First expedition to the endless icefield, 25 days from the closest research station on foot: I just dug a tree branch out of the snow. The exact data is in the data sheets, but to briefly describe it, I guess it's about as long as my arm. I can conclude it went through a really long petrification process. The one I'm holding must have had 90% of its original volume dissolved away before its petrification. When you think of it this way, it must have been a very big chunk of wood! I guess... it was probably as thick as the trunk of that tree the other day? In that case, maybe the whole tree was as big as the Rhine Lab headquarters building! Whoa, that's amazing! It doesn't seem very heavy; I'll try to take it back whole. I only hope that the Ursus police at the border aren't too hard on me. Second expedition to the endless tundra, 28 days from the closest research station on foot: I'm taking shelter from the snowstorm outside. It doesn't look like I'll get anywhere today, so I'll stay here and try to rest up. I'm all out of drones, too. If I'd kept to the plan, I would've gone back as soon as I lost one of my drones. In normal circumstances, I should have theoretically been able to last a month and a half in the tundra, but the situation here is way too brutal. A month is about as long as I can make it... If I don't find anything once the snowstorm calms down a little, I'll— Hey, you guys know what I found?! A field of flowers right inside the cave! These plants get their water and nutrients from the ice here. They don't grow very tall, but they look like they're doing very well. I am taking an entire plant back in a culturing jar. I'll do some preliminary analysis back at the research station, and then bring it back to Rhine Lab. I'll try to keep going for two more days once the storm is over, then I'll go back. If I act on impulse again, it might end up killing me. Second expedition to the endless tundra, 30 days from the closest research station on foot: There is an entire block of Originium ice crystal standing in front of me. Could be three times as tall as me! It's a whole diamond shaped block, so if it wasn't for the snowstorm here, it'd be reflecting light in all directions. That'd look so cool! It's a shame to just let it sit here among the pile of rocks and snow. I've marked down its rough location and taken a picture. I hope I'll be able to find it again next time by following the locator beacon. Given the implications of the crystal being in one intact piece, I couldn't possibly have taken any samples from it. Thankfully, there are more than enough shards lying around that I can bring back to analyze. They'll last me a whole year. That's the expedition's objective accomplished. Now it's time to go home! I wonder if I'll come across that police officer I met last time. Third expedition to the endless tundra, 15 days from the closest research station on foot: I'm taking a different route this time just like HQ suggested. 15 days into this route, however, I got stopped! It's an official Messenger from Ursus. He told me there's a restricted military area up ahead and I shouldn't go any further. I showed him the expedition permit I got from the Ursus government, their confirmation of my expedition route, as well as the commission letter for me to map this area to show that I have a right to come through here. He wouldn't listen and ordered me to turn back, even claiming he has the authority to cancel these documents on the spot. The words he used had a really strict tone to them, but the way he said it sounded like he was just asking me to leave. I have a feeling that whatever lies ahead is definitely worth probing, but I also know it's not a good idea to pick a fight with a foreign official while I'm on an expedition in their territory. I told him I understood and gave him a pack of scalecis jerky. He calmed down right away, and said he'd be willing to help me out on my way back. According to the forecast, there will probably be another huge snowstorm the next two days, so I really welcome his help. I may not have been able to complete my survey's objective this time, but the results I have aren't so bad. What's more, I made myself a new friend. There's some black snow falling from the sky. Is there going to be a Catastrophe soon? I picked up a snowflake while he wasn't looking. I hope I'll find something interesting out of this.