Chapter 19
by GideonChapter 19: Snow Mountain Town 19 — Unknown Power, Stronger Against the Strong
Jiang Qibai woke up the next morning before dawn. A candle had been lit and placed on the table, its weak flame flickering.
“A Hai fetched some water. It’s by the fireplace if you want to wash up,” Yan Nanfei said, noticing she was awake.
A Hai had been the last one on the night watch. He hadn’t slept much in the first half of the night because he couldn’t get used to the bed. Just as he’d finally fallen asleep, his turn for the watch came. After waking up, he’d been so drowsy he was practically shivering. To shake it off, he’d run to the well in the courtyard and brought up a bucket of water. Splashing the icy well water on his face had instantly revitalized him.
There was still half a bucket of water left, which he’d placed in front of the burning firewood in the fireplace to warm up. By now, it was just barely lukewarm.
The four of them washed up in turn, ate a simple meal, and then began scavenging for usable supplies from the forestry station’s farm.
It had started snowing sometime during the night. By morning, the world outside was a blanket of white. The snow had piled up thick, crunching with a dull thud under their boots.
Two baskets of pumpkins sat in the warehouse. Even the smallest one was larger than a human head, and the largest was so round and plump it resembled a washbasin. Because the entire farm had been shrouded in the Blood Terracotta’s dream, time had essentially stood still. As a result, the pumpkins were all perfectly preserved, without a single trace of rot.
After the Blood Terracotta died, they moved the two baskets indoors last night, fearing the pumpkins would freeze when the world returned to its normal winter season.
Yu Xian dragged several heavy sacks of sweet potatoes and potatoes up from the cellar. Mr. Tree only wanted half of the firewood, leaving the rest to the four of them. They divided the loot on the spot. Potatoes stored better than sweet potatoes, but sweet potatoes tasted better. A Hai wanted more of the sweet potatoes, so Jiang Qibai traded with him, taking a larger share of the potatoes for herself.
Most of the supplies in the kitchen had been ravaged by giant rats, leaving only some sausages. They each got six.
Next came the main event—the very reason for their trip: precious winter fuel.
Behind the farmhouse was a large open area, used by the Forestry Station Master for storing and drying lumber.
A portion of the firewood had already been split. It was first cut into cylinders about 25 to 30 centimeters long, then split vertically into smaller logs. These ready-to-sell logs were stacked in specialized frames, with each frame containing exactly one cubic meter.
Yu Xian counted the frames—twenty in total. As for the uncut logs, they were piled roughly to one side. Their irregular shapes made it impossible to estimate their volume accurately, but there was definitely more of them than the split firewood.
He relayed the outcome of his conversation with Mr. Tree to the group: “Mr. Tree said he only wants the uncut logs, but he’ll keep the diesel in the warehouse.”
The forestry station had a log-cutting machine. Jiang Qibai didn’t know the exact capacity of Yu Xian’s Spatial Item, but seeing him take the raw logs, she knew he must have plenty of room to spare—certainly enough for the machine. They could just bring it along for Mr. Tree, and he could find someone to process the wood.
Jiang Qibai hadn’t wanted the raw logs in the first place—they were too much trouble to process. Five cubic meters of split firewood was more than enough to get them through this Dungeon, so she readily agreed.
The others agreed instantly, and Yu Xian immediately began collecting the supplies.
Jiang Qibai’s Spatial Bracelet had a capacity of only one cubic meter, and it was already nearly full from the supplies they’d divided earlier. Yan Nanfei and A Hai’s Spatial Bracelets were of unknown size, but neither could hold their share of the firewood. In the end, they decided to let Yu Xian take it all. After all, the location of Yu Xian’s safehouse was no secret; the three of them could simply retrieve their wood later.
Once they were certain no other useful supplies remained in the farmhouse, the group quickly tidied up and prepared to return to the town.
Yan Nanfei took the wheel for the drive back. Yu Xian explained that Mr. Tree had left a supply crate near the gas station at the town entrance, containing the firepower they would need to get back inside.
As the van drew closer to the town, everyone’s nerves tightened, their bodies tensed and ready for a fight.
Gradually, the town’s silhouette appeared on the horizon. Jiang Qibai glanced instinctively at the box on the back seat. Though it looked completely ordinary, they all knew the truth: its call to the Shadow Ghosts had already begun.
Several black figures slithered from beneath the chassises of wrecked cars by the roadside, stark against the white snow. Yan Nanfei kept the van’s speed steady, wary of going too fast and missing the supplies at the town entrance, but also unwilling to slow down and become a sitting duck.
Thud!
