Chapter 117: Going Through the Motions

Veins bulged on his temples, but Colin skillfully emptied his mind, adjusting his mindset. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh. “No matter what, I just have to do my best with what I can... As Roger said, we have come, we have resisted, we have struggled... We may not win... But as long as we can reach this step, that’s enough...” Comforting himself, Colin’s suppressed mood eased somewhat. Just as he was about to continue thinking, a gentle, soothing voice from beside him spoke: “You look very tired. Would you like to rest a little more?” “No, it’s fine. I’m not tired.” Colin’s expression stiffened briefly but quickly returned to his usual smile, as if nothing had happened. The brief episode passed quickly. Yet, for some reason, Colin found himself compelled to ponder certain things. [You realize that your ability to acquire information will not disappear like ‘bullets.’ You are confident about this...] “Heh... I believe you.” Colin felt much better at once. Whether the message was true or not, even if it was merely a formality, it brought him great relief. If one day the “hints” were to vanish, at least for now, Colin would exhaust every ounce of his mental capacity to extract their remaining value. After all, the benefits were tangible. The firearms and artillery, though “sugar-coated,” truly fired real bullets from their barrels. At that moment, new messages refreshed in the chat channel, catching Colin’s attention. “It’s dawn! The sun is up! Can’t wait for Boss Colin’s potato sprouts!” “Ugh, finally something different to eat. I’m sick of porridge and bread. I want to plant potatoes, break free from the system, and build my own future...” “Colin: Have the chives grown? The sickle is coming soon...” “Boss, please don’t harvest them, please don’t. My wallet can’t take it anymore; I’m truly broke...” Nobody was foolish; everyone knew Colin’s actions weren’t purely altruistic. But so what? The chives were willing! Colin paid no mind to the teasing; instead, he seemed stunned, frozen on the current page, his gaze growing sharper. Dawn, hope, future... Colin internally mulled over the meaning of these words, without focusing on the overall context. Suddenly, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Darkness would come, but it would eventually pass. One day, they would be free from this dependent existence... Whether such a chance came again or not. But at least now, while their hearts still beat, their blood still flowed, and their minds still thought, they could still look forward to the future. A future forged by themselves. The firepower they created would bring a thorough “cleansing” to the world, sweeping away all filth and shadows... The torrent of millions of steel-forged flames would engulf the entire world in crimson... Colin’s thoughts wandered as he granted himself ten minutes of “relaxation,” simply daydreaming. A faint smile unconsciously appeared on his closed eyelids. Nearby, Shana was bestowing blessings upon him, sensing the once stifling atmosphere in the room lighten considerably. Curious but respectful, she refrained from interrupting. Soon, however, Colin’s expression suddenly stiffened, reflected in her deep blue eyes. [You realize ten minutes have passed. You know it’s time to start working.] So soon? Colin was momentarily stunned but sighed and turned to say, “Bring those survivors we rescued from the dungeon here. Their mental state should have stabilized somewhat by now...” He had wanted to ask about the mysterious light that erupted in the dungeon. If he could harness that power, he felt his overall strength would rise again. That controlled luminescence might not be very harmful to mutants... But to twisted lifeforms, the glowstone’s light was like salt in a wound—it caused them immense “stimulation.” It could also block the mental influence they carried. With widespread use, it might even suppress the mental interference of “lord-class mutants,” much like the light in the “wooden wheel.” This would become a crucial tool in facing this filthy world in the future. At the time, Colin hesitated because of the survivors’ condition, so he never asked. But after resting for over ten hours, their mental states should have mostly recovered. Colin felt it was time to inquire. Meanwhile, he could wait for the “potato craze” in the chat channel to end and, once the money arrived, continue advancing. Not long after, three men and one woman—four survivors in total—were brought in and entered the living room. “Sit.” Colin gestured toward several sofas. Once the survivors, visibly improved, sat down, he directly asked, “Do you know about the light he holds?” He didn’t mention any names, but all four clearly knew who he meant and what light he referred to. “Yes, but we don’t know how to get it again...” “No, no, what I mean is,” Colin interrupted and rephrased his question, “Do you know its name? What it specifically looks like? Tell me everything you know...” As long as he had detailed information, he could use the hints to fully understand how to create that thing... Of course, assuming it wasn’t linked to anything undesirable. Otherwise, the hints would likely spew out useless information. “It looks roughly like...” The survivor hesitated, searching for a comparison, then said, “About the size of a longan fruit—a glowing orb. I remember Brother Wang called it the ‘Crystal of Light’...” [You realize the “Crystal of Light” is something extracted from “refined glowstone.”] [Individuals bearing the “Mark of Light” can draw out the power contained in refined glowstone to create similar objects.] “Refined glowstone can be synthesized at Assembly Station Ten-One, but where does the ‘Mark of Light’ come from?” Colin recalled this was material for Shana’s promotion. He furrowed his brow and continued pondering. [You suspect this “Crystal of Light” might be an item obtained from a collection quest...] A collection quest... Seeing this hint, Colin felt a twinge of disappointment. It meant he couldn’t acquire it through other means. Just as he was about to dismiss the thoughts swirling in his mind, a new hint suddenly appeared... p.s.: Thanks to “Rational Thought,” “Distant Silence,” and “Merciless Blade” for their rewards. Thank you all for your subscriptions and monthly ticket recommendations.