Chapter 124: The Hot Springs

“Roar!” The Snow Lion King let out a mighty roar, opening its massive jaws to unleash a chilling breath straight toward us.

We quickly dodged aside, evading the freezing air before charging again in our original direction. The Snow Lion King growled fiercely, slamming its palms into the snow before it. In the next instant, it hurled a block of ice at me, but at that very moment, Dragon Zhan collided with it, shattering the ice.

“Roar!” Dragon Zhan bellowed, driving his black sword deep into the Snow Lion King’s left shoulder. A damage number of 2380 floated above the beast. At the same time, Amaterasu leapt high, stamping her left foot onto the Snow Lion King’s head, then moving to its nape to deliver a rapid series of devastating strikes.

-3240, -3244, -3533... a continuous string of damage appeared. The Snow Lion King roared again, suddenly leaping into the air, thrashing wildly across the snow, trying to shake Amaterasu off.

Amaterasu immediately jabbed her twin blades into the Snow Lion King’s nape, causing it to howl in pain. Meanwhile, Sonic Wolf and I pounced on the beast, launching a fierce assault. I climbed onto Sonic Wolf’s back, who bit down hard on a chunk of the Snow Lion King’s flesh without letting go, while I hammered the beast relentlessly with my Ruyi Staff.

-345, -360, -380... Our damage couldn’t quite measure up, but the Snow Lion King was clearly struggling. In agony, it dove headfirst into the snow. Sonic Wolf bit off another chunk before retreating with me.

Amaterasu released her grip just as the Snow Lion King burrowed beneath the snow, falling herself but quickly rolling to her feet. We waited silently for the creature to resurface.

With a faint gurgling sound and a sharp instinct for danger, Shadow suddenly rolled aside. Just as he dodged, a massive white figure burst from the snow where Amaterasu had stood moments before.

“Just waiting for you to show yourself!” Amaterasu landed fiercely, stomping the ground and springing back in a swift counterattack. As the Snow Lion King emerged, she leapt again, landing atop its back.

Sonic Wolf lunged once more, sinking his teeth in.

“Dragon Zhan, restrain it!”

“Yes, master!” came the response, and with force, Dragon Zhan knocked the Snow Lion King down. The beast writhed desperately on the ground, wailing incessantly.

“Roar!” The enraged Snow Lion King instantly went berserk, its white face flushed red as it surged upright, slamming us aside. It opened its jaws wide, hurling a massive ice block toward me.

“Dragon Zhan!” someone shouted.

“Yes, master!” Dragon Zhan answered promptly, exhaling scorching flames. There was a thunderous explosion as fire collided with ice.

Amidst flying shards of shattered ice and the Snow Lion King’s terrified expression, we prepared to charge. But suddenly, the beast howled again, and dozens of Snow Lions erupted from the snow. Within moments, more than a hundred of the creatures surrounded us, recklessly charging. Meanwhile, the heavily wounded Snow Lion King began to retreat.

“Dragon Zhan, intercept it!” I shouted, striking the nearest Snow Lion’s chest with my staff, then reaching out to grab another’s head, activating “Grab Bomb.” A crisp explosion sounded, mingled with the Snow Lion’s agonized cries and a spray of blood, earning me experience.

“Roar!” A mighty roar echoed as Dragon Zhan successfully knocked down the wounded Snow Lion King, pinning it to the ground with his black sword. Bright red blood stained the pristine snow.

“Ding~! Quest complete: The White Giant Beast of the Snow Mountain defeated. Reward: 300,000 experience points and a random purple item.”

“Done!” I raised two fingers in triumph. With the boss defeated, the Snow Lions quickly dispersed, and we began to clean up the battlefield.

