The Tomorrow We Cannot Witness

[Regional Channel] was quieter than ever, like the last oppressive calm before a storm.

Only a few scattered messages flashed by. They came from people who knew they had no chance of survival and had already broken down, hysterically venting their final despair. Their words were twisted, filled with curses and meaningless characters, and were quickly swallowed by a flood of silence.

Yet elsewhere on the survival forum, the clamor was almost tragic.

The day's fastest-rising thread on the forum was neither a survival guide nor a data analysis post.

It was a final letter.

It had been posted by a survivor calling themselves "Huaianke," with a somewhat abrupt title that even seemed a little too literary for the occasion:

[To: The tomorrow we cannot witness]

The author's opening words were simple, yet like a pebble cast into a deep pool, they struck countless taut and fragile nerves in an instant:

[It suddenly occurred to me that if I don't make it through tonight, these will probably be my last words in this world.]

[Funny, isn't it? After seven days of struggling to survive, what I'm thinking about in the end isn't how to stay alive, but what I should say if I die.]

[What's even more bewildering is—we've struggled so hard, but even if we survive, what exactly lies ahead?]

[Will humanity rebuild civilization on a new land?]

[Or will we simply continue a hopeless cycle, livestock raised by beings from some higher dimension?]

[That's too despairing, too ridiculous, too... dull.]

[I think...]

[I'll probably miss the rice noodle roll shop downstairs that always forgot to add an egg for me.]

[I'll probably regret never getting a cat.]

[I'll probably regret all the books I haven't finished and all the places I haven't been.]

[I'll probably... still be scared. After all, the darkness is so thick, and the monsters are so fierce.]

[But that's all there is to it.]

[Though my life was short, it wasn't entirely without meaning. At least I truly lived, struggled, and gave everything I had for a glimmer of light. As for what lies at the end of that light... I no longer have the strength to see it clearly.]

[To everyone reading this:]

[If you survive, please see more of tomorrow's sun for me, too.]

[Ah, if there is one...]

[—Huaianke, in the bewildering darkness]

This "preset final letter," as calm as a casual chat yet so heavy it was suffocating, seemed to open the floodgates of emotion.

In an instant, countless replies poured in like a tide. The thread had unexpectedly become a collective tombstone and message board for those facing death.

[After I'm dead, what do I care if the world floods... but I want to live! I really want to live!]

[Mom, I miss you...]

[I still haven't found my girlfriend. I don't want to die...]

[Overwhelmed with emotion, I offer this poem as an elegy, and a question to the future...]

[I don't want to die in failure and loneliness...]

[Why us? Why should we have to go through this?! I don't want to die! I really don't want to die! Save me! Someone, please save me! Where's the Mutual Aid Association?! Where are the big shots?!!]

[I'll kill myself before it starts. I won't die at the monsters' hands!]

[Song Shige: Don't give up! Rely on your Sanctuary, protect your light source, and stay alive first. The future... you can only see it if you survive.]

[Thank you, big shot... but... my Sanctuary is only level zero... and I have less than two hours of lamp oil left... I know there's no hope for me... thank you...]

Beside the dungeon's halo, Su Luo quietly watched the words scroll across the forum. The flickering flames cast shifting light in his calm eyes.

At this moment, these collective farewells, made in anticipation of death, carried a peculiar heaviness that made it hard to breathe.

They shouldn't have been here. They should have had ordinary lives, their own happiness and troubles, instead of being thrown into a place without a single ray of light to struggle for survival, fight hideous monsters, and perhaps ultimately be unable to leave even an intact corpse behind.

Taking a deep breath, Su Luo glanced at his status panel.

[Meditation: Level 15 (0/1500)]

[Flame Attachment: Level 6 (398/600)]

[Spirit: 10.1 (↑0.6)]

[Mana: 20 (↑2)]

"Come at me!"

[Survival log updated: Day 7]

[Current region (Zone 76) survival rate: 66.33%]

[Based on an assessment of survival data from the past seven days, final adaptation of regional rules complete]

[Official notice: Monster Tide commencement]

[Warning: The Monster Tide has erupted in full force as of this moment. All survivors, please return to your Sanctuaries immediately!]

