A Deluge of Doubt

Zephyr wasn't unwilling to use his future knowledge. But to be more precise, he couldn't use it for the moment.

Its practical application proved futile. The terraforming process had wrought havoc, reshaping the terrain in an unpredictable manner. Earthquakes and seismic upheavals had rendered his foreknowledge obsolete, transforming the familiar topography into an uncharted wilderness.

He looked down at his trembling hands, sweating hot and cold. He almost died for nothing. 'I just tasted death not long ago. Now, I have to struggle again with the dangers that threaten my life. Is this some cruel cosmic joke?' he thought.

Meanwhile, near an area where the landscape had changed drastically, there was a gruesome scene that made those who saw it nauseous. Right on the border between the plains of grassland and the highway, dozens of body parts lay scattered, perfectly and cleanly cut, with blood splattered all over the place.

The scene was a grim reminder of the dangers of the event.

Zephyr knew that he could not afford to slack even a little if he wanted to reach the shelter past Incheon to the west intact. If he died, all of his efforts to get revenge on the Protoss would be for nothing. He needed to heighten his other senses if he wanted to feel safe on the journey. Having good hearing alone was not enough. He also needed to take care of everyone who would join his group while traveling.

Without a doubt, it was a difficult task for him. He laughed bitterly on the inside. The situation was bleak!

On the other hand, the people around him started to panic and rave about the incident. In an instant, the pungent smell of blood immediately pierced the noses of all the people who were nearby.

"What happened!?"

A general question like that was a natural thing to say when something they didn't understand just happened right in front of their eyes. But instead of looking for answers, some people started throwing up because they couldn't stand the sadistic sight after smelling it.

Even Young-Jae, who had just survived the catastrophe, had cold sweat on his back. He had to cover his mouth with his hand to hold back the vomit.

Zephyr also felt his stomach churn, feeling like something wanted to crawl up to forcefully leave his mouth. However, he could endure it even though his body had just experienced the sensation for the first time. His past experience played a part in that.

He quickly looked around and then took a deep breath. "The world is in a real disaster. If you don't want something like this to happen to you, come with me. I will take you to a place of safety. To a place where a shelter for mankind exists." He said out loud in one breath.

He had no intention of embellishing the words into a beautiful poem to persuade them. As awkward as those words were, time was of the essence here. His goal in this second life was to preserve as much of humanity as possible after the terraforming process, not before. So, he didn't want to bother convincing these people with a soft or hard approach.

And, of course, everyone who heard what Zephyr said did not understand how heavy and serious the words that had just sounded were. They only thought that it was the ravings of a delinquent who had gone mad because of the earthquake.

"Damn it! Why are the hospital and police communications lines busy at a critical time like this!!?" Said a man in a suit who was busy fiddling with his smartphone, ignoring Zephyr's words.

Not only that man, but several other people acted in the same way, trying to contact the relevant agencies to deal with the disaster. They hoped the situation would be under control soon.

Meanwhile, some had given up hope and were starting to go a little crazy, blabbing words without thinking about what action to take.

"This is doomsday! We will all die. There is no place to take shelter!"

"The government... the government will overcome all this suffering and help us. We just need to wait. Don't listen to what that brat says."

"That's right! This is our home. This calamity will soon pass. As in the past, we are a country that can rise from suffering."

"You selfless rascal! Get away from us. Don't try to trick us!! You devil!"

Their fear of not knowing what was happening overshadowed their common sense and logic in assessing the situation. All kinds of scorn were hurled into Zephyr's ears, starting from the reasonable ones to the crazy ones.

Nonetheless, Young-Jae couldn't stand hearing it. He didn't understand why these people didn't believe Zephyr's words, even though they had seen the ferocity and horror of the terraforming process themselves with their own eyes.

'Are the body fragments and gore splattered everywhere not enough evidence for them!?'

What a fool!

Young-Jae's blood boiled with indignation. Unable to contain his anger any longer, he lurched to his feet, ready to unleash a tirade against the ignorant crowd. But Zephyr's firm grip on the back of his neck halted his impending outburst. He struggled against Zephyr's restraint but to no avail. Turning his head, he was met with a sight that sent a chill down his spine.

Zephyr's face was a mask of somber fury, his eyes glinting with a suppressed rage. Yet, he held his tongue, releasing Young-Jae and gesturing toward the vast expanse of the grassy plains while talking toward those people.

"If the time comes when logic has returned to your brains," Zephyr's voice echoed with steely resolve, "stay within the confines of the shifted field. All of you will be safe, even for a while."

His words hung heavy in the air, a stark warning amidst the chaos. He threw several masks and knives on the ground, then turned around and walked away from the crowd. He continued his journey, and Young-Jae hurriedly followed him.

The plain that had been shifted was an unassailable place to avoid the cruelty of the terraforming process. But he knew that was not a solution.

Soon, the air and climate would no longer be the same, and humans who haven't gotten their vaccine from shelters would feel the side effects of that. Where the skin would have a bloody rash and coughing that caused their throat to be hoarse.

Even though it was not fatal, one's endurance and stamina would decrease drastically.

And that was not the last thing to worry about.

When that change occurred, the animals would go berserk no matter whether they were carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores. All of them would blindly attack because their instincts have gone haywire.

That was also the effect of the emergence of a new species that was far different from those animals, which threatened their extinction.

All of the players knew that, including Young-Jae. That was why they had trouble looking for necessities to travel to a haven close to South Korea.

To survive, reaching a sanctuary called the Fortress of the Divine Light was a must.

Not only to survive in the new environment but also to get an Exo-suit capable of fighting the new beasts. The Sentinels!

Creatures of enormous size and strength. They were masters of the terrain they inhabited and could navigate even the most dangerous terrain with ease. They had the ability to detect and track their enemies, making them dangerous and unpredictable foes.