Volume 2: Winter’s End
The distribution of the bodies is extremely chaotic, with no apparent pattern. Some are curled up at street corners, others lie entwined on the roadside, and some sprawl across the roadway. The vehicles on the spacious road are also scattered and disorderly, with the main difference from the toll station being that most of these vehicles have bodies inside. It seems like something unexpected happened in an instant, and during this disaster, Shu Xun’s first thought is the eerie blue light, but he also feels that something is amiss.
Walking along the street for another block, they discover a staggering number of deaths. This is just the situation outside the buildings, and they have yet to see the scene inside the high-rise buildings. Nuan Dong’s smile has long disappeared, and his gaze is cold as he silently observes this genuine scene of doom.
Shu Xun, with his chubby hands gripping the edge of Ye Qian’s coat pocket, also looks at the corpses scattered all around. The various poses of these bodies, some with their heads not covered by white snow, perfectly preserve the fear and despair on their faces. This intense negativity contrasts sharply with Qing Mo’s body, making Shu Xun feel uneasy. However, Shu Xun is acutely aware that this is the most realistic state when facing death.
The live stream room is also silent, evidently, this scene has also shocked the viewers. After a long while, the barrage in the live stream room appears again. Most viewers are sending expressions of shock and condolences, while some speculate on the reasons for this phenomenon.
“Such a large-scale death, and it seems so sudden. I can only think of that blue light.”
“Agree with the above. I can’t think of any other possibility.”
“If the blue light caused death due to extreme cold and preserved the bodies, why did we almost find no bodies in the areas we passed before? Something is definitely not right.”
“Feeling heavy-hearted. The reason for the destruction of an entire world is definitely not so simple. I believe in God Ye and Little Dumpling’s abilities.”
Walking slowly along the street, Nuan Dong casually cleared several bodies buried on the side of the road and briefly checked the condition of the bodies. This time, Ye Qian did not block Shu Xun’s line of sight. After all, in such a scene, unless Shu Xun keeps his eyes closed in the Micro City, he must face it.
Ye Qian reached out to touch Shu Xun’s exposed little head as a form of comfort. Shu Xun lifted his small chubby paw to pat Ye Qian’s finger in return and then tried to lean his small body outward as if he had discovered something that needed confirmation.
Ye Qian calmly retracts his palm, and the drooping fingers quietly rub together. Experiencing comfort for the first time, especially from a little guy not much bigger than his palm, Ye Qian displays a face that suggests he’s feeling quite good. In his heart, he silently decides not to wash this finger tonight.
Just as he thinks this, Ye Qian suddenly feels a sharp gust of wind rushing from the side. Although it is soundless, and even the surrounding cold wind is howling, Ye Qian’s keen intuition and insight allow him to sense it the instant the wind blade approaches. Swiftly jumping away from the original spot, he lands and continues to retreat several steps before crouching on the ground. Both arms hang slightly at his sides, muscles tensed, ready to erupt at any moment. Looking down, all the places where Ye Qian’s footsteps had lingered are marked by sharp traces left by the invisible wind blades in the next second. The ground’s snow swirls, and stones scatter.
At the same time, Nuan Dong, walking beside them, also reacts similarly. However, the direction he jumps away is entirely opposite to Ye Qian, skillfully evading several wind blades before coming to a stop.
Ye Qian and Nuan Dong’s sharp gazes simultaneously turn to the opposite side of the street. There stands a street-facing apartment building, with two commercial floors below and a unified residential area above. At this moment, a slender figure is positioned by a window on the fifth floor. Due to the raging snowstorm, they can’t see the person’s appearance clearly, but the existence of these talented wind blades indicates that this is a game player.
As Shu Xun was attacked while observing the situation with his small body, Ye Qian’s sudden retreat prompts Shu Xun to quickly flip out of his pocket. Fortunately, Shu Xun reacts swiftly, and his chubby paws directly grab the edge of his pocket, avoiding being thrown away.
However, Ye Qian’s series of movements prevent Shu Xun from returning to his pocket, so he can only tightly hold onto his pocket, swaying left and right with Ye Qian’s movements. After Ye Qian stops moving, Shu Xun follows the swinging momentum, skillfully using force to flip his small body back into the pocket. Then, he glares with his big eyes at the opposite side of the street, clearly displeased with this sudden attack.
The blurry figure on the opposite side of the street appears like a silhouette in the snowstorm. Under the gaze of the three, the person shows no intention of avoiding or dodging but directly leaps from the fifth floor. Using the wall to cushion the fall and with a strange, oversized cloak on his back, the person lands on the street in the blink of an eye. Then, with a casual and confident stride, he walks towards them.
