Chapter 110: Lost in the Snow Mountain 13

Chapter 110: Lost in the Snow Mountain 13

"Shut up, don't say anything."

A gentle yet impatient voice sounded behind Diao Ming's ears.

Though it lacked any real threat, it still made him shudder inexplicably.

Diao Ming froze for a few seconds before suddenly recalling the rules he had seen the day before.

Rule number five of the mountain climbing guide.

There were no "snakes" on the mountain.

Instantly, cold sweat poured down his body like rain.

Players who could survive and enter C-level and above instances rarely made such obvious mistakes. However, the cold, fear, and contamination from the past day and night had clearly brought Diao Ming's already mediocre skills down several notches.

Qin Fei silently retracted his hand. He grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it a few times, as if trying to rub away the foolishness that Diao Ming had left on his gloves.

A chilling wind blew from the end of the snow cave, and the headlamps worn by the players began to flicker. After more than ten seconds, all the headlamps went out one after another.

The snow cave plunged into pitch darkness.

"There's no way forward," Wen Ren Liming said heavily from the front.

The path ahead had collapsed, completely blocked by snow.

But where was the wind coming from?

The cold wind brushed against Wen Ren Liming's neck, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin.

"What's happening?" Diao Ming asked in panic.

Ying laughed coldly. "Maybe it's because you almost broke the rules earlier, and the instance is giving us a warning."

Diao Ming, like a frightened bird, tightly shut his mouth, not daring to speak again.

"Turn around, let's go back," said Captain Wen Ren, fatigue hidden in his voice.

Due to the loss of their lighting tools, the return journey was slower than when they came, taking more than twice as long. By the time the players crawled out of the cellar entrance one by one, the sky outside was already darkening.

Qin Fei checked Kong Siming's phone. "It's half past three in the afternoon."

Night fell early on the snow mountain. Based on yesterday's situation, it would start getting dark around five o'clock, and by seven, it would be pitch black.

The headlamps resumed functioning after leaving the cellar. To conserve power, the players turned off their headlamps and put them away in their personal spaces.

"If we leave now and follow this road on the map, we should be able to reach this checkpoint before nightfall."

The members of the Dawn Squad huddled in a corner of the wooden house, looking at the new map spread out on the ground.

Wen Ren pointed to the closest marker on the map to the wooden house, a cluster of small houses.

It looked like a human settlement, but the players didn't hold much hope.

In this bizarre snow mountain, even if there were creatures gathered, they were unlikely to be human.

On the other side, the monster's corpse had completely shriveled up within an hour of the players entering the cellar. Its blood and mucus had frozen into thin ice, and its body had turned black, resembling a frost-damaged pear.

As Qin Fei occasionally glanced at the monster's corpse, he listened intently and openly to Captain Wen Ren's conversation with his team members.

Qin Fei listened, and Mi Yang followed suit. Cen San Ya also stood there listening.

A little further back, Ding Li and the four others, including Jack the Ripper, listened with equal seriousness.

Wen Ren Liming felt a headache coming on.

"You—" he hesitated, turning to look at Qin Fei.

Qin Fei gave Wen Ren Liming a friendly smile. "Captain, please continue."

The map of Ostadia Snow Mountain in the wooden house was drawn in great detail. Wen Ren seemed to have some expertise in this area, helping his teammates analyze which path posed the least risk based on the terrain.

Wen Ren Liming: "…"

How did I become your captain?

Qin Fei's face could be as thick as necessary. Under Wen Ren Liming's incomprehensible gaze, not even his eyelashes quivered, exuding a warm and friendly aura.

Although Mi Yang had mentioned that the Dawn Squad disliked going through instances with outsiders,

Qin Fei still decided to cling tightly to this strong leg.

Among this group, apart from Diao Ming, the remaining seven were reliable and capable fighters.

Most importantly, they weren't too smart.

Qin Fei had already classified them as key targets for the deceased camp's mission, determined to take full advantage of them.

