The trees in the Forbidden Forest grew quite sparsely; those at its edge were typically only the thickness of a bowl, and the ground was bare, showing little grass, with even the leaves possessing a dull, black sheen. A faint mist clung to the ground, usually obscuring vision beyond a short distance. While searching for the Diricawl along the fringe of the woods, Fang Senyan glimpsed a colossal and eerie tree through a break in the fog. Its root system spanned at least an acre, a vast network of roots coiling across the earth like the varicose veins of a late-stage cancer patient.

Merely beholding this tree filled Fang Senyan with intense dread, a powerful warning surge from his innate senses. Without hesitation, Fang Senyan immediately turned tail and fled; this was certainly no time for heroics. According to the data he had gathered beforehand, the hidden dangers were numerous: Werewolves, Unicorns, Centaurs, the eight-eyed giant spider Aragog, Whomping Willows… Of course, the greatest peril was Voldemort himself, currently hunting a Unicorn inside, attempting to drain its blood!

Finally, Fang Senyan found what he was looking for resting atop a fallen, dead log:

Four mealworms.

These were the larvae of the emerald-green scarab beetle, plump, pale grubs long considered a choice and rare delicacy by birds, much like humanity’s devotion to caviar. Since mealworms typically inhabit rotting wood, while woodpeckers might scorn them, Fang Senyan was certain the Diricawls would be keenly interested in the four gifts he had prepared, given that insects were part of their diet. The adage, "Man dies for wealth, birds for food," must carry some truth after thousands of years of circulation.

The next step was locating a medium-sized tree with dense foliage, ideally possessing an umbrella-shaped canopy—the kind of tree Diricawls preferred for perching. Fang Senyan planned to twist tree bark into a rough cord to set a simple snare near the mealworm bait. The bird, in seizing and shaking the grub, would trigger the loop. Even if the snare was crude and easily broken, Fang Senyan’s current movement speed was nearly three times that of an average person, so delaying the bird for just a few seconds would give him a high probability of completing his task for the day.

Time slipped by quickly, and it wasn't until noon that Fang Senyan located a tree meeting his criteria. He first meticulously surveyed the surroundings for any threats before boldly approaching. However, just as he prepared to climb, the suddenly tranquil atmosphere was violently shattered. Several dark shapes lunged toward Fang Senyan’s head. As they struck, their needle-sharp talons scraped against the bark with a grating hiss, sending wood chips flying! Even as Fang Senyan threw himself backward, his face was sprayed with blood; it appeared his eyes had suffered a grievous injury!

The dark shapes, undiminished in momentum, plunged into the ground. The damp earth immediately churned up soil, and in the next second, the shapes sprang up like projectiles, pouncing again toward Fang Senyan, who stood with tightly shut eyes and a blood-drenched face. But Fang Senyan remained unruffled. His left hand shot out, seizing one of the dark shapes mid-air and gripping it tightly. The creature immediately emitted a series of unpleasant screeches, sounding precisely like a cicada being crushed in a fist. Only then did Fang Senyan slowly open his eyes. A gash nearly five centimeters long had been gouged near the corner of his left eye, blood welling up steadily. At a quick glance, it genuinely looked as if his left eye had sustained a critical wound.

The dark shape Fang Senyan held was about the size of a palm. Its entire body was camouflaged, appearing woven from bits of bark and twigs. It had two small, brown eyes and a flat mouth, its teeth faintly blue, mimicking the color of tender shoots. However, its incredibly sharp claws, retractable like a cat’s, flailed uselessly in the air. It looked rather comical, yet the wound on Fang Senyan’s eye proved it was certainly not as harmless as it appeared.

“What in the blazes is this thing?” Fang Senyan muttered in astonishment.

But soon the Nightmare Imprint delivered its notification:

“You have captured a world-unique organism: Bowtruckle.” “The corresponding Milestone has been activated.” “Biologist: Discover eleven unique small creatures native to the Harry Potter world in their original habitat. Currently discovered: Bowtruckle.” “The Compassionate: You have pleased 50 different Bowtruckles.” (You cannot complete the Cruel Milestone after completing this one.) “The Cruel: You have killed 200 Bowtruckles.” (You cannot complete the Compassionate Milestone after completing this one.) “Honorary Member of the British Museum: You have submitted one Bowtruckle to the British Museum in London. (Warning: This action will result in subsequent punishment from the Ministry of Magic.)” “The Enthusiast: Complete the ultimate commissions from the four shop owners in the London Magical Items stores. Gringotts Manager: Mr. Infinite Franc’s ultimate commission: He requires you to find one gallstone from a Bowtruckle. Normally, only the leader of a group of Bowtruckles has a very small chance of growing a gallstone. (This task is not yet active.)”