The Snow Lion King dropped only 30 gold coins and four red-tier pieces of equipment—enough to sell for some money. I didn’t recall using a town portal scroll because I had a destination in mind: the Eternal Snow Mountain at coordinates 701, 7300. Here lay the central NPC village named Biluocun—an appealing name. This village was the eastern gateway deeper into the Eternal Snow Mountain, a top-tier leveling spot and a favored rest area for players. Although it existed since the server’s launch, players couldn’t reach it initially. Now, it was bustling, most notably because of a must-visit location: the Hot Springs. This made it a highly popular tourist spot among players.

Splash! I dove into the steaming hot spring pool. Though I hadn’t experienced such comfort in real life, I couldn’t miss it here in the game. “So comfortable!” I stretched luxuriously in the warm water.

“Indeed, very comfortable, Master. It’s my first time soaking in a hot spring,” Amaterasu remarked.

“Same here... Woah! Amaterasu, how did you get in here?” At that moment, Amaterasu’s bare form appeared beside my right hand. Meanwhile, I heard the rapid pounding of my own heart. Watching her nonchalantly at my side, my heart threatened to burst from my chest. Such a feeling usually signaled danger.

Amaterasu, now less than a meter away, was undeniably the source of temptation and sin. I forced myself to remember this was just a game; Amaterasu was merely a collection of data. Yet her wet, clinging red hair upon my shoulder and cheek, the pink strawberry-like blush trembling atop her pure, soft chest, and the faintly visible secret places beneath—all this set my blood boiling wildly.

I longed to do something, to touch something. My body craved it! No, my mind was beginning to blur! My summoned beast would never refuse any command from its master.

All I had to do was reach out, say “Come here!” and she would obey—100% loyal to my orders. From there, I could do whatever I wished.

No, no, no! Absolutely not! This was crazy—I could never harbor such impure thoughts about a mere collection of data. But honestly, this game felt too real—far more thrilling than any adult film.

“Your face is so red! Are you alright, Master?” Amaterasu placed a hand on my forehead.

I stammered, “I-I'm fine—dispel summon!” I shouted, and Amaterasu vanished before my eyes. I exhaled deeply.

“Master, why did you recall me? Don’t you want to bathe together with Amaterasu?” her voice echoed in my mind.

“N-no, it’s not like that... actually, well...” I began, words tumbling in confusion.

“Master, do you know how hot springs are formed?” Amaterasu suddenly asked.

“I’m not sure,” I replied.

“Many say hot spring water boils because a magma dragon lives underground, releasing immense heat that warms the water,” she explained.

“Who told you that?” I quickly dismissed her explanation.

“Master, have you heard of mixed bathing?” Amaterasu asked again.

“N-no, I haven’t,” I answered.

“Then let me tell you,” she said, appearing suddenly before me and leaning against me. Despite struggling with my last ounce of strength, my meager attack power was no match for hers. I tried to resist but sat helplessly as she gently grasped my wrists with both hands, then tenderly placed my hands onto her trembling, firm chest.

I wanted to pull my hands away, but Amaterasu’s strength could have sent me flying into the sky with a single blow. Trying to resist was hopeless.

A subtle sensation crept into my mind. This NPC was far too bold, more like a real person than artificial intelligence. I lost all control over my body as I cupped her smooth, delicate chest in my hands... (What happened next, you can imagine for yourselves.)

(The reason hot springs are warm is due to two main causes: one is the heat from magma beneath the earth’s crust or volcanic activity. In volcanic or mountainous areas formed by tectonic plate movements, underground magma releases vast amounts of heat. If water-bearing rock layers near the surface have pores, they heat up and often boil, producing steam—usually sulfur springs.)

(The second cause involves surface water percolating down, becoming groundwater heated by geothermal energy. This hot water often contains gases, primarily carbon dioxide. When heated, pressure builds beneath impermeable rock layers until cracks allow hot water and steam to surge upward. As the water rises, pressure lessens, gases expand, and density decreases, promoting circulation and continuous flow to the surface, forming hot springs.)

(So, Amaterasu’s story was far from the truth. That explanation was too fanciful. Well, that concludes today’s update. See you all tomorrow.)