Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 346: The Extreme Cold Mineral Vein, A Layout for Destruction!

The cooperation agreement between Happiness City and Twin Moon Lake existed in name only.Ever since the central trade route was cut off, the connection between the two parties had grown increasingly tenuous.

For the entirety of the previous year, Happiness City had not even dispatched a caravan to transport raw materials for nutrient paste, let alone provide any subsequent material support.

According to the terms of the agreement, such a prolonged interruption had long since crossed the red line for automatic termination.

However, this agreement was something hidden beneath the surface; outsiders had no way of knowing the details.

As long as neither side exposed the truth and both continued to publicly acknowledge their partnership, that piece of paper remained valid.

And this nominal connection was precisely their most crucial shield at the moment.

The location of the Winter Moon Ore vein was clearly within the territory of Twin Moon Lake.

Since Twin Moon Lake was still a cooperative Gathering Place for Happiness City, as Inspectors dispatched by the city, they naturally had the right to inspect the special resources within the territory.

This justification was perfectly reasonable. Even if it reached the ears of Radiant Rainbow Shelter City, the other party wouldn't be able to find a single flaw in it.

There was no question of "first come, first served." The ownership of the mineral vein belonged to Twin Moon Lake. In every sense, Happiness City held the initiative.

Zheng Dayou was clearly well-versed in these unspoken rules, which was why he had agreed without a moment's hesitation.

Before long, the two pickup trucks that had led the way yesterday came to a smooth halt downstairs.

Yin Ruofeng naturally had to stay behind to continue checking the ledgers, not daring to relax for even a second.

Niu Fu, who had been stubbornly insisting he wasn't injured these past few days, didn't join the excursion either. He waved them off and settled comfortably into a recliner, narrowing his eyes contentedly.

The two men climbed into the back seat of the pickup. Zheng Dayou tactfully took the passenger seat in the front. The engine rumbled to life, and the vehicle drove toward the mineral vein.

The small convoy detoured out through the main gate's inspection station. The person on duty today was once again Zhang Weidong.

"Why didn't you come over last night?" Cheng Ye rolled down the window and asked with a smile.

He had waited until the middle of the night without seeing any sign of Zhang Weidong. He didn't even need to think about it to know that the man had most likely been stopped downstairs at the guesthouse.

In Twin Moon Lake, there were only a handful of people who wielded that kind of authority.

"Lord Zheng said that you and Inspector Liu had been traveling for days and needed a good rest, so I didn't dare come over to bother you," Zhang Weidong said, scratching his head. His gaze unconsciously drifted toward Zheng Dayou in the passenger seat, his tone tinged with embarrassment.

"No worries," Cheng Ye said, waving a hand dismissively. "Just come over tonight then. I should be staying one more night and heading out first thing tomorrow morning."

"Understood." Zhang Weidong's eyes lit up, and he quickly agreed.

The car window slowly rolled up, and the pickup continued driving out of the Gathering Place.

Zheng Dayou turned sideways at just the right moment, a perfectly measured smile on his face. "Inspector Cheng, Zhang Weidong is a pillar of our Twin Moon Lake. However, after staying in the territory all these years, he always tells me he wants to go out and see the world, to make a name for himself. If he could have the chance to follow you and gain some experience, I imagine that would be the best possible outcome for him."

"Lord Zheng is willing to let him go?" Cheng Ye raised an eyebrow, replying with a half-smile.

"Inspector Cheng must be joking. Our Twin Moon Lake isn't a prison. Everyone is free to come and go as they please; we never restrict anyone's freedom."

Zheng Dayou waved his hands repeatedly, his tone earnest. "Besides, when the veterans leave, it makes room for the newcomers. It's a natural cycle, after all. Oh, right, I heard on the broadcast that Happiness City took in millions of people this time around. That is truly incredible..."

The topic smoothly shifted to Happiness City. Things they hadn't had time to discuss in detail over dinner yesterday now found room for casual conversation.

