Chapter 142 - Two Days Later
It was a dull and bleak afternoon. The sun was hidden behind the clouds and a chilly breeze was blowing. The trees in the forest rustled and swayed with the wind. Traces of snow could be seen on the tops of trees and even some on the floor of the forest.
A group of ten people was walking through a path in the Northern forest. These people were none other than Lin Mu, Hei Yingjie, and the other members of his team. It had been two days since they had started their journey.
During these two days nothing significant happened, and they simply traveled. Still, on the second day, the winter had intensified and the temperature had fallen even more. Before, the snow would usually melt in the morning and could not be seen. But now traces of it could still be seen.
Lin Mu knew that this was just the start and it would soon get worse. The first month of winter had just started, and there were three in total. Every month would just mean more hardships and lower temperatures. The final month was the worst and there would not be a single day during it that the snow was less than a foot deep.
They didn’t exactly know how long it will take for them to reach the location they were aiming for but knew that it should be within a traveling distance of four days at the maximum. Sure, it would take them more time to actually find it, but it should be within that traveling distance.
~Howl~
The team came to a halt as they heard a faint howl coming from the distance.
"Wait, there’s a spirit beast ahead." Hei Yingjie gestured and ordered everyone to stop as his spirit sense detected something.
"I’ll scout it out." One of the members offered.
"Alright, but be careful. Retreat at the first sight of danger." Hei Yingjie replied but kept his spirit sense already nonetheless.
The man nodded and then went ahead. He returned five minutes later and seemed to be fine.
"Well, what did you find?" Hei Yingjie questioned.L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.
"There’s a small pack of steel back wolves ahead. It seems to have been separated from a bigger pack or is probably a hunting party. It’s being led by a steel back wolf that has become a spirit beast." The man answered.
Everyone took a breath of relief upon hearing the man’s words.
"This should be easy then. We can take them out." Lin Mu suggested.
"I guess we’re having fresh meat for lunch today." Hei Yingjie spoke in a jovial manner.
He then looked at his subordinates and spoke, "Prepare the carcasses, we’ll take a break."
"Yes, sir." They all spoke.
Lin Mu also picked up the wolf that he had killed and started skinning it right then and there. Hei Yingjie saw this and was about to stop him, but then he noticed the look on Lin Mu’s face. It was a look of hidden excitement.
’It should be fine if he wants to do it himself.’ Hei Yingjie thought and then went to sit under a tree.
Hei Yingjie sat in a meditative and started cultivating. Some of the other members did the same while the rest went to prepare the carcasses. An hour later Lin Mu was done skinning the wolf and had stored the pelt and the other useful parts away in the ring.
The others were also nearly done with their work. They then gathered the meat together and set up a few fire pits to cook them. In all, they had five beasts worth of meat. Even half of this would be enough for them to fill their bellies.
Lin Mu took out his spices and condiments and started to prepare his own meal. While he was open to sharing the food, he still preferred the meat that he had cooked himself and was up to his tastes. The others saw this but paid it no mind and just did their tasks.
Soon a mouth-watering aroma was spreading from the place where Lin Mu was cooking the spirit beast meat. While the others were also cooking, but the aroma could not be compared. By now Hei Yingjie had woken up and was also ready to eat.
Some of the team members had started cutting apart portions and were distributing them. Hei Yingjie did not go to the others, but instead went to sit with Lin Mu.
Lin Mu saw this and gave out a little smile. He cut a leg apart from the cooked wolf and offered it to Hie Yingjie before he could even ask.
"Here." Lin Mu spoke as he offered.
"Ah! Thank you brother Lin Mu. Eating food prepared by you will be an honor." Hei Yingjie spoke in a flattering manner.
Lin Mu nodded and cut another leg for himself. Both of them started eating and in no time they had finished it. Hei Yingjie looked up and wondered what they were going to do with the rest of the cooked meat, but was then shocked.
In the time that he had finished that one leg, Lin Mu had not only finished his own but had also devoured half of the cooked meat. Right now he was biting down on some ribs and was eating it with gusto, paying no heed to his demeanor.
Hei Yingjie was shocked by this and felt as if his eyes were lying to him.
"That boy’s no less than a beast himself." He muttered to himself.