Volume 1, Chapter 32: Bitten to Death by Mosquitoes

In the chat channel, a user named "Dust in the Wind" was frantically sending out message after message.

"Help! Help! Does anyone have anything to deal with mosquitoes? My shelter just upgraded to level two, and a massive swarm of mosquitoes has surrounded it."

"They're buzzing outside the house, and some have already squeezed through the gaps in the wood. Every sting is both painful and itchy."

"What do I do? What do I do? I have so many bites all over, my body feels like it's swelling up. Am I going to be stung to death by these things?"

"It's no use... I feel myself getting weaker, my head is spinning. I think I'm dying..."

"Fellow survivors, this is my last message. I can't hold on anymore. The mosquitoes that got inside are everywhere, all biting me at once. I feel like my blood has been drained dry. Do not underestimate this mosquito outbreak; it really kills. I wish you all well. Goodbye... no, farewell..."

From the moment he sent his first message, his tone had grown increasingly frantic. Even through text, one could feel the sheer terror he was experiencing. After his final farewell, no more messages came. In the top-right corner, the survivor count dropped by one immediately. "Dust in the Wind" had gone offline for good.

The chat area, usually filled with advertisements and idle chatter, fell deathly silent. Only the final message from "Dust in the Wind" remained, a lingering goodbye to everyone.

After several minutes, someone finally spoke.

"Did he... just die from mosquito bites? The counter definitely dropped by one."

"Mosquitoes can actually kill people? This is terrifying."

"And his shelter was already level two! If he still died, what hope is there for those of us at level one?"

"What difference does it make? We're all going to be stung to death. This heartless world of survival gives us no way out!"

"What are we supposed to do? There are only two days left until the main outbreak. If we don't have anything to combat them, we're all dead."

"Wait, I just saw 'Powerful Mosquito Repellent' listed on the auction house! Lin Yifan must have crafted it. Everyone, go trade for it!"

"Oh! It’s really there—'Powerful Mosquito Repellent'..."

People quickly swarmed to the auction house, and the chat channel emptied out. Lin Yifan watched as the listings for the repellent disappeared one by one, replaced by mounds of raw iron—exactly what he needed. In less than a minute, every batch was gone.

Lin Yifan had finally gathered the 100 units of raw iron required to upgrade his shelter to level three. All he needed now was a blueprint. Yet, he couldn't feel happy. Having just witnessed a life vanish in real-time, the feeling was heavy. It was a human life, gone in front of everyone. It was far more visceral than simply reading a death toll.

Just then, his private message channel began to flash violently. Opening it, he saw a user named "Father of God" spamming him.

"Lin Yifan, I want to make a deal. Give me the formula for the 'Powerful Mosquito Repellent,' and I promise you the honor of being an elder in the Heaven Alliance."

"Lin Yifan, I know you're there. Reply now. I’m busy and don't have time to wait for you."

"Lin Yifan, are you refusing to give me face? Ignoring my messages? You’re courting death!"

"I'll give you one last chance. Hand over the formula, or you will become an enemy of the entire Heaven Alliance!"

"Consider the consequences. Don't wait until you're at death's door to regret this. My patience is limited."

Lin Yifan stared at the barrage of messages, feeling nothing but contempt. Who did this guy think he was, demanding things and resorting to threats? He couldn't fathom the man's logic. He was, however, surprised to learn this "Father of God" was the founder of the "Heaven Alliance."

Regardless, there was no chance he would ever hand over the formula. Lin Yifan replied with a single, blunt word:

"Scram."

Simple and crude, with no pretense of diplomacy.

"Father of God," who had been certain that Lin Yifan would kowtow to his status, was stunned. Then, his anger flared.

"You arrogant brat! You dare refuse the Heaven Alliance? You're looking for death!"

"From now on, you are the greatest enemy of the Heaven Alliance! Just you wait! I will make you regret—"

His long, furious tirade never went through. After sending "Scram," Lin Yifan had blocked him without a second thought. While strangers could send messages, those who were blocked could never reach him again. To preserve his peace, Lin Yifan dealt with nuisances by cutting them off entirely.

Soon after, a wave of malicious comments about Lin Yifan began to flood the public channel.

"Is Lin Yifan really that disgusting? 'Dust in the Wind' was begging for help, and he had the medicine but chose not to save him. How cold-blooded."

"Exactly! We are all fellow survivors in this disaster; we should be helping each other. But Lin Yifan just watched someone die without doing a thing."

"He probably wanted to see someone die! Don't forget, he’s the only one with the formula. To see him refuse to help is just proof of what kind of person he is."