In a daze, I vaguely saw Zhu Da handing me a pair of large pig trotters: "Commander Zhao, hurry and eat, they smell wonderful, fresh out of the pot."

Starving and breathing in the delicious aroma while feeling the soft texture, I opened my mouth and took a big bite— "Ah!"—a sharp female shriek startled me into jumping up, bang! My head slammed against the hard stone wall, and I tumbled back down.

"Ow!" I rubbed my head, shouting in pain, only to hear Liu Xue’s voice ringing out clearly, "You—what are you doing biting my foot! So you have a preference like that."

"Ah!" I was utterly astonished. It seemed I was truly famished; how could I have fallen asleep hugging someone’s foot and then bitten it like a pig’s trotter? But Liu Xue’s little feet were indeed something else; unlike mine, which always sweated, even if they hadn't bathed or washed their feet at night, others could still smell them.

"Sorry, sorry, I must have been hungry in my sleep…"

But Liu Xue playfully chimed in from the other side, "So you took my foot for a pig's trotter and gnawed on it?"

I rubbed my head and struggled to sit up, noticing Liu Xue propped up on her bedding, leaning close to the campfire, tearing into a bag of food with her hands. I reached out and turned on the light. Although it wasn't yet dark outside, the light inside the cave was dismal.

"Heh heh, no wonder those pig trotters smelled so good; so that’s what it was."

Liu Xue shook the food in her hand: "I was hungry, so I didn't stand on ceremony."

My stomach rumbled fiercely, and I certainly wasn't going to be polite to myself. I grabbed a bag of dried deer tendons from the box and began devouring them. Once my stomach was mostly full, I asked Liu Xue, "Have you recovered?"

Liu Xue blushed: "Mhm, I woke up from a sleep and found I could move, though my limbs still feel a bit tingly and numb."

"As long as you can move, that’s good. Otherwise, not even being able to eat would be troublesome. I’ll go out and check the weather. As soon as the snow stops and the wind dies down, we can leave."

We were both covered by a pile of clothes. Besides a fur coat, Liu Xue had nothing else on. That coat, however, couldn’t conceal her snowy white legs, especially since her dainty feet rested on my thigh. Following the smooth, tender line of her leg upward, it seemed that hint of white thong appeared before my eyes again.

Feeling a rush of heat, I used the excuse of pushing Liu Xue’s legs aside to scramble to the snow-wall door. I pushed twice before realizing the door had fused shut with the wall. Fortunately, my strength had returned, and with a little effort, I shattered it. Hoo! A blast of cold air mixed with massive snowflakes aggressively invaded the tiny six-square-meter space.

Liu Xue let out a sharp cry and burrowed into the pile of clothes, "So cold!"

Luckily, I woke up early. Originally, a gap had been left between the snow door and the wall for ventilation, but it had slowly been plugged solid by snowflakes. With a charcoal fire inside, if we stayed too long, we’d suffocate—it was a wonder it hadn’t happened already. Next time I block the door, I need to remember this issue.

When I saw the scene outside, I froze in terror. This—this—is this what they call a blizzard? A dense, uninterrupted sheet, as if someone had poked a hole in the sky. Looking up, the dense flakes stung my eyes uncomfortably. The gray sky showed no hint of sunlight. The wind wasn't that strong, but with this level of snowfall, forget supersonic speed—even moving at a normal pace would be difficult. Fortunately, the stone platform was continuously hit by cold drafts swirling up from the valley floor, constantly blowing away the accumulated snow so our cave entrance wouldn't be completely buried.

"You keep an eye on the fire, I'm going back to see if I can retrieve anything else. With the snow this heavy, I might not be able to reach the cabin," I mumbled. I molded a large lump of snow to plug the door again. Liu Xue poked her head out from the clothes pile and hummed in acknowledgment. Then she said, "Zhao Qian, come back soon. I’m scared to be alone here."

I thought to myself, scared of what? In this devilish weather, probably not many creatures on the plateau were even breathing. Because the wind had lessened, the temperature hadn't dropped drastically, but it was probably still hovering around minus five or six degrees. If I dared to pee outside, my JJ might freeze right off.

