Chapter 354: Chapter 353: Siberian Snow Wolf Dog (Two in One) Chapter 354: Chapter 353: Siberian Snow Wolf Dog (Two in One) “ow!”
In the vast snowy wilderness, a sorrowful scream echoed in the cold wind.
The lynx-like creature huddled itself into a ball, allowing the wild wind to ruffle its mousy grey fur.
With no other choice, Shao Zifeng stopped in his tracks and looked at the trembling fur ball not far away.
Ever since he had stopped it from turning into a ghostly form, the creature had been letting out those mournful screams as if Shao Zifeng had done sothing terrible to it.
Calling it out was supposed to alleviate the anxiety of being alone.
Well done, your howling is making things even more tense.
“Stop howling.”
“ow!”
“You’re so furry and you’re still afraid of the cold?”
“ow.”
Shao Zifeng glanced at the Snow Dragon vessel not far away: “Go ahead and transform, it’s not a big deal, do you need to cry so miserably?”
Hearing Shao Zifeng’s words, the creature’s body surged with a faint dark aura and it turned into a light shadow.
Finally quiet, the lynx-like creature in its ghostly form ran up to Shao Zifeng, trying to rub against him.
“Go away.” Shao Zifeng waved his hand in disdain and put the creature back into the ring.
Without the company of the creature, Shao Zifeng was the only one left on the vast snowy plain. He tightened his protective suit and trudged through the snow toward the Snow Dragon.
When he returned to the Snow Dragon, the unloading of materials was nearly complete, and a number of people stood chatting on the foredeck.
Shao Zifeng looked around; everyone was wearing thick protective suits with goggles and scarves, making it hard for him to differentiate between n and won.
At that mont, a bulky figure waddled over to him.
“Where have you been, kid? You’re the only one we’re waiting for.”
A muffled voice reached him, but Shao Zifeng couldn’t imdiately tell whose voice it was.
“Cang Haiyuan?”
The person paused, “You can recognize like this?”
Shao Zifeng didn’t say anything but pointed at the fringe of hair about to freeze outside of his hat.
Cang Haiyuan touched his fringe and chuckled, “Alright, get ready to land. We will follow the transport team to the new station in Ross Bay and rest there for the night before heading to the interior.”
“Oh, right, I couldn’t find you earlier, so I had Tang Tang help take out your stuff. It’s with everyone else’s luggage.”
“Do you have anything else you need to bring?”
Shao Zifeng shook his head. The more important items he carried, including the hidden-edge knife sheath Chen Yixin had returned to him, were all in the pet space. The room only contained so odds and ends that weren’t crucial; it wouldn’t matter if he lost them.
“By the way, where are Professor Chen and the others?”
“They already followed the first transport team to the new station. I was just waiting for you.”
“Let’s not delay any further,” said Cang Haiyuan as he grabbed Shao Zifeng’s arm. “Co, I’ll show you sothing.”
Pulled by him, the two of them arrived next to a device at the front of the Snow Dragon’s foredeck, the lift platform used for landing in Antarctica.
This so-called lift platform was a simple box installed under a gantry crane. Due to the ice cliffs with a drop of more than ten ters between the Ross Sea coast and Antarctica for the convenience of crew mbers landing in Antarctica, such a simple lift platform had beco the most cost-effective device.
Confused, Shao Zifeng followed Cang Haiyuan through the crowded crowd to the elevator.
With creaking chanical sounds, the lift shook violently as it slowly rose.
The ten-ter cliff seed tall, but that was only relative to the ice layer drop-off from the Ross Sea. Taking into account the height of the Snow Dragon itself, the broken ice cliff was not much higher than the deck.
Hisss—
The lift platform was placed atop the ice cliff by the gantry crane, and Shao Zifeng looked at the endless expanse of pure white in front of him. In the distance, beneath low-hanging dark clouds, the snow-capped mountains stretched on, appearing and disappearing as if shrouded in a layer of mist.
No matter how many tis you see it, you’ll be awed by the magnificence of Antarctica.
At this mont, atop the ice cliff, staff mbers wearing protective suits with a uniform logo were busy loading cargo. Next to several sleds, a large amount of supplies was piled up, ranging from large containers to small suitcases—everything was there.
“Hey, look over there.”
Cang Haiyuan nudged Shao Zifeng’s arm and mysteriously pointed at the sleds in the distance.
Shao Zifeng followed his gaze and saw more than ten furry creatures lying on the snow, resting.
They looked very much like wolves, with blue eyes and three white marks on their foreheads that resembled three burning flas.
Hiss.
Shao Zifeng sucked in a breath of cold air!