In addition, the snow mountain monsters had appeared twice in a row. Neither Qin Fei nor Mi Yang had invested skill points in fighting monsters head-on. If they encountered danger later, it would be good to have someone to charge into battle.

Qin Fei's mind was calculating furiously, looking at Wen Ren Liming as if he were a large piece of fatty meat laid out on a chopping board.

Wen Ren Liming stared at Qin Fei for a few seconds before resignedly turning his head, not planning to argue over this point.

He hadn't carved the paths on the snow mountain; if someone wanted to follow them, what could he do?

Moreover, while Qin Fei wanted the Dawn Squad to act as bodyguards, Wen Ren had his own plans.

It was uncertain whether the dense forest would reappear after nightfall.

Qin Fei had the highest mental immunity among all players. Even if he wanted to part ways with the Dawn Squad, Wenren Liming would take the initiative to stick close to him.

A tacit balance was reached between them.

Thirty minutes later, all players were ready and left the wooden house, braving the wind and snow.

The advancing team was silent.

In the vast snowy mountains, this group of nearly 20 people seemed as insignificant as an ant, as if it could be swallowed by the vast and endless snowfield at any moment, leaving no trace behind.

Mi Yang walked while vigilantly observing his surroundings.

After several attempts to speak, he finally couldn't resist opening his mouth.

"Why do I always feel like something is watching us?"

Mi Yang's neck tingled, but when he turned around, all he could see was a uniform white.

Qin Fei stopped.

Mi Yang wasn't alone; Qin Fei also felt that strange sensation.

But unlike Mi Yang, Qin Fei had already locked onto the target.

The young man squatted down and reached out to flip over the snow beneath him.

"What are you doing?" Mi Yang joked upon seeing this. "You're not trying to grab a monster from underground, are you?"

That creature which had attacked them twice might be able to move freely under the snow by digging tunnels.

Thus, Mi Yang had been on edge the whole way, fearing that if he wasn't careful, a snow monster would burst out from under his feet.

Of course, Qin Fei wasn't trying to catch that. If a snow monster really attacked, Qin Fei wouldn't have time to run.

The youth grunted as he dug in the ground for a while before picking up a chunk of snow.

"Look," Qin Fei held the snow at eye level and presented it to Mi Yang.

The structure of the snow was loose, and it had already been somewhat damaged when Qin Fei dug it out of the ground. However, it was still not difficult to see from the side section that there were numerous holes of various sizes running through it.

It resembled a slice of lotus root.

Mi Yang's trypophobia was about to kick in, and he rubbed his arms frantically. "What the hell is this?!"

Qin Fei: "I don't know, but it's probably the same thing as what we saw in the cellar just now."

Qin Fei wasn't sure what it was.

Long and thin, moving.

Vines? Roots? Hair?

Or...

"A snake"?

Mi Yang's scalp tingled. "Has this thing been following us all along?"

Qin Fei lowered his gaze. "Not necessarily."

"Perhaps they aren't deliberately following us." The young man used the tip of his foot to create a shallow pit in the snow. "Perhaps, right under our feet, in every inch of the snow, there are traces of them."

Mi Yang's goosebumps intensified.

A short distance ahead, the few members of the Dawn Squad also stopped.

It seemed that Diao Ming was having some issues, and everyone was gathered around him, talking in a jumble.

"What's going on?" Mi Yang sent Ding Li to check the situation.

Ding Li circled around to the front and returned to report. "That Diao Ming seems to have a bit of frostbite. A large area of his face is red, and he keeps scratching, saying it's itchy and painful."

Because he scratched so hard, blood had seeped out, making it look somewhat terrifying.

It wasn't a big deal, and Ding Li didn't take it to heart, casually waving his hand.

However, Qin Fei frowned thoughtfully.

"Why is he the only one with frostbite when everyone else is fine?" Mi Yang also felt something was off.

Ding Li said, "Maybe it's because of his clothes?"

The other players wore windbreakers, except for Diao Ming, who had changed into a down jacket because his clothes got dirty in the dense forest earlier.

Mi Yang shook his head. "No, down jackets are warmer than windbreakers."

