Chapter 316 - 313: Quicksand

Chapter 316: Chapter 313: Quicksand

The Quicksand Monitoring Station encountered a biological migration the likes of which had never been seen before.

The station’s researchers observed that, soon, tens of millions of Singing Sand Bats would pass through the quicksand region, and the Quicksand Monitoring Station was directly in their migratory path.

As these Singing Sand Bats traveled, they continuously emitted ultrasonic waves. The researchers discovered that under the influence of these waves, the sand of the entire quicksand region would begin to resonate.

That wasn’t even the worst of it. This resonant vibration would cause the Quicksand Monitoring Station to sink faster. When the main swarm of Singing Sand Bats arrived, the Quicksand Monitoring Station would plunge into the sand in an instant.

At that point, the entire station would be annihilated, and none of the personnel inside would survive.

So, the researchers immediately reported to the Cyclist.

"Station Chief, if we evacuate everyone now, we still have time."

But the Cyclist refused. A full evacuation was a last resort. The Quicksand Monitoring Station wasn’t just a sanctuary for humanity, but also a crucial research facility.

Furthermore, if only the personnel evacuated, all the research data and relics collected by the Quicksand Monitoring Station would be buried in the sand, and years of hard work would all be for naught.

As the station chief, he had to consider all aspects.

After much deliberation, he finally came up with a solution.

"We don’t need a full evacuation..."

His solution was to use a relic.

This relic appeared to be nothing more than a pile of loose, unremarkable sand.

However, if one were to use this sand to sculpt a replica of an object, it would permanently fix the original object in place, rendering it immovable.

The cost, however, was that the user would also become unable to move, permanently rooted to the spot.

Once the sand sculpture was complete, the relic’s effect would take hold. Even if the sand sculpture itself were to be scattered, neither the replicated object nor the user could ever be restored.

And at that time, the Cyclist, as station chief, planned to use this sand to sculpt a model of the Quicksand Monitoring Station, thereby fixing the actual station permanently in place.

"This was my poor decision. I’ll use it myself."

The Cyclist felt he was already old and no longer suited to be a station chief, so he personally took on this responsibility.

Afterward, the Quicksand Monitoring Station safely weathered the crisis.

But the Cyclist, in turn, was trapped beside the sand sculpture for eternity.

Although he couldn’t leave, he felt it was well worth it.

"Trading the freedom of one old man for the safety of an entire monitoring station... anyone would know which to choose."

He never expected, however, that the relic’s cost would be so great.

This immobility was utterly crippling. He couldn’t even use the toilet. He could walk in any direction and perform any action, but his "position" in space was forever locked to the moment he completed the sand sculpture.

It was like being on a treadmill. The only way to move was if another object made contact with him—or, in other words, "transported" him.

In other words, he had become a "living sculpture."

The once-authoritative exploration team member in the Abyss, the station chief whose word was law, had in a flash become a "sculpture" that needed others to care for him. His dignity was shattered in an instant.

The Cyclist found this reality unacceptable; he even began to feel some regret.

That was when he thought of Paradise Island.

"If I came to Paradise Island, I could suppress the relic’s effect and stop being a living sculpture. Others wouldn’t need to take care of me, and while I’d be trapped on this island for life, at least I could live independently."

And just like that, he had others transport him to Paradise Island, where he chose the identity of "Cyclist."

It was his profession in his youth, and it allowed him to escape the price of his immobility, so he was very pleased with his choice.

"So that’s why I came to this island. And I stay here willingly, because only on this island can I be truly free."

His eyes glinted as he spoke, a hint of weariness in his voice. "I’ve already done my duty. Now, I just want to rest for a while."

His throat a little dry from talking, the Cyclist picked up the water cup from its holder again and took a few sips.

"As for the others on the island, I couldn’t tell you. I’m not the type to pry into people’s lives. Since arriving, I’ve spent my days just riding my bike around, wandering. I rarely interact with anyone."

"The island itself may be pure white, but the sky and the sea are still blue, and the people come in all colors. There’s always something new to see. You’ve just arrived, so you’re probably bored. Look around more. You’ll find something interesting."

He said with a smile. This is what a cyclist is supposed to do, after all—be a "passerby," taking in the sights.

As Li Luo listened to his story, the tension he’d felt initially began to fade.

"Have you noticed anything strange on the island?"

"I have. The nights here aren’t quite normal. But I can’t fight off the drowsiness, so there’s no way for me to investigate."

Li Luo was surprised by the Cyclist’s words. He hadn’t expected him to bring up the nights on Paradise Island so directly.

"The nights are too long. And there’s no reason to force everyone to sleep. You have to understand, when the first exploration team came to this island, there wasn’t any rule like this."

"No such rule? The rule about being forced to sleep?" Li Luo asked in surprise.

"That’s right. The first time we landed, we spent a night on the island, and nothing happened. It wasn’t until my second time coming to Paradise Island that I found out it had gained this strict day-night cycle."

He frowned. "I’d like to see the scenery at night, too, but my identity won’t allow it. I’ve never seen the people who are out at night, either. They don’t appear during the day. That flash of white light completely separates day from night."

"Those buildings were all constructed on the island later on. The lights that cover the island appeared later, too. I remember it clearly: when the exploration team first came to this island, none of these things existed."

"So you’re saying the lights are man-made?" Li Luo pressed.

"Yes. Someone is creating new rules and trying to pass them off as natural. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it to you."

"This whole idea that ’daytime identities occupy the activity space of nighttime identities’ is complete nonsense. I’m a cyclist. Why in the world can’t I ride my bike at night?"

At this, the Cyclist clearly grew agitated.

But it didn’t last long before he deflated.

"I’ve looked into it, but everything on Paradise Island is normal during the day. The answers can only be found at night, and I truly can’t fight off that sleepiness."

"Have you reported this?" Li Luo asked.

"Of course. I reported it immediately. But the official response was that it’s just a relic phenomenon of Paradise Island and that I should just follow the rules..."

The Cyclist sighed, utterly exasperated. "I don’t know how they can call this a relic phenomenon. It’s obviously man-made. Kids these days... they jump to conclusions without doing any real investigation."

But then he looked at Li Luo expectantly. "You must also feel that something’s not right with the nights, yes? If you need help, come find me."

He took out an electronic tablet, tapped it a few times, and a notification popped up on Li Luo’s own tablet: "The Cyclist has sent you a friend request."

At the same time, the Cyclist looked at Li Luo’s identity and said in surprise, "I didn’t look closely just now. You’re actually the Fire Thief?"

"What about the Fire Thief?" Li Luo asked, confused. "I just put that down when I got to the island. It’s my Hunter title."

The Cyclist smiled.

"Don’t underestimate the role of ’identity’ on Paradise Island."

"The Fire Thief, after all, is someone who can bring light into the darkness..."