If the deserted island I found myself on was a world where modern technology and savage religions intertwined, then this dark space was a realm completely dominated by the mystical.
Could I possibly master it?
"Magic definitely exists, but even if you look at me with that expectant gaze, it's no use. I won't do it."
"However, there are some items here with magical properties. Whether you can find them depends on your luck."
Li Chaode chatted with me. The monster outside had already disappeared from the screen. It seemed it was just passing by.
"He's finally gone."
Richard breathed a sigh of relief and relit the cigar he hadn't finished.
I rubbed my chin, contemplating what chance I would have against the monster I just encountered with my current strength.
I thought it over and felt very pessimistic. The best outcome would be that I could outrun the monster; I had no way to confront it directly.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, I heard a groan from the living room, and my heart leaped.
Oh no, Yivis is still in the living room!
Richard had clearly heard the groan as well. The two of us hurried out of the small room and back into the living room, where we saw Yivis leaning against the wall, looking half-dead.
To be honest, when I came out of the small room earlier, I had already prepared myself to see a bloody, mangled mess. But Yivis, apart from looking spiritless, showed no other signs of injury!
"Yivis is okay?"
I slowly sheathed the hunting knife at my waist and turned to look at Richard.
Richard calmly walked to the wall, turned on the light, and then frowned as he looked at Yivis on the floor.
"This guy is of no value to the monster outside right now, so it naturally wouldn't bother doing anything to him."
Just as I was about to ask another question, my mind raced, and I suddenly understood.
Yivis, to the monster, was like an ice cream. Yivis now was the empty wrapper after the ice cream had been eaten. Since the ice cream was gone, the monster outside, lacking any sense of environmental protection, naturally ignored the remaining wrapper.
"Ah..."
Yivis moaned a couple more times, then tilted his head and fell silent.
Has it come to an end?
A faint sadness welled up in my heart, and I sighed. To be honest, since arriving on the island, this was the first time I had seen a companion die before my eyes. The feeling was quite unpleasant.
"Just leave him here. Don't worry, he'll regain consciousness tomorrow. It's not time for him to burn out yet."
Richard, sensing my sadness, patted me on the shoulder.
Huh? Yivis isn't dead?
"There are many beings like him in this city."
"Really? Why didn't we encounter any when we were wandering around for so long?"
Richard thought for a moment and then took a map from a table in the living room. My gaze fell on the map. It was just a piece of yellowed paper with a roughly sketched topography.
"I recorded this in the city. No one knows how big this city is; it seems boundless, without end. Especially under the shroud of darkness, it's practically impossible to encounter a human other than a monster."
I silently looked at the map in Richard's hand, memorizing all the information. Then I remembered the man in the trench coat I had encountered earlier.
"Who exactly was that guy in the trench coat? Why could he teleport us here?"
"That guy..."
Richard took a puff of his cigar, his expression complex.
"You have to understand that this city of darkness, while dangerous, is also full of opportunities. That guy was originally human, but at some point, he acquired special abilities and became what he is now. However, any power gained in the darkness comes with a price. He's now a complete madman. No one knows what he is under that trench coat."
"I heard a rumor that, under certain circumstances, that guy can teleport people to the outside real world, but no one has ever verified it."
Isn't this a mobile teleportation array!
I tapped the table, realizing something.
"You heard it from others? Does that mean there's a way for survivors to communicate in this city?"
"Of course."
Richard pulled out a mobile phone from his pocket and waved it at me.
"There's even Wi-Fi here, though the speed is a bit slow."
What kind of mystical world is this? I suddenly felt the art style of this place had gone astray. Science and monsters? Technology and extreme measures!