Wilderness Survival with Druid System

Chapter 523: Chapter 22: Scaring Off the Black Bear

After packing the blueberries, Chen Wen started his return journey.

On the way, Chen Wen squeezed a few blueberries and tasted them.

Quite good, even slightly sweeter than average blueberries.

”It might be that they grew too long, causing an excessive accumulation of fructose, but I feel that these blueberries shouldn’t be eaten too much, as they might cause diarrhea.”

After all, they were all fully ripe.

A few blueberries even had a faint smell of fermentation when tasted.

Speaking of fermentation.

Chen Wen recalled that when he was in China, he had heard of blueberry wine.

But these blueberries have too little moisture, so the probability of failure in winemaking is quite high.

To be safe, it’s better to dry them into dried fruits.

After eating the blueberries, there’s an entry.

[Targeting nature’s creations - Blueberries, plunder!]

[Plundering... Plunder complete!]

[Please choose one of the following three entries]

[Rotting Roots (Blue): When in swampy or excessively waterlogged areas, your feet are more prone to rot]

[Note: Most plants have this issue, don’t they? - Blueberries]

[Low Temperature Dormancy (Purple): Can choose to enter a dormant state when the growth environment temperature is too low. PS: Dormant state: body temperature drops, metabolism slows, life activities weaken, energy consumption dramatically reduces]

[Note: Although we can grow in cold places, when winter comes, I’ll be the first to hibernate! - Blueberries]

[Warm Sunlight (Purple): During and an hour after sunbathing, the energy conversion efficiency is enhanced, namely, the absorption and conversion efficiency of food]

[Note: Who’s weakened my photosynthesis to this level? - Blueberries]

[Please decide within a minute or forfeit! If overdue, the first entry will be automatically selected!]

This entry...

Chen Wen hesitated for a moment between the two good entries, and he eventually gave up on [Low Temperature Dormancy].

A low-temperature state is sufficiently useful for later.

Whereas [Warm Sunlight], as the note said, is like a weakened version of photosynthesis.

But each time before or during a meal, if you bask in the sun for a while, the food absorption and conversion efficiency improves.

It’s like eating a bit more.

Alright, let’s choose this!

...

After returning to the camp, Chen Wen immediately took these blueberries out of the knit cap.

He took out the tent cloth he had found earlier, weighed down the corners with stones, and spread it under a tree.

Then he spread out the blueberries on it.

Letting them slowly dry into dried fruits, to be collected later.

In the afternoon, since there was no other food and no sign of prey nearby.

Chen Wen kept working according to the Pomodoro Technique.

An hour of chopping wood, an hour of carrying stones, another hour of processing timber, followed by an hour of weaving traps.

Chen Wen planned to take this time to turn all the snare ropes into strings.

Set traps over a large area.

Widely casting a net, he’s sure to catch some fish.

Therefore, by nightfall, Chen Wen had over twenty rope snare traps in hand.

But the snare ropes weren’t used up yet.

Ultimately, after returning with water and making blueberry soup with added blueberries.

Chen Wen continued crafting rope snare traps.

At night.

While other contestants were more or less eating meat.

Chen Wen was sipping plain blueberry soup, continuing to process strings by the light of the campfire.

...

Seeing this scene, the third monitor officer who had just started his shift wanted to laugh.

”This contestant’s start is quite different from the others, huh? Is he starting with hunger?”

Beside him, the guide’s expression was one of viewing a newcomer: ”Something like that.”

The third monitor officer shook his head slightly and said, ”Looks like I can finish work soon, ah! Thanks to this contestant Chen!”

”The feeling of getting paid without working is really too awesome!”

Hearing this, Lin Jiawei behind him didn’t pay him any mind.

The third monitor officer was on the night shift, so he could say whatever he wanted.

But just as Lin Jiawei and the guide were chatting, suddenly, the third monitor officer twisted the plug of his headset.

Then his expression changed slightly: ”Something’s not right, there’s a bear seemingly around him!”

A bear?

With the appearance of this word, everyone who hadn’t left gathered around.

This was the first time a bear had actively approached a contestant!

...

Over on Chen Wen’s side.

He smelled a faint stink in the air.

After confirming the campsite, he activated [Territorial Consciousness].

The territory claimed by [Territorial Consciousness] is an irregular circle with a radius of one hundred meters.

In this area, Chen Wen can gain attribute enhancement.

Including physical fitness, survival ability, and perception ability, and courage is also heightened.

But there’s also a downside - irritability plus some decrease in intelligence.

Now, with eyes wide, Chen Wen used the olfactory enhancement from [Red-Nosed Rudolph] to keep searching for the intruder’s position.

”This is a bear, a black bear, I’m very certain.”

Chen Wen said softly, gripping the long spear tightly in his hand.

When facing large, aggressive carnivores, the long spear is undoubtedly the best hand-to-hand cold weapon for humans.

The sharp spearhead, coupled with the long shaft, prevents carnivores from ever entering attack range.

Moreover, humans can hold the spear shaft and adjust the direction of defense.

Once the opponent makes a mistake or exposes a defensive breach, the spear can instantly be thrust out to retaliate.

Hence, Chen Wen subconsciously picked up the long spear instead of the axe.

He opened his eyes wide and, where the cameras couldn’t catch his eyes, activated [Ultimate Vision].

As his eyes were covered with Snowy Owl-like yellow ”contacts,” the darkness before Chen Wen slowly altered.

Through the augmentation of [Ultimate Vision], [Red-Nosed Rudolph], and [Territorial Consciousness].

Chen Wen soon discovered the intruder in his territory.

A mature black bear, not very big, probably the one spotted on the first day by the lakeside.

This black bear seemed to be attracted by the firelight or the smell of blueberries.

But upon detecting Chen’s presence, this black bear hesitated.

Standing roughly seventy meters away from Chen, it kept moving and sniffing the air.

Occasionally, it would raise both front legs, standing upright to peer at the situation here.

Upon discovering Chen, it also emitted low growls.

As if threatening Chen.

It was this low growl that reached the new monitor officer, who immediately established the black bear’s presence.

Chen Wen felt the same.

In general, faced with this situation, most people’s tactics would likely focus on driving it away and defending.

But this black bear was up against the unordinary Chen Wen.

Moreover, it’s the agitated - less intelligent Chen Wen.

Therefore, upon discovering the black bear, Chen Wen grinned, revealing a cruel smile.

He charged at the black bear with his long spear, even activating [Swift] and [Night Shadow].

Upon recognizing Chen Wen’s movement, the black bear hesitated.

But before Chen Wen managed to advance ten meters, the black bear turned and fled.

Chen Wen’s momentum scared it.

The black bear felt very frustrated.

This seemed to be the first time it encountered a human charging at it.

Thus, the black bear didn’t dare confront Chen Wen. As it was close to hibernation, it would try its utmost to avoid getting injured.

As the black bear dashed out of Chen Wen’s territory range, Chen Wen calmed down.

He rubbed his head and regretfully said: ”Hiss! What a pity! Didn’t manage to keep it! Should’ve quietly shifted to the downwind side or crushed the blueberries to lure it.”

Upon hearing this, everyone, including the third monitor officer, had their mouths wide open.

Goodness, so that’s what you’re regretting!