Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely-Chapter 181 - 132: New Discoveries in Deep Redwood Ridge

Chapter 181: Chapter 132: New Discoveries in Deep Redwood Ridge

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In the Ice Abyss World, snow and wind were perpetual.

This snowstorm was unlike any ordinary winter day, accompanied by endless coldness, stripping the earth of all vitality.

From within Redwood Ridge, the entire land was nothing but snow upon snow.

Only the huge trees, covered in white snow, stood immobile amongst it, resembling white spires dangling with countless icicles.

Trees could be seen as a form of life. The reason why trees in the Ice Abyss World were so robust could be understood from another perspective.

If they weren’t resilient, how could they survive in this frigid world?

To the north of Redwood Ridge, within the territory of the former Lu Shang Camp, Xia Hong felt a slight relief after leading fifteen people on a patrol around the perimeter.

"Fortunately, we haven’t found anyone else or any traces of activity. The Mirror Immortal Camp shouldn’t have crossed the border yet."

Everyone nodded in agreement, their expressions relaxing a little.

The purpose of coming here tonight was to check if the Mirror Immortal Camp had crossed the boundary. The absence of any signs was a good thing.

"The distribution of Cold Beasts within a kilometer of the Lu Shang Camp’s perimeter is similar to our area. Within five hundred meters, there are a few Snow Manes, Frost Wolves, and Golden Sheep. Beyond that, there are only two Teng Jiao, all low-level Cold Beasts. It seems if we want to find Intermediate Cold Beasts, we’ll have to go deeper," Xia Chuan summarized their patrol’s findings and suggested venturing further.

Upon hearing this, everyone directed their eyes toward Xia Hong in the lead.

"If you have time, hunt the game on the outskirts on your own. Let’s go in!"

Xia Hong didn’t hesitate. The goal tonight was clear: Intermediate Cold Beasts. The game on the outskirts wasn’t worth his time.

Since it was their first time venturing beyond the kilometer range, where the environment began to feel unfamiliar, Xia Hong and the group immediately slowed their pace and quieted their movements, becoming alert to their surroundings.

With no measuring tools, they could only estimate their depth by instinct. But once they truly ventured in, it became apparent that they didn’t need anything other than their eyes to judge.

In Redwood Ridge, the further in you went, the thicker the trees became. Due to the massive trees, the roots were peculiar, some even protruding from the ground, making the previously flat terrain complex.

"The trees with a diameter of over ten meters on the outskirts were already considered big, but who would’ve thought this one would be even more daunting, with a diameter close to twenty meters?"

Luo Yuan couldn’t help but exclaim, prompting everyone, including Xia Hong, to look at the tree he mentioned.

Seeing the tree’s form, everyone couldn’t help but click their tongues and shake their heads.

The tree was indeed enormous!

A twenty-meter diameter tree is rare to imagine for the average person.

But describing it this way makes it clear: if the tree were hollowed out, it would resemble a skyscraper, capable of accommodating hundreds or even thousands of people.

Even from a hundred meters away, the sixteen people appeared tiny before the tree. It was fortunate that they were regular visitors to the outer Redwood Ridge, familiar with grand trees, or else this one might have invoked a fear of enormous objects.

"It’s a pity it’s just an ordinary Vermilion Frost. Perhaps we haven’t gone deep enough. So far, we’ve only seen the usual types of trees. Why don’t we go a bit further, leader?"

Upon hearing Luo Yuan’s suggestion, Xia Hong redirected his gaze, surveying the surrounding trees before nodding softly.

While their main task was hunting, they also paid attention to the trees along the way. If they encountered any new species or rare trees, they would record and mark them.

Though these tasks fell to the Collection Team, their first wave of deeper exploration made it convenient to record and mark things for the logging team to complete their mission later.

Xia Hong led the group another hundred meters deeper and, estimating they were 1300 meters in, halted and began to explorate both the south and north directions.

Shortly after, they made a new discovery.

"Whoa... such a large Ice Tree!"

To the north, over a hundred meters away, stood a towering Ice Tree laden with transparent Crystal Fruits.

The diameter of the Ice Tree was estimated at seventeen to eighteen meters, the countless Crystal Fruits roughly numbering thirty to forty thousand, equalling ten to twenty thousand pounds.

"Go mark it. It’s the first time seeing such a large Ice Tree."

Xia Hong led the group northward, and upon closer inspection, they realized that not only was the Ice Tree enormous, but its fruits were also significantly larger than those of other Ice Trees.

Beneath it lay a vast marshland, spanning about fifty to sixty meters, roughly corresponding to the tree’s canopy extension, emitting a fermented odor, clearly formed by the decay of Crystal Fruits dropping over the years.

"This isn’t really a marsh though!"

At a distance, it appeared to be a marshland because this section was not snow-covered and had a faint golden fluid appearance.

But as Xia Hong stepped onto it, he realized that although the surface was fluid-like, it was only marginally softer than normal ground, with a very distinct tread sensation.

