Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely-Chapter 86: Animal Trap

In light of the Great Xia’s perilous migration, for the two subsequent nights, when the Huang and Dachen families moved their camps, Xia Hong brought all twenty-six Logging Realm members along to ensure safety.

Fortunately, nothing happened over two consecutive nights. A total of 427 people from the two camps safely arrived at the valley on the third day’s dawn.

As soon as Xia Hong returned to the valley, he handed over the merging affairs to Xia Chuan and hurried towards the Iron Melting Furnace.

On the stove, a half-meter-long circular saw-toothed animal trap was glowing red, with seven silver-white forging patterns appearing on the sides of the trap.

Xia Hong picked up a polishing stone from the side and continued the unfinished hammering from the previous night.

Clang... Clang... Clang...

After half an hour, Xia Chuan, looking grave, approached with Yuan Cheng, Luo Yuan, Huang Yong, and Hong Gang.

"Leader, the numbers have been fully compiled. After merging the two camps, the current camp population is 902, excluding you, there are a total of 36 Logging Realm members; there are 302 people aged thirteen to thirty; under thirteen, there are a total of 392 people. According to the meat distribution rule we previously defined, excluding the leader, the camp’s monthly Cold Beast Meat consumption is approximately..."

At this point, Xia Chuan paused, his face growing more grave, and continued:

"Just over twenty thousand pounds!"

Upon saying this number, Luo Yuan, Huang Yong, and Hong Gang all focused their gaze on Xia Hong’s face.

Over twenty thousand pounds, even by conservative estimates, requires fifteen Cold Beasts.

Every month, fifteen Cold Beasts roughly means hunting one every two nights.

However you think about it, it seems impossible.

The four-tier meat distribution rule Xia Hong boasted of earlier is destined to fail.

In the recent population count, the three of them also helped, so they were long aware of this number. Although they didn’t believe Xia Hong could really achieve it, they still wanted to see how Xia Hong would react upon hearing the number himself.

Everyone, including Xia Chuan, assumed that upon hearing this number, Xia Hong would exhibit astonishment, disbelief, or even embarrassment.

Clang... Clang... Clang...

However, Xia Hong showed no expression at all; he continued to focus on hammering the circular saw-toothed iron ring in his hand, only pausing to turn and nod at Xia Chuan, saying, "Alright, I know, you all should go rest first. Rest well during the day, and when night falls, we’ll go hunting."

Xia Chuan hesitated several times but seeing Xia Hong’s focus on forging, he kept silent; Luo Yuan and the others exchanged glances, clearly surprised by Xia Hong’s calm reaction.

Could it be he can really achieve it?

Impossible!

Luo Yuan shook his head inwardly. The others might not know, but he did.

The Rogel Camp previously had five Earth-digging Realm members and over thirty Logging Realm members, far stronger than the current Great Xia, yet they at most hunted seven or eight Cold Beasts a month, even with sufficient weapons.

Currently, the Great Xia has only about a dozen weapons in total, and only Xia Hong is in the Earth-digging Realm. Not to mention fifteen, even seven or eight is a big problem.

True, Xia Hong is strong, but can he be stronger than five Earth-digging Realm members?

What on earth gives this new leader such confidence?

Luo Yuan didn’t leave but turned to watch the circular saw-toothed iron ring in Xia Hong’s hand for a while, then couldn’t help but speak, "Leader, this is for making an animal trap, isn’t it? It’s useless..."

Seeing Xia Hong look up, Luo Yuan continued, "Previously, the Rogel Camp tried setting animal traps too, but Cold Beasts don’t move at night. Setting them is a waste. During the day, Cold Beasts might occasionally step on them, but the traps at most injure them and can’t hold them, and these beasts are one cleverer than the last. Without a live bait, they won’t get caught."

At night, one might act as a bait, but Cold Beasts don’t move at night; during the day, without bait, the beasts won’t get caught. Even if a Cold Beast accidentally steps on one, it will escape with nobody nearby, and might even take the trap with it, resulting in a total loss.

Xia Hong understood Luo Yuan’s words, but showed no reaction. Instead, Xia Chuan seemed to realize something and looked at the trap with bright eyes.

"Don’t worry, I have a way. You all should rest well first. When night falls, I’ll call you. Also, for the logging teams tonight, let Huang Yong and Hong Gang lead."

Seeing that persuasion was futile, Luo Yuan could only leave helplessly, and Huang Yong and Hong Gang also went to rest. Only Xia Chuan stayed, waiting for Xia Hong to finish forging the trap before approaching.

Xia Hong took a deep breath, looking at the trap’s sides with ten silver-white forging patterns, finally revealing a hint of joy.

"Big brother, there’s only two more hours until nightfall. You should rest for a while. I’ll prepare the torches and call you when it’s time."

Hearing Xia Chuan’s words, Xia Hong knew he understood his plan, nodded, placed the trap well, and lay down next to the furnace to rest.

After two consecutive nights of toil and continuous trap forging, he was indeed exhausted.

He needed to rest, with the night’s hunting ahead.

In understanding Luo Ming’s departure, Xia Hong knew the difficulties of being a leader, especially in weaker camps where the leader has to give more.

Logging, hunting, forging, and digging. For the current Great Xia, logging is the only task Xia Hong can delegate; the other three must be done by him, with forging and digging only feasible for him.

Without commitment and contribution, one cannot be a leader.

The current Great Xia is just like the former Rogel Camp.

Giving up is human nature, especially since Luo Ming held on for so many years.

"Hang in there, once the Cold Beast Meat supply is steady, everything will improve!"

Xia Hong rubbed his swollen arm, cheering himself up in his heart.

This rare respite didn’t last long.

Night soon fell again. When Xia Hong awoke, Xia Chuan and the other eleven were already fully armed, waiting for him.

Xia Hong glanced around the camp and didn’t see Huang Yong and others, showing confusion.

Xia Chuan noticed and quickly stepped forward to explain.

"Leader, Hong Gang and Huang Yong have already taken the others to log. Mu Dong said that building new houses requires Golden Frost Trees, so they took all ten saws."

Xia Hong nodded, remembering the logging tasks that now were off his mind, feeling slightly relieved.

He looked at the dark sky outside the wooden cabin and waved to everyone.

"Let’s go!"

Xia Hong led the way, and the group of thirteen opened the valley entrance under the cover of night and, under the watchful eyes of all the camp members, headed towards Redwood Ridge.

"Do you think what the leader said before, that everyone could get Cold Beast Meat, is true or false?"

"How could it be true, probably just exaggerated to comfort us. If they could really hunt so many Cold Beasts, the Great Xia wouldn’t have agreed to merge us."

"True, after all, the leader just reached the Earth-digging Realm. Even the Rogel Camp hadn’t achieved everyone getting Cold Beast Meat before, so how could the Great Xia?"

"I don’t expect getting it every day; I just hope for a pound or two each month."

...

Unlike the newly merged individuals who discussed among themselves, most of the original Great Xia Logging Team reserves did not participate in the discussion, instead focusing on their own physical training or helping Mu Dong and others move wood, seizing the chance to train.

Even when hearing the discussions, these people didn’t explain, merely smiling and staying silent.