Weren’t these the legendary demolition directors, the notorious “let-go-my-hand” huskies that terrified everyone?
As one of the most famous pet dogs in another space-ti, Shao Zifeng had always found it odd that he had never seen them, and to think his first encounter would be in Antarctica.
Shao Zifeng watched the huskies with interest. Compared to the image he had in mind, these huskies were extrely large, standing about 1.8 ters at the shoulder, and covered in sharply defined black and white fur that looked very thick.
Perhaps due to evolution, these huskies had prominent fangs and ice-blue spikes on their leg joints, hidden beneath the long fur and not so obvious.
Their serious faces exuded an aura of majesty, and in the center of the three-spark mark was a blue diamond-shaped gemstone, constantly emitting faint blue elental particles.
Shao Zifeng saw points of light spinning in the corner of his eye.
[Na]: Siberian Snow Wolf Dog
[Growth]: Mature
[Status]: Healthy, energetic
[Strength]: Tier Three
[Phylum]: Chordata
[Class]: Mammalia
[Order]: Carnivora
[Family]: Canidae
[Attribute]: Ice
[Potential]: ★★
[Talent]: High Energy: Passive talent, when in high energy states, significantly boosts combat and running speed.
[Skills]: Rush, Ice Protection, Frost Claw, Tearing Claw Strike
[Evolution Path]: Siberian Sled Dog → Siberian Snow Wolf Dog
[Description]: Siberian Sled Dogs, also known as huskies, are a primitive and ancient breed of working dog. Due to harsh working conditions, they often choose to live in packs, where they have a strict hierarchical society with the lead dog holding the right to dominate. In the absence of a lead dog, sled dogs can beco quite opinionated. Individually, if these high-energy dogs do not find an outlet for their energy, they can develop an uncontrollable urge to destroy.
True to their nickna of demolition directors, this talent really complents their personality.
Shao Zifeng clicked his tongue in wonder at the information on the screen.
Logically speaking, if huskies don’t move, they really look quite handso.
Just like the more than ten Snow Wolf Dogs in front of him, so were lying or crouching, and in the middle sat a majestic large dog. The cold wind blew through its long fur, making it look exceptionally handso.
Perhaps noticing Shao Zifeng’s gaze, the middle Snow Wolf Dog abruptly turned its head to look at him.
Its serious face emitted an inexplicable sense of oppression, and in its blue eyes was a hint of…
Excitent?
Through empathy, Shao Zifeng could feel that the Snow Wolf Dog in front of him was filled with curiosity and excitent.
It seed to have developed a strong interest in him.
Not good.
Shao Zifeng quickly turned his head away, not daring to make eye contact with that creature any longer. He wanted to find Cang Haiyuan to have a chat, but when he turned around, he realized that guy had slipped away at so point.
Shao Zifeng took a deep breath and carefully moved forward a few steps.
Squeak.
Squeak.
The anti-slip boots made two different sounds upon stepping on the snow.
Shao Zifeng stood still for a mont, then tried to take another step.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Again, two faint sounds.
Whew.
Shao Zifeng’s body stiffened.
He clearly felt a warm breath on his neck, and the next mont, a furry paw rested on his shoulder.
Shao Zifeng licked his dry lips and slowly turned around.
He saw a large furry face looking down at him, its blue eyes cold, slowly opening its big mouth full of sharp teeth.
Fuck.
This is it, this is it.
Is this dog’s temper so irritable?
It doesn’t even follow a process when biting soone, at least ask “What are you looking at?” first.
Cold sweat broke out on Shao Zifeng’s face as his mind raced with wild thoughts.
The next mont, a wet tongue licked his face.
Shao Zifeng shuddered and looked with horror at the tongue on his goggles.
Slurp!
Another large furry face ca close.
After that, those fellows seed to find licking uncomfortable, one of them forcefully knocked Shao Zifeng to the ground.
Several huge Snow Wolf Dogs enthusiastically licked his face.
Although there was no strange sll, the slimy feeling was sowhat suffocating for Shao Zifeng.
He shakily extended his hand wanting to call for help, but instantly a large mouth gently bit it, seemingly very interested in Shao Zifeng’s hand.
“Stop.”
Then, a low shout broke the silence, and the Huskies all ceased their licking, raising their heads to look toward the source of the voice.
Shao Zifeng, holding his head and feeling relieved, dropped his arms, feeling only the sticky saliva covering them.
He peeked through the gaps between the Huskies and saw a middle-aged man standing not far away, wearing simple cold-weather gear, apart from a fur cap, with no other warmth-preserving items.
He was now glaring sharply at the group of Huskies, baring his teeth with a low growl.