However, throughout the entire drive to the mine, Liu Bi remained mostly silent. He simply leaned against the window, his sharp eyes scanning the scenery along the way, silently memorizing the route and landmarks.

It was obvious that this road leading to the mine was newly built.

Although it was still a rammed-earth dirt road, it had been specially paved with a layer of crushed gravel and compacted clay. The surface was even, greatly reducing the bumps along the way.

Rows of apple trees, three to four meters tall, were planted on both sides of the road. Their branches were heavy with bright red fruit, but no one was picking them. They were left hanging on the branches, presenting a scene of abundant harvest.

Along the way, several temporary guard posts came into view. Heavily armed guards stood in the crude sentry boxes. Upon seeing the pickup convoy pass, they immediately straightened their backs and saluted. The security was exceptionally tight.

The road stretched forward, gradually entering an area of low hills. The curves began to increase, and the incline slowly crept upward.

When the vehicle reached the highest point of the hills, both men simultaneously looked out the window.

In a mountain col not far away, two lakes were situated on the left and right.

The appearance of these lakes was somewhat reminiscent of seasonal alpine pools—drying up in winter and spring, then swelling with water in summer and autumn, which resulted in their current clear, azure beauty.

It was currently early autumn, the season when the lakes were at their fullest. The two gemstone-blue bodies of water were set into the yellowish-brown hills. Under the overcast sky, their beauty was breathtaking.

On the left, Crescent Moon Lake was shaped like a newly risen moon. Its surface was perfectly calm, reflecting the drifting clouds and the dead trees along the shore. The color of the water deepened as it stretched further away, transitioning from a clear light blue to a profound indigo, looking like a meticulously polished jade disc with a gradient hue.

On the right, Cusped Moon Lake possessed a sharper edge. Its shoreline was jagged and steep. The water crashed against the rocks, churning up fine silver foam. Occasionally, sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the water, refracting into thousands of blindingly bright spots of light.

The rolling hills in the distance combined with the lakes to form a magnificent painting, radiating a rare vitality against the desolate backdrop of the Wasteland.

A gust of wind swept through the valley. Cheng Ye opened the window and felt the breeze hit his face, carrying the crisp scent of the lake water intertwined with the faint, earthy sweetness of vegetation. It immediately refreshed his mind.

The Sand Pond Lake at the abandoned New Pond Gathering Place had already been impossible to look away from, but the scenery here was vastly more spectacular.

"This truly is a piece of treasured land!"

Cheng Ye leaned against the window, sighing in genuine admiration. "Lord Zheng must have gone to a lot of trouble to find this place back in the day, right?"

"Haha, you're not wrong about that."

Zheng Dayou picked up the conversation with a chuckle, a trace of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. "When we fled here as refugees, it was winter. The hills were completely blanketed in ice and snow. We didn't even notice these two lakes hidden in the col. We stayed here and endured the bitter winter. When spring arrived, the groundwater slowly surged upward, gradually forming these two lakes. You've come at the perfect time. Right now is when both lakes are at their most beautiful."

As they spoke, the pickup truck had reached the upper section of the hills. The road ahead became narrow and rugged. The tires crunched over the gravel, clearly indicating they could drive no further.

"Inspector Cheng, Inspector Liu, we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Zheng Dayou was the first to push open his door. He pointed toward the valley ahead. "The mine is built on the shaded side of the hill. The terrain here is rather special. The shaded side never sees sunlight year-round, so the internal temperature is much lower than outside. That's what makes it possible to store the Winter Moon Ore."

"No problem. Let's go."

Cheng Ye and Liu Bi stepped out of the vehicle one after another, brushing the dust from their clothes.

From the pickup truck behind them, four armed guards also climbed out. Two of them jogged forward to lead the way, while the other two remained stationed by the vehicles, vigilantly keeping an eye on their surroundings.

The path descending the hill had clearly been artificially graded. The surface was shoveled flat, just wide enough for a handcart to pass back and forth.

However, looking at the steep incline before him, Cheng Ye could imagine how grueling it must be to push a cart heavily laden with ore up this path when the ground iced over in winter.