"It’s my first time stepping on such a soft ground. Does the material from decomposed Crystal Fruits have such a pronounced effect on the terrain?"

Casually said by Xia Chuan, the words stopped everyone in their tracks, Xia Hong suddenly looking up, his face full of excitement.

Realizing what Xia Hong was thinking, Xia Chuan understood as well.

If Crystal Fruits had such an effect, couldn’t they use this property to soften the valley floor for transplanting trees?

"Maybe not, don’t get too excited too soon. If Crystal Fruits had this effect, how come it wasn’t discovered earlier? Wait, let me check the ground first!"

Xia Hong quickly calmed himself, squatting down to scoop up the soil.

Describing it as scooping might not be accurate, it was more like digging.

Yet, after several attempts, he couldn’t dig even a small piece of what looked fluid and softer than other ground.

With brows knit, Xia Hong’s heart was filled with unease.

His Basic Strength had reached a limit of thirty thousand pounds.

Even regular soil could be dug out by him.

But the seemingly soft ground was unyielding?

He shook his head, extinguishing the idea that had just emerged in everyone’s minds.

It appeared soft, yet in reality, it was hard. Transplanting seemed futile now.

"Never mind, just mark the location, ignore this for now, and let’s continue north!"

With transplantation impossible, the group lost interest and, after marking the location, followed Xia Hong along the 1300-meter limit to investigate north.

They later encountered four Cold Beasts, but three were Teng Jiao, and one was a Blue Moon Elf, all low-level Cold Beasts.

Hunting Teng Jiao was cumbersome, so Xia Hong didn’t act; the Blue Moon Elf, possibly starving, attempted to ambush as sixteen people passed by its tree.

Having searched fruitlessly for Intermediate Cold Beasts, the group was already frustrated. A Low-level Cold Beast offering itself up for venting, was sure to receive no mercy.

The Blue Moon Elf wasn’t large, measuring only over a meter with snow-white fur, one of the weakest creatures encountered by Xia Hong so far, even weaker than the Rodent, yet faster than it.

The small size, rapid speed, and snow-camouflaging fur meant its ambush might have worked before Xia Hong’s Basic Strength reached thirty thousand pounds.

Unfortunately, it confronted the current Xia Hong.

Having ventured out to seek Intermediate Cold Beasts, the group’s vigilance was high.

The timing of its attack was terribly misjudged.

Without Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, or others acting, Xia Hong drew his blade, dispatching the Blue Moon Elf in just three moves.

"This Blue Moon Elf likely also had an Innate Divine Ability like other Cold Beasts, but meeting the leader, it had no chance to display it!"

Zhu Shun buried the Blue Moon Elf in the snow, marking the spot, and couldn’t help but sigh.

The others nodded, recalling the swift three slashes just now, looking at Xia Hong with admiration.

Reflecting, Xia Hong was pulled from his thoughts by Zhu Shun’s words, realizing the group saw a Blue Moon Elf for the first time and explained:

"Its legs, the Blue Moon Elf’s legs can, for a brief moment, exert five times their normal strength. This should be its Innate Divine Ability. My speed during the skirmish was too fast for you to notice. Remember this if you encounter it again!"

The group nodded, finally understanding.

Though Xia Hong met a Blue Moon Elf for the first time, he had read Luo Ming’s Cold Beast Atlas, which documented the Blue Moon Elf’s traits. During the skirmish, its leg power indeed almost overwhelmed him at a moment.

"We have been searching, finding four Cold Beasts, three Ice Trees, two Blue Jade Trees, plus some unknown plants. Tonight’s haul should be enough."

Seeing Xia Chuan burdened with over eighty Blue Frost Grass, along with other unknown plants, Xia Hong considered returning.

"Leader, just a bit further, and we’ll find them!"

"Only half the night has passed, and with so many of us well-prepared, we can’t go back just with this Blue Moon Elf and some Blue Frost Grass. That’s too little!"

"Agreed, I suggest we go deeper, at least to see what Intermediate Cold Beasts look like."

......

Seeing his thoughts, the group began to persuade him earnestly.

"Alright then, stash what we have and go two hundred meters further. If we still find nothing, we’ll return tomorrow night!"

Seeing the collective determination, Xia Hong nodded in agreement.

Deciding to venture two hundred meters further.

After hiding the game and plants, marking the spot,

Xia Hong led them westward, plunging deeper into Redwood Ridge.

Intermediate Cold Beasts were obviously further than anticipated.

Over an hour was spent searching, yet nothing was found.

In the front, Xia Hong halted, turning to everyone:

"Enough for tonight, let’s prepare better for tomorrow, expand the search to two kilometers. I just don’t believe..."

"Leader, look over there!"

"Leader, quick, look..."

Before he could finish, Xia Chuan and Luo Yuan, closest to him, seemed to spot something, pointing westward to interrupt him.

Xia Hong followed their gaze, momentarily dumbstruck.