C23 Big Chimney!

While waiting, there were no dramatic events. An hour and a half later, Xiaoxue came hurrying back.

"Master, the path ahead is much easier to traverse. With me guiding you, we can get there in about an hour. The place you're looking for might just be a large chimney." Xiaoxue quickly briefed Zhao Zhe, too rushed to even brush the snow from her clothes.

Zhao Zhe offered her a military canteen filled with water that had been boiled and then allowed to cool. "Have some water first. Did you make it to the five-kilometer mark?" he asked, helping to dust the snow off her.

After taking a sip, Xiaoxue gently licked her lips, her actions delicate, her gaze filled with appreciation. She was moved that Zhao Zhe, as her master, had thought to provide her with water.

"Yes, Master. By my estimate, that spot is about five kilometers away. There were no people in sight, but it looked like there were some structures beneath the snow, with a large chimney poking through. I didn't feel comfortable leaving you alone, so I hurried back without investigating further."

Zhao Zhe nodded in agreement. "Okay, take a moment to warm up by the fire, rest a bit, and hydrate. Eat something, and then we'll head out."

Xiaoxue stooped to gather Zhao Zhe's tools from the ground. "No need to worry, Master. I'm still full of energy. We should get moving. If we delay, the people inside might not survive, which could jeopardize your mission."

They both understood that if the person had already perished, there would be no point in continuing the mission. Zhao Zhe repacked the tools he had taken out of his backpack, and once ready, they resumed their journey.

The road ahead was indeed smoother, and despite a few tumbles, their pace remained unaffected. They arrived at the large chimney Xiaoxue had mentioned before daylight broke.

Having a local guide proved invaluable. Had Zhao Zhe not rescued Xiaoxue and had her lead the way, he would still be aimlessly stumbling around. Initially, he hadn't come across any snow rats, but had he been less fortunate later on, given his prior level of preparedness, the likelihood of a fatal encounter would have been alarmingly high.

In the expanse of a snowy plain, several snow mounds dotted the landscape, one of which was a chimney. Zhao Zhe surmised that the other mounds were likely chimneys as well, merely obscured by the snow that hadn't been cleared away in time, making them appear as nothing more than mounds.

Since this particular chimney stood out, they had to investigate. Having reached their destination, they found their backpacks excessively heavy. The pair decided to leave behind some non-essential items temporarily, planning to retrieve them later if needed.

"Master, I must warn you," Xiaoxue advised, "while there are bad people in the Heavenly Earth where you come from, good people are still in the majority. But in this world, the bad outnumber the good. No matter your intentions in saving people, it's best to avoid direct involvement with them, and certainly, don't disclose our shelter's existence. Here, people live on the brink of life and death daily, capable of anything."

Zhao Zhe pondered this and recognized the truth in her words. Finding someone as devoted as Xiaoxue was less likely than a Mars-Earth collision. The system had tasked him with a rescue, without specifying whether the rescued would be friend or foe. Thus, his sole objective was to save the person and, if necessary, to withdraw immediately upon mission completion.

Traveling light, they proceeded on foot since the skis were unusable. The relentless snowstorm had erased any traces on the ground, leaving them to navigate cautiously toward the large chimney. The sound of gunfire and the presence of snow rats added unknown dangers, causing Zhao Zhe's heart to race with every step, audible above the howling wind.

As they drew nearer to the chimney, its steel and concrete frame showed severe erosion from the elements. The once-climbable scaffolding was now nearly disintegrated.

With the chimney shielding them from the wind, the snow subsided. They peered around cautiously, but all was quiet, with no signs of disturbance on the barren snowfield. To carry on with their mission, they had no choice but to scale the chimney for a better view inside.

The pair circled the large chimney, searching for an easily climbable spot. This side had originally been fitted with scaffolding for maintenance purposes, but now the structure was in severe disrepair, with usable footholds only where three damaged sections were followed by one intact.

"Master, you stay here while I go up to check things out," Xiaoxue offered.

Zhao Zhe hesitated, "As a girl, it might be safer for me to climb."

Xiaoxue, however, disagreed, "Master, being a girl, I'm more nimble than you. Let me climb. Once I'm up, I'll lower the rope. You can then tie the backpack to it, and I'll pull it up before helping you."

Zhao Zhe cautioned her, "Be very careful. If it's too difficult, don't push yourself. We'll find another way in."

"Got it, Master. And you be careful too. If any snow rats appear, call out to me, and I'll drop the rope to pull you up," Xiaoxue replied.

The chimney, protruding from the snow, stood about ten meters tall. Xiaoxue's agility indeed surpassed Zhao Zhe's, and her lighter weight made navigating the crumbling scaffolding easier. Where necessary, she used a rope to overcome the gaps, reaching the chimney's summit in twenty minutes.

