Chapter 170
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: Brainwash Confirmed
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"So, what are you planning to do now? Considering the enemy's abilities, I doubt you're just going to charge straight in."
Before we set off toward where Mir was, Sohee tossed the question my way.
I'd told her all about Mir up to now, but I hadn't explained how we'd go about capturing her, so this reaction was understandable.
"Yeah, I haven't explained that part yet. But it's nothing complicated. You two just head to Mir on your own."
"What? Isn't that a bad idea? You said she has some kind of mind control ability. Even if Ria here is immune, I could be in danger, right?"
I nodded at Sohee's worried words.
"Probably. I don't know the conditions for her control, so even I might fall for it."
"What? So you're saying you're offering me up as a guinea pig right now?"
"Yeah. And?"
Sohee stared at me like I was ridiculous at my matter-of-fact response.
Ria, who had been quietly listening from behind, looked the same.
"Ha, fuck! This is insane. Why the hell do I have to tank this? Is it really necessary?"
"I don't want to go this far either, but to figure out her ability, someone has to get controlled so we can see it firsthand."
"But why does it have to be me..."
I could understand her feeling indignant about being controlled by some guy she didn't even know.
Who would want to have their free will stripped away?
But this was unavoidable.
"You think I can let myself get controlled? If I did, you can imagine the disaster without me spelling it out, right?"
"...Fuck, this is total bullshit. Fine, I'll do it! Just do it!"
Sohee let out a resigned sigh after hearing me out.
She must have realized that if Mir controlled me, the first thing I'd do is put the world's most precious person to her—her mom, Miyeong—in danger.
Forgetting for a second that we couldn't keep living this cushy life with free access to food and electronics, the real threat would be to her life.
With the Zombie Wave starting next week, we'd need a safe place to protect Miyeong, and good luck finding one on the spot.
On top of that, considering Miyeong's looks, she'd have to watch out not just for zombies but for the men around her too.
Give them the slightest opening, and some lust-crazed bastard would pounce on her and rape her—no surprise there.
Sohee would never want to see that.
She was even offering her body to me on the condition that I keep my hands off Miyeong.
Not that she knew I'd already fucked Miyeong a few times. That was our little secret.
"Um, excuse me... Are we really doing this? It seems way too dangerous! We don't even know what might happen to Sohee."
Ria, who had been listening to our conversation, chimed in with a worried voice.
"No, it'll be fine. As long as this guy's with us."
At Ria's words, Sohee pointed at me.
"Getting brainwashed by that Mir bastard sounds like hell and I hate it, but I know this guy will protect me. You wouldn't get it, but he's... a total monster. An absolute freak."
I was about to say it'd be fine with me around, but Sohee beat me to it, responding to Ria first.
I hadn't expected Sohee to say something like that.
Even though she nagged all the time, deep down she acknowledged me.
Ria, who had only seen fragments of my power, gave me a skeptical look.
Sure, I'd taken out the guys chasing her, but from her perspective, she had no idea how strong they were, so that reaction made sense.
Even this morning, when Yejin suggested sniping Mir from afar, the vibe had been one of disbelief.
Whatever. Whether Ria believed in me or not was none of my business.
"Alright, let's get moving then... Huh?"
I was about to send the two of them ahead toward Mir when I suddenly sensed someone approaching from afar.
Not wandering around, but heading straight for us in a beeline.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's coming this way. Gotta be enemies, so Sohee, you watch over Ria."
"What? Who?"
"No idea. But they're definitely targeting us."
At this timing, anyone gunning for us had to be one of two things.
First, zombie apocalypse style: a horde of zombies charging at us.
Second: one of Mir's minions coming for Ria.
Either way was fine, but I'd prefer if it was Mir's guys.
As we waited briefly for the group targeting us, they soon came into view.
"Found you. So this is where you were."
Heading our way weren't zombies, but people.
And the moment they spotted Ria among the three of us, they grinned—that confirmed they were Mir's minions.
But how the hell did they know Ria was here?
We'd hidden out pretty well against zombie attacks, pitching tents and spending the night concealed.
