The White Fog Zone and Grey Fog Zone were separated by a wide expanse of barren mountain land. Lin Lei and Bei Bei weren't in any rush to enter the Grey Fog Zone. Instead, they stood outside, listening carefully to the sounds coming from within.
"Those are human battle cries," Lin Lei said with a frown.
"What's inside this grey fog?" Bei Bei asked, puzzled.
Even if there was danger in the grey fog, only a handful of people had gone in — and those few were spread far apart. "Even if they were fighting, it wouldn't be nonstop. So why do those battle roars keep ringing out? And we're all the way out here at the border, yet we can still hear them!" Lin Lei's brow furrowed deeply.
The Grey Fog Zone covered an area nearly as large as the White Fog Zone.
Given how vast it was, if the fighting were happening far away, there was no way the two of them standing at the edge could hear anything.
"Hm?" Lin Lei suddenly turned his head.
Two men had emerged from the White Fog Zone in the distance. Battle armor of a bluish hue had formed over their bodies, and the moment they stepped out, both men looked warily toward Lin Lei and Bei Bei. Upon seeing that it was only the two of them, they relaxed slightly. "Ha, didn't expect to run into you two here. Seems like fate is bringing our little group together with yours."
The man who spoke was gaunt, a smile hanging on his face. The man beside him, however, had a hardened look about him, stubble dotting his chin.
"Indeed, fate," Lin Lei replied. "My name is Lin Lei, and this is my brother, Bei Bei. And you two are?"
"Raki!" the gaunt man said cheerfully.
"Warlit!" the stubbled man said coldly.
"Raki, Warlit — we came from Hell and aren't familiar with Netherworld Mountain at all. Listen... that grey fog zone keeps producing roars and battle cries. Do you have any idea what's going on?" Lin Lei asked, striking up the acquaintance precisely to get some answers.
Raki and Warlit listened carefully as well, and their brows furrowed.
"Huh, it is a bit strange!" Raki said, frowning. "There were several dozen of us who entered the mountain this time. Before us, fewer than ten people went into the Grey Fog Zone. Such an enormous area... ten people entering would be like a few drops of water in the ocean. So why are the roars and sounds of slaughter constant?"
Bei Bei said helplessly, "You don't know either?"
"No idea. Things inside Netherworld Mountain are shrouded in mystery," Raki explained. "There are at least some legends about the White Fog Zone from the outside world. But the Grey Fog Zone and the Purple Fog Zone? Nobody knows a thing. I'd guess that even if someone did know, they'd keep it quiet. What do you two plan to do?"
Lin Lei and Bei Bei exchanged a glance.
"Wait," Lin Lei said.
"Same as what my brother and I were thinking," Raki said with a grin. "The people who went in might come back out if they lose their way. Once they do, we can question them properly and be better prepared."
Lin Lei nodded slightly.
Raki continued, "Then my brother and I will head to that hilltop over there, and you two can take the other one. That way, between us, we can cover over a hundred li of visibility. Much easier to spot anyone walking out."
"Fine," Lin Lei agreed.
Lin Lei immediately led Bei Bei to a raised outcropping on the mountainside. Standing there, they could see much farther.
"Boss, are we really just going to stand here and wait?" Bei Bei asked impatiently.
Lin Lei glanced at the grey fog zone beside them and shook his head. "We'll wait half a day. If no one's come out by then, we'll go in ourselves. The White Fog Zone we just passed through was already dangerous — the Grey Fog Zone is probably worse. It'd be best to know what's in there before we go charging in."
After traveling for over thirty years, Lin Lei had the patience to wait half a day. Rushing in blindly could cost them dearly.
They waited in silence.
Lin Lei and his group's position was over ten li away from where Raki's pair had set up, but thanks to the fog being thinner out here, they could still see each other clearly. This quiet vigil went on for roughly half an hour before they finally gained something — Lin Lei's party had grown!
A single figure emerged from the White Fog Zone. It was the effeminate, silver-haired man.
The silver-haired man was patient too. He hadn't rushed in either. He simply stood there, waiting in silence.
A long time passed.
"Hm?" Lin Lei, who had been sitting cross-legged on a rock with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes and turned to look into the distance. The black-robed, purple-haired young man was walking out of the Grey Fog Zone. Just as the purple-haired youth was about to turn around and re-enter, Lin Lei called out: "Bulong!"
Back at the hotel, this purple-haired youth had fought, and Lin Lei had overheard his name.
*Whoosh.* Lin Lei and Bei Bei immediately dashed over. At the same time, the three Highgods over ten li away, having spotted what was happening, also flew over.
"Hm?" The purple-haired youth — Bulong — turned to look.
"Bulong, greetings," Lin Lei said.
"Oh... what is it?" Bulong's face was utterly expressionless. He also noticed the other three approaching, and Raki called out with a smile, "So it's Bulong! I knew that with your strength, you'd walk right through the White Fog Zone without a problem. By the way, Bulong, we're not familiar with this Grey Fog Zone. Could you tell us something about it?"
The purple-haired youth Bulong glanced at the group before him. He seemed somewhat wary of Lin Lei and Bei Bei, but still spoke in an indifferent tone: "I can tell you! But there's one condition!"
"Go ahead," Raki said with a smile.
"In the Grey Fog Zone, you two walk with me." Bulong looked directly at Lin Lei and Bei Bei.
Lin Lei's eyebrows shot up. Walk with them? He didn't know this purple-haired youth well, but from their brief encounters, Lin Lei had gathered that Bulong was an extremely cold and proud person. Yet here Bulong was, asking to travel together. Clearly, this Grey Fog Zone was very dangerous!
Raki and the other two immediately looked at Lin Lei and Bei Bei.
"Fine," Lin Lei nodded.
The purple-haired youth nodded and said flatly, "The 'grey fog' in this Grey Fog Zone is a special type of energy. If your soul is weak, you'll be trapped in an endless series of illusions inside the Grey Fog Zone. When that happens, you won't be able to distinguish friend from foe. You'll keep killing indiscriminately... and you'll never leave the Grey Fog Zone, trapped in those illusions forever."
A chill ran through everyone's hearts.
Trapped in illusions forever?
They possessed eternal life, but being trapped in illusions for eternity would be worse than death.
"There are many, many Highgods inside!" Bulong said coldly. "Over the countless years, Highgods have probably fallen into the Grey Fog Zone and become trapped in those endless illusions every single time. Since Highgods can't starve to death, the only way they die is by killing each other. So... over the countless years, an astonishing number of Highgods have accumulated inside the Grey Fog Zone. If we run into any of them — these Highgods lost in illusions — they'll treat us like mortal enemies and try to slaughter us."
The expressions on Lin Lei and the others' faces all turned grim.