37 Cold Plains

Chang Xiuying later on, in that day, she experienced body pain from growing too abruptly. She stayed in her room as Flora tended to her. Then, she woke up by the loud shouts from their training ground, at the back of their building. Peering through the open window, she watched the children train.

Then a knock came.

"Come in," she said.

"Master, how are you feeling now?"

"I'm better than yesterday. Thank you, Flora."

"That's a relief. Here," she placed a tray on the nightstand, "I cooked you some congee."

"You really like taking care of me," Chang Xiuying teased.

"Of course. It is my duty to take care of you, master."

"... don't just overwork yourself."

"My body only belongs to master."

Chang Xiuying choked on her spit and then coughed loudly. "Flora! What are you saying?!"

"I am only for master and that is the truth."

"Since when?!"

"Since the day you saved me from the slave trader. I vowed to myself back then that I will be by your side and protect you from any harm. Besides, Master is only a child. "

"... quit treating me as a child!" Chang Xiuying exclaimed as she clicked her tongue.

"Master, you have to eat the congee or it will go cold. Then you can go to our meeting room after."

"Alright… alright. Thanks."

"It is my pleasure," Flora said then left the room.

[Heh.]

"What now?"

[That girl will stop at nothing to follow you.]

"Yeah. It worries me."

[Heeeeh. You got another one behind your back! Besides, it's better for you to have more companions.]

"But then… once we leave this world, what will become of the association and the children we took under our wings?"

[They would be left behind. At least they have an inheritance and work for their living.]

"Hmmm… indeed."

[By the way, master---]

"Stop calling me that!"

[But the children are okay?]

"I have no choice. They insisted."

[I insist too.]

"No… just no. It feels weird, okay?"

[By the way, master, your body is slowly weakening.]

"I'll pretend I never heard that, and what? My body is weakening?"

[Yes. In this case, you might die.]

"What do you mean?" Chang Xiuying's brows furrowed as she stared at her bed.

[Not you, but another you.]

"Another… me?"

[I found another life force that perfectly matched yours. It's somewhere inside the Cold Plains.]

"... last time I checked the map, there is no Cold Plains."

[Remember the time when we discovered that barrier like in the Central Marsh?]

"Ah. Yeah. That barrier. You mean… inside that, it is the Cold Plains?"

[Exactly.]

"Alright. We'll go immediately."

Then Chang Xiuying quickly finished her congee, then went to the meeting room just two doors away from her room. She saw Flora standing outside and they both entered. A lot of people was in the room, but Chang Xiuying was rather in an unpleasant mood.

"First, we have to gather everyone, I mean, everyone, to the training grounds. I want everyone to know about my plans in the future, because it greatly concerned you all."

They saluted and then left the room.

"Master?"

"Flora, I just wanted you to know that I will not be staying here forever."

"That is fine, master. Because I will follow you wherever."

"I don't think… you can follow me."

"Why is that so?"

"You'll know everything later."

"Alright."

-----

Once everyone was gathered in the training ground and Qiang Zhihao was stationed just behind her, she steeled herself to let everyone know of her very existence. She started from where she was born in the Central Marsh, the beginning of all, and safely arrived here in Strevalia continent. Then she told them about Xue and Qiang Zhihao and about their leave to another world out there in space.

"I decided to tell you all this because you've been very dear to me all these years. It is the least thing I could do to all of you."

"Master..." Flora muttered.

"But master… how about the workers?"

"You all are trustworthy in my eyes and I know that you can all be a great manager once I am gone."

"Master!!! Don't leave us!"

"That's right! You gave us the will and reason to live for the future!"

"I wanted to bring you all, you know?" Chang Xiuying said as she sighed in great remorse.

"Bringing… us all? Yes, please! Master!"

"But when I thought about all the orphans and people without work here, you all have to bring work to them and give them the reason to live for tomorrow too. Isn't that a great opportunity to all of you?"

"Master's will..."

"That's right. It is my will. I don't want you all to suffer because of me. I want you all to live your lives peacefully."

"Then… when will you leave, master?" Flora took the courage to ask.

"When I am done with my job here."

"What job?"

"Uh..."

"Master, don't lie to us," Flora said.

"... fine… I have another body here in Strevalia, and I need to retrieve that body's spirit. I will have to go to the Cold Plains as soon as possible. Maybe today."

"Master is indeed great… how can we, mere humans, contend and travel with you…? We will only drag you down..."

"..."

"That's not true, you know," Qiang Zhihao interjected, "I trained you in a special way than what this world teaches. You all are great contenders against your master. Though you can't still touch her feet, you all are powerful warriors. Have you ever tried defeating powerful monsters with your bare hands? "

"Now that teacher mentioned it… we did defeated those wyverns one-sidedly…"

"That's right. If you registered as adventurers, you'll be able to rank up faster than any normal humans. And thus, our force is to be reckoned with."

"My… my dream to become S class… is within reach!"

"That's right!" Qiang Zhihao exclaimed, "So, you all have to work hard to reach your master! Train everyday! Be more powerful than yesterday! To the great future!"

""YEAH!!!""

Chang Xiuying inwardly sighed.

""MASTER!""

"Yeah… yeah… what is it?"

""We will reach you! So, please come back someday!""

"Alright… I'll try to visit someday."

And thus, their meeting was concluded. However, when everybody else left, Flora stayed with Chang Xiuying. She knew that she only have little time to spend with her little master, and she didn't want to pass this opportunity.

"Master," she called.

"Do you have any plans tomorrow?"

"Eh? Ah… no… I don't have anything in my schedule."

"That's great. I want you to---... never mind. Please watch over the kids," Chang Xiuying said then went back inside.

"Master?" But Flora's call wasn't reciprocated.

Chang Xiuying sighed once again as she went inside the building, and then met Qiang Zhihao.

"Zhihao-ah, I will be going now. I entrust you to protect this building while I'm gone."

"Of course, have a safe journey."

"Thanks," she said and then exited the ChangHao firm. The people greeted her, and patted her head as they fawned over her. This wasn't strange. After all, the people already deemed her as their cute little child. However, she wouldn't be like a child if she was in her home.

When she arrived in front of the Northern Gate, the guards smiled at her and let her pass without her identification card. Speaking of which, her identification card was issued by her own firm since her business---which was under the name of Qiang Zhihao---was already known throughout Avarice.

Walking through the main road, a small village was seen and the river of Talles was between them. She passed that village and then went to the forest of Avira.

The Great Woods of Avira, is its official name, was known because of the mysterious barrier residing deep in the forest.

Chang Xiuying trekked the woods from her mind and then arrived in front of the barrier. She tried touching it and it only gave a little resistance before finally letting her in. However, the temperature dropper to -35° Celsius and Chang Xiuying shivered from the cold wind.

She retrieved thick clothes in her storage and then dressed herself warmly.

She walked and walked until it took her approximately two hours to get to the boundary of the frozen wasteland. The temperature dropped further until it was -50°Celsius. However, when she decreased the distance from the border, the temperature was dropping constantly and then, she heard a deep, guttural growl.

"A monster?" She exclaimed as her breath left a thick mist.

Then a huge white tiger entered her line of sight. It was growling while looking around and sniffing the cold air. Its fangs were large much like a sabertooth, but was bigger. It corresponded on its size of 5 meters.

Chang Xiuying retrieved a sword from her storage and then readied her stance. Waiting patiently for the tiger to notice her, but fortunately, or rather, unfortunately, it looked beside her. She instinctively followed its sight.

Then, a figure arrived beside her.

"Well, hello there. Should I call you Xiuying or rather… *****?"

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