Make the Locals See What Economic Pressure Really Means

The Far North, late at night.

After leaving Heaven Dou City, the Train raced north through the darkness.

Outside the windows, the lights of towns gave way to a vast snowfield. At last, the Train pulled into a hidden platform near the edge of the Far North.

Yan Shaozhe stood atop a snowy slope, watching the figures bustling below.

People unloaded crates of supplies from the Train, their breath turning to frosty mist in the bitter wind.

Behind him came two sets of footsteps crunching through the deep snow.

Yan Shaozhe turned and saw Jiang Hao and Owl Bro approaching, supporting each other.

Both wore thick Padded Coats. Owl Bro also carried a bulging bundle wrapped in one.

When they reached him, Owl Bro handed over the bundle with a hearty laugh. "Elder Yan, try this standard-issue Padded Coat we Fatui mass-produce.

"It may not match your fox-fur cloak, but it's every bit as warm."

White mist poured from his mouth as he spoke, vanishing swiftly into the wind.

Meanwhile, Jiang Hao had already taken a table and chairs from his Soul Tool and set them on the snow.

With an infusion of Soul Power, a small stove appeared out of thin air. Its red glow drove back the cold, melting the snow beneath their feet to reveal a stone slab veined with blue.

He deftly brewed a pot of hot tea, its fragrance curling through the icy air.

"What's on your mind?" Jiang Hao slid a cup toward Yan Shaozhe, his gaze sharpening. "Still upset about what happened in Heaven Dou City?"

Yan Shaozhe fell silent for a moment, then picked up the cup. Steam blurred his features.

He had barely spoken since leaving Heaven Dou City.

The Imperial City Guard's faces—deferential in public, defiant behind their backs—stuck in