"So, this simple device is essentially a physical slow-release system. It can extend the effective time of my underwater bait from at most half an hour to several hours."

He then tied a long hemp rope to the knot at the top of the "bait package," with the other end attached to a small stick used for marking and securing.

With everything ready, he went to an ice hole about five meters upstream from the fishing net. He slowly submerged the "bait package" filled with the "scent bomb" into the icy cold water.

"The underwater pheromone bomb has started working, now it’s just a matter of waiting for the harvest."

As he walked, he explained to the camera, "However, based on the current speed and the dissolving rate of the bait, I estimate it will take at least two to three hours to form a sufficiently large scent field."

"I will use this ’fermentation period’ to execute my second plan, upgrading my land traps."

"Water and land, two probability-increasing systems must be activated simultaneously. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket."

Without any hesitation, he left the Ice River area, carrying his bow and logging axe, along with the carefully prepared "attractant salve," and headed straight into the coniferous forest to the west.

He moved through the forest, his steps light yet cautious, "While my underwater fishing ground is brewing, I need to set up my land hunting ground, with the target being—red fox."

"But in this kind of snow-covered environment, any complex traps that involve dealing with the earth are foolish."

"I can’t fight the environment; instead, I have to use it. To deal with a clever and cunning animal like the fox, you have to be more patient and more insidious. It’s not just about setting traps but constructing a choice it can’t refuse."

He quickly found his ideal site beside a game trail, a patch of dwarf juniper shrubs covering more than ten square meters, growing so densely that it was nearly impassable.

"This is it."

He stopped, pointing to the bush, "Look, it’s like a natural wall. Any animal passing by here will instinctively choose to go around it."

"And what I have to do is open a door for them in this wall, a shortcut that seems to save a lot of energy!"

He took out the logging axe and, with the back and blade of the axe, carefully cleared the obstructing branches one by one.

After about half an hour of effort, he managed to carve out a straight path about thirty centimeters wide through the center of the bushes, only wide enough for a fox to pass through.

Next up was bait placement. He took out the "attractant salve," smeared it on a section of the cleared trunk, and then placed it into the center of the bushes.

Finally, it was time to set the trap.

Lin Yu’an made a lasso with a diameter of about twenty centimeters, securely tying the fixed end to the thickest main stem of the bush.

Then, he cleverly used the dense branches of the bush itself to vertically fix the wire lasso at the entrance of the passage, making it blend entirely with the dark entrance.

"Alright, now let’s review the entire hunting process." He stepped back from the bush, carefully erasing all traces he left, and pointed the camera at the seemingly unremarkable bush.

"The fox will be strongly attracted by the scent, following it to this bush. It will find that the smell comes from the center, but the branches around it are too dense to enter."

"At that moment, it will find the only dark, seemingly natural ’shortcut.’"

"The animal’s instincts will drive it to choose the most efficient route, and it will unhesitatingly stick its head into the dark passage, ready to reach the delicacy inside."

"Just when its head and neck have passed through the barely visible lasso, and it’s about to approach the bait, its shoulders—the widest part of the fox—will hit the lasso."

"As it continues to move forward, the lasso will instantly tighten around its neck! In the narrow passage, it has almost no room for effective struggle and will soon lose consciousness due to suffocation."

He stood up, looking at his perfect masterpiece, his voice full of confidence. Using the same method, he spent a lot of time and effort setting up two similar bush traps beside two other possible game trails.

After finishing all this, he estimated the time, and nearly three hours had passed.

Then, at the fastest speed, he returned to the Ice River. He dived into the familiar willow branch hut, expertly lit the stove in the tin barrel. Orange-red flames rose, quickly dispelling the stagnant cold inside the hut and bringing a touch of long-lost warmth.

He didn’t return to the shelter to rest but took out his ice fishing rod and began regular fishing.

"The traps on land are also set up. Now, it’s time to check the effectiveness of my underwater trap."

As he baited the fishhook with blood bait, he calmly explained to the camera, "I stay here with a very clear purpose."

"I need to know if what I put down is working. This hole is my only window to understand the underwater situation."

"Through the frequency and strength of the fish biting the hook, I can most intuitively judge whether my ’scent bomb’ really attracted the fish."

Time began to pass in patient waiting, the narrow ice fishing hut seemingly dividing the world into two halves.