ATIGIBTC Chapter 132.2

Aircrafts are very powerful transportation tools. He Fang thought he should be able to arrive quickly, but clearly, his thinking was wrong.

He Fang advanced alone, and he didn’t camp out at night. His model didn’t need to sleep. Time made a difference. Right now, the real-world version of him should still be in a quiet state. For this mission, the time adjustment had to be especially precise to avoid any mishaps.

He Fang kept advancing, and the whole person appeared full of energy. This time on the road was making him feel a bit bored.

Luckily, the terminal could be used. He could still access the internet on the terminal. It worked from anywhere. He Fang felt that the terminal was truly a very powerful invention.

Gradually, He Fang began to feel the temperature drop even further. He put on the clothing specially made by Zhu Yan, and also adjusted the temperature inside the aircraft.

Right now, the weather is gradually moving into winter. The temperature was very low. The clothes given by Zhu Yan were armor in the form of clothing. They could regulate temperature, resist Nightmare Beast seeds, and, even more importantly, ensure that He Fang could remain gallant and spirited under such conditions. After all, as the City Lord, even when he was in any sort of disheveled state, he still had to display his unique charm.

He Fang felt that Zhu Yan had been paying more and more attention to detail lately. Such detail, instead, made He Fang feel somewhat unaccustomed.

The distant icy plains were finally starting to enter He Fang’s field of vision. This icefield was an endless blue world. At a glance, one couldn’t tell where the Summit of the World was. According to the description of the Summit of the World, it was located at the center of the icy plains. He Fang opened the map and used navigation to confirm that the direction he was heading was correct.

And at that very moment, something strange suddenly appeared on the scan of his aircraft. An odd object was approaching him… no, it should be that his direction was bringing him closer to that object.

He Fang furrowed his brows slightly. This should mean it was a living being. Was it a Nightmare Beast? Or someone from the Summit of the World who came to pick him up? Or just an ordinary passerby?

He Fang thought for a moment and decided to cautiously approach. No matter what it was, he would know once he saw it.

As he got closer and closer, He Fang put on his mask. His clothes had already been made with the same design as the Nightmare Beast seed blocker. The reason he put on the mask now was mainly to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble. His face had already been publicly exposed to everyone. This was the standard face of a “City Lord”.

However, when He Fang saw the vehicle in the distance, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. As he gradually got closer to the other party, he saw someone raising both arms high, as if trying to stop them.

When he saw that person’s face, He Fang couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath. That person, could it be, was it…?

On the icy plains, beneath the thickly bundled man’s hat, a few strands of silver curls peeked out. He had both arms raised high, and he wore a thick face-warming scarf.

It was a man, a tall man. Beside the man was another person, probably a woman. She was wrapped up so tightly that it was impossible to see what she looked like.

Only two people. Under normal circumstances, most people wouldn’t necessarily go over to help. But now that the person who saw them was He Fang, no matter the situation, if there were NPCs in need of help, he would definitely assist them.

The aircraft slowly landed on the icy plain. He Fang opened the aircraft door and jumped down. He wore very little, but his figure appeared slender and tall. He Fang didn’t feel cold at all from opening the aircraft door. He couldn’t help but admire that the things Zhu Yan made truly offered excellent protection.

“Hello, passing traveler. Thank heavens. Thank heavens we came across you.” The man’s low and husky voice seemed as if it could suppress the freezing cold. His condition appeared to be alright, but the woman beside him was very quiet, curled up, and looked to be in poor shape.

He Fang didn’t say anything. He stood atop the ice, silently watching the man in front of him.

Beside the man was a vehicle, but it clearly had a problem. The man still held repair tools in his thick gloves, and he looked quite distressed.

“I’m a mercenary. My name is Sai Gu. This here is my teammate. Her name is Qiao Qiao. We were trying to see if we could enter the Summit of the World, but it’s been very difficult. Our vehicle slipped on the icefield. It couldn’t get out and couldn’t move forward. Afterward, it froze up and malfunctioned. Now the vehicle can’t start, and my teammate and I have been trying to fix it, but we really have no way out. We’re in real need of help right now.”

He Fang hadn’t expected Sai Gu to actually be here. He clearly hadn’t shared a single detail about the main city with Sai Gu, yet Sai Gu seemed to have already known everything and was waiting here. He even brought along a former member of his mercenary team.

Qiao Qiao. He Fang remembered. She was the one who could go toe-to-toe with the young emperor of Ao City back then. Later, she had gotten separated from Sai Gu, but now she was back by his side. This confused He Fang somewhat. Could it be that Sai Gu wanted to use Qiao Qiao to cover for himself?

“Sorry. I can’t bring you two with me,” He Fang said truthfully. “I have something I must do. I have to enter the Summit of the World alone.”

The other party might mean well, but He Fang couldn’t agree. If he brought Sai Gu along, it would easily be seen as him bringing people in.

