An unforeseen threat
Having finalized the understanding with the Black-Eyed Bear, Lu Heng didn't linger and turned to return from the Frost Forest.
The forest was unusually peaceful as they traveled. All the wild beasts that inhabited the area guarded their respective territorial boundaries, with none daring to peek out or harbor hostility. The increased malice of the second catastrophe had not overturned any of the rules he had previously established in the forest.
Upon returning to the Shelter, Lu Heng immediately went to the outer fence.
He looked down and carefully surveyed the growth of the Bloodthirsty Vine.
In just a few days of cultivation, the vines spread far faster than expected. The dense and tough branches climbed and twined wildly along the wooden fence, with layers upon layers of sharp thorns densely arranged, almost covering most of the outer wall. The once tender vines have fully grown, and now the branches and thorns are strong and sharp, fully capable of blocking, defending, and scratching wild animals at close range.
In order to completely solidify the Shelter's defenses and cope with the increasing hostility from wild beasts over the next few days, Lu Heng took out an Energy Core.
The moment the core is brought close to the main root of the vine, the fine fibrous roots immediately and actively attach themselves, steadily absorbing the internal energy. Visibly, the small branches continue to grow longer and thicker, and the entire outer defense is steadily strengthening.
After confirming that the defenses were secure, Lu Heng turned and walked into the indoor Planting Room.
The three lighting fixtures— Sun, Moon, and Stars— continuously cast soft light, ensuring a stable indoor temperature and lighting environment, making it the most secure planting environment in this wilderness.
The Pumpkin and Tomato on the shelf were fully ripe.
The orange-yellow Pumpkin were plump and heavy, and the Tomato hanging from the vines were red and full, covering the entire trellis. Lu Heng bent down, his movements steady and efficient, and picked and sorted the ripe fruits one by one, storing them in his Storage Space.
After the harvest was over, he began to sort the seeds.
All the shriveled and damaged seeds were discarded, leaving only the plump and high-quality seeds. The Pumpkin and Tomato seeds left over from the previous season, along with the newly acquired Cucumber seeds, were precisely divided into sections and rows for planting. Covering with soil, lightly pressing, and watering were all done in a neat and orderly manner, ensuring that the three types of crops were not mixed together.
After tending to the farmland, Lu Heng looked at the Purifying Water Lotus sitting quietly in the corner.
The lotus leaves are thin and float on the surface of shallow water, quiet and still without any movement, their appearance so ordinary as to be inconspicuous.
But Lu Heng was very clear-headed.
This is something that needs to be cultivated over a long period. Its usefulness isn't apparent at this stage, but its Purifying Water Lotus value will gradually become apparent. There's no need to rush; just provide steady, consistent care day after day.
All the trivial matters inside and outside the Shelter were handled properly, ensuring solid defenses, nascent crops, and a clean and tidy living environment.
Taking advantage of a rare moment of free time, Lu Heng opened the long-dormant Global Survival Channel.
The moment the interface refreshed, a massive number of unread private messages flooded the screen. He didn't even glance at them, clearing them all with a single click.
After clearing away redundant information, Lu Heng leisurely browsed the real-time updates on the public channel.
Those who survive until the second catastrophe are survivors selected by the wilderness.
Survivors who broke down mentally and couldn't withstand the pressure were already eliminated. Those who survived had long been accustomed to the repeated fluctuations of the disaster, had a calm mindset, and had accepted the harsh reality of wilderness survival.
There were no out-of-control wails or widespread panic messages in the channel.
The vast majority of solo survivors maintained a state of restraint and caution. Everyone actively reduced their exploration range, tried to stay away from deep mountains and dangerous areas, reduced the frequency of going out, and obediently adapted to the gradually increasing hostility of wild beasts every day.
The consensus among most people today is to seek stability and avoid reckless expansion.
Only one type of person is completely different.
Those struggling to survive, with families in tow, revealed an unyielding anxiety in their words.
