The Giant-Antlered Deer

For several days, heavy snow fell from the sky, covering the entire forest area. The landscape was completely obscured by thick snow, and everything looked the same. Tree shadows, slopes, and gullies were all covered in white snow, making it impossible to distinguish directions.

He stared at the Wristband screen, feeling a sudden headache coming on.

The forest is so vast that blindly searching for exclusive trial monsters without guidance is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Lu Heng reached out and pushed open the stone door.

In an instant, a biting wind carrying fine snowflakes rushed in, chilling everyone to the bone.

Fortunately, he was wrapped in layers of animal hides, with a turban covering his face, gloves protecting his hands, and leather armor close to his body, providing thorough protection. The biting cold air couldn't penetrate his flesh at all; it only swept across the surface and didn't cause him any harm.

The moment I stepped out of the Shelter, the Survival Bracelet on my wrist suddenly lit up with a blue light.

The system automatically captures the current trial task, and a bright red positioning coordinate pops up in the center of the screen, clearly showing the distance, direction, and precise location.

Lu Heng paused, looking at the mandatory fixed marker, and couldn't help but complain inwardly.

They're not giving us a single way out.

It directly locks down the combat area and pinpoints the location, leaving no room for exploration, hiding, or maneuvering to survive.

How much does this system think of survivors?

The default assumption is that everyone must confront the enemy head-on; opportunism, backstabbing, and avoiding battle are not allowed.

It's clear that people have to get there by the appointed time, and once they get there, they have to fight. If they can't win, they'll just freeze and wait to die.

There was no choice, and no way to escape.

He remained silent for two seconds, suppressing the helplessness in his heart, and stopped thinking about it, stepping into the snow.

The snow was thick underfoot, and each step left a deep crater. The soles of my shoes squeezed the snow, making a continuous, rhythmic crunching sound.

The snow kept falling.

The woods were exceptionally quiet.

The wind rustled, the snow fell softly, and I trudged through the snow with the monotonous sound of my own footsteps. The entire mountain forest was empty and desolate, exuding a sense of oppressive stillness.

Follow the direction indicated by the Wristband steadily forward, going deeper and deeper until you reach the final coordinates.

A huge clearing in the woods unfolded before us.

The center of the field was completely clean, with no trees or rocks, just a bare expanse of white, offering absolutely no cover and making it impossible to position oneself or engage in any kind of skirmish.

Only a few scattered trees grow along the edge of the woods around the clearing, providing the only cover in the entire area.

Lu Heng frowned slightly.

The terrain is extremely poor.

Once the battle begins in the center, it's a fight to the death, with no room for maneuver.

But what's done is done, and there's no way to avoid it.

He took a deep breath, stood at the edge of the open space, and quickly checked all his equipment.

The arrows were secure, the Hunting Blade were sharp, and the armor was tightly fastened; there was not a single flaw from beginning to end.

Confirmation complete.

Lu Heng stepped into the center of the open space.

Hand Crossbow lightly in his left hand, his mindset very calm.

Despite the disadvantage of the terrain, he didn't intend to engage in close combat right away. He preferred to use sneak attacks, wear down his opponent, and stall for time rather than confront them head-on with brute force.

Just as they stepped into the core area of the open space, a huge black shadow slowly emerged from the snow and mist in the distance.

Lu Heng's gaze sharpened.

It's a deer.

But it was no ordinary wild deer.

It was exceptionally large and robust, with a broad and sturdy torso, long and powerful limbs, and thick fur covered with a thin layer of snow. Standing in the white snow, it exuded a powerful and imposing presence. Most striking were the two enormous horns on its head, with gnarled, thick, and exaggerated branches that stretched high to the sides, their sharp tips gleaming with a cold light.

Almost the instant Lu Heng saw it clearly, the information on the Wristband was immediately updated.

