4: Chapter 4 The Black Bear is Back!

Seeing that the tree hollow was no longer habitable, Su Mo simply planned to build an igloo in the tree.

Being in a tree not only provided a wide field of vision to observe the surroundings but also helped avoid unnecessary dangers, making it an excellent choice.

Thus, he found an ancient tree nearby with a dense canopy and countless green leaves that had likely been growing for countless years.

He cautiously climbed the tree and found no other inhabitants; the thick branches were densely intertwined, more than capable of supporting the weight of an igloo.

He summoned white porridge at several points on the branches. The cold weather quickly caused the thick congee to freeze into ice. Layer upon layer of congee ice built up until it was rock hard, completing the support structure.

Then, he built it up layer by layer around the supports. After spending most of the day, a hemispherical igloo appeared in the canopy.

Actually, shaping it wasn't the hard part; it was just that waiting for it to freeze solid took a long time.

He wiped away non-existent sweat from his face, let out a long breath, and excitedly admired the masterpiece before him.

"I didn't expect to succeed on my first try!"

Around the two-meter-high and two-meter-wide igloo were four palm-sized holes, which he had specifically left to observe the outside world.

He returned to the ruined tree hollow and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Su Su's curled-up figure.

The little thing was too small; her limbs lacked strength, and her claws couldn't grip the bark at all. She couldn't climb such a tall tree, so he had to leave her in the original spot.

However, to ensure her safety, Su Mo covered the entrance with many leaves and spread a layer of soil and snow over them.

He reached out a paw and gently touched Su Su, who was curled into a ball with her head buried in her body.

Su Su's tiny body jerked violently, and she raised her head alertly, her eyes filled with terror.

When she saw clearly that it was Su Mo, she immediately lunged into his arms, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

"It's okay, it's okay. The new home is finished."

Su Mo comforted her softly, patting her back with his paw.

Then, he carefully picked up Su Su by the scruff of her neck. She was very light, but it was still a bit of a struggle for Su Mo to carry her.

After all, they were about the same size, both being cubs only a few weeks old. Fortunately, while Su Mo was building the igloo, he had been gulping down white porridge, which had significantly increased his physical strength; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to carry her at all.

Su Mo wobbled as he carried Su Su, trudging through the snow with uneven steps. It took quite an effort to reach the tree where the igloo was.

He let go, took a heavy breath, and summoned a pool of white porridge directly onto the snow. He drank most of it before his stamina was replenished.

Picking Su Su up again, he cautiously climbed the tree, stopping every few steps to adjust his posture and rest for a moment.

Su Su was also sensible enough to tense her body, trying to lighten his burden as much as possible.

It took about an hour before he reached the very top of the tree, where the igloo was located.

As soon as he reached the igloo, he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. His limbs shook uncontrollably, he couldn't muster a shred of strength, and a faint hint of blood seeped from between his claws.

"This is freaking more exhausting than running ten kilometers!"

Just as he couldn't help but sigh, a moist and warm sensation came from his paw.

Su Su was distressedly licking his injured area with her tongue, tears seemingly shimmering in her eyes.

"It's... it's nothing..."

He forced himself to lift a paw and rubbed her little head.

"Don't... don't leave this house. If anything happens, wake me up..."

Su Mo didn't want to do anything now; his eyelids grew heavy, and he just wanted to have a good sleep... He had a strange dream. In the dream, he was no longer a fox but a young man dressed in luxurious ancient clothing.

At that moment, a young girl stood opposite him. She was too far away to see her face clearly, but she kept calling him 'Brother,' her voice seemingly tinged with a sob.

But Su Mo was no ordinary person; he was a pure Sigma male!

This girl tried to get close to him right away; she clearly wasn't a good person. He wanted to go forward and ask her what she wanted.

Just as he was about to see the girl's face clearly, he suddenly found it hard to breathe. His nose and mouth seemed blocked by something invisible, and he struggled while clutching his throat... Su Mo woke up with a start, opened his eyes, and found Su Su's entire body pressing down on his head.

"No wonder I couldn't breathe; I was being pinned down by a fox!"

He struggled to crawl out from under Su Su, gasping for air.

The little one was startled awake by the vigorous movement. She opened her eyes blearily, and seeing Su Mo awake, she excitedly lunged into his arms, making him stumble.

Su Mo held her, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

*Gurgle~*

A sound, neither loud nor soft, clearly reached Su Mo's ears from his arms.

Hearing the sound, Su Mo was slightly stunned and then chuckled.

"So it was a nightmare..."

He looked at the sun outside through one of the holes and estimated the time.

It should be around ten in the morning now. He had actually slept for nearly twenty-four hours; it was indeed time to eat something.

He brought over the bowls made of congee ice that were sitting aside. One with a shallower bottom was for Su Su, and the other large bowl was for himself.

He filled both bowls with fragrant white porridge and gently nudged the figure buried in his arms.

"Little foodie, it's time to eat."

Su Su's nose twitched slightly. She turned to look at the steaming white porridge, her amber eyes instantly lighting up. With a cheerful 'Wu,' she immediately buried her little face in the bowl.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Seeing how heartily she was eating, Su Mo also picked up the bowl, which was almost as big as his body, and took a sip.

He also took a moment to open his personal panel and take a look:

[Host: Su Mo]

[Race: Red Fox]

[Rank: Unranked (10/100)]

[Skill: Infinite White Porridge (Never Expires)]

[Talent: Savage Growth]

Su Mo looked at the light screen in surprise. If it hadn't been for the System's notification, he wouldn't have noticed that his body size seemed to have grown a size larger than yesterday.

If he improved at this rate, he estimated that he would be able to level up in another seven or eight days.

He didn't know what Rank that bear was, or if he'd be able to beat it after leveling up.

Speak of the devil, a familiar bear's roar came from the direction of the original tree hollow.

Su Mo glanced through the observation hole. That Black Bear had returned and was standing outside the tree hollow, pawing and biting at the roots.

"Is this beast really that persistent?"

"Did yesterday's Congee-tian Tensei not fill him up?"

He didn't know what kind of craze the Black Bear was in today, but it was making an exceptionally large commotion.

Su Mo was just about to give it another 'Congee Style: Great Explosive Congee Wave' to snap it out of it.

"Roar—"

Suddenly, an earth-shaking tiger roar came from the distance, causing his movements to freeze.

The sound was like an explosion in his ears, stirring up fierce winds that came whistling from afar.

The gale made the treetops of the entire forest tremble, and the falling snowflakes formed a vast, white mist.