Snowflakes danced wildly in the air as they fell upon Tianxin City, the capital of Tian Nan Province, a border territory of the Debang. Despite being a provincial capital, Tianxin City was far from bustling; its ancient walls, though renovated over the years, bore the indelible scars left by the relentless onslaught of winter beasts.
Countless claw marks and beastly prints marred the weathered walls, each a testament to history, or perhaps to its decay. Each governor dispatched to this place arrived in haste, only to collapse exhausted onto the grand crimson sofas of the administrative office, pondering how to navigate the tangled web of connections in the imperial capital, Fengye Xue, to escape this godforsaken locale.
And as for the development of the city? Ha, who could say?
Thus, the dilapidated city remained in its state of disrepair, lacking the vibrancy that characterized the teeming metropolises. At least, this was the impression that Xiao Muyu had gathered from the townsfolk.
However, as he stepped into the city, buffeted by the howling wind and snow, he was greeted by an unceremonious throng of people invading the indifferent man's field of vision. The biting cold and swirling snow did nothing to deter the boisterous crowd that moved animatedly through the streets. Xiao Muyu stood at the city gate, observing the densely packed mass of people that flowed like ants, his gaze colder than the howling blizzard.
(Ah, what a crowd! Such a flow of humanity could rival even the greatest cities on the continent! Heh, little human, it seems your information was not entirely accurate,) a voice echoed within his consciousness, chattering incessantly. (Is this really the so-called dilapidated border town? It hardly seems so... heh.)
As his indifferent gaze swept the surroundings, Xiao Muyu quietly approached a bulletin board by the street. The board, made of aged wood, bore cracks and seemed poised to collapse at any moment. Various notices, crookedly affixed, announced everything from circus advertisements to wanted posters for escaped convicts, alongside faded announcements that had succumbed to time and the elements.
In the center, however, a pristine notice stood out among the weathered scraps, injecting a touch of vitality into the scene.
It featured a beautiful woman, her soft blue hair cascading elegantly over her shoulders. A warm smile graced her flawless, porcelain-like face, and her fitted gown accentuated her enchanting curves.
Undoubtedly, she was a beauty capable of inciting turmoil; even a photograph could convey an air of gentle intellect. Yet, Xiao Muyu's gaze lingered only briefly on the girl before shifting to the flamboyant lettering beside her.
"..."
(Hey! Little human, have you discovered something? You've been awfully quiet.)
"I... cannot read." Xiao Muyu's tone remained flat and devoid of inflection.
(…)
"..."
(Hahaha... you're killing me! You... hahah... can't read?! I can't believe I forgot such an amusing fact! Hahaha... the great Lord of Winter's Embrace cannot read! Hahaha...)
"What does it say?" Xiao Muyu inquired coldly, unaffected by the laughter echoing in his mind.
(Tch... if you ask me, who am I to tell? Hehe... I'm just a poor little demon sealed away for millennia, how could I possibly understand human language? Ah... it's hard for a delicate creature like me to survive.)
"..."
Raising his gaze, a few crystalline snowflakes landed on Xiao Muyu's face. Above him loomed a thick blanket of dark clouds, while countless snowflakes fluttered down, slowly settling upon the city streets.
"Um... sir..." a timid voice broke the silence, "do you... do you need a place to stay?"
Xiao Muyu turned coldly, finding a girl of about sixteen standing beside him, her gaze shyly fixed on the ground.
She was clad in a simple, tattered coat that suggested a modest background. Long, jet-black hair framed her pure and delicate face, which bore a timid expression akin to that of a newborn creature watching warily.
Her large, watery eyes blinked softly, revealing a beauty that even her shabby attire could not conceal. Her flawless complexion gave the impression that she should be gracefully accepting the adoration of suitors at a lavish ball, rather than struggling against the specter of poverty as she appeared now.
Xiao Muyu's cold stare pierced through her, as if she were a mere object devoid of emotion.
Seemingly intimidated by his indifferent gaze, the girl tugged at her coat nervously, hastily clarifying, "Just a place to stay!"
Yet Xiao Muyu remained silent, his eyes still fixed on her with an icy demeanor.
The girl appeared increasingly apprehensive. No one understood better than she the allure her beauty held for men. Fearing that Xiao Muyu might misconstrue her intentions, she quickly elaborated, "Miss Freya is holding a performance in Tianxin City in a few days, and many of her fans have flocked here, filling every inn. So... sir, if you don't wish to sleep on the street, you could stay at my home. The price... it's very affordable, cheaper than most inns."
She delivered this hurried monologue in one breath, expending all her energy as she anxiously awaited his response.
"..." Fixating coldly on her, Xiao Muyu inquired, "The Freya you speak of—is she the blue-haired woman in this notice?"
The girl's mouth fell agape in surprise, unable to comprehend that someone could be unfamiliar with Miss Freya. "...Y-yes, sir... you... you don't know Miss Freya?"
Receiving his answer, the man turned away without a second thought. The gray cloak swirled in the icy wind, scattering a few flakes of snow, as his frigid voice cut through the chill of the air, sending a shiver through the girl. "I do not know her."