Cooperation I

Human Alliance.

Edge of an Underground City town.

Squads of Adapters returning from surface exploration slowly emerged from the tunnels one after another.

They carried all manner of supplies on their backs.

There were unknown metal instruments, huge bundles of new clothes in every style, and some people shouldering sacks of rice, meat, and seeds.

"We just found an abandoned Interaction Zone. These are the supplies we found inside."

A Sa Lu, who led the team, spoke gently to the town logistics officer who had come to receive them.

"You've worked hard. How were the Evil Spirits nearby? Was anyone hurt?" The logistics officer was a young woman barely in her twenties. Though young, judging from how swiftly she arranged people to receive them, she was already thoroughly familiar with the process.

"Not bad. We cleared out three Evil Spirit Cars, and no one was injured. Lin Hu's squad ran into a particularly troublesome Evil Spirit Horse, though. They lost three men." A Sa Lu sounded regretful.

Adapters were already few in number, and now three had died at once. "It'll get better. The adaptation ceremony will begin again soon. This year, with the new medicinal baths improving heat resistance, we'll definitely gain a few more Adapters." The logistics officer comforted him.

On this land, death and injury were common.

Even living safely and steadily was a luxury. No one living here was useless; everyone had something they could do within their means.

The ritual of adapting to Heavenly Light radiation had undergone many years of testing. Though the Human Alliance had long found quite a few ways to improve the chances of success,

the success rate for Sky Light Wielders—Adapters—was still terrifyingly low.

One out of several hundred was already considered good.

Fortunately, after being exposed to Heavenly Light