Chapter 50 Blizzard and Avalanche
[Achieve the title "Master Builder"]
You've built over 10 structures so far, and you've already grasped the basics and are quite proficient.
[Passive effect: When equipped, the materials required for both constructing and repairing buildings are reduced by 5%]
This effect is somewhat useless now.
After all, the buildings that needed to be built have already been built, so they're not very useful. The only thing that can be saved when repairing the buildings is a few pieces of wood and stones.
Fang Zhiyi currently wears the titles "Snow Hunter" and "I'm Going to Be Number One!" most often. One allows him to spot dangers in the snow, and the other doubles his strength and speed—both are very practical.
As for other titles, their function is barely worth mentioning.
Having accepted the newly bestowed title, the words on the light screen slowly faded, leaving a smudge of light on the retina.
The wind and snow outside the camp suddenly intensified, echoing sharply through the valley.
The campfire flickered and scattered in the wind, and the temperature continued to drop. Fang Zhiyi's cheeks felt tight, and a layer of frost quickly settled on her eyelashes.
The winter was bitterly cold.
The hail on the ground froze into a thick layer of ice, radiating a chill.
Fang Zhiyi added firewood to the campfire to maintain the heat and light source in the camp. Looking down, he saw a dark stone placed beside it.
This is a strange stone that fell from the ore yesterday.
After adding fuel to the fire, I picked it up casually and saw that it had been left by the campfire overnight. The outer layer of black skin had peeled off, revealing a ring of flame-like ripples, which felt warm in my palm.
【Strange Stone - Blazing Hot】
【02:59:59】
Fang Zhiyi looked at the stone from left to right, even shaking it in his hand, but couldn't figure out what use it was. He tried carrying the stone out of the camp, and although he wasn't wearing any cold-weather gear, he didn't feel cold at all.
Can it be used to keep warm?
He felt the stone had more uses than just that, but he couldn't see them yet, so he put it back by the campfire. Unexpectedly, he slipped and the strange stone rolled forward, falling into the fire. Before he could react, it was instantly engulfed by the flames.
Just as they added firewood, the campfire was burning brightly. Fang Zhiyi couldn't go and pick it up, so he could only watch as the strange stone was scorched by the flames. The surface temperature rose higher and higher, and the patterns on it undulated, as if... it had come to life.
After observing for a while, the strange stone lay quietly in the pile of firewood, showing no further unusual signs.
Fang decided to wait and see what would happen, keeping it still and letting it burn in the campfire until nightfall.
The weather was bad, and the time it took for daylight to shorten; by 9 a.m., it was barely dawn.
The camp has been upgraded to level 5, which is the maximum level, and there are no more buildings that can be constructed.
For a moment, Fang Zhiyi felt a little disoriented, having lost his initial goal. However, he quickly found something to do: before the heavy snow blocked the roads, he hurriedly gathered some materials.
As soon as we left the camp, a huge snowflake fell from the sky, mixed with freezing rain. The rain and snow hit us together, and the cold went straight to our bones.
The snowfield was silent. Where you could once see Arctic foxes foraging for food, now there was only a vast expanse of white.
There was a calm before the storm.
Fang Zhiyi exhaled a puff of mist and walked through the valley, his steps uneven. Everyone says that it's not cold when it snows, but when the snow melts, it's colder. Now that it's raining and snowing together, the damp cold is doubled. Even with warm clothing, his stamina is still dropping rapidly.
At this speed, they can't get very far from the camp.
Fortunately, there were mineral deposits and groves near the camp.
Yesterday, a hailstorm struck, and the ground froze overnight. There wasn't a trace of green in the grove; the bare branches were covered with strings of icicles.
Fang Zhiyi cut down the remaining trees and tried to plant new tree species.
Seedlings - Hibernation
【99:59:59】
The temperature is too low, and the trees planted show no signs of life. There is no way to obtain more wood by logging, planting trees, and then logging again.
Fortunately, I had collected enough wood beforehand, enough to last for two days without any problem.
Not only were the trees frozen, but even the surface of the quarry was covered with a thick layer of ice.
When you strike with a hoe, what falls isn't ore, but ice.
Obtain 13 ice cubes
In this freezing weather, this thing takes up too much space in my backpack.
