Hard to Say

However, as the Originium is activated and becomes more active, the bleak Shirayuki on the ground is stained with the black and gray of the Originium shells, mixing into a dirty gray. However, within this gray "dirty snow," the Active Originium powder that shimmers with yellow and even golden light is the truly deadly "dirty stuff."

Eyjafjalla looked up, and snowflakes took the opportunity to land on her eyebrows, melting quickly and wetting them.

Although we had prepared accommodation just in case, we'd collected enough data and it was time to leave...

Boom!

"Ah!!!!"

Oops!

There are still people here!

As the Catastrophe intensifies, they might even die directly from Originium Infection!

The lamb looked in the direction of the sound and saw a rather tall building slowly collapsing and breaking in half in the distance. After the dust settled, a majestic, enormous crystal cluster stood proudly halfway up the building.

This situation obviously couldn't last, and as the foundation collapsed, the newly formed cluster of Originium also fell to the surface.

About ten seconds later, Eyjafjalla heard the sound of the Originium cluster hitting the ground.

In that case, that sound just now...

Eyjafjalla guessed that by the time the voice reached her ears, the victim was already nearly dead.

No! Now is not the time to think about this!

If my guess is correct, then the large amount of Active Originium will further intensify the Catastrophe! The intensity of the "Boomerang" might even return to what it was when it first struck Chernobog!

I am all alone, and even if I offer my help, there is absolutely no way I can achieve anything!

The primary goal is to save yourself and save your data!

Wait... I'm all alone...?

As Eyjafjalla raised her instrument panel, she suddenly realized once again why the squad she had applied for had become a one-person operation.

It's not just about being dissatisfied with her answer, but also about fundamentally preventing the possibility of her "meddling" regardless of her own life!

Oute had a very good grasp of Eyjafjalla.

Given Eyjafjalla's physical abilities as Terra, she might be able to move equipment and collect data by herself, but she would never be able to achieve a perfect result in the "impossible triangle" of protecting the data, protecting herself, and saving others.

Protecting your own data means you're powerless to save others.

If you try to protect yourself while saving others, you can't protect the data.

Protecting data and saving others leaves one powerless to save oneself.

The despicable Oute even went so far as to completely eliminate the role of saving others by angrily reducing the population of Eyjafjalla's team.

Eyjafjalla is a good girl. She's someone who helps others, even willing to sacrifice herself to save them. But... if her sacrifice and her salvation were worthless from the start, then even Eyjafjalla would choose to give up after weighing the options.

The current data... is simply not up to peer review... the outer changes are still too stable. Let's take a risk and delve a little deeper!

Just a little while!

The little lamb took a deep breath and thought of a way to convince itself.

I need complete data on the transformation from "natural disaster" to "Catastrophe," and I need supporting evidence...

Eyjafjalla still carried the inhibitor with her.

Hmm... that was probably prepared to prevent my protective suit from tearing and coming into contact with a large number of Active Originium particles, which would cause the infection to escalate rapidly... right?

Oute shook his head.

As he had predicted, Eyjafjalla made the choice she was bound to make.

Indeed, she is not well-suited for fieldwork involving contact with people. It's best to let her pursue her talents in the field of scientific research in the future.

Oute looked up and saw the Sarkaz girl reciting her lessons on the high platform, looking quite "imposing".

W wielded and used his lightweight power halberd as a "token of authority," much like a conductor's baton.

With the halberd pointing and the Sarkaz girl giving the order, the soldiers orderly and forcefully arranged the refugees into rows, stuffing them one by one into the settlement.

W did a pretty good job; he's already considered a talent in his field.

Although Earthspirit was reluctant to work overtime, the situation in Lungmen was alright, so it wasn't unusable...

We'll have to try Provence.

Speaking of which, the new Catastrophe Messenger should be arriving soon, right?

Chapter 250 Hard to Say

W's fingers were almost transparent under the light. She wrapped her short hair around her fingertips, round and round, until the ends were slightly curled.

"Hey! I'm reporting to you! Don't get distracted!" W said, displeased.

"...Okay," Oute replied.

