7: Chapter 7: The Heart of the Camp 7: Chapter 7: The Heart of the Camp The world was a frozen wasteland, the cold wind biting to the bone.
Under the starlit night, the people of Great Xia Camp trudged arduously westward.
From No.1 Cave to No.4 Cave, it was actually less than two kilometers.
Yet even this less than two kilometers took over a hundred people from Great Xia Camp a full two hours to traverse.
The main reason being the snow accumulation on Redwood Ridge was astonishingly thick.
Outside the cave, even the thinnest snow was more than half a meter high.
In some places, it was five to six meters thick, and several people in the front line of robust individuals had already fallen off snow slopes and ended up bruised and disfigured.
When encountering deeper snow, the team had to stop, relying on the robust individuals at the front to physically carve a path before they could continue moving.
Additionally, the weather was cold, and visibility was poor at night.
Considering the children in the group, Xia Hong could only deliberately slow down the pace.
Though the pace was slow, quite a few people got injured.
But in the end, they reached their destination without any major risks.
No.4 Cave was on the west side of a small hill, with its entrance covered by dense leaves, now overlaid with a layer of snow, even crystallized with small icicles.
Some children in the group had lips turning blue from cold; Xia Hong picked up a stone axe, chopping through the entrance in no time and quickly organizing everyone to enter.
This cave was approximately a hundred square meters, more spacious than the previous one.
Xia Hong entered the cave and started a fire straightaway, then instructed Xia Chuan to reseal the entrance.
This puzzled Xia Chuan, as the temperature at night was higher than during the day, and the Cold Beasts were not so active; generally, there was no need to seal the cave.
However, he quickly understood.
“Everyone gather around, I have something to say!”
Xia Hong gathered everyone around, then pointed solemnly at the firepit and said:
“Right now, the most important thing in the camp is this firepit.
It has an intimidating effect on Deceitful Monsters but also attracts Cold Beasts.
Henceforth, regardless of whether it’s night or day, the entrance must be sealed upon entering or exiting; understood?”
The previous incident in the cave where the imposter Xia Ding was killed and turned to ashes was witnessed by everyone, making them fully trust Xia Hong’s words.
They all nodded affirmatively.
“Chuan, how much food do we have left now?”
Hearing this, Xia Chuan’s expression immediately turned a bit somber, replying: “We have about seven hundred pounds of Crystal Fruit left, and only sixty pounds of Cold Beast Meat.”
Upon hearing these figures, everyone instantly became anxious.
That includes Xia Hong.
In such a harsh world, farming is naturally not a concept.
Perhaps it exists, but the current Great Xia Camp surely has no contact with it.
In Great Xia, including all the human camps around Redwood Ridge, the staple food is a fruit that grows on a tree called Ice Phlox.
These fruits are fist-sized, with crystalline skins, soft and glutinous inside, and a sweet taste, each about half a pound.
A normal person needs two a day to barely maintain subsistence.
Seven hundred pounds sounds like a lot but is insufficient for 154 people.
Even if being frugal and giving only one per person per day, these seven hundred pounds would barely last ten days.
Regarding Cold Beast Meat, perhaps in some large camps, they can use it as rations, but in Great Xia Camp, Cold Beast Flesh, like wood, is absolutely considered a strategic resource.
In this world, humans rely on Cold Beast Flesh to cultivate.
Previously, Xia Ding implemented a distribution system in Great Xia Camp.
Logging team members each received one pound a day.
Ages fifteen to eighteen could get half a pound every three days.
Officially that’s the story, but the reality was different.
Previously, the camp had too little Cold Beast Flesh.
At least in the past month since Xia Hong came through, he only saw Xia Ding bring back one Bone Spur Frost Wolf Cold Beast, and it was just a juvenile, only a hundred pounds or so.
With too many people and too little meat, the available Cold Beast Flesh mainly went to the offspring of the logging team members.
Both Xia Ding and Xia Chuan also received some before.
But Xia Chuan gave his share to Xia Hong, using his brother’s impending breakthrough to the Logging Realm as the reason.
This deepened Xia Hong’s bond with Xia Chuan significantly in just a month.
Despite being blood brothers,
This is a world where death can come at any moment.
Cold Beast Flesh, a type of strategic resource that can enhance power, is invaluable.
Yet Xia Chuan was willing to give it to him, highlighting the purity of this younger brother’s character.
While Xia Hong was pondering these thoughts, Xia Chuan, from the rear, approached the firepit carrying a clump of azure meat.
Cold Beast Flesh is blue.
Xia Hong was slightly taken aback, but he quickly realized Xia Chuan’s intention.
“Everyone, I’m not going to sugarcoat it; my brother is the strongest, and now he’s just a step away from the Logging Realm.
I suggest we give him these sixty pounds of Cold Beast Flesh so he can break through sooner, ensuring our camp’s safety.
What do you all think?”
As expected, Xia Hong’s guess was right.
He instinctively wanted to refuse but reconsidered and remained silent.
Though it might seem selfish, Xia Chuan’s words were sensible.
Yet human nature is complex, and after Xia Chuan spoke, the room fell silent, with no one voicing their thoughts.
Especially those, the offspring of the previous camp’s logging team members.
“Hong, we trust you, but can you swear that after breaking through the Logging Realm, you won’t leave us behind?”
The speaker was a robust young man.
Yuan Cheng, straightforward and honest.
His father, Yuan Gang, was second only to Xia Ding in camp strength.
Information about the speaker flashed in Xia Hong’s mind.
He didn’t answer right away; instead, he looked around, observing the reactions of the others.
“At times , resources should indeed be concentrated to enhance Hong’s abilities.”
“But that Flesh was earned by my father’s blood and sweat.”
“Without Logging Realm combat power, we can’t even collect wood, and once these three trees are gone, we’ll freeze to death.”
“I believe it should be given to Hong.”
“That’s right, give it to him.”
Only the offspring of the previous logging team members spoke up.
From this, you can pretty much see the dynamics in Great Xia Camp earlier.
Xia Ding and the logging team members were at the top, responsible for resource procurement and determining resource distribution.
Their families were the second tier, enjoying resource priority and having a say in camp affairs.
Everyone else fell into the third tier, waiting for resource allocation.
Xia Hong sorted out his thoughts and gently raised his hand to quiet them.
Upon seeing his gesture, everyone instantly fell silent.
Evidently, Xia Hong’s performance during the earlier camp attack and their relocation had established his authority in their minds.
“Cheng, if I intended to leave, I’d do so regardless of any oath, so I can’t guarantee anything to you…”
Xia Hong paused after responding to Yuan Cheng, before continuing with a more serious tone:
“Trust is the foundation between us.
I’ll say just this: if you are willing to give me this Flesh, one day in the future, I will repay you a hundredfold.
If you’re willing, express it now.
If not, I’ll continue as before.”
As Xia Hong finished speaking, silence initially filled the cave.
But soon, the first voice broke the silence:
Then came the second and the third.
“I trust the leader too.”
“I, Yuan Cheng, am willing to give my Cold Beast Flesh to Hong.”
“Exactly, only by strengthening the leader can we continue to survive.”
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A smile appeared on Xia Hong’s face.
Receiving the chunk of Cold Beast Flesh from Xia Chuan, a sense of determination gradually emerged in Xia Hong’s gaze.
“In this extremely cold and apocalyptic world, only a camp built on mutual trust and genuine sincerity can truly survive, and strength will eventually follow.”