Chapter 9: Game Forum
Zhou Ning's pupils involuntarily contracted. That gold-on-white double-headed eagle emblem looked a bit like the coat of arms of modern-day Russia, but it was actually the insignia of a unique intelligence agency from the Kingdom of Bryston: the Sunwatchers.
Despite sounding like the kind of bodyguards you'd find working in a red-light district, the Sunwatchers were in fact Bryston's dedicated intelligence agency and special ops force for dealing with the supernatural.
They were originally set up to handle supernatural incidents. But after the game's public launch, their focus shifted more toward players. If anyone broke the rules, they'd kill or arrest without hesitation. For a time, the player base was terrified of them.
He hadn't expected to run into the Sunwatchers right after arriving in this world.
The carriage pulled over by the roadside, and a middle-aged man wearing a black top hat jumped down, walking toward the group with a presence that radiated intense pressure.
"Uncle Chien!" the chubby boy Alan West called out joyfully. "You're here to pick me up?"
"Just happened to be passing by, little Alan. I'm glad you're still alive." The middle-aged man smiled, taking off his top hat and offering a slight bow. "My name is Chien West. I'm a Sunwatcher, and also Alan's uncle. Would you all mind having a little chat?"
Chien West? The future leader of the Sunwatchers, one of the top meteorologists in the human world? Zhou Ning vaguely remembered that he had first appeared in the story as a demigod. So the West family had a powerhouse like this hidden away?
Zhou Ning was inwardly shocked. Way to go, you damn Curse God Cult. Useless at everything except stirring up trouble. Thoughts racing, he maintained a polite smile and nodded. "Of course. It would be an honor."
Chien West laughed heartily, put his hat back on, and said warmly, "Then hop in the carriage. Don't worry—it's just a conversation."
The carriage was lined with red velvet and was quite spacious. Zhou Ning found a seat while Alan started recounting everything that had happened that day.
Alan West had a way with words. He quickly and thoroughly recounted the events, except for the part where he'd been knocked out by Marien's Banshee Howl and missed Zhou Ning drawing a shotgun and killing Marien.
Still, he seemed pretty good at filling in the blanks. With the details he did see, he managed to piece together a dramatic and thrilling shootout.
Zhou Ning: …
The intensity of that shootout and the ups and downs of the battle—he was almost confused by his own exploits. Was he really that badass?
Chien West, however, listened intently the entire time. When Alan finally finished, he mulled it over and said, "You're saying they summoned a demon through a ritual sacrifice? Are you certain?"
"Yes, a huge spider-like demon," Alan replied, then added, "If it weren't for Brother Wayne, none of us would've made it out alive."
"I understand." Chien West nodded and elegantly extended his hand. "Mr. Wayne, the West family will never forget your help."
[D-Rank Mission [The West Family's Gratitude] completed. You've earned 6000 EXP.]
[The West Family's Favorability toward you has increased by 1800!]
[West Family: Respect (300/6000)]
[You can now partially access West Family intelligence and enjoy a 20% discount at all their shops and auction houses.]
Even someone as experienced as Zhou Ning couldn't help but get a little excited.
Reputation with hidden factions like the West Family was notoriously hard to earn, but the rewards were also among the best.
Maybe because he'd reached the "Respect" level, Chien now looked at Zhou Ning more kindly. "You really should thank Wayne. According to Sunwatcher records, over the past two years, the Curse God Cult has conducted seventy-two sacrificial rituals across the Kingdom of Bryston, resulting in a total of 2,592 victims. Only twenty-seven people survived."
That really was lucky… Hearing that, everyone looked at Zhou Ning with deep gratitude.
Thank goodness for you!
Chien didn't seem inclined to make things difficult for them. He just asked a few more questions, made a brief record, and offered them a lift back.
Richard Pessa and Luke Shaw lived nearby in the old district and got off halfway. After a while, Alan also got off the carriage, escorted back to the ducal estate by several guards. Only Zhou Ning and Chien were left in the carriage.
"Where to?" Chien asked.
