Wind and Snow, No Return (Revised)

Snow swept across the sky, and endless white covered all signs of life on the plateau. Every trace of Life Aura seemed to have withered away.

At the foot of a mountain peak, a figure suddenly smashed through an Ice Wall. Once the ice shattered, it revealed a pitch-black opening. Without hesitation, the figure walked inside.

Gradually, a faint glow appeared ahead. The light came from a rare type of algae growing on the walls of the cave passage. The algae emitted a dim radiance, and the figure's form slowly became clear.

It looked like a man, but he possessed certain physical features no human should have—for example, a gray ear growing from the top of his head. Yes, he had only one ear, the one on the left. As for his right ear, it was gone. He also carried a basket in one hand, casually covered with gray cloth.

The end of the cave was noticeably brighter, and the passage opened into a vast space. A gigantic Wolf Head Statue stood directly before the inner cavern.

The huge Wolf Head Statue had been carved directly into the rock wall, making it one with the mountain. Numerous three-meter-tall pillars stood around it, each supporting a brazier.

The braziers were clearly lit only for illumination—against the bitter cold of the plateau, their little warmth could not change anything. Even so, quite a few little creatures had gathered beneath every pillar, hoping to use the flames to keep warm.

These little creatures were barely clothed and trembled violently. Their hands and feet had long since turned purple from the cold. They huddled tightly together, sharing what little warmth they had.

The man with only a left ear glanced around from the entrance, then hurried to the Wolf Head Statue carved into the