A bountiful harvest
Dusk fell low, and leaden clouds hung heavily over the wasteland.
A new round of snow fell silently for most of the day, the fine snowflakes evenly covering the entire frozen ground. The footprints left by Lu Heng during the day, the traces of his sliding on the snow slope, and all the exposed tracks of his journey were completely filled in by the new snow. Looking around, the snowfield was flat and empty, without a trace of human activity.
Without prior planning and leaving traces, it's extremely easy to get completely lost in this dark, moonless, and starless wasteland.
Lu Heng lowered his eyes and scanned the trees along the way, his gaze settling on the shallow, fine blade-carved marks deep in the tree trunks.
These deep, intricate carvings were left by his own hands when he arrived, undeterred by wind and snow, and unburied by snow. Relying on these hidden and reliable trail markers, he walked steadily and slowly through the woods, gradually closing the distance to the Stone Cave Shelter.
A biting wind whistled through the bare branches, making a soft, mournful sound, but it couldn't disrupt his steady pace. Reaching the edge of the woods, the familiar outline of the rock wall finally came into view. The heavy stone slab sealing the cave entrance stood firmly, the only safe haven in this desolate place.
Lu Heng raised his hand to brace against the rough stone surface, slowly exerting force to push open a gap large enough for someone to pass through sideways. The moment he stepped into the cave, he pushed the stone slab back, sealing the entrance tightly.
The howling wind and biting cold were completely shut out, all the noise faded away, and the inside of the stone cave instantly fell into a deathly silence.
He stood at the cave entrance, raising his hand and vigorously shaking his clothes from top to bottom.
The snow crumbs stuck in the creases of his coat and the seams of his trousers fell away, landing on the frozen ground outside the door. After shaking himself several times to make sure that no more snowflakes were on him and wouldn't melt and wet the ground inside the cave, Lu Heng finally stepped into the depths of the cave.
He picked up some dry Withered Branch piled up nearby, placed them on the embers of the remaining charcoal fire inside the cave, and bent down to gently blow on them to ignite the embers.
A few scattered sparks slowly licked the firewood, and after a few soft crackling sounds, orange flames slowly rose. Warm light spread along the rock wall, gradually dispelling the cold and damp air that had accumulated in the cave all day. The biting chill slowly subsided, and a warm feeling enveloped the limbs. The fatigue accumulated from days of fighting and exploration finally surged up.
Lu Heng slowly sat down against the cool rock wall, closed his eyes, and quietly regulated his breathing.
For days, he had been traversing the Frost Forest, surveying the terrain, battling ferocious beasts, and searching for resources. His nerves had been constantly on edge, never having a moment to relax completely. Now, in this secluded and safe Shelter, listening to the steady, soothing sound of the firewood burning, his shoulders, back, and mind, which had been tense for so many days, finally began to relax.
After his emotions had completely calmed down, Lu Heng opened his eyes and lightly touched the storage interface of the Wristband with his fingertips.
The first thing taken out was the Black Iron Chest that had been kept for a long time and had been obtained from the old lair of the Forest Rock Tiger.
The box was made of thick, simple material, with a light layer of weathered spots on the surface. It had no fancy patterns and was the most common reward type in the Wasteland Secret Realm. Lu Heng placed the treasure box steadily on the flat stone platform next to the campfire, held the clasp with his fingertip, and pressed it gently.
With a crisp click, the lock on the box popped open.
There was no blinding light screen, no exaggerated phenomena, only a line of pale white system text quietly appearing.
[Tiger Breathing Technique]
No rank, no restrictions on training.
It is an improved and optimized version of the Basic Breath Cultivation Method, suitable for all body types. Long-term regular breathing can steadily strengthen the foundation of the body, improve basic strength, instantaneous explosive power and whole-body endurance, and comprehensively enhance the body's overall physical fitness.
Lu Heng's gaze fell on the entry, a barely perceptible hint of hesitation flashing across his eyes.
The basic Breathing Technique had little effect and was practically useless to him now that he had experienced countless battles and his physical body had been greatly strengthened. This improved breathing technique had no barriers or restrictions, and required no specific aptitude or level. As long as he practiced it consistently day after day, he could genuinely improve his physical fitness and combat power. In the gaps between battles where he could not engage in frequent combat training, this was the most reliable way to hone his physical body and steadily become stronger.
With a slight thought, he silently memorized the contents of the Dharma.
After emptying the first layer of items from the chest, Lu Heng reached in again and took out the second item.
[Basic Planting Area Building Module]
Ungraded basic expansion components.
After placement, it can generate an independent and enclosed planting space within the Shelter, automatically isolating it from the extremely cold and harsh external environment, providing basic survival and cultivation conditions for various herbs and wild plants.
Seeing the module description, Lu Heng felt a sense of reassurance.
Previously, the various herbs and rare foods he collected could only be simply piled up for storage, either consumed directly or slowly dried up and became ineffective, with no way to preserve or cultivate them. With this planting module, he can now preserve and cultivate herbs in a cyclical manner, without having to risk venturing into the wilderness to search for medicinal resources each time. In the long run, this completely solves his worries about herb reserves.
