C6 The Style of Writing Was Wrong!

The weather had taken another turn. Zhao Zhe peered out of the snow cave to assess the situation, only to find the landscape shrouded in a white mist—a result of the freshly fallen snow being whipped up by the wind. It was treacherous weather, and venturing out carelessly could mean death. Complicating matters further, there was no way to predict the weather; the onset of wind and snow was always a surprise.

He shored up the cave entrance with some wooden planks, clearing away the snow that had piled up over the past few days. With a sturdy pat from his shovel, he secured the entrance. Zhao Zhe could finally relax; the cave was not only his access to the shelter but also the sole source of ventilation. Should it become blocked without his knowledge, it could prove fatal.

Back in the shelter, buried beneath the snow, the temperature inside was vastly different from the outside world—it was like stepping into another realm. The fire basin crackled as it consumed the abundant wood supply, with plenty more furniture from the room downstairs to use as fuel.

On top of the fire basin sat a military pot, with the snow water inside rolling to a boil. The steam filled the room with a swirling fog. Zhao Zhe hurried to fill his thermos with the hot water, then shoveled more snow into the pot to keep the fire going. His preparations for life here, which had taken half a month, were proving their worth.

Suddenly, as if struck by a premonition, Zhao Zhe whipped around. The girl who had been frozen stiff was now lying on the bed, her large eyes fixed on him—she was awake. Zhao Zhe's hand stealthily slid into his coat, where a dagger was concealed. After all, appearances can be deceiving, and it was time for a face-to-face confrontation.

"Beauty, you're awake. I'm the one who rescued you after you were frozen outside," Zhao Zhe announced, establishing his role as her savior. He did this for two reasons: first, to remind her of his act of kindness, leaving it to her to decide whether she wanted to repay the favor or claim the shelter for herself; second, to clear any potential misunderstanding, as she was undressed, and it was important to clarify that he had saved her.

The girl, still groggy, took her time to look around, her gaze shifting from Zhao Zhe to the surroundings. The main shelter was a hall, and many of Zhao Zhe's supplies were stashed in the bedroom. However, now a wooden shelf stood conspicuously in the hall, laden with an assortment of food and beverages.

Zhao Zhe harbored suspicions. He had set up the shelf temporarily to gauge the reaction of the rescued individual. If she were to see the food, fire, and shelter, his super assistant's keen observational and analytical skills would surely detect any ulterior motives.

"Assistant, have you finished your analysis? Does she harbor any intentions of claiming this place for herself?" Zhao Zhe inquired, gripping the dagger in his arms tightly.

The assistant responded, "Master, judging by her expression through your eyes, there was no significant change. She exhibited a longing when she saw the food, but her limbs showed no unusual movement. If it's not because her nerves haven't recovered enough to control her limbs, then this longing doesn't include any desire to take over."

"Is this heaven?" Xiaomei asked, her face still clouded with confusion.

"This isn't heaven. It's my snow cave shelter beneath the snow layer. I have food, fire, and drinks here. Do you like it?" Zhao Zhe gently prodded, though his grip on the knife tightened.

Xiaomei scrutinized Zhao Zhe. "This isn't heaven? I'm not dead? I..." She trailed off as she lowered her head to examine herself, clearly noticing her naked body beneath the blanket, which caused her expression to shift.

Zhao Zhe felt a bit embarrassed and explained, "Well... When I found you, you were frozen solid. Seeing that your life was nearly gone, I used snow to rub your body and help you recover. I assure you, I did nothing else."

With her head bowed, Xiaomei avoided Zhao Zhe's gaze, her voice growing softer. "You... saved me? Aren't you worried I'll take some of your food and shelter? I'm worthless, not worth saving."

Zhao Zhe bristled at this, replying, "Now, beauty, that's no way to talk. Everyone has their own reason for living. And what kind of person would I be if I just left you to die? As for food, I have plenty. Would you like to share it with me?"

Zhao Zhe felt like an uncle with a piece of candy, offering it with one hand, "Little beauty, come on, come on. Uncle has some candy for you," while his other hand concealed a knife behind his back, ready to strike if she showed any sign of wanting to take what was his.

The girl focused on the section of her body peeking out from under the blanket, biting her lip before suddenly speaking up, "Master..."

Zhao Zhe was taken aback. Something was off. He had indeed traveled to another world, but not to ancient times. Judging from the building's environment, this civilization seemed almost identical to Earth's. Why then was she using the term "Master"? Was she referring to him?

"Master, you saved me and even offered me food. I... I belong to you now," the girl declared, leaving Zhao Zhe utterly bewildered. This was not the response he had anticipated.

"No, no," Zhao Zhe corrected her, "There's been a mix-up. I'm not your master. It's fine to be thankful that I saved you, and you can repay me by telling me everything about this place, but you remain your own person. You don't belong to anyone."

"...Master, do you not want me as your servant anymore?" The girl looked up at Zhao Zhe with tear-filled eyes, her expression striking a chord.

Zhao Zhe felt like his head was about to burst. The narrative was veering further off course. This scenario was unheard of in any novel he knew of. Could it be that this woman had traveled here from ancient times? Was she a transmigrant within a transmigration?

"Hold on, don't be hasty with the 'master' title. Let me think this through," Zhao Zhe said, momentarily forgetting the military knife he held, as he paced the hall with his hand on his forehead.

"I did save you, but I'm truly not your master. Although I'm not yet familiar with this place, the remnants of this world suggest it's not a feudal society. Therefore, the whole master-servant dynamic shouldn't even exist. By the way, do you realize what language you're speaking?"

The girl, bewildered by Zhao Zhe's pacing, quickly responded when questioned, "Master, I don't understand what language I'm speaking. But this is how we've always spoken from a young age. Is something wrong?"

Everything was wrong. The remnants of a once-advanced civilization buried under the snow contrasted sharply with the girl's archaic way of speaking. Zhao Zhe had no choice but to ask, "Where are you from? What kind of world do you live in?"

The young woman responded without hesitation, "Sir, I have been many places. I've been bought and sold repeatedly. Whoever owns me becomes my master, and I must serve them. This world? It's blanketed in snow, and everyone lives beneath the surface."

Zhao Zhe's assistant addressed him, "Master, my duties are solely related to managing the transfers between two space-times. I'm unfamiliar with this particular time and place. However, based on the current state of affairs, it seems the civilization here was decimated by extreme climate conditions. The ruins beneath the snow suggest that this was once a highly developed society, but the snow has hidden this world for a long time. Consequently, their civilization has experienced a severe disruption. It's reasonable that they've regressed to a feudal society, or possibly even a slave society."

Zhao Zhe turned to the girl and said, "Okay, I believe you. However, we don't use terms like 'master' and 'servant' around here. My name is Zhao Zhe. What's yours?"

The girl discreetly adjusted the blanket to cover her exposed skin and replied, "Sir, my name is Xiaoxue. I don't have a surname. My mother told me that I would take my husband's name when I marry."

Zhao Zhe paused, slightly taken aback by the custom, but was relieved that she had a name. It was better than referring to her impersonally.

"Here are some clothes. I'm going to check if the weather has shifted. You should get up and move around a bit." With that, Zhao Zhe tossed the clothes he had prepared onto the bed, opened the window, and climbed out into the surface through the snow cave they had entered from.