Chapter Twenty-One: Visitors from the Antarctic

On the very first day after three months of grueling training, Hua Feng, Wang Yue, Yun Meng, and Shuang Ning were summoned by the battalion commander for a special briefing. They were assigned a top-secret mission: to travel to the coldest region of Antarctica—Cold Mountain—and sabotage a clandestine operation orchestrated by Japan's main war faction. Throughout their mission, they were to report progress to headquarters, and the specifics of their assignment had already been uploaded to the squad’s operational microcomputers.

Due to the urgency, the four set out that very night. Even as Hua Feng sat aboard the military spacecraft bound for Antarctica, he was still in the dark about many details. But orders were orders, and he was content to carry them out, especially with his closest brother and beloved Meng at his side; surely this mission wouldn’t be too dull, he thought to himself.

Among the quartet, Wang Yue was the most composed and capable, making him the obvious choice for team leader. In terms of strength, his level was only one below Hua Feng’s own.

“We’ve got another hour before we reach Zhongshan Station for supplies. Let’s take the chance to rest. Let’s aim to reach Cold Mountain before we make camp tonight,” Wang Yue said, checking the time and flight coordinates before looking up at his teammates.

“Alright. You should rest too, Captain, it’s still early,” Hua Feng replied. There was little need for formality between brothers. Hua Feng let Meng rest her head on his lap for comfort, while Wang Yue kept Shuang Ning, his girlfriend, close at his side. The four closed their eyes, conserving their strength in silence, awaiting their arrival in Antarctica. The only sound aboard the ship was the occasional roar of its engines.

An hour later, they arrived at Zhongshan Station, established by China over a century ago and now vastly expanded. Once a research outpost, it had grown into the largest supply base for squads operating in the Antarctic region.

After a brief resupply, the four decided against flying all the way to Cold Mountain, opting instead to approach the mysterious base on foot. Equipped only with essential gear and weapons, and bundled up like snowballs, they set off toward Cold Mountain, more than thirty kilometers from Zhongshan Station. Fortunately, the perpetual snow made the ground slick, so they advanced quickly on skis.

The biting wind howled around them. After trekking for over half an hour, the group finally experienced the true cold of the Antarctic. Even with their internal energy protecting them, the average temperature of minus seventy-five degrees was nearly unbearable. Hua Feng pulled his collar tighter against the freezing air.

Meng, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the cold. Though her cheeks were flushed from the chill, she showed no real discomfort. She even took to pelting Hua Feng with snowballs, making faces and calling out, “Let’s see who gets there first, Hua Feng!” Perhaps her genetic heritage gave her a natural affinity for icy environments.

Hua Feng could only laugh, while Wang Yue and Shuang Ning, both shivering, looked on with envy. Wang Yue was especially attentive to Shuang Ning—it was no easy thing for a girl to confess her feelings and stick by his side through this ordeal.

Time seemed to slow as they drew closer to Cold Mountain, the blizzard growing fiercer with every step. They abandoned their sleds and pressed on, foot by foot, toward their goal.

Yet something about all this struck Hua Feng as odd. It was all too smooth—surely a secret base belonging to Japan’s main war faction wouldn’t leave its perimeter completely unguarded, not even in a place as desolate as Cold Mountain.

After another half hour, a wave of unease washed over Hua Feng—he felt as if they were being watched. Instinctively, he slowed his pace and scanned behind them. All he could see were towering glaciers and endless snowfields; nothing out of the ordinary. The blizzard shrieked across the frozen expanse, threatening to tear the world asunder.

“What is it, Hua Feng?” Meng asked, sensing his tension, prompting Wang Yue and Shuang Ning to stop as well.

“It’s nothing. Let’s keep moving,” Hua Feng replied, urging the group onward.

Unknown to them, some three hundred meters away, a thickly snow-covered ice block was inching forward. A closer look would reveal a figure, completely shrouded in ice and snow, crawling across the ground, always keeping a steady distance from Hua Feng’s group—never too near, never too far.

While Antarctica, like the Arctic, once knew only perpetual day or night, the space-time fusion of years past had altered its cycles; now, its days and nights were not so different from the rest of the world. In the short winter daylight, the sun was already setting, and Cold Mountain still lay some distance ahead.

The blizzard was relentless, the snow swirling beautifully but leaving no time for appreciation. Glancing ahead by chance, Hua Feng spotted a cave not far off. He shouted to the others, “There’s a cave up ahead! It’ll be dark soon. We probably won’t make it to Cold Mountain tonight. Let’s camp in the cave for safety and set out again at dawn. What do you think?”

“I’m fine with that. I’ll follow your lead,” Meng replied, raising her voice above the wind.

“We agree too,” Wang Yue and Shuang Ning chimed in. “Let’s spend the night in the cave.”

The subzero temperatures had slowed them considerably. Out of concern for Shuang Ning, who was only at the beginner stage of her rank, Hua Feng and the others refrained from using their lightness skill or deep reserves of inner strength. Battling the wind and treacherous footing, they consumed much more energy than usual.

With Hua Feng supporting Meng and Wang Yue steadying Shuang Ning, the four trudged toward the cave as the blizzard intensified. After several grueling minutes, they finally reached the unfamiliar cavern—more a snow cave than a true grotto, with snow piled thick at the entrance and icicles hanging from the ceiling like a crystalline palace. The interior was surprisingly spacious, spanning dozens of meters across, more than enough for the four of them to rest comfortably.

Inside, Hua Feng immediately felt warmer; the thermometer showed only minus thirty-one degrees. After he helped Meng with her sleeping bag and Wang Yue did the same for Shuang Ning, night had already fallen. Exhausted, Meng and Shuang Ning slipped into their sleeping bags early. Hua Feng and Wang Yue began preparing dinner together, after first setting up a protective barrier around the cave and lighting a portable stove to keep everyone warm.

After struggling for some time without success, Wang Yue finally called for help, “Feng, come give me a hand!” Hua Feng walked over and saw Wang Yue fumbling with a frozen roast chicken, unsure what to do next. Hua Feng skewered the chicken on two steel forks and set it over the coals to heat.

The chicken quickly warmed through—one of four the commander had specially prepared for the mission. They roasted two, shared the meal, and then prepared to rest.

“Feng, can I sleep with you tonight? I’m afraid of the cold,” Meng whispered, blushing as she slipped over to Hua Feng’s side.

“What? Really?” Hua Feng was taken aback by her forwardness—perhaps inspired by Wang Yue and Shuang Ning, who were already sharing a sleeping bag?

“What, you don’t want to? Then… never mind,” Meng pouted, pretending to leave in a huff.

“No, I didn’t say I didn’t want to,” Hua Feng replied quickly. He wasn’t one for old-fashioned modesty; since Meng was his girlfriend, there was nothing improper about sharing a bed.

“Come on in then,” Meng said, unzipping her sleeping bag and inviting him inside.

The “sleeping bag” was more like a tent—spacious enough for two. That night was peaceful. With Wang Yue and Shuang Ning nearby, Hua Feng and Meng didn’t dare make too much noise, simply holding each other as they slept. The other pair, however, were less restrained—the sounds of their passion echoed through the small cave deep in Antarctica. Feeling the softness of Meng in his arms and hearing the faint noises from the other side, Meng blushed furiously while Hua Feng struggled to contain his own desires.