W's eyebrows seemed to have a mind of their own, adopting an interrogative posture. "Are you communicating with other... other operators?"

Other women.

"Eyjafjalla has run into a little trouble."

For Oute, it wasn't a big deal, but she had still crushed the ginkgo leaf.

"Tsk!"

The Sarkaz girl smacked her lips, hesitating to speak. All the emotions that had been bottled up inside her for days finally began to surface.

"So annoying!"

She leaned back without any regard for her image, and with a thud, Sarkaz, the King of the Wrestling, lay on the ground along with his chair.

A flurry of noise came from outside, and Amiya's voice could be faintly heard.

"Not here!"

W's clothes were disheveled, and her slightly pink navel was exposed to the air. With W's breathing, the pink navel rose and fell rhythmically with her delicate abdomen, and it even shone under the light.

The stool that was originally under W's bottom rolled to the side.

"I said..." W said unconsciously, in a coquettish tone, "It feels so strange..."

The Sarkaz girl's inner feelings had nowhere to go, and all she received were the teasing of her adoptive parents and the deliberate manipulation of her crush.

Oute wasn't oblivious to W's feelings; on the contrary, he believed it could be used to spur the Sarkaz girl to grow into a well-rounded individual—something that would be easier to utilize.

This guy is incredibly despicable...

"What's wrong?" Oute didn't even look at her, but instead took out his terminal.

It seems he intends to work from the spot.

If you're proactive and have a keen eye for opportunities, the things you can do to personally oversee the rise of a power are truly endless. Conversely, if you prefer to let things take their course and find someone to share the burden, that's equally easy.

Oute doesn't have a morbid obsession with doing everything himself.

But he still needs to get these "talented individuals" sorted out before actually putting them in their positions. Currently, it seems W will soon be able to stand on her own and do a lot of "odd jobs" for Oute.

However, given the unique nature of Sarkaz mercenaries, it would be better to throw W and the rest of them outside...

The Sarkaz girl's eyes suddenly turned fierce, and she raised her leg to kick him.

But halfway up her hoof, she turned it around and rubbed it repeatedly against her own calf, knocking off her shoe, before kicking it at Oute again.

The Sarkaz girls' stockings were not worn for "beauty"; they were not transparent and had fine patterns that were faintly visible.

Such stockings, with their firm yet not overly tight support for the calves, can, to some extent, help maintain health and thus improve endurance during long marches—at least that's what W believes.

The small, bandaged, stockinged foot stepped on Oute's lower back.

"Stinky otter!"

She muttered to herself as she tried to shave off another layer.

Oute turned around and grabbed one of his feet.

W lay on her back on the ground, her safety shorts clearly visible.

"Gurgle!"

Feeling the sudden pressure on the soles of her feet, the Sarkaz girl trembled in fright.

"What are you doing?!"

"To prevent you from interfering with my work."

"Work, work, work, work!" W angrily pulled back her pair of jade feet and sat up sideways.

She said irritably, "You're like someone's urging you to die, working on the Interstice every day with your eyes closed!"

Oute replied earnestly, "Even when my eyes are open."

"Is that the point?"

The Sarkaz girl was furious, but then relieved: He treats everyone like that, doesn't he?

Although I'm not the special one, nobody is!

W sat down at the table, ignoring the noodles she hadn't finished eating right next to her.

She propped one leg on Oute's thigh, rested her chin on her hand, and asked, "You do this every day, don't you ever want to have some fun?"

This wasn't W's trick—she's too bad at it—it was pure curiosity.

"Developing a power is interesting in itself, but I guess that's not the point of your question." Oute thought for a moment, then replied, "I've crossed paths with Kal'tsit three times at the Interstice."

"..." The Sarkaz girl felt a pang of loss.

"Huh?!?!" Amiya exclaimed, "It's already...!"

Outside the door, Amiya covered her mouth, deceiving herself.

"Saying that I've been with Kal'tsit three times means..." W repeated with difficulty and stuttering.

"Reproductive activities not for reproductive purposes," he uttered these blatantly offensive words without batting an eye.

"In other words..." W was still unwilling to give up.