Chapter 34: The Mysterious Waters

Huge concrete blocks lay toppled like sunken mountain ranges. Twisted steel rebar protruded everywhere, creating an environment reminiscent of a jungle of thorns. Half-submerged car roofs, the skeletal remains of billboards, and floating debris of furniture—everything was soaked in the turbid floodwaters. Occasionally, one could spot animal carcasses, their bleached bones exposed by the relentless churning of the current.

Beyond this, the number of crocodilian lizards in the water had increased. Every few hundred meters, they spotted at least one or two swimming nearby. Moreover, Han Ning keenly observed that these lizards were generally larger than the ones he had encountered initially. He remembered clearly that many of the hatchlings that first attacked humans were less than a meter long, and even the adults were mostly around that size. But now, the lizards he encountered were generally close to two meters in length, with some exceeding it. Two or three were clearly over 2.5 meters.

"The hatchlings are almost nowhere to be seen." Han Ning felt a surge of concern; as the water levels rose so rapidly, the situation for human survivors would only become more dire. "It seems the deeper the water, the faster they grow."

Fortunately, Han Ning had Xuebing swim ahead, using its status as one of their own to detect and avoid other wild lizards. He wasn't out hunting this time, but scouting; there was no need to engage these creatures in battle. Relying on his vague memory of the city's landmarks, Han Ning directed Xuebing to keep adjusting their course, heading toward the general direction of Bailu Port.

After swimming for about three kilometers, "Hm?" Han Ning suddenly sensed a change in the current. The water ahead... seemed to be getting shallower. This sensation was very abrupt. Previously, they had been traveling through areas where the water depth was consistently above waist height or even completely submerged. But now, according to the information relayed back by Xuebing, the underwater terrain ahead was rising, and the current seemed to have smoothed out.

"No, it's not just getting shallower..." Han Ning signaled for Xuebing to slow down, and he himself swam forward with even greater caution.

"This is..." When he and Xuebing carefully surfaced to observe the area ahead, the sight made Han Ning hold his breath, his pupils constricting.

Before them lay a stretch of white fog, an area of such indescribable vastness that it seemed infinite. The mist was as thick as curdled milk, forming an eerie contrast with the torrential rain falling all around.

Dense raindrops pelted into the swirling white fog, only to be swallowed whole. Far from dispersing the mist, the rain seemed to fuel it, making the fog appear even thicker. Visibility was completely obstructed, plummeting to less than ten meters. The white mist churned and surged, devouring everything—buildings, streets, and the water's surface—leaving only blurred and twisted silhouettes looming in the depths of the fog, like the bones of giant beasts lying in wait.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

The world was silent, save for the rhythmic patter of rain striking the water. The scene reminded Han Ning of a horror game he had once played: Silent Hill. The only difference was that this was a flooded city in ruins.

"How... how is this possible?" Han Ning couldn't help but whisper, his voice sounding exceptionally weak against the backdrop of the rain and mist. He couldn't comprehend it. This area was constantly buffeted by gale-force winds and driving rain. Under such violent conditions, any fog should have been torn to shreds instantly. Yet, this white mist seemed alive, silently swallowing the rain from the heavens, growing stronger and creating a white domain that neither wind nor rain could shake.

"Gurgle..." Xuebing let out an uneasy low growl. Its yellow, slit-like pupils were fixed on the swirling white fog, its body tensed. It felt as if something extremely troublesome resided within.

Han Ning looked around, struggling to identify his bearings. He should still be some distance from Bailu Port. As a tourist harbor, the port had complete facilities, with many resorts, high-end hotels, office buildings, and residential areas within a radius of one or two kilometers, far more prosperous than the middle-class neighborhood he lived in. Yet now, this area, which should have been relatively bustling, was devoid of any signs of life; even the wandering lizards had vanished.

Some buildings remained exposed to the torrential rain, which lashed against their glass curtain walls and dilapidated facades. But more of them were swallowed by the boundless white fog, revealing only vague, ghostly silhouettes that floated and flickered in the mist. Bailu Port was likely deep within this foggy region, or at least required passing through it to reach. But the fog was too bizarre, completely defying logic.

Just as Han Ning hesitated, debating whether to take a detour or retreat for now and plan accordingly...

"Ah!! Help!! Help... ugh, ah!!!"

Suddenly, a piercing, agonizing scream of a woman echoed from the boundary where the rain met the white fog. The sound came from an area outside the edge of the mist, one not yet fully consumed.

Han Ning jerked his head around, his gaze piercing through the layers of rain to lock onto the source of the sound. It was a street-level shop half-submerged in water; its sign was long gone, and the dark, hollow storefront looked like a giant mouth waiting to devour someone.

"Something's fishy..." He thought for a moment and decided not to go over. He had watched too many horror movies, particularly *Ju-On*, where most characters met their doom simply because of curiosity—the urge to step inside and take a look. Curiosity killed the cat.

"Go!" Han Ning made an immediate decision. Without hesitation, he turned around, kicking his fins to pull away from the white fog. Save someone? He had to ensure his own survival first!

He had barely swum twenty meters away when—

"Help me, help me!"

The woman's scream rang out right beside his ear, without any warning. It didn't come from the shop behind him, nor from the front, nor from the side—it was right next to his ear... The voice was clear, as if the speaker were pressed against his ear canal, accompanied by a desperate, gasping breath.

"..."

Han Ning's scalp instantly went numb, and every hair on his body stood on end. In this world, did that kind of thing really exist? Han Ning felt a surge of alarm. He tried his best not to look back and kept swimming forward.

But even without looking, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the interior of a neighboring shop. Deep within the dim, sludge-filled store, where all kinds of trash and debris floated, Han Ning caught sight of a figure.

A woman in a white dress was pinned down by a massive, broken concrete beam, leaving her lower body trapped and unable to move. Most of her body was submerged in the shallow floodwater; she struggled to tilt her head up, her long, wet hair clinging to her pale face. Her face was twisted in extreme terror and agony, her mouth wide open, emitting a silent, harrowing scream.