Chapter Bonanza (4/10)

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Over the next few days, not much changed in the Star Forest. The temperature remained stable in the low twenties below zero, with only occasional minor fluctuations.

Given the players’ current physical attributes, this temperature wasn’t particularly unbearable. Aside from feeling a bit uncomfortable when the temperature dropped suddenly at first, everyone adapted quickly.

It was cold, but since they didn’t have to go to work or stay up late, they felt energetic and in high spirits every day.

Aside from warming up by the fire and practicing the martial arts they’d bought from Qiyu, they didn’t have much else to do. 

So they started finding their own ways to have fun.

A “wave of artistry” swept through the regional channel of Server 01. No one knew who first started posting pictures of their snowmen in the regional channel, but soon, most people joined in. 

Qiyu had thought more than once that Earth people were truly interesting: no matter what their surroundings, they always seemed to find ways to entertain themselves. 

He hadn’t been idle at all these past few days.

He wasn’t really interested in the basic martial arts the players were learning.

He had his butler give him special lessons.

Qiyu had his butler teach him, one by one, all forty-nine martial arts techniques he had mastered. 

He already had a good memory to begin with, and now that he spent his free time every day meditating under the Tree of Life and the Tree of Wisdom, his comprehension had improved by leaps and bounds.

While learning martial arts, as soon as the three days were up, he would go to the Earth Guardians on the dot to get beaten up. 

There was also the *Fundamentals of Magic Circles* course he’d spent a lot of gold coins on earlier.

Although he now had Teacher Aegnor, he’d paid a hefty price for it, so taking just two lessons would still be too extravagant.

He continued with his classes.

Teacher Karen seemed genuinely surprised by his appearance. The entire three-hour class was spent without a single moment of wasted time. 

When Qiyu returned to the shelter, only then did he realize: What Teacher Karen taught didn’t really seem like a basic course, did it? 

In any case, he was running around nonstop every day. It might not have looked like much was going on, but he never had a moment to spare. 

During this time, God Has No Form would come over every day via the teleportation array to dig for snow. 

Qiyu also got a brief update on the situation in the Golden Desert: it was much like the Star Forest—hot, with the sun beating down every day. 

Everyone seemed to have entered a brief period of rest—the weather wasn’t very pleasant, but there didn’t seem to be any major dangers either.

The first week of the second month passed quietly yet meaningfully.

That night, Qiyu had just returned from getting beaten up by the Earth Guardians. 

That evening, he didn’t practice his cultivation; instead, he took a shower, changed into comfortable pajamas, and happily curled up under the covers to sleep. 

In the middle of the night, as he drifted in and out of sleep, the noise outside seemed to grow louder.

The north wind howled, as if it were about to overturn the heavens and earth.

The sleeper furrowed his brow and instinctively pulled the covers a little tighter around himself. Since he sensed no danger, he soon drifted into a deeper sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, Qiyu realized something was wrong.

He opened his personal panel.

【Current Location: Star Forest.】

【Today’s Weather: Blizzard, -41°C to -37°C, Strong Winds (Level 9).】

The temperature had dropped again.

He opened the regional channel, and his eyes narrowed.

The number of players in Channel 01 of Region 01 had been stuck at 72,000 for quite some time. 

But now, that number had dropped to 71,863.

【Cockroach Taste Is So Weird: Over a hundred people missing from last night?】

【Irritable Brother: Not many people slept well last night, huh? With that wind blowing, I was on edge the whole time, afraid the roof of my shelter would get blown off.】

【Liver Emperor: Is anyone already up and able to go outside? Try chopping down a tree.】

【Liver Emperor: @I Love Survival Game, gaming pros—I’m having a logging restriction here. The tree I chopped down yesterday hasn’t respawned today—it says there’s a 3-day cooldown.】

【Roadside Drifter: Seriously? @Liver Emperor, with this crappy weather, we’d really freeze to death if we didn’t have a fire.】

【Irritable Brother: Dude, you’re way too hardcore, aren’t you? It’s barely dawn! @Liver Emperor】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: The temperature dropped in the early hours of last night, and the wind picked up. I saw players on the zone chat asking for help, saying their wooden cabins were losing durability really fast.】

【Dare Not Open My Eyes: I guess they didn’t upgrade their shelters much. I’ll send some wood their way. Sigh.】

In this kind of weather, if the shelter starts having problems, it really is “Hell Mode” for players.

