“Test the skill.”
That was indeed Lega Weilin’s original intention.
Otherwise, since Weilin could teleport in with Spatial Warp, why not just grab the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Sand and teleport right back out? …I really am a little genius!
Through this practical application, Weilin had basically mastered all the skills under the three sub-classes: ‘Miracle Engineer,’ ‘Manga Artist,’ and ‘Demon Cook.’ She had gained quite a lot and was in excellent spirits.
“Let’s leave this place first.”
Weilin sighed, casting a Cleaning Spell on herself before stowing the Cumin Magic Mushroom Soup into her ‘Inventory Space.’ Finally, she returned the pickaxe and Safety Helmet and spoke to Elizabeth.
“…”
Elizabeth withdrew her focus in a daze and nodded absentmindedly.
Afterwards, she led Weilin through the winding, dark underground passages, all the way to the exit of the Underground Mine.
The old lift, rusted and spotted, nearly scrapped, could only carry one person at a time.
…So how on earth did Weilin build that 836-meter automatic lift platform? And that was just one of several monumental tasks Weilin had accomplished in two minutes!
Elizabeth would rather believe… that the underground tunnel had been dug long ago, that the 119-page doujinshi and the pot of Fire Lingzhi soup were also prepared in advance! That all of this was just an act put on by Weilin!!
Otherwise…
Lega Weilin was no human at all!
————
“Snow…?”
Reaching the surface, Weilin finally got to see the vast world outside the mine. The moment the snowflakes dazzled her eyes, a sudden, inexplicable flutter arose in her heart.
To one side stretched snowy white, undulating high mountain ridges. At the foot of the mountains, coniferous forests pointing straight to the sky were draped in glittering, pure white coats of silver snow.
The other side was a boundless snow-covered plain, a pure white horizon with no visible boundary, yet not even a shadow the size of a sesame seed could be seen. It was as if isolated from life, from the world itself—desolately cold and eternally lonely.
The icy wind slapped against her face. The snow in the sky seemed as if it would fall forever, never stopping.
“Why is there… snow?”
Weilin looked at her open palm, watching the crystalline hexagonal snowflakes land in her hand and quietly melt away, leaving a piercing chill on her skin. She murmured softly.
“The Snow Kingdom has always had year-round snowfall…” Elizabeth turned her head, puzzled, and explained: “Does Big Sister not know? Snowcell City is one of the cities belonging to the Snow Kingdom… as is the entire Northern Snow Region.”
“Snow Kingdom…”
Weilin murmured the name lightly, as if struck by a thought. “The ruler is…?”
“It’s the Illusory Snow Queen!” Elizabeth urgently corrected her, “The Illusory Snow Queen—Huan Xuezhi!”
“Huan… Xuezhi, huh.” Lega Weilin finally seemed to understand something, the corner of her mouth curling slightly. “I understand now.”
Why had Snowcell City felt so familiar? Because it had existed long ago, but later vanished forever, disappearing along with the entire Snow Kingdom for over nine years, until the game’s servers shut down. Perhaps even the planners who named the city had nearly forgotten its existence.
Also because… the worldline of “Divine Crystal” had been reset! Although she retained her level, skills, and even her ownership of the ‘Eternal Mineshaft,’ the game’s expansion timeline… had returned to the very beginning of the server launch!
【Expansion: 《Illusory Snow Heart Seal》】
【① On the Divine Crystal Continent, there exist two nations with absolute dominant power. One is the ‘Eternal Steel Empire’ entrenched in the North, its tech tree maxed out. The other is the ‘Star God Free Federation,’ sprawled across the South, fervently promoting faith in the Gods to obtain “Divine Favor.”
The Empire and the Federation stood in rivalry, dividing the world, maintaining surface peace while terrifying, turbulent undercurrents surged unceasingly.
In the extreme north, the Snow Kingdom, due to its isolated geographical location and year-round snowfall, had been spared from the continent’s millennia of war and smoke. But now, the Snow Kingdom, the weakest power, beholden to neither technology nor gods, an independent third human regime outside the Empire and Federation, was naturally an eyesore.
