Inside The Black Mist

On the same night.

At a bay not far from Qingtian Fortress, the silver moon hung high, stars filled the cloudless sky, and the sea shimmered with scattered reflections.

Splash, splash!

Waves crashed against the rocks, sending up sparkling sprays several feet high. They surged to the shore, gently caressing the fine sand.

As the waves reluctantly receded, a hermit crab crawled out. The little creature moved across the beach until suddenly a light swept over it. The crab quickly burrowed back into the sand, and another wave came, smoothing out the beach.

The light came from a motorcycle’s headlamp. A two-wheeled bike crossed the beach, finally stopping in a vacant lot deep in the bay. Around the edge of the lot, a makeshift embankment made of boxes filled with sand protected a shed from the rising tide.

A robust man jumped off the motorcycle, approached the shed, and opened the door. As soon as he entered, the lights came on.

The sudden brightness made him squint. He then tossed a loosely slung canvas bag onto a nearby table.

He walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and washed his face.

Looking at his stubbled reflection in the mirror, he ruffled his messy hair. He patted his face and turned into the adjacent kitchen to find something to eat.

All he found was a piece of bread as hard as a rock.

The man sighed, poured a glass of water, and ate the dry bread.

At the other end of the room, seven or eight old electronic screens were still working despite being long discarded by the fortress.

They were connected by a tangled mess of transmission lines to a terminal in the corner.

At that moment, several screens were showing scenes from Tianyang's apartment.

A communicator lying in front of the screens started ringing. The man finished his bread in a few bites, picked up the communicator, and accepted a voice communication request.

A voice sounded from the device, "Hebe, how’s the task I assigned you?"

The man named Hebe showed a bitter smile and glanced at the screens. "Sir, I’m monitoring him, but nothing unusual has happened."

"Impossible!" The "Sir" sounded displeased. "I’m certain he has obtained the diary. Unless he lost it, he would definitely have taken it out after the infiltration incident."

Rubbing his stubbly chin, Hebe shrugged. "That’s what I thought too, but unfortunately, I haven’t found any trace of the diary. At least, it’s not in the apartment."

There was a pause on the other end before the voice said, "Hebe, you’d better keep a close watch. Securing citizenship in the Upper City isn’t easy, especially for someone like you with a record."

Hebe was silent for a moment before he said, "Sir, I don’t expect to return to the fortress. As long as you can relocate my child to the Upper City, I’ll do anything for you."

"Good, remember your words. Find out where he hid that diary soon!"

The communication ended.

Hebe put down the communicator, pulled up a chair, and sat down, propping his thick legs on the table, causing the screens to wobble.

Rubbing his stubbly chin, Hebe muttered at the screens, "What are you waiting for? Just take out that damn diary..."

Splash, splash—the sound of waves rose and fell outside the window.

The dark sky of the Inverse Universe cast moving shadows outside the high-speed train’s window. The composite material of the window reflected Tianyang's face.

It was 10 AM. Tianyang was once again seated in the carriage of the high-speed train. Nearby, several gazes occasionally swept over his face. Some were curious; others carried a hint of hostility.

In the carriage, a dozen prospectors were dressed in strange outfits with equally varied equipment. One burly man even carried a pair of cumbersome fist shields.

A fist shield was a niche weapon that combined the functions of a gauntlet and a shield. It could deliver powerful blows and also block attacks.

The heavy-looking fist shields beside the bald, burly man’s feet indicated his incredible strength.

On his left shoulder was a fortress rank insignia, with the number 2 under the shield emblem.

He was a Rank 2 Defender of the fortress.

A communicator rang.

Tianyang withdrew his gaze and accepted the communication request, then heard Lingfeng's voice. "Are you on the train?"

"Yes, I’m on the train. Thanks, Chief Ling, you did me a big favor."

Lingfeng responded coldly, "I don’t know why you need to go to Yunxiang Base, nor do I intend to ask. But I must remind you to be careful. You are now an “important asset” of our Night Walkers."

"I understand."

"That's it then. I've sent your information to the person in charge over there. Once you arrive, he'll arrange for you to go to Gemstone Town. Goodbye."

The communication ended.

Tianyang smiled slightly. Last night, he contacted Ling Feng for help. When Ling Feng learned that Tianyang was going to Gemstone Town, he didn't say much, nor did he immediately agree or refuse.

But this morning, Tianyang received a message from him, instructing him to catch the 10 AM high-speed train to Yunxiang Base.

Yunxiang Base was the first outpost base of Qingtian Fortress, with a history spanning over 50 years. Initially, the base only had a resupply function. Over the years, it had developed into a base even larger than the lighthouse.

The construction of this base was initially funded by the Qingtian Yun family; hence, the fortress included the character "Yun" in its name to honor the Yun family's contributions.

Although Yunxiang Base was nominally under the command of Qingtian Fortress, the Yun family had significant influence there.

With nothing else to do, Tianyang checked his status and equipment.

His sublimation progress had reached 58%. The mission in Wild Valley Town last time increased his progress by five percentage points, but no sublimation node was randomly generated this time.

As expected, one's luck couldn't always be that good.

Looking at his equipment, he had the Crimson Moon Warblade, an Assault Rifle, three gas magazines, four bottles of Star Essence replenishing liquid, and a high-heat explosive grenade.

These resources were enough to handle a dangerous operation. However, Gemstone Town was basically safe, as the town had already been explored and cleared of dark creatures by Yunxiang Base.

After finishing his check, Tianyang planned to take a nap, as there were still seven or eight hours left in the journey.

At that moment, a hand fell on his shoulder, and a fragrant breeze filled his nose.

A fiery figure squeezed into Tianyang's arms, sitting on his lap with her arms around his neck.

This woman, with wheat-colored skin and delicate features, but with eyes and lips painted a purplish-gray, looked at Tianyang with a predatory gaze. "Oh, young Night Walker, there are no more towns around Yunxiang Base that need exploring, so why do we still need your esteemed presence?"