The next morning, the freezing wind woke Angel up. Her eyelashes were covered in frost.

She stood up stiffly and walked to the food corner. The last piece of bear meat was frozen solid.

She used a tiny bit of Fox-Fire to thaw it, forcing the foul-tasting meat down her throat. It wasn't nearly enough to fight off the cold.

The system panel flashed red, warning her that her body temperature was dangerously low.

She went to the entrance and peeked out. The blizzard had weakened, but she saw large paw prints in the snow. Carnivorous beasts were nearby.

With her Tier 1 strength, fighting an adult beast was suicide. Going out to hunt was a death sentence.

Suddenly, footsteps crunched in the snow outside. Angel grabbed her bone knife, holding her breath.

Through the gap, she saw Al Stein sneaking around, carrying a steaming package.

He called her name softly, his tone dripping with fake concern. He claimed he had sneaked out to bring her food, hoping for her forgiveness.

Angel smirked from the shadows. The system radar clearly showed a micro-tracker pheromone on Al. It was a trap.

If she took the food, she would expose Kain's location and lead Jasmine's killers right to them.

Angel stayed silent, lurking in the dark like a patient hunter.

Al shivered in the cold. After calling out for ten minutes with no response, he assumed she was already dead.

He cursed and tossed the package into the snow before hurrying back toward the clan.

Once Al was gone, Angel ignored the dangerous package and sat back by the fire, thinking.

Suddenly, a crisp "beep" sounded in her mind. A golden dot appeared on the system radar.

[Report: High-concentration Legacy DNA fluctuation detected 5 kilometers northwest. ]

However, the system also warned that the DNA source's vital signs were failing rapidly. It had less than two hours to live.

Angel frowned. A 5-kilometer trek through the snow was a huge risk for her right now. But it was her only hope.

If she could save this rare gene source, she would complete a system task and gain a powerful ally.

She didn't hesitate. She wrapped herself in all the furs she could find and tied the bone knife to her thigh.

She looked back at the sleeping Kain, silently promising to return with food and hope.

She pushed aside the rocks and plunged into the white wasteland.

The wind cut her face like a knife. The snow was knee-deep. Every step drained her energy.

Following the system's precise navigation, she trudged through the white maze, dodging several beast patrols.

An hour later, her legs were numb, and her lungs burned from the cold air. But the dot on the radar was getting closer.

Finally, after climbing a small snow dune, she smelled blood and dirt.

In a hollow ahead, she saw a pool of shocking red blood, scattered giant wolf fur, and signs of a fierce struggle.

Angel gripped her bone knife tightly and slowly approached the hollow, her eyes locked on the massive, dying figure in the snow.

Angel carefully slid down into the hollow. The snow beneath her feet was stained dark red, the metallic smell of blood sharp in the cold air.

She used the bone knife to brush the snow off the body, revealing a muscular man covered in blood.

He was in a half-beast state. A pair of grey wolf ears poked through his matted hair. His body was covered in deep, bone-deep gashes, clearly from a brutal fight.

Angel leaned in closer. When she saw the man's handsome, wild face beneath the blood and grime, her pupils shrank.

The original host's memories flooded back. This was Jefferey Stein, an elite warrior from the northern Wolfpack Clan. More importantly, he was Al Stein's younger brother.

Angel's expression grew complicated. She hated Al with a passion. Saving his brother seemed like a stupid move.

She gripped the bone knife tighter, a spark of killing intent in her eyes. It would be so easy to end the life of her enemy's brother right now.

But then, a memory flashed in her mind: When the original host was being framed by Al, Jefferey was the only one who stood up and called his brother shameless. He had even been ostracized by his family for defending her.

The killing intent slowly faded. She realized Jefferey was nothing like his hypocritical brother. He had tried to help her.

The system beeped urgently: [Target Legacy DNA match: Extremely High. Life countdown: 10 minutes. ]

Angel didn't hesitate anymore. She dropped to her knees in the snow and pressed both hands onto Jefferey's most fatal wound. She channeled her Tier 1 Bio-Regenesis ability with everything she had.

Warm Fox-Fire mixed with green regenerative light poured into Jefferey's dying body, struggling to repair his damaged organs.

Outputting so much energy in the extreme cold drained her fast. Her vision blurred, and her hands shook violently.

But she gritted her teeth and held on, forcing the energy out until the fatal wound on his chest stopped bleeding and began to scab over.

Ten minutes later, the system's danger alert finally ceased. Angel, completely drained, collapsed into the snow, gasping for air.

A moment later, Jefferey let out a low groan. His grey eyes fluttered open, looking confused.

He tried to sit up, shocked to find himself not only alive but that his fatal wound had miraculously healed.

He turned his head and saw Angel lying in the snow next to him, pale as a sheet. He recognized her instantly.

His eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't believe the exiled "defect" possessed such godly healing powers.

Jefferey struggled to sit up. He took off his thick, intact fur coat and carefully draped it over Angel's shivering body.

The warmth roused her. Angel opened her eyes, her gaze cold as she looked at him. "Don't even think about biting the hand that saved you," she warned.

Instead of getting angry, Jefferey grinned, a wild, sincere smile that showed off his sharp canines.

He dropped to one knee in the snow, pounded his right fist against his left chest in the oldest, most solemn salute of the wolf clan.

"You pulled me back from the brink of death," Jefferey declared loudly. "The wolf clan does not forget a life debt. Until this favor is fully repaid in blood and sweat, my claws and fangs are yours to command. I will be your hunter and guard."

Angel looked at him, a bit surprised by his directness. There was no hypocrisy, no hesitation, just a warrior's pragmatic honor.

She reminded him coldly, "I'm an exile. Following me means endless hunts and snowstorms."

Jefferey scoffed. "I despise that rotten clan and my shameless brother. Following a true powerhouse is an honor."

He noticed her extreme weakness and stood up immediately. "I'll go get the prey I was hunting."

Less than ten minutes later, Jefferey dragged back the massive carcass of an Icefield Elk. It was top-tier food in the wasteland.

Angel looked at the animal, enough to feed them for half a month. A faint smile finally touched her lips. She had won the bet.