This bullet had cost him six dollars.
But he would rather never have to use it.
Unless he was the one making the first move.
After they walked for another hour or so, the terrain began to rise. They had reached the outskirts of the mountains.
Su Wei stopped, unscrewed his water bottle, and took a sip of warm water.
After several days of rest, combined with the restorative effects of the Life Module, his spirits and strength had recovered remarkably well.
Just then, Cotton Candy, who was walking ahead, came to an abrupt halt.
All the white fur on the fox's body stood on end. Cotton Candy arched its back and let out a low warning sound from its throat.
Cotton Candy stared intently at a patch of bushes ahead and to the left.
Su Wei's body reacted faster than his mind.
He immediately crouched behind a thick spruce tree and aimed the cold muzzle of his gun in that direction.
A sudden tension settled over the forest.
The bushes were motionless.
Su Wei held his breath, rested his finger on the trigger guard, and tensed every muscle in his body.
What was it?
A grouse? A hare?
Or... something he didn't want to run into?
A few seconds later, the bushes shook violently.
A white shadow suddenly sprang out. It was a snowshoe hare.
Its white fur was almost invisible against the snow, with only the black tips of its long ears standing out.
It had probably been startled by Cotton Candy's scent.
Almost the moment the hare burst out, Cotton Candy moved too.
The little fox, who usually only knew how to act cute, suddenly showed its hunting instincts.
Cotton Candy sprang forward with all four legs and gave chase without a sound.
"Damn it! Come back!"
Su Wei cursed under his breath.
Chasing prey at random in unfamiliar mountain woods was a major taboo in wilderness survival.
But Cotton Candy had already run far ahead.
The hare took a tricky escape route, darting straight into thickets and piles of fallen trees.
Cotton Candy pursued it relentlessly. The two white shadows raced through the woods, one behind the other, and soon vanished from Su Wei's sight.
Su Wei had no choice but to shoulder his gun and follow, stumbling through the uneven snow.
He had to make sure his only companion didn't get lost or run into some big creature.
The chase lasted more than ten minutes.
The freezing air scraped painfully at his windpipe.
Finally, in front of a steep rocky slope, the hare used its familiarity with the terrain. With a kick of its hind legs, it disappeared into a crevice covered by dead vines.
Cotton Candy paced anxiously in circles in front of the crevice, digging frantically at the snow and letting out a frustrated growl.
"All right, it's gone."
Su Wei finally caught up. He braced his hands on his knees and gasped for breath, white mist pouring from his mouth.
He was somewhat annoyed. This time, Cotton Candy had ignored his commands, moved around at will, and gone hunting on its own-a major hunting taboo!
Luckily, nothing had gone wrong this time. If an accident had happened, it would have been too late for regrets!
Su Wei watched Cotton Candy continue to growl in frustration and thought, I have to give Cotton Candy proper training when we get back this time!
He was annoyed with himself too. He had the Beast Taming Module, yet he had forgotten to train Cotton Candy properly.
These past few days, he had treated Cotton Candy entirely as a cub in need of care, completely fooled by its adorable appearance.
He had forgotten that Cotton Candy was actually a red fox that lived in the wild.
Su Wei had made up his mind, but Cotton Candy had no idea how much it would have to endure in the days ahead.
He looked around. The terrain here was more complicated, with dead vines and fallen, dead trees everywhere.
He was about to grab the still-frustrated little fox and bring it back when he noticed something odd about its behavior.
Cotton Candy had stopped digging at the crevice. Instead, it had run a few meters away and was sniffing incessantly at a plant root as thick as an arm, protruding from the snow, looking both curious and wary.
Su Wei frowned.
The root was grayish brown, its surface covered in centimeter-long spikes. Just looking at it made his scalp tingle.
The thing had torn a slit in his pant leg earlier. Fortunately, his clothing was thick enough that it hadn't cut his skin.
Holding his gun, Su Wei walked over cautiously and swept away the snow beside it with his foot.
More thorn-covered roots emerged.
He followed the root upward with his eyes. A plant about two meters tall stood stubbornly in the snow, its main stem also covered in fearsome spikes.
Su Wei's breathing stopped for a moment.
He suddenly recalled a wilderness documentary he had watched for entertainment, and a memory surfaced.
This thing... I think I recognize it.
In Alaska, the locals didn't bother with its scientific name. They had given it a more striking one.
Devil's Claw.
It was also known as Alaska Devil's Club.
It was a highly adaptable plant whose roots and stem bark had considerable medicinal value. It was a natural painkiller and anti-inflammatory passed down by Native Americans, with remarkable effects against arthritis.
On the market, dried Devil's Claw root bark could fetch as much as high-quality chaga.
Or even more!
That was because another effect had been discovered: it was beneficial in treating cancer.
Whether that was true or not, it had undoubtedly given its value a huge boost!
Su Wei's heart skipped a beat.
He crouched down and studied the base of the plant, carefully avoiding the spikes.
Judging by the thickness of the root, it had to be quite old.
He hadn't expected an accidental chase to lead him to such a treasure.
Few people came to this place. Since he had found one plant, there were very likely more nearby.
This was an unexpected windfall!
Su Wei looked at Cotton Candy with a peculiar expression, suddenly unsure whether the chase had been a good thing or a bad thing.
Chapter 15: An astonishing haul, searching for a safe shelter site
Su Wei's breathing stopped for an instant.
Devil's Claw.
The name flashed through his mind, bringing a shock far greater than anything he had discovered before.
Chaga was a top-tier mountain product that could fetch a great deal of money.
But Devil's Claw that was old enough was a hard currency that money couldn't buy-a windfall beyond imagination!
He forcibly suppressed his excitement and shifted his gaze to Cotton Candy, who was still sniffing beside the root.
The little fox who had lost the rabbit had inadvertently found him an enormous treasure.
Was it good or bad?
Of course it was good!
He walked briskly back to where he had been, put down his hiking pack, pulled a pair of cut-resistant gloves from a side pocket and put them on, then dug out his multipurpose entrenching shovel.
He didn't start work immediately.
He picked up his gun again and carefully surveyed the rocky slope, making a circuit around the Devil's Claw.
Safety always came first.
The place was steep and full of rocks and dead vines, perfect hiding spots for small predators. He might even disturb a hibernating bear.
He had to rule out every threat.
Cotton Candy seemed to sense his seriousness and stopped touching the prickly root.
Instead, Cotton Candy pricked up its ears and followed alertly behind him, scanning the surroundings with its deep blue eyes.