Recaps

After recovering from his battle with the Swamp Giant Python, Lu Heng opened the Bronze Treasure Chest and assessed its valuable contents. He left the chapter with new tools for improving the Shelter and a dangerous pill reserved for desperate situations.

• Lu Heng treated his injuries with medicinal wine, checked the public chat, and saw a survivor anxiously searching for his missing child as others made jokes.
• Lu Heng slept while the Bronze Flesh Core helped repair his injuries, then woke with improved Strength, Constitution, and Agility but lingering damage in his legs.
• Lu Heng opened the Bronze Treasure Chest and found a Bronze-tier Sunlight Pearl that could nourish crops and suppress spirits and demonic creatures.
• Lu Heng found a building module that upgraded fences alongside the house, a set of components for making bear traps, and a module that could develop mental power by storing books.
• Lu Heng discovered a Bronze-tier Blood Beast Pill that could briefly enhance his power at the cost of potentially draining thirty percent of his blood, and stored it as a last resort.

Lu Heng found he lacked the materials to build a fence, but used the Study Construction Module to create a study that preserved the guides stored in his Wristband as physical books. After preparing Swamp Giant Python meat to recover from his injuries, he focused on healing before gathering materials and strengthening his Shelter.

• Lu Heng checked the Fence Construction Module and postponed building because he lacked enough materials and his legs had not healed.
• Lu Heng used the Study Construction Module to create a furnished study inside his Shelter without needing extra materials.
• Lu Heng discovered that the study had converted three guides stored in his Wristband into physical books.
• Lu Heng felt severe hunger from his injuries and the energy spent recovering, so he took Swamp Giant Python meat from his Storage Space.
• Lu Heng cooked the python meat to replenish his strength and help heal his damaged body.

After recovering from his fight with the Swamp Giant Python, Lu Heng headed to the Forest Rock Tiger’s valley to gather materials for his Shelter defenses. There he encountered a black iron-tier Dark-Spotted Leopard, and the two faced off with Lu Heng aiming his crossbow at it.

• Lu Heng rested for a day, treating his lingering leg injuries and replenishing his strength.
• Lu Heng discovered that his Bronze Hunting Blade had been bent in his fight with the giant beast.
• Lu Heng set out for the Forest Rock Tiger’s valley to collect iron ore and stone for his Shelter’s perimeter fence.
• Lu Heng heard a large creature moving near the valley and hid behind a tree to watch.
• Lu Heng scanned the creature and identified it as a black iron-tier Dark-Spotted Leopard.
• Lu Heng drew his Giant-Feather Crossbow and aimed at the leopard as it spotted him and began testing for an opening.

Lu Heng faced a Dark-Spotted Leopard while still weakened by his injuries, and he killed it with a single powerful slash when it lunged at him. The leopard lay dead in the woods as Lu Heng assessed his strike.

• Lu Heng held a crossbow trained on the circling Dark-Spotted Leopard while his leg injuries limited his movement.
• Lu Heng drew his Bronze Hunting Blade while keeping the crossbow ready, and the leopard spotted his brief shift in balance.
• The Dark-Spotted Leopard charged and leaped at Lu Heng, entering the crossbow’s blind spot.
• Lu Heng abandoned the crossbow and met the leopard’s pounce with a forceful downward slash.
• The blade cut deeply through the leopard’s torso, killing it, and Lu Heng checked the wound with satisfaction.

Lu Heng recognized that his habit of avoiding fights was holding him back, then explored deeper into the valley as the Geothermal Talisman absorbed energy and fully charged. He found and killed the orphaned Dark-Spotted Leopard cub, then continued toward the valley's deeper reaches.

• Lu Heng reflected on his instinct to retreat from wild beasts and resolved to face threats directly when he had the strength.
• Lu Heng delivered a finishing strike to the Dark-Spotted Leopard, stored its body, and continued into the valley.
• Lu Heng discovered that the valley's warmer middle section rapidly charged the Geothermal Talisman until its energy reserves were full.
• Lu Heng found a newborn Dark-Spotted Leopard cub in the Forest Rock Tiger's abandoned den and realized its mother had attacked to protect it.
• Lu Heng decided the cub could not survive without its mother and killed it, leaving its body behind.
• Lu Heng emerged from the den with the Geothermal Talisman fully charged and looked toward the valley's deeper reaches.

