Before Victoria could respond to Lex, a series of translucent blue messages suddenly began appearing in the air before him, each one materialising for a second before the next replaced it.
[You are now being registered in the Wall of Stories.]
[Constellations have started appearing.]
For a brief moment, Lex simply stood there.
The words hung in the air like a verdict passed down by something far beyond him. He read them once and then again. The meaning did not sink in immediately, but the weight behind it did. It felt important and dangerous.
Lex brows slowly furrowed.
Wall of Stories?
Constellations?
He turned instinctively toward Victoria, ready to demand an explanation, but before he could speak, her voice pierced directly into his mind.
'Do not say a word out loud.'
Her tone was sharp, almost commanding.
'Not now. Not even if you believe you are alone. I have established a telepathic link between us. Speak to me through your thoughts. Focus on my voice and respond internally.'
There was a strain in her voice, a sort of tremor. As though whatever she had just done had cost her more than she was willing to show.
Lex forced himself to calm down and followed her instructions. He focused on her presence in his mind, pushing his thoughts toward her instead of letting them escape through his mouth.
'Alright… what is happening now?' he asked carefully.
Victoria remained silent for a second, as if observing something beyond his senses.
'The Constellations have begun appearing, Lex,' she finally said. 'But this is too early. They are not supposed to arrive yet.'
Her gaze was fixed upward, toward the massive eye that loomed ominously in the sky, though Lex could not tell what exactly she was seeing.
'I told you before that this apocalypse is not random. It is staged. Designed. Entire worlds fall so that the [Five Celestial Babies] may watch the story unfold. They are beings who treat destruction as entertainment. They watch the struggle. They watch betrayal. They watch triumph and despair.'
Her words settled heavily in Lex's chest.
'And people like you… are characters in that story.'
Lex's throat felt dry.
'The Constellations are no different in nature,' Victoria continued. 'They were once participants in stories of their own. But they survived and became legends. Those who rose high enough to observe others. They sponsor those they find interesting. They influence events subtly, nudging fate to make the narrative more… entertaining.'
As if to emphasise her explanation, another set of messages appeared before Lex's eyes.
[The One Above All has started watching your story.]
[The God Of A Thousand Lies is looking at you with curious eyes.]
[The Last Witch has started watching your story.]
The moment he read the names, something shifted in the air around him. It was not visible. It was not tangible. But it was there.
A pressure.
Subtle at first, then unmistakable. Like invisible gazes had locked onto him from unimaginable heights. It was not direct hostility, yet it carried a presence so vast that Lex felt smaller than he ever had before.
He swallowed slowly.
'Victoria… I can see their names. They are watching me. What am I supposed to do?' he asked through their mental connection, trying to keep his thoughts steady.
There was no answer.
Lex blinked and turned, only to realise Victoria was no longer standing beside him. She had moved several steps away and was staring intensely at the massive eye in the sky again, her expression distant, almost troubled.
'Victoria,' he called again in his mind.
Still nothing.
It was as if she were trying to figure something out.
For a few seconds, Lex simply stood there under the silent weight of celestial attention. Then a thought popped into his head. If he truly was being watched, then standing frozen would only make him look pathetic.
Slowly, he bent down and picked up the two orbs lying on the ground. He straightened his back, adjusted his posture, and turned toward the empty air before him.
If there were eyes in the heavens, then they were looking at him right now.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he gave a respectful bow.
"Greetings, esteemed Constellations. I hope you find my journey worth watching."
His voice was smooth and controlled, carrying the charm of a clever merchant addressing wealthy clients. It was half sincerity, half performance.
Behind him, Sam stared in utter confusion.
"What are you doing?" Sam muttered under his breath, clearly unsure whether Lex had finally lost his sanity.
Lex ignored him. If gods were watching, then first impressions mattered.
Just then, Victoria's voice returned to his mind, softer but steadier.
'I still do not understand why they appeared so soon. Normally, Constellations only begin observing when the first Death Challenge commences. Something has accelerated the sequence.'
There was unease in her tone now, not panic, but concern.
'For now, treat them as distant viewers. They can observe almost anyone as long as the Guide permits access. They may send sponsorships. They may grant skills. Or they may simply watch.'
She paused briefly before adding in a firm, grounding tone,
'Do not overreact. Do not act recklessly to gain their favour. Survive first, you can entertain them later.'
Her attention shifted downward toward the objects in his hands.
"Focus on the orbs. Whatever is happening in the heavens can wait. Your immediate survival cannot."
Victoria's voice flowed steadily through his mind, calm but firm, as if she was deliberately grounding him so he would not get distracted by the overwhelming presence of celestial beings watching from above.
"These orbs drop loot and skills when you break them. They are formed from excess existential code that your body was unable to absorb till from the start of the apocalypse. Think of them as condensed rewards. Their colours range from red to violet, just like a rainbow. Red grants the lowest tier rewards, and violet grants the highest."
Lex slowly lowered his gaze to the two orbs resting in his hands. Both of them glowed with a faint red light that pulsed softly like a dying ember.
For a brief moment, a small pang of disappointment formed in his chest. Out of all the possible colours, he had received the lowest tier. In a world where survival depended on strength, starting at the bottom did not feel particularly reassuring.
Victoria immediately sensed the shift in his emotions.
"Darling, even red-tier rewards are incredibly valuable in the beginning. You are comparing them to the standards of this new world, but you should be comparing them to the one you came from. Even the weakest defensive item here surpasses the strongest military-grade equipment from Earth. Stop underestimating what you have been given."
Her words settled his thoughts.
Lex exhaled slowly and tightened his grip around the first orb. The surface felt warm and strangely dense, as if it contained something far heavier than its size suggested. When he applied more pressure, thin cracks spread across it like spiderwebs. A second later, the orb shattered completely, dissolving into red particles of light that swirled around him before gathering into a single form.
From within that glow, a long black overcoat materialized and gently descended in front of him.
The coat looked simple at first glance, but the fabric carried a faint sheen, almost as if it were woven from reinforced threads beyond normal material. It felt solid in a way that defied its appearance. A translucent blue window appeared before his eyes, presenting the item's information.
[Item: Black Overcoat
Grade: Mortal
Description: A coat capable of blocking even snipers and missiles! Endurance +10]
Lex read the description carefully, and as the meaning truly registered, a genuine smile spread across his face.
Capable of blocking snipers and missiles.
He reached out and grabbed the coat, running his fingers across its surface before slipping it over his shoulders. The moment it settled against his body, he felt a noticeable difference. His posture straightened instinctively. His breathing felt steadier, and there was a subtle but undeniable reinforcement in his frame, as if an invisible layer now shielded him from harm.
The increase in endurance was not just a number on a screen. It was tangible.
With this coat, zombie bites would not even pierce his skin. The constant fear of being infected from a single scratch was suddenly gone. In front of ordinary undead creatures, he had just gained a massive advantage.
He allowed himself a small, satisfied chuckle.
"In that case," he muttered softly, "I do not have to worry about zombie bites anymore."
He briefly imagined a horde of zombies attempting to gnaw through the coat while their teeth failed miserably. The thought alone was reassuring.
Behind him, Sam stared at the overcoat with obvious confusion, clearly aware that it had not existed a moment ago but unable to comprehend how it had appeared.
Before Lex could enjoy the moment for long, another message materialized in front of him.
[The God of a Thousand Lies scoffs, saying what a worthless item.]