Chapter 432 - 406: Corroder (2)

Chapter 432: Chapter 406: Corroder (2)

But that wasn’t all.

The large bugs with swollen abdomens crawled up.

They found the gaps their companions had gnawed open and aimed their swollen abdomens at those holes.

"PFFT!"

A thick, eerie-green fog spewed out.

An acrid, sour stench assaulted the nostrils.

It was a potent bio-acid, specially concocted by Sarah to target metal structures.

White smoke billowed.

Under the potent acid, the thick steel plates rapidly glowed red, softened, and then melted into black pools of molten iron that flowed down the rocks.

"BUBBLE... BUBBLE..."

The sound of the molten iron boiling seemed especially jarring in the cavern.

In less than a minute.

That pile of tower shields, enough to arm a squad of heavy infantry, had vanished completely.

All that remained was a patch of black residue on the ground, still smoldering.

Ola’s mouth fell open, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

He glanced from the residue on the ground to his prized battle-axe, then gulped.

’If one of those things crawled onto me...’

He shuddered.

"These are the ’Corroders’."

Velin walked up to the puddle of molten iron. Even from several meters away, he could feel the blast of heat.

"They are small, unassuming, but plenty dangerous."

He turned to look at the stunned Ola.

"Most importantly," Velin said, picking up a piece of iron that hadn’t completely melted and tossing it in his hand, "they’re only interested in metal."

"Be it city gates of fine steel, hinges reinforced with Mithril, or those humming alchemical cauldrons."

With a flick of his wrist, Velin tossed the iron shard into the black swarm churning at his feet.

"CRUNCH, CRUNCH."

In the blink of an eye, the iron shard was swarmed by several squabbling "Corroders." It vanished instantly, without a trace.

"To them, it’s all food."

"This... this is just..."

After struggling for a moment, Ola finally managed to spit out two words.

"So underhanded."

’This tactic completely violates the spirit of knighthood.’

’No charge, no duel, you haven’t even seen the enemy’s face, and you’re melting the armor right off their bodies.’

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

Velin accepted the assessment without batting an eye.

"Kael."

The ever-silent Kael looked up, sheathing his shortsword.

"Take your people, and these little darlings."

Velin pointed to the swarm of bugs that had quieted down again.

"You leave tonight."

Velin walked up to Kael and adjusted his collar.

"You have only one objective."

"Infiltrate Mine No. 7 in the Black Rock Earl’s Domain."

"Find the Plague Workshop. Take all documents and leave no survivors. Then, release Sarah’s ’children’."

"Let them feast."

Kael nodded, his expression unchanging.

"Understood."

Sarah released Velin’s arm and walked before the squirming black swarm. A low, strange hiss escaped her lips.

The previously restless "Corroders" fell silent in an instant, as if they had heard an undeniable command. They then formed neat lines and automatically crawled into the openings of special containers held by the elite soldiers, filing one by one into small vials.

Kael turned to look behind him.

The operation prioritized skill over numbers. Besides himself, Mia, and Xiaolan, there were seven other Level 4 elite operatives, rigorously selected from the Gebiewu—ten people in total.

Once the swarm was completely bottled, they quickly sealed the vials. Each person’s specialized pack was stuffed with at least twenty vials filled with these lethal organisms, their heavy weight a promise of the destruction to come.

At that moment, Xiaolan was in a corner, tending to her dagger. Her expression was calm—unnaturally so. She was like a killing machine being calibrated.

Velin walked over.

"Are you ready?"

Xiaolan looked up, sliding the dagger into the sheath on her thigh. "I am ready, my lord. It’s just an infiltration and sabotage mission. It will be difficult, but I can accomplish it."

Her tone was devoid of fear, but also of any other emotion.

Velin looked into her eyes. They were clear yet empty, as if there was nothing in them but the mission objective.

"Xiaolan, why do you think we fight?" Velin suddenly asked.

Xiaolan froze, seemingly taken aback by the question. She answered instinctively, "To follow your orders. To... kill the enemy."

"Not entirely."

Velin reached out and placed a hand gently on her shoulder, his tone growing serious, yet gentle.

"Orders are just a direction, and killing is just a means to an end. If all you have in your heart is the mission and the kill, you will eventually lose yourself to the bloodshed. You’ll become a mindless weapon, only to be broken and discarded in some forgotten corner."

Xiaolan looked at him, a little lost. "Then what should I..."

"Find your own reason to fight," Velin said, his gaze fixed on her. "Whether it’s to protect your comrades, to end this pointless war, or simply to live with more dignity. Whatever it is, you must find that reason."

"Only a blade wielded with conviction will not harm its wielder."

Xiaolan was silent for a long time. She lowered her head, looking at the lines on her palm, then took a deep breath. The emptiness in her eyes receded slightly, replaced by a glimmer of thought.

"I understand, my lord... I will try."

Velin nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at Ola, who had long been waiting impatiently nearby.

Mia had already hopped off an ammunition crate. She brushed some fruit crumbs from her hands and went to stand by Kael’s side. Clearly, she was also part of the strike team.

"What about me?"

Ola pointed to himself, hoisting his battle-axe onto his shoulder. "Am I going in to do some chopping, too?"

"No."

Velin shook his head.

"You’re the pilot."

"What? A pilot?" Ola’s eyes went wide with unwillingness. "My lord, you want me and my axe to be... a pilot?"

"Speed and stealth are key to this operation." Velin walked to a map, tapping the location of Mine No. 7 in the Black Rock Earl’s Domain. "Kael’s team needs to get in undetected. Only you pilots can get them there safely and quickly."

"You’ll use the cover of night and clouds to fly right over the heads of those Empire bastards."

"Land near Mine No. 7."

Velin turned his head and stared at Ola.

"And then, you can’t return to base. And you can’t be discovered."

"You’ll hide and wait. Whether Kael’s team succeeds or something goes wrong, you are their only escape route."

"Can you do it? This requires more patience and skill than charging into battle."

’Ola understood. The lives of the entire team were being placed in his hands.’

"Alright."

Ola sighed. His usual carefree expression vanished, replaced by a solemn one.

"If they make it out alive, I’ll get them back alive. I’ll take the job."

「Deep in the night.」

A hidden platform in the mountains behind Minas Tirith.

The rain had stopped, but the air was still filled with the scent of damp earth.

Several massive Big Thief Gulls rested silently on the runway.

They still bore faint scars from their last battle with the Dragon Eagles, and their white feathers gleamed with a cold light under the chilly moon.

The Knights were making their final checks.

There was no shouting, no barked orders—everything was done in silence.

Kael, Mia, Xiaolan, and the seven other elites quickly mounted the Big Thief Gulls. Each carried a heavy pack containing enough "little darlings" to destroy the defenses of a fortress, and all were bundled in specialized, cold-resistant leathers.

Ola straddled the saddle of Stuka and looked back.

Kael nodded at him.

Velin stood at the edge of the runway.

The wind whipped his coat, making it snap.

He watched the departing strike team, his face impassive.

No rousing speech, no sentimental send-off.

He just calmly raised a hand, giving the signal to depart.

"Come back alive."

His voice was lost in the wind.

"WHOOSH—"

Huge wings spread wide, stirring up a gale.

The Big Thief Gulls taxied on the runway, accelerating.

There was no cry, no shriek.

Instead of skimming the treetops as they usually did, they threw their heads back. Their powerful hearts pumped immense power, carrying the ten operatives as they pierced the night sky at a near-vertical angle.

In the blink of an eye, they shot above the clouds, vanishing into the vast, frigid night sky, headed straight for the most secret tumor in the Black Rock Earl’s Domain.