Volume 2: Winter’s End
Just after promising to be a good companion, Shu Xun quietly watched as Nuan Dong drank more than half of the bottle of water. Shu Xun, holding a straw, continued to drink without stopping, resulting in a guilty little dumpling who drank too much, starting to burp. Short and abrupt hiccups sounded one after another, not very loud, even accompanied by the howling snowstorm outside the cave. However, the other two individuals had astonishing perceptiveness, so their gazes subconsciously focused on the little dumpling hiccuping.
Ye Qian extended his fingers, patting Shu Xun’s back in an attempt to alleviate his symptoms. However, the effect was evidently not good. Hiccups usually occurred in infants and ordinary people, and the omnipotent God Ye seemed somewhat perplexed.
Nuan Dong glanced for a moment, suddenly concealing his smile. The faint warmth on his face and in his eyes disappeared in an instant, replaced by a distant and indifferent demeanor. Just as Shu Xun was puzzled, Nuan Dong’s extremely cold voice rang out, “The taste of this snow water is not bad.”
Shu Xun immediately froze, holding the drink can. After a moment, under Nuan Dong’s gaze, his little head lowered more and more until only the furry back of his head was exposed to Nuan Dong.
Feeling extremely guilty, Shu Xun was hesitating whether to dive directly into the drink can or dig a hole to hide in. Suddenly, he heard Nuan Dong chuckle, and then the laughter gradually expanded, clear and pleasant. Shu Xun, surprised, looked up to see Nuan Dong, who no longer had any coldness, but instead laughed warmly like the summer sun, even with moist eyes, as if tears were about to come out. “Adorable little guy.”
Shu Xun, holding the drink can, looked confused. Ye Qian touched Shu Xun’s little head, his voice consistently icy. “Boiled snow water can be consumed directly.” After a pause, seemingly to increase persuasiveness, he added, “I’ve tried it.”
“Ah?” Shu Xun, slightly surprised, opened his small mouth, gazing at Ye Qian, his big eyes filled with curiosity. Their water source was relatively sufficient, and Shu Xun had no idea that Ye Qian had tried drinking boiled snow water.
Nuan Dong looked at the silly dumpling by the bonfire, his laughter low, and even his tone carried a hint of lightness. “Some things can only be reassuring when you try them yourself.”
For once, Ye Qian gave a bit of a reaction and nodded in agreement.
Shu Xun, tilting his little head left and right, felt that this strange theory might be a consensus unique to god-level players or, based on game experience, Ye Qian and Nuan Dong had already made a mental judgment and predicted the worst-case scenario before deciding to try it.
“It seems like no more hiccups. Let’s eat something. I’d like a dumpling; I can still afford to raise one.” Nuan Dong’s smile had not faded, and he casually patted the huge backpack next to him.
Shu Xun only realized that, due to the sudden shock and shift of attention, he had returned to normal. The little dumpling also proudly patted his mini backpack. “What do you want to eat? I have something here too.”
Nuan Dong burst into laughter again, but in the end, the three of them ate the food Nuan Dong had gathered. After finishing the warm and relatively abundant dinner, Shu Xun lay contentedly on a small rock, patting his slightly bulging belly.
Nuan Dong looked at the satisfied little dumpling and chuckled, “It seems quite challenging to raise a child.” Evidently, Shu Xun eating more than his own weight surprised Nuan Dong, but the small satisfied appearance melted his heart.
Outside the pitch-black cave, the biting cold wind mixed with heavy snow continued to mercilessly rage. Inside the cave, the warm yellow fire burned brightly, dispelling the severe cold. The firelight, shining through the cave entrance, touched the outside world with a radiant glow, adding a bit of vitality and radiance to the dark and icy rugged mountains.
