Forty-nine rules of the end times

Chapter 150 Hidden Rule Nine

"Is the fog spreading this fast...?"

Guan Tong stayed in her small shelter, looking out the window.

When the ninth rule was published, the person was still outdoors, but immediately after it was published, he ran back into the stone house and closed the door.

Less than a minute later, the thick fog began to spread up the mountain.

Guan Tong looked outside and the visibility was less than five meters.

Moreover, the fog, mixed with a faint purple and green hue, gave people a very unsettling feeling.

"The rules have stated that there is a monster called the 'Nightmare Beast' in the fog that hunts humans... I wonder how strong this monster is? What are its attack methods?"

"Moreover, the rewards for this event include an invitation to the second Ascended Challenge... Anyone who survives will receive it."

Guan Tong won both the prize and the hidden reward in the first challenge, making him the biggest beneficiary. Although the format of the second challenge will likely change, he will definitely still participate.

However, based on the experience of the first edition, the competition usually starts after several rounds of rules are followed after receiving the invitation. It is too early to think too much now; it is more important to get through the rules in front of us first.

Guan Tong glanced at the thick fog outside again, opened the terminal panel, and checked the hidden rules for this time.

[Hidden Rule Nine: The Source of the Mist]

[Hidden Rule: Following the trail of the monsters might lead to one of the sources of the fog, where a fragment exists. If you wish to piece together the puzzle behind the rules of the apocalypse, go and find this fragment.]

[Note: Venturing into the dense fog requires ample preparation, exceptional skills, and unwavering courage. But the most important question is: is it worth the risk to face the unknown?]

"The rules this time..."

This was the first time Guan Tong had ever seen such a hidden rule.

There are no guaranteed rewards, no special mechanisms, only a "piece of the puzzle behind the rules of the apocalypse." What is that?
Guan Tong pondered deeply.

"What does the puzzle refer to? Could it be the secret behind the rules of the apocalypse?"

With so little information, he even had difficulty making guesses.

But he knew that going deep into the fog would be very dangerous.

So here's the question: as the note says, is it worth taking risks for the unknown?
Guan Tong had the answer in her heart, but she didn't rush to do anything.

The rules will be in effect for a month, so there's no need to take immediate action. It's better to observe the situation first.

"what!"

Guan Tong suddenly heard a sound. Turning her head, she saw Coal Ball squatting by the bedside, arching his back and breathing on the door.

He was somewhat surprised; this was the first time he had seen Coal Ball breathe out since adopting it.

"Crack...crack...crack..."

A noise came from the doorway. Guan Tong slowly got up and stared at the door.

It looked like something was scratching at the door from the outside.

"Ka... Ka..."

The sound rang out again, and Coalball shrank back, seemingly terrified of what was outside the door.

Guan Tong just stared at the door without saying a word.

After a moment, the sound stopped, and it seemed that the thing outside had left.

Guan Tong knew that the shelter couldn't be opened from the outside when it was closed. Unless the entire house was destroyed by force, but the shelter he was in now was a reinforced shelter summoned with 300 points of mental power, and its defenses had been greatly improved. It was no longer the wooden house that could be easily destroyed before.

Even so, Guan Tong's heart still raced.

That voice...

"boom!"

Suddenly a loud noise came from the window, startling Guan Tong and Mei Qiu.

Turning my head, I saw something sticking out of the thick fog covering the outside of the window and then retracting.

The window, though struck, remained undamaged; its strength was consistent with the rest of the shelter. Anything hidden in the fog, unable to breach the doors, could not breach the windows either.

What was that just now?
In that instant when she turned her head, Guan Tong vaguely saw something that resembled an arthropod.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, comforted Coal Ball, and thought to himself, "For now, my shelter should be safe, but..."

Since the [Biosignal Detector] that was previously available in the Ascendant Shop is designed to detect large creatures, it's certain that some kind of large monster will appear in this set of rules.

If one of those came up the mountain, Guan Tong wasn't sure if her shelter could withstand it.

He picked up the computer, wanting to go online and check what was happening outside.

As soon as he opened the House of Ascended, he saw his private messages kept increasing. When he opened them, they were all asking him about the hidden information in the rules this time.

Because of the previous successful verifications, everyone now believes that he, the site administrator, can obtain hidden information after the rules are released. Therefore, less than half an hour after the rules were announced, everyone is eager to get information from him.

"Site admin, is the transaction possible now? We'd like to acquire the latest intelligence as soon as possible!"

"Has the hidden information regarding Rule Nine begun to be sold?"

"Didn't the site administrator see our reservation message? Is there new information about a price increase? We can afford it."

Guan Tong looked at these comments, pondered for a moment, and decided not to sell the hidden rules for the time being.

One reason is that the hidden rules this time are quite unique, and he himself currently has no clue about them. If he sells the information exactly as it is, the buyer will also feel confused.

The second reason is that Guan Tong wants to get that "puzzle piece" herself this time, so she doesn't want too many competitors.

