The worst-case scenario involves humanity.
In this kind of terrible weather, a human being deep in the forest is inherently in great danger.
He tried to use the Firearms Module to identify what was lurking in the darkness.
However, with the wind and snow, visibility was extremely low, and the system module did not provide clear guidance.
Only the newly upgraded Weakness Perception allowed him to see the red weakness, preventing him from relaxing.
The green light remained still, neither charging nor retreating.
It simply stood there, waiting for his next move.
Su Wei's heartbeat gradually stabilized, and his blood flowed slowly and steadily, forcibly suppressed.
He squinted, trying to catch more details through the lenses of his goggles.
Suddenly, the two green lights moved upwards.
Immediately afterwards, a huge, bulky silhouette appeared in the wind and snow.
Those were large deer antlers.
It briefly reflected in the beam of the headlamp.
reindeer.
Su Wei felt a sense of relief, his muscles suddenly relaxed, and a huge feeling of exhaustion surged up, almost making him fall off the motorcycle.
The nerves that had been stretched to the limit were completely released at that moment.
It wasn't a bear, nor a wolf, nor a lurking enemy. It was just a lost reindeer.
He pulled down his goggles and slammed the snowmobile horn on.
"Drip."
The sharp blare of an electronic loudspeaker shattered the silence of the forest.
The reindeer was clearly startled, its massive body trembling violently.
It hesitated for a few seconds, then turned around and dashed into the deeper snowstorm, disappearing from sight.
Su Wei turned off his headlamp.
He leaned against the engine of the snowmobile, panting heavily.
The cold air filled his lungs, pulling him out of his extreme tension.
The fatigue that had been forcibly suppressed due to the surge of adrenaline was now coming back to haunt them.
Every inch of his body was screaming for him to stop.
Su Wei started the snowmobile again.
The engine emitted a deep roar.
The heavy spoils and physical exhaustion made the return journey exceptionally long.
The snowmobile tracks struggled to move forward through the thick snow.
The hum of the engine was his only companion at that moment.
The biting wind was like a knife, trying to penetrate his thick winter coat.
He felt every joint in his body protesting, and every bump felt like a hammer blow.
The ice and snow gradually froze his fingers, and his skin became numb.
He had to constantly remind himself not to let his guard down and not to let the cold numb his senses.
The blue dot on the navigation screen slowly moved towards home.
With his familiarity with the mountains and forests and the guidance of GPS, he drove slowly in the darkness.
As night fell completely, the sky was entirely covered by leaden-gray clouds.
The lights in the cabins of Emerald Lake Territory finally came into his view.
It was a warm and steady orange-yellow, shimmering in the wind and snow.
Su Wei, nearly exhausted, brought the snowmobile to a stop.
The moment the engine shut off, a heavy silence descended.
He untied the huge package from the back seat, carrying the heavy bearskin and flesh on his back. He stored it temporarily in the garage.
Su Wei carefully carried the bear skin and bear skull into the garage.
A bone-chilling cold rose from the garage floor.
He laid the bear skin flat on a tarpaulin in a corner of the garage; the enormous hide exuded a wild aura.
Even in the dim light, its dark brown fur still exuded a certain domineering aura.
The bear skull was placed in an empty wooden box next to it.
He took a large bag of coarse salt from the shelf and sprinkled the white granules evenly on the inside of the bear skin.
Every pore, every fiber, must be permeated with salt. The pungent smell of industrial salt instantly filled the entire garage.
This is a preliminary Preservation Treatment that effectively inhibits bacterial growth and prepares the body for subsequent tanning.
He made sure every inch of the leather was covered with salt before returning to the cabin.
With a creak, he pushed open the door to the wooden house.
The warm air, carrying the dry aroma of burning firewood from the fireplace, wafted towards us.
Everything inside the room came alive at that moment.
"Eek."
A low, cheerful hum.
A small, snow-white figure darted out from beside the fireplace.
Like a white lightning bolt, the Cotton Candy leaped directly into his arms, its little head rubbing frantically against his combat uniform, which was covered in the smell of blood and gunpowder.
Su Wei lowered his head, the soft, white fur brushing against his cold cheek, bringing a familiar warmth.
He stiffly raised his hand and gently stroked the fluffy texture of the Cotton Candy.
The little guy's body heat dispelled the icy chill in his palms.
"Little one, I'm home."
His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of weariness that even he himself was unaware of.
Cotton Candy tilted her head, her big blue eyes filled with longing.
It sniffed his blood-stained cuff with its nose, showing no repulsion whatsoever.
He took off his heavy snow boots and threw his cold combat uniforms into the washing machine one by one.
The smell of dirt, blood, and gunpowder still lingered on his body.
He went straight to the bathroom.
The hot water jets hissed, and steam instantly filled the entire space.
The scalding water washed over my tired muscles.
Su Wei picked up the bar of soap he used before and after hunting to deodorize; it had a crisp, herbal scent.
He scrubbed his arms and chest vigorously, even scratching his skin with his fingernails, trying to completely remove all traces of his prey.
The blood and exhaustion were gradually washed away into the sewer, and the muscle soreness was relieved considerably by the hot water.
As he stepped out of the bathroom, he felt every inch of his skin breathing.
A feeling of hunger welled up inside me.
Wrapped in a bath towel, Su Wei walked towards the kitchen and took out the top-quality beef hind leg from the refrigerator. The meat was bright red, and the marbling was clearly visible.
He carefully used a sharp kitchen knife to cut the steak into two-centimeter-thick slices and arranged them neatly on the cutting board.
He took out olive oil and rosemary from the locker.
A cast iron frying pan is heated on a gas stove.
With a sizzling sound.
When olive oil is added to the pan, the temperature rises rapidly, producing a thin layer of blue smoke.
He carefully placed the thick-cut steak into the pan, where the high temperature instantly locked in the beef's juices.
The surface quickly caramelizes, emitting an enticing sizzling sound.
The fresh scent of rosemary mingled with the rich aroma of meat, filling the entire kitchen.
Su Wei used tongs to flip the steak, searing it until it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
He placed the pan-fried steak on a white porcelain plate and added a runny egg.
[Ding. Successfully made "Pan-fried Beef Tenderloin". Cooking Skill Experience +15, Life Module Experience +10.]
A system notification sounded in his mind.