Lu Heng mined frost-patterned iron ore in a sheltered valley to obtain durable material for upgrading the fence around the Shelter. He collected Tea Grass along the way and continued working carefully around his healing leg, ending with a small pile of high-quality ore.

• Lu Heng found that the valley’s geothermal warmth and abnormal underground magnetic field had preserved its plants, then decided to mine frost-patterned iron ore instead of ordinary iron ore.
• Lu Heng discovered he had no pickaxe and used his Iron Axe to strike and pry ore from the rock face, taking breaks to protect his injured leg.
• Lu Heng scanned clumps of Tea Grass, learned its leaves could be brewed to relieve chills and dryness, and collected a handful in his Wristband's Storage Slot.
• Lu Heng continued mining at a controlled pace and gathered a small amount of frost-patterned iron ore for upgrading the Shelter’s fence.

Lu Heng discovered that heating Frost-Patterned Iron Ore and dousing it with cold water cracked it without damaging its quality, letting him mine far more efficiently. By afternoon, he had gathered enough ore to build a high-quality perimeter fence for the Shelter and decided to stop mining and prepare to return home.

• Lu Heng paused his slow, exhausting work and recalled using fire and cold water to split hard rock.
• Lu Heng gathered dry branches, heated a small section of the ore wall, and poured spring water over it.
• The sudden temperature change cracked the Frost-Patterned Iron Ore without damaging it, so Lu Heng began mining by repeating the process.
• Lu Heng pried ore from the cracks with much less effort and gathered enough for the Shelter's perimeter fence.
• Lu Heng checked his ore stockpile, spared his injured legs further work, and prepared to rest before heading home.

Lu Heng returned to the Stone Cave Shelter and built an iron-reinforced wall with a lightning-struck wood gate, then added traps and tended his crops. He finished by staking up the unruly tomato plants and saving leftover wood and cloth for future use.

• Lu Heng paused to watch fireflies in the forest before continuing back to the Stone Cave Shelter.
• Lu Heng used Frost-Patterned Iron Ore and Half-Section Lightning-Struck Wood to construct an enclosed wall and sturdy main gate around the Shelter.
• Lu Heng crafted animal traps, placed one in front of the gate as a warning, and saved the others for later use along forest trails.
• Lu Heng found the tomato seedlings sprawled across the growing room’s soil and cut straight wooden stakes and strips of old clothes to support them.
• Lu Heng secured the tomato vines to the stakes, leaving them upright, and stored the leftover wood and cloth scraps for future use.

Lu Heng learned that global trading had opened for three days and studied the different regions’ resources and survival problems. He recognized an opportunity to trade his region’s goods for scarce supplies and prepared to begin.

• Lu Heng woke to the Wristband’s announcement that survivors in all regions could trade freely for three days.
• Lu Heng opened the World Channel and used its regional filters to read trade offers and requests.
• Lu Heng found that the Desert Region had abundant ore but little water or fertile soil, while the Rainforest Region had plentiful food but severe hazards and floods.
• Lu Heng learned that the High Mountain Region offered valuable medicinal herbs amid deadly terrain, while the Island Region had abundant seafood but little fresh water.
• Lu Heng compared the regions’ needs with his own and decided to trade his region’s goods for resources he would need later.

Lu Heng traded surplus beast materials with a desert survivor for black iron agate stones, then exchanged meat and an Energy Core for a forearm shield. After discovering that supply donations were available, he donated half his excess meat, leaving his equipment and reserves in better shape.

• Lu Heng negotiated with a desert trader and exchanged fifteen hides and fifteen portions of beast bones for ninety black iron agate stones.
• Lu Heng traded five jin of raw meat and one ordinary Energy Core for a black iron tier forearm shield suited to his fighting style.
• Lu Heng checked the donation interface and confirmed that eligible reserve supplies could be donated voluntarily.
• Lu Heng donated half the raw meat stored in his ice cellar, reducing his surplus.

