Chapter 134

Winter (2)

I had thought this many times before, but God definitely hated me.

Otherwise, He wouldn’t have sent a blizzard specifically to stop me from renovating my home.

’But didn’t I hate Him first?’

I had spent my entire life blaming God because I didn’t want to hate people.

Had that snowball finally rolled all the way back to me?

Lost in this mixture of armchair philosophy and nonsense, I waited for the blizzard to stop.

The situation outside the cave was nothing short of a natural disaster. The entire landscape was buried in snow.

I had never experienced a blizzard even on Earth, so encountering one after coming here was absurd.

Title: Save me

Wild Grylls

(Photo of the blizzard raging outside the cave)

Now there’s a blizzard too. Somebody save me.

└ Heavenly Demon: What utter chaos. The weather does whatever it pleases.

└ Sword Master: The animals living there are fascinating too. How do they survive in such an environment?

└ Wild Grylls: I think they instinctively know what’s coming. Wonmo gaining weight proves it.

└ Heavenly Demon: Wonmo aside, did Fast Sloth show no changes?

└ Wild Grylls: Nope. Nothing in particular. It still has the same stupid expression.

└ Those creatures survived because they’ve adapted, kek.

└ I wonder what the gorillas are doing.

└ Eating bananas, probably.

└ What if yellow dust blows in during spring too? Kekeke.

└ Where would the sand come from?

└ The terrain across the river changes all the time. If it turns into a desert during the spring season, the dust could blow over from there.

└ That makes enough sense to be terrifying, kekekeke.

└ If yellow dust really comes, it’ll be legendary, kekeke.

A blizzard was already bad enough, but yellow dust in spring?

That would drive me completely insane.

The problem was that the possibility wasn’t merely nonzero—it was actually rather high.

This damned forest was a place where miracles manifested and the impossible became possible.

Even the sea and river had overturned common sense. There was no reason the weather would be any different.

’At least the blizzard has stopped.’

The blizzard that had descended as though determined to sweep everything away had completely vanished.

All it left behind was an even thicker layer of white garbage.

Thank goodness this wasn’t the military.

When garbage fell from the sky there, clearing it was a never-ending task.

’And I don’t know when another blizzard might come.’

I should hurry.

I grabbed my pickaxe and climbed onto the part of the ceiling I had previously selected.

I wasn’t going to break through the entire ceiling immediately. That would only create more work and waste time.

Clang! Clang! Crunch!

I opened only a small hole.

Then I stuck my face through it and looked down into the cave.

Fast Sloth was staring up at me with its usual vacant expression.

Now I simply had to use this hole as a starting point and gradually build the brickwork upward.

Before that, I should boil some water to thaw the soil—

’Ah. Right.’

I realized something belatedly.

I opened the valve connected to the hose to check whether water would come out.

Just as I had feared, nothing emerged despite the open valve.

The river had probably frozen.

Even if it hadn’t, the water inside the hose itself might have frozen solid.

’I’ll have to make water from snow.’

Fortunately, the recent blizzard meant I could use snow instead.

So much had accumulated in that short time that it squeaked beneath my feet.

While waiting for the water to boil, I decided to prepare the foundation for the fireplace.

The structure itself wasn’t difficult, but since it was my first time building one, I had every reason to proceed carefully.

’Before stacking the bricks, I need to start with the floor...’

I repaired the floor before laying any bricks.

I designed it so that the ashes wouldn’t pile up inside but would collect underneath, while fresh air could flow in smoothly from outside.

There were so many features to consider that I had to move repeatedly between the inside and outside of the cave.

However, temperature control was directly tied to my survival.

As long as it kept me from freezing to death, the effort was worthwhile.

People from warm regions might not understand, but winter was mercilessly harsh in most parts of the world.

You had to prepare for every threat while the weather was still warm.

Otherwise, you could die from hypothermia, starvation, or any number of other causes.

Since ancient times, Koreans had made such preparations during kimchi-making season.

There was even a saying:

’Every season is merely preparation for winter.’

As I began preparing for the cold, I also started worrying about various illnesses—especially the common cold.

’Why don’t humans have fur? Is it because fur catches fire easily?’

While wondering why humans lacked fur and were therefore so susceptible to colds, I decided to ask the All-Father about it later.

Anyway, I had finished digging the ground. All that remained was to stack the bricks.

Since I planned to apply mud between them like cement, I prepared hot water first.

I was boiling it outside so that I could also use it to thaw the surrounding ground.

"Hm?"

"Kiyuuung..."

But then I noticed a strange animal near the campfire.

At first, I thought it was a raccoon dog, but a closer look revealed that it wasn’t.

It was an animal often mistaken for a raccoon dog—an actual raccoon.

The raccoon was holding both hands toward the campfire to warm them.

It hadn’t entered the cave and was still outside, so I didn’t mind.

However, I planned to chase it away if it stayed too long.

’Or Fast Sloth will teach it a lesson.’

Just as I thought that and picked up the container of hot water, the raccoon glanced at me.

Then it stuck its hands into the campfire.

