Chapter 18
Li Jia worked with Hera for more than half a month, and they had been "living together" for almost a month.
Life was so comfortable that Li Jia almost forgot she had a mission. She counted the sand in the hourglass and found there were only ten grains left.
At this rate, how many years would it take me to max out his affection level?
Tang Sanzang's journey to the West took only fourteen years, while Li Jia felt that it might take one hundred and forty years to fill the entire hourglass.
So she started exploring other directions, or maybe she could fill the hourglass to one-third full?
Anyway, as long as Hera doesn't marry Zeus, and Demeter successfully marries Zeus and gives birth to the goddess of spring, the task is completed.
Li Jia's mind suddenly cleared, and she started grinning foolishly.
"Pack your things, we're going on a long trip."
Hera's oracle drifted into her ears.
Li Jia replied: "Received!"
Going on a long trip = going out to play.
At least that's how Li Jia understands it. Hera's divine power goes without saying; she's at the pinnacle of combat strength in the book, and her execution ability in handling affairs is also superb.
She can just relax and be a decorative accessory when she goes out to play.
The next second, a familiar electronic voice rang in Li Jia's mind:
"Master, the plot section of the book has entered the right track. Here you need to follow the person you are conquering to the Polar Night Fortress. The auxiliary system reminds you that the key plot point here is courage."
courage?
No, what difference does it make whether I said it or not?
I sensed Li Jia's speechlessness.
The system coughed awkwardly.
"There's nothing I can do, Master. My level is just too low. I don't have the authority to see so many things. I can only take it one step at a time. The book's hint is just these few words: courage. I can't do anything about it either."
What else can we do but make do?
Now, she and the system are modern people and modern technology; it's like two fellow villagers meeting and their eyes welling up with tears.
Then please check for me what the climate is like in the place I'm going to.
Should she bring summer clothes or winter clothes? Li Jia doesn't want to get sick; being sick is very uncomfortable.
The system could easily handle this small task; the information about the Polar Night Fortress was uploaded into her mind in just two seconds.
"The Polar Night Fortress is located in the ruins of the shrine. It is dark all year round, sparsely populated, and terrifyingly silent. Time seems to be frozen there, and cold and darkness become the eternal rulers."
Li Jia grasped the key words: cold and dark.
It was cold and dark, so she had to bring some warm clothes and candles with her.
Li Jia pulled a 28-inch pink My Melody suitcase out of the closet and started rummaging through it.
Li Jia prefers winter to summer because she can wear thick coats to keep warm in winter, which is not possible in summer.
In the summer, the only way to cool off is to turn on the air conditioner, but the electricity bill is too expensive. Li Jia only dares to work part-time at the store during the day and stay at KFC until midnight before returning to her rented room to run the air conditioner for a few hours to repeat the work of the next day.
There are countless people like Li Jia in modern society; that's just life.
There's too much population; if you don't do it, plenty of others will.
Li Jia later changed this not-so-bad habit because she witnessed a worker on a construction site collapse silently on a scorching hot day.
He contracted heatstroke, and his entire internal organs were thoroughly cooked.
When he arrived at the hospital, he was already cold. The doctor couldn't help but sigh, wondering if it was really worth risking his life to save a little money.
Li Jia could empathize with this uncle, who was burdened with the weight of life for the sake of a few taels of silver and his family.
After that, Li Jia began her "Li Jia Salted Fish Rule": she only had one life, and she had no family or friends, so she had to be good to herself.
Li Jia dragged a large suitcase out of the deep hall. Winslow and Doreen had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing her panting as she pulled the suitcase, Winslow pointed to the things in Li Jia's hands, and Doreen understood and took the suitcase from Li Jia.
Winslow linked arms with Li Jia as they walked ahead chatting, while Doreen dragged their luggage behind them.
I don't know where Li Jia got all these strange things, but Doreen thinks this thing called a suitcase is quite convenient. It has wheels to help it move by using the force of the ground.
But... why do I have so much stuff to bring?
Doreen always only brought people with her when she went out with Hera, which I really don't understand.
How can it be so heavy?
Fortunately, she was a swordswoman who practiced swordsmanship year-round. What would be strenuous for an ordinary person was not so difficult for her.
Doreen watched as Li Jia opened her suitcase from the chariot, taking out two copper kettles filled with water, some sketchbooks, and toys to amuse herself.
She glanced at the deity, then took a bite of the osmanthus cake that Li Jia had brought.
This is a new product that Li Jia had Winslow research and develop.
Hera finished eating and continued to rest with her eyes closed, ignoring Doreen's speechless expression.
Doreen: "..."
My life is so hard.
Throughout the journey, Hera was either resting or handling official business, while Doreen, apart from occasionally observing the chariot's flight path and being vigilant about the surrounding environment, spent the rest of her time watching what Winslow and Li Jia were doing.
I'm tired of looking at the same sketchbooks.
Li Jia took out a deck of cards and invited Doreen to play Dou Dizhu (a card game).
Neither of them had ever seen this kind of card game before. Li Jia became interested and taught them how to play "Golden Flower" and "Tractor".
