Volume 2: Winter’s End
Shu Xun also snapped out of his dilemma. After all, on a pristine expanse of white snow, those rows of footprints were too conspicuous. The footprints extended far, heading towards the vast white front. Clenching his small fist, Shu Xun realized that something was off with the feeling in his hand. He cleared his throat and loosened his grip, allowing the giant wolf’s fluffy ears to stand upright on its head once again.
“Let’s directly follow these footprints. Regardless of the person’s identity, they must have been hiding from the extreme cold brought by the blue light in Baiyan Town during this period. So, the supplies in this small town should have been completely depleted.” Shu Xun analyzed solemnly. With a food crisis looming near Micro Lake, the situation in Baiyan Town probably wasn’t any better. Moreover, someone had arrived ahead of them, and the scarce supplies must have been thoroughly collected. Therefore, in the choice between continuing the search or immediately pursuing the person, Shu Xun opted for the latter.
Baiyan Town’s area wasn’t vast, but its development seemed quite impressive, likely thriving due to the Baiyan Forest. After all, there was only one main road from the forest to the micromarket, and Baiyan Town was the only town along the way to the market. Whether the departing person was an original resident or a game player, they were sure to find some clues in Baiyan Town.
The ears of the wolf trembled, confirming Shu Xun’s judgment. Moreover, with the snowstorm intensifying, waiting any longer would result in the footprints being obliterated by the blizzard. The giant wolf crouched slightly, then leaped, swiftly following the footprints. In the process, Ye Qian occasionally checked the houses near the streets, including residences, inns, restaurants, and even a large supermarket. Ye Qian’s choice of houses was skillful, neither wasting too much time nor neglecting to gain a rough understanding of the town’s current situation. Ye Qian inspected no more than two similar types of buildings.
Having checked more than ten buildings along the way, the conditions inside each room were nearly as expected. Most of the wooden furniture used for heating was severely damaged, and the food had been completely swept away. Besides that, not a single person was found, whether alive or dead. It seemed that the entire town’s population had collectively departed. The bustling town had, at some moment, turned into a deserted city with no signs of life.
The giant wolf’s body swiftly passed through the town. After a moment, it had already left the town’s limits. The footprints on the snowy ground still had faint traces. Ye Qian leaped over them, causing the ground to tremble slightly, snowflakes scattering in all directions, then being swept away by the blizzard.
Following the footprints for a long distance, the blurry prints gradually became clearer. Shu Xun, with his little head peering, suddenly saw Ye Qian abruptly stop in his tracks, standing still. Shu Xun, caught off guard, quickly extended his short hand to grab the wolf’s ear, trying to avoid falling onto Ye Qian’s head. However, the wolf’s ear was too soft, resulting in the appearance of the fierce and powerful giant wolf suddenly having one ear collapsing.
Shu Xun released the wolf’s ears, stood up again, and peered ahead to find that the footprints suddenly interrupted. It happened to be a mountain pass, with dark greenish-black rocks on both sides of the road. The rocky mountains weren’t very high, only about seven or eight meters, but they sufficiently blocked the view.
The giant wolf’s pair of emerald green eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings, hesitating to proceed. Obviously, the relatively narrow terrain ahead made him cautious about venturing forward.
Suddenly, the wolf’s ears twitched, and the massive gray wolf leaped up, running a few steps at high speed. With a powerful jump, he effortlessly landed on a huge rock by the roadside. Then, with a few more leaps, the giant wolf quickly stood on the highest rock by the roadside.
Standing on top of the giant wolf’s head, Shu Xun’s field of vision instantly widened. At the same time, he spotted another person maneuvering among the rocks. The rocky terrain was steep and challenging, but the person’s movements were exceptionally agile, leaping between the rocks. What stood out the most was that the person carried a huge travel backpack on their back.
The appearance of Ye Qian and Shu Xun made the person’s footsteps come to a halt. Standing on a slightly higher rocky ledge, they faced Ye Qian from a distance. The person had a slender figure and neat short hair. Even in the face of a giant wolf, their eyes showed no fear or panic. Their expression was indifferent, with a hint of surprise.
After a moment of stillness, the giant wolf shook his ears, and Shu Xun instinctively stabilized his small body. As expected, with a powerful leap, the giant wolf crossed the deep ravine in front, landed on another protruding rock, and then continued, swiftly approaching the location of the man.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Qian and Shu Xun were standing on a rock adjacent to the man. The man raised an eyebrow, appearing calm, but didn’t speak prematurely.
In wolf form, Ye Qian couldn’t speak. Even if he could, he would probably remain cold and silent. So, in this atmosphere, a small figure emerged from the wolf’s ears, taking small steps to walk to the middle of the giant wolf’s head. “Hello, may I ask if this gentleman minds having two more companions?”
The little person, with a serious expression and a slightly puffed chest, asked formally. The surprise in the man’s eyes didn’t fade since he saw Shu Xun crawling out. After Shu Xun’s inquiry, he suddenly chuckled, a low and slightly resonant laughter. “Why not.”
