Salt mine

After closing the cave's ventilation opening, Lu Heng slung the iron axe onto his back and walked slowly into the woods, wooden spear in hand.

The afternoon forest grew ever dimmer. Clouds hung low, and cold wind slipped through the branches and leaves straight into his collar. Withered yellow weeds lay flattened by the wind, while fallen leaves beneath his feet broke with crisp, tiny crunches.

After resting by the fire earlier, he had recovered most of his strength. He did not deliberately head toward the hardwood forest area he had already settled on, but instead walked slowly along the edge of the woods, scanning the thickets on either side and constantly watching for movement around him. With temperatures falling, every extra supply he gathered gave him a little more security for winter.

After he had walked roughly a hundred meters, a gentle, soft tread came from behind a patch of low shrubs ahead. There was none of the savage roaring of beasts on the hunt; the sounds were mild and carried no hint of aggression.

Lu Heng stopped instantly. Instinctively, he turned sideways against a thick tree trunk, quieted his breathing, and lowered himself into the tree's shadow, watching the other side of the shrubs in silence.

A group of beasts that closely resembled sheep stood in the clearing. Thick, short gray-white wool covered their bodies, their limbs were slender, and their rounded horns were not sharp. They moved slowly with their heads lowered and looked extremely docile. A rough count revealed seven in all, clustered together and keeping close as they watched their surroundings.

Lu Heng raised his gaze and activated the pale tattoo on his wrist. A faint light flashed from it, and his exclusive appraisal skill activated at once. Blue light swept across the entire flock, and lines of appraisal text appeared clearly before his eyes.

[Species: Mosswool Sheep]

[Grade: ordinary ×6, Black Iron (leader) ×1]

[Habits: herbivorous beasts that live in groups. Timid and cowardly by nature, they do not initiate attacks on humans and rely on mineral salts to maintain their stamina and physique.]

Once Lu Heng saw the grade breakdown, he immediately began making plans.

Six of the Mosswool Sheep were relatively small, with untidy wool and faint auras. All were of the most ordinary grade and posed no threat. The leader at the very center of the flock was a size larger than its companions, with a dull black sheen on its horns and a powerful aura around its body. It was the only Black Iron-grade beast in the flock.

Group-living beasts always banded together to protect their own. Fighting all seven head-on would not be worth it, and he could easily be surrounded and injured. Lu Heng remained concealed behind the tree, his fingers tightening around his wooden spear. He did not rashly reveal himself and disturb them, and made up his mind. No need to start a fight. I just have to wait patiently. One of these sheep will eventually stray from the flock. Then I can seize the chance and take down a lone one. Safe and easy.

Before long, the Black Iron-grade Mosswool Sheep in the center raised its head and gave a low, soft bleat. Then it turned and started toward the outer edge of the forest. The remaining six ordinary Mosswool Sheep followed close behind, moving in step with their leader.

Lu Heng's gaze shifted, and he followed at a distance with light footsteps.

The flock was heading in the exact opposite direction from the depths of Frost Forest. They emerged from beneath the trees and reached an open, dry stretch of exposed flat ground. No tall trees sheltered it, and large amounts of loose stones and gray-white ore lay exposed across its surface. The soil was dry and hard, completely unlike the muddy forest floor. The view was open, with everything visible at a glance.

Upon reaching the flat ground, the flock scattered. They lowered their heads and stuck out their tongues, repeatedly licking the stones and ore protruding from the ground. Their movements were repetitive and persistent, their attention so focused that they paid no heed to their surroundings.

Hiding in the shade of the trees at the forest's edge, Lu Heng watched the scene and immediately thought of cattle and sheep in the surface world.

Herbivorous livestock in nature often sought out natural mineral salt rocks to lick, replenishing the salts their bodies needed. The human body needed salt even more. Going without it for long periods led to electrolyte imbalance, weakness throughout the body, and reduced immunity. Even with a full stomach, a person could not perform heavy labor. In this survival world, salt was far scarcer and more precious than meat.

Presumably, these Mosswool Sheep had also come here specifically to lick the natural salt in the ore.

Lu Heng did not approach and continued watching from a distance.

About a quarter of an hour later, the sheep finished licking one after another. The Black Iron leader bleated again and led its six companions away together along the far end of the flat ground. Not a single sheep strayed throughout the process, and their formation remained tight.

Watching the flock recede, Lu Heng abandoned any thought of hunting them.

There was no need to pursue them. First, the flock stayed together, making it difficult to strike. Second, compared with killing a few Mosswool Sheep, this stretch of ground containing natural salt deposits was worth a hundred times more.

In this land of survival, game could be hunted and wild fruit could be gathered, but natural salt was something one could only find by chance. Once he secured sole control of this salt ground, his most essential supply for surviving the winter and living here long-term would be completely taken care of.

Only after the Mosswool Sheep had gone far away and vanished beyond the horizon did Lu Heng tighten his grip on his wooden spear and slowly walk onto the ore-strewn flat ground they had licked.

Just as he entered the central area, he caught sight of a chest among the gaps in the loose stones out of the corner of his eye. Its corners and edges were regular, and pale gray patterns marked its surface. It was an intact Black Iron treasure chest, half buried beneath loose stones. The flock had blocked it earlier, making it all but impossible to notice.

Delight stirred in Lu Heng's heart. He strode over and reached out to touch the chest.

With a faint hum, the chest opened automatically. A stream of information poured directly into his mind, unlocking a new field guide at the same time.

[Unlocked: Frost Forest basic mineral guide]

[Mineral one: native mineral salt stone (ordinary grade)]

Effects: replenishes sodium in the human body and maintains stamina, muscle strength, and metabolism. Long-term consumption can prevent physical weakness, fatigue, sensitivity to cold, and drowsiness. Suitable for long-term human consumption, nontoxic, easy to collect, and easy to store.

[Mineral two: ink-patterned salt crystal (Black Iron grade)]

Effects: hard in texture, with an innate, faint evil-cleansing aura. Can dispel gloomy, foul energies in the mountains and forests, as well as the hostility of low-tier beasts. Placing it inside a cave can soothe the mind and calm the emotions. It can also be polished into accessories and has a wide range of uses.

After reading the mineral details, Lu Heng was ecstatic.

He had originally gone out only to find some firewood for winter. He had never expected to encounter Mosswool Sheep, find a natural salt deposit along the way, and even pick up a Black Iron treasure chest. This was an outright unexpected windfall.

He immediately activated his wristband's appraisal and collection functions, marking and collecting the raw mineral salt stones and scattered ink-patterned salt crystals on the ground one by one. He put all the sound pieces of ore into his storage space, deliberately stockpiling an ample quantity of mineral salt stones, enough for his own consumption for a long time.

Once he finished collecting, Lu Heng did not linger. The ground here was open and offered no cover, leaving him vulnerable to surprise attacks from beasts. It was no place to stay for long. He turned and hurried back to Frost Forest, retracing his route deeper into the woods. The flock of Mosswool Sheep was long gone, having disappeared across the distant flat ground.

Lu Heng had no intention of searching for them. There was no need to waste energy tangling with a flock of herbivorous beasts. The salt ore and salt crystals in his possession were worth far more than hunting Mosswool Sheep. Cold wind still blew through the woods, but he felt steady and secure inside. With a scarce source of salt in hand, he now had far greater confidence in surviving the coming winter.