Chapter Thirty-Two: Peril in the Ice Gathering

With the kobold troops and the energetic leadership of Chief Cook, the herd of tanma was extensively hunted, turning into a valuable source of fresh meat. Two of the strongest and healthiest tanma were herded all the way to the beast pen at the base. Once successfully tamed, Jia Zhengjin gained two exceptionally docile tanma as mounts. Using animal hides and plant fibers, he crafted two special saddles that fit perfectly into the concave dips on the tanma’s backs.

Since they needed to transport snow and ice, the animal hides and plant fibers served as insulation. The tanma’s natural concave humps also provided warmth, ensuring they wouldn’t suffer from the cold of the ice and snow. After being trained as mounts, each tanma not only boasted a large hump but also gained a virtual pack, allowing them to carry even more cargo.

Even though the ice couldn’t be stacked in the virtual pack and each chunk had to occupy its own slot, with his own virtual pack, the two tanma’s virtual packs, and their massive humps, Jia Zhengjin could transport enough ice in one trip to construct a sizable underground ice cellar.

“Tina, be careful!” he said, bringing the two tanma before them. He had the enormous creatures kneel, then lifted Tina up and settled with her into the concave hollow on one tanma’s back. It was as comfortable and secure as sitting in a carriage.

Kobold Chief Cook climbed onto the other tanma’s back, while the remaining twenty kobold warriors and slingers marched behind the two beasts.

“Let’s go!” At Jia Zhengjin’s command, the two tanma rose and began to move forward, carrying the two humans and one kobold at a slow, steady pace. The advantage of these mounts was that they could also double as riding animals.

Sitting atop the tanma, Tina clung to Jia Zhengjin’s arm and let out a peal of laughter like silver bells, enchanted by the beautiful scenery all around. As a commoner, this was her first time riding such a powerful creature. Normally, civilians could never dream of taming, let alone riding a tanma, no matter how docile it might be.

Only the military or private armed forces might subdue such beasts by force, but taming them was exceedingly difficult. Thus, only the noblest in the kingdom had the right to ride them. They would typically build a small carriage-like room on the tanma’s back, rather than just laying down a layer of hide.

“Tina, are you happy?” Jia Zhengjin reached out to gently smooth the golden hair blown about by the wind.

“Happy!” Tina understood this simple word and replied with a squinting smile.

“It’s ‘happy,’ not ‘kaixi’!” Jia Zhengjin corrected her.

“Kaixi?”

“Alright,” he said helplessly. Correcting Tina’s accent was no easy task.

Climbing the mountain was no simple feat, especially at such high altitude where snow and ice never melted. Thankfully, with the tireless tanma carrying them, Jia Zhengjin, Tina, and Chief Cook hardly expended any energy. The kobold warriors, slingers, and scouts trudging behind were not so lucky; by the time they reached the summit, they were gasping and on the verge of collapse.

“Rest at the side and keep watch at the same time!” Jia Zhengjin wasn’t so cruel as to deny them a break.

It took the group the entire morning to reach the mountaintop safely. Perhaps fortune smiled on them, for they encountered no dangerous creatures along the way. Still, Jia Zhengjin knew that this vast, seemingly endless forest was filled with deadly perils at every turn.

“Tina, Cook, let’s start harvesting ice and snow!” he handed stone picks to Tina and Cook, taking one for himself.

“Snow!” Tina cried out cheerfully, gently tapping at the ice with her pick.

“Be careful, don’t slip!” Jia Zhengjin cautioned, though Tina hadn’t learned this phrase yet.

The three—two humans and one kobold—set to work mining the mountaintop ice. Tina, lacking in stamina, soon had to rest, so Jia Zhengjin had her watch over the twenty-one kobolds.

He and Chief Cook worked furiously to mine the ice. The longer they remained atop the peak, the more their body temperatures dropped. Even dressed in leather, they began to shiver uncontrollably. The sun burned bright overhead, but the cold refused to yield.

Finally, after two hours of relentless effort, the tanma’s virtual packs and concave humps were filled with ice, as was Jia Zhengjin’s own virtual pack.

Only then did Jia Zhengjin realize—the tanma’s backs were now piled with ice; how could anyone ride them down? In the end, there was no choice but to walk—he regretted bringing Tina along now.

For Jia Zhengjin, the hours-long journey was manageable, but could Tina’s frail body endure it?

Worry was useless; after all, they couldn’t simply abandon all the hard-won ice. If it came to it, he could take turns carrying Tina with the kobolds.

Thus, the party retraced their steps, laden with ice, expecting to reach home about an hour after sunset.

“Tina, are you alright?” Halfway back, Tina’s legs grew wobbly. Jia Zhengjin caught her and asked with concern.

Tina didn’t understand the words, but guessed his meaning. She gave a weary smile and replied in her own tongue.

This time, their words missed each other entirely. Tina’s pace slowed, her face growing pale and exhausted.

Seeing this, Jia Zhengjin, despite his own fatigue, hoisted Tina onto his back.

“Are you alright?” Tina seemed worried he would collapse, so she asked.

“I’m fine!” He guessed her meaning was similar to what he’d just asked her. “Don’t worry, my stamina is just fine!”

At that moment, a kobold scout running ahead suddenly let out a sharp, warning cry.

Before Jia Zhengjin could react, a white blur pounced and tore out the scout’s throat.

“Ah!” Tina screamed in terror, sliding from Jia Zhengjin’s back.

“Defensive formation!” Jia Zhengjin shouted. The kobolds immediately closed ranks, shielding the two humans and the tanma.

Chief Cook raised his ebony staff and let out a warning roar at the beast.

The predator was undeterred; it bared its bloody jaws and roared even louder at Chief Cook.