Players didn't wear down jackets simply because windbreakers were more convenient for walking in strong winds and heavy snow. In terms of warmth, down jackets were clearly superior.

Mi Yang believed that Diao Ming's condition was likely not just simple frostbite.

"He rushed into the woods alone last night and encountered something that only he knows about." Mi Yang said, "Anyway, tell them to be cautious around him."

Mi Yang was referring to Ah Hui, Duan Nan, Guliang, and the others.

After the Dawn Squad helped Diao Ming treat his wound, although they still placed him in the center of the group, they kept a noticeable distance from him.

Clearly, they too had become wary.

The group continued on their way. Qin Fei slowed down and walked shoulder to shoulder with Kong Siming. Kong Siming looked restless. To avoid calling out names, Qin Fei patted Kong Siming's shoulder. Kong Siming was startled and looked over. Qin Fei stepped forward and said mysteriously, "Can you tell me what kind of person Student Zhou Li is?" A look of suspicion appeared on Kong Siming's face. Seizing the opportunity, Qin Fei added, "Didn't we come up the mountain to find Student Zhou Li? But I'm not really familiar with her. Since there's nothing else going on right now, why don't you tell me about her." "Right," Qin Fei tapped his chin lightly with his finger. "I remember that there seems to be a guy in our club who was quite ambiguous with Student Zhou." Kong Siming was speechless. Don't you know what's happening right now? This snow mountain is so strange, and the things happening to everyone are also so strange. We're almost out of lives, and you still have the mood for gossip? The poor NPC was cold, hungry, and terrified. If anyone else had tried to talk to him at this moment, he would never have responded. But it was Qin Fei. The favorability bar above his head flickered a few times, as if a strange energy enveloped Kong Siming's entire body. His originally impatient attitude suddenly seemed to be shut off like a valve, making a complete 180-degree turn. Kong Siming didn't even know why he found this person so likable. He actually began to think seriously, "Zhou Li is a very cheerful female student, and she has a good relationship with all of us. You aren't familiar with her?" He asked casually, without any intention of suspecting Qin Fei, and quickly continued: "Student Zhou Li is from the art department, she's very beautiful, and she dresses well. She has a rose vine tattoo on her shoulder. As for what you said about being ambiguous with someone from the club, that—" His words stopped abruptly, and Kong Siming touched his head in confusion. "I remember that Zhou Li's boyfriend was from our club, but...who was it again?" How could he forget something like that? Kong Siming seriously suspected that his brain had been frozen. Qin Fei's attention was entirely focused on the tattoo he mentioned earlier. "Who was it, why can't I remember..." Kong Siming's mental state wasn't great, and every time he spoke too much, he became disoriented. Qin Fei stopped talking to him and let him calm down by himself. As time passed, the wind and snow were gradually increasing, and the biting cold was hindering the players' progress. "After walking a little further, we'll reach the first marker!" Every word Wen Ren Dawn spoke had to be relayed by the players in front, or it would be blown away in the cold air. Although the weather had been harsh along the way, the players felt completely different from yesterday. Yesterday, because they unknowingly took the wrong map, the mental pollution was like an inescapable poison gas, constantly eroding the players and making them feel endless fatigue and dizziness. Now, it was different. Although the snow mountain was still astonishingly cold, at least their minds were clear. When the group behind heard that they were almost at their destination, they instantly sped up as if injected with adrenaline. Ahead was a downhill slope. It was already getting dark, and Wen Ren Dawn stopped at the top of the slope and took out a flashlight to shine downward. Below was pitch black, and it was hard to see the situation. After they re-planned their route according to the map this afternoon, all the roads they passed were completely different from before, as if they were on another mountain. Just like this slope, they hadn't seen it when they came. Wen Ren Dawn exhaled, and his keen sixth sense as an old player made him aware of danger. "Let's go," Wen Ren's expression was grim, and he watched the darkness below with caution. The snow slope was too steep, almost a 70-degree incline. The players could only use their hands and feet to crawl down bit by bit. Headlamps and flashlights were of limited effect in such an environment. Because of the severe obstruction of vision, everyone could only see a small patch of snow in front of them. The slope was difficult to climb. If this was an ordinary hillside, climbing it wouldn't be too difficult. Players in the instance might not have combat talents, but their agility was always much greater than that of ordinary people. Grabbing rocks or vegetation, going down the mountain would be a trivial matter. But this was a snow slope. The snow was soft, and there was no place to apply force. All the players were on edge, afraid that one misstep would send them rolling down the slope. The Dawn Squad used ropes to connect the eight people together to prevent anyone from accidentally rolling down the slope. But this method was only used by fixed squads like theirs. After all, while sharing the risk, it actually increased the danger. One slip could cause the whole team to suffer. Apart from them, only Mi Yang and Cen San Ya were also tied together with ropes. But Mi Yang wasn't doing it out of humanitarian assistance. Before going down the slope, Cen San Ya pulled him aside and talked for a long time. Presumably, they had reached an agreement, which was why they made the deal.