Since the wind wasn't strong enough to carry my body along, the snow sled proved useless; it sank into the snow before I could even get it gliding. The newly fallen snow couldn't bear the weight. Annoyed, I could only stumble and crawl toward the wreckage of the 737.

I estimated the snow depth here was already over three meters, and it got thicker toward the base of the mountain. By the time I reached the crash site, it might be over ten meters deep. Of course, this didn't necessarily mean the precipitation was that high; it was due to the unique terrain where a lot of snow was swept from other areas, including a significant amount falling from the mountaintop. I used my X-ray vision to probe the snow layer, located the original cave entrance, drilled down a bit, and entered the aircraft cabin again.

Luckily, although the snow had piled up significantly more, the cabin, apart from being deformed, hadn't been crushed. I searched through it again and actually found a brand-new heater, with Japanese characters still written on it.

Was it a gift purchased by some passenger? Who would use such a thing now that electricity is so convenient? This small heater probably burned kerosene or some other oil. Was it specially ordered by Tibetan nomads for convenience during their migration? It seems they are gradually moving away from dung and horse manure as fuel—a step toward modernization, after all.

Whose possession it was didn't matter; what was important was that inside the heater's packaging, I found a stainless steel pot. This would be crucial for the days ahead; we couldn't keep drinking melted snow forever—eating raw snow is definitely unsanitary.

I didn't know many Japanese characters, but I managed to make out the gist: this heater required burning aviation kerosene, a petroleum product also known as Jet Fuel Type 3. Aviation kerosene has a suitable density, high calorific value, and good combustion performance, allowing it to burn quickly, steadily, continuously, and completely, with minimal carbon residue and low coking tendencies. Its low-temperature fluidity is also excellent, meeting the flow requirements of fuels in cold regions and high-altitude flight.

The Japanese really specialize in these so-called high-end goods—burning aviation kerosene! How many people can actually get that? Wait, aviation kerosene? I wonder if there's any left in the plane's fuel tanks. If I could get a few barrels out and run this little stove in the cave, it would be much better than the smoky, haphazard open fire, right?

With that thought, I ignored searching for other things and hastily scanned the bottom of the cabin. To my extreme luck, the fuel in the tanks hadn't completely leaked out. Just the dregs in such a large tank would be enough to burn for quite a while. Although the outside temperature was very low, the freezing point of that aviation kerosene was extremely low, so it should be fine for now.

I gathered every bottle and can I could find, dumping out all the beverages inside. Since there was snow, we wouldn't die of thirst anyway. In just a few quick trips, I smashed through layers of the fuselage and reached the fuel tank to retrieve the aviation kerosene. However, I was still worried that the heater’s heat output might be insufficient, so I gathered some firewood as a backup. Carrying several bags of local Tibetan specialty foods, I began my return trip.

In the short time I spent in the cabin, the tracks I made coming in had been completely erased by the accumulating snow. I don't know what the climate is like elsewhere in the world, but many people are probably going to perish this time. Is the Earth really about to enter another Ice Age?

This short distance took me over forty minutes to walk back to the stone platform. The sky was not as bright as before. I pulled out my phone, which now had no signal, and checked the time—it was past four in the afternoon. The snow was still falling, with no sign of stopping.

As long as I can hold out until the satellite orbit is cleared and new satellites are launched, I can contact my family. But if the storm doesn't cease, perhaps only the Hope Interstellar Warship can fly normally.

The large snow block at the cave entrance was pushed aside, and Liu Xue’s flushed, pretty face appeared briefly from inside the cave. "Zhao Qian, you're back."

For some reason, that simple greeting warmed me to my core. I was glad I found Liu Xue; if I had been trapped here alone with no one to talk to, I probably would have suffocated from boredom.

I handed the supplies in piece by piece. "I found a stainless steel pot; I’ll boil some water for you later."

Liu Xue's laughter sounded from inside: "I already drank some of the beverage. The one you brought back from the cabin last time. Even though it was frozen solid, it tasted quite good once melted. I saved a bottle for you."

