Chapter Seventy-Five: The Bell of Mist
Chen Qi sat at the edge of his bed, closing the Book of the Black Prison in his hands.
He looked at the New Sun Game.
[A blizzard lashes your skin, white mist gradually envelops your figure. You lift your head, gazing upon this desolate land.]
[This cold, labyrinthine fog is so vast, it makes one lose direction.]
[Lantern effect triggered! The storm does not frighten you—instead, a thrill to challenge this blizzard ignites within.]
[You have arrived at the Land of Sparse Light!]
At last...
Chen Qi opened the map, carefully selecting the shortest possible route.
Now, he had entered the Land of Sparse Light; in perhaps another day, he would reach Mist City.
[Snow and white fog rampage through this territory. The Lantern Fox shivers, but as a world traveler, the lantern around its neck flickers to life—yet nothing can halt its steps.]
As expected of you, Lantern Fox!
[Progressing through mist and blizzard...]
Taking advantage of this interval, Chen Qi picked up the translation sheet for the Book of the Black Prison.
During his hurried journey, he had studied the Black Fire Dance ritual in his spare moments.
Because the foundation of the Black Prison Flame was solid, the Black Fire Dance—derived from it—had already reached 25% completion.
He needed only a real battle to master a move called “Black Fire Burial.”
The Domain of Black Fire focuses on crafting a battlefield suited to oneself; Black Fire Enhancement fortifies weapons.
Black Fire Burial, however, is all about tearing apart—brutally direct and offensive!
He could try practicing on some weak creatures in the Land of Sparse Light.
Suddenly, a pale message flashed.
A monster...?
Chen Qi took a deep breath, reading the text—he must avoid group battles as much as possible.
[Cold mist blows over you. In the distance, you seem to glimpse a brightly lit small town, alluring in its warmth.]
[You can sense the warmth from afar...]
[A bell toll reaches your ears.]
A bell, a town...
Chen Qi sensed danger.
[A white figure waves at you, beckoning you closer:
“Traveler, you’ve endured much along the way. Care to rest for a while?”]
[Please make your choice.]
[1. Enter the town obediently.
2. Charge into the town and cut the figure down!
3. Take a detour.]
A small town in this barren Land of Sparse Light is as suspicious as finding a hotel in the wilderness.
Just to be safe, Chen Qi chose to take a detour.
[You command the Lantern Fox to skirt around the strange town.]
[Detouring...]
[Once again, you see the town.]
What kind of looping trick is this?
Chen Qi felt a twinge of unease.
[The Lantern Fox shakes its head, murmuring that, as a world-traveling calamity beast, it would never lose its way...]
Is the white mist causing confusion—or is this an illusion...?
Chen Qi looked at the text.
[The town’s figure sees your confusion and grins wide.]
[The figure appears before you. You see him clearly now: a tall, slender person nearly two meters, shrouded entirely in white cloth, exposing hands like white bones—a ghostly white silhouette.]
[White Figure:
Level: 12
Description: A mysterious person appearing in the Land of Sparse Light, seemingly stationed here for some time.
Trait: Cup Void
Attribute: ???]
Chen Qi glanced at the level: 12...
Though the figure’s entrance was eerie, the level indicated he wasn’t yet as terrifying as a Prison Hunter.
But why is the attribute unknown?
Chen Qi read on curiously.
[The figure bows, claiming to be the White Guide of the Land of Sparse Light, responsible for welcoming his kind here.]
[He extends a hand, assuring you he knows this land well. The mist is perilous—massive Mist Beasts float nearby.
If you’re willing to accompany him into the town, you can avoid the dangers of the mist.]
Suddenly, an unexpected pale message appeared.
[Suddenly, the White Figure hesitates—your souls bear the scent of kinship!]
Kinship?
Chen Qi was taken aback. What did that mean?
Another astonishing message appeared.
[The White Figure scrutinizes you, finally confirming you as his kin...]
[He approaches and slowly asks for your number.]
[Please make your choice.]
[1. Give a fabricated number.
2. Remain silent.
3. Ask what “number” means.]
Number? What is that?
The White Figure’s actions were odd.
This person was strange—and hostile!
Chen Qi was ready for combat.
I choose three.
[Your Shadow Dagger stirs restlessly, as you quietly ask the figure what a “number” is.]
[Seeing you unable to answer, the White Figure’s gaze turns contemptuous. He hands you a slip of paper.]
[You open the paper.]
Chen Qi unfolded the note.
“Level 8 player, you don’t seem to be one of us. You’re about to die. Write your name—I enjoy recording the deaths of those I kill.”
Chen Qi was shocked. The scent of kinship meant players...?
In the game, he knew only one other definite player: Chen Shi.
The game's mechanics prevented most players from probing one another.
So even if they met, they couldn’t truly identify each other.
But this person seemed to have the ability to detect whether someone was a player.
A player...?
Strangely, Chen Qi felt a sense of relief.
