Chapter 482

Surtr shook his head and replied:

"No, he's a man who does big things. It's normal for him to be busy; he won't stay here all the time. I heard from Exusiai that they seem to have accepted Rhodes Island's invitation to go to Victoria's capital to stop a war."

This was the first time Waai Fu had heard such news; his pupils dilated slightly, showing his utter shock.

"Stop the war? How powerful would he have to be!"

In her view, war is not a one-on-one duel, but a battle between tens of thousands of people.

If one person can stop a war, then he must be stronger than both sides combined.

Wow, that's incredibly powerful!

Surtr smiled and did not reveal the truth about the 'Chernobyl incident' to Waai Fu.

At that time, Shi Lei single-handedly eliminated tens of thousands of infected rioters in the city.

They also captured Talulah, the leader of the Rhodes Island, thus completely dismantling this unjust war.

Surtr was taken there at that time and only managed to eliminate one Sarkaz Leader. Compared to Shi Lei's role on the battlefield, it was negligible.

She had witnessed Shi Lei's true abilities and believed that he wouldn't take on a task he wasn't King Kong for. She was confident that he could genuinely succeed in going to Victoria to stop the war.

Regardless of who is right or wrong in a war, it is always the civilians who suffer. Ending the war sooner can reduce unnecessary sacrifices; he is doing a great thing.

"Yes, he's always been very capable. However, news from Victoria's side will be delayed by several weeks. Anyway, such a big event should be reported online, so just keep an eye on it."

From the moment Surtr regained consciousness, she had been wandering for years without encountering a worthy opponent. It wasn't until Shi Lei pinched Reine des Neiges between two fingers, subduing her completely, that she lost all will to resist.

A few weeks ago, a huge hole appeared in the sky, causing a huge uproar on the internet and forums. Some said it was industrial waste gas polluting the Star Pod, causing corrosion and creating the hole. Others said it was Alien Civilization invasion, and Terra was about to be destroyed.

Judging from the approximate location of the Cave Entrance, it's right near Victoria. If Alien Civilization were to actually descend, they might be routed by Shi Lei.

The two chatted as they ran, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the Commercial Street. Waai Fu, despite running for so long, was only slightly out of breath, and recovered after a few deep breaths. She smiled at Surtr and waved goodbye.

"I'm currently working part-time here. I'm going to take a shower and then it'll be time for me to go back to work. Let's talk later."

"Okay, sure."

Surtr said goodbye to her and prepared to go home.

Compared to myself a year ago, when I was dependent on Reine des Neiges, I now exercise diligently and my physical fitness has improved significantly. And it's been a long time since I've even touched Reine des Neiges.

While holding it can give you an addictive sense of power, ordinary life doesn't require that.

Previously, when I was escorting Lisa to school, we were attacked, but now I don't have to worry about safety at all when walking on the street.

In Lungmen, anyone with a bit of a reputation knows the code name Zhongli and dares not mess with her and Lisa.

Since no one dares to cause trouble, there's no need to keep Reine des Neiges with us.

Surtr walked a few hundred meters and boarded a bus. After swiping his card, he sat in the last row and stared blankly at the scenery rushing past the window. Fragments of the past surfaced one after another on the mirror of his memory.

Initially, it was just her and FrostNova who looked after Lisa going to and from school. After FrostNova went to Liyue City, the task of looking after Lisa fell to her.

Although she jokingly said she didn't want a salary, just unlimited Ice Cream, Texas still opened a salary card and deposited money into it every month.

Surtr had nowhere to spend money, and in just over a year, he saved up a ton of cash.

The warehouse I'm currently living in is rent-free, and utilities are also free. The Ice Cream in the freezer is replenished every two or three days, so I can get some whenever I want.

One of the Sarkaz chefs who went to Liyue City has returned and is now in charge of the three of them's daily meals. Texas will cover these expenses, so she won't have to spend any money.

As for luxury goods such as perfumes and handbags, Surtr wasn't interested. Her biggest expense was probably using a bottle of nail polish every two months.

Although her life is simple and unpretentious, even impeccable, Surtr still feels a sense of emptiness in the quiet of the night.

Perhaps because he knew he was just a tool, his ultimate mission being to find Reine des Neiges's master.

This pre-arranged life trajectory left her with an indescribable sense of loss and melancholy.

Perhaps one day, Surtr will receive news about Reine des Neiges's master. When that day comes, will she truly be willing to go and find him?

The bus stopped and started, with all sorts of passengers getting on and off, much like a microcosm of Surtr's life.

