Chapter Thirty-Three: A World Enshrouded in Ice

Using the excuse of “carrying a divine relic,” Chen Zi’ang finally persuaded Suzuna Tsukimiya to wrap up the shopping battle quickly. In just half an hour, they purchased winter clothing and a complete set of outdoor expedition gear.

“What’s next?” Suzuna Tsukimiya asked. “Should we go back and let your little sister know?”

“No need,” Chen Zi’ang shook his head. “To prepare for situations like this, I’ve stocked a week’s worth of food at home. Xiao Zhu can manage on her own.”

“So, how are we getting there?” Rikuho Sui asked. “Are we taking a taxi?”

“The main bus terminal is in Kobe Ward,” Chen Zi’ang replied with a hint of sarcasm. “Taking a taxi all the way to Kobe Ward would be a bit extravagant, don’t you think?”

“You want us to take the subway with a divine relic?” Suzuna Tsukimiya inquired.

Chen Zi’ang fell silent.

Something as dangerous as a divine relic obviously couldn’t be brought onto the subway. With the density of passengers, if anything went awry, it would be a disaster.

But taking a cab to Kobe Ward—wasn’t that a bit too expensive?

“We’ll use public funds,” Rikuho Sui said calmly. “Our intelligence unit should still have a budget we can use.”

“Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” Chen Zi’ang hesitated. “If we falsify expenses…”

“It’s fine,” Rikuho Sui replied. “I was originally planning to buy a massager with it. On second thought, it’s better spent on work matters.”

Chen Zi’ang was at a loss for words and decided not to ask whether the massager was for neck muscles.

The three of them quickly hailed a cab and headed westward.

If Shinjuku Ward was the most bustling commercial center of Extreme North City, then Kobe Ward was its overland transport hub, the import and export point, with vast numbers of people and goods passing through daily.

Chen Zi’ang led the other two to the main bus terminal and said to the ticket clerk, “Three tickets to Tailiang Town, please.”

“There’s only one bus to Tailiang Town each day—it already left at one in the afternoon,” the clerk informed them.

“Only one?” Chen Zi’ang confirmed.

“Yes, there aren’t many travelers going there anymore.” Seeing his troubled expression, the clerk added, “But you can go to Ryougi Town first and hire a private car there to Tailiang Town. The two towns are quite close to each other.”

“Wasn’t Ryougi Town abandoned?” Suzuna Tsukimiya asked in surprise.

“It wasn’t abandoned. It’s just that it used to be inhabited almost exclusively by elderly people who seldom needed to travel, so the bus service was discontinued,” the clerk explained. “But lately, a lot of young people have been buying tickets to Ryougi Town. We’re even considering increasing the number of daily buses to three.”

Having bought three tickets to Ryougi Town, Chen Zi’ang led the group onto the bus.

As the clerk had mentioned, there were quite a few passengers: the bus was half full, and almost all were young men and women.

They found seats by the window in the back. Chen Zi’ang immediately activated his intuition, scanning the passengers ahead and behind for traces of the uncanny; he sensed nothing—just ordinary travelers.

Suzuna Tsukimiya quickly claimed the seat beside him and, with her innate charm, struck up a conversation with two girls in the row ahead: “Hi, are you also headed to Ryougi Town?”

The girls’ response was initially lukewarm, but when they turned and saw Suzuna Tsukimiya’s beautiful face, they instantly grew enthusiastic. “Yes! Are you going to the hot springs too?”

“Hot springs?” Suzuna Tsukimiya looked puzzled.

“The ones said to beautify skin and make it silky smooth!” one of the girls eagerly pulled up an article on her phone and showed it to her.

“Could you share that with me?” Suzuna Tsukimiya asked with a bright smile.

“Of course! Let me add you as a friend.”

Chen Zi’ang watched coldly. This time, Suzuna Tsukimiya didn’t use her “press phones together” tactic—she simply asked for their account and added them directly.

“So, your account is ‘Jade Rabbit Never Gives Up’?”

“You look so cute! Are you an idol or a magazine model?”

The girls chatted warmly with Suzuna Tsukimiya, apparently convinced she was some sort of internet celebrity.

Suzuna Tsukimiya handled their questions with practiced ease, quietly forwarding the blog link they’d given her to Chen Zi’ang.

Resting his hand on the window ledge and pretending to admire the scenery, Chen Zi’ang glanced down at his phone.

It was a blog, the author apparently a somewhat popular fashion influencer. She claimed to have discovered an amazing hot spring in Ryougi Town that made her skin incredibly firm and smooth, posting before-and-after shots of her arm as proof.

Assuming the photos hadn’t been overly edited, the difference was indeed striking: after the hot spring soak, her skin was fair, flushed, and considerably more attractive.

The comments section, though, was full of people lamenting how far Ryougi Town was, promising only to bookmark the post for future reference. After all, there was no direct rail line; taking the bus alone would require at least fifteen hours.

Yet judging by the number of passengers, there were still plenty of people with time on their hands and a willingness to make the trip.

He forwarded the blog to Rikuho Sui in the seat behind them, just as the scenery outside began to roll by—the bus was on its way.

[Curiosity]: There are indeed records of hot springs in Ryougi Town. In fact, you’ll find that most towns beyond Extreme North City have hot springs, as they’re a natural heat source. By piping the hot water to each household, the residents can keep warm. That’s why the early imperial mining teams often built settlements near hot springs.

[Any Urban Legends?]: But do the hot springs really have beautifying effects?

[Curiosity]: If the underground water passes through a mineral deposit, the spring water can be rich in minerals. So, I can’t rule out the possibility.

[Any Urban Legends?]: I have a subtle feeling that the blogger and the person who sent a manuscript to Naoya Yasui are both trying to attract more people to Ryougi Town. By the way, about the divine descent ceremony that took place in the mines there—what exactly happened?

[Curiosity]: According to intelligence archives, the report came from a local resident, but the only thing they managed to say was, “They are depriving death.” Then the communication was cut off. Verification was performed through divination, which confirmed that a divine descent ceremony was being held. But when operatives arrived, a major earthquake struck. The ceremony was interrupted, and the informant mysteriously vanished.

[Any Urban Legends?]: “They are depriving death”—what does that mean?

[Curiosity]: Perhaps it has to do with a deity related to death.

Suddenly, a breeze carrying a faint fragrance drifted by. Suzuna Tsukimiya, having finished chatting with the girls ahead, leaned over to look at Chen Zi’ang’s phone and whispered, “What have you two figured out?”

“Nothing special,” Chen Zi’ang replied, handing her his phone. “See for yourself.”

But Suzuna Tsukimiya didn’t take the phone. She simply gazed out the window, dazed, and said, “Look, it’s snowing!”

Following her gaze, Chen Zi’ang looked outside.

It wasn’t that snow had suddenly begun to fall from the sky—rather, the bus had already left the confines of Extreme North City and plunged into a world of ice and snow.