Even Tigers Die (2)
I figured I'd butcher it too while I was at it, so I stepped outside. And wouldn't you know it, here comes a pig waddling my way. It was Wonmo, belly swollen from gorging herself on tiger meat. Blood smeared all over her muzzle—she'd clearly feasted properly.
"Wonmo, wipe your mouth before you go in."
"Kyuwoo…."
"No way. Can't use it like that."
I wiped her mouth clean before she headed into the cave. Maybe I should start brushing her teeth soon too. The thought crossed my mind. Soon enough, Wonmo trudged inside with sleepy eyes.
In the meantime, I inspected the fallen tiger carcass thoroughly.
Damn, it really is huge.
How the hell did I beat this thing? It was hard to believe. Sure, Ppareumbo had saved my skin a few times, but this felt unreal. Just its height towered way over me, and its body length? No need to explain.
Over five meters long, easy.
Just like Cheonma said—a true mountain lord.
I circled it, half in awe, half amazed. Then I reached the neck area and faced a gruesome sight.
Wonmo tore into this spot.
The throat I'd stabbed yesterday with Cheonma's sword. Wonmo's bite marks were still fresh. Her jaws probably couldn't pierce tiger hide on their own, so she'd zeroed in on my cut and chowed down.
Better butcher it quick.
It'd been at least six hours since the tiger died. Lucky the forest air was cool, or it'd be rotting already.
Or maybe it already is?
Even if it was spoiled, as long as I salvaged the hide, it'd be fine. Wonmo was an owl-bear who'd eat rotten meat anyway.
First things first, I posted to the Gallery. I snapped photos from a safe distance.
"Ppareumbo, hang out here a bit longer."
"…."
"There you go. Spread two claws… oh, can't do that?"
For scale, I posed Ppareumbo next to it. She obliged without complaint—seemed proud she'd helped take down the tiger. I also found the severed front paw and compared it to my hand. Solid prep.
Tiger I Caught
YasaengGrill
(Close-up of massive tiger face)
(Full-body size shot)
(Tiger paw vs. my hand)
(Golden shield, totally wrecked)
The crazy bastard that ambushed me last night. Thought I was done for. Without Ppareumbo's help, I'd be dead at least three times over.
└Cheonma: Biggest tiger this lady's ever seen. Fits the mountain lord name perfectly.
└SwordTasteStar: Yeah. Never bagged one that huge myself.
└YasaengGrill: You guys hunt way stronger stuff than that anyway.
└Cheonma: This lady tangled more with martial artists than beasts or yokai. Caught one beast back in the day.
└SwordTasteStar: I've hunted plenty of monsters on extermination orders. That thing's ogre-level at least, right?
└YasaengGrill: How strong are ogres?
└SwordTasteStar: You'll see if you fight one. But since you can use aura, it'll be a breeze?
└YasaengGrill: ;;;
└Olfather: Those fangs scream saber-tooth tiger. Nasty reputation. Good work surviving.
└YasaengGrill: Saber-tooths aren't usually that big, right?
└Olfather: Twice as small, usually. This one's freakishly huge.
└SaberToothTiger? Saber-tooth tiger same thing?
└Sounds identical?
└Olfather: Totally different. Saber-tooths just resemble tigers—looks nothing alike.
└SunForever: What happened to the shield I gave you? It's trashed?
└YasaengGrill: Yeah, tiger chomped it. But it saved my life.
└SunForever: Hm. Might send another soon. Finish butchering and lemme know. Want that hide.
└YasaengGrill: First-time butchering, and hide's blood-soaked. Not great quality.
└SunForever: Tricky then. Grab the shield first, think it over. Trade tonight or morning.
└YasaengGrill: Thanks as always. If no deal, extra adult mandrake on me.
└PassingDwarf: Thought it was big, but holy shit it's massive;; How'd you live?
└YasaengGrill: Luck. Oh, and first I trapped it between barricades. No barricades? Dead for real lol
└PassingDwarf: That size? Would've smashed through.
└YasaengGrill: Yeah, wrecked one. Guess it didn't know at first.
└Grill bro. Be real. Found it dead, right?
└YasaengGrill (shoulder scar pic): What'd you say, punk?
└Lmao
└Sick scar; buys it instantly.
└No scars? Suspicious. Scars = trust lol
└Glory wound certified!
└Just need one on your face. Adventurer basic.
└YasaengGrill: Teachers, I'm no adventurer. Castaway. Save me, adventurer pros.
└Scarless best tbh.