Qin Fei moved slowly downward.

The waterproof layer on his gloves only covered the front half, and because of the large movements required to climb, snow had seeped into the gloves. The warmth of his palms melted the snow, making the insides of the gloves damp.

The players had all taken off their gloves, and Qin Fei did the same.

In just half an hour, their fingers quickly became red and swollen from the cold, and the numbing itch of pain constantly came from their fingertips and joints.

However, even so, the players couldn't warm up. They were suspended in mid-air, unable to go up or down.

The only thing they could do was speed up their actions.

Because the headlamps weren't effective, apart from Captain Wenren at the bottom, the other players had put away their headlamps.

It was now completely dark, and on the snowy slope, everyone held their breaths. They could only hear the nervous grunts of Diao Ming, Ding Li, and several other C-grade players with average skills.

"We're almost there, everyone. Just hold on a bit longer. There's a village below."

Wenren Dawn's voice came from lower down.

Everyone was stunned.

Was there really a village below?

Subconsciously, they turned their heads to look around, not caring whether they could see anything or not.

In this vast, mysterious, deserted, and eerie snow mountain, there was actually a village hidden beneath the steep slope where the road was difficult to travel.

This news wasn't pleasant; instead, it made everyone feel even more heavy-hearted.

Qin Fei also looked down.

But in the instant he turned his head back, something slithered across his hand.

It was cool and slippery, leaving an uncomfortable sensation.

Qin Fei's skin on his hand reflexively tightened.

But his reaction was equally swift, forcibly suppressing the movement of his hand muscles, keeping himself firmly attached to the slope.

The sensation vanished in an instant.

Qin Fei didn't get a clear look at what it was.

Not only Qin Fei, but several players on the snowy slope also let out low exclamations one after another.

Qin Fei reacted quickly enough, but the others couldn't.

Diao Ming shouted, "What the hell is that," and then, for some reason, a series of shouts came from that direction.

"What happened?!" Ding Li and Duan Nan, who were climbing slower and were still above, were frightened.

"Diao Ming fell." Qin Fei had already seen the situation below.

"But he was caught by Wu Meng and the others." He wasn't worried about Diao Ming at all, saying it leisurely.

As he spoke, he stared intently at the back of his hand. Because it had been buried in the snow for too long, the skin on the back of his hand was pale with a faint bluish tinge. Fine veins lay under the skin, pulsing gently.

What exactly had crawled past just now?

Qin Fei's gaze shifted diagonally downward, landing on the snow next to his hand.

There was a very small, tiny hole as if something had just emerged from it and hidden back into the snow.

With the incident of Diao Ming nearly falling down the slope, the mood of the Dawn Squad was thoroughly ruined.

Wu Meng no longer bothered to hide his dissatisfaction, cursing while climbing the slope.

However, he wasn't being too excessive. He wasn't cursing at Diao Ming, but rather their captain.

"I've truly had eight lifetimes of bad luck, recognizing you, this idiot, as my captain. Going into the instance is one thing, but why must we take on some damn mission?"