The group walked down the mountain path for about ten minutes until they reached the halfway point, where a three-meter-high mine entrance dramatically appeared before them.

The entrance was framed with thick, heavy logs to form a sturdy archway. Dense rows of iron rebars were hammered into the rock walls on both sides, driven deeply into the crevices to prevent the loose soil from causing a cave-in.

The inner area of the entrance was paved with flat stone slabs, creating a small platform of about ten square meters. Standing there, a biting chill washed over them, completely dispelling the dry heat of the approaching early autumn noon.

"Everyone, watch your step. It's damp inside, and the boardwalk is a bit slippery." The two guards walking in front turned on their flashlights. The beams of light cut through the darkness, and their voices echoed in the cavernous entrance.

There was no artificial lighting installed inside the mine, so the group could only advance by the glow of their flashlights.

Inside, a systematic tunnel had been excavated. The ground was covered with a simple wooden plank boardwalk. Shallow drainage ditches were dug on both sides of the walkway to funnel away the water seeping from the rock walls.

The deeper they went, the more intense the chill in the air became. After just a hundred meters, everyone's exhaled breath was turning into faint white mist, and fine goosebumps broke out on their exposed hands and cheeks.

The drainage ditches alongside the boardwalk were filled with a shallow layer of ice water. Occasionally, droplets falling from the ceiling would splash into them, kicking up tiny shards of ice.

"This terrain is truly bizarre. I can't believe it's this cold..." Cheng Ye was genuinely surprised.

Factoring in the descent they had just made, the group was currently only at the base elevation of the hills; they hadn't yet gone truly deep underground.

Yet this freezing cold was at least ten degrees lower than the deepest parts of the Red River mineral vein, which was more than enough proof of this place's abnormality.

As they continued deeper into the mine, the surrounding rock walls were mostly grayish-brown, looking no different from ordinary mountain rock. There was nothing particularly special about them.

Right at that moment, Zheng Dayou, walking behind the two guards, suddenly stopped. He raised a hand and pointed at the right wall. "Inspectors, please take a look. This is the so-called Winter Moon Ore."

Liu Bi instinctively shined his flashlight beam over. On the previously grayish-brown rock wall, a patch of faint ice-blue veins was sprawling outwards. It looked exactly like a stream frozen within the stone, winding its way through the crevices of the rock face.

Under the beam of the flashlight, those veins faintly emanated a hazy halo of light. It was as if nature had used an invisible brush to paint a miraculous scene on the solid stone.

Cheng Ye's gaze swept over the large swaths of ice-blue patterns on the wall, and a powerful sense of familiarity suddenly flashed through his mind.

It felt as though he had seen this exact thing somewhere after his transmigration.

Hmm?

He froze, his footsteps coming to a sudden halt, as scenes buried deep within his memories instantly surged forward.

A world of blinding white, ravaged by blizzards. A bone-chilling wind swirling with ice pellets that stung the face.

Rows of miners hunching over under the harsh berating of their overseers, struggling to excavate the extreme cold ore.

The instant their fingers touched the ore, there was always a sizzling sound like frying oil, followed immediately by the agonizing pain of burning flesh.

Those freshly mined stones were unbelievably similar to the "Winter Moon Ore" clinging to the rock wall before him!

Both were rocks gleaming with a cold white luster, their surfaces meandering with these unique veins, just like a frozen stream entombed in stone by nature.

'Is this... extreme cold ore?' Cheng Ye was startled.

The so-called Winter Moon Ore actually bore a seventy-percent resemblance to the extreme cold ore he had mined during his dream transmigration to Antarctica when he was under the mental pollution of the Myriad Command Earth Dharma Conch.

He instinctively raised his hand, reaching out to touch the ice-blue veins.

"Inspector Cheng, don't touch it!" Zheng Dayou's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly cried out to stop him. But before the words had completely left his mouth, Cheng Ye's fingertips had already brushed against the stone.

Sizzle.

