How the Ice King Became my Doting Billionaire Husband

Stuart and Edmund set off at the crack of dawn. Stuart had an innate sense for danger, which helped them evade numerous threats along their journey. Meanwhile, Edmund was well-prepared, carrying a backpack filled with various remedies: insect repellents, snake deterrents, poisons, and sedatives... These proved invaluable when they encountered wild animals. Despite their preparations, navigating the treacherous no-man's-land was incredibly challenging. Entering was tough, but leaving was even tougher.

At one point, Edmund, not watching his step, plunged into a swamp and began sinking rapidly before he could even react. With considerable effort, Stuart managed to pull him out of the mire. Gasping for breath, Edmund said, "Maybe we should just give up. I don't think we can make it out alive. We're doomed in this wilderness anyway. The only person who ever truly cared about me is probably dead by now. Maybe it's better if we just die here and hope we end up as a family in the next life."

Edmund seemed resigned to his fate. Stuart frowned, his gaze fixed on the path ahead, his brows furrowing tighter. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he hoisted Edmund onto his shoulders and took off running. At six-foot-three, Stuart effortlessly carried Edmund, who felt as though he had been suddenly lifted into the air, the motion nearly making him sick.

"Boy! What the heck are you doing? If you're trying to kill me, at least pick a less nauseating method," Edmund groaned intermittently. Then, a roar shattered the silence. For a moment, Edmund was unsure of what was happening. Turning stiffly, he came face-to-face with a massive black bear. The bear, having spotted its prey, charged towards them.

Edmund, startled, said, "I heard playing dead might work with black bears. Running seems futile-it's gaining on us!" "Playing dead won't work unless it's just eaten. It charged as soon as it saw us, clearly hungry," Stuart replied. "Let's just give up. We can't outrun it, and I've almost used up all my poisons. Not enough to take down a bear. Might as well try playing dead and hope for the best," Edmund suggested, his will to survive waning.

Edmund had entered the wilderness ready to accept whatever fate awaited him, and danger didn't inspire much of a fight in him. He felt he should have died along with his wife and son when they passed. But Stuart's resolve was unshakeable. No matter the circumstances, he refused to die without a fight. Carrying Edmund, Stuart sprinted forward. Yet, humans can't outrun bears in dense forests. The distance between them and the bear closed fast.

Realizing they couldn't escape, Stuart hurled Edmund to the ground and gritted his teeth, "Go! I'll cover you!" Before Edmund could protest, Stuart, armed with a knife in one hand and a nearly empty gun in the other, turned to face the bear. The gun, brought for protection, had only two bullets left after an encounter with wolves upon their arrival. Stuart knew these bullets wouldn't kill the bear, possibly only enraging it further.

As the bear saw Stuart as a vulnerable prey, it charged at him. Seizing the moment, Stuart fired both shots at the bear's eyes, blinding it amidst a spray of blood. He quickly ducked behind a tree. The bear roared in pain, its swipe breaking a thick branch. Blinding the bear hadn't stopped its attack; it still relied on its keen sense of smell and hearing. Stuart's movements and the smell of blood made it impossible for him to evade the enraged animal.