Chapter 73: A Cup of Floral Tea

Respond to the call of the blizzard!

["None of us can escape the blizzard; none of us elude this withering decay."
The Puppeteer twisted his neck, frost armor continuously sprouting across his body:
"Curse you, scoundrel! You will wither with me—I’ll snuff out your heart along with mine, and turn you into a docile marionette."]

[Warning: Despair is growing in your opponent’s heart—they are becoming a Calamity!]

Chen Qi was startled. The enemy was transforming into a monster.

He was inside the lair of the White Giant Spider; provoking too much combat here would not end well.

A sense of urgency gripped him. Decisively, he directed his character to drag the Puppeteer out of the cave.

The Scalding Potion, aside from drinking, could also ignite flames.

Use Scalding Potion!

[You hurl the Scalding Potion at your foe.]
[Scalding heat washes over them! Brief flames flicker across their form!]
[You have slain Puppeteer La Lv8. You gain 40 experience, plus an extra 8, for a total of 48 experience.]
[The Puppeteer's body is no longer cold; his call has ceased.]

Chen Qi breathed out in relief—that should prevent the arrival of Calamity.

A message in blue and white leapt out!

[You are amidst wind and snow; you seem to hear the tread of a giant through the drifts.]
[Looking into the distance, you spot the silhouettes of towering Snow Maidens, wandering afar. They wear fur skirts, their beautiful forms exuding a deadly stillness.]

Snow Maidens—giant ones... Chen Qi looked at the text. This must be the name for some kind of monster, different from the snow spirits of legend.

They were dangerous...

[You hear chilling song, the air around plummets in temperature, and bitter winds howl over the land.]
[Even the Little Lantern Fox, cloaked in giant shadow, shivers.]
[But, protected by the Blessing of Snow, you feel only a chilly caress.]

[The Snow Maidens, with colossal steps, are heading this way!]

Chen Qi immediately chose to mount the Little Lantern Fox and leave at once.

[The Lantern Fox shakes the snow from its fur, wraps its thick, fluffy tail around you, its master, and the backup food—the little donkey—lifting you both onto its back.]
[A howling blizzard sweeps past...]
[You ride the little donkey, charging towards the Tower of Medicine...]
[On the return journey—]

...

Taking advantage of the journey back, Chen Qi drank a cup of hot tea, ate a meal, and chatted with other players.

Most players at White River Branch were from New City District 8; aside from a few who’d left for other districts, the majority were preparing for winter.

Whether merchant, tracker, beast hunter, or some other profession, everyone's development had slowed dramatically in this bitter winter.

White River Branch was seeking supplies from both the Herb Garden and the Guild of Artisans, stockpiling winter goods—mainly firestones and thick clothing from the city.

The wealthy could buy Scalding Potions from the Herb Garden or portable stoves from the Guild.

The price of Scalding Potions rivaled that of any merchant, so Chen Qi made no such purchase. Instead, he spent his thirty points at the Guild, buying a stove, some torches, and firestones.

A subtle gloom hung over most players of District 8.

Save for Lin Yuxing, still in the infirmary—she had, these past days, shaken off the nightmare of the Crowgrass Man and found her spirit again.

In this cold winter, through their chats, Chen Qi sensed her brash energy: she declared her era had arrived! She even left him with a parting, "Just wait."

Chen Qi mused, chin in hand; it must relate to her Weather Child talent.

All in all, despite the winter, the players, troubled by the future and the threat of the Saint Calamity Society, were all striving to ensure everyone could develop and survive the cold.

In this era of rising powers, to fall behind was to become prey for the strong, with no chance to resist.

Chen Qi returned to his room and started up the New Day game once more.

[You have returned to the Tower of Medicine.]
[You hear the call of the Flower Witch.]
[You look around—the functional buildings of the Tower are buried in snow, many relocated inside.]
[You gaze at the herb garden and the sea of flowers; this sudden winter has erased all the plants so carefully grown.]
[Calamity gnaws at the land.]
[You head inside the Tower.]
[Within, the Flower Witch stands elegantly by a tea table, preparing steaming flower tea.]
[Inside, apprentice alchemists, pharmacists, messengers, and merchants sit on the floor, sipping tea and discussing the winter.]

