I will burn books and slay gods.

On the morning we set off for the old library, a thick fog rolled in through the mountains.

Grayish-white mist swirled around the ancient stone walls of Morning Star Hospital, making the already hidden building even more indistinct, as if it might fade from the real world at any moment.

Chen Ye stood in the open space at the hospital gate, tightening his dark gray combat jacket—standard equipment for Night Watchers' field operations, the fabric of which was specially treated to resist the conceptual erosion of low-level Nightmare to a certain extent.

Lin Su was already waiting by the car.

Today she tied her long hair into a neat ponytail, revealing her well-defined jawline.

The flame pendant was hidden under the collar, only occasionally flashing a glint of silver light.

Wang Xiaoming was almost blending into the fog, and Chen Ye had to work very hard to pinpoint his location—he was carrying a semi-transparent tactical backpack filled with various jamming devices and emergency medications.

The driving instructor was sitting in the driver's seat. She was wearing a uniform the same color as her jacket today, and her face was expressionless as she looked down at the data on the instrument panel.

"Everyone's here? Get in the car. We'll do the mission briefing on the way."

This is a modified black SUV, with an unassuming exterior but a interior filled with sophisticated instruments.

Chen Ye sat in the back seat, watching the fog outside the window rush past.

This was the first time he had truly left the hospital area since being admitted to Morning Star, but the world before him was not what he remembered.

The trees lining the road were twisted and their branches spiraled in a way that defied the laws of growth; the distant mountains were indistinct and their outlines rippled like reflections in water; even more eerie, occasionally one could see translucent figures dressed in clothing from different eras walking in the mist, seemingly oblivious to the vehicles.

"This is a normal fluctuation in the 'reality membrane'."

Seeing Chen Ye's confused expression in the rearview mirror, Instructor Guidance explained, "This is a normal phenomenon in the overlapping areas of two worlds. Ordinary people can't see these things; their cognition automatically filters out unreasonable information. But for us... our awakening of 'compatibility' means that the filter has failed."

"That's why we can 'see' Nightmares more easily."

Lin Su chimed in, gazing out the window at the silhouette of a woman in a Victorian-era dress, "She's also easily 'seen' by them."

The vehicle's communication device emitted a soft beep, and a 3D projection unfolded in the center of the carriage, displaying the blueprint of an old building—the old library in the west of the city, built in 1920 in the neoclassical style, a four-story brick and stone structure, which had been closed three years ago due to funding issues and was awaiting renovation.

"Target location."

The instructor zoomed in on the projection: "Three days ago, nearby residents reported smelling a sweet, fishy odor and experiencing symptoms such as drowsiness and memory loss. The reconnaissance team confirmed signs of 'Dementia Fog' activity, classified as level two, but it may have mutated characteristics."

The projection switched to a thermal image, revealing a pink, swirling mist filling the interior of the library building, while at the center of the building, there was an unusually bright white spot of light.

"This is..." Chen Ye stared at the point of light.

"Energy core, or 'mist core'."

The instructor, who was in charge of measuring the scales, said, "Usually, the fog of folly is diffuse and has no clear core. The appearance of this fog core confirms our suspicion that there may have been human intervention in this incident."

"The Guixu Cult?" Lin Su asked.

"Very likely."

Instructor Guidance nodded. "Therefore, the mission objective has changed. First priority: Ensure the safe evacuation of at least one civilian and obtain firsthand data on their exposure to the fog. Second priority: Collect fog core samples. Third priority: If encountering members of the cult, avoid direct confrontation and focus on reconnaissance and information gathering. Understand?"

"Understood," the three answered simultaneously.

Chen Ye felt his palms getting slightly sweaty.

This isn't training; it's a real mission.

There will be real citizens in danger, real Nightmares to fight, and possibly real enemies lurking in the shadows.

He glanced down at the karma detector on his wrist; the flame was stable, and the surrounding gray mist was thin. Thank goodness.

As the vehicle entered the city, the fog gradually dissipated, and reality slowly returned to "normal."

But Chen Ye could sense the subtle differences—there always seemed to be a low-frequency hum in the air, the shadows of buildings looked thicker than they should have been, and the expressions of pedestrians would appear empty and standardized for a moment.

This is the Night's Watch's curse: once you truly "see," you can never return to that pure, unadulterated world.

The old library is located on the edge of the old town, surrounded by other old buildings that are also in disrepair.

Police have already set up a cordon around the area, and several workers in protective suits are evacuating the last remaining residents.

When Chen Ye got out of the car, he immediately smelled that pungent, fishy smell, like rotten fruit mixed with rust.

He felt his thinking was sluggish after just inhaling a little air, and he needed to work harder to concentrate.

"The fog has already started to seep out."

The instructor glanced at the reading on the handheld detector. "The concentration is still within the safety threshold, but it's rising rapidly. You have one hour. After one hour, regardless of whether the mission is completed or not, you must evacuate. If the fog concentration exceeds the critical point, even we will suffer irreversible cognitive damage."

She handed each person a breathing mask and a pair of specially made goggles: "The mask filters out most of the hallucinogenic components, and the goggles can display the fog concentration and energy flow. Remember, the Fog of Foolishness itself doesn't attack directly; it slowly shuts down your higher cognitive functions, making you act like an animal, driven only by instinct. The longer you stay in the fog, the harder it is to make complex decisions."

Lin Su was the first to put on her gear, her voice muffled through the mask: "Plan?"

"Standard purification formation."

Instructor Guidance walked to the tightly closed doors of the library. The doors were sealed, but the seals were partially dissolved, showing signs of corrosion. "I'll establish spatial coordinates and evacuation routes. Lin Su, you're in charge of clearing the way and purifying, using flames to construct a barrier. Wang Xiaoming, sense energy flow and signs of life, and guide the way. Chen Ye…"

She looked at Chen Ye: "Your mission is to protect. Use your abilities to reinforce your teammates' cognitive defenses and resist the erosion of the fog. If any civilians are trapped, you need to give them a strong enough 'mental anchor' before they completely lose their minds, so that they can follow us out."

Chen Ye nodded, quickly sifting through possible knowledge systems in his mind.

If the fog of ignorance attacks rational thinking, then countering it requires the most fundamental cognitive foundation—perhaps mathematical axioms, perhaps logical laws, perhaps…

"Are you ready?"

The instructor placed her hand on the doorknob, and a pale blue geometric network began to appear on the door, indicating that her spatial abilities were locating and stabilizing the entrance.

"Ready," the three answered in unison.