We'll Explore the Map First!

After getting called, I spoke with the others for a short bit before heading to the platform once more. There, the Portal Gun was still on its pedestal, waiting for someone to pull the trigger and activate its functions.

"It's not like I designed it to only be usable by me," I grumbled as I held the gun and waited for the signal.

Major Selena turned to her wristwatch and roared in a loud voice. "Alright, Alpha Team. The current time is 0800; mark your watches in three, two, one, mark!"

*BEEP!*

After a simultaneous beep, everyone started to pick up their gear and ready to move. As they finished, Major Selena turned in my direction and nodded.

"Alright, I'm turning on the portal!"

I raised my voice as I pulled the trigger, locking it in place and placing the gun on its pedestal, keeping it nice and steady. The low humming sound that couldn't be suppressed was irritating our ears as the bluish-white portal opened up before us.

"Double-check your mission details once on the other side! Alpha Team, you have one hour, go!" Major Selena waved her hand, commanding the team of eight.

The eight of them moved quickly, despite their heavy-looking gear. In just seconds, the four of them vanished beyond the portal and could be seen running onward while keeping watch of their surroundings.

"Now, close the portal!"

I still don't get why we need to close it if letting it stay open would be safer for the Alpha Team, but either way, I still followed the command. I undid the trigger locking mechanism, letting the oscillator slowly lose power. In a few seconds, the portal would lose its integrity and vanish.

"...! Stop!"

Before it vanished, I, along with the others, jumped into the portal and turned to Major Selena, who was having a panicked expression. In an instant, all six of us made it through. Wait, six?

"Lieutenant Alice!" The major called QUEEN's name right before the portal disappeared. The silence spread right after.

"... Well, what's done is done." I shrugged, ignoring why QUEEN followed us inside too. "But first, let's go and explore this new map!"

*OOOOH!*

Just like when a new map was released on Lost Age, everyone was excited to go around and explore the new world that would soon be our target for conquering.

First of all, I started to look around. For as far as the eyes could see, nothing but the red cracked earth, together with dried husks of what used to be trees and plants lying around, was present. The terrain was almost flat, extending as far as the eyes could see. However, the further the distance was, the mirage formed from the heat was blocking the view.

"This looks like a dried-up savanna on earth..." Toki commented, touching the dry soil and watching as it crumbled between her fingers.

Mina was looking at a compass, and seeing it turn round and round like a top, she gave up on it. "Magnetic fields are a mess out here. We can't use a compass properly."

"I see... Then there's a chance we'd get lost out here." I nodded my head before opening my World Storage. "Fortunately, I brought this to be used as a marker."

I took out two items, namely a tank full of helium and a large red balloon. When inflated, the balloon should be about a meter in diameter, so it was pretty big. We can't let it fly too high, however, for there's the risk of the enemies finding it too. Still, it's a great way to mark our starting point.

"Aaaand done!"

I tied the end of the balloon to a long fishing line, about ten meters long, before anchoring it using a rectangular lump of iron. The balloon flew straight up, waving here and there as it followed the air currents.

"With this, at least we'll know where we should return even if we get lost."

"Won't birds be curious and peck at it?" Lily asked while staring at the balloon flying in the air.

"Ah, you worry too much, Lily! Do you think something as random as a bird would be present in such a barren location?" Hailey rebutted.

"Rather than that, why are you even carrying a helium tank and balloons?" Mina ignored the two and asked. "I mean, I know you have lots of things in your storage, but isn't that too random?"

"Oh, this? This is part of my welding kit; it's a 50-50 argon helium mix. Along with it, I also have a welding-use generator, an oxy-acetylene torch, cylinders, and many others."

"... Are you going to start a repair business or something?"

I get what Mina was saying, but what can I say? It's convenient to have them in my World Storage, ready to use anytime.

Anyway, now that we have a marker up, we can finally start exploring in peace. "Everyone, how about we go one in each direction, the opposite of where the Alpha Team is headed?"

We have no idea what is north here, but if we designate the Alpha Team's direction as north, then we would be searching from the east, south, and west directions.

"I agree with that! But what if we find some treasure, or a ruin, or something along the line?" Hailey responded as she energetically raised her hand.

Finding something like that, I'm sure the drive to go ahead and explore it would be great. However, danger comes along with exploring the unknown. "That... Just take a picture and leave it alone until after we regroup."

Everyone quickly agreed. As expected of gamers, instead of being afraid of going alone in an unknown place, the girls were excited to go and search around for something they could profit from.

"We'll go fifteen minutes one way, then another fifteen minutes back, for a total of thirty minutes of exploration. In the case of encountering hostiles, prioritize stealth over killing."

"If you kill everything within your view without giving them time to raise a cry, then that's perfect stealth." Toki snickered menacingly.

"Come on, no horsing around. If you get found by the enemies first instead, then go toward the next nearest person and regroup before attempting to fight back in earnest."

After that, for a minute or so, I continued briefing everyone about dos and don'ts before catering to the last question coming from Lily. "What about when the enemy found us and we couldn't outrun them?"

In that case, that means the enemy is faster, which could indirectly mean a much stronger enemy. "In that case, use this signal flare at the first instance and stall for as long as you can."

I passed her a tube flare and explained its usage, as it was the type that shoots up in the air and releases a bright light while falling slowly back down, leaving a vivid trail of dirty-white smoke. Although it's daytime right now, the flare should still be bright enough to be visible from a distance.

Not only Lily, but I also gave everyone three flares just in case. Still, I hope they won't encounter a situation forcing them to use the flares. After that was done, nobody else had any questions, so we went to our positions.

To even out the exploration, we would go from the east, in 30-degree increments between each of us, up to the west direction. I was randomly assigned to 30 degrees south-southeast.

"Alright, take note of the time and don't be late! Let's go!"

At the signal, everyone simultaneously dashed forward in their designated direction, leaving a large cloud of dust behind. Lily, the slowest among the team, was unlucky enough to get smothered inside it. We all could hear her coughing as we left her behind.

After reaching quite some distance, to the point that I could barely see the cloud of dust the others raised, I started seeing weird things scattered across the dried-up red soil. "... Bones?"

It wasn't the bones of an animal or human that died naturally, however, as they were scattered randomly here and there. Rather than a grave, it looked more like a dump site.

Minutes passed, and as I headed in the southeast direction deeper, I started seeing more and more of those bones. Creeped out by the sight of it, I slowed down my pace and increased my vigilance. Those bones weren't created through natural death.

I could see bite marks on some of them, while others looked pretty fresh. Whoever or whatever was eating those things, whose bones were as large as I was tall, was definitely something we couldn't look down on.

"...!"

My instincts told me to stop, so I quickly rolled to the nearest bone pile and held my breath. I sharpened my senses, trying to pick up the slightest noise around me.

Silence was the only thing I could hear at first, but I would never doubt my instincts, not even once. Suddenly, just as I was about to take a deep breath to calm my ragged breathing, I heard a loud crunching sound from behind.

I turned around and saw how a giant bone snapped... After getting stepped on by a large paw.

'God... Me and my rotten luck!'

I felt my blood run cold as, just a few meters away from me, a giant fox-like monster walked past.