Inside the shelter, December, who had eaten and drunk to his fill, was lying on the warm wolfskin bed, sleeping soundly.

His small chest rose and fell with deep breaths, like a little white angel untroubled by worries.

The remaining rabbit soup in the iron pot was still simmering on the hearth, exuding a rich and warm aroma, and the fire in the fireplace crackled reassuringly.

Lin Yu'an had just enjoyed a sumptuous lunch. The energy from the rabbit meat and hot soup filled his fatigued body with renewed strength.

He picked up the electronic recorder, not immediately diving into new work but setting an alarm for three hours later.

"The cold smoking room has now entered a very stable operational state." He explained to the camera, his voice calm and steady.

"The charcoal in the furnace can smolder for a long time in the oxygen-deficient environment, and the temperature of the flue and smoking room has reached a dynamic balance."

"So there's no longer a need to check every hour. I can extend the inspection intervals, which gives me a more complete block of free time." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"And during this time, I need to think about a more serious issue."

He began conducting a comprehensive strategic assessment and analysis of the current situation, "First, the food reserve. Protein is very sufficient."

"Dried fish fillets, frozen fish in the snow well, plus over twenty smoked fish being prepared in the smoking room, if it's just for me, saved cautiously, it's enough to sustain until the challenge ends."

"But..." He changed his tone, becoming unusually serious.

"A huge hidden danger has emerged, and it's even more severe than I anticipated."

"My weight has dropped by about 5 kilograms. This is the thirty-third day since I arrived here, with a total weight loss of over ten kilograms."

"Although I eat every day, even to the point of protein surplus, the weight is still dropping. This only indicates one thing—I have a severe lack of fat."

He stood up, pacing two steps in the small shelter, as if organizing his thoughts, firming up his determination for the next step.

"In polar environments, fat is life. This statement is not exaggerated. The energy it provides is more than double that of the equivalent protein or carbohydrates."

"It is the core fuel for the human body to resist cold and maintain body temperature. More importantly, our brain and nervous system need fat to function normally."

"Without adequate fat intake, one's thinking becomes sluggish, emotions become unstable, and eventually, bodily functions will completely collapse."

"Many people have a misconception that as long as there's meat to eat, they won't starve to death. But the fact is, long-term intake of only lean meat induces a fatal condition known as protein poisoning."

"Or more vividly termed—rabbit hunger. Since the body needs to consume a lot of energy to decompose and metabolize protein without fat to replenish these consumptions."

"Your body enters an energy deficit; the more you eat, the more you consume, ultimately eating meat while starving to death."

"The small amounts of wolf oil and fish oil I previously stored are almost exhausted from taking care of December and cooking these past days. Now, my body has issued a clear warning."

"Acquiring high-purity fat has become my top priority strategic goal, its importance even surpassing obtaining any other food."

He stood still, his gaze passing through the small vent, looking out at the sunlit, silent snowfield.

"After the snowstorm, with such good weather, all the hungry animals will come out to forage, seeking food buried by the heavy snow. This is an excellent hunting window period."

"I must take the initiative again, venture into the depths of the forest and try my luck, seeking those prey that can provide me with a large amount of fat."

Decision made, Lin Yu'an immediately started taking action, without any unnecessary delay.

This exploration cannot be like before, only operating within a one or two kilometer range around the shelter.

He was already very familiar with those areas; small prey might be there, but large animals capable of providing fat, being highly alert, would never easily approach areas bustling with strange odors.

He needed to venture deeper into the more primitive, less disturbed heart of the forest. Yet, he still faced the relentless constraint of time.

"It's now one o'clock in the afternoon." He walked out of the shelter, glanced up at the position of the sun in the sky, accurately estimating the time.

"In Labrador during December, daylight is extremely short, only about 8 hours. This means around four-thirty in the afternoon, it will start to rapidly get dark."

"Once the light is lost, moving within the unfamiliar forest is extremely dangerous. So I must strictly control the time."

"I've set a four-hour action window for myself, delving inland for two hours, then whether or not there's any yield, I must immediately turn back."

He placed a big bowl of clean water beside the slumbering wolfskin bed of December, prepared in case he woke up thirsty.

He carefully checked the structure of the door bolt and added enough durable hardwood to the fireplace to ensure that during his absence, the shelter could remain warm.

Then, he began his most professional arming.

"Today's task is to actively track and hunt, not to passively wait." He explained this to the camera while sorting out his gear.

"Therefore, the choice of clothing is crucial; I cannot wear that most thermally efficient but also most cumbersome parka."