234: Chapter 234 Repairing the City Walls, We're Here to Find Someone!

After the Frost Giant fell, Snow Rock Fortress fell into a brief silence.

Moments later, the sound of long-suppressed gasps echoed from the top and bottom of the fortress wall.

They looked at the massive white corpse in front of the north wall, their eyes filled with the dazed look of those who had just survived a catastrophe.

This fortress had not experienced an attack of this level in a long time.

On the night of the Cold Attack, a Frost Giant had broken through the wall.

If not for Lu Cheng, everyone could calculate exactly how many people would have died tonight.

Yi Ning stood beneath the north wall, her face devoid of much joy.

She looked at the gap in the wall that had been smashed open, the gem in the center of her forehead flickering continuously.

"It's not over yet."

Her voice reached the ears of the nearby guards.

They immediately snapped back to reality.

With the north wall destroyed, the extreme cold storm outside was constantly pouring in through the breach.

The heating balance, originally maintained by the Central Tower, had been completely shattered.

The wind and snow surged into the northern district of the fortress like a tide, and the surfaces of the houses near the breach quickly frosted over.

Several craftsmen rushed over to carry black rock slabs, attempting to plug the gap in the wall.

The outer layers of their gloves quickly froze hard, and the white mist from their breath fell onto their beards, instantly freezing into ice shards.

"Hurry!"

"Get the supports up!"

"Where is the Blue Crystal Powder? Bring the Blue Crystal Powder over!"

"The crack on the west side is still expanding!"

The shouts became intermittent in the wind and snow.

A young craftsman carried a black rock slab to the edge of the breach, but as soon as he put the material down, he was sent staggering backward by the cold wind.

Another old craftsman rushed up to support him.

The two of them pushed the black rock slab toward the wall together, but that amount of force was far too weak against a gap over ten meters wide.

The interior of the wall had been shattered by the Frost Giant's impact.

The outer layer of black rock had broken apart, exposing the old-era metal skeleton, and several core support beams had already bent.

The wind kept pressing inward.

No sooner had the black rock slab been leaned against it than it was overturned by the gale.

One slab slammed into the ground and shattered into several pieces.

"The support point has collapsed!"

"The left side can't be patched!"

For buildings in the central zone, combined with better heating, they might survive this disaster...

However... those low, dilapidated houses too close to the wall definitely wouldn't make it...

Yi Ning's face turned pale; she had just become the Chief Elder, and she was already facing such a situation on her first night.

An elderly Elder walked over quickly, his voice trembling.

"Chief, at this rate, the temperature in the North District will drop to dangerous levels within a quarter of an hour."

"The warm currents in the West District and the mining area have already begun to weaken."

"If this continues, more than forty percent of our clansmen will not survive this Cold Attack."

Yi Ning's fingers clenched tightly.

Lu Cheng stood beneath the north wall, watching the helpless people around him, and remained silent for a few seconds.

He knew that these Snow Plains clansmen might not count as humans in the true sense.

But they looked too damn much like them, and Lu Cheng just couldn't bear it...

He turned his head to look at Li Chenzhou.

"Take your people further away."

Li Chenzhou sensed the change in his tone and immediately nodded.

"Everyone, fall back twenty meters!"

Lu Cheng walked forward.

The Eternal Calamity Flame rose from beneath his feet.

The black-red flames spread out in the wind and snow, initially a thin layer, then rapidly expanding.

Flame Demon Transformation activated.

Black-red fire patterns appeared on Lu Cheng's body, his Fire Luminary Meridian operated at full power, and the Holy Dragon Armament covered his arms and chest.

The dragon scales glowed with a deep golden luster in the firelight.

The next moment, the Eternal Calamity Flame suddenly expanded outward.

Boom!

The cold air in front of the north wall breach was forcibly pushed away.

The wind and snow that had been pouring into the fortress were blocked by the flames, forming a clear dividing line.

Outside the dividing line was the violent white cold wind.

Inside the dividing line was a heat zone supported by black-red flames.

The craftsmen, whose hands and feet had been stiff from the cold, finally regained a bit of color in their faces.

Some looked up at Lu Cheng, their eyes filled with shock.

On the night of a Cold Attack, even warming stones could barely sustain life.

Yet this outsider had used flames to push back the cold wind.

Lu Cheng ignored those gazes.

He waved his hand.