After dinner, Shu Xun and Nuan Dong briefly discussed tomorrow’s journey and even made some assessments of the upcoming Micro City. The worst-case scenario would be similar to Micro Lake Villa Area and Baiyan Town, completely empty without locals, supplies, or more clues. Moreover, there was a high probability of encountering more game players. After all, given the time that had passed, surviving players had likely found some clues. Micro City, being the largest city nearby, was probably the first target for many.
After analyzing tomorrow’s situation, the three prepared to rest. In this harsh winter and dire situation, maintaining good mental health was crucial. Shu Xun took out his small sleeping bag from the backpack. After some thought, he laid the sleeping bag on the round and smooth stone provided by Nuan Dong. The stone, modified to retain a stable and comfortable temperature in the presence of heat, was something Shu Xun cherished.
Nuan Dong watched with interest as Shu Xun busily set up his sleeping bag, organized his removed clothes, and then climbed into the sleeping bag. Squinting his big eyes, Shu Xun bid goodnight to Ye Qian and then waved his chubby hand, saying goodnight as well, before closing his eyes and sinking into dreams.
The little dumpling’s sleep quality was evidently good. At least, when Ye Qian and Nuan Dong were still awake, faint snoring sounds emanated from the small rock. Nuan Dong chuckled lightly upon hearing this.
Ye Qian glanced coldly at Nuan Dong, and Nuan Dong indifferently met his gaze. Though there was a hint of a smile in their eyes, it didn’t reach the depths. It seemed like both were using their gazes to probe or perhaps warn each other or maybe it was an unspoken understanding between two powerful individuals. After a moment, they averted their eyes and went to sleep.
On the 20th day in the game, a dreamless night passed. Shu Xun woke up in the warm sleeping bag, and before opening his eyes, he smelled the fragrance of food, a familiar scent of roasted meat. Shu Xun instantly opened his big eyes and turned his head towards the position of the bonfire.
The bonfire was even more vigorous than the previous night, and a large piece of meat, seemingly from a wild boar, was being grilled over the flames. As Ye Qian flipped it, Shu Xun vaguely identified it as a wild boar. On the other side of the bonfire, Nuan Dong was organizing supplies. It seemed like after breakfast, they would set out.
After the meal, nearly two-thirds of the wild boar meat remained, enough to replenish energy for the next day. After being processed and packed into Shu Xun’s small backpack, the bonfire was extinguished, and the trio once again ventured into the snowy wilderness.
The weather outside the cave was as harsh as ever, with the snowstorm driven by the fierce wind. The snow hit their faces, bringing a cold, stinging sensation. Shu Xun shrunk his small head, burying himself in the pocket of Ye Qian’s coat. Since there was no urgency to travel, Ye Qian didn’t transform, and the two tall figures swiftly moved between steep mountain rocks.
Because they directly traversed the mountainous terrain, their speed was not slow. Six hours later, they stood at the entrance of the Micro City on the north side. This was a toll station, but now it was unexpectedly not deserted but rather crowded.
The closer they got to the Micro City, the more vehicles were on the road. At this point, cars lined up one after another, blocking various entrances of the toll station. Ye Qian and Nuan Dong stood at a distance from the toll station, watching the long queue in front of them. In the snowy stormy weather, the visibility was greatly disturbed. The vehicles extended into the unknown white front, and it was unclear how far this queue reached.
However, now all the vehicles were uniformly covered in a thick layer of snow, enveloped in frost. What should have been a noisy and bustling environment now felt eerily silent. Shu Xun pulled at his hair, his gaze serious and solemn. Watching the scene before him, Shu Xun felt that perhaps the situation they feared the most had probably occurred.
In this bustling and prosperous city, the most frightening and inexplicable situation was probably the disappearance of all original residents, with no trace of their whereabouts. If Micro Lake Villa Area and Baiyan Town could still be explained by population relocation, in such a vast city, the absence of the original inhabitants couldn’t be justified with this reasoning.
