The morning sky had not fully brightened yet.
A thin layer of fog drifted between the old buildings, making the city feel like it had not completely awakened. The streets were still quiet. Cold air lingered in the silence.
But they were already moving.
Several vehicles were lined up behind the MBG kitchen, their engines humming softly. No one spoke much. Everyone understood—
this mission was different.
Pak Rahmat stood beside one of the vehicles, staring at the map displayed on his tablet.
"The location is far from the city center."
Lila spoke quietly beside him.
"An old industrial district."
Farhan kept his eyes on the laptop screen.
"Places like that are usually built to hide something."
Bimo stretched his shoulders with a faint grin.
"Good. That means we're heading to the right place."
Sinta immediately cut him off.
"This time, we can't afford mistakes."
Silence followed.
Because everyone understood—
this was no longer just another mission. If they failed, the consequences would be far worse than before.
Kai stepped closer to the map.
"This way."
Everyone turned toward him.
Rani frowned slightly.
"You sure?"
Kai nodded without hesitation.
"I was brought through this route before. Dominion trucks use this road."
Farhan quickly marked an alternate path on the map.
"If we enter from here, we can avoid the main gate."
Bimo smirked.
"A stealth mission. I like it."
Tono answered quietly,
"Same."
Not long after that, the vehicles began leaving the city behind.
The tall buildings slowly disappeared from view, replaced by abandoned factories, empty warehouses, and rusted fences stretching endlessly through the industrial zone. The wind carried the smell of metal and dust—
and something else.
Something strange.
A crow flew low across the road before vanishing into the fog.
No one mentioned it.
But everyone felt the same thing.
They were getting closer.
Lila checked her tablet again.
"Dominion signals are starting to appear."
Farhan stared at the moving energy graphs.
"Energy activity is increasing."
Kai kept his eyes forward, his voice quieter than usual.
"…we're close."
Arga opened the MBG box in his hands.
The ten rice grains inside glowed softly.
But this time, the light did not feel calm.
It felt like a warning.
Sinta noticed immediately.
"The energy is reacting."
Arga nodded slowly.
"There's something wrong with this place."
And then—
they saw it.
A massive complex stood beyond the fog.
Too large to be called a laboratory.
It looked more like a factory.
Tall fences surrounded the entire area. Watchtowers stood at every corner. Security lights still burned brightly even as the sun slowly began to rise.
The Dominion logo was clearly visible on the outer wall.
Silent.
Yet somehow—
alive.
Bimo stared at the building for a moment before speaking under his breath.
"…this isn't some small facility."
Farhan watched the energy readings continue climbing.
"There are huge energy sources inside."
Lila added quietly,
"…and not all of them are machines."
Kai said nothing at first.
He simply stared at the building without blinking.
"That's the place."
His voice sounded heavier now.
"…where they made us."
No one spoke after that.
The vehicles stopped far from the outer fence.
They moved carefully toward a half-collapsed warehouse near the industrial area.
The iron door creaked open slowly.
CREAAAAK.
Sinta peeked through the gap.
"There are guards."
Dika counted quickly.
"Six."
Farhan pointed toward the rooftops.
"And cameras."
Tono crossed his arms.
"The front gate isn't an option."
Lila enlarged the map on her tablet.
"There's a service route on the east side."
Kai immediately nodded.
"The logistics corridor. Dominion trucks enter through there."
Sinta looked at everyone one by one.
Calculating the risks.
Making the decision.
"Alright."
"…we go in through there."
Bimo immediately grinned.
"Now it finally starts."
Rani clenched her fists softly.
"We destroy this place."
Farhan added,
"And shut down their production."
Kai looked toward the Dominion complex one more time before speaking quietly.
"…and free them."
That sentence changed the atmosphere completely.
It no longer felt heavy.
It felt sharp.
Arga slowly closed the MBG box in his hands.
The light inside dimmed.
But the energy remained strong.
He stared at the towering Dominion fence ahead without the slightest hesitation.
"Nutrition Guardians…"
He took a slow breath.
"…we're going in."
Far beyond those walls, machines continued humming endlessly.
White lights glowed brightly.
Security systems remained active.
But that was not all.
Deep underground, in another hidden chamber, rows of glass capsules stood silently in the darkness.
And this time—
they were not empty.
One pair of eyes opened.
Then another.
And another.
Golden light ignited across the room all at once.
They believed they had come here to attack.
But in truth—
they had just stepped into the place
where they…
had already been expected.