C4 Roll Young Man!

"Cutie, Cutie!" the students around whispered, noticing something was amiss. It looked like they were no strangers to a good drink.

Chen Xiaomeng refilled the water bottle and handed it back to Sun Xiaoya. He was about to return the 100 yuan as well when Xiaoya shot him a glare. She had pocketed Chen Xiaomeng's red envelope the night before, effectively making the drinks on the house.

Intimidated by Xiaoya's stare, Chen Xiaomeng, with his tender, inexperienced heart, quickly withdrew his hand and turned to the other students, "Quiet down! If our teacher hears you, we'll all be in for it!"

The morning self-study bell rang, but Teacher Zhou Haoyang didn't come in to supervise; instead, he rushed out after a phone call. Well, those who wanted to study would, and those who didn't would enjoy their free time—like Zhao Zhe and Chen Xiaomeng.

Chen Xiaomeng counted the money he had just received and passed it to Zhao Zhe, "Zhe, selling those drinks was a breeze. I didn't even have to leave my seat to sell out."

Zhao Zhe dismissed the gesture with a wave, "Enough, Cutie. Do you think I'm short on paying you back? I'll bring even more drinks to sell next time. And about that electric snowmobile dealer you mentioned, how's that going? Can we get the goods shipped today? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Zhao Zhe certainly hadn't forgotten his mission. With only 29 days left before being shipped off to Mars to work the fields, he was understandably anxious. But anxiety wouldn't help, especially if he ended up stranded like yesterday with just a snowboard. He needed the right equipment for snow travel.

Chen Xiaomeng replied, "Zhe, I've reached out to several outdoor shops here in Isrurgh. As you know, it's not snow season, and snowfall here isn't heavy or frequent, so snowmobiles aren't in demand. None have them in stock. The soonest one could place an order would be in three days, and even then, they're all fuel-powered. I've looked online too—fuel models are common, but electric ones are mostly small, toy-like vehicles for kids. Zhe, what do you need it for, anyway?"

Zhao Zhe declared, "Didn't I mention that I'm on a mission to save the world?"

Chen Xiaomeng gave Zhao Zhe a look of scorn. He simply couldn't buy into that idea. Zhao Zhe probed further, "What if we order directly from the manufacturer? Could that speed things up?"

Chen Xiaomeng replied, "Bro, this item weighs a hefty two to three hundred pounds. It's already around 10,000 yuan each, and shipping it via courier or freight would cost even more. I'm a bit strapped for cash at the moment, so it's better to wait for the outdoor sales stores to place an order. We could save almost a thousand yuan that way."

Indeed, Chen Xiaomeng didn't have that much cash on hand; otherwise, he wouldn't fuss over a thousand yuan or so.

No matter which route he took, Zhao Zhe realized he couldn't directly acquire the snowmobile, and the cost was causing him some distress. Therefore, he decided to develop a new mode of transportation, lest he waste the next few days. Zhao Zhe also pondered another issue: how to transport the snowmobile into the world of ice and snow? According to hints from his assistant, he could only take items that he could personally carry into the world of ice and snow. With the snowmobile weighing several hundred pounds, could Zhao Zhe possibly carry it himself?

While contemplating, Zhao Zhe nonchalantly asked Chen Xiaomeng, "Cutie, if you were in a world blanketed with ice and snow, how would you move quickly without losing your direction?"

Chen Xiaomeng answered, "You'd definitely need a compass. And for quick movement? Skiing, of course."

Sun Xiaoya suddenly turned around; she had been surreptitiously listening in all along. "Zhao Zhe, Chen Xiaomeng, what's with all the secretive chatter? Have you two been cooking up some scheme these past few days?"

Lu Hai chimed in as he turned around, "Yeah, I get the feeling you two are up to no good. Zhao Zhe, why aren't you wearing your usual outfit? It looks great on you. I've heard it's all over the internet, with a pretty high click rate. They're calling you the next Sharp Brother!"

Chen Xiaomeng quickly defended themselves, "Xiaoya, you've got it all wrong. We're actually working on something important. Zhe said he's out to save the world... His attire was a last resort. He... He's... unwell..."

Saving the world? Lu Hai was on the verge of tears from frustration. He pointed at Chen Xiaomeng and exclaimed, "You're the only idiot who would believe Zhao Zhe's nonsense. Him, save the world? If he does, I'll stream myself eating crap!"

Sun Xiaoya shot Lu Hai a stern look. "Lu Hai, could you please behave with a little more decorum?"

Chastened, Lu Hai clapped a hand over his mouth. "Right, right, I got carried away. But Xiaoya, you've got to admit, the idea of Zhao Zhe saving the world is ludicrous. He should try saving himself first. All he does is engage in nonsense, probably just to get your attention. Don't fall for it and end up getting hurt."

Sun Xiaoya responded heatedly, "Lu Hai, we've been in the same class since junior high, all the way to our senior year. I've kept an eye on both of them. Sure, they're not the most studious, but they're not bad people. I can't fathom why you're so set against them. If you think they're disrupting your studies, you could ask the teacher to move you to the front."

