The largest burrow entrance was tall enough for an adult to pass through, and the slope wasn't very steep.
"Cover your mouths and noses."
Allen tore a few pieces of fabric from a camp tent, soaked them with water from his flask, and handed them to the others. "The pollen concentration will only be higher inside."
Bruno took the wet cloth, his hands still trembling. He stared at the pitch-black entrance as if it were the maw of a giant beast.
"Captain, are we... really going in?"
"Our mission objective is inside. We'll scout first and act according to the situation."
Allen's voice was devoid of inflection. He tied the wet cloth over his own face, leaving only his pair of unfathomably deep blue eyes visible.
"Besides, that magic plant is worth far more than the Crystal Shell Burrowing Insects."
That single sentence transformed the operation from "a suicide mission" into "a high-risk, high-reward investment."