Seeing the Bowtruckle-related Milestones, Fang Senyan recalled some information he had previously gathered:

Bowtruckles are creatures that guard trees, primarily found in certain forests in Western England, Southern Germany, and the Scandinavian Peninsula. They possess two small brown eyes. Due to their small size (a maximum of eight inches) and their outward appearance of being composed of bark and twigs, they are extremely difficult to spot.

Bowtruckles are creatures of a placid and extremely shy temperament, feeding on insects. However, if the tree they inhabit is threatened, they will leap down and attack any lumberjack or tree repair expert attempting to destroy their home, digging their long, sharp fingers into their eyes. If a wizard offers a dung beetle to a Bowtruckle, it brings the creature long-lasting appeasement, allowing the wizard to safely take wood from the tree to make a wand.

He suddenly recalled a few muttered words from Hagrid at the start and understood: Hagrid hadn't initially doubted the Contractor's story but had assumed the unfortunate Stun had fallen after being attacked by a Bowtruckle while climbing. Hagrid was wondering why there was a Bowtruckle on that tree, not why Stun’s injuries looked the way they did.

Looking at the series of Bowtruckle-related Milestones, Fang Senyan hesitated. Clearly, his immediate options were between “The Compassionate” and “The Cruel.” “The Cruel” seemed easier and faster to complete, but the massive target of 200 creatures was daunting. (Anyone familiar with online gaming knows how tedious a quest requiring 200 mob kills can be.)

In contrast, “The Compassionate,” requiring only 50 appeasements, seemed far more manageable. Furthermore, pleasing them appeared inexpensive—just catching dung beetles to feed them. But where could Fang Senyan find dung beetles? He searched everywhere and couldn't find a single one. With no other choice, he released the Bowtruckle in his hand. Fortunately, having learned its lesson, the creature swiftly fled, taking seven or eight other Bowtruckles nesting in the tree with it, thus not delaying Fang Senyan’s primary mission of capturing the Diricawl.

After setting up the trap, Fang Senyan waited less than half an hour before a Diricawl flew in. The bird looked quite plump, instantly inspiring visions of it being plucked, salted, spiced with five-spice powder and cumin, and roasted until sizzling seductively. This Diricawl seemed quite alert; it circled several times before cautiously descending, as if aware that great danger lay below.

After a long wait, the bird swooped down with an almost suicidal determination, diving straight for the bait Fang Senyan had prepared. The snare worked sharply, but the strong brute force of the plump bird instantly snapped the cord Fang Senyan had twisted himself. The bird seemed utterly unconcerned with his crude rope and began eating the mealworm with evident delight.

After observing for a while, Fang Senyan suddenly realized the truth: it wasn't that the bird was clever enough to spot his trap, but rather that it had likely suffered the consequences of encountering the Bowtruckles on this very tree multiple times before, explaining its cautious approach.

Before long, several more Diricawls flew in one after another, seeming intent on staying; perhaps they were naturally fond of this type of tree. Fang Senyan cautiously approached them, but they did not fly away, remaining where they were until he attempted to climb the tree. Only then did the birds lift off unsteadily. As soon as Fang Senyan walked away, they immediately swooped back down, unwilling to waste even a moment.

Seeing this behavior, Fang Senyan devised a new plan. He returned to the fallen, rotten log and dug up seven or eight more mealworms. He placed one worm under the tree and retreated seven or eight meters away.

Evidently, the flock of plump birds immediately dove like bombers, devouring the single insect entirely. They returned to the tree chirping, clearly still wanting more.

Fang Senyan placed down another worm, this time retreating only five or six meters.

The flock hesitated, but the first Diricawl that had arrived confidently darted forward, snatching the worm to savor slowly. The rest of the birds exchanged glances—astonished, angry, undoubtedly filled with envy and resentment.

Fang Senyan continued placing worms and stepping back.

When he was down to his last two worms, Fang Senyan tossed them directly onto the ground at his feet. The birds began to hesitate and wrestle internally, but the foolishly brave leader rushed forward first. Seeing their vanguard, the remaining birds scrambled forward in a rush. Fang Senyan sighed, drew back both arms, and his already unbuttoned shirt slid down. He lunged forward, enveloping all the Diricawls before him inside his shirt in one single haul.

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