Did You Think I Wanted to Be Here?

Mike quickly stood and hurried to the window, gazing out.Through the steady, dark rain, he saw a black mist rising from the street below, swirling with the wind and thickening like ink. Within moments, the mist spread, enveloping the entire neighborhood. The streets and corners of the district were covered, with every place where black water had fallen now shrouded in this eerie fog.The distant cries of residents echoed around him as they watched the mist rise, now at least seven or eight meters high. People hurried to shut their windows, sealing every possible crack.Having survived two months of the apocalyptic disaster, they knew better than to be foolish, leaving windows open when the black mist clearly held some danger.Lin Yue did the same. As Mike observed the mist's movement outside, she activated the building's bio-defense systems, sealing the windows while also filtering any toxic gas that might have entered the air."That's fast..."Mike frowned. It had only been thirty seconds since he first saw the mist, and already the entire district was completely shrouded.Through the window, the mist writhed and churned. Mike stared, certain he saw blurry ghostly figures and twisted human faces, though it was hard to tell if they were just visual distortions caused by the mist or something more sinister."Sir, the sounds of people outside have stopped as well."Jiang Xiaozi spoke softly, reminding him, "I've disabled the soundproofing in the surrounding rooms. If anything happens downstairs, you'll hear it clearly.""But it's as if they've all died... there's no noise at all."Her quiet words made Lin Yue freeze. She rushed to the door, shouting, "Wang Daniu! Go check on the others downstairs! What's going on?""Yes, ma'am!"Wang Daniu responded loudly, running downstairs with heavy steps.Wang Daniu wasn't someone who stood out at first—just an A-rank combat talent, a small-time thug leader in Jinling. He had no real power, no backing. But he was clever, loyal, and hardworking, always on duty, which earned him respect. Just a few days ago, Mike had personally promoted him to the head of the building's security team, a role with great significance.While Lin Yue gave her orders, Mike suddenly received a long-awaited notification—an alert about the next stage of the apocalypse."The third round of the apocalypse has begun: the Fog and Ghost City Disaster.""That rain was definitely linked to the third disaster," Mike thought, his expression calm as he processed this new development."Sir, is this the third apocalypse?"Jiang Xiaozi asked, looking at him.Mike nodded, speaking softly, "It's the Fog and Ghost City Disaster. There's no other information—just this one line."The message from the apocalypse system was always vague and offered little help to survivors."Fog disaster… does this mean the fog is global?"Jiang Xiaozi asked, glancing at the mist outside, deep in thought.Mike corrected her, "It's the Fog and Ghost City Disaster. As you said, the system doesn't make mistakes. This isn't just fog; it's something more."Jiang Xiaozi smiled, seemingly unfazed. She toyed with Mike's hand and asked, "Sir, does the mention of ghosts bother you?"Mike shook his head. "There may not be any ghosts, but it's probably the ghost city we should worry about."He turned back to the window, frowning as he analyzed, "The term 'ghost city' can mean two things.One: A city abandoned after resources were drained, uninhabited or barely populated.Two: A place of pure ghostly activity, as in Chinese mythology, places like Fengdu or Yama's Palace."Mike paused, then added, "But Fengdu is supposed to be far north of here. We're in the south, so it's unlikely."He turned to Jiang Xiaozi again. "If ghosts are a threat, then the mist itself may be what creates them. If ghosts kill us, then we'll truly be in a ghost city."Just as he finished speaking, an unfamiliar, ancient voice interrupted."Mr. Su, you're wrong."Mike turned in surprise, seeing an elderly man standing in the room. He was tall and gaunt, wearing a simple white robe patched at the knees. A rough, gnarled staff in his hand glowed faintly, reminiscent of a strange lamp."Dong Fang Zhiyuan!"Mike exclaimed, recognizing him immediately. This was the SS-level sage (or warrior?) he had been waiting for—Dong Fang Zhiyuan!"Mr. Su, you've lost your manners."The old man smiled faintly. "It's been a long time since anyone has called me by my name directly."Mike quickly rushed to the man's side, offering his hand with utmost respect, helping him to sit."Mr. Dong Fang, I've heard much of your reputation. It's an honor to meet you."Mike lowered his head slightly, speaking politely. He knew how dangerous it was to cross such a powerful figure. After all, the higher a talent's rank, the more uncontrollable they were.Dong Fang Zhiyuan gave him a cool look. "You've seen my photo or heard my name, haven't you? Don't pretend it's anything more than that."Mike wasn't surprised. "The system showed me your data. You are unparalleled, so I naturally hold you in high regard."Dong Fang Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. "Do you respect me alone, or does this woman deserve some respect too?"Mike hesitated, looking over at Jiang Xiaozi."I respect both, of course."Jiang Xiaozi, with a gentle smile, added, "Sir has always been respectful to you, Mr. Dong Fang. He's been waiting for you to arrive."Dong Fang Zhiyuan turned his gaze back to Mike, his tone suddenly sharp. "You've waited long enough, haven't you? But tell me, do you really understand what's happening here?"Mike swallowed nervously. "Not fully, but I'm trying to grasp it. If you have any advice, I'll gladly listen."Dong Fang Zhiyuan paused, then chuckled coldly. "You're waiting for advice, but can't even figure out the ghost city. How do you plan to save anyone?"Mike stammered, "I—I'll figure it out. But what do you suggest we do now?"Dong Fang Zhiyuan's gaze softened slightly. He leaned back, sighing. "You're not in control here, but maybe you will be... eventually."Mike nodded, unsure of how to respond.

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