Chapter 136: Natural Trench

To the west, deeper into Hongmu Ridge.

About a hundred meters away from the group stood a colossal tree, over twenty meters in diameter; due to the distance, only its general outline was visible.

The tree appeared to be over a hundred meters tall, trembling slightly, as a massive creature climbed steadily up its main trunk.

Though far away, Xia Hong could still discern the outline: the creature’s body alone measured seven or eight meters in length, powerfully built, its two smooth tusks glaringly bright in the night.

“Snowmane?”

“Is it Snowmane?”

“Snowmane!”

…………

Seeing the massive creature, the hunting team immediately recognized its identity.

A Snowmane over seven meters long!

Gulp…………

Everyone involuntarily swallowed, then turned their gazes to Xia Hong at the front.

Xia Hong’s face showed delight, but his heart was uneasy.

The delight came from finally spotting a mid-grade cold beast after a night of searching—and alone, proving not all cold beasts lived in packs like the long-tailed gnawers.

This meant hunting mid-grade cold beasts could be far easier.

His unease, however, stemmed purely from the Snowmane’s size.

Low-grade Snowmanes reached at most four meters in length, let alone their build.

Even at a hundred meters away, this mid-grade Snowmane was twice the size of the largest he’d ever hunted.

Snowmanes weren’t weak among cold beasts; an adult’s charge carried at least ten thousand jin of force, making it the most terrifying cold beast Xia Hong had ever hunted.

And that was only the low-grade variant.

This one was mid-grade!

After searching all night, after longing for this mid-grade cold beast, seeing it now before him, Xia Hong felt no excitement—only calmness settled over him.

There was no choice; such a size made calmness unavoidable.

“Can we try the old method?”

Yuan Cheng bluntly pulled out a torch and proposed it to the group.

Everyone, including Xia Hong, showed signs of interest.

But Xia Hong quickly glanced around and shook his head, speaking in a low tone:

“Based on the distribution of mid-grade cold beasts, it’s impossible—unless we find a second mid-grade beast elsewhere and use the same method as with the gnawer packs: lay torches along the way to lure it here.”

Hearing this plan, everyone immediately shook their heads in refusal.

Gnawer packs were one thing; the strength of mid-grade cold beasts was unknown. To lure one with torches over such a distance was far too dangerous and unpredictable.

One misstep, and it would cost lives.

“Then we must set traps first, then lure it in with torches. We have sixteen men—if we coordinate well, we stand a chance.”

Xia Chuan spoke as he gestured to Li Yun, Li Pingkai, and Zhu Shun.

The three took their beast traps from their backs and laid them on the ground, then looked up at Xia Hong.

Not just them—Xia Chuan and the other eleven men all looked up at Xia Hong, clearly waiting for his decision.

“Torches, beast traps, ten-stone iron-bodied bows—all of us are here, none of us are injured, Leader, don’t hesitate! We can’t promise success, but we must try!”

Seeing Xia Hong’s hesitation, Xia Chuan was the first to urge him.

Luo Yuan hesitated briefly, then nodded seriously: “True. Our preparations are sufficient. Unless something unexpected happens, the camp won’t see another breakthrough to the Digging Realm for a long time. This is our only setup—just try it, Leader.”

“Sixteen men—even if it’s stronger, worst case we fail and run. Leader, don’t hesitate.”

“I agree we should go for it. Sixteen ten-stone iron-bodied bows—we won’t fight it head-on, we’ll circle and maneuver. We’ve got a real chance.”

…………

One after another, the group voiced their desire to try.

Xia Hong said nothing, but a warmth stirred in his heart.

They spoke of success, strength, adequate numbers, opportunity—but they knew the danger as well as he did.

Their fierce insistence came from one truth: their key to breaking through the Cold-Resisting Realm was this mid-grade cold beast.

In other words, for their own breakthroughs, they were willing to risk their lives.

Xia Hong’s mind settled. He turned to look at the distant tree, then declared firmly: “Fine. Let’s try.”

Having decided, Xia Hong no longer hesitated. He began issuing orders: “Li Yun, you three find suitable positions and dig pits to set the beast traps;

Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, Yuan Cheng—come with me to survey the surrounding terrain;

The rest of you find your own positions.

Remember: even combined, our strength can’t withstand this Snowmane’s power. We must avoid direct confrontation. Bows are our main weapon. If arrows prove ineffective, abandon the hunt immediately.

You have half an hour to prepare. Keep at least a hundred meters from it at all times. Don’t alarm it—don’t scare it off. Half an hour from now, regroup here and coordinate before acting.”

“Yes, Leader!”

The group nodded quietly and scattered quickly to their tasks.

