The next day, after settling into the church, the group first mapped out their route for the next two weeks. They decided to use the small town as their base and split into several teams to collect data from various sampling points before regrouping.
"With this plan, we should be able to finish in about five days, which is several times faster than we initially expected," Phyllis said, looking at the projected table on the screen.
"That's because the security in Northern 9th District is pretty good. We don't have to stick together like we did in Northern 2nd District to ensure safety."
"Teams of 2-3 people will definitely improve efficiency," Alen walked into the room, took off his coat, hung it on the back of a chair, poured himself a cup of hot coffee, and sat down.
"Then it's settled. We'll start this afternoon."
After lunch, Thilan sat in her room and began changing her clothes. She wore a long-sleeved navy blue top with a lotus-shaped collar and slightly flared cuffs, resembling drooping morning glories, though not overly exaggerated. A row of buttons down the front subtly accentuated her figure. For the lower half, she chose a practical plaid skirt, paired with thick black tights and lightweight, breathable black-and-blue sneakers.
"That should do it," she thought, sitting in front of the mirror. She tied up her hair, pinning the strands on either side of her ears to the back and securing them with a white hairband adorned with blue delphinium patterns. The ribbon, tied into a bow, hung down with two trailing ends that swayed alongside her black hair, creating a unique and beautiful effect.
Once dressed, she stood up, picked up a lightweight suitcase, and walked out of the room. Dolores, who was in her group, was already waiting for her in the hall.
Unlike Thilan's practical yet stylish outfit, Dolores looked more like she was on vacation.
She wore a black resort-style dress, not form-fitting but loose and flowing, with a wide belt cinched around her waist. A large black-and-red rose was pinned to her side, and she wore thick-soled high heels. Her legs were bare, the pale skin contrasting sharply with the black dress.
Seeing Thilan descend the stairs, Dolores picked up a sunhat hanging behind the sofa, put it on, and grabbed her suitcase.
"Dolores, you're so bad. Dressing like this makes Thilan feel bad about asking you to do any work. She'll probably end up doing most of it herself," Ruby teased from across the hall.
"It's not intentional. Most of my wardrobe is this style, and I couldn't find anything more practical on short notice," Dolores shook her head apologetically as she looked at Thilan.
"Alright, I was just joking. It's not easy for a young lady like Dolores to rough it out with us. I bet you've never been to such a harsh environment before," Ruby came to her defense.
"Time to go. See you tomorrow~" Ruby waved to Thilan and the others before heading out to the car. She was in a group with Iyepher and Evony and had rented a small car from the town.
Thilan and Dolores, on the other hand, had a different arrangement. Since Thilan was the strongest, she was assigned the farthest and least secure areas. Of course, "least secure" was relative to ordinary people. For Thilan, the entire Northern 9th District was safe.
The two walked over to a small plane in the yard, stowed their suitcases in the belly of the aircraft, and climbed aboard. Thilan hopped up first, then turned to take Dolores's hand, helping her step onto the wing and into the cabin.
The plane was no more than five meters long, resembling a chubby goldcrest bird with short, stubby wings and a propeller at the front. It was a local sightseeing vehicle, not designed for high altitudes or great speed, but its leisurely pace made it perfect for enjoying the scenery.
Sitting in the front cockpit, Thilan curiously tapped the controls on the screen.
"Let me check the manual to see how this works," she quickly read through the brief instructions. With AI assistance, flying wasn't too difficult, and if all else failed, there was a fully automated system.
"First, run a self-check," Thilan flipped a switch, and soon the screen displayed a self-check in progress.
[Self-check complete. Aircraft systems are normal. Fuel sufficient. Ready for takeoff. Proceed?]
"Proceed."
[Collecting flight environment data. Please set the destination or enable simple manual flight mode.]
"Simple manual flight mode."
[Current wind speed suitable. Air pressure and humidity stable. Please move to a suitable runway and ensure no interference during takeoff.]
The plane's engine started, and Thilan, as if driving a toy car, guided it to the town's road. The sparse distribution of houses made it easy to see the clear, empty road ahead.
[Runway analysis complete. Ready for takeoff. Proceed?]
"Proceed with takeoff."
Gripping the control stick and pressing the throttle, the chubby little plane began to accelerate, moving faster and faster. The wind rushed past her ears, and in an instant, the vibrations and bumps beneath her disappeared as the plane wobbled into the air. As it gained speed, the flight stabilized.
Soon, the plane reached a steady cruising altitude.
[Autopilot mode available. Disengage manual control?]
"Yes," Thilan released the control stick and relaxed, finally able to enjoy the view outside.
"Done with manual control?" Dolores's voice came from behind.
"Mm-hmm."
"I didn't want to disturb you earlier, so I stayed quiet. But you picked it up so quickly, Thilan. You got the plane up in the air so easily," Dolores's voice carried a hint of amusement.
"Alright, alright. It was a bit clumsy, but we're flying, and that's what matters," Thilan caught the teasing tone in Dolores's voice and shook her head, leaning against the window to gaze at the scenery below.
It was already May, and the gray-blue landscape was dotted with patches of green. In the distance, mountains loomed, their peaks shrouded in mist and capped with snow.
"Too bad there aren't the vast fields I imagined, with their beautiful grids of yellow and green stretching across the ground," Thilan sighed with a hint of regret.
"Did you really want to see that kind of scenery?" Dolores asked.
"It's not that I absolutely had to see it, but looking at such a barren world makes me feel a little sad."
"People's moods change with the scenery they see. It's said that those living in areas with little sunlight are more prone to depression," Dolores mused.
"Sunlight, wind, vibrant flowers, and plants—they always make people feel relaxed and comfortable. Even in the age of space exploration, people create gardens in space stations because this love for nature is ingrained in our DNA, becoming part of life itself," she said softly.
The cabin fell into a peaceful silence as the two looked down at the world below—the desolate gray land and the endlessly blue sky, the sparse vegetation and the drifting white clouds, the ruins of abandoned cities behind them and the unknown horizon ahead.
Can the flutter of a butterfly's wings create a storm that changes the world? No one knows, but the world becomes a little more beautiful because of it.
Everyone hopes to live in a beautiful world.