Mist

Chapter 8: Ouroboros

When the video found in the communicator was played by Ji Yushi, everyone shuddered.

The man in the video was also showing signs of change just like the drifter and the management staff just now—– His eyes were grey and turbid, his skin was covered in prominent blue-green blood vessels and he clamoured to tear his wife apart.

“The video was recorded one month ago.”
Unlike the others who expressed shock, Ji Yushi’s tone was calm.

He acted very brave and mature, as if the person who couldn’t unscrew a bottle cap just now wasn’t him.

“Zombies!!”
“If it’s really a zombie, how many of them are out there?!”
“Fuck, no wonder it’s so weird here!”
“That was a video from a month ago!”

Familiar sounding exclamations sounded in the office.
As the teammates discussed, Ji Yushi only silently took another sip of water. Only then did the terrible feeling of powerlessness fade. He spoke slowly, “The communicator has no internet, but I just received a message. It was probably sent to us.”

“The message was sent to the deceased’s communicator, but the message is for us?”
“Yes.”

“Open it.”
Song Qinglan said.

Ji Yushi turned on the holographic projection.

[Welcome Guardians from Star Era 1456. Welcome to PU-31.]
[The transfer this time has been locked in. Unlocked after mission is successful.]
[Mission mode: Ouroboros.]
[Mission rule: Death elimination]

At this moment, Tang Le shouted, “Everyone, look!”

Outside the window, a black wall suddenly appeared, connecting the sky with the ground. It spread all the way from the direction they had just come from.

“Beep——–” The communicator let out a final reminder.

[Mission objective: Chaser of darkness.]

Everyone was horrified.
Amidst all the discussions, Song Qinglan found a broom and poked it into the black wall. When he took it back out, the part of the broom that had pierced through the black wall was completely gone, as if it was ‘eaten up’.
“What did the mission rules say?”

“De-death elimination.” Someone answered.
“It’s good that we know.” Song Qinglan turned to everyone and said sternly, “Pick up your weapons and try not to die on me. Since we can’t go back anyway, let’s figure out what this PU-31 is.”

*

“What’s wrong with Advisor Ji?”
Duan Wen looked back at Ji Yushi who had already returned to the middle of the team. He stood there, tall and straight, and was very silent. He didn’t look like he was the one who was scared just now by the corpse in the management office.

Through the private communication channel, Song Qinglan suggested lightly, “Ask yourself?”
Duan Wen let out a small sigh, “Forget it. What if he asks me to open a bottle for him?”
Song Qinglan’s tone changed slightly, “So?”
One wouldn’t pluck a hair from a tiger and Duan Wen also didn’t dare joke with his captain, “Uh, I will still help him. It is our responsibility to help our teammates.”
Song Qinglan assessed, “Less useless talk.”
Duan Wen: “In fact, I hope that we can be more friendly by the time we return to write our reports so that our ratings don’t drop because of the team’s disharmony……”

Duan Wen was still chattering when Song Qinglan suddenly stopped and made a fist gesture.

“Wait.”
His voice sounded in the public channel.

Everyone looked ahead.
On the roads of the deserted and uninhabited city, a group of people appeared.

It was the end of summer. The morning six o’clock sun passed through the concrete forest, casting a golden glow on the charred asphalt road.
The dazzling light was like a dividing line, dividing between the mortal world and hell.