The Death of a Nobody
A small question mark popped up above Sailas's head. After thinking for a moment, he looked away, lay on the ground, and didn't answer. His best friend's words became increasingly vicious.
The man standing not far away saw the two people looking dejected and shrugged, somewhat helplessly.
The seemingly normal man lying on the ground in front of him was a former member of the largest organization in the area, quite powerful, and his target.
The rotting black wall and mangled flesh beside him were his close friend, who had been injured by a monster in the [Dangerous Terrain] more than a month ago and could not be healed, leaving him in this state.
"Sailas, it's like this. I sincerely invite you to form a small team and go out into the Land of Darkness to find suitable terrain for temporary survival. Staying in the Safe Zone is just self-destruction."
The man paused for a moment, and seeing that Silas showed no reaction, continued:
"I've already explored most of the Safe Zones in the area, and at least half of the Survivors will be joining our exploration team..."
Silas waited numbly until the man finished his long, rambling speech, then symbolically raised his arm:
How many people are left in our area?
The man glanced at the top of the Regional Channel.
Seventy-two people.
What are we called on the World Channel?
The man knew the answer; those people on the World Channel never held back when they spoke. He paused for a moment, then uttered the word with some difficulty.
"... Dead Zone."
"We have lost the ability to trade, explore, and even continue to survive."
Silas said it almost indifferently, and his close friend lying next to him laughed without any apparent meaning, with undisguised mockery and delight.
The man remained silent for a moment, seemingly unaffected by Silas's negative remarks, and continued:
"Why should we follow what those people on the World Channel say in everything? I just find it boring. We still have a chance to survive. No game is designed with a completely dead end."
Silas suddenly laughed, joining his best friend in a sinister laugh, which ignited a nameless anger within the man.
"Our region has no Gold Badge, and hardly any Silver Badge. Most of them perished during the power struggles between the major organizations. We didn't participate in the later District Wars, and none of us were qualified to participate in that invitation event. We didn't even send many people to Out-of-Zone Exploration... Now that we're facing certain death, you're thinking about survival? Where were you when you were numb before?"
The man fell silent again.
What do these things have to do with him? What power does he have to change them? He's just a lone wolf.
When the organization collapsed, he chose to go it alone. When the region declined, he chose to remain silent. When monsters roamed the land, he chose to hide.
What right does he have to criticize others' apathy? He himself is part of that apathy.
There was a moment of silence between the two, broken only by the close friend's illogical and vicious insults.
"You should be angry." The man turned around, his back to Sailas, his voice low. "Anger at the mastermind behind all this, anger at the injustice of Fate."
After saying that, he turned and left, his footsteps fading into the darkness, unsteady and faint.
Silas remained unmoved after hearing this.
He had long since become numb, together with his closest friends, together with this region, and together with all the Survivors in the world who were about to die, embracing death in different ways.
His emotions were actually quite rich; his tears had long since dried, and his fingers were kneaded like red and white clay, enjoying the pain.
He nearly smashed the thing in his crotch to pieces, just to provide a final bit of pleasure.
But it was all in vain; in the face of inevitable death, the soul decays before the body.
And so, the rotting people waited together for death to come.
A grand change has occurred, descending upon this region that was destined to die.
Everything was becoming heavier, the concentration of Mana was doubling wildly, and the omnipresent gravity seemed to be increasing, pressing down on his best friend's body and making it creak.
What was most terrifying was that the already profound darkness had become even denser, and the original light source had become even narrower, leaving Silas and his best friend without any light.
The regional barrier has disappeared, and the true Land of Darkness has descended. From this moment on, there are no non-professionals left to Darkness Survival.
On the eighty-fifth day of Survival Game of death and selection, all ascended professionals in World No. 9527...
Silas listened to his dearest friend's wailing with trembling, grief, and hope, his eyes flashing with a complex mix of emotions, like a pie chart.
The friend's wailing gradually subsided, and soon after, the friend's avatar in the area list turned gray.
Silas stumbled to his feet, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
His bond with his best friend was so deep that it was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, so deep that it was difficult to describe, so deep that after his best friend was injured, he abandoned his identity within a large organization to take care of him.
But all the healing-type Survivors in the area had already died, so his best friend could only wait to die as well.
Silas patiently cared for his friend, trying his best to keep him from dying, yet he also harbored some hopes.
But what in this world is more agonizing than waiting for someone to die?
Sailas was saddened; his best friend had died.
Sailas felt relieved; his best friend was dead.
Finally, Sailas felt genuinely delighted.
Because he was going to die too.
In the darkness, Silas saw something moving within him.
The earth is cracking, death is surging forth, and the unknown Him emerges from the ends of life and death, issuing a call to Him.
He heard that sound, a more primal sound, a sound from the Abyss.
The death of a loyal and righteous man, the death of an insignificant person, the death of a Survivor was unworthy of Survivor.
[(Bronze Badge): Approximately how many districts will die?]
[(Silver Badge): Approximately how many maggots will die?]
[(Bronze Badge): I feel like there's blood flashing above my head. Many people in the area are forced to stay in the Safe Zone's Sanctuary; venturing outside recklessly could result in injury.]
[(Silver Badge): This was originally a major selection process. This selection basically eliminated Survivors with Attributes below 17 or 18. Survivors below this standard either die or become stronger through the support of stronger players.]
[(Gold Badge): Resources for the District War event are sufficient, but only if you District War and achieve a good result; otherwise, a large number of players will die.]
[(Silver Badge): There are 80,000 districts in our world. After this wave of attacks, will 30,000 districts survive...?]
[(Bronze Badge): I'm afraid it'll be a bit difficult. Our region is almost Dead Zone. Will the Land of Darkness update give regions like ours new hope?]
[(Silver Badge): Don't make your system brother laugh. It can only get harder, not easier.]