Chapter 153: Eyjafjalla Puts On Her Hearing Aid!

Stepping out from beneath the umbrella of that infuriating, beyond understanding Liberi, Ceylon realized the sky above Siesta was perfectly clear. It was not raining in the slightest.

Beside her, the two Rhodes Island Operators maintained an aura of absolute professional patience. Recognizing the sheer gravity of the geological anomalies around them, Skyfire and Provence had immediately opted to contact the resident volcanologist aboard the main landship, Eyjafjalla.

Thousands of miles away, the young volcano expert sprang into action the moment she understood the severity of the situation. A dizzying, highly complex holographic model of a subterranean magma chamber projected into the air behind her, casting a faint orange glow over the communication terminal.

Thank you for trusting my expertise, Eyjafjalla said, her expression entirely serious. I need some specific environmental indicators to make an accurate judgment. For example, is there any unusual odor in the air around your location? Has the ambient temperature of the nearby water bodies risen? What exact color is the smoke rising from the crater?

Ceylon felt a sudden lump form in her throat. This was exactly the kind of elite, methodical assistance she had been desperate for. To think she had actually been questioning Rhodes Island’s professionalism just moments ago. As expected, that bizarre white-haired Liberi tagging along with them was just a rare, defective exception to the company’s high standards.

She carefully sifted through her recent memories, attempting to be as descriptive and precise as possible. On the other end of the feed, the young expert listened with utmost patience, nodding continuously as she processed the data.

There is a very strange, pungent smell in the air, Ceylon reported.

Okay, okay, Eyjafjalla nodded.

The water temperature in the lakes is also significantly higher than it has been in previous years.

I see.

We also encountered a massive swarm of Originium Slugs on the way up.

Very useful data, please continue.

And Andoain is still watching some weird foot fetish videos right next to us, Ceylon added, glaring sideways. For some inexplicable reason, Skyfire’s expression twitched slightly at that remark.

Extremely useful! Eyjafjalla nodded earnestly.

How in the world is that useful? Ceylon stared at the screen. Expert, are you actually listening to a single word I am saying?

Sensing the sudden shift in the mayor’s daughter’s expression, Eyjafjalla seemed to realize something was amiss. She reached up and calmly slotted her hearing aid into her ear right in front of the camera. Please continue.

She had not heard a single word.

Seeing Ceylon’s face darken like a thundercloud, Provence quickly stepped into the frame, waving her hands to smooth things over. Actually, judging complex volcanic conditions based solely on verbal descriptions from on-site personnel carries a massive margin of error. The standard Rhodes Island safety monitoring bracelets we wear already possess built-in gas analysis and magnetic field detection functions. All of that raw data has already been streaming directly into Eyjafjalla’s model this entire time.

The Lupo turned slightly and parted the thick, luxurious fur of her massive tail, revealing a sleek metal band secured near the base. A small red mechanical node on the device was currently flashing a steady, rhythmic warning signal.

But most people simply do not believe our mobile technology has reached this level of sophistication, Provence explained with a sheepish smile. They tend to doubt our scientific rigor. So, we usually have to employ this face-to-face questioning method just to reassure the local parties involved that we are taking their crisis seriously.

I am so sorry, Eyjafjalla apologized softly through the screen.

Machines were always perfectly rational, but people rarely were. There was a famous piece of internal lore regarding this exact phenomenon. Once, under Kal’tsit’s direct leadership, Rhodes Island had attempted to distribute high-grade Originium suppressants completely free of charge to impoverished settlements. They faced catastrophic pushback. Very few Infected were willing to accept the charity. Some even hurled rotten vegetables at the Operators distributing the medicine, screaming that Rhodes Island was a hypocritical, black-hearted pharmaceutical corporation using human lives as disposable experimental subjects.

But later, when Kal’tsit ordered that same free suppressant to be diluted with nine tubes of standard saline and priced at a mere thirty percent below the standard market rate—a price still steep enough to nearly bankrupt long-term users among the lower-class Infected—their public reputation experienced a miraculous reversal. They were suddenly hailed as a truly conscientious enterprise. The Infected flocked to buy the medicine in droves. It was the ultimate placebo effect of capitalism.

So those monitoring bands really were not just meaningless tactical decorations. The realization finally dawned on the group.

Ceylon was no ordinary civilian. As the daughter of Siesta’s mayor, she might have lacked gritty combat experience, but she was certainly no fool. After a brief moment of stunned silence, she quickly recovered her composure and nodded. It is fine, I understand the protocol. I should be the one thanking you for coming to our aid.

On the main ship, Eyjafjalla’s terminal chimed as the final analysis results rendered. The crust beneath Siesta is extremely unstable. Based on all available telemetry, it is building toward a massive volcanic eruption. However, looking at the city’s geological records, the awakening process of this specific volcano should not have accelerated this rapidly over the last few decades.

