It raised its head, let out a puzzled cry, then wobbled to its feet and ran to Su Wei's feet with small steps.
It rubbed its furry head against Su Wei's leg, as if wanting to go out with her.
Su Wei crouched down and gently rubbed its little head through her thick gloves.
"Not this time."
The snow was too deep.
The little guy jumped in and disappeared from sight in an instant.
Although it is a fox, it is not yet an adult. If it encounters wild animals or traps, Su Wei will not have the energy to take care of it.
"Guard the house."
Su Wei pointed to the food bowl beside the fireplace.
The Cotton Candy seemed to understand, but also seemed to be deterred by the cold air seeping in through the crack in the door.
It yawned, turned around, and huddled back into the warm wool blanket.
Su Wei stood up.
I did a final check of the ammunition magazine.
Ammunition is ready.
In this world sealed off by ice and snow, this was his guarantee of survival.
He took a deep breath and regulated his breathing.
Grasp the doorknob with your right hand and press it down forcefully.
Click.
The door lock popped open.
He pushed open the door and strode into the vast expanse of white snow.
Chapter 51 Roosevelt Deer Herd, Nature's Generous Gift
As soon as Su Wei stepped out of the room, a blast of cold air rushed in through her collar and cuffs, causing her to lose heat rapidly.
Click.
The oak door behind him closed.
Su Wei adjusted the strap of his Browning rifle on his chest.
He glanced down at his feet.
The aluminum alloy snowshoes, like two giant tennis rackets, crunched on the soft, fresh snow, producing a teeth-grinding sound.
Without this, one step would have swallowed your entire leg up in the deep snow.
Each step requires lifting your leg high.
It felt like doing weight training in waist-deep mud.
Su Wei looked up to determine his location.
Southeast side.
That's the direction the deer herd disappeared in last night.
White mist billowed out with each breath, quickly condensing into frost on the windproof mask.
Set off.
The coniferous forest was deathly silent after the blizzard; apart from the sound of my own footsteps, there was no other sound.
The heavy snow had bent the branches of the spruce and fir trees.
Occasionally, the snow, unable to bear its weight, would fall with a thud, kicking up large clouds of white dust.
Su Wei walked slowly, carefully surveying his surroundings.
In this frozen world, any oversight could be fatal.
He carefully stepped between the trees.
Avoid snow pits that look flat but are actually hollow underneath.
Those are natural traps; once you fall in, the loose snow around you will instantly bury you, and the more you struggle, the deeper you sink.
We traveled for half an hour.
Su Wei stopped in his tracks.
The thermal underwear on my back was soaked with sweat and felt sticky.
He quickly pulled out a thermos from his pocket.
The scalding hot water poured down my throat, forcefully dispelling the chill from my body.
Su Wei wiped the fog off his goggles.
Ahead was a leeward slope.
Several huge red pines have fallen and intertwined, forming a natural windbreak.
The snow there was noticeably thinner, revealing the withered tips of the grass.
Su Wei's eyes narrowed.
The weeds showed signs of having been disturbed.
He carefully put away his thermos, lowered his center of gravity, and quietly moved closer.
The snow-covered ground was a mess.
The smooth snow surface was trampled into pieces by hoofprints, revealing the black frozen soil underneath.
The bark of the surrounding shrubs had been gnawed away, revealing the stark white wood beneath.
And amidst those messy hoof prints.
Dozens of dark brown granular objects were scattered around.
Su Wei took off his gloves and picked up a pill with his fingertips.
It's very hard.
But it's not completely frozen yet.
A faint warmth could still be felt between my fingertips.
I brought it to my nose and smelled it.
A scent that was a mixture of grassy smell and a distinctive musky aroma filled my nostrils.
Very fresh.
The time should not exceed two hours.
"It's just ahead."
Su Wei threw the excrement back onto the snow and put his gloves back on.
He mentally commanded, "Activate the Hunting Module."
The view changed instantly.
[ Hunting Module LV1 is activated]
[Target locked: Roosevelt deer (lv3 female deer)] (Animal levels are divided into lv1-lv9 according to rarity and hunting difficulty)
[Traces are being generated... Range 3 meters...]
On the retina, a pale golden band of light appeared out of nowhere.
It meandered forward, through the bushes, intermittently, pointing towards the entrance to the U-shaped valley in the distance.
On the light band, traces that were originally difficult to detect with the naked eye were highlighted.
The depth of the hoofprints, the brown deer fur rubbed against the tree bark, and even a few drops of urine sprinkled on the snow.
They were all a striking fluorescent yellow.
Su Wei's lips curled up slightly.
This is the kind of disruptive power that comes from a system.
In this vast snowfield, tracking with the naked eye alone is an almost impossible task.
But now, the location of the prey is clearly laid out before us.
He walked forward, carrying his gun.
Following the golden guidance, the terrain gradually descends.
The sound of the wind subsided.
The towering rock walls on both sides cut off the cold currents from the Arctic Ocean, making the temperature inside the valley several degrees higher than outside.
Ahead, the U-Shaped Valley is right in front of us.
The valley floor is covered with alder and willow thickets—these are the deer's favorite winter food.