Entering the Identity Pit

Mission: Night Shelter

Attributes: World containment mission.

Task Description: You have discovered a bizarre world amid dimensional turbulence. This world has forced its way into Xia and temporarily escaped from the dimensional chaos. Your objective is to locate the world core of Night Town and submit it to the Small World Management Section.

Mission Rewards:

God's Inscription × 1

Attribute Points +10

Skill Points +10

Experience Points +3 million

Accept Reward: Open the World Scan section.

Failure Penalty: No benefits in the first stage of Nightmare World: Black Death and Pathogen World.

Introduction: The Night's plan failed, yet it seeks to perfect its vision within dreams and punish the Federation for disrupting its scheme. A minor incident, it insists, does not affect its investment of power.

Do you accept this task?

Bai Yi paused, pondering the meaning of the "God's Inscription." Was it an inscription on a tombstone, or perhaps the words of an epic?

The concept of the World Scanning section intrigued him. Did "containment" merely denote identification? After some thought, he decided to accept the task. If he could obtain the Nightmare World, he knew how to utilize it, but the implications of these unknown worlds remained unclear. Clearing out resources would be the least he could do.

[Mission: Night Confinement (Accepted.)]

[The World Scanning section is now open. You can obtain rules and background information about certain worlds through scanning.]

[World scan has been activated.]

World: Dark Town

Attributes: Order and rules.

World Background: This peculiar town forces its inhabitants into rigid routines. They live under oppressive rules, and any deviation can lead to terrifying consequences.

Everyone harbors secrets; yours must remain undiscovered. If you uncover someone else's secret, eliminate them or distance yourself immediately.

Obey his commands. He will dictate your daily tasks.

Conformity is mandatory.

'He' may lie.

'He' thrives on secrets.

Do not refuse requests from others.

Ignore anyone wearing a mask. They punish rule-breakers.

Do you want to enter Dark Town?

Bai Yi contemplated his options. The rules felt eerily familiar, yet slightly different from the usual narratives he encountered. He had never been fond of rule-based stories, but the inherent safety in adhering to rules made it worth investigating. As long as he followed the guidelines, he should remain unharmed.

After careful consideration, he resolved to enter and uncover the truth. If all went well, he could harness the power of the early-stage evil god within this realm, and then gather the necessary blood and energy for his plans.

Concerns about danger faded; Xia did not permit god-level powers to manifest uncontested. Any such power attempting to invade would be exiled. The Lady of Night, despite her challenges, could only exert limited influence.

Bai Yi recognized that the true threat lay not in the gods but in the despair that birthed the Nightmare World. The gods could project power into this realm, but they could not enter it fully. Only fragments of their essence could seep through.

[About to enter Dark Town and establish your identity in this rule-bound world.]

[Upon entering, do not reveal your identity; it is your secret.]

[Countdown: 3... 2... 1...]

As the countdown concluded, Bai Yi felt the light fade from his vision.

In the darkness, a foul odor assaulted his senses.

He opened his eyes to find himself in what appeared to be a prison cell.

Suddenly, he felt a constraining force, as if his limbs were bound.

Was this how his imprisonment began?

He felt a pang of disappointment; the panel's background had provided little insight into the specifics of this world. Just then, a series of images flooded his mind—his identity and the true nature of this realm revealed to him.

Initially, this world had thrived, resembling a federation where various races coexisted peacefully. However, everything changed with the rise of certain kingdoms, heralding a dark wave that spread terror. When the Ruixin Kingdom, once the continent's overlord, ignored the warning, disaster struck—half its population perished in a single day.

In the aftermath, fear gripped the land, and civilization succumbed to the oppressive rules of the Night, which transformed everyday life into a grim game. Those who resisted faced dire consequences, vanishing or meeting grisly fates.

The Tianling Continent had become ensnared in a web of rules, with the populace adapting to their bizarre reality. A faction known as the Dawn Squad emerged, seeking to restore freedom and unravel the Night's grip.

Bai Yi now realized his role: the captain of the Dawn Squad, wrongfully imprisoned due to a teammate's blunder.

Footsteps echoed nearby. As they approached, Bai Yi closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts.

The footsteps stopped at a cell not far from his own, replaced by the sound of chains dragging against the floor.

Ding.

A subtle sound pierced the silence. Bai Yi remained still, focusing on his identity.

"Captain, how can I save you? Moser is dead," a low voice lamented, full of guilt.

Bai Yi opened his eyes to see a girl kneeling beside him, shame etched on her face.

This was Lilia, his unreliable teammate. The unfortunate soul dragged away just moments ago was also part of their team. Now, only four remained: Lilia, a steadfast ally outside the Night Town, and another who had settled within.

Their discoveries would be relayed to him through the unique means of this world, increasing their chances of success.

While Lilia had her flaws, including a peculiar knack for attracting trouble, she possessed significant abilities. Bai Yi suspected she could absorb luck from others, which might explain her previous teams' fates.

Just as he was pondering this, a soft vibration echoed, and the chains binding him shattered.

He rose, stretching his limbs. "It's all right, Lilia. You're still valuable. Let's get out of here."

Lilia stared, wide-eyed. "Captain, if you could escape, why pretend to be trapped?"

Bai Yi shot her a glance, prompting her to fall silent and follow obediently.

"Lead the way. What did you find?"

"There are Night Cultists outside," Lilia hesitated, her demeanor shifting.

In this world, the followers of the Night enforced the oppressive rules, and they hunted those who defied them.

"Just follow my lead. What about your mission?" Bai Yi asked, a dagger materializing in his hand.

Lilia trotted alongside him, whispering, "I saw a resident disobey the Night's guidance, and they weren't punished."

Her expression faltered. "I fell asleep, and Moser died. I suspect foul play; normally, I'd never sleep on a mission. His execution was scheduled for tomorrow."

Bai Yi's instincts flared with unease. "Is a new Dawn team arriving?"

"I have no proof. Dawn Squads don't turn on each other," Lilia replied, conflicted. "But I followed the resident who broke the rules, and I think I was discovered. You know I'm hard to detect; how could an ordinary citizen have figured it out?"

Bai Yi's apprehension deepened. "We need to get out of here. Now."

"Wait, aren't we fighting our way out?" Lilia asked, confusion evident.

Before she could react, Bai Yi's form flickered, and they vanished from the prison.

Moments later, a masked group stormed in, swiftly assessing the empty cells.

Bai Yi had escaped, but his journey was just beginning.