I hadn't even finished passing everything through when I noticed the sound of the wind behind my ears sounded strange. Then the sound grew louder and louder, like someone roaring at the heavens. The snow on the ground was being tossed around everywhere as if by an invisible shovel, pelting me from head to toe. Then, the ground under my feet felt like it was pulled away, and I was instantly swept up by the wind!

A huge wind had picked up! And it was tremendously powerful. Fortunately, it wasn't the kind of tornado you see in movies, or this entire cave might have been swept away! I tightly gripped the two large bottles of aviation kerosene, refusing to let go. This ferocious gale swept me along the path I had taken, but halfway, the storm's vanguard must have hit the high mountain, causing it to loop around, and smack, it threw me onto the snowy ground.

Damn it! I had to walk all this way again. But at least I wasn't swept down toward the river valley; otherwise, coming back up might have been impossible. It seems I can’t just casually leave the cave in the future, or even with my skills, I’ll be in danger.

After a moment's thought, I was unwilling to go back empty-handed. I turned around and slipped back into the aircraft cabin to look for more food, stuffing a few more bottles of kerosene in my pockets. By the time I returned to the stone platform, it was utterly dark—I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.

Although the wind was strong, it couldn't sweep me away like before. Before I could even fully push away the snow block blocking the door, I heard muffled, loud sobs from inside. "Zhao Qian, where did you go? What am I supposed to do, left all alone? Hurry back! Please don’t die, hurry back! Bless the Bodhisattva, please bless Zhao Qian, please bless the Bodhisattva..."

I shoved the food into the opening first. "Hey, I’m not dead yet, why are you crying so sadly?"

Hearing my voice, Liu Xue was overjoyed and rushed to the cave entrance. She stretched out her hand to pull me in, but a gust of cold wind made her cry out and retract it—the temperature difference between inside and out was too vast. "Zhao Qian! You’re safe! You suddenly disappeared just now, I thought the wind blew you away and you fell… Hurry inside, don’t go out again! We won’t mind being hungry, just don’t leave me again."

I pushed all the supplies inside. "It’s fine, this little bit of wind can't touch me. But I need to reinforce the snow wall, or we might not survive the night. The temperature is dropping sharply again; this evening might bring us a major test."

Liu Xue called from inside the cave, "Be careful then. It's a shame my body can't handle this low temperature, or I could help you outside."

I snorted, blowing my nose loudly: "How could I let you girls do the heavy lifting? Go ahead and plug the door for now; I’ll be finished shortly."

Liu Xue finally broke into a smile as she closed the snow door. "It’s so good to have you here; I’m not afraid of anything now. Only now do I understand the happiness of those other women."

I dug the accumulated snow onto the existing snow-built wall, tamping it down firmly as I went. Before long, I had piled up a three-meter-thick, dome-shaped snow ball against the dozen-meter-high rock face. Even if a few more whirlwinds like the last one hit, they shouldn't be able to penetrate it, right?

Sweating profusely, I crawled back through the snow door, which was less than a meter high. The three-meter-thick snow wall had separated the cramped interior into a secluded paradise. Even the sharp howl of the wind wasn't so distinct. I dug a small hole in the snow wall on one side, and the emergency light plugged into it illuminated the entire small cave brightly, warming my heart as well.

A piece of cotton cloth, torn from somewhere, was wiped across my face. Liu Xue’s voice sounded behind me: "Look how sweaty you are from working so hard; be careful not to catch a cold. I've boiled some water to heat up that beverage you brought back; drink some to ward off the chill."

Her tone was almost like a young wife caring for her husband. Feeling a bit awkward, I took the cloth and wiped my face myself. Because my body temperature was high, the sweat hadn't frozen instantly outside. I turned back and plugged the snow door, leaving a gap large enough for ventilation, then observed the changes inside the cave.

"Huh? You know how to use this heater?" The things I brought back were neatly sorted and placed at the outermost part of the cave, while the insulating clothes were folded at the very back. The heater sat near the snow wall entrance, and the water in the stainless steel pot was already sizzling. This stove was very practical; it could serve as a heater radiating significant warmth outward and could also be used to boil water and cook food on top.

