Chapter 7

Ice and snow, bone-chilling cold wind

Under the starry night, a group of people from the Does Da Xia camp were walking hard towards the west.

From cave number one to cave number four, it was actually less than two thousand meters.

But for this distance of less than two thousand meters, the over one hundred people of the Does Da Xia camp walked for a full two hours.

It was mainly because the snow in Red Wood Ridge was shockingly thick.

Out of the cave, even the thinnest snow was more than half a meter high.

The thickest ones were even five or six meters, and several people in the adult team leading the way had already fallen off the snow slope, bruised and swollen.

When encountering places where the snow was thicker, the team had to stop, and the adults at the very front of the team had to force out a path before they could continue walking.

Secondly, the weather was cold, and the visibility at night was not good.

Considering the children in the team, Xia Hong could only deliberately slow down.

Although the marching speed was slow and many people were injured.

But in the end, they arrived safely.

Cave number four was on the west side of the small dirt slope, the entrance was covered with dense leaves, and now it was covered with a layer of snow, and even small icicles had formed.

Some children in the team already had blue lips from the cold, Xia Hong picked up a stone axe, split the cave entrance in two or three strokes, and hurriedly organized everyone to enter.

This cave was about a hundred square meters, even more spacious than the previous one.

Xia Hong entered the cave, first lit the fire, and then called Xia Chuan to take people to seal the cave entrance again.

This made Xia Chuan a bit puzzled; the temperature at night is higher than during the day, and cold beast activities are not frequent, so generally speaking, there is no need to seal the cave.

However, soon, he understood.

"Everyone huddle around, I have something to say!"

Xia Hong summoned everyone to his side, then pointed to the bonfire and said solemnly:

"In the camp now, the most important thing is this bonfire. This bonfire has a deterrent and killing effect on strange monsters, but it will also attract cold beasts, so from now on, whether it is night or day, you must seal the cave entrance when entering or leaving, understand?"

In the cave earlier, everyone had witnessed the scene of the fake Xia Ding being burned to ashes, so they naturally believed Xia Hong's words deeply and nodded one after another.

"Chuan, how much food do we have left now?"

Hearing this, Xia Chuan's face suddenly became a bit low, and he replied: "There are still over seven hundred jin of crystal fruit, and only sixty jin of cold beast meat left."

Everyone, upon hearing this number, instantly became worried.

Of course, including Xia Hong.

In such a harsh environment in this world, there is naturally no such thing as farming.

Perhaps there is, but the current Does Da Xia camp certainly cannot come into contact with it.

Does Da Xia, including all the camp humans around Red Wood Ridge, their staple food is a fruit that grows on a tree called Ice Master.

That kind of fruit is the size of a fist, the outer skin is crystallized, the inside is soft and glutinous, and it has a sweet taste, each one is about half a jin.

Normal people, two a day, can basically barely maintain warmth and fullness.

Over seven hundred jin, it sounds like a lot at first glance, but for 154 people, it's not enough.

Even if they save a bit, one person only gets one a day.

These seven hundred jin can only last for less than ten days.

As for cold beast meat, perhaps some giant camps can use cold beast meat as staple food, but in the Does Da Xia camp, cold beast flesh and blood, like wood, definitely counts as a strategic resource.

Humans in this world practice by relying on the flesh and blood of cold beasts.

Originally, Xia Ding implemented a rationing system in the Does Da Xia camp.

Woodcutting team members, one jin per person per day.

And those between fifteen and eighteen years old could get half a jin every three days.

It was like this on the surface, but in reality, it was not the case.

Because the cold beast flesh and blood in the camp before was too little.

At least in the month Xia Hong transmigrated here, he had only seen a cold beast of a bone-piercing frost wolf brought back by Xia Ding, and it was still a juvenile, only over a hundred jin.

In a situation where there are many monks and little meat, the cold beast flesh and blood in the camp were actually prioritized for the offspring of the woodcutting team members.

