Chapter 195 Leaving the Thick Fog

Chapter 195: Emerging from the Dense Fog

Feng Zhe didn't truly know Su Bai. In his mind, Su Bai remained the unassuming proprietor of a general store and a prodigious painter. Yet, as he watched Su Bai navigate the thick fog with the casual grace of a stroll in the park, it felt as if this person was meant to be exactly this way—unperturbed by any danger, or perhaps, in his eyes, this terrifying fog simply wasn't a threat at all.

The others, too, were increasingly aware of Su Bai's unique nature. Though they were the ones tirelessly battling the spectral entities along the way, not a single person voiced a complaint about Su Bai, who simply walked forward without ever lifting a finger. More than that, they even felt that Su Bai merely needed to keep leading them. The peculiar sense of ease within the dense fog and his unceasing steps genuinely convinced them that this enigmatic Boss Bai could guide them out.

Su Bai seemed to have become the lighthouse in a dark sea, subtly eclipsing Feng Zhe's leadership.

It was strange.

But undeniably true.

The others even discreetly questioned Jin Zheng and Jin Yi, who trailed closely behind Su Bai, hoping to glean more information about him. However, despite possessing little more than a scattering of miscellaneous items, the two brothers, with their telepathic understanding and mutual vigilance, managed to withhold any crucial details regarding Su Bai's identity.

Yet, the more tight-lipped the Jin brothers became, the more convinced the others were that their three-person team—or rather, the "Boss Bai" at the forefront—harbored some formidable secret.

After much probing, the most valuable pieces of information the other players extracted from the Jin brothers were twofold: before their two teams converged, it was primarily "Boss Bai" who confronted the ghostly apparitions in the fog, with Jin Zheng and Jin Yi's abilities largely limited to delivering finishing blows and alleviating pressure on Su Bai. The second revelation, a slip of Jin Zheng's tongue concerning Su Bai's identity, was that the three of them had stealthily entered the foggy area while Feng Zhe and the others were engaged with the patrol officers.

These two tidbits, seemingly innocuous at first, were enough to stun Feng Zhe's teammates. After all, they were intimately familiar with the current state of the foggy area and knew that the terrifying mist concealed an untold number of eerie entities. Even with eight of them, plus Feng Zhe, who possessed top-tier abilities, they could barely cope. Many were already on the verge of collapse, finding themselves in an exceedingly perilous situation.

But Jin Yi and Jin Zheng, who had entered the foggy area earlier, still appeared full of vigor? And why did even "Boss Bai," who had borne the brunt of the team's pressure, look so rosy-cheeked and energetic under the illumination? Hadn't it been said that "Boss Bai" had been confronting the ghosts head-on the entire time?

Could this "Boss Bai" possess greater power than their entire team combined?

Perhaps because it was difficult to reconcile the image of this remarkably young and handsome "Boss Bai" with such unimaginable strength, Feng Zhe's teammates self-consolingly concluded that Su Bai was now merely leading the way and not fighting because the arduous journey had utterly exhausted him.

With this perspective, even though Su Bai paid them little heed beyond guiding them, his stature in their eyes grew even grander. He became a veritable leader, willing to sacrifice himself, not only powerful but also diligently safeguarding his teammates behind him.

It was fortunate that Su Bai couldn't hear the players' unspoken thoughts.

Unaware that he might be usurping Feng Zhe's leadership, Su Bai continued forward. The cat cries in the fog, which had bewildered the other players, grew increasingly sparse and faint.

These cat spirits, being pure constructs of power and devoid of consciousness, would return to the Peace Rope to rest after being dispersed by the ghosts. Over time, most of them had already retreated to the rope, and even the little black cat, Kaixin, who had been "strolling" outside, had returned to the black rope.

These small guardians had completed their escort mission. For the remainder of the journey, the players led by Feng Zhe would prove equally useful.

Su Bai rarely initiated teaming up with so many players. And while the players in Feng Zhe's team weren't the seasoned "old monsters" Su Bai had known in his previous life who had survived for years, they were undoubtedly considered elite players of this generation.

Beyond Feng Zhe, who commanded wind blades, Su Bai also observed a player with a beast-transformation ability somewhat akin to Lian Xiangyu's. Compared to Lian Xiangyu, whom he had met at the hotel, this player could only transform into a wolf or a werewolf, but that was sufficient to grant him explosive power and speed. Moreover, as this player tore into the forms of the ghosts, he seemed to be approaching a threshold of enhancing his strength through consumption.

The team also boasted a highly skilled female healer. Unlike novices like Qiu Lei or Shen Dong'er, whose healing abilities leaned towards cosmetic effects, this healer was an exceptionally trained surgeon in the real world. Thus, when applying her medical expertise to others, she received a boost from the Red Moon's power.

When not employing her supernatural abilities, she could still provide aid using conventional medical techniques. But when she did tap into her power, even ordinary medical bandages could save a wounded person's severed limbs or even torso. However, healing injuries of such severity demanded an immense expenditure of power from her.

There was also a player in the team who exuded the same aura as Mr. Qin Ge, whom they had encountered on the bus. They seemed to have undergone professional training from relevant agencies, demonstrating proficiency with both bladed weapons and firearms, and even possessing the ability to enhance or alter the power of bullets, making them formidable combatants within the team.

While not all players possessed special abilities, in Su Bai's estimation, even the physically enhanced players in the team were remarkably agile. They appeared to have studied combat techniques like martial arts or kickboxing in the real world, and even when utterly exhausted, they attempted to sustain their fight through specialized breathing methods.

"Almost there," Su Bai murmured, his eyes clearly discerning the path leading to the central square.

Not long after Su Bai spoke, he had successfully guided the group of exhausted players through the dense fog. Even though the sky outside the fog was beginning to darken, the moment the fog completely vanished from their sight, everyone instinctively closed their eyes and rubbed them vigorously.

Everyone had had enough of that debilitating sensation of obstructed vision.

Unfortunately, before the players could even revel in their escape from the fog and look around, screams echoing across Fog City's sky pierced their ears.

"Ahhhhhhhhh—!"

"Monster—!"

"Don't come any closer, don't come any closer, help!"