Thanks to Winter of our Discontent for the kofi. Enjoy this bonus chapter, sorry for the late upload!

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The premise of all Yining’s speculation is that Zhang Xing is indeed the murderer and that every move he makes has a purpose.

But what if that guy is just a stupid, evil person?

No deep strategy, no elaborate schemes—just greed and malice, leading to the current situation by sheer coincidence? Yining gripped his wrist, where he wore a defensive bracelet and a hardened blood vessel.

He had to keep his cool.

He had to distinguish clearly between what came first and what came later.

He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over every face in the room—some sorrowful, some bewildered, some angry—until all eyes were fixed on him.

“Mr. Myer, I suggest we go to the bell tower first.”

He paused, then added, “But be prepared for the worst.”

“You’re right.”

The middle-aged priest, Myer, picked up where Yining left off: “It’s impossible for these events to have coincided by chance; it’s highly likely that the Hunters’ Guild is behind this.”

He turned to the priests and servants around him and raised his voice: “We may not be the most prominent figures in the church, but we cannot let those hunters scare us into submission!”

“Gather everyone in the church hall. No one is to leave their post until we return!”

A young man spoke up immediately: “Priest Myer, let me go with you!” 

Someone else chimed in: “I’ll go too!”

“Father, if we join forces, we’ll surely drive all those hunters away!”

Father Myer sighed. “We’re running out of time, everyone. Do as I say! Conna, let’s head to the armory!” 

“We” included Myer, Lewis, Conna, and Yining.

Lewis was a burly young man, nearly two meters tall, as sturdy as a mountain. Carrying a heavy rifle on his back, he looked every inch the warrior.

Conna, on the other hand, wore a black dress. With brown hair, blue eyes, and glasses, her face was dotted with freckles. She looked young and somewhat delicate, her expression impassive as she silently checked the small bag she carried, but no one would underestimate her.

Myer told Yining that Conna was an explosives expert; her family had been skilled in this craft since her grandfather’s generation, and Conna’s aptitude for learning surpassed even that of her older brothers.

In other words, the indigenous people’s level of technological development likely meant that, by Conna’s grandfather’s generation, they had at least completed the Industrial Revolution, which is why they were able to establish the framework for hot weapon technology.

However, with an explosives expert now on the scene, Yining couldn’t help but feel a stir of unease, sensing that the situation at the bell tower would certainly exceed his wildest imaginings.

Before setting out, the three clergymen quickly changed into attire suitable for movement, all donning black cloaks with anti-contamination properties over their outer garments. Yining

pulled out an enchanted lantern and a pistol with only five rounds. His marksmanship was certainly subpar, but it worked wonders for bolstering his courage.

However, they didn’t even make it to the bell tower.

No sooner had they left the church grounds than a swarm of abnormal human creatures surged forward like a tidal wave, blocking the street ahead. They roared

and jostled one another, forming a repulsive living wall.

“Over there, that way,” Myer pointed toward the sky.

Without hesitation, Lewis pulled out a flare gun, aimed in that direction, and pulled the trigger!

A blinding white orb sliced through the darkness, briefly illuminating the outline of a distant building. Yining seized the moment to climb onto a wrecked car by the roadside and scan the horizon.

It turned out the bell tower was the very building occupied by that enormous, one-eyed monster!

Now that they were closer, he could see clearly: the monster, as massive as a small mountain, had almost completely covered the upper half of the bell tower. Only when its body shifted could they catch a glimpse of the metal rim of the giant bell below.

The flashbang went out, plunging them back into darkness.

Yining jumped down from the car roof and sighed, “Does that mean we have to blast our way through? Won’t that alert that giant up there?” Myer replied, “Don’t worry, it’s not interested in us ants.”

“Wait a minute,” Yining pressed. “What problem were the bishop and the others trying to solve when they came to the bell tower? If we end up having to go inside, won’t we still have to face that monster head-on?”

The Church favor points he’d earned by completing storylines earlier were incredibly useful. Father Myer told him everything he knew, clearly treating him as a trusted ally.

Of course, given the gravity of the situation, there’s no need to keep it a secret anymore.

“The bell tower needs a bell-ringer,” Father Myer said quickly. “But last night, a horde of monsters swarmed the tower, and the original bell-ringer was killed. As long as the bells ring, that giant creature will naturally be intimidated and driven away by the sound.”

