Night fell. In the vast Snow Forest, gusts of frigid wind howled, whipping up flurries of snow with a sound like the wailing of ghosts.
Outside the cave, it was pitch-black and frigid.
But inside the cave, it was a completely different scene.
Inside the spacious cave, the five-person team had already lit a bonfire. Its dancing flames brought not only light but also warmth.
A small pot was propped up over the bonfire, simmering with a mushroom and shredded pork soup.
Both the pot and the soup mix were supplies provided by the school. The military-ration soup, in particular, filled the air with a fragrance so rich it made your mouth water.
Xu Taiping hadn't shown up all day, and now that night had fallen, Rong Taotao was naturally on high alert.
He cradled his Heaven-piercing Halberd, leaning against the cave entrance. While he absorbed Ice and Snow Attribute Soul Power, attempting to raise his Soul Technique's cultivation level, he also kept a vigilant watch on the environment outside.
By the bonfire, Sun Xingyu was nestled in Li Ziyi's arms, whispering something to him.
Meanwhile, Sun Xingyu's roommate, Zhou Ting, kept stealing glances at the couple, her eyes filled with envy.
"Rong Taotao."
"Hmm?" Rong Taotao turned to see Lu Mang standing there, longsword in hand.
Lu Mang said, "Let's sort out the night watch schedule. We have to survive here for seven more days, so we need to rotate shifts to make sure everyone maintains their stamina and energy."
"Mm..." Rong Taotao nodded. This was precisely why he had insisted on forming a team and working together for mutual benefit.
The Snowfield forest at night was far more terrifying than it was during the day.
"We'll take the first watch." Li Ziyi's distinctive, quacking voice echoed from deeper inside the cave.
The sound was grating to Rong Taotao. "Hey, can't you hurry up and finish puberty? Or at least let your voice finish changing first. It's such a waste of a handsome face like yours."
"Look who's getting worked up over nothing," Li Ziyi huffed, pulling his 'beloved concubine' closer…
'Holy shit?'
'This kid's getting pretty good with the comebacks, huh?'
Just as Rong Taotao was about to retort, a shout echoed from the woods in the distance. "Is anyone up there?"
Rong Taotao and Lu Mang exchanged a look, each tightening their grip on their weapon.
At the same time, the other three inside the cave also scrambled to their feet.
"This is great! Amazing!" A joyful voice rang out as several figures with flashlights hurried toward the flickering light of the cave.
"Hello there! Hello! We're so happy to see other people!" a student exclaimed, striding forward. Even with large goggles covering his face, his excitement was plain to see.
His face wasn't flushed with excitement; instead, it was deathly pale, and his body was trembling uncontrollably. He looked like he was frozen half to death.
Rong Taotao said nothing, sizing up the students emerging from the blizzard as his mind raced.
"Can we take shelter here? The wind is too strong and it's freezing out. It's so dark, too. If we stay out there, we'll be easy prey for Soul Beasts." The student pulled down his goggles, looking at Lu Mang with a pleading expression.
Rong Taotao was leaning against the side of the cave entrance, which left Lu Mang standing front and center.
The other team had six members. Clearly, just like Rong Taotao's team, they had grouped up to survive.
"Please, let us stay here. Help us out," another pleading voice came from the back of their group.
Lu Mang turned to look at Rong Taotao, who simply shrugged and glanced back inside the cave.
At that, Zhou Ting, who had been watching the situation unfold from beside the bonfire, buried her head in the sand like an ostrich, avoiding Rong Taotao's gaze without a word.
In a critical situation like this, there was no room for ambiguity. By not nodding or giving any sign of agreement, Zhou Ting was already showing her silent opposition.
For these students, this kind of assessment was truly a dilemma.
On the one hand, they had to cooperate to survive. On the other, every student in the assessment was a competitor.
Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi exchanged a glance before she turned to Rong Taotao. "The cave is pretty big. Um... you decide."