└True
└Pose switch lmao
└Ppareumbo queen so cute lol
└Fr sometimes cuter than Wonmo lol
Everyone bought my story. Gallery cred felt weirdly satisfying. I closed it and eyed the massive saber-tooth tiger. Time to butcher.
…Where to start?
I'd seen YouTube vids on deboning pigs or cows. But those started half-processed, not from scratch. And this saber-tooth? Size made prep a nightmare.
Gallery first.
Someone mentioned butchers swarm those posts—super helpful. Gotta be nice or get fired, apparently. Plenty of beasts/monsters here mean butchers thrive.
Help with Butchering?
YasaengGrill
(Dead saber-tooth tiger pic)
Butchering this saber-tooth now. Need help. Start by hanging it up?
└Peel hide first. Slice belly, rip off easy.
└That bulk? Hide cleanup gonna suck.
└Hide off, then hang? Can even that hang?
└YasaengGrill: I'll make a post or whatever. Start with hide.
Hide-peeling time. I grabbed my dagger and headed to the belly.
Still bleeding. Normal?
Blood trickled from the slashed throat, pooling bigger. Wonmo somehow only got it on her face while eating meat. Blood reek already—better clean fast.
Poke—
Whoa, tough hide.
Regular dagger bounced off. Intact, it'd fetch bank. But blood-matted. Had to infuse aura to pierce.
Squish—rip—rip—
Sliced from belly up, peeled slow. Ripping worked at first; dagger for stuck bits.
"Nngh…!"
Flipping the body took full mana circulation. Muscles ached but bearable. No rigor helped.
Squish—rip—tear!
Thirty minutes just for hide. Blood clumps worst. Charcoal rub later.
Heavy.
Hide weighed a ton—old me couldn't lift. Now? Shoulder carry easy.
Hide aside.
Surveyed the pale flesh, head aside. Neck half-off dripping—not too gross.
…I need a shower too.
Bathed in throat blood. Caked dry—wash hell. Plan: hang upside-down easy butchering, deter scavengers by blood scent.
How to hang…
Body over four meters. Spotted tall trees. Rope legs, drape branches? Needed help.
"Ppareumbo."
"…."
Why me? eyes.
Bought rope from Gallery, tied hind legs spread.
"This to that branch, this to that one. Got it?"
"…."
"You're better at trees than me. More Wall Valley Pills."
That got her moving—slow as hell. Impatient, I climbed myself. Dragged tiger over. Brutal weight.
"Can't climb faster?"
"…."
"Sigh. Fine."
Next time, toss her. Anyway, Ppareumbo's help nailed the hanging.
"Whoa, insanely huge. How'd I catch this?"
Upside-down really hit the scale—had to crane neck to see head. Last night too chaotic, dark.
Drip drip—
More blood from half-neck. Snapped up big iron tub from auction. For blood, guts—fish food.
Want blood sausage.
Guts = makchang, but parasites? Pass hard.
While blood drained, cleanup. Hot water first—stains best hot. Soap = charcoal.
While heating, buried blood puddle in dirt, shoveled to gut tub. River dump later.
"Ugh…."
Cleanup done, soak in warm water—heaven. Dazed, yesterday felt dreamlike. Scrubbed blood crisp clean.
Some stains linger. Oh well.
Fade with time. Enjoyed rare bath, changed. Uniform soaked rag—save it.
Every outfit precious.
Wash, work clothes. Cleanup wrapped, back to hanging tiger. No more neck drip—drained.
That much?
Tub half-full despite big size. Even with dirt, lots.
"Hm…."
Split belly, yank guts. Arms crossed, pondering. Height = ladder.
Buy one. Duh.
Not regular—stair ladder. Exists? Yup, good reviews. Bought.
Ladder secured, real butchering.
└Slice belly full, check guts. Wash if eating; skip otherwise.
└Head first before guts.
└Pro tip: Animal guts huge. Plan accordingly.
Helpful as always. Followed advice.
Split belly wide, exposed guts in thin membrane. No spill mess.
Still gross.
Offed head, carefully pulled guts. One burst = disaster. Tough stomach saved me.
Soon peeled viscera layer—six bowels out.
Left: ribcage organs, five bowels. Vital spots. Remove, done.
Dagger to it—
Thump! Thump!
"Gah!"
Vibration through hand—nearly tumbled off ladder, caught balance. Stared shocked at source.
One spot pulses in any animal.
"…Gulp."
Swallowed, touched cautious. Clear heartbeat. Undeniable.
Dead, yet heart beats? No sense.
No sense? Check direct.
Slice—
Gory innards. Matching lungs. And…
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Between: massive heart. Dead saber-tooth tiger's heart—beating.