Firewood
The journey back was far more arduous than the journey there.
The dull pain deep in his chest never stopped, like a cold, heavy object pressing down on his internal organs. Lu Heng dared not take big steps, and could only slow down, moving slowly through the snow. With each slightly deeper breath, a sharp, throbbing pain shot through his ribs, pulling at the muscles of his chest and abdomen, making them tight and numb.
Internal injuries are different from external injuries. There is no visible blood, but they torment the body constantly. The surface soreness is bearable, but the sluggishness caused by the shock to the internal organs lingers, spreading from the chest cavity to the waist and abdomen, making even slight movements such as raising a hand or turning around extremely restrained.
As he passed by that dark cliff cave, he subconsciously glanced at it from the side.
The cave entrance was deep and deathly silent. The traces of the fierce battle had been slowly covered by the falling snow, leaving only the dark red stains soaked into the surrounding snow, hidden beneath the pure white layer, exuding a silent danger. Lu Heng's gaze was calm, devoid of any extra emotion, silently memorizing the location in his mind.
He was well aware of the potent effects of Tiger Bone Wine. If he rested peacefully tonight, his body would surely recover significantly. Once his strength returned tomorrow, he would return here to thoroughly investigate this lair and eliminate any potential threats.
After proceeding slowly and patiently, the familiar Stone Cave Shelter finally came into view.
Approaching, he exerted force with both hands, pushing the heavy stone door shut tightly, locking it with a click. This shut out the howling wind and the pervasive stench of blood, and also cut off any unknown dangers lurking in the forest.
With the dangers from the outside world completely kept out, the nerves that had been tense for half a day suddenly relaxed.
In that instant, the pain and exhaustion that he had forcibly suppressed with his willpower surged back. Lu Heng leaned against the cold stone door, lowered his head slightly, and took a few deep breaths. His muscles were sore and weak, and the tightness and pain in his chest came in waves, making his whole body stiff.
After a moment, he straightened up and slowly walked to the stone table, taking off his coat, which was covered with snow and faint bloodstains.
Beneath his undergarments, a large, dark purple bruise on the side of his chest was particularly striking. The skin and flesh were slightly raised, stiff and cold to the touch—the injury left by the blunt force of the adult Blizzard Monster's giant paw. The bruised blood was trapped deep within his muscles, and each flow of blood brought a dull, throbbing pain.
Lu Heng reached out and took out a mineral water bottle filled with Tiger Bone Wine from his Storage Wristband.
As he opened the bottle, the strong, mellow aroma of the liquor instantly filled the air, mixed with a faint scent of tiger bone, overpowering the lingering blood and chill on his body. He poured out a small amount of amber-colored liquor from his palm, the cool liquid touching his skin, and then he raised his hand to evenly spread it over the bruised area.
Apply pressure with your fingertips and gently massage in circular motions.
At first, the icy cold seeped into my skin and flesh, but after a short while, the strong liquor penetrated my muscles, and a burning warmth slowly seeped from the surface to the depths. The scalding sensation pushed away the stagnant blood and qi, and the numbness, swelling and stiffness were gradually dispelled. The originally sluggish and tense chest finally felt a sense of relief.
After applying and massaging the medicine externally, he tilted his head back and took two small sips of Tiger Bone Wine.
The spicy liquor slid down my throat and into my stomach, instantly transforming into a warm, soothing sensation that flowed gently through my meridians, calming my trembling internal organs. The churning discomfort within me was forcibly suppressed, and most of my fatigue dissipated.
Lu Heng knew that the restorative effects of this medicinal wine were always reliable and powerful. With a good rest tonight, he would definitely be able to recover most of his mobility by tomorrow.
After tidying up the medicinal wine, his gaze fell on a pot of tiger meat hot pot sitting quietly by the stove.
The heat had long since dissipated, and the meat chunks were coated with a light sheen of oil. The meat was firm and plump, making it an extremely rare and highly nutritious meat in the apocalypse.
He hesitated briefly.
Logically, with internal injuries to the chest and abdomen still unhealed and the body's organs weak, it's not advisable to consume overly greasy or meaty foods, as this could easily aggravate the body's burden and hinder recovery. However, upon further reflection, in the desolate snowfield, where medicine is scarce and nutrients are lacking, the energy and nourishing value of this pot of tiger meat far surpasses that of ordinary wild animals.
