C2 The Operation Failed!

A monotonous, mechanical voice echoed in Zhao Zhe's consciousness: "Master, my name is the Dimension Hopping Express 2.0 assistant, not just any assistant! I don't merely drive; I pilot the Super Dimension Hopping Express."

Zhao Zhe mentally replied to the voice, "It's all the same. I'm tired of saying your long name every time. From now on, I'll just call you 'assistant.' Let's get moving; time waits for no one."

"Master, as your assistant, I must remind you that this will be your last protected time travel. From now on, your absence from this world will be noticed, and upon arriving in the world of ice and snow, you will no longer have the minimal life protection. If you lose your life there, there's no coming back to this world alive."

Zhao Zhe, growing impatient, retorted, "I know, just get on with it. I've been preparing for this day for half a month. I can survive without any protection."

The assistant persisted, "Master, although you've amassed considerable resources in the world of ice and snow, remember our mission is to save lives, not to play a survival game. I must remind you that there's a 30-day deadline to complete the rescue mission. If you fail to do so in time, the great King of the Universe, Nusbath, will send you to Mars to be used as fertilizer. Before that, your body parts will be removed and fed to dogs, and if the dogs refuse them, then you'll be used as fertilizer."

"Shut up!" Zhao Zhe was infuriated. "As your master, I command you to initiate the teleportation!"

Zhao Zhe's vision went black, and when he could see again, he found himself in a vast world of ice and snow. He had been transported by the assistant to another dimension, a stark contrast to Earth, where it was perpetually cold and snowy, the starlight from space was faint, and the harsh climate had long since ravaged the civilization of this realm.

What had happened to Zhao Zhe? The story began half a month earlier when he found a new Oro Phone on his way home from evening study. Swiping open the unlocked screen, he received a plea for help. Thinking it was a scam, as phone fraud had become all too common in recent years, Zhao Zhe decided to play along, assuming the person was a fraudster. Agreeing to help as a joke, he was unexpectedly teleported the next second to the world of ice and snow.

Upon realizing that the rescue mission was neither a hoax nor a prank, Zhao Zhe shattered his Oro Phone in an attempt to abandon the game. Unexpectedly, the phone fused with his consciousness, binding him to the mission permanently. With no other choice, Zhao Zhe had to face the harsh reality and embark on a perilous journey.

A snow cave shielded from the wind lay on the snowy expanse. Zhao Zhe crawled inside, a cave he had previously excavated, leading to a six-story building buried beneath the snow—a testament to the depth of the accumulation.

Zhao Zhe had already cleared out the top floor of the building, where he stored the weapons, food, and supplies he had brought from Earth, including several emergency lights. He even had ski poles and sleds at his disposal, all of which had drained his savings and left him indebted to Chen Xiaomeng for thousands of yuan.

With the supplies in the shelter secure, Zhao Zhe addressed his assistant, "Now that we're prepared, let's start the rescue mission. Have we acquired the coordinates of the other party?"

"South, five kilometers away," the assistant responded succinctly.

"We had an agreement—you're to give me a Goldfinger after the first rescue mission," Zhao Zhe reminded.

"Correct," the assistant confirmed. "Upon completing the first mission, Master will receive a Goldfinger, which is quite handy for use in Earth's space-time, especially for impressing the ladies."

Filled with newfound enthusiasm, Zhao Zhe grabbed his skis, hoisted his backpack, and pointed upward, declaring, "We depart now!"

In the world of ice and snow, temperatures consistently ranged from -10 to -20 degrees Celsius—not extremely cold, but the frequent blizzards and strong winds significantly heightened the danger of venturing out. The snow was so thick that in some areas it couldn't support a person's weight, leading to potential falls into cavernous snow pits, some dozens or even hundreds of meters deep. Surviving a fall was one thing; climbing out was another challenge entirely.

Six hours later, the shelter's door swung open, and Zhao Zhe stumbled in, covered in snow. It took him a moment to rise from the floor, his body having been stiffened by the cold. Thankfully, the shelter's temperature was substantially warmer than the outside world.

Zhao Zhe's hands shook as he fumbled for his lighter and ignited the fire basin at the center of the shelter. It was stocked with flammable materials, always ready for heating. After warming himself by the fire for a few minutes, he finally caught his breath.

"Damn assistant, you almost got me killed!"

The assistant in his consciousness countered, "Master, I am your faithful assistant. I have never intended to harm you."

"You told me to head five kilometers south to rescue someone, but after hours of walking, I didn't find a soul. I fell into snow pits twice. If I hadn't been clever enough to turn back when I did, I'd be dead by now."

The assistant defended, "Master, I was correct. The rescue coordinates are five kilometers to the south. You must have gone in the wrong direction..."

Zhao Zhe argued, "How could I possibly go the wrong way? I have a compass, and it clearly points south."

"Master, the extreme weather in this world can affect the accuracy of a compass. Moreover, you've only covered one kilometer in all this time. Even if you were headed the right way, you're still far from the coordinates!"

