A Divided World

Yu Xing had once wondered what a world covered in ice and snow would be like.

I've seen plenty of ice fields on TV, and the rendering in science fiction movies also uses cool tones to fill the screen.

While wandering around the world, he had visited snow-capped mountains, and not long ago, he had just been placed in a snow-covered scenic area by the system.

But when he actually pushed aside the restrictions on the East District and saw the port through the heavy snow, he suddenly realized that this place was different from other places.

The stacked containers were encased in a thick layer of solid ice, and the ice on the ground was enough to freeze a person curled up in it.

The sky was tinged with a dark red, yet dazzlingly bright; as far as the eye could see, it was a vast expanse of white, devoid of any other color.

Those traces of life, like specimens, are carefully preserved in ice.

The person touching the arm raised one leg, his mouth seemingly trying to complain, "It's so cold," but before he could finish speaking, he became an insect trapped in amber forever, remaining in that position for many, many years.

There were more than one such person; some were oblivious, others looked terrified, like fresh animals perishing here.

Seeing the momentary blank look on Yu Xing's face, Xu Wan explained softly, "When the heavy snow comes, the port is the first area to be affected."

The bug appeared in the world of the book. To others, it might seem like a traceable process, but in the port, the ice and snow spread as rapidly as a ferocious beast, giving them no time to react.

The Snake Woman Fang Xiao's body to handle these matters, barely maintaining the balance in the town. However, the port had completely decayed, and in the end, the only option was to designate it as a restricted area and completely isolate it.

Xu Wan pulled Yu Xing along and they walked slowly forward.

The ground was icy, which made Yu Xing slip a little while walking, but fortunately he was able to control his body well.

In contrast, Xu Wan's gait was no longer lively.

The waist twisted more, and the legs alternated in a strange motion, making it look as if they were swimming at first glance.

She glided across the ice, her expression gradually becoming calm.

"This place isn't exactly pretty." Her youngest son's voice came from behind her, and she silently turned around.

Yu Xing let her pull him along, his other hand in his pocket, his icy blue eyes closing slightly. "Looking at me any longer will make my eyes go blind."

"With you here, things won't be like this anymore." Xu Wan smiled, her bright eyes sparkling. "This used to be the liveliest place; your brother grew up here."

"This is also the best way for Nanshui Town to communicate with the outside world. You'll see it once the ice melts."

"Why does the ice melt when I'm around?" Yu Xing narrowed her eyes, pretending not to know the Snake Woman's scheme or the effects of bloodlines. "My brother isn't good enough?"

"He can't." Xu Wan nodded, a strange smile playing on her lips. "Only you can."

After a two-second silence between them, Xu Wan said again, "Come this way with me."

They walked and talked, already some distance from the port entrance area.

That invisible gaze once again enveloped Yu Xing, and he stirred, looking ahead.

Xu Wan seemed to want to lead him to the area of shipping containers ahead.

With no one around, the dark red sky exuded an ominous atmosphere, and he could sense, deep down, that the power of the unseen snake was growing stronger.

It has nothing to do with the heavy snow; it must be thanks to today's sacrificial ceremony.

I wonder how things are in the town.

"Do we really have to go?" Zhang Yu was queuing outside the altar, with people jostling in front of him, red clothes brushing against red clothes.

He was dressed in Yueyu Garment, with all the bells and ornaments jingling loudly, while the Boss Hua next to him remained calm and collected, his hands tucked into his sleeves, staring blankly ahead.

Hearing Zhang Yu's complaint, Hua Subai tilted his head slightly and smiled, "Ask the tour guide if we can skip the trip."

Zhang Yu: "No, no, no."

Just an hour ago, their guide Gao Yiling, led them on a long tour and finally announced today's activities—

Everyone must go to the altar to offer sacrifices and perform the required actions according to their own ceremonial attire.

People like Zhang Yu had to learn the Leaping Fish Dance, and after offering sacrifices, they would dance and pray to the gods along with the others.

He's never danced before; his mind is completely occupied by his soul, and his body is absolutely not "flexible" at all!

But the facts left him no room for complaint.

After Gao Yiling said that "tourists who fail to complete the task will be detained by the priests for disrespecting the gods and will no longer be able to join the tour group," everyone knew that this was a mandatory task.

Moreover, the priest she mentioned seemed to have appeared out of nowhere; at least in the past few days, the strategists hadn't heard the word "priest" anywhere.

Zhang Yu tried to ask if there was any room for negotiation, but Gao Yiling scared him away with a very strange look in her eyes.

Gao Yiling today is very different from the previous two days.

Her eyes had a sinister look.

Despite her bright smile and lively tone, she seemed possessed by something, exuding a dark and eerie aura that made people afraid to disobey her.

So Zhang Yu learned the Leaping Fish Dance from the dance teacher Gao Yiling found. Memorizing the movements was easy for him; the difficulty lay in making it look like dancing rather than gymnastics.

The tour group members are now gathered around the altar.

There were too many people here, and we all got separated.

Gao Yiling's tour guide flag was positioned a little further ahead, serving as the only landmark for everyone.

Complaining to no avail, Zhang Yu glanced at Boss Hua and noticed that Boss Hua was still staring straight ahead, so he asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"

From his own perspective, he could only see heads that were shorter than him and heads that were taller than him.

As for the altar, which was surrounded in the very center, it was completely invisible.

Logically speaking, Boss Hua isn't some two-meter-tall giant, so he shouldn't be able to see it either.

Hua Subai's actions were clearly not "logical." Faced with Zhang Yu's curiosity, he only curled the corners of his lips and said, "I'm admiring the scenery."

Zhang Yu: "What scenery? A scene of crowds of people?"

"Hmm... if I had to describe it, it would probably be the sight of heads rolling," Hua Subai sighed. "You really do see everything when you get old. I won't describe it to you, but you'll see it soon enough."

Zhang Yu: "..."

Etc?

What do you mean by "a scene of heads rolling"? Explain yourself! Explain yourself!

Where he couldn't see, another head rolled off the neck.

The priest, dressed in red and holding an axe, said in a gentle tone, "It's a pity your attire is unsuitable for your status; you shouldn't have come to cause trouble for the gods."

The headless corpse fell to the ground with a thud, and gushing blood spread along the indented lines of the altar, staining the freshly fallen snowflakes red and becoming part of the altar's blood-red patterns.

The townspeople in the innermost two or three circles looked dazed and didn't offer any opinion. They simply moved forward mechanically and stiffly, climbing onto the altar through a small entrance that had been specially left open.

There were already many corpses on the altar.

Those in the inner circle of the altar were silent and dazed.

The people around the altar cheered, beaming with joy.

The inside and the outside were like two separate worlds. (End of Chapter)