For the past six months, these fifteen had followed him on nearly a hundred hunts. Many things required no explanation—mere tacit understanding sufficed.

Xia Hong, confident, took Xia Chuan and the other two and began circling the great tree where the Snowmane rested, studying the terrain in advance.

The tree where the Snowmane rested lay within a hundred meters to the west; the inner west need not be examined. Xia Hong focused on the south and north.

“Snowmanes aren’t strong in perception. We circled this area several times without noticing it—and it didn’t notice us. This one must’ve just come from the inner zone. We don’t know its condition—if only it were badly wounded!”

Hearing Yuan Cheng’s fantasy, Xia Chuan and Luo Yuan immediately shook their heads—but secretly, a flicker of hope rose in both their hearts.

Cold beasts in Hongmu Ridge fought among themselves; mid-grade ones fought fiercer. This Snowmane had just come from the inner zone—it might indeed be wounded from a lost battle.

But at a hundred meters away, even its facial features were indistinct—let alone its physical condition.

=9+book_bar

“Don’t indulge in such unrealistic hopes. If it’s wounded, it might be even more furious and terrifying!”

At the northernmost edge, nearing the end of Hongmu Ridge, Xia Hong crushed Yuan Cheng’s fantasy and led the three back south.

“This area was originally under Li Shang’s camp’s control. Northward lies the Arrow Bamboo Forest. If we fight, we can’t draw it north—only south or east, outside.”

“The Snowmane is large—its reaction speed is unknown. But there are many trees here. Good shooting positions are easy to find. If its reaction is slow, even better.”

“It’s all about human effort!”

When they returned to their original position, half an hour had nearly passed. The others began returning one by one.

Their positions had been found easily. The last to return were Li Yun and his two companions, along with the helpers they’d summoned.

Li Yun and the others wore expressions of delight. Seeing Xia Hong, they blurted out immediately:

“Leader, south of here is a natural trench—eight meters long, three meters wide, covered in snow, over six meters deep. We three got others to help dig and deepened it another two meters. All three beast traps are set around the trench. If we can lure the Snowmane into the trench, the hunt is already half won.”

“Lead the way. Let’s go see it.”

Hearing Li Yun’s description, Xia Hong’s eyes lit up. He motioned urgently for him to lead.

Following Li Yun south for over two hundred meters, the natural trench slowly came into view. Almost everyone, including Xia Hong, felt their eyes brighten.

The trench was large, nestled between two trees over ten meters in diameter. The snow covering it had been cleared—clearly done by Li Yun and his team.

One beast trap lay at each end of the trench, one at its center. All three were connected by ropes, each covered with fresh snow.

“Cover the trench again with snow. This is the spot!”

Xia Hong studied the trench’s interior and the terrain on both sides, then made his decision instantly. This natural trench was tailor-made for the massive Snowmane.

Looking at the two great trees flanking the trench, Xia Hong’s expression shifted slightly. He gave further orders, then, once all preparations were complete, told everyone to return to their pre-assigned positions.

“One thing: bows are the only weapon. If you fight it head-on, even I won’t survive—let alone you. If arrows prove useless, everyone retreats immediately. If they work, coordinate well. You know how to use them—no need for me to teach you, right?”

Xia Hong repeated his final warning. Seeing all nod, he paused, then added slowly: “Your first priority is self-preservation. Mid-grade cold beasts are numerous in Hongmu Ridge—but we only have one life. Understood?”

“Understood, Leader!”

“We don’t know the strength or abilities of mid-grade cold beasts, nor can we set a fair contribution value. But if we succeed in hunting this Snowmane, it will be the first mid-grade prey our Daya Camp has ever taken. The significance is immense. So I’m setting its value at…”

Here, Xia Hong paused.

“Ten thousand points!”

The fifteen men all looked up, faces filled with astonishment.

Especially Zhao Long and his two brothers—their grip on their bows trembled slightly.

“Since we’re relying on bows, if we succeed, contribution points won’t be split equally. Whoever lands the arrow causing the greatest damage gets the largest share!”

After saying this, Xia Hong dismissed them.

“That’s all. Return to your pre-assigned positions.”

Once everyone was in place, Xia Hong took a torch from behind his back and planted it at the trench’s edge. He glanced once more at the massive silhouette of the Snowmane on the tree, then took a deep breath.

Hiss…

In the snowy night, the torch ignited.

The air around them froze for a moment.

Xia Hong had already climbed a nearby tree, holding his breath, silently watching the movements of the northern tree.

The other fifteen, likewise, remained still.

Crack…

From the north, the sound of snapping branches came.

Everyone’s hearts tightened slightly. They turned their heads quietly toward the sound.

(End of Chapter)