One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Chapter 312 Temporary workers arrive in other areas

Zhang Lingyu closed his eyes to rest, ignoring the bickering between the two. His fingers unconsciously made calculations in his sleeve, his brow furrowed slightly. He tried to divine the fortune of his journey, but the hexagram was chaotic, vaguely revealing only a terrible omen, with a hint of bloodshed, which only deepened his unease.

Feng Baobao sat by the window, her face pressed against the cold glass, watching the increasingly thick clouds outside and the gradually desolate land below. Suddenly, out of the blue, she said, "There's a familiar smell over there."

"What does it taste like?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"I don't know." Feng Baobao shook her head, her eyes somewhat vacant. "It's very faint, but I just feel... like I've smelled it somewhere before. It makes me uncomfortable."

Nie Lingfeng's gaze narrowed slightly. Feng Baobao's intuition, or rather her mysterious "instinct," was often surprisingly accurate. She said she wasn't feeling well…

He looked down at Xiaoyun on his chest. The little one seemed a bit sleepy, yawned, and snuggled closer to him. Nie Lingfeng gently patted her back, his gaze fixed on the leaden-gray sky to the north.

Heilongjiang, Changbai Mountain... what exactly is hidden there? Why is it necessary to gather so many temporary workers?

He recalled Zhao Fangxu's extremely solemn tone at the end of the communication: "Ling Feng, this mission is classified as 'Top Secret - Upper Class A.' I cannot reveal more, but you must remember, if the situation gets out of control, I authorize you to use 'unconventional methods,' with preventing the disaster from spreading as the top priority. If necessary... you can abandon the mission, but you must never let 'what' inside get out. Repeat, you must never let 'what' inside get out!"

"thing"……

Nie Lingfeng's hand unconsciously tightened around the pendant on his chest. Sealed within it was the spirit of Prince Zhong, whom Feng Xingtong had temporarily entrusted to him. He had a vague premonition that this trip to the Northeast would likely uncover some long-buried, even terrifying, secrets.

The helicopter pierced through thick clouds, and the view below gradually gave way to an endless expanse of snow-covered forests. A biting wind howled, and even inside the cabin, a chill that seemed to seep into one's bones could be felt.

We've arrived in Heilongjiang.

What awaits them is an unprecedented challenge, and their first meeting with their equally mysterious, powerful, and perhaps equally dangerous "colleagues."

The real storm has only just begun.

Nothing was said that night, but no one slept soundly. The next day, just as dawn was breaking, everyone got up at Gao Lian's urging and, braving the biting cold wind, boarded the train to Mudanjiang. It was an old-fashioned green train, the carriages filled with the mixed smells of cigarettes, instant noodles, and human bodies; the conditions were rudimentary, but its unassuming nature made it all the more appealing.

Xiaoyun seemed very interested in the train, pressing her face against the window, watching the snowfield and forest rushing past outside, her big eyes unblinking. Chen Duo sat quietly next to Nie Lingfeng, holding her suitcase containing her "little darlings" in her arms, cautiously observing the people coming and going in the carriage.

Zhang Chulan, sporting dark circles under his eyes, kept yawning. He barely slept last night, his mind replaying the eerie claw in the video and Gao Lian's mention of missiles. The more he thought about it, the more awake he became. He finally managed to drift off in the latter half of the night, only to have a nightmare about being chased and blown up by missiles. Wang Ye, on the other hand, was sound asleep, leaning back in his hard seat, even snoring softly, though his brow furrowed occasionally, suggesting he wasn't at peace even in his dreams. Zhang Lingyu remained upright, eyes closed, resting, but the occasional trembling of his eyelashes betrayed his inner turmoil. Feng Baobao… was engrossed in studying a book Gao Lian had given her, "The Complete Guide to Northeastern Home-Style Dishes," occasionally pointing to pictures and asking Zhang Chulan, "How long should this be stewed?" or "Does that need to be blanched?" leaving Zhang Chulan both amused and exasperated.

Holding Xiaoyun in his arms, Nie Lingfeng gazed at the desolate scenery outside the window, pondering the arrangements upon arriving in Xueling Town. The Gao family's reinforcements should arrive around the time of their arrival, and the temporary workers from the other regions… according to the company's arrangements, would also arrive in Xueling Town today. Thinking of those "acquaintances," a barely perceptible ripple appeared on Nie Lingfeng's usually stern face. That kid Wang Zhenqiu, knowing he was leading the team, was probably already itching to "show off." And then there were Hei Guan and Lao Meng, both capable individuals who could handle things independently; with them around, the mission would indeed be much more daunting.

The train rattled along for most of the day, finally arriving in Mudanjiang in the afternoon. Without stopping, the group transferred to two modified off-road vehicles equipped with snow chains and insulation, driven by Gao Xiaohu and Liu Sanshui, and headed deeper into the mountains along the snow-covered mountain road.

The further north we went, the thicker the snow became and the lower the temperature. Ice flowers quickly formed on the car windows. On both sides of the road stretched endless primeval forests covered in thick snow, with the occasional roe deer or hare hopping about in the snow, adding a touch of life to this desolate white world.

"It's about a two-hour drive." Gao Lian, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and said to the people crammed into the back. "Xueling Town is in the valley ahead. It used to be a settlement for logging and forestry workers. Later, the mountains were closed off for reforestation, and most of the people moved away. Now there are only a few dozen households left, mostly elderly people and those who can't easily relocate. There's a small hotel in town that we've booked as a temporary command center. People from other districts should have arrived by now, or be on their way, if they're on time."

