Chapter 106: Encountering Ice Island

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Encountering Ice Island

A day passed quietly. By 6 p.m., the island had traveled five kilometers away from the volcanic eruption, and the gloomy sky had finally cleared.

Just then, another island appeared before Shi Zhile’s eyes.

It was a solitary island of ice, glittering like colored glass under the setting sun. It was a beautiful sight.

Shi Zhile’s spiritual power was almost completely depleted. She only had three points left, enough to travel for another half an hour at most.

Jiang Yuxing brought Wang Peng back to her island. Shi Zhile started a video call and pointed the camera at the island outside.

"We’ve found a new island. My spiritual power is too low to keep moving. Do you want to go ashore and explore it together?"

Wang Peng said excitedly, "Of course! For an ice island not to have melted in this extreme heat, it must be special. Maybe there’s a way to cool down there. Even if not, we can still collect some ice to cool ourselves."

Jiang Yuxing didn’t object. "The sun’s about to set. If we’re going, we should go now. Everyone bring a day’s worth of rations. Don’t get too close to the island just yet. We’re on our way."

Shi Zhile stopped about 100 meters from the solitary ice island. As she drew near, the scorching weather instantly became much cooler.

The two men appeared at her window, each holding a pair of binoculars and observing the ice island.

After observing for a moment, Jiang Yuxing pointed to a cave on the side of the island.

"The cave on the south side is probably a player’s shelter. The entrance is covered by a curtain, and there’s a small, fenced-in yard. There are signs of activity outside, including a furnace."

Wang Peng looked in the direction he was pointing and added, "The cave shows traces of smoke. We can land on the east side to bypass their line of sight. For safety’s sake, we should probably subdue the player on the island first."

Jiang Yuxing said, "Move the island a little closer. We’ll go ashore first."

Shi Zhile maneuvered the island closer. Once she was sure they could step directly onto the other island, the three of them, fully prepared, exited the shelter.

The closer they got to the Ice Island, the colder it became. They stepped from the soft sand of their own shore onto the solid ice.

The moment the three of them set foot on the island, the apparent temperature dropped below freezing.

Shi Zhile carefully watched her step. After moving away from the edge and confirming the ground beneath her was stable, she stopped and crouched down.

"I’ve been through three instances now, and the coast of every island I’ve seen has been a sandy beach. But this Ice Island doesn’t have a single grain of sand.

Look down. The ice is completely clear, with no sand or gravel. Right below us is the ocean. There isn’t a single tree on the island, just uneven glaciers. This whole island was likely formed from frozen seawater."

Jiang Yuxing crouched and knocked on the ice. "No snowpack, just solid ice. It certainly has the characteristics of a glacier.

The ice is very thin along the outer edge. We shouldn’t linger here. Let’s keep moving toward the center of the island."

The three continued onward.

Wang Peng exhaled a steamy breath. "Being cold feels so much better than being hot. The temperature is currently minus ten degrees Celsius. Since the glacier is showing signs of melting, it won’t be long before this island melts away completely."

Shi Zhile didn’t speak again, conserving as much energy as possible.

After walking for nearly another hour, the three arrived at the base of an ice peak.

A wooden fence enclosed a small yard at the base of the peak, and a semicircular cave had been carved into the ice.

The cave entrance was covered by a straw curtain, which blocked their view of the inside.

Jiang Yuxing took out his axe and reminded Shi Zhile and Wang Peng, "This is someone else’s turf. Ready your weapons, and don’t underestimate them."

The three drew their weapons and cautiously entered the small, fenced yard.

In one corner of the yard, firewood was stacked neatly. Two dusty, gray padded jackets were draped over the top, either to dry or to shield the wood from the elements.

Just as Wang Peng was about to enter the cave, an elderly man in his sixties emerged.

As the straw curtain was lifted, a brief wave of warmth wafted out. Though it was only for an instant, Shi Zhile still noticed a splash of green inside the cave.

Shi Zhile stared for a moment before slowly shifting her gaze to the old man’s face. She suddenly remembered seeing him in the group video call earlier that day.

"We saw each other on the video call this morning. You’re Wen..."

’The name in her mind suddenly clicked with a news report she had seen.’

’It was a news report about crop breeding from the Academy of Engineering. The academician being interviewed was Wen Shuhua.’

’At first, she only thought the name sounded familiar. But when she connected it with the green plants in the cave, everything suddenly clicked into place.’

She asked in astonishment, "You’re Academician Wen?"

The old man looked slightly surprised. His voice was hoarse, a clear sign he hadn’t had enough water in a long time.

"You know me?"

Shi Zhile nodded, then shook her head. "I’ve never met you in person, but I’ve read your published papers and I’ve seen your name on the news."

A faint, melancholy smile touched Academician Wen Shuhua’s face, but his expression was sorrowful. "Well, that’s something. It’s quite impressive for a young person like you to know who I am.

I remember you were on Stone Island. That’s the closest one to the volcano. How did you get here?"

Shi Zhile replied, "By moving my island."

Jiang Yuxing shot Shi Zhile a look and rubbed the bridge of his nose, a hint of resignation on his face. "It’s getting late. Elder Wen, we’d like to collect some ice. Do you know where the best place to gather some would be?"

Wen Shuhua pointed behind the cave. "The Ice Island is melting. If you want some for storage, the ice on the northern, shaded side is the most solid."

Jiang Yuxing thanked him and took Shi Zhile by the arm. "Let’s go."

Shi Zhile silently clenched her fist. Before she could speak, Mr. Wen asked first,

"Are you heading to Huaxia Base?"

Shi Zhile shook her head. "Not for now, but we might in the future. At the moment, I’m just trying to escape the eruption of the Volcano Island.

The sun is getting hotter and hotter, and the edges of the Ice Island are showing signs of melting. If the temperature stays this high or rises further, it’s only a matter of time before the whole island melts.

Elder Wen... would you like to leave with me?

I can’t guarantee your safety inside the instances, but on my island, at least, you’ll be completely safe."

Mr. Wen was silent for a moment. "In just one day, a tenth of the Ice Island has already melted. In half a month at most, it will surely sink.

I do want to leave with you all, but I need to get to Huaxia Base. The seeds I’ve cultivated require a larger experimental plot, and obviously, this Ice Island has no soil and is unsuitable for planting."

’Shi Zhile wanted to say that she had a place to plant, but she swallowed her words when she remembered her black soil didn’t provide the harsh growing conditions he might need for testing.’

’Since Mr. Wen was intent on going to the base, and Shi Zhile was also looking for an opportunity to go, their goals aligned perfectly.’

"Come with us for now, sir. I’m definitely going to Huaxia Base eventually. Elder Wen, you can pack up tonight, and we’ll set off first thing in the morning."

Mr. Wen nodded, said to wait a moment, and went back into the cave, returning with a large bag of dried fish.

"I don’t have much to offer, but please take this as a thank-you gift."

Shi Zhile accepted the gift and handed him two bottles of water.

"Sir, you’ve made great contributions to Huaxia. Without people like you, we might not have had enough to eat. As someone who has benefited from your work, I should be the one thanking you."

Wang Peng scratched his head. "Some way to thank him, taking his dried fish."

Shi Zhile retorted, "...I’m keeping them. It’s dried fish made by an academician himself. Eating this will make me smarter."