The Third Fleet Master's remarks received unanimous approval from the Research Commission's higher-ups. Therefore, after the Commander's concluding summary, Astera began diverting some of its already scarce manpower to launch a sweep against those Afflicted monsters.
Clearly, the results were encouraging. As the Research Commission stepped up its efforts, and with intel from the Protectors Grimalkynes of the Waste, they successfully confined the Afflicted monsters to the swamp area.
According to the Ecological Research Center's projections, containing them to this extent was enough. As long as there was no external interference, the rest could be left to nature's own self-regulation.
However, there had previously been a drunken hunter who claimed that, at night, he had seen Nergigante using other monsters to breed Qurio.
Yes, Qurio—that was the name that had come from the Ancient Tree side for these crimson insects. The Research Commission had continued to use it here and had even passed it back to the Old World.
Originally, this report alone had already stirred Astera, which had thought the matter settled. Yet in the subsequent investigations, they found neither the Rathian that was suspected to have been parasitized by Qurio, nor any trace of Nergigante, and everyone had breathed a sigh of relief.
But now, there was actually a hunter team telling them that what that hunter had seen was real—that the Qurio really had been brought by Nergigante!
Even if they had not been brought by Nergigante, they absolutely had something to do with Nergigante!
This incident involved an Elder Dragon, and it was even the Nergigante that had always been the focus of the Research Commission's attention. News like this was no less than an earthquake.
"Elder Crossing, the dragon that pursues Elder Dragons, and those ominous crimson insects—how did they all end up converging on it?"
"Could these Qurio also be one part of the Elder Crossing? Or are they Nergigante's property?" the Field Master, who had just returned and was planning to rest for a while and sort out supplies before heading to the Great Ravine again, speculated in a low voice.
"Unfortunately, we haven't found anything related to Nergigante on the Qurio corpses we recovered."
At that moment, the Third Fleet Master, spectacles in place and smoking pipe in hand, walked over. Having just happened to hear the Field Master's conjecture, he shook his head and replied in an unhurried tone.
"Just now, based on the Mobile Research Base's emergency study of the Qurio corpses, we discovered that these Qurio all died after being drained of their internal energy. We also compared the Qurio's residual energy with the spikes left behind by Nergigante and found no connection between the two."
After the Third Fleet Master sat down, her fingers lightly tapped the edge of her smoking pipe, producing a crisp sound.
"According to past studies on Elder Dragons, Elder Dragons exert a certain influence on their surroundings. If these small organisms were really entangled with an Elder Dragon, then even an Elder Dragon like Nergigante, which does not specialize in manipulating environmental energy, would still affect these small organisms—there would at least be some degree of energetic correlation."
"So, before we conduct a deeper investigation, we cannot hastily draw conclusions."
The Third Fleet Master's words sent several people into deep thought. After a long silence, the Admiral finally spoke.
"In that case, Huntsman and I will lead a team and head deep into the swamps of the Wildspire Waste for investigation. I'll leave the logistics to all of you."
The Commander nodded and was just about to agree, but the Third Fleet Master interjected at just the right moment.
"In that case, our Mobile Research Base will serve as your logistics unit and provide close-range logistical support."
When she finished speaking, the Commander looked at the Third Fleet Master with a hint of concern.
Over the years, because Astera had been paying off its debts, and with the Ancient Tree Research Base also present, the Third Fleet Master had been nearly silent for ten years—behaving like an ordinary scholar, conducting research and issuing small assignments.
It was only after the arrival of the Fourth Fleet, when manpower finally became barely sufficient and scholars were no longer needed for logistical duties, that a plan the Third Fleet Master had proposed much earlier finally began to move forward.
The "Mobile Research Base Plan."
It was derived from the earlier "Leap over the Great Ravine" plan the Third Fleet Master had proposed, and after many rounds of refinement, it was finalized.
They would modify the Third Fleet's flagship—the massive dragonbone ship used as a library storage vessel—into a hot-air balloon airship.
This would allow them, once the hunters later had enough surplus manpower, to depart for the depths of the New World surrounded by the Great Ravine.
Secondly, it could also serve as logistical support for hunters needing to carry out deep, long-range investigation missions, while the scholars on board could perform immediate analysis and research on whatever the hunters brought back.
"Are you sure the hot-air balloon test results are really reliable?"
Although the increase in logistical personnel had brought in more technical talent, this was still the resource-scarce New World. The Research Commission had only been able to use whatever materials were available to build a highly improvised airship—something that was far from without risk.
"We've already conducted three test flights—there's definitely no problem!"
The Third Fleet Master, who was usually calm and reserved, finally showed a hint of a smile when she mentioned the three test flights, and her tone rose slightly.
"In that case, let's proceed with this plan! I'll issue the assignment, and you'll have to choose your own personnel."
The Commander said nothing further. In the New World, everything carried risk. After the Fire Wyverns of the Ancient Tree left the Wildspire Waste, even their descendants failed to hold their territory; later, after being scattered, they completely lost contact with the Research Commission.
The transport route once opened jointly by the Research Commission and the Fire Wyverns had been abandoned as well. Now, the farthest they could reach was the nest Logan and Aki once lived in. Therefore, if the Admiral and Huntsman led a team deep into the swamp, relying solely on manpower to transport logistical supplies would be troublesome.
It would be better to let the Mobile Research Base try it—while also accumulating experience for the future leap over the Great Ravine.
With the Commander's approval, a genuine smile finally appeared on the Third Fleet Master's elegant face. After a slight bow to take her leave, she quickly walked toward the Ecological Research Center.
While Astera was still discussing how to conduct the investigation and where to begin—
Logan, currently in his "dutiful father" mode, finally put down the little one who had been rolled into a ball and was bouncing helplessly on his wings, looking on the verge of tears.
Seeing the little one's tear-filled eyes, Logan—who had just demonstrated the scene of "when a child is safest, the father is the greatest danger"—turned his head away, pretending not to notice.
He let out a low growl, warning the little one not to complain to Aki after she returned; otherwise, he would continue using it as a ball. Then he quietly reached out to sense the signal of the Old Master of Nature, who had been silent for many years.
Just as Logan had guessed, the little one was born with Elder Dragon blood. Although it looked similar to an ordinary Silver Fire Wyvern hatchling, a closer look revealed that the sides of its mouth had sharp bony protrusions similar to Logan's.
The end of its long tail was not the Silver Fire Wyvern's tail mace with several spikes, but a neatly formed trident-like tail spine, as if shaped like Poseidon's trident.
The patterns on its tender wings were pale blue rather than silver gray.
All these differences revealed the truth that the little one had been an Elder Dragon hatchling from the moment it was born. Compared to Logan and Aki, who had grown up under hardship, it was practically born in Rome.
Because of this, its intelligence was also far beyond that of ordinary Fire Wyvern hatchlings; it could easily understand Logan's meaning.
Thus, in response to Logan's warning, the little one only shrank its head quietly.
The order must be obeyed—but the complaint absolutely had to be made!
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---