System's POV-Chapter 911: Beyond The Boundaries Of Safety [Part 1]

"We shouldn't be here, Boss."

"Shut up! We've already gone this far. Just think of the money we'll get after we finish our mission!"

"That's right. After just five more miles, we can return to the Cygni Coalition to send our report."

A two-hundred big group of Mercenaries was conducting a field research about the changes in the gates within the four-hundred-mile zone Thirteen had stated.

Douglas Griffin hired them all at a big price and provided them with all the resources necessary for this expedition.

Since it was a high-risk high-reward job, the Mercenaries were extremely careful in traversing the Jinn-infested lands.

They sent daily reports to Douglas, listing the things they discovered along the way.

Several monster hordes blocked their path along the way, but the mercenary group had ten Champions and twenty Grandmasters, so they easily annihilated the threats.

Even the weakest in their group were Initiates, making this Mercenary Group one of the best in the Cygni Continent.

This was also the reason why Douglas had complete faith in them.

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"It's just like that brat Zion said," said the leader of the Mercenary Group to Douglas through his communicator. "We haven't found any monsters past the Rank 5 Rank in the dens we destroyed. We're also nearing the 400-meter boundary. Should we proceed?"

"No," Douglas replied. "Now that you've confirmed that there is no immediate threat within the North East Sector, you can return to the headquarters to rest. After a few days, I will send you again to survey the East."

"Zion is surveying the Southeast, so we're halfway done with our investigation. There's no need to risk your lives any further than this."

The Mercenary Leader chuckled. "You're getting soft, Boss. Where's that bold, courageous leader I followed in the past? Is your age catching up to you?"

"You little prick, I've been fighting Jinns before you're even born. Now get your ass back here before I cut your pay by half."

The Mercenary Leader chuckled a second time before saying the plan that he had in mind.

"Um, actually, I have a proposal, Boss."

"No."

"But I haven't said anything yet?"

"I know what you're thinking, you fool. Don't go past the boundary and go back. We don't know what lies beyond, and you are currently deep within enemy lines."

"I'm sorry, Boss. I got curious, and our group had already traveled past the border while we were talking. Don't worry, we only planned to go an extra five miles before going back home."

Just as Douglas was about to nag at his subordinate for doing something reckless, he heard a loud banging, which made him frown.

"Leader! Please come out!" shouted one of the Mercenaries as he banged his hand on the back of the truck. "You need to see this right away! Please hurry!"

Hearing the panicked voice of his second-in-command, the Mercenary Leader didn't hesitate to come out of the truck. He didn't end his conversation with Douglas, even activating the live camera feature of the communicator, allowing the Monarch to see what was happening outside.

"By the Gods…" the Mercenary Leader muttered as he gazed at what seemed to be a giant snail the size of a hill.

It had a purple body, but that wasn't the most striking feature… No. The first thing they noticed when they looked at this abomination were the countless eyes it had in every part of its body.

As someone who stood at the peak of the Champion Rank, the Mercenary Leader instantly knew that the monster in the distance was strong.

Extremely strong.

Douglas, who was also seeing the creature through his projection, immediately gave an order to the Mercenary Leader.

"Get out of there, now!" Douglas shouted.

However, the Mercenary Leader and his men didn't even respond to Douglas' orders.

They stood rooted in place as if they were under a trance.

Suddenly, the giant snail that had countless eyes emitted what seemed to be a devilish chuckle, giving Douglas goosebumps through the screen.

It was as if the monster was mocking him for trying to wake the humans who had already fallen under its control.

"Didn't anyone tell you that you shouldn't play with your food, Ossan?" said a handsome young man with purple hair with a smile. "Or did you perhaps get excited after we came across these humans while taking our stroll?"

The giant snail let out another eerie chuckle before all of its eyes glowed red.

The Mercenary Leader and his members then started to walk toward the monster that had now taken hold of their senses.

"Wake up, Mark!" Douglas shouted. "You fool! Wake up or you're dead! Don't forget your wife is about to give birth in a month! Do you want her to become a widow?!"

Suddenly, the Mercenary Leader shuddered as his consciousness broke free from the monster's control.

As soon as he regained his senses, he clapped his hands twice, sending out a powerful shock wave that blasted his subordinates backward.

"Huh?!"

"What the?!"

"Leader, have you gone mad?!"

Mark then grabbed his two subordinates before shouting to the rest.

"Don't look at its eyes!" Mark shouted. "Run all of you if you want to live!"

He didn't dare to stay long, fearing that the moment he fell into a trance a second time, he wouldn't be waking up ever again.

Unfortunately, the other Mercenaries were still too groggy after they were forcefully awakened from their trance.

Some of them gazed at the monster a second time, and soon, their faces once again turned lax as they fell under the monster's control.

"Damn it!" Mark cursed loudly before summoning his flying Avatar, a Great Eagle.

Knowing his thoughts, the eagle didn't look at the monster behind it and simply flew away as fast as it could.

Some of the mercenaries followed their leader, and were able to fly away safely.

Unfortunately, more than half of their group once again fell under the Jinn's control, and resumed their death walk towards the Monster, who didn't even mind that some of its prey had escaped.

It was as if it was merely playing a game, and whether the Wanderers fell into its control or not didn't matter to it.

"Ossan, you should really change this bad habit of yours." The handsome young man sighed. "Next time, don't play with your food, okay?"

The giant snail chuckled for a third time before it went to meet the Wanderers, who were now about to become its snack.