Lu Heng donated half of his meat stock, keeping the valuable high-tier cuts for his own growth. He traded an unused Hand Crossbow and bolts for a Moonlight Pearl, whose pairing with his Sunlight Pearl strengthened his Shelter’s plant growth and defenses.

• Lu Heng decided to donate half his meat stock and selected ordinary meat along with the lowest-quality black iron meat, preserving his higher-tier reserves.
• Lu Heng confirmed the donation through his Wristband, and the system removed the selected supplies from his cellar.
• Lu Heng found an Island Region survivor offering a Moonlight Pearl in exchange for a ranged weapon.
• Lu Heng traded his Hand Crossbow and five bolts for the Moonlight Pearl, and the survivor also gave him dried seafood.
• Lu Heng installed the Moonlight Pearl beside the Sunlight Pearl, triggering a set bonus that doubled natural-light coverage and suppression effects while greatly accelerating plant growth.

Lu Heng reviewed the mountain, rainforest, and island regions’ survival conditions and decided to wait until the end of the trading period to buy supplies. He then assessed his Shelter’s outdated defenses and realized he needed to acquire more building materials before upgrading it.

• Lu Heng found that mountain survivors struggled with dangerous foraging and had few supplies to trade, while rainforest survivors faced predators, disease, and floods despite abundant resources.
• Lu Heng saw that island survivors had plentiful seafood but lacked land plants, leaving them with chronic health problems from their limited diet.
• Lu Heng compared the regions’ hardships with the more controllable dangers of his snowy mountain forest and decided not to trade while prices were high, planning to buy near the final day instead.
• Lu Heng concluded that his Shelter needed a comprehensive defensive upgrade because its structure had not kept pace with his improved strength and supplies.
• Lu Heng counted his stored materials, found he lacked the 250 units of building materials required, and planned to gather or trade for the remainder before beginning the upgrade.

Lu Heng prepared and ate the seafood he had received through cross-region trade, adding hot pot base after finding it bland. He then set aside his plans and spent the night practicing his breathing method and saber skills.

• Lu Heng divided the seafood in two, storing half in the refrigerated cellar and soaking the rest in salted water to purge the sand.
• While the seafood soaked, Lu Heng applied Tiger Bone Wine to the bruises on his legs.
• Lu Heng rinsed the seafood and boiled it, then added hot pot base after finding the plain crabmeat too bland.
• Lu Heng ate the seafood, cleaned the stove and pot, and returned to the cave’s main chamber.
• Lu Heng practiced his breathing method and repeated basic saber strikes until night deepened.

Lu Heng explored upstream and found a herd of Black Iron Tier Horned Sheep facing a pack of Red Cliff Jackals. As the battle turned unexpectedly in the sheep’s favor, he stayed hidden, unsettled by their abnormal aggression.

• Lu Heng left the Shelter to gather supplies and followed the river upstream through dense forest.
• He spotted a meadow where every sheep in a herd was a Black Iron Tier Horned Sheep and prepared to hunt them.
• A pack of Red Cliff Jackals emerged and encircled the herd, with only their leader at Black Iron Tier.
• The Horned Sheep formed a defensive ring instead of fleeing and fought the attacking jackals.
• Lu Heng watched from cover as the jackals began to retreat and the sheep advanced, leaving him alarmed and unable to explain their behavior.

Lu Heng watched a flock of sharp-horned sheep slaughter a jackal pack and then eat the carcasses, confirming that the sheep had become organized, meat-eating threats. He killed their leader with a crossbow bolt, but the flock held formation and searched for him, leaving him to prepare for a harder fight.

