With a roar, the abhorrent creatures in the dark red fog were all incinerated into ash. When the scroll displayed that the quest was complete, it marked the end of the cursed family, who had survived the “Era of Suffering” by using evil ans to gain forbidden power.
Additionally, during the cleansing operation, Colin retrieved all the scrolls and crafting tables.
With everything finally over, Colin sighed and turned to pat one of the six survivors on the shoulder.
“You see? It’s all over now.”
Just as he was about to say this, before his hand could make contact, the survivor suddenly collapsed.
His hand swung through the empty air.
Thud, thud, thud.
All six of them fell one by one. Their eyes were closed, and there was no trace of either manic pain or pathological fervor on their faces, only a serene peace, as if they had found satisfaction in that mont.
The air was filled with an eerie silence.
Perhaps it was a minute or two, maybe just a few seconds, or even re monts—but in the ti that felt stretched out, the bright lantern continued to burn.
“May the light bless them,” Sanna, rarely seen with her Bible, radiated a holy glow, chanting softly in a lodious tone, offering final prayers and blessings for the deceased.
Her ethereal, beautiful voice echoed through the opera hall, filled with smoke, blood, and the flowing remnants of the old nobles.
Colin and the others stood silently, heads slightly bowed, gazing at the “survivors.” They seed to be rely asleep, their faces peaceful, as if lost in pleasant dreams. Perhaps, in their dreams, they had finally returned ho, lying on couches or beds, playing on computers, watching their phones, or even working overti—resuming their tranquil daily lives.
In that place, there was no more gray fog to face, no monsters, no despair, and no suffering.
When the prayers and blessings ended, Colin exhaled deeply and said calmly, “Take them outside to be cremated and buried.”
After that, he said nothing more, not even bothering to complete the quest imdiately.
The four survivors, who had not yet faced such a cruel fate, silently stepped forward to carry away the six bodies. So of them had had conflicts with those among the deceased during previous explorations, but now that didn’t matter.
In the somber atmosphere, Colin, holding the lantern, began to leave in the direction they had co from.
As he walked, he took out the scroll and conveyed information about the tunnel leading to this area to the base.
But suddenly, Colin stopped, his face filled with alertness as he looked toward a particular stone archway, pausing in his steps.
Though uncertain, Li Chou quickly set up the “No-Conscience Cannon,” having his servants aim at that spot.
At that mont, a faint sound ca from the stone archway, and a strangely dressed man erged from the darkness.
The man wore a faded, heavily patched, but impeccably clean Western suit. The most noticeable features were his hair and eyes—both gray.
He stepped into the bloodstained opera hall with a smile, seemingly indicating he had no ill intentions.
He looked around and exclaid, “Impressive, you dealt with these creatures so easily.”
“Who are you?” Colin frowned, ready to unleash a ‘ntal Piercing’ at any mont. “And stop right there.”
“Alright, alright, relax. I an no harm.”
The man, as if rehearsed, raised his hands smoothly.
“I’m Russell. Are you the reinforcents sent by Lady Bluebell? What’s it like outside now? How many survivors are left?”
???
What nonsense are you talking about?
Listening to this self-proclaid Russell, Colin and his group were flooded with questions, feeling sothing was very off.
Who was this guy?
Who was Lady Bluebell?
What about the outside? The outside is just the way it is!
But then, the hint appeared, making Colin furrow his brows deeply and his gaze sharpened.
【You have never heard the language spoken by this man. You vaguely sense that this language might not have appeared since the dawn of civilization on Earth.】
The hint was clear—this man spoke a language that had never existed on Earth.
Just a mont ago, he had wondered why, after crossing over, soone would dye their hair and wear colored contact lenses. With this hint, everything made sense.
“Do you know how ‘Lady Bluebell’ died?” Colin began probing.
At the sa ti, he guessed who “Lady Bluebell” might be—the headless female corpse. The cocoon at her feet couldn’t have grown overnight. Compared to other parts of her body, it was clear she wasn’t soone who did heavy labor regularly.
Given that the foot calluses were recent, the answer was obvious—the owner of that body had been active in the fog for so ti before they appeared. Colin had always suspected that another group of “survivors” had been sent before them.
However, neither the chat channels nor his explorations had revealed any traces of this “previous group.”
But now, a clue seed to have surfaced.
To Colin’s surprise, this “previous group” wasn’t even from Earth.
Russell, the man nad by the system, was stunned by the question, “Dead?”
He sighed. “Her death is pretty obvious, isn’t it? She exposed the system’s malfunction and was punished by it. She avoided it for a while, but ultimately couldn’t escape. But how could you not know that?”
As he spoke, Russell’s voice gradually paused. He finally realized sothing.
Damn! We’re not on the sa team!
The system’s issue was known to all survivors. How could anyone not know?
“Ah, haha, this is a bit awkward.”
Russell, like a husky among wolves, forced a smile. “Friend, how about this? I’ll give you so stuff and hide back underground. You can pretend you never saw , okay?”
He regretted his haste.
“Sorry, friend,” Colin said, not wanting to harm a friendly face. “Hand over the scroll, crafting table, and lantern, along with all your supplies. Surrender and tell everything you know.”
Colin dared to make this demand because the hint suggested dealing with this man would be troubleso but not unmanageable.
Initially, he had no intention of killing this “previous generation” because there was a wealth of information to be gained from him.
Everything the man knew could be revealed. If it weren’t known, those who did would be dead already. If he was alive, it ant there was no problem.
anwhile, Russell, facing Colin, showed no change in expression and didn’t answer imdiately but was filled with confusion.
I know what a lantern is, but what are “scroll” and “crafting table”?
Are these things unique to this batch of survivors?
Moreover, there really are other civilizations’ survivors!
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