Indeed, after reading the hidden rules, he had already decided to venture deep into the fog, find its source, and obtain the fragment.

Because from the very beginning of the rules, he wanted to understand their secrets. The Firebringers, the Ascension Project, the Apocalypse... he wanted to know where humanity would ultimately end up.

He remembered talking to Fang Qian about it back then, expressing his curiosity and interest in these things. This remained unchanged even now, up to the ninth rule.

If it weren't for this curiosity, he might have already felt that life was meaningless. Living simply to survive is, in his view, like being a walking corpse, something he couldn't sustain for long.

Therefore, he was determined to explore the depths of the fog and trace its source. The reason he hadn't set off immediately was simply to gather more information about the fog, the monsters, and other related matters from the outside world, so he could prepare before taking action.

He opened the chat section and found that someone had already reposted the latest official notice.

"The fog mentioned in this rule is corrosive and neurotoxic. Remember to stay in a solid, enclosed environment and do not expose yourself to the fog."

"If the building you are in is not sturdy enough or has too many entrances and windows, please contact your local emergency management authority as soon as possible and move to a safer location."

"If you are forced to be exposed to the fog, cover your skin immediately and wear an oxygen mask. The fog can corrode and damage the human body, and inhalation may cause hallucinations, so please be careful."

This fog is incredibly thick...

Guan Tong's heart sank when she saw the official message.

He originally thought the danger of the fog lay only in the lurking beasts within it, but he never imagined that the fog itself was so dangerous.

If that's the case, then if I want to go out... without professional protective equipment, the only way is to cover my whole body with shadow armor? That might work, but it would consume a lot of mental energy in real time.

Or……

Guan Tong thought of a safer and less resource-intensive way to explore. That was to send the shadows into the fog to investigate the Yongzhou mountain base, just like he had sent them before. Once the source was found, he would then use "Shadow Shift" to get there.

It would be even better if he could retrieve the "map fragment" without having to go there himself.

As he pondered this, he continued reading. In addition to the advice given to the public, the authorities also announced the upcoming action plan.

"Currently, the relevant factories are coordinating the production of professional-grade anti-corrosion uniforms for distribution. In addition, we will mobilize armed forces and, once ready, launch an exploration operation to investigate the dense fog."

"We will attempt to use man-made thermal weapons to eliminate the monsters lurking in the fog. If successful, we will quickly launch armed operations in various cities to eliminate the monsters in the fog within the cities."

"However, we strongly advise against any exploration activities by individuals or groups in the dense fog, as this is extremely dangerous!"

"In addition, for people outside the city, we suggest you find an enclosed outdoor place to take shelter from the fog as soon as possible. Although we think it is very dangerous, if you decide to return to the city for refuge, please note that the fog will interfere with electronic navigation equipment. You can only rely on maps or your memory of the road to get back. If you are sure you know the road, please keep your car windows closed while driving. But again, driving in the fog is very dangerous and you may be attacked by monsters at any time. Please be careful."

"Finally, we will issue an updated situation report every 6 hours. Please pay attention to these updates to get the latest information and increase your chances of survival."

After reading the official update, Guan Tong had a basic understanding of the fog situation.

Moreover, this new rule... is indeed not very friendly to those who previously chose to leave the city and go to the wilderness.

Within the city, there are official shelters that can be completely sealed off, and some gathering points can also be sealed off. However, in the wilderness, although there are some villages, deserted towns, and other places to take refuge, the degree of enclosure is always less.

Those camping in the wild will definitely be the most unlucky. The fog came so suddenly and so densely that there was hardly any time to react. Even if you drive away as soon as the rules are announced, you may not be able to avoid being hit by the fog.

This may also be the reason why the official specifically mentioned "returning to the city for refuge". It must be because after this rule was released, many people in the wild felt it was too dangerous and had no choice but to contact the authorities to return to the city. Obviously, when it comes to life and death, many people will still give up that unrestrained freedom and choose to save their lives.

"I wonder what about those two people at the foot of the mountain..."

Guan Tong couldn't help but think of Yu Hong and Zhao Yu, who were camping at the foot of the mountain. After the rules were announced, the two of them would definitely have to find a secluded place as soon as possible, otherwise their chances of survival would be slim.

I wonder if they will try to come up the mountain to find me? Guan Tong thought about it and then felt that it was unlikely.

Less than a minute after the rules were announced, the mountain was shrouded in thick fog. Mingdao Mountain was an undeveloped, barren mountain without even a proper mountain path, making it very difficult to climb in the dense fog.

Guan Tong shook her head: "Now is not the time to worry about others. I should prepare for my own exploration."

While the authorities strongly discourage individuals from exploring the fog, he is no ordinary person; he is the Shadow. If even he cannot explore it, then it will be even more difficult for other Ascended Ones.

Even as a pioneer, Guan Tong wanted to try it out first and see what those monsters in the mist really were.

　Day 24 of daily check-in.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)