Chapter 250: Vanguard
The chores were done. Coop spent a single day working hard, using all of his non-combat strengths to their full extent, and his diligence had earned a few days of free time. The Underlayer Event was still six days away from starting. The period was too short of a gap to tackle any of the larger projects that needed doing, like exploring the Fallen Zone north of Neptune’s Bridge, but it was more than enough time for what he needed most.
Coop was officially going on spring break. The timing worked out perfectly. It was Day 119 of the assimilation, and if old calendars were still applicable, they would be in the second week of March. It was prime spring break time and he intended to make the most of it.
He could have made his way directly back home after leaving Bobby Jon and Dorothy behind. It wouldn’t have taken long before he reached the expansive Empress City territory with the improvements to his travel skill. From there he could have passed through the lively port and hopped on a ferry for the rest of the journey back to his island. He would have been home by the end of another day, and what could be better than spending his spring break on Ghost Reef’s picturesque beaches?
But he held back. Instead, he slowed down in order to more closely explore the limits of the Swamp Lord’s territory before he got too far from the Alligator Farm and Placid Lake Outpost. It wasn’t so much that he was looking for trouble, though it might have seemed that way. Rather, for the invaders, he was trouble.
On his way north, he had passed over the environment in a rush, letting the pressure of the past, present, and future add wind to his sails. If he wasn’t directly defending the Lighthouse from the factions that sought to conquer it, he still felt the need to be equally productive, especially since it was up to him to make sure that the domestic threats to Ghost Reef and the core shard of their faction were under control. He couldn’t rest while his companions took on the obligations that he intended to keep, so he committed to his delegated task with a full head of steam. Making sure their broader territory was secure was his indirect contribution. A few days earlier and it would have been the most direct contribution possible, but new threats had been added as a tradeoff for new allies.
It wasn’t until he stopped to explore the Infestation that he paid closer attention to what was actually happening in the untrodden lands of Central Florida. At that point he was already beyond the fringes of the Infestation and in the midst of the system-designated dungeon thanks to the island formed by the Placid Lake Outpost. He wouldn’t find any Primal Constructs where the alligators had already taken control.
The only leveled non-minions he encountered were the former residents of Bobby Jon’s alligator farm. Most of the wild animals he noticed in close proximity to the farm were unleveled, but he had been focused on seeking out the minions that threatened the Outpost rather than understanding the lay of the land.
The urgency of an uninhibited Hive and his enthusiasm to do his part had driven him to skip over any potential Slayer grinds in favor of aiding his Empress City allies. It was a formation that should be taken care of before it escalated further. Now, with the Infestation dealt with and roughly five days before he actually needed to get back home for the initiation of the Underlayer Event, he could satisfy his curiosity while pursuing his own progression. Instead of a beach vacation, he was angling for a road trip and traveling was always more fun when rushing wasn’t necessary.
The boardwalk was the most obvious development in the region, and had been the main feature he followed on his way up the state. He continued to use it as an anchor point to assess the area. It was continually defended by steady patrols of Empress City sentries, but it was merely a narrow line that zigged and zagged across the landscapes in a total area that spanned a few hundred square miles. The singular tract did little to reveal the full scope of the region.
Along the boardwalk, word of their alliance with the alligators was already spreading. It had only taken a day for Dorothy to start making her moves, further demonstrating the level of coordination that existed between the reptiles in this section of the Everglades. Frankly, they put the efficiency of Coop’s own networks to shame. Patrolling sentries nervously tiptoed around their newest comrades on the relatively narrow wooden path, heading south to relay the message that they had established new allies and could continue their northward expansion. The alligators were already fully on board, literally. They appeared to be utilizing the elevated path as a central bulwark to stage their units.
Non-minion alligators had no issue climbing onto the wooden slats to bathe in the morning sun, completely ignoring the apprehensive humans. On the other hand, it seemed like it would take some time before the Empress City residents grew more comfortable around the large reptiles. Coop supposed it was only fair that the guards were uneasy. They were frequently at a level disadvantage that approached the triple digits. As far as they could see, the alligators were monstrous, battle-scarred threats with question marks for levels and backed up by equally powerful minions. Coop would have hesitated to get too close if he was in their shoes as well. A healthy dose of caution was as important as ever when leaving the consistency provided by settlement territory.
Outside of the boardwalk, there were entire ecosystems stretching across hundreds of miles that were in flux. The Everglades were expansive, and the Swamp Lord’s territory was merely a small patch centered in a particularly underdeveloped rural area. Coop wanted to explore it all.