Tatiana was amused by her enthusiasm.
The flames on her other hand extinguished, the light of her Vision dimmed, and she shook Aqina’s hand in return.
“You’ve got quite a few badges.” Tatiana noticed her bulging waist pouch.
She raised an eyebrow.
“I’m Tatiana, a Pyro Vision holder.
Thanks for this time, but as for joining you?
I’ll have to think about it.” Aqina held her hand, not wanting to let go.
On one hand, she was afraid she would run away.
On the other hand, Pyro Vision holders had higher body temperatures than others, making them exceptionally warm in this frozen wasteland.
It was something one couldn’t help but crave.
“I’m Aqina.” Aqina looked at her, and fearing she might scare the other girl, she resisted the urge and let go.
“No need to thank me.
How about it, big sister, want to team up with me?” Tatiana looked at her awkward arm and frowned.
“You’re pretty badly hurt.” Aqina waved her hand.
“It’s fine, I won’t die.” She walked over to the dead veteran and began skillfully looting, searching for useful supplies.
Compressed rations, a fire starter, and a roll of clean bandages.
And an extra find: a small bottle of hard liquor.
“Not bad,” Aqina nodded in satisfaction and tossed the liquor to Tatiana.
“You should be able to use this.” Tatiana took the liquor, glanced at it, and said, “You’re quite experienced at this.” “If you aren’t enthusiastic about looting, there’s something wrong with your mindset.” Aqina sat down nearby and began re-bandaging her awkward arm.
Her movements were nimble, not like a child who was only in her teens.
Tatiana watched her and suddenly said, “I’ve heard of you, the Undying Cockroach.” Aqina grinned.
“I’m honored.” “Now that I see it…” Tatiana leaned against a rock, unscrewed the liquor, took a swig, and passed it to Aqina.
“Are the rumors true?” Aqina took it and drank a small sip.
The liquor burned her throat, and she hissed.
“So spicy.” She felt her body warm up quite a bit.
“Why did you help me?” Tatiana asked.
“If I had died, my badges would probably be yours.” Aqina finished tending to her arm.
She handed the remaining liquor back to Tatiana and said seriously, “I’m alone, and I have enough badges, but the next few days will get increasingly dangerous for those on their own.
Both new recruits and veterans are teaming up.” “I need a teammate, and I wasn’t joking earlier.” She met Tatiana’s eyes, her amber eyes full of sincerity.
“You’re a good fighter and you have a Pyro Vision.
Our chances of survival will be much higher if we team up.” Tatiana was silent for a moment, then she laughed.
Her laugh was enthusiastic, just like her flames.
“That makes sense.
You look…” She looked Aqina up and down.
“You really are tough.” “More than that.” Aqina laughed and patted her waist pouch.
“The badges in my pocket were all earned by taking others down with me.” “Jumping off cliffs, rolling down slopes, crashing into ice caves—I dare to do it, and I won’t die, but the others don’t dare.” Tatiana’s eyes widened.
“You really don’t value your life.” “I do, that’s why I have to gamble.” Aqina stood up and moved her shoulder, feeling much better.
She knew the position last time wasn’t right.
“How about it, big sister Pyro, want to team up?
We’ll split the loot evenly.
If there’s danger, you retreat first, and I’ll cover the rear.
Anyway, I can’t die.” Tatiana looked at the Damselette, who was covered in injuries but whose eyes were startlingly bright.
She suddenly found it very interesting.
She reached out her hand.
“Deal.
But you don’t need to cover the rear.
I’m not a pushover.” They shook hands.
Aqina smiled even more happily.
“Great, now there’ll be one more person to help with the looting.” Tatiana was stunned for a moment, then she burst into laughter and gave Aqina’s shoulder a hard pat.
She happened to hit the injured arm.
Aqina felt a sharp pain and gasped.
“You,” Tatiana shook her head.
“I really didn’t expect the legendary Snow Ghost to be like this.” “Rumors are always exaggerated.” Aqina blinked.
“But the most exaggerated part—the ‘undying’ part—is true.” “I can see that.” Tatiana looked at her arm, curious and inquisitive.
