948 New Direction 2 (1/2)
Garen explained the functions of the Distorted Seed in a simple manner, which immediately gave the few people inside the Ship chills. Was this not another version of a Predator?
As someone who could research cells like these, Garen had started to faintly exude the air of a mad scientist. This made the small group of people revere him even more.
”All of you need to be careful because I won't be able to control him after he changes,” Garen reminded them seriously.
Indeed, the Distorted Seed could lengthen a person's lifespan after they consumed it. Measures like this could indeed be individual means to save someone who had fallen into a state of complete despair. After all, the hosts of the parasitic Distorted Seeds would not become monsters immediately. As long as Garen did not activate it, it would not activate itself either. Therefore, it could live a steady life like a normal human. Moreover, the great qualities that were brought on by the Distorted Seed were beneficial towards humans. Two examples of this were the female student that was a host of the parasitic Distorted Seed in the Inner Courtyard and Inari, the commander of the mercenary group that was given a special mission. As long as Garen did not activate the Seeds, both of them would continue being his spies who would not be discovered by others.
It was unfortunate that Garen had undergone the process of being ambushed too early and could not activate these hidden forces in time. All of these changes happened too quickly.
After solving Fanny's issue, Garen realized immediately that the few people here were looking at him slightly differently now. Although his image had now turned into that of a mad scientist, these measures were still considered by the crowd as the ultimate life-saving solution even when they were not wounded with fatal injuries! Within harsh environments like the radiation belt, no one would mind turning into a monster as long as it meant that they could continue surviving. Moreover, this was also a chance for them to become stronger.
After looking at everyone's bewildered expressions, Garen returned to the cockpit quickly. Malone and East Perrin were still determinedly piloting the Flying Ship forward in a fixed direction
”How did it go?” asked East Perrin.
”It's solved,” Garen exhaled and sat down. ”How much longer before we arrive?”
”We might need a few more hours but we don't know if this thing will be able to hold itself together until we reach the place” continued Malone beside him. ”Leo City was destroyed and we're the only few people left. Next time…”
”What are you scared of? We managed to survive even though there were only so few of us! Next time, as long as it's safe enough and we have food and water, won't it be easy for us to recruit others?” replied East Perrin nonchalantly.
”The Predator Waves was not a small issue that would only occur in one or two places,” interrupted Garen abruptly.
”What do you mean?” East Perrin glanced at Garen in shock.
”I was talking about the Predator Waves,” Garen looked her in the eye firmly and spat out the words individually. ”This isn't a simple issue that only occurs in one or two regions. Predators are currently on every inch of the Mother Planet. Every single region has cut off communication with the outside world and even trash isn't sent outside anymore, do you understand?”
The arrival of this information was too sudden, causing East Perrin to almost forget that she was currently piloting the Flying Ship. She had nearly loosened her grip and almost allowed the Flying Ship to crash on the ground below.
”It isn't just happening now. The Predator Waves will sustain themselves for a long time,” said Garen simply. ”Predators that can fly might even appear next time and those that can breathe underwater might appear in the sea. That will be truly disastrous. They break out once every other hundred years.”
East Perrin steadied the Flying Ship and blanked out for a short while before looking at Malone.
”It's true,” sighed Malone while nodding.
”It's true?” East Perrin was slightly sluggish now.
The entire planet was filled with Predators. Other than the regions, there were no other places that were completely safe. Where would they go?
”Why do you think any of those regions haven't expanded despite having such powerful forces? They could purify the radioactive areas slowly but none of them have done that. It's because of the Predator Waves that occur every hundred years,” Malone explained. ”I experienced it once previously.”
Experienced it once?
Garen glanced at this old man in a rather surprised manner. Was this fellow saying that he was actually more than a hundred years old? This was not a simple feat under the circumstance that the average lifespan within the radiation belt was only seventy to eighty years old. If this man was actually able to live for more than a hundred years, one could well imagine that he had a story behind it.
”We need a secure base. If that mountaintop is unsuitable, we need to think of another solution!” said Garen certainly. ”I don't wish to die by the hands of those unintelligent pieces of garbage.”
”I feel the same way,” said Malone in a low voice. ”I've lived for more than a hundred years but I still want to live for a longer period of time. I don't plan on dying yet.”
”Stupid old man, if you don't want to die yet despite already living for such a long time, it's less likely that young people like us are thinking of dying!” East Perrin rejuvenated immediately. Since her previous days were already tainted with blood from the edge of her blade, it made no difference that her current days were only slightly more dangerous.
”Right now, I'm only hoping that there won't be any Predators in the place that we're going to…” said Garen simply.
”No one lives there. If there aren't any people, there shouldn't be any Predators either…” said East Perrin hesitantly.
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On the dark gray grassy plains, an abnormally shaped black stone mountain stood upright on the grass quietly.