Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Frost Troll

Riley reached a fork in the tunnel.

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The path to the left carried a faint whistle of moving air. The one to the right felt darker and smelled of damp earth.

Just as she was weighing her options, quick footsteps echoed from the left passage–followed by frantic, shouting voices.

“Go, go, go!”

“You’re blocking me!”

Before Riley could even call out, she slipped back into the shadows along the wall.

Two battered–looking players stumbled into view–a man and a woman.

The one in front wore a thick winter coat. Behind him was a young woman in denim overalls, clutching something round and metallic. The light was too poor to make it out clearly.

Right on their heels was a monster, close to ten feet tall, covered in shaggy white fur and swinging at massive bone club. It roared as it chased them.

“Monster: Frost Troll (Elite/Lv.8)

“Description: Patrol of the first dungeon level. Extremely durable and possesses fearsome strength.” Seeing the troll about to catch up, the man in the coat suddenly kicked the girl behind him backward, sending her sprawling. He then darted forward, rushing straight past Riley’s hiding spot.

The troll slowed just for an instant, then resumed its pursuit, club raised high.

Riley gritted her teeth. No way was she letting that guy get away clean. She stepped forward and grabbed his arm.

He was average height, with several days‘ worth of stubble.

“What’s your problem? Let go!” he yelled, startled at first, then turning aggressive when he saw it was just another player.

“If you wanna stand around and die, fine–but don’t take me down with you, asshole.”

Had he just run, Riley might’ve left it alone. But using someone else as a distraction to save his own skin? That crossed a line.

The man was reasonably built, but in Riley’s grip he felt like a scrawny kid. All he could do was curse. Ignoring his swearing. Riley tightened her hold, spun slightly, and hurled him straight toward the troll.

He slammed hard into the creature’s legs.

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Chapter 40 Frost Troll

The troll staggered, roared in anger, and without hesitation brought its club down on the man

“Constitution: 7 Health: 50”

A single blow nearly finished him.

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Dazed, the man struggled to his knees and immediately reached for the girl nearby–clearly intending to use her as a shield again.

“Frost Troll (Elite/Lv.8)”

Level eight.

The highest–level monster Riley had encountered so far.

With this game’s system, each level added +1 to every stat. This thing’s base attributes had to be high to begin with.

Add the “Elite” modifier and that thick, damage–absorbing fur, and its combat power was in a totally different league from those brittle skeletons she’d fought before.

But…

Riley tightened her grip on her hand axes, feeling strength surge through her limbs.

She was Level 4 now. Between her base stats and the bonus from her “Unlucky Fool” title, her strength had broken past 20–all the way to 21.

Even with

for el

a

“Aahht C

the

gap, raw difference in power might not be as wide as it seemed.

The girl who’d just scrambled up screamed as she saw the troll attack the man/At least she had enough sense to dodge when he tried to grab her again, lurching sideways out of his reach.

Riley hesitated for less than half a second.

Alright, fine. I’ll step in.

She wasn’t cold–hearted enough to stand by while someone was killed right in front of her. In this brutal game, you had to be careful around other people–but helping when you could was still basic humanity.

And besides…

That was an elite monster.

Taking it down would mean serious experience and loot.

If things went south, she could always run. With Agility by ten now, outrunning this big, clumsy thing

shouldn’t be hard.

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Chapter 40 Frost Troll

Decision made, Riley pushed off from the ground and shot forward.

“Stay–stay away from me!”

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The injured man managed to rise, flashed a spear into his hands, and tried to fight back. But the difference in strength was overwhelming. The troll slammed him into the tunnel wall like a ragdoll.

“Hey–catch!” The girl nearby suddenly threw something toward the downed man.

Riley squinted. It was a cupcake.

Seriously? He uses you as a human shield and you’re throwing him a cupcake? What’s next, you toss him a thank–you

card?

Then the troll swung its club again, and the man’s figure vanished–either dead or teleported out.

The troll turned, snarling, and loomed over the young woman.

She finally seemed to snap out of her panic and tried to bolt, but the troll blocked her path with its massive club.

All she could do was clutch the thing in her hands tighter… a frying pan?

Yep–the kind one cook eggs in.

She looked to be in her early twenties, hair pulled into a messy ponytail. Her clothes seemed thrown on in haste, and her face was smudged with dirt. Now she stood trembling, waving around a “weapon” that looked utterly useless against a monster like this.

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