Return

The light in the sky was faint and ethereal; the setting sun filtered through layers of tree canopy, casting scattered slivers of light onto the upright Chinese Gordonia Tree.

Lu Heng raised his hand and pulled out Iron Axe from the Storage Space of his Wristband.

My gaze swept across the entire rare forest before me; the trunks were straight and hard, and the bark was fine, making them extremely scarce building materials.

He knew the significance of this batch of timber.

The entire Chinese Gordonia Tree, if any batch is felled, can completely overhaul the Shelter's defensive structure, maximizing its current survival capabilities. It's a truly profitable survival resource.

Without any further delay, Lu Heng steadied himself, gripped the axe handle tightly with both hands, and began to chop at the tree trunk.

The dull thud of the axe echoed repeatedly through the forest, sending dry wood chips flying and landing on the thick layer of fallen leaves. For the entire afternoon, he barely stopped, repeating the motions of swinging, striking, and gathering strength again and again, his muscles constantly tense and trembling, the aches and pains in his shoulders and back building up layer by layer. Only when his arms ached and went numb would he briefly lean on the axe handle to catch his breath for a couple of seconds before continuing to work.

The intense physical labor completely depleted most of his strength.

Lu Heng only stopped moving when his arm became noticeably stiff. He raised his Wristband's screen, and the numbers on the screen remained stable.

Chinese Gordonia Wood: 215 units.

He looked around and saw that there were still many intact Chinese Gordonia Tree around him, with a very abundant supply.

But Lu Heng didn't try to do too much.

215 units are just enough to complete all the current upgrade requirements for the Shelter; it's more than sufficient.

Survival is not about greedily seizing resources; knowing when to stop is the key to survival. As dusk falls and the light in the forest grows dimmer, my strength is already mostly depleted. Continuing to cut down trees will only increase the risk of being stranded in the wild. There's no need to rush to harvest the remaining timber; we can come back anytime later to repair and expand the Shelter.

Having made up his mind, Lu Heng completely abandoned the idea of logging.

After days of fighting and traveling, coupled with an afternoon of continuous heavy physical labor, his muscles and bones were stiff and sore. His nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxed. He took two steps back, leaned his back against the cool tree trunk, and planned to take a short rest during the quiet of dusk to recover from his fatigue before returning to the stone cave.

The evening breeze rustled through the trees, creating a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

Just as his guard was slightly lowered, a thick, pungent, and savory smell of wild animals wafted into his nostrils on the evening breeze.

It wasn't the dampness of grass or the musty smell of decaying leaves; it was the ferocious, bloodthirsty aura unique to large, carnivorous beasts.

Lu Heng's muscles tensed instantly, and his relaxed nerves snapped back into place.

I've been cornered.

A wave of helplessness and gloom washed over me.

He had been working diligently all afternoon, logging peacefully the entire time. Just when he was about to take a breather, a predator lurked in the shadows, waiting to ambush him when he was exhausted and relaxed. This underhanded hunting tactic wasn't particularly dangerous, but it was extremely unsettling and carried a ridiculous sense of offense.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, his gaze quickly sweeping across the shadows of the surrounding bushes.

As dusk fell, light and shadow intertwined, and the low bushes piled up, creating overlapping tree shadows—natural hiding places everywhere. The stench of the wind grew closer, and the creatures lurking in the shadows were incredibly patient, lying in wait for a long time without making a sound.

The next instant, a sudden gust of wind erupted from the bushes beside him.

A lithe, dark figure covered in black spots darted across the ground at incredible speed, perfectly concealing itself in the shadows of the trees in the twilight as it pounced straight at them.

Dark-Spotted Leopard.

It's that same kind of Black Iron Tier predator that only knows how to ambush and strike.

The Wristband instantly displayed an authentication light screen.

[Mythical Beast: Dark-Spotted Leopard]

[Rank: Black Iron Tier]

The information was scanned in an instant, and the leopard's claws were already upon him.

Lu Heng was severely exhausted at this moment, his body was stiff and his reactions were slow, so he was a step too late.

This is his only weakness today, and also the leopard's only chance.

Sizzle--

The sharp claws grazed the side of the waist, tearing through the outer clothing and leaving a shallow gash in the flesh.

Warm blood beads seeped out instantly, accompanied by a brief burning pain.

It was only a minor injury; it didn't damage any bones or muscles, and it didn't affect his movement or ability to exert force.

Staggering half a step to steady himself, Lu Heng's eyes instantly filled with coldness.

This is the only time. The sneak attack succeeded; that's the end of it.

Having succeeded in its attack, the Dark-Spotted Leopard habitually pressed its advantage. Assuming its prey was exhausted and weakened, it lowered its body the instant it landed, bracing itself with its limbs, its scarlet vertical pupils locking onto Lu Heng's neck, ready to finish off its prey.