As the figure approaches, the newcomer’s appearance gradually becomes clear. Shu Xun is slightly surprised because he recognizes this person. He is also a highly popular god-level player named Lie Yang. Shu Xun had entered Ye Qian’s livestream room first, then Lie Yang’s, the second one. He is also a bloodline inheritor of the Zerg Emperor, the Emperor Butterfly.
At the moment Lie Yang jumps down from the building, Ye Qian and Nuan Dong have already stood up from their crouched positions. However, Shu Xun can clearly feel that Ye Qian’s muscles remain tense, indicating he hasn’t relaxed his vigilance. It’s only when he sees the newcomer that Ye Qian slightly eases his body, but his expression remains cold and his gaze sharp. Ye Qian moves his fingers, realizing that when he crouched down earlier, his fingers touched the thick layer of snow accumulated on the ground. By now, the snow on his fingers has melted due to body heat.
Not long ago, Ye Qian, who decided not to wash his hands. “…”
Meanwhile, the official live stream room has exploded into chaos. The emotions of the host are running high. Obviously, the encounter between the two powerhouses has not only excited the viewers but also the host. The voice is loud, and the tone is impassioned. “This is an unprecedented scene! Ye Qian actually meets Lie Yang! As we all know, these two represent the strongest rulers of two races, but in previous games, they have never encountered each other!”
“Xiyue! Xiyue! Did you see that? My king’s sneak attack just now was simply stunning!” The purple antennae above swayed excitedly with the same enthusiasm.
The excited commentator Xiyue suddenly choked, followed by a cough. “Well, this might be what they call racial differences. The Zerg values strength and victory above all, and we should respect… Ye Qian! Ye Qian! Suddenly made a move! This surprise attack was absolutely amazing!” Xiyue’s voice was filled with surprise and uncertainty. As a professional commentator, Xiyue has commented on many of Ye Qian’s games. From Xiyue’s perspective, after recognizing the newcomer as Lie Yang, Ye Qian’s reaction should have been an extremely indifferent turn and an uninterested departure.
The barrage in the livestream room rapidly scrolled, with fans of the two major races in chaos. Ye Qian’s sudden outburst once again ignited the atmosphere.
“We can see that Ye Qian’s attack is extremely fierce and powerful. You can almost feel the sudden burst of cohesion. Lie Yang was caught off guard, in a passive position…” Xiyue quickly commented on the fast-paced confrontation between the two sides in the scene. Ye Qian did not transform into his beast form, and Lie Yang did not sprout wings. The two engaged in a simple physical combat, relying on their own strength.
Lie Yang obviously did not anticipate Ye Qian’s reaction, so he found himself in a passive position from the start. Being in a passive position in front of Ye Qian implies that it’s difficult to turn the tables. Lie Yang’s gaze suddenly swept over Ye Qian’s chest, where the pocket was bulging and revealing a small tuft of black hair. Hair?!
Once again, passively receiving Ye Qian’s attack, Lie Yang made a feigned move, and his palm directly aimed at that pocket. Ye Qian’s eyes momentarily turned icy, seemingly colder. A faint killing intent emanated from his eyes. Just as he was about to strike, Shu Xun in the pocket seemed to have sensed something. He reached out and poked Ye Qian’s chest, stopping Ye Qian’s action. Then, Shu Xun actively popped out, his claws sharpened into sharp nails and angrily swiped at the hand that reached over.
Pale green blood was flung out along with the inertia, dripping onto the nearby white snow. Lie Yang’s pupils suddenly contracted, quickly stepping back, maintaining a safe distance from Ye Qian. Ye Qian also did not continue to pursue. The scene fell unusually silent for a moment.
In the official livestream room:
“A single swipe broke through my king’s defense? What is this thing?”
“I’m bleeding. My Yang!”
“So, little dumpling is this fierce, haha, well done!”
“Am I the only one still wondering why Ye Qian suddenly launched an attack?”
“What’s there to wonder about? It’s simply two powerhouses meeting, naturally, they need to test each other. I’m more curious about what bloodline the little dumpling awakened.”
“It’s just a pet; my king was careless.”
“Upstairs, do you know you’ll get beaten acting like this?”
Lie Yang looked down at the three clear claw marks on his hand. The gaps between the claw marks were close, but the traces were distinct and well-defined. The injuries were not severe, but he was bleeding. Lie Yang glanced up at the mini figure that was glaring at him with its hands on its hips, feeling puzzled. “What is this thing?”
Shu Xun snorted and spoke with a hint of arrogance. “Something you can’t handle!”
Lie Yang raised an eyebrow. “So confident?”
Shu Xun tilted his little head. “Absolutely! What can you do?”