Liu Xue, wearing that fiery red fur coat, was warming her hands over the embers of the campfire. "I can read Japanese. Just add the aviation fuel you brought back and light it. The heater has an automatic igniter, which is very convenient. This aviation fuel has a high ignition point; ordinary lighters won't work at all."

I pulled out my phone to check the time. After all this running around, it was already six o'clock. I asked, "Do you know how to cook?"

Liu Xue shook her head sheepishly: "I’m sorry, I’ve never done chores. But if you don't mind my cooking being terrible, I can try learning."

I stopped her: "We’ll talk about that when we get back. Our food here is limited; we can’t waste it. Let me handle it. When I used to collect medicinal herbs in the small town, I cooked for myself. It might not have been delicious, but it certainly wouldn't poison anyone."

Liu Xue smiled and sat to the side watching me work. I tossed the tsampa I brought back into the hot water, then found some dried meat and tsampa sausage to put in—the sausage, encased in fresh sheep intestine and filled with sheep’s blood, mutton, barley flour, or bean flour, is a local specialty. I had never tried it before, and now I was sampling it in a place like this.

Liu Xue suddenly leaned over my back and sniffed: "It smells really fragrant. It must be delicious. Zhao Qian, you really are a good man. No wonder those women throw themselves at you like moths to a flame; you have a real charm for attracting girls."

I chuckled: "Can I attract you?"

Liu Xue suddenly nipped lightly at my earlobe, her voice low: "Of course. If I weren't already engaged, I’d really want to marry you."

Thump, I nearly spilled the stainless steel pot. For some reason, my heart suddenly became chaotic—a mix of irritation and agitation. Until this bizarre mixture of food was ready, Liu Xue ate her fill with a fragrant appetite, but I had no appetite at all.

Unexpectedly, this Japanese item was truly hardworking; the heat dissipation was astonishing. In reality, it was mainly because the space was so well-sealed. For the moment, we didn't need the open fire to ward off the cold, so I could save that wood for a critical moment. At the very least, it provided us with two pairs of chopsticks.

"Heh heh, this little space feels so cozy," Liu Xue sighed contentedly after eating her fill, collapsing onto her bedding made of expensive clothes. It was clear the ground had been meticulously swept; Liu Xue was a tidy girl.

I sat boredly at the outermost edge of the floor bedding, pulled out my phone, and aimlessly scrolled through old photos of the other women saved on it. I said, "You caught a chill today. Take some medicine from over there. It’s late; go to sleep early if you’re fine."

Liu Xue, who had been sitting on the other side of the bedding, arched her body and strained to turn toward me. The cave was too low; the innermost area was only about half a meter deep, meaning a person lying down wouldn't bump their nose. The height near the entrance was barely one and a half meters. Everything required crouching or sitting.

Liu Xue sat beside me: "Is there anything we can do? We slept through the day. The long night needs some entertainment, right?"

I didn't reply kindly: "There's nothing to do, unless you want to go out and freeze into a jerky strip. I only have R-rated movies; want to watch?"

Liu Xue looked embarrassed, and I was smugly pleased, but then she said, "Sure, what’s the big deal? I have two friends in the film industry; they shoot adult films."

Seeing Liu Xue taking the bait so seriously, I suddenly got nervous about showing her. I put my phone back in my pocket and said, "Just kidding, go to sleep!"

Liu Xue reached across my body to rummage in my other pocket for the phone. "Big liar, little rascal! I’ll find it myself. I don’t believe you men don’t keep that kind of stuff collected."

Her full breasts, hidden under the fur coat, were pressed against my chest, making my breathing rapid. I had no choice but to take out my phone and hand it over to Liu Xue: "Look then. It would be best if you wore headphones, or I won’t be able to stand it."

I was telling the truth. Liu Xue’s moans were actually more stimulating than Xu Jing’s. Xu Jing’s effect relied on language; she’d say things like, "Good husband, kill me," or, "Thrust harder, send me to heaven…" But Liu Xue wouldn't speak. When I rubbed her body, her soul-shattering moans still made my entire body tingle. Girls who learn to sing really do have extraordinary voices.

