Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 87

The crouching leopard ripped the goat’s head clean off.

Rip!

The already crooked neck tore apart along the fracture line.

The cross-section was surprisingly smooth—proof of how swiftly and precisely the leopard had struck.

Clamping the severed head in its jaws, the leopard glared at Yeonwoo—then scaled the cliff and vanished.

Yeonwoo could only stare blankly at its retreating form.

“Well, damn…”

The muscles rippling under its spotted coat were solid. Each movement made the dark patterns stand out, and among them, Yeonwoo spotted a single line—a scar. An old one.

“It’s hurt… That’s kinda sad.”

Was that why it avoided a fight?

The Watcher chimed in as Yeonwoo watched the leopard with pity.

—

*– The Watcher asks if the goat didn’t deserve sympathy too.*

“Of course.”

Yeonwoo smirked.

“But have you tasted goat meat?”

—

*– They ask if you’re planning to butcher it now.*

“Hmm…”

Yeonwoo’s smile faded.

Truthfully, he only knew how to clean fish.

Sure, he’d handled bull sharks over five meters long, so this shouldn’t be much different—but without a way to preserve the meat, there was no point being greedy. It wasn’t like perfectly butchering it would grant him skills anyway.

He approached the headless carcass—specifically, the plump hindquarters.

His cleaver sank in.

Surprisingly, little blood seeped out—most had already drained.

Soon, two fist-sized chunks of pure meat were extracted.

“Here. The udun cut.”

The meat’s interior looked like dark rice cake.

Steam rose from the fresh, raw flesh.

Yeonwoo’s expression turned wistful.

“I… thought I’d never eat red meat again…!”

—

*– The Watcher comforts you, saying hardship has its rewards.*

*– They urge you to grill it already, curious about the taste.*

Chomp.

—

*– The Watcher is speechless.*

Yeonwoo couldn’t reply—his mouth was full.

Chew. Chew. Chew.

The texture clung to his teeth like sticky, meaty rice cake. Maybe it was the extreme cold, but there was no gaminess—just pure, rich flavor.

Gulp.

Tears welled in his eyes as he chewed.

“It’s… different…!”

He’d always preferred sashimi over red meat.

But that was a mistake.

Rarity had skewed his preference. Now, deprived for so long, he realized red meat’s worth matched seafood’s.

“So good… So good…!”

The umami, the subtle sweetness of the muscle—no seasoning was needed.

Well, maybe salt.

Luckily, he had some.

Sprinkled crystals intensified the flavor.

—

*[Monster Log Updated: Rift Cliff Goat (B+) consumed.]*

*[Strength +10]*

*[Stamina +15]*

—

*– The Watcher asks if you’re really enjoying hogging the raw meat.*

“Come on, bro! This is mungti—even better than regular tartare!”

Yeonwoo knew his meat. Mungti referred to ultra-fresh cuts so tender they clung to the plate even when flipped.

Regular tartare fell apart easily.

The difference was night and day.

He handed the Watcher a salt-dusted piece.

The mungti vanished midair, exploding with flavor in another dimension.

—

*– The Watcher’s eyes well up.*

*– They say it’s their first time trying mungti—it’s like meat mochi.*

*– They realize no seasoning is truly needed, shedding a tear.*

“Told you.”

But mungti alone wouldn’t cut it.

To gain skills, he needed to cook.

While mungti was best cold, he wanted something warm now.

He needed fire—but darkness was falling.

“Guess we’re not making it home tonight, huh?”

—

*– The Watcher agrees, worried about where you’ll sleep without a tent.*

But Yeonwoo wasn’t worried.

In fact, he was excited.

“Bro, ever heard of a snow pit shelter?”

—

*– …?*

No explanation needed.

He’d show them soon enough.

Yeonwoo distanced himself from the gory carcass—no one wanted a bloodstained bedroom.

—

### *Flashback: Father’s Lessons*

Yeonwoo’s father was a wanderer.

How he’d met Yeonwoo’s mother and settled down was a mystery.

But his restless spirit thrived even in winter.

One heavy snowfall, young Yeonwoo had begged to join him on a trip.

The snowy mountains were breathtaking.

But his father just grinned.

“Son, this is where the real fun starts.”

“…Huh?”

“Here. Catch.”

What he tossed was the same tool Yeonwoo now held—a foldable shovel.

“My digging career began that day!”

Stab! Stab-stab!

The snow reached his waist.

Too shallow for a proper shelter, yet too powdery to compact well.

“Suljil” (snow quality) mattered for skiing—but for this? It was a nightmare.

—

*– The Watcher asks if you’re building an igloo.*

“Similar, but different! Igloos use snow blocks. This is simpler!”

Yeonwoo piled snow into a mound.

Normally, he could dig for hours—but not here. After thirty minutes, he was gasping. Thank god for the Colossal Root Octopus. Without its stamina boost, he’d have collapsed mid-climb long ago.

An hour later, a snow mound stood taller than him.

“Whoops… Made it too big.”

He climbed atop and stomped it down until compact.

The mound shrank by 30%.

Next, he hollowed it out.

Stab! Stab-stab-stab!

Digging took twice as long as piling—hauling snow out was exhausting.

He carved an entrance just wide enough to crawl through, then hollowed the interior to standing height.

—

*– The Watcher asks why you left one section undug.*

“That’s the bed!”

A raised platform beat sleeping on the floor.

He laid a foldable mat and sleeping bag on the “bed.”

“Whew… Done.”

The space was larger than his tent—windproof and insulated.

A perfect shelter.

Yeonwoo grinned—until his stomach growled.

“Time to eat.”

Crawling out, he prepped the ingredients.

Not the udun cut this time—that was for tartare.

Instead, he’d taken the loin—ideal for steaks.

But without a pan, skewers would do.

He cubed the meat and speared it onto his Jawsbar, now reshaped into a skewer.

Salt, scavenged from seawater, sprinkled down.

Seasoning before grilling is key.

Now, for fire.

He hadn’t packed firewood—but he had a substitute.

“Ugh… This’ll get cold fast…”

Yeonwoo pulled out a fistful of insulation material—Kim Kkokko’s down, Ari’s feathers, and the octopus’s bristles.

Whoosh!

The mix ignited instantly. The down burned fast, but the bristles smoldered steadily.

“I did promise to cook you,” he chuckled, rotating the skewers. “Heh-heh-heh.“

Otaku_Senpai

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