C11 Skinning and Tendon Tearing

After a brisk ten minutes of activity, Lee Cha had netted all the large fish in the pit. He didn't intend to linger in the area, so he opted to roast them all at once, saving two for sustenance on his journey.

In total, there were six fish, the largest tipping the scales at a hefty two pounds—enough to provide him with two hearty meals.

Skewering the fish with a spear, he hoisted his catch onto his shoulder and made his way back to the pond's edge with caution.

The alpha wolf and its mate continued to watch him. After a brief moment of hesitation, Lee Cha tossed two fish their way, offering a friendly smile as a peace gesture.

The trio of wolves remained indifferent, leaving Lee Cha feeling somewhat foolish.

As he prepared to skirt the wolf den and climb back atop the boulder, a deep growl erupted from the nearby forest. He retreated several steps, eyes fixed on the thicket with heightened alertness.

Several wolves emerged, snarling in his direction. The alpha wolf let out a commanding howl and charged towards them, issuing a roar that quelled their aggression.

The wolves' demeanor shifted from hostile to cautious, their gaze still fixed on Lee Cha.

He made a hasty retreat to the safety of his campfire, his heart still racing with relief. With the alpha wolf present, he was spared a potentially explosive confrontation. After all, these wolves were bold enough to challenge tigers and would hardly cower before an injured man like him.

Now free from concern, Lee Cha turned his attention to roasting fish and drying his clothes.

The larger wolves had ignored the fish he'd thrown, but the pups devoured them with gusto, even growling at one another over the spoils.

From his elevated vantage point, Lee Cha watched the pack, reflecting on the enigmatic nature of wolves—creatures of both savage bloodlust and unexpected tenderness.

Once sated, he noticed another pack of wolves returning from downstream. Could they be the same ones that had clashed with the tiger?

Had they driven the tiger off, or had they been out hunting? Lee Cha could only speculate.

The wolves congregated solemnly around the bodies of the five fallen members of their pack, their gaze lingering on the lifeless forms.

As dusk turned to night, Lee Cha reclined by the fire, succumbing to the overwhelming exhaustion. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he slipped into a dream.

Later, the night was pierced by successive waves of wolf howls, jolting him awake. He rose quickly, peering down from his rocky perch.

Bathed in the weak glow of the moon, the wolves were gathered around their deceased kin, their mournful howls ascending to the heavens.

The howls stirred a mysterious sadness within Lee Cha, evoking memories of his parents. He felt a deep empathy.

A few embers still glowed in the bonfire, so he rekindled the flames.

Throughout the latter half of the night, sleep eluded him. The wolves' cries played a part, but his own worries weighed just as heavily.

As dawn broke, the wolf pack began to depart, the young pups trailing behind them.

The tiger must have only recently discovered this area; otherwise, the wolves wouldn't have settled in its territory, nor would the tiger have tolerated their presence.

Once the wolves had gone, Lee Cha consumed the last of his fish and approached the five fallen wolves. He dug a shallow grave and laid them to rest.

They were all females. He pondered whether their loss would impact the pack's future.

With a solemn bow to the earthen mounds, Lee Cha set off resolutely downstream.

Unbeknownst to him, the alpha wolf watched from the forest's high ground, eyeing his retreating figure before vanishing into the dense woods.

Lee Cha followed the stream for much of the day. As the vegetation thinned, the forest's end seemed near.

He contemplated the system's two directives: survive and explore the Alien World.

"The second task seems manageable, but how do I determine the completion of the first?" he mused, glancing at the black ring.

"Ensure your safety until you've exited the forest," the system instructed.

Nodding, Lee Cha pressed on.

Suddenly, a rustle from the opposite riverbank caught his attention. He quickly ducked, taking cover behind a large stone.

Holy shit! Did I just stumble into a tiger's lair?

He watched the figure emerge from the forest, struggling to catch his breath.

Wait, something's off. Why does it seem so frail?

A tiger appeared, its steps shaky. Reaching the stream's edge, it sat down to lick its groin.

It stood again, but after only a few steps, it collapsed, panting heavily on the ground.

Could this be the tiger I wounded? Lee Cha's gaze sharpened.

But whether it was or not no longer mattered. Given the tiger's condition, it posed much less of a threat to him now.

After a lengthy wait, the tiger failed to rise again. Impatient, Lee Cha grabbed a stone and hurled it in the tiger's direction.

