Global Fog Survival

As time passed, the attacks intensified, like a suffocating downpour that made it almost impossible to breathe. Shells whistled through the air in arcs, crashing into the ground ahead and triggering horrific explosions. The entire battlefield was filled with shouts and explosions, and the choking smell of gunpowder and blood permeated the smoky air.

Time crawled by.

Sanna and the others had suffered various injuries, and some had even died. But the number of monsters… seemed endless, showing no signs of dwindling, as if they hadn’t lost a single combatant. Only the thick layer of “meat paste” on the ground served as proof that their efforts were not in vain.

“If only we had a ‘High-Energy Plasma Tower’…” Russell shook his head, trying to rein in his wandering thoughts while catching his breath and frowning. “Where are all these mutants coming from? Why are there so many? They’re impossible to kill…”

“Their numbers are suspicious! There’s definitely something wrong!”

The sheer quantity of mutants were absurd. While there were many suffering people in this world, they were scattered across every corner, not concentrated in a single area like this—unless this region had been a massive battlefield in the past. But considering the improvised weapons—hoes and sticks rather than military-issue arms—it seemed unlikely.

Russell speculated that something must be wrong with these suffering people. If they didn’t figure out the root cause, no matter how many they killed, they would never be able to stop them.

But what was the problem?

Hearing his words, Li Chou, who was at a loss, glanced back at Colin on the gray stone throne… Though the light shadow had fused with him somewhat, and the struggles had lessened, Colin was clearly still asleep.

“When the boss wakes up, he’ll figure it out. Of course, if we can, let’s try to handle it ourselves…” Li Chou finished speaking, spitting a mouthful of blood. He’d been struck in the ribs by a mutant earlier, but luckily his armor had absorbed most of the impact, leaving only some cracked bones. After downing a bottle of red potion, he felt much better.

“I wonder what’s going on in other areas. Are they facing the same problems as us?” Li Chou couldn’t help but wonder. Since the “Beware of the Night” warning appeared a few hours ago, all communication had been down. The only information they had was from their immediate area, thanks to the private trade function between friends. They received explosives and handwritten battle reports that kept them updated on the situation at their base.

But outside their region, everything was unknown. Everyone felt isolated, trapped on their own islands, completely cut off from one another.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on this, though. Staring at the battlefield, Sanna uttered a phrase that made everyone’s faces change.

“They… they’re starting to revive.”

In a Level 4 territory, a low voice echoed from within a fortress-like structure, plunging the atmosphere into a heavy silence. Nearly ten hours into the battle, everything had grown increasingly difficult. The number of mutants had grown from a handful to hundreds, then thousands. Soon, the previously slain mutants were resurrecting one after another.

It was foreseeable that the number of attacking mutants would reach the tens of thousands.

Despite the Level 4 territory’s sturdy walls, over two thousand servants, and various weapons at their disposal, they were safe for the moment. However, a concerning trend was emerging that filled them with despair. The mutants’ strength was escalating, from regular mutants to stronger ones, and then to elite mutants. The question loomed: would a Lord-level mutant appear next?

The thought weighed heavily on everyone present, making it hard to even breathe. Regular and elite mutants were manageable, but a Lord-level mutant? This creature, often referred to as a “minor miracle” for its overwhelming power—could they possibly survive if it appeared?

Despite all their preparations, it was now clear that they hadn’t prepared enough. This endless disaster had no apparent end in sight.

The owner of the Level 4 territory was Gao Jin, a man about 1.8 meters tall, with a rugged face and a medium build. At the moment, he sat in his chair, his expression grim. Though they were fine for now, what about later?

Just then, a pair of warm hands wrapped around him from behind, followed by a gentle voice: “Gao Cheng, don’t worry. No matter what, I will protect you.”

The woman was beautiful, dressed in a black hooded robe, with striking purple hair and eyes. Her embrace eased Gao Cheng’s anxiety considerably. She smiled, kissed his cheek with a light “mwah,” and whispered, “Gao Cheng, I want to have a child with you someday…”

Gao Cheng’s face flushed with embarrassment at her words, and he gently unwrapped her arms. “Vera, this isn’t the time for that…”

He sighed internally. Vera was exceptional in every way, but she was just too… passionate. And her wish—well, it wasn’t so easy to fulfill.

