Chapter 22: The Wild Snow

Zhou Yan's gaze was calm as he silently faced the middle-aged man before him. The man first looked in astonishment at the three corpses of monstrous beings whose heads Zhou Yan had smashed, then quickly recovered and glanced at Zhou Yan, tilting his head toward his house in a subtle gesture to invite Zhou Yan inside.

With skill and courage, Zhou Yan followed the man and his son into the house, his composure unshaken. Once inside, the man immediately turned to shut the door and fastened the latch. He shot a warning glare at his younger son and whispered urgently, “Decai, you mustn’t speak so loudly!”

Only then did he turn to Zhou Yan, his eyes full of admiration as he addressed the quiet youth standing before him. “Young hero, thank you for saving us!”

Zhou Yan nodded and lowered his voice as well. “Uncle, why are you and your child both wearing these cloth coverings?”

The man paused, touching the cotton mask over his nose and mouth. Realizing Zhou Yan wore no such protection, he stared in shock. “You… young hero, you breathed in the ‘snow.’ How are you unharmed?”

Snow.

Upon hearing the man’s words, Zhou Yan recalled the term “Mad Snow” listed under “Calamity Cause” in the prompt he’d received when he first arrived in this disaster-stricken world. He began to understand.

In the previous world, the calamity was “dangerous weapons”—anyone wielding one became a maddened monster. Here, it was “Mad Snow.” Judging from the man’s reaction, it seemed that those who inhaled the “snow” transformed into the “snow husks” Zhou Yan had just slain.

He chose not to answer the man’s question, instead replying with practiced ease, “I have my own methods.”

He continued calmly, “Uncle, may I ask your name?”

The man quickly answered in a hushed tone, “Certainly! My name is Zhang Facai, and this is my youngest son, Zhang Decai. May I ask your esteemed name, young hero?”

“My surname is Zhong,” Zhou Yan replied, using a false name and withholding his full identity. Who knew if this world harbored beings capable of cursing someone by name? Caution was best.

“Honored to meet you, Young Master Zhong,” Zhang Facai said, bowing repeatedly in gratitude. To him, meeting this “Young Master Zhong” was indeed a blessing; otherwise, he and his child might have become a meal for those monsters.

Zhou Yan didn’t linger on pleasantries. He suddenly remembered something he had yet to do. Without a word, he quietly unlatched the door and stepped outside under Zhang Facai’s startled gaze, stopping before the three dead snow husks. He reached out and touched one of the corpses.

[Snow Husk]
[Type: Monster]
[Description: Transformed into a man-eating demon by inhaling the “Mad Snow” tainted by the calamity. The colder the environment, the stronger it becomes.]
[Rating: 0 Star, 0 Rank]
[Attributes: Physique 6, Agility 7, Spirit 3]
[Note: Snow… likes… people… delicious…]

[Detected: a suitable chaotic object. Would you like to collect it as material for the “Super Fusion” talent?]

Zhou Yan understood at once.

“In the previous world, the chaotic objects were weapons. In this world, they’re these monsters infected by ‘Mad Snow’…”

He withdrew his hand and returned inside, locking the door behind him. These so-called snow husks were low-level minions, inferior even to his bat; there was no need to replace his fusion material.

Once inside, Zhou Yan addressed Zhang Facai. “How long has this heavy snow been falling?”

Zhang Facai shuddered, as if haunted by painful memories. After a long moment, he whispered, “It’s been almost a month… Snow in June, breeding so many monsters—there must be a grave injustice, a terrible wrong behind this!”

He looked at Zhou Yan. “In our Springrise City, I don’t know how many households are still alive. Everyone’s hiding in their homes, trying to survive. Young Master Zhong, judging by your questions, you must be from elsewhere. May I ask—what is it like outside the city now?”

Hope shone in his eyes, as if he expected good news from Zhou Yan.

But Zhou Yan did not answer. He fell silent for a moment, then countered, “With things as dire as this, has no one in the city tried to escape?”

Zhang Facai lowered his head and spoke quietly. “In the first days of the disaster, many people tried to flee. Some, I heard, managed to get out, but soon after, the city lord ordered the gates sealed… Later, most of the city guards tasked with guarding the gates turned into those man-eating monsters…”

He said no more. The implication was clear.

Those who failed to escape at the start now had no hope of leaving the city.

Zhou Yan nodded silently and glanced at his “side quests.”

[Side Quest 1: Uproot the “Karmic Lotus” (0/1)]

[Side Quest 2: Eliminate the monsters in Springrise City (3/?)]

In the previous world, he’d slaughtered an entire apartment building and completed the side quest with a perfect score, earning the powerful “Pathway Codex” as a reward. This time, his goal was the same: complete the side quests with high marks and see if he could win another reward of similar caliber, further enhancing his strength.

“Karmic Lotus…” Zhou Yan murmured, then asked Zhang Facai, “Aside from this strange snow and these monsters, have you noticed anything else unusual?”

Zhang Facai pondered for nearly ten seconds, then his eyes lit up. “Young Master Zhong, there is indeed something odd!”

Eager to please, he offered up what he knew before Zhou Yan could prompt him. “The night before this cursed snow began to fall, people said they saw a terrifying white pillar of light shoot into the sky from somewhere in the city, deep into the night. The next morning, when everyone awoke, the snow was already coming down.”

Zhou Yan raised his brows. “Do you know where it happened?”

Zhang Facai replied at once, “The City Lord’s Hall! Everyone says the white light came from the City Lord’s Hall, which sits at the northern edge of Springrise City, right up against the mountain.”

“I see…” Zhou Yan nodded, then rose and walked to the door.

“Young Master Zhong! Please, stay—have a meal, spend the night?” Zhang Facai stammered. “After nightfall, the monsters come out in force. It’s far too dangerous!”

Zhou Yan glanced back at the table, where a meager meal was laid out: two small bowls of thin rice porridge, nearly clear, and nothing else.

Seeing his look, Zhang Facai flushed with embarrassment and quickly said, “Young Master Zhong, I have some rice stored away. I can cook more—”

“No need,” Zhou Yan interrupted with a shake of his head, smiling. “Uncle Zhang, keep what little you have for yourself and your son.”

With that, Zhou Yan unlatched the door and strode out without a backward glance.

By the time Zhang Facai hurried after him into the yard, Zhou Yan had vanished without a trace.