Red Flame wanted to ask more, but Frostblade raised his hand to stop her.
"Old Weasel said you took the escort mission."
Frostblade pushed a yellowed contract across the table toward Jiang Lin.
"The task is to escort this batch of Blaze Crystals to Blackrock Town in the Tundra Kingdom.
"The reward is thirty gold coins, paid in full upon arrival. If we encounter an attack on the road, you must fight with all your strength and are not allowed to desert. Any questions?"
Jiang Lin picked up the contract and scanned it quickly; the contents were consistent with what Old Weasel had said.
He nodded.
"I can do that."
"Good."
Frostblade took a palm-sized leather pouch from under the table and threw it to Jiang Lin.
"Inside is a deposit of ten gold coins. The rest will be paid upon arrival. Gather at the north gate before sunrise tomorrow morning."
Jiang Lin caught the leather pouch, which felt heavy in his hand.
He checked it and then stored it in his spatial ring.
"Is there anything else I need to prepare?" Frostblade asked.
"No," Jiang Lin replied.
Frostblade gave him a deep look and did not ask further, simply waving his hand.
"You may leave. Assemble on time."
Jiang Lin turned and left the private box.
After the door closed, Red Flame spoke in a low voice to Frostblade.
"Boss, this kid's strength isn't weak, but his background is unknown. Could it be..."
"We are short on hands right now, so we can't be picky."
Frostblade interrupted her, his gaze calm.
"Although Anvil is just trash who relied on drugs to boost himself, anyone who can ruin his wrist with a single punch must have the strength of at least the middle stage of the 4th-rank. Having him along provides an extra layer of security on the road."
The Old Scholar looked up, pushing the crystal lenses on the bridge of his nose, his voice raspy.
"I observed his aura. It is steady and condensed, not like someone who used crooked methods to improve.
"Furthermore, he looks very young on the surface; he is likely one of those talented youths out on a journey of experience.
"As long as we don't think about trying to cross him, there shouldn't be any problems."
Red Flame turned her head and asked, "Looking at his gear, it must be worth quite a bit. He's probably some wealthy young master out for training.
"If we could take him down, it might be worth more than many of our trips combined..."
However, facing her question, Frostblade also shook his head.
"Since you know he's wealthy, then his family wouldn't dare let him out without ensuring his safety.
"He likely has countless life-saving items on him.
"If we let him escape, we would face endless and unimaginable trouble."
Hearing this, Red Flame hesitated slightly.
"Then what if we drug him?
"Make it so he has no way to use his life-saving items..."
The Old Scholar rubbed his chin and said, "That's not impossible..."
Frostblade's face darkened.
"Not impossible my foot!
"Can't we just earn some hard-earned money peacefully? Why take this risk?
"Besides, we have absolutely no concept of his true strength.
"Our mission is the priority for this trip. Do not look for unnecessary trouble."
Red Flame nodded. "Fine, then."
...
At Frost Ridge Fort before dawn, the cold wind whistled through the narrow streets, and snow particles struck the stone walls with a fine rustling sound.
When Jiang Lin arrived at the north gate on time, the sky was still dark.
The city gate had not yet opened, and only a few windproof oil lamps swayed atop the wall, casting a dim yellow glow.
Frostblade's team had already assembled.
Besides Frostblade, Red Flame, and the Old Scholar, there were five other members—two burly shield warriors, an archer with a longbow, and two silent men with the gloomy aura of assassins.
Including Jiang Lin, there were exactly ten people.
Since the road ahead was extremely treacherous, the members of the escort team were all elites chosen from the best, unlike the caravans from before that included low-rank adventurers for chores or clearing fodder.
Their transportation consisted of two specialized sleds pulled by eight sled dogs each. The sleds were wide, made of tough northern oak, and wrapped in ice rhino hide for enhanced protection.
Both were loaded with sealed wooden boxes, which were the batch of Blaze Crystals.
To transport as many Blaze Crystals as possible in one trip, many spatial storage items were stuffed into these wooden boxes, and they were basically filled to the brim.
Seeing Jiang Lin arrive on time, Frostblade simply nodded without saying much and began assigning tasks.
Red Flame was responsible for scouting and vigilance, the two shield warriors guarded the front and back of the sleds, the ranger kept watch from a high vantage point, and the two assassins patrolled the flanks.
The Old Scholar sat on the first sled, holding a magic compass to constantly adjust their direction.
Jiang Lin was assigned to the second sled, traveling with Frostblade.
"Your task is to protect the cargo on this sled," Frostblade said succinctly.