“I’m just looking forward to a future with you,” Vera said, leaning into him, unconcerned about the others watching. “Don’t worry, I’ll always protect you. I won’t lose control… We should have one, no, several children.”

Under her influence, no one seemed to notice anything unusual. As a Stage 2 “Illusory Witch,” Vera possessed powers that allowed her to manipulate perceptions effortlessly. Unlike the support-oriented Sanna, Vera specialized in assassination and offensive tactics. Against anything short of a Lord-level mutant, she was invincible.

“Alright, alright…” Gao Cheng dismissed her lightly, then turned to the others. “Have any of you noticed anything strange about the mutants’ numbers?”

“It’s definitely odd…” someone replied. “After our sweeps and Colin’s, there shouldn’t be this many mutantss left on the island…”

Another group had gathered on the opposite side of the island, a fair distance from Colin’s territory. They had only realized who their “neighbor” was around the third or fourth day. At the time, Gao Cheng wasn’t sure whether to consider them lucky or not; Colin’s overwhelming strength meant they might lose the chance to grow on their own.

Fortunately, Colin hadn’t forced them into submission, and Gao Cheng had no intention of joining him. Through sulfur mines discovered by the coast and some clever trading, they had grown somewhat in power. Now they had a Level 4 territory, nine war chariots, two thousand servants, a 90%-loyalty Level 2 special talent, over sixty survivors, and several mysterious artifacts.

Though they weren’t as powerful as Colin’s faction, they still held some sway on the global stage.

However…

“If a Lord-class mutant shows up, we’ll execute the plan and retreat to Colin’s base…” Gao Cheng declared. Facing a Lord-level mutant, they had little hope of survival, even with the explosives they had traded from Colin. They realized now just how irrationally powerful these creatures were; even a few tons of explosives wouldn’t be enough.

Amid Gao Cheng’s instructions, a deafening crash rang out from outside, like something had been breached. The hearts of everyone inside tightened.

“What happened?”

Gao Cheng quickly looked toward the source of the noise and saw that a section of his Level 4 territory had been broken through, with numerous mutants pouring inside. Thankfully, no Lord-level mutants were visible…

“Don’t worry,” Gao Cheng reassured the group. “We can fix this quickly.”

The servants stationed inside immediately mounted a counterattack against the invading mutants, incurring some casualties but killing most of them. However, a handful of stronger elite mutants remained beyond the capabilities of the Level 2 and 3 servant.

“I’ll take care of them,” Vera whispered to Gao Cheng with a smile.

“Yeah, but hold on a moment…” Gao Cheng nodded, taking a deep breath as he looked around, making a difficult decision. “Soon, we’re abandoning this place and heading to Colin’s.”

Upon hearing this, the others were momentarily stunned but remained silent. Some felt dejected, others relieved.

Vera, however, looked surprised. “Are you giving up on your dream of becoming a powerful lord?”

“Yes… I was too arrogant. We should have joined forces from the start,” Gao Cheng said, his gaze flickering with regret.

“Alright. I’ll support whatever you decide.” Vera smiled, turning towards the window. Yet, as she moved away, Gao Cheng couldn’t shake an inexplicable unease. He reached out to call her back, but before he could act, Vera had already vanished.

Without her presence, every moment felt like an eternity. The breach in the walls had been repaired, and only the elite abominations inside the territory remained as a threat. Yet Gao Cheng’s anxiety grew; it had been ten minutes already.

Unable to bear it any longer, Gao Cheng downed a glass of water and barked orders: “Prepare to evacuate! Some servants will cover our retreat. We’re leaving now!”

Ignoring the puzzled looks from the others, Gao Cheng rushed outside, making his way toward the breached area, flanked by a few Level 3 servants. Finally, he spotted Vera’s hooded figure near the breach, feeling a sense of relief. He hurried over.

