In the past, this kind of work could be easily done in a few minutes with a standard entrenching tool.
Now, he feels like a primitive man who eats raw meat and drinks blood.
He carefully inserted the sharpened wooden stakes into the bottom of the pit, making sure the pointed end was facing upwards, and then carefully disguised the pit opening with snow and dead branches and leaves.
But this is only the first line of defense.
He picked up the few dry, hard bark pieces of hemp tree bark, stuffed them into his mouth, and chewed them until they softened.
Then he began to rub and knead vigorously.
My hands were already frozen like two purplish-red carrots, stiff and numb, and rubbing them together caused excruciating pain.
But he gritted his teeth and painstakingly twisted the rough bark into a simple yet sturdy hemp rope.
He found a short tree with excellent flexibility and tied one end of the rope firmly to the branch he had bent down.
On the other hand, they played a clever trick.
He carefully placed the snare next to the trap pit, cleverly propping it open with a few thin branches, and also perfectly camouflaged it with snow and fallen leaves.
If any unlucky creatures like rabbits or roe deer happen to pass by, they'll either step into a sharp stake trap or end up with their heads stuck in the snare.
Once the prey struggles, the taut branch will snap back instantly, hoisting it high into the air.
After finishing all the arrangements, Zhang Cheng looked up at the sky.
Before we knew it, the light of day had begun to fade rapidly.
It always gets dark very early in the mountains, and the temperature drops sharply as a result.
Every breath he exhaled condensed into a thick white mist in an instant.
My lips were frozen purple and almost numb.
Having traps alone is far from enough.
In this freezing weather, the wild animals in the mountains are all incredibly clever.
Without sufficient bait, who would be foolish enough to walk right into a trap?
Zhang Cheng looked down at his hands, which were cracked from the cold and almost bloodless.
His eyes suddenly turned fierce.
He drew his machete again, aimed it at the pad of his left index finger, and without the slightest hesitation, slashed it down hard!
"hiss……"
A sharp pain shot through him, causing him to gasp involuntarily.
Bright red blood beads immediately gushed out, appearing particularly glaring on his pale, stiff fingers.
That fucking hurts!
Ignoring his grimaces, he quickly dripped the oozing blood around the trap pit and near the rope noose.
The strong smell of blood can travel far in the cold, dry air.
For those hungry beasts, this is undoubtedly an irresistible and deadly temptation.
Damn it, I've really gone all out this time to get something to eat!
After completing all the arrangements, Zhang Cheng quickly selected a relatively sturdy tree near the trap.
He used both his hands and feet to nimbly climb up.
He found a thick branch that could effectively conceal his body, and curled up behind the sheltered trunk to protect himself from the all-pervasive cold wind.
From this position, he can clearly observe the situation at both trap points.
Now, he has done everything he could.
All that's left is to wait.
cold.
The biting cold felt as if it would freeze his very bones.
The cold wind howled through the bare branches, making a strange, mournful sound, like the cry of an owl.
The snow continues to fall tirelessly.
Snowflakes fell on his head and shoulders, quickly accumulating into a thin layer.
He felt like he was turning into an ice pop.
My empty stomach was rumbling, and it felt like a small knife was scraping inside, causing waves of cramping pain.
Extreme physical weakness and fatigue from long hours of work washed over me like waves.
His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, almost sticking together.
No, I absolutely cannot sleep!
Zhang Cheng suddenly raised his hand and pinched his thigh hard.
The sharp pain instantly dispelled some of his drowsiness, making him slightly more awake.
He knew very well that falling asleep in this freezing weather would be tantamount to suicide.
He forced himself to widen his eyes and stare intently at the direction of the trap below.
At the same time, his ears perked up, alertly capturing any subtle movement in his surroundings.
Time, in the extreme cold and silence, slipped away bit by bit.
It was completely dark.
The deep mountains were plunged into complete darkness, where one could not see their own hand in front of their face.
Only the thick layer of white snow on the ground reflected the extremely faint, dim light from the sky.
All was silent.
All you could hear was the sound of the wind and the soft rustling of snowflakes falling.
Zhang Cheng lay motionless on the cold tree branch, like a lifeless stone.
Only the faint rise and fall of his chest proved that he was still alive.
He is waiting.
Waiting for a chance to survive.
Waiting for someone who can bring that foolish woman hope of having enough to eat and wear.
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