Chapter 166: Wanderers


    <strong><b>━━━━━━━━━━┓</b></strong><strong><b>?( ∞ )</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┏━━━━━━━━━━</b></strong>


    Chapter 166: Wanderers


    <strong><b>━━━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?( ∞ )</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━━━</b></strong>


    As the old adage goes, "family scandals should not be aired in public." Everyone understood this truth, though it was seldom spoken aloud. Thus, the elegantdy- renowned for her impable reputation- had chosen a secluded and well-insted location to confront Athena and her group. However, contrary to her expectations, she found herself utterly outmaneuvered.


    Her bodyguards, wary of both retaliation and exposure, dared not act recklessly nor spread rumors. To the onlookers, it appeared as though thedy had willingly apanied Athena and herpanions. This slight anomaly went unnoticed; in this region, her esteemed standing was beyond question, and no one dared suspect otherwise.


    Despite her relentless efforts, employing every ounce of her eloquence, thedy’s honeyed words fell on deaf ears. She enumerated potential advantages and dangers, employing every rhetorical strategy at her disposal, yet Athena remained as unmoving as a stone. Even attempts to sow discord among herpanions were met with indifference.


    Her resolve was unwavering: thedy would apany them, whether she liked it or not. Frustration pushed thedy to the brink of despair. What drives this woman? she wondered. Is she mad? Why this obsession with dragging me along?


    Regret gnawed at her. Had I known, I would’ve simply barred the door today.


    ...


    Guided by thedy’s reluctant cooperation, Athena and her group soon arrived at the teleportation array. Situated in the za’s center, it was marked by several towering stone pirs encircling an enormous teleportation stone. Guarded by four knights and surrounded by a defensive array, it was a fortress that few would dare challenge head-on.


    In earlier times, Athena might have considered brute force. But now…


    Thedy, restored to her usual poised self, stood at their side. Her earlier injuries had been treated mid-journey by the elder in their group, only for Athena to force-feed her a pill soon after. The initial dose sent her body into spasms of dread, cold sweat pouring down her back as her heartbeat raced uncontrobly. A second pill alleviated her distress, but the warning was unmistakable: her life hung entirely by Athena’s thread.


    She could never forget the chilling promise Athena had whispered: “Stay with us, or the antidote won’t matter. Your end wille regardless.”


    Steeling herself, thedy adopted her typical regal demeanor, striding confidently toward the knights guarding the teleportation array. Her every step radiated authority, her family’s emblem pinned conspicuously to her chest, glinting in the sunlight. The mere sight of the emblem was enough to silence questions; those who knew her feared her reach and influence too much to interfere.


    Within moments, she had the array activated. No papers or official seals were necessary; her word wasw. Athena confirmed the array’s destination through her system before leading the group onto the tform. Though visibly reluctant, thedy stepped into the array with them, her resentment etched into every line of her face.


    Light enveloped the array as the teleportation sequence began. One by one, the group vanished into its glow. Unlike the seamless transfers facilitated by the system, this teleportation felt clunky and archaic to Athena. It stirred a sense of unease- was this crude inefficiency merely a w of the technology, or something intentional?


    [ Contest of Peaks ]


    Difficulty Level: LV4


    Proceed to the new battle zone.


    Penalty: Be a Wanderer.


    Reward: None.


    Time Limit: 3 Days.


    In the eerie silence of the forest, heavy breathing echoed unnervingly. A man adjusted his blood-smeared sses, the lenses obscured by crimson streaks. While his improved constitution no longer required corrective lenses, the sses had evolved into a critical piece of his toolkit.


    Wiping the grime away with his filthy sleeve, he revealed a tactical advantage- these sses granted him a ten-meter omniscient view, disying theyout of his surroundings and the precise movements of nearby life forms. Before himy the colossal corpse of a creature, its threefold size dwarfing him. Its viscous ck form pulsed unnervingly, blood still seeping from its monstrous remains.


    "Goodness," he muttered, clutching his side. Pain coursed through his body- a testament to his encounter with the creature. He and Athena had faced its wrath, though fate had spared him from the brunt of its fury. The creature, impervious to his attacks, had ignored him entirely.


    Realizing his futility, he had retreated. But even now, in the destion of thends covered in darkness, survival was an uphill battle. These monstrosities grew increasingly active, their strength climbing with each encounter. His own reserves had dwindled to nothing.


    Finally afforded a moment''s respite, he opened his system interface and scanned his dwindling friend list. Most of the names had gone gray, denoting the dead or missing. A few werebeled as "Wanderers," stripped of their basic functions. His region''s poption had dwindled to a mere hundred survivors.


    A unique mission greeted him upon logging in. Though hecked Athena’s raw power, his unique abilities had prompted the system to assign him a vital task:


    [Assemble]


    Objective: Seek out Wanderers lost across thends and form a new team.


    <ul>


    <li>Penalty: Be a Wanderer.</li>


    <li>Reward: None.</li>


    <li>Time Limit: 3 Days.</li>


    </ul>


    The system’s methods puzzled him. If losing their Shelters condemned yers to the Wanderer status- deprived of essential system functions- why then assign such aborious task? Surely, restoring those functions would expedite their survival.


    The Shelter acted as their anchor in this world. Without it, even the system struggled to locate them. To assemble the remnants, it had to designate specific yers for the job. As the mission weighed heavily on his mind, he worked tirelessly to patch his wounds and send messages to any remaining survivors, hoping to rally even a few allies.


    [ World Chat ]


    075: "Most regions are either wiped out or reduced to Wanderers. The monsters are advancing fast."


    059: "Gather everything you can. High-value items- PM me!"


    062: "Can we abandon the shelter and run? I don’t want to die here!"


    036: "Without a Sanctuary, you’ll die faster. Trust me."


    053: "Anyone else see this? Our Sanctuary Shield’s fully up, and there’s… a city across from us?"


    053: "What the hell! I’m serious- a city! They’re firing cannons at something. Are there other survivors in this world?"