Ian scanned the so-called border with incredulous expression. There was nothing but ruins. Collapsed buildings like cottages, clinics, and posts are abandoned and gloomy.
He realized that the border of the Blood Realm was no different than cities on Earth in its heyday. Ian couldn't help but think.
What battle had occurred here to leave such a place in this state?
"Like what you see?" Barseagle's voice sounded behind Ian who was in a daze.
Ian retracted his gaze and said. "This place has nothing to do with me..."
"Seeing it now. It seems the next war would be a lot more horrible than the previous. I mean look at this damned place. It's where birds don't shit type of location." With a nervous chuckle, Daniel, beside Ian, complained. "So what's our supposed mission here? Find those enemies that infiltrated?"
"That's easier to say than done." Erica let out a helpless sigh. Her eyes fixed on the bugs just head crawling busily on the collapsed wall of one of the damaged establishments. She couldn't help but feel a shudder go through her body. "I didn't sign up for this!"
"Who signed up for this?" Liz rolled her eyes in response. With her lips puckered, she mustered her courage and took the initiative to walk closer to the buildings.
As she got nearer, Liz felt the mood shift. It felt gloomier and heavy. She couldn't really explain it with words but she had the urge to stay away from this place as much as possible. 'What is this feeling? There's no ghost here, right?'
Is a vampire afraid of ghosts? Of course, the ghost on her mind specifically pertains to a kind of creature that really exists in the Curtained Imperium. The reason for their existence is the fear of creatures in the Curtained Imperium also known as the fear factor.
The fear factor depends on how much of the population fears the "thing" and how intense. For instance, fear of natural disasters, phobia of water, etc...
The higher the fear factor, the stronger the power of ghosts and the harder they are to kill. For example, one of the top 15 ghosts was "Unknown." Yes, the name of the ghost was Unknown. Unknown has the power enough to decimate an entire territory of a major race. If taken to the outside world, it was equivalent to one continent.
Unknown's existence stems from the fear of creatures of the Curtained Imperium and even the outside world for the unknown. After all, the oldest and most ancient fear that exists is the fear of everyone for the unknown.
The ghost Unknown possessed nigh infinite energy because most creatures fear the unknown. As for its abilities? Also unknown. For this reason, Unknown's fear factor had left the charts, branding him as a special ghost with strength, easily landing him in the top 15.
True vampires like Barseagle are like a child in front of the ghost Unknown.
Even vampires and werewolves that hate each other to the bones might have to unite to expel any one of the top 15 among the ghosts.
"I hope there's no ghost here. I'm not ready to fight those disgusting creatures. Even if you kill them, they just fucking spawn somewhere." Liz muttered as she carefully strutted deeper.
Ian used his height to his advantage. At vantage points, he could see better and further than his companions.
Just like that, the team 7 began their actual task.
Under Barseagle's lead, Ian lifts heavy obstacles such as collapsed cement, severely damaged vehicles, etc... Liz and Kate slip through narrow passages and cracks, and Daniel watches over dark corners. They advanced fifty kilometers over the past few days, exploring every nook and cranny of the border using carpet search.
"Captain, there are also signs of activities here." Ian lifted an entire building weighing four hundred fifty-one kilometers with ease.
The building held by Ian cast long shadows over Barseagle and others. Just beneath where the building was originally located lay heaps of scattered ashes, clothes, and dozens of footsteps unique to werewolves.
Daniel sat beside the footsteps to examine them. "There's no doubt about it. First, near the old church. Second, in the West Wing Cemetery. And now, this..."
Barseagle's face became grim as he listened. His eyebrows knot, deep in thought. He realized that things weren't as simple as he initially thought. This mission? It's nothing but simple.
He glanced at the traces of activities to try to figure out the goal of the werewolves.
Why have they infiltrated the border? To sneak in some spy to the blood realm? If so, why didn't they bother to hide their traces at all?
Such crude infiltration. With his years of experience, Barseagle understood that the werewolves were not trying to hide at all!
Wait... What if this is all deliberate? Wouldn't that mean they took the bait and walked directly to the trap?
As Barseagle thought of this. His face couldn't help but change.
"What's the matter, captain?" Liz and Kate voiced their doubts as they saw the changes in Barseagle's expression.
Daniel, who knows Barseagle the most, looked at the sky, his hands shaking. "I think we're in some shit..."
Ian threw the building with a powerful lunge. His eyes grew cold.
The terrifying force ripped through the air. In the blood-red sky, the dark clouds parted suddenly, revealing three huge black dots.
The building Ian threw reached them at a moment's notice.
As a result, Ian and Daniel's faces turned ugly as they saw the building divided in half like a watermelon.
Ian moved his burly body as he saw the falling debris on their way. "Get behind me now!"
Kate, Liz, and Daniel didn't hesitate and got behind Ian.
Barseagle, on the other hand, gathered his momentum to his lower body.
As he took off, he leaped thirty meters high and punched the biggest chunk of the building, causing it to explode like shattered glass.
The huge force caused a shockwave that pushed some smaller chunks of debris away from Ian's direction.
"Here it comes." Ian tanked what remained using his exoskeleton. Some directly hit his face, but he didn't bother to dodge at all as long as it wasn't a vital point. "Higher Werewolves..."
Liz, Kate, and Daniel behind Ian felt the tremor which prompted them to hold parts of Ian's feet tightly. "Damn it!" Daniel coughed as some directly sprayed on his face.