Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176 The Scholar In The Fog

This was top–tier material for crafting Epic purple gear!

Next was a massive, crackling slab of Thunder Crystal Carapace.

Scorpion Plate (Armor Material)

There were also two skill books:

+20 Free Coins

“Skill Book: Thunderclap (Warrior/Rare) – Consumes significant stamina to stomp the ground, releasing lightning energy that briefly paralyzes nearby enemies.”

“Skill Book: Shadow Step (Assassin/Rare)”

But the real jackpot was tucked at the very bottom of the chest: several cubes radiating an ethereal blue light.

“High–Purity Mana Core x 5”

“Description: An ancient core brimming with energy. Can be used as a power source for various structures, such as Teleportation Gates.”

A gate power source!

Riley’s eyes sharpened. She had the Guild Charter, she had the “Basic Teleportation Gate Blueprint” from Nightshade’s drop, and now she had the power supply.

Once she got back to the frozen wastes and set up her Guild, she could bridge the gap between them.

The three of them–even if they were hundreds of miles apart–could visit and support each other at a moment’s notice!

“Loot distribution time!”

PineappleBeer didn’t stand on ceremony, snatching up the “Shadow Step” book and the venom sacs.

“I’ll take these. Riley, you should keep the carapace and the Warrior skill. As for the stinger, we can save that for Tartking to craft into a lightning–infused staff. A shock–priest? That sounds like a hell of a build.”

C

As they sorted through the spoils, Riley casually swiped at a few low–level Static Jerboas that tried to sneak up on them.

These Level 5 nuisances didn’t even require skills anymore. A single flick of her wrist sent them flying, turning them into bundles of floating materials.

“Useless trash. The level is too low for decent drops, but I guess the pelts are worth a few points.”

Riley shook her head, expertly shoving several Charged Rat Pelts into her bag.

Once the battlefield was picked clean, they turned and headed deeper into the heart of Thunder Canyon.

Tartking walked in the center, clutching the raw scorpion stinger. Even though it wasn’t a staff yet, the faint arcs of electricity dancing across it made her feel much safer.

The duo of Tartking and Riley was already enough to keep common monsters at bay. Adding PineappleBeer to the mix made them

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12:24 pm P PPP.

Chapter 176 The Scholar In The Fog

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literal force of nature, turning every monster on the road into loot.

“Been a while since we saw a decent drop,” Riley grumbled.

“I was thinking the same thing. Is one of you guys rubbing your bad luck off on me? I’m usually way luckier than this,” PineappleBeer teased.

Suddenly, PineappleBeer stopped in her tracks, her eyes lighting up. “Wait! A Wandering, Merchant! I take it back!”

Riley looked where PineappleBeer was pointing.

Nestled beneath the massive root system of an ancient tree was a sudden, flickering glow of warm yellow light.

The tree was colossal, at least 33 feet in diameter, with roots that coiled like sleeping dragons to form a natural alcove. A makeshift but stylish stall had been set up using thick burlap and planks.

A brass oil lamp hung above the stall, cutting through the thin mist.

Behind the counter sat a figure, nose buried in a book.

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It was a young–looking man in a sharp, grey–brown scholar’s robe, with a gold monocle perched on his nose. He held a thick, vellum–bound tome.

The most striking feature was his pointed ears, which stood out clearly in the lamplight.

“An elf?” Riley instinctively tightened her grip on her axes.

In this world of slaughter, everything that wasn’t a teammate was a potential threat.

“Relax, it’s just a Wandering Merchant,” PineappleBeer said, her posture loosening. “They’re hidden Easter eggs in these instances. They aren’t exactly rare, but you don’t run into one every day.”/

The three tucked their weapons away and approached the stall.

The elven merchant had clearly known they were there for a while, but he didn’t look up until they were right in front of him. He slowly closed his book, adjusted his monocle, and offered a practiced, professional smile.

“Welcome, travelers from afar.”

The merchant’s voice was smooth as silk with a scholarly air. “I am Good, a trader who walks between the planes. You three look like you’ve been through the wringer. Are you here to offload some dead weight? Or are you looking to buy a bit of survival capital?”

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” Pineapple Beer said.

She was a veteran at this, dumping a massive pile of random monster materials onto the rickety wooden table. These were just proof–of–kill tokens–useless for crafting but valuable for trade, much like the skulls Riley had looted from the undead in the city

ruins.