"My name is Su Fan, we're friends now, come and eat."
Su Fan found Han Jiangxue to be too naive, almost foolishly so, but rather cute.
"Yes, I know your name now, we are friends!"
Han Jiangxue's eyes lit up, and she stopped being polite. She trotted over to Su Fan, her eyes fixed greedily on the thinly sliced meat in the pot.
Su Fan smiled and handed her a pair of chopsticks.
Han Jiangxue excitedly picked up the chopsticks and scooped up a slice of meat from the pot.
"Wow! It smells so good, what is this? Why is it so delicious!"
Han Jiangxue had never eaten hot pot before. Everything she ate below was a mixed stew, and she had never imagined meat could be so delicious. The best thing she had ever eaten was a dry apple her father brought back, a taste completely new to her.
Han Jiangxue wolfed down the thinly sliced meat in the pot, but after only two mouthfuls, there was nothing left.
"It's gone..."
Disappointment flashed across Han Jiangxue's face.
"Don't worry, there's enough for you to eat."
Su Fan took out another box of lamb rolls and a plate of lettuce.
Eating only meat could be a bit greasy.
Han Jiangxue's eyes sparkled when she saw the green lettuce Su Fan brought out.
"Where did you get this from?"
Han Jiangxue, so excited she put down her chopsticks, pressed Su Fan with a question.
Uh...
Su Fan felt a little awkward, not knowing how to answer immediately.
"I brought it from a very, very far away place,"
Su Fan explained.
If he explained too much, she wouldn't understand, and he didn't have the time for that.
Han Jiangxue's face fell with disappointment.
"Father said that in very far away places, there are cities like paradise, where it's very warm, without endless ice plains, and with lush green plants and vegetables. I ate something called an apple that Father brought back, it was delicious, the most delicious thing I've ever tasted!"
Han Jiangxue spoke blissfully, as if her inner memories had been stirred.
"Mhm, are you from a city below?"
Su Fan nodded and asked.
Han Jiangxue nodded.
"Brother Su Fan, you must be very strong, to be wearing such thin clothes,"
Han Jiangxue said with a hint of envy, looking at Su Fan's attire.
On the ice plains, wearing less clothing indicated greater strength, as it meant one could withstand the cold, something only those with powerful physiques could achieve.
Her father was one such person, but compared to Brother Su Fan, her father seemed a bit lacking.
"Me? I'm alright,"
Su Fan replied modestly.
Compared to using snow spirits for light, he wasn't truly strong.
"Are there people as strong as me where you come from?"
Su Fan asked Han Jiangxue.
He had finally met a local, so he naturally wanted to inquire about the situation below.
"Yes, Father is very strong, and so is the Queen. The Queen doesn't even need to wear clothes."
Han Jiangxue said innocently to Su Fan.
Uh... no clothes? Could this be elaborated on?
Su Fan could also manage to withstand temperatures of minus sixty or seventy degrees Celsius without clothes, it wasn't difficult, but it was unnecessary. He wasn't an exhibitionist.
He was, however, interested in meeting this Queen, not to see her unclothed, but purely to experience the local customs and traditions.
"Can you take me to your home as a guest?"
Su Fan asked, like a scoundrel luring an innocent girl.
Han Jiangxue thought for a moment.
"Father said I shouldn't bring strangers home,"
Han Jiangxue said somewhat naively.
"But aren't we friends now? I treated you to a meal,"
Su Fan continued to coax.
"That's right! Then Brother Su Fan, follow me."
After eating Su Fan's hot pot, Han Jiangxue was completely won over. Su Fan's few words convinced her that he was a good person.
Su Fan smiled, he absolutely had no intention of deceiving an innocent girl.
Han Jiangxue led Su Fan up the mountain.
Along the way, Su Fan saw many fluffy snow creatures, but Han Jiangxue completely ignored them, letting them approach without any reaction.
"Brother Su Fan, these snow creatures look cute, but they are actually very dangerous. However, as long as you don't touch them, it's fine. They just come close to you like children,"
Han Jiangxue explained to Su Fan.
Su Fan suddenly understood. No wonder the snow creatures hadn't attacked him before. The moment he was about to pet one, it changed. It was because of this reason.
"The creatures here are so magical, what about those snow spirits?"
Su Fan marveled.
"You absolutely must not touch those snow spirits! Those are the Queen's children. If you touch them, the Queen will find out!"
Han Jiangxue said to Su Fan with a look of nervousness.
Uh...
It seems I already have, but I didn't kill them. It should be fine, right?
"No, no, I definitely didn't touch them,"
Su Fan said with an awkward smile.
"That's good. Actually, these creatures don't seem magical to me. As long as you don't provoke them, they won't harm you. The more dangerous creatures have already been killed by the Queen,"
Han Jiangxue said with a naive smile.
Su Fan's heart stirred.
Was the Queen Han Jiangxue spoke of so powerful? The snow creatures were already level 70 monsters, so what level would the dangerous creatures Han Jiangxue mentioned be?
And what strength did the Queen possess, whose children were level 68 elite monsters?
Su Fan felt as if he had opened a new world.
Han Jiangxue soon led Su Fan to the mountaintop, where a huge cave was located.
Han Jiangxue walked into the cave without hesitation.
"Brother Su Fan, hurry up!"
Han Jiangxue looked back at Su Fan, and seeing him hesitating outside, she waved him forward.
Su Fan suppressed his surprise and entered the cave.
The cave was not dark, but the ground was slippery, entirely ice. Snow spirits were scattered around, emitting a faint glow that illuminated the surroundings.
Under the reflection of the light, the interior of the cave was very bright, and the entire environment was clearly visible.
As they proceeded, Su Fan noticed that the cave spiraled downwards.
"How much further?"
Su Fan asked Han Jiangxue. They had been walking for nearly an hour, and Su Fan hadn't seen the end.
"Almost there, the exit is ahead,"
Han Jiangxue replied, looking back at Su Fan.
Indeed, soon Su Fan saw an opening.
Han Jiangxue quickened her pace and agilely ran past the opening, not exiting through it.
"Brother Su Fan, come here."
Han Jiangxue whispered, waving at Su Fan and signaling him to come quickly.
Su Fan, puzzled, followed Han Jiangxue and quickly moved past the opening.
Su Fan curiously glanced outside the opening.
Then Su Fan saw several shirtless people holding long spears, guarding the cave.
And not far from the cave, the entire city below the ice mountain could be seen.