Chapter 11

When the Guojian dense forest had just entered winter, it wasn't very cold. For the Zenu people, who were accustomed to wearing light clothing even in winter, this was indeed the case. However, in reality, the temperature could drop below ten degrees, and during this period, the animals in the dense forest were particularly active. Lu Qi naturally knew that they weren't preparing for the New Year, but rather searching for and storing food to survive the winter.

Walking along the river, which was almost completely covered by various oddly shaped arched vines, Xiaoqiang, carrying a spear, walked in the middle of the group. His bare feet stepped on the cold swamp mud, and the mud, formed from decaying leaves, seeped through his toes like small worms. Despite this, his square face wore a happy expression.

Looking at the others, most of them, whether more or less, had worried looks, their eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, as if the words "anxious and fearful" were written on their foreheads.

The dense forest was fraught with danger, not only from the frequent appearance of venomous snakes and fierce beasts but also from the need to be cautious of venomous insects. Even a misstep could lead to fatal consequences.

Xiaoqiang was in high spirits because he was originally supposed to be punished, but the team leader, Lu Qi, had pardoned him and given him the spear he had longed for, allowing him to participate in the hunt and no longer be a coward hiding at the back.

The winter hunt, involving four hundred Zenu people, was undoubtedly a major battle against nature for the Northwest House. As the saying goes, "Before the troops move, the provisions must be ready." The food and water for four hundred people were undoubtedly the most important. Therefore, out of the four hundred, nearly a hundred were responsible for logistics, carrying food and water.

Most importantly, it was the water. Although the swamp forest was rich in water sources, most of them could not be consumed directly. Xiaoqiang was one of those responsible for carrying water, but on this day, the large water bag he was carrying was accidentally torn by a branch, and dozens of liters of spring water were lost. This was enough water for several people, and the tear meant that several people might die from lack of water during the winter hunt.

Such incidents occasionally occurred in hunting teams in the past, and the fate of the water carriers was dire. Although they were not directly executed, being beaten dozens of times in the wild was almost a death sentence.

Xiaoqiang understood this, so he was almost ashen-faced at the time. He could imagine the team leader, Lu Qi, angrily piercing his forehead with a short, blood-stained dagger. However, when Lu Qi learned of the incident, he did not punish him at all. Instead, he casually pardoned him, gave him a spear, and allowed him to participate in the hunt, placing him in the middle of the group due to his youth and inexperience.

"Human life is more important than water!" This was what Lu Qi said at the time: "In this vast swamp forest, drinkable water is not hard to find, but the loss of a usable person is irreplaceable!"

Lu Qi's words saved his life, and Xiaoqiang was undoubtedly grateful. Thinking about how he had once joined the group that despised and mocked Lu Qi, he felt deep regret. Now, when he heard someone speak ill of Lu Qi, although he did not dare to risk a fight, he was still brave enough to curse them.

No one dared to defy Lu Qi's words, but some experienced Zenu people began to doubt Lu Qi's abilities, privately muttering, "The old household head Xitu may have made a mistake. This boy may be strong, but he has no experience in the winter hunt. What good does it do to win people's hearts this way? Now it's just the beginning, and there's still plenty of water. But in the last few days, without water, everyone might rebel, and this boy will realize how wrong his decision was."

Xiaoqiang occasionally heard such mutterings and reported them to Lu Qi, suggesting that these hypocrites be punished. However, Lu Qi responded with indifference: "The difference in vision is not due to eyesight but to experience. Let them be; they will understand soon enough."

At that time, although Xiaoqiang did not know why Lu Qi was so confident, he completely believed in what Lu Qi said. After all, a person who could defeat the head of the Anze household at the age of twelve was certainly not a fool. This thought made Xiaoqiang suddenly realize that his six or seven years of life had been wasted compared to Lu Qi.

Xiaoqiang could never understand that in his previous life, Lu Qi had lived for over twenty years in a technologically advanced and information-rich era. The knowledge of a young man in his twenties in such a world was certainly no less than that of a hundred-year-old in a less informed world.

In the blink of an eye, the hunting team had been away from the Northwest House and deep into the Guojian dense forest for eleven days. This time, the average daily harvest of the hunting team was much greater than in the past, and the losses were minimal. Apart from a few Zenu people who were killed by highly venomous centipedes and spiders, almost none were killed by wild beasts.

The main reason was the improvement of the spear, which now had a blood groove. When the improved spear pierced a wild animal, whether it was a wolf or a black bear, as long as it entered the body by three to five inches, the animal would die regardless of where it was pierced. A few spears, followed by a few minutes of waiting, and even a fully grown black bear would meet its end.

However, few Zenu people credited this improvement to Lu Qi, as the spear's enhancement was entirely arranged by the old household head Xitu.

Lu Qi did not care; his ambitions lay elsewhere. After all, he did not want to be a household head for life, leading a group of slaves to hunt and gather herbs for the outside world's noble families.

The thin leather boots provided some protection for his feet but still allowed Lu Qi to clearly feel the decaying swamp mud deforming and groaning under his feet. Wearing waterproof and cold-resistant leather boots, protective and warm leather armor, and holding a large ringed knife, these were the special treatments Lu Qi received as the hunting team leader, different from the other Zenu people.

The slightly acidic scent in the air and the low moans of various creatures made him feel comfortable, familiar, and free, as if he had returned to his previous life.

In his previous life, Lu Qi was not only a powerful hunter but also an excellent animal ecologist. To master the Five Animal Imitation Fist, he often personally interacted with these wild animals. To capture some valuable images, he had even faced off against bears in Changbai Mountain and tigers in Longhu Mountain.

And such a swamp forest, Lu Qi had visited many times, as many cranes lived in wetlands. Different worlds might have different people, cultures, and many other things, but as long as the biological evolution system was the same, the similarity of nature was almost one hundred percent.

The wetlands in this world were undoubtedly more ancient and enchanting than those on Earth, which had suffered much damage. This hunting trip was like a long vacation for Lu Qi, who had trained for twelve years, and he was enjoying it.

"Team leader Hu Tou, the water supply has been consumed by more than seventy percent. Several squad leaders have suggested we return. If we don't return soon, we might not be able to get back at all!" Dafeng's voice was firm. Over these days, Lu Qi had not caused him any trouble, which had made him feel much more at ease.

Returning was much easier than exploring. The eleven-day hunting journey could be completed in three to four days, and the suggestions of the squad leaders were not without reason.

"No rush!" Lu Qi responded: "The best time for the winter hunt is twenty days. If we complete the full duration