Chapter 110: Mission: The Silenti’s Nest

Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Mission: The Silenti’s Nest

Seraphina Sullivan sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes. Her mind buzzed as if it had been forcibly rebooted, leaving her completely bewildered.

’This... I can actually trigger a quest mid-way through? It seems this Petrification Apocalypse instance is different from the ones I’ve experienced before—the mechanics are more complex.’ She carefully mulled over the system notification.

She figured this might be why the Petrification Apocalypse instance only started with the main quest, "Survive for seven days." All the other quests had to be triggered.

’What are the conditions for triggering a quest? Or do I need to meet some specific criteria?’

However, when she saw the quest reward...

...that Treasure Chests would be awarded based on the number of items recovered, Seraphina’s confusion was instantly replaced by delight!

’Treasure Chests! The reward is actually Treasure Chests!’ Seraphina’s eyes lit up in the darkness.

She immediately recalled the Treasure Chest she had gotten in The Insect Frenzy instance.

The special card she’d found inside it had an incredible effect.

Treasure Chests meant high-Quality rewards, ones that could potentially surpass the level of the current instance. The allure was immense!

’It’s just a matter of collecting those petrifying Imps, right? Let’s get to it!’ Wealth was a powerful motivator, especially when it came to an opportunity that could directly increase her strength.

Seraphina’s sleepiness vanished in an instant, replaced by a surge of fighting spirit.

But after the initial excitement, her reason quickly returned.

She quickly analyzed the situation. "The quest only lasts for seven days, and one day has already passed. The Silenti are extremely dangerous. Their individual combat strength isn’t high, but their Petrifying Light is almost impossible to counter, and they usually travel in groups. Killing them will be incredibly difficult and risky..."

Just as she was contemplating their strategy, Sean Chandler, who had been standing guard in silence, suddenly spoke up, his voice calm. "Perfect. We can use this opportunity to test my earlier theory—whether these Silenti truly ignore my animal form."

"That’s right!" Seraphina clapped her hands and looked at Sean Chandler.

"If the Silenti really only attack humans, then your animal form is the perfect cover! It’ll make this quest so much easier! Let’s go! We’re leaving now!"

Time was short, and opportunity existed alongside risk.

Seraphina didn’t hesitate for a moment and acted immediately.

She quickly recalled the RV and Flora into the Space of her Scavenging Backpack, her movements clean and efficient.

The two of them silently slipped out from their hiding spot under the bridge, stepping back into the petrified city shrouded in darkness and danger.

Visibility was even lower at night, and the faint, hissing cries that occasionally echoed in the distance sounded all the clearer and more unsettling.

But now, the apprehension Seraphina had felt before was gone, replaced by the excitement and caution of a hunter.

Seraphina focused, using her Bird Manipulation Skill to send the little sparrow back into the night sky to act as her high-altitude Scout.

However, the sparrow’s night vision was limited. In the thick darkness, the view it sent back was blurry, allowing her to only barely make out general outlines and moving shadows. This drastically reduced her search efficiency.

’If only I had an owl or some other nocturnal bird...’ Seraphina couldn’t help but think with a sigh.

...

Meanwhile, with the announcement of the special quest, the undercurrents within the instance quietly shifted.

Some Players, who might have originally been plotting to kill others for their loot, temporarily suppressed their malicious thoughts after hearing about the Treasure Chest reward. They all turned their attention toward the dangerous, petrifying monsters instead.

After all, compared to the high-risk, uncertain rewards of fighting other Players, the system’s explicitly offered Treasure Chests were far more appealing.

"Found it!"

Despite the limited visibility, Seraphina quickly located a Silenti gathering point with the help of her Analysis Glasses and Sound Wave Vibration Gun.

It was a nest attached to the back of a giant stone statue’s shoulder, constructed from some kind of grayish-white secretion and withered branches. It looked like a giant, inverted beehive.

Many Silenti were flying in and out of the openings in the nest. While not as numerous as the massive swarm they’d encountered earlier, there were at least twenty or thirty of them.

"So these things really are social creatures, and it looks like they build their nests among the statues..." Seraphina whispered to Sean Chandler.

Seeing this, Sean Chandler didn’t hesitate. He crouched slightly, ready to transform back into the agile black cat and rush over to test the "animal immunity" theory himself.

"Wait!" Seraphina grabbed his arm.

Sean Chandler stopped and glanced back at her, a questioning look in his eyes.

Seraphina explained calmly, "Don’t be rash. What if our theory is wrong and the Silenti attack any living creature? If you charge in like that, you’ll be walking right into a trap. Let’s run a safer test first."

As she spoke, a thought from her directed the sparrow high above to lower its altitude and fly cautiously toward the grayish-white nest.

A few Silenti on guard duty at the edge of the nest immediately noticed the intruder. They let out soft hisses, their gray eyes fixed warily on the fluttering little sparrow.

However, once they saw it was just an ordinary, non-threatening little bird, they seemed to lose interest. The green light in their eyes dimmed, and they resumed their aimless circling.

One Silenti even flew curiously over to the sparrow, circled it twice, and tilted its head as if it found the fluttering little creature somewhat interesting. It showed no signs of attacking.

Seeing this, Seraphina and Sean Chandler exchanged a look. They both had their answer.

The Silenti truly did not attack ordinary animals!

’It worked! The theory was right!’ Seraphina was overjoyed.

Striking while the iron was hot, she controlled the little sparrow and had it attempt to fly toward one of the nest’s entrances.

Seraphina was curious to see what the world inside a Silenti nest looked like anyway.

The Silenti flying in and out paid the sparrow no mind as it entered, as if the little bird were no different from the insects buzzing around them.

The little sparrow slipped smoothly into the nest’s entrance!

Through the shared Bird’s Eye, Seraphina’s vision entered a strange new world.

The inside of the nest wasn’t dark and chaotic as she had imagined. Its inner walls seemed to be covered in a layer of moss or some secretion that emitted a faint phosphorescent glow, providing basic illumination.

The tunnels were intricate, branching out in all directions. Many Silenti hung quietly on the walls, resting. The whole place resembled a giant, silent beehive.

Seraphina controlled the little sparrow, guiding it cautiously through the intricate network of tunnels.

By the faint glow of the phosphorescent moss on the walls, she could just barely make out the internal structure.

Suddenly, a deep green glow—far richer and eerier than the surrounding phosphorescence—faintly emanated from the depths of a branching tunnel, instantly capturing her attention.

’What’s that?’

Curious, Seraphina immediately steered the sparrow toward the source of the light.

The closer it got, the clearer and brighter the green light became.

Soon, a peculiar sight materialized in Seraphina’s mind through the Bird’s Eye.