Literally into the fire.

I couldn’t help but jump in surprise.

That wouldn’t merely burn its hands. Its entire body could catch fire.

But what kind of place was this?

It was the Four Seasons Forest, where small creatures weren’t merely dangerous—they were downright horrifying.

Fwoosh!

The raccoon stared at its hands as they caught fire and began blazing.

Then it put them straight into its mouth.

It looked as though it were eating the flames.

By the time I had become too dumbfounded to speak, the raccoon proudly returned to the forest.

I couldn’t even begin to understand what I had just witnessed.

Did the fire inside its body act as some kind of heater?

’Right. Trying to understand would only hurt me.’

I had more than enough problems of my own.

I began constructing the fireplace as planned.

Lay down one row, apply mud.

Lay down another row, apply more mud.

The dwarf had warned me to make sure everything was firmly secured, so I inspected the brickwork meticulously.

I had originally intended to smear the mud on with my hands, but the weather was too cold, so I bought a tool instead.

After rummaging through the auction house, I found a trowel used for applying cement.

Once I tried it, I wondered how I could possibly have managed without it.

’Now all that’s left is the chimney...’

The chimney was the most difficult part.

It had to narrow as it extended upward.

Mud alone wouldn’t secure it properly as I built higher, so I needed another solution.

’I’ll need a frame.’

Since I was using mud instead of cement, the framework was important.

After considering my options, I purchased a suitably sized iron container from the auction house.

I then stepped outside to do the hammering. I didn’t want to wake Wonmo.

Slice! Slice! Slice!

First, I cut the iron container into flat panels.

A sword infused with aura was more than sufficient.

I then cut away the middle, leaving only the outer edges intact.

With that, the frame was complete.

It was shaped like a squared arch and made from thick iron, so it was sturdy.

’The size should be about right too.’

It would be fine as long as the smoke could escape properly.

If it collapsed...

Well, I would just have to build it more carefully next time.

This was the best I could do.

I continued stacking the bricks one by one until the chimney reached the hole in the ceiling.

The work inside the cave was finished, so I had to head outside again.

I needed to bring wet mud, bricks, a pickaxe, and finally, a hammer.

Crunch! Crack!

I widened the hole with the pickaxe and carefully refined its edges with the hammer.

Since I couldn’t work with perfect precision, the hole ended up wider than the chimney, but that was fine.

I had brought the mud specifically to seal the gaps.

Thanks to my spatial bag, I had been able to carry everything at once.

"Good. Finished!"

After neatly completing the chimney, my makeshift fireplace was finished.

A chimney sticking out of the top of a cave looked somewhat peculiar.

But the job wasn’t truly complete yet.

The most important thing was its performance.

I needed to test whether the fireplace worked properly.

"Whew."

Had the weather grown even colder while I was working?

My breath emerged in a thicker white cloud than before.

I cleared all the stone fragments out of the fireplace and placed firewood inside.

Crackle! Pop! Crackle!

A fire sprang to life, creating a rather picturesque scene.

The sight alone warmed my heart, but I still wasn’t finished.

Cold air continued seeping in through the cave entrance.

I had to block that first.

’The dwarf said to cover it with some well-insulated cloth or leather, right?’

The tiger hide wasn’t nearly large enough.

For now, I would cover the entrance with several layers of large cloth.

This was the perfect opportunity since there was no blizzard.

If I secured them firmly with nails, they should block most of the wind.

Whenever a blizzard struck, I planned to weigh down the cloth hanging along the ground with rocks.

’It’s getting warmer now that the entrance is covered.’

This was why I had built the chimney.

I needed to close the entrance.

When I used an open campfire, leaving the entrance uncovered was the only relatively safe option. A fireplace was different.

I felt comfortable as the cave’s interior gradually grew warmer.

At some point, Fast Sloth had also approached the fireplace and begun warming itself.

"Nice, isn’t it?"

It nodded in response.

For some reason, that made me feel proud.

This was the perfect time to make a Gallery post.

I photographed the fireplace and uploaded the pictures.

Only then did I realize that building it had taken a full two hours.

I had been so focused on the construction that I hadn’t noticed the time passing.

Title: Finished building the fireplace

Wild Grylls

(Photo of the fire burning inside the fireplace)

(Photo of Fast Sloth staring blankly into the flames)

(Photo of Wonmo sleeping beside the fire after wandering over at some point)

This is the makeshift fireplace I spent two hours building. I think I’ll be able to get through winter without too much trouble, haha.

└ Heavenly Demon: I think this every time, but you are remarkably skilled with your hands. To think you could even construct a fireplace.

└ Sword Master: I agree. Were you always good at making things?

└ Wild Grylls: I used to be amazing at folding colored paper.

└ Does that really count as being good with your hands? ;;

└ Of course it does. I can know exactly how to fold something and still fail, kekeke.

└ Some people really are naturally gifted or hopeless with their hands.

└ Passing Dwarf: You did a pretty decent job. Did you apply mud between the bricks?

└ Wild Grylls: Yeah. I also cut and made the frame myself.