Xia Ding and Xia Chuan could also get a share before.

But Xia Chuan gave all his cold beast flesh and blood to Xia Hong on the grounds that his brother was about to break through to the Woodcutting Realm.

This is also why Xia Hong has such deep feelings for Xia Chuan in just one month.

Don't look at the fact that the two are biological brothers.

You must know that this is a world where you can die at any time.

Strategic materials like cold beast flesh and blood that can improve strength are not an exaggeration to say they are equivalent to life.

But Xia Chuan was willing to give it to him, which shows how pure and kind this younger brother's heart is. And just as Xia Hong was thinking, Xia Chuan over there had already hugged a ball of azure meat and walked to the side of the bonfire.

The flesh and blood of cold beasts are blue.

Xia Hong was slightly stunned, but soon realized what Xia Chuan wanted to do.

"Everyone, I won't talk nonsense. My brother has the strongest strength, and now he is just a little bit away from the Woodcutting Realm.

I propose to give all these sixty jin of cold beast flesh and blood to him, so he can break through early, and our camp's safety will be guaranteed.

What do you all think?"

Sure enough, Xia Hong guessed correctly.

He subconsciously wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it, he didn't open his mouth.

Although a bit selfish, Xia Chuan's words indeed had no problem.

But human nature is complex after all. After Xia Chuan finished speaking, the crowd fell into dead silence, and no one spoke.

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Especially those offspring of the previous woodcutting team members in the camp.

"Hong, we trust you, but can you swear that after breaking through to the Woodcutting Realm, you won't abandon us and leave alone?"

The one who spoke was a burly young man.

Yuan Cheng, with a bold personality, had no heart.

His father, Yuan Gang, was second only to Xia Ding in strength in the camp.

Xia Hong's mind flashed with the other party's information, and he didn't answer first, but turned his gaze elsewhere to observe the reactions of others.

"At this time, it is indeed necessary to concentrate resources to let Hong improve his strength."

"But those flesh and blood were exchanged by my father with his life."

"Without Woodcutting Realm combat strength, we can't even collect wood. Once these three trees are burned, we will freeze to death."

"I think we should give it to Hong."

"That's right, give it to him."

…………

Only the offspring of the previous woodcutting team members spoke.

From here, one could basically see the ecology of the Does Da Xia camp before.

Xia Ding and those woodcutting team members were at the top, responsible for searching for resources, and also decided the resource allocation of the camp.

Then their families and offspring were the second class, enjoying resource priority privileges, and had a certain right to speak on camp affairs.

And the rest all belonged to the third class, waiting for resource allocation.

Xia Hong sorted out his thoughts and pressed his hand lightly.

Seeing his gesture, everyone immediately closed their mouths.

Obviously, the camp being attacked and leading them to move, Xia Hong's performance had already established a certain prestige in their hearts.

"Cheng, if I want to leave, even if I swear, I will still leave, so I can't guarantee anything to you..."

Xia Hong responded to Yuan Cheng and paused, then his tone deepened and continued:

"Trust is the cornerstone between us. I'll just say one thing. If you are willing to give this piece of flesh and blood to me, one day in the future, I will repay you ten times or a hundred times.

If you are willing to give it to me, you can express your stance now.

If you are not willing, I won't say anything, and we will continue as before."

After Xia Hong finished speaking, the cave fell into silence.

But soon, there was the first voice:

"Hong, I believe you."

Then came the second, the third.

"I also believe in the leader."

"I, Yuan Cheng, am willing to give my cold beast flesh and blood to Hong."

"That's right, only when the leader becomes stronger can we continue to live."

…………

Voices of support and trust rose one after another in the crowd.

A smile also appeared on Xia Hong's face.

Taking the cold beast flesh and blood from Xia Chuan's hand, a trace of firmness gradually emerged in Xia Hong's eyes.

"In this environment of extreme cold apocalypse, only a camp that trusts each other and is sincere to each other can truly survive. Strength will come sooner or later."

(End of chapter)