Chapter Summaries

After returning to the Shelter, Lu Heng opened his chests and found a Geothermal Talisman in the special hot spring chest. Soulbinding it drove the Snow-Hiding Worm Variants from his body, removed his parasitism, and revealed that he could use its geothermal power and reproduce simplified talismans.

• Lu Heng returned to the Shelter with lingering chest injuries and dried the snow-soaked branches beside the fire.
• Lu Heng opened a Black Iron Chest and received food, fast-growing tomato seeds, a wooden bucket blueprint, and gardening tools, but put the planting supplies away because the ground was frozen.
• Lu Heng opened the special environment chest and discovered a Geothermal Talisman, a rare wondrous item formed beneath a geothermal hot spring.
• Lu Heng soulbound the Geothermal Talisman, whose geothermal energy forced the Snow-Hiding Worm Variants out of his body and burned them away.
• Lu Heng learned that the talisman could unleash geothermal attacks and that he could reproduce simplified Geothermal Runes to make inferior talismans for warmth and trade.

Lu Heng recovered fully and reached Black Iron Tier after the geothermal talisman eradicated the parasites. When the blizzard ended, he recognized that the melting snow would turn the Frost Forest into a dangerous mire, leaving survivors facing a new hardship.

• Lu Heng checked his status and confirmed his constitution had reached Black Iron Tier.
• He realized the parasites and cold-related discomfort had been eliminated, then slept through the night.
• Lu Heng woke refreshed, put on his equipment, and stepped outside to find the blizzard had stopped and the sky had cleared.
• He surveyed the snow-covered forest and anticipated that melting snow would create mud and swamps that would make travel and gathering difficult.

Lu Heng entered Central Ring Layer One to explore the Frost Forest before melting snow made travel difficult, but a herd of Black Iron Tier Tusked Boars quickly surrounded him. He escaped their coordinated attack and pursuit, then continued facing the unknown dangers deeper in the forest.

• Lu Heng packed his supplies, secured the Stone Cave Shelter, and set out for Central Ring Layer One before the snow melted.
• He found dense tracks and scanned a herd of mutated Tusked Boars, identifying them as Black Iron Tier beasts.
• The Tusked Boars surrounded Lu Heng and coordinated an attack, but he dodged their charge and slipped through their blockade.
• Four Tusked Boars pursued Lu Heng, who ran between the trees and eventually shook them off.
• Lu Heng caught his breath behind an ancient tree and looked toward the denser, more dangerous woods ahead.

Lu Heng explored Central Ring Layer One, found basic supplies, and recovered his stamina before encountering a battle between Giant-Horned Deer and Mutant Tusked Boars. The two herds launched into a brutal fight, leaving Lu Heng observing from the woods.

• Lu Heng found a chest containing hard bread, clean water, note paper, and stationery, then stored the supplies in his Wristband.
• Lu Heng rested behind a tree, ate bread and drank water, recovered his stamina, and continued deeper into the forest.
• Lu Heng spotted a herd of Giant-Horned Deer and noticed that several different-looking deer appeared to lead it.
• Lu Heng found Mutant Tusked Boars eating a badly wounded Giant-Horned Deer while the rest of its herd gathered nearby.
• The unusual Giant-Horned Deer charged the boars, and one boar was gored; the two herds then counterattacked and began a fierce battle.

Lu Heng hid in the canopy as the Fang Boars and Giant-Horned Deer fought a seemingly unnatural battle to the death. Predators gathered around the clearing and waited for the fighting to end, while Lu Heng remained concealed above them.

• Lu Heng watched the Fang Boars and Giant-Horned Deer fight with deadly fury, including mutant red-eyed deer that ate the fallen boars.
• Lu Heng decided he could not escape safely, rubbed snow over himself to mask his scent and body heat, and climbed higher into the canopy.
• A Black-Eyed Bear and two Dark-Spotted Leopards arrived and took positions around the clearing.
• Wild dogs gathered at the forest’s edge, and a Grayfang Wolf Pack led by a Grayfang Wolf Leader emerged and occupied another approach.
• Lu Heng observed the predators surrounding the battlefield and waiting to claim the carcasses after the fighting ended.

