The two of them divided the work—Bok Taejin focused on finding the bamboos, while Im Beomhyeon handled sawing them down.
The task was incredibly monotonous, but fortunately, Bok Taejin was patient by nature and didn't find it dull.
By midday, Im Beomhyeon had managed to cut down five bronze-colored bamboos.
Together, he and Bok Taejin carried them out of the valley and finally set up a fire to prepare a meal.
The valley was too damp, making it difficult to light a fire.
Outside the valley was much more suitable.
As soon as they stepped out, the sunlight hit them, and Bok Taejin immediately felt more comfortable.
Sitting by the fire made him feel even warmer.
After spending so much time in the valley, his clothes had grown damp.
Crawling through the bamboo thickets had worsened the situation—some of the bamboo leaves had tiny water droplets on them, further soaking his clothing.
After setting up the fire, Im Beomhyeon left Bok Taejin in charge of watching it and disappeared into the forest.
Not long after, he returned with two large wild chickens, two big branches full of wild jujubes, and two ink gourds.
The wild jujubes grew in dense clusters, though their trees didn't have many leaves.
Bok Taejin was already feeling hungry, so while Im Beomhyeon busied himself with preparing the wild chickens, Bok Taejin picked some jujubes to eat.
The jujube flesh wasn't particularly sweet; it had a slightly powdery texture.
However, its freshness carried the most authentic taste of the wilderness, making it incredibly satisfying to eat.
After eating a few, he started feeling a little self-conscious.
Im Beomhyeon was the one doing all the work, while he wasn't helping much.
Feeling a little bit guilty, Bok Taejin deliberately picked a jujube, wiped it clean on his clothes, and handed it over. "Brother Im, have one."
Im Beomhyeon gave him a sidelong glance. "No thanks! If you really want to be generous, give me both of your chicken legs later."
Bok Taejin thought about it for a moment. "I'll give you one chicken leg."
Im Beomhyeon haggled, "Add a chicken wing, and we've got a deal."
"Deal!"
With that, both of them brightened up.
The wild chickens Im Beomhyeon had caught were quite large.
Since Bok Taejin had already eaten some jujubes, he wasn't sure he could finish an entire chicken by himself.
Besides, he had been eating a lot of meat lately—what he truly craved was the fresh, crisp taste of the wild jujubes.
Im Beomhyeon roasted the chickens in a manner similar to the clay-baked "beggar's chicken" method, coating them thickly in mud before placing them over the fire.
Of course, during the wait, neither of them stayed idle.
Im Beomhyeon ate a few wild jujubes too, though in a more leisurely manner—he would occasionally toss one high into the air, catch it in his mouth, and then chew on it for a long time.
Finally, a rich fragrance began to waft from the fire pit.