Online Game: Evil Dragon Against The Heaven - 205
After the ice spike fell, a faint, shimmering white figure appeared in front of the massive white wolf—a translucent white wolf spirit. Its large body, snow-white fur, slightly open mouth, and a pair of glowing, mystical eyes locked firmly onto them.
As soon as the translucent wolf spirit appeared, Ye Tian Xie and his companions immediately noticed how similar its form was to that of the lifeless giant white wolf behind it.
With the appearance of the white wolf spirit, a notification sound echoed in their ears:
【Ding… The Ice Snow Wolf once roamed freely across the icy tundra, never settling in one place. However, after conceiving, it retreated to the deepest part of the Ice Abyss Wolf Den to nurture its offspring, remaining there for many years. The birth and growth of a celestial beast is a long process. A hundred years ago, the Ice Snow Wolf finally gave birth to a young Ice Snow Wolf… but during the birth, a level-60 low-tier celestial beast, the Golden Armored Ice Bear, inadvertently entered the Ice Abyss Wolf Den and attacked.】
“… Weakened during childbirth, the Ice Snow Wolf was far from its usual strength. However, through sheer determination and protective instinct, it defeated the Golden Armored Ice Bear. Yet, the battle gravely injured the newborn Ice Snow Wolf, leaving it barely clinging to life. Meanwhile, the Ice Snow Wolf itself sustained fatal injuries and died shortly after giving birth.”
“Although its body perished, the Ice Snow Wolf’s maternal instinct and concern for its dying offspring refused to let its consciousness fade. Through immense willpower, its lingering consciousness fused with its original strength, forming a 『spirit』. This spirit constantly expands its power to protect the young Ice Snow Wolf and sustain its fragile life. When the Ice Snow Wolf’s remaining power is depleted, its offspring will perish as well. The only way to save the young Ice Snow Wolf is to have it bond with a human from another world. As a pet, the beast’s strength would diminish, but it would gain the ability to live by relying on the human’s life force. Not only would it avoid imminent death, but it could also be resurrected indefinitely.”
“Although the Ice Snow Wolf’s consciousness remains, its body is dead, preventing it from leaving the Ice Abyss Wolf Den. It has been waiting for a human from another world to arrive, rescue its child, and free it from its plight. However, its maternal instincts also make it wary, fearing that its offspring might fall into the hands of a cruel master, subjected to abuse and exploitation. Thus, to fulfill the Ice Snow Wolf’s wish and save both the parent and child, one must first earn the Ice Snow Wolf’s trust.”
The lengthy notification ended, and Ye Tian Xie and his companions understood every word. The translucent wolf spirit before them was the 『spirit』 of the deceased Ice Snow Wolf. The earlier attack on Ye Tian Xie had come from it.
Under careful observation, they noticed that the wolf spirit’s glowing eyes carried a complex mix of wariness and yearning—a deep, pleading desire. For a mother, nothing in the world was more important than her child. This maternal instinct was universal, transcending species, time, and space.
“What should we do, Tian Xie?” Su Fei Fei asked softly.
“Gaining the wolf’s trust… could it mean convincing it?” Zuo Po Jun pondered aloud before excitedly exclaiming, “If we can earn its trust, we’ll get the young Ice Snow Wolf as a pet… And that young Ice Snow Wolf…” He swallowed hard, his eyes shining. “Could it also be a celestial beast? If so, that would be incredible!”
Ye Tian Xie considered for a moment and said quietly, “Let me try.” He took two steps forward.
The Ice Snow Wolf’s glowing eyes immediately locked onto him, and its body shifted slightly, positioning itself to shield whatever lay behind it—presumably the young Ice Snow Wolf. Its gaze radiated a clear warning.
Ye Tian Xie stopped in his tracks and met the wolf’s eyes directly. After a brief pause, he began to speak, his tone calm and sincere:
“You are a great mother. For your child, you gave your life. Even now, separated from your body, you have stayed here for a hundred years to protect it. Your love for your child moves us humans deeply. I am willing to care for your child and swear that it will be my lifelong companion, not just a pet. I will never harm or mistreat it. Please, trust me and entrust your child to me.”
Ye Tian Xie’s words were long and heartfelt, expressing everything he wanted to say. When he finished, a long silence followed…
The Ice Snow Wolf’s eyes remained fixed on Ye Tian Xie. It didn’t attack, but the deep worry and vigilance in its gaze lingered. As a celestial beast, it possessed an advanced level of intelligence. The decision before it would determine its child’s future, its entire life. For the sake of its offspring, the Ice Snow Wolf had sacrificed and endured too much. How could it trust Ye Tian Xie based on a few words and recklessly hand over its child?
