The massive mountain, shaped like a semi-circular bowl, blocked the biting north wind.
If you were a cold and hungry bear, that would be the perfect haven.
"If I were it, I would go to the leeward side in front."
Black stood up, his gaze fixed intently ahead.
"There's a pile of rocks there, perfect for an ambush, and also a good place to rest. It's a textbook ambush spot."
As a seasoned hunter, his judgment was almost instinctive.
"That's what I thought too, but..."
Su Wei suddenly spoke, breaking Black's authority.
He took two steps forward, past Black, and pointed to the entrance to the depression, his finger slightly to the left at a 15-degree angle.
It didn't go to the pile of rocks.
"Reason?"
Black frowned, his eyes sharply fixed on his apprentice.
"Wind direction."
Su Wei bent down, grabbed a handful of dry snow powder, held it up to eyebrow height, and then slowly released it.
The snow powder didn't fall vertically; instead, it was caught by an extremely faint swirling airflow and drifted eerily to the right.
"Although that pile of rocks is sheltered from the wind, it's located in the backflow zone of the Eagle Beak Cliff. Since we're downwind, the smell will be drawn in by this backflow and sent directly into the pile of rocks."
Su Wei turned around, looking firmly at Black, and pointed to the golden trajectory that was incredibly clear in the system's view, yet defied common sense.
"It's so cunning, it won't choose a place where it can't smell any threats to sleep."
"It went to the black pine forest on the left. It's on higher ground with a good view, and although it's a bit windy, it blocks the only way we can get here, which is our upwind position."
These words caused the usually taciturn Old Kash to look up once more, his eyes filled with shock as if he were seeing Su Wei for the first time.
This kid, with his instantaneous judgment of micro-terrain and airflow, is he really a newbie who hasn't been in the industry for very long?
Compared to him, Aruk is like bear dung on the ground!
No, it should be dog poop!
Black gave Su Wei a deep look.
At that moment, the sternness in the old hunter's eyes faded somewhat, replaced by a sense of relief.
He did not refute, but instead made a gesture to Caesar with great decisiveness.
The incredibly intelligent alpha dog immediately changed direction, abandoning the pile of rocks, and stealthily made its way towards the black pine forest on the left, as Su Wei had indicated.
really.
Before he had gone twenty meters, Caesar stopped beside a protruding rock, lowered his body, and let out a warning whimper.
There was a very well-hidden claw mark there; you would never have noticed it unless you deliberately walked this way.
"Well done."
Aruk couldn't help but give Su Wei a thumbs up from behind, even though his hand was trembling slightly from nervousness.
Black didn't offer any verbal praise, but the corners of his previously taut lips relaxed slightly.
He patted Su Wei on the shoulder with a heavy thud.
"Kamikochi."
He pointed to the top of a cliff on the side.
"Now that we've determined the approximate location, Su Wei is right; we can't go down to low ground. We need to occupy the high ground, confirm the target, and then formulate a hunting plan."
Four people used both hands and feet to climb the steep slope where the snow was above their knees.
Su Wei felt as if his lungs were on fire, and each breath felt like swallowing a razor blade.
This kind of strenuous exercise in a high-altitude, oxygen-deficient environment is a complete test of physical endurance.
But he dared not stop, nor could he stop.
"Next time, I'll have to exercise more."
Su Wei let out a breath and gritted his teeth as he continued climbing.
Ten minutes later, the four of them finally lay down behind the snow ridges at the top of the cliff.
The view here is excellent, offering a panoramic view of the valley below Eagle Beak Cliff.
"There."
Su Wei locked onto his target almost the instant he lay down.
This time, there's no need for the system's gold marker at all.
At the edge of that sparse black pine forest, a huge black shadow stood out so abruptly, filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.
The distance is approximately 500 meters.
All four telescopes were raised simultaneously.
In the footage, it was a complete and utter behemoth.
It didn't sleep lying on its stomach as people imagined.
It stood up upright.
It was sharpening its claws on a pine tree as thick as a washbasin.
Its dark brown fur gleamed against the snow, covered in ice crystals and resin.
Its shoulder muscles bulge high, like a moving hill.
With each swing of its claws, the poor pine tree trembled violently, shed large clumps of snow, and creaked under its own weight.
(Reference - Kodiak Brown Bear)
"My God... this is the King of the Island..."
Aruk's hand holding the binoculars was a little unsteady, and his voice was trembling.
"This isn't 600 kilograms! It weighs as much as a small car. If that slapped me, my helmet would be shattered."
Even from 500 meters away, the ferocious aura emanating from that apex predator still shot straight to the brain through the goggles.
Old Kash adjusted the focus, his tone grave. "It's limping a bit on its left hind leg. Its movements are uncoordinated. Is it injured?"
"That's an old wound."
Black said coldly, his eyes fixed on the brown bear as if he were analyzing it.
"This injury was probably sustained several years ago during a competition for mating rights. These old wounds make it more painful in winter, more irritable, and more aggressive."
He put down his binoculars and took out a small, flat aluminum flask from his pocket.
It's not alcohol.
He unscrewed the cap, poured out some dark green, viscous liquid into his palm, and then rubbed it vigorously.
A strong, pungent odor instantly filled the air—a mixture of spruce resin and rotting moss.
"Apply this to your body."
Black handed the remaining liquid to Su Wei, his eyes serious.
"This is made by boiling young spruce leaves, moss, and a little bit of skunk urine. It smells awful, like shit, but it can save your life."
"Those high-tech deodorizers that cost hundreds of dollars a bottle aren't entirely useless. But only this most primitive, most disgusting smell can make it think of you as a rotten tree."
Su Wei took the pot, and the smell almost made him faint.
It really smelled terrible, and it even stung my eyes a little.
But without any hesitation, he poured the liquid onto his gloves and haphazardly smeared it on the collar and cuffs of his windproof jacket, even rubbing it hard down his neck in this minus twenty degree weather.
The cold, viscous liquid flowed down his skin, raising goosebumps and masking all traces of human scent.
Aruk and Old Kash followed suit, even though Aruk's face turned green.
Just as Su Wei finished applying the ointment, a crisp and pleasant notification sound suddenly rang in her mind.
[The host has been found to have learned the " Ancient Scent Masking Technique " taught by a master hunter.]
[This skill is classified as an advanced survival skill, incorporating Environmental Understanding.]
[Hunting experience points +35.]
[Congratulations, host! Your Hunting Module level has been upgraded!]
[ Hunting Module LV1 -> LV2 (0/300)]
Su Wei felt as if a clear stream had swept through his mind, instantly clearing his tense nerves and calming him down, and amplifying his senses.
But that's not all.
Immediately afterwards, another line of golden text appeared.
[Unlock new passive skill: Firearms Mastery LV1.]