Departure

A somewhat battered armored vehicle traveled across the land of Kazdel. As the driver, Roy followed the map's directions.

Although he had been in Kazdel for over half a month, he had only familiarized himself with the areas where he was stationed and the environments of several battlefields. Traversing all of Kazdel was not something that could be done in just half a month.

"If only there were navigation."

At that moment, Roy dearly missed his previous life. Although things like Gaode Maps could sometimes lead you somewhere bizarre or send you on a detour, at least they rarely got the general direction wrong. If apps like that existed in this world, traveling would be much more convenient. Add a catastrophe warning feature, and it would surely sell like crazy.

After all, there was no competing product like it in this world.

Still, it was just wishful thinking. Although Terra did have aircraft and other flying machines, it did not possess a single craft that had successfully broken through the atmosphere and entered outer space.

It was not that scientists had never attempted it. Every attempt had simply failed.

The machinery in this world known as Terra all drew power from Originium reactors. Even the so-called "energy revolution" had merely involved modifying Originium reactors to improve their efficiency. Mobile cities were one of the products at the pinnacle of this technological tree.

In the past, both obscure little groups no one had ever heard of and research organizations like Rhine Lab, backed by the Columbian government, had built rocket-like devices. Their devices had even launched successfully.

However, just as those devices were about to break through the atmosphere, the Originium reactors inside them would fall silent. At the same time, the Originium stored within would directly enter an inert state. After that, the only fate awaiting those expensive devices was to crash.

Over time, after realizing that this path was impassable for the moment, Terra's scientists turned their attention elsewhere.

Naturally, building a satellite network and establishing a navigation system was unrealistic in this world. At least, it was unrealistic at this point in time.

As for preventing catastrophes—

The people of Terra had accumulated some experience in that regard. Because of this, an organization composed of scholars and people born with the ability to sense "catastrophes" came into being. They were known as Catastrophe Messengers. Through them, it was easy to obtain information related to catastrophes. Whenever signs of an approaching catastrophe were observed, the Catastrophe Messengers would warn the nearest cities and surrounding settlements.

Although the predictions of these Catastrophe Messengers did not always come true, they had an accuracy rate of over seventy percent. That was not a low figure.

Even for the leader of a nation, that was an acceptable number. Thus, every city in every country had a position assigned to a Catastrophe Messenger. As for whether they could recruit one, that depended on the ability of the city's leader.

Still, by now, Catastrophe Messengers were present in at least most mobile cities.

As Roy continued onward, a pleasant ringtone sounded inside the vehicle. It was Roy's phone, though not the one he had originally used.

The phone Roy took out was blue overall, with minimalist patterns currently popular in Victoria engraved on its back casing. Unlike ordinary phones, this one incorporated technology related to Catastrophe Messenger communicators. Because of that, even if its owner was in Bolívar at the westernmost edge of the continent, they could still successfully contact someone in Higashi.

However, this device was not without flaws. Aside from its exorbitant cost, another major drawback was that it only supported ultra-long-distance calls to registered communication devices using the same technology.

For short-range calls, this phone was no different from any other.

This was what Chen had slipped into Roy's pocket when he left Lungmen. At present, the only remote devices registered in its contacts belonged to Chen and Swire. Therefore, there was no need to say who was requesting the call. It could only be Chen or Swire.

After all, it was not easy to find someone using a phone in Kazdel, which was in the midst of a civil war.

"How have you been lately, Roy?"

"Not bad. What about you? How are things going with the Six Harmonies Society?"

Hearing the familiar voice over the phone, Roy smiled faintly.

During this long journey, having someone to talk to was something worth cherishing. Better still when it was an acquaintance he got along with fairly well.

After all, on this war-torn land, no one could be trusted.

"The evidence of the Six Harmonies Society's crimes has been reviewed. It has now entered the trial process. Before long, the Six Harmonies Society will be a thing of the past."

Chen paused for a moment, as if she were thinking about something.

However, the pause did not last long. Chen soon continued.

"If it hadn't been for you, that day might not have come for a long time. Yet no one in Lungmen will remember you, the one who did the deed."

"Don't overthink it. Someone had to do it. I just happened to have the opportunity then."

Roy did not regret it. Even if he were given another chance, he would make the same choice. As for Wei Yenwu's promise, Roy did not particularly care about it.

"But what about you? Is it really okay for you to be talking to a murderer like me? Aren't you worried that certain people in the Lungmen Guard Department will use this chance to target you?"

"Hmph. Are you asking me to come arrest you myself?"

At the same time, in the Special Operations Group office of the Lungmen Guard Department.

Listening to Roy's words while looking down at the city below, Chen revealed a faint smile. As though joking, she suddenly said that.

"Oh? Then come on. I'll be waiting for you here in Kazdel."

Hearing Roy's response, Chen felt a trace of disappointment. She had thought Roy might have had some other reaction.

Still, Roy's words did stir something in Chen. Perhaps, once this whole matter was over, she should apply for leave and visit Kazdel?

The thought surfaced in her mind. After putting it aside, she began to busy herself.