Following the system’s guidance, Jia Changjiang located the hidden boxes buried deep within the snowy mountain. Once he assembled the bases of all three boxes, a distinct pattern emerged—one that seemed to be a key to unlocking something significant.
The task consumed most of his day.
[Quest Completed: Rewards Available]
[New Quest Triggered]
[Quest: Reconstruct the Nails of the Frostsky]
[Quest: Decode the Eight Monoliths and Use the Boxes to Enter the Ruins]
[Rewards will be available upon completion.]
The system, which had been relatively dormant for a while, seemed to have suddenly burst to life after Jia Changjiang arrived in the snowy mountains, issuing tasks one after another. Compared to its usual pace, this newfound enthusiasm was jarring.
But as before, the tasks didn’t force him to accept or act. Instead, they guided him—to observe, to witness what had transpired in the mountains long ago.
Not a demand. Just an invitation to look.
“The Nails of the Frostsky and eight monoliths… that’s a lot of work,” Jia Changjiang muttered, shaking his head as he stowed the boxes into his system inventory. For now, he decided to focus on the book he’d received as a quest reward—hoping it might hold some answers.
—
Upon returning to Albedo’s camp, Jia Changjiang was surprised to find Lumine and Albedo both present. Albedo was engrossed in studying the Festering Desire, which floated before him, brimming with an ominous power. The gem embedded in the sword’s hilt shimmered like a living dragon’s eye, its eerie glow almost unsettling.
“Jax! You won’t believe this!” Lumine exclaimed, leaping to her feet. “The Fatui actually tried to steal this sword! Can you believe it? Ugh, those guys are everywhere!”
She stomped her foot for emphasis, venting her frustration. “Albedo said they’ve been gathering items connected to the gods… Honestly, they pop up wherever there’s trouble!”
“There are signs of Abyss Mages in the mountains too, though I haven’t encountered them directly yet,” Jia Changjiang replied, sharing his findings. “How’s the research on the sword going?”
“We’ve made progress,” Albedo nodded. “This sword absorbs energy from defeated enemies and resonates with Durin’s remains buried deep within the mountain.”
He continued, “Additionally, the monsters inhabiting this region have all been influenced by Durin’s residual power. We’ve been studying the differences in energy absorption across various types of monsters and locations, including areas with unusual ley line activity.”
“But… the data is still insufficient. We need more experiments to draw definitive conclusions,” Albedo said, his tone calm but determined.
Lumine groaned, clearly exasperated. While she enjoyed wielding her powerful new weapon, the repetitive task of fighting monsters was draining her enthusiasm.
In truth, she’d much rather be in Mondstadt, chatting with Mona, Jean, Lisa, or Noelle about life’s mysteries… Why work hard when you could relax instead?
“It’s a shame the day’s already so late,” Albedo remarked. “Due to Durin’s lingering influence, the monsters here are much stronger than those elsewhere. For safety reasons, we should conclude today’s experiments.”
“Great! Dinner time! Jax, your turn to cook!” Lumine declared without hesitation, tossing the sword aside and collapsing onto a bedroll in the camp, her body language screaming rest mode engaged.
“…Fine.”
After a moment’s deliberation, Jia Changjiang decided not to waste energy arguing with her. He set the book he’d been eager to read aside and handed the two remaining boxes to Albedo.
“Here. Could you translate these for me?”
“These are… the other two boxes?” Albedo looked surprised. “How did you find them so quickly?”
“Because finding stuff is what adventurers do best!” Jia Changjiang replied with a grin. “I also got a book during my exploration. Once it gets dark and we’re all settled, we can treat it as storytime.”
With that, Jia Changjiang headed to prepare dinner.
As Jia Changjiang cooked, Albedo examined the two boxes. Using pen and paper, he carefully transcribed the ancient text inscribed on their surfaces.
The first box contained the following passage:
“I once believed that my descendants would endure like the white tree—eternal and unyielding.”
“But the white tree is dying. Their voices are silent. My hopes, and the hopes they entrusted to me, are fading.”
“I will climb the peak once more to seek guidance. By the time I return, my daughter’s second painting should be complete.”
“If only her third painting could depict the thawing of the ice and snow.”
The second box bore a more ominous message:
“May the skies that brought this eternal frost burn until no life remains in this world.”
“May we turn to ash, carried by the wind, to pursue the outlander who abandoned the princess and never returned.”
“May the black dragon of the princess’s dreams paint the detestable earth in crimson poison.”
“I am the last. There is no longer a need for anyone to remain.”
“I’ve heard whispers of a place where a godless kingdom is being built. Perhaps they, too, have the strength to defy this world.”
Albedo froze, his gaze fixed on the boxes.
Initially, he’d assumed the texts merely chronicled events of that era. Yet the references—particularly the one to Durin—were startling.
Why would the princess dream of Durin?
By the time Jia Changjiang finished cooking a simple dinner, Albedo was still lost in thought.
In the icy cold of the mountain, a warm meal carried its own kind of comfort. Lumine and Paimon, now bundled up like cocooned dumplings, bounced and floated over to the campfire.
“Only roasted potatoes?” Lumine complained, her tone petulant. “Where’s the meat?”
“Eat your potatoes first! We’re already broke from all your meat orders!” Jia Changjiang shot back, balancing a roasted potato in one hand and holding the quest reward book in the other.
The Chronicle of a Fallen Kingdom.
“Well, since we’re stuck here anyway,” Jia Changjiang said, raising the book slightly, “I found this while exploring earlier. Anyone interested in a story?”
“A story? Paimon wants to hear it!” Paimon exclaimed, waving her hand enthusiastically.
Sitting near the warm fire with roasted potatoes in hand, listening to a story—few things could rival such simple pleasures.
“All right…” Jia Changjiang glanced at Lumine and Albedo. Seeing their curious expressions, he opened the book.
“Let’s see what it says.”
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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