Chapter 155: [154] The end of a journey and writing a new page
The van continued its slow advance through increasingly dense vegetation. Its tires rolled over damp soil, leaving faint tracks behind the giant leaves and ancient roots that curled out from beneath the earth. The chirping of unfamiliar birds and the hum of insects mixed with the low rumble of the engine. The air grew thicker, more humid, and warmer despite the sun barely piercing through the dense canopy above.
Ren glanced at the navigation screen—there was no reliable map. There were no satellites, and all the data he had was a digitized version of a centuries-old map, compiled from the notes of an explorer whose name had long since been lost to time.
"Eastern Penal Plains, this longitude... tropical. But we’re in the south," Ren muttered, tapping the dashboard screen. "Geographically, that makes no sense."
On Earth, tropical forests are usually found near the equator. But on this planet, there was no clearly defined equator. The continent he was traversing had never been mapped scientifically. By his estimates, this landmass was roughly the size of China—vast and diverse, stretching from snow-capped highlands to poisonous swamp forests.
Ren exhaled slowly. He really needed to launch a reconnaissance satellite. The only issues were resources... and orbital stability. This planet had slightly higher gravity than Earth, and that alone could be a disaster if his calculations were off.
But before his thoughts could dive deeper into rocket trajectories and aerodynamic systems, his eyes caught something in the distance.
The terrain shifted.
The trees that once stood tall and tight now seemed to part, opening into a valley. A soft mist hung in the air. The sound of running water echoed faintly, and the air inside the van began to feel fresher—tinged with the scent of wet leaves and ancient moss.
Beside him, Alfred—usually calm and lazy like a giant housecat—suddenly stirred, pressing his body against the van’s window. His golden eyes gleamed, tail slightly raised, full of anticipation.
"So this is your home..." Ren glanced at him with a grin. "Right on time."
Alfred didn’t answer. He let out a soft, rumbling sound—almost like a purr. Even for a creature as strong as him, his expression now looked like a child returning home after years of exile.
The van slowed to a stop as the path sloped downward. Before them stretched a vast valley blanketed in misty forest. Steep ridges loomed like natural fortresses, and in the distance, a winding river cut through massive stones. The home of the Penal Tigers.