A microscopic hiss sounded, like a droplet of water hitting a red-hot iron skillet.

Cheng Ye jerked his hand back. He saw a faint scorch mark left on the tip of his finger, accompanied by a sharp, burning pain.

'The burning effect is far weaker than that of the extreme cold ore...'

His heart jolted, growing even more certain of the connection between the two.

In his dream, the extreme cold ore would inflict a bone-deep burn the moment it touched human skin. But this Winter Moon Ore merely caused a sting similar to touching a moderately hot griddle, just enough to make a person flinch.

"Inspector Cheng, are you alright?" Zheng Dayou rushed over, his face full of apology and tension. "This ore looks ordinary, but its temperature is actually extremely low. Touching it will burn your skin. I'm sorry, I didn't have time to warn you in detail..."

"I'm fine." Cheng Ye shook his head. With a light rub of his fingertips, the shallow scorch mark completely vanished.

His current constitution had a heaven-earth difference compared to that of a frail miner. Even if he touched the real extreme cold ore, he wouldn't suffer severe burns.

"Brother B, take a close look at the texture of this ore first. I'll search the database to see if there are any related records."

Cheng Ye said, turning his head toward Liu Bi.

"Alright." Liu Bi nodded and leaned in close to the rock wall to observe carefully. From time to time, he gently tapped the stone face with the edge of his Defense Terminal, listening to the echoing sound within.

Cheng Ye stepped over to a quiet spot on one side of the tunnel, pulling out his Defense Terminal and swiftly swiping his finger across the screen.

However, he didn't search for "Winter Moon Ore". Instead, he directly typed the words "extreme cold ore."

The search results popped up quickly: No matching data.

'Could it be that the things I saw in my dream were all illusory? Just a phantom constructed by the Immortal Item?'

Cheng Ye put away the Defense Terminal, an unprovoked wave of unease welling up in his chest.

Even if that history of mining in Antarctica had been thoroughly sealed away, such a special extreme cold ore should have left at least a passing mention in some top-secret archives.

But now, he couldn't find a single thing. Either everything in his dream was fake, or that mining operation was an absolute secret among secrets, with not a single whisper leaking out even to this day.

However, what exactly were those lunatics in Antarctica trying to achieve by sparing no amount of manpower and resources to mine this type of ore?

And what about the final scene in his dream—that unimaginably intense white light that instantly vaporized all the miners and triggered a terrifying explosion that leveled the entire mining zone?

'Wait... an explosion?'

Cheng Ye suddenly shuddered violently. A chill shot straight up his spine to the crown of his head, raising goosebumps all over his body. An uncontrollable urge surged from the bottom of his heart, making him want to turn around and flee this mine immediately.

Back in his dream, he had assumed it was an explosion caused by a Transcendent. He had never linked the white light to the extreme cold ore.

But thinking back on it now, even a peak Transcendent from the previous era couldn't possibly unleash power comparable to a nuclear bomb, thoroughly leveling an area of a hundred kilometers in radius.

'Could it be... that this extreme cold ore inherently possesses the capability to detonate?'

'Could it turn from a special material into a super bomb capable of destroying everything?'

Once this thought arose, it grew wildly like uncontrollable weeds.

"What's wrong?" Liu Bi abruptly turned his head. He caught sight of Cheng Ye's rapidly changing expression from the corner of his eye, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

"It's nothing... yeah, I didn't find any information related to this ore." Cheng Ye forced a weak smile, but the sight of that smile made Liu Bi's heart skip a beat.

Even when they faced terrifying monsters like the Stone Sunflower Persons, this kid had never lost his composure like this.

Could it be that this ore hid some unknown, deadly danger?

"We haven't found any related information either. No one has ever seen this kind of special ore before," Zheng Dayou appropriately chimed in with a bewildered expression.

"Is there more further down? Or is the entire mineral vein made up of this exact type of ore?" Cheng Ye ignored the comment, his eyes remaining locked on the ice-blue veins across the rock wall.