"If enemies attack, prioritize repelling those who get close to the cargo."
Jiang Lin nodded.
As the sky grew slightly bright, the heavy city gate slowly opened with the sound of a turning winch.
At Frostblade's command, the sled dogs growled and pulled the sleds, charging into the vast snowfield.
Less than ten miles from Frost Ridge Fort, the scenery was already completely different.
The noise of the world seemed to be blocked out by an invisible barrier.
Before them was an endless expanse of white.
The sky was a depressing leaden gray, with heavy clouds hanging low to the horizon. The ground was covered in thick snow that took on a deathly cold blue tint under the thin morning light.
The wild wind swept across the flat frozen earth without obstruction, whipping up snow dust to form one white veil after another.
Visibility was compressed to less than a hundred meters; further out, heaven and earth merged into a chaotic gray-white.
Cold was the only ruler here.
Even with his constant-temperature protective suit blocking it out, Jiang Lin could still feel that ubiquitous chill, like countless tiny ice needles trying to penetrate his clothes and pierce his skin.
Jiang Lin turned on the heating function of the constant-temperature protective suit, which finally dispelled the cold from his body.
As for Little Black, he wrapped it in the spare clothes he had prepared.
If Little Black could not handle the cold later, Jiang Lin would put it into the living storage space he had exchanged for last time.
The sled dogs were well-trained. The eight sturdy northern dogs were arranged in two rows, their thick paws making dull thudding sounds on the snow as the white breath they exhaled instantly condensed into ice crystals.
They pulled the heavy sleds at a speed that was not slow, leaving a deep trail on the soft snow surface.
The Old Scholar's voice came from the front sled, sounding somewhat ethereal in the howling wind.
"Maintain direction north-northeast by fifteen degrees! Watch out for that mound five hundred meters to the left; it might be an ice ridge, go around it!"
Red Flame's figure flickered in and out of the snow mist ahead. She rode a lead dog that was even more robust than the others, nimbly weaving through the snow to scout.
The two assassins were like ghosts, silently drifting about two hundred meters away on either side of the team.
The shield warriors were at the front and back, their bodies half-hidden behind heavy tower shields as they vigilantly watched their respective directions.
The archer crouched atop the sled carrying the supplies, a longbow across his knees, his eyes like those of a hawk.
The team advanced in silence and efficiency.
Time passed in the monotonous white.
The first few hours were calm, with only the endless wind, snow, and bumping.
But as they went deeper into the wasteland, the environment began to reveal its savage side.
The ground was no longer flat, with countless traps hidden beneath the snow—abruptly protruding ice rocks, bottomless ice fissures, and layers of floating snow that looked solid but were actually fragile.
"Stop!" the Old Scholar suddenly shouted, the needle on his magic compass vibrating violently.
The sled dogs skidded to a halt, the sleds sliding forward several meters before stopping.
About thirty meters ahead, the center of a seemingly flat patch of snow suddenly collapsed silently, revealing a black hole over five meters in diameter. The cold wind poured into the hole, letting out a low wail like the breathing of a giant beast.
"It is a snow vortex," Frostblade said, his expression grave.
"Bypass it, maintain a distance of at least fifty meters."
The team carefully bypassed this death trap. Jiang Lin glanced at the edge of the collapse; the black hole was bottomless, its snow walls as smooth as mirrors, with a faint, deep blue icy glow visible in the depths.
If the sled had driven directly over it, both humans and dogs would have fallen instantly with no possibility of survival.
This was only the beginning.
Over the next two hours, they encountered three ice fissures, a patch of quicksand-like snow swamp, and several steep ice slopes that needed to be climbed.
Their marching speed slowed down significantly.
At noon, the sky remained dark, only the gray was slightly lighter. The team stopped to rest behind a wind-sheltered ice rock.
The sled dogs lay on the ground panting, their tongues hanging out, the hot air they exhaled freezing into frost around their muzzles.
The team members took out rock-hard dried meat and energy bars, swallowing them with strong liquor from their leather flasks.
No one spoke, only the howling of the wind and the faint sound of chewing food could be heard.
Jiang Lin also took out the high-energy nutritional paste he had prepared, tore open the packaging, and ate slowly.
The cold, viscous paste melted in his mouth, turning into a mild warmth that spread through his body.
Frostblade walked over to Jiang Lin and handed him a flat metal flask.
"Take a sip to drive out the cold."
Jiang Lin took it and uncorked it, a strong, pungent smell hitting his nose.
Jiang Lin handed the metal flask back with a serious expression.
"I am a minor, so I should not drink."
Frostblade was somewhat dazed upon hearing this.
