Clash of the Herds

After shaking off the pursuing Tusked Boar, the forest returned to silence.

Ancient trees stood all around, the snow frozen firmly to the branches and the ground. The solid snow layer left no trace of collapse underfoot; only the soft, dry sound of footsteps echoed gently through the forest. The entire area, with its Central Ring Layer One, appeared quiet and peaceful, the vegetation still, yet lurking beneath the surface, a sense of quiet, unsettling activity was palpable.

Lu Heng slowly explored forward through the clearings between the trees, maintaining a relaxed yet vigilant posture, his gaze sweeping over every inch of woodland, tree roots, and bushes in front of him.

After walking a few steps, a blackened corner of a wooden box was wedged between the gnarled roots of a thick, ancient tree, half-hidden by a thin layer of snow, making it extremely well concealed.

He immediately stopped and stood still.

His gaze slowly swept across the 360-degree dense forest. The branches were still, the snow surface was free of animal tracks, and there was no hidden wind or movement in the forest. The entire area was temporarily in a period of absolute safety.

After confirming that there were no hidden dangers, Lu Heng stepped forward and brushed away the snow from the surface of the wooden box.

The wooden box has a dry and hard outer shell, with no rot or damage. The locks are easy to loosen and can be lifted open with a simple lift of the hand.

The box did not contain the expected meat or tools.

Several portions of compressed bread and two bottles of water were neatly arranged, representing the most basic survival supplies. Next to these supplies was a neatly folded blank notebook and a black hard-shell pencil case.

Upon opening the pencil case, I found it neatly organized with black pens, red pens, and three pencils each, all in good condition, without any dampness or damage.

The ending was unremarkable. Lu Heng's lips twitched slightly, and he shook his head helplessly, putting the bread, water, notebook, and the entire set of stationery into the Storage Space of his Wristband.

Having found a spot with his back against a thick tree, offering a wide view and no blind spots, Lu Heng squatted down to rest.

Upon opening the outer packaging of the hard bread, its dry and stiff texture is immediately apparent. The bread is firm, dry, and has a coarse grain.

In the past, when people were physically weak, bread of this hardness would have been difficult to chew, and even a slight bit of force could have broken a tooth.

But now, with the support of Black Iron Tier physical body, the strength of his jawbone and the tolerance of his oral cavity have already undergone a transformation.

He chewed slowly and repeatedly; the rough, dry texture remained unchanged, yet he could easily crush and swallow it. He ate a bite of bread with a sip of water, eating at a steady pace to replenish the energy he had expended during the breakout.

After a short rest, with his strength fully restored, Lu Heng got up and continued to explore deeper into the dense forest.

The further you go into the inner circle, the more active the forest ecosystem becomes. Animal tracks on the snow become more frequent, with layers of new and old footprints overlapping, and traces of grazing on various plants and trees covering the low branches.

After passing through a sparse forest, a small Giant-Horned Deer appeared on the open snowfield ahead, foraging for food.

The deer were agile, with thick, hard antlers and long limbs. They were digging through the hard surface snow to nibble on the remaining grass roots and vegetation beneath. Lu Heng observed closely and quickly noticed something unusual.

Mixed among the herd were several individuals that looked similar, but their body shape, the curvature of their antlers, and the color of their fur differed slightly from those of the true Giant-Horned Deer. They were not the same species, and it was these different Giant-Horned Deer that were the leaders.

He lowered his body and hid behind a tree, intending to continue to observe the activity patterns of this deer herd up close.

Just then, a series of chaotic noises came from the depths of the dense forest on the left.

It wasn't just the sound of a single wild animal trudging through the snow; it was a dense cacophony of hooves, stomping, and low panting, a rapid and violent sound, quite unlike the gentle foraging sounds of the deer herd.

Lu Heng immediately changed direction and crept quickly closer, hugging the tree trunk.

By the time I reached the edge of the gap in the tree and peered inside, I was already half a step too late.

The Mutant Tusked Boar that had just chased him were now entrenched in the snow not far away. A lone Giant-Horned Deer lay in the snow, its body badly injured, its side flank torn open, and blood soaking into the surrounding white snow, a glaring sight.

The Giant-Horned Deer was not completely dead yet; its body twitched weakly from time to time, and its chest rose and fell slightly, clinging to the last vestige of life.

These Tusked Boar were completely unrestrained, extremely violent and arrogant.

Ignoring the herd of Giant-Horned Deer lurking nearby, several adult Tusked Boar surrounded their severely wounded prey, burying their heads and gnawing at its flesh. The heavy grunting and the sounds of tearing flesh echoed clearly throughout the woodland. In front of their own kind, they were devouring their dying prey, their actions fierce and savage.

Lu Heng felt that although he knew wild boars were omnivorous, the ones here seemed no different from pure carnivores; no wonder they chased him directly earlier.

The deer herd not far away became completely agitated.

The large Giant-Horned Deer, which had been foraging with their heads down, had also come over, their necks tense, their thick limbs stomping heavily on the hard snow. The dull thud of hooves rang out one after another, snowflakes flew everywhere, and a suppressed aura of rage quickly spread among the deer herd.

The fact that a member of the herd was eaten alive in public thoroughly enraged the docile herd of animals.

After a brief standoff, the special Giant-Horned Deer suddenly launched its attack.

Several agile figures lowered their heads, their hard, thick horns pointing forward, and charged swiftly through the hard snow, heading straight for the location of the pigs with great speed and force.

The Tusked Boar, which were gnawing on their prey, looked up at the sound and scattered in all directions.

Most of the Tusked Boar reacted extremely quickly, rolling to their sides and darting away to avoid the herd's collective charge. Only one medium-sized Tusked Boar was a little slower in its dodge and was hit head-on by the charging Giant-Horned Deer.

The hard antlers pierced its side flesh and penetrated deep into its body.

A sharp, piercing scream suddenly rang out, echoing through the forest.

The Tusked Boar convulsed violently, blood gushing from its wounds and staining large patches of snow red.

At this moment, the deep-seated enmity between the two beast packs had no room for reconciliation.

The Tusked Boar that had dodged the attack turned around, their eyes gleaming with ferocity, and they bared their Giant-Horned Deer head-on in a counterattack.

On the snow, sounds of collision, tearing, pushing, and crushing erupted one after another.

The docile Giant-Horned Deer fought fiercely, while the savage Tusked Boar launched a frenzied counterattack. The two herds of animals were completely engulfed in a brutal and relentless battle within the snowy forest at the Central Ring Layer One.