"Is that Wang Zhenqiu from the Northwest District?" Zhang Chulan rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "Haven't seen Qiu'er in a while. I wonder what new tricks he's up to." He had a deep impression of Wang Zhenqiu. Although that guy was unruly and loved to make trouble, he was really capable. Moreover, they had been through the Biyou Village incident together and had a life-or-death friendship.

"Hei Guan is in East China, and Lao Meng is in Central China," Nie Lingfeng continued. "They are both reliable comrades-in-arms." He had worked with Hei Guan and Lao Meng before and knew that one was as cold and precise as a sniper rifle, and the other was gentle but had unique methods. Both were trustworthy partners.

"Wang Zhenqiu..." Zhang Lingyu also recognized the name; she seemed to have heard Zhang Chulan mention him before, describing him as a "very interesting" person. Daoist Wang Ye yawned. He didn't know much about these temporary workers, but since Nie Lingfeng said they were reliable, there shouldn't be any problem.

Upon hearing Wang Zhenqiu's name, Feng Baobao looked up, her blank face seeming to recall something for a moment before she nodded: "Oh, redhead, can do magic tricks, annoying." She clearly still vividly remembered some of Wang Zhenqiu's overly "enthusiastic" behavior.

The car bumped along the snow-covered mountain road, finally entering a small town shrouded in twilight and cooking smoke before darkness completely fell. The town was indeed small, with only one main street lined with low brick or wooden houses, their windows emitting a dim, yellowish light. There were almost no pedestrians on the street, only thick snow and the occasional stray dog ​​darting by.

The car stopped in front of a relatively large three-story building with a dilapidated sign that read "Snow Ridge Inn". The lights were on inside the building, and two other inconspicuous SUVs were parked in front of it.

"We're here, this is it." Gao Lian jumped out of the car first, stomping on the frozen snow. "The comrades from the other districts should have arrived already, let's go in."

As soon as everyone got out of the car, they were hit by a biting wind of minus twenty degrees Celsius. They quickly wrapped their clothes tighter and went inside. Xiao Yun was wrapped up tightly in a thick down jacket by Nie Lingfeng, with only her eyes showing as she curiously looked around at this unfamiliar place.

Pushing aside the heavy cotton curtain of the inn, a warm current mixed with the smells of smoke, food, and a faint musty odor rushed out. The first floor was a lobby that also served as a restaurant, with several square tables and long benches. A red-hot iron stove stood in the center, with a huge iron kettle sitting on it, bubbling and steaming.

The lobby was already filled with people, and it was quite lively.

"Oh my god! You're finally here! Old Nie! Chu Lan! Sister Bao'er! I've missed you so much!" A familiar voice, with a slight Beijing accent and a touch of playfulness, rang out first. Near a table by the stove, a young man with short red hair and several sparkly earrings jumped up like a spring. It was Wang Zhenqiu, a temporary worker from the Northwest District. He wore a bright, almost irritating smile and opened his arms to rush towards Nie Lingfeng, seemingly wanting a warm hug.

Nie Lingfeng remained expressionless, holding Xiaoyun, and with a slight shift in his steps, effortlessly dodged Wang Zhenqiu's "pounce".

Wang Zhenqiu missed his target, but wasn't embarrassed. He turned around and put his arm around Zhang Chulan's shoulder, saying, "Chulan! Long time no see! You still look so weak. Did you stay up late again watching something you shouldn't have?"

"Get lost! You're the coward! Your whole family is cowardly!" Zhang Chulan laughed and cursed as he dodged away, but a smile remained on his face. Seeing familiar friends in this cold and unfamiliar border town did indeed make him feel much more at ease.

"Sister Bao'er!!" Wang Zhenqiu turned his attention to Feng Baobao again, his eyes shining. "You're still so ethereal, no, so elegant! How about it, have you developed any new dishes lately? Let me tell you, the sauerkraut stew with pork bones from the Northeast is absolutely amazing..." Before he could finish speaking, he saw Feng Baobao silently pull out her signature cleaver from behind her back. The blade gleamed coldly in the firelight. He immediately changed the subject, "...Of course, it can't compare to your skills, Sister Bao'er! This is just a suggestion, a suggestion!" As he spoke, he shrank back a little, seemingly having suffered quite a bit at Feng Baobao's hands.

"Pfft..." A suppressed chuckle came from the side. At another table sat a middle-aged man dressed in a simple dark blue cotton-padded jacket, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and looking like a teacher from a rural middle school—it was Old Meng from Huazhong High School. He was covering his mouth and laughing. Seeing everyone looking over, he quickly waved his hand, adjusting his glasses somewhat embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it... Qiu'er, you're still so lively."

"Brother Meng! You're here too!" Zhang Chulan greeted Old Meng. Old Meng had been a great help in the Biyou Village incident. Although he was a veterinarian, his ability to control bacteria and microorganisms was almost like a bug in some situations. Moreover, he had a very good temper, and Zhang Chulan had a good impression of him.

"Chu Lan, Master Lingyu, Daoist Wang Ye, and Duoduo, Xiaoyun, it's so good that you're all here." Old Meng smiled gently, his gaze sweeping over everyone. When he saw Chen Duo, his eyes showed a touch of warmth and concern. He had always held goodwill towards this girl with a pitiful background but a strong and resilient spirit.

In the shadows near the window, a figure dressed in a gray-black tactical uniform, his face painted with camouflage, silent and hard as a rock, merely raised a hand slightly as a greeting. It was the hoodlum from the East China district. He was still the same as always, sparing with words, his presence low-key, but no one dared to ignore him.