第9章

The storm lasted for several hours, then gradually subsided. But the power did not come back. More worrying, our phones had no signal. We were isolated.

The next morning, we woke up to a scene of devastation. Trees were uprooted, debris were everywhere. The main road leading out of the town was blocked by landslides. Our communication with the outside world was completely cut off.

We are trapped in 神木镇.

The initial reaction of the project group members was panic, then gradually turned into anxious waiting. Professor Lin tried to organize everyone, assessing the situation, and planning for rationing our limited supplies. 老伯, with his knowledge of the local area, became essential in finding clean water and whatever food sources were still available.

As the days passed and the situation did not improve, the atmosphere became more and more strained. Food and water started to become scarce. People's nerves were frayed.

And parallel to the real-world crisis, the strange phenomena intensified.

The dreams of the black tower became more vivid, more terrifying. I could feel the coldness radiating from the tower, hear the whispers growing louder, clearer, almost audible even when awake. The strange writings were now appearing more frequently and staying for longer periods, on walls, on objects, even on people's skin like temporary tattoos.