As dawn’s faint light touched the horizon, Sean and the others had already doused the campfire, packed up, and readied themselves to move out.

“Here,” Sean said, pointing to a spot on the map in his hand. “Intel says the White Bloodsource appeared in a sinkhole nearby. Of the four sinkholes in the area, this one’s farthest from Loki Squad—and most likely still unexplored.”

“Still, we haven’t scouted this direction yet. We might run into quite a few Ravagers along the way,” Xiaoming cautioned.

Sean nodded. “Class A and below? Finish them fast. Class A and above? Avoid if possible. Keep noise minimal—don’t draw Loki Squad’s attention.”

“Understood.”

“Move out.”

The three swiftly headed toward the marked location.

——

——

Loki Squad moved with sharp precision at first, darting between ruins with superhuman agility honed by rigorous training.

Ming Yi, lagging far behind, pushed himself to the limit but could only watch helplessly as the squad vanished one by one from sight.

He wasn’t discouraged—it was exactly what he’d expected. Their mission was to find the White Bloodsource. Once they reached the site and began searching, they’d slow down. Plus, clearing Ravagers along the way would buy him time. Just follow the trail—he’d catch up.

Sure enough, after another two or three kilometers, Ming Yi spotted Loki Squad members scattered ahead. He ducked behind cover and observed silently.

Closest to him, about a hundred meters away, were Akiko and Meryl. Straining his ears, he caught fragments of their talk.

“No energy fluctuation of Blood Essence nearby,” Akiko murmured, dark red lens-like plates hovering before her eyes as she scanned the area.

“Wrong direction?” Meryl mused.

“Natural Blood Essence forms randomly, but something as rare as the White Bloodsource should leave traces. Maybe it appears in unusual terrain?”

“Like high peaks or deep valleys?”

“Possibly. Just stay alert around distinctive landscapes.”

“Boss~!” A distant shout echoed—too faint for Ming Yi to identify the voice.

As Akiko and Meryl moved off, Ming Yi cautiously emerged and followed.

Nearby, Kaylo spotted them approaching and called out, “Found it!”

Their faces lit up. The rest of the squad quickly gathered.

“I spotted a deep sinkhole westward. Lots of Ravagers nearby—and several Class A Ravagers inside. Not sure if there’s an S-rank Devourer.”

“With this many Ravagers gathered? It has to be the place.”

A bright smile spread across Meryl’s face. “No time to waste. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

*They found it just like that?* Ming Yi felt a flicker of disappointment. Following them seemed pointless now. *But… maybe higher-tier Ravagers lurk below. Could still be a show.*

He hurried after the departing squad.

——

——

They reached the sinkhole Kaylo described—a basin-shaped depression forged by tectonic shifts, thirty to forty meters deep, nearly a hundred meters wide. Crumbled building ruins littered the floor. Twenty to thirty Ravagers prowled within. And at the center lay a monstrous creature, twenty meters long.

Akiko, standing at the rim, frowned slightly. “One S-rank Devourer. Nineteen Class A Ravagers. Plus lower-tier ones.”

“Guess we’ll stretch our legs a bit,” Kaylo said, licking his lips with excitement.

“Stay sharp. That’s no small number,” Meryl warned, stroking her chin. “Bailian and I take the S-rank Devourer first. You hold the Class A Ravagers. Clean them up after we’re done. Clear?”

“No problem,” Kevin grinned, flashing gleaming white teeth.

“Akiko, stay here. Monitor the field. Alert us at the first sign of trouble.”

“Got it!”

“On my shot.” Meryl inhaled deeply, bit her fingertip. Before the blood could drip, it writhed and coalesced into a sniper rifle. She braced it, aimed at the S-rank Devourer’s throat, and counted down:

“Three—”

“Two—”

“One—”

“Go!!”

A muffled *thud*. A crimson bullet shot forth—and in an instant, a meter-wide blood crater exploded on the Devourer’s throat. The shot nearly severed its neck clean.

*That power?! This isn’t a sniper rifle—it’s a mortar!* Ming Yi inwardly gasped.

The Devourer’s eyes snapped open. A shriek of agony tore through the air. Surrounding Ravagers roared in fury.

*Still alive?! Half its neck’s gone!* Ming Yi stared, stunned by the S-rank Devourer’s monstrous vitality.

At the gunshot’s echo, Loki Squad sprang into action.

Bailian gripped his Spear of Deaththorn and leaped twenty meters down. Ravagers charged toward him—

Before he moved, an eager shout cut through:

“You little beasts—face me!”

“Corruption Artifact — White Flame Gauntlets!”

Dark red gauntlets, etched with arcane patterns and wreathed in faint white flames, sheathed Kaylo’s hands. He closed in three strides, drove a brutal uppercut into a Ravager’s gut—launching it airborne. White flames clung to its body, burning steadily, unquenchable.

Where it landed, a burly man grinned, teeth gleaming.

“Corruption Artifact — Thunderstorm Orb!”

Kevin hurled a crackling orb. *Zzzzt!* Lightning erupted on impact. The stench of charred flesh filled the air. The Ravager twitched once and collapsed.

The orb warped back into his palms. “Detonate!!”

A twenty-meter zone erupted in violent arcs. Electricity lashed the Class A Ravagers, slowing them with paralysis.

“Capier!”

“Received.” Capier blurred past Kevin, claws bursting from his hands—icy, jagged, radiating biting cold.

“Corruption Artifact — Frostclaw Gauntlets!”

He slammed down on a Ravager’s skull. Blood sprayed—then froze midair into glittering ice shards before hitting the ground.