Chapter 584 - 389: Missing

Chapter 584: Chapter 389: Missing

With a clear goal in mind, everyone immediately sprang into action.

They divided the labor clearly: some dismantled the wooden tent poles, others busied themselves cutting animal hides, and the rest helped with assembly.

Before long, they had finished making seven sleds. They looked a bit crude, but they were exceptionally practical.

To ensure the elderly, women, and children wouldn’t get frostbitten on the journey back, Feng Shan thoughtfully covered each sled with a layer of animal hide. This created a makeshift roof to provide as much protection from the wind and snow as possible.

Once the seven sleds were finished, Nash and the other tribe members immediately got to work.

They used wooden poles to pry at the base of the snow wall, which had been reinforced with cattle carcasses. With a series of CRACKS, the wall collapsed under their combined effort, kicking up a cloud of powdery snow.

Next, they quickly dragged the sleds out onto the snow, ready to begin the journey home.

Just then, the wind, thick with heavy snow, howled past them like a rampaging, roaring white beast.

In just a few minutes, the raging blizzard enveloped them all.

They instantly became snowmen. Ice clung to their eyebrows and eyelashes, and their faces were caked with snow, making it nearly impossible to recognize one another.

Feng Shan had brought six tigers on this expedition and had already made thorough arrangements.

A tiger was positioned at the front of each sled, using its powerful physique and astonishing strength to break a path through the deep snow.

Behind each tiger were two Taiga Wolves, helping pull the sled and ensuring it could move steadily and quickly.

The final sled, however, had to be entrusted to the Prince and Princess.

As his nimble hands firmly tied the ropes to the tigers, Feng Shan shouted for the Bear Tribe to get on the sleds. His urgent voice cut through the wind and snow.

"The elderly, women, and children, get on first!"

"Hurry up and get on!"

Suddenly, a ferocious gust of wind slammed into them. Its force was staggering, blowing everyone off balance and making it impossible to stand steady.

The dense, swirling snow was like a beaded curtain, instantly obscuring everyone’s vision. The world turned into a white blur, so thick you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Feng Shan demanded, his heart pounding with anxiety. He gripped Bear’s Fang’s arm tightly, his voice laced with worry.

"They’re all here!" Bear’s Fang yelled back, straining his voice and nodding emphatically to make sure Feng Shan understood him over the howling blizzard.

Receiving the confirmation, Feng Shan took a deep breath, steadied himself, and stumbled over to the front of the first sled.

He looked at Tyson, his eyes filled with trust. He reached out, patted the great tiger’s head, and shouted.

"Move out!"

At his command, the entire procession slowly lurched into motion amidst the blizzard.

Tyson lowered his head. His powerful limbs dug into the snow, muscles tensing as he unleashed a sudden, astonishing burst of strength.

He strained with all his might to pull the sled forward.

At first, the heavy sled moved with excruciating slowness through the deep snow. Every step forward felt like a battle against thick mud.

Fortunately, the animal hide wrapped around the sled’s runners not only reduced friction but also prevented snow from building up and jamming them.

As Tyson continued to strain, the sled finally lurched into motion. Once inertia took over, pulling it became much easier.

The other tigers, poised and ready, had been watching Tyson intently.

Seeing the first sled move, they too roused themselves and began to pull in succession.

Feng Shan, Nash, Ma Wei, and the other able-bodied men didn’t ride on the sleds.

Instead, they tied ropes to their waists and tethered themselves to the sides of the sleds. Leaning into the wind, they helped drag the heavy loads, trudging laboriously through the snow one step at a time.

’Every bit of extra strength meant the sleds could move a little faster. The elderly, women, and children inside would be out of danger that much sooner.’

And so the procession pushed forward, struggling through the world-blotting blizzard.

At times, their figures were completely swallowed by the howling wind and swirling snow; at others, they would reappear during brief lulls in the storm.

The gale whipped up layers of snow from the ground, but the flurry had no time to dance in the air before being buried again by the endless cascade from the sky. It was as if the white expanse had never been disturbed at all.

The entire world was a sea of white.

All that moved through this world of ice and snow were their unyielding figures, driven by sheer determination, pressing on toward the safety of the log cabin.

Time passed, second by second, during the long wait. Two hours went by.

The atmosphere inside the log cabin was tense and suffocating.

Layer after layer of condensation formed on the glass windowpanes, a reflection of the anxiety fogging the hearts of those inside.

Again and again, they wiped the mist away with a cloth, only for it to quickly return—just like the persistent, unshakable unease in their hearts.

Among those waiting, some paced the room, their steps quick and agitated. Others stood silently by the window, staring out at the white world, their eyes filled with a mixture of hope and worry.

Xiaohua stood by the window. Though her eyes betrayed her exhaustion, she kept her gaze fixed on the view outside.

She was unwilling to miss the slightest sign.

Then, she caught a glimpse of something—faint shadows moving through the blizzard. Her heart leaped into her throat, and her breath hitched.

She quickly rubbed her eyes and pressed her face against the cold glass, trying to get a clearer look.

When she finally confirmed that the blurry shapes were the returning party, her tense expression instantly broke into a radiant, joyous smile.

Xiaohua spun around and shouted.

"They’re back! Brother Shan is back!"

Her voice, filled with joy and excitement, seemed to banish all their long hours of waiting and worry in an instant.