Fatal Strike: Mercenary Road of Gunfire Ranger
Chapter 798 - 744: Suffering
Traveling through the snowy woods in Alaska is incredibly thrilling...
Mountain Eagle, Old Qiao, Quida, Tiffany, Lilith, and Chakdi, who insisted on joining, each rode a snowmobile. They brought along four kids and a reluctant-to-go-out Marta, with each vehicle towing a sled loaded with supplies.
Several snowmobiles turned on their headlights, lined up in a row, and led by Old Qiao, they traversed through the snow-filled woods.
The speed of the vehicles wasn't too fast, but the bitter cold quickly taught Tiffany and the others a profound lesson...
In weather over twenty degrees below zero, their hair and eyelashes exposed to the elements quickly became frosted the moment they left the camp.
Marta, this Ukraine girl, shouldn't have been so afraid of the cold, but she had lived in Thailand for several years. Even back home, she never intentionally camped out in such extreme cold weather, so she couldn't withstand it for long.
The self-heating system of her thermal wear was turned to maximum, yet it couldn't fend off the cold wind attacking her head and face. Her beanie, which was quite stylish, quickly froze after being assaulted by the wind and snow.
The small lake to the north was only about six kilometers in a straight line from the camp, and it took the convoy just about half an hour to reach the lakeside.
The small lake was surrounded on two sides by mountains; the low hills on the north and east sides embraced the lake, which spanned over a thousand hectares. The temperatures near the eastern and northern foothills were still bearable.
Old Qiao skillfully led the group to find a hunter's lodge at the foothill on the north side, instructed everyone to park their snowmobiles in a wind-sheltered spot, then carried a shotgun to circle the cabin to prevent bears and other animals from hibernating there.
Yue Yi, holding a small stick, followed Old Qiao step by step, walking in his footprints and wandering around the cabin. Whenever Old Qiao inspected a place, he would curiously ask questions...
Old Qiao, particularly fond of wild-spirited children, always used a slightly intimidating tone full of storytelling flair to tell Yue Yi that such things might be hiding there.
When they reached the back of the cabin, they actually found a fox hiding underneath.
Seeing Yue Yi wave his little stick, trying to drive away the snarling fox, Old Qiao smiled and held his hand, saying, "This is a vixen with cubs. A hunter's rule: don't harm female animals, and especially don't harm those with young ones."
Yue Yi, looking at the fox with bristling fur and an open mouth under the cabin's elevated layer, scrunched his nose at it with a fierce expression, then seriously told Old Qiao, "I'll remember that!"
Seeing Yue Yi put down his stick, Old Qiao approvingly nodded, saying, "Let's move on, don't disturb it; it's quite scared now."
Yue Yi followed Old Qiao, glancing back at the fierce fox, saying, "It doesn't look scared at all..."
Old Qiao found wood left by native hunters on the west side of the cabin. While calling everyone to bring the wood inside, he said to Yue Yi, "You can lie on the ground and feel it; from its perspective, you're very towering.
Kid, in this world, aside from a few top predators, most animals see us as 'monsters.'
Usually, when beasts like foxes and wolves attack people, it's due to hunger or fear.
To be a good hunter, you must stay cautious, avoid becoming hungry or weak.
Most importantly, do not fear!
These animals have peculiar senses. I don't understand the scientific explanations, but I know whether through smell or sight, they can clearly sense your fear. The more terrified you are, the more likely they are to attack you."
Yue Yi's English skills were only barely adequate for daily communication, so he half-understood Old Qiao's words...
As everyone came to fetch the firewood, Yue Yi squatted in the corner, observing the thin fox with a pungent smell. Seeing two small fox heads peeking out from under it, he pulled out a few pieces of jerky from his pocket and tossed them over...
Confronted again with the snarling fox, he sniffed and said, "I'm a good hunter; old hunters won't harm you, but be careful not to be made into a hat by bad hunters...
There's someone named Luna who's a bad hunter. You better run away when you see her!"
At this moment, 'bad hunter' Luna, using the freezing cold to style her wild hair into a hedgehog shape, occasionally bumped her dad's back, seeking his attention.
Mountain Eagle laughingly grabbed the little hedgehog and planted her into a snow pile like a tree, leaving only half of her body exposed...
After being trapped, Luna angrily thrashed about with a swimming motion to free herself, then threw a handful of snow at her dad, mimicking an air punch from a cartoon...
Mountain Eagle yelled "Aah!", and fell backward, folding and landing in the snow, prompting the little girl to jump for joy.
Marta, nearly numb from the cold, watched the group seeming unfazed by the chill, with no intention to warm up. She pulled on Chakdi's arm, who was keeping silent with a bent back, his teeth chattering, and said, "Ch-Chakdi, don't you feel cold?"
Chakdi glanced at Marta's head with the now frozen stiff beanie, shook his head, and said, "If I wore a hat like yours, I'd feel cold too.
