Chapter 149 – Encampment
If another Monster came down from the north…
Zhou Ning would really start to wonder if he'd transmigrated again.
Just as he was about to step off the platform, Zhou Ning suddenly noticed that all the passengers on the steam train had been forced to disembark. It was worth noting that this train was headed for Temple Port—West Lin Town was only the first stop.
Before Zhou Ning could voice his confusion, a staff member in a navy-blue uniform stepped forward to explain:
"We sincerely apologize. Due to the effects of extreme cold weather, small-scale snowstorms have broken out along the railway between Darkland and the southwestern port city, Temple Port. Several trains have come under attack by elemental creatures. We just received a telegram from the railway company—steam train service will be temporarily suspended for the next couple of days until a team of Supernaturals clears out the elemental creatures along the Darkland–Temple route."
Extreme cold weather?
Zhou Ning frowned slightly. Extreme weather was a phenomenon unique to the world of Apocalypse, typically accompanied by violent elemental fluctuations and sudden, dramatic shifts in temperature. It usually only occurred during meteorological surges. It now seemed the attack on the train by the Ice Lord hadn't been a coincidence.
Zhou Ning had joined the game late in his previous life, so he wasn't sure if this particular cold snap had occurred then. But one thing was certain: this wasn't good news.
However, he did remember that the main storyline of the game's second expansion—Elemental Chaos—had started with a large-scale outbreak of extreme weather, affecting nearly every country on the Western Continent. That event hadn't been triggered until over a year after players first entered the game. Clearly, the timeline had been completely thrown off by his actions.
"Senior Wayne, would you like to stay at the school camp with us for a couple of days?" At that moment, Warren Morton caught up and offered with a smile, "We haven't had a proper chance to thank you yet."
Zhou Ning considered it. Not a bad idea! He'd be stuck here for at least a few more days anyway—no reason not to take advantage.
Besides, it wouldn't interfere with his "harvesting" plans.
"Sure. But there's no need to thank me—it was nothing," Zhou Ning smiled and nodded to Warren Morton.
Meanwhile, Cleanslate Brew's heart was pounding. He had a feeling he'd stumbled onto another hidden storyline. Fortunately, ever since encountering the protagonist, he'd kept his recording software running non-stop. He'd already recorded Wayne Sturwell's battle with the Ice Lord on the train—and now he'd captured the staff member's explanation too.
He didn't yet know what "extreme cold weather" meant, but the protagonist showing up in this town could only mean one thing—he was here to deal with it. What, was he supposed to believe he'd come just to harvest players?
Ever since switching to Apocalypse, Cleanslate Brew had been struggling to replicate the success of his earlier "From Zero" videos. He'd been stuck in limbo—popular but not quite viral.
This might finally be his big break.
Zhou Ning had, of course, noticed his ID. Just like XB, Jinse, and Sunken Star Beneath the Water, Cleanslate Brew was another solid backup.
In his previous life, the guy had been a well-known content creator and match commentator. Having him around was like Jonathan Joestar keeping Speedwagon by his side—a built-in narrator. Since he'd made it this far, might as well let him tag along when the chance arose.
After entering the town with Warren Morton and the others, Zhou Ning once again became the center of attention among players. But this time, he chose to ignore their fawning and followed Warren toward the far end of the town.
West Lin Town wasn't very large, but aside from the players, Zhou Ning also saw a large number of stranded travelers. By his conservative estimate, there were at least 600 people here, making the town feel particularly overcrowded.
As Zhou Ning had guessed, the expedition team from Vick University had set up a large camp in the town's northwest corner. Tents made from a black material called Blyce were everywhere. This fabric was incredibly durable—resistant to cold, wind, and corrosion—and was commonly used for umbrellas as well. On top of that, each tent was protected by a faint purple dome generated by the Arcane Protection spell, a skill from the arcane magic school. It served to block wind and rain while also keeping out wild animals and low-level elemental creatures.
This setup was far cozier and safer than staying in a random inn in town.
Zhou Ning couldn't help but feel he'd made the right choice.
The leader of the Vick University group was Vice Chancellor Edwin Herkris—a professor in the meteorology department and a senior bishop of the Temple of Earth Church.
When Warren Morton recounted the events on the steam train in full, a rare smile appeared on Edwin's usually stern face. He tapped his chest four times in the shape of a diamond, drawing the sacred emblem of the Temple of Earth.
"Well done, Sturwell. On behalf of the university, thank you for everything you've done. When we return, I'll request that a few extra credits be added to your record."
At Bryston, it was common for students and faculty to address each other by surname. Zhou Ning was slightly surprised, but he smiled and replied, "As I told Warren before—it was nothing."
Edwin chuckled. "A certain unknown sage once said: 'Bestow kindness without seeking repayment. Give generously and never regret it.' Weslay was right—you truly are the finest student in this year's alchemy program."
Zhou Ning: …
That line, when properly translated, should read: Show kindness without expecting anything in return. Give without regret. It was a line from The Taishang Induction Chapter. Way to go, One Piece. Zhou Ning couldn't help but throw some internal shade.
After chatting with Edwin for a bit longer, Zhou Ning was granted residence in the camp and assigned a tent right next to Warren Morton's.
"We're just getting lunch ready—want to join us?" Warren asked with a smile after helping Zhou Ning settle into his tent.
Zhou Ning rubbed his stomach. He hadn't had a bite to eat since morning, so he followed Warren to a large tent in the center of camp—the temporary mess hall.
Inside, Zhou Ning spotted Rosie Lily. The long-legged girl was, as expected, a serious overachiever. In addition to her roles as alchemy teaching assistant and shop clerk, she was currently acting as the camp cook, diligently toasting slices of bread.
Gotta admit, she looked pretty cute when she was focused.
"I'll take two servings of crispy toast and a sausage," Zhou Ning said, tapping the counter lightly.
"What are you doing here?" Rosie blinked in surprise at him, clearly caught off guard. But after a moment, she gave a small nod and her movements became noticeably livelier. Not long after, she brought over several slices of golden, crispy toast. They looked quite appetizing.
Zhou Ning thanked her and devoured the meal in just a few minutes.
After some light chit-chat with Rosie, Zhou Ning left the mess tent and began strolling through the camp—partly to aid digestion, partly to survey the surroundings.
Snow was now falling even harder outside, and several students were out shoveling paths through the accumulating drifts.
The camp was fairly close to the meteorological surge they planned to investigate. From the camp, Zhou Ning could already see it faintly in the distance.
Standing still and gazing out toward the chaotic storm, Zhou Ning could just make out several towering stone pillars reaching into the sky.
In his past life, Zhou Ning had once explored a minor meteorological surge located on the border between Bryston and Ruins. The weather inside was violently unstable, filled with countless elemental and supernatural creatures—as well as undiscovered strange artifacts, supernatural materials, and powerful magical items. There were even phantoms of divine beings within, remnants of the ancient divine war that formed the foundation of these surges. Once those phantoms vanished, the meteorological vortex itself would eventually dissipate as well.
Exploring these weather surges was one of the core gameplay mechanics of Apocalypse. Yet even by the third expansion in his previous life, no player team had ever fully cleared one.
They were the epitome of danger and opportunity entwined.
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