The End of the Old Road

Faced with Amiya's incredibly sweet and coquettish behavior, Oute's usually cold and expressionless face broke into a smile.

"Okay, okay, I've deleted 'me,' there's nothing left on the terminal." Then, he showed Amiya the gallery.

The terminal's breathing light flashed twice, indicating a disagreement.

It's likely that the little rabbit's adorable yet clumsy antics, like all sorts of other valuable information, have been specially preserved by PRTS—perhaps even in a dedicated section.

"One hamburger combo for two!" A cheerful voice rang out as a familiar face brought a tray to Amiya.

"Huh!? Rhodes Island!? Aren't you guys at that Fourteen... Anyway, aren't you guys helping Chernobog refugees!?" Exusiai seemed to only now notice the guests' identities.

She had an earphone around her neck and was wearing cycling gloves on her hands.

"We just closed a big deal!" Amiya blurted out. "Doc Otter and I are out celebrating!"

Exusiai scratched her cheek. "Celebrating with Kentucky Fried Chicken? Why are there only the two of you...?"

"Miss Exusiai! Don't you still have work to do!?" Amiya asked.

"Lemuel! A brand new K-Sa four-piece set, delivered to warehouse at 122 Dongfang Street!" the store manager announced, opening the box.

"Coming right away!" Exusiai left the two of them, then suddenly stopped. "Your meal for two only included one Dr. Cinnamon Iced Drink, I'll buy you another one..."

The little rabbit put its hand on Exusiai's shoulder and said with a smile, "Miss Lemuel, you should go deliver the food, or you might be late!"

Exusiai felt a heavy pressure on her shoulders, and for some reason, it was so dark.

The store manager urged, "Lemuel! The kitchen is all ready! Come on!"

"They're here! They're here! They're here!"

After chasing away the ungrateful Sankta, Amiya looked at Dr. Cinnamon between her and Oute, and rested her chin on her hand.

After enjoying her first sip of the chilled carbonated drink, Amiya shyly pushed the cup towards Oute: "Dr. Kal'tsit forbids me from drinking too many carbonated drinks... so, Doc Otter, let's have a drink!"

Really.

Oute nodded seriously. "Kal'tsit won't let me eat hamburgers either. She always says I have a sensitive stomach and need to gradually adapt to a normal diet, and fried food is irritating to my stomach lining."

Etc!

Just as the little rabbit realized something was terribly wrong, Oute, who never teaches good things, said again, "But who cares about these kinds of things!?"

As he spoke, he pushed the entire drink towards Amiya.

That won't do!

"Doc Otter, let's drink together!" Amiya said. "Last time I drank alone, and I got an upset stomach..."

"Is that so?" Oute asked without suspicion.

Such people do exist, and Amiya is, after all, just a rabbit.

"My Lord."

Specter suddenly floated in like a ghost. As Oute's patient and bodyguard, Specter usually stayed by Oute's side when she wasn't sleeping.

She whispered, "I sense the presence of my own kind."

However, looking into her clear eyes, it's obvious that this isn't a female cultivator's personality...

The little rabbit noticed this too, and she glared angrily at Laurentina.

That's terrible!!!

Oute understood. "It's Skadi, she should be here by now."

The Orca travels towards Lungmen every day and meets it in its dreams every night.

In the dream, Hamlet himself becomes another workplace, a replica of time travel. Oute delegates these tasks to the preparatory team or other new recruits who need further training, and Hamlet himself lacks a proper electric grid...

So Skadi basically just sat there doing nothing every night—she appeared every day, but had very little screen time.

The Orca herself was quite happy about this: she could meet with her kind almost every night, and she could also see Oute working there. Everyone was visibly busy, so no one bothered her while she was daydreaming.

It's Orca paradise!

"Laurentina, do you want some?" Oute asked, holding his own hamburger. "I haven't eaten yet."

She then deliberately gave him a flirtatious look and said, "I prefer eating what you've already eaten."

You looked like you were begging for mercy after being double-teamed by Kal'tsit and Oute!

I remember it perfectly well!

No!

The atmosphere is great, no matter what!

Getting this done is more important right now!

Amiya said decisively, "Since we have things to do later, Doc Otter, let's finish eating quickly!"