Fang Zhiyi sniffed, then picked up the icy ice cube, closed her eyes, and stuffed it inside.
...maybe it will come in handy sometime.
With that in mind, they dug up all the ore in the mining area and took back a lot of ore and ice.
I was outside for less than an hour when the sky suddenly darkened, followed by a strong wind.
Fang Zhiyi was blown about and staggered, but he braved the strong winds to return to the camp.
As the camp gates closed, the howling wind pounded against the walls, causing them to sway violently and appear as if they were about to collapse at any moment.
Fang Zhiyi brushed the snow and frost off his body and looked outside.
Just a wall away, the wind howled outside, and the whole world seemed shrouded in a white fog, hazy and indistinct.
A blizzard is coming.
Fang Zhiyi had stockpiled winter supplies and wasn't too worried. After reinforcing the city walls and gates and adding plenty of firewood, he suddenly noticed a glimmer of light in a corner.
Two tiny sprouts emerged from the frozen soil, looking a little wilted. But they weren't frozen; they were hungry.
Fang Zhiyi thought for a while before remembering what it was.
The winter seeds found in the treasure chest require feeding materials for each growth cycle. I hadn't paid attention to them before because I was too short of materials; I was too busy with other things and just forgot about them.
[Winter Seeds - Growing Period]
[Requires 10 iron ingots, 10 gold ingots, and 10 hardwood]
Fang Zhiyi had plenty of the materials he was missing before, and he wanted to see what he would harvest after the Winter Seeds grew, so he fed all the materials to the Winter Seeds.
Having received water, the previously wilted winter seeds instantly grew, their branches and leaves unfurling, showing no fear of the frost, and a flower bud appeared at the top. With a "pop," the bud bloomed, and instead of petals, clumps of snowflakes appeared, floating up like dandelions.
Look in the direction it's drifting.
The snowflakes landed on the ice and snow statue in the center of the camp, turning into specks of light that disappeared into the statue.
Ice and Snow Sculpture
[Charging]
【36:59:59】
The statue's charging time instantly decreased by a quarter.
I looked at the statue, then at the winter seeds, but before I could properly examine them, a hailstorm suddenly started.
Hailstones fell from the sky without warning, making a crackling sound.
Fang Zhiyi was prepared and ducked into the shelter the instant the hail began to fall. Looking out through the glass window, the sky seemed to have been torn open, with rain and snow pouring in and mountains collapsing.
Wow, that's a lot of snow!
Help! My campsite is about to be buried in snow!
[It's freezing! The tent doesn't keep us warm at all.]
[Haha, why do I feel so hot? Is there a bug?]
[Fun fact: You might experience the illusion of hypothermia before you freeze to death. Uh... is it too chilling to say this now?]
[Nonsense, I won't!]
[...]
Large swaths of snow were whipped up by the blizzard and pelted down, covering the camp in white in the blink of an eye. Even the shelter was not quiet; the roof creaked and groaned as it seemed to sink.
Survival rules in a blizzard: stay dry and don't get buried in the snow.
Fang Zhiyi glanced at the warm fireplace, gritted her teeth, and braved the wind and snow to go out. The moment she opened the door, a biting wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in, the fire in the fireplace went out instantly, and the temperature dropped accordingly.
Fang Zhiyi closed the shelter door and looked up. The roof was covered with a thick layer of snow, which was still piling up higher and higher. If this continued, the roof would be broken by the weight of the snow.
If the shelter is destroyed, there's no way to survive the blizzard.
He acted decisively, climbed the ladder onto the roof, and forcefully swept the snow off.
After clearing a clean section of the roof, I took a large bag of salt from the supermarket and sprinkled it evenly on it.
Salt water has a lower freezing point than water, and the heat released after it reacts chemically with water can melt snow and reduce the rate of snow accumulation.
Fang Zhiyi climbed down from the roof and sprinkled salt around the outside of the shelter.
After finishing these tasks, I glanced at the other areas.
The wind and snow howled, revealing nature's most cruel and brutal side. The entire camp was shrouded in frost and snow; buildings were overturned and torn apart, lying scattered on the ground; the campfire was dying and could go out at any moment. Only the ice and snow statues remained standing in the wind and snow.
Fang Zhiyi glanced at it, then quickly looked away and returned to the shelter.
