The surface was shrouded in darkness. After another harsh winter, the entire globe was frozen solid. Icicles as thick as bowls hung from the eaves, and many houses in the village had collapsed under the weight of the snow and ice.
But none of that mattered. This place had been abandoned long ago.
With no sunlight, there would likely be no more warm springs with blooming flowers. The world would remain frozen. Fortunately, the Underground Cities' ecosystems were already established, so the impact wasn't too significant.
Due to the "global hibernation," the Mountain Guardian Beasts that had been stationed on the surface had all been moved underground, leaving their original lairs empty.
Li Xiang had swept through the surrounding area back and forth many times, and there were no large Exotic Beasts left. However, in the darkness, many of Earth's native plants and animals had possibly absorbed enough Extraordinary Particles and had actually begun to mutate.
