Moving to this side of the valley expanded not only the hunting range but also introduced a completely different hunting environment.
Therefore, as soon as they entered Redwood Ridge, Bruce didn't rashly start searching for prey.
Instead, he had Aaron lead the group to familiarize themselves with the environment within a 500-meter perimeter first.
While getting familiar with the environment, they quickly figured out the distribution of Cold Beasts within this 500-meter perimeter.
"There are seven in total, three of which are less than fifty meters apart and should not be considered for now.
The other four include two Snow Manes, one Frost Wolf, and one Golden-eyed Demon Sheep, each over a hundred meters apart. We can consider targeting one of these."
After summarizing the reports from everyone, Bruce sketched a rough map on the snow, glanced at the animal trap underfoot, his expression slightly moved, and then aimed the branch in his hand toward the southwest.
"That Snow Mane is the farthest, let's target it first!"
In the past, Bruce would choose targets in the center of multiple Cold Beasts when using torches to lure them into mutual killings.
But times have changed, and so must the hunting strategies.
The group walked southwest for a while and quickly spotted an unusually robust Golden Frost Tree about thirty meters away.
Bruce called everyone to a stop and then signaled to Charlie.
Charlie nodded, took a Sheep Horn Chisel from behind, found an open area, and cleared the snow to reveal a dark, ice-coated ground.
Looking at the dark ground, Charlie's eyes gleamed with eager excitement.
He raised the Sheep Horn Chisel in his hand and struck down forcefully at the ground.
Bang…
A great rebound force traveled from the ground to the Sheep Horn Chisel, causing Charlie's arm to flip back a full circle, sending him flying back three or four meters.
If Bruce hadn't caught him with quick reflexes, he would have stumbled to the ground.
"Don't try recklessly; the ground here is too hard. Without Earthripper Realm strength, you won't be able to break it. Let me do it!"
Bruce shook his head, took the Sheep Horn Chisel, gripped the handle with both hands, held his breath, and struck down forcefully at the ground.
Crack…
A crisp sound of shattering ice crystals resounded as the Sheep Horn Chisel successfully penetrated the soil beneath.
Upon seeing the breach in the ground, others couldn't help but be envious.
It seemed like merely breaking the ground, but this signified Earthripper Realm strength.
More importantly, Bruce was so young.
Although Aaron had more than eight thousand kilograms of Basic Strength, he was already in his thirties.
Not only him, but the Reeves brothers, the Collins and Turner families, and Nathan were all over twenty-five.
Compared to the Axeheart Realm in Harper, they were relatively older, so not only when they saw Bruce, but sometimes looking at Charlie, Tony, and others, they would feel a bit envious.
After all, youth meant potential.
Bruce didn't know Aaron and the others' thoughts.
He just focused on digging a pit.
After an hour, a pit with a diameter of one meter and half a meter deep appeared before everyone.
Bruce pried open the animal trap, carefully placed it in the pit, tied one end of a rope to the trap, buried the rest of the rope in the snow, and tied the other end tightly to a tree.
Only then did he instruct Charlie and others to cover the pit with snow again.
After all preparations were complete, Bruce pulled out a torch and then looked at everyone, instructing, "Charlie, Aaron, the Reeves trio, you five follow me to attack. The other seven hide in the trees and find opportunities to shoot their weak points with arrows."
Charlie, Clint, and Peter all nodded in response.
Clint and Peter immediately went to hide in nearby trees.
Although doubtful, the nine followers of Aaron followed Bruce's instructions and each found their positions.
Once Bruce saw everyone was ready, he turned to glance at the Golden Frost Tree thirty meters away.
There, the Snow Mane still slept soundly.
He quickly lit the torch and cautiously placed it on the concealed snow pit.
After planting the torch, Bruce swiftly retreated, hiding with Aaron and the five others above a large tree to the left of the pit, quietly watching the Golden Frost Tree.
Lighting the fire to attract Cold Beasts?
Aaron was unaware of the Small Torch's magic, thinking Bruce merely lit it to attract Cold Beasts.
His eyes flashed with disappointment.
Though Cold Beasts are also light and heat-seeking, they are extremely sleepy at night and hard to awaken unless attacked.
A mere small torch was unlikely to…
Bang…
Aaron's train of thought broke with a loud crash.
He looked up at the Golden Frost Tree, his expression instantly freezing.
He had not expected to be proven wrong so quickly.
The torch hadn't burned for five minutes when the Snow Mane, which had been sleeping atop the Golden Frost Tree, awoke.
Not only did it wake, but it was truly approaching the torch.
This… how could it be…
Not only Aaron, but the Reeves siblings and the additional five, all stared wide-eyed, filled with disbelief and incomprehension.
The Snow Mane, stretching four meters long with tusks raised high and powerful limbs, crushed the snow with each step, reaching the ground—clearly an adult form.
Though it was coming closer, its small eyes glanced warily around, adopting a vigilant stance.
However, each time its sight turned to the torch, an intense craving and infatuation shone from its eyes.
The torch seemed to have an overwhelming allure for it.
Unlike Bruce and four others, it was the first time Aaron and the remaining eight witnessed the Small Torch's magic, their eyes filled with astonishment and anticipation.
The Snow Mane was already within three meters of the torch.
Just one more step…
Clack!
Snow Mane's right foreleg landed on the pit, the trap underground snapping shut with a violent clash with its bones, sounding a crisp snap.
What followed was Snow Mane's furious roar of pain.
Roar…
"Attack!"
At Bruce's command, he charged forward, leading the way, with Aaron's five following, encircling the Snow Mane from different directions.
Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…
Meanwhile, from the nearby trees above, the sound of arrows slicing through the air echoed.
The Snow Mane's right foreleg, injured by the trap to the bone, greatly hindered its mobility.
Even sensing the threat of the speeding arrows, it couldn't evade effectively.
The foremost two arrows penetrated its eyes directly, one on each side;
Among the dozen later arrows, two hit the Snow Mane's ear canal and mouth;
Others, though not striking lethal points, mostly hit the Snow Mane's neck and face—its vulnerable areas.
Roar…
With the arrows attacking and five blades slicing from the surroundings, the Snow Mane sensed the breath of death.
Enraged after the roar, it unexpectedly lifted the trap from the ground, preparing to leap and flee.
But unfortunately, its leg still had the trap tied to a rope, fastened firmly to a tree with a dead knot.
The Snow Mane's leap not only failed to escape but stumbled due to the rope's pulling force, nearly tumbling down.
The Snow Mane quickly flipped over, prepared this time, and tore the rope off with a jerk.
But sadly, Bruce and Aaron with the five were already there.
The Shock Frost Saber, its silver light flashing, matched the snow's brilliance.
Bruce held it high above, gathering strength throughout his body, gazed at the Snow Mane's neck, eyes sharp with chilling intent, and slashed forcefully down.
Concurrently, Aaron and the Zhao trio lifted their butcher knives at the Snow Mane's joints.
The Snow Mane, looking at Bruce's falling blade, panic crossed its eyes.
It abruptly twisted, abandoning its escape, changing direction towards Charlie—the only unarmed one among the six—raising its tusks to charge.
Crunch…
Snow Mane, driven by a strong survival instinct, turned and fled.
Despite its considerable speed, it could only manage to avoid a neck hit.
Bruce's strike landed solidly on its spine.
The barbs on Snow Mane's back were severed, and the Shock Frost Saber sliced through its hide, embedding half its blade into the creature.
At the same time, Aaron and the other three slashed at Snow Mane's leg joints with their big knives.
Compared to Bruce, Aaron and the others managed merely to cut through its hide, inflicting four or five inches of wounds, causing limited damage.
Snow Mane's immense momentum wasn't stopped by the five big knives buried in its body; instead, it seemed to grow more frenzied with pain, continuing to charge madly toward Charlie.
Aaron and the others didn't have a chance to retrieve their knives, as they were carried off by Snow Mane, forcing them to let go in haste.
Only Bruce's knife remained deeply embedded, and as he was swept along, he refused to let go, charging towards Charlie alongside Snow Mane.
It was over!
Seeing Snow Mane rush to Charlie's position in an instant, while Charlie remained foolishly rooted, Aaron and the others secretly despaired, their hearts sinking.
The first hunt since merging camps, and someone was about to die!
Crash…
Who could have foreseen that just when Snow Mane was less than half a meter from Charlie, it abruptly stopped as if hitting something, its massive body coming to a sudden halt.
Its legs pounded the ground fiercely, and its sharp tusks flailed wildly with its thrashing head, pushing against Charlie without advancing an inch.
"This… how could this be?"
While Aaron and the seven in the trees gaped, Snow Mane's eyes flashed coldly, its legs ceased their pawing, and it reared its head to open its gaping maw at Charlie.
"Watch out!"
"Beware of its tongue."
"Careful."
Everyone present, being experienced hunters, instantly reacted upon seeing Snow Mane's mouth open, shouting warnings as they rushed toward the danger.
Unfortunately, they were too far away to help in time.
A tongue like an icicle shot from its mouth straight toward Charlie's head, the gleaming, sword-like tongue flickering with a deadly light.
"I've been waiting for this trick!"
Having followed behind Snow Mane all along, Bruce wouldn't allow it to succeed.
At the moment the tongue was unleashed, he vaulted over Snow Mane, gritting his teeth to drive his knife deeper, pressing down with all his might.
Bruce's eyes bulged with rage, as his immense strength drove the Shock Frost Saber further into Snow Mane, inflicting even more damage.
Snow Mane writhed in agony, its tongue faltering momentarily in midair.
In that instant, a small black three-inch knife magically appeared in Charlie's previously empty hand.
Charlie swung down at an angle, tracing a crescent arc in the air with the blade, almost without pause.
Swish…
The blade's arc flickered, slicing through Snow Mane's extended tongue with ease.
With the tongue cut, Snow Mane's body recoiled violently, and Bruce withdrew the Shock Frost Saber, slashing decisively at its head.
Slash…
Snow Mane's massive head was severed with one stroke, tumbling across the snow for several meters before its tusks halted its roll.
"Quick, harvest the Essence Blood!"
Hearing Bruce's command, Charlie nodded, quickly retrieving a small wooden bottle, and used the black knife to pierce Snow Mane's heart, extracting a drop of dark green blood.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Aaron and the other four, along with the seven who had climbed down from the trees, watched with jaws agape.
Arriving at Snow Mane's corpse, they noticed the white thread in the snow before it and realized why it hadn't hit Charlie.
"Heh heh, my White Thread and Black Blade aren't too shabby, huh?"
Having collected the Essence Blood and retracted the white thread, Charlie saw their astonished expressions with a triumphant smile.
When Bruce suggested that he join the hunt, he had seen the expressions on Aaron and the others' faces.
Among the twelve, he alone had no weapon, and everyone assumed he had joined the Hunting Team through connections—something he was well aware of.
"Brother Charlie, impressive skills!"
Aaron didn't hide his shock.