Scattered glimmers flickered at the end of the narrow corridor. He Ao slowly walked forward by the faint light of the corridor lamps.
He raised his wristband, which displayed airship flights from Xikailan to Wellens.
The distance from Xikailan to Wellens was even farther than he had expected.
Xikailan was not among the Federation's twenty-six northeastern cities. It lay in the narrow corridor between the Snavis mountain range and the North Ice Field, at the northwestern corner of the entire northeastern region. It was one of the Federation's northernmost cities, and also one of its coldest.
Wellens, meanwhile, was located in the southeast of the Federation's northeastern region. To its south were the northern mountains of Mint City, and it was closer to Mint City.
In other words, traveling from Xikailan to Wellens meant crossing most of the northeastern region.
Even by express airship, it would take more than a week.
Even by plane, following a safe route, it would probably take two or three days.
If he took the normal route to Wellens, the Archbishop's business would likely be finished by the time He Ao arrived.
As he thought, He Ao exited the ticket-purchasing interface.
At that moment, he happened to step out of the narrow corridor. Bright lights and pounding music flooded his ears.
Fine snowflakes drifted through the sky, scattering across the white streets.
It was snowing.
He Ao stretched out a hand and caught a drifting snowflake.
The high-rises in the distance were covered in glittering neon lights. A procession bearing enormous ice sculptures was slowly approaching from the far end of the street before him.
He Ao raised his head and looked at the procession.
The most eye-catching ice sculpture in the procession was a gigantic figure roughly thirty meters tall. A thin layer of