"So is that a yes or a no?! Say something! We're freezing to death out here!" a girl's impatient voice cut in. Someone beside her tugged her arm, and she immediately shut her mouth.
Circumstances were against them. The new team was exhausted from their journey, barely able to stand, let alone fight to seize the cave.
They were truly out of options. The sight of firelight was a beacon of hope, and they had approached without a second thought.
With no path of retreat, they weren't even in a position to worry about whether Rong Taotao's team might harm them.
Rong Taotao gestured with his head toward the cave's interior. "Come in and rest. But let's get a few things straight first. We'll only put you up for one night. Our team is already large enough. Tomorrow morning, you'll have to leave and find another shelter."
"Hmph, acting like you own the place…" the girl muttered, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear as she strode forward.
These young prodigies clearly all had big personalities.
They were, after all, just a bunch of kids who hadn't yet entered the real world. Add to that the possibility of being spoiled rotten at home, and it was no surprise what kind of things might come out of their mouths.
Of course, it wasn't just ignorant kids. This weird world had plenty of man-children, too—rotten people who took the help and charity of others for granted.
Rong Taotao was the type who responded to kindness, not coercion. He raised his Heaven-piercing Halberd, aiming it in the direction of the voice. "If you don't want to stay, you can leave."
The male student at the front hurried forward, placing a trembling hand on the Halberd Shaft and gently pressing it down. "Hey, man, it's a misunderstanding. We're all just frozen stiff, practically out of our minds from the cold."
"We've been walking all day, everyone's just stressed and on edge. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. We'll leave tomorrow morning, we promise…"
Hearing the familiar slang and the apologetic tone, Rong Taotao cracked a smile and lowered his Heaven-piercing Halberd.
The group filed in through the entrance, hurrying toward the flickering firelight inside the cave.
"Xing'Er," Rong Taotao said suddenly.
"Huh?" Sun Xingyu, who had been watching the newcomers huddle around the fire, turned to look at him.
Rong Taotao said, "Go talk to them about rotating the night watch. Since they're staying here, everyone needs to share the responsibility for our safety tonight."
"Oh, okay." Sun Xingyu accepted the task.
Clearly, within Rong Taotao's five-person team, Sun Xingyu was the most skilled talker, making her the perfect choice for the role of diplomat.
Li Ziyi spoke up. "Use her full name. Stop with the nicknames."
Rong Taotao sighed in annoyance. He'd noticed that Li Ziyi rarely spoke, but whenever he opened his mouth, it was either to defend Sun Xingyu or to take a shot at him.
'Did Li Ziyi's mouth only exist for those two reasons?'
Rong Taotao shot back, "Li Zi, shut it!"
Li Ziyi: ???
Well, now it wasn't just Sun Xingyu with a nickname; Li Ziyi hadn't escaped the treatment either.
"Then what does that make you? Hehe." Sun Xingyu covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle. Her sweet, youthful charm warmed the atmosphere in the cave considerably.
A delectable beauty, a feast for the eyes.
Beneath her red, padded hat, Sun Xingyu's big, beautiful eyes twinkled. "Are you Tao'Er?"
Rong Taotao: "..."
Sun Xingyu's eyes suddenly lit up. She pointed at Lu Mang and declared, "You're a Mango!"
Lu Mang's expression stiffened.
'My Mang comes from 'fēngmáng,' for sharpness, not… ugh, okay, fine, it's the same character.'
"Then what are you?" Sun Xingyu asked, turning to Zhou Ting and wracking her brain for a nickname.
Zhou Ting's mouth twitched in embarrassment.
Rong Taotao jumped in to save her. "I bet Zhou Ting never imagined she'd travel all the way to this frozen wasteland just to end up on a team with a fruit platter."
Zhou Ting silently lowered her head, her shoulders trembling as she struggled to suppress her laughter.