Just as the van passed the Shadow Ghosts, several of them leaped high in unison, pouncing onto the roof.
Yan Nanfei yanked the steering wheel, and the Shadow Ghosts’ sharp claws scraped across the reinforced body of the van, producing a bone-chilling screech. Two of the creatures were exceptionally agile. After their first pounce failed, they quickly adjusted their movements, landing without a moment’s pause before charging again on all fours. They leaped once more, their powerful claws digging into the van’s exterior.
One of them was right outside Jiang Qibai’s window. She decisively rolled the window halfway down, her Fishbone Sword repeatedly stabbing into the Shadow Ghost’s body.
Soon, the Shadow Ghost weakly released its grip and rolled off onto the roadside.
[ Killed Mutated Shadow Ghost x1, obtained 15 Points ]
The gas station sign came into view, just as more black figures emerged from all directions.
Yan Nanfei gripped the steering wheel and warned, “We’re almost there. Get ready!”
She slammed her foot on the gas, the van’s engine roaring as it smashed through several Shadow Ghosts blocking their path. With a sharp drift, she brought the vehicle to a halt beside a gas pump. The next second, the sliding door flew open, and Yu Xian leaped out like a cheetah. The Crescent Moon Blade at his side flashed in a silver arc, instantly severing the throat of a Shadow Ghost that had been lunging from the top of the pump.
Jiang Qibai and A Hai blocked the doorway, repelling every Shadow Ghost that tried to advance.
A Hai swung his hammer with ferocious power, each strike instantly crushing a Shadow Ghost’s skull. Jiang Qibai’s Fishbone Sword aimed unerringly for their eye sockets, her arm swinging until it went numb.
In just a few seconds, Yu Xian had already reached the supply crate. He ripped off the canvas covering, grabbed the box, and sprinted back.
The moment he dove inside, the door slammed shut behind him. Yan Nanfei floored the accelerator, and the van shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
Yu Xian, just getting his footing, lifted the lid of the box. Inside, rows of glass bottles stuffed with cloth wicks were neatly packed, filling the air with the distinct smell of kerosene.
A whole crate of Molotov cocktails!
Yu Xian also pulled out four cards from a corner of the box and distributed them to his teammates.
These were the Skill Upgrade Cards Mr. Tree had mentioned earlier. He had decided to advance their payment, hoping to make their journey back to the town a little less arduous.
The description of the Skill Upgrade Card was plain and unadorned.
[ Basic Skill Upgrade Card: Can be used on one skill that has not yet been upgraded to grant one of the following effects: Increase skill values / Reduce skill cooldown / Extend skill duration / Unlock an additional skill mechanism ]
Jiang Qibai planned to use the Skill Upgrade Card immediately. She didn’t have many skills at the moment—only Sword Come, Home Sweet Home, Gold Medal Credit, and Blessing Therapy.
Gold Medal Credit was a passive skill that made others trust her more. Jiang Qibai wasn’t even sure if it was working; perhaps it was silently taking effect every time she interacted with other players, but there was no real need to upgrade it.
Home Sweet Home could only be activated within the range of a Safehouse. Its restrictions were too severe, so she ruled it out as well. Sword Come was her only attack skill, and its method of attack was quite unexpected, making it difficult to defend against. However, Blessing Therapy was also her only healing skill. After interacting with several players, Jiang Qibai had a clearer understanding of how precious healing skills truly were.
“Upgrade [Blessing Therapy].”
The silver card dissolved at Jiang Qibai’s fingertips, and the description of Blessing Therapy changed.
[ Blessing Therapy: Restores 15 HP to two designated targets. If a target’s HP is below 20%, the healing is doubled. Cooldown: 1 hour. ]
It seemed the [Skill Unlock: Additional Effect] had taken effect. Blessing Therapy’s healing amount had decreased from 20 to 15, but the number of targets had increased from one to two. The HP threshold for the healing bonus had also been lowered from 15% to 20%. This was a significant overall buff to the skill. At the very least, Jiang Qibai could now heal herself while tending to a teammate, or even bring two teammates back from the brink of death simultaneously.
While she was reviewing the new skill page, the van continued to race forward without a moment’s pause. It had already returned to the main road and was now driving into the town.
If the area around the gas station had been the Shadow Ghosts’ initial gathering point, then as the van entered Snow Mountain Town, Jiang Qibai and her companions truly witnessed how this black tide had converged.
They poured out from behind every broken door, rushed from every alleyway, and even leaped directly from the third- and fourth-floor windows. Some fell to the street and died instantly, while others scrambled up without missing a beat, their crimson eyes locked onto the van.
