NOVPUB
Chapter 105: 013: A position so difficult it’s hard to make a move
𝒏𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"Hey! Wake up!"
"Hold on!"
After several attempts to call out with no response, Lynch furrowed his brows tightly.
If something really happened to Avery with her kind of status, no matter the reason, her family would inevitably blame him. Just as she had said, going back would no longer be an option—he’d have to run.
This was the outcome Lynch least wanted to see, as he was well aware of the dangers in this world. With his current abilities, he was far from being able to roam freely, and wandering aimlessly was as good as seeking death.
The best choice for him now was to stay honestly at the Shadow Tower. He was already very familiar with its environment, rules, people, and affairs. With the tower’s refuge, he could survive and grow in peace.
If he rashly left this place, he would face an entirely unfamiliar world with unfamiliar rules.
The unknown and the risks were things Lynch absolutely didn’t want to encounter.
"You...please don’t die..." If he’d known this would be the result, he wouldn’t have agreed with Avery to take this route, no matter what.
Shaking his head, it was too late for regrets now. The priority was figuring out a solution.
Lynch cast several Warmth spells on Avery in succession and then pulled out a bottle of recovery Magic Potion to feed her. Although she didn’t seem to like Magic Potions, there wasn’t time to worry about preferences in this situation.
Without hesitation, he removed his cloak and carried Avery on his back. Then he draped the cloak over them both, wrapping them together.
"Hah!"
Blowing some hot breath, Lynch braced himself against the relentless snowstorm and continued on their journey.
Time passed bit by bit...
The weather grew even colder.
The howling winds cut across his face like knives, stinging his cheeks as wet snow mixed with icy rain pelted down like steel needles from the heavens.
Lynch could clearly feel Avery’s vital signs weakening rapidly on his back. Her spiritual power was fading with each passing moment.
No way...
As the situation grew increasingly dire, Lynch’s anxiety soared.
’I need to find a place to hide... now...’
By now, they had been trekking through the snow mountain for quite a long time. With no village ahead and no shelter behind, turning back was no longer an option. Avery’s condition would likely not hold out, leaving them no choice but to find a nearby place to rest.
’But where should we go?’
Glancing around, Lynch found the visibility severely impaired by the snowstorm. Even without the storm in place, this vast expanse of white offered nothing but snow, endless snow—no hint of shelter anywhere.
Thinking quickly, Lynch began calling out in his mind: Parker! Parker!
At his mental summons, a glowing Hexagram Magic Array lit up on the inner lining of his cloak sleeve. The fabric twisted and spread apart to reveal an opening, and a small head poked out, yawning—it was the long-missed Parker.
After the battle on Ghost Island, Parker’s cells had entered a highly active state. With Lynch’s knowledge of Extraordinary Cultivation, he realized this was the beginning of Parker’s evolution. Unwilling to disturb it, Lynch had sent Parker back to the "Dragon Nest"—
A small independent space Lynch had modified inside his cloak’s sleeve using spatial magic techniques and special materials. He had thoughtfully equipped it with necessary supplies, building it into a nest for Parker.
Evolution was critical for any demon, and Lynch genuinely hadn’t wanted to interrupt Parker. But in the current life-threatening situation, he had no choice.
"Tweet! Tweet!"
At Lynch’s summons, Parker crawled out of the sleeve, clearly thrilled to see him after so many days apart, and nestled against his cheek, rubbing its tiny head eagerly.
"This isn’t the time for affection—quick, go search for a place where we can shelter from the storm, ideally a cave or something," Lynch urged hurriedly.
"Tweet!"
Parker chirped in affirmation, flapping its wings and leaping into the whirlwind of snow.
"Please let there be good news..."
Praying silently, Lynch pressed forward with Avery on his back.
Despite the blizzard, Lynch and Parker shared a mental link and could pinpoint each other’s spatial coordinates, ensuring they wouldn’t lose track of one another.
Time passed again, bit by bit...
Lynch endured the torment as he became increasingly aware that Avery was slipping away.
Her body had long since turned icy cold and begun stiffening, and despite Lynch continuously casting Warmth spells to save her, his efforts were nearly futile.
Her spiritual power now flickered weakly like a flame threatening to be extinguished, teetering on the brink of collapse.
’Are we really going to die here?’
Lynch felt disoriented.
"No... don’t..."
Publicly, he admired the girl—for her personality and character, she had truly left a good impression on him. He couldn’t bear to see such a bright, spirited young woman perish inexplicably in a place like this.
Privately...
He really didn’t want to have to flee!!!
"Chirp! Chirp!"
Just then, two sharp cries pierced through the blizzard, and Lynch saw Parker flapping its wings, emerging from the snow.
Lynch’s eyes lit up. "Did you find something?"
Parker nodded its little head downwards. "Chirp chirp!"
It then flicked its head toward the rear, signaling Lynch to follow.
"Lead the way!"
Lynch followed Parker without hesitation.
He had no clue where Parker’s find was located—it led him down a mountain slope, across a few snow-laden cliffs, through a frozen ravine dotted with icicles...
This journey involved cliffs, slopes, and ice valleys, many of which were treacherously steep and left no paths. Had Lynch not been agile and equipped with magic, he wouldn’t have made it through.
Even so, there were several places with absolutely no paths, and Parker had to lend a wing to pull him through.
After what felt like forever, Lynch finally arrived at what seemed to be a cave hidden on the mountainside. Thick snow covered the entrance, making it almost imperceptible—a true stroke of luck to find.
"Good thing..."
This was thanks to Parker’s Falcon Vision—a talent it had recently awakened, granting it sharp eyesight comparable to an actual falcon.
Previously, Lynch hadn’t thought much of this ability, but now he saw its immense value. Without it, Parker likely wouldn’t have found the cave so easily.
Inside the cave, Lynch quickly chose a clearing and carefully set Avery down. He then retrieved some wood from his Space Ring and built a basic campfire. With a puff of flame from Parker’s mouth, the fire roared to life.
The wood wasn’t ordinary—it consisted of Magic Materials like Thunderstruck Wood and Red Patterned Oak, worth hundreds of Magic Stones.
But now wasn’t the time to care about cost.
"Crack, pop!"
As the fire blazed, the temperature gradually began to rise. Hoping to accelerate the process, Lynch had Parker use its Flame Breath on various parts of the cave’s walls and floor, spreading warmth rapidly.
With these efforts, the cave’s icy chill finally began to dissipate, replaced by a warm flow of heat.
"Drip, drip..."
The sound of dripping water echoed.
Ice droplets from Lynch’s cloak began falling to the ground, forming small damp patches. After traversing through the raging blizzard outside, the cloak had frozen solid, and the rising heat was now melting the ice.
It seemed the Cleaning Technique embedded in the cloak had malfunctioned due to the cold. After several failed attempts to activate it, Lynch had no choice but to remove the cloak and lay it near the fire, using a Magic Wand to prop it up.
After putting on another cloak from his supplies, Lynch turned his attention back to Avery to look over her condition.
Upon inspection, his brows furrowed deeply.
As if the dangerous conditions earlier weren’t enough, Avery now suffered from a worsening complication—
Hypothermia...
