Survival Queen of the Frozen Wastes novel Chapter 604

13:23 Thu, Aug 13

Chapter 604 The Gate to the Next Floor

Chapter 604 The Gate to the Next Floor

Riley stared at the sign a little longer too.

PineappleBeer frowned.

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“The passive experience boost is real, but don’t get your hopes up. If the gains were substantial, every room here would be full.”

A survivor who had just walked out of the inn overheard them and let out a faint laugh.

“It’s not much XP, but the comfort is worth it. You wake up with your spirit restored quickly. Far better than toughing it out in some corner out there.”

Riley looked at him. “Are the team barracks safe?”

The man sized them up briefly. Spotting the high-tier gear on Riley, his tone turned amicable.

“It’s safe. No fighting is allowed inside the inn, and no one dares skip out on payment. Still, it’s pricey. If you’ve got a big group, check the rates first. If the cost is too steep, roughing it outside isn’t the worst option.”

He rubbed his neck and headed toward the potion shop after speaking.

TartKing whispered as she quickly ran the numbers, “Sixty-two people. Even standard rooms would cost over six thousand Frost Tokens a day. The dungeon run still has several days left. We’d burn through way too many tokens.”

Riley held off on making a decision.

They had a stock of Frost Tokens, but no one knew what supplies they would need next.

Potions, gear repairs, new scrolls, spirit recovery meals-everything cost tokens here.

Staying at the inn sounded perfect. It restored stamina and even granted extra experience. But if they spent all their tokens now, they would have no emergency funds left for life-saving supplies.

“We’ll ask about the details first. No final calls yet,” Riley said.

TartKing nodded. “Got it.”

Further ahead lay a much larger public square.

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13:24 Thu, Aug 13

Chapter 604 The Gate to the Next Floor

A circular stone platform stood in the center, holding a towering portal.

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This gate looked far more elaborate than the light gates on previous floors. Its outer frame was lined with black metal, and its interior swirled with deep darkness, hiding whatever lay

beyond. A crowd lingered around the platform, but almost no one dared draw near, merely watching from a distance.

Riley stopped in her tracks.

“The portal to the next floor?”

Pineapple Beer nodded. “It has to be.”

TartKing stared at the gate with a complicated expression. “It’s way too out in the open, sitting right in the middle of town.”

Riley observed it closely and quickly noticed something wrong.

Though the portal stood in plain sight, almost no one approached it.

Nearly every survivor crossing the square subconsciously circled around the stone platform. In everyone’s eyes was not anticipation, but clear avoidance.

A few people sat chatting on the square’s stone steps. As Riley’s group walked past, one of their voices drifted over.

“The Black Fog can’t touch Floor 15. I’m camping here for the rest of the dungeon run. Anyone who wants to head to Floor 16 can go ahead. I’m not dying for nothing.”

Another survivor nodded while chewing dry rations.

“I wanted to push further when I first got here, but I’ve wised up. Greed gets you killed. Our team barely survived Floor 15. There’s no way we’re going deeper.”

“Tell me about it. A top-ten team from my server said they’d clear Floor 16 yesterday. None of them came back.”

“That’s the proof right there. If they did come back, that’d be the real red flag.”

They spoke casually, without passion or regret.

It was as if every survivor here had reached the same unspoken conclusion.

Floor 15 was the safe limit.

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Chapter 604 The Gate to the Next Floor

Pushing onward was not bravery-it was suicide.

“Everyone thinks the same way,” TartKing murmured.

Pineapple Beer stared silently at the portal.

Riley knew she was thinking about Floor 20.

Now was not the time to bring it up.

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All three of them knew the truth. The Hope Guild had already lost six members just clearing the outer area of Floor 15. The entire team was worn thin, their gear damaged and their supplies severely depleted.

In their current state, venturing outside the central hall again was unrealistic, let alone reaching Floor 20.

Riley looked away from the portal.

“Let the team rest first. We’ll put the Floor 20 plan on hold.”

PineappleBeer nodded. “Alright.”

The three circled the square and continued their exploration.

They confirmed several critical pieces of information.

First, the Floor 15 central hall was a genuine safe zone, completely untouched by the Black Fog.

Second, despite looking like a small town, this area still functioned as a central hall under dungeon rules. Public combat was strictly forbidden on the main streets, around shops, the inn, and the square. However, the passive stamina and spirit regeneration granted by previous central halls was disabled here, likely to drive business for the inns.

Third, the portal leading to the next floor sat in the center of town with no hidden restrictions or entry barriers. Even so, almost no one volunteered to step through.

Fourth, the connector was located inside a tall building on the opposite side of the square. It drew the largest crowds and required waiting in line plus a token fee to use.

Fifth, all types of supplies were available here, but at inflated prices. Proper rest and recovery always cost Frost Tokens.

Riley sorted through every detail as they walked.

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13:24 Thu, Aug 13

Chapter 604 The Gate to the Next Floor

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TartKing tracked the prices of potions, food, and inn rooms. PineappleBeer observed the crowd’s behavior and gauged potential threats. Riley memorized every detail that could shape the Hope Guild’s next moves.

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Chapter 605 Sudden Memory Flare

Chapter 605 Sudden Memory Flare

Halfway through their walk, trouble struck out of nowhere.

The three had just stepped out of a scroll shop.

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TartKing clutched a few small defensive scrolls she’d just bought, still grumbling about the price.

“It’s way too expensive. Everyone’s gonna freak when they see the bill. But we had no choice. Our scroll stock is almost empty. What if-”

Her words were cut short when Pineapple Beer abruptly halted.

Riley sensed something was wrong instantly.

“PineappleBeer?”

Pineapple Beer gave no reply.

She lifted a hand to press her temple, her face draining of all color in an instant.

The next second, she doubled over, as if a violent force had slammed straight into her mind. Her Time-Severing Shadow Blade slid half an inch out from her grip before she squeezed down hard to hold it in place.

TartKing’s expression dropped. “Pine!”

Riley caught her at once and guided her to the roadside, away from the passing crowd.

Pineapple Beer’s breathing turned ragged. Cold sweat broke out across her forehead. She held her head tight, her fingers whitening from the sheer force, fighting through crippling agony.

“My head… hurts…”

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