The scene before them was suffocating. Jiang Qibai felt as if the entire Snow Mountain Town was waking up.
“Drive to the tower by the city square! Mr. Tree’s people are waiting there. Once we hand it over to them, the mission is complete,” Yu Xian said, slicing through the necks of Shadow Ghosts trying to leap onto the van.
The van repeatedly collided with the Shadow Ghosts rushing them from the front. The vehicle swayed violently, the sound of impacts filling their ears as it slowed to a crawl.
Molotov cocktails were distributed to everyone except Yan Nanfei, who was driving. The cloth wicks were ignited.
“Throw!” A Hai was the first to strike, hurling a flaming bottle into the densest part of the monster horde ahead.
Boom!
Raging flames erupted. The Shadow Ghosts were no different from mummies—their withered muscles and skeletal frames were incredibly flammable. The moment the fire licked them, they transformed into living fireballs.
Jiang Qibai and A Hai worked in tandem, hurling Molotovs at the Shadow Ghosts blocking the street both in front and behind them. Meanwhile, Yu Xian reaped the ones too close to the van for the firebombs to be used.
The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air, turning it thick and scorching.
The van struggled through the swarm of monsters and the wall of fire. As if on cue, four or five Shadow Ghosts leaped from above, slamming onto the roof with a series of sickening crunches. The impact was so violent that the passengers inside could see the roof buckle and twist. The creatures above continued their assault, clawing at the roof and windows, trying to break inside.
“Hold on tight!”
With a seasoned driver’s instinct, Yan Nanfei slammed the van forward, then immediately threw it into reverse. The sudden jerk flung the Shadow Ghosts off the roof, giving her a chance to surge ahead.
They managed to travel a short distance before rounding a corner, only to be blocked again by a sea of Shadow Ghosts. The tires spun uselessly on the snowy road. After just a moment’s pause, the back and sides of the van were swarmed by the black creatures, their collective weight dragging the vehicle to a crawl.
Jiang Qibai glanced out the window. She saw a churning mass of black heads, withered arms waving in the air, and empty eye sockets that, though devoid of pupils, radiated a frenzied madness.
From above, the van looked like a small, fragile animal being overtaken by a surging wave of asphalt, seemingly destined to be completely devoured.
Just then, a whole swarm of Shadow Ghosts centered around the van froze as if possessed, all striking the same ridiculous pose—knees bent, sitting on thin air.
[ Skill Activated: Set the Rhythm (Player Playing with Phone). Crowd Control: Forces all enemies within range to follow the player’s movements for 15s. Cooldown: 1 hour. ]
A Hai was the only one in the squad with a crowd control skill. He’d been trying to save it, but now he had no choice.
“Ram through! Now!”
Shadow Ghosts clinging to the van fell off in a clatter. Jiang Qibai and Yu Xian immediately hurled several Molotov cocktails. Yan Nanfei seized the precious opening, slamming her foot on the gas. The van, like a beast breaking its chains, roared forward, crushing the statue-like ghosts beneath its wheels as it burst through the densest part of the encirclement.
The silhouette of the tower gradually came into view, boosting everyone’s morale.
“That Skill Card really wasn’t a freebie!” A Hai gritted his teeth. Mr. Tree had only said the box’s contents would attract Shadow Ghosts. Who knew they’d draw this many? It felt like half the ghosts in Snow Mountain Town were crammed into these two streets!
Yu Xian had vaulted out the window the moment A Hai activated his skill. Now, she was a whirlwind of steel on the van’s roof, her blade flashing as she hacked through the Shadow Ghosts trying to drag the vehicle to a halt.
Yan Nanfei’s brow remained furrowed in a deep scowl. It was too late to back out now. This wasn’t just about getting rid of a hot potato—it was a fight for their lives.
Without hesitation, she used her cooldown-reduction skill on A Hai’s [ Set the Rhythm ].
The van lurched forward like a small boat tossing in a black, raging sea, struggling against the tide of monsters. From this distance, they could clearly see a figure clinging to the mid-section of the tower wall. Upon spotting the van, the figure waved frantically before sliding down to the ground. It was the contact Mr. Tree had arranged.
“Give me the box!” Yu Xian roared from the roof.
A Hai leaned half his body out the window and tossed the box. Yu Xian snatched it from the air in one fluid motion.
With only a few Molotov cocktails left, Jiang Qibai and A Hai stopped holding back. They hurled the remaining bottles into the dense swarm of monsters, and the van charged forward, swerving wildly as it broke through the chaos.
The road was completely blocked for the last hundred meters, leaving the van dead in its tracks. Yu Xian shot forward like an arrow from a bow.