"There's plenty more, and the further down we go, the higher the purity of the ore," Zheng Dayou quickly answered. "What you're seeing now is actually considered relatively low purity. Further down, there are pure white ones that feel even colder to the touch than these."

"Lead the way. Let's take a look," Cheng Ye said in a deep voice.

Suspecting nothing, Zheng Dayou immediately signaled the two guards to continue leading the way.

The party of five stepped along the creaking wooden boardwalk, continuing their descent into the depths of the mine.

Before they knew it, they had walked another hundred meters. The temperature deep inside had plummeted to roughly minus ten degrees Celsius. The freezing air seeped through their collars and cuffs right into their bones. Even dressed in thick autumn clothing, everyone couldn't help but shiver.

The volume of Winter Moon Ore on the rock walls had noticeably increased. Those ice-blue veins gradually faded away, replaced by an almost absolute, flawless white without a hint of impurity. Under the beams of the flashlights, it gave off a luster that was both as mellow as jade and bitterly cold.

This color, this texture—it was already ninety percent identical to the extreme cold ore from his dream!

Cheng Ye's heart clenched tight. An absurd and terrifying thought uncontrollably bubbled up: 'If the mine were to suddenly explode right now, would transforming into the Starfish Superman let me escape alive?'

As soon as the idea formed, he instinctively halted his steps. Turning to look at Zheng Dayou, he forcefully suppressed the violent pounding in his chest. "Lord Zheng, could we extract a piece of ore for me to take back and study? It's too cold down here. If we stay any longer, I'm afraid we'll freeze solid."

"Of course! Absolutely!" Zheng Dayou nodded without a second thought, a hint of joy even surfacing on his face.

He was eager for Cheng Ye to bring back a few pieces, dozens of pieces, or even a whole truckload to Happiness City.

At this point, only by making Happiness City realize the value of this ore and sparking a conflict of interest with Radiant Rainbow Shelter City could Twin Moon Lake carve out a moment of respite in the cracks between the two great powers.

"Then let's head up first," Zheng Dayou continued. "Mining requires specialized tools, and the ore must be stored in cryogenic containers; otherwise, it will lose its potency the moment it leaves the mine. The tools are all up in the cars. I'll arrange for my men to come down and extract the ore right away. We can just wait at the entrance."

"Okay." Cheng Ye agreed, and the group turned around, retracing their steps back to the surface.

Even when the sunlight draped over them, bringing the warmth of early autumn and chasing away the chill from their bodies, Cheng Ye's heart remained heavy, completely unable to settle down.

'Am I just being too sensitive?'

All the intelligence gathered so far confirmed that Zheng Dayou, Captain Zhang, and even Great Banyan and Guanghong behind them, were likely completely oblivious to the existence of extreme cold ore.

They merely treated the Winter Moon Ore as a special material capable of warding off Infected Bodies and serving as an energy isolation medium. They had absolutely no inkling that this substance might harbor apocalyptic destructive power.

This ore was the very foundation of Twin Moon Lake's survival; it had silently protected this Gathering Place for over a decade.

If all of this was a trap laid by the remnants of the Four Sacrifices Cult or the mysterious Starship to scheme against Happiness City or Radiant Rainbow Shelter City, then the scale of their setup was simply too outrageous.

'Could they have planted this pawn over ten years ago?'

Furthermore, the news of the Winter Moon Ore was Zhuang Jing's token of loyalty offered to Great Banyan.

Zhuang Jing betrayed them because the central trade route was abandoned and Twin Moon Lake was steadily declining. Feeling there was no future left, he chose to seek a higher branch to perch on.

This entire chain of events appeared to be mere coincidence. But if it truly was an artificial layout, then the mastermind behind the scenes was far too terrifying.

However, whenever he thought of the Demonic Eye Sponge at the bottom of the White Water River, and the three hundred thousand innocent victims in Leaping Wilderness, Cheng Ye didn't dare hold onto any delusions of luck.

His gaze shifted, landing on Zheng Dayou once more as he summoned the System Panel.