“It sounds like the monsters that stormed the bell tower were organized and premeditated,” Yining keenly picked up on the key point.

“Who knows? No one knows what’s going on over there right now. The bishop has been out of contact for six hours.” As he spoke, Myer gritted his teeth. “Conna, let’s move!”

Conna was already ready.

From a seemingly ordinary backpack, she swiftly pulled out a large bundle of explosive packs, deftly connecting the fuses and attaching a simple detonator. Finally, with Lewis’s assistance, she hurled several packs toward the area where the abnormal humans were most concentrated.

The group found cover and covered their ears.

“Boom!”

A deafening explosion shook the cobblestone road, and flames flared up once more.

The smoke and dust from the explosion settled on their skin, causing a faint, prickling sensation.

Yining peered out from the alley and saw that the “human wall” formed by abnormal humans had been blown open, revealing a massive, bloody gaping hole.

“Before they regroup! Charge!”

At the command, the four of them took off running.

The deafening explosion and the scent of living flesh completely enraged the surrounding abnormal humans.

They grew even more frenzied; even those whose limbs had been blown off and whose bodies were now just stumps writhed wildly, using their remaining fangs to tear at them.

Lewis raised his gun and fired, while Conna threw something into the distance. A relatively mild explosion erupted nearby, sending fine particles that pelted their bodies, causing quite a bit of pain.

Seeing an abnormal human lunging at him from above, Yining fired a shot in a hurry. The pistol’s firepower wasn’t enough to kill it; the abnormal human fell to the ground and, like a rabid dog, charged forward on all fours. It moved too fast for Yining to aim, so he had no choice but to use his pistol—which had a somewhat decent range—to fend it off.

Strength +3, Attack +6. Using the machete, which lost 10 durability, he quickly dispatched the abnormal human monster.

【Congratulations on defeating a Level 2 abnormal human】

【Obtained: Synthesis Card (Gray) ×1, Common Gold ×1】

His skill level didn’t increase after this kill; there might be a hidden experience bar.

Leveling up from Level 1 to Level 2 requires killing a zombie, but Level 2 to Level 3 might not.

Yining gripped the machete tightly and showed no mercy against the abnormal humans blocking his path, though he failed to kill most of them, merely attacking enough to ensure he could escape quickly.

Wasting time in a horde of monsters is tantamount to playing with your life.

Yining’s 100% defense paper doll seems to only block lethal attacks; he still takes damage and loses health when scratched by minor monsters.

【Health -2】

【Condition: Abrasion】

【Health -3】

【Condition: Muscle Contusion】

When the four of them finally broke through the encirclement and staggered into the open plaza in front of the bell tower, they were so exhausted they could barely stand upright, leaning on their knees and gasping for breath.

Conna’s stamina was remarkably good; though her face was slightly pale, she didn’t stop, sprinting in one breath to the heavy arched wooden door of the bell tower and surveying her surroundings warily.

The bell tower stood about thirty meters tall, and the monster was nearly as long as the tower itself. At that moment, it was staring at the four of them with a single, enormous, golden eye, a sense of horror and dread striking each of their souls.

Just as Myer had said, the one-eyed monster truly paid them no mind; apart from that spine-chilling eye, its massive body did not move an inch.

Yet even without any physical attack, Yining felt a chilling sense of being locked in its killing intent. He unconsciously tensed his body, his hands trembling slightly.

Should I… try stabbing it with the blood knife?

“My head is spinning…” Conna clutched her head, her body swaying.

“Don’t let that monster see you—you’ll be corrupted. Let’s hurry inside,” said Lewis.

The two voices seemed to snap Yining out of his daze. He paused, belatedly realizing he’d been in a daze just now, as if in a state of light sleep.

He immediately focused his attention on the monster, and the in-game information popped up just in time.

【Hybrid Behemoth】

【Level: 50】

【HP: 13,000】

【Defense: 200】

【Description: Mutated from animals with powerful souls, they feed on the spirits of powerful beings. They move slowly but possess a strong ability to “corrupt.”】

An ant.

