Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44 Second Floor Hall

Chapter 44 Second Floor Hall

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30

+20 Free Coins

“I really don’t need all this. It’s way too much, and it’ll just weigh my pack down. You’re plenty strong already–eating these will only make you stronger!”

Riley looked down at the armful of sweet–smelling pastries and didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh.

This girl. She’d just warned her not to be so trusting, and here she was, handing over everything she had.

Still…

Riley picked up a matcha cookie and took a bite.

Crispy, lightly fragrant, sweet but not cloying.

“Ate matcha cookie. Agility +1 for 10 minutes.”

Definitely useful.

But after the last fight, she’d already stuffed herself with too many healing sweets. She was kinda sick of the taste by now.

“Alright, I won’t say no then.” Riley tucked the pastries into her pack. “In return, if you ever run low on supplies, come to me first. I’ll give you a good deal.”

She made sure to leave the offer open. Fair exchange kept things balanced–she wasn’t keen on playing the selfless helper either.

“Really? That’s awesome!” TartKing’s eyes lit up. “After we get out of here, can I add you as a friend?”

Riley met her hopeful gaze.

She was used to working solo. But in a world this cold, having someone who could whip up powerful buff food without any hidden agendas–a personal cook, basically–didn’t sound like a bad idea. Well, we’ll see.

“We’ll talk once we’re out.” Riley stood and brushed the dust from her clothes. “Come on, let’s check out the entrance to the second floor. That’s… where things will probably get real.”

TartKing quickly stowed her frying pan, gripped the spear tightly, and followed.

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14:01 Tue, May 5

Chapter 44 Second Floor Hall

“Boss, look at that mushroom! It’s glowing!”

“Don’t touch it. Probably poisonous.”

+20 Free Coins

Down in the underground passage, Riley walked ahead, an axe in each hand. She couldn’t help but sound a little weary answering the curious girl behind her.

TartKing stayed close on her heels, holding the steel spear Riley had given her. She was already way better off than before, when she’d just swung a skillet around like some helpless newbie. But that sweet, naive streak of hers wasn’t going away anytime soon.

The dungeon felt off. It was nothing but winding hallways of mossy brick, torches flickering endlessly on the walls. Every so often, something would crawl out of the shadows.

“Boss, how much farther?” TartKing carefully stepped around a suspicious–looking patch of greenish sludge and kept her voice low.

“Should be close. From what everyone’s saying in the channel, just ahead is the transfer point to the second floor.”

They hadn’t run into any real trouble along the way.

Ordinary skeletons and cave spiders went down in one hit against Riley’s strength–which, with the cake buff, was sitting at 23 now.

Even when some dumb creature tried to ambush them, between Riley’s accurate spear throws and TartKing’s surprisingly effective “distract–and–feed” tactic, they handled it without a sweat.

Once, TartKing even came up with a new use for the spear–skewering.

She’d impaled a charging pink bat right through the chest, then turned to Riley and asked, completely serious, if they could roast it over a fire.

The look on Riley’s face in that moment was priceless.

“We’re here.”

They rounded the last corner, and the space opened up before them.

It was a massive underground hall.

The ceiling soared dozens of feet high, studded with glowing fluorite that lit the whole place up like daylight. In the center stood an ancient stairway entrance, flanked by stone carvings of demonic faces that gave off a faint, eerie blue glow.

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14:01 Tue, May 5

Chapter 44 Second Floor Hall

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Survivors had already gathered in every corner of the hall.

A quick estimate put at least a couple hundred people there.

30

+20 Free Coins

They stood around in small clusters. Some had built small fires and were cooking, others were patching up wounds, and a few were shouting about one thing or another.

The place felt like a temporary safe zone–and the calm before the storm.

The moment they stepped into the hall, a system notification popped up.

“Hall Leading to Second Floor

“Note: No monsters will spawn in this area. HP regenerates slowly here.”

“Whoa! So many people!” TartKing’s eyes went wide. She leaned in and whispered to Riley.

After being abandoned earlier, it was clear Riley was the only one she trusted now.

Riley wasn’t surprised. There were still thousands left alive on the server overall. This was just a fraction–others were probably holed up elsewhere, or at different second–floor entrances.

They found a quiet spot along the wall and sat down.

Riley didn’t head straight for the stairs. Instead, she quietly watched the activity in the hall. This was where information gathered. And the best place to get a read on people.

“Group forming right here! Strong tank leading! Follow orders and we’ll clear the second floor, guaranteed! Just one decent blueprint as payment!”

A big guy in heavy plate armor stood up on a chunk of rubble, yelling. He was holding a large, intimidating–looking shield. A handful of nervous–looking newcomers hovered nearby.

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