Emily interrupted his speculation.
"It's still confidential. I haven't said anything, and you haven't heard anything."
Su Wei could imagine that she must be holding a finger to her lips right now, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter.
"In short, it might not be long before we have more opportunities to meet than you think."
"This is the surprise you were talking about?"
"I guess so. But it depends on the procedures. You know how bureaucratic institutions are, inefficient."
Emily didn't elaborate, leaving everyone in suspense.
"Alright, I can't talk to you anymore. I need to rush to finish some supplementary materials. My advisor, that old man, approved my paper, but he still pointed his finger at me and made me revise the format of the references again. Virgo old men are really scary."
Su Wei smiled.
Go ahead and get busy.
"Okay. You too... get some rest. Remember to apply the medicine. Don't think I can't tell you're putting on a brave face."
Emily's voice softened, carrying that familiar admonition.
"When you come to Anchorage, I'll be checking. If a piece of meat is missing, I'll confiscate your fox."
"Knew."
"Bye-Bye."
"Goodbye."
doo€€€€
The call has ended.
The phone screen went black.
Silence returned to the cabin.
The lively atmosphere from just now was instantly wiped away as the radio waves were cut off.
All that remained was the crackling of the burning wood in the fireplace and the howling of the wind and snow pounding against the windowpane.
Su Wei tossed her phone onto the coffee table.
The feeling of fatigue washed over me again like a tide.
The last breath I had been holding on for was gone.
All the muscles are protesting, and every joint is aching.
Cotton Candy seemed to sense its owner's sadness. It climbed up Su Wei's chest, touched Su Wei's chin with its wet nose, and made a soothing gurgling sound in its throat.
Su Wei raised his hand and scratched its chin with some effort.
He closed his eyes.
Then it suddenly opened its eyes.
The tenderness in her eyes vanished instantly.
He used the sofa armrest for support and slowly stood up.
The movements were still slow, but the lethargy caused by fatigue had disappeared.
He walked to the corner.
There stood a black gun.
Browning.300 .300 Winchester Magnum rifle.
The gun still smelled of gun oil from its recent maintenance, and there were minor signs of wear on the stock.
This is his partner, and also his fangs.
Su Wei reached out and grasped the cold barrel of the gun.
The metallic touch traveled through his body from his palm, instantly clearing his mind, which had been somewhat dazed by the warmth.
The prom is in December.
But before that.
The bear on the north slope is still waiting for him.
Chapter 157 To do a good job, one must first have the right tools.
Su Wei pulled his fingers away from the cold gun barrel and slumped back into the sofa.
The alertness brought on by the adrenaline just now vanished instantly, and a wave of fatigue swept over me, even more intense than when I was dragging a 300-pound sandbag in the snow.
A series of stiff, aching pains emanated from the fascia of his inner thighs and lower back, making him wonder if his spine had broken.
The blizzard outside the window was still raging, the whistling of the wind grew sharper, and the fine snowflakes tirelessly beat against the double-pane vacuum glass, making a rapid rustling sound.
The heavy snow that the weather forecast predicted for three consecutive days has arrived.
Bathed in the warm glow of the fireplace, the sound became white noise, making the cabin feel secluded and safe.
Cotton Candy curled up on his belly, his fluffy, snow-white tail covering his wet nose. With each breath of Su Wei's chest, the little guy let out a peaceful murmur in his sleep, and even smacked his lips, as if dreaming of some unfortunate snow rabbit.
Su Wei did not move immediately.
He stared at the log beams on the ceiling, his eyes somewhat unfocused.
The image of Black dissecting a bear carcass in the snowstorm kept replaying in my mind.
That's not just simple cutting, but a mastery of anatomical structures.
He didn't need to think; he relied entirely on muscle memory to find the joint gaps, and his movements were fluid and even somewhat elegant.
This is not something that a system module can instantly replicate.
The system provided him with X-ray-like guide lines, telling him "where to make the cut," but to do it smoothly, it still required thousands upon thousands of repetitions.
Twenty minutes.
In a blizzard at minus twenty degrees Celsius, the skinning, evisceration, and cutting must be completed within this time limit.
But it must be admitted that after training with Old Hope, he has become very adept at dissection and separating flesh and bone.
With the assistance of the three specimen preparation skills under the Crafting Module, dissecting prey is no longer a big deal for him.
Su Wei subconsciously moved his fingers, and his knuckles made a crisp "crack" sound.
The sense of security that came with mastering power filled him with a burning desire for the upcoming hunt.
"Gurgle~~~"
His stomach growled again after a long time; he was hungry.
It's time to have a proper breakfast.
It's getting late.
"Call..."
Su Wei braced himself on the edge of the sofa with both hands, gritted his teeth, and used his abdominal muscles to sit up abruptly.
"Eek?"
The Cotton Candy was startled awake by the sudden movement. She groggily raised her head, her blue crystal eyes filled with the confusion and bewilderment of just waking up. She even yawned, revealing her pink little tongue.
"Sorry, little one, I woke you up."
Su Wei apologetically rubbed the soft cartilage behind its ear and then carried it to the warm wool blanket next to it.
He stood up, grimacing as he stretched his leaden ankles, and dragged himself toward the kitchen with heavy steps.
Opening the refrigerator, a blast of cold air hits you; it's crammed full of supplies we'd previously stocked up on.
Su Wei's gaze swept across the area, precisely locking onto the target.
Take out two thick-cut beef shanks with beautiful marbling, three sterile fresh eggs, and a box of fermented butter from a local farm.
A heavy cast-iron frying pan rested on the gas stove, the knob turned, and blue flames licked the bottom of the pan.
He doesn't need French plating now; this body just needs pure high protein and high calories.
Su Wei off a large piece of pale yellow butter and threw it into the pot with a "plop".
The oil melted rapidly under the high temperature, producing fine bubbles, and the rich, mellow milky aroma instantly filled the wooden cabin.
[ Cooking Module LV3] has been quietly activated.
Even when extremely tired and with sore wrists, Su Wei's hands remained steady.
He didn't use any flashy moves; he simply controlled the heat with terrifying precision.
Add the beef to the pot.
Zzz!
The Maillard reaction occurs violently, and the surface of the steak quickly turns brown at high temperatures, sealing in the juices inside.
Sprinkle with coarse salt, grind black pepper, and finally toss in two sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Su Wei used a spoon to continuously drizzle the hot butter from the bottom of the pot over the surface of the pork chops, allowing the flavor of the spices to permeate every fiber of the meat along with the oil.