It was better not to think about the cold, but the moment the thought surfaced, I felt as if every drop of blood in my body had turned to ice. I tried to jump a few times to generate some heat, only to realize my feet were numb and stiff, completely without sensation. At that point, worrying about fear or anxiety was pointless; survival was paramount. Get the body moving first.

So, I began short, desperate sprints—ten meters, then twenty—and within minutes, I was utterly spent. I dared not stop completely, so I forced myself through the martial arts forms, repeating them over and over. Each repetition became more arduous, and the cold intensified until I lost all feeling. After flailing about like that for a good while, it suddenly hit me: no matter how hard I tried, my clothes wouldn't dry, and I had no means of keeping warm. One way or another, this meager life was going to end right here. The thought instantly deflated me, and I collapsed onto the ground, unable to rise again. "Forget it, forget it. Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well die looking decent, so those beasts don't return to find me a joke." Thinking of that woman, Zhuoma Yangjin—I'd considered her one of my own, yet in the end, she must have known the Japanese devils would harm me and still didn't warn me, offering only that false sentiment about "if you hadn't been wounded." Yes, this gentleman wasn't wounded, but I was going to die all the same, trapped in this damned hole!

The more I dwelt on it, the angrier and more hopeless I became. Past memories surged into my mind like unstoppable, slow-motion black-and-white films: the girlfriend I'd dated for over six years since high school, who left me precisely when I needed help the most, lost and vulnerable. I always told myself I should hate her for betraying nearly seven years of my affection. But now, I felt no hatred at all. All I could recall were her virtues, every smile, every gesture filled with warm, beautiful memory. If she knew I was dead, would she feel even a sliver of sadness? Just a tiny bit? Someone said that when you stop loving someone, even memories become a heavy burden. I don't know if I still love her, considering how decisively she left, yet facing death, all I remember is her goodness. And my closest friend, the one I called Beast King—we swore we'd conquer the world together in business once I left the service. I could almost feel his eyes widening, filled with infinite pity and regret, watching me slowly fade away... Everyone’s face came rushing in like a tide.

Isn't this how people summarize their lives right before death—a series of fleeting images? Confused yet utterly clear, I realized I was about to die... I, Luo Lian, would perish right here in a cave that perhaps no one would ever find again.

...My eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and I slowly closed them, lacking the strength to open them again. "That's fine, falling asleep like this..." Before collapsing completely, I mumbled to myself.

...

I wasn't surprised to see Old Li. What was there to be surprised about? I was dead, so naturally, I was in the netherworld. He was, by the same logic, as well. So, when I saw him, the first thing I asked was how he’d kicked the bucket, too. At the same time, I tried to clap him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, but as soon as I raised my hand, he impatiently slapped it away.

This Old Li was still arrogant even after death. I chuckled inwardly and didn't press the issue. He was the only familiar face on the road to the underworld, and traveling together would keep me from being lonely.

Just as I was thinking this, Old Li abruptly forced my mouth open and poured a mouthful of spicy ** down my throat. Huh? It tasted like liquor. I considered it, confirmed it was alcohol. Even as a ghost, Old Li still had liquor! For some inexplicable reason, I found this hilarious, and I let out a little "hehehe" laugh.

Old Li reached out and patted my cheek, asking with concern, "Technician Luo, are you alright?"

I looked at him, finding his eyes, the shape of his face, and his expression both adorable and ridiculous. I remained silent, continuing my "hehehehe" laughter. This Old Li, who had been affiliated with Jiangxi in life—would he still report to the Jiangxi Underworld in death? Since I was from Chongqing, we'd have to part ways, and I'd have to travel the road alone. Thinking of this, I stopped laughing only to be struck again by melancholy. I was lonely in life; who knew I'd be just as solitary in death?

The reason I was so certain Old Li had also passed on was that he was wearing only thin indoor clothes, the same as me. More importantly, every limb and joint felt wonderfully warm and comfortable; there wasn't a trace of the freezing cold that had made my blood feel like it was icing over in life. It seemed the road to the Yellow Springs wasn't as icy and terrible as the legends claimed.

"Technician Luo, is your brain malfunctioning? Did you get water in it?" Old Li said, shaking my head violently from side to side. Only then did I realize I was actually lying on the ground. No... something felt wrong. My head swam from Old Li's shaking, and when I tried to stand, I couldn't muster any strength.

"Old Li, stop... stop shaking me. I'm dead; let me die in peace." I managed to stammer out.

"So you thought you were dead?" Old Li ceased shaking my head, looked at me, and then suddenly delivered a sharp slap across my face. "Does that hurt?"

His slap hadn't been gentle; a stinging heat immediately flared on my face. My mind cleared instantly—Pain! That meant I wasn't dead. I was so excited I nearly jumped up. "Old Li, Old Li, I'm not dead... How am I not dead..." I rolled over, got to my feet, and couldn't help but grab Old Li, shouting wildly, "I'm not dead... I'm not dead!"

Old Li let me yell for a moment before pushing me away, telling me to rest first and not get too agitated.

How could I not be agitated? Not only was I alive, but I had also found Old Li. That meant I could get off the mountain—no longer worrying about perishing alone in the wilderness. Down below, there was food, warmth, and fire; I wouldn't have to worry about someone pushing me into the water or shooting at me. Thinking of this, my mind suddenly went cold and sobered. Something was wrong. Where was this place? Why was it as warm as spring, without a hint of the cold? How was Old Li here? How did he find me? And what about those beasts? Where were they?

A rush of questions flooded my mind. Old Li seemed to read my thoughts, handing me a bag of compressed biscuits and a bottle of water. "Eat something slowly. You've been unconscious for most of the day... Don't stare at me like that. I know what you're thinking: why didn't you die, and how was I able to save you, right?"

I nodded vigorously, adding, "And! And, why isn't it cold here at all? And where are the Japs?"

"Japs? The Japanese?" Old Li's expression instantly shifted to hatred, tinged with worry—I saw it clearly, as if he knew something. He had gone out on watch when the devils arrived, and I hadn't seen him since. This Old Li had been mysterious from the moment he came up the mountain; I truly couldn't figure out how much he knew.

Old Li sighed, turned, got water and biscuits for himself, and then sat down beside me. "Technician Luo, this is a long story. When I went out on sentry duty..."