Compared to the Ice Bone Desolation, this final trial of the system task was the most difficult part. This persuasion-like special task was the last and most critical step in the mission to 『Rescue the Ice Snow Wolf』. To pass, they needed to gain the Ice Snow Wolf’s absolute trust—a daunting challenge.
What the wolf required wasn’t brute strength… but as Yao Yao had mentioned, 【wisdom】.
Failure didn’t surprise Ye Tian Xie. If success were that easy, the mission would have been far too simple. Anyone could say words far sweeter and more persuasive than his, but sincerity—or the lack of it—was not something that could easily be discerned. The Ice Snow Wolf, with its high intelligence, would not be so easily swayed.
It was clear that something beyond words was needed to earn its trust.
From behind, Zuo Po Jun shouted, “Hey! Don’t worry, my second brother is a man of his word. Let me tell you, my second brother is the strongest among all players. Your child couldn’t find a better master. Look, we’re probably the first ones to make it here, right? If you don’t trust us, it’s not going to be easy waiting for someone else to come along.”
Zuo Po Jun’s words caused a brief flicker of hesitation in the Ice Snow Wolf’s eyes, but this was quickly replaced by deeper wariness and concern.
Ye Tian Xie raised a hand to signal Zuo Po Jun to stop talking. After a moment of thought, he picked up Yao Yao and held it in his arms, gently stroking it. “This is my companion. Her name is Yao Yao, also known as the Mystic Spirit Snow Fox. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the name. Although she looks small, her ability to protect her companions is unmatched. If your child stays with me, they will become the best of partners. Yao Yao and I will protect your child together… Please trust me.”
The Ice Snow Wolf remained silent, unmoved by his words.
“We endured the freezing cold and passed through the Ice Bone Desolation—a place that might mean nothing to you but was hellish for us—to reach this point. We did this with only one goal: to help you fulfill your wish and save your child. Please trust us and give your child the chance to experience the outside world. If your fears and concerns hold you back, you may inadvertently destroy its hope instead.”
Ye Tian Xie’s final sentence visibly struck a chord with the Ice Snow Wolf. Its body quivered as if struggling with its decision. Ye Tian Xie waited patiently for its response, but all he received was more silence.
“Ah! Just believe us already. Otherwise, I swear I won’t come back to a place like this again. If no one else ever comes here to save your child, don’t blame us!” Zuo Po Jun blurted out, growing impatient. Watching Ye Tian Xie speak to the wolf so calmly, word by word, tested the patience of the fiery and impulsive Zuo Po Jun.
“Big Brother Zuo,” Su Fei Fei spoke up gently at this moment, shaking her head. “Don’t talk to the wolf mother like that. It’s being so cautious… because it is a mother. And behind it… is its child.”
Zuo Po Jun: “…”
“Tian Xie, let me talk to it, okay?” Su Fei Fei asked as she looked at Ye Tian Xie. For some reason, he noticed a misty sorrow in her gaze. His heart stirred, and after a brief hesitation, he nodded softly and took a step back.
Su Fei Fei walked forward, taking the spot where Ye Tian Xie had stood moments before. She looked into the struggling eyes of the Ice Snow Wolf and began speaking in a soft, gentle voice.
“You… are a great mother, just like my own mother. Perhaps all mothers in the world are this great. For the sake of your child, even after your death, you held on, using the last of your strength and willpower to protect it… My mother, too, gave her life in exchange for mine.”
The Ice Snow Wolf: “…”
Su Fei Fei smiled faintly, though her eyes were already misty with tears. “Because I once had a mother, I know how lucky a child is to have one. And because I lost my mother, I know… how pitiable a child is without one. Your child is very fortunate, for its mother sacrificed so much for it. But it is also so pitiful, because its mother ultimately left it at such a young age… just like me when I was a child.”
The memories she never wanted to confront, the deepest scars in her heart, were now laid bare. Despite the years that had passed, the pain and longing from that fateful night still filled her chest, making it almost impossible to breathe. By the time she finished speaking, tears were streaming down her face, falling to the ground and freezing into glistening crystals upon contact with the icy floor.
“Please, entrust your child to me. We share similar experiences and have had equally loving, great mothers… Because of that, we both understand what the other is missing, what we desire most. We will become the best of friends, the best of companions… Won’t we?”
Su Fei Fei’s words were far fewer than Ye Tian Xie’s—simpler, more concise. Yet, what they carried was a wave of uncontrollable tears and emotional turmoil, stirred by her own memories.
The Ice Snow Wolf’s gaze dimmed. Just then, a small, pure white orb of light slowly emerged from beneath the lifeless body of the Ice Snow Wolf. It floated gently toward Su Fei Fei…