Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Returning to the Old Place

However, none of this had anything to do with Stella Sterling.

When it was time, she went to bed as usual.

But when she dreamed that night, it was of what had happened in the office building.

After waking up, she sat on her bed and muttered with a hint of regret, "What a shame that ugly bastard got away. The look in his eyes disgusted me. It really pisses me off that I didn’t get to dig them out!"

If she ever had the chance to meet him again, she would definitely resolve this regret.

She scratched her head. After breakfast, she sat in front of the mirror and stared at her long hair. After a moment’s thought, she took out a pair of scissors and chopped it all off.

Staring at her reflection with its neat, short hair, she was very pleased. "Not bad. That’s more like me." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Today, she wasn’t in a hurry to go downstairs and dig the ice tunnel. She took her time finishing breakfast.

Surprisingly, there was a knock at her door.

Stella Sterling had just finished packing her backpack and gearing up to leave, so she opened the door.

She raised an eyebrow at the dozen or so familiar faces at her door.

The dozen people at the door were the same ones who had been digging the ice tunnel with her for the past few days. The man who had pointed a finger at her yesterday was among them.

The family of the man who had first mocked Stella Sterling and later thanked her was there as well.

Aside from the few who had died yesterday and the two children who had been with the elderly couple, everyone else was present.

Looking at them, Stella Sterling’s voice was dangerously playful. "What’s this? Is everyone here to get revenge for your dead companions?"

"Young lady, that’s not what we mean!"

Grandpa Lawrence quickly spoke up to explain. "We saw you hadn’t come downstairs yet, so we came to get you. We’re a team, aren’t we? It’s only natural that we stick together!"

The others all nodded in agreement.

The man who had accused Stella Sterling of getting his wife killed stepped forward. "I’m sorry," he said. "Yesterday was my fault. I was a coward. I didn’t dare to save my own wife, and then I couldn’t admit my own powerlessness, so I took it all out on you."

"I’ve had all night to think it over, and I’ve come to my senses. It had nothing to do with you. Leaving aside the fact that you’re not responsible for our lives, you’ve done nothing but help us—from your guidance with the ice tunnel to your warnings when we were in danger. So, Miss Sterling, I apologize. I hope you can forgive me."

Stella Sterling watched them in silence, saying nothing.

The others watched her nervously, worried she would refuse.

Although they had spent the last few days complaining, they knew deep down that Stella Sterling was highly capable and had been a great help to them.

She was very experienced in certain things and had helped them avoid a lot of danger. That’s why they still wanted to stick with Stella Sterling, rather than joining one of the other two teams.

Without a word, Stella Sterling started walking downstairs. She had no real connection to them; it was just a temporary partnership of mutual convenience.

She hadn’t let their accusations from yesterday change her, and she wouldn’t let their current words stir her emotions either.

She remained perfectly calm inside.

She didn’t ask why they’d had a change of heart and sought her out, nor did she ask why the elderly couple’s two children were no longer with them. None of it was her business.

The others saw this and, though unsure of her intentions, hurried to follow.

Today, Stella Sterling wasn’t wearing her usual warm hat. Instead, she had a strange, helmet-like object on her head.

In the current blizzard and hailstorm conditions, the greatest danger when scavenging outside—aside from the life-threatening cold—was the falling hail.

She had been careless before and hadn’t prepared for it. Now, she was adding an extra layer of insurance. If she was unlucky enough to get hit, this could save her life.

Some of the people trailing her saw the "helmet" on Stella Sterling’s head, and a look of realization flashed in their eyes. One by one, they quickly returned to their homes and began rummaging around.

When they finally regrouped downstairs, they too were wearing all sorts of headgear. Whether they looked good or not, she couldn’t say, but they all looked pretty solid.

By the time they came back down, Stella Sterling was long gone. They asked around and learned that she had actually headed back toward yesterday’s ice tunnel.

Their expressions shifted. They hesitated, unsure if they should keep following Stella Sterling.

The tunnel they had dug yesterday led to an office building that had clearly been smashed through by hail. It would be the same if they went back now, possibly even worse. They couldn’t understand why Stella Sterling would want to go back there. They had barely managed to escape!

Just then, the man who had accused Stella Sterling yesterday steeled his expression and ran forward. "I don’t care anymore, I’m following her! Besides, my wife is still in there. I’m going to bring her back today!"

He had been a coward yesterday; today, he wanted to be brave for once.

"Oh, forget it. Digging a new ice tunnel... who knows how long that would take, or what we’d find at the end of it? We might as well go back and see."

"I dragged my old bones, with one foot already in the grave, to collect all that stuff yesterday. It’s still there. It would be a real shame to just abandon it!"

With that, the elderly couple followed after the man.

Hearing him, the others were swayed. That was a lot of stuff!

They figured Stella Sterling wouldn’t be walking into a deathtrap, so they followed along too.

Besides, the hail wasn’t as heavy as it was yesterday. Maybe they could give it a shot.

And so, as Stella Sterling began digging out the partially collapsed section of yesterday’s ice tunnel, she found that the others had followed her after all.

When they saw Stella Sterling, they didn’t say much. They just silently began to help dig out the collapsed section of the tunnel.

This time, however, they were much more cautious, constantly scanning their surroundings for any sign of trouble so they could be the first to spot it and run for their lives.

It took them all morning, but they managed to clear the tunnel and once again reached the office building from yesterday.

Standing at the mouth of the ice tunnel, they saw that the building’s underground garage was now a pile of rubble. Hailstones still occasionally crashed down from the shattered ceiling above.

The sight made everyone recall the events of the previous day. Fear flickered across their faces, and they instinctively began to back away.

Just then, the man who had accused Stella Sterling saw his wife lying on the ground. With a cry, he rushed out...