The first five days of trekking were very smooth.

During the day, Chen Wen pulled the reindeer, following the path paved by Hua Yun, moving constantly forward.

At noon, they would take a break and eat something.

During this time, Chen Wen would untie the ropes from the reindeer, letting it forage nearby.

Hua Yun would also use this time to gather food for the reindeer in the nearby forest.

The Golden Eagle soared into the sky to scout the surroundings, while the lynx slipped into the dense forest serving as a sentry.

After resting, Chen Wen called back his two friends and one tamed beast.

Starting the afternoon journey.

In the evening, Chen Wen and Hua Yun would search in advance for a suitable spot to camp.

Upon reaching the campsite.

The three animals, just like at noon, stayed busy with their tasks.

Chen Wen would clean the ground during this time, while Hua Yun collected firewood.

After Hua Yun returned, she would start a fire.

Chen Wen would cover their supplies with snow for camouflage.

Then, Chen Wen cooked while Hua Yun started building a shelter.

Building a shelter for just one night was relatively simple.

Hua Yun excelled at constructing triangular shelters with three main beams.

Then came the night watch.

After a long night, came the highly repetitive second day.

This process was quite boring, also draining the passion from both people and animals.

Sure enough, after just five days, the lynx appeared utterly despondent.

The repetitive work aside, it couldn't find any threats.

In such low temperatures, apart from packs of North American gray wolves, nothing posed a threat here.

And North American gray wolves were quite rare.

Especially in the upper and middle reaches of the Yukon River, they were considered uncommon.

The twenty-sixth day of survival.

In the morning, Chen Wen scooped some compacted snow into a pot, then placed dried smoked meat into it.

As the temperature rose, the snow melted and boiled, cooking the smoked meat to a half-cooked state.

This constituted breakfast.

After a perfunctory breakfast, Hua Yun peered at the map and said, "Today we can reach a confluence point; from here on the river surface will be wider, we should try to stay by the bank."

Chen Wen nodded.

River ice is somewhat different from lake ice.

River ice often starts forming at the edges.

When the air temperature causes the river water temperature to drop below freezing, river ice appears.

In the river, ice crystals first form on this side of the bank.

The riverbank has slower flows, the rock and soil lose heat more quickly, leading to ice crystals forming "initial bank ice" first at the edges.

If the temperature continues to stay below freezing, the initial bank ice will gradually thicken and extend towards the center of the river channel.

Eventually forming a "static ice cover" that seals the entire river channel.

Chen Wen and Hua Yun had researched this information before coming here.

The center of the river often has thinner ice layers.

Walking on it could risk breaking through the ice layer.

While about half a meter from the riverbank lies the thickest bank ice section.

The ice layer here is considerably solid.

"Let's go."

After outlining today's plan, Hua Yun began to act.

Chen Wen covered the traces left by the campfire with snow, reserving some dry tinder for starting a fire next time.

Then he strapped the rope onto the reindeer and started today's journey.

...

By noon.

Hua Yun and Chen Wen arrived at the confluence point marked on the map.

This was where several tributaries and the main stream of the Yukon River converged, the river surface very open.

Simultaneously, it was also quite dangerous.

Hua Yun looked at the steep slopes around, hesitantly asking, "The riverbanks here are very high; the further we go, the higher the banks get. Should we keep going, or change our route?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Wen was a bit puzzled, "Aren't we walking on the ice layer? Do the height of the banks affect us?"

Hua Yun nodded, "It does have some impact."

"If the riverbanks are too high, in case of an accident we can't quickly get back to a safe place, plus, there's a confluence ahead, where the river surface is wide and water flow faster, the ice layer might be thinner."

Chen Wen frowned, hitting a knowledge blind spot.

"Is the detour easy to walk?"

He asked.

Hua Yun looked at the map and then at the surrounding terrain, "I wouldn't say it's easy. To detour means to walk further, and the area is full of slopes, we might have to circle from the side."

"We'd definitely cover much more distance, and there are possible other risks too."

These words made Chen Wen scratch his head.

"So you mean continue on?"

Chen Wen inquired.

Hua Yun was still hesitating.

However, as the two hesitated, a large group of reindeer started crossing the river on the ice ahead.

They lined up, leisurely crossing the ice layers.

Although some reindeer slipped while crossing, they skillfully scrabbled at the ice with all four legs, quickly sliding across.

"Looks like the ice is quite thick if this group of reindeer can get across,"

Chen Wen commented.

This herd of reindeer was numerous, and their weight was certainly much greater than that of Chen Wen's party.

Seeing this, Hua Yun hesitated no longer, "I was overthinking, let's continue on."

Saying so, Hua Yun took the snow pole and continued to probe the way.

...

The Yukon River.Town One.

After a long trek, Yang Feng and Jenny finally reached here.

They stayed in the town for a day and exchanged for quite a bit of food.

In the evening, Yang Feng even took Jenny to the bar.

On the surface, they were here for fun.

But in reality, they had other motives.

At the bar, Yang Feng and Jenny met their contact.

The person they met wasn't affiliated with Belmont's side.

The contact handed them some money and a map, informing them of the final rendezvous point.

Though upon realizing there was nearly a month's journey left, Yang Feng felt grim.

He could barely stand this way of living.

Jenny noticed Yang Feng's condition, offering kind words and promising great rewards.

This finally reinvigorated Yang Feng.

In the morning, they traded for enough food and supplies, planning to set off again.

But within just thirty minutes.

The two returned to town in a sorry state.

They lost some supplies, and most of them were wet.

Moreover, both Jenny and Yang Feng were drenched in icy river water.

Upon returning to town, they immediately found the inn they stayed at last night and booked a room again.

The innkeeper saw their bedraggled appearance and couldn't help but ask, "Fell into an ice hole?"

Yang Feng, hands trembling, leaned tightly against the stove and nodded.

The innkeeper shook his head, bringing over hot coffee and blankets, helping them retain their body heat.

Once finished, observing their faces improving.

The innkeeper remarked, "This year the temperature's relatively high. The river is frozen, but not as solid as in previous years. If you plan to walk on the river surface, you must be more cautious."

Yang Feng sighed, somewhat speechless, "This weather counts as high temperatures?"

He hailed from Yun Province, finding it hard to understand how someone could call sub-zero temperatures 'high'.

The innkeeper laughed heartily, "Outsider, in a Yukon winter, as long as it's clear skies, temperatures as low as minus twenty are considered good weather."

"If you stay here for an entire winter, and encounter minus thirty to forty degrees snowy days, you'll know what true extreme cold is!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Feng couldn't help but shiver.

Minus thirty to forty degrees, even his home freezer wasn't that cold!

To live in a giant freezer every day.

How do Yukon people survive?

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