'Intelligence Search. Specific Direction: Related to Starship!'

If Zheng Dayou was a piece on this chessboard, an intelligence search would inevitably reveal some clues.

However, over ten seconds passed. The familiar scene of the Intelligence Space shattering and undergoing Reconstruction never materialized. Instead, the System Panel popped up once again.

[Search Failed. The current search target has no related intelligence. Collector, please specify a new direction.]

[Expended Recharge Value will not be refunded. Action Points increased by: 6]

"Huh? It actually failed?" Cheng Ye couldn't help but be stunned.

This was the very first time he had encountered a situation where an intelligence search came up completely empty.

Previously, no matter how simple the intelligence was, he could always dig out some marginal details. Yet this time, a targeted search for a connection between Zheng Dayou and Starship failed to make even a single ripple.

But didn't this also indirectly prove that Zheng Dayou truly had no ties to Starship whatsoever?

Glancing up at the clear sky overhead, and then checking the remaining 25% Recharge Value on his System Panel, Cheng Ye didn't hesitate in the slightest. He activated the search function once more.

This time, he didn't try to search for the Four Sacrifices Cult again, but instead shifted to a more direct approach.

'Intelligence Search. Specific Direction: Abnormal information related to the Winter Moon Ore!'

By locking solely onto the underground ore itself without imposing any additional restrictions, he might just find something different.

Two or three seconds later, the surrounding air began to ripple like pixels. The familiar scene materialization arrived right on schedule.

Cheng Ye took a deep breath and concentrated his gaze, only to discover that the materialized location this time was exactly the entrance to the mine.

Except, the mine entrance before his eyes was completely different from the systematic archway they had just left.

This entrance was only waist-high. Its edges were jagged, lined with rugged, bizarre rocks. The pitch-black mouth of the cave exuded a sinister aura, looking exactly like a wild burrow hollowed out of the hillside by some feral beast.

Looking around, the entire span of hills was blanketed in pristine white snow. The space between heaven and earth was a vast emptiness. There was no sign whatsoever of the two azure lakes down below. It was clearly a scene from the depths of a harsh winter.

Standing in the snow by the cave entrance was a familiar figure. It was a less weather-beaten Zheng Dayou, wearing a leather hat and a bulky, old padded jacket. He continuously stomped his feet to stay warm, his eyes locked intensely on the dark opening.

He tightly gripped a straw rope in his hands. The other end of the rope stretched all the way into the deepest parts of the mine.

Before long, a rustling noise echoed from within the cave. Soon after, a man hunched his back and strained to crawl out of the narrow opening.

The man's head was covered in dirt and ash. His messy hair was tangled into a clump, dusted with fine gravel and stone chips. A thick layer of grime masked his face, leaving only a pair of bloodshot eyes exposed, radiating an unconcealable exhaustion and wariness.

He was similarly dressed in a severely tattered gray padded jacket. The cuffs and trouser legs were worn through with massive holes. His exposed arms and calves were riddled with scratches and frostbite, the skin as coarse as old tree bark.

One end of that straw rope was tied securely around his waist, and a chipped, small pickaxe hung by his side.

Zheng Dayou immediately scanned his surroundings with high alert. Only after confirming there was no one around did he reach out and haul the man out of the hole.

His gaze fell upon the mining basket on the man's back. Seeing four perfectly snow-white Winter Moon Ores resting quietly inside, a look of pure joy spread across his face. "Old Zhuang, you've worked hard! My legs have been cramping up lately; I really couldn't go down there."

"It's fine. I'm used to the cold anyway." The man sighed, setting down the heavy basket. He collapsed onto the snow, panting heavily for breath.

He raised a callous-covered hand and wiped the dirt from his face, revealing an exceedingly ordinary countenance.

Cheng Ye recognized him instantly. This was the Vice Lord of Twin Moon Lake listed in the files—Zhuang Jing!

It was just that this face was truly plain. Tossed into a crowd, he would be completely forgotten in the blink of an eye.