Bang!

The stone struck the water near the tiger, sending up a large splash. Droplets showered the creature's body, yet it remained motionless.

Lee Cha advanced cautiously, picking up and tossing a few more stones for good measure. One hit the tiger, but still, it did not stir.

Relieved, he resumed his journey.

But after a few steps, he inexplicably veered toward the tiger, murmuring, "I promised myself that if I ever got the chance, I'd stew your tiger penis."

Approaching the tiger warily, he prodded it with his harpoon and noted the corpse had stiffened.

It really was dead.

To confirm his suspicion, he lifted the tiger's tail and saw the mangled remains beneath its hindquarters—it was indeed the one he had stabbed.

Its belly was swollen with black and white stripes, looking distended. Had it died from a burst bladder or abdominal water retention?

Serves you right! Bet the feeling of your balls being crushed wasn't pleasant, huh? Lee Cha thought with a mix of shock and delight.

Did I actually kill a tiger?

He inhaled deeply, forcing himself to stay composed.

This was a tiger, after all! Not even a creature of the Energy Changing Level could best it.

Following the Earth Cataclysm, some had released an unmutated tiger among a pack of Mutant Beasts.

That tiger managed to kill two Energy Changing Level Mutant Beasts on its own before being overwhelmed by a dozen more!

The tiger's ferocity was undeniable.

He examined the tiger more closely. Despite being dead, the top predator exuded an aura of the king of beasts that made his skin crawl. Its limbs were muscular and robust, with even the smallest front leg thicker than his thigh.

Lee Cha examined the tiger's massive paw, noting it was large enough to cover his face. A single swipe, he thought, could likely crush his skull.

He tugged at the fur, finding it surprisingly thick—at least two centimeters—but also loose and slick, barely clinging to the underlying muscles.

This anatomy suggested that even the most ferocious predators would struggle to penetrate the fur, let alone reach the muscles beneath, contributing to the tiger's enduring combat endurance.

Then, his gaze fell upon the upper jaw teeth... Lee Cha inhaled sharply, the teeth were longer than his middle finger. A bite to the neck from those, he realized, would likely be fatal.

It dawned on him just how fortunate he was to have escaped the jaws of the tiger.

He exhaled deeply... Did I really take down a tiger? I actually took down a tiger!

It wasn't a head-on battle, nor was it a Mutant beast, but still, he had triumphed and lived to tell the tale!

A surge of pride swelled in his chest, and he longed to let out a victorious roar.

Who else stands a chance?

"I've heard every part of a tiger is valuable. A complete pelt could fetch several hundred thousand," he mused as he pulled out a small knife from his pocket. "So, forgive me for not showing mercy."

With a deep breath, he sliced into the tiger's belly, creating a long incision that revealed the vivid red flesh within.

The tiger's insides were still warm, emitting a faint mist.

He wondered what tiger meat tasted like.

Licking his lips, hunger suddenly struck him.

A mountain cannot harbor two tigers. The tiger, king of the jungle, a solitary predator, meant he needn't fear other hunters approaching.

An hour later, after exerting Herculean effort, he had skinned the tiger from the neck down. Merely flipping the beast over had exhausted him.

He was drenched in the crimson blood of the tiger.

Just then, a wolf's howl pierced the silence from across the river. Lee Cha looked over with caution, recognizing the alpha wolf from before.

The howls of wolves echoed through the jungle, one after another.

Lee Cha's mouth twitched. "Brothers, are you here to see me off or...?"

His body was drenched in too much tiger blood, and he couldn't help but worry that the wolves might mistake him for one of the tiger's kin and attack.

The wolves lingered at the edge of the forest across the river for quite some time before they slowly began to close in.

Lee Cha gripped his harpoon tighter and backed up to the base of a large tree.

The pack leader and the others sniffed at the tiger carcass, then lifted their heads to look at Lee Cha.

After a moment, the brown-black alpha wolf, tongue lolling out, approached Lee Cha.

Lee Cha considered climbing the tree to escape, but the wolf seemed to harbor no ill will, so he stayed put.

The brown-black wolf sniffed around him, then affectionately nuzzled his thigh with its head before lifting its muzzle to the sky and letting out a long howl.

Behind it, the rest of the pack joined in, their howls piercing the air...