Cattle

The Wolf Pack's hunt in the distance gradually subsided.

The snow-covered beach returned to quiet.

Lu Heng straightened up and stopped looking around. The scene before him was real and straightforward, without any deliberate embellishment. After observing for a while, he decided to wander around the wetland to get a general idea of the area's environment.

A herd of deer foraging nearby noticed his movements.

Several Snow-Patterned Deer immediately raised their heads, their ears perked up, their gazes fixed on Lu Heng, their limbs tense, ready to flee at any moment.

Lu Heng didn't stop walking, nor did he look at them; he didn't adopt any aggressive posture throughout.

After a few seconds of standoff, most of the deer relaxed and went back to digging in the snow for grass. Only a few young Thick-Ridged Deer remained alert, their eyes following Lu Heng's movements.

Lu Heng ignored him.

He scanned the wetland landscape in his field of vision; mudflats, marshes, and reed beds stretched out in an area much larger than he had expected. He couldn't possibly explore it all in a short time.

Walking along the withered water plants by the water's edge, the stems were half-buried under a thin layer of snow, damp, cold, and covered in mud.

Upon reaching a dense area of aquatic plants, a section of dark wood edge peeked out from deep within the vegetation.

It's Wooden Treasure Chest.

Lu Heng bent down and brushed away the snow and withered grass. The box was damp, and the lock was old and simple. He casually lifted the lid and found several bags of bread and two bottles of water inside—the most basic instant food supplies.

At the very bottom of the box was a sealed pack of towels.

Lu Heng picked it up and examined it.

In the wilderness, food and drink are all useful, but he couldn't think of a use for a towel at the moment.

Without hesitation, I put everything into the Wristband Space.

He continued his leisurely stroll.

The Shelter's Cellar currently has a sufficient supply of frozen meat. Today, he is only scouting the terrain and has no intention of hunting at all. He wants to keep a low profile as much as possible to avoid provoking wild animals.

After walking a few dozen meters, the dry snowfield underfoot turned into soft, wet mud.

Ahead lay a Marsh-Ridged Cattle.

Dozens of large Marsh-Ridged Cattle stood scattered in the shallow swamp, their bodies heavy, heads bowed as they nibbled at the shallow aquatic plants, their movements slow and their appearance docile and clumsy.

Lu Heng kept his distance and passed by from the side, trying not to intrude on their activity range.

In the instant they brushed past each other.

An adult Marsh-Ridged Cattle standing on the periphery of the herd suddenly raised its head.

With a loud hum, a deep, rough bellow suddenly exploded out.

The bull stared intently at Lu Heng, its limbs bracing against the soft mud as it suddenly charged towards him with tremendous force, its massive body moving much faster than it appeared.

Lu Heng's pupils contracted, he stopped abruptly, and instantly dodged to the side.

The heavy oxen's bodies brushed past his shoulders as the wind rushed by, stomping heavily into the snow and mud, splashing up a cloud of mud mixed with snow.

This commotion seemed to be a signal.

The entire herd of cattle around them instantly raised their heads, dozens of eyes locking onto Lu Heng.

The previously loose herd of cattle instantly went on high alert, lowering their heads and pointing their horns in his direction.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Lu Heng felt a slight tension in his back.

Being surrounded and stared at by dozens of heavy Marsh-Ridged Cattle is no fun at all.

He raised his hands slightly, moving very slowly, and took a step back, trying to send a harmless signal.

Most of the cattle were just on guard and showed no intention of charging.

Only the bull that had just charged remained fixed on Lu Heng, its nostrils flaring white breath as it pounded the ground, its hostility completely locked on and showing no sign of abating.

Lu Heng continued to back away.

After retreating a few meters, the rest of the cattle gradually withdrew their attention and went back to grazing, but that one wild bull kept pressing forward, refusing to give up.

Lu Heng originally only wanted to leave and be done with it.

But the bull charged twice with its head down, relentlessly chasing and ramming him.

Lu Heng dodged, stepped back, and evaded repeatedly, and after several maneuvers, his anger finally flared up.

They're pushing their luck.

He glanced behind him.

The cattle are clustered nearby, and the terrain is narrow. If you try to make a move here, you'll easily be surrounded by the cattle and won't be able to maneuver at all.

Lu Heng stopped retreating and began to consciously move to the side, gradually leading the persistent bull toward the open snowfield.

During the move, the bull charged twice more.

Lu Heng dodged to the side.

I couldn't control my anger any longer.

He stopped on a vast, open expanse of snow.

