Arknights? Yesterday's Arknights!!

An Xin was taken aback.

It wasn't that the leaders of the Integration Movement deliberately ostracized him and withheld the news from him; rather, it was because everyone had their own tasks to perform as the group grew.

Gathering around the campfire for heart-to-heart talks has become a matter of whoever has free time will sit for a while.

The most relaxed person in the group was Yelena. She only needed to take charge of the Yeti squad. She would warm a glass of wine for everyone and wait for her friends to come over for the night.

Patriot and Talulah are the busiest, the former being in charge of the military and the latter being in charge of maintaining the Reunion Movement.

Alina became a core member of the political commissar's team, taking on more responsibilities.

An Xin, however, remains a teacher, dedicating herself to literacy work day after day, teaching martial arts and writing.

He would go to the campfire, but no one wanted to talk about business. Everyone wanted to relax during this warm and leisurely time.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Frostbite

Anxin listened attentively for half an hour, her attention returning to Talulah's battle plan.

By the end, he realized that it had nothing to do with his Fourth Regiment. He himself didn't have to go to the battlefield; he only needed to clean up the battlefield after the war.

This left An Xin both amused and exasperated.

I thought I was about to have a chance to really show my skills, but it turned out to be just a cleanup.

No wonder Li Yunlong wasn't allowed to go to the battlefield back then; he was yelling from behind and even asked, "Why don't you dare to fight the brigade commander?"

Currently, the Reunion Movement has four regiments, but this operation only requires two regiments, plus the Yeti Squad.

An Xin could sense that, with such a large team, it was fortunate that Patriot and his guerrillas were there.

Big Daddy dismantled the guerrilla forces, and the Shield Guards took on many important positions, which allowed the Reunion Movement to function properly.

Otherwise, someone who has just received literacy education might not even be able to understand instructions.

After the meeting ended, everyone went about their duties, and the Integration Movement, like a sophisticated machine, began to operate at high speed, without a moment's rest.

As night fell, An Xin breathed a sigh of relief, stretched, looked out the window, and prepared to sit by the campfire for a while to see who was free that night.

On a winter night, the wind was blowing hard, and the snow was blown up and then fell back down, dancing aimlessly in the air like willow catkins. The ground was already a vast expanse of white, which looked rather cold and desolate.

After taking a few steps forward, the patrolling soldiers greeted An Xin, which dispelled the feeling.

Head towards the firelight, turn past the house, and there's a white figure by the campfire.

"My dear white rabbit, are you still awake?" An Xin said with a smile as she came to her side.

Yelena handed her a glass of vodka. "This is all we have. I know you don't like this, but otherwise you'll just have to drink water."

"Thanks, I'm grateful to have a drink." An Xin took the drink. "Want to take a walk together?"

“Okay, it feels like you haven’t been around much lately.” Frostnova stood up and stood beside him.

The two left a trail of footprints in the snow and headed towards an uninhabited area.

He took a sip of the wine, the warm liquid flowing down his esophagus and into his stomach, driving away the chill from his entire body.

"I'm very busy. I teach people boxing every day, take care of my children, and spend my evenings promoting education."

“You could have ignored all of this a long time ago, couldn’t you? My leader, you’re more suited for this position.” White Rabbit easily saw through An Xin’s thoughts.

"Is it that obvious?" he laughed, touching the back of his head.

He's a police officer who's always on the front lines, so it's really a bit of a letdown to make him a teacher.

Especially when he saw Talulah and Frostnova go out to fight, he could only stay in the camp to guard the base.

Talulah had an expression that said, "I don't trust anyone else; only you can protect Alina and the children."

"It's too obvious, Teacher An Xin."

After Yelena saw through his thoughts, the two smiled at each other, and the air became more cheerful. The slightly cold atmosphere just now vanished in an instant.

She shook her head. "Let's not talk about work. This is a rare moment of relaxation anyway."

"So what would you like to talk about?" An Xin glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, staring at Yelena's profile.

The moonlight shone on the white snow, as if hitting a mirror, and reflected onto her cheek.

Without any makeup, she was the most alluring snow lotus in the moonlight and snow country.

If it weren't for Warfarin's incident, An Xin probably would have really fallen for Yelena.

Who knows? Talulah and Alina are both wonderful women, and I might like them too.

But Warfarin's matter was a thorn in her side, and before clarifying the relationship between the two, Anxin was afraid that she would fall in love with other girls.

His three protégés were all exceptionally talented, each shining brightly in their respective fields.

Thinking about this, An Xin couldn't help but feel that time travel wasn't all bad. He met Warfarin, Talulah, Alina, and Yelena.

I was able to dedicate myself to such a revolution and meet countless comrades.

He stopped, looked up, and gazed at the starless night sky, where only the bright moon shone.

"Can't think of anything to say, Yelena?"

"No, it's just that there's so much I want to say, I don't know where to begin." She stopped and looked at the same night sky as An Xin, then turned to look at the young man beside her.

Such a beautiful night sky.

He's better than me.

Yelena's voice was light and ethereal, and combined with the snowy scenery, that sense of loneliness welled up again.

"You know my relationship with Dad, right?"

"I know a little bit." An Xin nodded. Perhaps it was because he had been a teacher too much, but he sometimes used such words when he spoke.

"Actually, I am very grateful to my dad. Thank you for saving me at that time and for saving all the Yetis."

A hint of reminiscence appeared in Yelena's eyes as she began to recount her past.

Frostnova was born there because her parents were sent to a mine for opposing Ursus' wartime policies, and her grandmother was also moved there as well.

When she was five, her parents were murdered; when she was ten, her grandmother was murdered after drawing a black lot; and when she was eleven, Froststar drew a black lot.

As she was about to be killed, she awakened magical abilities, successfully buying time until the Patriots arrived and rescued the surviving children.

An Xin remained silent.

He realized...

Froststar appears resilient and silent, while Yelena occasionally reveals a pure smile. The white rabbit helps him take care of the children, singing lullabies to lull them to sleep.

Frostnova is fearless in battle, possessing powerful Originium Arts, excellent combat skills, and lofty ambitions.

It also had such a weak past.

No one is born strong.

If it were anyone else, An Xin would probably put her arm around her shoulder and hug her.

But......

Froststar's Originium Arts make her body temperature extremely low; even the slightest touch will freeze off a layer of skin.

But An Xin did it anyway.

He put his arm around Yelena's shoulder, but out of politeness, he only held her with his arm touching her. The chill traveled through her skin; she was colder than the northern wind, yet she possessed a heart as hot as fire.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that."

"Huh? No? You'll get frostbite." Yelena was taken aback at first, not expecting him to hug her. She struggled, but couldn't break free no matter what she did, so she simply let An Xin hold her.

"I should be the one apologizing, telling you about these dark times from the past."

"It's okay, just say what you want to say." An Xin closed her eyes, feeling like her fingers were about to freeze off, but she still didn't intend to let go.

I hope this can comfort her.

"Thank you, it's really okay now, Anxin. Let go, otherwise your body won't be able to take it."

This time, regardless of An Xin's wishes, Yelena broke free from his embrace.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Siege

The simple act of embracing has a very different meaning for Yelena.

Since awakening Originium Arts at the age of eleven, her body has been colder than the atmosphere of the tundra.

Aside from Talulah being able to use Originium Arts to temporarily counteract the cold and occasionally having physical contact with someone, the last time she was hugged was when she was eleven years old, when Patriot rescued her and carried her away from the mine.

The outcome of that incident needs no further explanation.

The Patriot, a Wendigo of exceptional strength, has frostbite on both arms.

This time too.

When the two parted, his arms under his coat were bruised, but he was smiling.