Global Fog Survival

[Detected: “System” total damage has reached 94%. Contamination area is continuously expanding and is now irreversible.]

[Comprehensive assessment: System reorganization imminent.]

[…]

[…]

“Another reorganization.”

Colin silently waited. He knew that this time, it was their turn.

He was more interested in seeing how they came to be here, rather than just glossing over it with a simple statement about their deployment.

Not long after…

[Reorganization complete.]

[This time, total system damage reached 96%. 3% of computational power will be allocated to the operation of the “Final Wall” protocol, and 1% to maintain the basic operation of deployed personnel.]

“The last reorganization occurred when the damage reached 91%, but this time it started at 96%.”

Colin suddenly realized that the system had likely reorganized many more times than just two or three. Each time, it was worse than the last.

“Wait, so the last time wasn’t even the better one?” Colin realized that before the previous reorganization, the system’s damage rate was even lower, which meant it had more functions.

He couldn’t even imagine how luxurious it must have been in the past.

Did everyone have a “golden finger”?

“So, now it’s certain that the system has deployed more than one group of people. Each deployment is done in units of entire civilizations.”

However, the 1% computational power explained why it was painfully slow for Colin and the others to unlock even a map, while others could unlock everything with just 100 people; they needed 300.

The previous generation had gigabit fiber, and they had dial-up.

And they were still sharing a dial-up connection.

[Detected: The final system damage rate has reached 97%. Once it reaches 97%, the system will no longer be able to ensure the safety of deployed personnel.]

[To ensure safety, this generation’s system will draft a new protocol to minimize the appearance of “descenders.”]

Colin sharply noticed the phrase “this generation,” which implied that the current system was completely cut off from the previous one. He remembered Russell mentioning that their functions still existed, but were in a state of disuse.

Moreover, they couldn’t use the parchment scrolls.

This further confirmed Colin’s suspicions.

After “loading” for a while, the system finally seemed to decide which information to display.

[New protocol drafted.]

[To prevent widespread contamination from affecting all personnel, all system functions will be extracted from the survivors’ brains and transferred to other vessels to prioritize human survival.]

[The “Parchment Scrolls” have been created.]

[Function transfer in progress.]

“This…”

Colin hadn’t expected there to be such a hidden story behind the creation of the parchment scrolls. Looking at the cold system text, he actually felt a little moved.

[Deployment preparation in progress.]

[Detected: Abnormal data intrusion into the deployment process.]

[Abnormality has disappeared.]

[Unable to detect the impact of this event.]

[To prevent large-scale contamination, which would lead to greater safety risks, all individuals will be urgently dispersed upon arrival.]

“So there was an issue during the deployment again, with an unknown anomaly invading?”

Colin was startled. Another mystery solved—based on the system’s logs, it seemed to be on the survivors’ side.

But there were still many puzzling actions, such as the dispersal of personnel, which he could never quite figure out.

Now it was clear.

To avoid everyone dying all at once, the system forcibly dispersed everyone upon arrival to buy enough reaction time and prevent a mass outbreak of contamination that could threaten the system itself.

It seemed to be an unavoidable compromise.

But just at this moment…

[Detected: An extreme and terrifying “unknown anomaly” is rapidly approaching.]

[The system is analyzing the lack of involvement with this anomaly.]

[The approach of the “unknown anomaly” is related to the previous data intrusion.]

[System attempting to communicate.]

[Attempt failed.]

[Detected: An imminent multidimensional strike.]

Read at azilatl.space

“‘The Night’? Wait, was ‘The Night’ attracted by something? Was it the anomaly from the last intrusion?”

Colin suddenly had a realization.

But what exactly?

However, the system didn’t provide further logs, either because it was too dangerous or for some other reason.

What was clear was that the system had withstood the strike.

[System damage rate has reached 96.7%.]

Whoa… Not even 1% of computational power left, Colin clicked his tongue.

Aside from the 3% allocated to maintaining the “Final Wall” protocol, only 0.3% of computational power was distributed to them.

The previous generation had at least 6%, which was why they could live so comfortably.

This time, Colin hadn’t even descended yet, and they were already facing a series of crises. In the end, only 3% of the computational power was left.

He was increasingly curious about what had caused this disaster, attracting “The Night” to them.

“Wait, hold on. If ‘The Night’ is something recent, then what was that 45-day countdown about?”

Colin suddenly remembered Russell’s 45-day countdown.

If theirs was a sudden event, what was going on now?

“Right, according to Russell, they experienced anomalies, personnel splits, etc., which occurred when the system was massively invaded. That description is different from ‘The Night.'”

“‘The Night’s’ attacks are direct and terrifying strikes, with no looting or invasion behavior.”

“They didn’t experience anything like knocking on doors at night. It seemed to be various splits and anomalies.”

As Colin thought about it, a chilling idea crossed his mind: “During that 45-day period, something… had already successfully descended, and ‘The Night’ was attracted by it.”

“We were just caught in a disaster.”

He suddenly realized he had a misconception in his thinking.

He had assumed the 45-day countdown was fixed, meaning every generation of survivors would encounter this event right upon their arrival.

But now… It seemed like things were much more complicated, with deeper secrets involved.

Colin tried using the “Hint” function to get more information, but unfortunately, it displayed a very professional attitude towards this particular event.

He couldn’t get anything useful.

However, an odd intuition told him that they had likely already come into contact with that unknown invasion.

“But the system’s mission logs never clearly stated why it’s doing all of this. Why does it deploy people to these worlds? How were we brought here? What is its purpose?”

Colin furrowed his brow deeply.

At this point, the system information reappeared.