."

"Locals utilize these geographic and climate conditions to make salt to support their families."

"In terms of the price of reed salt, it's quite astonishing. Processed reed salt is wrapped in tree leaves for sale. A small packet of about 200 grams can usually sell for around 130 RMB, which means a meal might need more than 1 Ugly Yuan worth of reed salt, which is quite expensive."

Ordinary table salt in supermarkets generally costs just two yuan a bag. Even high-end salts with added ingredients are only five to ten yuan, and those are quite substantial packets. Compared to these salts, reed salt can definitely be considered exorbitantly priced.

[Wow, it really is a special product.]

[So not all reeds can be used for this, right?]

[Old Fang really knows a lot.]

[I looked at the map the other day, isn't Kenya on the coast? Why don't they just use sea salt?]

"That's right, only the reeds from saline-alkali soil can be used in this way. In other places, the efficiency of extraction is too low; it's simply not worth it."

"As for why they don't use sea salt despite being on the coast, the explanation is quite complex. To put it simply, sea salt is even more expensive!"

The second bundle of reeds also burned to ash, and Bi Fang collected all the black ash, poured it into another small clay pot, added water, and began boiling it to extract the salt.

At the same time, he explained some of the reasons to the audience.

The most fundamental reason is that the salt production rights in Kenya are not in the hands of the government itself!

From early on, Kenya was a African nation colonized by Central Country, and for a very long time, leaving an indelible impression on the country.

Even today, many Kenyans express sorrow over the death of Elizabeth II, referring to themselves as "subjects."

During colonial times, due to all-round intervention, many of Kenya's capitalist interest groups were infiltrated by people from Central Country, including salt factories.

Salt production and processing not being in the hands of the government—what serious consequences that can have is made clear by history.

In Huaxia, since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the trafficking of private salt meant beheading.

The reason is simple: salt is an absolute necessity among the goods traded by common people!

Control of salt can indirectly control the economy and regulate market stability.

Its importance goes without saying.

"In 2018, Kenya asked salt companies to pay a 'seawater usage fee' to the Water Resources Management Authority, amounting to 2 billion shillings per year."

"As a result, the salt companies strongly opposed it, believing that the government had no right to charge for seawater. But Kenya disagreed, so the price of salt skyrocketed by more than ten times, until it reached a point where no one could afford it."

[Goodness me.]

[That's too tragic.]

[Can you even say that? (joking)]

[The Third World Is Like This]

The water in the pot boiled rapidly; this pit was a different one, with more firewood inside, otherwise Bi Fang worried that his weaver birds would be burnt to a crisp before the salt could be harvested.

Now, only a layer of thick yellow brine remained in the earthenware pot, and Bi Fang dipped his pinkie into it, tasting it.

"The saltiness is quite strong now, but it still needs to be filtered, to precipitate it further."

It was a similar process, with little variance, and this time after boiling, yellow crystals could be seen on the walls of the pot.

Bi Fang wasn't fussy; he directly scraped them off and added them into the pot stewing meat, while also sprinkling some on the roasted weaver birds.

"I didn't time it well; I should have produced the salt before roasting, but no matter, let's eat first. Although it's not filtered perfectly, it's not poisonous in itself."

With salt, the food finally had a real soul.

Roasted weaver bird changed from reddish to dark red, their exposed claws slightly blackened, turning exceptionally crispy with a bite.

Delicious!

Bathed in fat, the whole roasted weaver bird turned exceptionally tender and fragrant, the salty taste with a hint of fruity acidity was irresistibly appetizing.

[Ah, I'm starving to death, starving to death]

[This is making my mouth water]

[Decided! Tomorrow I'm having roasted pigeon!]

Taking out two and placing them in the calabash ladle to cool slightly, Bi Fang handed them to the impatient Harley beside him.

With spices and salt enhancing the past few days' food, as a cheetah, Harley was eager and bit a large chunk directly, skin and meat together.

The pot with stewed meat was also brought out, aromatic and inviting; the weaver birds inside became tender and fell apart easily, the skin and flesh separating effortlessly with each bite.

The smoked meat had a unique flavor, the blood cubes tender and smooth, all creating an exquisite taste.

After voraciously consuming two roasted weaver birds, Harley came over, sticking his head into the pot, and before Bi Fang could shoo him away, he was hopping about from the hot steam.

Bi Fang laughed heartily and didn't skimp.

Likewise, he ate two himself and gave two to Harley.

Eight in total, half for each, man and cheetah alike, plus some smoked meat, they ate until they perspired profusely, and afterwards, they could enjoy the soup served in calabash ladles, a rare pleasure.

By this time, the second round of reed salt had also crystallized, and Bi Fang started the third round, then lay down on the ground to digest.

Finally having eaten flavorful food, the now spirited Bi Fang was glowing with health.

Another wonderful evening.

Bi Fang took a satisfying rest, and when the water from the third round was nearly boiled dry, he got up to prepare for filtering, but suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

He looked around, but nothing seemed out of place.

The scalding brine was poured into another pot, producing large clouds of steam in the process.

Harley lay down beside the fire pit, using its head to nudge Jerry, whom it had been frolicking with.

The wood in the fire pit crackled, the flames flickered, and beyond that, the environment became unusually quiet, as eerily silent as ever.

Dark shadows swayed in the orange-yellow light, elongating.

Bi Fang bowed his head, continuing to add water and stew like nothing had happened.

Under the night, pairs of eyes emitting green light flitted by.