“Who is that?”
The voice startled the explorers. Old Raul jumped up and snatched out a hunting rifle from his backpack. The other explores followed his lead and produced their weapons.
They were right in the bowel of a blizzard on the frozen wasteland. How could there be anyone else? Even if there was someone nearby, why didn’t they see him?
Everyone looked out of the cave opening and saw a man walking toward them amidst the howling wind and snow.
Despite the frigid temperature, the man was only wearing a thin layer. His face was extremely handsome and two black penetrating eyes glinted in the snow while his silky black hair danced around his cheek. His statuesque body made his appearance almost god-like. The flurry of ice-snow mix bounced off of his body, defying any law of physics known to mankind.
“Look under his feet!”
Someone put in quietly.
The explorers were shocked to notice that as the young man made his way toward them, he left no footprint on the knee-deep snow.
“Is he a ghost?”
A thought crept into everyone’s mind, sending chills down their spines.
Old Raul suddenly remembered something and quickly dropped his gun and replied with great respect in his voice.
“My lord. Today is February 14th, 2010.”
“2010? So I have been here for a year already?”
Chen Fan murmured to himself.
Seeing that Chen Fan and Old Raul’s conversation appeared to be normal, the other explorers also lowered their guns. However, once they heard Chen Fan’s murmur, they were shocked to learn that the young man had lived here for a year.
The Environment here on the northern edge of Siberia was as unforgiving as that in the Arctic. Most people could remain here for a week at the most, even with enough provisions. However, Chen Fan didn’t have any luggage with him, nor was he wearing any warm items of clothing. It was inconceivable that he could have survived here for a year.
However, Old Raul didn’t question the young man, instead, he lowered his head even more. His demeanor before the young man was so respectful that it verged on subservient.
He had heard stories about powerful martial artists who could walk on top of the snow, kill a grizzly bear with their bare hands, and were impervious to harmful elements. They often sought a harsh environment to aid their cultivation. Old Raul had suspected that Chen Fan was one of such warriors, seeking seclusion and challenge on the frozen tundra. Old Raul reckoned that if that was the case, the young man must be a force to be reckoned with.
“Does anyone of you know how to get to the City of Yakutsk?”
Chen Fan asked.
The first thing on Chen Fan’s agenda was to seek revenge. However, Chen Fan wagered that in order to locate the North Division, he needs the help of his Russian friend, Paul.
In addition, Chen Fan and Yang Qinhu had carried out their expedition under extreme secrecy. Someone must have disclosed their mission to the Russian military and the western Dark Overlords.
That meant someone—likely someone from Russia—had double-crossed him and Yang Qinhu.
“My Lord, are you heading to Yakutsk?”
Old Raul hazarded cautiously. “We came from the City of Yakutsk, and are on our way back. If you don’t mind our company, feel free to join us.”
“There is no need. You guys are too slow. Provide me a map and location, I will get there myself.”
Chen Fan said lightly.
Old Raul didn’t press on. He hurried to fish out a map from his backpack.
Meanwhile, Natasha rounded her eyes in surprise as she noticed the same features shared between the young man and the mysterious figure she saw in the wash of light.
“Black cloth, dark hair and dark eyes… Is he the one I saw flying above the valley?”
“He looks and acts just like a human. How could he fly? Is he an angel… or worse, a demon!”
The mystery and danger tugged at the strings of her restless heart.
She couldn’t stand the mundane life of a typical rich girl from a typical rich family. She rebelled against her family at a very young age and chose to live by herself. She got into the best university in Russia in studying archaeology. Since her graduation, she had been traveling the mysterious north and visited nearly all settlements in Siberia.
“My Lord here is the map and this is your course. The city of Yakutsk is about a thousand kilometer in this direction.” Old Raul unfurled the map on a flat surface and charted a course for Chen Fan.
“very well.”
Chen Fan nodded slightly.
It only took Chen Fan a quick glance over the map to memorized his course and all the details of the map. He turned around and started off. No one dared to speak a word as they were still afraid of the strange and mysterious visitor to their camp.
Even as Chen Fan was about to disappear amidst the snow and ice, a girl’s voice came up from behind.
“Sir, can you bring me with you?”
“uh?”
Chen Fan about-turned and looked to the speaker with a great measure of curiosity.
He watched as Natasha slowly rose to her feet while trembling uncontrollably. She mustered as much courage as she had and spoke out again with more confidence. “Sir, I can tell that you are seeking something. I know the northern land like the back of my hand and might be of help to you.”
“Natasha!”
The handsome young man blanched. The rest of the explorers also looked at her with shock and surprise.
Natasha didn’t mind her companion’s disbelief. Despite herself, she remained unwavering in her request.
“Do you know where the Headquarters for the North Division is located?”
Chen Fan asked as he narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, I do. It is located near the City of Jaco near the Chinese border. It has branches… ” Natasha answered readily.
“Very well, come with me.”
Chen Fan cut the girl short with a wave of a hand and agreed to let her tag along.
Natasha seemed surprised by Chen Fan’s decision. She gritted her teeth, mustered all the courage in her and walked out of the cave. Everyone gaped at her and scarcely dared to call her out for the absurdity of her actions. Old Raul wanted to say something but his lips only moved slightly as words got stuck in his throat.
