CHAPTER 643: CHAPTER 197: REUNION WITH AN OLD FRIEND (PART 3)

His hands were red from the cold, but fortunately, his strong physique allowed him to recover quickly, and the warming effect of the beast meat hadn’t dissipated yet.

After twisting his body a few times, Chen Yan drove away the stiffness.

He crouched down, flanked sideways for dozens of meters, then approached the battlefield...

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As dawn approached, Chen Yan’s awaited opportunity arrived!

The Fierce Beast Race had already elected a new leader, and under the command of an obviously burliest individual, the remaining members began to rise and assemble!

They didn’t even bother collecting the leftover food as they set off—despite the lingering beast carcasses still scattered on the battlefield, they seemed disinterested in collecting food.

Perhaps, they themselves knew they would never make it back home.

When the Fierce Beast Race set off, Chen Yan, like a leopard hidden in the shadows, silently followed behind.

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The group became increasingly scattered—you couldn’t expect a savage race with such low civilization to maintain orderly ranks while marching across the snowfield.

They might have been fierce and bold, but when it came to discipline, they were a textbook example of a disorderly mob.

Moreover, they were a mob knowingly marching to their doom.

A group of more than ten stretched out over a length of more than twenty meters.

They walked in threes and twos, with some limping alone.

Silently, Chen Yan ran ahead, waiting for the group to pass by his position.

Then, amid the wind and snow, he pounced on the one at the very back!

The wind and snow muffled a brief cry of alarm, which was abruptly silenced by the slash of a knife—along with its throat.

Gasping for breath, Chen Yan pulled the knife forcefully from the body he had pinned, then turned to watch the distant figures at the end of the line disappearing into the snowstorm.

At that moment, his eyes seemed like those of a beast.

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Chen Yan’s ambush succeeded three times.

But he failed the fourth time.

The fourth victim was perhaps too strong; in the struggle, Chen Yan’s first strike failed to sever the throat, instead stabbing into the shoulder during the scuffle.

A scream alerted the other Fierce Beast Race creatures in the group, and Chen Yan, making a decisive decision, chose not to linger for spoils, neglecting the fate of the opponent, he rose up and sprinted away, disappearing into the depths of the snowfield under the cover of wind and snow...

Eleven left!

Chen Yan silently calculated in his heart.

He was hiding behind a snowbank, catching his breath for a while.

Turning around, he used binoculars to observe the distance where the Fierce Beast Race group was situated.

They gathered together, appearing to discuss something, but soon resumed their journey.

This time, however, they stuck together, not stretching out the line.

Chen Yan frowned, but soon, after seeming to perceive something, he let out a "Huh."

Moments later, Chen Yan ran over.

The departing Fierce Beast Race group had not left without a trace.

They had left behind a companion...

A figure that was the smallest in stature and the frailest.

As Chen Yan approached, the creature was squatting on the ground, clutching an axe, shivering in the wind and snow.

Chen Yan had scarcely stood beside it before the creature tilted over, collapsing into the snow.

It seemed almost frozen stiff.

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The flame from the alcohol stove didn’t provide much warmth.

But the aroma of boiling beast meat soup in the small pot resting on the stove filled the cramped space with tempting imagination.

This was a snow den, something Chen Yan dug out in the snow with a shovel.

He had watched some videos online about wilderness and polar survival, and this simple snow den could effectively retain warmth.

Even though Chen Yan had a robust physique, the small snow shelter he dug wasn’t very large, just an oval space.

It barely accommodated him and the frozen small figure from the Fierce Beast Race.

Between the two was that pot.

Finally, after Chen Yan scooped a spoonful of the beast meat soup into his mouth, he remembered something, reached into his pocket, and took out a small bag of salt to sprinkle a pinch into the soup.

Chen Yan stirred with a spoon, took another sip, and then showed a satisfied expression.

At this point, the body of the Fierce Beast Race member opposite the alcohol stove shuddered twice.

Chen Yan sighed, set down the spoon, and covered the pot with a lid.

He crawled over and squatted beside the creature.

Unceremoniously, Chen Yan patted the creature’s shoulder.

"Hey, if you’re awake, open your eyes."

As he spoke, Chen Yan watched as the creature slowly opened its eyes, its gray-skinned face and small eyes shifting from distant disfocus to eventual focus, then shocked upon recognizing Chen Yan, and finally a complex expression...

"Long time no see, Wooden Bowl," Chen Yan chuckled.

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Wooden Bowl jumped up abruptly, but quickly bumped its head on the roof of the snow den, only to be smacked back down by Chen Yan’s glaring palm, angering: "Be careful! I worked hard to dig this out! If you collapse it, you better dig another one by yourself?!"

"You, you! It’s you!" Wooden Bowl crouched on the ground, eyes wide with terror at Chen Yan.

Instinctively, she reached for her axe—only to unsurprisingly find nothing.

"It’s not the first time I’ve captured you, so why would you think I’d leave a weapon with you?" Chen Yan deliberately feigned anger.

After staring at Chen Yan for a couple of seconds, Wooden Bowl suddenly let out a low growl and lunged at Chen Yan with outstretched arms!

Of course, it wasn’t a reunion hug!

Wooden Bowl’s hands had a clear target—Chen Yan’s neck!

But just a few seconds later, Wooden Bowl was torn away by Chen Yan, then pinned down on the snow.

Chen Yan’s knee was pressed against Wooden Bowl’s throat, while his hands immobilized Wooden Bowl’s arms.

"You are no match for me." Chen Yan spoke with confidence.

After consuming the Divine Tree Juice and enhancing his physique multiple times, Chen Yan’s strength was now incomparable—as he estimated, now even without using spells, his physical prowess surpassed that of the chief of the Fierce Beast Race village, whom he once saw as a formidable foe.

If they were to duel again now, Chen Yan wouldn’t need any fancy tactics; pure brute force would be enough to crush him!

Such a small Wooden Bowl was now of little concern.

"You are no match for me, and you are already my captive, hence you are my slave."

Chen Yan intentionally used a cold tone with Wooden Bowl.

Wooden Bowl was momentarily stunned, staring at Chen Yan, then finally lowered her head.

"Yes, I am your slave."

Chen Yan nodded, feeling Wooden Bowl cease resisting, he let her go.

After the brief struggle, the snow den had indeed partially collapsed, but fortunately, the pot on the alcohol stove hadn’t tipped over.

Chen Yan backed off, then pointed to the corner of the snow den: "You stay there! Don’t move!"

Wooden Bowl remained silent, retreating quietly and curling up her body.

But soon after, Chen Yan lifted the pot’s lid, and the aroma of the soup made Wooden Bowl unable to resist raising her head.

Chen Yan, paying no attention, drank the soup with a spoon, occasionally fishing out meat chunks to chew.

After he had consumed most of the pot, he glanced at Wooden Bowl, "The rest is yours."

Silent for a second, Wooden Bowl suddenly lunged—not this time for Chen Yan, but for the small pot.

Wooden Bowl embraced the pot with both hands, then pushed it to her mouth, not minding the heat, crying out in pain yet gulping the soup down, chewing the meat chunks desperately.

Chen Yan frowned, "You... how long has it been since you last ate."

"...Eating every day," Wooden Bowl put down the pot, licking her lips with vigor, "But it’s been a long while since I felt full."

As she spoke, she looked at Chen Yan, a peculiarly odd expression in her eyes, "...Is there more?"

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[This is today’s update (Thursday, June 5), there will be another update past twelve o’clock]

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