King of the Wilderness

Just less than half a meter in front of his palm, there was a live dead branch coiling around a seemingly ordinary dead branch!

It was a venomous snake with a body like dead leaf yellow-brown, adorned with irregular black spots on both sides, its triangular head slightly raised, the two small pits at the tip directly facing his palm, and its cold vertical pupils stared emotionlessly at this intruder.

"Iron Head." His entire body’s muscles instantly tensed up, and then completely relaxed within one-tenth of a second, maintaining absolute stillness.

He lowered his voice and said to the camera, "Unfortunately, you can’t eat it, as the Iron Head snake is a protected animal in China. Although it is not a first or second-level protected animal, according to China’s Wildlife Protection Law, any act of actively hunting the three-possessions animals is illegal."

"More importantly, it’s one of China’s ten most poisonous snakes, a typical ambush hunter with excellent camouflage abilities. Its venom is a mix, with both hemotoxic and neurotoxic properties, being bitten by it here basically means the end of the challenge."

Lin Yu’an did not retreat, as any sudden movement could provoke its attack. He could only remain still, engaging in a silent confrontation with this embodiment of death.

He could even clearly see the forked tip of the snake’s tongue subtly trembling in the air, collecting scent information from him.

A few seconds later, the Iron Head seemed to judge that the unmoving stump before it posed no threat, or perhaps it wasn’t interested in this overly large creature.

Then it slowly withdrew its head, its body like a flowing shadow, silently gliding under the thick layer of leaves, disappearing as if it had never appeared.

Only then did Lin Yu’an let out a long breath, feeling the quick-drying T-shirt on his back instantly soaked through with cold sweat.

"Welcome to Ailao Mountain!" he said hoarsely to the camera.

This frightening moment was far more expressive of the dangers and wildness of this secret realm than any elaborate opening.

He continued cautiously downward with a lingering sense of fear, each step becoming more careful, his gaze constantly sweeping over every inch of ground underfoot and every vine he would grasp.

During his descent, his eyes operated like radar, continuously scanning everything around for efficient resource surveying and strategic reserves.

"Look at this," he suddenly stopped and aimed the camera at a peculiar plant growing under the shade of a tree, its stems covered with a layer of golden fluff resembling a monkey’s back.

"Aha! This is the golden-haired dog spine fern, an ancient type of fern. Its fluff is excellent for stopping bleeding and is also great kindling. I need to gather some for tonight and future fire-making preparations."

Having collected a handful of golden fluff, he wrapped it in a large leaf and placed it in the side pocket of his pants.

Soon, his gaze was attracted by a giant rotten tree trunk that had already fallen. Clusters of mushrooms grew on it like layers of clouds.

Lin Yu’an crouched down, "Jin’er, non-toxic, emergency food. But more importantly, this decayed wood is excellent material for making fire planks once thoroughly dried. I need to remember this location."

He didn’t pick any for now, instead using a nearby peculiar tree as a reference in his mind to mark this natural granary and wood factory’s position.

After proceeding downward for about ten more minutes, a faint sound of water finally reached his ears, growing clearer and clearer.

Finally, a mountain stream presented itself before him.

But the scene before him made him frown.

This creek wasn’t as gentle as he expected; it was compressed by jagged black rocks, forming a series of rushing waterfalls and bottomless pools.

The sound of water roared, and the mist hung in the air, making the already damp forest even colder and wetter.

"Trouble." He stood on a giant rock, gazing at the gorge filled with primal force, "The water flow is too fast, meaning fish are unlikely to linger here. Additionally, trying to move along such a stream bank is almost impossible."

He had to make a choice: to risk the huge danger of climbing and jumping over the slippery boulders against the current, or to abandon this clue and climb back to the ridge to find another path?

Just as he weighed the pros and cons, his gaze was suddenly attracted by a scene on the opposite bank of the stream, and excitement instantly sparked in his eyes.

"No, we can’t leave here." He quickly made a decision, his tone becoming incredibly certain, "Guys, look over there! That’s the true generosity of Ailao Mountain!"

He zoomed the camera in, aiming at the opposite gently sloping hillside bathed in sunlight.

There, large patches of a plant with immense verdant leaves grew, wide like elephant ears, swaying slightly in the mountain breeze.

"Wild banana!" Lin Yu’an’s voice was filled with joy, "Finding it in a subtropical jungle is like finding a supermarket!"

He began to educate the camera about the value of this magical plant.

"First, look at its leaves." He pointed to the huge leaves, "This is nature’s finest multifunctional fabric. Just a few leaves can quickly construct a waterproof roof when it rains."

"When processing food, it’s the cleanest cutting board; wrapping food in it and placing it into the fire, it’s a natural baking sheet that locks in moisture. Simply rolled up, it serves as a temporary container and plate; its uses are endless."