Germain made an "OK" gesture.
Bisky, Shizuku, and Menchi seemed to understand as well, each copying Germain's gesture. Shizuku's, however, looked more like a move from a peacock dance.
With that, Ging took the lead, guiding them through the gray and white sandstorm. After walking for a while, they arrived at a tall, wide rock formation that blocked most of the wind and sand.
Ging waved to the group, signaling them to take shelter there.
They huddled under the rock, pacing back and forth for about half an hour until the sandstorm finally subsided.
The group removed their hoods, and now that the storm was over, they could talk face-to-face and hear each other even at normal volume.
"The storm is finally over…"
"It was so stuffy, and now I'm covered in sand again."
"Just bear with it. There's no place or time for a bath here."
Shizuku used Blinky to suck the gray and white sand off everyone and spat it onto the ground, forming a small pile. This saved the group some cleanup time.
"This time, our target is different from the Bloodthirsty Apostle in the labyrinth," Germain explained. "It's always moving and doesn't stay confined to a single area."
"That means we might have to search half—or even the entire—Wasteland to find it. This is pretty normal. Ging will handle reconnaissance and scouting."
"Got it," Ging replied.
Up until now, Ging had the widest En range among them, as well as the highest overall combat ability. Naturally, this task fell to him.
Ging pulled out a simple map from his pocket—a map drawn by Don Freecss. On it, several blue lines were marked, standing out starkly against the red sections.
He said to everyone: "These blue lines represent paths that bypass the massive red zones, which are the areas heavily affected by the widespread 'Immortality Disease.' They are the safe routes."
"The route Beyond's team likely chose is one of these paths. Essentially, we need to do the same—avoid these large zones of 'Immortality Disease' distribution."
"As for the scattered red dots, we'll handle them step by step as we encounter them. There's no need to panic too much since we still have the 'Herb for All-illnesses' with us."
"I believe the 'Herb for All-illnesses' has a good chance of being effective, especially in treating the early stages of the 'Immortality Disease.'"
After everyone agreed on this plan, they waited for the sandstorm to subside. Once it did, they bypassed the massive boulders and resumed their journey, with Ging leading at the front.
Ahead, they encountered an uphill path. As they climbed, reaching halfway up the slope, Ging turned around to warn the group: "There's something big up ahead."
In fact, even if Ging hadn't warned them, the group had already noticed the heavy footsteps that seemed capable of causing a minor earthquake.
When they reached the top of the gray-white slope and looked down, they saw a vast, open expanse—also gray-white in color.
Within this gray-white world, a new color finally emerged.
It was a colossal beast, as tall and imposing as a mountain in motion. Its tiny head and elongated neck made it difficult to distinguish at first glance which end was its head and which was its tail.
The beast moved forward slowly, passing right in front of the group.
Bisky, slightly amazed, raised her "3D Camera" and began snapping photos.
Menchi immediately took out her phone and captured an image, but she had another purpose in mind.
An app on her phone quickly scanned and matched the photo with data from Journey to the New World: Eastern Volume (Partial), along with contributions from researchers like Dune and Liszt.
"A 'Thunder Dragon,' a dinosaur that was thought to be extinct on the Six Continents. Who would've thought there's still one alive here? But judging by its condition, it's probably not edible."
Menchi couldn't help but show a hint of disappointment.
The reason was clear—the 'Thunder Dragon' didn't look alive.
Its hollow eyes, stiff movements, and the exposed, blood-red chunks of flesh spilling out from its torn abdomen suggested otherwise.
It must have suffered a fatal wound not long ago. Yet, its body had not completely ceased functioning.
Germain and the others, using a telescope, could see the active wriggling within the split abdomen of the "Thunder Dragon." The flesh and blood intertwined continuously, like knitting a sweater, trying to stitch the wound back together.
Even the damaged internal organs were undergoing the same process, healing bit by bit, as if trying to return to their original state.
However, looking into the "Thunder Dragon's" lifeless eyes, it was clear its soul had long since dissipated, leaving nothing behind. In other words, it was merely the shell of a body attempting to repair itself.
This situation was clearly a symptom of the "Immortality Disease."
Germain lowered the telescope and said, "This 'Wasteland' is a graveyard for nearby creatures—a paradise for these zombie-like beings."
"Normally, the hollow shells infected with 'Immortality Disease' don't show aggression toward us."
"But even if we attack the shells, it's not very meaningful."
"Under the influence of 'Immortality Disease,' these shells regenerate at an incredible speed. So unless it's absolutely necessary, don't waste time entangling with them."
"They're just following their remaining instincts, wandering aimlessly across the 'Wasteland.'"
Shizuku touched the inverted cross necklace hanging on her chest. "Germain, how long will this 'Thunder Dragon' wander before it finally collapses?"
"At least 50 years," Germain replied, recalling the unfortunate member of Beyond's team who had been infected with 'Immortality Disease.' Even now, that poor soul was still locked in a transparent cell for research purposes.
"That said, given the name 'Immortality Disease,' it's possible it will wander forever. After all, even if it completely falls apart, it can regain mobility in no time."
Such eternal life isn't a blessing—it's a curse.
On the Six Continent, this kind of scene was only supposed to exist in the legends of hell, but now it was a living nightmare right before their eyes.
Once the "Thunder Dragon" moved away, Germain's squad didn't linger. They descended the gray-white slope and entered a vast open plain.
In the open plain, they encountered even more "Immortal Beasts," whose bodies had been overtaken by the "Immortality Disease."
These creatures moved with heavy steps, wandering aimlessly, and indeed didn't actively attack Germain's squad.
Yet, the sheer size of these hollow shadows passing by them was enough to engulf the entire team. Apart from their empty gazes, the rest of their bodies—transformed by the "Immortality Disease"—seemed to have been reborn with vitality.
Every wound on their bodies had already healed, making them look no different from the living.
Thinking about the reason behind it, everyone felt a chill down their spines.
At this moment, the sun sank to the edge of the horizon. Its orange-red light, combined with the empty shells of the giant beasts and the long shadows they cast, created a sense of apocalyptic beauty.
The Germain team didn't have time to appreciate this. They needed to find a place to settle before it got completely dark, light a fire, cook, and get through the long night.
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