"Master, it's pitch black below, I can't see a thing!" Xiaoxue called down to Zhao Zhe, careful not to raise her voice too much for fear of attracting snow rats.

"Let's get our gear up first. There are glow sticks in the bag that might light up the space below," Zhao Zhe suggested. This chimney, unlike those buried under snow, was definitely worth the exploration, and it was clear that someone had been regularly clearing the snow, preventing it from becoming just another mound.

The two hauled their bags up the chimney, followed by Zhao Zhe, who climbed with considerable effort. His bulky clothing and lack of experience made the ascent challenging compared to Xiaoxue's adept climb.

The chimney's top, about a meter thick and made of weathered reinforced concrete, was still stable enough to stand on. The dilapidated scaffolding continued down the inner wall, growing darker and more ominous, leaving the depths shrouded in darkness.

Zhao Zhe pulled out several glow sticks, cracked them to light, and tossed them down into the depths. The eerie glow revealed a glimpse of the chimney's interior, which was significantly deeper than it appeared from the outside—roughly thirty meters. At the bottom lay a flat expanse, covered only by a thin layer of snow, with no other discernible features.

"Master, what's our next move?" Xiaoxue inquired.

Zhao Zhe paused, uncertain. He turned to his assistant first. "Is there any way to confirm if the person is down there?"

"Master, my duties are limited to the drilling work. After the target sent a message from five kilometers to the south, there's been no further communication. I'm unable to provide a definitive answer," the assistant replied.

Frustrated but without options, Zhao Zhe pressed on, "Then, can we at least confirm that this is the location five kilometers to the south?"

The assistant mulled it over and responded, "It seems likely. As you're aware, I lack positioning capabilities, but Xiaoxue is usually reliable. It's improbable that we've gone astray, especially since we've stumbled upon this conspicuous structure by chance, right?"

Zhao Zhe cursed under his breath. "Asking you is pointless. I'll handle it myself. Just make sure the Goldfinger is ready—I'm about to wrap up this mission."

"We're going down," he declared to Xiaoxue.

She hesitated, "Master, the conditions below are unknown, and it could be dangerous. Perhaps I should go first and you can wait for my signal. If something happens, you'll be able to pull me up."

Zhao Zhe dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. "There's no need. I've already staked my life on this venture, so there's no room for fear. We'll descend together, and if it comes to it, we'll face whatever's down there side by side."

Xiaoxue felt a surge of emotion. It was a great honor to have her master join her in such a perilous undertaking, yet she momentarily forgot that her presence was to assist him in his task. There was no cause for her sentimentality; if anyone should be moved, it was her master.

They secured two ropes as a precaution. Zhao Zhe had some experience with rock climbing, though he wasn't as adept as Xiaoxue. Nevertheless, he managed a safe descent to the chimney's base. Below was not a vast boiler but a plain concrete floor blanketed with snow. The untouched accumulation suggested that no one had been there to clear it recently. Shining his flashlight around, he observed two walls and two corridors extending into the darkness. This place was more akin to a ventilation shaft than a boiler room or cooling tower.

The walls bore no markings, presenting a new dilemma: which of the two corridors should we take?

"Xiaoxue, listen carefully. Do you hear any distinct sounds of activity from either side?"

Xiaoxue nodded, tilting her head to listen intently. After a moment, she shook her head, "Master, it's extremely silent down here. Apart from the sound of airflow, I can't detect any other noise."

With that, Zhao Zhe made a decision without further deliberation, casually pointing and saying, "Let's head this way."

Activating both the flashlight and headlamp, four beams of light danced chaotically within the corridor, which spanned over four meters in diameter. Gradually, graffiti began to emerge on the walls. Zhao Zhe could make out most of the words, but some symbols were beyond his understanding.

"These symbols are mostly insults," Xiaoxue clarified. "It looks like this was an underground city not too long ago, but the absence of light and human traces suggests that something has happened here."

As they continued, Zhao Zhe inquired, "What typically causes an underground city to be destroyed?"

"There are several factors," Xiaoxue pondered. "An invasion by mutant creatures, a depletion of the city's food sources, human rebellions, or even geological shifts leading to the collapse of the city—all these could be major contributors."

The corridor suddenly expanded, revealing a vast underground parking area. It was unmistakably a parking lot, evidenced by the 'Garage No. 2' sign overhead and the faint parking lines still visible on the ground. The extent of the garage was hidden in the shadows.

"Master, this area once served as the marketplace for the underground city," Xiaoxue explained, shining her flashlight over the piles of rubbish that flanked them.

Zhao Zhe surveyed the discarded items strewn across the parking lot. Among the debris, he recognized common household items, similar to those found on Earth, as well as damaged home appliances. However, there was no sign of food, clothing, or lumber—likely the remnants deemed useless to the inhabitants of the underground city.