Chapter 34: Snowfall

Just for this moment, Cheng Shuili could already see the white mist she exhaled.

The temperature kept dropping, Cheng Shuili couldn't help but shiver; she instantly realized she couldn't stay like that, quickly donned the polar cold‑weather suit, and then resumed examining the heating stove.

【Advanced heating stove (unlit)】

【Current fuel remaining burn time: 7 days】

Need to ignite?

Cheng Shuili slapped her forehead; she had thought it was automatic.

Cheng Shuili rummaged through her supply pile for a while before finally finding the matches she had gotten from a bug‑glitch when opening a supply crate.

Fifteen sticks, enough for use.

She lit a piece of toilet paper and tossed it into the heating stove; the temperature inside the vehicle instantly began rising at an implausibly fast rate.

After a short while, the polar thermal suit Cheng Shuili wore also maintained a comfortable temperature, even emitting a bit of cool air.

That was both a good thing and a bad thing.

It meant that once the wood burned cleanly, the temperature inside the vehicle would quickly equal the outside temperature.

But that wasn't what Cheng Shuili needed to worry about right now.

She took off the polar thermal suit, left it at the doorway, so it could serve as a winter down jacket—just put it on when she went out.

Cheng Shuili packed away her supplies, lay back on the sofa, habitually opened the regional channel, and only then noticed a chorus of wails inside.

【Embrace】: Who can give me some hot water? I'm really going to freeze to death.

【Gentle】: I've already put on six layers of clothing, the outermost still a winter down jacket, and it's useless.

【Yue Qiu】: Who still has warm clothing? I'll trade food; I still have a box of self‑heating rice. You people who got the heating stove shouldn't need winter clothes, right? My friend sent me a description of the heating stove.

【Dong Liushui】: I'll give you a cotton jacket in exchange, details via private chat.

【Liu Tian】: Remember to keep some for yourself upstairs; you can't stay by the heating stove all the time. Are you going to move the stove to open supply crates?

【Dong Liushui】: Almost forgot this, @Yue Qiu, no longer swapping.

The duck that saw the eye and mouth flew away; Yue Qiu, embarrassed and angry, directly at‑mentioned Liu Tian in the regional channel and started threatening.

【Yue Qiu】: @Liu Tian, stay out of other people's business.

Such incidents happen every moment; Cheng Shuili, besides watching the spectacle, doesn't develop any other thoughts.

Looking at the two avatars in her friends list, she thought for a moment and still sent a message.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: Are the heating facilities sufficient?

Liang Shan Bo Yu Zhu Ying Lai replied quickly; it was clear he was watching the two argue in the regional channel.

【Liang Shan Bo Yu Zhu Ying Lai】: It's enough for now; after turning on the heating stove it's really warm, and the winter items we prepared are useless in the vehicle.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: Hmm.

Cheng Shuili replied with a single word, 'Fine.'

These two long‑term collaborators, Cheng Shuili naturally helped out whenever she could.

One is a naive sweetie; even the fine steel dagger hasn't gone up in price, and later gave Cheng Shuili a set of winter warming gear, though it's now unnecessary.

The other is her long‑term food ticket; how Cheng Shuili's meals are, in a way, depends on Wan Yi's situation.

But being dependent on others feels quite uncomfortable, and Cheng Shuili almost instinctively frowned.

Later she realized that it was actually Wan Yi who was dependent on her; every time Wan Yi cooked with fresh ingredients, Cheng Shuili had taken them from the fridge and delivered them.

It can be said the two of them complement each other; either one leaving would be a huge loss.

Wan Yi didn't reply.

Cheng Shuili thought for a moment and felt the other might have gone to sleep early.

It's already almost one o'clock.

Cheng Shuili finally glanced at the big truck parked behind.

She has to get up early tomorrow morning; that big truck is also a threat.

At dawn the next day, Cheng Shuili, who had slept less than six hours, opened her eyes promptly at seven o'clock.

She habitually looked out the window; what caught her eye wasn't the familiar terrifying monster face, but a oil‑stained monster face covered in white snow, only its eyes visible, looking somewhat dumb‑cute.

Cheng Shuili: "…"

She incredulously propped herself up, leaned close to the window and examined it carefully.

She indeed hadn't mistaken it; the creature was a hundred times dumber than she imagined.

Snow fell through the night, and this oil‑stained monster honestly stood still the whole night; snowflakes hammered its skull into a point, yet it didn't even twitch its head.

At that moment, when their eyes met Cheng Shuili's, they got excited, each throwing its head back and howling "Aowoo~ Aowoo~", and right in front of Cheng Shuili they dumped a snowfall on her.

Not to mention, it was oddly romantic.

Cheng Shuili withdrew her gaze and, still wearing a short‑sleeved shirt, crawled out of the sleeping bag.

She hadn't slept comfortably last night; the temperature made the sleeping bag a bit warm.

Moreover, last night, something inside the sleeping bag was cold and hard, waking her up with a chill several times.

She just realized that it was a few bottles of mineral water she had stuffed into the sleeping bag for fear they'd freeze and become undrinkable.

Cheng Shuili: "…"

Sometimes she really wants to kneel and beg herself not to be so cautious.

Then she realized that even while kneeling she could still be very cautious.

Cheng Shuili, wearing a short‑sleeved shirt and shorts, went to the sink to wash her face; a handful of ice water splashed onto her face, instantly clearing her mind, and before she could even wipe the water off, she walked to the back of the carriage to look at the big truck.

It was already gone.

It seems the road merger has already ended.

Cheng Shuili didn't let her guard down; she sheathed the fine steel dagger at her lower back, then opened the door and got out of the vehicle.

The distance three meters around the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle are at the same temperature.

Cheng Shuili wants to get out of the vehicle to do a set of tai chi as morning exercise, and incidentally check whether there are any other vehicles around the vehicle.

It was soon eight o'clock.

At this point, the highway merger inevitably leads to a fierce battle.

The system seems to still be favoring her, or perhaps the highway merger has a cooldown time.

Cheng Shuili didn't see any other vehicles.

She yawned lazily, directly ignoring the monsters glaring covetously around her, and made a mismatched tai chi starting motion.

Morning practice.

Just practice, what does it matter what you practice?

After Cheng Shuili finished a set, her body felt neither sore nor itchy, and she didn't even sweat.

But some acupoints indeed felt more comfortable, which is also why Cheng Shuili has persisted these days.

Wan Yi's message arrived just in time; only then did Cheng Shuili see that this person had sent several messages at six o'clock.

Wan Yi: I went to bed early last night, didn't see it, and just woke up from the cold.

Wan Yi: Now there's no problem, just that we're a bit short on wood. But I guess today's supply box might possibly yield wood; the system can't just watch us burn up all the wood, can it?

Wan Yi: What should we eat for breakfast today?

Wan Yi: I still have some preserved eggs and meat; let's have preserved egg and lean pork congee today, hoping it doesn't conflict with your dietary taboos.

"You have received a gift from player Wan Yi: a bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee, 756g."