He carefully put the modules away and continued reaching for the items.
[Black Iron Tier Cold-Weather and Anti-Slip Combat Boots]
Made entirely of thickened tanned animal hide, with dense stitching and tough leather. The sole has a deep, non-slip tread pattern, is inherently cold-resistant and insulating, wear-resistant and scratch-resistant, suitable for complex terrains such as snowfields, ice surfaces, and rocky mountains, effectively insulating frozen ground and protecting feet from frostbite, bumps and scratches.
His gaze swept over the worn-out boots on his feet, the soles of which were already stiff and slippery, and Lu Heng nodded to himself.
The old boots could no longer keep up with the demands of high-intensity exploration, and their anti-slip and cold-weather performance had deteriorated significantly. These combat boots perfectly fill the gaps, greatly improving mobility and safety when traversing wilderness and forests.
The fourth item was then taken out, and the description slowly refreshed.
[Black Iron Tier Wound Healing Ointment x3]
This is a special topical ointment for wilderness areas, with mild yet potent properties. It can quickly heal superficial cuts, abrasions, and frostbite, stop bleeding, close wounds, and inhibit inflammation and cracking. It is an essential emergency supply for extreme wilderness situations.
In the struggle for survival, bumps and injuries are inevitable. The extreme cold of the wilderness makes even small wounds more likely to fester and ulcerate. Two boxes of wound-healing ointment are the most reliable life-saving supplies, enough to deal with any unexpected injuries during subsequent exploration and trials.
The last piece of supplies came into view.
[Black Iron Tier Concentrated Stamina Replenishment x3]
This highly concentrated nutritional supplement liquid can quickly relieve limb weakness and physical exhaustion after drinking, counteract the extra physical loss caused by extremely cold environments, and maintain peak physical condition for a long time.
With the seventh day of the ultimate extreme cold trial drawing ever closer, the extreme low temperatures will relentlessly drain his physical strength. These three bottles of energy replenishment are his key trump card for coping with extreme consumption and surviving the brutal trial.
All five items were taken out, leaving the Black Iron Chest completely empty.
Lu Heng sorted and organized all the supplies, his mind completely calming down. After a brief pause, he reached out and took out the second treasure chest—a unique treasure chest that spawned in the deepest part of the Geothermal Creek Valley, with a special terrain. Its quality and appearance far surpassed the Black Iron Chest, and its weight was completely different.
He placed the treasure chest flat on the stone platform and gently tapped the clasp.
The first Bronze Tier item slowly appeared.
[Bronze Tier Geothermal Energy Heating Module]
Advanced Shelter building module. It can autonomously extract shallow Geothermal energy from underground layers, continuously releasing constant warmth and intelligently regulating the internal temperature of the Shelter. It can be connected to the Basic Planting Zone to maintain a constant suitable temperature for plant growth and completely isolate the effects of extreme cold from the outside world.
A noticeable glimmer of light finally appeared in Lu Heng's eyes.
The Basic Planting Zone can only insulate against the cold wind, but cannot withstand the low temperature. With the support of Geothermal Heating Module, the planting area can be truly formed, and even if there is a blizzard blocking the mountain outside and the temperature drops sharply, the plants inside the cave can still grow steadily.
Immediately afterwards, the second item of supplies appeared.
[Bronze Tier Special Operations Protective Suit]
Lightweight, close-fitting combat uniform. The outer layer is windproof and heat-locking, protecting against frostbite from extreme cold and scratches from rocks and branches; the tough and sturdy fabric can withstand minor scratches and bites from small wild animals, and it fits snugly without being bulky, completely not hindering combat, climbing, or exploration movements.
This protective suit is lightweight and versatile, providing both cold protection and basic defense. It is suitable for all operational scenarios in the wasteland and is far more practical than the worn-out ordinary clothes you wear.
The last item was slowly unlocked, and its description was clearly revealed.
[Bronze Tier Ecological Water Storage and Circulation Module]
Special interconnected building modules. After installation, they generate a closed, constant-temperature purified water storage tank, which can store daily-use fresh water, raise edible fish, and cultivate aquatic plants. Fish excrement and aquatic plant decay are decomposed by the system into natural organic fertilizer, which is automatically transported to the planting area through pipes, forming a complete ecological closed loop of fish farming, water purification, fertilization, and planting.
Upon seeing the last feature, Lu Heng's heart skipped a beat.
This is a truly sustainable system.
The water tank can store fresh water, raise aquatic products, cultivate aquatic plants, and supplement the meat source. Fish excrement is decomposed and directly supplied to the land. The three advanced modules of water storage, aquaculture, waste utilization, and automatic fertilization are linked together. Combined with the Basic Planting Zone, the simple stone cave is transformed into a perfect Shelter that is self-sufficient, temperature-controlled, safe, and ecologically sustainable.
The flickering firelight illuminated the neatly stacked new supplies inside the cave.