The young expert pointed toward a section of the feed. Do you see that dark red fern growing on the rocks behind you? It should naturally be a deep, healthy green. Only the newest sprouts show that dark red coloration, which is a direct result of heavy sulfur accumulation. It is growing wildly out of control, which suggests that something external has artificially triggered the volcano’s activity.

Provence nodded, her fluffy ears twitching. So we need to push deeper into the volcanic core to find and neutralize this catalyst?

Eyjafjalla shook her head with absolute firmness. No. I want all of you to retreat immediately. This volcano has already crossed the critical threshold of tectonic activity. Even without any further external stimulation, it is going to erupt in a very short amount of time. Investigating further is simply too dangerous. Prepare to notify the citizens of Siesta to evacuate the city.

I have not seen the Doctor at all today, Provence murmured, glancing around. When he gets back to the ship, I will ask for his tactical opinion.

The white-haired Liberi standing in the back suddenly chimed in, his tone entirely too casual. Maybe the external factor is just a really big Originium Slug hanging out inside the crater?

It would have been infinitely better if he had just kept his mouth shut. The moment the words left his lips, Ceylon was violently reminded of her previous, highly arrogant assertion about how no one could possibly ever lose to a mere Originium Slug.

The furious flush spreading across the young lady’s cheeks made her look like a hapless Hunter from a certain asymmetrical horror game, ruthlessly bullied by four stun-spamming Survivors for an entire match. You! Why are you still bringing that up! What kind of bizarre obsession do you have with Originium Slugs? Just wait for the actual expert’s opinion and stop spouting nonsense!

The Doctor, currently disguised as the eccentric Liberi and being yelled at for simply offering the correct answer, shook his head in silent, internal exasperation. ‘If you all just listened to me, there would be zero issues with pushing forward right now.’

If they just bypassed the swarms of lesser Originium Slugs, three elite Operators could easily burst down Pompeii in a straight fight. If things got dicey, they could just drop Phantom in as a fast-redeploy meatshield to soak the damage. It was basic tower defense logic.

Ceylon made yet another strategically flawed decision. No, we are heading back down. I need to find Uncle Cronin. He is the mayor’s chief assistant now. He will definitely believe our findings and initiate the evacuation!

Skyfire and Provence exchanged a brief glance before making up their minds without hesitation. Understood. We will help you escort the data back to him.

Then I am not going, the white-haired Liberi announced, once again making a decision that baffled everyone present. He offered a lazy, unapologetic smile.

Since the volcano is about to blow its top, this music festival might literally be the last one Siesta ever hosts. I have to hurry back down and experience the concert while the stage is still standing.

The truth was, while shamelessly peeking at the camera feed on Thorns’ monitoring bracelet earlier, the Doctor had spotted a leaked program list for the festival that completely derailed his interest in the main plot.

Besides, he already knew exactly where the heart-wrenching, high-stakes yuri drama was going to take place later. It was not too late to go watch the live concert first and then casually stroll back to push the main story questline.

Without waiting for a response, he eagerly took the lead, turning on his heel and marching back down the mountain path without a single backward glance. Skyfire instinctively took a step forward, opening her mouth to call him back, but Ceylon grabbed the fabric of her caster robes in a vice-like grip.

Do not stop him, Ceylon hissed, her teeth practically chattering with sheer indignation. He is not one of us. This is about the safety of the entire city and everyone in it!

Andoain, what do you take life for! Ceylon screamed after his retreating back.

It was fine until she actually yelled the name. But the moment she delivered that perfectly recognizable setup, the young man practically did a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree spin on his heels, his eyes shining with absolute meme-fueled delight.

I cherish it like a treasure, alright, sis?! he shouted back, throwing up a peace sign.

He was absolutely useless in a crisis, but he never, ever missed a chance to complete a meme.

He refused to blame himself for being completely fickle. Anyone in his exact position, armed with his meta-knowledge, would be entirely unable to resist ditching the mission to attend this specific music festival.

Act Number 36 on the leaked playlist was the highly anticipated Search-Strike-Retreat Band, composed of the Warden, the Wyrm, and the Bee-Doc. And they were slated to affectionately perform their original, soul-shattering cover song: Haruhikage.

Who in their right mind could possibly resist watching that trainwreck live!

[Rhodes’s Note: “Andoain, what do you take life for?!” is a famous line yelled by Fiammetta in the Guiding Ahead event. The Doctor is using Andoain as his fake name while disguised as a Liberi.]

[Rhodes’s Note: The “split-personality game” refers to Identity V, an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game where four Survivors often bully a single Hunter.]

[Rhodes’s Note: “Haruhikage” (Spring Sunlight) is a song from the anime BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!. The band name and members mentioned at the end are a parody of the MyGO!!!!! band.]

[Rhodes’s Note:

Enjoying the operation so far, Doctor?

(This daily grind literally pays the landship’s rent!