Chapter 223: leaving.
The checkpoint’s dining hall was already crowded when they arrived. Contractors from several different groups were eating breakfast.
Some were preparing for another day in the Yellow Zone while others had just returned. The atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed.
Silver and Ravenna found a table near the window. Ravenna looked through the menu.
"What do you want?"
"Something filling."
"That’s not helpful."
"Meat."
"You always want meat."
"Because meat is good, we all need more proteins in our body."
She sighed.
"Fine."
She ordered for both of them. Silver leaned back.
"You know..."
"What?"
"We’re starting to feel like an actual couple."
Ravenna stopped. She slowly looked at him.
"We are technically an actual couple just without the labels."
Silver smiled.
"That’s true."
She returned to the menu.
"But you sound surprised."
"I’m praying that you would eventually put the final stamp in this relationship."
"I will, but not right now."
"I’ll wait, eagerly."
Their food arrived.
They ate while discussing their route. Captain Harry had already sent the updated travel schedule. They would leave with the convoy after breakfast.
The next major destination was the first Green Zone checkpoint connected to Delta Two. From there, they would continue deeper toward the sanctuary.
Their journey would take them farther away from the Yellow zones and closer to the areas surrounding Delta Two.
After breakfast, they returned to the vehicle. The repair team had done an impressive job overnight. Most of the damage from the previous battles had been repaired.
The vehicle looked almost new. Silver ran a hand over the repaired side.
"They worked faster and better than I expected."
"We paid extra." Ravenna reminded him. "Triple the normal rate. What did you expect?"
"Still worth it."
She nodded.
The convoy gathered near the checkpoint gate. Harry stood in front of the vehicles.
"Everyone listen."
The contractors gradually quieted.
"We’re heading toward the next Green Zone checkpoint. Under normal conditions, it’ll take around half a day."
A few people nodded.
"However..." Harry paused. "We’ve received reports that the beast activity in this region is unusual."
Silver’s expression sharpened.
"Unusual how?"
Harry looked toward the surrounding plains.
"There’s been movement, but not normal movement. Several patrol teams reported seeing fewer beasts than expected."
Someone laughed.
"That’s a good thing."
Harry shook his head.
"No."
The laughter stopped.
"When beasts suddenly disappear from an area, you don’t assume they’ve left. You assume they’re gathering somewhere else."
Several contractors became serious.
"We’ve also received reports of increased atmospheric pressure and unusual animal movement."
Harry looked across the convoy.
"There may be a beast tide coming."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Silver exchanged a glance with Ravenna. A beast tide wasn’t something anyone wanted to encounter. It could involve hundreds or even thousands of beasts moving through an area. Even a powerful contractors could be overwhelmed.
"We don’t know when it’ll happen." Harry continued. "But the checkpoint ahead is already preparing. We’re going to move quickly, so stay together. No unnecessary stops. If something attacks, eliminate it and keep moving."
Everyone acknowledged the orders.
The gates opened and the convoy started moving. Silver followed behind the lead vehicles. Ravenna settled into the passenger seat.
She looked at him.
"Ready?"
Silver smiled.
"Always."
She shook her head.
"You’re too confident."
"You’re the one who chose one bed."
Ravenna’s face turned slightly red.
"That has nothing to do with this."
"It has everything to do with this."
She lightly hit his arm.
"Drive."
Silver laughed.
The vehicle accelerated and they left the checkpoint behind.
---
The first few hours were strangely peaceful. The savanna stretched endlessly around them.
Silver kept the vehicle moving at a steady pace as the convoy maintained its formation. Every so often, a beast appeared, but the attacks were almost laughably small compared to what they had experienced before.
A group of Tier One creatures rushed from the grass. Several contractors eliminated them before they even reached the vehicles.
Later, a pair of Tier Two beasts attacked from the rocks. The rear vehicles handled them. Another group appeared several kilometers later.
They died just as quickly.
Silver frowned.
"This is strange."
Ravenna looked at him.
"You noticed too?"
"Yeah."
"There’s barely anything."
"Exactly."
They continued. More attacks came but none were serious; only a few Tier Two beasts and one Tier Three, then nothing for nearly an hour.
The convoy continued moving.
Silver occasionally activated Spatial Sense but nothing unusual appeared, just empty land. The radio occasionally carried similar observations.
"Nothing here."
"Clear."
"Only a few small beasts."
"Road ahead is clear."
Harry eventually spoke.
"Everyone remain alert, don’t relax."
Silver smiled faintly.
"He’s nervous."
Ravenna nodded.
"Because this is too peaceful."
She leaned against the seat.
"You know..."
"Hm?"
"I like this."
"What?"
"Just driving."
Silver glanced at her.
"No fighting, running, or anything trying to kill us, its just us."
Silver smiled.
"I like it too."
Ravenna reached toward the dashboard. She touched the small flower still sitting there.
"It survived."
Silver looked at it.
"Of course."
"You sound proud."
"I am."
She laughed softly.
They continued driving. The landscape slowly changed; the grass became shorter, the hills became less steep and the road improved.
Eventually, Harry’s voice came through the radio.
"Checkpoint ahead."
Several contractors immediately became more alert. Silver looked forward. Far in the distance, structures were becoming visible.
The Green Zone checkpoint.
The convoy approached without encountering another serious attack. Silver found himself almost disappointed; after everything they had gone through, the road had ended quietly.
Ravenna seemed to understand his expression.
"You wanted something to happen?"
"No."
She smiled.
"You looked disappointed."
"I’m just surprised."
"Don’t worry." She leaned closer. "Something will probably happen eventually."
Silver laughed.
"That’s not reassuring."
The convoy reached the gates. Guards came forward. Captain Harry handled the registration. After a short inspection, the gates opened and ghe convoy entered.
Silver parked alongside the other vehicles. He looked at Ravenna.
"We made it."
She nodded.
"Another checkpoint."
They both knew what that meant. The journey was continuing; they weren’t at Delta Two yet but they had crossed another section of the Yellow Zone safely.
Ravenna reached over and took his hand. Silver looked down, then smiled. He squeezed her hand gently.