“What… What is that thing?!”
The first to arrive nearby was the Middle-aged Office Worker, his voice clearly trembling as he stammered the question.
“From its appearance, it looks like a spider.”
The Old Hunter stroked the short beard on his chin, his voice hoarse.
Of course, everyone understood that a creature the size of a medium-sized dog certainly wasn't an ordinary spider.
“Where is there such a big spider?”
“Where is there such a big mist!”
“Don’t you remember that gentleman from before? Have you forgotten how he died?!”
Panic enveloped the meaningless arguments, and an unbearable low pressure settled in the Supermarket.
Just then, the Old Woman, who had never spoken, suddenly let out a shrill shriek, attracting everyone’s attention:
“Mountain God! This is the Mountain God’s anger, all because you people disregarded the traditions left by our ancestors and brought things back from outsiders!”
“The Mountain God’s giant hand has already taken that outsider, and next, it will be you!”
Her eyes, narrowed to a slit, suddenly opened wide, bringing the uneasy atmosphere in the Supermarket to its peak:
Arguments, roars, curses.
Then, they dispersed unhappily.
The atmosphere, which had slightly eased due to collective labor, once again plunged to freezing point; the appearance of the monster shattered everyone’s last remaining illusions.
The anxious crowd dispersed, silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Of course, Gao Yi was an exception.
Having been cursed by the Goddess of Luck since childhood, he naturally didn't expect any so-called miracles.
The idea of sleeping in the Supermarket and waking up to find the main quest completed, with various rewards and encounters raining down on him, was something he didn't even dare to dream about.
But precisely because of this, no expectation meant no disappointment.
Gao Yi stepped back a few paces, moving slightly away from the collapsing crowd, and quickly organized the known information.
The source of the mist and the monsters was still a mystery, but it wasn't crucial.
Gao Yi knew very well that with his ordinary physical capabilities, even with the help of the hunting rifle and others, it would be impossible to break through the monster’s encirclement head-on.
What was truly important now was to confirm the number and type of monsters, and the range and characteristics of the mist.
And ultimately, knowing where the mist and monsters came from didn't actually solve the problem.
Regardless of whether it was a leakage of pollutants, a mad scientist’s insane plan, or the anger of the Mountain God.
None of it could change the current situation.
Ultimately, Gao Yi’s immediate priorities were threefold.
1. Gather information as much as possible, understand what happened before he arrived, how the “man who died before” mentioned by the townspeople died, and then obtain information about the monsters and the mist.
2. Communicate with more people inside the Supermarket, resolve disputes, and unite combat strength as much as possible.
3. Explore the entire Supermarket, search for usable weapons, equipment, and information, and strengthen defenses as much as possible.
After organizing and recording the problems in his portable notebook, Gao Yi also breathed a sigh of relief.
This was his usual way of dealing with things—when encountering a large, difficult problem, it’s better to break it down into smaller problems to solve.
Looking back inside the Supermarket, a place with barely a dozen people, it was now divided into several small groups, whispering among themselves.
One could only say that humans are indeed such creatures; when the number exceeds two, they start taking sides and attacking each other—this is the origin of politics and religion.
Slightly sighing, Gao Yi checked his task list.
【I: Survive twelve hours in Hui Rong Supermarket (Countdown 11:03:47)】
Approximately an hour had passed, and if this basic task was the goal, then about one-twelfth of it had been completed.
But from another perspective, the inevitable change was also drawing closer.
He couldn’t drag it out any longer; he had to act quickly according to the plan.
That being said, he should probably talk to that group first...
........................................
The white mist outside the Supermarket was still thick, obscuring all sightlines that tried to probe outwards.
Making this small Supermarket like a small boat in the deep sea, swaying precariously.
Inside, it could now roughly be divided into three factions.
The Old Hunter, the Old Woman, and the Spicy Girl stayed together, currently sitting quietly in the depths of the Supermarket.
Although it wasn’t entirely clear why, the Spicy Girl was indeed in their faction.
Ms. Naijia, the Middle-aged Office Worker, the student couple, plus the seven or eight-year-old child, formed the women and children’s group.
Centered around the little boy, they laid out a few bath towels on the ground and gathered in an area around the central shelf, seemingly trying to lull the child to sleep.
Finally, there were the Middle-aged Office Worker, the Muscle Man Fujimoto, the store manager Yamada, and the female gas station attendant.
They were gathered at the Supermarket entrance, still arguing fiercely about something.
As for where Gao Yi should go to gather information, it wasn't really a choice at all.
The two elders had already clearly shown resistance to all kinds of outsiders, and he, a pure outsider, would certainly not be welcomed.
As for the women and children’s group, there was the mentally unstable wife, the student couple in love, and a child who had just fallen asleep.
To put it impolitely, the information they possessed might not be more than Gao Yi’s.
Thinking this, making a choice was not difficult.
Slowly, Gao Yi walked towards the last group of young adults.
At this moment, the three men and one woman were arguing fiercely about something.
“My car isn’t far outside; if I can run to it, maybe I can leave!”
The Middle-aged Office Worker gritted his teeth, his tone quite firm.
Fujimoto, the strong man beside him, also nodded slightly in agreement:
“This mist must have a range; no matter what, it can’t possibly cover the entire world.”
“How can that be? Have you forgotten the monsters outside? Didn’t that previous customer try to leave?!”
The female gas station attendant was clearly flustered; she brushed the hair from her forehead to one side, arguing excitedly.
It was then that Gao Yi noticed a round badge pinned to her chest.
It had a cartoon nozzle logo and the female attendant’s name—Xiao Hong.
Well, it wasn't necessarily that her name was truly Xiao Hong; it could also be a nickname or a stage name of some kind.
But at least, everyone else called her that.
The plump store manager named Yamada was one of them; he jiggled his double chin and also objected:
“Xiao Hong is right! We should wait for rescue in the Supermarket; there’s no shortage of food and drink here, no need to leave…”
“What about my family? Can I just leave my wife and child at home?!”
The Office Worker’s voice grew louder again, instantly attracting the attention of everyone in the Supermarket.
With that, he walked to one side, took off his suit jacket, and tried to make a spear using a mop handle and kitchen utensils.
And the strong man Fujimoto no longer participated in the argument, silently preparing.
Xiao Hong, the gas station attendant, wanted to stop them but didn't know what to say, anxiously pacing in place.
Seeing Gao Yi approach, she seemed to grasp at a lifeline, hurrying over and saying:
“Sir, please help persuade them too; it’s too dangerous out there!”
Looking at Xiao Hong’s pitiful expression, almost on the verge of tears, Gao Yi smiled slightly and turned to the two who wanted to leave:
“Um, could you wait a moment?”
The strong man Fujimoto frowned with some dissatisfaction, saying unhappily:
“What’s wrong? Are you going to stop us too?”
“No, no, no…” Gao Yi quickly waved his hand, adding:
“If you’re going, take Ms. Naijia with you; I remember she’s also very worried about her daughter at home.”
【“Enthusiastic Citizen” tag, experience +20】
As expected, the other tag he had just synthesized successfully gained experience points.
And Gao Yi’s words clearly surprised the others.
Everyone in the Supermarket fell into a brief silence.
........................................