Endless Debt Chapter 1075 - 111: Carrion Body

A murky, gray smog descended. This peculiar phenomenon, exclusive to the Oubost City of Oath, originated from the regular mist expulsions within the Great Rift. When the time came, this surging mist would breach the atmospheric dome, blanketing the regions surrounding the Great Rift. Normally, this anomaly was signaled in advance, allowing inhabitants to prepare. However, its emergence today was abrupt and unusually intense.

"This concludes our current report on the gray tide smog's impact. Please, listeners, take care of yourselves."

Having finalized his broadcast, Dudel, depleted in body and spirit, exited the studio. He anxiously approached the window.

Several minutes had passed since the sudden onset of the gray tide smog. Its eruption was swift, and the areas surrounding the Great Rift were already completely obscured by a dark dust. This wave continued its outward advance without any sign of slowing, indicating it would soon engulf the entire city.

"It's like the end of the world..."

A nearby staff member gazed out, murmuring listlessly.

This was more than mere smog; it resembled an all-encompassing sandstorm. The sky turned dark, and the wind howled, whipping dust through the streets.

The terrifying smog consumed every thoroughfare, including the narrow alleys and street corners where people desperately sought shelter. Birds took flight in panic, and the shrieking of tires skidding across the asphalt echoed like tumbling rocks, followed by the sounds of heavy crashes and a chorus of blaring horns.

Even robust windows offered little defense against the ferocious wind and abrasive sand. Individuals, hands pressed to their mouths and noses, fled in disarray, their eyes etched with tension and exhaustion, palpable fear gripping them. Trees lining the boulevards were not spared, vanishing into the sandstorm, their forms becoming indistinct as if lost within a vast desert.

Soon, Dudel could no longer witness the dreadful spectacle. The heavens had turned completely black; though it was daytime, it felt as though night had fallen.

Someone nearby shouted. Just as Dudel turned to look, the smog-laden wind struck the building with a deadly force. In an instant, the glass shattered, sending shards that sliced Dudel’s cheeks. He and others were thrown by the concussive wave.

A grayish fog poured through the fractured windowpanes, rapidly filling the corridors. The heavy, damp atmosphere carried a potent scent of dust, causing Dudel to cough violently, a searing pain coursing through his body.

Struggling for breath, he found the air thick with some toxic agent, inflicting immediate, fiery agony in his nasal passages and respiratory system. Dudel writhed in torment, tears welling in his eyes. Amidst the tempest's roar, more cries arose, sounding like spectral souls lost in this somber world, also wracked by painful coughs and scorched by the noxious gases.

The sound of engines grew closer. In the pitch-dark streets, out-of-control vehicles collided. All that could be heard were the sounds of impact, with no visibility, leaving occupants to silently pray for survival.

Moments later, explosions erupted on the street. Glimmers of fire appeared in the darkness, and the sounds of wailing intensified, merging with the wind's howl.

Dudel retreated into the broadcasting room, sealing the door against the shrieking wind. He slumped down, gasping for air, having shut out the smog and sand.

This disaster was not an isolated event; it was unfolding in every sector of the city, in every locale consumed by the smog.

Afeiya battled the fierce wind, painstakingly carrying pots from the exterior back inside, one by one.

"Afeiya, stop fussing with those flowers!"

The elderly woman reached out, trying to pull Afeiya, gesturing for her to look toward the street's end. There, the Sea of Mist advanced rapidly, much like an incoming tide.

Figure after figure was submerged by the rolling mist, as if caught in a waking nightmare. Within the swirling haze, sirens, the sounds of crashing vehicles, and the anguished cries of people mingled.

The mist was on the verge of reaching the flower shop's entrance. Afeiya hesitated, moving a few more pots indoors until nothing remained to be salvaged. Reluctantly, she retreated into the shop, firmly shutting and bolting the door.

Seconds later, the mist struck the door, hammering the glass with an earthquake-like force. The entire shop shuddered several times before all light vanished, leaving only profound darkness.

A chill ran down Afeiya's spine. Having resided in Opus for so long, she had experienced the gray tide smog before, but never one of such ferocity.

A sharp cracking sound emanated from above, followed by an intensifying pattern. Afeiya realized that under the mist’s assault, the glass windows were now riddled with fractures.

Afeiya's heart constricted with dread. Having personally experienced the mist's terrifying nature, she knew its intrusion into the flower shop would spell disaster for her delicate blossoms.

Relief washed over her as the structure held firm. However, this reprieve was short-lived, shattered by a barrage of knocks. From the oppressive gloom outside the window, hands began to materialize, smacking against the glass. Moments later, spectral faces, contorted in terror, pressed against the panes, their distorted mouths forming silent screams.

Afeiya moved instinctively towards the entrance, preparing to unbolt it, but a restraining hand from the elderly woman halted her progress.