Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1070: Dangerous possibilities

The group, operating with a strategic and militaristic mindset, efficiently coordinated their actions based on the decisions made by Sealyn and the discussions with headquarters. The division of tasks was clear: Rain and Asche would continue their surveillance mission, keeping a close eye on the enemy base while Sealyn, along with the remaining members, would look for other bases.

As the group split, Rain couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. While the decision was undoubtedly practical and in line with military strategy, the prospect of staying behind and maintaining a watchful eye on the base left him with a troubled feeling. His usual role involved being on the front lines, directly engaging with challenges, rather than observing from a distance.

Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of the situation or the discomfort of not actively participating in the field, but Rain found himself troubled by the prospect of the watchful role assigned to him. He had grown accustomed to taking the lead, facing dangers head-on, and now, he was relegated to a more passive position.

"You aren't used to waiting, are you?" Asche asked. "You look like a dungeon boss who is eager to leave the boss chamber to kill its prey."

"I guess I couldn't look more obvious even if I wanted," Rain said.

"Anyway, I can't say much since I am no longer good at waiting," Asche asked. "We need to think of better ways to do this kind of job. Can't you come up with a new spell or something?"

"You talk like I create spells out of my ass," Rain said.

Asche had a point… if magic was no good, maybe Rain could create a drone or something that worked with electricity. With Maxime's help, that shouldn't be completely impossible. Even if it were magical, with the right runes, it would be able to escape the senses of animals and monsters, and that was the problem they were facing right now, after all.

In any case, nothing happened while they kept working on that kind of job and they didn't have many chances to see anything either. The monsters kept moving around the same as usual… they definitely were being controlled, but Rain couldn't sense any irregular magic that would have that kind of effect on them.

"... Since this is an advanced civilization, maybe they are being controlled with machines, or they were brainwashed or something," Rain thought. "If they could do something like the authority magic of the dragons, it would be pretty scary to be captured by them."

After a couple of hours of small talk and waiting, the group's attention abruptly shifted when a sudden movement caught their eyes. A contingent of the monstrous creatures, the same kind that patrolled the snowy surroundings, began to mobilize with unexpected precision and all at once. What was even more intriguing was the way the fortress itself seemed to respond to their movements.

Half of the creatures altered their course, making a beeline toward the facility, and to everyone's surprise, the massive walls of the fortress opened, allowing them to enter seamlessly. Simultaneously, another group of identical creatures emerged from the depths of the fortress, positioning themselves to replace those who had just departed.

It was as if a carefully orchestrated shift change was taking place, with one group heading out for patrol while another took their positions.

The sight was both perplexing and intriguing. The monsters seemed to operate on a schedule, suggesting a level of organization and control that went beyond mere instinct. The mechanics of the fortress, with its moving walls and coordinated creature rotations, hinted at a sophisticated system in place.

Rain observed the scene, his mind racing with possibilities. The idea that these creatures were being controlled by machines or subjected to some form of advanced brainwashing gained proof with each passing moment. The precision and order of their movements indicated a level of manipulation that transcended the natural behavior of these creatures.

"... Around five hundred of them left, and more five hundred came… if they take turns of six or twelve hours, they could have between two thousand or four thousand of them," Rain said.

"It is a rather large number for a force of this size," Asche said while holding her bow tightly. "If they have other posts here… this battle will become massive in scale and perhaps will last for a while. Also, I am worried as to why we didn't find any signs of their cannon yet."

Rain nodded… he was worried too. Perhaps those parts left the planet one month ago with that other cargo. It didn't matter how much Rain thought about that… only bad ideas came to his head. In any case, he reported that to the headquarters and asked them to send the message to the other group as well.

"We will have to keep you watching them for another day to confirm their routine," Esmeralda said. "Did the walls close as soon as the exchange ended?"

"Yes," Rain replied. "I can't even see the part where the walls split anymore, even though the ice on it also split. Esmeralda, are you guys still keeping an eye on the cargo, and it didn't reach any place?"

"That is right, why do you ask?" Esmeralda asked.

"I am starting to think that it was just a bait, an empty cargo to split our attention, and their next base might be somewhere else," Rain said. "I don't want to raise any concerts, but there is the possibility that the enemies might try to destroy this world while we are here if we cause enough destruction. With that in mind, you should keep the vessel at a pretty large distance just in case."

The gravity of Rain's words was heavy in the air, causing a collective silence among the group. While the scale and context were different, the idea that the enemy might resort to destroying one of their own bases as a tactical maneuver to inflict damage on their adversaries wasn't unfamiliar in the history of warfare.