Mutagen

Day 365 - 5:49 PM - Demak Ruins, Demak Regency, Central Java, Indonesia

Around thirty kilometers away southwest of Kudus Outpost and the foot of Mount Muria. A temporary evacuation site had been set up.

Considering the scale of Mount Muria's eruption, the ruins of Demak Township were not the safest and most ideal location for an evacuation site. However, it was the nearest place where everyone could make a swift camp after several hours of panic-filled evacuation. It was already near six in the evening. With the thick ash cloud released from Mount Muria, the night would arrive earlier than usual.

With everyone tired and exhausted, setting up a temporary camp was the better option compared to continuing the evacuation in the darkness of the night.

***

In the sky, Mark flew towards the location of the temporary camp, leaving the people he assisted in evacuating to the soldiers who stayed behind.

Mark observed the surroundings while flying. The damage sure was far more catastrophic than your usual volcanic eruption.

The ash cloud covered a large area, covering everything with its rain of ash. On the other hand, wildfires caused by the lava from Mount Muria had spread far already.

Indonsia's green landscape was quickly turning red, then black.

These wildfires would very likely spread throughout the mainland. Since there was no human intervention to try and stop the wildfires and the thick flora because of the apocalypse, these flames would likely continue until there was nothing left to burn.

The island of Java would likely turn from green to black. From a green hell to a burnt wasteland.

And that was the least of the problems, without a doubt.

[Mutagen] would force the living things in Indonesia to adapt to the new environment, creating more abominations. Fire-based enemies would definitely appear, replacing the flora-based creatures that inhabited the overgrown forests.

Furthermore, the commotion caused by the Night Goddess' awakening and the eruption of Mount Muria was bound to attract attention from all directions. Just like what happened in Catanduanes back then, the [Infected] from all over the country would likely try to reach Mount Muria, attracted to the strong fluctuations of magical energy.

Even if there were those not attracted to magical energy, they would still likely come following the rumbling sound of Mount Muria's eruption.

Soon, the vicinity of Mount Muria would be filled with various creatures, mostly the [Infected].

In this process, the residents of Muria Sacred Fortress now lost a place to call home. It might even be possible that there would be no other place to go for them now.

From what Mark knew before rescuing Limabela's younger brother, the military planned to use the ruins of Semarang as a temporary refuge site. The place had been used as a military forward outpost for reconnaissance missions. In that case, it would at least have some facilities the military could use to establish a new base.

However, Mark thought it was not the best idea. The ruins of the former Semarang City were just around fifty kilometers away from Mount Muria. When the aftermath events of the eruption began, the ruins of Semarang would become susceptible to the threat of the incoming creatures.

It was just too close to Mount Muria. Not to mention that it was a coastal city, and it was actually along the way between Mount Muria and Jakarta. If the events here also affected and attracted the creatures in Jakarta, Semarang would definitely lay on the path of the enemies.

The best thing to do was to make a temporary base at Semarang before rushing to find an alternative place to create a permanent one.

Unfortunately, it was unlikely for any other suitable place to be nearby, especially after everything got burnt to the ground.

After flying for a while, Mark flew over a visible border between the burnt ground and a still lush forest. It was clear that Mark reached the evacuation area. The border was due to the wide river running through the regency, disabling the wildfire from spreading across.

As Mark landed, he immediately realized that the ruins of Demak were not really the best place to camp. Sure, it was safer from the spreading wildfire, but since there were several rivers running through the town, it caused the ground to be wet and unstable after the place was terraformed after the Fusion of Dimensions.

If the ground got wetter, this place would turn into a swamp. Or worse, a bog.

A heavy rain at this moment would definitely turn things for the worse while staying in this place.

After walking a bit, Mark reached the location where he could detect Mei's ring. The rings Bathala gave them sure was a huge help in this situation. Mark could have just used the other function and teleported to Mei's side, but it would not allow Mark to survey the area during his return.

But when Mark saw the evacuation area, Mark could not help but frown.

For some reason, the camp of the Moon Chasers and their allies had been isolated from the rest. Their tents were at the furthest northern border, near the riverside. One would think that camping near the river would be the best idea, but it was the apocalypse.

Camping near the river was one of the stupidest things to do, especially when you would never know what kind of creature could suddenly spring out of the water.

"Gege!"

Mei knew Mark arrived and called out with a wave.

The little girls were not around. Using his [Empath Detection], Mark found his daughters with Emika and Amihan in one of the central tents. It seemed they were accompanying Amisha, Luna's niece.

Approaching Mei, Mark stared at her lap.

Mei was sitting on a cut log under a tarpauline shelter.

"I'm not stealing your wife."

The reason for Mark's stare complained.

There, Spera was using Mei's lap as a pillow. Since she had to use her portals in succession after they fled from the underground cathedral and helped with the evacuation, it was not surprising that Spera was drained in many ways.

"I didn't say anything."

Mark replied.

"Your stare says it all."

Spera quipped back.

Mei could not help but smile at the banter of the two. It was especially because it was one of the rare times Mark would show emotions that he himself was unaware of.

