Chen Chen didn't rush. He knew that against a Level 5 Elite Creature, patience was the only armor that mattered.
He spent twenty minutes digging.
Using his shovel, he excavated a deep, narrow trench about thirty meters away from the convenience store ruins, hidden behind a snowdrift. He dug it for an oven.
He lined the bottom of the trench with dry pine logs. Then, he took out the four clumps of [Animal Grease] he had harvested from the boar. He smeared the thick, yellowish fat over the wood.
"Grease burns hotter than wood," Chen Chen muttered, wiping his oily hands on the snow. "And rapid temperature change is the enemy of ice."
He covered the trench with a thin layer of snow, supported by brittle twigs, creating a classic pitfall trap.
It wasn't a sophisticated trap. In a normal RPG, a Level 5 monster would probably sense it. But this was the Glacial Era. The creatures here were apex predators because of their raw power, not their intelligence. The Ice Golem was just a walking block of aggression.
Chen Chen checked his escape route. The snow was packed down. His [Frost-Resistant Boots] gripped the ice perfectly.
He walked out from behind the snowdrift, standing in plain view of the ruins.
The [Ice Golem] was pacing in front of the shattered glass doors, its core pulsing with a rhythmic blue light. It looked like a bodybuilder carved out of a glacier, with icicles for fingers that were longer than butcher knives.
Chen Chen picked up a rock. He weighed it in his hand, took a breath, and hurled it.
The rock bounced harmlessly off the Golem's frozen chest.
The creature stopped. Its head, a featureless block of ice, slowly turned toward Chen Chen. A low, grinding sound emanated from its throat.
"Hey, frostbite!" Chen Chen yelled, banging his spear against his shield. "Come get some heat!"
ROAR!
The Golem didn't run; it charged like a freight train. The ground shook. Snow exploded outward with every step it took.
"Fast!" Chen Chen's pupils constricted.
He turned and ran. He felt the vibration of the heavy footsteps getting closer.
Ten meters. Five meters.
Chen Chen reached the other side of the snowdrift and leaped over his hidden trench. He landed, spun around, and flicked his [Rusty Lighter].
The Golem barreled over the snowdrift, its momentum carrying it forward. Its massive foot slammed down exactly where Chen Chen wanted it.
The twigs snapped. The Golem lurched forward, plunging waist-deep into the trench.
"Now!"
Chen Chen tossed the lit lighter into the pit.
The animal grease ignited instantly. It didn't just burn; it roared. A pillar of orange flame engulfed the Golem's lower body.
The science was simple. The Golem's body temperature was likely -50°C. The fire was over 800°C.
The sound was agonizing. The thermal shock caused massive spiderweb fractures to shoot up its torso.
The Golem thrashed, trying to climb out, but the rapid expansion of the ice caused its arms to crack.
"Immune to piercing?" Chen Chen grinned, stepping closer, shielding his face from the heat. "Let's see about that."
He saw it. Through the cracks in the chest, the glowing blue core was exposed. The protective ice layer had popped off like a heated glass jar.
Chen Chen gripped his [Iron-Tipped Spear] with both hands. He lunged.
The iron tip bypassed the shattered armor and drove straight into the pulsating blue light.
The light flickered once, twice... and went dark.
The Golem froze mid-thrash. Then, it collapsed into a pile of non-sentient slush and steam.
[System: You have killed Level 5 Elite Creature: Ice Golem.]
[Experience +50]
Chen Chen fell back onto the snow, gasping for air. The heat from the pit was still radiating, warming his frozen face.
Ding!
A treasure chest appeared above the steaming pile of slush.
A [Silver Treasure Chest].
Chen Chen's heart hammered against his ribs. Silver! In the global chat, people were celebrating finding a piece of bread. He had just looted a Silver Chest on Day 2.
"The 100% Drop Rate applies to Elites too," he whispered, a giddy laugh bubbling up. "Of course it does!"
He dragged the chest away from the fire and opened it.
[You have obtained: Elemental Core (Ice) x1]
[You have obtained: Blueprint - Heater (Basic) x1]
[You have obtained: Windproof Lighter (Zippo) x1]
[You have obtained: Silver Nugget x2]
"Heater Blueprint..." Chen Chen stared at the holographic scroll.