“Cover Yu Xian!” A Hai shouted, knowing this was the critical moment.
He activated his [Set the Rhythm] skill again, drawing the attention of the nearby Shadow Ghosts. Meanwhile, Jiang Qibai used [Blessing Therapy] to fully restore Yu Xian’s HP.
Yu Xian sprinted forward, practically trampling over the Shadow Ghosts’ heads and shoulders. The monsters near the van stood frozen, allowing him to charge past without any resistance. The Shadow Ghosts further ahead were beyond the range of A Hai’s skill, but as they reached out to grab him, bolts of lightning crackled across Yu Xian’s body, forcing their arms to recoil instantly upon contact.
In a flash, he reached the contact. The man, already prepared, snatched the box and turned to scale the outer wall of the tower. He climbed with the agility of a gecko, reaching the top in moments and then leaping between the adjacent rooftops.
The Shadow Ghosts gave chase, their attention fixed on the contact.
Though he was fighting alone, the contact moved only across the rooftops, keeping the Shadow Ghosts tantalizingly out of reach. He seemed to handle the situation with ease, far less strained than Jiang Qibai and the others.
Silence fell over the van, broken only by the crackle of flames burning along the roadside.
A Hai watched the tide of Shadow Ghosts recede, slowly letting out a heavy breath that gave voice to everyone’s thoughts: “Thank god, we survived another day.”
Yu Xian pulled open the car door, her face etched with exhaustion. “It’s over.”
“Where is he taking that thing?” Yan Nanfei let go of the steering wheel, her fingers still trembling slightly.
“To Mr. Tree’s Safehouse,” Yu Xian said, bandaging her wounds. “Safehouses can block this kind of attraction.”
With all the mobile Shadow Ghosts lured away, the area was now incredibly safe, giving the four of them a chance to rest. The van was half-wrecked; something was wrong with it, making it rattle and clatter as it crawled along at a snail’s pace.
Jiang Qibai and the other two had all added Yu Xian as a friend.
“I need to go back and sleep for a while. I’m absolutely exhausted. I’ll come to your place tomorrow to move the firewood,” A Hai said, dark circles hanging under his eyes.
“Just let me know before you come for the wood,” Yu Xian replied.
Jiang Qibai was also utterly exhausted, yet her mind was incredibly clear. During the fierce battle just now, the System’s notifications had never stopped ringing in her ears—all of them were points being credited as the Shadow Ghosts were burned to death.
She glanced directly at her total Points.
693!
Her Points had skyrocketed by over three hundred in just one day. She no longer had to worry about upgrading her Safehouse.
She also had three new Achievements.
[ You have unlocked the Achievement [Unknown Power, Stronger Against Stronger Enemies]. Reward: Agility +2 ]
[ You have unlocked the Achievement [If You Can’t Convert Them, Cremate Them]. Reward: Strength +2 ]
[ You have unlocked the Achievement [More Flaming Than Bo]. Reward: Skill [Fire of Joy] ]
[ Fire of Joy: Releases a flame shockwave, knocking back and damaging enemies within range. Cooldown: 2 hours. ]
The two-day, one-night trip to the forestry station, though fraught with danger, had yielded far more resources than Jiang Qibai had ever expected.
Jiang Qibai’s status panel now read:
Player: Bai Qi Status: Good Talent: Achievement Party Skills: Sword Come, Home Sweet Home, Gold Medal Credit, Blessing Therapy, Fire of Joy Life: 13 Strength: 8 Defense: 5 Agility: 6 Spirit: 7 Points: 693
She hurried back to her Safehouse, unable to even wait to sit down before eagerly submitting five hundred Points to the System.
[ Purchasing Safehouse Advanced Upgrade Service… ]
[ You have obtained: Safehouse Wall and Roof Reinforcement Service Safehouse Basement x1 (4m x 5m x 3m) ]
[ Safehouse Front Yard ×1 (3m × 5m) Bathroom Louvered Window ×1 Bathroom Water Tank ×1 (Capacity: 1.5 cubic meters) Kitchen Drawer Cabinet ×2 Solid Wood Wardrobe ×1 Large Wrought Iron Bookshelf ×1 ]
A dense fog rolled in, this time lingering much longer than before. The ground trembled slightly, and only after about twenty minutes did the mist gradually dissipate, revealing the Safehouse’s fully upgraded form.
Jiang Qibai checked the Safehouse’s status panel first.
[ Bai Qi’s Safehouse Life: 80/80 Defense: 10 Auto-Repair Speed: 1.5 points/hour Anti-Intrusion System: None ]
With the walls and roof reinforced, the indoor temperature rose slightly. Jiang Qibai glanced around and quickly spotted the entrance to the basement in the northeast corner of the Safehouse.
