Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely

88: [Looking for the First Subscription] Chapter 88: Hunting Has Become Easier 88: [Looking for the First Subscription] Chapter 88: Hunting Has Become Easier Snow Mane, driven by a strong survival instinct, turned and fled.

Despite its considerable speed, it could only manage to avoid a neck hit.

Xia Hong’s strike landed solidly on its spine.

The barbs on Snow Mane’s back were severed, and the Shock Frost Saber sliced through its hide, embedding half its blade into the creature.

At the same time, Luo Yuan and the other three slashed at Snow Mane’s leg joints with their big knives.

Compared to Xia Hong, Luo Yuan and the others managed merely to cut through its hide, inflicting four or five inches of wounds, causing limited damage.

Snow Mane’s immense momentum wasn’t stopped by the five big knives buried in its body; instead, it seemed to grow more frenzied with pain, continuing to charge madly toward Xia Chuan.

Luo Yuan and the others didn’t have a chance to retrieve their knives, as they were carried off by Snow Mane, forcing them to let go in haste.

Only Xia Hong’s knife remained deeply embedded, and as he was swept along, he refused to let go, charging towards Xia Chuan alongside Snow Mane.

It was over!

Seeing Snow Mane rush to Xia Chuan’s position in an instant, while Xia Chuan remained foolishly rooted, Luo Yuan and the others secretly despaired, their hearts sinking.

The first hunt since merging camps, and someone was about to die!

Crash…

Who could have foreseen that just when Snow Mane was less than half a meter from Xia Chuan, it abruptly stopped as if hitting something, its massive body coming to a sudden halt.

Its legs pounded the ground fiercely, and its sharp tusks flailed wildly with its thrashing head, pushing against Xia Chuan without advancing an inch.

“This…

how could this be?”

While Luo Yuan and the seven in the trees gaped, Snow Mane’s eyes flashed coldly, its legs ceased their pawing, and it reared its head to open its gaping maw at Xia Chuan.

“Watch out!”

“Beware of its tongue.”

“Careful.”

Everyone present, being experienced hunters, instantly reacted upon seeing Snow Mane’s mouth open, shouting warnings as they rushed toward the danger.

Unfortunately, they were too far away to help in time.

A tongue like an icicle shot from its mouth straight toward Xia Chuan’s head, the gleaming, sword-like tongue flickering with a deadly light.

“I’ve been waiting for this trick!”

Having followed behind Snow Mane all along, Xia Hong wouldn’t allow it to succeed.

At the moment the tongue was unleashed, he vaulted over Snow Mane, gritting his teeth to drive his knife deeper, pressing down with all his might.

Xia Hong’s eyes bulged with rage, as his immense strength drove the Shock Frost Saber further into Snow Mane, inflicting even more damage.

Snow Mane writhed in agony, its tongue faltering momentarily in midair.

In that instant, a small black three-inch knife magically appeared in Xia Chuan’s previously empty hand.

Xia Chuan swung down at an angle, tracing a crescent arc in the air with the blade, almost without pause.

Swish…

The blade’s arc flickered, slicing through Snow Mane’s extended tongue with ease.

With the tongue cut, Snow Mane’s body recoiled violently, and Xia Hong withdrew the Shock Frost Saber, slashing decisively at its head.

Slash…

Snow Mane’s massive head was severed with one stroke, tumbling across the snow for several meters before its tusks halted its roll.

“Quick, harvest the Essence Blood!”

Hearing Xia Hong’s command, Xia Chuan nodded, quickly retrieving a small wooden bottle, and used the black knife to pierce Snow Mane’s heart, extracting a drop of dark green blood.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Luo Yuan and the other four, along with the seven who had climbed down from the trees, watched with jaws agape.

Arriving at Snow Mane’s corpse, they noticed the white thread in the snow before it and realized why it hadn’t hit Xia Chuan.

“Heh heh, my White Thread and Black Blade aren’t too shabby, huh?”

Having collected the Essence Blood and retracted the white thread, Xia Chuan saw their astonished expressions with a triumphant smile.

