Black mist descends, and I and the witches take refuge in the dungeon.

The system's voice was still echoing in his mind, bringing waves of exciting news to Mir.

[Quest Rewards: Dungeon space greatly expanded! Shelter capacity increased, candle fuel efficiency increased by 30%, and the unique energy point "Eternal Light" will be unlocked within the territory!]

The growth rate of all crops within the territory will increase by 20%, grain yield will increase by 25%, and the growth cycle of livestock will be shortened by 20%!

Unlock the independent "Lord" panel, which can improve attributes such as leadership, affinity, charm, and diplomacy!

Note: This expansion of the underground city will directly extend to the size of Careful Village, approximately half the size of the current Norton Town.

This includes natural resources such as water sources, arable land, and livestock farms.

[Failure Penalty: None. However, all personnel will be exposed to the black fog's erosion zone, with a survival probability of less than 0.007%.]

The voice in his mind startled Mir.

Then came an uncontrollable surge of ecstasy and excitement.

To be honest, before the system task started, Mir was in a state of utter despair.

Before this, there was absolutely no hope whatsoever for them to survive in the black fog.

There is not a sliver of hope in sight.

But it's different now.

If Mir can complete this task, then he will have a chance to survive!

Food, space, energy, and the possibility of living long-term all come to mind at this moment!

There is still a chance for everyone to survive!

Mir stared at the mission description for two seconds, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart.

He withdrew his gaze, then walked to the old priest's side, his voice carrying an indescribable firmness:

"Father, I know a place that can accommodate all these people. It's lush with water and grass, and it's at least twice as close as the town of Herlun. Bringing everyone there is the best way to survive."

The old priest turned to look at Mil.

"I didn't know there was such a place near Norton. What I need now is a concrete guarantee and absolute security that won't go wrong."

When the old priest said these words, there was no room for negotiation on his face. His cloudy eyes were fixed on Mil, without a trace of his previous joking attitude.

This is the fate of the entire town of Norton, and the old priest will not make a decision lightly.

Mil simply looked at the old priest and slowly said:

"Father, I will not harm them. I am human too, that's all. Whether you believe it or not is up to you, and to them as well."

Mir paused slightly at this point, then continued:

"From here to the town of Herlun, given these people's physical abilities, it would take at least a whole day of non-stop travel. During this process, how many things do we need to withstand?"

The mental attacks of the black mist, the transport of the soul lamps, the attacks of goblins and trolls, the cold winds along the way, the restless monsters...

Do I need to say anything more?

Of the 400 people left here, how many will survive in the end?

In my estimation, none of them will survive!

Father, I'm not begging them to come into my sanctuary, I'm giving them a chance to live!

Having said that, Mil stared intently at everyone present. He hadn't deliberately lowered his voice; he had already laid out the almost cruel truth before them.

At this moment, death is no longer an ethereal concept, but a tangible reality that will arrive before everyone's eyes in the next second.

The crowd began to stir restlessly, and just then, a clear voice rang out, youthful yet tinged with weariness.

"I believe in you, and I want to go with you."

Upon hearing the voice, Mir instinctively looked at the other person, and it was a familiar face.

I gave this little girl food the last time I was here.

Seeing that Mil was looking at her, the little girl mustered her courage and said to Mil:

"Generous sir, my name is Anna. I didn't have a chance to tell you my name last time, but I'm glad I have the time this time. My name is Anna!"

The guard David you punished last time, that's my father, but you were right to punish him; it was my father's fault!

The little girl looked directly at Mir, her eyes showing no fear, but rather a hint of guilt.

Upon hearing this, Mir simply gave Anna, the brave little girl, a smile.

He won't say much; the choice is his, and it's not his either.

The old priest sighed deeply. He looked at Mil and remained silent for a moment, as if trying to identify something.

Finally, he narrowed his eyes and said softly:

"How big is that place you mentioned? Is it safe?"

"It's about half the size of Norton, with a river and farmland, that's all."

The old priest grinned and smiled.

Renee heard these words too. She looked up at Mil, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only asked one question:

"As a member of the Vatican, I hate gambling the most, but gambling occasionally is sometimes unavoidable. Please don't make me lose, okay?"

Mil looked at Renee, nodded, and said nothing more.

"Now that you've made up your mind, what are you waiting for?! Renee, you can still move, right?!"

The old priest suddenly stood up, puffed out his chest, and spoke in a voice several times louder than before.

"Yes, Father Ores! It can move!"

Despite the pain from her wound, Renee stood up and looked at the old priest with a pure and unwavering gaze.

"Take the remaining three knights and disassemble the Soul Lamp, load it onto the carriage, and keep the light illuminating the entire procession. I will go and call the remaining survivors. Now, let's set off tonight!"

Even if going out means certain death, at least find us a nice burial plot. This church is too cramped!

The old priest laughed, looked at everyone, then at Mil, and urged:

"Lord Mil, no, I should call you Lord Mil, these people will soon be entrusting their lives to you!"

Don't you have anything to say right now? Are you a shy, cowardly lizard?

At this moment, the old priest didn't seem like a priest, but rather like a boisterous dwarf from a bard's tale.

Upon hearing this, Mir took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

The eyes of everyone looking at Mir held fear, distrust, hope, and an unspoken determination...

"I can't say anything particularly inspiring, but all I want to say is that I won't die after you. So, pack your things, I'll keep you alive! I'll do everything I can!"

After saying that, Mir ignored the reactions of those people; his ears were turning red and his heart was beating a little fast.

"Father, I need to go to the basement. It won't be long, just a few minutes!"

The old priest reached into his pocket, pulled out a pale gold key, and tossed it to Mil.

"With the key, you can enter the basement. It's very empty, and you can see the statue at a glance."