Chapter 246. The Ghost Strategist 3

Aiden left the tree and headed towards the energy core vein.

Aiden saw several warriors and chaotic beasts at different places, trying to find the energy core vein.

Some of the warriors even had surveillance drones hovering across the place.

Some chaotic beasts and warriors were also dying as a result of the wind lightning storms circling through the place.

Eventually, Aiden arrived at the place where the energy core vein was.

It was in the 5th zone.

All the chaotic beasts in the fifth zone were legendary Rank 3 chaotic beasts.

Aiden safely navigated the place covertly. Because he was invisible, no creature noticed him.

He noticed the mutated draconic snakes lurking across the place.

The large, thick-scaled snakes had already started feeding on the energy cores in the energy core vein.

"Looks like I need to be quick. If these creatures break into Rank 4 from absorbing the energy core in the energy core veins, the legendary Rank 3 invisibility bracelet will have no effect on them. They will discover me, and I might die here," Aiden thought.

Quickly, he moved close to the energy core vein, stretching for several distances.

The energy cores were not embedded on the ground or in rocks. They were scattered across the place in large proportions.

Aiden simply sent them all into his storage bracelet and left as quickly as he came.

The mutated draconic snakes were extremely shocked about what had happened.

Which bastard had stolen their treasure?

They were only a few steps away from breaking into beginner Rank 4.

Whoever was responsible for this will pay the price if they caught it, human or chaotic beast.

Rooooarrer.

Hisssssss.

Lightning spiraled across the figures of the legendary Rank 3 mutated draconic snakes as they shot towards different directions in search for the bastard who had stolen their treasure.

Currently, Aiden was back on his tree.

"They are angry." He observed the mutated draconic snakes. "They are definitely looking for the culprit. This will make things easier. The moment they notice any area where an energy core is, they will kill anyone in that vicinity in anger."

The colossal snakes streaked across the five zones in haste, eagerly hunting their culprit.

Several microscopic crimson threads appeared and wrapped themselves around hundreds of energy cores Aiden had taken from his storage bracelet. These energy cores were not even up to 1 percent of the energy cores Aiden had harvested.

The microscopic crimson threads moved the energy cores towards different directions.

Aiden placed them at strategic locations in the five zones where chaotic beasts and humans were rampant and could easily encounter each other.

With the naked eye, it would look like the energy cores were floating around in the air.

When Aiden was done, he just sat on the tree and waited for chaos to ensue.

"Even before the snakes arrive, the chaotic beasts and the humans will fight themselves over the energy cores," Aiden thought.

****

Somewhere, a group of 100 expert Rank 3 warriors were moving through a deserted street in the third zone.

"Team leader, are we really sure the news about the energy core vein is true?" A white-haired lady said. "Ever since we arrived here, the only thing we have encountered is chaotic beasts and environmental hazards. Those wind lightning storms especially have killed several of our team members. I suggest that we report back to the guild HQ and leave this place."

"That’s true."

"Team leader, she’s making a point."

"Our healers are dead and we have used up almost all our worldly energy recovery elixirs and healing elixirs."

"We can’t afford to take any more risks."

"Shut up!" The team leader, a buffed-up dude in a black battlesuit, said, causing everyone to turn silent. They were all expert Rank 3 warriors, but he was the strongest among them. So, no one could antagonise him.

"Our orders were to confirm the existence of the energy core vein and report. Unless we scour through every nook and cranny of this place, we are not making a report. If we send back a half-assed report that we didn’t identify it and news spreads later that someone found it, what do you think will happen? Have you forgotten that we were warned that we could be killed if we made any mistakes?" the team leader bellowed, his spittle flying everywhere. Clearly, he was pissed at the behavior of his team members.

If they failed the mission, he would be the one to suffer most repercussions; the Vendetta Guild of Run Hill City was known for its ruthless methods against incompetent guild members. He had a family to feed. He couldn’t afford to die here.

He calmed down.

"Sorry I lost my temper," he said sincerely to them. "But now is not the time to be backing out. Our lives are on the line here. Also, if we manage to finish this mission well, we will be promoted to senior guild members. Don’t forget that. If we are able to extract even a few of the energy cores if we manage to locate any, we will be made premium guild members and we will have a lot of resources at our disposal."

The team members, including the lady who had suggested earlier that they leave the place, nodded.

"That’s true."

"We can’t afford to give up."

"The team leader is right."

"We should do our best."

Suddenly, someone interrupted the murmurs of agreement.

"What the hell is that?" The person pointed his hand upwards towards a particular direction.

Several azure shimmering orbs floated in the air...

"En... energy cores!"

"Quick, we must be in the location of the energy cores!"

"Let’s advance quickly and take them," the team leader said. "After that, we will search the area for more. When we confirm this is where the energy core vein is, we will send a report to HQ. This place must be where the energy core vein is."

Everyone nodded and followed the team leader.

When they reached where the energy cores were hanging in the air, another group appeared opposite them.

"We arrived here first... scram!" The leader of the opposite group said.

"Heh. Bastards from Night Guild. Since you want to choose violence, then it’s violence we will also use. Kill them!" the team leader of the Vendetta Guild said.

Attacks and affinities erupted over the place.

Shockwaves spread as weapons clashed. Some heads flew. Blood splurged. Limbs tore open and guts bled innards. It was bloody.

Suddenly, roars resounded over the area.

The warriors ceased fighting and looked towards the distance.

Several expert, advanced, and legendary Rank 3 chaotic beasts were approaching. The strange thing was, the chaotic beasts were also fighting each other over the energy cores floating on the air. They unleashed terrifying affinity attacks. Because Rank 3 chaotic beasts were sentient, the attacks of the chaotic beasts were well-coordinated and lethal. Each one attacked the other to kill.

"Shit!" The Vendetta Guild team leader cursed.

Lots of his team members were dead.

"Damn it. Let’s take half of the energy cores each. If we keep fighting, we will all die for nothing and the beasts will take them for themselves," the Night Guild team leader grimaced.

He had lost a lot of team members. He had to compromise or else, his efforts would have been for nothing.

"Alright," the Vendetta Guild team leader said.

They reached for the energy cores floating in the air, about to send them into their storage bags.

However, something large blotted out the skies, and hissed. Azure lightning flashed all over the place.

Several large snakes with thick scales, and lightning streaking across their figures appeared.

Everyone, beasts and warriors included, knew that they were done for.

Aiden, observing this from the tree, simply nodded.

The plan had worked. This was because similar scenes were happening all across the ruined city, and not just here.