"Wow, it's so warm." The girl from the other team finally revealed her face. Taking off her goggles, her eyes immediately locked onto the pot of soup boiling over the fire. She then picked up a nearby cup and, without asking, ladled some for herself.
Naturally, everyone saw this happen.
At the cave entrance, Lu Mang remained expressionless, but Rong Taotao's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Everyone, have some to warm up," Sun Xingyu said, snapping out of her daze. She didn't make a big deal out of it and simply offered the soup to them.
Only then did the other members of the new team put down their backpacks and start looking for their own cups.
At the cave entrance, Lu Mang turned to face the pitch-black, blizzard-swept woods outside. "There's an old saying," he said suddenly. "Peaches nourish, apricots harm, and under the plum tree, the dead are buried."
Rong Taotao was stunned.
'What the hell?'
'This guy doesn't say much, but when he does, he comes out with all these proverbs. He's surprisingly well-read, huh?'
Rong Taotao gave Lu Mang a strange look. "I nourish people? Says who?"
Lu Mang replied, "An old saying."
Rong Taotao mused, "So an old saying is telling me to go out and 'nourish' people?
Tsk tsk. And here I was, thinking I'd never find a girlfriend. If that's the case…
I should have at least two girlfriends in the future. One at home, and I'll 'keep' another one on the side.
I must abide by the teachings of our ancestors and find myself a mistress on their command! It's perfect!"
Lu Mang shot Rong Taotao an expressionless glance, realizing they were truly not on the same wavelength. He didn't bother arguing, simply saying, "I wish you success."
Rong Taotao grinned, flashing his white teeth, and gave Lu Mang a big thumbs-up.
"Hey, man. I'm Zheng Tianpeng," a male voice said from behind. It was the same student who had been at the front of their group and had spoken with Rong Taotao.
Rong Taotao turned and shook the outstretched hand.
Even through their gloves, Rong Taotao could feel the biting cold of the other's hand.
"Thanks for letting us stay here," Zheng Tianpeng said with a friendly smile.
"Yeah, no problem," Rong Taotao replied with a casual nod.
Zheng Tianpeng continued, "Sun Xingyu has already sorted it out. One person from each of our teams will stand guard, starting at 9 p.m., in two-hour shifts."
Rong Taotao tilted his head, his gaze flicking past Zheng Tianpeng's shoulder to Sun Xingyu. He gave her a thumbs-up.
Sun Xingyu's arrangement was very reasonable. One person from each team would not only provide backup but also keep an eye on each other.
"My teammate, Wen Ying, had a bad attitude earlier. It's been a really tough day, so I hope you can understand and cut her some slack," Zheng Tianpeng said with a smile.
Rong Taotao just nodded noncommittally.
Rong Taotao vaguely felt a gaze on him. He turned his head just in time to see the girl, Wen Ying, cup in hand, quickly looking away.
After Zheng Tianpeng left, Lu Mang stepped closer to Rong Taotao and asked quietly, "Why invite trouble by letting them stay? Feeling charitable?"
Rong Taotao replied, "The school never gave us any specific grading criteria. In a situation like this, don't you think sheltering a few fellow students might earn our team some bonus points?"
Lu Mang nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.
Right now, there were at least eleven soldiers watching them from the shadows. Of course they would witness this scene.
The act of Rong Taotao's team sheltering and protecting their fellow students would almost certainly be a bonus.
Of course, if this was a bonus, then he had no idea if their accidental run-in with Xu Taiping earlier that day—which ended with him leaving in a huff—would add or subtract points.
He could only hope the soldiers supervising them would make the right judgment.
After all, Rong Taotao had been very clear: they never intended to kick Xu Taiping out of their shelter, they just wanted an apology.
Lu Mang looked at Rong Taotao in silence. "And here I thought you were a genuinely friendly and kind-hearted person."
Rong Taotao replied, "If you want to think that, I won't argue with you."
Lu Mang: "..."
...