Global Collapse-Chapter 678 - 644: I Kidnapped a Keyboard to Type for Me Day and Night_1

"According to reliable intelligence, you entered a world called the Twilight Gods World. There are no living people there, only Evil Ghosts everywhere, and there is no concept of time," Gu Mian described the Seventh World to the person before him.

007 lowered her head slightly. She knew Gu Mian was somewhat different; therefore, when Gu Mian announced her death, she readily believed it without much doubt.

"If there are Evil Ghosts everywhere... Indeed, it would be very difficult to survive," 007 made a fair judgment. "In ordinary instances, one or a few ghosts chase players. But if you enter that world, it's a few players facing an entire world of ghosts."

Evil Ghosts were even more terrifying than the zombies in post-apocalyptic movies.

They would appear silently behind a slightly open door, in a cracked mirror, outside a dark window, or... behind you.

Evil Ghosts were everywhere and unstoppable.

Additionally, there was no concept of time in that world. Is there neither day nor night?

"An alarm will sound in that world periodically. While the alarm is active, those ghosts will become even more terrifying," Gu Mian explained honestly.

007 frowned, clearly considering how to survive in such an instance. "From my past experience, no matter how terrifying the instance, there's always a way for players to survive. But in the world you mentioned... I don't see any possibility of survival."

"So, that world isn't an open instance. Obviously, Earth doesn't want its people to enter unsolvable instances," Gu Mian said, crossing his hands. "I don't know how you all got in there. It might be the Low-Dimensional World causing trouble, or possibly... the will of Earth."

Earth loved the humans born upon it. But it did not love Gu Mian. Nor did it love the people around him. It was always trying to kill Gu Mian and his friends.

In the future, 007 and the Fortune-teller would step into this realm of absolute death together. The targeting was too obvious.

007 knew full well that Gu Mian was not favored by this world. She pondered, "I remember when this global game started, its purpose was to strengthen humanity."

But now, forget strengthening humanity.

The continuous winter and plagues had caused massive human casualties, and the death protection mechanism in instances had been turned off. The extreme difficulty of the instances made it hard for players to get rewards. Over the past half-year, not only had humanity not been significantly strengthened, but a large portion had died. The surviving players hadn't significantly improved their physical fitness. Attribute Points had become the rarest reward in instances, and most people had only gained a handful so far.

Fatty had once worried about fantastical scenes like "battle-qi manifesting as a horse" appearing in the later stages of the game, fearing that antagonist players would use a move like the "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms" to crush Gu Mian, who couldn't gain Attribute Points. It seemed he wouldn't be able to witness such a fantastical scene now.

"Strengthening humanity was Earth's goal," Gu Mian said, rubbing his fingers. "Apparently, its goal was hindered by the Low-Dimensional World. Humans have become casualties in this contest, but most haven't realized it yet."

Earth was already on the losing end. Why has it started targeting the people around Gu Mian? 007 wondered.

"Do you have any guesses about your identity?" 007 asked. "Earth targets you, and even those around you, surely because your identity is special."

"I'm trying to figure it out," Gu Mian shrugged. "Many NPCs in instances are clueless, and it's pretty awkward to grab someone and ask, 'Hey, do you know my life story?'..."

"I think if Earth wanted to eliminate those around you, it wouldn't just pull me and the Fortune-teller into that world," 007 analyzed. "There should be others... It's also strange. The Fortune-teller and I only recently got closer to you. Earth wouldn't be so deranged as to eliminate us for that, would it?"

"True," Gu Mian nodded. "I don't quite understand why it would be you two. If it wanted to eliminate anyone, it should start with Fatty. If Fatty's gone, wouldn't I naturally starve to death?"

Fatty, in the living room, shed tears of gratitude. "That's the Doctor's acknowledgment of my importance! I must be the most important person in his heart."

Hearing this, 007 fell silent for a moment. She glanced at Fatty, who was weeping openly outside, then asked, "Can you predict when the Fortune-teller and I entered the Twilight Gods World?"

"It's difficult," Gu Mian admitted. "You two said less than twenty words in total. I really can't analyze much from that."

"So, you mean it's impossible to know how far we are from death." 007 gazed out the window.

Gu Mian sensed something was off with her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just a bit tired." 007 withdrew her gaze and revealed a smile. "After all, I rode a child's kiddy ride for three days straight. I'm quite sleepy now."

This woman rarely slept. Gu Mian remembered that before they entered the save point instance, 007 hadn't slept for several days either.

Gu Mian suddenly recalled Lu Yi's "Beast Tamer Theory." Beast Tamers are all villains! That was roughly what Lu Yi had said.

Thinking of this, he advised earnestly, "You should be a good person." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

This time, 007 didn't give him a look as if he were insane. She nodded and promised solemnly.