They dared not venture far, dared not take risks, and dared not even attempt ordinary wilderness exploration. In order to protect the lives of their loved ones, they could only huddle together in their temporary strongholds. Their long-term seclusion and isolation caused their resources to be completely depleted, their development to stagnate, and their survival pressure to be infinitely amplified.
In the channel, these people started frequently calling out to each other and connecting to form teams.
Messages about banding together for stability kept flooding the screen, creating an atmosphere that was both oppressive and restless.
Lu Heng's fingertip hovered over the screen as he quietly watched the comments flooding the screen, finding them both laughable and unrealistic.
Everyone talks about sticking together for warmth and survival, but no one thinks about the most basic real-world problems.
Each person's Shelter is scattered across the country, separated by mountains, ravines, and wilderness.
Since they are all traveling with their families, they will inevitably face the issue of relocation.
Either others travel long distances to your stronghold, or you and your family move to someone else's territory.
But what time is it now?
The second catastrophe has begun, with the hostility of wild beasts Global Region increasing daily, and dangers in the wild multiplying.
Traveling empty-handed is already a perilous journey, let alone migrating with the elderly, children, and relatives, traversing vast, unprotected wilderness areas—it's tantamount to deliberately sending one's entire family into the hunting grounds of wild animals.
No one is willing to give up their last remaining foothold, and no one dares to take on the burden of someone else's entire family.
This group of people is simply blinded by fear; they talk about sticking together, but in reality, they are just seeking psychological comfort from each other.
It looks lively, but it's all empty talk; none of the proposals have any chance of being implemented.
Lu Heng observed coldly, but he saw through everything perfectly.
This group's predicament was a dead end from the start. The more entanglements they had, the more concerns they had, the less daring they became, and the less willing they were to gamble on resources. In the end, they would only be slowly eliminated by the rules of the wilderness.
He doesn't need to depend on anyone, nor does he need to stick together for warmth. The stability that others struggle to maintain is something he already has in his grasp. Their basic means of survival, safety thresholds, and resilience are worlds apart.
Just as the channel discussion was becoming increasingly empty, with everyone engaging in meaningless chatter and forming cliques, an urgent message suddenly popped up at the top, standing out starkly.
[Help! A Insect Swarm has suddenly appeared on my side, attacking the camp relentlessly, and we can't stop them at all!]
The moment the message popped up, before anyone could react, dozens of urgent responses flooded the screen, instantly shattering the calm.
[Not just insects! Huge swarms of birds are swooping down to attack, showing absolutely no regard for humans!]
[Me too! Birds are hunting in flocks, attacking indiscriminately!]
[Not ground beasts! Insect Swarm and birds are wreaking havoc simultaneously—something's happened!]
In a very short time, the entire public channel exploded.
The initial, steadily increasing hostility from wild beasts was something everyone was prepared for, but the sudden swarm attacks by Insect Swarm and the hunting by high-flying birds completely exceeded everyone's expectations.
Lu Heng stared at the flood of SOS messages, slightly taken aback.
He quickly recalled all his possible activity areas.
In the entire swamp area, only the Ant Queen Insect Swarm exists, and they have already made a deal with him, demarcated boundaries, and do not interfere with each other.
Apart from that, he had never seen any large-scale aggressive Insect Swarm in the Frost Forest, the surrounding mountains and plains, or the hilly open areas.
A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately looked at the information about the bird attack, his heart sinking.
Most of the land-dwelling beasts have already tacitly accepted the boundaries of his territory, adhering to the old balance of power.
But birds are different.
The birds in the entire airspace roamed freely, unrestricted by mountain or forest boundaries. More importantly, he had previously hunted Black-Winged Kite.
The old territorial agreements only applied to ground-dwelling beasts.
Birds in the sky, being outside all rules, are highly unlikely to comply with the tacit approval of terrestrial species.
Lu Heng instantly became alert.
The hidden danger lurking around him, ready to erupt at any moment, is the entire sky.