Moreover, the Snow Kingdom’s national sacred relic—the Mourning Snow Divine Crystal—if obtained by either the Empire or the Federation, could create a supreme powerhouse surpassing the Saint Realm. This would inevitably tilt the balance of power between the Empire and Federation drastically, becoming a strategic key that decides the continent’s landscape.】
【② So, therefore, as a matter of course, conspiracies and storms began to brew…】
【③ Huan Xuezhi was the princess of the Snow Kingdom. On the day the King of the Snow Kingdom passed away, he passed the throne to the 13-year-old Princess Xuezhi and divided power among his several sons, appointing them as City Lords of various cities, ordering them to assist the Queen (their younger sister) in governing the country.
As expected, they all betrayed her. Half secretly defected to the Empire, the other half secretly colluding with the Federation… Though said to be in secret, the Illusory Snow Queen had long observed it all with cold eyes.
In the three years from age 13 to 16, the Illusory Snow Princess gradually understood her father’s intention in entrusting the state and dividing power. She saw through it all—that what flows in the narrow passages of the human heart is forever self-interest, never the blood of a clan!
At some unknown point, she froze her own emotions, becoming the loneliest person in the world.】
【④ In short, the planners meant: Having the Empire and Federation as two major factions is enough. The destiny of the Snow Kingdom was to exist as the “Million Player Dungeon” in the debut expansion… which meant it was destined to be destroyed. Because in the setting, no one could join the Snow Kingdom, so no one could fight for it. And the Snow Kingdom had to face not only the Empire’s cannons and the Federation’s army but also millions… of Players red-eyed for dungeon rewards.】
All of this created the World Boss who set a record of ‘slaying 300k Players’ within 24 hours—that solitary young girl who, from the age of 13, shouldered the burden of a Snow Kingdom beset by powerful enemies outside and internal strife within. That ruthless executioner who froze all emotions, no longer smiled, and killed without blinking. That figure who was both the ‘Illusory Snow Queen’… and even more so, the ‘Princess of a Fallen Nation’… Huan Xuezhi.
…
【Ding! Mighty warrior Lega Weilin! Your participation in the World Quest ‘Illusory Snow Melting (SSS)’ has been settled! Statistics show you dealt a total of 5,199,999 damage to the Illusory Snow Queen. Server-wide Damage Ranking: 1
Ding! The unique special reward for Rank NO.1 has been sent to your Inventory. Please check.
You have received 《Huan Xuezhi’s Love Letter》】
【Open 《Huan Xuezhi’s Love Letter》? Yes / No You selected “Yes” — ‘Today is my 13th birthday. Father King finally agreed to take me out to see the outside world, so happy~’
‘I heard the Imperial capital is a thousand times bigger than Illusory Snow City, and all the houses are made of steel. It-it-it actually… IS TRUE~~?!’
‘Saved someone along the way… Imperial public security is really terrible!’
‘Finally arrived at the Federation. It truly is spring all year round… does this mean I can wear skirts every day!?’
‘Why does everyone envy me for seeing snow… I’m the one who envies them. What’s so good about cold, icy snow…’
‘Everyone is so warm and friendly. How strange. Why does Father King want to cut off relations with foreign nations…’
‘Father King suddenly wants me to inherit the throne. The throne… it’s too sudden…’
‘Father King asked my wish… A wish… My wish is to travel the world with my favorite person. Hmm, as long as it’s not a place full of snow, anywhere is fine.’
‘Because snow is too cold. If you stay with snow too long, people will become cold too.’
‘I don’t want to become like that…’
…
…
‘The next day, Father King grew cold.’】
Number One unique special reward? A love letter? The wife they gave you, you killed with your own hands. Planners, do you find toying with people’s feelings amusing?
From then on, the Federation lost one of its most talented Legendary Mages, one with the potential to reach Godhood. But the continent gained a Player Slayer who killed more Players than most killed monsters, and who was also the Master of the Eternal Mine, daring to declare war on the Federation and Empire both.
…
“Why did you suddenly stop? Big Sister… what exactly are you smiling at…?”
“I received a love letter from Huan Xuezhi…”
“Impossible! The Illusory Snow Queen worries about her country as if her life depends on it; she has no time for romance. Besides, given the Illusory Snow Queen’s temperament, she would never possibly fall for anyone… Ev-even you, Big Sister… (muttering softly)”
Weilin didn’t argue. She just licked the snowflake that had landed on her index finger, gazing out at the endless snowy plain, a faint smile curved on her lips: “Fate, who can ever truly say?”