[Detailed explanation of Monster Tide mechanics]

[1. Aggro: During this tide, monsters will prioritize targeting [survivors themselves] rather than buildings. Please note: If you are outside your shelter, you will enter the [Fighting Alone] state: experience gain reduced by 70%, and the strength of each monster wave greatly increased]

[2. Sanctuary buff: While within your Sanctuary's range, you will gain the [Will to Hold Fast] state: experience gain +100%. After the Monster Tide ends, all health and abnormal status conditions will be restored immediately]

[3. Wave structure: The Monster Tide consists of multiple waves of attacks, each stronger than the last. The basic clearance condition is to successfully withstand the first three waves]

[4. Intervals between attacks: There will be a 10-minute break after each wave, which can be used for repairs and tactical adjustments]

[5. Rewards: The more waves you withstand, the greater the final rewards, including high-level chests, blueprints, Experience Stones, exclusive titles, and more]

[6. Elites and bosses: Elite monsters and boss monsters will appear in later waves. Killing them will yield rare supplies and reputation]

[7. Temporary rankings [Guardian Rankings] activated: Rankings are based in real time on Sanctuary integrity and personal contribution. Additional rewards will be distributed at settlement]

[Environmental anomaly notice]

[Under the influence of the dark tide, [Despair Mist] will spread through the wilderness, continuously reducing visibility and mental resistance. Use your Sanctuary's light source or skills to resist it]

[Party feature preload notice]

[Survivor party system] will become available after the tide ends, allowing survivors to form permanent parties of up to five people and share vision, experience, and access to certain supplies.

[Do everything you can to survive]

Su Luo frowned at the first two points of the explanation.

There was nothing wrong with the aggro targeting. Su Luo wanted the monsters to target him.

There was nothing wrong with the experience gain either: the experience penalty was there to keep the strong from leaving their Sanctuaries.

But the monsters' strength increased greatly... surely that wasn't just to keep the strong from leaving their Sanctuaries?

The system simply wanted to kill those without Sanctuaries.

Going out to explore and failing to find a Sanctuary was also a part of Darkness Survival that people had no choice but to experience.

About fifteen percent of survivors had lost their Sanctuaries, and the vast majority of them had died.

Was this design meant to clear out the survivors who had lost their Sanctuaries but, by some chance, hadn't died?

The announcement was followed immediately by the daily rankings settlement.

[Settling daily rankings...]

Su Luo looked around, his expression calm.

[Kill Rankings: 4th place]

[Level Rankings: 6th place]

That was normal. Others had pushed him down a few places.

[You have received settlement rewards: Selectable Supply Voucher ×20 (10+10), Selectable Special Supply Voucher ×2 (1+1), Basic Skill Experience Stone ×10 (5+5), Intermediate Skill Experience Stone ×2 (1+1), Exemption Stone ×2 (1+1), two pieces of Fine-quality equipment, Floating Flare (Fine) ×4 (2+2), Random Building Blueprint Chest (Fine) ×2 (1+1), Stamina Potion ×8 (4+4), Mana Potion ×6 (3+3)]

[Note: Skill Experience Stones and Exemption Stones are bound items and cannot be traded.]

The list of rewards was long. Su Luo's gaze swept quickly over it before settling on a few new items.

[Random Building Blueprint Chest (Fine)]

[Upon opening, you will receive one random Fine-quality building blueprint. Note: Must be used within the Sanctuary's range]

[Stamina Potion]

[Upon use, rapidly restores an extremely large amount of stamina]

[Mana Potion]

[Upon use, steadily restores a moderate amount of mana]

Su Luo raised an eyebrow, noticing the difference in the wording of the two potions' descriptions.

An item's actual effects and description could vary depending on the user's own attribute tendencies. He had learned this on the forum earlier.

[Two-handed greatsword (Fine)]

[Knight's armor (Fine)]

...Useless things.

He temporarily placed all the reward items at the entrance to the dilapidated dungeon, then turned his gaze toward the profound darkness beyond the stone wall. The illuminating fireballs around him floated silently.

The tide had arrived; a lone flame shone in the dark.