This was the holy grail. A fireplace was inefficient; it required constant wood feeding and only heated the immediate area. A heater? That was civilization.
But he didn't have time to admire it. The fire was dying down, and the convenience store was waiting.
He walked into the ruins of the "7-Eleven".
It was a mess. Roof collapsed, shelves knocked over. But the cold had preserved everything perfectly.
Chen Chen felt like a kid in a candy store. Literally.
He pulled out a large sack he had crafted from the spare bedding materials.
"Chocolates. High energy. Mine." He swept an entire row of Snickers bars into the sack.
"Canned tuna. Mine."
"Alcohol?" He looked at the shattered liquor shelf. Only three bottles of vodka survived. "Medical disinfectant, fuel, or trading currency. Mine."
He moved to the back counter.
Cigarettes.
Chen Chen didn't smoke, but he knew that in an apocalypse, nicotine was more valuable than gold. It was a stress reliever. He grabbed ten cartons.
Then, he saw the real prize.
Behind the counter, in a locked display case, were boxes of... batteries. And beside them, a few packs of condoms.
"Batteries for electronics. Condoms for... water storage," Chen Chen nodded professionally. "Elastic, sterile, holds up to 2 liters. Survival essential."
He swept it all.
By the time he stepped out of the ruins, his sack was bulging. He was carrying at least 20kg of supplies.
[Inventory Full.]
"I need a bigger backpack," he grunted, hoisting the load.
The sun was setting. The temperature was dropping rapidly again.
He trudged back to his cabin, leaving the smoking pit and the shattered Golem behind.
Back in the safety of the Level 1 Cabin.
Chen Chen dumped his haul onto the wooden floor. The mountain of food, batteries, alcohol, and the gleaming Silver Chest loot looked surreal against the flickering light of the fireplace.
He sat on his bed, eating a Snickers bar, and opened the World Chat.
"I'm done. I can't do this. It's too cold."
"My sister died in my arms an hour ago. She just went to sleep."
"I haven't eaten in 30 hours. I'm hallucinating."
"Does anyone have a match? My fire went out. I'll trade my kidney."
Chen Chen chewed the chocolate slowly. The sweetness was cloying, but the energy rushed through his veins.
He looked at the [Elemental Core (Ice)] he had looted. It was a fist-sized gem, cold to the touch.
[Elemental Core (Ice): A condensed source of frost energy. Can be used to craft magic items or power ice-based machinery.]
And the [Silver Nuggets].
[Silver Nugget: Rare metal. High conductivity. Used for precision electronics.]
He had materials that no one else even knew existed.
"The gap is widening," Chen Chen realized. "While they are fighting for survival, I am starting to industrialize."
He looked at the [Heater Blueprint].
[Basic Heater: Iron Ingot x10, Copper x5, Elemental Core (Any) x1]
"Wait." Chen Chen blinked. "I can use the Ice Core to power a heater?"
He read the description again. Elemental Core (Any). The core acted as the power source, the fuel cell. It didn't matter that it was ice; it was pure energy.
He had the iron. He had the copper (from the meat trade). He had the core.
"Craft."
A sleek, metal device appeared on the floor. It looked like a modern radiator, but instead of a plug, it had a slot in the center.
Chen Chen inserted the glowing blue Ice Core.
The machine hummed. The runes etched on the metal sides glowed orange. Heat consistent, dry, beautiful heat began to radiate from the fins.
[Shelter Temperature: 15°C... 18°C... 20°C.]
Chen Chen took off his heavy jacket. He sat in his T-shirt.
20 degrees Celsius. Room temperature.
In the middle of a global ice age, he was sitting in a T-shirt, eating chocolate, surrounded by piles of supplies.
He took a photo of the thermometer on his system interface.
He opened the [Regional Trade Channel].
He posted the photo.
[Seller: Chen Chen]
[Message: Current Shelter Temp: 22°C. I am looking for long-term laborers. I provide food and safety tips. You provide wood and stone. Who wants a job?]
The chat went silent for three seconds.
Then, it broke the internet.
"22 DEGREES?!"
"Daddy Chen! Hire me! I can chop trees!"
"I will be your slave! Just let me sit in your house for ten minutes!"
"Is he human? How did he get it to 22 degrees?!"
Chen Chen smiled, leaning back on his wooden bed.