Chapter 200:Deeper.
Silver deliberately remained near the middle. It was where most experienced contractors preferred to travel.
The front of the convoy usually dealt with the first wave of attacks while the rear protected against anything attempting to ambush from behind. The middle enjoyed the greatest margin of safety.
Ravenna noticed him adjusting their position without saying a word.
"You’ve done this before?"
Silver smiled faintly.
"I’ve read enough reports, and it makes sense. The middle gives us the most reaction time."
She nodded in agreement.
"It also lets us watch how the stronger teams fight."
"Look at that, you’re getting it."
Silver settled comfortably into the driver’s seat as the convoy continued forward. The smooth paved highway gradually became rougher.
The asphalt narrowed before eventually giving way to compacted gravel reinforced with concrete slabs in places where the terrain had become unstable.
Civilization slowly disappeared behind them. The Green Zone had been filled with forests, rivers and relatively gentle hills, but the Yellow Zone was completely different.
The landscape stretched endlessly beneath the bright morning sun. Golden grass, taller than a grown man in some places, rolled across the plains like waves beneath the wind.
Huge weathered boulders rose unexpectedly from the earth, some standing alone while others formed natural walls and maze-like formations.
The road twisted constantly around rocky hills, shallow valleys and dried riverbeds. Deep cracks scarred the earth where old ravines split the land apart.
Acacia-like trees stood scattered across the horizon, their wide canopies casting islands of shade over the grasslands. It resembled an ancient savanna; beautiful, open, and incredibly deceptive.
Ravenna rested one arm against the window as she looked outside.
"...It’s pretty."
"It is."
Silver’s eyes remained on the road.
"But it’s also perfect."
"For what?"
"Hunting."
She followed his gaze. The grass, the rocks, and the rolling terrain; visibility constantly changed. One moment they could see hundreds of meters ahead, and the next, an entire hill blocked their vision.
The tall grass hid almost everything beneath it. A beast could remain only twenty meters away without ever being seen.
"The terrain does most of the work."
Silver said quietly.
"If I were a beast... I’d wait. I wouldn’t charge across open ground, but attack when people couldn’t see me."
Ravenna nodded thoughtfully.
"I can see why this place is more dangerous."
The convoy maintained a steady pace. No one rushed or fell behind. The lead vehicle occasionally adjusted speed depending on the terrain, while the remaining drivers copied every movement.
It was surprisingly organized, almost military-like. Silver noticed hand signals being passed from vehicle to vehicle whenever the road narrowed or an obstacle appeared ahead.
It was clear they were experienced; these people had clearly traveled together before.
Barely thirty minutes into their journey, the first beast appeared. A loud cry echoed across the savanna.
Silver looked toward the source.
A group of long-legged wolf-like creatures burst from the grass nearly a hundred meters ahead.
Tier two.
There were seven of them. They sprinted directly toward the convoy, but before Silver could even consider stopping...
Boom!
A rifle cracked from the lead vehicle. The foremost wolf collapsed instantly. Several other contractors reacted just as quickly: fireballs, ice Spears, wind Blades, and bullets.
Within seconds, the entire pack had been eliminated without the convoy slowing at all.
Ravenna blinked.
"...That was... Efficient."
Silver nodded.
"No reason for everyone to fight; the people in front handled it."
The vehicles simply continued rolling forward. Several contractors quickly collected the beast cores before climbing back into their trucks. The entire process lasted less than two minutes.
Ravenna smiled.
"I like traveling like this."
"So do I. It saves energy."
Silver quietly appreciated something else. Neither he nor Ravenna had needed to expose their abilities. The fewer strangers who learned about his spatial powers, the better.
The morning continued peacefully. The convoy crossed several shallow streams before climbing over gently sloping hills. Occasionally they encountered abandoned farmhouses slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Several windmills still stood crookedly against the skyline, their broken blades turning lazily whenever the breeze strengthened.
Around nine o’clock, they encountered another group of beasts. This time, wild Iron Boars; nearly twenty of them. The beasts burst from behind a rocky ridge, charging downhill like a living avalanche as dust exploded beneath their hooves.