Faced with the crowded yet eerily silent scene before them, the three of them couldn’t help but have a sense of foreboding. However, just as they were about to take a step, they discovered the second corpse of an original resident since entering the game world. It was on the outer edge of the line of vehicles—a car had collided with the stationary vehicles in front, severely damaged, resembling a scenario where someone driving a car had not slowed down in any abnormal state and had crashed at high speed.
The front part of the car that had collided was already deformed, with shattered windows, and white snow had covered the interior like a layer of mourning for the deceased.
In the driver’s seat, a figure lay prostrate on the steering wheel, head lowered, hands hanging down on both sides of the body, chest tightly pressed against the steering wheel. The posture was strangely awkward, giving an indescribable feeling of oddity. The body was covered with white snow, making it easy to overlook if not paying attention.
Nuan Dong approached to check, attempting to straighten the body by supporting the shoulders, but the action was quickly halted. Nuan Dong turned back to look at Ye Qian, pointing to Shu Xun in Ye Qian’s coat pocket. “The upcoming scene might be a bit unpleasant.”
Ye Qian immediately understood Nuan Dong’s meaning, raising his hand to block Shu Xun, who was earnestly observing with wide eyes. Shu Xun, suddenly having his vision blocked, instinctively swayed his little head to avoid the obstruction. However, Ye Qian’s large palm completely thwarted any possibility of evasion. Shu Xun immediately reached out with his chubby hands to pull away, but his small strength was in vain. When Shu Xun managed to create a gap between Ye Qian’s index and middle fingers using all his might, he saw that Nuan Dong had already placed the corpse back in its original position.
Shu Xun ￣へ￣
Curiosity was a characteristic trait of treasure-seeking mice and the driving force behind their continuous exploration of the outside world. Especially as a recently born mouse baby, Shu Xun’s curiosity was exceptionally strong. Although he didn’t witness the specific situation inside the car, fortunately, Nuan Dong’s explanation did not intend to continue hiding the details from Shu Xun.
“Young male, all sternum fractures, severe compressive rupture of internal organs. He should have died instantly at the moment of the accident.” After the examination, Nuan Dong provided the inspection results. Perhaps the vehicle itself had safety issues, so the safety features didn’t trigger during the accident, leading to the immediate death of the car owner.
Upon hearing this, Shu Xun understood the reason why the two had stopped him from continuing to look. The death state of the car owner must have been gruesome and terrifying, perfectly preserved at extremely low temperatures. Despite both being corpses, this body and the one from Qing Mo were worlds apart, but they shared the commonality of still existing.
After examining the first car, the three individuals inspected the collided vehicle. Similarly, it was severely damaged, with the interior space noticeably compressed. One side of the car door was wide open, and there were bloodstains on both the driver’s and passenger’s seats, already frozen in the extremely low temperatures. There were no bodies inside the car, indicating that the passengers in the collided vehicle did not die instantly. However, looking at the copious bloodstains on the passenger seat and the fresh red fingerprints on the steering wheel, it was evident that the occupants of the car were severely injured.
Shu Xun poked Ye Qian and then crawled out of his pocket, sliding down along Ye Qian’s clothes until he reached knee level. Feeling the height was about right, he leaped down, landing on the snowy ground with a thud, creating a dent in the smooth snow surface. The entire sequence of actions was executed with remarkable skill and agility, culminating in a smooth landing.
Ye Qian didn’t stop Shu Xun’s actions; he just watched calmly, his eyes showing no emotional fluctuations as usual. Nuan Dong raised an eyebrow curiously, unsure of what Shu Xun intended to do.
Shu Xun merely picked a spot under the car door, plunged into the snow, and then waved his little paws, maneuvering beneath the thick snow. In the eyes of Ye Qian and Nuan Dong, a small snow mound rose on the flat snowy ground and continued to move until it stopped after more than ten meters. Soon, a little figure emerged, and then Shu Xun, after patting off the snow on himself, ran back, grabbed Ye Qian’s pant leg, climbed back up, and nestled back into the pocket, finally taking a breath. “Why is it so darn cold?”