Lu Heng watched the exhausted Fang Boars and Red-Eyed Giant-Horned Deer keep fighting while predators waited around them. After the pack leaders killed subordinates that stole choice meat, the injured rivals noticed they were encircled, and the hunt was about to begin.

• Lu Heng watched as the wounded Fang Boars and Red-Eyed Giant-Horned Deer continued their weakened battle, while some leaders secretly fed on corpses at the edges.
• Several Wild Dogs and Grayfang Wolves left their groups to eat the choicest flesh from the carcasses.
• The Wild Dog Pack leader and the Black Iron Tier Grayfang Wolf leader attacked and killed the subordinates that had taken the food.
• The cries stopped the fighting, and the boars and deer saw that the Black Copper Bear, two Dark-Spotted Leopards, Gray-Fang Wolf Pack, and Wild Dog Pack had surrounded them.
• Lu Heng watched the trapped leaders react with panic and fury as the predators prepared to hunt.

After watching the predators slaughter the mutant giant antlered deer and Fang Boars, Lu Heng entered the clearing and marked his territory before Frost Forest’s apex beasts. They tacitly accepted his strength and his claim to the area around the Double-Layer Stone Cave Shelter.

• The Gray-Fang Wolf Pack, Wild Dog Pack, Dark-Spotted Leopards, and Black-Eyed Bears killed nearly all the Tusked Wild Boars and mutant giant antlered deer, including an exceptionally large variant.
• Lu Heng decided to confront the gathered predators and establish his presence rather than risk repeated territorial battles later.
• Lu Heng climbed down from an ancient tree and walked into the clearing as the leader-class beasts stopped feeding and watched him warily.
• Lu Heng lifted the dead variant mutant giant antlered deer by its antler, then pointed toward the Double-Layer Stone Cave Shelter to mark his territory.
• The largest Black-Eyed Bear relaxed and resumed feeding, followed by the Grayfang Wolf King and the other predators, tacitly accepting Lu Heng’s presence and claim.

After escaping a standoff with Frost Forest predators, Lu Heng returned safely to the Double-Layer Stone Cave Shelter and dismantled the Mutant Big-Horned Deer. As he cooked and recovered, he decided to explore farther into the forest to find fertile soil for growing vegetables.

• Lu Heng left the beasts' territory, stored the Mutant Big-Horned Deer carcass in his Wristband, and checked that the Blizzard Monster's old den remained undisturbed.
• Lu Heng returned to the Double-Layer Stone Cave Shelter and used his Wristband to dismantle the deer, obtaining its meat, an Energy Core, and a Mutated Deer Heart.
• Lu Heng cooked venison with Round-Leaved Creeping Vine and considered how to improve his long-term survival.
• Lu Heng decided to expand his exploration into deeper, unfamiliar parts of the forest to find fertile soil and establish a vegetable-growing area.

Lu Heng trained and secured his Shelter before learning that surviving relatives would arrive in three days and a supply donation channel would open. At the swollen river, he recognized the dangers of snowmelt and abandoned his plan to gather planting soil to focus on reinforcing the Shelter.

• Lu Heng practiced the Fierce Tiger Breathing Technique and basic blade strikes, then checked his Shelter's door and warning traps before sleeping.
• The Survival Bracelet announced that survivors' immediate family members would arrive near their Shelters in three days and that a supply donation channel would open after the blizzard ended.
• Lu Heng decided he would quietly donate surplus supplies to isolated survivors once the channel became available.
• Lu Heng went to the river to gather soil but found broken ice, rising water, and a swift current caused by snowmelt.
• Lu Heng judged that melting snow threatened the Shelter's foundations and drainage, so he changed course to search for hard stone to reinforce it.

Lu Heng searched the river flats for solid rock to quarry, but an ambushing Coldrock Bear interrupted his work. He chose to fight it at close range, gravely wounded it, and advanced as it tried to flee.

• Lu Heng pried large blocks of hard rock from the riverbed before detecting heavy footsteps nearby.
• A Coldrock Bear emerged from the forest, and Lu Heng put away his Giant-Feather Crossbow to test his close-combat skills.
• Lu Heng dodged the bear’s charges and slashed its body with his Bronze Hunting Blade while his armor protected him from its blows.
• Lu Heng drove his blade beneath the bear’s ribs, severely wounding it and making it retreat.
• Lu Heng advanced across the slippery stone to stop the wounded Coldrock Bear from escaping.

