Following the map's directions, they found a hidden mountain path between the gold and coal mines, likely worn by the workers who traveled between the two.
Without the map's guidance, they wouldn't have found such a small trail.
According to the map, they still had to climb the mountain. They ascended to the mountainside and, as it neared noon, found a flat spot to sit and eat lunch.
Gu Qingcheng used two yoga mats as cushions. Otherwise, sitting directly on the ice would have numbed their bottoms.
The two were just about to eat their meal properly.
Gu Qingcheng had prepared hot water in two thermos flasks beforehand and handed one to her father. After enduring the cold wind for half the day, drinking hot water was a great pleasure for both of them.
Gu Qingcheng then took out two beef burgers, which they had to eat quickly while they were still hot, as they would soon turn cold.
But reality was cruel. She took one bite of the hot burger, and the second bite was already frozen. Even so, they had to eat.
Not eating meant going hungry. Being too weak to work was a minor issue; not having energy would lead to hypothermia, which could be fatal.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they continued towards the back mountain, preparing to search for coal.
The temperature was extremely low, and climbing the mountain was quite energy-consuming. With every breath, it felt like they were inhaling ice shards into their lungs, causing their respiratory tracts to sting.
Gu Zhaobei's physical foundation wasn't very strong, and today's strenuous exercise was clearly taking its toll. He paused to catch his breath, leaning against a tree.
Gu Qingcheng asked worriedly, "Dad, how are you? If it's too much, we can go slower."
"It's fine, I just haven't exercised in a long time."
Gu Zhaobei was still rather competitive.
"Host, I'm selling Strength Enhancement Pills. One costs 500 Pleasure Points. Would you like to purchase one?"
At this moment, Gu Qingcheng suddenly heard a prompt from her golden finger.
"Oh, you have this kind of thing?"
"Golden finger, are you moonlighting? What kind of name is Strength Enhancement Pill? You can't even come up with a decent name. It sounds like something sold on a street stall. And the kind of fake medicine sold by shirtless vendors who slap knives on their chests."
"Host, you look down on the golden finger too much!"
Gu Qingcheng was amused by its plaintive tone and said, "If it's good stuff, why didn't you bring it out sooner?"
"Hmph, that's only if the host needs it! If you didn't need it, and I brought it out, would you buy it?"
She hadn't expected the golden finger to retort!
"How could I not need it? I'll definitely buy whatever you bring out."
Gu Qingcheng was, of course, teasing.
"System-produced, guaranteed to be quality. We are a five-star Mountain Cat Supermarket. We only sell premium goods and never include Hextech."
The golden finger said proudly.
"Okay, I'll buy it."
Gu Qingcheng readily paid 500 Pleasure Points. She had recently accumulated 55,690 Pleasure Points, so she felt a bit like a spendthrift.
The system immediately deducted 500 Pleasure Points, and then a bright red pill the size of a pigeon's egg appeared in Gu Qingcheng's hand, striking and seemingly designed to ensure she couldn't miss it due to its dull color.
Gu Qingcheng's mind then conjured up the description of the Strength Enhancement Pill's effects:
Strength Enhancement Pill: Strengthens the body and refines the physique, enhances bodily functions, improves the five senses' perception, and increases strength by one stone. Effective for a single use; multiple doses have no further effect.
"Oh, it has quite a few functions. 500 Pleasure Points were worth it."
Gu Qingcheng realized that the Strength Enhancement Pill only had one effect per person. This meant she only needed to buy four pills, one for each family member. Buying more would be a waste.
Gu Qingcheng handed the Strength Enhancement Pill to her father, saying, "Dad, the system's Strength Enhancement Pill is said to strengthen the body, refine the physique, and enhance physical capabilities."
Gu Zhaobei heard this and thought the name "Strength Enhancement Pill" sounded like the fake remedies sold in the martial world.
He decided to ignore it and see for himself.
Gu Zhaobei put the pigeon's egg-sized pill into his mouth. It melted instantly, and a warm current flowed through his body, feeling comfortable and pleasant.
"Ah, this is good! The effect is very noticeable. I feel energized, light as a swallow, and even breathing the icy air outside doesn't feel uncomfortable anymore."
Gu Zhaobei described his experience.
Gu Qingcheng then exchanged for three more Strength Enhancement Pills in one go and immediately took one herself.
She didn't feel the warm current her father mentioned, possibly because she was young and in good physical condition, so the effect wasn't as pronounced.
However, her greatest surprise was discovering that breathing the cold air no longer irritated her respiratory tract; it felt almost the same as normal.
Furthermore, the five senses mentioned by the golden finger had indeed been enhanced. Her hearing, sight, and smell all became sharper.
"Wait, there are beasts on the mountain. They're going to ambush us," Gu Qingcheng said alertly.
At least five hundred meters away, the sound of rustling footsteps was approaching them.
It was quite far, and she shouldn't have been able to hear it, but after taking the Strength Enhancement Pill, she could hear it clearly.
Gu Zhaobei heard his daughter's warning and listened intently, also detecting it.
The father and daughter quickly took their bows and arrows from their backs, ready to fire.
Fortunately, they had prepared in advance. Just as they nocked their arrows, a robust male wolf lunged at them.
The father and daughter fired simultaneously.
Gu Qingcheng's arrow was true, hitting the male wolf directly in the eye, while Gu Zhaobei shot it in the stomach.
The male wolf, caught by surprise and unable to even begin its attack, fell to the ground with a thud. The blood flowing out stained the snow beneath it, but it instantly froze, and the wolf died with a sense of injustice.
"It seems to be a lone wolf. There's no other movement."
Gu Qingcheng listened intently for a moment.
"That's right," Gu Zhaobei nodded.
The father and daughter relaxed. They pulled their arrows out of the wolf.
It was so cold that the wolf, having just died, instantly froze solid.
If they had been on the road fleeing famine before, with scarce resources, Gu Qingcheng would have dragged the wolf back for everyone to eat.
But looking at the wolf now, she had no interest. Wolf meat was sour and tough, not very good quality, and had a strong gamey smell.
So, she kicked some snow to cover the dead wolf, preventing other animals from smelling the blood and coming to investigate, which would have been troublesome.
The two quickly concealed the scene and continued forward.
As soon as she finished, the golden finger was acting like a foot-scratching lout trying to act cute. Gu Qingcheng gave it a five-star review, and then she could no longer hear its incessant whining, finally enjoying some peace.
With their stamina enhanced by the Strength Enhancement Pills, the two felt invigorated and their steps became lighter. They soon reached the summit of the mountain.
At the summit, looking down, the mountain basin before them filled them with excitement.
They saw that the excavated coal had been piled up like mountains – at least a few dozen coal mountains, amounting to over a thousand tons.
Digging coal on the mountain was surely faster than carrying it, so the excess coal had been accumulated on the slopes.
"Dad, this coal is ours now!"
Gu Qingcheng almost wanted to shout to the heavens.
What was coal? Coal was energy, the guarantee of survival!
With countless tons of coal now available, how could Gu Qingcheng not be excited?
Gu Zhaobei, as an adult, understood the importance of energy even more. Hadn't world wars essentially been energy wars?