By the time they reached the inside of the checkpoint, night had already fallen. Because they were carrying the frozen corpse of the Originium patient, they couldn't speed along the streets in the off-road vehicle at full throttle like Penguin Logistics usually did; they also had to check the surroundings for any existing terrorist attacks.
Crawling along like this, it was already almost nighttime. The watchtower, built around as part of a small mobile city setup, was actually larger than imagined, like a mobile town. After entering the outpost for processing, the police still had to conduct a series of investigations and references. And the Penguin Logistics group, temporarily freed, had nothing else to do.
No, to be precise, only Li Lin couldn't do anything.
As the designated spokesperson , Li Lin indeed chatted quite well with the bull-headed police chief. After exchanging a few sentences, his identity was confirmed, and the chief even said he would help look up who Talulah was. However, after entering the outpost and signing his name, the bull-headed officer was dragged away by his superiors for a reprimand due to this major incident occurring on the road.
Clearly, this matter had nothing to do with him, and was completely unrelated to him. But as a patrol officer, such a big problem occurring under your jurisdiction definitely meant there was a problem. So, regardless of anything else, at least a dressing-down was definitely unavoidable. He had just finished bragging to Li Lin about showing him around the border post, but before finishing, he was dragged out for a talking-to. Li Lin, having signed the papers and idle anyway, greeted the unfamiliar Ursus guard at the door and then wandered around outside.
After a long while, he finally found a relatively secluded corner with a vantage point, allowing him to see the scenery outside.
"It really is completely different from my side…"
Looking at the crisscrossed land revealed under the clear stars and moon, Li Lin couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
The ground seemed to roll open like pages of a book, various intersecting cracks and fissures ran across the abrupt mountain ranges. Unknown how many kinds of intense geological phenomena had occurred in this area. One could even vaguely see hazy, vertical crystal spires in the extremely distant direction.
On this disaster-ridden planet, the intense Catastrophes often brought exceptionally fantastical and magnificent scenes.
Natural wonders that looked breathtaking were countless in this world. Many natural spectacles that could be called famous passed by, but no one appreciated this aspect of beauty. Looking at the wondrous scenery shimmering faintly under the night sky, Li Lin still couldn't resist taking out his phone—he actually had a phone, but incredibly, he forgot to install any entertainment apps on it, which was really baffling—and took several shots of the fantastical and beautiful scene.
The land shattered by Catastrophes in the picture held a magnificent charm. Whether it was the starlight shimmering in the night, or the speckled basin, or the magic of light and shadow presented on the surrounding crystals and protruding plateaus, under the night sky, the destroyed land possessed unbelievable charm. Despite having lived in the Lungmen wilderness for two months, Li Lin still felt sincere awe for this natural wonder.
"This is truly beautiful… I have to save this."
"You also find it beautiful? This torn and crumpled land."
Suddenly, a man's deep voice came from behind Li Lin.
"Looking at this land, crumpled and torn by Catastrophes, sprinkled with Originium, you find it beautiful?"
"Beauty is relative. I just simply feel the shock of nature and a unique flavor. I'm not sure if you feel the same as me."
"Exactly, just like that. I also feel the scenery born after Catastrophes tear the earth apart is truly beautiful beyond measure. Catastrophes, the power of nature. It easily destroys the earth and sky, while we can only flee constantly like parasites in its angry home. This really looks like the scene of dealing with household pests in the past."
The person behind him walked up beside Li Lin, leaning on the guardrail and looking down at the brilliant land.
This was an Ursus man who clearly looked elderly.
His hair was mottled gray and white, and his bear ears already showed some age spots. His resolute and square face had a morbidly bright red hue, as if something was burning. It was as if some unbelievable force was making this old man, who should have entered his twilight years, still move with the posture of a middle-aged man.
Whether it was his movements, conversation, or posture, there was none of the slowness of old age. Instead, like a middle-aged man moved by emotion, wearing a suit and leather shoes, looking out at the land torn by Catastrophes, his eyes and expression were filled with a complex emotion. Li Lin could understand this emotion quite well. Usually, only when reminiscing about something, or commemorating something, could such a subtle yet somewhat unsettling expression appear.
"My wife and daughter were just as sentimental; they said this world always holds some different charm."
The old Ursus man lit a cigarette, looked at the crystal-clear, sparkling sky, and fell into reminiscence.
"In everyone's eyes, Catastrophes are the embodiment of destruction. But for her, it wasn't the same. Just like Oripathy. Everyone thinks Oripathy patients are a bunch of bugs that should die sooner or later; even wanting treatment is due to personal experience, but she was different. The world in their eyes was always so pure and beautiful."
"Then their end must have been very bad. This world is often very cruel to kind people. Or rather, excessively cruel."
"Yes, they both died in a terrorist attack. Falling at the hands of the people they wanted to help."
"Some people are inherently unworthy of kindness."
Thinking about certain people from his previous life, Li Lin felt this sentence indeed fit.
"They often treat others' kindness as a tool or something they inherently deserve. Taking 'reaping without sowing' and selfishness as their motto. As if they can achieve victory by harming those who care about them. But they don't know, every time they inflict harm and declare self-victory, they are constantly pushing the world away from themselves. Until they disappear from this world, no one will care about their life or death. Some people deserve it."
"Ah. Very well said. Wanting everyone to have basic conscience is really not easy… You are really good, realizing this point so early. But I was a bit too late. I can only use my own abilities to realize the remaining dreams of my wife and daughter. Besides that, I have no other wishes."
"Wife and daughter's dreams? What are they?"
"She was like you, someone who found Catastrophes beautiful. I am also working hard to make people no longer fear the arrival of Catastrophes. Just like that."
Looking at the night scenery outside, the old Ursus man sighed, tossing the finished cigarette butt outside.
"Best not to travel to Chernobog in the next two years. The weather might not be very good."
"…Huh?"
"A piece of advice, kid. Keep it up, living together with your girlfriends. This world is really very beautiful."
Even Catastrophes are beautiful.
This old bear laughed heartily, patting Li Lin's shoulder. Under his bewildered gaze, he put on his overcoat and left this high platform.