Chapter Three: The Monstrosity

Inside the emergency building.

Mu Jiu’er had already managed to gather the medicines they would need for daily use, and, as an unexpected bonus, had found two pairs of industrial scissors. After propping the medicine counter’s door shut with a discarded cardboard box, the two of them finally allowed themselves a slow, cautious breath.

Now, it was time to escape the hospital.

[Up ahead, outside the main entrance of the emergency building, a large number of anomalous life forms are gathering. At this point, you are in no condition to confront them.]

[You consider escaping through the rear exit, but the passage above the back door has already been claimed by “them.”]

[You realize the side door on the left of the emergency building is the only route you can safely take.]

This information flashed through his mind, making his eyes light up. He quickly sent a message to Mu Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, let’s go out through the side door on the left. What’s your mental energy level?”

“Six points.”

With her reply, Mu Chen fell silent in thought. Together, they had only fourteen points—enough for just fourteen hours. As for how quickly mental energy could recover, that was still an unknown. Mu Chen pondered this quietly.

He opened the mission list.

[Survival Mission: Stay alive until the countdown ends. Current countdown: 99:16:01…]

Note: Reward—100ml of dimmed Sufferer’s spinal fluid, one stale loaf of bread, 500ml of fresh water.

[Era Participation Mission: Kill one adult Aberration.]

Note: Permanently unlocks the Exchange, rewards one Universal Recovery Card and one Random Recruitment Voucher.

[Rookie Mission: Kill one juvenile Aberration.]

Note: Permanently unlocks the backpack and workbench, rewards one Servant Recruitment Voucher and one Basic Recovery Card. No penalty for failure.

“No penalty for failing the mission? In this environment, that’s like rowing against the current—unless you have an endless supply of fresh food and water. Perhaps you can skip the missions for a day or two, but what about longer periods?”

Clearly, this was a deep pitfall.

Ordinary people, driven by hunger, would inevitably venture out to forage, but their chances of surviving an encounter with danger were slim to none.

Luckily, he had information prompts; he dared not imagine what would become of the average person.

“Brother, what do we do next?”

Mu Chen glanced around, and quickly received another prompt.

[You realize the way to escape the hospital lies ahead. It’ll take no more than five minutes to reach the side door, but you’ll encounter several ‘little ones’ along the way—creatures you can barely handle.]

“Five minutes… The ‘little ones’ we’ll meet—he didn’t know exactly what they were, but it was safe to assume they weren’t friendly!”

Mu Chen rubbed his chin, feeling vexed as he sat in his wheelchair. If it hadn’t been for the car accident, he wouldn’t have lost his legs.

You never realize the value of your legs until you desperately need them—like now.

“Jiu’er, do you see where I’m pointing? Just follow this path straight ahead.”

Mu Jiu’er, after receiving the message, began cautiously pushing him along the narrow path.

“We’ll run into some minor monsters we can handle on the way. Stay calm and keep a firm grip on the scissors.”

Mu Jiu’er: “…”

Reading her brother’s message, the newly eighteen-year-old girl felt a wave of unbearable tension.

She gripped the scissors tightly, pushing the wheelchair with mechanical, trembling hands.

Mu Chen reached back and gently stroked her hand, finally easing her anxiety a little.

[Twenty meters to your right, a ‘little one’ has noticed you and is approaching. The ‘big one’ will return in ten minutes.]

“Jiu’er, get ready. Something’s coming from the right!”

It wasn’t just Mu Jiu’er who was nervous; Mu Chen’s own right hand tightened around the scissors as well.

Scarlet mist swirled about, and a vague shadow gradually took shape.

As the outline grew clearer, a grotesque, stick-like humanoid creature staggered toward them—a bloated torso surmounted by a single head, its sex indistinguishable, and two twisted legs provoking a visceral disgust.

“Brother…”

Mu Jiu’er’s face drained of color, her body trembling uncontrollably.

The warped creature drew nearer, its bizarre head sporting nothing but eyes and a mouth slit to the very extremes of its face.

A wave of sickening stench washed over them.

The moment the ‘little one’ lunged, Mu Chen, in a desperate move, blocked the monster with his left hand while his right drove the scissors again and again into its ugly body.

The wheelchair was shoved aside, and both Mu Chen and the ‘little one’ toppled to the ground.

Mu Jiu’er froze completely.

But now, there was no time to hesitate. Tears brimming in her eyes, she rushed to the creature’s side and, imitating Mu Chen, plunged the scissors into its body.

Muffled sobs escaped her.

Two minutes later.

[You have slain a juvenile Aberration.]

Rookie mission complete.

Level up: lv2.

Backpack and workbench permanently unlocked. Rewards: one Servant Recruitment Voucher, one Basic Recovery Card.

“It’s dead—what are you crying for… It’s not like I died,” came Mu Chen’s faint voice, drifting to her ears.

Her sobs gradually stilled.

She looked at her brother, covered in blackish-brown fluid but, remarkably, unharmed.

At last, she broke into a smile through her tears.

“Shh…”

Mu Chen gave her a hurried look, signaling her to check the prompts.

“Jiu’er, did you get a notice about the daily mission?”

“No, did you complete it, brother?”

Mu Chen didn’t reply, simply motioning for her to unfasten the hiking pack from her back.

The moment the pack was placed in front of Mu Chen, it vanished.

So convenient!

The backpack now showed 4/20. Aside from the hiking pack, the other slots were occupied by the workbench, the basic recovery card, and the servant recruitment voucher.

He glanced up at the countdown—five minutes until the ‘big one’ returned.

Plenty of time.

He extracted the workbench, curious to see what it could do.

[The Magical Workbench: its excellent disassembly function is only the beginning. As long as you provide the correct materials and recipes, you can synthesize almost anything you wish.]

[Do you wish to disassemble the ‘juvenile Aberration’?]

Mu Chen hesitated at the prompt.

“Yes.”

He selected disassemble.

[You have obtained: Fresh Aberration Corrupted Meat x3 (added to backpack).]

[You have obtained: Twisted Bone x1 (added to backpack).]

[You have obtained: Murky Essence x2 (added to backpack).]

His gaze fell on the item “Murky Essence.”

[Murky Essence: Instantly restores 3 points of mental energy when consumed, but reduces sanity by 1.]

“It can restore mental energy… Two doses would mean six extra points—six more hours in the red mist.”

As Mu Jiu’er struggled to help him back into the wheelchair, he made a swift decision.

Use Servant Recruitment Voucher!

A middle-aged man in coarse hemp clothing appeared at Mu Chen’s side, seemingly out of nowhere.

The man’s skin was dark, his head bowed, exposing a bald pate.

“Greetings, Master. Servant Sade reporting for duty.”

His voice was quiet, as if he was already aware of the rules in this red mist.

Mu Chen noted the word “Servant” floating above the man’s head.

He said nothing, but information surfaced in his mind.

[Sade: Your exclusive servant. You may command him to do anything. Only you can see the ‘Servant’ mark and access his status.]

Mu Chen focused, opening Sade’s information.

[Sade (Healthy)]

Identity: Exclusive servant of Mu Chen

Status: Hungry

Constitution: 4

Spirit: 3

Defense: 1

Loyalty: 80