Ron sat in the observation cabin of the small high-speed airship, gazing through the crystal window at the scenery swiftly passing below.
This airship, named "Feidian," is a lightweight vehicle specifically designed for rapid short-range transport.
From Dawn Harbor to the nearest Abyssal Outpost, regular airships usually take five to six days of journey, whereas "Feidian" can reach the destination in just a day and a half.
The rental price at the main leasing stations in the Central Lands is quite steep, nearly double that of ordinary airships.
But for researchers racing against time, this expense is absolutely worthwhile.
"I usually opt for the Teleportation Array, but lately the teleportation network seems to be unstable."
Reynolds had already seated himself opposite Ron, taking a sip of the energy drink in front of him, his tone tinged with a bit of complaint:
"Last week, a colleague had a headache for three whole days after teleportation, said it was due to spatial displacement caused by energy flow turmoil. The observation station directly suspended non-urgent teleportation services."
Ron nodded slightly: "Teleportation is indeed a double-edged sword, highly efficient, but the risks cannot be overlooked."
"Especially teleporting close to the Abyss area, the instability is higher."
Reynolds added:
"Abyssal Energy subtly disrupts space structure, causing minor deviations in teleportation coordinates.
Though most of the time, it only places you within a few meters of the intended location, occasionally more severe instances occur..."
He took another sip of his drink, a gloom shrouding the depth of his gaze:
"Like teleporting mid-air, or ending up inside solid matter..."
"Mid-air is still manageable, but the latter..." Ron frowned.
Reynolds smiled wryly:
"The year before last, the observation station lost an excellent young researcher because the teleportation coordinates shifted, resulting in half of his body merging into a high-density protective wall..."
He shook his head, seemingly wanting to discard those unpleasant memories:
"Therefore, although the airship is somewhat slower, its safety factor is much higher at least."
Ron nodded, firmly etching this reminder into his memory.
The firsthand accounts from these witnesses are much more vivid and powerful than examples in any textbook.
The lighting in the cabin suddenly dimmed, prompting him to turn his gaze outside, where he saw the airship passing through a patch of eerie gray-black clouds.
These clouds weren’t the usual condensation of water vapor but rather energy aggregates with faint Magic Power fluctuations.
The colors range from dark gray to nearly pitch-black, their edges having irregular jagged shapes, resembling bite marks from some gigantic creature.
"Gloom Clouds." Reynolds’ voice turned serious: "We have entered the Edge Area."
He pointed to those eerie cloud clusters outside the window:
"These are energy dispersing from the Abyss, forming a special phenomenon upon contact with the atmosphere. Although the concentration has been diluted by hundreds of times, it still contains traces of Abyssal Traits."
"Are the protective measures on the airship adequate?"
Ron asked cautiously, activating "Extraordinary Recognition" to assess the potential hazards of these cloud clusters.
"Absolutely adequate." Reynolds answered confidently:
"’Feidian’ is equipped with triple protection systems; the first layer is a physical barrier, followed by an energy isolation field, and lastly, a subtle Purification circuit that can filter out any impurities penetrating the first two layers."
He lightly tapped the window:
"Do you feel it? There’s an almost invisible protective layer on the window’s exterior, specifically for resisting Abyssal Contamination."
Ron nodded; he indeed sensed that extremely subtle energy fluctuation when he first boarded the airship.
After passing through the cloud layer, the airship gradually decelerated as the scenery below slowly became clear.
In stark contrast to the Central Lands’ bustling and opulent scene, the landscape here presents a peculiarly unsettling style.
The ground displays intertwined dark red and deep brown hues, as if soaked by the blood of countless creatures;
The vegetation is sparse and twisted, with trees shaped peculiarly, their branches bending like silhouettes of people in distress;
The distant hills have irregular contours, resembling in certain angles the curled forms of some gigantic beings.
But the most striking feature is undoubtedly that deep black fissure at the end of the horizon — the Abyssal Mouth.
This enormous dark opening resembles a cracked wound in the earth itself.
So deep that its end cannot be seen, gray-black gases continually seething from its edge, like some alien substance breathing.
Ron’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the great fissure.
"Magnificent, isn’t it... My reaction was quite similar to yours when I first saw it."
Reynolds followed Ron’s sightline:
"The Abyssal Mouth appears in different shapes from different angles.
Sometimes like a crack, sometimes like a vortex, even occasionally resembling a terrifying living mouth."
Ron could distinctly feel his Spiritual Wave become more active as the airship approached the Abyss.
His thought process noticeably sharper than usual, yet accompanied by subtle unease and pressure.
"That feeling is very normal." Reynolds noticed Ron’s anomaly:
"Close contact with the Abyss brings different reactions for everyone.
Some feel particularly exhilarated, others fall into an unusual fear.
This is the spirit’s natural response to the Abyss’ aura, unless reaching extreme overload, there’s no need for excessive concern."
"I’m more concerned about the sense of attraction."
Ron stated his observation calmly:
"It’s like the Abyss itself is continually breathing, with each ’exhale’ releasing those gray gases and each ’inhale’ carrying an intangible pull."