Zhao Zhe was stunned. He had braved life-threatening conditions, trudging through a blizzard for half a day, only to have covered a mere kilometer! How could he possibly complete his rescue mission? It seemed more likely that he'd perish before saving anyone.

This wouldn't do. Things were clearly not as simple as he had imagined. He had spent two weeks preparing, purchasing plenty of equipment online, but he hadn't tested it in the world of ice and snow. He was still struggling to adapt to the harsh environment of this new world.

"That's enough for today. We'll rest now and continue with the mission tomorrow," Zhao Zhe commanded his assistant. Now that he was feeling better, he decided to explore the rooms downstairs, mainly to see if he could find more heating materials. While he could transport coal from Earth, he was limited to one trip between the two worlds per day, so he prioritized bringing food, weapons, and daily necessities. As for heating supplies, he'd have to source them locally.

The building was just an ordinary building, the corridors typical, but the enveloping darkness made it feel alien. If not for that, Zhao Zhe might have thought he was still on Earth. Even the items he found while clearing out his shelter upstairs seemed eerily familiar, except for the unsettling silence, devoid of even the faintest whisper or the scurry of a mouse.

The beam from Zhao Zhe's headlamp illuminated the anti-theft door below. He had been concerned that noise might draw unwanted attention, so he had previously avoided touching any locked doors in the building. Now, it appeared his caution may have been excessive. If there was any life left in this dimension, it was likely the individual waiting for his rescue five kilometers to the south.

Zhao Zhe had long been curious about the locked rooms on the lower floors and had come prepared with tools. A few twists of his screwdriver removed the peephole, and he inserted a hooked wire through the opening. After a few attempts at feeling around the door's gap, he hooked onto something and gave an upward pull. With a snap, the anti-theft door swung open.

A buddy from back home had shown him this trick, which worked provided the door wasn't deadbolted. Many people found it too bothersome to double-lock their doors with a key, inadvertently leaving an opportunity for someone to slip inside.

Sweeping the living room with his headlamp, Zhao Zhe noted familiar items: a sofa, a tea machine, a TV—amenities common in any ordinary Earth household were all present. The living room led to a bedroom on one end and a dining room and kitchen on the other. With no shortage of food and drink, Zhao Zhe opted to check out the bedroom.

Theoretically, the building had been abandoned for years, but the snow had created a nearly airtight seal, leaving the space relatively free of dust and the items within easily identifiable.

The bedroom door was wooden, and Zhao Zhe planned to dismantle it later for use as firewood to keep warm upstairs. The centerpiece of the bedroom was a large bed, which would also serve well as fuel.

Casting light around the bed, he saw a pile of clothes scattered on the floor, the bed, and beside it. There was also a rolling speaker and an electric guitar leaning against it. Was the homeowner an outdoor live streamer? If so, the similarities between this world and Earth were striking—the architecture, language, and even cultural entertainment seemed identical.

After disassembling two doors and gathering a heap of clothes, Zhao Zhe also hauled the electric guitar and rolling speaker up to his shelter. It wasn't until he examined them closely that he realized both the guitar and speaker were rusted, and the scattered garments were so decayed they fell apart at the slightest tug.

Analyzing the situation, it's apparent that the downfall of this civilization didn't happen overnight. Zhao Zhe inspected the kitchen, noting that the utensils were similar to those from his own era. However, the food was beyond recognition, completely decayed and indistinguishable. It's likely that the civilization met its demise long ago, with the remnants well-preserved due to the cold.

After a busy spell of cleaning and restocking the shelter's heating wood, Zhao Zhe took a break to clean out the sound box. He had long dreamed of using it to belt out karaoke tunes on the rooftop. Now, with an electric guitar in hand—though uncertain if it still worked—he planned to take it with him when he returned.

"Assistant, let's have a chat for a nickel," Zhao Zhe communicated telepathically.

"Master, I'm always here. How much do you want to talk for?" the assistant replied.

Zhao Zhe laughed. "You're getting cheeky, aren't you?"

"Master, I am an artificial intelligence program. I learn gradually from my user's interactions, and your emotions and intelligence influence me..." the assistant explained.

Zhao Zhe felt slighted. "Are you implying that my low IQ has affected yours, preventing you from helping me complete my tasks?"

The assistant pondered the gravity of the question before responding, "Yes, Master, that seems to be the case. The master of version 1.0 would have already completed the first mission by now."

Zhao Zhe had an epiphany. "Ah, so that's how you upgraded to 2.0. What happened to your original master? Given your undeveloped IQ, I can't imagine his was much higher."

"He died..." the assistant stated.

Zhao Zhe retorted, "See, what good did his high IQ do him if he's dead? I'm still alive! And why? Because I'm thorough and well-prepared!"

The assistant bluntly remarked, "Master, you're alive because today is your first attempt at the mission. And let's not forget, you've narrowly escaped death several times already today..."

Zhao Zhe's cheeks were tinged with embarrassment, his heart still racing from today's adventure. He said, "I need to return; I want to go back to my own world. It's too suffocating here. Let's discuss the mission completion tomorrow."