The System space opened.

Two General-class Mechanical Puppets fell from the Void Realm.

Their gray alloy bodies slammed into the ground, making a heavy sound.

Their chest cores lit up, their limb joints unfolded, and they immediately entered work mode.

These Puppets were originally the life-saving trump cards Mei Wushuang had given him.

Using them to repair the city wall now was a bit extravagant.

But there was no better option at the moment.

"Repair the wall..."

Lu Cheng issued the command.

Both Mechanical Puppets acted simultaneously.

One walked to the broken part of the wall, extended locking clasps from its arms, and directly grabbed the bent metal beams, forcibly pulling the support structure back into place.

The other unfolded its back tool rack, cut the shattered black rock, and reassembled the huge wall fragments.

The strength of the General-class Puppets far exceeded that of the Snow Rock Fortress craftsmen.

The black rock slabs that a dozen people couldn't push were lifted by them with one hand and embedded precisely into the gap.

Su Wan also stepped forward.

She didn't say much, and the Ice Emperor Soul Map briefly appeared behind her.

Ice crystals spread along the cracks in the wall, securing the newly assembled Materials.

Her ice power was compatible with the cold environment here, and it actually worked quite well when repairing the wall.

Snow Spirit jumped onto a collapsed roof, its little paws stepping on the tiles, and spat frost flames at several cracks.

The frost flames froze the loose stones, preventing them from continuing to collapse.

Yi Ning quickly took over the command.

"Craftsman team, follow the arrangements of Mr. Lu Cheng's Puppets!"

"Guard team, clear the surrounding ice!"

"Transport all Blue Crystal Powder to the north wall!"

"Do not go near the boundary of the black-red flames!"

After the orders were spread, Snow Rock Fortress finally recovered from the chaos.

The craftsmen were responsible for filling in the details.

The guards were responsible for transporting Materials.

The exploration team assisted in transferring the wounded.

Li Chenzhou led the Military District Martial Artists to pull a safety line on the North Street, sending those who had been frostbitten to the underground cold shelters.

The Eternal Calamity Flame continued to burn.

Lu Cheng stood in the center of the fire domain, the Flame Demon aura constantly surging on his body.

The Cold Attack pressed inward desperately, and the Eternal Calamity Flame pushed back inch by inch.

This confrontation had no flashy Moves.

It was just a hard collision between power and the environment.

Half an hour later.

The north wall breach was completely plugged.

The black rock slabs were re-embedded into the wall.

The bent support beams were forcibly corrected by the Puppets and then fixed with Blue Crystal Powder and ice crystal layers.

On the outside, there was also a hardened layer scorched by the Eternal Calamity Flame, which was enough to resist the cold wind for a short time.

The energy supply curve of the Central Tower began to rise.

The temperature in the North District recovered.

The warm current in the West District was reconnected.

On the streets, the atmosphere, which had been suppressed to the extreme, slowly relaxed.

An old man knelt in the snow and bowed his head toward Lu Cheng.

Then, a second.

A third.

More and more Snow Plains clansmen bent their waists.

They did not have a uniform etiquette.

Some knelt on one knee.

Some pressed their right hand against the gem in the center of their forehead.

Yi Ning also stood in front of the crowd, performing the Snow Plains clans' highest hunter salute to Lu Cheng.

"Mr. Lu Cheng."

"Snow Rock Fortress owes you a life."

Lu Cheng withdrew the Flame Demon Transformation, and the black-red flames gradually retracted into his body.

His face was a bit pale.

Continuously resisting the Cold Attack and controlling the Eternal Calamity Flame to cover the entire north wall was indeed a significant drain... If it weren't for the recovery ability provided by the System and the Nine Luminary Meridians, he would probably have been drained dry.

Su Wan walked to his side and handed him a recovery potion.

Lu Cheng took it and drank it.

"Thanks."

Snow Spirit jumped down from the roof and landed on Lu Cheng's shoulder.

It clawed at Lu Cheng's collar with its little paws, looking at him with some worry.

"Is Papa tired?"

Lu Cheng patted its head.

"I'm okay."

Snow Spirit draped its tail over his shoulder.

"Then Snow Spirit will block the wind for Papa."

Lu Cheng smiled but didn't speak.

The remaining members of the Council of Elders also walked over.

A tall, thin Elder in the lead bowed his head to Lu Cheng.

