Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 590 I am a Rabbit-Eared Clan 8

The lingering heat of the long summer was finally extinguished by the crisp coolness of the ten months of autumn.

The mountains have shed their lush green and been replaced by a mottled mix of gold, ochre, and dark brown, spreading layer by layer until they reach the horizon.

A cool but not dry breeze, carrying the tart scent of ripening berries and the slightly intoxicating aroma of withered leaves about to fall from the branches, swirled outside the cliff caves.

Inside the cave, the flickering light of the campfire shone on Youmo's silent profile and reflected in Yun Chu's slightly furrowed brows.

In contrast to the abundant autumn colors outside, there is an invisible pressure—the deep winter, which lasts for ten months and is filled with bone-chilling cold and the death of all things, is like a silent and enormous shadow, quietly enveloping everyone's hearts.

While the secret space of the "Inner Palace" is indeed wondrous, it is not inexhaustible, and most of its stored food is consumed during the short spring and autumn seasons. Now, autumn has entered its second month, and the mountains and forests are abundant, making it the last golden opportunity to stockpile food for winter survival.

You's actions are always silent and efficient.

Before dawn, through the thin mist, he had already transformed into the form of a giant wolf, like a streak of dark lightning merging into the shadows of the forest, silently disappearing into the depths of the dense path covered with fallen leaves.

The time of his return was no longer fixed; sometimes he would return while the sun was still high, carrying either a strong argali or an unfortunate wild deer.

Sometimes they are shrouded in the thick of night, their claws stained with blood, carrying the intense scent of a fierce battle left by a more powerful prey—perhaps a ferocious saw-toothed wild boar, or an even more dangerous iron-backed black bear with fur as glossy as armor.

Each time a heavy prey lands, it carries the stench of blood from the mountains and fields, but it also heralds the beginning of the fight against the harsh winter.

Yun Chu became the ever-burning fire and skillful hands in the cave.

The meat from the hunted beasts was categorized under her precise bone knife.

The fattest part was cut into neat strips and hung in a well-ventilated place in the cave to dry in the shade, becoming tough "dried meat" that would support the long winter.

The tendons and internal organs are carefully removed and processed by Yun Chu, either pickled and stored, or put into a bubbling earthenware pot, where they are slowly simmered into thick, solidified fats or gel-like collagen that can be preserved.

Despite her slender frame, the rabbit-eared girl displayed astonishing patience and strength as she dealt with these enormous prey. Her snow-white animal tail skirt was stained with specks of dark red, yet her expression remained focused.

Her wisdom from the mountains and forests shines equally brightly.

During the day, while You was out fighting bloody battles, she would carry the small but sturdy rattan basket that You had tanned by hand, and traverse the woodlands and valley edges below the cave.

Autumn is the land's last generous gift.

She knew the treasures hidden beneath decaying leaves and nestled in the folds of damp tree trunks.

She skillfully picked the plump straw mushrooms, the round-capped porcini mushrooms, and the various colored but flavorful coral mushrooms.

The dry stone slabs became a natural mushroom bed. She carefully spread out the washed mushrooms, and with the help of the wind blowing through the cave and the slight heat of the rocks themselves, these delicious mushrooms slowly lost their moisture, locking in the essence of the mountains and fields, transforming into the soul of the soup later.

The air was filled with the unique, earthy aroma of fungi after rain.

Berries are autumn's treasure.

Purple-red mulberries, wild hawthorns hanging from branches, and clusters of round, sweet and sour wild currants nestled in the crevices of rocks... these natural honey bombs are not only delicious, but also rare natural preservative "sugar stores".

Yun Chu thoroughly washed a portion of it and carefully placed it into the "inner palace"—that mysterious space seemed to be able to freeze time and keep it bright and full.

The other part was crushed in a clean stone mortar and pestle, and the thick jam juice was filtered out. It was then boiled and concentrated with the rare and precious raw honey collected by the stone bees to become a thick and sweet syrup.

This sweetness, imbued with sunshine, will be a good remedy for the gloom of winter.

The sour and astringent wild hawthorns are sliced, dried, and then used to make tea to cut through the greasiness.

She even dug up roots buried deep in the soil—sweet potatoes with a fresh earthy scent and rich in starch, and kudzu roots with slightly sweet tubers.

These simple tubers, washed and dried, are piled up in the corner of the cave, providing the foundation for a full stomach in the long years to come.

The sturdy nuts she collected, such as acorns and wild chestnuts, were carefully sorted, dried, and stored away like hard little gold coins.

In addition, You also found many herbs. You was able to recognize them because he had gained experience living alone in the depths of the forest.

As the sun set and the afterglow dyed the rolling mountains like molten gold, a huge, wolf-like figure carrying a heavy prey stepped into the cave.

The shadows flowed across his strong body, fading silently to reveal the taut muscles beneath his bronze skin. He tossed his damp, frosty bangs, his deep gaze fixed on the depths of the cave.

There, firelight flickered, and the air was filled with a variety of complex aromas—the slightly fishy smell of freshly cut meat strips, the strange fragrance of dried mushrooms, the herbal scent permeating the rising steam… and there was Yun Chu's small figure, bending over, carefully hanging a bunch of freshly picked, plump, purple agate-like mountain grapes on a drying rack.

No words needed.

He walked straight to the stone table, picked up another, heavier bone knife that Yun Chu had already sharpened for him, and began to process today's harvest.

The sound of a bone blade slicing through tough fur, combined with the sizzling sound of grease from smoked meat dripping onto charcoal in an earthenware pot, created a unique concerto.

His movements were expansive and powerful, yet he carefully reserved space for Yun Chu to handle the easily perishable internal organs and the most easily processed parts of the meat.

Yun Chu would then hand him a ceramic bowl filled with warm herbal water at the right time—it was boiled with dried mountain herbs, which could relieve the fatigue and chill from hunting day and night.

Humorously accepted the drink, downed it in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing, a hint of dependence in his movements.

The flickering firelight illuminated two figures, one tall and one short, working in perfect harmony.

The hanging meat strips, the piles of nuts, the neatly arranged roots and stems, and the fragrant jam jars gradually replaced the empty corners of the cave.

Each increase in reserves is like a solid brick, added together to build a fortress to withstand the harsh winter.

The last golden rays of the setting sun disappeared at the cave entrance.

As dusk settled, a chill began to rise.

Inside the cave, the campfire still crackled and burned.

A simple dinner was laid out on the stone slab: thick steaks with a crispy, juicy crust, grilled to perfection, served with freshly baked potato chips and a small dish of sweet and sour currant sauce.

The food has a rich and comforting aroma.

You continued to eat with focused speed, each bite a replenishment of energy.

But as the sweet and sour, richly flavored gooseberry sauce melted on his tongue, his deep, pool-like eyes seemed to flash with an extremely subtle light in the firelight.

Yun Chu munched on potato chips, dipped them in jam, and watched the shadows swaying on the stone wall, observing the cave gradually filling with food.

The shadow of the cold wind seemed to be temporarily blocked by the firelight. The silent warmth and peace generated by jointly "building" the granary was quietly dispelling the invisible shadow brought by the deep winter, just like the flames dancing in the furnace, warming the entire stone cave with a sense of warmth and determination.

As the harsh winter approaches, the food they hold in their hands and the unspoken closeness between them are the most real source of warmth in this long, cold night.