"Paimon, what time is it now?"
"According to Paimon's judgment, it should be time for the tenth meal."
"Tenth meal? That means three days have passed?! Arghhh! I can't eat another bite of grilled frozen meat! Why is there nothing but frozen meat and mint on this mountain?!"
Lumine was practically tearing her hair out. They had been wandering this mountain for three full days. She couldn't figure out the mountain's layout—the caves and tunnels crisscrossed endlessly, and they still couldn't find the cave that supposedly held the Nail fragment.
"If you're not going to eat, Lumine, Paimon will have yours."
Hearing Lumine's lament, Paimon reached for her portion. But before she could touch it, Lumine snatched it away.
"Paimon, are you trying to starve me?!"
"Ehe!"
Lumine sighed and didn't argue further. She had noticed someone was deliberately leading them astray. The snowslides along the way had been too suspicious—it was like they were being watched.
She bit into the meat with a vengeance. The taste of grease and mint exploded in her mouth. The flavor and texture were excellent, but eating it three times a day for three straight days was too much. All she wanted now was some vegetables.
"Mona, how do you manage to eat so much meat without getting sick of it? I feel like my face is getting greasy."
"Well, it's nothing really. If you had eaten nothing but vegetable salad for three months, Lumine, I think you'd love meat just as much as I do."
Mona savored the last piece of meat in her mouth. Eating meat first thing in the morning was a little heavy, but it was within acceptable limits.
"Don't worry too much, Lumine. I've recorded all the places we've been in my water mirror, including where the avalanches happened. Give me a little time, and I should be able to divine which cave we're looking for."
"Klee wants to help too! Klee feels like she's getting fat."
Klee's words struck a chord with Lumine and Mona. Girls cared about their figures, after all. After days of grilled frozen meat, they all felt a little heavier. Mona wasn't too concerned, though—she knew she'd lose the weight once she bought her new astrological instruments next month.
Lumine glanced enviously at Shenhe. No matter how much Shenhe ate—and she ate more than both Lumine and Mona combined—she never seemed to gain weight. Could cultivating adeptal arts also keep you in shape?
If so, Lumine thought she might need to ask Su Bai for some lessons. Noticing the envious looks, Shenhe seemed confused.
"Let's not dwell on that. I've divined the general location of the cave."
Mona spread the water mirror flat in front of them and marked the approximate location. Lumine immediately noticed something off—the avalanches had all been positioned to keep them away from the marked area.
"If those avalanches hadn't happened, we might not have been certain this was the right place. But now, the truth is right in front of us."
"Let's go. We'll blast through the snow blocking our way. Klee, this is your moment."
"Leave it to Klee! She'll blow all the snow away!"
Meanwhile, Hu Tao's group was enjoying some vegetable and pork soup. Thanks to the avalanches, they too had been trapped in a cave. But they'd been lucky enough to find a Hilichurl camp stocked with plenty of supplies.
"Amber, did you get a good look at that figure? Ever since you saw that shadow, you've seemed distracted."
"Eula, I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm just a little tired."
Amber forced a smile, but her words didn't sound convincing. Even Qiqi could tell she had something on her mind.
Seeing Amber was unwilling to speak, Eula and the others didn't press further. Amber must have her reasons. As her friends, pushing her would only strain their relationship.
"How long have we been in this cave? It feels like days have passed."
"If we don't get out soon, the Adventurers' Guild might risk sending people to look for us. If something happens to them, that would be bad."
Eula's brows were furrowed with worry. Over the past few days, Hu Tao had sent over a dozen souls to the afterlife—all of them people who had met their end on this mountain. It made Eula realize this was no place for ordinary folks.
"Don't rush, don't rush. I've already sent out help. With them around, finding our way out will be a breeze."
Hu Tao drank a bowl of hot soup, her face calm and confident. Sure, her helper could be unreliable sometimes, but in this situation, they were perfect.
"Look, they're back."
Hu Tao stood up. A small white ghost emerged from the wall behind Eula. Startled, Eula nearly drew her sword. If Hu Tao hadn't stopped her in time, she might have taken a swing at the poor spirit.
"Oh, I see. Alright, the ghost has found a way out. Everyone, get ready to move."
After communicating with the ghost, Hu Tao learned it had found a tunnel leading outside—though it was a bit far from their current location. They might need to break through a wall to get there.
"Breaking through a wall? Easy. Leave it to me. Stand back and be careful."
Eula summoned her Song of Broken Pines. Her Vision glowed as she shouted, "Ice, sever the grudge!" A loud crash echoed through the cave, and dust filled the air.
The cave wasn't very stable. Eula's strike not only smashed through the wall but also loosened the ceiling. A small pebble struck Qiqi on the head. If not for her hat, she might have had to heal herself.
"Cough, cough! This director is choking! Eula, are you okay?"
"Cough... I'm fine... but this cave is about to collapse. Hurry over here! There's another cave on the other side!"
At Eula's warning, Hu Tao and Amber threw caution to the wind. Amber grabbed the cooking pot, and Hu Tao scooped up Qiqi, shielding her head as they ran toward Eula.
They were lucky. No sooner had they stepped into the new cave than the old one crumbled into rubble behind them.