[Trial Beast: Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer]

[Rank: Black Iron Tier]

[Seven-Day Trial Exclusive Objective: Defeating this target will offset the daily penalty of a temperature drop of -10 degrees Celsius.]

At the same moment, the Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer also locked onto the humans who had trespassed into their territory.

The massive body, which had been standing quietly, tensed up instantly.

Its hind legs dipped slightly to gather strength, while its two front hooves repeatedly pawed at the snow in front of it, sending fine snowflakes flying everywhere. Its head was lowered slightly, its large antlers facing Lu Heng, adjusting the angle little by little, locking onto its position.

The standard charging stance.

Lu Heng felt a sense of helplessness in his heart.

It's another of those heavy, powerful beasts, with explosive power, terrifying impact, and a thick body, making them the most difficult to maneuver and pull away from.

The next second, the Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer suddenly moved.

The dull thud of hooves shattered the silence of the snowfield. The massive body, accompanied by the cold wind, charged straight toward Lu Heng in the center of the clearing at an incredible speed.

Lu Heng had anticipated this and avoided a direct confrontation.

He immediately turned around and quickly retreated, rushing straight out of the open space and heading towards the nearest tree at the edge of the open area.

This tree isn't a towering, thick trunk; it's only of medium thickness, but it's the only thing we can use for support right now.

With a few quick steps, using both hands and feet, Lu Heng swiftly climbed to the middle of the tree trunk.

He had just regained his footing when a muffled thud exploded.

The Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer charged at full speed but missed, its hard head slamming into the middle of the tree trunk.

The tree trunk suddenly trembled violently, and fine cracks immediately appeared in the surface bark. The entire tree suddenly tilted sharply to one side.

The thick snow piled up in the tree canopy collapsed instantly, and large chunks of snow crashed down, filling the air with a flurry of snowflakes.

The tree trunk, which was not particularly thick to begin with, could not withstand such a violent impact. Coupled with Lu Heng's weight hanging in mid-air, the angle of tilt increased, making it impossible for him to continue standing.

Fortunately, the trees are not tall.

Lu Heng let go, and his whole body fell into the thick snow along the leaning tree trunk.

The soft snow perfectly absorbed all the impact, allowing for a smooth and safe landing without any damage.

Without pausing the moment he landed, he used the falling snow to cushion his fall, rolled to his side, and immediately got up.

At this moment, the Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer had just finished its charge, its head pressed against the tree trunk, its body briefly stiff, creating a fleeting opening.

Lu Heng's eyes sharpened, and he raised his hand, held up the crossbow, and pulled the trigger.

Call out!

The Leopard Fang Arrow shot through the air, its trajectory straight, and precisely embedded itself in the soft flesh of the Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer's side.

The arrow penetrated quite deeply into the flesh.

The Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer shuddered violently, letting out a low, muffled roar. Its massive body shook violently, clearly indicating that it had suffered a severe injury.

A successful strike.

Knowing there was no extra time to reload a second arrow, Lu Heng raised his hand and waved it, directly storing the Hand Crossbow into his tattoo Storage Space.

He gripped the Bronze Hunting Blade tightly in his right hand, the cool metallic sensation in his palm becoming increasingly distinct.

The Mirror-Image Giant-Antlered Deer, in pain, quickly broke free from its stiff state, abruptly turning its massive body and locking its cold gaze onto Lu Heng once more.

Lu Heng lowered his center of gravity, his feet firmly planted in the snow, and moved about calmly and unhurriedly.

The wound in its abdomen made the Giant-Horned Deer move sluggishly, and its overwhelming rage made it adjust its angle and charge again and again. However, its bulky body left obvious gaps with each turn and charge.

Lu Heng kept a close eye on the giant beast's shifting center of gravity, seizing every fleeting opening as he slowly approached.

The Hunting Blade hovered at his side, his breathing was steady, he didn't rely on brute force, but patiently sought the right moment to strike.

The wind and snow howled, and the tug-of-war between man and beast had only just begun.