Lu Heng killed a Black-Eyed Bear, gathered stone to reinforce the Shelter, and discovered an unknown seed sealed inside a strangely perfect stone. He placed it in the growing room’s flowing water and went to sleep after eating and training, leaving the seed to hatch.

• Lu Heng killed the bear on the riverbank and stored its carcass in his Wristband.
• While quarrying stone, Lu Heng found a smooth round stone that cracked open to reveal a pristine unknown aquatic seed.
• Lu Heng identified the seed with his Wristband, learned it could grow only in flowing water, and placed it in the Shelter’s recirculating pool.
• Lu Heng returned to the Shelter with a large stockpile of stone and postponed processing the bear because he was exhausted.
• Lu Heng ate mutant venison, practiced the Fierce Tiger Breathing Technique and basic blade moves, then went to sleep.

Lu Heng discovered that the strange seed he had found had sprouted into a Purifying Water Lotus with Gold Tier potential, and learned it needed energy-rich nourishment to grow. After learning that its lost reserves meant it could never regain its original peak, he placed the Coldrock Bear carcass beside its pool for it to feed on.

• Lu Heng woke from several days of exhaustion and hurried to check the seed he had planted in the growing room.
• The seed had sprouted overnight, and the Wristband identified it only as an unknown object.
• The Purifying Water Lotus pierced Lu Heng’s finger, drank his blood, and revealed its species, Gold Tier growth ceiling, and history to him.
• Lu Heng formed a faint blood bond with the lotus and learned it needed fresh beast flesh, blood, or energy crystals to grow.
• The lotus rejected the Coldrock Bear carcass from too far away, so Lu Heng dragged it beside the water trough.
• The lotus revealed that six seeds had scattered from its parent plant and that none could recover the parent’s former peak.

Lu Heng watched the Purifying Water Lotus drain a Coldrock Bear carcass and learned that it could rapidly grow by consuming high-energy nutrients in its early stages. He decided to seek resources to raise it to Bronze Tier while continuing to reinforce his Shelter against the approaching snowmelt.

• The Purifying Water Lotus consumed the Coldrock Bear's flesh and vital essence, leaving only its bones and hide.
• Lu Heng learned that the lotus could rapidly advance through its early stages with enough energy but would grow slowly after reaching Bronze Tier.
• Lu Heng used his survival Wristband to dismantle and store the bear's remaining hide and bones.
• Lu Heng resolved to search for high-energy resources to help the lotus reach Bronze Tier and develop self-defense abilities.
• Lu Heng prepared to resume quarrying because the Shelter still needed reinforcement against the approaching snowmelt.

Lu Heng gathered stone at Stone Beach River Valley, then sought Lin Chuan’s help planning drainage for the Shelter as snowmelt raised the water around it. After agreeing to pay five jin of beast meat for a complete plan, Lu Heng prepared timber so he could begin construction as soon as the drawings arrived.

• Lu Heng pried suitable hard rocks from the river valley and stored them in his Wristband as rising water made quarrying increasingly dangerous.
• He returned to the Shelter, found the ground at the cave entrance damp, and decided he needed expert help to prevent standing water from soaking the foundation.
• Lu Heng contacted Lin Chuan, a former civil construction worker, and agreed to pay five jin of beast meat for a drainage plan.
• After reviewing Lu Heng’s photos, Lin Chuan promised construction drawings, channel dimensions, and drainage routes before dark.
• Lu Heng retrieved his Iron Axe and began cutting and trimming trees to prepare timber for the planned drainage and reinforcement work.

Lu Heng received Lin Chuan’s detailed drainage and seepage-prevention plan for the Stone Cave Shelter and paid him five jin of beast meat. After studying the instructions, Lu Heng decided to work through the night to protect the Shelter from snowmelt and flooding.

• Lu Heng stopped chopping trees to rest and received Lin Chuan’s annotated videos and instructions for the Shelter’s drainage and foundation work.
• Lu Heng studied Lin Chuan’s plan, realized how much technical detail the project required, and sent him five jin of fresh beast meat as payment.
• Lin Chuan received the meat, thought of his family’s expected arrival, and decided to save the food while offering Lu Heng further construction advice.
• Lu Heng abandoned his plan to postpone the work and resolved to complete the drainage, seepage prevention, and foundation reinforcement that night.

