Chapter 4, The Essence of Life and Death

The moment he heard the howl of the wolf, Wu Ming's body was covered in goosebumps. He grabbed the long hair and suddenly stood up, his body seemingly moving faster than his brain could think. In less than ten seconds, he had already leaped up to the top of a nearby tree, where he remained completely still, making no sound at all except for the beating of his heart

Wu Ming sat down in front of the campfire, munching on the fruit while mumbling to himself. The fruit was not particularly tasty; it was somewhat astringent, but it could barely fill his stomach. After eating the fruit, Wu Ming glanced at the sky; it was getting late, and it seemed that the sun would set within about an hour. At that moment, a cool breeze began to blow, bringing a slight chill. He did not linger for long and began to search among the nearby trees. After a while, he finally found his target.

Wu Ming did not dare to look directly at this object, only glancing at it with the corner of his eye. He had previously researched in the Honghuang Heavenly Court government network and found that individuals with a gene lock above level 2 would become sensitive to hostile gazes. Wild creatures also possess this instinct; if it were a magical beast, this instinct might even evolve into an innate skill. Wu Ming would never make a mistake regarding such details, and he merely observed the approaching entity with his peripheral vision

Wu Ming pondered; although he was not an animal expert, he had watched countless educational documentaries about animals, and novels and comics also mentioned that the lone wolf is the most dangerous of wild wolves. Typically, a lone wolf was once the alpha of a wolf pack or a remnant wolf left after the pack's destruction. Regardless of which, the lone wolf is filled with brutality and murderous intent. Ordinary wolf packs tend to retreat when they encounter a potentially dangerous adversary, but the lone wolf is different. It lurks in the shadows, engaging in a relentless pursuit of its prey, making it exceedingly perilous. Generally, a lone wolf was once the alpha of a wolf pack or a remnant wolf left after the pack's destruction. Regardless of which, the lone wolf is filled with brutality and murderous intent. Ordinary wolf packs tend to retreat when they encounter a potentially dangerous adversary, but the lone wolf is different. It lurks in the shadows, engaging in a relentless pursuit of its prey, making it exceedingly perilous.

Indeed, it is under pressure that people reveal their true potential. If it weren't for this moment of pressure, I would not have realized that I actually possess the qualities for survival in the wilderness. Wu Ming smiled wryly, as if mocking himself, yet he found joy amidst the hardship

Wu Ming immediately turned his gaze to his fingers, as he had developed blisters on them from the previous friction fire-making. One of the blisters had already burst, and fresh blood was oozing out. Although the amount of blood was not significant and had begun to scab, there was no doubt that this blood had revealed his location.

After about one or two hours, Wu Ming was adding firewood while calculating the amount of wood needed for the night. Once he finished his calculations, he planned to take a nap in a tree next to the bonfire. Suddenly, at that moment, he heard the howl of a wolf

In such a situation, an ordinary person would likely experience a mental breakdown; even if they do not, they would at least be on edge, and it would not be long before they completely lose control. However, Wu Ming became increasingly calm instead. He simply sat by the fire with the long-haired creature in his arms, eating fruit with a detached demeanor. Although he felt fear inside, he did not allow it to spread. He remained aware of his surroundings but did not appear frightened. He was even surprised by his current state, a condition he had never experienced in the past few decades.

However, Wu Ming can be considered fortunate, as there are wild fruit trees not far from where he arrived. Most of them are unfamiliar to him, but some of the fruits bear signs of insect bites and bird pecks, indicating that they are safe to eat. Additionally, approximately four to five hundred meters from his chosen shelter, there is a small stream flowing down from the hillside. It is quite narrow and is likely formed from the melting snow on the mountain. This stream has alleviated his urgent need, as the weather is still relatively hot. He had sweated profusely while trying to start a fire by drilling wood, and he was able to drink his fill of water from this stream.

But in fact, he himself did not realize that this was not the potential for wilderness survival at all, but rather a different, much more advanced quality; it was a kind of innate talent.

Wu Ming's heart was overflowing with fear, yet the more intense it became, the calmer his mind grew, which surprised him repeatedly. However, this was not the time for such thoughts; he simply held his breath and remained motionless at the treetop. The location of the treetop was shrouded in darkness, and with the bonfire below drawing attention, it was unlikely that anyone standing beneath the tree would notice him. Wu Ming stayed quietly on the tree, not even flinching at the bites of mosquitoes. Time passed without him knowing how long it had been, when suddenly, shadows of creatures began to emerge from the darkness.

Gradually, the giant wolf drew closer to Wu Ming, and the more critical the situation became, the calmer Wu Ming remained. He was surprised by this calmness, which had even reached the level of being cold and ruthless. He coldly watched the giant wolf approach, his heart filled with fear, yet his eyes carried an immense killing intent

However, he surprisingly endured it until the dry grass caught fire and his hands began to feel scalding hot, at which point he placed the dry grass onto the dry firewood he had prepared earlier, and immediately, the firewood also ignited.

It was a branch that was thick at the back and thin at the front. After Wu Ming climbed the tree, he hung his entire body from this branch and finally managed to pull it down, breaking it off. He then used a stone to sharpen the branch carefully and roasted it over a fire to carbonize it, increasing its hardness. It was not until the sun had completely set that his wooden spear was finally completed.

It is precisely the tooth cavity on the head of the giant wolf

At last, the giant wolf arrived beneath the trees. Just as the giant wolf looked up, Wu Ming unexpectedly jumped straight down from the treetops, holding his wooden spear, with the spearhead aimed directly at...