["Welcome back, Night Watcher."
A vine slips from beneath the Flower Witch’s skirt, handing you a steaming cup of flower tea.]

[You accept the tea, entwined in the vine, and sip. It’s delicious.]

Chen Qi smacked his lips—though he was now a herbalist, the Flower Witch still called him Night Watcher.

Did the name Night Watcher sound more elegant than Herbalist?

[After you drink the tea, the messengers and apprentices cast curious glances your way.]

What’s going on? Did I just become cool in the game?

He read on.

["Friend, I heard you really caught a criminal and earned ten Sun Coins! Is that true?"
The messenger asked eagerly, eyes full of disbelief—ten Sun Coins was a fortune.]

[You realize news of capturing the book peddler has already spread here.]
[You take another sip of tea and nod.]

["That... is truly lucky. I suppose I deserve a little credit," the messenger said, face a mix of admiration and a tinge of envy.]
["Luck? No, it’s the courage of us Lantern Folk," a merchant interjected.]
["Ten Sun Coins—imagine how many rare herbs a herbalist could gather with that," a young apprentice muttered.]

[Everyone gazed at you with envy.]
[You lifted your flower tea and sat on the bench.]
[Fresh from battle, you had no mind for conversation; you sipped tea, listening to their idle chatter.]

[You were surprised to find that everyone knew about the criminals heading for Mist City to trap the Hunters!]

Does everyone know the plan?

These criminals aren’t great at keeping secrets...

Chen Qi paused to think.

Indeed, if you warn others by letter, it’s only a matter of time before the plan is discovered.

Is this an open conspiracy...?

The Hunters, whose mission is to carry out orders, would never abandon their pursuit of criminals for fear of a so-called trap. Through fire and blade, the Hunters would not stop!

So even if the plan is exposed, it doesn't matter.

[You keep listening to the chatter, as people speculate on the outcome.]

["Perhaps the Hunters will all die there," a jobless traveler remarked.]
["Buddy, what district are you from? Listen, kill one Hunter here, and ten more will come for you!" a messenger replied.]
["Even Li the Debt Collector, who could kill a black bear with a single slash in the sewers, wouldn't dare face three Hunters alone," a merchant added promptly.]
["I’d love to visit Mist City too, but even corpse-burners are busy this winter," said a corpse-burner, shaking his head.]

[Living in District 8, they had heard too many tales of the Hunters; all believed them invincible and thought the plan a fool’s errand.]

Such confidence...

Chen Qi read on.

[You overhear that the Hunters are already heading for Mist City—they are certain to hunt the criminals down!
There are also those enticed by legends of Mist City’s treasures, seizing the opportunity to set out as well.]

Chen Qi poured himself another cup of tea, thoughts whirling.

It seemed not even the raging blizzard could stop some from pressing onward.

So long as the flame of hope flickers, the journey does not end.

He took out the treasure map and examined Mist City's location.

Though he had been to the Land of Faint Light before, he had never ventured deep.

That land was vast, nearly as large as all of District 8.

Mist City lay at the border between the Land of Faint Light and the Land of No Light.

With the bone key, the map, and his talent, Chen Qi had a better chance than most of finding something valuable there.

But even with the Lantern Fox, the trip would be long—very long.

In previous journeys, he could always return home afterward.

This time, he murmured, it would be a journey far, far away...

But if he didn’t go—once the Hunters, criminals, and treasure seekers arrived in Mist City, he would be nothing but a bystander to the story...

He drank another mouthful of tea, thoughts turbulent.

A true journey...

A message popped up.

[The Flower Witch poured another cup of tea, as if sensing your concerns, and handed it to you:

"Night Watcher, do you too wish to journey to Mist City?"]

(End of chapter)