"Besides, there were some people who were very certain of this news, believing it to be a warning, and so they wanted to prepare in advance, but..."

The base commander didn't say what came next, but Xiao Jin knew it.

Preparation? How do we prepare? This isn't something that can be done simply by opening our mouths and issuing orders!

If we were to prepare for an apocalyptic scenario, it would be an enormous undertaking, requiring mobilization everywhere. Who would bear the consequences of public panic, property loss, and unrest?

The base commander then added, "So the words of that small group quickly died down, until the poisonous fog actually appeared a few hours later..."

No, it's not toxic fog yet, and we haven't detected any toxic substances in it.

“But you still sensed something was wrong,” Xiao Jin interjected.

Government officials aren't stupid; if they didn't have this sense of crisis, they might as well go back to farming in the countryside.

"Yes, adhering to the concept of being prepared for danger in times of peace, the leader ordered the mobilization of about one-fifth of the country's resources." The base commander replied, "Even so, the meeting at the top lasted for almost two hours with arguments."

But the situation deteriorated so quickly that people couldn't react in time. By the time they realized the fog was truly toxic, many had already been infected.

Therefore, the higher-ups decisively ordered the start of vaccine research and the construction of shelters.

"Isn't it the Fire Seed Base?" Xiao Jin asked.

"At the time, no one thought it would be this serious. It was called a shelter, but it was actually a hospital specifically prepared for patients with infectious diseases."

However, with the deaths of a large number of infected individuals, it became clear that the toxin was completely incurable, so the authorities made worst-case scenario plans.

The base chief slowly recounted the origins of the Fire Seed Base.

After realizing they could not resist, they decided to abandon the infected. As a result, ordinary people who were not yet infected had to be properly taken care of.

But no one expected that the poisonous fog would continue to mutate.

Before the authorities could issue an announcement, communications were cut off. Just as they were about to send people to rescue the survivors, the Fog Demons reappeared.

Rescuing all the ordinary people at this point would undoubtedly require a huge amount of resources. Even if the resources were available, it wouldn't be possible to do so through official means.

As a result, ordinary people were abandoned, and only the true 'elites' could survive.

Amidst nationwide riots and countless mobs wreaking havoc, the army was evacuating people from house to house according to a pre-prepared list.

Xiao Jin remained silent; this was the indigenous people's own choice.

Fortunately, Yin Hang and the others weren't there, otherwise they might have been furious upon hearing this...

"Alright, that's roughly the gist of the matter. Now let's talk about something else." Suddenly, the base commander tapped the table, his vulnerable expression vanishing.

As for Xiao Jin, she maintained the same expression throughout, making it impossible to discern her true feelings.

“I know you’re extraordinary, like that sunflower with legs. I don’t care where it comes from or what it wants to do.”

All I know is that it foreshadowed the end of the world, but also brought a glimmer of hope to my country. You know about the serum, right?

Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow.

This person is quite straightforward.

"After all that you've said, this last sentence is actually your real purpose," Xiao Jin stated directly without hesitation. Inwardly, she thought: "You figured it out so quickly!"

Without wasting words, the base commander pointed to an area on the monitoring wall that had been enlarged and marked with a red circle.

The image was extremely blurry, showing only the outline of ruins shrouded in an impenetrable gray fog, with vaguely distorted, inhuman, enormous shadows writhing within it.

"There's about a 60% chance this is the Fog Ghosts' lair, and I want to cooperate with you." The base commander said succinctly, "We've also considered that the Fog Ghosts might not have appeared out of thin air."

They have a source, a... or rather a group, a source that can continuously 'produce' these monsters. Right at the heart of this area marked 'Dead Zone'.

As soon as the base commander spoke, Xiao Jin's heart skipped a beat.

Before she could even hear what was said next, a cold system notification exploded in her mind without warning:

[Ding—Congratulations, player, you have triggered the side quest: Destroy the Mist Demon Mother Nest]

[Mission Requirements: 1. Completely destroy the Fog Demon's spawn core. 2. Protect as many native party members as possible to survive (survival rate will affect the final evaluation).]

[Mission Rewards: Points x, Special Items: Red Maple Fruit x1, Random Treasure Chest x1 (Guaranteed Gold Quality Item).]

[WARNING: The mission area has been classified as "Extremely Deadly"!]

20,000 points! Red maple fruit, and a treasure chest guaranteeing a golden item...

Even Xiao Jin subconsciously held her breath for a moment.

The reward is incredibly tempting, and the system's 'extremely deadly' rating precisely illustrates the extraordinary difficulty of the mission.

"The base needs 60% of the serum obtained along the way. I will send someone with you and provide a detailed topographical map of the surrounding area." The base commander's voice interrupted Xiao Jin's thoughts.

"I believe you know how precious the serum is. This is the greatest sincerity the base can offer, but the Fog Demon's lair must be destroyed."

The base commander's expression was serious, and his words left no room for negotiation.

Actually, even without her saying so, Xiao Jin wouldn't refuse.

Although it's dangerous, what mission isn't dangerous!

If she were afraid, she wouldn't be Xiao Jin.

Is it 'extremely lethal'?

Xiao Jin narrowed her eyes slightly; she was determined to take the plunge.

After a moment, Xiao Jin tapped the armrest of the chair with his finger and said, "Cooperation is fine, but I can also lower the price of the serum by another 10%. I only need 30%."

"But a topographical map alone won't impress me. Do you have any other bargaining chips?"

The saying goes, "Asking for an exorbitant price, then settling for a bargain."

Xiao Jin's decision to back down wasn't because she truly intended to suffer in silence.

While serum can reduce the degree of erosion, it is not the most important thing for Xiao Jin; the people in the base need it more.

Even if that's not enough, she can hunt Mist Demons herself later to obtain more.

Xiao Jin believed that the base leader had not only said this to him. This mission was clearly a team mission, which could not be completed by a single person, so there must be other players in the base.

These players are all seasoned veterans; mission rewards alone won't be enough. If the base leader wants to persuade them, he'll have to offer them some incentives.

Anyway, the base commander can't see the player panel and doesn't know that they have missions. Who would want to lose out if they can get more loot?