C16 What Should We Do?

Xiaoxue clung to Zhao Zhe with her delicate embrace. At that moment, Zhao Zhe, aware of the imminent threat of the snow rats, didn't give a second thought to the fact that he was being held by a girl—his life was at stake, after all.

"Master," Xiaoxue whispered so softly into Zhao Zhe's ear that her warm breath tickled him, causing him to shiver and nearly alert the snow rats nearby.

"I'll draw them away. You mustn't move. Once they're after me, head straight back to the shelter. There's a deep space beneath it where you can hide and possibly escape. They outnumber us; a direct confrontation would be fatal!" Xiaoxue had to bite Zhao Zhe's ear to muster the courage to finish her sentence.

Zhao Zhe was momentarily taken aback. He was astonished that in such a perilous moment, the young girl would risk her life to save his. He had always assumed her use of 'master' was merely a customary form of address in this world, much like the term 'boss' back on Earth. But here she was, ready to risk it all for him—a level of self-sacrifice that had become all too rare on Earth.

Zhao Zhe could feel Xiaoxue's embrace loosening as she prepared to break away and become the target of the three snow rats. Engaging them with only a kukri was a battle with little hope of victory.

He reached out, tightening his grip on Xiaoxue. He couldn't let her face the danger alone, yet Xiaoxue, a native of this world, understood the snow rats' behavior. If they sensed something amiss, they would undoubtedly find their hiding place. If she didn't act now, they would stand no chance once the snow rats discovered their refuge. If that happened, not only would she perish, but she also wouldn't be able to save her newly recognized master.

Zhao Zhe desperately clutched at Xiaoxue's clothing, trying to hold her back. Meanwhile, the searching snow rat seemed to sense something unusual about the mound of snow sheltering them. Its sharp, menacing fangs bore down on their snowy hideout.

"Damn," Zhao Zhe muttered to himself, finding some solace in the fact that at least a beautiful young woman was with him. It was a shame, though, about the newly acquired Dimension Hopping Express and the super shuttle assistant that had yet to accomplish anything significant. If it had managed to do something noteworthy and grant him a Goldfinger, would death even be a concern? It was such a raw deal... He hadn't even had the chance to enjoy the 200,000 yuan he'd made from selling the snow rat eyeballs.

A sudden, piercing howl cut through the air as another giant snow rat searching the area let out a roar to the sky. The snow rat that had been sinking its fangs into the snow pile stopped abruptly at the sound, retracted its teeth, and turned to follow the giant snow rat that had already taken off. The smallest snow rat quickly trailed behind them. Their departure was swift, as if spurred by some urgent matter.

In the blink of an eye, the danger had passed, leaving Zhao Zhe feeling drained. His vision blurred, and he nearly lost consciousness—a clear sign of the aftereffects from a sudden release of extreme tension.

"Master, Master, are you alright?" Xiaoxue had been holding Zhao Zhe, and without needing to shift her position, she continued to embrace him. Yet, her frail frame wrapped around a grown man presented quite the incongruous picture.

Zhao Zhe rubbed his forehead with snow, the chill snapping him back to alertness. He inquired, "Why did the snow rats suddenly take off? That was incredibly dangerous."

Xiaoxue explained, "Master, those three rats heard gunshots coming from five kilometers to the south, so they rushed towards the sound. In this world, only humans could produce such noises. Thus, without finding the companions they were searching for, they decided to investigate the source of human activity."

"South? Five kilometers?" Zhao Zhe was taken aback. The assistant in his mind confirmed, "Yes, Master, that's correct. It's the location of your mission."

Grasping Xiaoxue's icy hand, Zhao Zhe asked, "Xiaoxue, you know which way is south?"

She nodded affirmatively. "Yes, Master. Judging by the loudness of the gunshots and factoring in the snowstorm, it should be about five kilometers away. I'm certain of it. We're downwind, so the sound is quite clear to me. Didn't you hear it, Master?"

Zhao Zhe felt a pang of frustration. He hadn't caught a single sound, not even from the approach of the three snow rats. It appeared that the auditory capabilities of humans in this world were far superior to his own.

"Xiaoxue, I need to ask you for a favor..."

Xiaoxue was panic-stricken, fearing she had done something wrong. She clung to Zhao Zhe even tighter. "Master... if there's anything I'm doing wrong, please tell me. I'll change. You shouldn't have to 'ask'; I'm just a servant..."

Zhao Zhe was tempted to shove a snowball into Xiaoxue's arms to snap her out of it. "Xiaoxue, I've told you, I'm not your master. We are equals. Stop seeing yourself as lesser."

"Understood, Master," Xiaoxue responded, taking his words to heart.

"Here's the situation: I need to travel five kilometers to rescue someone. Are you certain that the three snow rats headed south?" Zhao Zhe decided to let the title issue slide and focus on his mission.

