Chapter 125: 125: Right behind you.
Several hours after Silver and Ravenna’s vehicle disappeared beyond the rolling hills, another convoy approached Checkpoint Nine from the southern highway.
Unlike the scattered hunting parties that normally travelled between Green Zone checkpoints, this convoy was considerably larger.
Six reinforced transport vehicles rolled steadily along the cracked asphalt, each bearing the insignia of different contractor teams that had temporarily joined forces for safety.
Dust rose behind the convoy in long trails that shimmered beneath the afternoon sun. The road itself had been unusually quiet.
Not a single Tier One beast had wandered onto the highway all morning. No packs of Iron-Fanged Wolves, no Thorn Rabbits hiding beneath the roadside bushes or even the noisy flocks of Razor Crows that usually circled abandoned settlements.
Several experienced contractors had already commented on it. Nobody liked quiet forests. They usually meant something stronger had passed through recently.
Inside the third vehicle, a young man sat near the window, lazily watching the trees slide past.
His blond hair swayed gently every time the vehicle hit a bump in the road, while his attention drifted between the scenery outside and the notebook resting on his lap.
Dillain frowned.
"...Still nothing."
He tapped the page thoughtfully. The notebook contained his own observations of the routes leading toward Delta Four: safe watering points, temporary camps, known beast territories, and places where valuable herbs occasionally appeared.
Every journey added something new, and every mistake became another lesson. Across from him sat a young woman quietly cleaning the barrel of her rifle.
Unlike most contractors in the convoy, her movements were precise and almost elegant, as though maintaining the weapon was a familiar daily ritual rather than a chore.
Today had been her turn to sit with him privately, away from the other girls who also followed him around. It irked her to no end, but she had managed to be his favourite by being as elegant and efficient as possible, something she would never have done for the other men who had chased after her.
Her eyes briefly lifted from her work.
"You’ve been staring out that window for an hour."
Dillain smiled sheepishly.
"I’m thinking."
"I can see that."
She carefully reassembled the rifle before placing it beside her.
"What about?"
"The road."
Cruella followed his gaze toward the forest.
"It feels strange."
"You noticed too?"
She nodded.
"There aren’t any beasts."
Dillain slowly closed his notebook.
"That’s exactly what worries me."
One of the older contractors seated nearby overheard the conversation and gave a short laugh.
"Enjoy it while it lasts. You youngsters complain when beasts attack. You complain when they don’t."
Several people chuckled.
Dillain returned the smile politely.
"I’d rather know why."
The older contractor scratched his beard.
"...Fair point."
The convoy continued another thirty minutes before the walls of Checkpoint Nine finally appeared beyond the trees.
Relief spread through several passengers. Even experienced contractors appreciated reaching a secure checkpoint before nightfall.
The massive steel gates stood open. Association guards inspected every arriving vehicle before directing it inside.
Almost immediately, however, Something felt different. There were far more military vehicles than usual.
Medical transports lined one side of the checkpoint. Communication officers hurried between buildings carrying stacks of reports. Several noticeboards had been covered with freshly printed emergency bulletins.
Cruella noticed first.
"...That’s unusual."
Dillain nodded.
"They’re preparing for something."
As soon as their vehicle came to a stop, the convoy leader climbed down to complete the usual registration. The rest remained nearby, stretching their legs after the long journey.
Dillain wandered toward one of the public noticeboards.
His eyes immediately settled on the largest headline.
*ASSOCIATION EMERGENCY NOTICE
Detroin Town Declared Disaster Zone
Threat Neutralized
All Contractors Report Suspicious Botanical Organisms Immediately*
His expression changed.
"...Detroin?"
Cruella stepped beside him.
"You’ve heard of it?"
"No, this is the first time. Probably a newly discovered town."
He continued reading. The report summarized the incident. A rare parasitic botanical organism had infiltrated the town. There had been multiple civilian casualties, contractors affected by airborne pollen, and an extensive loss of life.
*Source organism successfully eliminated by contractors present within the town before a Subjugation Team could arrive.*
Cruella quietly folded her arms.
"They managed to destroy it before reinforcements?"
"So it says."
Dillain continued reading the details. His attention paused on one particular sentence.
*Recovered information indicates the source was identified as a juvenile Moonlight Flower.
The primary core was reportedly destroyed during emergency neutralization procedures.*
His eyebrows rose slightly.
"...Moonlight Flower..."
The name sounded vaguely familiar. He searched his memory, then stopped.
"...Impossible."
Cruella looked toward him.
"What?"
"I think..." He hesitated. "...I remember reading something about that flower."
"Where?"
"I’m not sure."
He rubbed his forehead.
"It was years ago, in some old Association journal I found in the old bookstore. I thought they were extinct, that’s what the book says."
Before Cruella could answer, an Association officer stepped onto a small platform nearby.
"Attention!"
Conversations throughout the checkpoint gradually ceased. More and more contractors gathered around. The officer unrolled a large regional map.
"As most of you are already aware... Detroin Town suffered a major biological disaster yesterday."
A murmur spread through the crowd. The officer continued.
"The immediate threat has been eliminated; however, our research division believes dormant spores may already have spread beyond the town."
He pointed toward several Green Zone sectors surrounding Detroin.
"Beginning immediately... Association patrols will inspect all abandoned settlements, botanical gardens, ruined research facilities, and dense woodland. If you discover unusual flowers, do not investigate alone. Report them immediately."
Several contractors exchanged uneasy looks. One raised his hand.
"Are these things common?"
"No. They’re extremely rare."
"Then why the warning?"
The officer answered honestly.
"Because one was enough to destroy an entire town before it was neutralized."
Silence followed; no further explanation was needed. As the briefing concluded, Dillain remained staring thoughtfully at the map. His gaze slowly drifted eastward, toward Delta Four.
Cruella noticed.
"You’re thinking about something again."
He smiled.
"I usually am."
She shook her head.
"So... What’s bothering you now?"
Dillain looked back toward the map.
"Someone got there first."
She frowned.
"To Detroin?"
"No." He pointed farther north. "Someone strong enough to identify a Moonlight Flower, destroy it, and calm enough to prevent something even worse."
Cruella looked at him curiously.
"You sound impressed."
"I am." He smiled faintly. "Most people would’ve assumed it was just another mutant plant. Whoever did this, they figured it out."
His eyes lingered on the report one last time. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt as though he had just missed crossing paths with someone.
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