The pure white snow covered everything in sight, as if the world had turned into a sea of white. Down floated feathery snowflakes, adding another layer to the already thick blanket of snow.
Chu Qianze took a few cat-like steps into the cave and successfully laid eyes on the ice crystal flower. Approaching it, he plucked the delicate blossom and carefully stored it in a special container, placing it into his backpack. As a side task, he acted as a janitor, clearing the area of any remaining items, and then contentedly walked out, clapping his hands.
Exiting the cave, he coincidentally met Zong Xinjue. With a leap, they cooperatively delivered the final blow to the boss on the opposite side.
[Congratulations to players Chen Qianli and Zong Xinjue for defeating the Ice and Snow Lord boss]
[Rewards are being generated—]
Descending from the sky, Chu Qianze didn’t immediately come to a halt. Instead, he controlled the heavy sniper rifle and continued to fire, coordinating with Zong Xinjue to deal with the remaining bosses.
As the last boss’s health was depleted, it crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, signaling the end of the battle.
“It’s all taken care of.”
Putting away their weapons, Chu Qianze scanned the surroundings and raised a hand to signal Zong Xinjue.
Zong Xinjue shook his head, not wanting to get involved in such activities.
Chu Qianze gestured with his eyes, indicating, “Come on!”
Reluctantly, Zong Xinjue approached and exchanged a handshake.
“Did you get the herbs?”
“Of course, and do you even know who I am? A scavenger extraordinaire,” Chu Qianze replied, starting to inventory the items dropped in the area.
Setting aside the gold coins for now, these are just some basic items. Chu Qianze tossed a large shield over to Zong Xinjue.
“Take a look at this; the stats seem pretty good.”
Zong Xinjue took it and indeed, it was decent. However, it didn’t quite align with his own development plans.
“Not interested?” Chu Qianze understood when he saw Zong Xinjue not equipping it.
“Yeah, probably won’t need it,” Zong Xinjue replied.
“Then sell it later,” he said, tossing a pair of shoulder guards. “Take a look at this.”
Zong Xinjue took them and found them suitable, promptly equipping himself. Meanwhile, Chu Qianze continued sorting through the spoils.
“This one’s for you, and this one I can use. Huh, why is it always these routine things? Isn’t there anything more interesting?”
“What do you consider interesting?” Zong Xinjue chuckled. The last time Chu Qianze labeled something as interesting was when he saw a wig.
“Take a look at this,” Chu Qianze picked up an item.
“What is it?” Zong Xinjue earnestly pondered, but it exceeded his knowledge.
“It’s an Ice Piercer, used for ice carving.”
He twirled the Ice Piercer between his hands. “When I came over, I saw a river. Based on real-world references, there should be giant freshwater crabs around here, the kind that’s quite plump.”
“So?” Zong Xinjue vaguely guessed what would come next.
“We’ll use it to carve a hole and see if we can catch a few,” Chu Qianze said, brandishing the Ice Piercer, eager to give it a try.
“Only you could come up with something like this.” During the time they spent on the mission, Zong Xinjue had truly witnessed a variety of things.
Snatching fruits from monkeys and raiding bird nests were considered light in comparison.
“All of this is essential knowledge. Isn’t the most crucial thing in the wilderness finding food? Once you’ve got food and drink sorted, learn a bit of survival skills, and you can at least survive. After going through all this with me, if you ever get bored in the future, you can try your hand at wilderness survival.”
Chu Qianze put away the Ice Piercer. “I checked, and these gate crabs have an especially fresh taste. The crab roe alone can be made into a dish, and the crab legs are probably as thick as our wrists. We can dip them in vinegar and have some wine.”
The more he talked, the hungrier he became, and he didn’t bother with anything else. “In a nutshell, are you coming or not?”
Zong Xinjue stared at him for a moment, sighed, and a hint of indulgence flashed in his eyes. “I’m coming.”
“Hahaha, I’ll take you to enjoy the delicacies!” The snow had stopped by now. Chu Qianze opened the map and followed the route to an icy area.
Catching gate crabs requires skill, and Chu Qianze lacked the patience for it. Rather than traditional fishing, he set up a trap and placed it in the water.
