The wind and snow came crashing in from all directions.
The windshield wipers swept left and right at maximum frequency, clanging and banging rhythmically.
Beyond the windshield lies a churning white abyss.
Inside the insulated aircraft case, the soft sound of Cotton Candy burying her nose in the wool blanket could be heard.
Su Wei kept his right foot firmly on the accelerator, maintaining a speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
The Raptor's headlights pierced through the snow, cutting a dim yellow path ahead.
The Pyramid Mountain receded rapidly in the rearview mirror, fading into a blurry gray outline.
Then, the blizzard completely swallowed it up.
Chapter 218 Borscht in the Blizzard
The Raptor's wheels rolled over the snow at the foot of the Pyramid Mountain, and a slight sluggishness came from the chassis.
Black ice is the deadliest road condition in polar driving.
Beneath the forty-centimeter-thick layer of powder snow lies a hard, smooth shell of ice.
The four-wheel drive system quickly engages, and the traction control light flashes frequently on the dashboard.
Su Wei took his right hand off the steering wheel and turned the transfer case knob to low-speed four-wheel drive mode.
The driveshaft emitted a dull mechanical grinding sound as torque was redistributed, and the deep-toothed snow tires gripped the road surface tightly.
The Ford Raptor slowly drove toward Kodiak Town at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour, crushing the snow.
The strong wind swept in from the north, and each time it hit the side of the vehicle, the three-ton car body would shift slightly to the side.
Su Wei gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, constantly making subtle reverse corrections.
The passive feedback of the Mechanical Repair LV3 takes effect in real time, and the changes in the damping system at extreme low temperatures are clearly transmitted.
The hydraulic fluid in the shock absorbers had become thick, but this unmodified Raptor still withstood the tearing of the crosswinds.
The journey, which normally takes two hours, was stretched to twice as long by the blizzard.
By four o'clock in the afternoon, the sky in the polar region was completely dark.
The Raptor drove into the main street of Kodiak Town.
The asphalt roads in the town have completely disappeared, leaving only a vast expanse of white snow.
The snow had overflowed the curb and piled up at the base of the buildings.
The streetlights on both sides of the road were dim, and some of the old bulbs flickered in the wind.
Snowflakes were whipped up by the gale, forming white eddies that lashed everything on the street.
Most of the shops on both sides of the main street had their metal roller shutters down; fishing tackle shops, hardware stores, and bars were all closed to customers.
The windproof blinds were locked tight, and several thick tree branches broken by the wind lay across the middle of the road.
The once bustling fishing port town seemed to have been put on pause by the blizzard.
All life activities shrink in the face of such extreme weather.
At the end of the street corner, a cluster of dim neon lights flickered intermittently in the wind and snow.
Ivan Russian Stew Restaurant.
A business establishment on the town's main street that was still lit up.
The Raptor landed in the snow in front of the restaurant.
Su Wei pushed open the driver's side door, and a gust of wind instantly rushed into the car.
He reached behind him, grabbed a spare waterproof jacket from the back seat, got out of the car, Emily followed closely behind.
The snow was knee-deep, and the two of them, braving the crosswind, slowly made their way to the restaurant.
The shop door, made of solid wood, was extremely heavy, with a layer of white frost on its surface.
Su Wei pressed down on the brass handle with one hand, leaned forward, and used his body weight to press down.
The shop door was pushed open a crack, and the wind rushed in, making a sharp whistling sound, while the brass wind chimes above the door frame jingled erratically.
The heat, carrying with it the rich, sweet and sour aroma of butter, onions, and borscht, wafted towards us.
The restaurant's interior space was small and the air was stuffy; the old wooden floorboards were worn smooth and uneven from being walked on.
Several dusty reindeer hides and a huge map of the Kamchatka Peninsula hung on the wall.
Several groups of fishermen, dressed in heavy waterproof suits, were gathered around a wooden table, cursing the blizzard while chugging vodka.
Su Wei and Emily walked to a red rubber booth by the window and sat down.
Emily straightened up and ripped off the Velcro strap of her windproof face mask.
She took off her snow-soaked white ski suit and hung it on the back of a solid wood chair on the edge of the booth.
Inside was a black, moisture-wicking undershirt that clung to her body, with a high neck that protected her neck.
Due to the huge temperature difference, the tip of her nose and cheeks were frozen red.
A burly Russian-American waitress approached, and before she could hand over the menu, Su Wei spoke up.
Two large servings of borscht, two servings of Angus ribs with bone and tendons, medium-rare.
Two slices of whole wheat bread and a large pot of hot black tea.
The waiter made two marks on the notebook, then turned and left.
A layer of white condensation formed on the inside of the glass window, completely obscuring the view.
The wind and snow outside pounded against the glass, making a rough, rustling sound, while ice pellets struck the wooden window frame in a dull, continuous thud.
The food was served in less than ten minutes.
Two rough black earthenware pots sat in the center of the table, their dark red borscht still bubbling.
Large bone-in steaks sizzled on a cast-iron plate, filling the air with their aroma.
Emily did not hesitate at all, nor did she wait for the hot soup to cool down.
She grabbed a piece of whole-wheat bread, about half the size of her palm, with both hands, tore it apart, and crumbs fell onto the table.
Then, she pressed half of the hard bread directly into the boiling borscht.
She grabbed her knife and fork, the sharp, serrated blade slicing through the bloody medium-rare steak.
Instead of cutting it into small pieces, she cut off two large pieces, held them in place with a fork, and put them directly into her mouth, chewing vigorously.
His cheeks puffed out, and he swallowed quickly and smoothly.
Su Wei sat opposite him, watching quietly.
This seemingly aloof animal behavior master's student was eating like a snow wolf that hadn't eaten for days.
She abandoned all refinement, leaving only a craving for protein and carbohydrates.
The intense descent and rescue had pushed Emily's energy levels to the brink.
Her body was forcibly triggering an aggressive eating instinct; calories were the only way to restore function.
Su Wei cut into the steak on his plate, and the moment the blade touched the meat, the passive feedback from his Cooking LV3 kicked in.
The teppanyaki grill in the kitchen was too hot, which damaged the surface texture and caused the juices to leak out.
He cut off a piece of beef and put it in his mouth. The meat was coarse, but it was very fatty.
Chewing generates heat, which slides down the esophagus into the stomach, dispelling any lingering chill in the body.
The cast iron radiator in the corner was radiating high temperatures.
The restaurant was filled with noise as fishermen pounded on the tables, lamenting the impending loss of the cod season.
Twenty minutes later, only a clean bone remained on Emily's plate of steak.
The borscht was almost gone, and a ring of red oil stains clung to the rim of the earthenware pot.
She picked up the cup and drank the remaining half-cup of hot black tea in one gulp.
The bottom of the cup tapped softly on the wooden tabletop.
She pulled two cheap tissues from a metal box in the center of the table and vigorously wiped the oil stains around her lips.
The ferry departs at 6:00 AM tomorrow.
She spoke, crumpling the tissue into a ball and tossing it into an empty bowl on the corner of the table.
"I need to go back to the Hunters' Guild in Anchorage for a progress report."
Su Wei paused for half a second as he cut the steak, the blade hovering in mid-air.
He looked up, his gaze passing over the steam rising from the table and landing on Emily's face, which had regained its color.
"The wind speed outside has exceeded 80 kilometers per hour, and cold air is pouring in from the Arctic Ocean."
"The snow and wind will continue tomorrow morning, and the sea swells will exceed four meters. There is a very high probability that the port will issue a navigation closure order."
"The ferry service is definitely suspended; perhaps we should wait a few more days?"
Emily leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.