• The sharp-horned sheep methodically killed the jackal pack and began feeding on the corpses.
• Lu Heng decided the transformed flock was too dangerous to leave alive and aimed his Giant-Feather Crossbow at its leader.
• Lu Heng shot the lead sharp-horned sheep through the skull, killing it instantly.
• The remaining sheep tightened their formation and searched the woods instead of fleeing.
• Lu Heng reloaded his crossbow and prepared to attack the flock, recognizing that killing its leader had not routed it.

Lu Heng was overwhelmed by a coordinated herd of aberrant Horned Sheep until he activated the Geothermal Talisman and killed them with its extreme heat. Their new beast entry revealed a thin Tu Lou bloodline, leaving him to realize the snowy mountain forest held dangers and secrets he had never understood.

• The Horned Sheep charged Lu Heng together, forcing him to abandon his crossbow and defend himself at close range.
• The herd exploited Lu Heng's injured leg, surrounding him and steadily wearing down his defenses.
• Lu Heng activated the Geothermal Talisman, whose heat engulfed and killed the attacking sheep without setting the forest on fire.
• Lu Heng examined the cooked carcasses and found their meat intact beneath the charred outer skin.
• Lu Heng's survival Wristband identified the Horned Sheep as Black Iron Tier beasts with a thin Tu Lou bloodline.

Lu Heng tracked the Horned Sheep from the battlefield to a rocky slope where they regularly gathered to lick natural salt. His search uncovered Rock Fennel and Salt Onion as well as salt crystals, and he left with all three resources stored safely.

• Lu Heng collected the Horned Sheep and jackal carcasses after the battle, then followed the sheep’s tracks to learn where the flock ranged.
• Lu Heng traced the hoofprints to a rocky slope marked by frequent sheep activity and identified salt crystals in the cliff face with his Wristband.
• Lu Heng climbed carefully and appraised Rock Fennel growing near the salt-bearing cracks, then harvested the plants within safe reach and chipped off some salt.
• Lu Heng spotted Salt Onion at the foot of the cliff, appraised its seasoning and medicinal uses, and harvested the entire patch.

Lu Heng explored the rocky slope, found a Cliffside Tea Tree, and carefully transplanted it into his Storage Space. He decided to finish scouting the terrace before heading back to the Shelter.

• Lu Heng gathered Rock Scallion and salt crystals, then walked along the cliff to scout for resources and hazards.
• Lu Heng climbed onto a raised terrace and discovered a Cliffside Tea Tree that could make fatigue-relieving tea.
• Lu Heng carefully dug up the tea tree with its roots intact and stored it separately in the Storage Space.
• Lu Heng reviewed his finds, including Rock Fennel and Salt Onion, and decided to explore the rest of the terrace.

Lu Heng found a Black Iron Chest on the cliff’s edge and spotted a beehive lodged halfway down the sheer rock face, but he could not reach it. After a Beehawk raided the hive, the enraged bees mistook Lu Heng for an accomplice and chased him toward the rocky slope.

• Lu Heng carefully retrieved a Black Iron Chest wedged over the precipice.
• Lu Heng noticed a large beehive in a cave halfway down the cliff and threw a stone against the nearby rock.
• The startled bees searched the area, found no threat, and returned to the hive.
• A Beehawk swooped into the cave, tore off part of the hive, and flew away as the bees swarmed in fury.
• The bees followed the lingering trace of a living creature and charged at Lu Heng, who sprinted toward the slope to escape.

Lu Heng fled a pursuing swarm of Black Tiger Poison Bees and plunged into a river to escape them. Still stung and struggling to breathe, he moved underwater with the current while a few bees continued to patrol above.

• Lu Heng used Appraisal to identify the pursuing bees as highly venomous Black Tiger Poison Bees capable of killing him in a swarm.
• Lu Heng fled down the steep slope, drank a Concentrated Stamina Replenishment, and continued toward a river as the bees closed in.
• Several bees stung Lu Heng before he leaped into the river, narrowly avoiding a sharp rock on the riverbed.
• Lu Heng surfaced for air, but the remaining bees attacked again, forcing him to submerge.
• Lu Heng saw that a few dozen bees still patrolled above the river and moved underwater with the current to get away.