The two of them waited on the icy surface, small black dots standing out amidst the white surroundings.
As they watched the indicator pole start to sway, they knew something had taken the bait!
“Come over and help me pull it in!” Chu Qianze grabbed the thick rope, signaling Zong Xinjue to lend a hand.
Both exerted force, and as the rope was gradually pulled up, the mysterious veil of what lay beneath started to unveil itself.
Crack—
The ice shattered, and a long, pointed crab leg extended outward.
[Hidden Boss, Ice and Snow Gate Crab]
Standing at approximately 3 meters tall and about 2.5 meters wide, with legs extending up to two or three meters when fully stretched, the crab appeared colossal, making the two of them seem minuscule in comparison.
Chu Qianze stared at the slowly emerging gate crab from beneath the ground, momentarily at a loss for words.
Using such a small rope, how could it have lured out something so enormous? This is not logical! This must be a bug!
A sudden twist unfolded, but there was no tense atmosphere; in fact, Zong Xinjue burst into laughter. “This gate crab is indeed quite hefty, hahaha—”
“Don’t laugh. Give it a bit of dignity; after all, it’s a hidden boss.” Helplessly, Chu Qianze summoned his mechanical companion, initiating a new round of confrontation.
As the health bar emptied, the giant gate crab collapsed.
[Congratulations to players Chen Qianli and Zong Xinjue for defeating the Hidden Boss Ice and Snow Gate Crab]
[Frozen Crab Leg: The leg of the Ice and Snow Gate Crab, tender and delicious, with versatile cooking methods that leave a lasting impression.]
[Frozen Crab Roe: The essence of the Ice and Snow Gate Crab, incredibly delicious with a taste beyond words.]
[Frozen Crab Shell: Unleash your imagination and get creative with it.]
Chu Qianze looked at the three items that appeared, his eyes gleaming. Holding them up, he turned to Zong Xinjue. “See? See? Which one should we eat first?”
After a heated discussion, Chu Qianze gave up on making a choice and decided to prepare all of them.
A fire crackled, casting a warm glow on the two figures. With the lid off, the aroma wafted into their noses, instantly whetting their appetites.
Seeing the color inside, Chu Qianze knew the timing was just right. “Let’s dig in.”
He handed a bowl of soup to Zong Xinjue and began to peel the crab shell with a crab stick. “Take your time; I’ll start first. Hiss—there’s a thorn!”
Seeing Chu Qianze get pricked, Zong Xinjue set down his bowl, grabbed his hand, and carefully examined it. “Where did you get hurt?”
Lifting his eyes, he happened to meet Chu Qianze’s gaze as the latter was observing him.
Reaching this conclusion, Zong Xinjue’s heart rate slowed down. Suppressing his emotions, he naturally released Chu Qianze’s hand. “Be careful; these crab legs do indeed have small thorns on them.”
“You’re right; I wasn’t paying attention.” Chu Qianze picked up the crab leg again and resumed handling it.
Thinking about Chu Qianze’s gaze earlier, Zong Xinjue felt a bit flustered. Did he notice something? Does he know about my situation? No, if he really found out, he wouldn’t react like this. Stay calm, don’t panic.
He lifted the bowl in his hands, lowered his eyes, and took a sip. The delicious taste filled his mouth, and a warmth spread through him after swallowing.
He pressed his lips together, allowing himself to calm down and suppress the resurfacing emotions.
In the grassland instance, Chu Qianze drove an off-road vehicle while Zong Xinjue sat in the passenger seat, the lively wind carrying the fragrance of wild grass.
In the rearview, various bosses filled with resentment relentlessly pursued them, driven by a vengeance meter.
Mountains, forests, shrubs, icy plains, grasslands, wetlands—
The two of them practically traversed the entire continent, indulging in the regional delicacies along the way.
“This is the last type of herb, and it seems like it’s in the sea.” Chu Qianze stood on the sandy beach, raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, avoiding the glaring reflections.
“We have to go into the sea?” Zong Xinjue also looked toward the ocean, where occasional splashes indicated fish leaping.
“Probably. Your job is to attract the beach monsters and keep them from going into the sea. I’ll handle the rest.” Chu Qianze instructed.
