Chapter 187 - Asgard (1/2)
”One cannot see one's own weakness, nor can such a person find a strong direction!” — — War Goddess Valkyrie
The coastal areas of the mainland were undoubtedly synonymous with prosperity. The various human settlements formed by large and small companies and bases were connected by the long stretch of coastline roads, making it possible for commercial trade to take place in all directions of danger. Although living here was normal, the breath of life was everywhere. However, after leaving this golden link, as he continued to venture deeper and deeper into the western lands, all he saw was loneliness and desolation.
This was a truly uninhabited area.
There were no settlements, no companies, not even large mutants. What lay before Zero was an endless wilderness. At a glance, there were no obstacles in the way. There were only a few tenacious plants covering this desolate land.
Occasionally, they passed through the ruins of one or two cities, which were much more damaged than the ones along the coastline. The city was almost completely razed, and there was no extra building debris for the mutated creatures to roost in. The destruction caused by the previous high fever had caused these ruins to die completely. There was no longer any resources available to be used or the need for reconstruction. Compared to the abandoned cities on the coastline, they were the real ruins.
The Land Cruiser jolted, carrying Zero and Valkyrie through the hellish silence of the earth, around the devilish desert that would stop any vehicle, and across the dried riverbed of the Grand Canal of Bisius. On the fifth day, at dawn, Zero saw the Jourian Mountains rising high into the heavy, radiating clouds of the sky.
Zero's upper body was covered in sterile bandages, and it was taken from the simple medical kit on the SUV. In fact, the medical kit that Valkyrie was carrying was much simpler than the same-type kit sold in any other city on the coastline. Other than the sterile bandage and the hemostatic spray, there was only a tube of universal first aid needle. It was clear that Valkyrie had never thought he would get hurt. Zero also knew that a high-level esper like her couldn't be saved by a mere medical kit if she was severely injured.
As a result, the items inside had been taken advantage of. When he left the Shadow Capital, all he had was a handful of Colt and a remaining bullet. He didn't even have a decent suit, and the wounds that Levin had given him, though he had contracted his muscles to prevent them from getting worse, could not be sustained for long. After the Land Cruiser had left the Shadow City, Zero took out the Valkyrie's medical kit and cleaned his wounds. Finally, he used a sterile bandage to secure them together so they wouldn't worsen.
For the next five days, almost all the zeros were spent in cars. In addition to the necessary physical needs, the feet of zero seldom have the opportunity to set foot on the ground. Valkyrie did not seem to be resting. She drove day and night like a robot. Zero would occasionally fall asleep, and when he woke up, whether it was day or night, the SUV would always be in a Mercedes-Benz state.
After a few days, Zero was certain that this seemingly ordinary SUV had undergone some modifications as well. Otherwise, if it was just a continuous drive, the car parts would have been burnt down by the heat. How could it continue moving day and night without rest?
In any case, the journey had finally come to an end. When he saw the Yurian Mountains, Valkyrie's expression changed slightly. Although his face was as cold as ever, his eyes were filled with an imperceptible trace of gentleness.
”We're here.”
In the past five days, the two had not spoken more than ten times. Obviously, Zero and Valkyrie were not talkative people, and if they were to discard their gender and ability, they would be the same kind of people. They all wrapped themselves in ice and faced the world with indifference.