Chapter 99: North Suburb Snowfield

The people around saw this mission and began discussing it animatedly.

"Whoa, this mission gives a ton of credits!"

"Yeah, an intermediate mission giving three hundred credits? Which rich patron posted this?"

"I'd bet it's the Beast Research Institute. They're the only ones with that kind of money."

"The Beast Research Institute used to send their own people to hunt beasts. Now they're just posting missions for others to do."

"A Blizzard Bear is a level fifty silver-rank boss. Not easy to deal with."

"So what? It's three hundred credits!"

"Forget it. Look at the requirements—at least B-level students can accept it. We don't stand a chance."

The crowd sighed helplessly.

A B-level student was something most people could only achieve by their junior year at the earliest.

Not a single B-level student was present here.

However, Xu Han felt a stir of interest.

He was an A-level student.

He could accept this mission!

He walked straight up and pressed the mission button.

The people around him saw this and immediately started whispering among themselves.

"What's this kid doing? He wants to accept this mission?"

"This guy looks like a freshman. He wants to take this mission? Has he lost his head over credits?"

"Only B-level students can accept this mission, and this kid wants to take it? Dream on."

"Young people are always so eager for quick success. They see a high-credit mission and rush to grab it. Look at us—we're perfectly calm."

Xu Han walked straight up to the mission board and pressed his hand on the mission.

An electronic synthesized voice rang out.

"Face authentication in progress..."

"Welcome, Xu Han. Would you like to accept the intermediate mission: Hunt the Blizzard Bear?"

Hearing this, the people around him froze.

"Xu Han? This kid is the national champion, Xu Han?"

"Damn, he's the one who defeated that ape king in the freshman secret realm?"

"This kid actually has some skill. No wonder he dares to accept this intermediate mission."

"Wait, has he already become a B-level student? Impossible! How could a freshman possibly be a B-level student?"

Under everyone's shocked gaze.

Xu Han simply said, "Accept."

The electronic synthesized voice sounded again: "Mission accepted. Wishing you a smooth mission."

Then, the Blizzard Bear hunting mission vanished from the mission board.

Everyone stared at Xu Han in bewilderment.

They could never have dreamed that a freshman would actually be a B-level student!

Even they, the senior students, hadn't reached B-level yet!

Under the envious, jealous, and resentful gazes of the crowd.

Xu Han walked straight outside.

Qin Xuanyi followed close beside him, asking with some concern, "Xu Han, are you really going to hunt the Blizzard Bear?"

Xu Han nodded. "Of course. An intermediate mission on par with an advanced mission is rare."

"If I let this slip by, wouldn't that be watching a fat piece of meat run away?"

Qin Xuanyi bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Then... can I come with you?"

As if afraid Xu Han might misunderstand.

She quickly explained, "I'm not doing it for the credits. I just want someone to team up with for leveling."

"I can support you."

Xu Han hesitated for a moment. "The monsters in the North Snowfield are pretty high-level. I won't have time to look after you."

Qin Xuanyi quickly shook her head. "I can take care of myself."

Xu Han nodded. "Then let's buy some supplies and head out."

"I think the two of you could use a guide for the North Snowfield."

A voice tinged with playfulness rang out.

Xu Han turned to look.

A woman dressed in a brilliant red Hanfu walked over with a smile.

"You are..."

Xu Han looked her up and down, asking with confusion.

He felt she looked somewhat familiar.

The woman in the red Hanfu smiled. "Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Hua Piaowu."

"The terrain of the North Snowfield is complex. Without a proper guide, it's very easy to get lost out there."

"There are also plenty of powerful beasts in the snowfield. If you take the wrong path and stumble into a beast's den, it can be very dangerous."

"As it happens, I'm a local of the capital and I know the North Snowfield quite well. I can be your guide. How about it?"

Xu Han frowned slightly.

What she said made sense.

He knew far too little about the North Snowfield right now.

Without someone to lead the way, he could indeed easily get lost.

Xu Han stared at Hua Piaowu and asked, "Then what do you want in return?"

Hua Piaowu smiled lightly. "I don't want anything. I just want to make a friend."

Xu Han's brow furrowed slightly. "Make a friend?"

Hua Piaowu nodded. "That's right."

"I'm just curious—how capable exactly is the national champion who defeated the Titan Ape King?"

Xu Han gave a slight nod. "Fine."

"But let's get this straight first: you're responsible for your own safety. No problem?"

Hua Piaowu nodded. "Of course."

"When do you plan to set out?"

Xu Han glanced at the time. "The sooner, the better."

Hua Piaowu nodded. "In that case, let's go buy some necessities first. Follow me."

The three of them took the sky tram to the trading market.

They went straight to the necessities counter and bought three Blaze Pearls and cold-resistant tents.

The temperature in the North Snowfield was minus twenty degrees.

If they ran into a blizzard, it could even drop to minus seventy.

The Blaze Pearls were items that could maintain body heat.

However, the energy within them could only last for three days.

That meant after three days, they would have to leave the North Snowfield.

After buying their supplies, the three of them boarded the sky tram again and headed straight for the North Snowfield.

The sky tram slowly climbed into the air and sped forward.

A full hour passed before they officially left the capital's boundaries.

Through the glass window, they could see the vast expanse of white snow in the distance.

And one snow-capped mountain after another, stretching endlessly.

Hua Piaowu introduced, "The North Snowfield is about two hundred kilometers from the capital."

"The snowfield spans two thousand kilometers."

"Beyond the snowfield is the range of the Extreme Cold Snow Mountains. The beasts there start at level eighty and above—we can't handle them."

Xu Han nodded slightly.

He hadn't had the chance to learn any of this since arriving in the capital.

Having a local as a guide seemed like a good idea after all.

The sky tram traveled for a while longer before beginning to descend.

Finally, it came to a slow stop at a platform.

Xu Han glanced at the temperature displayed on the screen.

The temperature inside the tram was 23 degrees.

The outside temperature was -24 degrees.

The temperature difference was enormous.

The tram doors slowly opened.

Howling cold wind rushed into the tram.

The temperature inside dropped rapidly.

Within just a few seconds.

The temperature displayed on the screen had fallen to -10 degrees.

And it was still dropping.

In almost an instant, a layer of frost covered the entire interior of the tram.

An announcement sounded over the speakers.

"All passengers, please exit the tram as soon as possible. The doors will close in one minute."