In the dark room, Hemer's eyes emitted a faint yellow light, not because she was possessed, but because this was a natural trait of the Liberi.
Yoren lay on the bed, looking rather uneasy.
"Is there anything you can't talk about during the day?"
The glimmer in Hemer's eyes dimmed slightly at those words.
"I've thought about it for a long time, and you're the only one I can ask for help."
"Huh?"
"I think this is the best option."
"What on earth are you talking about, Hemer?"
She stood up from the bed and stared at Yoren in the dark.
"Actually..."
"Hurry up and tell me."
"Never mind. I'll think about it again."
With that, Hemer turned and left the ward, leaving Yoren sitting on the bed, feeling as uncomfortable as if he'd swallowed something rotten.
The next day.
After his body had recovered, Yoren could move around freely in Base No. 3. Of course, a familiar collar was locked around his neck again—officially for monitoring mineralogy, but in reality, it was to track his movements.
Not that it mattered to him. It was expected when staying on someone else's turf. If he wanted to leave with Snowsant, all he had to do was inform Hemer.
Unlike the cold, desolate Base No. 4, Base No. 3 was bustling. There were many staff members, and the facilities were more complete. This base wasn't entirely closed off; the lobby on the first floor led outside. However, security was tight, and anyone entering or leaving required permission.
Rhine Life's influence in Colombia was unmistakable. They had both public scientific research bases and secret facilities hidden in disaster-ridden wastelands.
Noon.
Yoren and Snowsant wandered through the cafeteria with their bowls of beef rice, searching for a seat.
He no longer enjoyed the VIP treatment from Base No. 4—no one prepared special meals for him, and he hadn't seen Aina in days.
But that was fine. This felt more familiar, more like the times he had queued for food in the school cafeteria.
Scanning the room, he quickly spotted a familiar figure in the corner.
Snow-white hair, standing feathers on her head—the person eating in the corner was unmistakably the White-Faced Owl.
Seeing an acquaintance, Yoren immediately walked over with his tray.
With a thud, he placed his plate down beside her, greeting her casually.
"Bai Gugu, eating here too?"
The White-Faced Owl barely glanced at him before continuing to eat in small, meticulous bites.
Yoren leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Commissioner White-Faced Owl, I need to tell you something. Don't be scared."
She paused mid-bite.
Yoren lowered his voice even more.
"Hemer was sleepwalking last night!"
He took a mouthful of rice, chewing as he continued.
"I mean, it makes sense. She's been under a lot of stress lately. After everything that happened, anyone would be affected. But the way she sleepwalks is creepy. Her eyes were glowing…"
"Conclusion denied."
The White-Faced Owl interrupted expressionlessly.
"Statement correction: like the White-Faced Owl, Dr. Hemer, a Liberi, does not sleepwalk. Sleepwalking is a neurological disorder unrelated to emotional distress."
Yoren blinked, taken aback.
"Huh? No way."
Her emotionless voice continued.
"Sleepwalking occurs due to brain activity imbalances. Normally, during deep sleep, the cerebral cortex is in an inhibited state. If the motor control nerves remain active, sleepwalking occurs. But the prerequisite is being in deep sleep."
"Isn't it deep sleep in the middle of the night?"
"For Liberi, night is when we are most energetic. This is a racial trait that cannot be altered by adjusting sleep cycles. We may force ourselves into light sleep, but deep sleep is impossible—let alone sleepwalking."
Yoren ate another bite of beef rice, mumbling as he chewed.
"Then why did Hemer come to my room last night..."
Snowsant, her mouth stuffed full, spoke incoherently.
"Maybe it wasn't Hemer sleepwalking. Maybe it was you, Big Windmill. Hahahaha—hic!"
Her laughter was cut short as she started choking.
Yoren quickly stuffed a straw into her juice and patted her back.
"Don't laugh while eating, or you'll choke."
At that moment, Ifrit arrived with a tray.
"Hey! Time for my long-awaited BBQ!"
Yoren glanced at her plate: two boiled eggs, a bowl of ramen, and a single sausage—the only thing remotely resembling BBQ.
"Where's the BBQ? If you set up a grill here, Hemer will kick your ass."
Ifrit plopped down beside him.
"Tsk, just because I can't do it now doesn't mean I won't in the future. Just wait. One day, I'll throw my own private BBQ party."
Yoren set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth.
"Even if you manage to pull that off, Snowsant and I won't be here to see it."
"What? You guys gonna die or something?"
"Shut up. You're the one tempting fate."
Yoren glanced at Snowsant before turning to Ifrit.
"The deal with Hemer is done. We both got what we wanted. I'm planning to leave Rhine Life with Snowsant in the next few days. Ifrit, I don't know when we'll see each other again."
"Oh. Really?"
Ifrit set down her chopsticks, looking a little deflated.
Since regaining her memories, Rhine Life had been Ifrit's whole world. She was close to Hemer, but they had their own responsibilities. Meeting Yoren and Snowsant had given her a sense of belonging—perhaps the first real friendship she'd experienced.
"Oh. Really? You're leaving. Makes sense. You don't belong here."
"Yeah… yeah."
Yoren didn't know what else to say.
Ifrit picked up a boiled egg, holding it up to Snowsant's face.
"Hey, Yo-Yo, doesn't this look like your head?"
"Screw you, I'll have hair soon!"
"Ha!"
Ifrit's grin was still playful, but Yoren could see the sadness in her eyes.
Maybe, deep down, she wanted to leave too—to see the world beyond these walls, to journey with the people she cared about.