“Can you really not die?” “As long as I’m not decapitated, have my heart dug out, blown to pieces, burned to ashes, starved to death, or frozen to death…
I probably won’t die from anything else.” Aqina said nonchalantly.
“My recovery speed is much faster than normal people.
Broken bones usually heal in two or three days.
Deeper wounds take about the same time to heal, but unfortunately, it still hurts.” Tatiana suddenly added, “No wonder they call you the Undying Cockroach.” “Cockroaches, they do have tenacious vitality.” Aqina smiled self-deprecatingly.
“Snezhnaya is so cold, and yet these things still exist.” Tatiana suddenly remembered something and laughed out loud.
“You know, my hometown is in the southern region.
When the house warms up in the winter, cockroaches really do crawl out.” “I was terrified of cockroaches when I was a kid.
Every time I saw one, I’d get a fright, and my dad would tease me, He said, ‘You’re a Pyro Vision holder, and you’re afraid of bugs?
Why not just burn them with fire?'” Aqina grinned and asked, “Did you burn them?” “I did!” Tatiana gestured.
“I set the cabinet on fire too, almost burned the whole house down, and got chased for several streets by my dad.” The two girls laughed heartily in the frozen wasteland.
It was like casual small talk after a meal.
After laughing enough, Tatiana wiped away the tears from her laughter and looked at Aqina.
“Seriously, with this ability, why do you have to risk your life so much?
You could just survive by lying low, right?” “I want to live better.” Aqina put away her smile and looked toward the distance of the valley.
“It’s not just about being alive; it’s about living well with choices.
In the Fatui, the weak have no right to choose.
I want to climb up, climb until no one can decide my life and death at will.” Tatiana looked at her and nodded heavily after hearing her words.
“That’s ambitious.
For the next few days, I’ve got your back!” “Then I’ll rely on you, Lighter.” Aqina giggled.
“Go to hell!” Tatiana made a move to hit her, but Aqina dodged agilely.
The two of them played around for a while.
They began packing up, preparing to leave the battlefield; staying too long might attract others.
Just in case, they still had to be cautious.
The two successfully changed their position.
Tatiana melted a patch of ground, started a fire, and the two sat together to roast their rations.
“By the way,” Tatiana asked while chewing.
“Did you just call me Lighter earlier?” Aqina played dumb.
“Ah, it just slipped out.” Tatiana retorted, “You, Cockroach.” “That’s how we cockroaches are.” Aqina said solemnly.
Tatiana laughed again, shook her head, and continued eating her rations.
Aqina took a sip of water.
“Forced by circumstances.” She suddenly said seriously, “For the next few days, I suggest we take the initiative and target those squads we’re sure we can handle.
Your flames are too conspicuous, so we need to make it quick—hit and run.” “I’ll listen to you.” Tatiana had no objections.
“You look much more experienced than me.” “Experience gained from dying.” Aqina said cheekily.
The two finished resting and prepared to hunt for prey.
Tatiana led the way, her fiery red long hair fluttering in the wind and snow.
Aqina trailed half a step behind, looking at her, and felt that this frozen wasteland wasn’t so unbearable after all.
She had a teammate; at least for now, she wasn’t alone.
Lighter and Cockroach.
This combination was quite a match.
What Aqina didn’t expect was that she would soon meet her next teammate.
Shortly after, as they were passing through an ice crevice, they heard a faint cry for help.
It was a boy’s voice, full of despair and trembling.
“Is anyone there?
Save me…
I don’t want to die…
Wuwuwu.” Tatiana and Aqina exchanged a look.
“Go check it out?” Tatiana asked.
Aqina nodded, the tetanus blade already in her hand.
“Watch out for ambushes.” The two cautiously approached, following the sound.
Deep in the ice crevice, a boy was pinned under an ice pillar, with only his upper body exposed.
His face was blue and purple, and his breathing was weak.
A squad of Hilichurls was circling around him.
At their head was none other than: A Frostarm Lawachurl.
When Aqina saw the Frostarm Lawachurl, she wanted to curse at the kid.
This, what the hell, was an elite boss!
Where did you pull that aggro from!