Lu Hai looked as if he had already endured the humiliation he had proposed, shocked to realize that the trio had been classmates since junior high. Could this be a case of childhood friends? Lu Hai wondered, feeling as if he were the butt of some cosmic joke.

Zhao Zhe had no interest in prolonging the conversation with Lu Hai. With Lu Hai harboring such a grudge and constantly picking on him, Zhao Zhe simply observed Lu Hai with a detached amusement, not even deigning to argue.

Chen Xiaomeng, ever the peacemaker, interjected, "Let's all calm down and not fight. Think of this as just a casual conversation. Imagine we're in danger, surrounded by a blanket of snow. How should we quickly and accurately escape?"

After a moment's thought, Sun Xiaoya advised, "First, you need the ability to identify directions. Getting lost in the snow is extremely dangerous. Considering the snow cover, it can be quite challenging to find your way. If it's cloudy or snowing, without the sun, the difficulty increases. One method is to look at the tree rings; in the Northern Hemisphere, the side with wider rings usually faces south because it grows faster due to more sunlight. Another reference could be the pattern of snow accumulation, but you need to determine the prevailing wind direction first, as it affects how snow piles up. However, this method isn't very precise. Carrying a compass is always the best option."

Zhao Zhe pondered, "What if there are no trees around and the compass isn't giving accurate directions?"

Sun Xiaoya gazed at Zhao Zhe earnestly and replied, "Then you might as well wait to meet your maker."

Zhao Zhe rolled his eyes in exasperation. Dying was not an option for him; he had just acquired a divine artifact and was eager to complete his mission, obtain the Goldfinger, and charm the ladies back on Earth.

Yet, the predicament was indeed grave. The first trial in the world of ice and snow had proven that venturing out was fraught with peril, and with a rescue mission on his hands and the nature of the danger unknown, the task was daunting.

Without dwelling on it further, he decided to unwind with some music. Zhao Zhe pulled out his earbuds and discovered a trove of tunes on the speaker's storage card he had brought back the previous night. The music was not only pleasing and new to his ears, but both the storage card's functionality and the music file formats were compatible with Earth's technology!

Seizing the chance during a bathroom break, Zhao Zhe skipped class again. When Lu Hai noticed Zhao Zhe's empty seat during the lesson, he discreetly made his way to the office afterward.

Back at the shelter in the world of ice and snow, Zhao Zhe donned his cold-weather gear. With numerous trips behind him, he had amassed a substantial stash of equipment, ensuring he no longer needed to transport winter items and avoid becoming the butt of jokes.

"Assistant, is there any other strategy we could consider? I've got a snow sled here, but it requires power to operate. Maybe we could bring over some dogs to pull it?" he mused.

The assistant responded, "Master, no life form from Earth is permitted in the world of ice and snow, except for you."

Without dogs to pull the sled, the previously prepared sled was redundant. He might as well stick to skiing; his technique needed work, but he had gained some experience from yesterday's practice.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Zhe geared up, slung the skis over his shoulder, and took up his snow poles. He stepped out into the cold, knowing well the risks. Time was of the essence, and although success might not be within reach today, one could never progress without taking chances.

The good news today was the absence of wind, with only sporadic snowflakes drifting through the air, barely affecting visibility. The overcast sky also appeared a tad brighter, presenting favorable conditions for skiing. The downside, however, was the soft layer of snow from yesterday's fall, which posed a risk of sinking in if one wasn't careful.

"Assistant, let's take to the skies!" Zhao Zhe, after a smooth trial slide, picked up speed, his excitement propelling him to take some risks.

Drawing on yesterday's experience, and despite a few minor hiccups, his skiing had improved significantly. The lack of heavy snowfall and wind worked in Zhao Zhe's favor, allowing him to gain speed and hone his skills. Aside from his uncertainty about whether this was the true south, everything else was perfect.

"Assistant, do I look handsome?" Zhao Zhe inquired.

The assistant robot responded, "Master, you are the most handsome."

"Assistant, am I cool?"

The assistant maintained its tone, "Master, you are the coolest."

As Zhao Zhe's skiing became increasingly fluid, his confidence soared. "I, Zhao Zhe, aim to be the handsomest and coolest. I want the Goldfinger, and I plan to charm a few beautiful ladies, taking them around the world!"

However, as the old saying goes, handsomeness lasts only three seconds. Before he could finish his boastful thought, Zhao Zhe felt himself catapulted into the air. Yes, he was soaring skyward, looking even more dashing! With his poles in hand, knees bent, and head slightly forward, his tousled black hair was swept up by the wind, leaving the whirl of snowflakes behind. He looked magnificent!

In reality, his sled must have struck something, then, propelled by inertia, it shot towards the sky before gravity pulled it down in a parabolic arc, crashing into the snow. The force sent both Zhao Zhe and his skis tumbling across the snow-covered landscape.

Keep rolling, young one! Don't pause; keep the momentum going and roll on!