The convoy slowed. Several vehicles pulled slightly apart, creating firing lanes. A deep voice echoed from somewhere near the front.
"Left flank!"
Immediately the contractors responded. The convoy didn’t panic; people simply moved into practiced positions. Several riflemen knelt beside their vehicles, the few elemental users spread outward, and one enormous man wielding a tower shield stepped directly into the charging herd.
Silver watched carefully.
"...Rank Three."
Ravenna followed his gaze.
"The shield user?"
Silver nodded.
"He didn’t even hesitate."
The boars slammed into the shield like crashing waves.
Boom!
Dust exploded into the air, but instead of being pushed backward, the contractor held his ground. A second later, several swordsmen rushed forward. The battle ended almost as quickly as it began, and the convoy resumed moving.
Silver couldn’t help smiling slightly.
"There are some impressive people here."
"There are." Ravenna agreed. "They’re probably professional escorts."
"Most likely."
As the hours passed, Silver gradually began recognizing the stronger teams. One group specialized in firearms, another relied almost entirely on earth abilities, and a third fought with remarkable coordination despite having no elemental users at all.
Watching them proved educational. Even without speaking to anyone... Silver quietly learned.
Around ten o’clock, the road became noticeably rougher. The smooth rolling plains gave way to steeper hills littered with jagged stone formations.
The convoy slowed naturally. Driving required greater concentration. One mistake could send an entire vehicle sliding down a rocky slope.
The vegetation also changed; the grass became even taller, and in some places, it completely swallowed abandoned vehicles that had long ago been overtaken by nature.
Silver’s expression grew more focused.
"This is where camouflage becomes dangerous."
Ravenna nodded.
"I can barely see five meters into that grass."
Neither could he. Even Spatial Sense had limitations, especially against creatures capable of concealing themselves. The memory of the invisible snake beneath the laboratory briefly resurfaced.
Silver instinctively tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Fortunately, nothing attacked. The convoy continued steadily through the increasingly rugged landscape.
Shortly before noon, the lead vehicles slowed considerably. One by one, brake lights illuminated ahead. The entire convoy gradually came to a controlled stop atop a broad rocky plateau overlooking the surrounding savanna.
Silver parked beside another contractor truck before switching off the engine.
"What happened?" Ravenna asked.
Before Silver could answer, a man climbed onto the roof of the lead vehicle carrying a portable loudspeaker. He appeared to be in his early forties, broad-shouldered and weathered by years beneath the sun.
His voice carried clearly across the resting convoy.
"Everyone!"
Conversations immediately quieted.
"We’ll be stopping here for lunch."
A few relieved sighs spread through the contractors. The man continued.
"Take about an hour. Eat, stretch, refill your water, and check your vehicles."
He paused briefly before his expression became more serious.
"After this... We enter the central Yellow Zone."
The relaxed atmosphere immediately faded. Several experienced contractors exchanged knowing looks. The man pointed toward the distant landscape.
Far ahead, the rolling hills suddenly dropped away into an enormous scar stretching across the earth. Even from this distance, its scale was breathtaking.
A massive ravine.
The road disappeared into it before emerging again far beyond.
"We’ll be driving through there."
The convoy leader said.
"The terrain becomes much worse. Higher cliffs, blind corners, taller grass, plenty of caves." He folded his arms. "And enough places for beasts to hide that you’ll never see them until they’re already moving."
Silence settled over the gathering.
"We stay together. No unnecessary stops. If someone gets separated, don’t panic; just keep driving. We regroup after clearing the ravine."
Everyone nodded. The instructions were simple, clear, and filled with experience.
The convoy leader smiled slightly.
"But that’s after lunch. So..." He pointed toward several open areas nearby. "Go eat."
Almost immediately, the contractors dispersed. Some unfolded portable stoves while others collected firewood from nearby shrubs.
Several simply sat beneath scattered trees and opened military ration packs. The smell of cooking meat gradually drifted across the plateau.
Silver looked toward Ravenna.
"...Ready to eat?"
She smiled.
"Yes, are you kidding me? My anxiety is eating through my stomach."
The two climbed out of the vehicle, carrying their food toward a quiet patch of shade beneath a broad acacia tree.
[Finally 200 Chapters.]