"Vick University," Zhou Ning replied. Though his inherited memories were patchy, he still had some basic info. His current identity was that of a senior at Vick University, about to graduate—he was even feeling the pressure of job hunting.
The carriage turned and headed toward the Vick University campus on the other side of the city.
The area around the ducal estate was the most prosperous part of Darklan City, right next to the commercial district. Even in the early hours of the morning, the streets were still bustling thanks to the pleasant weather. The ten-meter-wide street wasn't packed shoulder-to-shoulder, but the carriage did move with some difficulty.
Chien pulled out a bottle from under the table and unscrewed the cap. "Ice Dew wine brewed by the Northern Sea Walrusfolk—infused with aphid juice. Tastes fantastic. Want to try?"
"No thanks, I rarely drink."
Just hearing "aphid juice" made Zhou Ning put on a pained expression and politely refuse. Bugs were his greatest fear.
Chien poured himself a glass and smiled. "Alright then. Now, let's talk business."
"Business?"
"Yes. I left out a few things earlier."
Chien took a sip of the Ice Dew wine, his voice low. "The Curse God Cult did carry out seventy-two rituals in Bryston, with 2,592 victims, and only twenty-seven survivors. But supernatural events are never that simple. Take a guess—what happened next?"
"They all died?" Zhou Ning hazarded.
"Good guess," Chien said, deadpan. "But it was worse. Six of those survivors were from Darklan City. After the rescue, they stayed in contact with us. Within three days, some reported auditory hallucinations—hearing a voice whispering in their ears, urging them to do insane things."
Chien's face twitched. "At first, we didn't think much of it. We assumed it was stress-induced. That is, until one of them actually mutated into a Faller and caused massive casualties. It was the first case in Bryston's history involving madness from a whispered voice—clearly linked to occult influence. After that, seventeen of the remaining twenty-six experienced similar symptoms. Some committed suicide, others mutated. Only nine made it through."
Zhou Ning's hair stood on end. In the game Apocalypse, it was common knowledge that ancient gods could corrupt minds—but that was just in-game. Now that it was happening to him, it wasn't so fun anymore.
"I'm telling you this so you'll pay attention to your mental state. If you hear any whispers—come to me immediately," Chien said solemnly.
"I understand," Zhou Ning answered seriously.
Chien nodded, lifted his hat slightly, and smiled. "That's it for tonight. Go get some sleep. There might be a surprise tomorrow. Oh, and take an umbrella—there's going to be a heavy rain."
The carriage pulled to a stop inside the quiet campus. Zhou Ning stepped out holding the umbrella, watching the carriage disappear into the distance.
The sky was perfectly clear with no sign of rain. But in this world, weather didn't follow any logic. The moment Zhou Ning opened the umbrella, a torrential downpour began.
"Damn weather." Zhou Ning stood stunned for a while, then muttered.
He pulled out his pocket watch—about 1:00 AM. Though his inherited memories were incomplete, he still had a student ID and dorm key. He vaguely recalled living in the eastern dorms.
He followed the cobbled path to the student apartments and unlocked the door with ease.
So his memory hadn't failed. Zhou Ning finally let out a breath of relief.
…
His dorm was on the sixth floor. He walked through a narrow hallway and opened the door. No one seemed to be inside. From what he remembered, his roommate John was an easygoing rich kid who even had a fancy dog in the dorm—though a bit of a fool.
John's door was open. Zhou Ning glanced inside. No John—just the dog, fast asleep on John's bed.
Zhou Ning: …
Only John would allow something like that. If that dumb dog ever tried to sleep on his bed, he'd toss it out by the scruff of the neck.
After a hot shower, Zhou Ning was just about to lie down when several prompts popped up before his eyes.
[Important Notice: Esteemed players, as the open beta approaches, the official forum for Apocalypse is now live.]
[Important Notice: The first episode of the Apocalypse web series has been released on the forum and all major platforms. It is automatically generated by the game's central AI. Players interested in the game's lore are encouraged to watch.]
A game forum? Zhou Ning was momentarily stunned. With a thought, he smoothly logged into the forum homepage.
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