Chapter Twenty: A Thousand Points of Moving Mist

“The monster seemed to have retreated a few steps just now…”

No sooner had Colin awakened than he heard the words from Servant One.

It retreated a few steps?

A trace of understanding flashed in Colin’s eyes, though judging by his two subordinates, they appeared not to have noticed anything unusual about him. This suggested that, though the experience had felt interminable to him, only a few seconds had passed in reality.

“So this is what they call indomitable willpower…” The fierce pounding of his heart was like a surging river; even though that grotesque vision had vanished, Colin still felt a lingering dread. Had he failed that test of will, he doubted he would have even mustered the courage to act. No wonder so many people would rather die than face that horror…

He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and turned his attention to the chat channel.

Colin hesitated for a moment, then sent out his message.

You have one hour left—whether you survive is up to you...

The chat was still bustling with activity at that moment.

But as soon as a single message appeared, the rapid flow of the world channel slowed so perceptibly it could be seen with the naked eye.

“The method to light a hurricane lamp: Drip a single drop of blood onto the wick, your own or someone else’s.”

“A single drop of blood will keep the lamp burning for one hour. There’s one hour left before darkness falls. Whether you can survive depends on yourselves.”

“Second, if you’re willing, please pass this message to everyone. Don’t worry about punishment—I’ll take all the consequences on myself.”

“Also, there’s no need to blame others, nor thank me. I’m no saint, nor do I wish to be seen as one.”

“Lastly, I hope all survivors can overcome adversity, face their fears bravely, and strive for dawn and a future.”

A long passage dominated everyone’s field of vision.

Almost instantly, everyone who saw the message believed its contents.

It froze on everyone’s parchment scrolls, taking up nearly half the page, ensuring no one could miss it.

Most striking of all, the text was not the usual yellow of the world channel, but a glaring, blood-red hue—chilling and impossible to ignore.

Except for those currently exploring and unable to check, almost everyone saw the message.

Especially those who had once tried to pass along information, only to shrink back under that unyielding gaze—they were left thunderstruck. More than anyone else, they understood the crushing psychological pressure of facing that thing.

Someone had succeeded!

Who was this person?

Every heart was seized by the same question.

At that moment, nearly ten seconds after the message had frozen on the scrolls, new writing appeared.

[Important Announcement: The safety system has detected a survivor posting a message in violation of the rules. The message is extremely dangerous and disrupts the stability of the game environment. The system will enforce iron-blooded punishment seven days from now.]

[Furthermore, the system will make public the individual’s information, issuing a red-name warning and a seven-day assassination bounty.]

[As this is the first such violation worldwide and the impact is extremely severe, the punishment will be increased: the bounty will be valid for a full year!]

[Name: Colin.]

[Survivor ID: 654321.]

[Bounty: 1,000 Mist Points.]

[Bounty Duration: Valid for one year (if the target dies earlier, the task disappears).]

[Note: The system’s authority is absolute. Let all survivors take heed, cherish your lives, and abide by the rules of the game.]

A few seconds later, all messages vanished, and as soon as the chat channel reopened, chaos erupted.

“Damn, someone really posted the lamp-lighting method! Incredible, those red letters alone give me chills…”

“Who is this Colin, in which sector? How did he withstand that kind of pressure?!”

“Sniff, I’m so moved—someone actually stood up for us!”

“Are you kidding me? Are people really getting emotional over this? It’s just the method to light a lamp—do you really think this Colin is some good guy?”

“Yeah, exactly. What’s there to be so touched about? For all we know, he has ulterior motives and wants us to die. Just another fake saint. You really think everyone’s a fool?”

“You filthy, heartless scum. If I ever find out who you are, I’ll make sure your whole family’s ashes are scattered to the wind!”

“I’m saying this now: if anyone tries to go after Colin, if I survive, I’ll dedicate my life to hunting you down!”

“Count me in! Just to flame idiots like you, I bought a megaphone. The man risked everything for us—he can’t be left out in the cold!”

“Everyone, act quickly—don’t waste his good intentions. Whether you plan to repay him or not, you have to survive first!”

“Don’t stray too far, or you’ll get lost. Mark your path. The mutants are usually nearby.”

“Forwarding: Method to light the hurricane lamp…”

…

“They’re making an example of me…”

Naturally, Colin could see the world announcement as well—it exceeded anything he’d anticipated.

If he’d known nearly everyone in the sector would see the message, he wouldn’t have bothered adding that third sentence, asking others to help spread it.

As for the system’s “important announcement,” Colin could only say: Well done!

With this, the message would spread even faster than he’d hoped, giving everyone a bit more time.

“It’s just that bounty that’s troublesome. For at least a year, I can’t let anyone see my personal panel, or someone will definitely come after me. Hah—I never thought I’d be worth a thousand Mist Points…”

He chuckled at himself.

He knew how valuable Mist Points were—they were an all-purpose currency, essential for improving oneself or one’s subordinates.

No matter what some people said, faced with such a juicy “prize,” even a saint would hesitate.

Human nature is always vulnerable to temptation.

At that moment, in the parchment scroll’s options, Colin’s [Private Channel] was blinking even more than the [World Channel].

But he had no desire to check his private messages right now.

He opened the [Regional Channel] for a glance, confirmed that the people in his own sector had received the crucial message, and closed the parchment.

Colin glanced up at the bloody red name hanging above his head and, prompted by the notification…

Switched it off.

…This game allowed you to choose whether to display your name publicly.

In other words, as long as Colin didn’t show his personal panel to anyone, no one would know he was marked in red…

“Hmm, very reasonable—respect for personal privacy.”

Colin couldn’t help feeling a bit sarcastic. Then he turned to his two servants and said,

“We wait. If the monster hasn’t left in the last thirty minutes, we’ll head down into the tunnels…”

“Yes, my lord!”

Time until nightfall: 57 minutes remaining.