“You don’t need to take us in personally,” Sai Gu said, his voice carrying a faint trace of pleading. “Just… could you give us something that will allow us to keep moving across the icefield? We don’t need anything too complicated beyond that.” Then he glanced at the person beside him and added, “If possible… could my teammate warm up a little? She’s really close to her limit.”

He Fang thought for a moment, then lifted his head to glance at the icefield.

Then he opened up the aircraft. “Come on up, you too. Warm up a little. I can take you to a gentler slope on the icefield.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much!” Although only Sai Gu’s eyes were visible, those eyes were full of laughter. At this moment, when he looked at He Fang, the gentleness in his gaze was unmistakable.

Qiao Qiao was brought onto the aircraft by Sai Gu. The temperature inside gradually eased both of their bodies. Meanwhile, He Fang used the aircraft to pull the vehicle slowly uphill. It was already night now, and the wind and snow on the icefield had begun to intensify. To ensure that neither the vehicle nor the aircraft veered off course, He Fang kept his speed low.

“Why are you going to the Summit of the World? From what I know, the Summit of the World doesn’t usually allow outsiders,” He Fang asked, deliberately pretending not to know Sai Gu at all.

“The Summit of the World is said to be one of the most powerful places in this world. If we can trade for something from there, we should be able to earn a decent amount of money.” Sai Gu seemed to feel hot. He took off his hat and mask, revealing a handsome face.

By now, Qiao Qiao also seemed to have recovered. She looked at He Fang, who was wearing a mask, and softly said a word of thanks.

“It’s already this cold. You might not even be able to make it up there,” He Fang lowered his voice on purpose, not wanting Qiao Qiao to recognize him.

Sai Gu gave a lazy smile, sounding completely carefree. “If we really can’t make it, then we’ll just give up.”

“Then why not give up now? Haven’t you already reached the point where it’s impossible to go any further?” He Fang truly didn’t want Sai Gu to casually enter the Summit of the World. That place, up until now, had only ever given him a bad feeling. He didn’t want his NPC to take unnecessary risks.

“But didn’t we just happen to run into a kindhearted passerby?” Sai Gu was still in that eternally calm and laid-back manner.

“Even if I can take you up there, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to come back down safely.” What He Fang really wanted was for Sai Gu to understand the dangers and back off, not to push forward in spite of them.

“Since reality proves I still have a chance to go up, then why give up halfway?”

Sai Gu’s lazy tone made it seem like what they’d just gone through wasn’t a life-or-death situation, but merely a minor and ordinary setback.

He Fang clenched his teeth. Since Sai Gu had made up his mind, then he was absolutely no match for him in argument. Left with no other choice, He Fang tried placing his hopes on Qiao Qiao: “Miss Qiao Qiao, your companion might not fully understand the situation yet. As the one who almost got dragged down with him, shouldn’t you try to persuade him?”

Qiao Qiao, having just come to her senses after the freezing ordeal, was still dazed overall. She looked like she wanted to say something, but her throat was dry, and she couldn’t get a word out.

Noticing her condition, He Fang said, “There’s food and drinks in the back. You’re free to take anything you want. Don’t hold back, there’s plenty.”

He Fang himself had no appetite. Eating wouldn’t give him any real sense of fullness. It would only make him uncomfortable. Those things were just something to chew on out of boredom during the trip.

“Thanks.” Sai Gu, on the other hand, showed no hesitation at all. He casually grabbed a bottle of water from the back, twisted it open naturally, then tilted his head toward Qiao Qiao beside him, smiling faintly with a hint of teasing. “Need me to feed you?”

Qiao Qiao’s cheeks flushed red, but she didn’t let him feed her in front of He Fang. Even though her eyes were full of anticipation, in the end, she still took the bottle herself and sipped it in small gulps.

He Fang started to wonder. Could Sai Gu be developing feelings for Qiao Qiao? But the gulf between a Main City NPC and a Wild NPC made such a relationship impossible. If there really were feelings involved, he’d have to start thinking of ways to deal with it.

Thinking about it, He Fang quietly opened Sai Gu’s attribute profile. When he saw the familiar label: “Wanderer”, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Alright, he’d been overthinking. After all, all of Sai Gu’s affection was genuine. But his fondness extended to everyone, and he never stayed with any of them. Ordinary people really couldn’t tell the difference.

After Qiao Qiao had recovered a bit, she finally spoke: “It was me who insisted on following Brother Sai Gu. Whatever Brother Sai Gu wants to do, I will support him with all my strength. Brother Sai Gu said he wants to travel through every city, so I’ll accompany him to every city. Even if I die on the journey, I’ll have no regrets.”

He Fang pressed his lips together. Qiao Qiao’s deep affection for Sai Gu gave him the unsettling feeling that his own NPC was a scumbag. But thinking back, Sai Gu had gone to jail just to avoid dealing with seven lovers. That really was textbook scumbag behavior.