The hesitation lasted no more than two seconds; a pragmatic mindset overcame all concerns.
Compared to empty health taboos, replenishing physical strength, strengthening the body, and quickly restoring combat power are fundamental to survival. Wasting this precious ingredient carries a far greater risk than temporarily abstaining from it.
Lu Heng no longer hesitated, picked up the pot, heated it up simply, and calmly began to eat. The aroma of oil filled his mouth, and the rich nutrients were absorbed through his stomach and intestines, slowly nourishing his overdrawn body.
He did not lie down immediately after finishing his meal.
Fearing that sitting still for too long would worsen the congestion in my chest, I slowly paced around inside the cave, gently moving my waist and chest to help with digestion and regulate my breathing. After about ten minutes, the tightness in my chest and abdomen eased considerably, and I felt a little more relaxed.
He then fetched clean water and carefully wiped the stains off his hands and face, cleaning away the remaining snow and bloodstains from his clothes. After tidying up, he took the Tiger Bone Wine again and gently applied a layer to the bruised and swollen area. The cool medicinal sensation covered him, suppressing the lingering pain and completely soothing his body.
After tidying everything up, Lu Heng lay down on the dry and warm bed.
The constant temperature of the cave's Geothermal dispelled the chill, allowing his tense body to completely relax. He raised his hand to turn on the Wristband's screen, opened the global survival public channel, intending to browse it casually for a while to unwind.
There are no earth-shattering events in the channel; it's mostly filled with the daily chatter and resource trading of survivors, creating a peaceful and realistic atmosphere.
Countless messages scrolled and refreshed rapidly, most of them about exchanging supplies: some people were exchanging herbs for ironware, some were exchanging animal hides for cooked food, and others were asking for help with warm cloth and simple tools. Scrolling through the messages, Lu Heng keenly grasped the common problem faced by all the survivors.
Snow continued to fall in the Frost Forest, covering the entire forest area with Withered Branch and tree trunks, leaving them frozen and soaked.
Damp wood is virtually impossible to ignite, and even if it manages to catch fire, it produces thick smoke and a weak flame, burning extremely quickly, making heating and cooking a major challenge. Overnight, dry, durable hardwood became the scarcest resource for survival in the snowy plains, even more sought after than ordinary animal hides and coarse grains.
Upon seeing this, Lu Heng's heart sank slightly, and he immediately accessed the Storage Space on his Wristband.
On the screen, neatly stacked were the dried wood blocks he had stockpiled and carefully dried in advance. He quickly counted and calculated them, accurately estimating their consumption rate based on daily heating and cooking needs.
The final result kept him on his toes.
After deducting necessary daily consumption, this stockpile of firewood can only last for a maximum of three days.
A mere three-day buffer period.
Lu Heng looked out of the stone cave window. The sky was covered with white snow, and the forest stretched as far as the eye could see. The cold wind kept swirling the snow, sealing off the entire mountain forest. In such extreme weather, going out to find and dry firewood was as difficult as climbing to heaven and extremely risky.
A sense of helplessness quietly welled up inside me, but it was quickly suppressed by an overwhelming will to survive.
It is always the environment that forces people into desperate situations, but desperate situations never allow people to slack off.
From the moment you step into this trial forest, you are constantly faced with dangers: battles, injuries, resource scarcity, natural disasters, and strange creatures. To survive, you must tread carefully, taking each step with risk; there is no room for luck.
The lingering pain in his chest served as a constant reminder of yesterday's brutal battle and the perilous close encounter.
His injuries had not yet healed, his resources were running low, and the road ahead was still fraught with unknown dangers.
He slowly turned off the public channel that was flooding his screen, clearing his mind of all distractions.
The most important thing right now is to rest and recuperate. Only by resting and recovering can we successfully explore the Blizzard Monster's lair tomorrow, eliminate potential threats in the surrounding area, and then have the energy to solve the survival problem of firewood shortage.
The cave was warm and peaceful, isolating it from the harsh cold and danger of the snowfield.
Lu Heng adjusted his sleeping position, trying to relax his chest and abdomen, avoiding the bruised and swollen areas, and slowly closed his eyes.
The brief period of peace is hard-won. In this deadly, Frost Snowfield, taking a good rest is also for the sake of living better in the future.