Alligator's Ark of Tomorrow

"Feel sorry."

Seria's voice came from the other side of the wall again, and Gard asked in confusion.

Why apologize?

“If it weren’t for my request, you wouldn’t have to leave your hometown like this.”

"Oh, you mean this?"

Gard rolled over on the bed, propped himself up on his elbows, supported his head with his arms, and faced the wall.

“I didn’t go there specifically because of your request. I haven’t been there in a long time and I miss it. I have an old friend there, and I hope I can see him again this time.”

"You're there, and you have friends!?"

"Yes, it's a true friend. Without it, I wouldn't be as strong as I am now."

"If I have the chance, I'd really like to meet him!"

"If we can make it to the end, we will definitely see it."

However, by then, the Rhine family would most likely be wiped out, so it's best not to meet them.

"Gald thought to himself."

"What's on your mind?"

"..."

There was a moment of silence on the other side of the wall, and just when Gard thought Seria wouldn't say anything, Seria's voice rang out.

"I'm just wondering if my decision was the right one."

Why do you say that?

"Because I should be in Colombia right now, with my friend, helping her with some embarrassing problems, choosing to weather this crisis peacefully, even if it might make Rhine Life less like Rhine Life."

On the other side of the wall, even while sleeping, Serea still wore a thick protective vest, which would allow her to put on her protective suit immediately in case of a crisis.

Like Gard, she was turned to the side, facing the wall.

"I should believe her."

Serea heard herself say this because she felt that she and she should be friends, or perhaps it was just wishful thinking on her part that she thought they were friends.

But lately, her actions have become increasingly incomprehensible to her.

Even for the sake of Rheinland's life, and even if some regulations can motivate researchers, some bottom lines should not be crossed again and again.

So, it was only after hearing that a member of the Salgon tribe had brought back a potent inhibitor of mineral disease from the land that she embarked on this journey despite the objections of those around her.

“I made the decision and shouldn’t regret it, but my choice and my decision are related to the life and death of dozens of RheinLife employees and my colleagues.”

"I think about it sometimes."

"How am I any different from those researchers and scholars who have trampled on the bottom line of scientific research?"

"Because of my stubbornness."

"So you're leading them down a predetermined path of no return?"

Having witnessed Gald's battles and knowing his strength, Seria would feel such confusion.

Because she knew that one's strength was not determined by emotions.

If even Gard cannot guarantee that he will leave this land alive.

What guarantees are there for the lives of the dozens of RheinLife employees?

The reason for the confusion is the lack of strength.

“My father once said that crying won’t solve problems, and venting your emotions won’t protect you from being bullied. If you’re bullied, fight back. If your car breaks down, fix it.”

"But he didn't tell me."

"If I really encounter an enemy that I can't defeat with my fists, what should I do?"

"Escape? Hide away?"

"Or should we confront it head-on and pay the price?"

Serea didn't know why she was saying so much, some of which were even secrets she had kept hidden in her heart, unknown even to herself.

They had only known each other for a short time.

"I think you don't need to worry about so many things."

The crocodile-man's voice came from the other side of the wall.

"There's an old saying in my hometown: 'If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up.' I'm your guide, we're in the same boat. If there's any real enemy, I certainly won't stand idly by!"

Why would I do something I'm not sure about?

"Once this matter is over, I'm thinking of marrying two wives, having wives and children, and living a warm and cozy life."

What nonsense about the sky falling down? It's just a grasshopper on a string.

Serea frowned, momentarily unable to process what Gard was saying.

She did understand the suggestion to marry two wives.

Marry Gavial?

What about the other one?

Is the phrase "the sky is falling down" a metaphor?

Combining Gard's words, he meant that if he were in real danger, he would help himself.

Why?

She did not pay enough to get Gard to help her.

To be honest, she didn't even know what Gard wanted.

Serea felt inexplicably irritable, as if Gard's words were implying something, but she subconsciously wanted to deny the answer.

