One-Eyed Monster

Chapter 44: Chapter 43 The Dead of Winter is Coming

The sky and earth were dim. From the Imperial Capital of Luona to Gaga County in Liuli City, the sky was shrouded in gloom, devoid of any brightness.

The sun and dark clouds seemed to have conspired. One bashfully hid its face, refusing to emerge from another world, while the other cheerfully beckoned its brethren to completely envelop this one.

The eerily somber hues, accompanied by a biting wind, caused the temperature to drop abruptly, making the world shudder involuntarily.

The people, be it the menial workers in the Twin Star Grand Hall of Luona Capital or the barkeepers in the small taverns of Guru Village in Gaga County, were all doing the same thing at this moment—closing the windows that had been open and stoking the fires in their hearths, lamenting that Harsh Winter had arrived so early this year.

There are only two seasons on the Yowein Continent: summer and winter.

Summer is divided into three stages based on the intensity of heat: Early Summer, Mild Summer, and Extreme Summer. In Early Summer, all life rejuvenates. In Mild Summer, the climate is pleasant. In Extreme Summer, the heat is unbearable. The hottest day of Extreme Summer is known as Intense Heat. On this day, people on the Yowein Continent would fill their vessels with water and splash each other to combat the discomfort caused by the heat. Over time, this formed the tradition of water splashing on Intense Heat Day.

Winter, like summer, is also divided into three stages: Warm Winter, Cold Winter, and Harsh Winter. During Warm Winter, wheat ripens and cucumbers mature. During Cold Winter, the mornings and evenings are exceptionally frigid. During Harsh Winter, a freezing, bone-chilling air prevails. The coldest day of Harsh Winter is called Intense Chill. On this day of Intense Chill, people would light bonfires on open fields and dance continuously around them to ward off the bone-numbing cold. Over time, this custom on the day of Intense Chill also became the traditional Bonfire Festival.

The Extreme Summer on the Yowein Continent is incredibly hot, as if the land is aflame; Harsh Winter is unbearably cold, like ten thousand knives slicing the skin. The Yowein Continent is truly a world of ice and fire!

The footsteps of Harsh Winter have quietly arrived, completely disregarding that it is only early October. The cold has come at least half a month earlier than usual.

October on the Yowein Continent is fairly lively. As the last month of the year, people often found themselves idle due to Harsh Winter. Plagued by either ceaseless snowfall or biting cold, the extreme weather left people with little inclination for anything else. Sitting by the fireplace, drinking, and sharing tales were the preferred pastimes for most. But after a while, the confinement would grow dull, and people would walk to their windows. From every household’s chimney billowed a white plume of smoke, signaling an active fireplace. If, for instance, the Dini Family’s chimney showed no such sign, it would inevitably trigger endless speculation.

Have the Dinis discovered a new heating method, no longer needing a fireplace?

Could it be that the Dinis are so cold they can’t start a fire?

Did the Dini family freeze to death?

Could it be that the Dinis, much like bears in the mountains, also sleep their way through Harsh Winter?

Such conjecture opened a door in the minds of the bored, releasing a demon. This demon kicked them squarely in their rears while snarling, ”Go and find out what’s happening!” This demon was later named the Chimney Demon.

Under the influence of the Chimney Demon, people began to carry gifts when visiting the Dini Family. These gifts were either bargaining chips for the Dinis’ secret of not using a chimney, or tokens of sympathetic concern for the Dinis, who might be too frozen to move.

Of course, besides the Dinis, there were also the Dannis, Fannis, Kanis, and Jennys.

Over time, after Harsh Winter arrived and before Intense Chill came, people created a few new holidays: the Chimney Festival, for exchanging gifts, and the Demon Festival, in which they dressed up as demons and kicked each other’s rears.

So, if Intense Chill also happened to fall in October, then the people of the Yowein Continent would have four to five holidays in that single month: the Chimney Festival, the Demon Festival, the Bonfire Festival, the Farewell to the Old Festival, and the Welcome the New Festival.

With so many holidays crammed into October, these folks had plenty to keep them busy for a while.

”Harsh Winter is coming!” Aevernan looked out at the gradually darkening sky. Suddenly, his sense of justice awakened. Harsh Winter approaches, a great enemy is at hand; how could he conceal the blatant threats the team was facing? The early arrival of Harsh Winter made Aevernan hesitate no more. He adjusted his attire and walked toward the Twin Star Grand Hall.

”Harsh Winter is almost here!” Elder Rostellum of Guru Village exclaimed. This gloomy weather could bring heavy snow. With snowflakes falling, even the most powerful people will struggle to move at the foot of Dawn Peak. To stop this group of Alchemists from clearing the mountain, I can only count on the snowfall of this Harsh Winter. The heavier the snow, the better. Heavy snow will seal the mountain; no one will be able to go up or down. Rumors of monsters on the mountain and the White Cloud Fruits will continue to spread, hopefully reaching every corner of the world, encouraging more people to participate in this fun treasure hunt on Guru Mountain...

”Harsh Winter is almost upon us!” Witch Biggs walked slowly, her already hunched waist stooping even lower. She lamented how fast the days passed, like lightning, while she remained as unnoticed as ever. Losing the historic title of the all-powerful Great Witch of Gaga County makes me feel ashamed to face my mentor and junior sister. It’s a disgrace for a Wizard! Not only have I failed to advance to Gray Robe since finishing my apprenticeship, but I haven’t even unlocked what kind of elemental Wizard I am...

Has Harsh Winter arrived? Mayor Babasha didn’t feel the world had changed much because of it. He was still a mere placeholder, enduring all sorts of grievances in this impoverished, remote place.

Harsh Winter is coming. Kuyi Tulan looked out the window, reminded of the Harsh Winter days he had experienced as an Alchemist. Extreme winter truly tests a person’s resilience. The bone-chilling cold tells everyone that if they endure, they will see the rejuvenation of Early Summer.

Does this mean I’m about to be reunited with you, Teacher? Looking at the clouds gathering outside the window, Kuyi Tulan felt he hadn’t been this comfortable in a long time. The severe cold of Harsh Winter indeed brought good inspiration, though he couldn’t extract the main content of this inspiration as Politicians might. One must survive in the unknown to sense pervasive dangers. A sense of crisis is key to achieving good results in the war of survival. The Intense Chill of Harsh Winter is a constant warning to humanity: You could be frozen to death at any moment! If you want to live, do as I say! If I am wrong, then defy me. If I am right, then I am absolute! Kuyi Tulan continued to contemplate the inspiration from Intense Chill.

”Harsh Winter is coming!” Qi Liu felt a wave of dizziness. If I don’t hurry, the severe cold will claim everyone’s lives. The Young Master is in danger! He had to rack his brain to find any trace the Young Master might have left on the mountain.

”Harsh Winter is coming!” Igor, bound and led by the mysterious person, exclaimed as he walked. Beside him, the similarly bound monster Kadi looked at him with a puzzled expression, unable to understand what he was lamenting.

”Harsh Winter is here,” Igor continued, ”so the mountain will soon be in a deep sleep. I’ve always wanted to see what a sleeping mountain looks like.”

”Harsh Winter is coming.” In the faraway Luona Capital, within the Twin Star Grand Hall, several capable figures passed a stone among themselves, discussing seemingly ordinary matters.

The severe cold coalesced into Harsh Winter.

Those seemingly unrelated events would gradually converge in the chill of Harsh Winter. Amidst the sighs heralding the arrival of Harsh Winter, the breath of severe cold was steadily closing in on everyone.