“No problem,” Zong Xinjue replied.
“You don’t know how to swim, huh?” Chu Qianze glanced at him.
Zong Xinjue met his gaze briefly, then turned away. “Not very skilled.”
“Alright, then I’ll leave the beach monsters to you.” Chu Qianze took a breath, and the wings of his mechanical device unfolded. “I’m off.”
As he flew down to the beach, the giant crocodile below was attracted to him. It lifted its head, attempting to pull him down. However, seeing Chu Qianze flying toward the sea, it abruptly changed course, trying to reach the water.
Zong Xinjue skillfully used his provocation ability, drawing the hatred of the beach monsters toward him.
In the sea, Chu Qianze retracted and deactivated his mechanical wings as he dove into the water with a splash. The ocean was vast and profound. After glancing around, he adjusted his posture and swam downward. His goal was clear: to dive to the ocean floor and collect the herb.
With his fingers spread, he controlled the mechanical components to assemble into a small propeller, propelling him downward. Although using skills consumed energy, it was much more convenient than swimming on his own.
The school of fish swam leisurely as Chu Qianze successfully reached the ocean floor. He used the propeller to move laterally, eventually stopping at a certain spot.
Upon spotting his target, he plucked the herb and placed it in his backpack before swimming back up.
However, the expected swift return journey did not happen. Upon inspecting below, he discovered that seaweed had entangled itself in the propeller, hindering its operation.
Now there were two options: remove the seaweed or disassemble the propeller and reassemble it.
After analyzing the energy consumption, Chu Qianze bent down, grabbed the seaweed, and attempted to remove the obstruction.
[Seaweed Monster: Resembles seaweed, astonishingly tough.]
Well, this was unexpected. He thought he could just navigate around the hazards on the surface, only to find something waiting for him down here too.
Chu Qianze waved his hand and assembled a small electric saw, his gaze fierce. “Let go now, or you’re going to be dismembered.”
The seaweed monster, sensing the threat, tightened its normally limp branches, as if startled.
He activated the electric saw and approached.
With each step closer, the seaweed monster’s branches retreated.
Seeing that Chu Qianze was really about to take action, it quickly retracted, allowing the propeller to be completely freed.
Rolling his eyes, Chu Qianze propped himself up with the propeller, adjusted his posture, and let it carry him back to the surface.
[Zong Xinjue: I’ve already controlled all those giant crocodile monsters. Solve them when you come up.]
A friend message from Zong Xinjue popped up on the panel.
[Oxygen levels below standard.]
A timely notification appeared on the panel.
Chu Qianze glanced at the panel and replied to Zong Xinjue.
[Pull me up later; oxygen is running low.]
After completing these tasks, Chu Qianze silently increased the power of the propeller.
The more critical the situation, the more important it was to remain calm. Increased heart rate or emotional fluctuations would accelerate energy consumption.
As time passed, Chu Qianze’s health points gradually decreased.
A sense of weakness emerged, and he blinked, estimating that he could emerge in a little while.
Finally surfacing, Chu Qianze allowed the propeller to lift him up.
[You are in a drowning state and temporarily unable to move.]
“…Great.” Forced drowning was one thing.
Chu Qianze closed his eyes, allowing the sunlight to fall on him. Surprisingly, he felt a bit drowsy.
In a daze, someone lifted him up, and a pair of hands pressed on his chest.
It seemed like they were performing cardiac resuscitation on him.
He wanted to force a smile, but the next moment, he felt something on his lips.
The sensation disappeared in an instant, and then there was pressure on his chest again.
Back and forth several times, the dynamic status on the panel refreshed.
[Drowning state ended.]
“Cough, cough, cough—” Chu Qianze propped himself up, coughing heavily.
Seeing Chu Qianze recover, Zong Xinjue quietly breathed a sigh of relief and patted him on the back.
“You almost killed me. Can you be a bit gentler next time?” Chu Qianze patted his chest and, after calming down a bit, said.
“Just now was just right. If the force was too weak, it wouldn’t have any effect. By the time it took effect, your health points would have hit rock bottom,” Zong Xinjue handed over two bottles of potions.
