"Awoooo," a wolf cried out, struck in the chest and falling onto the snow-covered ground.
"Dad, I got the first kill today!"
Gu Qingcheng ran out from her hiding spot, pulled out the arrow, and put the wolf into her storage cabinet. She turned back to her family with a triumphant grin.
To train their combat skills, the four members of the Gu family now went out hunting at irregular intervals.
As the temperature rose and they adapted to the natural disaster, animals in the forest slowly reappeared, and their hunting trips were often met with pleasant surprises.
"Qingcheng, be careful!"
As Hu Lanfang shouted, Gu Zhaobei and Mi Guo had already loosed their arrows.
Gu Qingcheng heard the arrows whiz past her and then, with a "thump" behind her, the sound of an animal falling.
She turned to look and saw it was another wolf.
Gu Qingcheng stuck out her tongue, giving an embarrassed smile, having been careless.
They had encountered a pack of wolves this time.
The three family members quickly closed in around her, backs pressed together, facing the wolves that were leaping at them from all directions. They loosed arrows with unwavering courage.
After consuming the Strength Pills, their power had multiplied, making drawing their bows and shooting arrows effortless. Each arrow carried the force of 20 dan, and none missed their mark; with every shot, a wolf fell to the ground.
The Gu family used traditional bows. Gu Qingcheng's record was shooting 10 arrows in 4.9 seconds. While her family couldn't match her past professional training, their speed was still impressive, averaging one arrow per second.
After a satisfying bout of archery, they counted the fallen beasts: thirteen wolf carcasses lay on the ground.
Gu Qingcheng didn't waste a thing and stored them all in her cabinet.
The wolves' hides could be tanned into fur coats, and their meat was edible. Although tough and a bit sour, it was still meat.
While the Gu family found it unappetizing, to the disaster survivors, it would be a delicacy.
Through frequent hunting practice, the four had developed excellent coordination. They could not only trust each other with their backs but also cover for each other and spot any momentary lapses in their companions' aim, ready to provide backup shots.
Today's haul was bountiful. In addition to the thirteen wolves, they had also brought down three wild rabbits and one pheasant, all of which Gu Qingcheng stored away.
With time running out, they decided to head home.
Upon their return, all three were covered in sweat and the smell of blood.
Having lived with the Gu family for a while, Mi Guo had also developed a liking for cleanliness, even becoming a little bit of a neat freak like his sister. As soon as they got home, he immediately jumped into the bath barrel.
After washing himself clean and fragrant with body wash, he felt incredibly comfortable. Mi Guo truly savored such a life.
Xue Sheng was well cared for by Aunt Qian. The two-month-old infant could already lift his head while lying on his stomach and babbled unintelligibly when he saw everyone.
A week after Xue Sheng came to the Gu family, Gu Qingcheng had mixed a third of a Strength Pill into his milk powder.
The Strength Pills were remarkably effective. After taking them, Xue Sheng was exceptionally healthy, never even catching a cold. His physical constitution was excellent, and he was even stronger than a typical infant.
Once, Aunt Qian placed a soft plastic baby rattle by his bed and went to attend to something nearby. When she returned, she found the rattle torn in half.
The culprit was Xue Sheng himself, with one half of the rattle still in his hand, which he was vigorously tearing at.
With his enhanced physical condition, Xue Sheng was easy to raise. Aunt Qian fed him formula, and he now drank 100 milliliters per feeding, a large bottle, and would cry out for it punctually.
Because of this, Xue Sheng grew very quickly and was never a cause for worry.
A baby sleeps more than ten hours a day. When he was awake, the Gu family loved to hold and play with him, and seeing him giggle with delight lifted everyone's spirits.
Mi Guo's practical skills were extraordinary. Within a few days, he had become adept at using tools.
"Sister, look at this modified crossbow. It's integrated with a wrist guard. You can wear it on your wrist and secretly launch a hidden projectile when necessary."
Mi Guo presented Gu Qingcheng with a "wrist guard."
Gu Qingcheng looked at the seemingly ordinary wrist guard. Following his instructions, she pressed a raised bump, and a nail shot out with incredible speed and force.
If a bad guy stood in front of them and was targeted in the face, they would surely be hit.
"The hidden projectile is a nail?" Gu Qingcheng exclaimed in amazement.
"That's right. It's the nails you gave me. It can launch three nails before needing to be refilled."
Seeing his sister's delight, Mi Guo felt a surge of pride.
"Excellent. This will give us more means of self-preservation if we encounter danger again."
Gu Qingcheng praised him.
Pleased with his "creation" being recognized by his sister, Mi Guo equipped the entire family with these defensive hidden weapons.
Gu Qingcheng had never imagined that iron nails could become a weapon.
Geniuses are indeed geniuses, possessing unique talents that others cannot replicate.
Mount Ya is not large, and after staying for a while, they felt the urge to go down the mountain for a stroll.
Aunt Qian, hearing that they were going down the mountain, also wanted to go home and visit.
At the time, when she was sent to the clinic for treatment, she had only known that her entire family had frozen to death. Therefore, after leaving the clinic, she was directly hired to work on the mountain and had not returned home. Now, she felt the desire to go back and see.
Gu Zhaobei readily agreed.
So, the next day, Aunt Qian descended the mountain with them, while Mi Guo stayed behind to look after Xue Sheng.
To the Gu family's surprise, most of the shops facing the street in the city had reopened. Although not as bustling as usual, it was a stark contrast to the desolate emptiness after the disaster had first struck.
The sparsely scattered crowds moving back and forth still conveyed a sense of human warmth and life.
This made them reflect on the remarkable resilience of humanity.
Familiar establishments like the Yuelai Inn and Hongyun Restaurant had all reopened.
As the Gu family passed the Yuelai Inn, they specifically went inside to take a look.
The inn had been renovated and reopened. The person standing behind the counter was not the same portly waiter as before, but the current waiter also had a round face and showed two small canine teeth when he smiled, appearing exceptionally welcoming.
The Hongyun Restaurant's business seemed to be doing well, with visible patrons coming and going.
The extent of the recovery in this area, after only a month away from the city, was nothing short of miraculous.
Aunt Qian's home was in the west of the city. After entering the city, the Gu family hired a carriage to take her to the west district.
Upon arriving at Maomao Alley in the west of the city, Aunt Qian's eyes welled up as she saw her familiar house.
Aunt Qian's home was at the head of the alley, a small courtyard with adobe walls, likely twenty to thirty years old. Thick moss grew at the base of the walls, and some sections of the walls were pitted from wind and rain, indicating a poor household.
With trembling hands, Aunt Qian pushed the door, only to find that it opened.
Seeing this, the Gu family followed behind, concerned that she might be too distraught and something might happen.