The snow outside the shelter was cleared, maintaining warmth and dryness.
Boil a pot of hot water to ward off the cold, cut a few pieces of apple and put them in. The water bubbled and gurgled, and the aroma of the apples overpowered the chill of the wind and snow.
Fang Zhiyi sat in a chair warming herself by the fire, a thick blanket covering her legs, holding a glass of apple juice. Through the wall, the sounds of wind and snow seemed distant.
[Channel] [Winter Survival] [13654/73000]
With each snowfall, the number of people on the channel dwindled.
I'm cold and hungry now.
Damn, when will this snow stop?
[Brother Cha, you're still alive!]
[Damn, what kind of talk is that? It's bad luck!]
[Brother Cha, I've always seen you complaining in the channel, but I didn't expect you to be so capable.]
[Damn, I have a level 4 camp!]
【envious】
With the blizzard hitting, camps below level 3 will likely be eliminated.
[Damn it, what happened? My shelter almost collapsed!]
Is even a level 4 camp this difficult? Is it only a level 5 camp that can clear it...?
Damn, it took me ages to level up to level 4, let alone level 5!
I only have a level 3 camp, I'm just waiting to die.
It would be so pathetic to freeze to death like this.
What can we do? My camp can't even withstand a blizzard.
Fang Zhiyi's expression tightened slightly.
The colder the weather, the easier it is for people to lose their fighting spirit. The atmosphere in the channel became gloomy, and everyone lost confidence.
Fang Zhiyi's belief is to protect himself and only help other players when he has the capacity to do so.
Neither cold-blooded nor a saint.
With the snowstorm raging, is there anything he can do to change the fate of other players being eliminated?
[fzy: I have a way that might get us through the blizzard]
[Wow, amazing!]
What method?
Please, please, please tell us quickly! Time is of the essence!
[Is the big boss going to send us materials?]
[What are you thinking? There are so many players here, there won't be enough materials to go around.]
[Don't mind them, just give me the materials. I'll always remember you!]
[fzy: You guys could try merging camps]
[fzy: After merging camps, defensive capabilities will increase; two level 4 camps will be roughly as strong as one level 5 camp.]
[fzy: Of course, this is just a suggestion]
Merging camps is a bait the game throws at players, inducing them to fight and plunder each other's camps.
But... what if it wasn't plunder, but a voluntary merger?
Even without a level 5 camp, merging them can still withstand blizzards and increase the chances of surviving and completing the game.
[...Will they merge?]
[Never mind, I'm willing to try anything to survive. I'm in a level 3 camp, anyone want to merge with me?]
I'm just a worthless life, but I'll risk it all. I'll do it.
Let me know if the merger was successful.
Is it actually useful?
[Useful! After merging, the camp's resources are still managed separately, but the two tents have been upgraded into a small shelter, so we don't have to suffer from the cold and wind anymore.]
I have an idea.
Can we merge camps and upgrade them indefinitely?
That makes sense, let's give it a try.
Upon seeing this ingenious idea, Fang Zhiyi's lips twitched. At the same time, private messages were popping up like crazy, with many players requesting to merge their camps with him.
He ignored it.
Merging camps is just a temporary measure. People's hearts are unpredictable, and he doesn't want to entrust his safety to other players.
The only person he could trust was Chu Zhao.
Thinking this, she opened her private chat with Chu Zhao.
The last time we spoke was two days ago.
The two people were struggling to survive in different worlds, facing dangers and challenges, and simply didn't have much to talk about.
On a whim, Fang Zhiyi typed a line of text.
[fzy: I will beat the game]
[fzy: I will conquer every apocalypse and become the King of Apocalypse!]
He quickly sent the message, but upon closer inspection, the content was a bit too melodramatic. His cheeks flushed slightly, and he was about to pretend nothing had happened and exit when the chat window flickered.
Chu Zhao replied.
[Chu Zhao: I'm waiting for you]
These three simple words brought Fang Zhiyi boundless encouragement.
[Chu Zhao: Also, do I have a chance to become the King of the Apocalypse? (laughs)]
This is not a joke, nor is it a banter.
Fang Zhiyi took a deep breath and gave a response.
[fzy: It depends on your performance]
...
The wind and snow continue.