Compared to this monster, I really am just an ant.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a cold breeze carrying the scent of blood hit me in the face. The temperature inside the bell tower was abnormally low, as if I had stepped into an ice cellar. It felt just like the entrance to a game dungeon.

But there was no option to reload a save file or restart.

His journey through the town was originally meant to be just a preliminary exploration, but he never expected to be swept along by a series of events all the way here. Will he gain anything from this?

Could he gain anything?

Never mind. He’d just have to take it one step at a time.

Yining blew warm breath onto his palms, rubbed them together, and forced himself to focus on the dangers awaiting inside the bell tower. Conna turned on her flashlight, its beam piercing the darkness beyond the door.

Where the light fell, the first thing they saw was a spherical object on the stone floor. It was rolling slowly, leaving a sticky, dark red trail behind it.

Conna gripped her weapon tightly, held her breath, and moved inward with extreme caution. The flashlight beam trembled as it followed the rolling object until it hit the wall and came to a stop.

The light finally illuminated the object’s full form.

“Ah!”

Conna let out a shriek. She leaped backward as if scalded, but her legs gave way, and she fell to the ground, the flashlight rolling aside, its beam flickering erratically.

“The Bishop! It’s His Grace the Bishop!”

Lewis took a step forward and quickly covered Conna’s mouth, but when his gaze fell on that “thing,” he was struck as if by lightning, freezing in place and trembling violently.

After entering Lamb Town and dealing with the local church, Yining had learned that the town’s bishop was the most powerful figure in the area. But now, he was dead, his head lying alone on the stone floor, his body nowhere to be found.

The bone-chilling cold within the bell tower intensified further. A faint, eerie rustling sound drifted down from the darkness above, and the atmosphere of unease and danger caused everyone’s breathing to quicken.

Priest Myer removed the clerical robes from beneath his black cassock, covered his head with them, and wrapped them up. Then he said in a grave tone, “We cannot stay here long.”

Now that they had confirmed the bishop’s tragic death, they had no other choice. Whether he had been killed by the Hunters’ Guild, as the intelligence reports suggested, or had fallen victim to a monster’s claws, Myer and the others could only accept the final outcome.

Staying here now would serve no purpose other than to increase the casualties.

“We’re done for…” Lewis couldn’t hold back any longer and muttered under his breath. “Where’s Ziling?” Conna looked at Myer. “We still haven’t found Ziling.”

Father Myer raised his flashlight, its beam sweeping through the deeper darkness around them, but he didn’t dare stray too far from his companions. “Let’s wait another half hour. If he doesn’t show up, we’ll head back to the church.”

Yining opened the game’s chat panel and sent a message to Ziling.

【Yining】: We’re at the bell tower. Where are you?

Ziling replied quickly.

【Ziling】: (Photo)

【Ziling】: Stay safe—don’t worry about me

【Your friend has reached the message limit】

“……”

He couldn’t bring himself to use punctuation; with the photo included, it totaled nine characters—a nine-character mantra.

Yining tapped on the image—it was a slightly blurry photo.

Taken from a bird’s-eye view, the center of the frame showed the plaza in front of the bell tower, with a dense, chaotic crowd of abnormal humans gathered beyond it.

Is Ziling up on the bell tower?

Yining looked up, but unfortunately, all he could see was pitch black. Of course, he couldn’t possibly be on the ceiling.

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should send some supplies via the game’s in-game mail, but remembering the other person’s words, “Don’t worry about me,” he decided against it.

He reached into his pocket and felt the few remaining milk candies. Perhaps he could use these as a token of his concern? It might come across as a bit suggestive.

At that thought, Yining startled. Were his thoughts getting too lewd? He shook his head, banished the distracting thoughts, and returned to a state of alert.

What exactly did “Don’t worry about me” mean? Was it “I’m safe for now and don’t need help,” or “This place is extremely dangerous—get out of here fast”? The natives over there didn’t ask, and Yining didn’t feel comfortable explaining this unique form of communication between players on his own.

Time slipped away, and half an hour had passed in the blink of an eye.

Ziling hadn’t shown up.

Father Myer picked up the bundle from the ground and said in a low voice, “Let’s go, everyone.”

The four readied their gear. Outside the Bell Tower Plaza, a large crowd of abnormal humans still gathered; they all knew deep down that a tough battle lay ahead.