This location is far enough away from the main herd of cattle, free from other wild animals, and the terrain is flat, making it suitable for a fight.

Lu Heng turned around to face the swamp bull that was chasing him.

He raised his hand and made a highly provocative gesture towards the other person.

The already enraged bull seemed to understand, and was instantly enraged. It roared loudly and charged at full speed toward Lu Heng with its massive head on all four hooves.

Right now.

Lu Heng's eyes turned cold as he raised his hand to touch the Wristband's interface.

With a flash of cold light, the Bronze Hunting Blade landed steadily in his palm.

He stared at the charging bull, a cold voice emanating from his heart.

If I don't subdue you today, I'm not surnamed Lu.

The cold Bronze Hunting Blade was held in my palm; the metallic touch was hard and piercing.

Lu Heng planted his feet firmly on the snow, lowered his body slightly, and faced the swamp bull charging at full speed.

The bull was completely enraged, its eyes bloodshot, heavy white breath billowing from its nostrils. Its four hooves crushed the surface snow, charging forward with heavy momentum. Its massive body carried immense brute force; if one were to be struck, the victim would suffer a fracture at best, and severe injury at worst.

Lu Heng's gaze remained calm, showing no intention of confronting him directly.

Just as the bull's head was about to reach him, he lightly touched the snow with his toes and suddenly slid to the side.

A muffled boom resounded.

The bull's massive body couldn't stop its charge and crashed straight into the spot where he had been standing, its heavy body grazing past Lu Heng's side.

It was in that very moment.

Lu Heng suddenly flipped his wrist, and the Bronze Hunting Blade he was gripping was pulled horizontally in the same direction.

With a soft hissing sound.

The sharp blade sliced through the thick hide of the bull's belly, leaving a clean gash. Dark red blood gushed out instantly, dripping down the damp hide and splashing onto the white snow, a stark and glaring sight.

The bull, in pain, shuddered violently.

The excruciating pain ignited its ferocity. Without even pausing, it turned around, forcefully twisting its heavy body, lowering its head, and once again aimed its hard horns at Lu Heng, charging forward madly once more.

The offensive was even fiercer and more reckless than before.

Lu Heng remained calm, only unable to suppress his anger.

They relentlessly pursued and harassed others, pushing their luck and showing no sign of backing down.

He kept his footwork rhythmic, maintaining a consistent distance.

As the bull charged, he dodged to the side. The instant the bull missed its target was the moment he drew his sword.

Another precise cut landed, slicing across the cow's shoulder and neck.

The fur cracked, and another bloodline appeared.

The bull's roar shook the wilderness, its massive body charging at full speed time and time again, each time with a desperate, all-or-nothing attitude. But its moves were simplistic, relying solely on brute force; all its attacks were within Lu Heng's expectations.

Lu Heng did not greedily use heavy swords, nor did he engage in close combat.

The entire process consisted of dodging, slashing, and retreating, in a repetitive cycle.

After each futile charge, the bull would be left with a knife wound of varying depth. Its once thick fur—on its belly, groin, back, and neck—was gradually soaked with blood, large patches of white fur turning dark red.

The smell of blood slowly spread in the damp, cold air.

Lu Heng's gaze was icy as he stared at the wounded and berserk bull before him, his resolve growing ever stronger.

They just keep provoking us.

They just wouldn't let it go.

Since it's so ungrateful, let's just slash it to death today.

Let it remember the consequences of recklessly provoking humans.

After several rounds of pulling, the Marsh-Ridged Cattle's momentum noticeably decreased.

The massive blood loss rapidly depleted its strength, its limbs began to tremble slightly, and its breathing became extremely heavy. It no longer possessed the overwhelming, brute force it had at the beginning. However, the ferocity in its bones had not dissipated, and it still lowered its head, instinctively charging at Lu Heng time and time again.

The only problem is that it's slower, and there are more openings.

Lu Heng seized a brief opening when the creature turned and hovered in mid-air, stepped forward, and steadied his wrist to deliver another strike.

This cut went deeper into the flesh, slicing through a thick layer of skin.

The bull let out a deep, mournful roar, its massive body staggering two steps before finally regaining its footing. It lowered its head and glared at Lu Heng, a hint of fear finally mingling with the ferocity in its eyes.

It wants to back out.

But Lu Heng had no intention of giving it a way out.

Now that we've started this, and since it was the one that initiated the provocation and attack, there's no reason to tolerate it.

Lu Heng's feet crunched through the thin snow as he took a half-step forward, his Hunting Blade lowered, its cold light locking onto the wounded bull in front of him.