The Mystery of the Command

The campsite under the shroud of the night was silent, save for the campfire crackling in the wind. The hunters' faces were cast in flickering light and shadow, and everyone's expression was extremely solemn. Having experienced consecutive days of assaults, everyone understood that the enemy was no longer an unorganized beast, but a group that constantly learned and evolved.

Palm sat by the campfire, holding her notebook tightly to her chest, her fingertips turning pale from excessive force. Her handwriting was slanted, yet line by line she recorded the battle that had just taken place. Even with rapid breathing, she did not allow herself to miss a single half-sentence.

Morel spat out a plume of white smoke, breaking the silence. "The enemy will only grow stronger; they won't stop at today's level."

Knov spoke coldly. "The presence of a high-tier individual has already been confirmed inside the stone basin. It didn't strike, yet it made the surrounding group much more orderly. This means its very existence is a form of deterrence."

Icarus frowned, pointing at the markers on the map. "The movements of the outer columns and the core stone basin are increasingly resembling an army. They aren't just relying on instinct; they're mimicking our coordination."

Linas's voice was low. "Today's assaults were faster than yesterday's. In another two days, their movements will be more proficient than ours."

Knuckle clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth. "In that case, we must take the initiative to attack. We can't just wait for them to get stronger."

Shoot pushed his monocle, coldly refuting him. "Brashly charging in is suicide. You saw it too; the numbers inside the stone basin are simply not something we can handle head-on."

The tent fell into silence once again.

Palm raised her head, her voice trembling yet