"Got a smoke?" Zhuang Jing asked, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah, I've got some." Zheng Dayou quickly fished a crumpled pack of rolled cigarettes from his pocket. He pulled one out, struck a match to light it, and passed it over.

Zhuang Jing took the cigarette and brought it to his lips, taking a fierce drag. The thick smoke made him cough violently a few times, but he couldn't bear to stop.

After puffing out clouds of smoke for a good while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. The exhaustion gathered between his brows finally dissipated slightly.

"I'm going to head down two more times in a bit. I need to mine some more ore to leave a surplus for the territory."

Zhuang Jing flicked the ash. The back of his bony hand was frozen a raw, painful red. "Otherwise, if I get delayed over at Great Banyan, you won't even be able to get down into the cave to mine with those bad legs of yours."

"Ugh..." Zheng Dayou opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it eventually turned into a long sigh. He sat down in the snow beside him. "It's all my fault for being too careless this year. I didn't send people to the surrounding Shelter Cities in advance to stock up on medicine. Now that the Cold Plague has broken out on a massive scale, everyone is in a panic. I even have to make you personally lead a team to Great Banyan to buy medicine. It's been tough on you."

"Why are you bringing this up?" Zhuang Jing cursed under his breath, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Isn't it because Happiness City completely cut off their supply to us this year? If the trade route was still open, when would we ever need to rely on someone else's charity?"

He paused, then turned to look at Zheng Dayou with a serious expression. "I know the road to Great Banyan well; I've traveled it enough times. It won't be a problem. But the round trip will take at least half a month on foot. After I leave, you need to keep a close eye on the inside of the territory. Guard it strictly and don't let the Cold Plague spread any further."

"Also," Zhuang Jing suddenly shifted the subject. "I want to take some of the ore powder with me on the journey. This stuff can conceal auras. If we run into Infected Bodies or an Infection Tide on the road, it'll provide an extra layer of protection..."

"No! You absolutely cannot take it outside!" Zheng Dayou interrupted him almost instinctively, his voice abruptly rising in pitch. Realizing his loss of composure, he smiled bitterly and lowered his voice. "Old Zhuang, it's not like you don't know the consequences of this stuff. If you take this ore powder out and someone discovers it, our Twin Moon Lake will be completely finished. It would be a catastrophic disaster!"

"Don't worry!" Zhuang Jing hastily waved his hand to promise, his tone urgent. "I'll only use it on the road. When we're about to reach Great Banyan Shelter City, I'll definitely hide the remaining powder securely. I absolutely won't let anyone find out!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but complain in a low whisper. "This entire journey is through barren mountains and wilderness. An extra measure of protection is an extra chance at staying alive."

Zheng Dayou fell silent. His gaze fell upon the bottomless darkness of the cave entrance, his brow furrowed tightly.

Snow pellets landed on his hair, quickly accumulating into a thin layer of white frost. Zhuang Jing was braving massive risks to travel and seek medicine for the Gathering Place. If he couldn't even agree to this small request, it would make him look far too incompetent and cold-hearted as a Lord.

It wasn't until the light and shadows of the intelligence scene began to waver slightly, looking as if they were about to dissipate, that he finally gave a difficult nod. His voice was hoarse. "Then you must be extremely careful. You don't just have to guard against outsiders—you also need to keep an eye on the people traveling with you. Don't..."

"Rest assured!" Zhuang Jing flashed a wide grin, revealing two rows of smoke-stained yellow teeth. His tone carried a trace of his usual boldness. "No one will ever know. Besides, haven't we survived all these years of storms and hardships together?"

As he spoke, he wiped away a dribble of snot caused by the freezing cold and pressed his cigarette butt into the snow, watching the embers slowly extinguish.

He then braced his hands on his knees and stood up. He patted the snow from his clothes, grabbed the small pickaxe from the ground, and tipped his chin toward Zheng Dayou. "I've rested enough! Save the rest of those smokes for me; I'll finish them when I get back from this trip!"