Regardless of whether the others were being sincere or playing pretend, Cheng Weicai reached a temporary alliance with them. The four of them now had one immediate priority: find a way to make fire and ensure they didn’t freeze to death.

They each unloaded their backpacks and checked what supplies they had on hand.

Because they had all made preparations before entering the game, what they carried was more or less the same: energy bars, drinking water, sleeping bags, moisture-proof mats, water bottles, flashlights, binoculars, lighters and matches for starting fires, and so on.

But if they were going to grow flowers, they needed to solve at least two problems: fresh water, and soil.

These two things happened to be exactly what they were most lacking.

Teacher Cheng said with some difficulty, “During the seedling stage, damp tissue paper would work, but once the seedling grows larger…”

“What about hydroponics?” the bearded man asked.

“Even then, containers would be an issue…” Cheng Weicai gestured with his hands. “Plant root systems are remarkably robust. Once the seedling grows, our water cups would be far too narrow and small, and wouldn’t have good aeration either.”

The flat-topped man said, “Didn’t she just say she had a rose garden? There must be soil in the garden, right? Otherwise this challenge is unreasonable — we can’t grow flowers in ice chips.”

“Let’s look around,” the bearded man said. “See if there are other exits, or stairs of some kind.”

They left their luggage behind and spread out in search of the garden.

Since the game required them to grow flowers, there probably weren’t any other dangers in this castle. Aside from the unbearably cold temperature, the group was relatively at ease.

Before long, they discovered stairways on the east and west sides leading to an upper level. The stairways weren’t particularly hidden — it was just that the ice walls on all sides acted like mirrors, creating visual blind spots, so they hadn’t noticed them at first.

The second floor was a gleaming crystalline corridor, with yet more stairways beyond.

The castle was like a tiered cake, each layer higher and colder than the last. Icy wind poured in through the open windows, making their skin tighten and their bones ache with cold.

They found no garden, but they did find something else.

“Are those buildings over there?… Hey, does anyone have binoculars? Pass them here!”

“Looks real… definitely buildings, and streets too. How can there be all this out at sea? Is it an island?”

“It’s not an island — I can see an overpass! You can’t just build an overpass directly on the ocean!”

“…How did a city end up out here on the water?”

They buzzed with chatter.

Cheng Weicai stood at the window, binoculars pressed to his eyes, straining to see. Through the blowing snow, he could just make out the silhouette of a city.

Beside him, the bearded man said, “Look more carefully. It’s not the city that ended up in the wrong place — it’s this castle, along with this stretch of sea. It’s as if a patch of ocean appeared out of nowhere in the middle of a city.”

The flat-topped man said, “Why does it matter? The point is, there are buildings and streets out there, which means we can find supplies! Let’s get moving — that woman will be back in 6 hours!”

“This kind of blizzard, and we’re going out to look for supplies…” the short man dithered. “Won’t we freeze to death?”

The bearded man glanced at him. “Then one person stays behind to watch the luggage. Erik, you stay. Ed, come with me to find supplies.”

The short man exhaled with relief and quickly nodded. He was dressed too lightly and genuinely couldn’t withstand the wind and snow outside.

Cheng Weicai dug a knit hat out of his luggage and pulled it on carefully, then emptied his backpack until it held only the essentials — water and a flashlight — in preparation for the journey.

The flat-topped man quietly observed Cheng Weicai for a moment, then stepped aside and murmured to the bearded man, “Once we’re outside, should we take the chance to…”

The bearded man glanced toward Cheng Weicai, not far away, and replied under his breath, “No rush. None of us know much about growing flowers. Keep the old man around. Once the flowers are grown, we’ll find an opportunity to deal with him.”

The flat-topped man’s eyes lit up, and a grin curved at the corner of his mouth. “Alright.”

—