“The monsters are all under control over there. Remember to deal with them.”
“Alright.” Chu Qianze sat cross-legged, shook his clothes, finding them wet, and decided to change into a new set of equipment. Once he tidied himself up, he headed towards the giant crocodile monsters.
Zong Xinjue stood on the side watching, unconsciously raising his hand to touch his lips.
Thinking about the plan for later, a hint of complexity flashed in his eyes.
All the monsters knocked out.
Next came the harvest.
Seeing his backpack almost full, Chu Qianze asked Zong Xinjue, “How much space do you have left? I only have a few slots remaining.”
“If there’s anything that won’t fit, give it to me first.” Zong Xinjue took the items and glanced at the herbs nearby. “This is the last herb.”
“Yeah, the rest is to complete the quest at the medical house.” Finally making progress, Chu Qianze breathed a sigh of relief.
“Alright, let’s head back to town first,” Zong Xinjue took out a town scroll.
“So eager?”
Chu Qianze was initially surprised, then said, “Sure, let’s go back first.”
Back in the main city, it was decorated with lights and decorations, looking lively and festive, as if something good was about to happen.
Seeing Chu Qianze’s expression, Zong Xinjue knew what he was thinking.
“Today is the 30th anniversary of the Lord and Lady of the city being together. Every year at this time, the Lord holds a grand event to express his love for his wife.”
Looking around, Chu Qianze sighed with a sense of emotion. “Quite a grand gesture.”
“I love you! Be my partner!”
In the middle of the street, a player was confessing.
Chu Qianze halted his steps, planning to take another route, and saw two players embracing each other.
The artistic style of these players suddenly changed.
“Did I miss something?” Looking at the people around, seeking answers.
“Haven’t you been browsing the forums lately?”
Seeing the puzzled look, Zong Xinjue explained, “There’s an event today. If two people become a couple, they can receive the Lord’s blessing.”
“It feels like Valentine’s Day.”
Sighing, Chu Qianze handed over the decision-making power. “So where do we go now?”
Zong Xinjue remained silent for two seconds. “I’ll take you somewhere.”
They arrived at a tavern, and he directly presented a token to secure the private room on the top floor.
Looking down from the private room, they could oversee a large part of the main city.
“The view here is pretty good.” Bringing his gaze back, Chu Qianze remarked.
Zong Xinjue said, “As long as you like it. The snacks here are also exceptional.”
“Well, I look forward to it then.”
Seated, Chu Qianze took the opportunity to open the forum, wanting to learn more about the activities in the area.
As he was about to switch to another thread, a drink appeared in front of him. “Thanks.”
“If you want to know more about this event, you can ask me. I’ve researched a lot about it online to understand the details,” Zong Xinjue poured himself a drink.
“Actually, I invited you to dinner this time because there’s something I want to tell you. It’s important to me, and I hope you can listen.”
With these words, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became quiet, even a bit heavy.
“Go ahead.”
Chu Qianze’s originally playful expression became more subdued. He closed the forum and waited for the follow-up from the other person.
Zong Xinjue tightened his grip on the cup and drained it. This was a strong liquor he specifically chose, at least to assist himself in making more decisive decisions.
“Now that you’ve completed the herb gathering quest, the initial agreement has been fulfilled, and there’s no reason for us to stay together.”
“After today, we’ll disband the team and reduce our encounters in the future.”
With that, he poured himself another glass of wine and drank it straight down.
Upon hearing those words, Chu Qianze’s gaze paused, and there were tumultuous emotions in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed them.
Playing with the cup in his hands, lightly tapping his fingertips on it, he smiled faintly and said, “Can you give me a reason?”
“A reason?”
Upon hearing these words, Zong Xinjue chuckled, a self-mocking smile on his face.
He placed the wine glass directly on the table and grabbed the nearby wine jug, taking several hearty gulps. The wine poured from the jug, followed the undulating motion of his throat, and finally seeped into the neckline of his tight-fitting garment.
Setting the wine jug down, he leaned his elbows on the table. He burped, lifted his eyes to the person in front of him, and fiercely declared, “I’ve fallen for you.”
“I fucking fell for you!”
Fallen for someone who already has a lover.
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