"... This makes me scratch my head, Daira. You know what might happen when Monique wakes up, don't you?" Gregory spoke with an air of confusion and a bit of apprehension, his gaze wavering.

"I know, of course. But I believe this is your problem, right? After all, you were the one who hired us and accepted the deal." Daira replied, her tone calm and cheerful, as she crossed her legs again with a mischievous smile.

"... Okay..." Gregory sighed, giving up, thinking better about the situation. "But please, don't overdo it..."

"We won't ask for more than we deserve, you can be sure." Vivian said with a sharp smile, approaching Gregory and shaking his hand, sealing the deal.

"Now, Daira, keep an eye on the situation. If there is any suspicious movement or interaction while I'm not here, please record everything." Gregory said, handing the camera and other equipment to her. “Record or write it down, in as much detail as possible.”

“You’re welcome.” Daira replied, grabbing the equipment and standing up quickly.

“You and I will move away to a safe place where I can use the phone and make the necessary calls. These mutagenic agents are interfering with the signal.” Gregory gestured to Vivian.

“Sure, just point the way.” Vivian replied, her voice impatient.

“We’ll come back the same way.” Gregory stated.

“Then do the honors.” Vivian replied sarcastically, crossing her arms.

______________________________

When Gregory made the call, the city of Efflium plunged into true operational chaos. The word “EX-Level Mission” was not used lightly. This type of classification meant an immediate risk to the region’s security, and every second lost increased the chances of an irreversible disaster.

SHH went into action instantly, but the problem was the shortage of qualified personnel in the nearby areas. Most of the high-level agents were involved in complex missions, trapped in blackout zones or simply too far away for a quick response.

SHH's internal records showed a worrying scenario: there was no available team in Efflium with the level needed to deal with the threat.

The solution came through the SHH Shared Database, a system that interconnected all superintendencies across the continent. This network allowed cities to exchange information about available agents, equipment and pending favors between branches and, most importantly, facilitated the tracking of qualified agents.

But accessing this resource came at a high cost—Efflium would have to pay a significant price to request reinforcements so urgently.

A frantic rush began at the SHH offices in Efflium. Encrypted messages were sent to neighboring cities, summoning high-level Hounds and Hunters. Each request was accompanied by promises of generous compensation: money, access to rare equipment, strategic favors and even priority in future operations.

Hours passed as Hounds were located and their terms were negotiated. Six individuals were finally assembled, abandoning ongoing missions to answer the call.

Some of them were hundreds of kilometers away, requiring a massive logistical operation to bring them in time. To mobilize the six agents in record time, Efflium organized a transport operation worthy of a silent war.

High-speed military jets and stealth fighters were deployed to pick up each of them at the closest points, cutting through the sky in meticulously planned trajectories to avoid wasting time.

Upon arrival in Efflium, there was no time for rest. As soon as they landed, they were immediately taken directly to a meeting room inside the Foreign Operations Command Center.

There, they received a full briefing on the mission, gathering all the information that Gregory had sent to the city.

The data pointed to the presence of a female Aligodon with cubs, a Level 4 Beast, a lethal predator in its own right. But the biggest problem wasn’t just the creature—some unknown phenomenon was gathering mutagenic agents in the region in an uncontrolled and unexplained manner.

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The mission had been classified as EX, a level reserved for high-risk threats with unknown variables. The real danger was still hidden, and underestimating the situation could mean a fatal mistake.

The strategy was straightforward, but its execution would require precision, coordination, and extreme caution. Once they reunited with Gregory’s team, both units would have to quickly organize to deal with the Aligodon and investigate the source of the phenomenon in the lake.

The first step was to prevent the Aligodon from interfering with the investigation. To do this, the Hounds would be in charge of luring the creature as far away from the critical area as possible. They would use bait, sound devices and calculated attacks to guide it to a more remote area, where they could keep it occupied or, if necessary, kill it.

One of the Hunters would accompany the Hounds, providing tactical support and coordinating strategies in case the creature became unpredictable. The movement had to be quick and efficient, as there was no set time for this task.

While the Aligodon was distracted, the other two Hunters would be tasked with conducting a complete analysis of the lake, using radiation counters, electromagnetic sensors, biochemical sensors, environmental scanners and underwater drones to map the area and identify the source of the disturbance.

The primary objective was to determine whether the phenomenon was directly linked to the Aligodon or if it was caused by another unknown source.

With this objective determined, the secondary objective would be to determine whether eliminating the Aligodon could destabilize the area or worsen the anomaly.

Only after a careful analysis would the team make the decision to eliminate the Aligodon or not. If the predator and its offspring were considered a risk factor for the containment of the phenomenon, the order for total extermination would be authorized.

If the Aligodon was considered fundamental to the phenomenon, the entire team would focus its efforts on containing the creature. All means were authorized as long as they did not threaten the stability of the phenomenon.

With the Aligodon eliminated or contained, the Hunters would have to deepen the investigation, collecting biological samples, environmental data and records of the mutagenic activity in the lake.

All information should be sent as quickly as possible to the Command Center, where specialists would analyze the material in real time. Until the researchers were able to determine the true nature of the phenomenon and what measures should be taken, the team would remain on standby, protecting the area against possible attacks by other mutant beasts.

Depending on the complexity of the anomaly, the analysis process could take hours or even days, requiring maximum vigilance and endurance from field agents.

With instructions given and the plan outlined, the team was flown to the infiltration point. A stealth helicopter transported them in the darkness, moving like a shadow over the forest canopy. Flying low, dodging radar, and avoiding predictable trajectories, the aircraft finally reached a strategic point two miles from the target.

But something was wrong.

From above, thermal sensors picked up abnormal variations. The ground below seemed to pulse, and the faint glow of mutagenic particles spread beyond what had been recorded hours earlier. The contaminated zone had expanded. Slowly but relentlessly, the forest was transforming.

Dropped about a mile from the target, six agents jumped from the helicopter, rappelling down to the forest floor below. The darkness was profound, and the silence unsettling.

The support group lined up at the entrance to the Mutagen Zone, feeling the weight of the atmosphere around them. The air was thick, as if saturated with something invisible, a suffocating presence that made every breath sound strange and metallic.

The vegetation just ahead was a twisted shadow of what it should have been: misshapen leaves with jagged edges and a strange sheen under the light of night vision goggles; gnarled trunks looked wounded, as if something was eating them away from the inside out.

“That smells like shit...” one of the Hunters grumbled, moving a little ahead of the group to get a closer look at the place.

The man was a stocky dark-skinned man with an impeccably groomed beard and goatee. His expression remained impassive, professional, as his eyes scanned the surroundings for signs of danger.

Nearly six feet tall, his presence was imposing, his tactical vest molded to his broad torso, muscles firm even under the reinforced clothing. On his back, a bulky backpack pressed against his shoulders, but he didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable.

His attire was standard: helmet, reinforced vest, heavy-duty boots, tactical pants, utility belts, and a few holsters scattered throughout his uniform. His rifle rested firmly against his chest, attached to the tactical belt, and several secondary weapons were distributed in holsters along his body.

"Aline, can you feel anything in front of you?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled.

Two steps behind, a female figure moved with the fluid grace of a predator. Tall, with long, wavy red hair, sharp eyes, and long ears that pricked up slightly as she listened to her surroundings.

Her deep purple skin contrasted with the dark military garb that molded her well-defined curves. But there was nothing soft about her presence—her body was built for hunting and combat. The Vulkanirium-enhanced combat gloves hinted at her specialty: brute strength and critical agility.

“Besides the horrible smell and decrepit sight?” She replied in a neutral tone, but with a hint of sarcasm.