Having a gap in memory is like waking up on a bus but not remembering which stop you got on at. The final destination of the journey is finding Reine des Neiges's owner.

She could choose to get off the train midway through, or she could stay put and ride to the final stop. But which outcome do she truly want?

With a melancholy heart, Surtr rode the train for eight stops before getting off. He walked through familiar streets, past familiar shops, and into a familiar alleyway.

Just as she was considering whether to have an Ice Cream to calm herself down, she looked up and saw Shi Lei descending from the sky to the alley entrance and walking towards her.

Surtr stared at the other woman's sunglasses, a strange Sixth Sense stirring within her. Shi Lei, who should have been stopping the war, had suddenly appeared to find her—had he discovered clues about Reine des Neiges's master in Victoria?

Shi Lei walked up and said happily:

"Surtr, haven't you been searching for clues about Reine des Neiges's master? This time, it really was a stroke of luck that you found them. Lisa's on summer vacation now, so you don't need to look after her all the time. If you don't have anything else to do, we can go with you..."

As he spoke, he noticed that Surtr's mood was a bit off, so he tilted his head slightly and asked:

"What, you... don't want to go?"

The latter bit her lip lightly, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

"I... I don't know."

Seeing that she was somewhat embarrassed, Shi Lei tried to resolve the issue by saying:

"Are you scared? Or worried about danger? With me here, you can rest assured. I found it in an underground cave in the Sami Icefield, about three or four thousand kilometers away from here. There is an ancient Ancient Tree inside, and touching it forcibly triggered the memories."

Reine des Neiges's master was a Fire Giant who used to wreak havoc with it. Later, he encountered a much larger Frost Giant and was gradually losing ground. Seeing that he was about to be Ice Seal, the frost giant threw Reine des Neiges away with all his might, and it remained frozen underground ever since.

I sensed it then; the Fire Giant was still alive, just frozen and unable to escape. I tested the ice layer; it wasn't as hard as I'd imagined. It couldn't even melt this, so it posed no threat.

This is no joke. Aside from abilities related to the soul that I'm wary of, simple flames pose no threat to me.

This is why Shi Lei acted decisively after hearing the chant from the Confessors Leader. Although he didn't know what would happen if he were hit, he wasn't going to take the risk.

Seeing how concerned Shi Lei was about her affairs, Surtr was deeply moved. However, she wasn't ready to go yet, and hadn't decided whether to go or not.

"Well... isn't there a rush? Aren't you busy stopping the war? Why don't you go and attend to more important matters?"

Shi Lei sensed the hesitation in Surtr and understood that he hadn't made up his mind yet, so he encouraged him again:

"What must be faced will eventually have to be faced. If this is a tribulation you are destined to face, you cannot escape it, so you might as well face it bravely."

The Fire Giant has been Ice Seal for so long and is in a very weak state. I've checked its condition, which is why I suggested I come with you. Then..."

Before the words were finished, Lisa's happy shouts and cheerful footsteps suddenly rang out behind them:

"Big brother is back!"

As soon as Shi Lei turned around, Nine Tails came into view, and then he was tightly hugged around the waist.

Lisa is sixteen years old this year, and has grown into a graceful young lady, but she is still so cute.

She was unconcerned about this close contact and remained as close to Shi Lei as before.

He reached out and patted Lisa's head, intending to ask about her grades. But then he felt that would be too inappropriate, so he changed his question to:

"Lisa, how long is summer vacation this time?"

"September 1st, but I have to attend the Opening Ceremony on August 30th."

Shi Lei nodded. Two months should be enough time to take her out to play. He just hadn't decided whether to move away from Neo -Sistag City, which was behind the volcano, or somewhere else.

Lisa's shouts had caught the attention of Exusiai inside Warehouse Number Three. Without even changing her clothes, she opened the roller shutter door to investigate, still wearing her Star Pajamas.

Upon seeing Shi Lei for the first time, Exusiai thought she was hallucinating. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, and once she was sure he was back, she immediately became extremely excited:

"Aha, you're finally back! You didn't even take me with you on this trip, that's so unfair!"

Shi Lei an awkward, wry smile and explained to her:

"The main reason is that we were invited by Rhodes Island to go to Londinium to stop a war. We're going on business, not for fun. Given the uncertainty of the danger, it's really inconvenient to bring so many people."

Exusiai, took it all in stride, chuckling as she considered the matter closed. She then looked Shi Lei over with interest and posed a more pressing question:

"Tell me honestly, was it you who That Big Hole in the sky last week?"

This matter caused a great uproar in various countries, Surtr immediately pricked up his ears to listen when he heard about it.