Gu Mian was taken aback. He had been prepared to guide the rebellious young woman back to the right path, but he hadn't expected 007 to agree so readily.

After thinking for a moment, he added, "In the future, don't casually team up with the Fortune-teller for instances. Try to avoid contact with her as much as possible, lest you both get targeted by a special instance."

007 nodded.

Gu Mian thought for another moment. "Regarding the Twilight Gods World, you can ask Xiao Qiao. She's more familiar with that place."

"Mm." Apparently truly tired, 007 wasn't very talkative.

Gu Mian propped his chin on his hand. "Seems like there's nothing else to say. You can go. Head to the first floor and have Liu Ruyan find you a room. Try to get one far from the Fortune-teller's. Xiao Qiao lives with Liu Ruyan, but she's probably at the supermarket now. She came here begging for food this morning but didn't get any, so she said she'd go buy some herself."

007 agreed and turned to leave.

As she reached the door, Gu Mian suddenly remembered something. "Have you found your parents?"

007 stopped, her back to Gu Mian. She stood there for a long moment before replying in a somewhat subdued voice, "I have."

With that, she stepped out the door and left.

Gu Mian watched the doorway, sensing that 007 had reached a sorrowful conclusion to her search.

The Fortune-teller also thought of Xiao Qiao. Hearing that Xiao Qiao was quite familiar with the Twilight Gods World, she decided to pay her a visit and ask some questions.

But it was Liu Ruyan who opened the door. Liu Ruyan told her that Xiao Qiao had gone to the supermarket a little while ago, saying she wanted to buy something called 'Xiao Qiao Stewed Mushrooms.'

The Fortune-teller hurried towards the supermarket. The nearest supermarket was only a few hundred meters away. After running for three or four minutes, the Fortune-teller saw the supermarket building, which was open for business. At the entrance, a beautiful woman was talking incessantly with a salesperson.

It was Xiao Qiao.

"Miss Xiao Qiao!" the Fortune-teller called out from a distance.

But Xiao Qiao didn't seem to hear, still relentlessly trying to communicate with the salesperson.

Finding this odd, the Fortune-teller walked closer and overheard the following exchange:

"I want Xiao Qiao Stewed Mushrooms."

"What stewed mushrooms?"

"Xiao Qiao! Xiao Qiao Stewed Mushrooms!"

"We don't... we don't carry that item."

"Really? I don't believe you."

"..."

Slightly exasperated, the Fortune-teller approached Xiao Qiao. "You might be looking for Chicken Stewed with Mushrooms."

Only then did Xiao Qiao notice the Fortune-teller. "Are you also here to buy something?"

The Fortune-teller wiped the sweat from her forehead, a result of her run. "Actually, I came to ask you about the Twilight Gods World. I'll likely end up there in the future, so I was hoping to learn a bit about it beforehand…"

As she was speaking, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. Damn it, that's the last person I want to see right now!

007 was also stunned. She hadn't expected the Fortune-teller to be here too, also looking for Xiao Qiao.

Seeing the Fortune-teller at the supermarket entrance, 007 stopped dead in her tracks.

A strange premonition surfaced in her mind. They already knew what the future held, so they wouldn't enter instances together anymore. The only thing that could bring them together again was a special instance. And special instances selected players by designating one or more small areas, pulling all players within those zones into the instance. In other words, only if she and the Fortune-teller were in the same small area could a special instance pull them both in simultaneously. The two of them should have been avoiding each other, yet they had run into one another by a strange twist of fate. The catalyst is Xiao Qiao! Because they both needed to find Xiao Qiao, they had ended up in the same place.

At that moment, a chill ran down 007's spine. I finally understand! The catalyst for the Fortune-teller and me entering that place of certain death... it's probably Xiao Qiao too! Earth is targeting Xiao Qiao and her group! When a special instance descends, it pulls in all players in the designated area. The Fortune-teller and I are just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire! But it's too late. It's all too late!

In a surge of panic, she stumbled back a step, opening her mouth to shout.

But then she saw two male players and one female player exiting the supermarket, and not far behind them—Chu Changge!

Chu Changge froze for a second upon seeing the three of them, then immediately spun around and headed back into the supermarket. He's trying to get away from us!

Watching Chu Changge instantly turn and retreat, 007 knew her suspicions were correct. Chu Changge probably knew long ago that he would be pulled into that world. He knew he was a catalyst too!

007 gasped, her lungs burning, and managed to shout three words, "Quickly—separate!"

But it was still too late.

Her voice had barely faded when a fierce wind suddenly swept through the street.

When the wind died down, the supermarket entrance was empty, leaving only a dumbfounded salesperson staring at the vacant space.