If they'd gotten close enough to spot us, I would've noticed for sure.
Yet here they were, barreling toward us with full confidence we were here.
The three men in front of us gripped knives, and they sure as hell didn't look friendly.
"Y-You guys..."
Ria recognized them too, her voice trembling as she stared without blinking.
The leader of the trio grinned, flashing his teeth.
"At first I thought you weren't here, but then you switched directions and I figured my tracking skill was busted."
Tracking Skill
They had someone with a skill that could pinpoint locations.
That's how they found us?
Last time Ria snuck into my factory, thinking back—they'd chased her right in, probably because of the tracking skill on her position.
Neat skill.
Not that I needed it.
"But we found her clean, right? We'll get a reward from Mir once we drag this bitch back."
"Damn straight. Kill the two guys with her. Wait, one of 'em's a chick?"
The guy alternating glances between me and Sohee noticed she was a woman and leered sleazily.
"If it's a girl... no need to kill her. Kill the guy, take her to Mir."
"She's a bit small, might not be his type. If not, we get a shot at her then."
I couldn't stand listening to them talk like we were already caught.
No time to waste—time to kill them.
Ria knew where Mir was anyway, so no reason to keep these assholes alive.
"Hey, no more running around like pests, just stay put..."
"Huh?"
"What the—?"
The reason for their sudden weird reaction was simple.
The person in front of them had vanished.
That was me, of course.
I kicked off the ground and shot forward so fast it must've been unbelievable to them.
"Urk!"
As I closed in suddenly, one swung his knife at me—way too slow, almost yawn-worthy.
I dodged leisurely, pulled the Reaper Blade from my Subspace, and sliced one clean in half with a single stroke. The other two followed, throats slit effortlessly.
"G-Gahk!"
I ignored the ones collapsing with disbelieving stares and walked back toward Sohee and Ria, but then I sensed more presences approaching.
Not a small group like before—a whole mob heading our way.
Did they all swarm here knowing Ria's location?
"This way, Mir."
"Good. No idea why she came here, but we found her."
Mir rushed outside upon hearing his minions who'd gone tracking Ria had spotted her.
He couldn't figure out why Ria, who'd supposedly fled far away, had looped back nearby, but it wasn't a big deal to him.
'Whatever, the fact she came back is what matters. After wandering out there, she must've realized how safe it was with me.'
Grinning at the thought of recapturing Ria, Mir arrived at her location with his men.
"Huh? What the hell?"
Mir was shocked to see the three minions he'd sent first lying there as cold corpses.
Looking toward Ria, he saw a woman he'd never met before—standing protectively in front of Ria, glaring at him.
It was Sohee, gripping a greatsword with both hands, ready to strike.
"Ria... I thought you'd come crawling back, but what the fuck is this? You didn't have this bitch kill my guys, did you?"
Mir pointed at Sohee as he asked, but Ria said nothing.
Sohee spoke first instead.
"Yeah, I did it. You're the bastard hunting Ria?"
"And what're you gonna do about it?"
"This!"
The words barely left her mouth before Sohee charged forward. It was a clear attack aimed straight at Mir.
The beast-like rush should've been intimidating, but Mir's expression remained calm.
"Die!"
As Sohee raised her greatsword high to smash down on Mir, he pointed at her with a finger and muttered softly.
"Brainwash."
[Brainwash successful.]
Sohee, who had been full of killing intent moments ago, did a complete 180.
"You're kinda cute, so I'll use you as my fucktoy. And you."
Mir tried using Brainwash on Ria the same way.
But as expected, the failure message popped up again.
"Sigh, no dice again? Whatever, level up the skill and it'll work. Everyone, grab Ria and let's head back!"
His men seized Ria at once, while brainwashed Sohee just watched from the side.
And one more person—Jaehwan—lurked in the shadows, assessing the situation.
'A skill that triggers just by pointing? Total bullshit cheat. Having that would be so convenient... Guess I'll steal it.'
Jaehwan tailed Mir as he moved off with Ria.
He could rush in now, but he planned to act after fully grasping the Brainwash skill.