Just Beginning

3:00 a.m., May 3, 2097.

Yin Le lowered her head once again, checking the exquisite ladies' watch on her wrist to confirm the time.

The living quarters on the perfectly soundproofed lower deck were silent and still. The main light in the small lounge between the rooms had never been switched on; only the orange nightlight glowed, mingling with the soft light from the projected Work Area to illuminate the corners, the floor, and the human outline on the sofa, still seated yet long asleep... or perhaps an empty shell.

Over the past ten-odd hours, almost nothing in this area had changed aside from adjustments to the lighting.

The perception on the Mental Layer stood in stark contrast to that on the Material Layer. In particular, the tremors from the Abyss Zone Blood Soul Temple had lasted almost as long as Ronan's "sleep," never stopping from the very beginning.

During several intervals, the tremors had grown so violent that they seemed ready to collapse at any moment, nearly jolting Yin Le's heart out of her chest. Palpitations, anxiety, and fear had clung to her like shadows. Even so, she had to force herself to remain calm and work to reassure the uninformed higher-ups within the order, lest they do something foolish in their confusion.

Well, her so-called "informed" status was only half-baked anyway. For now, all she could do was wait passively aboard the yacht.

A few minutes ago, the Abyss Zone Blood Soul Temple had just weathered an intense interval. Its current momentum was very steady, allowing Yin Le to breathe a temporary sigh of relief and spare some attention for the Psychic Map that had remained displayed in the projected Work Area for so long.

Perhaps it was an illusion brought on by watching it for too long,