Chapter 374: Loss of Companions, Sorrow

Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Loss of Companions, Sorrow

Sean Chandler recounted what happened after he was separated from Seraphina Sullivan.

He was teleported to another area.

He went through a chaotic battle royale.

Then, during the battle, all the survivors suddenly heard the cold notification that the Supreme God System was rebooting.

Immediately after, they were forcibly teleported back.

They were also informed about compensation and a one-month "peace period."

"So, not only did we come back alive, but we also got a Treasure Chest as compensation from the system?

And the disasters in the real world... have been temporarily paused?"

Seraphina Sullivan processed the information.

It felt both fortunate and absurd.

A Divine’s prank that had nearly wiped out all the Players.

’And it all ended with the system cleaning up the mess and handing out hush money?’

Her final, fragmented memories seemed to hide an even more crucial part... ’What was that light that pulled me back from the brink?’

She could clearly perceive a faintly glowing "Treasure Chest" icon deep within her consciousness.

It was waiting for her to claim it.

However, before Seraphina Sullivan could inspect this unexpected "prize," the clamor outside the RV suddenly grew louder, filled with incredible excitement and elation.

"The snow has stopped! The ice is melting!"

"Look at the thermometer! The temperature is rising! It’s not cold anymore!"

"Are the disasters over? Can we go home? Can we rebuild?"

"Thank the heavens!!"

The ordinary survivors in the safe zone seemed to have noticed the drastic change in the environment, their excited voices rising one after another.

For those who had struggled for so long in the extreme cold, the melting ice and snow and the warming temperatures were undoubtedly wonderful news.

It was a glimmer of hope that the apocalypse was over!

Listening to the cheers outside, Seraphina Sullivan’s feelings were unusually complex.

She looked at Sean Chandler, who gave her a slight nod, confirming her suspicions.

This was the direct result of the "one-month peace period" mentioned in the system notification.

To ordinary people, it was a heaven-sent respite.

But to the Players in the know, it was just a brief "vacation" bought with the lives of countless comrades.

She pushed her still-weak body upright and gestured for Sean Chandler to help her to the window.

Pushing open the RV door, she saw that the faces of many people in the safe zone were filled with long-absent smiles of hope.

However, outside this sea of optimism formed by ordinary people, the atmosphere in the Players’ area was the complete opposite—pervaded by a sorrow so heavy it was suffocating and a dead silence.

...

「Safe Zone Temporary Command Center.」

Wesley Moore’s face was ashen as he looked at the casualty report Justin Brooks had handed him. His fingers, clutching the paper, trembled slightly.

The numbers on the report were staggering.

"What?! Of the Players registered in the safe zone who were eligible for this dungeon... we lost over sixty percent?!"

Wesley Moore’s voice was filled with irrepressible shock and heartache.

"Most of our experienced, combat-ready core Players... died in this so-called Trial Dungeon for civilization?!

The ones left are mostly rookies whose Levels weren’t high enough to enter?!"

He looked up at Justin Brooks.

The usually composed man’s face was etched with exhaustion, his body still bearing unhealed wounds.

He had clearly thrown himself into managing the aftermath immediately upon his return, with no time to rest.

The rims of Justin Brooks’s eyes were slightly red, and his voice was low and hoarse.

"Yes, Director Moore. And it’s not just our safe zone... According to the communications we’ve just established, the situation is... more or less the same in all the other safe zones that participated in this dungeon.

This dungeon wasn’t a trial. It was a... massacre."

He paused, taking a deep breath to suppress the emotions churning within him.

"The Central Safe Zone has sent an emergency communication.

They’re also aware of the truth behind the peace period for the disasters.

The temporary disappearance of the extreme cold isn’t the end of the apocalypse. It’s... compensation and breathing room from the system.

They’ve advised us to use this month to consolidate our resources and gather survivors.

We are to transfer people to the larger, better-defended, and more resource-rich Central Base or one of the major regional safe zones.

We must... prepare for the disasters to resume in one month’s time.

They could be even worse."

This news settled a heavy pressure on everyone in the command center.

Behind this brief "peace" lay an even more grueling test of survival.

...

Meanwhile, Seraphina Sullivan also began receiving news from acquaintances.

Dexter Luther found her RV. The usually optimistic and hearty man’s eyes were bloodshot.

His face was a mask of grief and self-recrimination.

He stood outside, looking at Seraphina Sullivan, his voice choked with emotion.

"Sullivan... Chloe Lewis, Morgan Brooks... They didn’t make it back."

He pounded his chest, as if trying to beat out the suffocating pain inside.

"If only I... if only I were stronger!

If I had just reacted a little faster!

Maybe... maybe I could have..."

He couldn’t continue. He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

Watching Dexter Luther, Seraphina Sullivan felt an indescribable sorrow well up inside her.

She remembered Chloe Lewis, who was always so energetic and loved to complain.

She remembered Morgan Brooks, who had kept trying his best even after breaking his arm.

The cruelty of the dungeon wasn’t just in its missions and enemies.

It was in the visceral pain of losing your comrades.

The brief "peace" had arrived, and the ice and snow were melting.

But for the Players who had survived the calamity, the winter in their hearts and the pain of their loss were far from over.

They would need this one month to lick their wounds, process their grief, and then... carry the hopes of the dead as they continued to struggle for survival in a potentially more brutal future.

The shadow of lost comrades didn’t just hang over Dexter Luther.

Seraphina Sullivan’s gaze passed over the grieving Dexter Luther.

It landed on a figure sitting slumped against the Wall not far away. ℯℯ𝑙.

It was Forrest Sterling. His normally neat and tidy clothes were now caked with dust and dried blood.

His hair was a mess, and he stared blankly at the ground, as if his very soul had been ripped away.

Her heart sank. She walked over and asked softly, "Forrest, your brother..."

Forrest Sterling’s body gave an almost imperceptible shudder.

He slowly raised his head. His once bright, cunning eyes were now utterly lifeless.

His voice was as dry and grating as sandpaper.

"My brother... to cover for me... he was... surrounded by a mob of Controlled zombies and... other Players..."

"He didn’t come back. I’m the one who got him killed!"

He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Seraphina Sullivan stood silently beside him, offering no words of comfort.

Any words would have been hollow and powerless.

She simply gave Forrest Sterling’s shoulder a gentle pat.

It wasn’t just Dexter Luther and Forrest Sterling.

Everywhere she looked, the atmosphere in the safe zone was heavy. The faces of many Players wore similar expressions of grief, numbness, or the vacant look of someone who had just survived a catastrophe.

This dungeon had been a brutal purge for the Vorlag Safe Zone, and for the entire Player community on Azure Star.

Many familiar faces would never be seen again.