He’s saying I’m about to die—not friendly at all.
A cold gleam flashed in Chen Qi’s eyes.
Taking advantage of the opponent’s expectation for a response, he clicked on the White Figure’s name and launched an attack!
[You make a gesture as if to provide information, then suddenly draw your blade, striking!]
[Your blade slashes down, black fire blazing at the tip, dealing 10 damage. The foe has 80% health remaining.]
[You faintly hear your opponent curse.]
...
Far away, at the headquarters of the Holy Catastrophe Association, a man in a white suit slammed his desk.
These Blade-Aspect players are insane—daring to fight across four levels!
“Hahaha, interesting!”
Level not only indicates attributes, but also represents time spent exploring.
This is suicide!
The man’s lips curled in satisfaction. After all, the other party wasn’t one of theirs. Time to show what “White Terror” and mental attacks really mean!
Yet in the next instant, he was stunned!
He had just been caught off guard while laughing—he’d been ambushed.
[Roaring black flames engulf you like a flood!]
[You ring the bell decisively, unleashing mist and illusion attacks!]
[Black flames absorb your warmth—you enter a freezing state, body stiffening, agility and strength reduced by 50%.]
[Your body becomes extremely cold, you sense the blizzard calling to you...]
[You seem to be dying—the blizzard ceases its call...]
[You lose vision...]
[Your left hand is severed...]
[Your head is bitten by a giant beast, blood spraying.]
[The flames continue to tear your flesh, rending you apart.]
[You have died. Treasure your life; steer clear of dangerous monsters. You have one life remaining...]
Messages flashed by in an instant.
“...”
The man in the white suit froze, as if turned to ice. He hadn’t even managed to execute a full move.
He had specifically checked the opponent’s level before coming, with a dramatic entrance planned.
Combat between players is a race against time.
No chance at all?
I was killed instantly—not even allowed to send a plea for mercy...
Feeling something was off, the man repeatedly reopened the New Sun Game.
No matter what he tried, it showed he’d become a wandering soul, searching for a place to rebuild his body—not even time to retrieve his equipment...
A chill seeped into his limbs as he reclined on the sofa, staring at the words on the slip, lost in thought.
...
Chen Qi looked at the text.
[In the mist, you experience hallucinations—the scenery around you shifts dramatically.]
So this was an illusion attack...
Such illusion techniques were of little use against Chen Qi; he possessed indiscriminate attacks through the Domain of Black Fire, as well as the Morning Star to lock onto positions.
Even amid hallucinations, the Morning Star still shone bright.
Chen Qi repeated his tactics—unleashing black fire to cover the battlefield, then launching a series of coordinated attacks with the Shadow Soul and Lantern Fox.
...
[The foe’s life flickers like a candle in the wind.]
[You witness your opponent’s death.]
[You aim your blade at him; fire of rending pours from the tip, forming black runes that tear his body apart, burying him in blazing black fire.]
[You killed player White Figure Lv12, gained 270 experience, plus 54 bonus experience. Leveled up to nine, with experience bar at 207/500.]
After releasing the unfinished “Black Burial Flame,” he ended his foe.
"A bit weak..."
Chen Qi hadn’t expected the battle to end so easily.
The White Figure seemed to lack cold resistance, frozen in place—barely able to fight back.
Chen Qi shook his head, unwilling to be misled by weaklings.
The true threats were the catastrophes and the sinners.
[In this battle, you buried an enemy with black fire—your comprehension of black fire has deepened.]
[Black Fire Dance progress: 40%]
Even gained progress—the spoils of this battle were decent.
[Do you wish to loot the corpse?]
Yes.
[You begin looting.]
[You obtained the Mist Bell.]
[Mist Bell:
Description: Long ago, in a remote village, an old bell-ringer would rush daily to dangerous places to ring the bell, warning of impending catastrophe.
His efforts went unappreciated; villagers instead sought to sacrifice him to the disaster, treating him as a scapegoat.
In his final moments, the old man rang the Mist Bell, leading everyone into the mist...
Trait: Lantern Void
Value: An item from the Land of Sparse Light, quite precious.
Effect: Upon ringing, creates a field of mist—in the mist, enemies lose their sense of direction and suffer terrifying hallucinations.
Cooldown: Can be used twice consecutively; after two uses, requires one day to recharge.]
Creates illusions!
Chen Qi was pleased—though the enemy was weak, the loot was worthwhile.
With this item, he had another means to obscure vision and escape.
Not bad, not bad...
After confirming nothing else of value, Chen Qi pressed onward.
Time was short—better to advance as far as possible before sunset.
...
Moments later.
Chen Qi sensed his vision becoming slightly blurred.
Suddenly, a scarlet message appeared!
[Boom boom boom!]
[Dense white mist batters your face.]
[In the distance, you see massive beasts gathering like clouds.]
[A colossal Mist Beast charges toward you!]
(End of chapter)