"Mr. Lu Cheng."

"The Council of Elders apologizes to you and your companions once again."

"The mistakes we have committed are already irreparable."

"Since you were still willing to save Snow Rock Fortress tonight, we will record this kindness on the Snow Oath Stone."

Several other Elders nearby also bowed their heads together.

Lu Cheng glanced at them.

"Whatever."

The Elders' bodies stiffened slightly.

Lu Cheng's tone was very flat.

So flat that they could tell he had not forgiven the Council of Elders, nor did he intend to pursue the significance of tonight's rescue any further.

He had just saved those who deserved to live.

As for the debts owed by the Council of Elders, they would figure out how to repay them later.

Lu Cheng turned to look at Yi Ning.

"I want to find the remaining people as soon as possible."

"There are still outsiders at Frostbone Fortress, right?"

Yi Ning nodded.

"Miss Su Wan said before that she escaped from Frostbone Fortress."

"There should still be people imprisoned there."

Li Chenzhou immediately stepped forward.

"We are leaving now."

The injuries on his body had not fully recovered, but the missing team members might still be at Frostbone Fortress, and he didn't want to keep waiting.

Yi Ning, however, shook her head.

"The Cold Attack has not stopped."

"The wind outside the Snow Plains will be even more terrifying than inside the fortress."

"Going out now, ordinary Meridian Opening Realm cultivators will find it hard to hold on."

An Elder also advised:

"Wait another day."

"After the Cold Attack ends, I will mobilize the best sled beasts and hunters to lead the way."

"Frostbone Fortress is not close to here."

Lu Cheng looked out the window.

The wind outside was still roaring.

The Frost Giant's corpse was frozen outside the city wall, with white cold air constantly winding around it.

Under normal circumstances, leaving Snow Rock Fortress now was indeed dangerous.

But on the other side, the remaining people were still at Frostbone Fortress, their lives unknown.

Lu Cheng was silent for a moment, then said:

"My Eternal Calamity Flame can ensure we are safe."

Yi Ning looked at him.

"You just had a huge consumption."

"It doesn't matter..."

Lu Cheng said indifferently; if it were just to shield a few people, his recovery ability far exceeded the consumption of the Eternal Calamity Flame.

"No need to say more, we leave tomorrow morning, Yi Ning... just send someone who knows the way to guide us..."

Yi Ning looked into Lu Cheng's eyes and knew she couldn't persuade him otherwise.

She nodded gently.

"I will lead the way myself."

Yi Luo immediately looked up.

"Sister!"

Yi Ning looked at her.

"I know the way."

"Frostbone Fortress and Snow Rock Fortress have been connected for many years; having an outsider lead the way would take a very long detour."

"Time is tight now, I must go."

Yi Luo bit her lip and finally did not continue to stop her.

She ran home and took out the hunter's cloak her sister used to wear and a bag of Blue Crystals.

"Then take this."

Yi Ning took the cloak and patted her head.

"Wait for me to come back."

Snow Spirit lay on Lu Cheng's shoulder watching the sisters, its tail swaying gently.

It whispered:

"Papa, Yi Luo will be worried."

Lu Cheng grunted.

"So I'll come back early."

...

That night, no one in Snow Rock Fortress slept soundly.

The Cold Attack lasted until dawn.

When the sky brightened, it was still gray and white, and the sound of the wind had not diminished much.

The streets were full of traces of the battle from last night.

The newly patched wall of the north wall was darker in color, and black-red marks left by the burning of the Eternal Calamity Flame remained on the outside.

The Frost Giant's corpse was cut up by the craftsmen.

Its bones, ice armor, and core fragments were all very valuable and could be used to reinforce the city wall or to manufacture new heavy crossbow bolts.

Lu Cheng and the others packed their equipment.

The departure team was finally determined to be four people.

Lu Cheng.

Su Wan.

Li Chenzhou.

Yi Ning.

Other exploration team members remained at Snow Rock Fortress to recover their state, while also being responsible for protecting the rescued wounded.

Li Chenzhou originally wanted to bring more people, but was rejected by Lu Cheng.

In the Cold Attack environment, the more people there were, the slower the speed.

They were rushing to Frostbone Fortress to save people, and taking some wounded along would just be a waste of time.

Yi Ning changed into hunter gear.

