It would take some time for Talulah and her group to reach the icefield outpost, and Xing Chen and Theresa discovered that whichever world they were in, time would flow faster there.
So, the two of them had to stay on Earth for a while longer until the people on the other side had completed their transfer.
This Just right gave them an opportunity to investigate the origin of the unknown Originium.
Active Originium is very dangerous, not just physically, but also due to the Internalized Universe, which humans currently find difficult to comprehend.
Other countries can do what they want, but we have better and safer options here; we absolutely must not cause a natural disaster or anything similar.
Uninhabited areas are fine; at worst, they become open-pit mines. But if densely populated areas explode, that would be a huge problem.
Humans are not afraid of Oripathy, but plants, trees, and small animals might be.
If those round-headed elders turned into humans… that would be far more terrifying than Old Cat.
“But the most critical thing is that I worry some elements within the Originium might influence your thoughts.”
Theresa and Xing Chen walked along the old river channel in the city, recalling their recent battle with Talulah and Black Snake.
If a Terra native could influence an entire country, then an existence closer to the essence of Originium surely could.
“It’s still too early to say if Prythian is behind this; it’s best not to jump to conclusions too soon, to avoid being misled.”
Theresa felt that Xing Chen’s words made sense; after all, they were both just speculating.
If they couldn't come to a conclusion, they would put it aside for now and simply enjoy the present.
A warm breeze brushed against them. X City hadn’t officially entered summer yet, but the temperature had already risen.
The green branches of the willows by the river almost touched the water. Walking in the shade, they looked at the vibrant city.
Neither of them wanted this beauty to be destroyed, whether or not it belonged to their own race.
Xing Chen’s health wasn't very good; after walking a certain distance, he often had to find a street bench to sit and rest.
Occasionally, if the distance between two benches was too great, Theresa would let Xing Chen lean on her.
Neither of them spoke, casting aside their burdens and responsibilities. Here, there was no profound suffering, only the quiet enjoyment of their warm time together.
As dusk approached, they found a random street food stall, enjoyed a delicious dinner, and then returned to their rented apartment.
“Xiao Te, you’ve walked for so long, are your feet tired? Would you like me to massage them for you?”
“Oh, yes, thank you, Xing Chen.” With that, Theresa placed her feet on Xing Chen’s lap.
Theresa’s feet were soft, and occasionally when Xing Chen massaged certain spots, Theresa would let out very comfortable sounds.
How wonderful these days were, with someone you loved and who loved you by your side, earning enough money to live, and enjoying a life of mutual companionship.
Unfortunately, such times were destined not to be eternal for the two of them.
After the time for relaxation ended, work still needed to be handled quickly.
Otherwise, if this place became a second Terra… Xing Chen, with his lifespan, might not suffer much, but Theresa, as a long-lived race, would be different.
Humans at most endure a hundred years of hardship; she had already lived over two hundred years with ease.
A short lifespan, sometimes, truly isn't a drawback… “Xing Chen, I have an idea,” Theresa said, bringing her laptop to Xing Chen’s side. She seemed to have designed a network. “I can try to use the power of the Black Crown to establish a Webway in this world.”
“Wouldn’t that put a lot of pressure on you? Earth doesn’t seem to be able to utilize the hyper-dimensional characteristics of Wandering's End.”
“I don’t know, but with just the two of us, how much pressure could there be? Don’t worry, I’m very strong.”
This plan sounded good, but Xing Chen always felt something was off.
If it’s just the two of them… “But for some places, people only go once in their lifetime; there’s no need to build a dedicated highway, right?”
“Alas, a hundred years is still too short,” Theresa sighed with a hint of melancholy.
“However, your idea is quite valuable.”
“Valuable? Where?”
“Wait a moment, let me find it,” Xing Chen remembered someone had uploaded a map of the Terra Continent online. “Ah, found it. Look at Kazdel’s location…”
---
“Theresa, I think my coming here was a mistake.”
“Can you understand how I felt when I was in Ursus now?”
Xing Chen had already put on his thickest down jacket, arriving in the Northern Country during a season that wasn’t even the coldest.
Theresa’s Webway plan wasn't very realistic on Earth, but a trip here was still very necessary.
At least they needed to obtain some samples and bring them to Terra for the Terra natives to analyze.
“It truly is Catastrophe Cloud.”
Due to the lack of precise positioning, Theresa’s portal could only open nearby.
However, the Northern Country had designated a very large area for Babylon Base.
“But a Catastrophe Cloud of this level didn’t immediately trigger a Catastrophe. It seems it’s indeed different from our side.”
“So, should we go deeper?” Honestly, Xing Chen really didn't want to do such high-risk work on Earth.
“No need, I just need to do this…”
Theresa murmured a few incantations, and an Originium crystal appeared in her hand.
“You see, the Originium activity and concentration here are so terrifying—it can be directly obtained from the air through incantations.”
“That’s true, but I just thought, if high-concentration Originium particles don’t immediately trigger a Catastrophe, isn’t that just the Originium dust layer beneath the barrier?”
“Who knows? By our standards, your people here should have all died out by now.”
Theresa carefully placed the collected samples into special containers. During this process, Xing Chen could not touch them to prevent spoilage.
Afterward, the two immediately returned to their rented apartment.
Xing Chen opened his phone and contacted Yu Bo, asking him if he had obtained Originium from other countries through other channels.
The most likely possibility here was the Northern Country.
Firstly, it was relatively close, and the relationship between the two countries was comparatively good. Secondly, corruption was quite severe in that country, leaving room for manipulation—after all, this place often played the role of a “terrorist’s self-service pickup machine” in games.
There were certainly elements of smear and exaggeration, but there was definitely a reason for them to act that way.
Even nuclear materials had people trying to get their hands on them, let alone Originium, which seemed harmless.
Yu Bo naturally denied it at first, but after Xing Chen's analysis, coupled with the threat of cutting off supplies, the other party had no choice but to admit that he had obtained it through special channels.
As for what channels, Xing Chen didn't ask. It was best to stay out of such matters.
After repeatedly advising the other party not to conduct research on the Northern Country’s Originium, Xing Chen and Theresa went to Wandering's End, handed the samples to Friston, and asked him to pass them on to Rhine Lab.
After that, they didn't return to the rented apartment; they waited for the results directly inside.
Rhine Lab’s response was also swift, issuing a test report immediately.
This was just a “common” piece of Originium, almost identical to the Originium samples from the western mines of Ursus.