Stepping through an iron gate covered with a layer of ice crystals.
The first thing that Colin saw was a square hall about the size of a basketball court.
Next was an enormous silver complex ring-shaped device, located in the middle of the hall within a semi-transparent Protective Shield of a Witch Array, taking up almost three-fifths of the entire hall.
"This is the Communication Ring Tower, the only way Ancient North Camp can connect with Neustadt City," Dempsey explained upon noticing the direction of Colin's gaze.
"Please give me your School Badge, Lord Colin," Dempsey continued.
Colin nodded, handed over the School Badge he was holding to Dempsey, and then curiously surveyed his surroundings.
Behind the square hall was a wide but only about four to five meters wide gray corridor, ending in another heavy black iron door, tightly closed.
On both walls of the corridor, there were also smaller iron doors,
Hum—
The silver Communication Ring Tower on the side suddenly began to rotate, and moments later, a rhythmic pulse-like white light lit up on it.
"It's ready now, Lord Colin," Dempsey walked out from the Protective Shield and came toward him, respectfully returning the School Badge and saying, "In about ten minutes, Neustadt City will receive our message here."
"Hmm," Colin nodded, then began to ask about what he was curious about.
"Why would the Nine Major Schools establish such an outpost in this remote place?"
Dempsey seemed to have never considered this question before, he paused briefly upon hearing it, and then after contemplating for a moment, he answered:
"Perhaps it's because of the Blue Cold Crystal."
"Oh?" Colin became curious, searching his memory thoroughly.
However, he found that he had never seen anything like the Blue Cold Crystal—not even heard of it.
"What is this Blue Cold Crystal?" he asked out of instinct.
"It's a special kind of ore... It looks like an ice crystal on the outside, a deep blue in color," Dempsey described.
Feeling that the verbal description was too vague, he paused, then said: "Please follow me, my lord,"
Dempsey led Colin toward the corridor behind the hall, eventually arriving in front of that heavy black iron door.
"This is where the Blue Cold Crystal is stored. Every six months, someone will come to collect it."
As he spoke, Dempsey took out a unique black key and opened the heavy black iron door in front of him.
A brilliant sapphire light instantly shot out from the gap as the iron door was opened.
Blue Cold Crystals of varying sizes were neatly stacked together, forming a mountain about two to three meters high.
Upon seeing such a sight, Colin couldn't help but marvel.
Although he didn't know the specific use of the Blue Cold Crystal, based on appearance alone, it was indeed impressive.
"What specific use do these Blue Cold Crystals have?" Colin continued to ask out of curiosity, "May I take a look inside?"
"Of course, my lord, as long as you don't take the Blue Cold Crystal away from the outpost, there's no issue," Dempsey said, walking into the room with Colin,
"As for the specific uses of the Blue Cold Crystal, I am not aware,"
Dempsey shook his head, his face also showing curiosity.
Colin approached the pile of Blue Cold Crystals, picked one up, and carefully examined it.
These so-called Blue Cold Crystals looked somewhat like crystals on the surface, but did not transmit light like crystals, instead, emitting a blue glow.
If it had been in his previous life, encountering minerals that could emit light on their own like this, the rule of thumb was to stay as far away as possible.
Such substances were likely to be radioactive materials.
But in this Wizard World, it was not necessarily the case. Magic Power made miracles possible.
Moreover, having been inside for quite some time, Colin hadn't felt any abnormalities. Aside from being luminescent, the minerals in front of him seemed to have no other peculiarities.
Under the probing of Magic Power and spiritual power, they showed no reaction, just like ordinary stones.
'I'll look it up when I get back to Neustadt City.
For the Nine Major Schools to go to such lengths, establishing an outpost in the barren Extreme North... these Blue Cold Crystals must not be some useless item.'
"Let's discuss the mission. Tell me about those Ice and Snow Monsters... and about Ancient North Village," Colin said, placing the Blue Cold Crystal down and turning to face Dempsey.
"Absolutely, my lord." Dempsey nodded, starting his story:
"The Ice and Snow Monsters only started appearing last month. I remember it was January 24th, a Sunday, when I went as usual to Ancient North Village to collect Blue Cold Crystals, but I saw an Ice and Snow Monster just leaving the Ancient North Village..."
The two of them walked outside together, and Dempsey locked the door while briefly sharing the events of that day with Colin,
There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about the process, merely the sudden arrival of an Ice and Snow Monster.
According to Dempsey, in the Extreme North, it was almost every one to two years that such incidents of Ice and Snow Monster attacks occurred.
After listening to Dempsey's account, Colin took out his Pocket Watch to check the time.
It was nearly five o'clock in the afternoon, and after some thought he said to Dempsey:
"We still have time, why don't we set off for Ancient North Village now?"
"Now?" Dempsey hesitated and said, "According to the weather marker at the outpost, a blizzard is expected to start within half an hour."
The Extreme North was currently experiencing the polar night, with the sun continuously below the horizon, the sky a dark expanse, lit only occasionally by dazzling auroras.