Found the Real Culprit

Xia Hong's style was completely different from that of the Lumber Team in the past. Although it was built on a foundation of abundant resources, the people in the camp who did not understand the situation did not care.

They simply took it as proof that Xia Hong was capable and selfless.

Ever since the distribution of Frost Beast Meat that night, everyone in the camp had worn a feverish look whenever they saw Xia Hong, then respectfully called out, "Chief."

Their respect and admiration had reached, without exaggeration, the level of faith.

Xia Hong naturally would not foolishly stop them. Special circumstances called for special measures.

Having hidden beneath the shadows year after year, never seeing sunlight, never having enough to eat, and never having enough clothing to cover their bodies—none of that was enough to describe the camp's desperate plight.

In a world like this, giving them something to rely on was not a bad thing.

After all, once people had something to rely on in their hearts, they naturally gained hope as well.

Of course, all of this had to be built on a sufficient supply of Frost Beast Meat.

After setting aside seventy pounds and dividing the rest according to the three-five-two ratio, Xia Hong received one hundred and twenty pounds of Frost Beast Meat. At his current cultivation rate, that meat would last only half a month.

Yue Feng and the other four each received one hundred and twenty pounds as well. Xia Hong had calculated that at their current pace, the meat they had received this time would still not be enough for them to break through.

So there was still a shortage of Frost Beast Meat. The hunts could not stop.

Fortunately, as long as nothing unexpected happened, at least Small Torches would not be in short supply.

"Wood gathering can't stop. As long as Small Torches keep coming in, hunting is nothing more than a matter of probability. When you encounter a strong one, don't charge in recklessly. As long as you can lure Frost Beasts over each time, you'll reap a harvest sooner or later."

Once the Frost Beast Meat had been handed out, everyone gathered around the bonfire to roast it.

Before long, the entire cave was filled with the rich aroma of meat. Those in the camp who had not eaten Frost Beast Meat in a long time, or had never tasted it before, all wore intoxicated expressions.

Seeing the satisfaction on everyone's faces, Xia Hong felt as if something in his heart had been gently touched.

A meal of meat had been the simplest thing in his previous life.

But here, it had become these people's unattainable longing.

In his previous life, after developing ALS, he had hated the world intensely, blamed it for being unfair, and in the end had even chosen to end his own life.

He had thought it unfair. But what about the people in Great Xia Camp?

What about the other humans living in this terrifying Endless Winter?

Did these people think it was fair?

Living beneath the shadows, who were they supposed to blame?

"Perhaps the reason I was brought to this world is so that I can do something for them..."

Just as Great Xia Camp was celebrating joyfully,

On the outskirts of Redwood Ridge, after Shi Qing led the twelve members of Big Stone Camp's Lumber Team in searching the Great Xia territory several times, his expression grew uglier and uglier.

"For three days straight, we haven't found even a hair. Does that old Ding's bunch not need to come out and find food anymore?"

Shi Dong was hot-tempered. After searching several rounds without results, he was beginning to lose patience.

Wang Ming, who was holding a Great Saber nearby, also had his brows tightly furrowed. But after turning to glance toward the eastern side of Redwood Ridge, he turned back and spoke to Shi Qing:

"Big Brother, how about we go over to the earthen slope?"

The moment Wang Ming said this, everyone fell silent.

Even Shi Qing did not answer immediately, instead sinking into silence.

Small, weak camps like theirs basically all observed an unspoken rule.

They had to remain hidden from one another.

Human nature under a shortage of resources was terrifying beyond measure.

In the beginning, there had been dozens of camps around Redwood Ridge.

When food was plentiful, naturally nothing happened.

But once they could no longer obtain Crystal Fruits or other food, once they truly reached the end of the road—

people were not inedible, either.

Moreover, the only people who could move freely outside at night were those in the Lumbering Realm. If someone from the Lumbering Realm rashly entered another camp, it was hard not to give rise to wild suspicions.

Thus, the weaker the camps were, the more carefully they concealed themselves from one another.

Of course, because Big Stone Camp was Great Xia's neighbor, the two sides knew each other's general locations despite keeping hidden. They simply did not know them precisely.

But if they really did as Wang Ming suggested and went over to the earthen slope, finding the location of Great Xia Camp,

then the grudge between the two sides would become enormous.

It might even develop, through one wrong step, into a life-and-death conflict.

"No need. Old Ding helped us before. I never intended to do anything serious to him. Teaching them a lesson and making them stop having crooked ideas in the future will be enough."

Shi Qing shook his head and rejected Wang Ming's suggestion.

As small camps, they were competitors, but speaking plainly, they were all pitiful people struggling to survive.

Great Xia had gotten the better of them over that Snow Mane, so of course he was angry.

But putting his feelings aside, the other side had not directly harmed them.

What was more, when they had lacked manpower during hunts in the past, Xia Ding had helped them.

There was no need to make things too ugly.

"Eh? There's someone over there. Is that old Ding?"

As they were thinking, Shi Dong suddenly pointed toward the inner reaches of the dense forest.

Shi Qing and the others all followed his gaze.

Sure enough, deep in the forest, more than ten figures were slowly walking toward them.

Shi Qing was an archer with excellent eyesight, and he quickly identified thirteen people.

The Lumber Team of Great Xia Camp, including Xia Ding, happened to have thirteen members.

After taking a closer look at the build of the person leading them, Shi Qing immediately confirmed it.

"It's old Ding. We've finally found him. Come on, follow me!"

They had finally found the real culprit.

Shi Dong, Wang Ming, and the other ten people immediately followed behind Shi Qing.

Sure enough, it was Xia Ding.

Seeing that the leader really was Xia Ding, the deaths of three brothers a few days before and the Snow Mane that had been snatched from them both surged into the minds of everyone from Big Stone Camp. Their anger instantly blazed up.

"Old Ding, we've been neighbors for so many years, and you actually dared to stab me in the back!"

Unlike Shi Qing's relatively restrained reprimand, Shi Dong and Wang Ming were far less polite—excessively so, even.

"Xia Ding, how many pounds of meat from that Snow Mane are left? Hand it all over to me, or don't blame the bow and arrows in my hands for not recognizing people."

"We lost three brothers, and you took the Snow Mane without even saying a word. If you don't give us an explanation today, don't even think about leaving."

However, after the three finished speaking, neither Xia Ding nor the twelve people behind him showed the slightest reaction.

They merely stared blankly at them.

After a long while, a smile gradually forced its way onto Xia Ding's face.

But in the eyes of everyone from Big Stone Camp, that smile was incredibly eerie.

The smile was clearly normal, yet no matter how they looked at it, it resembled one forcibly molded by someone whose facial features did not quite work together.

Shi Qing frowned. Before he could speak, his younger brother Shi Dong could no longer hold back. He took two steps forward and cursed:

"Smile your fucking ass off. Are you deaf?"

Yet even after being cursed at, Xia Ding's group still showed no reaction whatsoever.

Looking at the stiff expression on Xia Ding's face and the twelve Lumber Team members standing in the shadows behind him, Shi Qing instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

Whoosh...

A sharp sound, like a silver needle slicing through the air, suddenly rang out.

Shi Qing's expression abruptly changed. He first retreated rapidly, then bent his bow and nocked an arrow as he shouted at everyone:

"Something's wrong! Fall back!"

But it was already too late.

The three people who were slowest in retreat suddenly froze, standing motionless where they were.

Looking more closely, their pupils had already gone dull, and each had a tiny red mark in the center of their brow.

Blood gradually seeped from within the red marks.

Three corpses collapsed to the ground with a wet thud.

Shi Qing and the others were filled with horror.