Kill it

The firewood crackled softly in the firepit. Fat from the roasting meat dripped onto the coals, and a rich aroma filled the cramped cave.

The sounds outside drew closer and closer.

A stocky black shape ignored the firelight and pushed straight out of the shadows of the trees, its head lowered.

It was a beast Lu Heng had never seen before. It looked much like a badger, medium-sized with a thick, sturdy body covered in heavy, coarse fur and short, powerful limbs. Its nose twitched constantly, and its eyes were fixed solely on the skewers over the fire.

It had no fear of humans at all.

The creatures in this woodland had never encountered humans. They knew neither fear nor retreat. The scent of food had robbed this one of all reason; it saw no opponent, only something to snatch.

Lu Heng froze, his heart suddenly tightening.

He immediately raised his wrist and activated the bracelet, hoping to identify the strange beast.

The bracelet flickered faintly blue, but no information appeared. The interface remained blank, with no grade, habits, or status entries.

Without the relevant knowledge, it could retrieve no information whatsoever.

The unknown was the greatest danger.

Judging by sight alone, the creature had a sturdy build and sharp claws and teeth. If he fought it head-on, he would most likely be wounded and bleed.

But that thought flashed through his mind for only an instant before he forcibly suppressed it.

No.

I absolutely cannot give way.

This meat is the only hot food I earned through a hard hunt, laborious cutting, and braving the cold wind. When fighting to survive, the moment I back down for the first time, wild beasts will take humans for easy targets. They have no reason, no limits. If I yield once today, the beasts in this woodland will keep testing me and intruding, and this cave will never know peace again.

I can endure an injury, but I absolutely cannot accept being pushed around.

Lu Heng's gaze instantly turned cold and hard. He would not back down.

He glanced at the stone axe beside him. It was the second standard-issue stone axe he had obtained from a supply crate in the woods. The first had already been completely destroyed and rendered useless. With little usable timber remaining nearby, he would have to rely on this one for all future Shelter repairs and cutting materials. He had to preserve it carefully, not carelessly wear it out.

Even if the stone axe was sturdy enough, the cave was too cramped to swing it freely, restricting every angle of attack. The beast had tough skin and thick fur. If the first blow failed to seriously injure it, it would only become thoroughly enraged and lunge into a close-quarters struggle. There was no room to dodge inside the small cave; the risk was too high. Besides, he needed to keep this axe for long-term use. He could not risk it fighting a beast. If the blade chipped or the handle cracked, he would lose the tool he depended on for future construction.

Relying on the stone axe would not work. Compared with an uncertain chop, grappling and restraining it at close range would be more reliable, and would spare his only handy tool any damage.

By now, the badger-like beast had come right up to him. Focused entirely on the roast meat, it was completely unguarded, leaving itself wide open.

Lu Heng hesitated no longer. He surged forward and thrust out both arms with precision, clamping them around the beast's thick neck. He interlocked his fingers and locked his grip tight, completely restricting the movement of its head and neck.

The sudden restraint instantly snapped the beast to its senses. A hoarse growl rolled from its throat as all four limbs kicked and struggled wildly. Its hard claws raked the frozen earth, scattering dirt and pebbles, while its heavy body twisted desperately to break free.

But the cave was cramped, and its body was cumbersome. It could neither turn around nor lower its head to bite. All its ferocious brute strength was useless, and it remained firmly pinned in place.

The fear, tension, and strain of surviving alone for days, all the pent-up frustration he had no one to share with, erupted at that moment. Lu Heng vented every accumulated emotion on the beast that had rashly come to steal his food.

Gritting his teeth, he drove through his waist and abdomen. With the momentum of his forward charge, he lifted the entire beast off the ground and slammed it hard into the frozen earth.

A dull impact exploded through the cramped cave.

The beast shuddered violently. Much of its struggling strength vanished at once, and fine, bloody foam seeped from its mouth and nose, though instinctive spasms still lingered.

Lu Heng showed no mercy. Keeping his grip tight around its neck, he lifted it again and again and smashed it down hard.

Once, then again.

Every dull thud shook the cave as the repeated heavy blows jarred the beast's body. Its spasms grew weaker and weaker, the low sounds in its throat ceased entirely, and its taut body gradually went slack.

After several brutal slams, the unknown badger-like beast lay completely limp on the ground, its limbs splayed, without a trace of life.

Only after confirming the danger was completely over did Lu Heng slowly release his grip. He staggered two steps back and leaned against the rock wall, gasping for breath. His chest heaved, his arms ached and felt drained, and the coarse, stiff fur had rubbed his palms hot.

He looked down at the motionless beast on the ground, then at the meat sizzling with fat over the fire.

His food was safe, and his precious second stone axe remained undamaged. More importantly, he had established his first ironclad rule of survival in this unfamiliar frozen land.

Lu Heng confirmed that the badger-like beast at his feet had stopped breathing entirely, and his taut nerves finally relaxed.

Just then, the survival bracelet on his wrist suddenly lit up with a clear blue glow. A window automatically appeared on its screen, and the previously blank database instantly refreshed, successfully recording information on the unknown creature he had just killed.

[Creature killed: Coldspine Badger]

[Creature overview: A medium-sized, solitary beast unique to Frost Forest. Covered in thick, dense, coarse fur, it possesses exceptional cold resistance, tough skin, thick flesh, and formidable endurance. It does not live in groups and is highly territorial. Rash and gluttonous by nature, it is often lured by strong food aromas into recklessly entering unfamiliar areas. Dull-witted and poorly guarded, it has powerful explosive strength in close combat, but its cumbersome body and slow turning greatly limit its combat effectiveness in narrow terrain.]

Lu Heng scanned the text on the bracelet, then returned his gaze to the dead Coldspine Badger on the ground. A quick inspection showed that its physical features matched the description exactly. The fight had consumed considerable stamina. Fortunately, he had never used the second stone axe that needed to be carefully preserved, and the tool remained completely intact.

After a brief rest, he returned to the firepit. The chunks of meat mounted on sticks were still dripping fat, and the rich aroma washed over him again.

As the steaming meat entered his stomach, his fatigue and chill quickly faded, and his spent stamina recovered bit by bit. After a few mouthfuls, his hunger was completely gone, and his strength had returned.

He wiped the corners of his mouth, rose, and walked over to the Coldspine Badger's carcass.

Skinning and deboning it by hand would take time and effort, and his lack of skill would ruin a large amount of edible meat and intact hide-a tremendous waste. Compared with doing it himself, the bracelet's dismantling function was always the safest and most efficient method.

Lu Heng raised his wrist toward the carcass and lightly tapped the dismantle option on the bracelet's interface.

A pale blue veil of light gently enveloped the entire carcass. The stocky body on the ground visibly began to turn insubstantial, separate, and reassemble. There was no mess of flesh and blood, no fragments of bone. The entire process was clean and efficient.

After just a few seconds, the Coldspine Badger on the ground vanished completely. In its place lay three neatly arranged piles of supplies, resting quietly on the frozen earth.

Fresh badger meat, an intact badger hide, and hard badger bones-the three materials were clearly separated, with nothing lost or damaged.

Looking down at the sorted supplies before him, Lu Heng still felt a certain indescribable sense of wonder.

With no labor on his part, the system could precisely separate every usable resource from prey won through a life-or-death struggle, wasting not the slightest bit of food or material. Even after experiencing it several times, this survival mechanism that defied common sense still felt wondrous and convenient.

He bent down, gathered the supplies one by one, and carefully stored them in his spatial backpack.

One full meal, one deadly struggle, one complete harvest of resources. Inside the cave, peace and silence returned completely.