Mark forced himself to calm down. He needed a plan, a plan that would allow him to escape from this frozen hell. He looked around, and the scene of the ice valley gradually came into his sight. The ice valley was surrounded by towering icebergs, and the snow on the top of the mountain shone silver in the sunlight. In the center of the ice valley was a flat ice surface covered with thick snow. In addition to his own footprints, there were also those strange footprints on the snow.
A thought flashed through Mark's mind. These footprints might not be left by the ice beast, but by other survivors, or those scientists. He decided to follow these footprints to see where they would lead him.
He followed the footprints carefully, stepping on the footprints of the previous person with every step, trying not to leave his own traces. The footprints meandered in the ice valley, as if leading him to the depths of the ice valley.
As he continued to go deeper, the sound of the wind in the ice valley gradually became louder, and there was a biting chill in the wind. Mark pulled his clothes tighter, trying to resist the chill. An ice forest appeared in front of him. The ice forest was composed of icicles, and narrow passages formed between the icicles.
Mark walked into the ice forest. The icicles' spires intertwined above his head, forming a natural maze. He shuttled through the ice forest, and his footprints became blurred here, but he could still feel that there was a mysterious force in front of him attracting him.
Suddenly, he heard a faint voice, and the voice sounded like someone calling his name. He stopped and listened, and the voice seemed to come from the depths of the ice forest. He took a deep breath and decided to follow the voice.
The voice became clearer and closer. Mark's heartbeat accelerated. He didn't know whether the voice was a friend or an enemy, but he knew that this was his only clue.
Finally, he passed through the ice forest and came to an open space. There was an ice sculpture in the center of the open space. The shape of the ice sculpture was strange, as if it was a huge eye, staring at the sky.
Mark approached the ice sculpture and found that there were complex patterns on the surface of the ice sculpture, which seemed to tell an ancient story. He touched the ice sculpture, felt its cold texture, and an inexplicable emotion surged in his heart.
Just then, the voice sounded again, this time clearer and closer. Mark turned around and saw a figure wearing ragged clothes and with traces of wind and frost on his face.
"Who are you?" Mark's voice was trembling.
The figure slowly approached, revealing an old face. "I am the guardian here, and I have been waiting for you for a long time."
A doubt surged in Mark's heart. He didn't know whether this guardian was an enemy or a friend. "What are you waiting for me to do?"
A trace of sadness flashed in the guardian's eyes. "This frozen hell hides a secret, a secret about the fate of mankind. You must find this secret to save the world."
A sense of responsibility surged in Mark's heart. He knew that he was not only fighting for his own survival, but for the future of all mankind.
"What should I do?" Mark's voice was full of determination.
The guardian pointed to the ice sculpture. "This ice sculpture is the key to the secret, and you must unlock its secret."
Mark approached the ice sculpture and carefully observed the pattern on it. The pattern seemed to be telling a story about the history of the frozen hell, about the war between humans and ice beasts.
He touched the ice sculpture, and suddenly, the surface of the ice sculpture began to glow, and a ray of light shot out from the ice sculpture, illuminating the entire ice valley.
In the light, an image gradually emerged. It was an ancient city where humans and ice beasts lived. They lived in harmony and guarded a huge energy source together.
Mark's heart was shocked, and he realized that this energy source might be the key to controlling the ice beasts.
The voice of the guardian sounded in his ears. "You must find this energy source. Only it can calm the anger of the ice beasts and save the world."
Mark's heart was full of determination. He knew that this was his only hope.
"I will find it." Mark's voice was firm and powerful.
The guardian nodded, and his figure gradually disappeared in the light.