"I can't take it anymore," Serea couldn't help but shout.

"Galder?"

"Gald!"

There was no reply from the other side of the wall, so Serea couldn't shout too loudly, as it might disturb the others' rest.

So she endured and struggled until she heard faint breathing sounds.

Gard is asleep.

......

Chapter Forty Trouble

The next morning, the Rhine Life staff got up very early, and Müller-Syss, as the director of the Ecology Department, was waiting in the conference room early.

"Wow, Serea, your dark circles are so heavy! Did you not sleep all night?"

Upon seeing Seraya, she couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Serea glanced at her coldly without saying a word, but Gard, who was following behind, was startled.

Could it be because he snores at night and disturbs Seria?

Upon seeing Mulsey, Gard smiled and greeted her warmly: "Hello, Ms. Mulsey, we met yesterday."

"Alas!"

Then he saw Mulsey take half a step back, looking at him, almost striking an Ultraman-like pose as he fought a monster.

Gard: "..."

He couldn't help but look at Serea, pointing to his own face as if to say, "Am I that scary?"

Serea turned her head away, not wanting to talk to him. She had fallen asleep halfway through our chat last night. How could he do that?

However, Gard noticed that Mulsey's aura today was noticeably different from yesterday's.

Is it the entity itself?

Gard couldn't resist using the attribute probe one more time.

Character: Mulce

Code name: Mulsey

Gender: Female

Combat experience: None

Race: Liberi?

Height: 169cm

Upper bust measurement: 85.33cm

Underbust measurement: 75.66cm

Waist circumference: 61.43cm

Hip circumference: 88.99cm

Ore-related disease infection status: Non-infected individuals

Physical strength: Normal

Battlefield Mobility: Standard

Physiological tolerance: normal

Tactical planning: Excellent

Combat skills: Excellent

Originium Arts Adaptability: Excellent

Evaluation: Müller-Syss, Head of the Ecology Department at Rheinland Life Sciences, possesses a wide range of advanced technologies and is quite capable.

Upon seeing Mulseth's attribute panel, Gard blinked. Had he misread it?

He felt that Mulsey's breasts seemed to have shrunk a bit, and her buttocks weren't as perky as before.

Just as Mulce was about to sit down in the conference room chair, she suddenly felt a jolt, as if she were being watched by something. A quick glance out of the corner of her eye revealed Gard's curious gaze, and she couldn't help but squeeze her legs together, feeling a little flustered.

"No way, that bastard Adakris, could he really have a crush on me?"

At first, she thought Gard was just joking, but looking at Gard now, it didn't seem like it!

Fortunately, Gard only glanced at her briefly and didn't stare at her, which relieved her slightly.

She made up her mind that once the mission was over, she would pack her things and return to Colombia immediately.

I can't stand Salgon any longer!

Anyway, once she gets to Colombia, that bastard Adaklis can't possibly come after her, right?

With this in mind, Mulce relaxed.

As soon as she sat down, Serea, who was sitting opposite her, began to speak.

“Mulce, what do you want from us?”

There weren't many people in the meeting room. Besides Celia, Mulce, and Gard, there was only Parvis, the head of the structural engineering department, and the deputy captain of the security team who was originally stationed in Redhorn town.

He was a very tall Pero man, only two or three inches shorter than Gard, and most importantly, he had a dog's head on his head.

Upon seeing him, Gard wanted to affectionately call him "Dog Brother".

Upon hearing Seria's question, Mulce coughed lightly to make his expression appear more serious.

"Here's what happened..."

Mulsay briefly explained the situation of the past month to Serea, mentioning the chieftain of the Ibar region several times, with a troubled expression on his face.

"...That's how it is. We were supposed to prepare our supplies for entering the hot land half a month ago. Since we didn't know exactly what we were missing, we discussed it with King Ibart beforehand, and he would help us prepare it."

"However, in the past week, King Ibart proposed that we, Rhine Life, could send a professional engineering team to help them widen a mining channel for an Originium vein."