Gone was the House Owner's initial elegance. Exhaustion showed plainly on his face. He had arrived much sooner than Gao Ming expected, making it clear that he had been keeping a careful watch.
The murky icicle turned into dirty water, soaking Gao Ming's clothes. The moment the Mountaineers outside the window saw the House Owner, they began smashing their heads against the glass. As their skulls gradually deformed, cracks appeared in the pane.
The House Owner swung his gun around, then ran into the room and drew the curtains. Standing in the corner, he asked coldly, "Why did you open the curtains again? Do you have a death wish?"
"I didn't open them! I felt cold after falling asleep, and when I opened my eyes, an icicle was falling straight toward them! The snowman was right here in my room! It was trying to kill me!" Gao Ming's eyes were red, and dirty water stained both his hands. When he tried to approach the House Owner, the man pointed his gun straight at him.
"Stay right where you are! Come any closer and I'll shoot!"
"The snowman should still be here! It didn't escape!" Gao Ming took a step back, his voice utterly certain.
"I know." The House Owner smelled the strong fishy odor in the room. It was as though the entire room had been soaked in water from East Lake. "Go to the kitchen and bring the brazier over. Bring some dry firewood, too!"
"I think the kitchen's out of firewood."
"Then go chop some more!"
Gao Ming hurried out of the room, but before he even reached the first floor, the sound of chopping wood came from the kitchen. It was far too loud to conceal. Fortunately, the homeowner was lying in wait for the snowman and