“Silly girl,” Sai Gu said with a smile, patting Qiao Qiao gently on the head. “Whether you came willingly or not, as long as you’re with me, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

He Fang pursed his lips again. No wonder Qiao Qiao always followed Sai Gu around like this.

But He Fang still pressed on: “I don’t think you two are prepared to head to the Summit of the World. Once daylight comes, I’ll give you what you need, then you should hurry back down the mountain.”

Qiao Qiao only held her water bottle tightly and lowered her eyes. She bit her lip and said, “I only listen to Brother Sai Gu.”

He Fang felt a headache coming on.

At that moment, Sai Gu tilted his head. Under the messy silver strands of hair, He Fang could see those deep eyes and that meaningful, faint smile: “This is something I chose to do. Since I’ve chosen it, what’s there to regret?”

“But this really is a life-threatening risk,” He Fang couldn’t help but say. He truly didn’t want to see such an outstanding NPC of his end up lost at the Summit of the World.

“Well then, kind stranger,” Sai Gu suddenly asked in return, “why are you heading to the Summit of the World?”

“I…” He Fang’s voice faltered briefly before he slowly said, “There is something I want to do.”

“Then the family who supports you in doing this must be in a lot of pain.” Sai Gu tilted his head and half-squinted his eyes. “Watching you go to such a dangerous place… your family, your friends, what exactly do they feel?”

He Fang’s heart paused. His gaze turned somewhat complicated. Without realizing it, a faint bitterness welled up within him.

“But both you and I have goals, things we want to do. That’s what a dream is.” Sai Gu suddenly bumped the hand He Fang was using to operate the aircraft with his drink bottle, as if clinking glasses. “For the sake of our dreams, we’ve never had regrets, have we?”

He Fang was stunned.

Sai Gu was always as sloppy and carefree as ever like he didn’t care about anything. But suddenly, He Fang wondered. Had Sai Gu seen through something?

In modern times, adults have already forgotten what ‘dreams’ are. Reality always crushes every last fairy tale dream an adult once had.

At least, He Fang had once been like that.

Sai Gu took a sip of his drink, paying no mind to anyone else. Yet the drink in his hand looked as fine as a wine that could easily make someone drunk. He gently swirled it, as if it had truly intoxicated him: “Isn’t it okay… to accept your dream and your present self?”

He Fang looked at Sai Gu. Sai Gu looked back at him. And suddenly, He Fang smiled.

“Yeah.” He Fang gazed at the peak of the world. “I’ll cherish my life, too.”

“Of course. So will I,” Sai Gu said, his voice vague and low.

However, He Fang suddenly couldn’t tell. Was what Sai Gu said referring to him caring about his own life, or about He Fang’s life, or perhaps both? He Fang suddenly felt that there were always interesting things happening in this world, continuously unfolding, and that many unexpected events would be waiting along the road.

In truth, He Fang was still a bit worried. He was worried that, coming to the Summit of the World alone, he might feel afraid.

But Sai Gu seemed as if he had somehow known about this ahead of time, and appeared right before his eyes.

He Fang didn’t know whether Sai Gu had received information from the main city. Perhaps he had, perhaps not. But the uneasiness in his heart gradually settled down because Sai Gu was by his side, because Sai Gu had spoken to him.

“Can I eat your stuff?” Sai Gu looked at the large pile of things He Fang had brought, licking his lips. “Of course, in return, I’ll help you improve your aircraft.”

He Fang pressed his lips together. Finally, the tension in his nerves loosened a little, and he even had the mood to tease: “You think you’re capable of improving my aircraft?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sai Gu half-squinted his eyes, his gaze filled entirely with certainty. “These hands of mine were born for machines and beauties.”

He Fang fell silent, completely unable to accept Sai Gu’s idea of romance.

Although Sai Gu’s appearance had greatly eased He Fang’s nervousness, he still said, “I’ll let you guys off halfway. Even if I find you interesting, I won’t take you up there.”

“Of course. On this stretch of the journey, we’ve felt warmth and tasted food we haven’t had in a long time. That’s already more than enough.” Sai Gu half-squinted his eyes again. The trash bin beside him was already full of the food he had eaten. He really didn’t know the meaning of restraint.

He Fang couldn’t help but laugh. Sai Gu had been wandering between other mobile cities for a long time. Indeed, it had been ages since he’d returned to the main city, to taste the delicious food of the main city.

He really had worked hard.

He Fang’s heart was filled with tender pity.

“If you can modify my aircraft to a more perfect state, as thanks, I can allow you to take a portion of the food with you,” He Fang said calmly and without change in expression. He believed that Sai Gu’s ability to rise from a “mechanical genius” to a “mechanical master” would bring him a pleasant surprise.

“I will give it my all—for the sake of delicious food,” Sai Gu tapped his fingers lightly, a lazy smile on his face.

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Moonlit: Mangogo, Sai Gu might not have rizzed yet the Summit of the World City Lord, but he’s on his way HAHAHAHAHAHAHA