After escaping the Black Tiger Poison Bees, Lu Heng recovered beside a tributary and discovered that its riverbed contained rare Large Bluestone useful for upgrading his Shelter. He began searching the shallows for the scarce building material.

• Lu Heng escaped the pursuing Black Tiger Poison Bees by moving underwater downstream and reached the riverbank.
• He checked the surroundings, rested, and endured the lingering pain and numbness from the stings.
• Lu Heng determined that the tributary differed from the river he had followed earlier but belonged to the same river system.
• He searched the unusual rocks in the shallows and used his Wristband to identify a boulder as Black Iron Tier Large Bluestone.
• After finding that Large Bluestone was scattered sparsely among ordinary stones, Lu Heng decided to search along the river and collect it for his Shelter.

Lu Heng gathered thirty-five large bluestones from a river tributary and returned to his Shelter before nightfall, exhausted and with his neck wound still hurting. He ate a rare hot meal and rested, aware that the wilderness would soon threaten his brief comfort again.

• Lu Heng searched the cold riverbed for usable stones and collected thirty-five large bluestones in his Wristband storage.
• As daylight faded, Lu Heng left the river and hurried back along the mountain path to his Shelter.
• Lu Heng sealed the cave entrance and collapsed inside, worn out from the day's search, escape from the swarm, and stone gathering.
• Lu Heng heated and ate his remaining instant potato and beef rice, finding comfort in the warm meal despite thoughts of the swarm and the dangers ahead.

After recovering from the day’s exertions, Lu Heng sorted his hunting spoils, secured useful items from a chest, and discovered that the Purifying Water Lotus had advanced to Black Iron Tier. He planted chili seeds and began practicing a painful body-training art to prepare for survival in the wilderness.

• Lu Heng treated his bee stings, dismantled the Horned Sheep and Red Cliff Jackal carcasses, and stored their usable materials and Energy Cores.
• Lu Heng opened a Black Iron Chest, discarded its strongly scented toiletries, kept the Muscle and Bone Relaxation Art and storage chest, and saved the quick-maturing chili seeds.
• Lu Heng found that the Purifying Water Lotus had advanced to Black Iron Tier and gained the ability to suppress supernatural auras within the Shelter.
• Lu Heng planted the chili seeds and checked on his earlier crops, which were growing well and nearing ripeness.
• Lu Heng practiced the Muscle and Bone Relaxation Art, enduring the painful stretches in the cave.

Lu Heng searched a deeper tributary for bluestone but was ambushed by a Water Monkey whose strength in the water nearly overwhelmed him. After wounding it and watching it escape, he abandoned the dangerous river and decided to gather stones in the safer upstream shallows.

• Lu Heng traveled downstream to a deeper tributary, where he gathered bluestone more than twice as quickly as upstream.
• A Black Iron Tier Water Monkey ambushed Lu Heng and knocked him off balance with its unexpected strength.
• Lu Heng blocked the Water Monkey’s bite with his bracer and wounded it with the Bronze Hunting Blade.
• The Water Monkey escaped into deeper water before Lu Heng could aim and fire his Giant-Feather Crossbow.
• Lu Heng left the tributary and decided to return to the safer upstream shallows to gather stones.

Lu Heng encountered a group of Water Monkeys while gathering bluestone and fought them from cover with his Giant-Feather Crossbow. After watching the creatures devour their dead, he recognized the river’s danger and abandoned his plan to gather more stone there.

• Lu Heng found only five suitable pieces of bluestone in the upstream shallows before spotting a Water Monkey in the river.
• Lu Heng retreated to the trees and readied his Giant-Feather Crossbow as three or four Water Monkeys surfaced and hurled stones at the bank.
• Lu Heng shot and killed one Water Monkey, but the others submerged and continued bombarding the trees with rocks.
• Lu Heng moved to a safer vantage point and saw the wounded Water Monkey he had encountered earlier join the group in devouring their dead companion.
• Lu Heng watched the Water Monkeys disappear into the river, then decided the stretch was too dangerous and abandoned his stone-gathering plan.