The basement came with its own dim yellow light. Its size was identical to the Safehouse’s main floor, solving the major problem of insufficient storage space. Even before she had gone to the forestry station, the Safehouse had already looked cluttered. Now, she had an extra five cubic meters of firewood. Leaving it outside risked theft, but moving it inside would cram up the already limited space.
Perfect, she thought. With a basement this spacious, I could fit twice as much firewood.
Jiang Qibai immediately emptied the sweet potatoes, potatoes, and pumpkins from her Spatial Bracelet before exiting the basement.
She pushed open the door to reveal the newly acquired safehouse courtyard—a small yard enclosed by a crude wooden fence. The yard extended outward, almost completely blocking the narrow alleyway.
From now on, whenever Jiang Qibai stood in the courtyard, she would be considered within the safehouse’s boundaries and could benefit from the buffs provided by the [Home Sweet Home] skill.
Unfortunately, it was winter, and the yard was useless for planting vegetables. Jiang Qibai glanced regretfully at the snow-covered courtyard.
With some time left before dark, she sent a message to Yu Xian, telling him she was coming over to pick up some of the firewood.
The weather forecast predicted temperatures would plummet to nearly twenty degrees below zero tonight. If she didn’t get the heating stove going, Jiang Qibai would freeze as stiff as a roadside utility pole.
After Yu Xian replied, Jiang Qibai hurriedly stuffed the last few bites of her cookies into her mouth. Once she confirmed her Spatial Bracelet was completely empty, she pushed open the safehouse door and stepped out into the wind and snow.
Five cubic meters of firewood would take her five trips to transport back to the safehouse. Not only would it be physically exhausting, but it would also be a massive waste of time. Jiang Qibai tugged her hat down to cover her ears and adjusted the collar of her fleece jacket, trying to trap as much body heat as possible against the biting wind.
I need to figure something out, she thought.
After a grueling round trip, Jiang Qibai had stuffed every available inch of her Spatial Bracelet with firewood. As she trudged back to the Safehouse through the wind and snow, she had never wanted a thousand Points to fall from the sky more than she did in that moment. One cubic meter was simply too small.
Her physical strength was on the verge of total depletion. Jiang Qibai numbly dragged her legs forward, pushed open the Safehouse door, and slumped down in front of the heating stove to build a fire.
The orange-red flames illuminated her face.
She relaxed, unconsciously staring at the dancing fire for a long while until her cheeks felt hot from the heat. Only then did she close the stove door, feeling her sluggish mind begin to function again.
…She didn’t want to do anything today. She just wanted to eat dinner as quickly as possible and go to bed.
Tomorrow… what was the weather like tomorrow? Jiang Qibai looked up at the calendar on the wall.
It read: Snow Mountain Town, Day 11, Temperature -14°C to -21°C, Overcast with light snow.
She had to go to Yu Xian to get the rest of the firewood. This couldn’t be delayed much longer. Yu Xian wouldn’t wait in the Safehouse every day for them to pick up their goods; the sooner she got the firewood back, the more secure she would feel.
After that, she needed to organize the items in the Safehouse. She now had an extra wardrobe, two sets of drawers, and a wrought-iron bookshelf, which would allow her to properly tidy up the currently cluttered space. Many things could be moved to the basement—canned food, bottled water…
Huh?
Jiang Qibai’s hand slipped into her pocket, and a sharp object grazed her fingers, sending a faint sting through her skin. She quickly withdrew her hand, relieved to find she hadn’t been cut.
She pulled the object from her pocket and stared at it in astonishment. It was a necklace she knew all too well—a white pendant carved into the shape of a canine tooth, stained with a streak of vivid blood that had seeped deep into the material, impossible to wipe away.
Forestry Station Master’s Rhinoceros Horn Pendant Quality: C-rank Description: Burn it to communicate with ghosts. Note: We all died, died within a dream.
She remembered clearly leaving the necklace on the table back at the farm after using it to scare the fake Forestry Station Master—the one who turned out to be a giant rat. How had it somehow ended up in her pocket?
It was a C-rank item, but Jiang Qibai hoped she would never have to use it. She couldn’t imagine any circumstance where she would need to see ghosts.
Yet, right now, she was tempted to light the pendant and find out if only the item had followed her back, or if the Forestry Station Master had come with it.
After a moment’s thought, she decided against it. She and the Forestry Station Master had no grudge between them; in fact, she’d even helped him get his revenge. Grudges had a target, and debts had a debtor—there was no reason for him to come after her.
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