【Have a Cup of Cappuccino: I didn’t sleep much last night either, and I saw those players talking too. To be honest, they chose this path themselves—they can’t blame anyone else.】

【Have a Cup of Cappuccino: I’m not very good at this either, and my luck’s been bad— I can’t get the blueprints together, and my shelter is still at level one. But from what the pros in the group are saying, they’ve been chopping down trees and stockpiling wood these past few days, and whenever they have free time, they’re practicing combat skills. 】

【A Cup of Cappuccino: Last night, my fences and house kept showing durability loss, but I had enough wood, so I just had to replenish it in time.】

【A Cup of Cappuccino: A few players’ IDs went gray last night—the ones who constantly spouted “slacker” rhetoric in the zone chat, always saying they didn’t want to be slaves in a survival game and would rather die than return to Earth. Once I advised them to stockpile more resources when they had time, and I even got cursed out for it. Maybe by now, they’ve really gone back to Earth.】

“A Cup of Cappuccino” isn’t usually an active player on the zone channel; it’s rare for them to post this much.

Many players watching fell silent.

In Server 01, with over 70,000 players, only a small fraction have upgraded their shelters to Level 2 so far. 

Most players are still in sturdy wooden cabins, and last night, they were all affected to some extent.

But as Cappuccino said, when a shelter’s durability takes damage, the survival panel issues a warning—even the deepest sleeper would be woken up.

If they’d saved up a few resources to make timely repairs, they wouldn’t have been wiped out in a single wave.

Upon reading the Liver Emperor’s post, Qiyu immediately got up, changed his clothes, and prepared to go out and take a look.

As he passed the windowsill, he paused in surprise.

The drifting bottle had actually returned at this moment.

He had previously tried to figure out the pattern of when the drifting bottle returned home; if he could find a pattern, he wouldn’t have to worry about missing its return when he happened to be busy.

But after a few tries, the length of time the drifting bottle disappeared… showed absolutely no pattern.

The shortest might be three days; the longest could be over ten days.

He didn’t open the drifting bottle right away, but instead quickly jumped out the window, spreading his Azure Sky Wings to instantly fly beyond his territory. 

It’s so cold.

Qiyu was instantly reminded of the blizzard he’d seen on the frozen plains of winter—it was just like this, a blinding white expanse where the wind whipped up ice and snow, lashing heavily against him. 

His vision was also a blinding white; visibility was practically zero.

However, he had his Guardian Mage Robe for protection, and in this area, even if he were to walk with his eyes closed, he would know exactly where the trees were. 

Upon reaching the edge of a forest, Qiyu saw the familiar “Cutable” mark. 

He pulled his logging axe out of his backpack.

What used to take him half an hour to chop down a tree now required just a single swing—the tree in front of him instantly turned into a neat pile of wood.

Qiyu didn’t pause; he chopped down the entire small grove in one go and collected all the fallen logs.

However, to verify what the “Liver Emperor” had said, he’d have to wait until tomorrow. 

Flying back into the bedroom through the window, Qiyu felt as if he were a thief in his own home. 

He fished the drifting bottle out of the wooden chest.

He opened it.

【The Duke of Nodding in the Kaila Empire has a young daughter whose seven-year-old life is nearing its end. Her wish is to meet a legendary elf.】 

【Commission: Are you willing to play the role of an elf and grant the little girl’s wish?】

【We simply couldn’t find a suitable candidate for this commission, so the drifting bottle is grasping at straws. You may decline.】

Qiyu: ???

His first reaction was, “Drifting bottle, you seem to be putting me on the spot on one hand, yet being quite considerate on the other.”

“You want me to play the role of an elf?”

He instinctively wanted to refuse.

But as his finger hovered over the options, he glanced at the mission description once more.

Seven years old. 

His gaze lingered there for a long time, his eyelashes fluttering gently.

Thank goodness she’s so young. 

Perhaps the mission was a bit of a “tough ask,” but unlike his usual missions, this one didn’t give him ten minutes to decide.

It was as if he’d been given ample time to consider it.

Just then, the teleportation array request lit up.

Dan Xingyu walked in carrying a lunchbox.

Seeing Qiyu, he asked, “Is something bothering you?”

Qiyu answered honestly: “It’s not exactly a bother, but I’m just a bit unsure how to go about it.”

The moment he answered, he made up his mind: he’d take it.

A seven-year-old girl on the verge of death.

He didn’t really want to refuse.

Besides, aside from that, there was something else about it that drew him in.

According to the client’s description, the mission location appeared to be the Kaila Empire.

He’d never been there, but he’d heard of it. The weapons used by the alchemist puppets in the territory were standard issue for the Kaila Empire’s military.

Although the butler could cook, Qiyu had previously given all the ingredients he’d bought to Dan Xingyu.

