Three days later, the average temperature in the Country of Nippons had dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius. Crops that had been planted not long before were all frozen to death by the low temperature, resulting in heavy agricultural losses.
However, this short period had not led them into a state of food shortage. Only the cold had still claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
In H City, Dragon Country, Hé Jié was walking home, scrolling through short videos. Seeing the tragic state of the Country of Nippons in the videos, she couldn't help but shiver.
"Good thing it wasn't Dragon Country that cooled down, or I'd be frozen stiff like a dog."
Hé Jié couldn't help but exclaim. She then put her phone into the small bag she carried and passed through a dark alley, intending to take a shortcut back to her rental. She had walked down this alley countless times and knew everything around it.
But today, the alley seemed slightly different.
After passing through the alley, Hé Jié didn't return to the street where her rental was located. Instead, she entered an unfamiliar place.
Looking back at the way she came, it had now become a small hole that only one person could pass through. Dozens of steps beyond the hole was a large peach forest.
Between the cave entrance and the peach forest lay a clear, shallow stream, its deepest point only reaching her knees.
The unfamiliar surroundings made Hé Jié panic. She hurried into the cave, wanting to go back, but after entering, she found no path from where she came. The path ended at a huge rock, with no other exit.
Forcing herself to calm down, Hé Jié returned to the cave entrance and scanned her surroundings again. Finding no other paths, she then turned her gaze to the peach trees dozens of steps away.
It was clearly summer, and not the season for peach blossoms, yet the peach blossoms here were still blooming brilliantly. Occasionally, a few petals drifted down from the branches, adorning the green grass below.
All of this was very strange, but she had no other options, so she could only try going to the peach forest opposite.
Inside the peach forest, Xǔ Rúyì, who was role-playing as an NPC, noticed someone entering the new script scene she had set up. She couldn't help but nod with satisfaction.
"After resting here for three days, it's time to get to work."
With that, Xǔ Rúyì stood up from her rocking chair. Her attire also changed instantly, her casual home clothes transforming into a blue palace dress.
The rocking chair behind her disappeared, and a pavilion was erected in the center of the peach grove. Inside the pavilion were a stone table and two stone stools. On the table sat a chessboard.
The black and white pieces on the board were arranged crisscrossed, like two intertwining black and white dragons fiercely biting each other, yet seemingly locked in a stalemate due to the game's situation.
Xǔ Rúyì walked to one of the stone stools and sat down. Her slender, jade-like hand picked up a white piece and, following the System's prompt in her mind, placed it down.
The previously evenly matched game was instantly broken, and the white pieces began to encroach upon the black pieces' territory.
Outside the peach forest, Hé Jié took off her shoes and socks, rolled up her pant legs, and waded across the stream.
After reaching the peach forest, Hé Jié took out tissues from her bag to dry her feet, put the used tissues away, and then put on her shoes and socks.
Everyone in the world knew that Princess Ice had caused a blizzard in the Country of Nippons recently. Now, protecting the environment had truly become a common goal for everyone. Now that she had suddenly entered such a strange place, she had to be even more careful.
After putting on her shoes, Hé Jié began searching along the small path in the peach forest.
It took her about twenty minutes before she saw the pavilion where Xǔ Rúyì was. Seeing a building after walking for twenty minutes finally lifted Hé Jié's spirits.
After all, a building meant there were people, and she should be able to leave, right? Thinking this, Hé Jié quickened her pace towards the pavilion.
A few minutes later, Hé Jié reached the pavilion and saw the person inside. There was indeed someone, but whether it was a human or a fairy like Princess Ice was hard to say. And why a fairy? Naturally, because she was beautiful! Anyone could tell she was a fairy just by looking at her face! Even if she wasn't, Hé Jié wouldn't accept it; she was a fangirl!
However, she didn't dare to disturb the fairy playing chess and obediently stood about three steps away from the pavilion, waiting.
Xǔ Rúyì didn't speak in a hurry either. She slowly continued her game. After all, great people had to have a certain aura. Thus, Xǔ Rúyì played for half an hour. Hé Jié stood there like a post for half an hour, like a bodyguard.
As someone who usually sat at work, this was the first time she had stood for so long. Oh, no, it should be said, stood still for so long. For a fragile office worker, this half hour was simply a disaster.
Knowing that her muscles would definitely ache tomorrow, Hé Jié sighed inwardly. Just as she was thinking about how to ask the fairy about going back,
Xǔ Rúyì, inside the pavilion, spoke, "Mortal, come and look at this game. What do you see?"
Suddenly being called out startled Hé Jié, causing her to tremble. She then quickly nodded and hurried to the stone table to observe the