"How old are you?"
Jiang Lin replied, "Fifteen. I'll be sixteen in a few months."
Hearing this, Frostblade's eyes widened again.
"You're telling me you're fifteen?
"A 4th-rank at fifteen???"
Jiang Lin waved his hand. "Just my daily routine."
Frostblade had seen how young Jiang Lin looked and thought he was using some method to maintain a youthful appearance.
He never expected that the other party was actually that young!
For someone to possess this strength at this age and dare to travel so far alone already spoke volumes.
If they had tried to harm him and failed, they would likely face something terrifying...
Finally, he sat down next to Jiang Lin.
"At this speed, it will take at least two more days to reach the wasteland. The path ahead will be even harder."
He paused and asked, "Have you encountered this kind of environment before?"
"No," Jiang Lin answered honestly.
"The northernmost part of the Saintas Kingdom isn't this harsh."
Frostblade said, "The Everfrost Wasteland is a natural chasm that isolates the Tundra Kingdom from the outside world.
"Compared to the Saintas Kingdom or the Frost Kingdom, the Tundra Kingdom can be considered isolated from the world.
"If the Tundra Kingdom didn't happen to sit on a geothermally active area that gave humans a corner to survive in, this place would likely have become a forbidden zone for life along with the Northern Ice Field."
Jiang Lin nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.
As for why the Tundra Kingdom did not set up long-distance teleportation arrays to maintain close contact with the outside world.
It was because most countries would not easily establish stable long-distance teleportation arrays.
Otherwise, if a country suddenly attacked, it could easily mobilize a large number of troops in a short time.
Furthermore, because the transmission channels of these long-distance teleportation arrays were relatively stable, general spatial interference could not quickly interrupt them.
And once an attacking country occupied a long-distance teleportation array, they could use its spatial coordinates to quickly establish even more arrays.
Just like that time in Emerald City, because the kingdom and the temple possessed the precise coordinates of Emerald City and had already established stable channels.
They were able to establish multiple temporary long-distance teleportation arrays outside the city overnight to transport more combat power.
After resting for about twenty minutes, Frostblade stood up.
"Time to go. We must reach the Ice Howl Stone Forest before dark; there are natural ice caves there where we can spend the night."
The team set off again.
The afternoon journey became increasingly difficult.
The wind and snow suddenly intensified, turning from fine snow particles into heavy flakes, further reducing visibility.
The snow dust whipped up by the wild wind slapped against their faces like lashing sand.
The speed of the sled dogs slowed down significantly as they had to fight against deeper snow and stronger resistance.
"Watch out! Something is approaching from the right!"
The archer's warning came from the top of the sled.
Almost simultaneously, Red Flame's sharp whistle sounded from ahead—the signal for an enemy attack!
Frostblade instantly drew his blade and barked, "Shield guards, move forward! Archer, prepare for suppressive fire! Assassins, fall back for defense!"
The well-trained team members quickly changed their formation.
The two shield warriors protected the sled carrying the Blaze Crystals from the left and right, slamming their tower shields into the snow to form a simple barrier.
The archer stood up, drawing his longbow to the limit, the arrow tip pointing into the depths of the wind and snow to the right.
The two assassins slid back near the sled like shadows, holding their short blades in a reverse grip.
Jiang Lin also stood up, his golden eyes staring toward the right.
In the wind and snow, several gray-white shadows flickered in and out of view.
They were on all fours, about the size of a calf, covered in long white fur that almost merged with the background of the wind and snow.
Only those pairs of eerie green eyes flickered in the snow mist like ghost fires.
"It's snow nightmare wolves!" the Old Scholar shouted, his voice carrying a hint of tension.
"Usually 3rd to 4th-rank transcendent-tier to elite-tier monsters, they move in packs! Watch out for their frost breath and lunges!"
Before he could finish speaking, five snow nightmare wolves suddenly charged out of the wind and snow on the right!
They were incredibly fast, their four paws leaving almost no marks on the snow, moving like white lightning. The leading giant wolf was exceptionally robust, with a shoulder height of over one and a half meters, a cruel, murderous light flashing in its eerie green eyes.
"Fire!" Frostblade shouted.
The archer released his bowstring.
Whoosh!
An enchanted arrow tore through the wind and snow, aimed precisely at the giant wolf's eye socket.
However, the giant wolf simply tilted its head, and the arrow grazed its skull, taking a trail of blood with it but failing to cause a fatal wound. It let out a wild roar and exhaled a stream of white, freezing mist from its mouth, lunging straight for the sled!
Rate on N.U.
