The Nodes of Profit in the Fog: Ghostly Whispers and Obsessions

Mike's heart sank.

If the underlying logic of the Third Apocalypse is truly like this, the strange occurrences in Jinling would be nearly impossible to suppress!

If the ghostly fog were to fully erupt during the midpoint of this disaster, it would almost certainly be a continuous string of bizarre events. Even staying indoors wouldn't guarantee safety—who could be sure that their shelter wouldn't have witnessed multiple deaths at some point in its history?

"Mm."

Dongfang Zhiyuan nodded. "Strange events stem from the heart. The so-called obsessions aren't much more than the accumulation of a powerful magnetic field. In other words, if this team handles things well and resolves their obsessions, they will naturally be able to emerge."

"If they can't solve it, they'll die in there and become new obsessions."

Dongfang Zhiyuan paused for a moment before, with a faint smile, continuing, "If they manage to make it out, there will be some interesting rewards for you too."

"Rewards?"

Mike's eyes widened in surprise, his brow furrowing in confusion.

He couldn't see how encountering a bunch of ghosts could result in any kind of reward.

Wait…

That didn't seem right.

Mike suddenly recalled that after the first wave of the apocalypse, every new disaster, despite pushing survivors to their limits, seemed to offer some kind of reward channel.

In the first apocalypse, the extreme heat had provided humanity with initial shelters and abilities, while also introducing an online trading platform, so survivors wouldn't be left empty-handed in the face of overwhelming heat.

The second apocalypse, with its flesh-eating bacteria, though deadly and global in scope, had also introduced places like the Puzzle Gates, resembling "game dungeons," where survivors could gather resources and level up their shelters and skills, mitigating the threat of the bacteria.

Following that logic, the Third Apocalypse must also have new reward nodes!

The ghostly fog was a disaster, but the system would likely create new reward nodes as well. If survivors could harness them to grow stronger, they could survive this apocalypse.

"Have you figured it out?" Dongfang Zhiyuan asked, half-smiling, as if he could read Mike's thoughts.

"Mm."

Mike nodded and asked, eager to learn more. "Old man, could you tell me about the specific rewards?"

"It's too complex. Too much to explain."

Dongfang Zhiyuan wasn't interested in getting into details. He shook his head. "You'll find out when they emerge. With so many elite soldiers under your command, they won't all die in this mess."

With that, Dongfang Zhiyuan focused back on his cigarette and fell silent.

Mike sighed. Not wanting to trouble the elderly man further, he returned his focus to the security team.

Meanwhile, the security team had already ventured deep into the ancient mansion.

The mansion was as vast as a labyrinth, with every hallway corner and every door hiding an unknown danger.

What made them most uneasy was that despite the mansion's apparent abandonment over the years, the corpses seemed completely unaware of their surroundings.

The fog shrouded most of the mansion, obscuring their vision. Even the spectral figures of the female and old corpses leading them were only visible in fleeting glimpses.

Every few steps, they could faintly hear whispers from the darkness, and out of the corner of their eyes, they'd catch glimpses of something darting through the fog.

The team pushed on, maintaining their composure by sheer force of will. Fortunately, the path wasn't long. The female corpse soon led them into an ancient hall, where servants in old-fashioned clothing sat. The corpses bore clear signs of trauma—some decapitated, others burned, and some seemingly poisoned.

The various death scenes were grotesque, and the sight left the captain horrified.

At the center of the hall sat an elderly figure in a red robe, his face hidden, but his presence radiating a chilling, sinister energy. He seemed to be alive but barely, wrapped in layers of clothing that hid his wounds.

In front of him lay the corpse of a young woman, her abdomen brutally torn open, yet no blood spilled from the wound. Only half of her blackened intestines were exposed, making the scene even more unsettling.

The security team had already entered the hall during Mike's conversation with Dongfang Zhiyuan. They were introduced to the elderly figure by the female corpse and soon learned the backstory behind the bizarre events in the mansion.

It seemed the young woman had been involved with an outsider, angering her family. In accordance with the old-fashioned values of her wealthy family, her elders had decided to kill her to preserve the family's reputation. But her mother had intervened, attempting to prevent the death. In retaliation, the family intended to report her to the authorities.

This was the story from the perspective of the elderly servant (the "master's" servant) and the red-robed elder (the "master"), while the female corpse (the mother) and the young woman's corpse (the daughter) spoke of a different version—one where the daughter was violated by an outsider.

She had managed to escape and return home, only to be misunderstood and beaten by her own family. Her tragic tale, filled with anger and resentment, was clear, but she had no outlet to vent it.

The captain had become accustomed to the eerie atmosphere surrounding them. He tried to view the situation as if it were a normal case, hoping to solve it rationally.

Based on his judgment, this seemed like a violent dispute caused by family tensions, involving the illegal assault of a woman. Though the situation involved ghosts, if viewed through the lens of a regular investigation, they needed to first determine whether the assault truly occurred.

In any legal system, crimes like this would naturally attract more attention and punishment than simple domestic violence.

Though the captain wasn't a trained officer, his experience and special training had equipped him to quickly piece together the truth. With a few pointed questions, he had unraveled the core of the matter.

Through further investigation and corroboration of the facts, and perhaps with the added authority of his military background, the elderly figure finally admitted that he had known about his daughter's violation but, feeling powerless against the perpetrator's power, had chosen to direct his rage at his own daughter.

"This is feudalism at its worst!"

One of the young soldiers blurted out, visibly upset. "Your daughter was violated, yet instead of helping her, you choose to harm her? Are you even her father?"

It was at that very moment that Mike, shifting his focus, overheard the conversation.

Before the young soldier could say more, the elderly corpse slowly shook its head, as if its gaze shifted toward the soldier. From beneath a tangle of matted black hair, a raspy voice emerged.

"Little soldier… you speak freely, but we common folk cannot afford to quarrel with soldiers. Yes, I wish to protect my daughter, but if doing so would harm my family, how could I allow it?"

The captain frowned, sensing something more was at play. "Are you saying the man who violated your daughter is also a soldier?"

The elderly corpse let out a hollow grunt, as if admitting something without fully acknowledging it.

"Then why come to us? We're soldiers too."

The young soldier's brow furrowed. Beside him, the female corpse whispered softly, "Little soldier… Could it be that, since you're also one of our own, you would show us mercy?"

"Mercy?"

The captain was caught off guard, exchanging glances with his team.

Some of the soldiers were from alternate dimensions and had experienced similar histories. Even those who weren't familiar with this specific one had some understanding based on briefings from headquarters.

The tragic history of China in recent years had been one of profound humiliation, with the people suffering terribly.

None of them expected this supernatural event to be tied to such historical connections.

"The invaders are that despicable!" The young soldier growled, clearly angered by the idea of the ghosts pleading for mercy.

But the captain, ever the pragmatist, thought deeply. "Something's not right… If this really is tied to history, then how could there still be any surviving soldiers in Jinling? And what exactly are we, if the city is already under enemy occupation? Shouldn't the ghosts have recognized the anomaly of our presence?"

"Is this ghost's tale a trick? Or perhaps… did their obsession before death hope that a military presence would bring justice?"

The captain was torn. Should he trust the ghost's words? Moreover, the conditions it demanded were too absurd!

The request seemed dangerous—if they took the young woman's body out of this place, would it pose any danger, like spreading disease or even becoming a threat to survivors outside the mansion?

The dead in these strange events were one thing, but the living outside in the fog remained a real concern.

Just as the captain was lost in thought, a blood-curdling scream echoed from outside the hall. A high-pitched wail, filled with rage and sorrow.

"They're coming! The soldiers are storming the mansion!"