Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

By the time they returned to the new camp, the temperature had already plummeted to 3°C.

It was only a matter of time before it dropped below zero. It might not even take five minutes.

”This damn weather is going to kill someone.” After greeting them, Liao Dahai couldn’t help but worry about the sudden, extreme cold.

Even with everything tightly shut indoors, it was still chilly, and a cold draft kept sneaking in through the cracks in the doors and windows.

The first floor of the camping supply store was spacious, but bringing a brazier inside for a fire would risk carbon monoxide poisoning. That was why the couple had been staying warm in their RV when Su Chen and Ruoruo returned.

”Have you eaten? I have dinner ready for you.” Ms. Cheng, wrapped in a thick down jacket, stepped out of the RV, her breath forming a faint mist in the cold night air.

”That’s alright. I brought you some takeout. It’s nourishing and warming; you can have it as a late-night snack.”

Su Chen unloaded his supplies in front of his RV and handed her a box of lamb ribs.

At the same time, he also gave Ms. Cheng a large bag of Red Millet Grain from his canvas backpack. Chores like husking and grinding were naturally left to the professional camp chef.

However, he made sure to compensate her fairly. He took a small vial from his bag, inside of which was a lush, green Rune: Flower Demon Summon Lv4.

”Take it.”

Su Chen had noticed her use the Healing Skill before, so absorbing a Wood Element Rune would be no problem. The two of them were something of an earth-and-wood couple.

”This...”

Ms. Cheng glanced at her husband, a silent understanding passing between them.

She didn’t refuse. After thanking him sincerely, she took the items.

They had learned how to interact with the young man; he disliked disingenuous pleasantries and preferred a direct, efficient, and simple approach.

”I’ll prepare blanched shrimp for you tomorrow morning. As for the Red Millet rice, that will depend on tomorrow’s weather.”

Ms. Cheng explained that without sunlight, they couldn’t air-dry the grain and would have to roast it instead. And if they couldn’t find a stone or wooden mortar at the campsite, there were plenty of other ways to grind it by hand.

Due to the bitter cold, they all returned to their respective RVs after a brief chat.

During their short conversation, the temperature had already dropped to -1°C. The humidity was low and the air was quite dry, but at least it wasn’t a damp, penetrating cold.

The windbreaker Ruoruo wore wasn’t enough to keep out the cold. Her thin athletic pants offered little warmth, and a chill had already seeped deep into her bones.

Su Chen noticed. As soon as he stepped into ’Unit 13’, he switched on the heat and put a kettle on to boil. Compared to her, his Physique’s tolerance for cold and heat was extraordinary; his metabolism was far beyond that of a normal person.

He was, in the truest sense, impervious to the elements.

He immediately stepped back out of the RV. Using a short staff imbued with Water Creation Skill Lv4, he created a stream of fresh water to fill the vehicle’s freshwater tank.

Su Chen had other powerful utility Runes like this on hand, such as Fertility Skill Lv4 and Growth Skill Lv4, just waiting for the right specialist to use them.

Once the tank was full, he retrieved a roll of silver-gray thermal insulation from a rear storage compartment.

He used to love extreme speed skating, so he was no stranger to snowy environments and had firsthand experience protecting pipes in frigid conditions.

Besides activating the RV’s built-in electric anti-freeze system for the tanks, he also manually wrapped their exteriors with an insulating layer.

This two-pronged approach was foolproof.

After finishing everything, Su Chen took out a bottle of antifreeze, opened the hood, and steadily poured it into the diesel engine’s cooling system.

When he went back inside the RV, Yan Ruoruo had already arranged the supplies neatly on the floor. She carefully placed two large boxes of antelope ribs and leg meat in front of the microwave. The takeout had been exposed to the cold air on the way back and was now only lukewarm.

Su Chen walked over and opened the sterilizer cabinet below. ”The plates and bowls are in here.”

After they transferred the meat to ceramic plates, they put them in the microwave to heat up. Then, he pointed to the built-in wardrobe and told her to put away the new clothes that were on the floor.

”Okay.”

Yan Ruoruo readily complied.

She lifted her left hand, and the delicate diamond-chip bracelet on her wrist glowed with a purifying light, cleansing away every speck of dust and dirt. Only then did she take out the clothes, still in their non-woven bags, and gently fold them into the wardrobe.

She also hung up some of the winter clothes.

There was also a gift box of stockings; to save space, Ruoruo simply took them out of the box.

The stockings had been a free gift from the boutique owner, meant to curry favor with the man paying the bill. One obviously couldn’t wear them while exploring a forest, so their only purpose was for some private fun in the bedroom.

”You should take a shower first to warm up.”

After Su Chen got the hot water working in the bathroom, he sat on the sofa, turned on the all-band radio, and took a full inventory of the supplies in his canvas backpack.

By now, the temperature inside was gradually climbing.

Warm air wafted gently from the vent, and the thermometer showed it had reached 20°C.

”...The temperature has now dropped below zero degrees Celsius. Due to the Frost Star-Path passing overhead, a cold wave is expected to continue its approach, and temperatures are projected to drop further. All citizens are advised to take precautions against the cold.”

”The city’s shelters remain open. They are using the Constant Temperature Skill to maintain stable room temperatures and air circulation. Any citizens lacking adequate protection from the cold should immediately head to their nearest shelter.”

It was the calm, measured voice of the announcer, Wenwen.

’I have to admit,’ he thought, ’the public disclosure of the Wind Element Constant Temperature Skill yesterday was a huge help.’

’The Security Committee drew upon its reserves of Rune Essence to quickly assemble multiple Lv5 Constant Temperature Skills and over a dozen Lv4s, distributing them to shelters in need across the city.’