And… …deep down, he felt that although the butler’s cooking was delicious, after eating it for a few days, he realized it all tasted pretty much the same. 

Perhaps it was ultimately a limitation of an alchemical life.

Dan Xingyu’s cooking was still better. 

Since Dan Xingyu came to dig for snow every day anyway, he continued to take on the role of head chef.

Today, he prepared two kinds of breakfast.

A sour and spicy cold noodle dish that was very appetizing, paired with a cold salad of braised game meat and vinegar-tossed cucumbers. 

In addition, there was steaming, milky-white soy milk; lightly sweetened tofu pudding; and plump, steamed buns—available in both meat and vegetable fillings. 

The cold noodles were for Dan Xingyu himself. Although his territory also had a temperature-regulating magic array, the heat was too intense and the sun too blazing, so his appetite was naturally affected by the environment. 

Considering that Qiyu was in the midst of a frozen wasteland, he switched to a breakfast that would warm the stomach—coincidentally, the soybeans Qiyu had planted earlier had ripened, so he’d developed several new delicacies.

“Tell me about it. I’ll see if I can help you.”

Qiyu picked up a bowl of soy milk; he fell in love with it the very first time he tasted it.

He blew gently on it, waiting for the soy milk to cool down a bit: “I’ve received a commission.”

He explained the mission and voiced his dilemma: “How am I supposed to pretend I’m an elf?” ”

Dan Xingyu was surprised: “The Kaila Empire? When you went out exploring before, did you take on missions like this too?”

Qiyu nodded.

“What a fascinating life,” Dan Xingyu marveled. “It’s like you’re playing a different version of the survival game than we are. ‘Traveling Qiyu’? ‘Miracle Yu Yu Travels the World’?”

Amid the puzzled stares of the local children, he couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

After laughing, Dan Xingyu studied Qiyu and said earnestly, “To be honest, I don’t think you even need to pretend. You already look a lot like an elf.” 

Qiyu: “But I’ve met Teacher Aegnor, and he looks different from us.”

Dan Xingyu: “Isn’t that even better? Just dress up to look like your teacher!” 

Qiyu asked in confusion, “Like this?”

Dan Xingyu nodded confidently: “It’s a cosplay commission, right? I’ve looked into it before—I almost went into the business.” 

The only reason he didn’t go into it was that he wasn’t a legal adult at the time and couldn’t take on the job. 

“Tell me what your teacher looks like. Let’s figure out together how to recreate the look as closely as possible.”

Qiyu: “Long silver hair, braided into plaits, wearing a silver headband, pointed ears…” 

Dan Xingyu jotted down each detail, nodding: “Sounds pretty much like the elves I remember.”

He hesitated: “We’re in a survival game right now, so wigs and colored contact lenses are hard to come by.”

His eyes lit up: “Aren’t you a mage?” 

He gestured: “Could you cast a spell to make your hair longer or change its color or something?”

“I just remembered,” he said. “Back during the Racing Carnival, you were able to turn your eyes silver.”

Qiyu: “…That was a transformation using mental energy. Would that work here too?”

Dan Xingyu replied confidently: “Of course! And this is the real thing—it’s way better than colored contact lenses.” 

Qiyu blinked once, and in an instant, his entire iris turned silver.

“Wow, that’s so cool!” Dan Xingyu praised, then, remembering something, quickly asked, “Does maintaining this state make you feel uncomfortable, or does it drain a lot of energy?”

If it did, he’d have to figure out another way.

Qiyu shook his head: “No.”

It’s just a matter of mobilizing a few spirit particles.

However, he seemed to have found some inspiration from this move.

While Dan Xingyu was still racking his brain for a solution, he had already tried casting a growth spell on his own hair.

Dan Xingyu watched in amazement as his friend’s hair grew longer and longer, just like a special effect, all the way down to his waist. 

His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, smoothly down to his waist—if he were on Earth, he could shoot a commercial in no time. 

Unaware of his friend’s shock, Qiyu was himself marveling at the magic’s power.

Curious, he cupped a lock of hair to examine it, then tried again.

Magic drawn from the source of ice and snow surged through him, and inch by inch, his black hair took on the frosty hue of ice and snow. 9

“Success!” He looked up at Dan Xingyu with delight. 

Dan Xingyu had been very quiet ever since that moment. 

Meeting Qiyu’s gaze, he cleared his throat. For some reason, his eyes wandered off somewhere.

Perhaps it was because his friend looked so—so…

Too dazzling. 

That’s right! Too dazzling! 

Dan Xingyu finally found the answer and convinced himself. 

It’s blinding my eyes, which is why I have to avoid the direct glare. 