Considering that everyone present was an outsider, Shi Lei saw no need to hide the truth. So he told them about his experiences of being transported to other planets through the Space-Time Rift.

Wow, cool!

Exusiai's eyes lit up after hearing this; she was very envious.

"I really want to go to outer space and see what the planets are like."

Thinking of that desolate scene, Shi Lei had to pour cold water on her hopes:

"Actually, there's nothing much to see. It's pretty much the same scenery you'd see in the wilderness. Everywhere is uncultivated land, full of potholes. There aren't even any trees around; it's the same scenery from beginning to end."

Exusiai's face immediately fell, revealing a visible sense of disappointment:

"Oh? Is that how it is? What's outside the Star Pod? What's the scenery like between the two planets?"

Shi Lei recalled the scene in his mind, carefully considered his words, and replied:

"The view from space isn't anything special. It's an endless darkness, much like standing in the dark with your aperture closed. Besides that, there are only these two planets. On the surface of Terra Planet, there's a layer of transparent Star Pod."

We were relatively close at the time, which is why we were able to see the general interior of the planet. If we had been farther away, we probably wouldn't have been able to see it. That Star Pod mainly served to shield and protect it."

Even though his descriptions of space and other planets were so bleak, Exusiai still harbored a filtered, dreamlike longing for the unknown:

"Oh, I see. It would be wonderful if we had the chance to go outside the Star Pod and take a look. If you ever go to another planet in the future, you must take me with you."

Shi Lei wasn't sure if he would go out in the future, but seeing her persistence, he nodded in agreement:

"Okay, I promise you. If I ever go to space, I'll definitely call you."

"Yay!"

Exusiai jumped up happily, quickly steer the conversation back on track, and pointed at Surtr, asking:

"What brings you to see her this time?"

Shi Lei recounted how he was teleported to the Sami Icefield via the lich's Teleportation Array:

"I'm still asking Surtr's opinion. If she agrees to come, I'll go back to Liyue City to get her."

"Of course I have to go! I've never been to Sami before; I've only ever read about it in books."

Upon learning about the Fire Giant, Exusiai grabbed Surtr's hand and shook it, trying to persuade him:

"Shi Lei may not know, but you definitely do. The boss has outsourced Penguin Logistics' delivery business to Fengchi Logistics. I'm going stir-crazy staying in the office all day drinking coffee and playing on my phone. Aren't you looking for Reine des Neiges's owner? Then go find him!"

Shi Lei smiled upon hearing this, offering no comment on Exusiai's blatant instigation. Whether or not Surtr went to the Sami Icefield depended on Surtr own wishes. If she didn't want to go, the matter of the Fire Giant would end there.

"I..."

Seeing Surtr fall silent, Shi Lei and Exusiai did not urge him, letting him make his own decision.

After a long pause, she gave her thoughtful reply:

"If I hadn't known about the Fire Giant, I might have spent the rest of my life in Lungmen. A peaceful and fulfilling life, I was content."

But the problem is, I know now. If I continue to ignore it, it will gradually grow into a thorn in my side. I will become anxious and insecure, constantly thinking about what would have happened if I had gone back then.

Please take me to see the Fire Giant this time. It's time to put an end to the past.

Seeing Surtr bow solemnly, he lightened the serious atmosphere with laughter:

"Hahaha, no trouble at all. We're all family here, this formality would seem too distant."

Like a leader showing concern for a subordinate, Shi Lei patted her on the shoulder and finalized the trip to Sami:

"Then you guys pack your things first. I'll go to Liyue City to pick them up, and we'll set off after lunch."

Although Guili City is newly built, it is mostly inhabited by Sarkaz. Currently, it mainly focuses on fruit farming and has not yet transformed into a tourist city. It's enough to mention it casually En route; there's no need to deliberately take them there to see it.

"Yay!"

Exusiai raised her hands in cheers, then suddenly remembered something and asked:

"I heard Sami is even colder than Sarkaz, averaging minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius. Your shield should be enough to keep out the cold, so I'm too lazy to buy another down jacket."

This amused Shi Lei, who laughed heartily.

"Other planets are so cold and they're fine, Sami will be even less of a problem. Don't worry, she won't catch a cold."

Back in the day, the Messenger of Penguin Logistics were all lively and energetic, and they engaged in tremendous physical activity every time they went on a mission.

Since Shi Lei arrived, their defensive and evasive awareness has gradually deteriorated. Now they've even stopped wearing winter clothes, going further and further down the path of being spoiled.

"Hehe, I'm relieved to hear you say that!"