The teammate who was recuperating outside the instance had met with the same misfortune.

"And ZHU Yan, why did he have to get injured at this time?"

Wenren Dawn, being scolded, could only give a bitter smile.

What else could he do with his teammates except endure it?

Diao Ming, having just escaped death, didn't dare to make a sound. He was terrified, the feeling of his body hanging in mid-air and slipping downward echoed in his mind, stimulating his heart to beat nonstop. Diao Ming's eyes were blank, and he couldn't even climb properly anymore.

Fortunately, they were almost at the very bottom. For the last little stretch of the way, Wu Meng directly carried Diao Ming down.

One by one, the nineteen people successfully landed. Wenren shone his flashlight forward, and sure enough, not far ahead, the silhouette of a village could be vaguely outlined.

To call it a village wasn't entirely accurate. More accurately, it was a large area of low-lying, flat houses.

It appeared completely uninhabited, with no lights shining.

"Congratulations to the players for successfully arriving at the Snow Mountain Secret Realm (1/5). Triggered side quest: Spend a night in Snow Village!"

The system announcement sounded abruptly.

The players had mixed feelings. They were happy because they hadn't guessed wrong. The five "secrets" in the survivor faction's completion mission indeed referred to the five branch points on the map. However, they were worried because tonight was bound to be difficult.

As the only person present who couldn't hear the system announcement, Kong Siming had no idea why they had to go to that place.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute."

Kong Siming gazed at the dark village ahead of him, nearly frightened to tears.

In his opinion, they might as well have pitched a few tents on the snowy ground for the night, since they had done it before.

The village looked like a haunted place, and Kong Siming dared not even imagine what awaited them. He felt that they might never return once they entered.

However, seeing everyone else determined to proceed, he didn't dare to stay alone in the snow. With tears welling up in his eyes, he reluctantly followed the main group into the village.

This was a village with colors closely resembling those of the snow-capped mountains.

White walls and gray tiles, every household's door tightly shut.

Thick snow covered the eaves and porches, without a single sign of human presence.

"According to last night's camp division, split into two groups. One team goes left, the other right. Patrol around the village for half an hour, looking for any suspicious monsters or rules."

Captain Wenren efficiently assigned their tasks.

No one objected, and the players dispersed on the spot.

Dawn Squad moved swiftly, disappearing behind a row of houses in the blink of an eye. However, Cen San Ya twisted his ankle while descending the snowy slope. Although he applied injury medicine, it would still take some time for him to recover. He hopped along, moving extremely slowly.

Mi Yang pulled him along for a few steps, but seeing how blind and lame he appeared, she couldn't bear the annoyance anymore. She simply asked Ah Hui, "Why don't you stay with him and wait for us at the village entrance?"

Leaving a disabled person alone here seemed inappropriate.

Ah Hui was the only girl in this group, petite and delicate, the type that subconsciously elicited care from others.

But Ah Hui wasn't willing. "Huh? No, thanks."

The higher the exploration level players achieved in the instance, the more points they would receive upon completion.

Scenarios like exploring new side-maps were excellent opportunities to score points.

Ah Hui pushed Duan Nan forward. "I'm perfectly fine. Let Duan Nan rest!"

Duan Nan: "…Alright."

He indeed needed a rest. The slope earlier almost broke his back.

Mi Yang didn't mind either. "Suit yourselves."

As he said this, he grabbed Qin Fei and was about to leave.

However, before he could turn around, a faint murmur came from behind.

Qin Fei turned around in surprise, only to discover that Diaomin hadn't followed Dawn Squad into the village. Instead, he sat alone on the stone steps at the village entrance.

His knees bent, his entire body hunched over like a shrimp, his eyes rolling white.

"Itch… Itching…"

His hands continuously scratched his face, as if trying to tear the entire face off from the muscles and bones beneath.

Qin Fei's eyelashes fluttered.

He stared at Diaomin's face.

He felt that something was stirring beneath that skin, as if trying to break free and emerge.