She wore deep blue leather armor, covered by a heavy cloak, carrying a longbow and a short blade, and the gem in the center of her forehead was protected by a metal ring.

The gate of Snow Rock Fortress slowly opened.

The moment the gap opened, the wind and snow outside rushed in directly.

Lu Cheng took a step forward.

The Eternal Calamity Flame spread from beneath his feet, forming a circle of black-red fire domain.

The fire domain did not scorch people; it just blocked the cold wind outside.

After everyone stood into the fire domain, the physical pressure was immediately reduced.

A flash of amazement crossed Yi Ning's eyes.

She had never left the fortress during a Cold Attack in her life.

For the Snow Plains clans, this was almost suicide.

But now, standing within the range of Lu Cheng's flames, she could actually breathe and walk normally.

"Let's go."

Lu Cheng spoke.

Yi Ning led the way, and the few of them stepped out of Snow Rock Fortress.

The long road stretched on, and the wind and snow were fierce.

After leaving the city wall area, the whole world was swallowed by the white storm.

Visibility was extremely low.

An ordinary person standing here couldn't even tell the direction.

The ground was covered with thick ice, and in many places, it was hollow underneath; one wrong step and you would fall into a snow cave.

Yi Ning was worthy of being the strongest hunter in Snow Rock Fortress.

She relied on the gem in the center of her forehead to sense the cold veins underground, and confirmed the direction through several black stone markers hidden in the snow.

Several times, what looked flat ahead, she immediately stopped and led the group to take a detour.

Then the wind and snow rolled away, revealing bottomless ice crevices underneath.

Su Wan was silent along the way.

Her Ice Emperor Soul Map recovered very quickly in this environment.

Occasionally, when a storm pressed in from the side, she would raise her hand to condense ice crystals, helping the Eternal Calamity Flame stabilize the edges.

Snow Spirit lay on Lu Cheng's shoulder, its little nose constantly sniffing the surrounding scent.

"Papa, there is something on the left."

Lu Cheng looked to the left.

Deep in the wind and snow, several low black shadows flashed by quickly.

Yi Ning whispered:

"Cold Attack Wolves."

"They generally won't actively approach the flames."

The shadows stopped in the distance for a moment, then finally turned and left.

The aura of the Eternal Calamity Flame made them instinctively afraid.

Along the way, they also saw several mutant corpses frozen in the snow.

Those monsters slowed down in the Cold Attack and failed to burrow back underground in time, being frozen to death by the wind and snow.

Li Chenzhou looked at those corpses, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

Half a day later, the outline of a thinner, taller fortress appeared in the wind and snow.

Frostbone Fortress was built beside an ice cliff.

The outer wall was built from a mixture of pale bone Materials and grayish-white rock, with many spike-like defensive pillars standing on the city wall.

Compared to Snow Rock Fortress, it was colder and more desolate here.

There were not many residential houses outside the fortress, and all buildings were shrunk inside the high walls.

The Central Tower was a circle smaller than that of Snow Rock Fortress, and its light was dimmer.

The duty guards of Frostbone Fortress stood in the tower, originally just routinely observing the wind and snow.

During the Cold Attack, theoretically, no one would come from outside.

Soon, one of the guards rubbed his eyes.

In the wind and snow, there was firelight.

Black-red firelight.

In the firelight, several figures were walking toward the fortress.

The guard was stunned.

He stared outside for several seconds before suddenly grabbing the alarm bell rope.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of the alarm bell rang through Frostbone Fortress.

"Someone!"

"Someone is coming in the Cold Attack!"

Another guard rushed to the shooting port, and the moment he saw Lu Cheng and the others, his face also changed.

"How is this possible..."

Yi Ning stood in the fire domain, looking up at the wall of Frostbone Fortress.

"They see us."

Lu Cheng looked up.

On the city wall, more and more guards poked their heads out.

Those people looked at the team in the black-red fire domain, their eyes full of shock and fear.

Traveling across the Snow Plains during a Cold Attack.

To the Snow Plains clans, this was close to a legend.

Lu Cheng did not stop.

He led Su Wan, Li Chenzhou, Yi Ning, and Snow Spirit, walking step by step to the gate of Frostbone Fortress.

The wind and snow roared behind him.

The Eternal Calamity Flame burned beneath his feet.

He looked up at the guards on the city wall, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Open the gate."

"I am here to find someone."