Athena in Tower Defense Game! [LitRPG]

Chapter 118: The Mouse

The old king turned around and beckoned to Athena.

Athena, not daring to be careless, hurried over. "I've called you here to inquire about the situation regarding the 'Mouse,'" the old king said with a grave expression.

Athena's demeanor was highly respectful as she immediately knelt on one knee.

"Our intelligence agents have detected a mysterious energy fluctuation not far from our base. We’ve already sent people to investigate, but the other party has withdrawn, taking their belongings with them. If we don't find them quickly, it will pose a significant threat to us," Athena said solemnly.

"Immediately proceed to trace this mysterious energy. Report any dangers immediately and remember, do not act recklessly," the old king instructed.

"I don’t have much time left," the king added, repeatedly patting Athena’s shoulder, pressing her down slightly.

Athena looked up with resolute eyes and said, "Understood!"

She did not reveal any useful information, which was a lapse in duty. However, the king did not hold it against her, or at least, not at that moment.

The information acquired by the Eagle Claw Agency was far from complete. Unfortunately, she had come in too much of a hurry to review the remaining materials and could only manage with what she had.

The king waved his hand, signaling her to leave and to relay instructions to the prince standing nearby.

Once she returned to the hall, she let out a sigh of relief, reaching up to rub her sore shoulder. It seemed their king was quite strong, as this intensity would likely leave a bruise.

At this moment, the banquet was gradually coming to an end, and the noise was dissipating. Athena walked out of the banquet hall side by side with Yuris.

Once they settled into the carriage, Yuris raised her hand slightly and made a gesture to the driver. Understanding the cue, the driver cracked the whip and urged the strong horse to gallop towards the Eagle Claw Agency.

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The agency was now eerily quiet, with most people having left their posts. Athena walked slowly back to her office.

As she gently pushed open the seemingly ordinary cabinet door, the hidden room appeared before her eyes. Inside the hidden chamber was her private room, a different world altogether.

In the entire Eagle Claw Agency, only she and the workaholic Yuris stayed overnight in the agency. Outsiders said they were crazy to live in such a gloomy place.

She walked into the small compartment. The space was not large, with a simple single bed in one corner, as if waiting for its owner to return.

Next to the bed stood a small nightstand with a lamp and a few folders.

On the opposite side of the bed was a bookshelf, filled with various books. Some of these books were yellowed with age, while others looked brand new, as if just purchased.

Athena found the folder labeled 'Mouse' on the nightstand. The 'Mouse' was another term for monsters within the light lands, a place that was considered untouchable.

This land was rich in resources, housing many monsters and precious world energy. Not only did countless people seek to enter, but monsters also did.

The term 'Mouse' referred to a specific type of monster within this light land. They were reviled like vermin, even more so because their existence was intolerable.

They had even formed an organization with considerable influence across various kingdoms within the light lands.

The White Grand Empire, where Athena was based, also had its share of these 'Mouse,' who had recently been active and were likely responsible for the mysterious energy fluctuations.

The task to deal with them naturally fell to the Eagle Claw Agency.

On the 8th, they had caught a lead, and on the 9th, they found one of their bases. Unfortunately, the Eagle Claw Agency suffered heavy casualties. Although Athena suppressed the news and kept it from leaking, it severely impacted subsequent operations. The latest record was from the 13th, when Babron Lawrence’s son appeared near the base Athena's team discovered and took something away.

The investigation ended there.

Closing the file, Athena felt that things were not as simple as she had imagined. A slight misstep might make her a political pawn between the king and Babron.

Babron Lawrence’s son was the last lead, but given the current situation, she was reluctant to provoke conflict.

Yet, if she didn’t, the mission could not proceed.

She had no choice but to visit the Babron estate…

Beneath the outskirts, there was a vast space shielded by a special spell. Unless someone’s magical ability exceeded that of the spellcaster, the concealment barrier could not be broken.

Without a knowledgeable guide, no one would discover this place.

Ilinaya arrived in the light lands, initially very excited, but soon calmed down. Humans struggled to detect their disguises, but monsters always recognized each other instantly.

Shortly after arriving, she found her kin and, after paying a small price, was led to the 'Mouse' base.

The base was different from her expectations. Above was an eternal daylight, while below was a dark realm forged by the monsters.

Here, they exchanged information and identities, lurking throughout the cities, coming here only at specific times.

Even here, they did not reveal their true forms.

A seemingly ordinary young man approached her and assessed her. "New here? Good strength. We haven’t had newcomers in a long time."

Ilinaya followed him as he gave her a tour of the place. "The battlefield is becoming more dangerous, and the borders are harder to breach. Our numbers are dwindling."

He looked at her meaningfully. "Do you know what to do?"

Ilinaya’s pupils darkened, and she smiled, saying, "Of course, destruction—wanton destruction!"

Here was their paradise, where they could indulge in unchecked destruction, revealing their primal nature. The more severe the destruction, the more world energy would overflow.

She did not disclose to Athena that in addition to world energy, there was also the world’s secondary source. As they caused chaos, the instability would cause an overflow of secondary sources along with the world energy.

The world’s secondary source could nourish darkness, and darkness would, in turn, nourish them. However, in the dark lands, secondary sources were tightly controlled by a few monsters. To obtain them, the only option was to come to the light lands.

The more secondary sources they possessed, the more they could become the dominant force, which was why countless monsters were willing to traverse both lands. Of course, some monsters were simply drawn to violence and destruction.