Sterling stood by the rear vehicle, murmuring final instructions to Butch.

Before he turned to leave, his gaze drifted to Jax sitting in the back of the truck. A faint, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of Sterling’s mouth—the look of a man who was already counting a dead body.

Jax saw it. He cursed silently, then looked away, refusing to give the Captain the satisfaction of a reaction.

The convoy rumbled forward, wheels crunching over the desolate terrain.

As they pushed deeper into the mountains, the landscape grew oppressive. Strange rock formations loomed on either side like silent sentinels, casting long, jagged shadows that seemed to press down on the convoy.

The tension was palpable. Every set of eyes scanned the ridges, waiting for the inevitable ambush.

The Iron Spear Syndicate had brought three trucks. Raven occupied the middle vehicle—the tactical sweet spot. She sat rigid, hand resting on the hilt of her blade, ready for whatever nightmare this valley held.

Her driver stared straight ahead, knuckles white on the steering wheel. He didn’t dare glance at her. When she’d climbed in, she’d promised to perform impromptu eye surgery if his gaze wandered. The man was sweating buckets, terrified of the beautiful, lethal woman beside him.

Thirty minutes in, the road choked down to a narrow bottleneck.

The driver, nerves fraying, flicked on the high beams to cut through the gloom.

Jax, riding in the second truck, kept his head on a swivel. He checked the cliffs, then the rear truck where Viper rode shotgun. The man looked like a vulture waiting for a carcass.

Suddenly, brake lights flared red ahead.

The lead truck slammed to a halt. Jax’s driver, already jumpy, panicked and stomped the pedal to the floor.

SCREECH.

The truck skidded, throwing everyone in the back into a chaotic pile of limbs and curses.

Butch jumped out of the lead vehicle, ready to tear a strip off his driver. But the words died in his throat.

The road ahead was gone. A forest of gray, porous Hive Spires blocked the path completely.

“Shit,” Butch spat. “Look at that mess. How long is it going to take to clear a path through this?”

A fragrant breeze cut through the stench of dust and exhaust. Raven appeared at his side, her long blade already drawn.

She surveyed the obstruction coolly. “Get your men moving. Clear these spires. We don’t have time to waste.”

Butch swallowed a curse. He wanted to argue, but the aura radiating from Raven choked him. She was an Awakened; he knew it in his bones. Running wasn’t an option.

But a nasty idea began to form. This chaos was the perfect cover.

He turned to the second truck and bellowed, “Everyone in Truck Two! Out! Time to earn your keep!”

Relief washed over the recruits in trucks one and three. They’d heard the rumors about the Rodent-Maw Creepers and the bodies left behind at the last blockade. No one wanted to be the first to touch those spires.

Jax knew exactly what game Butch was playing. He gripped his iron hammer, his mind racing. He needed an edge.

He looked down at the heavy sledgehammer. It was sturdy, but swinging it was exhausting. He wondered if the Flux Stone sitting in his inventory would work on a blunt instrument.

He climbed out with the others.

Butch scanned the recruits, his eyes locking onto Jax.

“Alright, Viper! Front and center!” Butch barked. “You’re the overseer. Supervise this lot. If anyone tries to run, shoot them. Understand?”

Viper grinned, a cruel light in his eyes. This was his ticket to the big leagues. Kill Jax, impress Butch, join the Iron Spear.

“You got it, boss.” Viper strutted over, brandishing his pistol. “Listen up, meat! Move out! Clear those spires! And if I see anyone trying to slip away… well, bullets don’t have eyes.”

The recruits glared at him, anger simmering behind their fear, but they were trapped. They knew they were being sold out. Even Raven just stood there, inspecting her fingernails, indifferent to their fate.

Jax fell in line, marching toward the blockage. He wasn’t planning on clearing rocks. He was looking for an exit.

As they neared the spires, the ground trembled.

Skritch. Skritch.

Panic rippled through the group.

The first recruit swung his pickaxe into a spire. CRACK.

From behind a distant pillar, a grotesque, rat-like head popped out. Its beady eyes reflected the harsh glare of the headlights, and it hissed, revealing rows of needle-sharp fangs.

Now.

Jax triggered his inventory mentally. The Flux Stone materialized in his palm.

[System Query: Use Tier 1 Flux Stone?] Target: Iron Sledgehammer.

“Use it.”

A faint, hum of energy vibrated through the handle. The iron head glowed briefly, heat radiating into Jax’s grip.

[Success: Enhanced Iron Sledgehammer]

Effect: Armor Piercing.

Bonus: Chance to deal Critical Damage.

Jax suppressed a grin. This changed things.

But his goal wasn’t to fight the swarm. It was to survive.

He scanned the terrain again. There—a narrow goat path winding behind the main cluster of spires.

It’s a long way around, but the spires will provide cover from gunfire. If I’m fast enough, I can break line of sight.

The recruits were faltering, backing away from the hissing creature.

“Keep working, you cowards!” Viper screamed, waving his gun. ” anyone takes a step back, I drop them!”

To prove his point, the idiot fired a shot into the air.

BANG.

The sound echoed like a thunderclap in the narrow valley.

Raven’s head snapped up, fury in her eyes. “Are you insane? Firing a gun in here? Do you want to ring the dinner bell for every insectoid in the mountains?”

Butch hurried over, sweating. “Rookie mistake! He’s new! I’ll handle him!”

“Too late,” Raven said coldly. “You rang the bell. They’re coming.”

She pointed. Behind the spires, the shadows were moving. A tide of Rodent-Maw Creepers was pouring out of the ground.

Butch’s legs turned to jelly. “I… uh…”

“Use the bait,” Raven said, her voice devoid of emotion. “Send the recruits to draw their fire. The rest of us clear the path while the bugs are distracted. Then we punch through.”

Butch gaped. “You… you want to use them as human shields?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

She turned and walked back to the truck without waiting for an answer.

Butch hardened his heart. He ran to the front. “Trucks One and Three! Out! Grab tools and clear the road! Viper!”

Viper looked over, confused.

“Take your team,” Butch ordered. “Draw the Creepers away. Head for the area behind the spires. Buy us time.”

Viper blanched. “What? No! That’s suicide!”

Butch grabbed him by the collar, jamming his pistol into Viper’s ribs. “If you don’t go, I kill you right here,” he hissed. “But if you survive… and if you take out Jax… I’ll get you a house in the inner city. A real life.”

Viper trembled, caught between a bullet and a bug. The carrot and the stick. Finally, greed won out.

“You… you swear?”

“On my life.” Butch patted his shoulder. “Go.”

Viper swallowed hard, turning to the terrified recruits. “Move out! We’re shifting positions! You don’t have to clear the rocks anymore!”

The swarm was a hundred yards out and closing fast.

A recruit hesitated. Viper leveled his gun. “I said move! Let’s see who wants to die first!”

The recruits clenched their fists, despair washing over them.

Then, Jax stepped forward.

He shouldered his glowing hammer, his expression calm. He looked straight at Viper.

“I’ll take point,” Jax said, his voice steady. “Follow me. Don’t fall behind.”

He turned and marched straight toward the spires.

The recruits stared at his back, awe replacing their fear. In that moment, Jax looked like a hero—righteous and fearless.

Viper smirked, lowering his gun slightly.

Perfect. The idiot is walking right into his grave.