"So, this is the ability of the cultivation instruction novel. How convenient," Han Yi mused.
Most importantly, he gazed at Zhou Yun for a moment before his eyes twitched with recognition. "I know that name. The ultimate beast god who reached emperor level in ten years. I believe his sponsor was the Beast Serenity Sovereign."
"Zhou Yun is the key to surviving the second scenario. If he dies, we're all dead—without exception," Han Yi Feng muttered as he reached out to Zhou Yun and lowered himself to the boy's level.
"The world as it is has changed. Do you want to survive with me?" he asked.
Zhou Yun nodded instinctively.
Han Yi Feng smiled happily and reassured him, "Don't worry, kid. I will protect you from now on." He thought to himself, 'You can't die. If you do, the main character will kill us all.' He held the boy's hand tightly and stood up, his gaze fixed on the window, where potential dangers lurked outside. He then turned back to Zhou Yun, acknowledging the gravity of their situation.
"This is going to be dangerous. If I had known I would die sooner, I would have at least spoken to a girl. I've always wanted to do that."
Su Yan was sitting on the bus floor, covering her head with her knees. It was clear that she was not in a good state.
Han Yi Feng gently tapped Su Yan on the shoulder. "Let's go, Mrs. Su Yan."
Su Yan nodded in agreement, dark circles under her eyes visible. The chaos inside the bus had subsided, but outside, danger loomed.
Suddenly, a man jolted with his phone and announced, "Guys, look at the news."
A female reporter dressed in a black and white corporate uniform began her report. "The world is in chaos. Some religious leaders are calling this our judgment day. We can't confirm if the world is going to end soon. However, after some investigations, we found that a novel called 'The Tower of Cultivation' has come to life. Unfortunately, it has been wiped off the Internet, and we have no information about the author."
"Wiped off the Internet?!" Han Yi Feng's heart skipped a beat. If this were true, wouldn't that mean he might forget some things from the novel after all those years of reading it?
No, it can't be real, he thought. The author specifically told him that as long as he didn't read the epilogue, he would still have access to the novel.
Han Yi Feng checked his phone again. The 3,502 chapters of the story were still there. He randomly checked a few chapters, finding nothing missing.
Thank heavens that this worked, he thought. However, the crowd watching the news was in a state of horror.
"What do they mean a novel came to life?" one person asked.
"Tower of Cultivation? What kind of nonsense is that?" another man commented from the back, wearing a black suit. "If I weren't in this situation, I wouldn't believe it, but it seems to be true. Are we all going to die?" Fear was evident in his voice.
Panic engulfed the bus once more.
[Activating Manual Trait: Cold Mind]
Han Yi Feng activated his trait to maintain his logic. It seemed he could use the cultivation instruction manual traits to check a person's stats or suppress his own emotions.
He didn't want to waste more time in the bus, as that would only make their deaths easier once the wolves outside gathered.
Outside, tall buildings blazed in fire, and the stench of blood filled the air. Cars were in disarray, and streets once crowded with civilians were now empty. Bodies of the deceased lay in almost every direction.
"Quick! Before the wolves come to us, find something to use as a weapon!" Han Yi Feng urged.
The crowd instinctively obeyed. He handed Zhou Yun and Su Yan a crowbar.
"Thank you, Han," Su Yan said, her hands shaking intensely while holding the bar.
"Don't worry. After this, we should be safe for a while."
Suddenly, a system mission appeared:
「 Mortals of Dimension 180T. You have successfully survived the first trial. However, your worth is still as insignificant as an ant. Prove your worth once more. Prove that you are worthy to challenge the immortals.
Survive the White Fang Wolves for thirty minutes. 」
「 Time Left: 00:29:59 」
「 Mission Theme: Survival 2 」
'It has begun.'
'If the main character doesn't arrive in thirty minutes, we will all die without exception. However, since Zhou Yun is here, I have hope that he will arrive to save us at the very least.'
Suddenly, a pack of wolves gathered a few meters away, staring at their prey with intent.
The crimson moon glowed eerily upon their fur.
Men and women alike stared in horror. Their fur was a winter white, dull enough to absorb the light of the sun. They looked nothing like the cute wolves portrayed in movies; each hair lay flat against their skin as if soaked in warm water. Their fangs glistened, stained with blood.
And their teeth were yellow with decay.
Their size fit somewhere between that of a dire wolf and a young horse.
Their eyes were unsettling—icy blue, seeming to penetrate the very soul of a person.
Awooooo!
The largest of them howled as many gathered in the streets.
"Ruuuuuuuun!!" one man shouted as they all scattered.
But Han Yi shouted back, "No, don't run! If you leave now, you will surely die..."
However, before he could continue, fear had already made everyone else disperse.
Who could keep their wits about them when their lives were at stake?
By fleeing, they had effectively sealed their own fates.
Suddenly, a blue screen appeared before Han Yi Feng.
[ Activating Cultivation Instruction Manual ]
[ Note: It is advisable to fight the white fang wolves and kill as many as possible. Though this may be difficult for regular mortals, it is still feasible and beneficial for future growth. ]
Han Yi Feng could feel his fear slowly evaporating.
It was as if the [Cold Mind] had given him a cold, calculating demeanor—something typically reserved for the main character.
Yet, he was not the main character; he was merely a lowly side character.
Su Yan was too frightened to run, gripping a crowbar with shaky hands.
Zhou Yun, on the other hand, clutched his insect jar tightly, relying on Han Yi Feng for protection, although one hand was also occupied with a crowbar.
As the people scattered, the wolves mirrored their movements, spreading through the streets.
Three large wolves slowly moved toward Han Yi Feng.
The white fang wolves fed on fear; the more terrified the people became, the more terrifying the wolves grew.
Sooner or later, their prey would become their food.
Screams echoed through the streets.
Han Yi Feng stepped forward, fierce determination guiding him.
"You will not have me today."
"I will survive."