Two-Person Galactic Journey: Earth Was Destroyed While Imprisoned in Space Prison

Chapter 222

Chapter 222

"Good grief. Has there ever been a time when so many were exiled all at once?"

"Serves them right. My great-uncle was exiled by these bastards. Now it's their turn, all at once. Good for them—at least they're with their kin."

Amid curses, Smallfolk with all four arms bound were being herded along the Heavenly Path. At the front was Zalt Va, followed by his kin. Regardless of age or gender, every one of them was to be exiled.

The underground Smallfolk welcomed this. Zalt Va's clan had been spared exile because they were the clan of prophets, and as a result, they were numerous.

By exiling them, the underground population would decrease. At the very least, their own families wouldn't be exiled for several generations. Moreover, the clan had betrayed their fellow kin as a unit. Not a single person felt sympathy for them.

"Still, with this many people, is the Holy Land going to be okay? Won't it overflow?"

"That's why the number is what it is this time, right? You lot better find a safe place to live soon. It'll be hell for those who come next."

The ones escorting Zalt Va's clan up the Heavenly Path were selected from among former members of the Liberators of Darva Ni. Because they resented having their families exiled, they had no intention of showing mercy to Zalt Va and the others.

After slowly ascending the Heavenly Path, the group was lined up inside the Holy Land. Once everyone was accounted for, the bindings on one person were released.

"Here. A blade."

"Don't get any ideas. That's only to cut your comrades' ropes. After that, do as you like."

"I'm sure you understand, but you can take all the spears hanging on the wall. Do your best to survive."

With those words, the Smallfolk who had escorted Zalt Va and the others turned back the way they came.

A door that hadn't been used when guiding Emotion's group groaned shut. It could be opened from the underground side, but never from the surface—a perfect barrier.

Originally, the door had been installed to prevent beasts that had wandered into the Holy Land from entering the underground. But now, it served only to sever the hopes of the exiled Smallfolk from ever returning.

Zalt Va knew full well the door couldn't be opened—because it had been built by their own ancestors.

The freed boy used the blade he'd been given to cut the ropes of his comrades. So many of them, enough to fill the Holy Land, had been cast into that dreadful Prison of Heaven. Under the desperate gazes of his kin, Zalt Va had to figure out how to survive.

***

Many of Zalt Va's clan had held key positions underground. Naturally, many of them also had some knowledge about the surface—the Prison of Heaven.

A world ruled by massive beasts, overflowing with Jumoku. Against Bassalem and Dandariol, one could only flee, but to the fragile Smallfolk, they were terrifying natural enemies.

"...We have to tame that beast that defeated Dandariol."

From the moment their exile was decided until it was carried out, Zalt Va wracked his brain on how they could survive after exile, all while having information extracted through interrogations and torture.

And he bet on the most viable possibility—to find and tame that two-armed creature.

That legendary beast, once led by the arboreal Smallfolk, possessed incredible combat ability. If they could manage to tame the creature that destroyed Bassalem and effortlessly repelled Dandariol, not only could they live safely in the Prison of Heaven, they might even reclaim their status underground.

Apparently, some had seen that scene from the Adjustment Room, and they actively supported Zalt Va's plan.

But problems remained. One of them was fundamental.

"The problem is, we don't know where it is."

"Right. I've never seen a two-armed creature like that before."

"It must be an extremely rare species. Since the arboreal Smallfolk tamed it, they didn't need to live a nomadic life anymore. It seemed highly intelligent. Maybe it's settled somewhere."

Many of the beasts in the Prison of Heaven lived nomadically in search of food. They attacked Jumoku and other beasts living nearby, and when prey dwindled, they moved to other regions. The larger the beast, the more likely it was to follow this pattern, and smaller beasts often fled such areas and adopted nomadic lives as well.

But the two-armed beast seemed to have no such concerns. After all, not even Bassalem or Dandariol could stand against it. In fact, the larger beasts might be avoiding it altogether.

"The arboreal Smallfolk were with it, so it can't be too far. And a place where beasts don't go... it must be the mountains."

"I see!"

Zalt Va's clan had already had more opportunities than most to observe the Prison of Heaven. And they had kept records of it all. Perhaps their ancestors had foreseen the possibility that they might one day leave the underground.

And from those past observations, they knew that beasts avoided the mountains.

There weren't many places on this land that could be called mountains. But fortunately, there was one near the Holy Land. Based on their knowledge, Zalt Va guessed the two-armed beast lived in the mountains.

"We can't stay here too long. But moving all at once with this many people is too dangerous. Could a few of you go scout the area?"

"I'll go."

"Me too."

In response to Zalt Va's words, a few stepped forward. All of them were young and fit, well-suited for such a task.

"Sorry, I'm counting on you. ...Please be careful."

"Yes. We'll definitely find the path to the mountains."

"I'm counting on you."

The amount of food they were allowed to bring from underground was limited. It was a measure to prevent them from settling here permanently. But this too had been decided by Zalt Va's clan and forced upon the exiled kin. Their past actions had come back to haunt them. Zalt Va let out a deep sigh.

"We're off!"

"We're counting on you."

—And the brave young ones who had set out never returned.

***

Having known too much about the surface, they failed to understand.

That the beasts could locate prey with unimaginable precision.

That the exiled kin had once desperately searched for shelter, hiding between dirt and leaves.

That sometimes, the elderly had willingly acted as decoys to save the young.

"Ahhh, help! Somebody, help me...!"

And tragically, they were slower than other beasts.

That applied not just to the underground Smallfolk—all Smallfolk were the same.

"No, no...! Stay away...!"

The Smallfolk once exiled to the surface had also survived atop countless sacrifices. It was merely their turn now, cruelly and equally.

Zalt Va had erred. Instead of chasing after the possibly nonexistent two-armed creature, he should have focused solely on finding a safe place to live.

For none of the young ones sent out afterward ever returned.

"Damn it! This thing! Why doesn't it work!? It's about the same size as me! Why!?"

And more than anything, they didn't know.

That on this planet, no such two-armed creature capable of destroying Dandariol even existed.

Frustrated by the lack of returnees, Zalt Va's clan finally resolved to head to the mountain together.

What became of them—no one knows.