Anyone who has experienced it would never want to go through that suffocating terror again.
Considering all the factors, a squad of more than four people is not cost-effective; it can be done, but it's unnecessary.
Naturally, no one objected on-site.
Moreover, after confirming the first thing, the four-member exploration team for the outpost had also been decided.
Germain, Ging, Bisky, and Shizuku, this was currently the best solution.
Damage output, reconnaissance, stress relief, transport storage... everything was covered.
Knuckle, Menchi, Sanbica, and Buhara were not lacking in skill, but in comparison, they couldn't replace any member of this four-person team.
"You who stay at the maze outpost won't be idle either." Germain looked at Knuckle and the others. "I need you to have more contact with the sub-human species."
"If, for some reason, we can't return in time, you'll need to meet up with the Hunter Association's exploration team."
"You all know the route and the preset time nodes. If something happens, I'll leave it to you to assist Chairman Netero, Morel, and the others."
Knuckle, Menchi, Sanbica, and Buhara understood that Germain was just stating a possibility, not saying something discouraging.
You always have to prepare for various situations, and they nodded in agreement.
In fact, during the more than half a month that Germain and Shizuku were gone, the people left at the maze outpost never slacked off in their communication with the sub-humans.
Especially since the "Subhuman Alliance Pact" was led by their familiar warrior, Scela from the Moose Centaur Tribe, which made things even easier.
During this period, Knuckle learned a lot from some of the subhuman species.
These subhumans pointed out to Knuckle that not all of the beasts on the Dark Continent are wildly aggressive. They helped Knuckle differentiate between them.
Knuckle learned from the subhumans which beasts may look fierce but are actually as timid as mice—it's all just a facade.
He also learned which beasts, although they appear weak and cowardly, are actually treacherous and cunning.
They like to lure prey into traps, especially using the terrain to corner their victims and slowly devour them.
Similarly, the Dark Continent menu for Menchi and Buhara continued to expand, while Sanbica had almost become a renowned and skilled doctor even among the subhumans.
The human forces at the Maze Post Station were steadily establishing themselves deeper and farther into the soil of the Dark Continent.
The tree canopy and branches would continue to grow larger and more vibrant.
Germain continued, "The second matter is deciding on the next target."
Based on the data from the "Dangerous Creature Evaluation List," the "Gaseous Lifeform · Ai" and "The Twin-Tailed Snake · Hellbell" are actually quite similar.
Their "Ferocity" scores are A-2 and A-1, and their "Destructive Power" scores are A~1 and A-2—very close.
Similarly, their "Numbers" and "Reproductive Abilities" remain unknown.
Germain wanted to ask for everyone's opinion and, if necessary, hold a vote like last time.
However, this time, Ging let Germain express his preference first.
Because he knew that at this point, they no longer needed to vote to unite everyone's hearts.
Germain's reputation among the group was now so high that all it might take is a catalyst to spark an intense reaction, one strong enough to surpass even the Hunter Association's Chairman, Netero.
From any perspective, Ging was willing to help establish Germain's authority.
In most cases, when the second and third-in-command firmly support the leader, the team can move forward toward a common goal with great stability.
Germain glanced at Ging, then without hesitation, said, "I'm inclined to choose the 'The Twin-Tailed Snake · Hellbell.'"
"Why?" Ging sat up straight, hands placed on the table with fingers crossed, and asked.
"First," Germain tapped the "Dangerous Creature Evaluation List" on the round table, "I don't fully trust this list."
"The last update, cited from more than half a century ago, is derived from the observations recorded by Beyond, which were brought back after a lengthy journey. The main content is from the 'New World Chronicles Fragment.'"
"The 'New World Chronicles Fragment' is a work from two to three hundred years ago, and much of the content regarding 'The Twin-Tailed Snake: Hellbell' and 'Gaseous Lifeform: Ai' is missing."
"Beyond's recorded observations were written more than half a century ago, focusing mainly on supplementing the details of 'The Immortal Disease: Zobae.'"
"The information on 'Botanical Weapon: Brion' and 'The Immortal Disease: Zobae' is relatively complete and can be trusted to some extent."
"The remaining three types of 'disasters' have only partial information, which makes them difficult to trust."
"I believe we need to break free from the constraints of the 'New World Chronicles' and the 'Dangerous Creature Evaluation List,' and make judgments beyond just paper data."
"Ging mentioned this well before, the timing and location of the appearance of the 'Gaseous Lifeform: Ai' are unclear, while the 'The Twin-Tailed Snake: Hellbell' is at least known to have appeared before the swamp."
"Although we do not pursue longevity, the value of 'Trinity Elixir' to us is higher than that of the 'Longevity Food: Nitro Rice.' However, given the unknown risks involved, I would lean towards the latter."
This point was already made by Ging when he voted for 'Human-Keeping Beast Pap' last time, and now, Germain has repeated it.
Ging supports him, but he doesn't let it get to his head, and still considers the opinions of others.
"Secondly, I've come into contact with Zigg and Alluka. The former is the previous host body of Nanika, while the latter is the current host body."
"They have a commonality: both contain a 'Dark Space' where Nanika resides."
"This leads to three possible outcomes."
"The first outcome: The three survivors of the Mimbo Republics exploration team, all of whom suffered from the influence of the 'Gaseous Lifeform: Ai' and eventually went mad."
"The second outcome: The three survivors from the Netero exploration team, who left no written records, with Zigg having his limbs and blood taken, and his body modified by Nanika."
"Finally, the third outcome: Alluka accepted Nanika and now lives in the same body, much like someone with a split personality."
"Alluka, however, was hardly affected in a negative way. On the contrary, she gained a terrifying ability called 'Wish and Whim.'"
"I wasn't able to meet Nanika this time, nor could I discern the difference between these three situations."
"Whether it's the nearly limitless wish-fulfilling ability of the 'Gaseous Lifeform · Ai,' or its connection with the 'Dark Space,' it all unsettles me."
"The 'Gaseous Lifeform · Ai' can be seen as an alternative to the 'Monkey's Paw.' After fulfilling three wishes, it brings about dire consequences."
"This kind of dangerous creature, I'd prefer to leave for last. Maybe Nanika will have the right answer on how to deal with it."
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 30 early chapters.