Suddenly, Lie Yang burst into hearty laughter. Shu Xun lowered his head slightly and looked at Lie Yang in confusion, unsure which words had tickled his funny bone. Then, as if feeling that lowering his head was undermining his momentum, Shu Xun subtly lifted his little head again.
Not paying much attention to his injured hand, Lie Yang’s voice sounded very pleased. “Fits my taste.” He licked his lips slightly.
Shu Xun suddenly felt a bit deflated; his previous claw had condensed almost all of his internal spiritual power, leaving only three claw marks. This indicated how strong the man was. Also, didn’t Mom say butterflies are edible? Could such a big butterfly eat mice? Upon hearing the words ‘fits my taste,’ Shu Xun couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander in confusion.
Ye Qian gave Lie Yang a cold glance and then, as Xiyue speculated, turned around with an uninterested poker face, ready to leave without any lingering.
Nuan Dong also glanced at Lie Yang. There was no warmth in his eyes, nor did he show any other emotions. However, it was evident that Nuan Dong was not pleased with Lie Yang’s sneak attack.
Seeing this, Lie Yang also strode forward with his long legs, following the two while speaking with a slightly regretful tone, “Just now, I thought I could kill with one blow. That would have eliminated a strong competitor. But unexpectedly, none of them succeeded. In that case, how about we temporarily form an alliance? As far as I know, this world has more than one continent, and I hold many important clues here…”
Shu Xun felt that this person’s thought process was quite peculiar. Failing in the sneak attack and not killing the competitor, he immediately chose to form an alliance. Could it be because of racial differences? But Nuan Dong seemed perfectly normal, with a thought process almost identical to humans. Lie Yang continued speaking very casually and confidently as if the failed sneak attack was entirely ordinary for him. Failing to kill Ye Qian and getting scratched instead seemed to matter little to him. Proposing an alliance also appeared to be a serious consideration.
Ye Qian and Nuan Dong remained silent, like two moving icebergs, treating Lie Yang as if he didn’t exist. Seeing this, Lie Yang shrugged and remarked with a hint of sigh, “The races with high spiritual power are indeed troublesome.”
Among the five major races, the Phantom Clan had the highest spiritual power, unreachable by others, holding an invincible position. Humans, before the appearance of the Phantom Clan, had maintained their position through advanced technology, showcasing their leading spiritual power. Even though the arrival of the Phantom Clan made the human status awkward, humans evolved once again. After awakening, the awakened individuals experienced a qualitative leap in both spiritual power and physique. Although they couldn’t reach the level of existence purely through a spiritual form like the Phantom Clan, they surpassed the other three races.
This is why Shu Xun felt that Nuan Dong’s thought process was similar to that of humans. High spiritual power implies a similar thought process. Similarly, various concepts and rules are very close. Lie Yang, as a member of the Zerg Clan, appeared to think more straightforwardly. Regardless of the world, the king is respected, the victor is respected, and everything is geared towards achieving ultimate success. A successful sneak attack could eliminate a strong opponent, while a failed one could lead to cooperation for maximizing strength.
Such differences in racial concepts cannot be resolved and can only be respected or adapted to. Therefore, in the game, players hunting other players are considered a legitimate presence. It’s just a difference in perspective, not a matter of right or wrong.
Ye Qian and Nuan Dong continued walking without stopping, while Shu Xun tugged at the hair on his forehead, contemplating that Lie Yang was probably going to talk about bargaining chips next. As expected, Lie Yang’s unique and casual voice sounded, “I found a native.” After a slight pause, he continued, “Alive.”
The footsteps of Ye Qian and Nuan Dong simultaneously halted, and Shu Xun was also momentarily stunned. Alive? A native!
Ye Qian turned his body around, speaking coldly, “Where?”
Lie Yang pointed at Shu Xun in Ye Qian’s pocket. “This little guy here, let me borrow him for a while.”
Looking at Lie Yang’s handsome, bold, and confident face, Shu Xun rubbed his two paws against each other. Ye Qian, on the other hand, turned indifferently and continued walking. Nuan Dong started moving, following behind Ye Qian, leaving Lie Yang ignored once again. “…”
Lie Yang sighed, looking speechlessly at the sky before muttering to the air, “You know, how can the popularity of such uninteresting people in the live stream room be higher than mine?” After venting, he slightly raised his voice, “Just kidding. I found a survivor near the central street in the southern half of Micro City. The situation there is quite unique. I’ve been there and didn’t dare to tread lightly.”
Ye Qian and Nuan Dong’s footsteps finally paused again, evidently waiting for Lie Yang to continue. Lie Yang caught up with them in two or three steps, then spoke with a slightly nostalgic tone, “The southern half and the northern half of the city are like night and day. You’ll see when you take a look. The survivor is a young child. After seeing me, they ran straight into the southern half. The central street should be the most prosperous area in Micro City, rich in resources. If the survivor has survived this long, they must have been living near the central street.”