No one was willing to deal with a potentially deadly stranger that they knew nothing about by putting their lives on the line
Therefore, they just watched as Natasha walked over to the stranger as an innocent newborn bunny would to the bloody maw of a beast.
“Hold on a second, I need to put some layers on. It’s too cold out there.”
It wasn’t until Natasha was a few paces away from the cave exist did she realize that she was still in her sweatpants and sweater. The tightly knit wool sweater hugged her athletic body with full but lean curves and her yoga pants were skin-tight on her hot long legs.
“You wouldn’t need a jacket if you are traveling with me.”
Chen Fan cracked a smile and grabbed a hold of Natasha. He took one step forward and immediately covered a dozen meters of distance.
“Arrh!”
Natasha blanched but quickly gathered herself. She realized that she was carried by Chen Fan in his arms while he darted across the tundra. The frozen landscape flew past her peripheral vision and turned into a blurry painting with streaks of grey and white. Natasha had only felt the same kind of thrill while drag racing during her rebellious teenage years.
“What the heck? He is moving at a few hundred kilometers per hour on snow? And he was right, I don’t feel cold at all. His body is like a furnace, it’s warm and… cozy.”
Natasha thought to herself.
“Hey, stop daydreaming, tell me where to go.”
Chen Fan furrowed his brows.
“Ah… oh… right. Ok… ok..”
Natasha blushed and pointed to the correct direction.
With the girl lodged in between his arms, Chen Fan blew through the forest, creeks, and mountains. He could cross any hurdle with one heroic leap forward. He zigzagged across the frozen tundra in a serpentine path, breaking the densely packed snow, and sending it skyward. Looking from above, he moved like an azure fish that swam across a calm white lake.
Natasha suddenly felt that she was dreaming.
It might have been the heady atmosphere inside the cave that had made her rush to a decision without thinking it through. Before she knew what she had signed up for, she was already a few hundred miles away from the camp.
“Sir, what is your business in the City of Yakutsk?” Natasha thought for a second and asked.
“There is a guy called Paul. He owns me some money and I want it back.” Chen Fan replied calmly.
“Paul.”
The name rang a bell in Natasha’s mind.
She remembered that the boss of the underground world in the City of Yakutsk was called Paul. However, Paul was a very common name, so she wagered that it could very well be someone else living in Yakutsk.
While Natasha fell into thought, Chen Fan had already noticed the outline Yakutsk in the distance.
It had taken Chen Fan ten days to get to the Warg Valley, but his return trip took mere hours.
The sight of the city in the distance wrenched Natasha’s mind out of her reverie. She was astonished by their incredible speed and felt the trip would take longer even if they had taken a plane.
After they entered the city, they quickly spotted Paul in a bar.
The first glimpse Paul had of trouble was through the bottom of his glass, as he upped it to drain the potent northern vodka the fifteenth time. He lived up to his reputation as the War Bear by being practically immune to the effects of alcohol, particularly vodka.
His eyes gleamed when he saw Natasha.
Any man who lay their eyes on Natasha’s tantalizing body would be impressed by what they saw. Driven by the burgeoning fire in his groin, Paul was about to get up and greet the girl, but that was when he saw Chen Fan.
“BaaDa!”
Paul could swear that he heard the sound of a bucket full of ice water being poured over his head. Nonetheless, the sight of Chen Fan made his heart sank to the bottom of an ice cave.
He froze in his tracks as his body started to tremble. Then he managed to ask in a shaky voice: “Chen… Chen Beixuan?”
Although he had only met Chen Fan once, he had seen Chen Fan’s face many times after the news about the battle at the Warg Valley got out. Paul had skin in the game, so naturally, he had followed the news closely.
Didn’t Chen Beixuan die in the Warg Valley? Why did he show up here all of a sudden?
Memories of how he sold out Chen Fan came back to Paul, sending his mind reeling. Fear crept into him and seized his heart in a tight grasp.
“Paul, my friend. Why are you so afraid of me?”
Chen Fan curled his lips into a grin and walked leisurely toward Paul, picking up a cocktail while he was at it. Paul’s bodyguards tensed up their body, but none had dared to stop him.
Paul’s mind quickly succumbed to fear. He dropped to his knees and begged.
“Master Chen, please forgive me. I had no other option. The North Division and the KGB had come to me and coerced me to disclose your plan. They threatened to throw me into jail and put me on trial for my past crimes. I am dead meat if such a trial happens. Please, I was afraid.”
“You are afraid of the KGB and the North Division, but you are not afraid of me?”
Even as Chen Fan cracked an eerie smile, two golden flames appeared in his eyes.
He reached out a hand and snapped two fingers, sending a burst of red flame toward Paul. The flame quickly burrowed into Paul’s body and disappeared.
“The Flame of Red Lotus might help remind you what happens when you cross me.”
Chen Fan said slowly.
As the fire spread across Paul’s body, he rolled back and forth on the ground, screaming painfully at the top of his lungs.
People in the bar watched him suffer with icy expressions on their faces, yet no one dared to help him out.