Never mind that Mora and Geng Huai had nearly staged a battle between Extraordinary Species, or whether Mora had truly come specifically to greet them. In an environment where they could turn into "Clay Figures" at any moment, having someone experienced act as a guide—telling them how much farther they had to go, what the situation outside was like, and where would be suitable to get a feel for things after getting out... even if it was only half true, it still put people more at ease.
The discussion regarding the "Lord of Illusory Nightmare" did not continue. Instead, Mora explained her views on the "Outer Earth."
There were no more mishaps along the way. Over half an hour later, they arrived at the outer perimeter of the "Thirteenth District" on the other side, an area the "Reclamation Corps" called the "Abandoned Mine Isolation Zone."
The abandoned, ruin-like atmosphere here was vastly different from the "Forward Base."
"Another few kilometers up, and once you break through the crust, it's the seafloor. Still near the Mariana Trench, a perfect match. But be prepared—don't suffocate underground or drown in the sea."
Mora pointed upward, then continued, "This place has basically remained in its original state. Don't ask me why someone didn't expand the 'Forward Base' here. I don't know either. Well, there are some unreliable guesses, but since Instructor Tu Ge is here, I won't make a fool of myself... Instructor, could you clear this up for us?"
Facing everyone's focused gazes, Tu Ge was quite straightforward. "They were probably worried about damaging the hidden 'Time-Space Passage.'"
"What does that mean?" With Geng Huai around, no one had to worry about unanswered questions falling to the ground.
"Judging from the movements of the 'Fugitives' across the 'Inner and Outer Earth,' once they