At the same time, both Conna and Lewis were overcome with fear; their hearts felt as if they were being squeezed, their breathing was ragged, and they felt dizzy and had ringing in their ears.

Without the church bells to ward off the monsters and without the bishop’s protection, would the monsters encroach further on their living space?

In the days to come, they might be forced to huddle inside the church, losing the support of the faithful, struggling to secure supplies, facing dwindling food and fresh water, until humanity ultimately collapsed from within.

During this period of frequent natural disasters, similar catastrophes played out time and again.

Father Myer, clutching the bishop’s head, walked at the front without uttering a word. His back was straight, yet it was shrouded in an inescapable, heavy shadow.

Yining keenly sensed that the eyes of the three natives beside him were clouded with gloom; their morale was low, and he wanted to say something to lift everyone’s spirits.

Just then, a gust of wind swept by, and a dark figure plummeted from the sky!

Yining’s pupils contracted sharply. Acting purely on instinct, he grabbed Conna—who was closest to him—and threw himself backward with all his might!

“Sssshhh—”

A strange screeching sound rang out.

The two of them fell to the ground and rolled away.

That unbelievably massive black shadow scraped past their scalps and backs, crashing heavily onto the spot where they had been standing just moments ago. The stone pavement emitted a dull thud as cracks spread across the surface!

The shadow was long. Where the flashlight beam fell, it revealed limbs thicker than a human’s arms and torso combined, resembling a giant centipede.

The arthropod-like creature seemed to have merely happened to pass by; it made no unnecessary attacks and walked purposefully toward the bell tower’s main entrance. The four of them had likely just happened to be standing in its path.

The arthropod-like shadow departed, and Lewis stood frozen in the distance, staring blankly at a pool of blood on the ground.

“Get up.”

Conna scrambled to her feet first, then hurried over to help Yining up.

Yining had served as a human shield for Conna; the back of his head and his back ached from the impact, and his nose had taken a solid blow from Conna’s elbow or skull, sending a sharp pain shooting to his forehead and bringing tears to his eyes.

As Conna helped Yining to her feet, she noticed the burly Lewis still staring blankly at the large pool of blood on the ground and realized that Father Myer was gone.

It was too dark all around.

The darkness concealed all the tragedy.

Death was so close, yet it seemed veiled by frosted glass—blurred, dim, and indistinct.

“Aaaah!!!”

Lewis lost control of his emotions and screamed hysterically.

“Lewis!” Conna instinctively wanted to rush over.

“Don’t go!” Yining was faster than Conna; he grabbed her arm tightly with one hand and covered her mouth with the other! He remembered that both Father Myer and Lewis himself had explicitly emphasized earlier that they must keep their voices down!

Inside and outside this bell tower, there were likely far more than just one kind of creature sensitive to sound. He dragged the young girl toward the wide-open doors of the bell tower.

Yining’s lantern illuminated the bell tower plaza, which was both empty and free of any monsters daring to approach. A deep, resonant sound echoed from inside the bell tower, and Lewis’s cry came to an abrupt halt.

“Sorry.”

Yining let go of Conna; he, too, was mentally exhausted.

He couldn’t comprehend the indigenous people’s despair, but he couldn’t come to terms with the fact that a life that had been vibrant one moment was gone the next. That wasn’t like his own parents, who, after more than twenty years, had long since grown weary of the subject of life and death.

“Oh no…”

Conna stared blankly ahead, muttering to herself, “All the monsters in town have become active…”

“How do you know?” Yining looked at Conna.

“I can see them. My clairvoyance is very strong.” Conna’s voice was light and airy, devoid of any vitality. “I’ll get you out of here, and then I’ll go back to the bell tower……”

Her voice grew fainter and fainter until it was barely audible. She intended to struggle a little longer, but she knew it was all in vain.

Conna knew she would ultimately have to stay behind and face an even darker future. She wasn’t afraid, just conflicted.

“Don’t lose heart!” Yining patted her shoulder firmly, forcing a smile, even though he himself felt just as heavy-hearted and uncertain. “If all else fails, we’ll figure out a way together to leave this town.”

It all happened so suddenly.

Caught off guard, Yining had been thrust into the turbulent currents of this world.

To be caught up in such a major incident right off the bat—it was thrilling, yes, but it was also genuinely life-threatening.