Vera had just finished killing the last of the “Knight of Suffering,” a type of elite mutant. Chains extended from her, pinning the creature in place. Seeing this, Gao Cheng’s unease eased, and he rushed forward.

At this moment, Vera also noticed the approaching Gao Cheng. After fighting continuously for over ten minutes, a smile appeared on her slightly pale face.

“Why are you here? Missed me?”

“Yeah, we’re preparing to retreat, heading over to Mr. Colin’s side…”

This time, Gao Cheng didn’t argue and simply nodded in agreement. However, for some reason, he suddenly felt the urge to hug Vera.

The sudden move caught Vera off guard, but she then stood there with her eyes closed, happily waiting for his arms to embrace her.

But…

Just then, Gao Cheng saw Vera’s expression change dramatically. Before he could get close, she suddenly pushed him away with great force.

As a Level 2 special talent, Vera’s strength was immense, and she easily pushed him several meters away.

But… why?

In mid-air, before Gao Cheng could question why Vera had done that, his gaze froze. With a horrifying burst of energy, Vera exploded before his eyes, her shattered limbs flying in all directions.

“Ah!”

A scream of pain erupted. Gao Cheng fell heavily to the ground but seemed numb, staring at the scene in front of him. He watched the blood, shattered bones, organs, and broken limbs falling around him.

A fragment of a skull landed with a thud, and the once-beautiful purple eye stared at him, seemingly urging something…

But…

Gao Cheng knelt on the spot, staring at the scene, his entire being in a daze, feeling as though all color had drained from the world.

Just then, a figure exuding a powerful aura emerged from the remains.

“A Lord-level Mutant! Why…”

Gao Cheng broke free from his stupor, his eyes filled with hatred. A transparent barrier covered him, shielding him from the powerful mental influence.

This was a highly protective, mysterious item. But it could only save one person.

However… It no longer mattered.

Ten meters ahead of him, a massive, terrifying figure stepped forward. This Lord-level Mutant was several meters tall, wearing a pointed metal hat wrapped in thorny vines, and clad in armor. It held a ragged longsword, and thick, bloody flesh bulged through the gaps in its armor.

“Why is there a Lord-level mutant here…” Gao Cheng muttered to himself. A Lord-level mutant’s presence was overwhelmingly strong, impossible to hide. If one were here, they would have sensed it immediately…

If he had known such a monster was around, he would never have sent Vera out.

His confusion lingered briefly, then he realized what was happening—this monster must be related to the elite mutant Vera had slain earlier, those “Knights of Suffering” that resembled the Lord-level mutant before him!

But he had no more energy to explore this connection.

He knew that, locked in this proximity by such a creature, his chances of survival were gone. Based on the available information, the monster would not seek out other targets before he was dead.

So why not… buy some time?

In a daze, Gao Cheng walked forward, his mind chaotic, staring down at the pieces of Vera. A second later, the “Knight of Suffering” swung its massive sword down.

The protective barrier Gao Cheng wore cracked slightly, and he coughed up blood as though struck by a heavy blow. Yet he pressed on, unwavering.

Another slash came down. The cracks widened, and under the immense pressure, multiple bones in his body broke. Every step was agonizingly difficult.

When he finally reached Vera’s remains, he could no longer stand, his chest heaving as he spat out blood. Struggling, he reached out, crawling to grab hold of Vera’s severed hand, staring at her dimmed purple eye.

Blood gushed out of him, but he wouldn’t let go. He wanted to say something… but the intense physical strain made it impossible to form words or even coherent thoughts.

“I’m sorry, I…”

With a sharp crack, the protective item shattered, and a bloated foot stomped down, crushing Gao Cheng’s head.

The hug left unfinished, the words left unsaid… The body, full of regret, twitched violently a few times after the head was destroyed, then fell still.

…

…

…

“It’s been two hours, and there’s no sign of them…”

Li Hang withdrew his gaze from the secondary war chariot’s telescope, his deep voice echoing in the temporary command room.