As she spoke, she took a big bite of her hamburger and silently pushed the half-cup of Dr. Cinnamon to Oute.

"That makes sense." Oute nodded, and under Amiya's piercing gaze, downed his cola in one gulp.

"The office is very conspicuous, you'll know as soon as you see it... But what does it look like?!" Charlotte, carrying a large backpack and looking disheveled, wandered Lower City.

Soon, she saw two buildings that stood out prominently in the Lower City. The familiar Triangle White Castle was painted on the side.

Several familiar figures were still at the entrance.

"I was worried you'd get lost, Skadi!" Laurentina teased. "Just imagining little Skadi frantically running around in circles makes me want to protect you!"

This cunning and despicable woman, with her formidable defenses, has once again set her sights on her sister with whom she has no familial relationship.

"If I get lost, I'll sleep under the bridge for the night and tell the Doctor directly then," Skadi replied seriously. "I've done this every time I get lost this month."

But Skadi emphasized, "Going straight towards the Lungmen is fast, but it's not easy to maintain direction."

This may sound like stubbornness, but it's the truth.

The Orca, true to its player-driven style of conquering mountains and fording rivers, charged headlong into the map, aiming for the Lungmen as it charged forward.

In places with landmarks, it's manageable, but when you're alone in a wilderness without landmarks or even much vegetation, it's quite difficult to determine your direction and avoid getting lost.

"Oh! Poor Skadi!" Laurentina feigned sadness, burying her face in her chest, and said, "Let me comfort you!"

As she did this, Laurentina gently patted Skadi's back from top to bottom. Although it was feigned, for some reason... one could sense a hint of maternal love in her actions.

Skadi stood there blankly as Skadi did as she pleased, and even gradually closed her eyes.

Suddenly, the Orca seemed to understand something, and she broke free from Laurentina's embrace with a start.

She said, "So this is how people comfort each other on land!"

With that, Skadi walked straight toward Oute.

With the speed of Abyssal Hunters, before Oute even had time to figure out what Skadi had suddenly realized, Skadi buried him in her bosom.

"Eh!?" Amiya blushed. "What are you doing!?"

Laurentina, always eager for drama, chimed in, "That's right! That's how you comfort people on land!"

The Orca clumsily imitated Laurentina, then whispered:

"You must be lonely too, right?"

"Much lonelier than me and the shark."

"Although I don't understand why... I felt much better when the shark did that."

Skadi looked "coldly" at Laurentina and asked, "... Shark, what's the next step...?"

"Aaaaaaah! What are you doing!?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Amiya quickly covered Skadi's face, closed her eyes, and shouted, "There's nothing there! There's nothing there!"

Oute, whose vision had been constantly limited, struggled to lift his chest and said, "Although I don't know who you are, you've come at just the right time!"

Chapter 268 The Old Way's Final Chapter

January 22, 1097, 07:38:27.

Number Fourteen Facility.

Several Sarkaz searched around.

Where's the boss?

Has anyone seen the boss?

"The ballistics exam is about to begin!"

"Patriot! Have you seen the boss? The one who plays with the bombs!"

"... She's not here."

The Del Diener shrank back. "Let's look elsewhere."

"Doctor can be really inflexible sometimes... Why would the boss need to take a ballistics exam?"

After the Sarkaz left, Patriot said to those behind him, "Come out."

W fiddled with his fingers. "Thanks, sir!"

Watching the Sarkaz girl run joyfully towards the ship, Bohdrokasthim slowly walked towards the refugee camp.

Under the guidance of centralized production and centralized living, nearly 50,000 Chernobog refugees, including members of the Reunion Movement, are currently living together in several buildings at Number Fourteen Facility.

Despite the various inconveniences, the vast majority of people were brought under military control by Oute. Under these circumstances, with their basic needs met and the occasional indulgence in their desires, none of these inconveniences developed into discontent.

Furthermore, while enjoying the leafy greens provided daily by the vertical farm, watching the wheat gradually turn yellow in winter, and feeling their physical strength and sweat being drained away during arduous physical work... the people of Ursus felt a definite sense of satisfaction.

"Alex." Patriot suddenly called out to a worker heading to the canteen.

"Dad."

"How many?"