When Xia Hong suggested that he join the hunt, he had seen the expressions on Luo Yuan and the others’ faces.

Among the twelve, he alone had no weapon, and everyone assumed he had joined the Hunting Team through connections—something he was well aware of.

“Brother Xia Chuan, impressive skills!”

Luo Yuan didn’t hide his shock.

He had felt Snow Mane’s immense momentum himself.

Though the White Thread and Black Blade played significant roles, Xia Chuan’s strength couldn’t be underestimated.

Not only Luo Yuan, but Zhao’s three brothers and the other five now looked at Xia Chuan with newfound respect.

Even Xu Ning and Qiu Peng seemed deeply shocked and puzzled by the rapid improvement in Xia Chuan’s abilities.

“Alright, stop showing off.

What’s your Basic Strength at now?”

Xia Hong teased, knowing Xia Chuan’s growth and the potent power of the Black Blade and White Thread, which Xia Chuan had confided in him about, was why he’d dared to bring him along.

Xia Chuan grinned sheepishly, replying, “It should be nearing 7,000 pounds now.”

7,000 pounds, that’s quite the rapid improvement!

Xia Hong had some guesses based on how Xia Chuan held off the gravely injured Snow Mane, but hearing the actual number, he couldn’t help but feel astonished.

The others, especially Luo Yuan, upon hearing this number, looked envious and felt a sense of urgency.

Among them, Luo Yuan boasted the highest Basic Strength at 8,000 pounds; Zhao’s brothers were just over 7,000; and Li’s and Ying’s four had only just reached 7,000.

They were all technically stronger than Xia Chuan, but the issue was Xia Chuan’s age.

Considering Xia Chuan had obtained the Black Blade and White Thread from the Wood Puppet Monster…

It was highly probable that their collective strength fell short of Xia Chuan’s.

“Don’t get complacent; you’re still far from the Earth-digging Realm.

Also, spend more time studying the Black Blade and White Thread—their potential should far exceed this,”

Xia Hong chided Xia Chuan, a reminder in light of Yang and Li’s prior focus on the Wood Puppet Monster.

“Tonight, our first prey is secured!”

Xia Hong’s words brought them back to reality, and looking at the Snow Mane on the ground, their faces momentarily showed disbelief.

Considering the lengthy process just now, from digging the pit to now, only an hour had actually passed.

Snow Mane was injured by stepping into the pit, struck by arrows, and attacked by Xia Hong and Luo Yuan’s main group while fleeing, confronted by Xia Chuan and decapitated by Xia Hong.

The entire hunting process was smooth and effortless, as simple as eating or drinking.

Was this truly hunting?

Rogel Camp’s previous hunts were never this simple!

Luo Yuan shook off the chaotic thoughts, having considered the entire hunt, and directed his gaze to the torches and the animal trap.

“Leader, how did this animal trap gain such power?”

Upon Luo Yuan’s inquiry, Xia Hong’s face displayed appreciation, pointing directly to Snow Mane’s right foreleg where the animal trap was attached.

He said, “Remove it and see.”

Luo Yuan nodded, crouched, and tugged at the animal trap, making a startled face when it wouldn’t budge.

Setting aside his sword, he gritted his teeth and tried again.

The animal trap’s jaw remained tightly shut, unmoving.

“Zhao Long, Zhao Hu, help me here.”

With Zhao Long and Zhao Hu assisting, they finally pried the trap open and removed it from Snow Mane’s leg.

Seeing the ten silver filaments pattern on the trap’s side and the ten heavy springs around the joints, Luo Yuan and the others gained sudden insight.

“I spent three whole days crafting this trap and added over ten crude springs.

The force required to clamp it shut is at least over 12,000 pounds.

Without Earth-digging Realm strength, opening it’s impossible.”

Accepting the opened trap, Xia Hong’s face showed confidence.

“One prey is not enough.

Bury this Snow Mane’s body in the snow for now, mark it, and follow me east to find that Frost Wolf!”