Chapter 4, Encounter in the Mist

Taking a deep breath, Colin and the others began to explore further afield. The dark red liquid inside the lantern was still half a bottle, enough for approximately fifty more minutes.

Therefore, the person holding the lamp must be the lord

It seems that there should be no issues here, let's go and follow the plan first, and take a look around said Colin, his heart racing, but his expression remained calm.

Without mentioning what one might encounter, if one accidentally gets lost, one can only wait to die in the vast, bewildering fog

Colin said nothing as he took the ancient lantern filled with dark red blood, holding the lantern in his left hand and the rusted axe in his right hand

The outdoors is an endless gray mist, flowing slowly as if it has been this way since time immemorial

It seems that we should explore to the left first.

Within twenty-five minutes, regardless of whether there are any gains, Colin must return immediately

Pikachu, it is Pikachu, a wild Pikachu has appeared... Colin internally mocked a few times to relieve his suppressed mood

Colin had the servant walk out the door entirely

After a delay of a few minutes and after making some additional attempts, Colin and the two servants entered the area illuminated by the lanterns.

Colin pondered for a moment, withdrew his gaze, and turned to hand the lantern to the servant, saying, "Test it first."

However, Colin was well aware that as long as the light was not extinguished, he was safe

It is good that you sense a river on the left, where there are some dangers, but the resources are abundant. In this misty world, food resources are extremely important

The advance is still ongoing

Withdraw your gaze

In the unknown mist, it seems that terrifying entities could suddenly emerge at any moment and launch deadly attacks against them

The two servants held long wooden sticks and makeshift shields made from benches, nervously positioning themselves to protect Colin in the center

Colin nodded to himself, not going out immediately

Because the return also requires time

In such places, no amount of preparation is excessive, even if it ultimately proves to be in vain

It seems that the situation of nightfall shortly after going out will not occur, Colin thought to himself.

Under his influence, the tense bodies of the two servants also relaxed considerably

Colin, having finished speaking, did not wait for a response. He turned to Servant 1 and added: "You too, remain vigilant of your surroundings and do not overlook any subtle changes."

However, at this moment, a prompt appeared: "You cannot see where the light emanates from, but you realize that there are still several hours until nightfall, enough for your lantern to burn out multiple times. You know that the time of day is not the obstacle for this operation"

But Colin knew that once the lights went out, the situation would instantly become terrifying and bloody

He does not fully trust the "hints", so he strives for caution at every step

In this world of fog, his advantages are overwhelming

Behind, there lies a vast expanse of desolation and barrenness

The presence of the lampshade essentially eliminates the possibility of being extinguished by the wind

Although there are some treasures ahead, they seem too far away from you. If you do not wish to perish on this path, it is best not to choose this option

The exploration of the surrounding area quickly came to an end, as there was nothing within a few hundred square meters nearby, leaving only the option to explore further afield

Subsequently, in accordance with the plan established earlier, Colin intended to conduct an inspection around his wooden cabin

Certainly, Colin is essentially unafraid of this.

In the dim light, all the fog within a radius of five meters dissipates at a visibly perceptible speed

This path is approximately half a meter wide, extending into the gray mist, its ultimate destination unknown

In this gray mist, where visibility does not exceed 10 meters, anyone who starts running wildly outward from the very beginning is essentially courting death

Colin turned his head and saw a long shallow path approximately ten meters to his left

Number 2, remember to leave clear marks on the ground, one step at a time. If you notice anything unusual, be sure to speak up

Regardless of whether he will encounter it in the future, he certainly does not wish to face it at present

There is indeed no problem

Moreover, Colin is not worried about not encountering that so-called "aberration," after all, since it is a daily task, it indicates that the number of these "aberrations" may not be large, but it certainly will not be so few as to be negligible.

Meanwhile, a "prompt" appeared

Taking a few quiet breaths to relieve his tense body, Colin stood near the door and waited for about a dozen breaths.

"My lord." The servant respectfully handed over the lantern.

Suddenly, Colin heard a servant say: "My lord, over there, that pit seems a bit off!"

However, as Colin held the lantern and extended it beyond the wooden door, the seemingly eternal gray mist instantly dissipated like rain or snow, thereby creating a safe zone with a radius of approximately five meters

Within a radius of five meters, the light acts like a barrier. Beyond this barrier, in the thick fog, it seems as though distorted faces are pressed against it, casting a multitude of menacing gazes upon the three individuals.

The effective range of the lantern will not be obstructed by their bodies, and the person holding the lantern must necessarily stand in the central position

This made him doubt whether there is truly a sun in this world

However, it is impossible to spend the entire fifty minutes on external exploration

Two servants closely followed him, and although they were equally afraid, they did not forget the instructions given by Colin, remaining vigilant while leaving marks.

You realize that there exists a multitude of abnormal life forms on the right, and you do not possess the strength to confront them

A wave of uncontrollable chill rose from the coccyx, causing the scalp to tingle as well.

At this moment, compared to when he was indoors, Colin felt a tremendous pressure in the fog that seemed almost tangible.

The longer it exceeds this timeline, the more urgent their return time becomes, the lower the margin for error, and consequently, the greater the danger

However, beyond the boundaries of limited light, the mist is endless, waiting to engulf them in silence as soon as the last glimmer of light fades away

Yet, despite harboring fear, Colin also knew that he could not reveal it, lest it affect the morale he had worked so hard to build up

Colin nodded, glanced back at the house behind him, and after walking less than ten meters, the wooden cabin had already become difficult to discern, leaving only a vague outline.

No attacks were encountered, and there was no situation as described in the chat channel where one could simply reach out and feel cold; it seems that nothing has happened at all

This pressure felt like a great mountain, causing Colin's body to become somewhat stiff. Even when staring directly at the gray mist, Colin could not obtain any useful hints; the hints only informed him.

Yes, my lord

If he does not return to the house before the light goes out, he will die a very miserable death

The night is extremely dangerous. Although it is unclear what exactly will happen, the fact that warnings are repeatedly mentioned certainly indicates its perilous nature

Excessive worry will only lead to distraction.

It can be said that unless Colin himself twists the axle of the lantern to retract the wick, it is actually quite difficult to extinguish the flame.

The time taken to come out is the same as the time required to return

Colin looked up at the sky again, and above the dimly illuminated vault of heaven, he could see no luminous objects.

He looked ahead for a few seconds, and a prompt appeared

He certainly cannot allow the lord to stand by his side and bear the risks

Colin walked at a steady pace across the barren land, moving in a straight line. Several minutes passed without encountering any obstacles

The servant, under Colin's instructions, shook the lantern at the door, but no matter how much he shook it, the light remained bright and unyielding.

"Yes, my lord," the two responded simultaneously

He suppressed the fear within him, counting his steps silently in his mind as he walked, creating a relatively three-dimensional map in his brain

A sudden cold wind swept through, bringing with it a sound that seemed to weep yet not weep, emerging from the gray mist

This is for precautionary purposes