Two hours ago, they had received a paper message from the other side, stating they were fleeing in this direction. Even though they were uncertain of the exact location, considering the island’s distance, they should have arrived within an hour and a half.

But now, almost two and a half hours had passed, and there was still no sign of them.

“Is there any response yet?” someone asked.

“No, and judging by the current situation, they might have encountered a Lord-level mutant…”

The atmosphere thickened, suffocating like the deep sea, making it hard to breathe. After such a long delay, the outcome of those on the other side was becoming clear…

The Tier 4 territory over there had been breached. A territory slightly weaker than theirs had been overwhelmed—what about their own?

Doubts surfaced, for although Lord-level mutants were indeed formidable, they shouldn’t prevent all communication.

The intense mental interference from such a creature was detectable from afar, allowing ample time to prepare.

Before they could ponder further, a bloodstained note was transmitted, breaking the room’s tense silence.

“Information from the Underground High Court!”

Hearing this, everyone perked up instantly.

“Is Mr. Colin awake?” someone urgently asked the “communicator.”

“No, they warn us to be cautious; these monsters… may ‘revive’…”

As his words fell, the atmosphere grew even more somber. They had just noticed this too. The monsters killed hours earlier were gradually coming back to life, rising from the scattered “meat paste” at an accelerating pace as the “night” continued…

These were monsters that couldn’t be truly killed. And more were continuously arriving, amassing…

Like a ticking time bomb, they would reach a critical point where they would be unstoppable.

“Don’t be too discouraged; at least we’re still holding on…”

Li Hang tried to lift everyone’s spirits and looked out the thick glass window.

Outside, thirty-six combat vehicles, over a hundred “Lamp Bearers,” and nearly five thousand people formed a defense line that even these mutants couldn’t breach in a short time.

The sounds of artillery were incessant, and under the concentrated, overwhelming firepower, no group of threatening Aberrations had been able to get close to their position so far. Stray groups of tens of Aberrations were quickly dispatched at the territory’s front.

However, this wasn’t their territory; it was… a nitrate mining site.

All of Colin’s external forces had been relocated to this location.

After receiving news of Colin’s deep slumber, Li Hang, Rogue, and others had jointly made a bold decision—abandon all territories and concentrate their forces outside the bombed-open nitrate mine…

And then, they made their preparations.

“It looks like we made the right bet…”

Everyone understood clearly that only by relying on the nitrate mine could their firepower and ammunition supplies be guaranteed.

The defense lines were set up in five layers: the outermost trench, combat vehicles, the fourth line of gunners and melee fighters, the third line of standby personnel and command posts, the second line containing the temporary “explosives factory”…

And the final line, inside the continually excavated mining area…

Because the decision was made early, they had time to prepare, and the large surrounding area seemed free of “gray fog.”

This was because additional “lanterns” were sealed in iron boxes, filled with blood, and buried three to four meters underground, making the gray fog in this area “disappear.”

Thus, they could see much further, allowing them to better position themselves against the unknown horrors.

At the same time, they didn’t have to worry too much about the lanterns being damaged in combat.

“Have you noticed something?” Li Hang said, frowning as he looked at the scene outside the window. “The number of mutants is increasingly off, and the distance seems blurred…”

“Indeed. We’ve traversed nearly the entire island these past days, familiarizing ourselves with all the areas. There’s no place that could hide so many mutant…”

Someone responded. Their own observations and the “previous generation’s” information confirmed that this game didn’t “spawn” monsters.

This suggested that something was fundamentally wrong with the sheer numbers of mutants.

But what exactly was causing this situation?

“What if,” one lord suddenly suggested, “these creatures are merely illusions? What if they only exist if we believe they do?”

He thought it was possible that everything—every monster—was fake, nonexistent…

“Illusions, huh…” Li Hang chuckled softly.

But even if they were illusions, what could they do? Abandon their defenses and let the monsters through? Would they dare take that gamble?

The discussion continued for over ten minutes, but no conclusion was reached.

Then, one of the lords suddenly proposed his idea.