Marta, a temperature of minus twenty won't kill you, but improper attire could.
If I were you, I'd help bring in the wood to start a fire…"
Chakdi glanced at Tiffany and Lilith, who were also freezing and uncomfortable but gritting their teeth without a word. He shook his head slightly, silently pulled Marta, whom he was most familiar with, into the cabin to start a fire...
The Hunter's Lodge was only about twenty square meters, and with so many people lying around, there was no way to sleep. After Chakdi finished lighting the fire and felt the room warm up, he placed Marta next to the fireplace, then took the initiative to go out and found Mountain Eagle, who was messing around with the kids...
"Boss, there's not enough space here; we might need to set up a tent..."
Chakdi glanced at Tiffany and Lilith, who were fully equipped but shrinking back from the cold. He shook his head slightly and said, "They can't handle it, and it's best for the kids to sleep inside."
Mountain Eagle really appreciated Chakdi...
This guy was a member of North Korea's fugitive special forces, sold to a ship owner by traffickers, and suffered life-threatening injuries. Yet he pulled through for the sake of someone who loved him, took out his father-in-law, and then quietly took down a group of snakeheads.
Mountain Eagle and Chakdi weren't particularly familiar, but over the past six months, this guy had already proven his ability and loyalty through his work.
To repay Mountain Eagle for taking care of him and his family, in addition to occasionally taking rich folks out to sea to catch fish for some extra cash, Chakdi worked for the same volunteer police pay as Luo Yang, but did the job of a frontline soldier.
Sophie mentioned giving him a raise several times, but Chakdi refused every time. In the end, it was Mountain Eagle who made the decision to let his wife work at Sunset Mountain, offering a salary of 2000 dollars a month.
However, what Mountain Eagle didn't expect was that Chakdi started risking his life for his work...
Going out to patrol the sea, fighting the Andaman pirates, moonlighting as security at Sunset Mountain, and occasionally helping Great White Shark Sophia with some tough issues...
Silent, obedient to orders, extremely efficient, loving his family and the company...
This guy is the dream employee of any boss and the template for soldiers that any country needs.
The only flaw of Chakdi is that he's too low-key, even seemingly timid at times. He never engages in minor conflicts and remains silent even when insulted.
Most people think this personality is due to his turbulent past experiences, but Mountain Eagle knows this guy is really afraid of getting hurt.
Him being able to stand again is already considered a medical miracle.
To avoid falling again, Chakdi absolutely avoids conflicts unless necessary, and if he does make a move, it is sure to be a fatal attack.
To help Chakdi stand strong, Mountain Eagle specially commissioned a flexible exoskeleton for him, designed to support his severely injured spine.
This piece once supported Mountain Eagle's half-crippled right leg, allowing him to wreak havoc in Thailand with an injured leg...
Chakdi knows better than anyone what those strips that look like athletic tapes really do. He really wants to express his gratitude to Mountain Eagle but can't find the words, so he can only show it by doing more work.
Seeing his boss with a smiling face, Chakdi lowered his head in silence for a moment and said, "Boss, I know you gave me something very precious, thank you..."
Mountain Eagle, while playfully tussling with Luna like a little calf, laughed and said to Chakdi, "You're working for me without even asking for a salary, so of course, I have to do something.
The flexible exoskeleton isn't that big of a deal; to you, it's just protective gear to keep your body safe at work.
Just consider it a welfare perk from me. No need to thank me specially, just don't casually mention it to others when you go out."
Chakdi, upon hearing this, didn't say much, knowing exactly what he needed to do...
He glanced at the Magengxi wolves roaming around, his eyes resting briefly on the wolves with Jump Mines attached to them, and in a hoarse voice, he said, "Boss, there's an enemy approaching, right?"
As he said this, he looked up at Mountain Eagle, squeezing out a smile on his bitter face and said, "I'm not really a fan of the hustle and bustle. Let me take care of those people."
Hearing this, Mountain Eagle waved his hand and said, "Are you kidding? This isn't Thailand where you're familiar with the land, and our mission tonight is fishing..."
As he said this, Mountain Eagle glanced at Tiffany and Lilith, whose noses were frozen solid, and laughed, "If you're feeling restless, why not take them for a walk around.
Tiffany, that proud little girl, might have thought she's been doing well lately. It's about time you teach her a lesson, show her she's still a novice!"
Chakdi, hearing this, shook his head with a bit of embarrassment and said, "Boss, I'm unfamiliar with Alaska as well, I'm not good at these things..."
Mountain Eagle, using a wrestling move, knocked Luna down and then picked her up, tossing her into the air playfully, nodded, and said, "If you're unwilling, then I guess it's up to me..."
As he said this, Mountain Eagle called out to Tiffany, "Hey, Tiffany, can't you see Quida is working?
Go help out, we have to set up tents on the ice surface..."