Two hours later, in a dilapidated courtyard 17 kilometers east of White Mist Zone No. 22, a wisp of smoke curled up into the air.
Anthony was diligently tending the firewood, and in the iron pot, chunks of ox tail that had been meticulously prepared were simmering, amounting to at least several dozen pounds. The rich aroma of meat filled the air.
Before long, the tender ox tail was ready, and the three of them began their meal.
In the household, it wasn't just Anthony and Angela; there was also an old man over seventy, hunched over, frail, and missing a leg.
However, Anthony showed no sign of disdain. When the stew was ready, he first served a large piece to the old man, saying softly, "Grandpa Alan, be careful, it's hot."
Alan grumbled, "I'm not so old that I need someone to take care of me."
Anthony grinned without getting upset, then picked up a hard bun and was about to take a bite, but before he could, a delicate hand snatched it away.
Angela glared at Anthony. "There's a whole pot of meat, enough to last us several days. Why are you eating a crusty bread?"
"I just like it..."
"Who are you trying to fool? Eat this piece of meat right now!" Angela cut off Anthony's feeble excuse with authority and placed a large chunk of meat into his bowl.
Faced with Angela's fierce gaze, Anthony backed down once again.
Yet, his heart felt warm.
As he bit into the stew, he felt warmth spread throughout his entire body.
Anthony didn't dislike eating meat; it was just that the survival conditions here were too harsh. Today's meal was the most sumptuous one they had had all year.
After scolding Anthony, Angela eagerly recounted the day's events to Alan.
"Grandpa Alan, today we saw a yellow ox as big as an elephant. Its scales were larger than my hand, and there was even an espers who could transform into a werewolf..."
A smile spread across Alan's wrinkled face as he listened intently, like a curious child.
Watching the scene before him, Anthony smiled slightly.
They had lived like this for seven years.
However, Anthony's smile suddenly froze, because his world had once again plunged into darkness.
This time, it took over ten seconds before the darkness finally faded.
Laughter filled the dinner table, but Anthony could no longer find joy.
Not long after, as the sun set, their hearty dinner came to an end.
In the long-abandoned town, there was no water, electricity, or gas, and once night fell, everything was plunged into pitch-black darkness. Moreover, to avoid attracting monsters, they couldn't light any lamps.
So, the best thing to do was to sleep.
Outside, it had started snowing heavily, with large snowflakes accompanied by a biting cold wind that made the windows rattle.
Perhaps the others had already fallen asleep, but Anthony couldn't sleep. On his bed, he wrapped himself tightly in his thick quilt and shifted back.
However, he didn't reach the wall. When his body was about twenty centimeters away from it, an invisible wall blocked him.
The wall was transparent, invisible to the naked eye. Anthony's quilt passed through it easily, but Anthony himself was stopped by it.
This kind of phenomenon, which would be incomprehensible to most people, had become routine for Anthony.
Feeling the slight chill where his back touched the wall, Anthony's expression grew dim.
As expected, the invisible wall was still there.
For seven years, Anthony had tried countless methods—forcing his way through, circling around, digging tunnels, building ladders...
The results were all the same—completely ineffective.
This invisible wall formed a circle with the White Mist Zone at its center, spanning 17 kilometers around its perimeter.
It was as if a giant pot had imprisoned Anthony inside, for seven long years.
But the reason Anthony couldn't sleep now wasn't because of this wall. After being trapped for seven years, he was used to it.
This time, he couldn't sleep because of his eyes!
This intermittent blindness had started after the White Mist Zone appeared. In this era, encountering strange and bizarre occurrences was nothing unusual.
At first, Anthony's intermittent blindness would happen every few days and would quickly pass.
Later, it became a daily occurrence, lasting a few seconds each time, and today it had happened three times, the last lasting over ten seconds.
Anthony could feel it—recently, the frequency and duration of his blindness had increased significantly.
If this continued, he might one day lose his sight completely!
On the bed, Anthony tossed and turned for a long time before finally biting his lip and standing up.
He couldn't wait any longer; he had to do something while he still had time!
In the darkness, Angela's bedroom door creaked open, and a shadowy figure quietly slipped inside.
Then, it slowly climbed onto her bed.
...
In the pitch-black room, Angela, half-asleep, felt something brush against her cheek, tickling her.
She groggily opened her eyes and heard a familiar voice by her ear.
"Sis, are you awake?"
Angela was startled at first, then her anger flared up. Waking someone in the middle of the night, only to ask if she is asleep?
But she knew Anthony's personality. If it wasn't important, he wouldn't disturb her at this hour.
Suppressing her anger, Angela said coldly, "Say what you have to say!"
After hesitating for a moment, Anthony finally spoke, "Sis, you and Grandpa Alan should leave..."
"Are you serious? You've said this a thousand times already." Angela snapped, annoyed. "I told you, if we're leaving, we're leaving together!"
If it weren't for the cold, Angela would have reached out and twisted Anthony's ear 360°.
He had said this countless times over the past seven years, but each time, she had refused and then given him a good beating.
Seven years ago, when the White Mist Zone suddenly appeared, it swallowed two-thirds of the town and destroyed her home. At the time, Angela was only eleven and had caught a cold, running a high fever…
During the escape, she stumbled and didn't get far before being knocked down by the crowd. She struggled several times but couldn't get back up.
When the White Mist Zone appeared, it was often accompanied by a large number of monsters, and everyone was fleeing for their lives. They were unsure if they could survive themselves, so who would care about the lives of others?
Angela's consciousness gradually grew blurry as she watched the figures of others moving farther away. She didn't even have the strength to cry.
Just when she was in utter despair, a pair of small hands appeared in front of her.
That feeling of finding hope in the midst of despair was something she would never forget. So, when she learned that Anthony couldn't leave, she didn't hesitate to stay behind, bringing that glimmer of hope to him.
However, this time Anthony didn't stay silent. He said in a low voice, "But, Grandpa Alan can't hold on much longer."
Angela was startled. "What do you mean?"
Anthony continued, "Grandpa Alan has been getting more and more lethargic lately, his condition is worsening. There's no gas, water, or electricity here. If this continues, he might not make it."
Hearing this, Angela fell silent.
If it had been any other reason, she could have brushed it off, but she couldn't argue against this one.
Anthony smiled slightly, "You should go. Once you reach a hundred miles out, there will be soldiers. They'll definitely take you both to a safe zone."
"But if we leave, it will be hard to come back," Angela said, her voice tinged with a sob.