Shu Xun, with a slightly astonished expression, opened his small mouth. The sudden change in the man’s temperament, from somewhat aloof to a smiling and infectious person, was too rapid. Originally, a somewhat indifferent person’s smile now had a warm and inviting charm, like flowers blooming suddenly at the end of winter, dispelling the cold and exuding a gentle warmth.
Shu Xun extended his chubby little paw, pointing at himself and then at the giant wolf beneath him. “I’m Shu Xun, and this is Ye Qian.”
“Nuan Dong, that’s my name.” The man’s eyes still held a lingering smile as he spoke clearly.
Shu Xun lifted his chubby paw. “Pleasure to travel together.”
The smile in Nuan Dong’s eyes deepened slightly. He exerted force on his feet, landing lightly on the same rock. Nuan Dong, true to his name, seemed to radiate warmth even amid winter. He extended a small finger towards Shu Xun. “Pleasure to travel together.”
Thus, the handshake performance by Shu Xun played out again. However, just as Shu Xun was about to grasp Nuan Dong’s small finger, Ye Qian suddenly leaped ahead onto another rock. He nonchalantly rubbed his paw as if bored, making a few distinct claw marks on the hard, cold rock.
Nuan Dong’s slightly chilly and hoarse voice sounded at the same time. “Let’s go. We need to find a place to stay before dark.”
Ye Qian seemed quite content with this decision, leaping up directly and continuing at a swift pace. Nuang Dong, despite carrying a giant backpack, displayed the same agility.
No one spoke as they progressed. The fierce snowstorm seemed to intensify with their high-speed movement. Shu Xun nestled in Ye Qian’s ears, exposing only his little head to observe the surrounding environment. Ye Qian and Shu Xun didn’t return to the road leading to Micro Market but instead followed beside Nuan Dong, navigating through the rocky terrain.
Shu Xun knew that this rocky area was, in a way, a branch of the Micro Mountain. While crossing through the rocky terrain would indeed be a faster route to reach Micro Market, there was also the risk of getting lost if one had a poor sense of direction.
Nuan Dong’s speed was impressive, and it seemed like he had a clear destination, leading the way ahead. When he stopped smiling, he seemed to return to the winter, distant and cold. With nothing else happening along the way, Shu Xun subconsciously wrapped the little blanket around the wolf’s ears, pondering on the man named Nuan Dong.
Regarding Nuan Dong’s identity, Shu Xun defined him as a game player. However, after spending a short time in the game world, Shu Xun became aware that the chances of the surviving non-evolved natives in this world were extremely slim. It was similar to Shu Xun’s speculation about Qu Yan, having returned to the villa in the game, but his subconscious believed that, at this point, Qu Yan couldn’t possibly still be alive.
However, what troubled Shu Xun was that, during the introduction, Nuan Dong’s attention was noticeably on himself. Even when he mentioned Ye Qian’s name, Nuan Dong didn’t show any peculiar reactions, seemingly uninterested in the name Ye Qian. Most players who managed to survive until now were likely high-level players. Could a high-level player not know who Ye Qian was? Was it possible that, in this current era, there were people who didn’t care about the legendary game-level player? Or perhaps Nuan Dong was just exceptionally good at concealing his emotions?
Clearly, Ye Qian also noticed this doubt, which was why he jumped away when Shu Xun shook hands. There was no need to doubt—Ye Qian’s insight, as a god-level player, would undoubtedly surpass Shu Xun’s. Due to his rich experience and formidable strength, what he saw and contemplated was far more intricate than Shu Xun’s.
As time passed, the surrounding visibility grew darker. Nuan Dong continued his movements, weaving through the rocks, seemingly heading toward a specific goal, persistently moving forward.
When the last hint of light vanished from the sky, and the surroundings plunged into the dense darkness, the emerald green eyes of the giant wolf sparkled in the black night. Similarly, Nuan Dong seemed able to see in the darkness. This alone was enough to prove that Nuan Dong was also an awakened individual.
“We’ve arrived.” The chilly and hoarse voice sounded, and Nuan Dong reminded them. At the same time, he slowed down, finally stopping in front of a towering rock. Ye Qian followed closely, settling in front of the rock.
Although Shu Xun’s night vision was weakened, he could still make out the outlines of the situation. On the mountain wall in front of him, there was a denser black area, indicating a hollow cave. Shu Xun pondered, stroking his small chin. This player with a strong sense of direction and seemingly formidable strength—what could be his identity? Could he be from the military? That could explain the lack of interest in a live streamer.
On the other side, Nuan Dong had already lit a torch, illuminating the surroundings. The cave showed traces of indigenous activity, but it was very rudimentary, likely serving as a temporary resting spot. Now, it appeared even more desolate. Apart from the ashes of a central campfire, there were almost no other signs of living items.
