Alaska Gold Rush Diary

Chapter 78 Arrival at the River

After finishing their meal, the three of them immediately began setting up the tent.

Alo had clearly never lived in a tent before, and after fiddling with it for a long time, he still couldn't set it up. Finally, with Edward's help, he managed to set it up.

As the surrounding light grew dimmer, Zhou Xin moved the embers from the stove outside his tent and rekindled them. Then he sat cross-legged on a rock next to the tent, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames.

As night fell, the jungle gradually came alive.

The buzzing of various mosquitoes flying around is like a symphony, which makes people feel very irritable.

In the darkness ahead, the occasional rustling sound of some unknown animal moving could be heard.

Faintly, one could also hear the low growls of an unknown animal.

These voices are undoubtedly very unsettling.

Zhou Xin sprayed mosquito repellent on the fire and added a few pieces of dry firewood, which made the fire burn much brighter.

The flickering firelight cast intermittent light and shadow on his face.

Low snores could be heard coming from Edward and Alo's tent.

The surroundings suddenly became a strange atmosphere that was both lively and quiet.

Zhou Xin was toying with the high-quality replica air gun in his hand.

He is now quite confident that if someone suddenly appears within ten meters, he can accurately hit them on the head.

Although an air gun won't be fatal, being hit by a steel ball at close range will definitely tear his skin and flesh.

Zhou Xin prayed silently that it wouldn't rain before he reached the riverbank the next day.

Since it's a tropical rainforest, rain is naturally a common occurrence here.

During the rainy season, it can rain several times a day.

At midnight, A Luo arrived on time to relieve Zhou Xin.

After explaining the things to be careful about, Zhou Xin dragged his tired body into the tent.

When the birdsong woke Zhou Xin in the early morning, Alo and Edward were already packing their things.

And so, the first night after entering the jungle passed peacefully.

In the early morning, the forest was shrouded in mist, and the branches around us were all wet.

Without delay, they packed their things and continued their journey.

"Ugh, look! It's disgusting!"

As they walked, Edward's expression suddenly changed, revealing a look of fear.

The two followed his gaze and saw that the huge leaves of a plant next to him were covered with leeches.

As if sensing the scent of Edward's blood, the leeches all raised their bodies straight up towards him, their mouths wide open, looking as if they were starving.

Zhou Xin felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and goosebumps all over his body.

"Be careful, try not to get too close to the leaves," Zhou Xin reminded him.

Although a leech bite is not fatal, the anticoagulant substance secreted by leech saliva can cause the bite to bleed profusely.

Suddenly, he remembered something and quickly looked at the mule.

Sure enough, both mules were covered in leeches, some of which were swollen and bloated, clearly having had a good meal.

The two poor mules could only wag their tails with difficulty, but they couldn't shake off the leeches with their amazing suction.

Edward and Alo also noticed this, and the three of them immediately took action to remove the leeches from the mule's body.

After treating it, Zhou Xin sprayed some insect repellent on the mule, hoping it would have some effect.

Besides leeches, the group would occasionally spot large, colorful spiders, wriggling venomous insects, and other creatures.

This rainforest is a paradise for creatures, but also a green hell for humans.

They've come to hell to pan for gold.

Fortunately, as the sun rose, the fog dissipated, bringing a sense of relief to the three of them.

Walking in the jungle is very difficult, and you could easily fall if you're not careful.

Moreover, the three of them had to keep a close eye on the mule's stability at all times, because if the mule broke its leg, the rest of the journey would be a hundred times more difficult.

The group continued towards their destination. To save time, they did not stop to eat, but simply ate some compressed biscuits while the mules rested.

After traveling for four days, the three of them finally heard the sound of rushing water.

"It's just ahead, almost there!" Edward shouted.

The three of them felt very excited and unconsciously quickened their pace.

After passing through the last grove of trees, the three found themselves in a wide-open space, where a not-too-large river appeared before them.

"Oh no, we're too high off the riverbank, we can't get down!" Edward exclaimed.

They are now high up on a cliff, about three or four meters above the riverbank.

If they were empty-handed, they could climb down along the hanging tree roots or vines.

But now, with two mules and such heavy cargo, the only way to get down to the riverbank is to find a low spot along the river.

The three of them could only walk upstream along the woods by the river, looking for a place to go down.

After walking for another half hour, suddenly, Logan let out a low growl from the bushes not far away, accompanied by a sharp cry.

Soon, Logan came running over with something in his mouth.

The three looked over and saw that what Logan was holding in his mouth was actually a large, fat pheasant.

Judging by its appearance, it probably weighs two or three pounds.

Logan tossed the pheasant at Zhou Xin's feet and circled around him.

"Logan, are you trying to give us extra food because you see we're working so hard?"

Zhou Xin smiled and patted the wolf's head, then picked up the pheasant and hung it on the mule's back.

"Let's push harder and try to reach the riverbank before dark. I'll make you some chicken soup tonight so we can have a good meal," Zhou Xin encouraged the team.

Edward, who was very familiar with Zhou Xin's cooking skills, was overjoyed. He had been eating compressed biscuits and noodles for the past two days and really wanted to eat something delicious.

Logan's prey spurred them onward, and after walking for a while, the terrain finally began to slope down.

But although victory is in sight, the road ahead has become even more difficult.

Walking along a slippery downhill path is difficult; a slight misstep could lead to a fall or even a slide down the slope.

However, Zhou Xin discovered some good things along the way.

Those are some wild ginger.

Like fresh ginger, wild ginger has a unique spicy flavor. It can not only remove the fishy smell from meat, but also has a good effect of dispelling cold.

The rainforest was very moist, and the surrounding trees and the soil underfoot were extremely damp. The shoes and pants of the group were already soaked through.

In this situation, even in hot and humid weather, being wrapped in damp clothes for a long time still causes a lot of body heat to be lost.

If you can drink a bowl of wild ginger pheasant soup, not only will your hungry stomach be comforted, but the dampness and cold in your body will also be dispelled.

Their craving for hot food and their longing for open space quickened their pace.

As the sun was about to set behind the edge of the jungle, they finally made it to the riverbank.