They don't gamble, because gambling is illegal.
Li Jiake is someone who has received twelve years of compulsory education.
Reject pornography, gambling, and drugs.
Yellow is the root of all evil.
Gambling can lead to the destruction of families and the loss of lives.
Poison left corpses strewn across the fields.
May there be world peace.
Amen.
Li Jia was also reluctant to part with the gold coins she had worked so hard to earn.
A miser should never give up his money.
So they just stick stickers on people's faces, and the loser gets a sticker stuck on their face.
Half an hour later, Hera opened her eyes.
The three sat on the chariot's platform. Winslow and Li Jia had notes stuck all over their heads, while Doreen saw Hera glance at her and gave a helpless look.
Hera: "..."
You really can't blame her; it's just that the two "peasants" couldn't fight against their landlord.
The closer you get to your destination, the more murky the sky becomes, and the surrounding scenery is also affected by the fortress environment. All that comes near here is inanimate objects.
The moment I stepped into the polar night fortress, a chilling aura swept over me, like an invisible hand that penetrated my very bones through my pores.
Looking out, the fortress rises from the dark abyss, with huge black rocks stacked layer upon layer, their surfaces rough and uneven. These rocks are closely intertwined, and an eerie light flows through the gaps, just like the eyes of a demon spying in the shadows.
Once the vehicle had arrived at its destination smoothly, Li Jia immediately opened her suitcase and put on a cream-colored cotton-padded jacket with an embroidered chick pattern. It was a specially made hooded style, and when zipped up, it looked like a thick sleeping bag.
"Aren't you cold?" Li Jia asked curiously, seeing Doreen's hesitant expression.
"Our bodies have been granted immortality by Her Majesty Hera, so we can't feel the changes in temperature with the seasons. But Li Jia, you're so cute."
Winslow was already used to Li Jia's actions.
Winslow reached out and touched Li Jia's fluffy hat. It was so cute and adorable. Winslow immediately made a promise with Li Jia that he would draw a blueprint for her when they got back.
No wonder I was shivering from the cold as soon as I entered, while the other three seemed perfectly fine.
"So what is the purpose of our visit to the Polar Night Fortress this time?" Li Jia asked curiously, adjusting her little hat.
"How did you know we were coming to the Midnight Fortress?" Hera suddenly asked.
Oh no, how could she forget? Hera didn't tell her where they were going. How could she have let it slip?
Hera wasn't as easy to deal with as Winslow; she had to come up with a plan.
In the end, I decided to let my best friend suffer.
Li Jia casually patted the shoulder of the person next to her and laughed, "Of course Winslow told me, otherwise why would I bring so many thick coats?"
Before Winslow could react, he grabbed her and ran forward.
Winslow was confused. When had she told Li Jia this? She herself didn't know where they were going. Before she could explain, Li Jia pulled her away and ran off.
Before Li Jia could even finish her sentence, Winslow had already forgotten about it, leaving only the pair of thoughtful red eyes behind them, flickering uncertainly in the darkness.
At the fortress gate, two enormous statues stood silently, their bodies twisted, neither human nor inhuman, and entwined with mysterious runes that shimmered with dazzling purple light.
Inside the fortress, the streets are narrow and winding, and most of the buildings on both sides are twisted and tilted, creating a depressing atmosphere everywhere.
The doors and windows of the buildings are mostly small and dark, with only a sliver of yellow light occasionally shining through, which cannot dispel the surrounding darkness in the slightest, but instead makes the darkness seem even thicker.
The air was thick with the smell of decay and blood; it was the scent of death, spreading rampantly in every corner.
On the street, there were few pedestrians, and they all seemed to be in a hurry. Their figures appeared and disappeared in the darkness, like a group of lost ghosts. Each of them was wrapped in a black cloak, revealing only pairs of wary and indifferent eyes of different colors.
Occasionally, a low growl or a painful groan would come from some dark corner, sending chills down your spine.
At the heart of the fortress stands a towering structure, its body entirely black, inlaid with countless gems that emit a faint glow. These gems are arranged in a strange array, radiating powerful and mysterious energy fluctuations.
At the top of the tower, a black flame burned fiercely, and the firelight cast an eerie shadow over the entire fortress.
This flame is a symbol of the power of the polar night; it never goes out, guarding this fortress and imprisoning countless unknown secrets.
Li Jia felt that this place was like a modern haunted house, only more realistic and bigger.
Hera and Doreen unknowingly walked in front of her and Winslow. Their tall figures shielded the two little ones from their ambiguous gazes.
Hera's casually released aura caused people to keep their distance, guiding them through the darkness.
Li Jia tried to ask, "Your Majesty, what are we doing here?"
Hera spoke calmly: "The bond of separation."
Li Jia nodded, indicating that she understood.
The Civil Affairs Bureau, the Court, and the Public Security Bureau provide door-to-door services.
That kind of environment is indeed human nature; one must be rooted in the grassroots and go to the countryside to break with the old and establish the new.
Li Jia considers herself a semi-public official.
"So whose karmic bond are we breaking this time?"
"The evil dragon Mephielia and his stolen bride Lorella."
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