Mark sat down at the vacant seat on Mei's right side. He then looked at the people around them, who belonged to three settlements, busy setting up the rest of the campsite.

"What happened?" Mark asked. "This place is awfully isolated from the main camp."

Mark then glanced over his shoulder, looking in the direction where the main camp was with its few thousand refugees.

"Some idiot set them up."

It was Spera who replied.

Mei and Spera explained what happened after Mark left to save Limabela's younger brother.

It seemed there were people who saw the mission this morning before they entered the cave. Not to mention the military exercise led by General Wijaya, which Mark joined, was witnessed by the residents of the Southside Peak.

After piecing fact after fact, they hypothesized that the Moonchasers and their allies, along with General Wijaya and his troops, were the reason for Mount Muria's unexpected eruption.

Furthermore, the Moon Chasers and their allies received the least damage among the surviving groups, adding to the suspicion.

Many people bit the assumption and began to blame the accused despite the lack of evidence. The rage spread out, and the people forced the accused out of the main camp.

"General Wijaya is still there trying to reason with the other military officers," Spera continued to explain. "But I doubt there would be any result from his side."

Luna and the others might have tried to explain the circumstances, too. However, they ended up not saying much. After all, everything that happened within the underground cathedral sounded more like delusion and fantasy than truth. It was not something the deranged refugees would accept.

"Sir Mark."

It seemed that someone told Luna that Mark returned, and she came to greet him with her friends in tow.

Mark looked at Luna and her friends and nodded in response. They sure looked crestfallen. It was not surprising since they had to take the blame, unable to defend themselves.

"Sir, thank you for your help."

Limabela thanked Mark.

Having [Clairvoyance] sure was handy in this situation. Limabela already knew her brother was safe and did not need to ask. She only had to convey her gratitude.

"So," Mark stared at Luna. "What's your plan?"

It was a short and light question with a heavy meaning.

Realizing that Mark had already learned the situation, Luna and her friends understood that he was asking what they wanted to do now.

Would they stay still in this place while being accosted with grudge-filled stares and abuse, or would they go on their own?

"I have the same question."

Estia's voice echoed as she and the two leaders of the 3rd Wave, Kana and Kela, arrived.

"We're all together in this mess already. We might as well stick together. But it depends on Miss Luna."

Farel was also here, along with a few members of the Firefighters.

These people were the only ones who knew of the actual circumstances. And since they knew that Luna was the candidate to become the savior of his country, they understood that they should follow her decision from now on.

"Papa!"

The children's voices entered everyone's ears. It seemed that the gathering of the settlement leaders began to attract the attention of everyone in the camp.

Mark immediately caught her two younger daughters pouncing on him. Fortunately, he already removed the ash covering his body before arriving here. As usual, Amihan plopped down on top of his head. The remaining members of the Evernight also arrived, adding to the audience present.

"Auntie?"

A sweet voice entered Luna's ears as she felt an embrace enveloping her.

It seemed that Amisha instinctively noticed the turmoil within Luna's mind and gave her aunt a comforting hug.

Luna's eyes fell on Amisha. The memories of the past flowed in her mind. After handing their base in Mount Muria to the government and military, there was only one reason why they did not leave. It was because of Amisha, who was in a coma.

But now, Amisha woke up and was now healthy. There was no reason to stay anymore.

"I... I want to leave," Luna gave her answer. "There is no reason to stay anymore, especially since we are not wanted here. Are you wall willing to follow me?"

Everyone nodded. Just like Farel said, they were all in this together.

"Can we join?"

Someone chimed in. Everyone looked in the direction of the familiar voice and saw General Wijaya and his soldiers. Even the officers present in Kudus Outpost were here.

"They didn't listen, General?"

Farel asked General Wijaya.

"Unfortunately..." General Wijaya replied in dismay. "The people already closed their eyes and covered their ears. And the other Generals wanting to get rid of me also took advantage of the situation. Even I and my soldiers had no place here anymore."

It was a sad situation.

General Wijaya, the person personally tasked by the last president to protect the country and its people, had already given up.

"Then, all of us here are going," Luna looked at everyone with eyes filled with determination. "Since this temporary camp will be dismantled tomorrow, we should also leave at that time."

"But where are we going?"

The bubbly Kana chimed in with the most important question.

If they decided to leave, where was their destination?

It was when Mark raised his hand.

"What about Bali?"

Everyone looked at Mark incredulously. Why Bali, of all places? Furthermore, from this place, Bali was halfway the entire island of Java. That was more than five hundred kilometers journey. Not to mention in the middle of the apocalypse and a spreading wildfire.

But before everyone could ask, Mark gave his reason.

"I know it's far. But the entire Java will be in huge turmoil because of these events. It's better to get away as far as we can. At least, until everything stabilized."

It was a strange reasoning. Although Luna and the others had yet to see Mark's full power, they could already guess he would be enough to handle a lot of danger, even alone. Yet, he was the first one to suggest fleeing the mainland.

The words Mark spoke were a heavy warning for everyone. Things that would happen from now on would be troublesome even for the powerful Mark.