Peace

But if the person behind him was Mister Jiang, then... who was buried beneath the snow?

Feeling the hand gripping his arm, Gongsun Zhiruo was seized by a chill of dread. He instinctively tried to pull away, but worried: what if the person under the snow really was Mister Jiang?

If it had been anyone else, Gongsun Zhiruo might not have hesitated. But Mister Jiang had once saved his life.

"Cough... cough, cough..." Mister Jiang's voice continued to come from not far away. His throat was hoarse, and the wind distorted his voice slightly. "How... how are you all?"

"I'm fine," Huai Yi shouted first, his voice hoarse.

A little later, Bai Xi also called back that he was fine.

In that brief moment while Gongsun Zhiruo hesitated, the person buried beneath the snow struggled free. Immediately afterward, a cold hand clamped over his mouth.

"Don't make a sound. Don't give yourself away." The voice behind him leaned close to his ear and murmured, "I heard the voice too. It's disguised itself as me."

Gongsun Zhiruo's brow furrowed sharply.

"Teacher Gongsun?" Bai Xi called out. He had just faintly heard Gongsun Zhiruo's voice. Why had he gone quiet again? Bai Xi was starting to worry.

Once Jiang Cheng behind him slowly let go, Gongsun Zhiruo pretended nothing had happened and answered the others. "I'm here. I'm fine."

Nearby, he heard the sounds of people gathering their things and trudging through the snow. They were coming closer.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Zhiruo didn't move a muscle. He didn't dare. He couldn't tell whether the Mister Jiang behind him was a person or a ghost.

"Mr. Gongsun," Jiang Cheng behind him said quietly. "Let's not alert the Starving Ghost yet. Sneak me over to it. I have a way to deal with it." Jiang