Silent Tao Yi

Reality, an unknown region of an unknown province or city.

This had once been a bustling commercial district inhabited by countless players. But gradually, for reasons unknown, the players here began dying one after another. They died without a sound, as though they had inhaled some lethal, imperceptible poison gas.

Before long, the entire area fell silent once more. Then, while no one was paying attention, a grand spatial merger quietly began. After all the spaces fused into one, the area became lively again.

Only, the ones bringing life to the place were no longer players from Faith Game, but strands, stalks, clusters of... it.

Like the skyscraper in a corner of the area, which was currently tightly wrapped in "ivy." From a distance, the abandoned high-rise appeared to have been overtaken by plants, turning the place into a paradise where they could grow unchecked. But only a close look revealed that the densely tangled things covering the building were not plants at all. They looked more like masses of gnarled, intertwined... tentacles!

They were alive, and they were writhing!

That was not all. All kinds of warped, hoarse sounds would occasionally emerge from the heap of tentacles. Most sounded like unconscious muttering, but to human ears, they clearly resembled whispers from the abyss!

Those whispers ought to have terrified people. Yes, people—the building was inhabited. Yet at this moment, the people huddled together showed no excessive fear. They merely stared around them with grim expressions, remaining vigilant against the approaching tentacles.

Whenever a "branch" spread over, someone would grit their teeth, step forward, and launch an attack against the endless muttering and whispers, blasting the small tentacles back from a distance.

After completing that round of defense, they would be pulled back into the "position" by ropes and straps