Ethan's mind was awhirl with the nagging question, the sort that gnawed at the edges of his understanding, yet the harder he tried to unravel it, the more enigmatic it became.
300 servant beasts and one corrupted level beast seemed hardly sufficient to warrant such a substantial payout, especially when they fell short of the formidable level 4 danger classification.
The closest semblance of an answer, or rather the most coherent piece among the jigsaw of facts tumbling through his mind, pointed to the nest's strategic location near the Eastern gate, which was not far from the third district.
In the case of any other demonic beast boasting the might akin to that of the iron tooth rat nest, the matter would have scarcely elicited a second glance if the creatures were nestled a safe 500 meters from any human stronghold.
Save for the aggressive wolf-type demonic beasts and other such territorial predators that instinctively lay siege to human shelters in a bid to broaden their dominion, most demonic entities exhibit a cautious wariness of human shelters.
Only under circumstances where they possess overwhelming strength, enough to entertain delusions of decimating a shelter, or when gripped by the pangs of dire hunger, would they venture an attack on a human refuge.
Tales of full-blown assaults by demonic beasts on human shelters were few and far between, virtually unheard of since the day humans emerged victorious from the great war with their non-human adversaries.
But the iron tooth rat presented an exception, an outlier. Its shiny grey coat and prodigious tooth were symbols of a feared predator, one renowned for its stealthy approach, burrowing tunnels underground and striking with lethal surprise.
Knowing they lay a mere 500 meters from the shelter, Ethan surmised they must have already secreted a tunnel to a point alarmingly close, perhaps within a mere 200 meters of the Silverdale shelter.
And yet, such strategic positioning and the insidious nature of the iron tooth rat did not seem to fully explain the inflated reward posted for the mission at hand.
Even after prolonged contemplation, with no viable reason surfacing in his mind, Ethan decided it was best to shelve the quandary for the time being. He pressed 'yes,' thus selecting the mission with a resolute tap.
He had an inkling that the enticing reward and the assignment's level 4 DANGER rating were indicative of unforeseen threats lurking within the mission parameters. However, Ethan harbored no fear.
His past was rich with hunting expeditions, each one honing his instincts and tactical prudence. Such experience instilled in him the confidence to navigate perilous situations and the wisdom to know when to beat a strategic retreat should the tides turn too treacherous for his liking.
No sooner had Ethan confirmed his mission choice than a new message materialized on his screen:
_ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS MISSION?
_PUNISHMENT FOR FAILING TO COMPLETE THE MISSION: -200 POINTS AND -50 CONTRIBUTION POINTS.
[YES] / [NO]
Ethan's gaze lingered on the screen, his head bobbing in a subtle nod.
'There is indeed more to this mission than what appears to the eye,' he mused silently, acknowledging the mission's penalty clause—a rarity, reserved for but a handful of missions.
Normally, when a hunter claims a mission, it disappears from the guild's mission board to prevent duplication of efforts.
The mission will remain hidden until its deadline; If the mission isn't completed by then, it will appear again on the mission tab.
This pattern would continue until the mission was finally completed by a hunter or a team of hunters.
But a mission branded with a penalty signified a pressing urgency.
It meant that this wasn't a task you'd casually pick up to take a shot and see what happens.
The penalty was tacked on as a stark warning to hunters: don't take on this mission unless you're confident in your ability to complete it.
Ethan gazed at the screen, a flicker of second thoughts crossing his mind after noting the penalty attached to the mission.
After a spell of contemplation, Ethan resolved to accept the mission.
The decisive factor was the mission's location. If it was indeed a high-stakes mission of urgency, it suggested that the iron tooth rats were on the brink of breaching the shelter via the Eastern gate.
This meant that the third district, his home, and his sister Ava would be in the line of fire. Uncertain he could safeguard them if an attack ensued, Ethan planned to confront the threat head-on, eliminating the danger once and for all.
As soon as he chose the mission, the message vanished, replaced by another:
_YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TAKEN THE MISSION. YOU HAVE 3 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE MISSION, OR YOU WILL FACE A PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO DO SO.
_WOULD YOU LIKE TO APPLY FOR A TEAMMATE, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO SOLO?
Without hesitation, Ethan chose to go solo.
In his past life, except for hunting alongside Noah, he never hunted with others. He disliked group hunts because they meant being responsible for many, and leadership was not his forte.
Immediately after opting for a solitary hunt, the mission disappeared from the tab, and a map materialized on his screen: the 'crimson desert' was displayed, with a specific area highlighted—presumably the location of the iron tooth rat nest.
Ethan committed the details of the marked area to memory.
Having noted the location, he didn't close the screen entirely; instead, he navigated to the shop section.
His inventory was scant in supplies that could aid him in the mission, so he intended to make some purchases to fully equip himself before setting out.
Ethan carefully scrolled through the shop's offerings, selecting a few items he needed and completing the transaction.
With the shopping done, he closed the screen.
The time spent preparing and browsing had allowed the healing potion to work its magic, mending all his wounds.
Aside from minor discomfort in the areas of his burn injuries and faint scarring, there was no evidence of the former gruesome burns.
His swollen ankle, too, had returned to normal, pain-free, and without any trace of inflammation.
Grinning to himself, Ethan felt gratitude for Hyejin's kindness—without it, he wasn't sure when his injuries would have healed.
He mentally vowed to repay her kindness soon.
Ethan was the type who disliked debts of any kind, whether of favors or grudges, and he always made it a point to settle them.
Now, fully recovered, Ethan knew it was time to gear up and leave the confines of the abandoned factory behind.