Chapter 24: Ways to Survive
The mayor acquired magic from the wizard tower, not just one, but two spells. The magic of the Frozen Evil God’s followers appeared as magic scrolls. The spell was turning Winterless Town’s center into a time prison manifested as an animal.
That creature was a squirrel, a constant companion to the mayor. Thanks to this magic, the mayor could endure the endless passage of time. The squirrel continuously emitted sorrowful cries, seemingly aware of the mayor’s impending fate. The mayor’s body was already frail, having been targeted by intruders in Winterless Town before.
Ceasing the magic meant immediate death for the mayor. Ron looked at the white squirrel and sighed deeply, realizing it was the true source of the magic. He had suspected correctly the squirrel was the instigator, carrying many mysteries from the start. Throughout the endless years, the mayor’s lies often diverted people’s attention.
“You’ve been with me for too long..,” the mayor murmured to the squirrel.
While others might see the squirrel as a key to the magic, the mayor considered it an irreplaceable family member. Without its companionship, the mayor doubted his ability to endure for a hundred years.
“This day must be a sign from Vandal,” he said, suggesting it was the day of his redemption.
Ron, however, wasn’t interested in taking the mayor’s place and had expectations for life outside. He didn’t want to be trapped like the mayor right after crossing into a different world.
“If you say so, I can rest easy,” the mayor smiled, offering the magic to Ron’s control.
Ron couldn’t hear the mayor’s last words. He had closed his eyes, no longer petting the squirrel.
The squirrel jumped onto Ron’s hand, symbolizing the transfer of magic ownership. Now, if Ron chose, the time prison would disappear, and the town’s center would soon start moving again.
The frozen town, both physically and temporally, would thaw. Before that, those influenced by the evil god would awaken first. Ron felt no sadness. He was just an innocent bystander in a family drama. Even though escaping was the sensible choice, Ron, sitting among the ice sculptures, hesitated to get up.
A system, unclear images, and a dragon with an unknown background compelled him to act. In the end, the mayor left the greatest responsibility to Ron, letting him decide Winterless Town’s future.
These days are even more tiring than when he roamed as a wanderer after crossing over. In this bicolored world, he lacks genuine trust, yet everything around him insists he should believe in it. Lies are weaving a web. He comprehends but can’t speak about it.
His optimal choice is to dispel the magic and run far away. Whether those frozen individuals will turn insane after awakening is irrelevant to him; he bears no responsibility. Countless images reappear, depicting diverse futures based on different choices.
Ron shakes his head in frustration, “Another one of these illusions… when will it end?”
Why hadn’t he seen so many images before coming to Winterless Town?
“Kid, be grateful you’re in such a chaotic place. People from before would envy you endlessly,” a man in an image came to life.
He initiated a conversation with Ron, “Otherwise, you would have died a long time ago.”
“And in a year or two, the hundred and first traveler will come. The same thing will continue,” he looked deeply at Ron.
“And who are you?” Ron raised an eyelid, seemingly accustomed to such occurrences.
Now, he wouldn’t be surprised even if a big angel fell from the sky, hugging him.
“That’s a good question,” the man in the image rubs his chin, “I really want to tell you, but saying it out loud would be known by your system.”
“Oh, by the way, you can call me Mentor for now.” After a moment, the man came up with a title.
However, this title seemed too casual, and Ron was quite certain it’s fake. The surrounding ice sculptures had already been smashed, and individuals were falling out from inside.
The time for Ron to decide whether to lift the magic was running out. Ron, who noticed this, glanced at the mayor’s body, hesitating about whether to take the mayor’s body with them.
Although the mayor was full of lies, the care he had received during this time made it difficult for Ron to expose his body in the wilderness. But before that, he had to deal with the situation of the image in front of him.
“System, what’s the deal with this guy?” Ron whispered.
The system he invoked was just a bunch of garbled code, and he couldn’t hear the familiar mechanical synthesized sound of the system.
“The parallel resonance you just initiated has already caused the system to crash. Don’t bother looking,” the mentor said as if he could see Ron’s system. “Acting recklessly like you did, it’s normal for the system to crash.”
“What is parallel resonance?” Ron asked instinctively.
He had heard this term before, but no one had explained it to him seriously.
“You can ask your system about this question later,” the mentor said impatiently. “Don’t ask me simple questions. My time is valuable.”
“Not every time traveler gets to meet me. Cherish this opportunity. Focus on the important things,” he said proudly as if he were someone remarkable.
“What is considered important?” Ron felt that the person in front of him was wasting more time than anything else.
The time spent answering one of his questions is simply not as much as the time he spends babbling here.
“For example, how to survive,” the mentor’s voice suddenly turned cold, contrasting to the relaxed tone just now.
