Herrscher of Ice?

Gu Yan stared at something, lost in thought.

People bustled around him, some pointing and whispering, but it didn't matter; he didn't care.

"This still isn't right," he thought, but his feet remained planted. He just kept considering every possibility.

Finally...

"Young man, are you having trouble with something?"

"Just tell me what you want to buy, and this auntie will give it to you for free!" the fruit and vegetable vendor finally blurted out, adding:

"If you can't speak, just point to what you want."

The young man had been standing at her stall for a long time. At first, she could tell he wanted to buy groceries, but he just wouldn't speak. His brow furrowed and then relaxed, and he stood there for half an hour, scaring away other customers.

Haishi had reportedly suffered many casualties due to natural disasters recently. Could it be...?

Thinking this, the auntie shook her head and sighed. Such a handsome young man, but perhaps his mind was troubled. Fate could be cruel.

"Uh..." Gu Yan was speechless. He felt the auntie had misunderstood something.

He just couldn't figure out what "buy what you see" actually meant.

His mother had told him to buy some ingredients. Lunar New Year's Eve was approaching, and they needed to eat well.

"Remember, not too expensive, not too cheap, not too common, and definitely not anything weird or unusual."

"So, what am I supposed to buy?"

"Buy what you see!"

"..."

He finally understood why his older sister had stifled a laugh. It was clear she was deliberately trying to make things difficult for him.

"Buy some ingredients, not too expensive..." If he didn't speak up soon, he'd genuinely be mistaken for someone mute.

After he relayed his mother's request, the auntie's expression soured slightly.

"What exactly do you want to buy?"

Gu Yan picked up a paper bag from the stall:

"Just put whatever you see in it."

"..." Couldn't you just go to a different store?

Still, the auntie began picking out items and packing them.

Gu Yan, too, let out a sigh of relief.

Grocery shopping was no easy feat; sometimes, it was hard even to know what to buy, but that was no reason to give up easily.

"Young man, many people run into difficulties like you. Don't worry too much. Just living is good. Ah, never mind, you probably wouldn't understand even if I explained."

"..." The auntie definitely misunderstood something!

"If you don't have a place to stay, there are state-provided accommodations in the West District. You won't lack food or drink!" Lest Gu Yan didn't understand, the auntie repeated in simpler terms:

"West side, food, lodging, no cost!"

"...Thank you." Politeness was still necessary. The auntie meant well, though Gu Yan wasn't exactly happy.

When he tried to pay, the auntie adamantly refused. Gu Yan had no choice but to stealthily slip the money into her pocket after leaving.

However, she did remind him of the ongoing expansion in the West District.

After the Honkai outbreak in Haishi, several areas were severely eroded by Honkai Energy, making them uninhabitable. The risk of contracting Honkai Sickness was extremely high.

Moreover, many people were displaced by the disaster, and tall buildings were destroyed. Thus, the West District was undergoing rapid expansion to shelter the disaster victims, with construction set to be completed before the year's end.

No matter how lazy Gu Yan was, he could still get this news. His S-Class "salary" was enough for his expenses, and the rest was all donated.

It was better to donate it to those in need than to keep it for himself.

Still, he really should go take a look. It wasn't out of excessive sympathy; these suffering people were his compatriots, in the same city, and included former friends. He was, in a way, a public servant, so it was only right to show some concern.

"Mmm~" Nelly opened her eyes and found herself in a room.

"Fornia?" Panic flashed in her eyes, but a turn of her head revealed the person she was looking for lying on her side on the bed, watching her with a smile.

"You're awake!" She wanted to rush over but was afraid of touching Fornia's wound, so Nelly simply clasped her hand tightly.

Her memory was a bit hazy; she only vaguely recalled last night's events.

Yesterday, after surgery to remove the bullet from Fornia's leg, she worried about infection and brought Fornia through the Gate of Nothingness to a hospital in Haishi.

Following a series of treatments, Fornia was basically out of danger. She chose Haishi because of its high medical standards and the rarity of gun violence, ensuring they wouldn't attract trouble.

However, the possibility of suspicion still existed. So, she took Fornia and crossed space again, leaving the hospital to completely eliminate any chance of being traced.

"I woke up a while ago. Seeing little Nelly sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to disturb you," Fornia smiled gently.

It was strange, though. Nelly had found a hotel for them to stay in temporarily so Fornia could recover, but for some reason, Nelly had suddenly fallen asleep and couldn't recall many details.

But remembering the ability she had suddenly gained yesterday, Nelly felt at ease. It was likely that her unconsciousness was a side effect of using it too frequently.

"Do you want something to eat, Fornia? Need some water?" Nelly was a bit flustered, being in charge of someone else for the first time. Fornia couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"Sure, then help me get a glass of water!"

Hearing her request, Nelly quickly got up. With a casual grab, a cup appeared in her hand, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Fornia didn't react much to this, only tilting her head to look at Nelly from a different angle.

She had seen Nelly display this ability to ignore spatial distance before she passed out, so she wasn't very surprised.

Or rather, as long as it wasn't harmful to Nelly, she didn't care what kind of ability it was.

"It's a bit hot, drink slowly."

After taking the water, Fornia asked, "Where is this..."

"This is Haishi, Huaguo. Didn't you say you wanted to try the local cuisine? I can go buy some for you soon!"

This meant that the two had traveled to eastern Huaguo in a very short amount of time.

While she knew supernatural abilities were amazing, Nelly's method of moving across continents still startled Fornia.

"But..." Fornia couldn't walk, and if possible, she didn't want Nelly to use her abilities in public and cause unnecessary trouble. However, in this foreign land, she didn't want them to be separated.

"It's okay, I can push Fornia out!" With that, Nelly waved her hand, and a brand-new wheelchair appeared in the room.

"Little Nelly, this isn't quite..." Fornia was about to say something when a circular void appeared in front of Nelly. She took out her bank card and reached into the void.

"Payment successful," an electronic synthesized voice announced. Nelly turned to Fornia and blinked.

"What's wrong?"

"..." Fornia blinked back, looking innocent.

"Oh right, I'll help Fornia freshen up first!" Seeing Nelly's relaxed demeanor, Fornia chuckled.

Nelly, meanwhile, jogged to get water. As she passed a mirror, she glanced back and stopped.

Two identical figures met her gaze. A familiar feeling washed over her, and she reached out to touch the mirror's surface.

"Did I... forget something?"