Lu Heng worked through the night to excavate the drainage channels outside his cave, then encountered a Midnight Owl and a concealed Night Ghost. Using the Geothermal Talisman to sense the ghost’s cold, he located its general position and remained in a tense standoff with it.

• Lu Heng marked and dug the drainage system’s channels, finding the deeper soil unusually hard and finishing the main excavation by midnight.
• A Midnight Owl watched Lu Heng from a tree, then flew away without attacking him.
• Lu Heng laid flat stones along the cave path to keep it from turning muddy in the morning.
• The Storage Necklace warned Lu Heng of a nearby Night Ghost, which the Wristband identified as a Black Iron Tier supernatural entity.
• Lu Heng backed against the Stone Cave Shelter and used the Geothermal Talisman to sense the Night Ghost’s cold as it hid near the forest edge.

Lu Heng feigned weakness to lure the Night Ghost into attacking, then cut the spirit apart with the Bronze Hunting Blade. He recognized how effectively the blade countered specters and how their ambushes, rather than physical toughness, made them dangerous.

• Lu Heng hid his readiness and pretended to search blindly while retreating through the dark woodland.
• The Night Ghost sensed the Bronze Hunting Blade’s threat but grew greedy when Lu Heng appeared defenseless.
• Lu Heng stopped retreating and struck the Night Ghost with a precise horizontal slash as it began its ambush.
• The Bronze Hunting Blade severed the Night Ghost’s spiritual body, dispersing it before it could complete its attack.
• Lu Heng examined the blade and concluded that spirits were fragile when he could locate them and strike with a weapon that countered them.

After killing the Night Ghost, Lu Heng returned to his Shelter and slept, then reviewed footage of creatures scouting the cave. He completed the drainage system outside the Shelter, securing its foundation against flooding and seepage.

• Lu Heng collected the Night Ghost's spirit ash, Soul Crystal, and Night Ghost Claw, then returned to the Shelter and slept.
• At dawn, Lu Heng watched Spy Bug footage of unfamiliar creatures probing the Shelter's defenses overnight.
• Lu Heng reviewed the drainage blueprints Lin Chuan had sent and checked their routes against the terrain outside the cave.
• Lu Heng dug and reinforced the drainage trenches, branches, settling buffer zone, and outlet according to the plans.
• Lu Heng inspected the finished system, which directed water away from the Shelter and eliminated the risk of pooling and foundation seepage.

Lu Heng searched Frost Forest for fertile soil to establish a vegetable garden and found rich marsh soil, but sensed something moving beneath the mud. He ended the chapter on guard at the marsh, facing an unseen danger.

• Lu Heng fed the energy-hungry Purifying Water Lotus the Paranormal Crystal from the Night Ghost.
• Lu Heng searched the riverbanks for planting soil but found only thin, sandy silt unsuitable for vegetables.
• Lu Heng went to the marsh, noted unripe wild fruit on the shrubs, and discovered fertile Humus Marsh Soil.
• Lu Heng carefully collected the soil in his Wristband storage space while watching for predators.
• Lu Heng felt the silt beneath him tremble and realized something was lurking under the marsh mud.

Lu Heng accidentally woke a hibernating Swamp Giant Python in the swamp and tried to escape before fighting it with his crossbow and hunting blade. After the python knocked him down, he faced it in the mud, braced for its next attack.

• Lu Heng sensed a huge creature moving beneath the swamp and retreated to firm ground as the Swamp Giant Python emerged from the sludge.
• Lu Heng scanned the python with his Wristband and learned that it was a Bronze Tier predator seeking flesh and blood after hibernation.
• Lu Heng fled along the swamp’s edge, then fired his Giant-Feather Crossbow at the pursuing python, wounding it with a bolt.
• Lu Heng put away the crossbow and drew his Bronze Hunting Blade when the enraged python closed in, but it rammed him into the mud.
• Lu Heng struggled to his feet and held his ground as the python probed him with tail strikes, wary of his blade but still attacking.