Chapter Sixty-Nine: A Scene of Tragic Heroism

At this moment, Fang Nian was still desperately clutching the rope that held the chandelier. His body, frozen stiff by the minus fifty-degree cold, was beginning to lose its agility—even his mind was not as sharp as before, every nerve slowly succumbing to the relentless chill. Yet even so, Fang Nian refused to let go. He knew that his last hope rested in his hands; he had to wait for the moment to arrive if he wanted any chance of escaping this place alive.

A sudden, thunderous crash reverberated, followed by a harsh, metallic screeching—like iron tearing against iron. The shock jolted Fang Nian; unconsciously, he shook his head, trying to dispel the cold creeping ever deeper into his bones. The freezing air had already enveloped the train car. The rear wheels had iced over, causing the carriage to be dragged forward, the massive friction threatening to tear it apart.

But now, Fang Nian knew, his opportunity had come.

With another shattering boom, the already brittle, ice-bound rear of the carriage could no longer withstand the forceful pull. A gaping hole was torn open, and nearly a quarter of the last car broke away, hurtling backward into the arctic night, vanishing without a trace.

At the same time, the now-exposed carriage was instantly flooded with freezing air. Within mere breaths, the temperature plummeted to minus seventy degrees—well beyond the threshold of human survival. The rushing cold did not stop there, but surged down the tunnel, though, due to the distance, those inside barely felt the chill. Still, the change in temperature was unmistakable.

After proceeding another thirty meters, the group emerged from the tunnel into a square chamber, large enough to hold more than a dozen people. The five of them leapt out and stretched their limbs, grateful to escape the claustrophobic confines. At last, as calm returned, each of them instinctively cast a glance back toward the darkness from which they’d come.

They knew the train car must now be a world of ice and snow, perhaps even derailed entirely.

Peering down the long tunnel, Xiao Xueluan still could not see any sign of Fang Nian, and sadness welled up within her. “Looks like he didn’t make it.”

Xu Dong, though a member of the Xu family and not on friendly terms with Fang Nian, couldn’t help but silently applaud the courage he’d shown. “The guy’s got guts. If we make it through this, I say we split the reward with him.”

Jin Jinhui, who had spent the most time with Fang Nian, found him to be a decent person. The thought of him frozen into a block of ice left her heart heavy. “There are always sacrifices in the hunt. We can only carry his spirit forward. I agree with Xueluan—if there’s a cash reward, it should all go to him.”

Suddenly, Jin Jinhui patted Duan Rui, who was still staring into the tunnel. “Rui, what about you?”

Duan Rui said nothing, eyes fixed on the distant shadows.

“Rui?” Jin Jinhui followed her gaze, but aside from the wind weakening, nothing seemed to change. There was still no sign of Fang Nian.

“Wait... the wind’s died down? That must mean the tunnel door is closed. Did that Fang guy not make it—or did he... come through?”

Jin Jinhui called out, and the others stopped, turning to sense the air. Indeed, the cold breeze had lessened dramatically.

Duan Rui’s eyes shone with hope. “Maybe he’s still alive.”

Guo Ji, who had known Duan Rui the longest, understood her temperament. Normally, she only showed interest in strange puzzles; he had never seen this look in her eyes before. He realized she was worried about Fang Nian, hoping desperately to see him appear from the tunnel. For a moment, Guo Ji felt a pang of jealousy, even a cold wish that Fang Nian would not return alive.

“Come on, Rui. He’s probably finished with the hunt. If he were alive, he’d have crawled out by now.”

Though Xiao Xueluan wished to see Fang Nian, she knew it was impossible. No one could have survived that ordeal.

“That’s right, Duan Rui. Let’s go. There’s still a long way ahead...”

But before Xiao Xueluan could finish, Jin Jinhui clamped a hand over her mouth. “Shh! Listen. I think there’s a sound.”

At her words, everyone fell silent, straining to hear.

Clang... clang...

Sure enough, a faint, halting tapping echoed from the tunnel. The sound was weak and slow—whoever was making it must be in dire straits.

Guo Ji knew instantly it must be Fang Nian and prepared to rush in, but before he could move, Duan Rui slipped swiftly into the tunnel, crawling forward with remarkable speed.

Guo Ji hesitated but did not follow; Duan Rui was more than capable of dragging Fang Nian back herself, and the narrow passage would not admit two people side by side.

Xiao Xueluan couldn’t help but sigh. “Well, looks like our big sister Duan is acting strangely. I’ve never seen her so invested in anyone during a hunt.”

Jin Jinhui playfully knocked Xiao Xueluan on the head and grinned. “Oh, stop it. If Rui wants to care, it’s none of your business.”

Xu Dong glanced at the others, then at Guo Ji, whose face had darkened. “Don’t worry, Brother Guo. That guy was pretty impressive back there. His character’s decent too, and he’s got some serious skills. But there’s no way Duan Rui would fall for him—she’s just worried about a teammate, nothing more.”

Xu Dong’s attempt at comfort only made Guo Ji’s expression sour further. Jin Jinhui quickly pulled Xu Dong aside and whispered, “No one thinks you’re mute if you don’t talk. If you can’t console people, don’t try. You’re only making things worse for us later.”

Just then, Duan Rui’s slender figure appeared in the tunnel, dragging something with one hand while clawing her way forward with the other.

Seeing this, the group understood at once. Without hesitation, Guo Ji rushed in and reached out. “Rui, grab on. I’ll pull you both out!”

Duan Rui’s hands were red and swollen, streaked with blood—dragging a man weighing over a hundred pounds was no easy feat for a woman. But at last, they escaped danger together, and Fang Nian reappeared before them.

Yet when they saw Fang Nian under the lights, everyone was struck by a wave of emotion. Jin Jinhui could hardly believe her eyes, raising her hands in disbelief.

Fang Nian was completely white with frost, his whole body encased in ice—a figure of tragic heroism.