Xiaoxue nodded earnestly. "Yes, Master. They went south. I'm always accurate with directions."

In his mind, Zhao Zhe smirked at his assistant. "You useless lump, look at your master finding a gem who can pinpoint locations. She can even hear gunfire from five kilometers away. She's practically got ears that catch the wind. Now I won't have to go to Mars to make compost!"

His assistant interjected, "Aren't you celebrating too soon, Master? There are three snow rats that way..."

Zhao Zhe paused, realizing the gravity of the situation. Damn, those rats had a head start. If they caught up now, it would be dangerous. His recent encounter with the snow rats left him on edge; they were certainly not friendly to humans.

What now? Zhao Zhe's mind raced. The mission had to be completed; failure meant a one-way trip to Martian compost duty. With 27 days left to save someone just five kilometers to the south, the task seemed more feasible than ever, especially now with a guide. There was no need to rush and risk an encounter with the snow rats today. The odds of becoming rat fodder were too high.

Another reason Zhao Zhe decided to temporarily halt the rescue was the possibility of the snow rats returning. It was uncertain if he and Xiaoxue would be as fortunate next time, which highlighted the shelter's vulnerability and the urgent need for fortification.

The entrance's concealment posed a significant dilemma. If too small, it would be challenging to access, and the shelter would likely suffer from inadequate oxygen supply. Conversely, a larger entrance could easily be detected by the snow rats, rendering the occupants as trapped as turtles in a jar.

Xiaoxue, though not tall, was a native of this realm and a seasoned survivor, unlike Zhao Zhe, who had not been weathered by the harshness of Earth. She swiftly addressed the predicament.

To tackle the ventilation issue, they used a long stick to bore nearly ten bowl-sized vertical shafts, each over eight meters deep. These small openings would be difficult for the snow rats to navigate. While the external wind and snow could clog the vents, as long as they weren't all blocked simultaneously and were regularly maintained, the balance between safety and adequate airflow could be maintained. With the ventilation resolved, the larger entrance previously used could be sealed permanently, only to be reopened when absolutely necessary.

Zhao Zhe watched Xiaoxue complete the work and, with a relieved exhale, offered her a warmed beverage. "Xiaoxue, have a drink and take a break. We should be safe now, right?"

To his surprise, Xiaoxue shook her head. "Master, snow rats excel at burrowing through snow. Our efforts are merely to avoid detection, but if they're convinced we're beneath them, sealing all the entrances won't prevent them from digging through."

Zhao Zhe's newfound calm was shattered. "Ah, what should we do now?"

Xiaoxue clenched her teeth, biting her lip with a determination that belied her gentle voice. "Master, we have no choice but to kill them. It's the only foolproof strategy!"

Zhao Zhe shook his head, concern etched on his face. "It's far too risky. We've managed to kill one before, but it was a close call. Now, facing three at once, what are our actual chances?"

Gripping her favorite kukri, Xiaoxue weighed it thoughtfully in her hand, her pale lips nearly bleeding from the pressure. Her resolve was clear. "Master, our chances of success are slim, perhaps only ten to twenty percent."

Zhao Zhe sighed deeply, recognizing the grim reality in her assessment. If he possessed Xiaoxue's combat skills, their odds might double, yet still fall short of a fifty percent success rate. With three snow rats, a single unguarded moment could lead to catastrophic consequences.

An idea struck Zhao Zhe, and he slapped his thigh in revelation. "Xiaoxue, I've realized it's not that we're too weak to take on the three snow rats; it's that our approach has been too narrow-minded. Why risk our lives in a direct confrontation when we can leverage weapons? I'm not talking about knives, but firearms. The gunshots you heard from the south indicate that guns exist in this world. With firearms, our odds against the snow rats would be significantly better."

Xiaoxue nodded in agreement. "You're right, Master. But firearms are costly. Acquiring a gun in the underground city might deplete half of your resources. And there's a major downside: without a silencer, firing a gun could attract untold numbers of snow rats. The shots from five kilometers to the south will draw them in droves. Without a strong shelter, the shooter is in grave danger, not to mention the silencers and bullets are as valuable as the guns themselves."

Zhao Zhe's face drained of color, not at the thought of the gun's price, but over the safety of the person to the south. If that person failed their mission, Nusbath Huge Dominate would show no mercy. The Dimension Hopping Express assistant would then be upgraded from 2.0 to 3.0, using his life as the price to seek a new master.

Zhao Zhe's frustration boiled over as he berated his assistant, "What kind of way is this to handle things? You expect me to work for you without providing a Goldfinger. Now, we have a guide to the south, but that's just the start of our problems. It's risky to go, but even riskier to stay put. What's our move? What do you suggest we do?"