Free Web NovelChapter 195: The Expedition Team
The small expedition team Jade assembled consisted of only three members: Arthur, Otis, and Jace.
Each of them had their own specialty, making them an ideal unit for reconnaissance. Besides, moving through the Deliric Desert in a large group was dangerous to begin with.
Their objective was simple.
Search for clues and, if possible, locate the missing members of Eagle Union who had disappeared without leaving behind a single trace.
"Do you really think they disappeared?" Otis asked before snorting.
"I don’t even like those guys. Remember the first time we met them? Those jackasses called us mutts who didn’t know our place just because we didn’t have a military background."
"Elitist bastards."
Otis occupied the passenger seat while Jace drove the vehicle. The man rarely spoke and always wore a serious expression, yet even he nodded in agreement.
"They crossed the line more than once during our field training exercises." Jace clicked his tongue. "I’ll never forget those dirty little tricks they pulled, then had the nerve to call us bandits after we reported them to their superior."
"Honestly, we should just let them rot. What’s the point of saving people like that?" Otis leaned back before turning toward the rear seat. "Right, Arthur?"
Arthur didn’t answer for a couple of minutes.
"Huh... but I am interested in their disappearance." His eyes never left the map spread across his lap.
"Come on, aren’t you at least a little excited? An entire area losing every single person without a trace or explanation sounds like an interesting case."
Otis turned around and looked at him in disbelief. Arthur was still studying the map even though they were driving along one of the safest routes in the Deliric Desert.
Every week, the Pathfinders cleared the road of aberrants, which was exactly what separated them from ordinary members like Arthur’s team. Exploration, scouting, and discovering the safest routes were part of a Pathfinder’s daily responsibilities.
Most of them had already returned to headquarters for the winter, while a handful remained stationed at bases scattered across the desert. Their job was to assist the occasional traveler foolish enough to move during winter and monitor the aberrants that emerged throughout the season.
Researchers usually accompanied them as well, either from Freebound or Greenwardens, collecting data and recording new discoveries.
"God, you’re weird." Otis shook his head. "In this apocalyptic world, an area or even an entire city disappearing overnight isn’t exactly surprising."
Not long after, they arrived at the third checkpoint.
Twin watchtowers stood atop a massive boulder, connected by a hanging ladder that swayed gently in the wind. The open space below served as a resting area for travelers, while the Pathfinders stationed above provided information about the road ahead.
Of course, only the important parts.
The Deliric Desert was one of the largest inhabitable deserts in the world. No one could possibly know every danger waiting beyond the horizon.
A green flag waved from the top of the tower, signaling that the route ahead was safe. fгeewebnovёl.com
One of the Pathfinders climbed down and handed them a sealed letter.
"This is from the Pathmadre. You can read it now and rest here before continuing."
The three of them nodded.
After parking their vehicle, they decided to stay on the ground instead of climbing the tower, using the opportunity to refill their water bags.
"What a shame," Otis muttered, looking up and squinting against the bright sunlight. "I wanted to see the inside of the watchtower."
"It’s just a normal watchtower," Jace replied as he opened the letter. "Nothing interesting up there. Honestly, I wonder how those guys survive staying in one place for so long."
The Pathmadre’s orders were short and direct.
"Go check Eagle Union headquarters first and investigate the three men sent to the secret bunker. As for that annoying bastard, let Arthur handle the conversation and use his usual sarcastic tone. If that asshole decides to use violence, you’re free to respond in kind. Stay safe. May freedom open the path for you."
The three of them exchanged surprised looks.
Jade might be the type of woman who rolled her eyes whenever Freebound had to deal with diplomacy, but she always took those matters seriously. For her to write something like this could only mean one thing.
She was running out of patience.
"So... we don’t have to hold back if we meet that person?" Arthur was the first to grasp the implication.
He frowned thoughtfully before looking at the letter again. "Why, though? Is Edelweiss Town no longer serving any purpose?"
"Yeah, let’s not think about it too much." Otis stretched his arms and grinned. "More importantly, we can do whatever we want!"
"But we’ll have to change our route, right?" Jace murmured, holding out his hand.
Arthur passed him the map without a word. The safest route to Eagle Union Headquarters was controlled by Eagle Union itself. According to the latest information, every alternative path was considered dangerous.
They didn’t have much of a choice. After resting at the checkpoint for the night, they set off at dawn and pushed forward as quickly as possible.
Strangely, nothing crossed their path, no people, not even aberrants.
The entire desert felt unnaturally silent, like a land where everything had already died. That feeling only grew stronger once they entered the Senduro Highlands.
Rocky hills stretched endlessly across the landscape, towering like mountains half-buried beneath layers of sand.
Unlike the Deliric Desert, patches of green–though all of them already turning yellow and dried out—still survived here and there, resembling small oases scattered throughout the highlands.
Unfortunately, those beautiful spots were often the most dangerous places to approach. Many of the local aberrants were parasitic by nature.
Just like their King.
"I read that most of the nearby aberrants, including flora-types like Eternal White Doom, rely on flying aberrants as their pollinators," Arthur said while studying the notes in his hands. fгeewebnovёl.com
"Sounds like hell." Otis rubbed his arms, already feeling uncomfortable. "This place is basically a breeding ground for parasitic aberrants. Why the hell would anyone want to live here?"
There weren’t many worse ways to die than becoming a host for some unknown parasite.
"That’s why we brought PPE," Jace reminded them as he pulled a sealed protective suit from the vehicle. "Make sure you put it on before we enter Eagle Union Headquarters."
The other two nodded immediately.
"And don’t use your guns unless it’s absolutely necessary. Even when they were usually dormant in autumn to save water to hibernate in winter, they are still dangerous." Arthur added while opening a thick field guide from his backpack.
"Don’t shoot aberrants we don’t recognize, and don’t shoot the ones we do recognize either. Most of them have already come into contact with parasites. Killing them might only spread the infection faster."
He tapped the worn cover of the book. "Leon Miller wrote this after surviving a month in these highlands without becoming a parasite nursery. I’d say his advice is worth following."
As they continued driving, Arthur recited descriptions of every dangerous aberrant that might appear along the way.
With each new page, Otis and Jace’s faces became a little paler.
Fortunately, they reached their destination safely by carefully avoiding every green patch, strange flower, and suspicious plant they encountered.
But when they finally arrived at the place that was supposed to be Eagle Union Headquarters. The first thing waiting for them was another endless stretch of green.
Otis stared at the scene before quietly muttering, "Shit..."
