Chapter 257: Rules of Crimson Tides

Chapter 257: Rules of Crimson Tides

“Yes, that is how regular humans experience Crimson Tides.”

Vermilion Bird stared ahead. Under her airy bang, her brown eyes glinted with an unreadable emotion. “To awakeners, Crimson Tides are something entirely different.”

Gao Yang shifted in the seat and focused, knowing that she was getting to the key points.

“Crimson Tides happen every ten years. No one knows how many times it’s been and how many more there will be.”

“Each Tide lasts seven days, and from the first night, the moon turns crimson and fills the sky. You know, like the blood moon described in stories.”

“I get it.” Gao Yang nodded. It was a common concept in games and other media.

“A thick blood fog permeates all isolated islands, reaching the height of the knees. It recedes when the morning comes like the rises and falls of tides.”

“The Crimson Tide is an apt name.” Gao Yang could imagine the sight, beautiful yet eerie.

Vermilion Bird nodded and asked with a smile, “Do you know where the tide-like blood fog comes from?”

Gao Yang paused and quickly caught on, “The Gates of Closure.”

Vermilion Bird nodded. “That’s right.”

So it’s all related to the gates, Gao Yang thought with quiet surprise.

“The fog leaks out from the Gates of Closure, and ignoring laws of physics, it quickly spreads to all isolated islands of the Mist World. No matter where you go and no matter the altitude, there will always be a half-meter tall blood fog at your feet.”

Gao Yang opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by Vermilion Bird. “I know you are wondering where the Gates of Closure is, but that’s something only Guildmaster can tell you. Just know that the blood fog comes from the Gates, and that no one can stop its ebbs and flows.”

Gao Yang then asked, “Is the fog dangerous?”

“No. At least it doesn’t directly harm awakeners. However, the consensus is that the true purpose of the blood fog is to enable monsters to immediately recognize awakeners.”

Gao Yang nodded quietly, digesting the information.

Vermilion Bird hit the brake at a red light. “During the seven days of a Crimson Tide, daytime is entirely different from nighttime. Before the sun sets, everything is as usual. Once the night falls, though, the blood moon rises, and the blood fog follows a few hours later. All wanderers and regular humans alike fall asleep, leaving only awakeners and other elite monsters awake.”

“Then the restraint of the Heavenly Way loosens. Awakeners cannot pretend to be asleep to avoid detection. Elite monsters will be able to tell awakeners from regular humans at first glance.”

“That,” Vermilion Bird stepped on the accelerator, and the car started again, “is the beginning of the hunt.”

Vermilion Bird sighed. “In theory, an awakener should be safe as long as they find a hideout and stay there for a week without contacting anyone. If they belong to an organization, it’ll be even safer for them to stay with their fellow members.”

“If they ignore their family and friends, that is,” Gao Yang said hoarsely.

“Yes.” Vermilion Bird shrugged. “A majority of awakeners can do that. They never consider wanderers their actual family and friends.”

“But I can’t,” Gao Yang admitted.

“And there are a good number of people like you. They jump into the trap even though they know what it is.”

Then Vermilion Bird added, “Remember body number 21, who almost blew you up?”

“Yeah.” Gao Yang nodded. The memory couldn’t be fresher in his mind.

“During the previous Crimson Tide, he fell victim to a trap laid down by a monster. He was hiding in the base, but left his phone on. Two days into the Crimson Tide, he got a call for help from his sister.”

Vermilion Bird’s tone gained a hint of sympathy. “He and his sister only had each other, and they were close. Number 21 could not stand by and do nothing when his sister could be in danger, and he made up his mind to go to his sister’s rescue.”

“The Guild neither opposes or supports such an act, and we didn’t have anyone go with him. We couldn’t risk the lives of other members.”

Gao Yang nodded. “I understand.”

“In the end, number 21 went to save his sister and ended up killed.” Vermilion Bird’s voice turned cold.

“By what monster?”

“Greed monster.” Her eyes glinted. “His sister was the greed monster, and he died at her hand.”

Gao Yang felt a pang in his heart, unable to reconcile with the man’s fate.

“There’s more to the story,” Vermilion Bird said. “Number 21’s sister succeeded in taking over her brother’s body and became him. It returned to base, and a teammate of number 21—Blue Dolphin, with Mindreading—heard its true thoughts and secretly notified Azure Dragon. The monster was swiftly executed.”

Vermilion Bird’s eyes were frosty. “It was a serious security breach. If Blue Dolphin hadn’t exposed the greed monster by chance, our hideout would have been found out, and the shadowstalkers among pride monsters would’ve come after us. The consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Shadowstalkers.” Gao Yang took a deep breath. “How strong are they?”

“I’ve never encountered one. Guildmaster briefly crossed paths with a pride monster, and he said,” Vermilion Bird paused, her voice lowering, “That a pride monster is more powerful than a Spectre.”

Gao Yang’s heart sank. More powerful than a Spectre? Then in system terms, it would bring a Luck point acquisition bonus of over 5000 times.

Gao Yang despaired for a moment, feeling helpless. In the Mist World, he was too weak and vulnerable.

He quickly stopped his negative emotions from growing and glanced sideways at Vermilion Bird.

“I have another question, Sister Xia.”