"I will guide the exploration team while the others wait in the helicopters. You must know that the descent could be violent, especially when there is no ground to land on." Anton had changed into mountain gear that was not only ideal for this location but also provided camouflage.
Alexander guided the search team, while Anton, accompanied by Akira and some other soldiers, traveled at the rear to better observe the surroundings.
Everyone was equipped with top-quality gear, ready to face any situation they might encounter.
"Don't these things usually get done solo? There isn't usually much personnel in other missions I've observed," Akira asked, clearly bothered by the question.
"Low-ranking members work solo. The level of things we are facing now isn't something a few people can handle," Anton sniffed the air, sensing something new as they entered the area.
"Monitor the substances in the air; everyone put on their masks."
Everyone quickly put on their masks to protect themselves from any airborne substances. Anton had sensed something; something had changed, and he needed to find out what it was.
"We haven't discovered anything, Guardian. Do we keep the masks on?" An assistant asked, wanting to know Anton's stance on the matter.
"We keep them on; we must proceed." This order was not to be taken lightly.
Moreover, being in a forest where demonic invocations might have taken place, they would be the first to come into contact with any enemies here, and to survive, they needed to be on high alert.
Anton was the only one who could notice things others couldn't. His perception had improved so much that everything he sensed had to be taken seriously, or they would surely die.
His eyes observed black mists in the air, indicating evil. He could detect different particles and smells when they were near something supernatural.
"Here, I see blood..." Akira, who was advancing on a higher path, immediately reported what she had discovered.
Anton approached, looked at some pine needles, and without giving an order, a group approached to analyze the sample. "Is it from an animal?"
"There isn't much blood; it shouldn't be from an animal."
"What do you think, Billy?"
Billy approached, pulled a knife from his belt, and lifted the blood-stained green needle. "It's not from an animal."
"Just by looking at it?"
Alexander, who was waiting for the results, raised his gaze to silence everyone. Many were eager to participate in a large-scale operation, but none had an idea of what that truly meant.
For those who didn't know, Billy was a former Special Forces soldier and a tracker. He was usually deployed in jungles to track enemies, and his word at this moment carried more weight than Anton's.
Anton scanned the pines in the distance, hoping to find something, but no matter how much he looked, there was nothing but trees and a silent environment that seemed to warn them of the danger this forest concealed.
"Have you sensed something we haven't?" Akira had much more confidence in Anton than in others.
Anton extended his hand for Akira to lean in, pointed between the trees, and said, "Look through your telescopic sight at what's behind those leaves, beyond what many can see, and wait."
"Are they people?" Akira could see some shadows that weren't visible even with thermal sights.
"They are not. What even normal humans can see but is not something alive is known as a forced presence. This means that whoever is here will witness supernatural events, and that's really bad." Anton pulled out a silver knife and stabbed it into the ground.
Akira learned a lot from Anton; she was practically improving significantly by his side, so everything she didn't know was something she would gradually learn.
"Sir, we confirmed it's human blood."
Anton stood up, looked around, and just as he was about to give orders, everyone heard the radio emit shrill sounds before a human voice came through the intercom.
"Zz... Can anyone hear me?"
"What do we do?"
"Look around, raise defenses to level one, and await orders." Anton took his radio and, after thinking for a moment, asked, "Zz... We hear you; what is your situation?"