"Ifrit… have you ever thought about leaving here?"
"Huh?"
She hesitated, ramen halfway to her mouth.
"Leave? No way. Unless Hemer comes with me. She'd be heartbroken if I left."
"Yeah."
"But… Hemer won't leave, and she won't let me, either. She says this is the only way she can protect me."
"And you? Do you believe that?"
"I don't know. I can't do anything except start fires. If I leave, I might be able to protect Hemer from bad guys, but… I don't know how to survive out there."
She was right. No matter how powerful she was, the world outside was harsh and unforgiving.
Base No. 3 lost its daytime hustle and bustle as night fell, sinking into silence.
The lights in Yoren's room were off. He lay on the bed, thinking about his next move.
After leaving Rhine Life, there were many places he wanted to visit—Rembilt, the homeland of the rabbits; the Lateran region, where ancient ruins lay buried; or perhaps Lungmen and Yan Country.
Aside from Ursus and a handful of others, most nations weren't entirely hostile toward the Infected. Colombia, for example, designated specific areas in cities where Infected could live. Developed regions like Lungmen even had humanitarian laws to protect them.
In technologically advanced areas, people generally understood that ordinary contact with the Infected wouldn't spread Oripathy. However, if an Infected person was dying or had already passed, authorities had to be notified immediately—failure to report could lead to severe punishment. If the deceased had no relatives, an Infected guardian would be assigned to handle the matter.
Despite these laws, conflicts between the Infected and the uninfected remained. Some Infected, facing discrimination and oppression, turned to desperate and violent acts when they knew their time was short. If they had the power to wield Originium Arts, it became a serious issue for local law enforcement.
That being said, major cities in Terra generally had decent security, and trouble wasn't an everyday occurrence.
Still, Yoren and Snowsant were both Infected. Between his "Black and White Twins" ability and Snowsant's Absolute Domain, they could handle themselves if things got rough. If they couldn't win a fight, they could retreat into the Absolute Domain. And if they ever got trapped? No problem—wait out the 30-day cycle, then unleash devastation on their captors.
Of course, that was a worst-case scenario. In reality, the likelihood of getting into constant conflict in civilized areas was low.
The real question was where he and Snowsant should go.
They had plenty of options. But despite all the possibilities, Yoren couldn't shake what Yuanshan had told him:
[Don't doubt me. The gears of fate have begun turning, and you are a crucial part of them. Soon, an event that will shake the world will quietly unfold.]
Yuanshan hadn't been referring to the Che City riots three years from now, but rather something tied to Vina's homeland—Londinium.
Yoren still didn't know what was coming, but after some thought, he realized Victoria was the best place for him to head next.
Lying in the dark, he drifted into sleep.
A faint creak broke the silence.
The door to the ward eased open, and a slender figure slipped inside, moving with practiced stealth.
Yoren remained undisturbed. The intruder approached his bed, then gave him a small push.
His eyes fluttered open.
"Who—" His words caught in his throat. "The hell?!"
Hemer's face was inches from his own, her golden pupils glowing faintly in the dark.
Yoren clutched his chest like he'd just been ambushed. "Oh my god, Hemer, what is wrong with you?! Can you stop sneaking into my room at night? You're going to give me a heart attack!"
This time, unlike before, Hemer's expression was resolute.
"I've thought about it," she said. "This is the only way."
Yoren frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Without answering, Hemer reached into her coat.
For a moment, Yoren thought she was undressing, and he nearly leaped out of bed. "Hold up! What are you—"
"Take this."
She handed him an envelope.
Confused, Yoren took it. "What is this?"
Hemer turned toward the door, checking the hallway. Once she was sure it was clear, she carefully closed it, then moved to the window, pulling the curtains shut.
Watching her, Yoren felt his head spin. "What... Are you a spy or something? What's in this envelope?"
"It's not a document."
"Then what is it?"
"Money."
Yoren nearly choked on his own breath. "What?"
"One hundred thousand."
His grip on the envelope tightened. He instinctively pulled his blanket up around himself. "Hemer, what are you trying to do? Look, I—I'm flattered, really, but I'm not that kind of guy! I mean, I like all the Operators here, but I—"
"Shut up."
Yoren paused. "Does Saria know about this?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
It wasn't until that moment that Hemer seemed to grasp the misunderstanding. The darkness of the room hid her blush, but Yoren noticed her small cough.
"Listen," she said. "You have nothing right now. No money. This is for your journey."
Yoren let out a deep breath. "Oh. Why didn't you just say that in the first place? You made this feel like some shady secret agent deal."
He had assumed this was the funding she had previously mentioned—an official stipend from Rhine Life to cover his travel expenses.
Opening the envelope, he glanced inside. As he did, he continued, "Still, I didn't think the approval would come this fast. It's not like this is a bribe or anything. Seriously, you—"
"It's not from the funding request."
Yoren blinked. "Huh?"
Hemer met his gaze. "This is my own savings. My salary."
For a moment, he was at a loss. His mind struggled to grasp what she was really saying.
"Hemer... Why? What are you trying to do? Just tell me straight."
She took a deep breath. "Yoren, I need your help. I've gone over this a thousand times, and in the end, you're the only one I can trust with this. Please. Help me make this happen."
Yoren stared at her, understanding that she wasn't joking. "What plan?"
Her next words changed everything.
"I want you to take Ifrit and leave. Get her out of Rhine Life. Get her out of Columbia. Take her somewhere beyond Rhine's reach. Please."