Deep within the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia, near the Bering Strait.
This was a corner forgotten by the world, a place wantonly smeared by the forces of nature.
Gray-black volcanic rock formed the main body of the land, while a pungent smell of sulfur lingered in the air year-round.
The sparse vegetation was twisted yet tenacious, mostly an unhealthy dark green or purplish black. Its leaves were often covered in thick deposits of volcanic ash or some other unknown substance.
In the distance, several active volcanoes belched thick smoke, making the lead-gray sky even gloomier; in some low-lying areas near fissures, pale yellow clouds of gas drifted slowly through the air.
This was where "Death Valley" lay.
At this moment, three figures stood in the angle between three black rocky hills arranged in a triangle, which barely blocked some of the biting wind and poisonous gas. They stared solemnly at the distant rift valley where the light had been distorted.
They were Saint Light, Fallen, and Druid.
"Phew."
Druid let out a long breath, breaking the somewhat oppressive silence within the shelter. His voice was hoarse and clearly exhausted.
"The seventh scan is complete. The interference is still absurdly strong."
"But we can basically confirm that, within a five-kilometer radius centered on the rift valley, there are at least four distinct First Sequence-level life signals. They are spread across different directions, and all of them are extremely agitated."
"Deeper in, my ability is being affected too severely for me to sense anything. But you can feel that palpitating pressure too, right?"
Saint Light nodded slightly, idly turning a cross between his fingers.
"Yes, and there are more than four."
"Within my sensing range, beneath that swamp in the southeast that is emitting multicolored poisonous fumes, another formidable creature is