Chapter 64: The Invincible Hand

In the eastern district of Ashford City, within an abandoned chemical plant complex marked as Moderate Danger, the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s Third Elite Squad advanced cautiously through the ruins.

At the head of the formation was Steel Blade, a Level 5 Warrior and one of the guild’s earliest core members, personally recruited by Damien. He was known for his daring and aggressive fighting style, often throwing himself into the thick of battle without hesitation.

Behind him followed fourteen elite players ranging between Levels 4 and 5.

Their class composition was well-balanced, and their equipment could be considered excellent for players at their current stage. They were one of the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s most reliable forces, playing an important role in its expansion and exploration efforts.

Their objective this time was straightforward.

Clear out several groups of Level 5–6 Corrosive Slimes and Mutant Rat Swarms entrenched deep within the abandoned factory, collect the required quest items, and investigate the area for potential hidden resource points.

The mission had been issued directly by the guild’s upper management, and the intelligence behind it was supposedly reliable.

"Stay sharp! Watch your step around those corrosive liquid pits!" Steel Blade held an Uncommon-grade tower shield firmly in front of him as he led the formation, his booming voice echoing through the abandoned facility.

"Healers, keep an eye on my health. DPS, focus your fire and take them down one at a time. Don’t aggro any extra mobs!"

"Understood!" The squad members responded in unison.

Their movements were disciplined and methodical, clearly the result of countless battles fought together.

The first few waves of monsters were dealt with without incident.

Corrosive Slimes were crushed beneath Steel Blade’s shield and the squad’s concentrated attacks, while the Mutant Rat Swarms were quickly wiped out by the ranged players. Experience points steadily accumulated, and several common-grade materials were collected along the way.

Everything seemed to be proceeding exactly as planned. Too perfectly.

What they didn’t know was that every step they took was leading them deeper into a meticulously woven death trap.

And the one who had woven this web was none other than Aiden.

Several kilometers away, hidden from their perception, Aiden quietly "watched" their every movement through an encrypted channel.

He had already accounted for their formation. Their route. Their habits.

And even the moment they would realize something was wrong.

By then, it would already be too late.

...

One day earlier...

Through the newly established black-market channel, Aiden "inadvertently" leaked a carefully packaged piece of information to the intelligence broker known as Phantom Eyes.

The information concerned a specific reaction tank area deep within the abandoned chemical plant in Ashford City’s eastern district.

According to Aiden’s "intelligence," the interior space of the area appeared abnormal, while the energy readings were significantly higher than those of the surrounding sections.

He suspected that a Rare Elite Mob or even a Small Hidden Dungeon might be concealed within.

If that were true, the rewards could be substantial. Rare-quality equipment. Rare skill books. Perhaps even something more valuable.

Of course, Aiden was careful not to make the information sound too certain.

He ’emphasized’ that the discovery had yet to be verified and was merely a suspicion based on his own reconnaissance. He also reminded Phantom Eyes that the area was densely populated with monsters and extremely dangerous.

In other words, Aiden gave him exactly what an intelligence broker valued most.

A piece of information that sounded believable, valuable, and just uncertain enough to be irresistible.

Aiden knew Damien and his team well.

When it came to intelligence involving words like "rare," "hidden," and "high-reward," Damien would never simply dismiss it.

Especially when the information came from an area suspected to be connected to an opponent like "Reaper."

Damien would naturally suspect that it could be a trap.

But at the same time, he would be unable to ignore the possibility of obtaining enormous gains.

That was precisely the weakness Aiden intended to exploit.

As expected, the cautious yet greedy Damien chose not to personally enter the area.

Instead, he dispatched the Third Elite Squad.

They were one of the guild’s stronger combat units, brave, experienced, and more than capable of handling ordinary dangers.

But when it came to strategic thinking, they were far less impressive.

Perfect for reconnaissance. Perfect for testing the waters. And, most importantly, Perfect for dying.

This was exactly what Aiden had hoped for.

Deep inside the chemical plant, the Third Elite Squad followed the intelligence they had received and eventually arrived at the massive, rust-covered reaction tank area.

It was unusually quiet. Far too quiet. The air was thick with the pungent stench of chemicals, mixed with something else, a faint, oppressive pressure that made their hearts instinctively tighten.

"Squad Leader, something feels wrong." The vice-captain, a Ranger with exceptionally high Perception, frowned deeply.

"It’s too quiet. My danger perception has been going off ever since we entered this area." Steel Blade’s expression became slightly grim.

He, too, felt that something was wrong. However, after thinking about the guild’s emphasis on this mission and the possibility of obtaining rare equipment or even a rare skill book, he gritted his teeth.

"We’re already here! What is there to be afraid of?"

Steel Blade tightened his grip around his shield.

"We’re a full-strength elite squad. Are you telling me we’re afraid of a few monsters hiding in the shadows?"

He paused before continuing. "Let’s go in and take a look. If the situation looks wrong, we’ll retreat immediately!"

With that, he stepped forward and pushed open the half-ajar metal door, its surface covered in grime and rust.

~Creeeeak~

The moment the door opened, everyone froze.

The interior was nothing like the storage area they had imagined.

Instead, an enormous hall stretched before them, far larger than the exterior of the building should have allowed, with a soaring dome disappearing into darkness overhead.

But what truly made everyone’s scalp tingle was the sight in the center of the hall.

A massive... egg nest.

It resembled some kind of grotesque biological incubator, constructed from viscous corrosive liquid and tangled masses of unknown organic matter.

Countless eggs were embedded within it, their surfaces glistening wetly as faint movements occasionally stirred beneath their translucent shells.