└ Passing Dwarf: Oh, nice. Did you check whether smoke is coming out of the chimney?

└ Wild Grylls: I didn’t, but I’m sure it’s fine.

└ Passing Dwarf: Check immediately unless you want them to find your mysterious corpse tomorrow.

└ Wild Grylls: Sounds like a pain.

└ Passing Dwarf: Then die, kek.

It was annoying, but I checked and confirmed that smoke was escaping through the chimney.

Going outside also allowed me to feel just how drastic the temperature difference was.

The fireplace genuinely performed well. The inside of the cave was remarkably warm.

’I should rest for a while.’

Perhaps because I had poured all my concentration into building the fireplace, my body felt heavy with fatigue.

I should eat lunch before resting.

Naturally, I was having smoked meat.

All I had to do was warm it over the fireplace, making it extremely convenient.

’I’ll give the inner core to Fast Sloth. As for Wonmo... I guess I don’t need to give him any?’

Perhaps Wonmo had entered hibernation, because all he did was sleep.

Even while I worked, he remained curled into a ball, sleeping soundly.

I decided not to wake him.

He would get up when he was hungry.

After eating, I browsed the Gallery while waiting for my food to digest.

[Chae-U vs. Beger: Kone scores the opening gooooooal!!!]

’Oh. There was a match today?’

Coincidentally, Cheonggu Princess had uploaded a post about it.

I had been so busy lately that I had forgotten about today’s match.

Cheonggu Princess would probably feel a little disappointed.

I should at least leave a comment now.

I opened the post.

This is what an attacking line looks like! This is Chae-U! This is how you build an attack!! Do you understand now, you filthy Leor vermin?!

└ King Leor: Kekekeke, look how excited you are. You bastards can’t even qualify for the Champions League.

└ Cheonggu Princess: Yeah, well, you’re still going trophyless this season too~

└ King Leor: And have you lot lifted a trophy in the past ten years?

└ Cheonggu Princess: We’re winning the Devil Cup this time. Unlike a certain trophyless team, kek.

└ King Leor: You’ll still crash and burn next season. Enjoy this while you can.

└ Cheonggu Princess: (Video of Leor conceding the opening goal six minutes into the first half) Oh? What’s this? That goal positively reeks!

└ King Leor: When the fuck did Svi concede again? This is fucking bullshit.

Title: Chae-U vs. Beger: Kone scores the opening gooooooal!!!

Cheonggu Princess

(Video of a goal being scored five minutes into the first half)

└ Cheonggu Princess is seriously vicious, kekekeke.

└ Chae-U supporters have always been like that, kekeke.

└ Wild Grylls: There was a match today? I’ve been so busy that I didn’t know. Sorry. Let’s go, Chae-U!

└ Cheonggu Princess: Excellent! Now that the Saint has appeared, we’ll win again today! What score do you predict?

└ Wild Grylls: They often attack like that and then concede. Their defense is weak, so I’m predicting 4–2. Chae-U scores the four, by the way.

└ Cheonggu Princess: Four whole goals! Thank you!

└ King Leor: What score do you predict for us?

└ Wild Grylls: I don’t watch Leor’s matches much, so I’m not sure, but I think you’ll lose. You threw away your lead in the last match too.

└ King Leor: Come on. You said something nice about Chae-U, so why us...?

└ Wild Grylls: You can clearly see their lack of concentration in the goal they just conceded.

└ Cheonggu Princess: How dare you doubt the Saint! How rude!

└ King Leor: Sigh. Svi’s stamina really has declined, so it’s hard to argue with that.

Cheonggu Princess and King Leor fought whenever there was a match.

Opposites attracted, as the saying went.

They supported different teams, but their personalities were remarkably similar.

Whoooooosh—!!!

Had another blizzard started outside while I was browsing the Gallery?

The cloth covering the entrance repeatedly swelled outward before settling down again.

The razor-sharp wind was an added bonus.

With the weather fluctuating so wildly, I should probably avoid outdoor activity for a while.

Rain was irritating enough, but a blizzard was an even greater disaster.

’I should practice my cultivation method.’

I spent an hour circulating my internal energy and another thirty minutes practicing swordsmanship.

By then, the matches should have been ending, so I checked the Gallery.

[Chae-U vs. Beger: Final score 4–2! Chae-U wins despite showing defensive instability, exactly as the Saint predicted!]

[Leor vs. Balrog: Final score 0–2. Leor suffers a shocking defeat after showing signs of declining stamina.]

Everything had unfolded exactly as I had predicted.

Naturally, countless users flocked to my comment to make their pilgrimages to the "holy site."

I felt somewhat uneasy, but I dismissed it as a coincidence.

’More importantly...’

I looked at Fast Sloth, which was still staring blankly into the flames.

It hadn’t behaved like this when I used an ordinary campfire.

Why was it acting that way now?

"Hey. You’ll ruin your eyes. Move back."

"..."

"Come on. I said move back."

I felt as though I finally understood how my mother had felt when she tried to drag me away from the computer.

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