I STACK ATTRIBUTES IN THE APOCALYPSE -MyOwnEdit-

"The survivors from Dragon Mountain have arrived and integrated well," Huo Sheng began, his tone measured. "Their leader is Duan Mei, but the most important person among them is a young girl named Lolita."

Huo Sheng succinctly explained Lolita and her mother's abilities, piquing Lu Ming's interest.

"Tell me more," Lu Ming requested, genuinely intrigued by the prospect of using New York's experiences as a reference for Nanxiang's future.

Creating a stable and comfortable environment was crucial for Lu Ming's attribute farming. If external threats became too overwhelming, it could significantly hinder his progress.

Huo Sheng continued, his voice grave, "The situation in New York is dire."

The apocalypse had ravaged Nanxiang City for 109 days, while New York had already endured 139 days of chaos and destruction.

"As of now, the Black Mist Zone has already consumed half of their territory."

The speed of the Black Mist's expansion was alarming.

The pace of the Black Mist's encroachment was a stark contrast to the gradual shrinking they were currently experiencing in Nanxiang. It was difficult to fathom how, in just thirty days, the Black Mist could expand so rapidly.

Moreover, there were no significant differences between the two locations.

"The speed and coverage of the Black Mist's shrinking in New York thirty days ago were not much different from ours," Huo Sheng explained, his voice laced with concern.

This meant that within the next month, the rate of the Black Mist's encroachment would accelerate dramatically. Within two months, it would completely engulf Nanxiang City!

Lu Ming frowned, his expression darkening. "Two months..." he muttered, contemplating the implications of this timeline.

Huo Sheng corrected Lu Ming's statement with a wry smile. "That's the best-case scenario," he clarified.

This revised timeframe was even more pressing.

After a moment of silence, Lu Ming inquired, "What about the next month? What can we expect?"

"In the next month, the Black Mist will repeatedly split open, releasing monsters from the Black Mist Zone into Nanxiang City," Huo Sheng revealed, his voice grim. "Each wave will be stronger and larger than the last."

This was the trajectory of the apocalypse in New York. Aside from a one-month head start, there seemed to be no significant differences between the two cities.

"Then there's the matter of the Holy Tower and the Black Mist Zone," Huo Sheng continued. "As we discussed before, the shrinking Black Mist will inevitably engulf us. Their plan for dealing with this is no different from ours."

There were two options: become a Level 5 Awakened and make contact with the Holy Tower, or actively or passively enter the Black Mist Zone.

"Based on their experience," Huo Sheng explained, "both methods seem viable, but they come with their own problems and challenges."

He emphasized the word "seem."

"Firstly, regarding contact with the Holy Tower. When a Level 5 creature touches the Holy Tower, a beam of white light descends and takes them away. A few days ago, a Level 5 Awakened appeared in New York. After being taken away, there's been no further news of him."

"In other words," Huo Sheng concluded, "this guidance is one-way."

Once taken, there was no return. It was a one-way trip with an uncertain destination.

The fate of those who were taken remained a mystery. There was a possibility that the Level 5 Awakened individual had died during the process or had been vaporized by the purifying light.

The thought sent shivers down Lu Ming's spine. "That option sounds terrifying," he muttered.

Contacting the Holy Tower was out of the question for him. What if the light wasn't a guide but a destructive force? Even if it were a guide, where would it lead him, and what dangers might await him at the destination?

The unknown was fraught with fear, uncertainty, and insecurity.

"From beginning to end, they've only attempted contact with the Holy Tower once," Huo Sheng continued.

While possible, contacting the Holy Tower was a last resort. If other options existed, venturing into the unknown would remain the lowest priority.

"Therefore, we must actively explore and engage with the Black Mist Zone," Huo Sheng concluded.

The Black Mist Holy Tower Incident had first struck New York, then Nanxiang.

After the Black Mist Holy Tower Incident in New York, America had sent troops to explore the Black Mist numerous times, but each attempt ended in failure. This instilled a deep-seated fear of the unknown in those who came after.

Yes, Nanxiang City shared this same fear.

However, the initial explorers in New York hadn't been burdened by such preconceived notions.

Furthermore, New York's main gathering place was located on the edge of the Black Mist, while Nanxiang was situated near the Holy Tower, the heart of the blockade zone. This geographical disadvantage significantly hampered Nanxiang's efforts to explore the Black Mist Zone.

New York's situation was different. After the outbreak, many people took the initiative to venture into the Black Mist Zone. While the unknown was indeed perilous, when faced with even greater dangers, exploring the unfamiliar became a viable option.

"They recklessly entered the Black Mist," Huo Sheng explained, "and at first, it was a series of disappearances. After a few organized attempts to explore the zone, their plans were put on hold."

"But unexpectedly," he continued, "someone returned alive from the Black Mist Zone about two months ago, bringing back the Basic Breathing Technique."

As long as the pool of explorers was large enough, there would always be a few fortunate survivors. The person who brought back the Basic Breathing Technique was undoubtedly one of those lucky few.

This discovery fueled the official organization in New York's determination to explore the Black Mist Zone.

"But the situation inside is dire," Huo Sheng warned, his voice grave.

Firstly, the level of creatures within the Black Mist Zone was alarming. Level 4 was the bare minimum. The Black Birds and Six-Legged Wolf Bears they had encountered were merely low-level predators, occupying the bottom of the food chain. They were akin to jackals and vultures in the natural world, possessing some combat ability but lacking true strength.

Moreover, the Black Mist Zone was saturated with Mystery Factors, this extraordinary substance causing the ecosystem to mutate and evolve. The strong grew stronger, while the weak became even weaker.

In comparison to the creatures in the Black Mist Zone, the Black Birds and Six-Legged Wolf Bears were even less significant than their natural world counterparts.

"There are far too many powerful monsters in there," Huo Sheng continued. "According to their reports, even though New York has established a basic outpost within the Black Mist Zone, they've suffered nearly ten devastating catastrophes within a month. Despite their efforts, they've gained very little and lost many high-level Awakened individuals with great potential."

"They don't have maps or anything of that sort," he added. "In the Black Mist Zone, they are confined to a small area and can't move freely, so mapping or exploring the surrounding terrain is impossible."

"However, one thing is clear: the Black Mist Zones are interconnected, or perhaps there's only one Black Mist Zone. This means we could encounter the New York survivors within the zone, and both sides could potentially travel through it to reach each other's territories."

"The problem is," Huo Sheng explained, "we can't determine the directions."

"That's why Lolita's mother seeks our help. She wants to combine our forces and establish a connection between our two sides."