Having found the reason, his mind suddenly settled, and his inner advisor came back online: “Absolutely perfect! Now, all that’s missing is the outfit and styling.”

“Your mage robes are fine, but you definitely can’t wear that outfit underneath them.”

Qiyu: “I’ve got that—I have a full set of mage robes.”

He thought to himself: “They call it a mage robe set, but it actually looks a lot like what Aegnor wears.”

He asked Dan Xingyu to wait a moment while he went back to his bedroom to change into a set of green mage robes.

When he came out, he glanced in the mirror and was taken aback by his own reflection. 

A moment later, his heart was filled with confidence.

Because—the instant he saw himself in the mirror just now, he almost didn’t recognize himself.

And! Most importantly, his first thought was: I look kind of noble now, too. 

He swept over to Dan Xingyu’s side like a light breeze.

Dan Xingyu’s hand, resting on the table, clenched instinctively, as if trying to grasp something. 

Qiyu didn’t notice, and Dan Xingyu didn’t mind.

“Perfect,” he marveled, gazing at his friend in awe. “Now, who dares say you’re not an elf?” 

His hair had grown longer, and his head felt much heavier; Qiyu wasn’t quite used to it. 

He said, “When I first started learning magic, my hair would grow a whole lot every morning when I woke up—it was really inconvenient. It took me several days of using a sword to stop it from growing.” 

Dan Xingyu motioned for him to sit down, reached out, and grabbed a handful of his long silver hair. 

Perhaps due to the blade’s ice magic, it felt cold and silky to the touch, like a wisp of cool moonlight.

He said softly, “I’ll braid it for you—that’ll make it more manageable.”

Qiyu was surprised: “You know how to do that, too?”

“Dan Xingyu, how come you know how to do everything?”

As soon as he finished saying this, he abruptly fell silent.

Dan Xingyu was only eighteen—younger than he was.

Knowing so many random things isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Earth, as seen on the regional channel, looked peaceful and prosperous, so why would a kid learn so many things? 

Dan Xingyu said smugly, “Of course. During my breaks, I go to tourist spots to braid people’s hair—I can make over a thousand yuan a day. Because no one else has as many styles as I do.” 

He wasn’t bragging; his hands moved quickly and steadily. Before Qiyu could even register what was happening, he heard him say, “All done.”

He moved his head slightly, and sure enough, no stray strands of hair slipped down.

Dan Xingyu turned his head away, not looking at him. 

He said, “All done. I guarantee that with how you look right now, absolutely no one will suspect a thing.”

Qiyu thought it looked about right, too.

He remembered something, raised his hand, and a small piece of ice slowly formed in his palm.

He pinched the ice into a pair of pointed ears and placed them on his own ears. 

“Now I have pointed ears, too.”

Dan Xingyu shuddered as he watched: “Won’t that be cold?”

Qiyu smiled: “This is my magic—how could it be cold?”

He looked at Dan Xingyu: “Well then, I’m getting ready to head out. Based on my experience, I’ll be back by tomorrow night at the latest.”

Although Dan Xingyu had long known he had ways to explore the outside world, this was still the first time he’d seen him leave the territory. 

Moreover, from what he said, it was the completely unfamiliar Kaila Empire.

He asked nervously, “It shouldn’t be dangerous, right?”

Suddenly, there was a flash before his eyes, and a dark green cloak completely enveloped the figure, which seemed to be glowing.

Qiyu had put on his Guardian Mage Robe.

Qiyu pointed to the emblem on his chest: “It’ll protect me.” 

Barring any surprises, the Kaila Empire should also have a mages association.

Dan Xingyu didn’t know why, but once the mage’s robe was on and he could no longer see his friend’s face, his breathing seemed to instantly become more natural.

“That’s good,” he said with a smile. “If anything comes up, contact me anytime.”

He asked again, “Do you still have any teleportation scrolls? If not, I’ll give you another one. ”

He repeatedly assured himself that he would be very careful, stay safe, and bring all the necessary supplies.

Qiyu opened the interface and selected “Accept Quest.”

Soon, the clop-clop-clop of horse hooves echoed in the distance. 

Just as Qiyu was about to walk over, a message he’d never seen before popped up on his Survival Interface:

【Detected a player with the “Mind In Sync” title. You may invite a teammate with the same title to form a party and complete the quest.】

【Invite?】

Qiyu froze in place.

He spun around abruptly.

Dan Xingyu was standing right behind him, looking at him and asking, “Did you drop something?”

Qiyu: “I didn’t drop anything, but I did leave behind a good friend.”

“God Has No Form—do you want to come explore the new world with me?”