Liu Xue fiddled with it for a while and handed the phone back to me. "I can't open it."

"I really don't have any R-rated films on here; it’s all company confidential documents. You shouldn't look."

Liu Xue was stunned for a moment, then gave a cunning smile: "I don't believe you, unless you let me check personally."

If I let Liu Xue check the contents of my phone, the consequences would be disastrous. Files for just a dozen wives took up a massive amount of space—photos and videos, some showing cleavage, some not, some casual, some explicit. The videos were mostly recorded during intimacy; those women enjoyed pulling them up to watch. If Liu Xue saw all this, it would be over!

Seeing me hesitate and remain silent, Liu Xue added, "Afraid, aren't you? Still claiming there are no R-rated films. To tell you the truth, I’ve been on the set of an adult film. All those shots are fake. The actors wear skin-tight costumes that look real up close, but they have clasps at the back! The male actor writhes on the female actor underneath, faking all the movements. They actually wear another layer of clothing underneath; there’s no real contact."

What nonsense was this? I figured Liu Xue was referring to the filming of adult scenes or abnormal shots in regular films. If filming R-rated movies required that much hassle, those performers would have quit long ago; they do it for real.

If I refused to let Liu Xue look today, it would seem suspicious. So, I pulled up a clip I considered aesthetically pleasing and not perverse and handed it to her. "Here, watch. Don't say I'm corrupting you; you asked for this voluntarily. I’ll go sleep over there first."

Liu Xue grabbed my arm. "What fun is it for me to watch alone? Let’s watch together. Are you afraid I’ll make a move on you?"

Asking me to watch an R-rated film with her—wasn't she asking for trouble? "Listen, Starlet Liu, don't treat me like I'm not a man. I'm a man whose sexual desire is excessively strong; why else would I have so many wives?"

"Heh heh, that’s true. Maybe I won't watch after all. It wouldn't be good if something happened, right?" Liu Xue said.

"Right," I replied, putting the phone away.

The two of us lying down in this three-meter-long, two-meter-deep cave didn't feel cramped. When building the snow wall, a small area had been sectioned off, where the pile of boxes and miscellaneous items was stacked against the base of the wall. The charcoal fire and the heater were placed near the entrance. The emergency light overhead provided ample illumination, warming the place. We stared at each other across the space for a good while.

Liu Xue whispered again, "Do you have any other movies on your phone or anything? We have to find something to do. It’s not even seven yet; I’m bored to death."

I shook my head, ashamed. Besides important documents, my phone only contained R-rated films—some belonging to others, some mine. I must really be a lewd and dissolute man.

I suggested, "How about you sing me a song?"

Liu Xue gave me a weary look: "Don't bring that up. For some reason, I've lost interest in singing now. How about I tell you a story?"

"Alright. Make it thrilling and exciting. I’m not afraid of ghost stories."

Little did I know how terrible Liu Xue was at storytelling. She told me a joke that wasn't even funny. If I didn't laugh, it seemed I wouldn't be giving her face, so I forced out a couple of awkward chuckles. Liu Xue naturally knew her performance wasn't great, so she didn't immediately ask me to tell one back. The two of us fell silent again.

Liu Xue tossed her beautiful hair back and said to me, "Get your phone. Since we’re bored, let’s watch. But I need to tie your hands first, just in case you get too stimulated and try anything funny."

I was completely taken aback. "You wouldn't, would you? If you want to watch porn, just watch it. Don't tie me up."

Instead, Liu Xue reached out and grabbed the rope she had brought with her, holding it out to me. "Give me your hands. Quick, quick, quick. This is actually quite interesting. Knowing you have those videos on your phone is making me itch with curiosity. I've never actually seen one before."

I brought my hands together and presented them before Liu Xue. "Haven't you seen behind-the-scenes footage of an adult film shoot?"

Liu Xue’s cheeks flushed. "I've only heard them mention it; I’ve never actually been on a real set. Before I made it big, my parents monitored me strictly. Now that I’m famous, the fans are watching just as closely. One wrong move and it turns into a huge scandal. Alright, tied securely. Let’s watch the movie."