Chapter 18: Extreme Cold Weather

"The temperature outside must have dropped below zero already," Zhao Kuo remarked, gazing at the thick blanket of snow outside the train car, feeling somewhat incredulous. How could it be snowing inside the subway tracks? But as he watched the falling snowflakes, he quickly came to terms with it. In the subway world, nothing was impossible.

Fortunately, they had spent some materials to build a stove, and the roaring flames inside kept the temperature in the car at a bearable level. It was just bearable, not exactly warm, since most of the car was made of wood, which wasn't very insulating.

Tang Yingying crouched by the stove, staring at her frozen water condenser, her heart aching. "I wonder if melted snow can be drunk," Zhao Kuo murmured, looking out the window.

"Don't count on it," Tang Yingying pouted, feeling a bit annoyed. Although the water condenser didn't produce much water in a day, it was a stable source of income if used sparingly. Clean water had always been in short supply in the subway world.

Zhao Kuo sighed. He hadn't expected to leave Lushan Station so abruptly after falling asleep. He hadn't even gotten the items from Yor's treasure vault. But the puppet had said that Yor would come to fulfill his promise once he was done.

Zhao Kuo stopped the train and carefully collected some snow. Before it could melt, he received a message from Luo Ping'an.

Luo Ping'an: "Not sure if you've tried it yet, but snow water has a strange taste. I just experimented with a mutated mouse. After drinking the melted snow, parts of its body mutated. It's probably not safe to drink."

Luo Ping'an had also shared this information in the chat channel, helping many people avoid a potential pitfall.

Seeing this, Zhao Kuo immediately tossed the snow out of the plate. Before falling asleep last night, he had used subway coins to buy several practical items, including pots, pans, and other utensils.

"Thanks. How are things on your end? Do you need any help?" Zhao Kuo asked Luo Ping'an.

Luo Ping'an chuckled and quickly replied, "I'm doing fine for now. My car's insulation is pretty good. Someone made a simple thermometer, and it's estimated that the outside temperature has dropped to -5°C. If nothing unexpected happens, the temperature will continue to drop."

Zhao Kuo: "Extreme cold weather… Looks like fur for insulation is going to get more expensive."

Luo Ping'an: "I've already stocked up on some, but these items aren't as abundant as wooden planks. I only have about a dozen pieces, but I expect to make a profit of over a hundred subway coins."

That's the mindset of a merchant—always thinking about how to make money.

By the time Zhao Kuo thought of stocking up on sheepskin and wool, the market had already been swept clean by various merchants. Fortunately, he still had a piece of sheepskin that could be used for warmth.

With that in mind, Zhao Kuo took out the sheepskin and draped it over himself. It was undeniably warm, though the faint smell of sheep was a bit unpleasant.

"Hmm? What's that smell?" Tang Yingying, who had a nose like a dog's, immediately noticed Zhao Kuo pulling out the sheepskin and shamelessly tried to snatch it.

"You're becoming more and more shameless," Zhao Kuo said, looking at the girl who was squeezing in, feeling somewhat helpless.

Tang Yingying scoffed and muttered, "Shamelessness doesn't fill your stomach. But aren't you worried about having to cover a thousand kilometers in seven days?"

The journey from Lushan Station to the next station was 2030 kilometers, with a deadline of seven days. Those who failed to arrive on time would be erased by the system.

Zhao Kuo's eyes showed a hint of worry. "I'm more concerned about Brother Gu Shan and the others. Without a steam locomotive… it's going to be tough."

"That's true…" Tang Yingying sighed, then added, "The subway world wouldn't give us a mission that's impossible to complete, right?"

Meanwhile, on the other side, Gu Shan, who was continuously pedaling, sighed as he looked at the snow outside. Over a thousand kilometers—a number that was utterly despairing.

At that moment, most people's trains were only moving at 10-15 kilometers per hour. Even if they pedaled non-stop for 24 hours a day, they wouldn't make it in seven days. Moreover, most people didn't even have train cars, and in the extreme cold, they would inevitably freeze to death.

Fortunately, Tang Yingying and Zhao Kuo were connected, so he didn't have to worry about them. Zhao Kuo's steam-powered train could operate 24 hours a day, so reaching the next station in seven days wasn't a problem.

Zhao Kuo did the math. At the current speed of Gu Shan and Luo Ping'an, there was no way they could make it in seven days. In fact, aside from himself, the vast majority of people wouldn't be able to reach the next station in time, especially in such extreme cold. Once a person's body heat was depleted, they could easily fall into hypothermia.

Watching the numbers in the chat channel slowly decrease, Zhao Kuo felt a pang of unease.

But just then, Tang Yingying suddenly shouted, "Hey, look! What's that ahead?"

Zhao Kuo looked over and saw, amidst the snowstorm, a platform emitting a faint light, seemingly abandoned.

"There might be supplies inside!" Tang Yingying exclaimed excitedly.

Zhao Kuo slowed the train and carefully parked it next to the platform. With Tang Yingying's addition, their train now had four cars. Although a bit shabby, it did resemble a proper subway train.

Zhao Kuo didn't rush to get off but instead observed the abandoned station through the window. It was small, with just a platform and a small building, covered in snow, appearing exceptionally quiet.

Zhao Kuo thought for a moment and tossed a piece of iron into the snow. There was no reaction, suggesting the environment inside the abandoned station was relatively safe.

But given Zhao Kuo's cautious nature, he wouldn't just go down like that. Instead, he had Tang Yingying release the stuffed bunny.

Tang Yingying was a bit exasperated but had no choice but to release the bunny, tossing it into the snow outside the car. The stuffed bunny seemed to have its own senses, trembling slightly before cautiously moving forward, step by step, under its owner's command.

After all, the stuffed bunny's abilities were quite useful, and Tang Yingying didn't want anything to happen to it.

But just as the bunny was about to reach the small building, something unexpected happened. A swarm of white bugs suddenly emerged from the snow, flying toward the stuffed bunny.

"Not good!" Zhao Kuo's expression turned serious.

"Disappear!" Tang Yingying didn't hesitate, immediately activating the bunny's invisibility function and maneuvering it back to the car.

The disappearing figure made the strange bugs pause for a moment before they retreated back into the snow.

Not very intelligent, huh… Zhao Kuo thought, observing the bugs that had hidden away instead of following the footprints. He began to form a theory.

The stuffed bunny returned to the car safely, its ugly face now wearing a somewhat silly expression.

Tang Yingying quickly comforted it, then turned to Zhao Kuo. "What do we do? It seems like the bugs only attack when we get close to the building. There must be something good inside."

"Even if there's something good, it's not worth the risk," Zhao Kuo said.

With so many bugs guarding it, whatever was inside the station must be valuable. But as the saying goes, unnecessary risks shouldn't be taken.

Without hesitation, Zhao Kuo started the train.

But just then, a message came from Luo Ping'an.

Luo Ping'an: "Brother Zhao, someone got word that there's an abandoned station on the way to the next station. Inside the abandoned station is a steam locomotive. Have you come across it?"