Conservation Area 368
Conservation Area 368
Tucked within a mountain-ringed basin, Conservation Area 368 is a small settlement scarcely more than a village, its permanent population never exceeding three hundred.
It lies cupped by sheer cliffs that plunge a thousand meters, a stark, mineral-rich bowl.
Once, prospectors and traders were drawn here in a feverish rush for fortune. Now, the bustle is gone.
Only a few dozen structures remain, huddled around the conservation area's heart: a modest Central Purification Filter.
Commandant, according to Kolm, the conservation area's medical station should be right here.
As you round the corner, Liv gestures discreetly toward a junction, where a small, unassuming building stands with quiet sturdiness.
No. I heard the doctor went out with the patrol team. She won't be back until later this evening.
Liv opens her terminal and sends over a file.
I sneaked into the station before dawn and checked the treatment records. Kolm was admitted about six days ago. He was bandaged up, given painkillers, and discharged as soon as he was conscious...
That transport took off four days ago, passed through several conservation areas, and then returned to Babylonia exactly three days ago, when we received our mission.
It's completely consistent. I made copies of the admission records from that period. Using our investigation as a reason, I also managed to get the entrance surveillance footage from the person in charge.
She gestures toward another direction.
The entrance is just over there. So I used the footage to cross-reference anyone who lingered nearby during the time Kolm mentioned.
This is the list of people I thought seemed suspicious. I've already shared it with Babylonia.
The list is short, with only seven names on it.
This area is quite remote, and the mining sector has been abandoned for a long time. There aren't many people left here, mostly just those who couldn't evacuate during the Punishing Virus outbreak. So the foot traffic is very light.
From this list, I've already looked into two of them. We can probably rule them out... they were both severely injured and in a deep coma the night of the incident. They're still being treated at the medical station.
And, two others left yesterday for the mining area. They mentioned they were going to collect minerals and supplies for trading.
Yes, the mining area. I asked the person in charge about it, to be sure. She told me people do go there to collect minerals for trading, but she also warned me it hasn't been safe lately. It seems fewer people have been willing to take the risk.
That was my thought exactly. It does make them seem suspicious.
They're with the patrol team that's still out. They left with the doctor and should be back this evening.
Liv has already had a vehicle waiting at the edge of the conservation area.
It doesn't take long to reach the derelict mining road—less than half an hour. The moment you turn onto it, the smooth ride ends. The chassis shudders as the wheels plunge into potholes, tossing you in your seats with a violent, rhythmic violence.
...
After nearly being launched from your seat yet again...
It really has been a long time since we've driven on roads like this... Commandant, are you okay?
Do you need to take a break?
Only after confirming multiple times does Liv reluctantly set off again, still concerned.
I've reviewed the records for this conservation area. The supervisor filed several requests for maintenance funds, but due to the low Punishing Virus concentration and minimal Hetero-Creature activity, they were all classified as "low priority."
More recently, they also reported "unusual activity in the mining sector." But Babylonia's resources were stretched thin with the safe zone construction and Kowloong Corp's new maritime defense line, so they could only dispatch a single Task Force squad...
Liv frees one hand to bring up a file from her terminal.
They're one of our special operations squads, particularly skilled in desert and cave combat environments.
I have their regular reports... right here.
She taps open a video file.
This is Captain Flayo of the Rodent squad.
Following the orders, we've arrived at Conservation Area 368 and successfully reached the incident location.
This is it.
We've discovered clear traces of an explosion in the main shaft. By tracking the debris pattern, we located some Hetero-Creatures hiding deeper in the mining area.
The Punishing concentration here is negligible. Multiple sensor sweeps show no viral accumulation. Our current theory is that the mine has other, unmapped entrances. The creatures likely used one to get in and then triggered old excavation charges—
Hey! Ymir! Don't touch that! Vail! Stop her!!
The camera jolts as a faint blast rips through the air from somewhere out of frame.
How was I supposed to know it was still live?!
Ahem... Anyway, the immediate area is secure, but we'll need more time to find the Hetero-Creatures' point of entry...
End of report.
Right here.
She taps her terminal a few times, and the call connects.
Hello, this is the Gray Raven squad from Babylonia. We're currently assisting with the elimination of Hetero-Creatures in the mining area of Conservation Area 368.
H... Hello...
The signal from the other end is terrible, cutting in and out with heavy static interference.
Cough... Hello! This—is—Rodent—! I'm—Captain—Flayo—!
Two dull, percussive thuds punch through the transmission, making the projection shudder and distort. Then, as abruptly as it began, the signal stabilizes.
Haha, sorry about that. Signal's terrible down here. Sometimes you just have to...
Whoa! That's Gray Raven's contact icon! I can't believe Gray Raven is coming to help us! Ymir! Vail! Get over here! It's Gray Raven!
Woah... So this is the Gray Raven Commandant? This is crazy!
Wow... The commandant's not even seven feet tall and doesn't have wings! Ymir! You lose! Pay up! Hahaha!
Dammit!
...Ahem.
Ah, right, sorry about that. They're just... a little over-enthusiastic. It's not every day you get a visit from the legendary Gray Raven Commandant.
With two firm hands, the captain shoves his two teammates' heads down, cutting short their curious gaze.
Nice to meet you. We are the Gray Raven squad. I am Liv, and this is my commandant, [player name].
Uh... hate to say it, but it's kinda frustrating. We've gone in multiple times, cleared out plenty of those creatures, but every time we go back, it's like we never made a dent. We keep running into new ones.
The place is a maze. Checking all the tunnels and potential entrances is taking forever. The weird part is how they keep showing up. It's like they're... respawning.
And they change. A few of them just wander around, no threat. But once their numbers hit a certain point, it's like a switch flips. They stop wandering and start hunting. Coordinated.
We've been thinking the same thing, but we haven't found a single— Ymir! Behind you!
There's no time for formalities; the line erupts in a blast of chaotic noise and goes dead.
A shift in behavior triggered by population density... Could there be a Hetero-Creature controlling them? Like... the twins from before?
The presence of a controller implies a defined purpose. However, the current method of "deployment" clearly wouldn't achieve any meaningful "results."
And the Punishing concentration... it's holding steady. It's not spiking with the creature activity, but it's not dissipating either...
Before she can finish speaking, Liv suddenly looks up and brings the vehicle to an abrupt halt.
A shared glance with Liv is all it takes. You both slip out of the vehicle and move toward the source of the disturbance.
