MTLNOVEL Chapter 677: 674 tracking
Having three free laborers, Bi Fang's pace had undoubtedly quickened a lot.
By the end of the morning, they had successfully located their targets.
The unique scent on the ground had intensified by more than a notch, and the quantity of feces visible on the ground had gradually increased.
The three sled fools did not cause any trouble either, carrying Bi Fang's goods without complaint, even Goudan was very well-behaved, only he liked to look around curiously.
Although people often tease Huskies for having an "inspiring" intelligence, according to professional intelligence tests, Huskies rank moderately high among various breeds of dogs; their brains work just fine.
The reason why Huskies are deemed "unteachable," love to destroy households, and engage in various perplexing behaviors, is mainly due to their excessive energy and poor obedience.
Originally bred for long-distance sledding, they have abundant energy and stamina. If you keep them as pets, the dog's boundless energy has nowhere to be released, so they end up dismantling the household instead.
As for how vigorous their energy is...
A dog sled team can carry 300 to 400 kilograms each time; they can travel forty kilometers per day, with a speed comparable to a light tank of the time.
And this only requires seven to nine dogs.
In fact, there was a Husky that set a record by running 452 kilometers in minus 30 degrees Celsius with winds above force seven. This distance is roughly equivalent to the distance from the Capital of Huaxia to Hujang Haote.
Moreover, when people say Huskies are silly, they often refer to their "disobedience," also known as "poor obedience."
Huskies are outdoor working dogs; humans are more of their partners rather than just owners.
Before they became household pets, when they were pulling sleds in the freezing cold, they needed to work in teams, usually, a sled team would have at least four Huskies, one of which would be the lead dog.
Even among these three by Bi Fang's side, one could see that the expression in the Huskies' eyes was distinctly different from that of the larger dogs in the Alaska region.
More spirited and more alert, with a strong desire to perform.
This position of "dog leader" had the same status as the owner and was called the "Lead Dog," responsible for identifying the road conditions and eliminating dangers.
In the actual working process, because the person driving the sled is at the back, they might not perceive certain things accurately and could make wrong judgments.
Therefore, the "Lead Dog" can refuse to follow the owner's commands and can find its own direction if it deems necessary.
In some extreme environments, when even the owner cannot judge the situation, the "Lead Dog" might even lead the team forward in place of the owner.
In the city, however, most Huskies are kept as pets, with only one of their kind around them.
As a result, they inevitably consider themselves as the "Lead Dog," bravely expressing their own thoughts and unwilling to obediently follow the owner's instructions.
"You and I are equal, so why should I listen to you?"
This is probably the dog's true thought.
So Bi Fang had it carry the heaviest load, not out of any personal vendetta, but he also provided compensation.
A whole puffin and several river fish.
It was undoubtedly the most lavish meal it had had in a long time.
For a sled dog with black fur, hunting in the Polar Region is quite challenging, even polar bears and wolf packs have to use camouflage; sled dogs, unless they want to survive by hunting less agile creatures, are left with their only option: seals.
But seals are actually one of the animals most misunderstood by humans. Wild seals are not like the ones in zoos that clap their bellies and bark.
Despite its adorable appearance, it is actually a formidable predator on the food chain, armed with very sharp little teeth that can be deadly with just one bite, and there are even records of humans being bitten to death.
Humans can effectively suppress these creatures mainly because of their slender limbs and long-handled weapons, which have proven to be invincible.
"Found the musk oxen herd, and there are more than I expected."
In the icy and snowy environment, Bi Fang pulled back Goudan, who still wanted to move forward, and pointed towards the specks in the distance.
The audience widened their eyes, struggling to discern what they were seeing. It looked as if someone had dotted two black points onto a white paper fan with a water pen—trying to see it clearly was virtually impossible.
[Master Fang's eyesight must be at least 5.2, right?]
[Feels like even pilots are no match...]
The audience was once again astounded by Bi Fang's remarkable vision.
Bi Fang also became cautious because there were more specks than he had anticipated.
He removed the weapons from Fugui's back and, fully armed, began to stealthily approach little by little.
"Musk oxen like to live in herds. In summer, they form smaller groups to feed on the leaves of the stunted willows. In winter, they gather in large herds, sometimes numbering over a hundred."
"In autumn, which is now, they begin to gather in scattered groups. Encountering separate groups, they merge together. It seems that the herd we've come across has already combined at least three or four groups."
After approaching within two hundred meters, the audience could finally see clearly the number of musk oxen, which was indeed quite large—roughly counting, there appeared to be nearly thirty animals.
If faced with a confrontation, it would be a tough situation for Bi Fang, who was alone.
Musk oxen are intelligent. When in a group, they almost become an impenetrable shield.
By the time he got within one hundred and fifty meters, the drone had reached right above the musk oxen herd, giving the audience a clearer view.
Unlike the cows we usually see, the base of the musk oxen's horns is especially large, covering almost the entire top of their heads.
The horns curve after branching out from the head, with the males' being thicker than the females'.
The most terrifying part is that every ox seemed to have large horns atop their heads, which is similar to reindeer in that both males and females grow horns.
The limbs of the musk oxen, just as Bi Fang mentioned, were indeed short; their hooves were like those of cows but appeared broader. Additionally, their tails were extremely short, entirely hidden within their long fur and hard to see, detectable only when they occasionally flicked them.
Bi Fang pointed to a few musk oxen and said, "Usually the young and female musk oxen are positioned in the middle of the herd, with the strong and powerful males stationed around the perimeter serving as scouts and protectors. Moreover, the males form their own unique groups, each with their own 'group leader,' all under the command of an elder musk ox, often a pregnant female."
"Whenever the herd moves, there is also an astute and capable male leading the way, followed by a grand procession of musk oxen."
As he spoke, the musk oxen that had been resting suddenly stood up in twos and threes. Bi Fang was startled, thinking he had been discovered, and quickly buried his body deeper into the snow, ready to flee at any moment. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire
But unexpectedly, the musk oxen did not look in Bi Fang's direction; instead, they began to move on.
"Whew, seems like it was just a coincidence."
Bi Fang held down the eager head of the husky to prevent the animal from barking and drawing attention accidentally.
As for Wangcai and Fugui, they had already hidden beside Bi Fang, desperately burrowing under him. Faced with the group of enormous creatures before them, they were terrified.
"Let's go, let's follow them and see if we can find any straggling musk oxen."