Wilderness Survival with Druid System

Chapter 587: Chapter 86: Fireweed

The next day.

The temperature continued to drop, but at least the wind wasn’t as severe.

After getting up in the morning, Chen Wen couldn’t help but shiver a little.

”This temperature, it’s probably dropped from just a few degrees below zero to between minus twenty and thirty degrees! A temperature drop of twenty degrees in a day, only the Arctic Circle could witness this.”

Said Chen Wen, with a hint of happiness in his eye.

After all, the drop in temperature was a good thing for him.

Food can’t rot in an environment of around minus twenty degrees.

After all, the cooling temperature of a household refrigerator is usually only minus eighteen degrees.

And at this time, the grizzly and black bears that could threaten Chen Wen also began hibernating.

Outside, the only predatory animals that could threaten Chen Wen are the North American gray wolves.

For others, the upcoming time could be the most difficult.

But for Chen Wen, the period until heavy snow seals the mountains was going to be the best time for him.

Inside the shelter, Chen Wen recorded new information on his bark memo with charcoal.

”In the coming time, I need to focus on fishing and see if I can get some fresh fish to freeze for a balanced diet.”

While marking a fish symbol, Chen Wen said, ”Also, I need to find some plants before the heavy snow comes down; otherwise, my stomach might not handle just eating meat.”

”After that, it’s about meat. If I fully utilize this musk ox, it should be enough for me to eat until survival ends, but the wolf mink and the gray wolves still need me to feed them. I estimate that’s not enough, but they can hunt themselves, which relieves some pressure. However, I still need to use traps to catch rabbits or hunt some prey.”

”Finally, there’s the shelter. Although the previous strong winds didn’t have much impact, considering that it might snow later, I should reinforce the shelter.”

After writing the memo, Chen Wen nodded slightly.

For now, those are the most urgent tasks.

Today, he plans to go out and tidy up the fishing nets and smoke some musk ox meat.

”This time, delaying survival by thirty days made the fishing net not as effective.”

Chen Wen muttered, still a bit dissatisfied with the arrangement of the show crew here.

But next, he could use the musk ox bones to grind some fish hooks, making fishing quite a nice activity.

Armed, Chen Wen squeezed out of the small door of his shelter.

Once outside, the pristine white ground made Chen Wen a little excited.

It’s snowed!

But not deeply.

Chen Wen took a quick glance, noticing the snowfall was only about two or three centimeters deep.

And the snow outside had stopped.

”It’s snowed, looks like winter is here in full force.”

Said Chen Wen, glancing at the eagle, ”Good morning, where did they go?”

He had heard the eagle when it emerged from the shelter in the morning.

Not seeing the wolf mink now, Chen Wen asked the eagle.

The eagle responded, ”The three wolf mink went out, said they were going hunting, and the stoat is sleeping inside.”

”But the wolf mink looked very listless this morning, not sure if something’s up.”

The wolf mink listless?

Chen Wen thought for a while and then shook his head.

It’s normal behavior.

The wolf mink has a semi-hibernating habit, it’s a conflict between its genetic memory and intelligence now.

Let’s check back later to see how the wolf mink is doing.

If it’s really not well, it should just stay in the shelter and sleep, which will save some food.

Chen Wen didn’t say much more.

He left the shelter, leaving the eagle to guard the camp.

...

Below the cliff where he set the thornnet.

When Chen Wen arrived, his thornnet was still in place.

Walking down the snowy slope, Chen Wen easily landed on the ground.

”Luckily, I spent some effort moving some large stones over from a distance, or else the fishing net might have been lost this time.”

Bringing up the fishing net, there were no fish on it.

Chen Wen was used to it.

This time, all his luck was in the forest; he had very little luck in fishing.

This led to repeated fishing attempts with repeated failures.

After examining the condition of the lake’s surface, Chen Wen said, ”Next, I’ll try ice fishing. Given the current situation, the lake’s surface might freeze in the next few days.”

He retrieved the thornnet and continued to set it.

But this time he wasn’t very hopeful, and Chen Wen wasn’t very expectant either.

After handling the thornnet situation,

Chen Wen, with his long spear, entered the surrounding woods.

This time, he planned to look for some edible plants or berries.

If he could find some squirrel nests, he might even snag some nuts or dried fruits.

With all sorts of thoughts, Chen Wen embarked on his exploration.

After walking for about an hour, Chen Wen spotted some red berries.

Initially, he thought it might be something like cranberries, but upon getting closer, Chen Wen realized it wasn’t cranberries.

”Looks... kind of like bearberries.”

Said Chen Wen, walking up to the plants.

He reached out, intending to pick one.

But unexpectedly, the berries were already frozen solid due to the sudden drop in temperature.

”Rock hard, probably can’t eat it.”

Chen Wen said with some regret.

However, with some anticipation, Chen Wen still picked some of these berries and stored them.

”Probably not bearberries. Bearberries are more cold-resistant, being red, it might be cranberries.”

After packing up the berries, Chen Wen remembered another plant.

Cranberries.

There are plenty of wild cranberries around here. The bearded hunter guide had told him they often went to pick cranberries during the autumn-winter transition period.

But cranberries are less cold-resistant, not harvestable after the temperature drops.

These red berries do share some characteristics with cranberries.

Chen Wen weighed them, picking only the seemingly complete cranberries.

But there were only a couple of ounces.

If these are cranberries, boiling them into soup might grant some benefits.

Not a bad find at all.

After packing the cranberries, Chen Wen continued to explore.

About another hour passed, and Chen Wen felt the exploration was about done.

He didn’t find any other edible plants afterward.

”Let’s head back, later I can check out other places.”

Chen Wen sighed, planning on returning.

Just as he intended to turn and head back to the shelter,

A slight rustling noise to his southeast caught his attention.

There seemed to be a living creature!

Chen Wen, ears perked, instinctively crouched down.

At the same time, he activated his skill [Extreme Vision], gazing into the area where the noise came from.

A moment later, Chen Wen saw clearly.

”A North American porcupine, quite a large one.”

Said Chen Wen in a quiet voice to the drone, sharing his discovery.

In his view, a mature North American porcupine was ambling along a forest gap.

It wasn’t traveling, more like foraging.

Chen Wen looked instinctively at what the porcupine was eating.

They were thick, tall herbaceous plants.

Looking at them...

”Kinda looks like fireweed?”

Chen Wen couldn’t help but mutter.

Fireweed, an herb growing in the temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Chen Wen remembered it because of its flowers and roots.

During survival acclimatization with Beard and Short Beard,

Chen Wen had encountered fireweed in the forest.

Those plants with purple flowers looked inviting, prompting Chen Wen to ask Beard about them.

Beard had told Chen Wen the plant was called fireweed, explaining some of its benefits.

Notably, its roots were the most useful part.

They can be used medicinally, promoting blood circulation, healing fractures, and relieving pain!