Lin Hong's matter was an interlude, and after it was handed over to Yan Meiyu, he didn't pay much attention to it.
However, early in the morning when the sky was still dim, Yan Meiyu came to find him and told him the results.
"Lin Hong and that woman went to look for He Fang before dawn; they were in cahoots."
Su Han sneered inwardly upon hearing this, going to look for He Fang before dawn was obviously a rush to know whether the action had been successful or not.
Unfortunately, He Fang had already become minced meat, first having his neck wiped, with almost half of his neck broken, and then being thrown downstairs, long gone.
"Let's put He Fang's matter aside for now. You three had better train more in the next two days. Once you all become First-level Intermediate, we'll prepare to head out and explore since we're running out of water."
Yan Meiyu nodded and said, "I understand, I should be able to advance tomorrow, but Old Gan might be a day or two late."
The sudden disappearance of He Fang and his group went unnoticed on the first day, but the deaths of Lin Hong and the other person caused a panic for a while.
On the second day after their deaths, they were found in He Fang's room, their necks mauled by a wild beast, dying in horror.
Most people were concerned about monsters still lurking in the corridors, yet some linked the two incidents together.
Among the Contractors who weren't flesh bodies, there was actually one, but they dared not speak of it.
The more they knew, the less they dared to speak out, fearing they would meet the same fate.
Panic was deeply buried in everyone's heart; the atmosphere of the entire Block 7 gathering point became even tenser.
In contrast to the general anxiety, Su Han's group of four, after the incident with He Fang, not only became more united but also calmed down, training their Angel Envoys every day.
Yan Meiyu's Angel Envoy, the Rot Skin Rat, was the first to break through to First-level Intermediate.
The Rot Skin Rat's form didn't change much, but its size certainly did, growing significantly from its original length of around one meter, including its tail.
After advancing, its body grew to about half a meter tall and around 1.1 meters long, with its tail also reaching about a meter, covered with fine scales akin to a chain. Its pitch-black fur was hard as steel needles, and the area of its rotting skin slightly reduced, turning into coarse, blood-red skin. Combined with its crimson eyes, it exuded a dangerous aura.
The advancement of the Rot Skin Rat made its figure more robust, greatly enhancing its attack power as well. It was now equally matched with Gan Xinglei's flesh corpse in aspects such as ramming and pouncing.
"Bang bang bang"
The door of Su Han's master bedroom was knocked on, and he immediately opened it to find Yan Meiyu standing outside.
"What's wrong? Aren't you training with Old Gan?"
Ever since intensifying their training, Yan Meiyu had been controlling her Angel Envoy to practice with Gan Xinglei and Zhu Xiong in turns, all striving to improve their strength as fast as possible.
Even in low light conditions, they shouldn't have become so withered and listless within a few days, but that was precisely the case throughout the building, which was downright odd.
Su Han fell into deep thought, "So you're suggesting that this light can negate the effects of the fog, and might even improve the growth of the plants?"
"That seems to be the case. We could try it with a few more potted plants to know for sure. But what's more important is this."
Yan Meiyu abruptly pulled back the curtains, revealing the large pane of glass behind them.
Behind the glass was the thick fog, a blanket of white, almost pressing against the window.
However, when the light shone through the glass onto the outside, the situation suddenly changed. In Su Han's astonished gaze, the big fog at the window began to recede bit by bit, as if the tide was going out.
In less than half a minute's time, the fog had retreated around four to five meters at the place where the light from the window reached, and a few meters beyond that, the fog was considerably thinner and visibility had improved.
Su Han took a deep breath and calmed down, "Can the yellow light disperse the big fog?"
"Yes, Old Gan was antsy and drew the curtains to check the fog, and unexpectedly discovered this."
Since the arrival of the big fog, everything beyond the seventh building had been shrouded in an oppressive fog that was frightening, as if monsters could jump out from the mist at any moment.
Out of fear, almost all of the windows were kept covered with curtains all the time, and people seldom drew them aside except when necessary to check outside.
'Thanks for Old Gan's restless hands.'
Internally thanking Gan Xinglei with a nod, Su Han then said, "If this is an ability of the Lamp Tree, then this thing could be a big help to us. Old Gan, grab the map; it's time to discuss where we should head next."
Strength and the big fog were two major obstacles preventing them from leaving the seventh building.
The fog blocked visibility, and a normal person would likely not see further than six to seven meters in such fog. With this visibility, any accident, such as a sudden monster attack, could not be properly responded to in time.
Even with an Angel Envoy at your side, the outcome would be the same, unless you had the Envoy carry you. But that idea was also impractical.
Moreover, there's another downside: the fog affects one's mind, constantly creating a sense of oppression, as if one is locked in a dark room.
Ordinary people under this fog would gradually lose their sanity due to the feeling of oppression, and might even become frantic or fearful.
And as for Contractors, he reckoned they were only slightly better off; at least for now, he didn't feel much stronger mentally than an ordinary person.
But now, having the Lamp Tree meant having a 'light' to lead them out, an undoubtedly crucial development.
Gan Xinglei quickly brought over the map and spread it in front of them. It was a map of South City, a standard civilian version, which gave a rough idea of some important locations and the aquatic and soil conditions around.
"Our water supply in the seventh building might not last much longer, and both Old Gan and Old Zhu are about to break through. Plus, we now have the Lamp Tree, so let's plan where to go while we can."