As the night fell completely, the surroundings were indeed engulfed in pitch darkness. The moon in the sky was but a sliver, and the entire world seemed to consist solely of his pile of flames. Although there were faint sounds of insects in the vicinity, they only added to the oppressive terror. In Wu Ming's eyes, the distant objects illuminated by the firelight—be it stones, trees, or anything else—appeared grotesquely distorted, as if countless monsters were lurking in the darkness. This only intensified the oppressive terror; in Wu Ming's gaze, the firelight revealed a nightmarish distortion in the distance, where stones, trees, and other things seemed to twist horrifically, as if innumerable monsters were hiding in the shadows.

Grinding his teeth, he persevered in rubbing for an hour, sweat dripping all over the ground, yet he was careful not to let a single drop fall onto the firewood. The indentation in the wood had already turned a charred black, with wisps of smoke occasionally rising. Blisters had formed on his fingers, but he gritted his teeth and continued, again and again. After about an hour and ten to twenty minutes, a tiny spark flickered in the indentation. Wu Ming was overjoyed and carefully transferred the spark onto the dry grass. Then, imitating the demonstrations from survival shows, he gently blew into it. Gradually, a plume of smoke rose, causing Wu Ming to nearly cough immediately. Blisters had formed on his fingers, but he gritted his teeth and continued, again and again. After about an hour and ten to twenty minutes, a tiny spark flickered in the indentation. Wu Ming was overjoyed and carefully transferred the spark onto the dry grass. Then, imitating the demonstrations from survival shows, he gently blew into it. Gradually, a plume of smoke rose, causing Wu Ming to nearly cough immediately.

The current time is approximately 4 o'clock. Wu Ming checked the temperature, which is reminiscent of late summer; it is still somewhat hot at this hour. It is estimated that night will fall around 7:30, which means he has about three hours to prepare the shelter for the evening, with starting a fire being of utmost importance.

At this time, it was already dusk. Wu Ming glanced at the sky, carefully placed the dry firewood onto the pile, estimated the burning time, and then continued to prepare other items for the shelter. Firewood was certainly needed, the more the better. Additionally, there were issues regarding food and drinking water, which were difficult to resolve, as it was hard to find these in the wilderness.

Repeatedly stated, Wu Ming is a homebody youth. Although he is not entirely a recluse, he belongs to the type of person who has grown up in the city, emerging from modern society. It is not to mention that he has never used a fire drill; he probably has not even used a coal stove.

Finally, there is a large wound on the skull of this giant wolf, and it has even lost one eye. Its appearance is extremely terrifying, with the wounds on its head revealing the bone underneath. There is a hole approximately the size of a thumb in the skull, seemingly caused by another ferocious beast that bit into its head, not only piercing the bone but also tearing away a significant amount of skin from its head.

This giant wolf looks truly terrifying, but what concerns Wu Ming is that it is not a pack of wolves that has arrived, but rather this solitary giant wolf. This is the first point. The second point is that this giant wolf is injured, and severely so. There are bloodstains on its back, and a whole patch of fur has been torn away. There is a large gash on its belly, which, although it has already scabbed over, nearly divides the belly into two parts. How could it possibly survive such a severe injury?

These pieces of information flashed through Wu Ming's mind, and his complexion gradually turned ashen. Meanwhile, by the campfire, the giant wolf glanced warily at the flames, then began to sniff the ground, inch by inch, its figure gradually approaching the trees where Wu Ming was situated.

Food, water, and firewood are all available. As for a place to sleep, one can barely manage to hang on a tree for a night, but still lacking... weapons...

The principle of friction fire-making is truly child's play in the eyes of modern people, something that everyone understands. Even asking some children who enjoy reading would yield the same understanding; it is merely the generation of heat through friction, ultimately resulting in fire.

( Wolf? Is there a wolf here? )

This is a lone wolf, uncertain whether it is a product of the extinction of its pack or if it is the former wolf king that has been driven out of the pack

Moreover, a lone wolf is more cunning than the wolves in a pack, as the lone wolf often carries wounds, and even if the wounds have healed, the memories remain. Thus, they are both cunning and lethal, making them the most fearsome hunters. Furthermore, they are often extremely patient, able to endure an entire day or even several days for a morsel of food

Understanding is one thing, but being able to accomplish it is another matter

In an instant, the giant wolf's astonished eyes met Wu Ming's cold, murderous gaze, blurring the lines between hunter and prey, making it impossible to distinguish who was who.

Wu Ming applied some wilderness survival knowledge, found some dry firewood, and carved some indentations on it with stones. He also gathered some dry grass for kindling. After that, he continuously rubbed a slender stick against the firewood. In just about ten minutes, his fingers were burning with pain. In the past, Wu Ming would have naturally given up, but this time was different. In the wilderness, especially in a wild area inhabited by ferocious beasts, the presence of fire meant the difference between life and death. He wanted to survive; this wonderful life had just begun, how could he possibly die silently and without a trace?

Wu Ming was filled with joy, but his hands were truly in pain, causing him to grimace and cry out in distress.

Quickly, a large grayish-blue wolf stepped into the range of the flames. By visual estimation, this was a giant wolf measuring over three meters long, including its tail, resembling a small calf. The grayish-blue fur was quite rare. Wu Ming was unsure whether such wolves existed in the Primordial Continent, but at least in the world of Earth, they were absolutely impossible to find. Perhaps they existed in ancient times, but it was nearly impossible for them to exist now.