The windows were completely blocked by snow, so nothing could be seen.
Fang Zhiyi went out twice more to clear the snow. The snow had frozen into ice, making it extremely difficult to sweep. Fortunately, the supermarket had plenty of salt, which he sprinkled in large handfuls to speed up the melting of the ice and snow.
After shoveling the snow, Fang Zhiyi had frostbite on his hands and face, and his strength was rapidly depleting.
The fireplace was keeping the apple juice warm, so I quickly poured myself a glass. After drinking the warm apple juice, my strength slowly returned, and I felt less cold.
As time passed and night fell, it was probably a chance for the players to catch their breath. The frost and snow fell at a slower pace, and the wind began to blow.
When Fang Zhiyi went outside, he saw that the snow in the camp was 50cm deep. Except for the shelter, the rest of the place was buried in snow, the buildings were frozen, and even the campfire was covered with frost. At a glance, the words "icy and snowy world" became a real sight.
Fang Zhiyi stepped across the ice, not bothering to repair the damaged buildings. At this point, repairing them was completely pointless; even if repaired, they would still be damaged by the snow. It was better to conserve materials than to waste effort.
The campfire was moved to the edge of the shelter, and it took three attempts to rekindle it. The weak flames flickered, their glow mirroring the fireplace inside the shelter, maintaining warmth and light in the area. As for anything else, there was no time to worry about that now.
After clearing away the nearby snow, night gradually deepened.
If it's just a bit cold and the snow is a bit heavy, it should be manageable.
As Fang Zhiyi was thinking this, an electronic voice broadcast sounded in his ear.
A blizzard has arrived.
Despite being an emotionless electronic voice, a strange sense of schadenfreude could be detected in those few words.
It's like saying—dream on.
In the utter silence of the snow-white landscape, a faint "crackling" sound suddenly rang out.
The ice cracked.
The sound of ice cracking echoed through the valley, and the wind howled through the stone walls like the wailing of ghosts and wolves.
Fang Zhiyi thought it was going to snow again. He looked up and saw rolling snow surging down from the mountain, creating a huge wave.
His amber pupils widened.
The snow waves collapsed rapidly, the crests crashing down and surging in all directions, causing a violent earthquake.
An avalanche has occurred!
Damn, thank goodness I was far away.
[It looks terrifying; if your campsite is on the edge of a mountain, you're in trouble.]
I saw smoke rising from the snow-capped mountain; could someone really be buried alive?
Fang's meaning: ...
His camp was located in a valley between two mountains.
In the instant of the avalanche, the only thought that flashed through his mind was—could we have been tricked by the game? What safest place is actually the most dangerous place?
The avalanche came too fast. Just as he was about to open the protective shield to withstand it, he discovered that the valley was located at the angle between two snow-capped mountains with straight cliffs, forming a natural barrier that deflected the avalanche.
The snow surged and rushed forward, engulfing forests and mining areas without stopping. The collapse of one snow-capped mountain triggered a chain reaction, sweeping up other snow-capped mountains as well.
Snow is coming, run!
They're coming this way.
[Damn, how do we escape?]
Players can run, but the camp cannot. If they leave the camp, in this cold weather, they won't last even a minute before being eliminated.
In the blink of an eye, many camps were flooded, and the players inside were quickly eliminated.
When the avalanche stopped, the world was a vast expanse of white, filled with snow fog, and nothing could be seen.
Just when everyone thought the avalanche had stopped and everything was over, a rustling sound came from within the snowfall, and something was trying to emerge. With a "bang," a snow-white figure emerged from it.
"grumble--"
A bird formed of frost spreads its wings, each feather sculpted from ice, lifelike. Its eyes, crafted from ice crystals, gleam with a cold light.
【Frost Phoenix】
【Blizzard Companions】
The phoenix spread its wings and soared high, circling in the sky. Below, stones flew up one after another, covered in ice and snow, and the stone giant stood up unsteadily.
【Frozen Stone Golem】
【Blizzard Companions】
That's not all.
Countless snowflakes fell, accompanied by clear, bell-like laughter. A translucent elf waved an ice wand, stirring up gusts of cold air.
【Ice Sprite】
【Blizzard Companions】
call--
A fierce wind blew, accompanied by snow.
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