Snow began falling again in the latter half of the night. Only then did everyone realize that it wasn't that the ground around City R had no snow-the branches had blocked most of it from reaching the ground.
What little snow fell soon melted, too.
The temperature plummeted, but the earthen fortress Wang Weihu had built was still fairly warm.
Visibility in City R was very poor, though.
It was pitch-black outside.
Even at seven in the morning, the sky still hadn't brightened. There was nothing they could do, so they discussed whether to set out.
"The weather's getting worse, but we can't let ourselves get trapped here, either. We still have a mission to carry out, and we don't even know what's happening at City R Base."
"But what if we go out in this weather and get buried in snow?"
"We'll just have to be careful and avoid places with deep snow. Everyone should put on their cold-weather gear."
Qin Luo assessed the situation and agreed that they should leave. "Staying here forever isn't a solution. Let's pack up and head out. Try to stay together and don't scatter. If we run into another thunderstorm, regroup right away."
At a time like this, they really did need someone to take charge. Everyone answered, "Yes!"
The Flame Squad lit a fire, and everyone boiled water and filled their flasks. The brown sugar ginger powder Xu Duoduo had given them earlier really came in handy.
Everyone filled a flask with it. A sip when they felt cold would warm them all over.
"The Little Class Monitor really is the best!" Chen Xiaofei couldn't help exclaiming as he cradled his insulated flask. The temperature was so low that even speaking sent clouds of warm breath billowing out.
Mist hung everywhere.
Bai