In this great snow mountain, many people have fallen ill from the cold, but they still have to persist in climbing.
Everyone remained silent throughout the journey; their voices were small, fearing they might accidentally trigger an avalanche.
If they could communicate through eye contact and gestures, they absolutely wouldn’t speak.
Even when speaking, they used hushed tones.
However, as they walked, suddenly there was a piercing sound from ahead.
Then, a large mass of snow slid down; in front of that avalanche, humans seemed utterly insignificant.
Pei Shu’er felt a tremor in her heart and hurriedly said, "It’s an avalanche, everyone quickly move to the side and run."
Just as she was about to run herself, she was pulled tightly into Tang Zan’s embrace, and then everything spun rapidly, tumbling into a cave.
Tang Family members were also dragged along inside.
She looked up and saw Tang Zan’s perfectly shaped jaw.
Tang Zan lowered his head, expressionless, "What’s wrong?"
Outside, the avalanche continued, until the noise from outside died down, then everyone stepped out.
Once outside, white snow was everywhere.
You couldn’t see a single person.
A few escaped convicts had run out, but their numbers were very few.
They were unfortunately right in the middle of the falling snow, and because the snow coverage was vast, their constitutions were injured, making them unable to run fast.
So now, the only thing to do was to dig the people buried in the snow, the sooner they dig out, the greater the chance of survival.
Pei Shu’er knew a bit about search and rescue knowledge post-avalanche, and hurriedly spoke quietly to everyone.
"Everyone, try to remember where people were standing before, and dig around those areas. Form groups and dig together; it will be faster this way."
Everyone began to dig together, Pei Shu’er took a sip of Spiritual Spring Water and put on the gloves she bought at the market.
She also gave each member of the Tang Family a pair.
She even took out several shovels from the wheelbarrow bundle.
The rest were stunned upon seeing these curious items.
How did Pei Shu’er even have shovels and gloves?
Was her bundle a treasure chest?
Tang Family members were given a bit of water mixed with a small amount of Spiritual Spring, and they found themselves not so cold and even stronger than usual.
Soon, individuals were dug up by those not buried.
Pei Shu’er instructed the females from the second, third, and fourth house to care for the excavated people, while she led others to continue searching.
When everyone was eventually found, only members of the first house remained buried.
Pei Shu’er remembered where the first house was standing and avoided searching that area.
Good riddance to the frozen first house!
As she continued to dig, even Lu Qing and others were excavated by Pei Shu’er.
Lu Qing was frozen stiff, and Pei Shu’er quickly had people take him into the cave.
Once those in the cave had rested sufficiently, they joined the team digging up others.
With such operations, eventually, only a little over a hundred survived, with 33 government officers and 120 convicts.
Others either couldn’t be dug up because they’d been buried too long, or were excavated frozen solid.
Now, everyone felt a tingling scalp; this avalanche truly was frightening.
Even Lu Qing was baffled, yet amused.
"I escorted convicts two or three times, but never have I encountered as many hardships as this time."
A government officer nearby chimed in, "Exactly, first a sandstorm, then getting lost in the desert, then ambushed by robbers, then caught in a cold wave, and now as we’re about to reach Gulan Mountain, we meet with an avalanche."
Pei Shu’er touched her nose, guessing that it might be her little butterfly causing this.
But in the original story, there indeed were crises that were unavoidable, resulting in only thirty convicts reaching Gulan Mountain.
So now, it was really quite many.
Once the rescue was complete, Pei Shu’er returned to the cave.
Only upon entering the cave did she find that the first house had been saved.
Once again marveling at the power of plot, and growing more alert at heart.
With plot power so strong, could she escape her destined fate?
"Everyone will rest in the cave tonight," Lu Qing sighed.
"Miss Pei prepares some hot food; otherwise, even fewer convicts might survive."
With this thought, his head hurt.
Pei Shu’er soaked some dried fish and made some fish soup for everyone, which they ate with great relish.
Some even cried as they ate.
It was so delicious, they hadn’t had such a satisfying meal in so long.
Those following Pei Shu’er were quite used to it, and Pei Shu’er also made potstickers to ensure everyone could eat enough.
When the meal was finished, it was dark outside, and everyone could only huddle together to rest.
The next morning, a few more people had frozen to death.
Lu Qing hurriedly urged everyone to keep traveling, fearing that if they don’t reach Gulan Mountain soon, they might all perish.
Once again, they forged ahead, feeling colder with each step.
Pei Shu’er had already crafted and donned the warmest clothing from her space, and wore the thickest down jacket.
She had also sewn material similar to an outdoor jacket inside the third house’s clothing, ensuring that wind and cold could not penetrate, making everyone more comfortable.
Others were shivering, each step painful, but those from the third house were relatively relaxed.
Even the insides of their shoes were lined with fur.
Members of the second, third, and fourth Tang houses wore clothes the third house had discarded, and bought them, of course with money.
But wearing it, they felt quite warm.
Tang Zan’s injured leg was of primary concern now, and every time Pei Shu’er rolled up his trouser leg, his left leg appeared to be frozen purple.
After some thought, she crafted him a knee protector with stretchy materials.
Pei Shu’er then asked Tang Zan.
"Can you walk without using a crutch now?"
Tang Zan’s hand, using the crutch, had worn calluses, and even the skin on his underarm was chafed raw.
Now in the snow mountain, using a crutch might make Tang Zan colder and slippery.
One slip and he might fall off a cliff.
Pei Shu’er thought for a moment, then said, "Wait for me a moment."
Having said this, Pei Shu’er ran to the back to rummage through her bundle and pulled out two pairs of ice claws.
Pei Shu’er had modified them; the metal parts were painted white, looking like they were made from animal teeth and bones.
These items seemed complex, and Tang Zan had never seen such curiosities before.
"Where did you get these?"
Pei Shu’er had anticipated Tang Zan’s curiosity.
"I found them in the room of Second Master Tao Mingxuan; he really is a clever one to come up with such ingenious things."
Anyway, nobody knew what was in her bundle, and she had many conceivable explanations for concealing her space.
One was the market, another the bandit’s lair.
Ancient people had no internet, they couldn’t know everything.
Fearing Tang Zan might pry too deeply and uncover a flaw, she changed the subject.
"Come, I’ll teach you how to use them."
Pei Shu’er’s modern life included medical expertise and interest in outdoor activities.
Except for never daring to enter water since childhood after nearly drowning, she knew a bit about other skills.
She wore a pair of ice claws herself, and although she moved slowly, Tang Zan followed her actions.
Then Pei Shu’er demonstrated at a spot, explaining clearly and carefully.
Tang Zan listened attentively, continuously watching Pei Shu’er’s ruby lips move.