Global Fog Survival

[Level One War Chariot]

[Function: Repels gray mist within a three-meter radius of the vehicle, suitable for carrying thirty people, cannons use “black powder” as propellant, effective range of 500 meters.]

[Note: Immunity to mental damage below the lord level, reduces mental contamination by twenty percent at the lord level.]

“Whew, not bad,” Colin muttered to himself after a brief inspection. He was about to get in and take it for a spin when he felt something unusual behind him. Turning around, he saw a group of survivors looking at him with strange and complex expressions.

Clatter… A bowl dropped from the hands of Li Chou, who was lying on a stretcher eating, breaking the eerie silence.

Colin realized why—they must have heard the system announce his name.

“You’re Colin?!” Huang Weijian asked in disbelief, staring at the handsome man before him.

“Doesn’t it look like me?” Colin smiled. “Or are you interested in the thousand fog points reward on my head?”

“No, no!” They shook their heads in unison, knowing that Colin held immense resources, but more importantly, he controlled their lives. Anyone with ill intentions was sure to die.

“We just didn’t expect… that you would be the one to capture us…” A lord who had been feeling relieved added, “but since it’s you, I trust you won’t force us into anything we don’t want to do. If you want, I personally am willing to follow you. I owe you my life.”

Their knowledge of Colin was limited to the system’s announcement about his revelation of the lantern-lighting method, which had saved countless lives. Many of them had survived because of his discovery.

Previously, nobody would have thought that lighting a lantern required blood instead of fire, especially those with a strong belief in conventional science. After Colin’s revelation, those who had seen the bloody text from the system announcement had no resentment towards the “selfish” people who hadn’t shared the method. Colin’s name had even started to take on a near-mythical status in the chat channels, seen as sacred by many.

“Had I known it was you, I wouldn’t have resisted so much!” Li Chou complained, realizing that Colin’s mysterious item was far superior to his own, despite the restrictions.

Seeing everyone else’s sympathetic looks towards Li Chou, Colin couldn’t help but laugh. “I thought everyone wanted to kill me, so I hid my name. It’s just a small deed, no big deal.”

As Colin prepared to get into the “wasteland vehicle,” someone called out to him. A clean-looking man, who seemed quite sincere, stepped forward.

“What is it?” Colin asked curiously, opening the heavy door of the vehicle and seeing the rough interior.

“I feel there’s a flaw in your management. I have some suggestions…” the man said earnestly.

“Oh? Do you know what you’re implying?” Colin asked, intrigued yet wary.

Surprisingly, Colin felt the man’s sincerity. Despite his initial suspicion, Colin sensed a genuine intent to help. Others also stepped forward, expressing their willingness to follow him. They introduced themselves, offered their skills, and even some lighthearted comments about warming his bed or accusing others of betrayal added to the lively atmosphere.

In this jovial environment, preparations for their plan proceeded swiftly. Under Colin’s command, the armored vehicle made rapid progress, arriving at one survivor settlement after another. Every stop was accompanied by a roar and the addition of new followers.

Soon, ten vehicles emitted crimson lights, their rumbling engines shaking the ground. Colin’s first expedition had begun. Nine massive armored vehicles, each carrying thirty people, formed a wedge formation, crushing any gray fog creatures in their path.

With thirty people per vehicle, the convoy resembled a military unit—one vehicle per squad, nine vehicles per battalion—directly under Colin’s command. Their target was the lord-level mutants at the foot of Crow Mountain. Colin had also stationed another vehicle, along with five squads of “lamp bearers” and several lords, in the mining area to secure resources.

As the vehicle rumbled forward, its thick steel walls provided a strong sense of security. Colin, seated in the co-pilot seat, watched through the thick glass windshield. “This time, it should be stable,” he thought, considering the monster they were about to face, a creature that had evolved far beyond the average abomination.

Now, discussions on the world channel about these creatures are unanimous about how unbeatable they are. Some lords formed a hundred-man expedition team to try to defeat a lord-level abomination in some ruins, but only a handful of people managed to escape. According to the survivors, even some top-ranked survivors perished in the attempt.