Su Wei shouldered his lightweight assault pack, pulled back the bolt to check that a round was chambered, and slung the Browning rifle diagonally across his chest.
When he was done, Su Wei took one last look at his camp and the sled piled high with his haul.
That was what he had to live on.
But he still turned around and plunged into the spruce forest as dusk deepened.
If possible, he still didn't want a person to die such a tragic death.
This wasn't him overestimating himself, but an attempt that might succeed.
The wind in the forest was colder than in the clearing, and the snow grains it carried stung his face.
The sky darkened quickly.
It would be completely dark by five or six in the afternoon.
Su Wei didn't take a straight path. Instead, he used the trees for cover, keeping low as he moved swiftly through the forest, his eyes scanning his surroundings.
Cotton Candy stayed close at his heels. The little fox sensed the tense atmosphere too, keeping his nose to the snow as he sniffed rapidly, constantly passing on information about the scents around them.
Through the Beast Taming Module's emotional perception, Su Wei sensed that Cotton Candy was very uneasy.
But Cotton Candy hadn't smelled any large predators.
Good news.
Su Wei picked up his pace.
As he advanced, he built a map of the surrounding terrain in his mind.
A steep rock wall lay to the left, dense forest to the right, and the flare had come from beyond a ridge.
Ten minutes later, sweat seeped from his temples, instantly chilled by the wind until it stung.
He stopped behind a thick spruce, unscrewed his flask, and gulped down a mouthful of scalding water.
Just then.
A faint, strange smell drifted through the air.
It wasn't blood.
It was the smell of gasoline and burning metal.
Su Wei's heart sank.
He gestured for Cotton Candy to stay put, then unslung his rifle and lowered himself until he was almost lying in the snow, creeping toward the edge of the ridge.
The snow was thick, and every step was silent.
He climbed to the highest point of the ridge, pushed his hat up slightly, and used his rifle scope to look at the hollow on the other side.
The sight through the scope made his pupils contract.
A snowmobile lay on its side, its track twisted and black smoke rising from its front.
Professional surveying equipment and a damaged backpack were scattered across the snow beside it.
More than ten meters away was a huge depression.
It was a deep pit covered by fresh snow.
At the edge, the snow had broken away, revealing the dark pit beneath.
Su Wei adjusted the magnification for a closer look.
There were signs of a struggle at the edge of the pit, along with a smear of dark red blood.
He slowly moved the scope, peering downward.
The light inside the pit was dim, and there was only a figure curled up inside.
The figure wore a dark outdoor shell jacket and lay motionless.
Su Wei didn't act immediately. Instead, he stayed calm and used the scope to examine the surroundings inch by inch.
No signs of wild beasts.
No other footprints.
A straightforward accident.
He put away his rifle and slid down the ridge, beckoning to Cotton Candy behind him.
The little fox darted over.
Su Wei hurried to the edge of the pit and looked down.
It was at least four or five meters deep, with nearly vertical walls coated in ice.
Whoever had fallen in couldn't possibly climb out alone.
"Hey! Can you hear me?" he called in a low voice.
The figure at the bottom of the pit moved.
She clearly hadn't expected someone to actually come, let alone so quickly!
Emily lifted her head in delighted surprise, looking up at Su Wei, a little dirt on her stunningly beautiful face.
Su Wei stared at her face, stunned.
She had a head of smooth golden hair, eyes like blue crystal, high, shapely brows like distant mountains, a high-bridged nose, and an oval face graced by slightly pink cherry lips.
Her bone structure was delicate and well-defined, and her features were bright and striking, yet clear and delicate.
Even against the snow-white landscape, the beauty of her fair, rosy skin couldn't be concealed.
Even her dark shell jacket couldn't hide her shapely figure.
Stunning!
Absolutely stunning!!
Su Wei was dumbstruck. He could guarantee that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen!
And there was something vaguely familiar about her.
She was like an elf who had stepped out of a movie or television show.
"Su... Su Wei!"
Emily watched Su Wei peer over the edge, his familiar, handsome face appearing before her eyes.
Her eyes were full of astonishment. At first, she could hardly believe it.
She spoke hesitantly, and after waiting for confirmation, hurriedly shouted in delight.
Su Wei paused, then came back to his senses.
Now he finally realized where that sense of familiarity came from.
So this was Emily!
Someone who could be called the original Su Wei's childhood sweetheart.
Her father was a friend of Su Wei's father and a fisherman too.
Later, he bought his own boat, unwilling to keep risking his life fishing for king crab.
Su Wei's parents, on the other hand, had done the exact opposite.
Looking at it now, Emily's father had been right.
Because of that, Su Wei and Emily had played together since they were little.
Later, Su Wei's family moved away, and they gradually lost touch.
They hadn't seen each other for about five or six years, until today.
Who would have thought a girl could change so much as she grew up!!
"Emily!"
"Don't move. Save your strength!" he immediately replied. "How's your leg? Are you hurt?"
"I think I sprained my left leg." Emily pointed to it. "But luckily, I fell down with a thick layer of snow, so it's nothing serious."
Just a sprain?
A blessing amid misfortune.
Su Wei breathed a sigh of relief.
"Get ready. I'll get you out right away!"
He took off his assault pack, pulled out a nylon rope, wrapped it three times around a boulder beside the pit, and tied a tight double figure-eight knot.
He threw the other end of the rope down into the pit.
"Grab the rope! I'll pull you up!"
"Okay!" Emily replied quickly.
The next second, Su Wei felt the other end of the rope grow taut.
Chapter 24: Emily's Shock: That Boy Had Become a Man Who Stood Tall Between Heaven and Earth