Three days later
After a meal of exotic venison, my stomach felt warm and comforted.
Lu Heng got up and slowly moved his limbs in the open space of the Shelter, stretching his stiff muscles from sitting for so long. After days of tense survival in the Frost Forest, his body had been in a state of constant tension. Simple stretching helped to gradually relieve the soreness accumulated deep in his muscles.
He did not seek comfort or rest, but instead steadied himself and began his daily practice.
The rhythm of the Tiger Breathing Technique was firmly grasped, the breath long and slow, each inhale and exhale regular, repeatedly refining one's own breath and physical foundation. In this wild and unruly forest, all fancy techniques are illusory; only a strong body and stable breath are the most basic means of survival.
After finishing his breathing exercise, he picked up the Bronze Hunting Blade and repeated the basic slashing motion over and over again.
There were no fancy techniques, only the most basic and practical offensive and defensive stances. Every swing of the blade was in line with the power generation logic of Black Iron Tier physique, honing muscle memory and combat instincts. Lu Heng knew perfectly well that swordsmanship, physique, and endurance were the foundation for his foothold in this forest, the things that could truly protect his life.
He practiced until his limbs were slightly tired, then sheathed his knife and stood firmly.
The idea of working on precision engineering, making new tools, and renovating his residence briefly popped into his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
He has a very realistic view.
Common sense and fragmented technological knowledge from the Origin World are useless here. Without a corresponding workbench or matching blueprints, any further improvements or creations are just empty talk, and nothing can be implemented.
Fortunately, his world has workbenches, which gives him the minimum qualifications for development, far surpassing the vast majority of survivors.
After completing his cultivation, Lu Heng carefully checked the locks and latches of the stone cave entrance and inspected all the surrounding warning traps one by one, confirming that there was no snow accumulation or unusual activity from wild animals. With the Shelter safe and sound, he relaxed, his tense nerves finally unwinding. He lay down and soon fell into a deep sleep.
A peaceful and undisturbed night.
The following morning, a sliver of light shone through the natural window above the cave into the dimly lit Shelter.
Lu Heng slowly opened his eyes, stretched, and relaxed his entire body. A good night's sleep had fully restored his physical and mental strength, leaving him in a good and stable state.
At that very moment, the Survival Bracelet on my wrist suddenly lit up with a pale blue screen, and cold, standardized system announcements popped up one by one on the screen.
[Global Wristband Announcement: The first round of blizzard disaster is nearing its end.]
[Three days later, all immediate family members of surviving survivors will be teleported to the area surrounding their respective Shelter.]
[The relatives of those whose Shelter owners have perished or whose Shelter have been completely destroyed have no fixed destination. Both older and younger relatives will be systematically strengthened to adult physical condition and released into the wilderness to survive independently.]
[New Feature: Resource Donation Channel. Survivors can voluntarily donate surplus resources, which will be centrally distributed by the system to help orphans without Shelter or relatives.]
[Special Rule: All donated materials are managed and circulated entirely by the system, without human intervention, thus preventing interception, embezzlement, and misappropriation.]
The text on the screen is clear, regular, straightforward, and cold.
Lu Heng looked down at the announcement, his mood completely calm.
He was a true "three-no" person in the Origin World: no family, no relatives, no friends, and no one needed him to wait for him. Naturally, he had no worries, expectations, or fears.
The donation feature, however, stirred something within him.
He now has a stable Shelter, ample supplies, and Black Iron Tier combat power, and has established a firm foothold in the entire Frost Forest. It is in his heart to help those helpless survivors to the best of his ability and resources.
But he never flaunted it.
The desolate forest is most vulnerable to tests of human nature; high-profile acts of charity will only attract endless moral blackmail, covetousness, and trouble. He can donate quietly and within his means, but he will never make a fuss about it, lest he make enemies and cause trouble for himself.
Lu Heng swiped his finger across the Wristband interface, trying to find the donation portal to reserve supplies in advance. After scrolling through all the options, he finally saw the note: the donation channel would not be unlocked until three days later, after the natural disaster was completely over, and it was currently unavailable.
Seeing this, a multitude of thoughts surged within me.
He inexplicably longed for the image of his Origin World.
In the past, many families in the village had large families with many brothers and sisters. They seemed to be prosperous and harmonious. However, when the elderly needed care, everyone started to shirk their responsibilities and make calculations. Each household took turns taking care of the elderly, and every month they would pick them up and drop them off in a cart. When one family was full, they would push the next family to take care of them. They were very calculating and kept every penny.
He had witnessed that scene since childhood; it seemed like they took turns fulfilling their filial duties, but in reality, it was all about weighing options and going through the motions.
Human nature has never been able to withstand the test of adversity and self-interest.
If this is the case even in peacetime, how much more so in this post-apocalyptic forest where human life is as worthless as grass.
Thinking about this, a chill ran down my spine, so I decided to stop thinking about it.
He can't change anyone, and he's too lazy to judge others. He simply follows his own heart, helping quietly when he can, and that's all.
Lu Heng turned off the Wristband interface and pushed open the door to walk out of the stone cave.
His original plan for today was clear: to go to the riverbank to find soft soil, prepare for planting as soon as possible, and solve the long-term food shortage problem. This frozen soil is hard all year round, and only the alluvial plain of the river can produce usable fertile soil, which is also his only place to find land.
Having not approached the river for a long time, he quickly strode through the remaining snow in the forest and headed towards the valley.
After days of heavy snow blocking the mountains, the river should have been completely frozen and desolate. But when we reached the riverbank, the scene was completely different from what we had seen before.
The ice on the entire river surface melted and shattered on a large scale, with the thick ice breaking into countless fragments that floated and collided on the water's surface, producing a continuous, fine, crisp sound. The deep snow melted, and a large amount of meltwater flowed into the river channel, causing the water level to rise sharply and the current to become unusually rapid and turbulent.
The surging river, carrying fragments of ice, rushed downstream with tremendous force and imposing momentum.
Lu Heng stood on the shore, observed quietly for a moment, and quickly figured out the key point.
He was a little worried.
The hydrological phenomena resulting from the first round of blizzards were delayed.
The gradual melting of snow and the thawing of frozen soil, along with the massive influx of meltwater, caused the river to swell rapidly. The cessation of snowfall does not mean the danger is over. Continued snowmelt seeps into the ground, softening the soil and causing the foundation to become damp, which can lead to a series of chain reactions such as water seepage, subsidence, and landslides.
In an instant, he completely overturned the original plan to extract soil.
Planting can be postponed; current food reserves are sufficient to meet demand, so it's not urgent.
However, the security of Shelter cannot be delayed.
As snowmelt continues to seep in, the foundation, walls, and open drainage points around the cave will be under immense pressure. If water accumulates and the walls become damp and loose, it will directly compromise the safety of the Shelter.
The priorities have been completely reversed.
Rather than finding soil to plant, collecting Stone, reinforcing the Shelter walls, and repairing the drainage system are the most urgent tasks at hand.
Having weighed the pros and cons, Lu Heng decided not to linger.
He turned and left the riverbank, heading straight into the middle of the forest, towards the exposed riverbed that had been eroded by blizzards and floods, to continue searching for usable hard Stone.