Ye Qian remained expressionless.
Nuan Dong, hearing the Northeastern dialect for the first time, pondered for a while, seemingly using his exceptionally high intelligence to deduce the meaning of “Darn”.
After his body temperature slightly warmed up, Shu Xun rubbed his chubby little hands and said, “There are also bloodstains on the road. They go from the driver’s seat, around the front of the car, to the passenger side on the other end. Then they spread out for more than ten meters before suddenly disappearing.”
Although Shu Xun didn’t see the state of the previous corpse, he observed the thick layer of snow accumulating inside the car with shattered windows. The thickness of the snow inside the car was almost the same as that on the road, indicating that it probably wasn’t snowing when the accident happened in Micro City. Alternatively, it hadn’t snowed heavily yet. Therefore, the dripping blood would undoubtedly leave traces on the road surface.
In reality, Shu Xun did find bloodstains, and it could be inferred that when the accident occurred, the person in the driver’s seat, along with the passenger, sought help. However, the vehicles were blocked, making it impossible to pass through. After walking more than ten meters, the bloodstains suddenly became blurry on the ground, forming a large congealed area. This indicated that the two individuals stopped at that spot. What was more puzzling was that the bloodstains abruptly ended there. No matter which direction they searched, no bloodstains appeared, and the surroundings were completely clean, without a trace.
Combining the previous speculation about the mysterious disappearance of the indigenous people, Ye Qian and Nuan Dong quickly understood Shu Xun’s meaning. The sudden disappearance of the bloodstains might indicate that they received rescue, or there was another possibility: the injured individuals vanished on the spot.
If it was the former, why were there no attempts to handle the corpses in the adjacent vehicles? If it was the latter, why didn’t the bodies in the neighboring vehicles disappear? The disappearance and presence of the bodies raised questions about the conditions or constraints between these two scenarios. To deduce these conditions, they might need to discover more indigenous corpses or other clues to analyze and verify.
Apart from this particular accident, continuing inward revealed that what seemed like an orderly queue of vehicles was, in fact, marked by continuous accidents. It appeared that the drivers were in considerable panic. However, due to space constraints, the accident situations were not too severe—at least Shu Xun and the others did not discover a second corpse. In this congested toll station, there was only one corpse ultimately found.
After passing through the toll station, a spacious road stretched ahead. Although the road surface wasn’t visible due to the snow, the smooth white snow guided their direction. Looking into the distance, there seemed to be towering buildings amid the vast expanse of sky and earth. However, their outlines were disrupted by the blizzard, making them indistinct.
Continuing towards the center of Micro City, Ye Qian and Nuan Dong sped forward once again. Soon, within the hazy vision, indistinct skyscrapers appeared before the trio. Towering buildings stood in rows, arranged in highs and lows in the bustling city. The sky was covered with dark, looming clouds as if about to descend, and heavy snowflakes danced, draping the city in winter attire. It seemed like this vibrant city had fallen into a deep winter slumber.
“We’ve arrived,” Nuan Dong’s low voice echoed, and Ye Qian also halted. The two were now in the heart of Micro City, and the sight before them left them silent. For a long time, no one spoke, whether due to overwhelming astonishment or because all speculations had been overturned at this moment.
Within the bustling streets and alleys, tall buildings rose on both sides, neatly arranged and planned, each with its own unique features, indicating the once magnificent and thriving vitality of this city. Looking down, the trees and flowers planted along the roads had long withered in the blizzard. Though evergreen trees retained a hint of green, they failed to bring any sense of vitality. Beneath the trees, on the streets covered in thick, pristine snow—whether smooth or uneven—lay scattered corpses.
The bodies were dispersed, not densely packed, but definitely not few in number. Due to the covering of white snow, it was challenging to notice at first glance. This deviated from the earlier prediction of the disappearance of the indigenous people.