After contemplating for a moment, Ye Qian took another step, this time with a clear destination – the central street. As Shu Xun pondered the information conveyed by Lie Yang, he wondered about Lie Yang’s character. After discovering a survivor, why didn’t he take the person along? Was the survivor too clever to evade capture, or was there another reason? Moreover, what did Lie Yang mean by the stark contrast between the southern and northern halves of the city? Could the southern half really have a perpetual spring?
Silence prevailed along the way, and Lie Yang seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the atmosphere. Shu Xun had watched Lie Yang’s broadcasts before; he was someone skilled at adjusting the mood and entertaining himself. His high popularity stemmed not only from his strength and bloodline but also from his confident and witty demeanor.
On their journey, bodies lay beneath the accumulated snow on the road—one after another, each in different postures but with identical expressions of fear, confusion, and despair. Observing this scene, Lie Yang appeared to be deeply moved. However, the two icebergs, Ye Qian and Nuan Dong, along with the audacious little guy in the pocket, maintained their icy silence. No one seemed eager to break the silence, and Lie Yang didn’t mind, speaking whatever came to his mind.
“With such a large-scale death of intelligent life forms, I think there’s no other explanation besides the sudden appearance of the blue light. These residents who died outside probably were caught off guard when the blue light first descended, directly freezing them outside. After the blue light disappeared, they had already died from low temperatures. I can’t think of any other possibility.”
Nuan Dong and Ye Qian remained silent, their expressions showing disagreement. Even the little guy in the pocket looked disapproving. Lie Yang was slightly surprised. “Did you discover any other clues?”
Silence…
Lie Yang finally seemed to understand why Ye Qian was called the “coldest player,” and the other unfamiliar person was equally indifferent.
In the end, Shu Xun intervened to ease the awkward atmosphere. He realized that his definition of Nuan Dong might be somewhat biased; warmth from Nuan Dong was not as easily discernible.
“Your speculation may only apply to when you first entered the city and saw this kind of scene. However, after traveling this far, with so many bodies scattered and disorganized in various postures, it’s evident that when the disaster occurred, people’s escape directions were chaotic, with no clear direction. Almost all the bodies have frozen expressions of panic and confusion, indicating that they were caught off guard by death and didn’t understand the cause. If it was indeed the blue light, everyone should have fled toward the southern part of the city. Even if the blue light arrived quickly, at least the orientation of most bodies should be consistent. Additionally, their expressions wouldn’t be so bewildered. No matter how mysterious the blue light is, it’s still visible. Yet, they seem clueless about everything.”
After hearing Shu Xun’s analysis, Lie Yang’s eyes showed a touch of astonishment. It seemed that he hadn’t considered what Shu Xun pointed out. Seeing the city filled with corpses, he had subconsciously thought of the blue light, stopping further in-depth consideration. Unexpectedly, a tiny guy not even the size of a palm could analyze the situation so thoroughly, covering all aspects.
Not only Lie Yang, but initially, Shu Xun also thought it was because of the blue light. However, subsequent discoveries clearly exposed the doubts, and Shu Xun gradually realized that something was amiss.
In the live broadcast:
“To the one who mentioned pets earlier, come out and face the truth. I, Shu Xun, will enlighten you on what intelligence means with my head!”
“I guarantee with my personality that these reasoning judgments had absolutely no assistance from Ye Qian and Nuan Dong. The three of us had no communication in this regard. But it seems our intelligence is all on the same level.”
“Ah, what Shu Xun said completely caught me off guard. I only thought of the blue light at most.”
“Big love for Shu Xun, logical and energetic, lying in the pocket and guiding the way.”
Lie Yang quickly concealed the surprise in his eyes, casually opening his mouth. “Apart from the chaotic bodies, is there any other basis for these speculations?”
Shu Xun glanced lightly at Lie Yang without answering, instead asking, “How long have you been in Micro City?”
“One day. Isn’t that fast? Do I need to consider changing pockets?” Lie Yang confidently laughed.
Shu Xun looked at him with disdain. “Just one whole day? Did you discover only one survivor? Haven’t been to the Traffic Management Department? Haven’t been to the Meteorological Department, Research Institute, or Library? Nor to the law enforcement agency…”
Listening to the little guy’s eloquent speech, Lie Yang was dumbfounded.
Shu Xun snorted and summed it up, “Change pockets? I’m afraid my claws will itch to slap you.”
For the first time being scorned, Lie Yang had a frustrated expression. Most importantly, he found himself speechless because, out of all the places Shu Xun mentioned, he only happened to pass by a library.