In its hunting mind, tired and relaxed humans are already easy prey.

However, it completely underestimated the strength of its opponent.

This level of scratch is nothing to Lu Heng, who has experienced countless life-and-death battles.

The slight pain in his side did not bother him; instead, it instantly dispelled the lingering fatigue and completely awakened his fighting instincts that had settled deep within his bones.

Lu Heng left no room for maneuver, advancing instead of retreating, and deliberately closing in, completely sealing off the leopard's space to maneuver and dodge.

The Hunting Blade flashed with a cold light, the strike swift, precise, and powerful.

There are no fancy moves, only extreme efficiency honed in the life-or-death battlefield.

Facing the Dark-Spotted Leopard's subsequent pounce, Lu Heng's steps were as steady as a rock. He sidestepped, deflected the force, and counter-stabbed. The entire set of movements was fluid and without the slightest hesitation. The leopard's proud explosive speed completely lost its advantage in the face of his accurate prediction and solid fighting skills.

The advantage gained from the earlier sneak attack vanished in an instant.

The situation reversed instantly, resulting in a complete rout.

The Dark-Spotted Leopard suddenly sensed something was wrong.

The human before me showed no signs of panic, weakness, or defeat despite being wounded. Even with injuries, his offensive and defensive rhythm remained terrifyingly steady. Every strike precisely targeted its vital points, and every movement completely blocked its escape route.

The originally fierce attacks were easily blocked, deflected, and countered time and time again.

Lu Heng's movements were swift and sharp. In the twilight, his advances, retreats, attacks, and defenses were resolute and ruthless, almost elegant. His seemingly effortless maneuvering was actually a series of deadly moves, each one a bloody solo dance of complete control.

Dominant, composed, and completely in control of the battle.

The Dark-Spotted Leopard's ferocity quickly dissipated, replaced by an intense fear.

It had never encountered such an opponent before.

Despite being ambushed and despite his opponent being exhausted, he still maintained a clear advantage, handling the situation with ease and overwhelming his aura of killing intent.

Its offensive became chaotic, its attacks became distorted, and its power became disordered, completely disrupting its previously sharp hunting rhythm.

Fear completely shattered its Hunting Instinct; the once ferocious beast was now reduced to nothing more than the instinct to flee.

But Lu Heng wouldn't give it the slightest chance.

The moment he saw the leopard flinch and retreat, his eyes turned icy, and he suddenly accelerated, closing in on his opponent to kill him.

Before the Dark-Spotted Leopard could turn and flee, the Hunting Blade precisely targeted a gap in the soft armor on its neck and thrust with concentrated force.

The sharp blade pierced through the body with a dull, low thud.

Scalding hot beast blood gushed out, instantly soaking the withered leaves on the ground.

The Dark-Spotted Leopard, which had been poised to launch a counterattack just a second ago, suddenly stiffened, all the strength in its limbs vanished, and a series of soft moans escaped its throat as its pupils rapidly dilated.

The heavy body crashed to the ground, twitched slightly twice, and then fell into complete silence.

The whole process was incredibly fast.

Aside from the minor injury he sustained at the beginning due to exhaustion, Lu Heng maintained complete dominance and control throughout the entire battle, easily securing victory without showing any disadvantage.

The forest fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of the evening breeze through the trees.

Lu Heng lowered his eyes to look at the leopard carcass on the ground, his expression indifferent and unmoved.

Relying on underhanded ambushes to gain an advantage is ultimately beneath one's dignity, and the inevitable end is death.

He raised his hand and summoned his Wristband, dismantling the beast's corpse with a single click. The Dark-Spotted Leopard's hide, bones, claws, and Black Iron Tier core materials were all stored in his Storage Space, with not a single resource wasted.

After dealing with the spoils of war, Lu Heng raised his hand and gently pressed the wound on his side.

It was just a superficial wound, with minimal pain, and it didn't affect mobility at all.

As dusk deepened and the light in the forest grew increasingly dim, the risks in the wilderness increased.

Lu Heng didn't linger. He straightened his clothes, suppressed his remaining fatigue, and turned to steadily head back towards the Stone Cave Shelter.

Midway through the journey, we passed a river.

The clear, cool stream flowed quietly. Lu Heng bent down and repeatedly rinsed the wound on his side with the stream water, washing away the surface blood and dirt to prevent any remaining impurities from causing infection.

After a simple cleaning, he took out Trauma Healing Ointment from his Storage Space and applied it evenly to the wound.

The cooling sensation of the medicine quickly covered the burning pain, suppressing the slight discomfort instantly, and the wound was properly treated.

After getting ready, Lu Heng looked up at the deep mountain forest.

There is an ample supply of timber.

Today's harvest was very satisfactory. Now we just need to return to the Shelter, rest and recuperate before we can officially begin the defense upgrade.