Lin Xiao woke up, stretching his limbs as he slowly adjusted to consciousness. It had been two weeks since he and Mei killed the leader, and yet, the sun still hadn't set.
He glanced out of his small window, seeing the perpetual daylight that had become unnervingly familiar.
During these two weeks, the village had experienced a fragile peace. The people who were once captives of the raiders were now integrating into the village.
Although initially uncomfortable with the presence of their former captors, the villagers had gradually grown accustomed to them.
The raiders, under Lin Xiao's control, had shown no hostility, maintaining order and even helping with daily tasks.
The only notable activity for Lin Xiao during this time had been his training sessions with Mei.
She had taken it upon herself to teach him archery, and he found he had a natural talent for it. He suspected that his proficiency was largely due to his increased intelligence, courtesy of the system.
Despite this, he had grown close to Mei, learning more about her each day.
He discovered that she was almost 26, nearly a decade older than him.
Her youthful appearance had surprised him, but he chose not to reveal his true age, maintaining the facade of being an immortal.
Lin Xiao got up from his bed and gently nudged his cats awake.
Lil' Blackie and Xiao Bai stretched and yawned, their eyes blinking sleepily as they adjusted to the light.
He began talking to them, a habit he had developed to cope with his homesickness.
"I miss the modern world," he said softly, petting Lil' Blackie. "I miss my mom and my sister. I haven't seen them in weeks, and it's driving me crazy. I've never been away from them for this long."
Xiao Bai nuzzled against his hand, as if offering comfort. Lin Xiao sighed, feeling a pang of longing for his family and the life he had left behind.
The bustling streets, the convenience of technology, the warmth of his home they all seemed like distant memories.
He continued to talk to his cats, sharing his thoughts and fears. "I wonder how they're doing. I hope they're not too worried about me. I promised I would come back, but now... I don't even know how long I'll be stuck here."
As he spoke, he felt a little sad. He knew he had to complete the mission and survive the dungeon to return to his family.
The thought of seeing them again gave him strength.
After a while, Lin Xiao decided it was time to start his day. He got dressed, gathered his belongings, and stepped out of his small house.
The village was already bustling with activity, the villagers going about their daily routines.
He made his way to the training ground, where Mei was already practicing her archery. She greeted him with a warm smile
Instead of joining her immediately, he started a conversation, hoping to learn more about the world they were in.
For some reason, whenever he tried to access the world background from the raiders' memories, he got nothing but blankness. It was as if there was a void where their knowledge should be.
"Mei, do you know anything about this world? Anything at all?" he asked, leaning against a nearby post.
Mei paused, lowering her bow. "No, I don't. I am sorry,"
Lin Xiao sighed, feeling the weight of the mystery pressing down on him. With no other options, he decided to focus on training.
As they finished their session, the sun began to set. Lin Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief, glad to see the transition from day to night.
"What kind of world is this where the sun and moon set at irregular times, from weeks to mere hours?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head in disbelief.
Seeing the moon rise, Lin Xiao suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of sleepiness.
Deciding to retire for the night, he headed back to his 'house' for some much-needed rest. He drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, a loud knocking at his door roused him from his sleep.
He groggily got up and went outside, only to find a crowd of villagers kneeling in the snow, pleading for his help. The sight of snow falling from the sky puzzled him.
"What's going on?" Lin Xiao asked, his voice groggy with sleep. "Why are you all here?"
One of the villagers looked up at him with desperation in his eyes. "Great Immortal, please save us from the Eternal Cold!"
Lin Xiao was confused. "It's just snowing. Why is this such a big deal? Why are you bothering me about this?" he muttered.
He spotted Mei among the kneeling villagers and approached her. "Mei, what's all this about the Eternal Cold?"
Mei, still kneeling, looked up at him with a serious expression. "Lin Li, the Eternal Cold is a deadly phenomenon. It brings unending snow and ice, freezing everything and everyone in its path. Many have perished during these times. We were hoping you could use your powers to save us."
Lin Xiao was taken aback by the severity of the situation. He had assumed it was just a regular snowfall, but the fear in the villagers' eyes told him otherwise.
He realized that in this world, natural phenomena could be far more dangerous than he had imagined.
He looked at Mei, then at the villagers, feeling the weight of their expectations. "Alright, I will see what I can do. But first, let's all go inside and get warm. Standing out here in the snow isn't going to help anyone."
The villagers slowly got up and made their way to their homes. Lin Xiao followed Mei into a warmer space, trying to think of a plan.
Inside, he asked Mei, "Is there any way to stop this Eternal Cold? Has anyone ever succeeded before?"
Mei shook her head. "There are legends of powerful immortals who could control the weather, but no one in recent memory has managed to stop the Eternal Cold,"
Lin Xiao's confusion turned to alarm. "Why didn't anyone mention about this Eternal Cold before?"
"It hasn't happened in years. Most of us hoped it was just a myth or that it wouldn't happen again," Mei explained, her voice tinged with worry. "But it seems like it's starting now."
Lin Xiao felt a chill run down his spine, not just from the cold but from the realization of the gravity of the situation. "What do you usually do to survive this?"
Mei shook her head. "In the past, our ancestors would pray to the gods, make sacrifices, and huddle together for warmth. But we've lost so much knowledge over the years. I don't know if we can survive this without help."
Lin Xiao looked at the anxious face of Mei, Her fear palpable. He knew he had to do something because his survival also depended on it, but he wasn't sure what.
The system had thrown him into another difficult situation, and he needed to find a way out.