Around Shao Zifeng, aside from the lead Snow Wolf Dog who was still bowing its head and making eye contact with him, the rest of the dogs had tucked their tails and moved back, sitting obediently a short distance away with lowered gazes.
The lead dog made a threatening growl in its throat, but the middle-aged man across from it didn’t step back, his eyes still glaring sternly at it.
In the end, it was the lead dog that backed down.
It turned its head to glance at Shao Zifeng, then walked into the midst of the pack.
Only then did Shao Zifeng relax, feeling the cold sweat all over his body.
Squeak squeak.
Accompanied by the sound of trampling snow, the man ca up to Shao Zifeng: “Are you okay?”
Shao Zifeng, feeling completely drained, waved at him and looked at the saliva on his protective suit, wanting to cry but having no tears.
Fortunately, these guys were only licking themselves. Had they taken themselves apart like ho appliances…
Just the thought gave him the chills.
The man reached out to help Shao Zifeng up, showing an embarrassed expression as he said, “These guys might look fierce, but they’re actually very gentle in nature.”
After saying that, he glared fiercely at the Snow Wolf Dog, but the lead dog gave a look of disdain.
“Right, my na is Ma Zhiliang, and I’m in charge of the transport team for the construction of the new station at Ross Bay.”
“Shao Zifeng.” He brushed the snow off his body and shook hands with him, “So, these Snow Wolf Dogs are?”
Although Siberian Sled Dogs are certainly sled dogs, Shao Zifeng did not think they were much more useful than a snow terrain vehicle.
“These guys,” Ma Zhiliang called out, and a huge Siberian Sled Dog ca over and lay down in the snow beside the two n.
“They’re companions of our construction team.”
Ma Zhiliang patted the husky’s head, his expression gradually softening.
As Shao Zifeng had guessed, with the availability of an all-terrain snow vehicle, Siberian Sled Dogs, as sled dogs, were indeed less efficient in transport; however, an all-terrain snow vehicle, after all, is just a cold tool—it can break down, it can go on strike due to lack of energy. It was precisely in such tis that the significance of sled dogs beca evident.
Moreover, in the isolated continent of Antarctica, the physical and ntal tornt that construction workers faced was beyond the imagination of ordinary people. To alleviate this loneliness, the sled dogs served a second purpose, especially a rowdy breed like Siberian Sled Dogs, which could easily cheer people up.
The third and most critical point was that perhaps due to being accustod to living in harsh environnts, Siberian Sled Dogs beca quite decisive when facing danger to save their lives.
In such situations, commands from their owners did not work—survival ca first.
And it was this special trait that often saved the construction workers who accompanied them.
Based on these three factors, sled dogs beca the construction team’s most important companions, and even if the all-terrain vehicles were in good working order, they would always bring the dogs with them.
“Shao Zifeng!”
At that mont, Cang Haiyuan called out from a distance, waving at him, “We’re setting off now.”
…
Boom!
In the Ross Sea’s floating ice zone, the old Yermak struggled to crush the ice beneath, with waves it stirred causing the ship to continuously rock.
Crack!
The ship’s hull received another crack from the impact of a massive block of ice.
Because the structural integrity of the external armor was compromised by high temperatures, dozens of large and small cracks appeared at the lting points, making Yermak’s navigation increasingly difficult.
If all the specialized armor fell off, then Yermak would beco extrely vulnerable.
“Captain, the ice ahead is approaching two ters thick. Our ship’s displacent isn’t sufficient. If we continue to push forward, we’re likely to capsize,” said the gaunt first mate with a bitter face, looking at Valery.
As an old icebreaker built in the last century and only simply retrofitted, Yermak couldn’t compare to the power and displacent of Great Xia’s newest Xuelong.
Because of its own displacent issues, forcibly rushing onto the ice could an that the ship wasn’t heavy enough to break through the sea ice, resulting in the vessel ending up toppled onto the ice surface.
In such an environnt, if such an accident occurred, they would all perish.
Valery sat in the captain’s chair, his fingers holding a cigar tapped restlessly on the table, creating a loud thud.
According to the intelligence they had received earlier, Xuelong was heading to Great Wall Station on King George Island, where, being on the periphery of the Antarctic Circle, the ice wasn’t very thick; Yermak was completely adequate for that territory.
But who knew that Xuelong would head straight for Ross Bay, putting them in quite an awkward predicant.
“Cough, cough… Captain,” Matvey covered his mouth with his fist and coughed a few tis before whispering into Valery’s ear.
Thud!
The tapping of fingers suddenly stopped, everyone’s gaze turned over.
“Retreat along the route we ca in, have the second mate analyze Xuelong’s route with the sea chart, and we just follow their path,” Valery ordered.
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