But then he thought: if something truly catastrophic were to happen, the other players in the town wouldn’t escape either—it would just be a matter of timing.

Would the black-tier 【Realm Guardian】 he’d seen upon entering the town be capable of fending off that massive black centipede from earlier? Once Yining had finished this line of thought, his fear subsided somewhat.

It’s not scarcity that’s the problem, but inequality.

Dying alone is terrifying, but if the world ends and we all die together, it’s not so scary after all.

He took another milk candy out of his pocket and handed one to Conna. “Technical experts are always the last spark of hope. You can’t let anything happen to you.”

“I—I don’t really know how to do anything.” Conna took a deep breath, seemingly holding back her emotions, and stiffly unwrapped the candy before popping it into her mouth.

“I should have realized this long ago, but I never had the courage to admit it. For decades, nothing has ever gone wrong at the bell tower. The Eternal Night disaster struck, and the Hunters’ Guild hunted down the Bishop—none of it was a coincidence…”

Then, silently, she pulled a flare gun from her small bag, aimed it at the night sky where the monsters were most concentrated, and pulled the trigger.

“Whoosh—Boom!”

A blinding white light once again illuminated the edge of the plaza.

Just as Conna had said, the number of monsters had clearly increased!

The number of abnormal humans surrounding the Bell Tower Plaza had multiplied many times over since their arrival! They were packed layer upon layer, shoulder to shoulder, and among them were several mutated individuals of exceptionally massive stature and even more ferocious auras.

Even more terrifying was the fact that high above the horde of abnormal humans, the giant centipede-like arthropod monster that had bolted from the bell tower was chasing the rising signal flare, raising its head—covered in compound eyes and mouthparts—which was enough to send anyone’s sanity plummeting.

Monsters that look like centipedes but have a large head are also called hybrid monsters.

【Hybrid Monster】

【Level: 30】

【HP: 800】

【Defense: 200】

【Description: Possesses insect-like characteristics, is highly aggressive, and is extremely sensitive to light and sound.】

What kind of powerhouse could possibly take on a monster like that! Yining suddenly felt a deep sense of respect for Ziling, who had climbed to the top of the bell tower.

He glanced at the chat channel in the game interface and saw that the town’s players were in an uproar.

【Since this morning, my domain has been showing a locked status.】

【I’m not locked, but I’m showing a “Fear” status.】

【Could it be that you have a higher Clairvoyance stat?】

【You’re right! I have 3 points in Spiritual Perception!】

【Ahhh, I’ve been locked onto by an unknown monster—my status bar is glowing red!】

【A huge boss is passing by near me—the ground is shaking.】

【Is this really the last day of the newbie period? Are we all going to die once today ends?】

【Guys, I hear bells ringing!】

【Bell? Are you hearing things? Is it a death knell?】

“Watch out!”

Conna’s shriek yanked Yining’s attention back to reality.

He looked up to see the mountain-like hybrid beast that had been perched atop the bell tower extend a thick, tar-like tentacle. Without warning, it lashed out and slammed down toward where the two of them stood!

There’s no way to dodge it!

Yining’s mind went blank, but his body instinctively pulled Conna behind him as he closed his eyes. It’s over…

Instant death is painless. But he wasn’t dead.

Yining’s tightly shut eyelids fluttered, and he cautiously opened a slit. Finally, the tentacle fell to the ground and, inexplicably, melted away.

Wow, he really wasn’t dead.

Yes, the tentacle-like monster’s body melted, spreading out like water and sinking into the ground.

【Obtained: Spirit Fuel ×10】

【Category: Spiritual Materials/Medicines】

【Description: You must store them in a bottle; otherwise, they will evaporate and disappear after one hour. When used as medicine, they enhance the spirit and restore health.】

“Ding—”

After the false alarm, Yining also heard the tolling of a bell.

A distant, heavy toll—as if emanating from the depths of the soul—resounded without warning across the skies of Lamb Town!

The bone-chilling cold surrounding them seemed to be dispelled by the bell’s toll, slowly beginning to fade.

A soft, milky-white halo rippled out from the bell tower like water, spreading outward in concentric circles.

“Ding—”

The second toll followed immediately, clearer and more powerful.

“Ding—”