Chapter 199
Chapter 199
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: A Zone (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to withdraw.
Everyone except me had insisted on heading to the seed storage. Well, their argument wasn't entirely without merit. We'd already entered Thunder's domain anyway.
But I wanted to get out of the domain as quickly as possible.
If I squared off against it properly, I could probably kill it. If I went all out while absorbing, I could win. But there was no guarantee the team would survive unscathed in the meantime.
The seniors, however, argued:
"It doesn't unconditionally attack, does it?"
Sure, unless it's hungry or bored.
"Roads or mountains, danger's the same either way, right?"
"But climbing means going deeper into Thunder's domain."
"You said there's one of your own kind inside the seed storage."
Right. Bringing that up had been the problem.
At Cal's flat observation, I nodded silently, and Yoon chuckled while cleaning his gun barrel.
"Got to see the face first."
Ha.
And that's how we ended up climbing the mountain.
Of course, I wanted to find that fellow clansman too.
Especially since I had a rough idea of who he was. He wasn't a fighter. With this team, capturing him without issue should be easy.
Not an exceptional combatant, but granted eternal life.
He was Byeongaebaek.
More precisely, he used to be Byeongaebaek.
"But why would a noble be alone in the seed storage?"
Ami asked while hacking away at branches with the knife in her hand.
"In such a dangerous dragon's domain like this?"
"Probably came for the seeds."
Even now, it looked like he was moving around inside the storage.
"He was someone who managed his territory very well."
Something about figuring out the secret to farming.
I didn't remember the exact method, but I recalled he'd gained fame by turning barren land fertile.
"Then we definitely have to go to the seed storage."
Yoon's voice came from behind.
"To cut off the enemy's supplies, even a little."
Right. That was textbook warfare.
I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and nodded. I knew he was right. I'd already steeled myself on that front long ago.
"Yes. If we encounter him, I'll capture him."
As I replied, I checked the darkening mountain.
As expected, we'd have to spend the night on this mountain. The mountain darkened quickly at night. Climbing through the darkness seeping in would be too dangerous.
I hadn't thought we could scale a mountain this high in half a day anyway.
The seniors knew that and still chose to climb. A team of people with the skills and experience to pull it off.
Time to scout a spot to camp...
"Capture if we encounter him?"
The moment I tried to relay that, Sophia's eerie, low mutter reached me.
"Not kill?"
I stopped in my tracks.
Leaning on a tree, I turned to the senior behind me.
Half-buried in the bluish darkness, she didn't avoid my gaze.
"He's a civilian."
I spoke in an emotionless voice.
"Killing civilians violates the laws of war."
"A civilian is a non-military human, and humanoid creatures aren't human."
Sophia countered in a cold voice.
"The laws of war apply only to humans."
"Sophia."
Cal, following behind her, spoke up.
The other seniors slowed their steps.
Faint irritation flickered in Yoon's eyes. For his personality, he'd held back a long time.
To prevent the growing tension, I spoke first.
"Then let's do it this way."
While feeling out for the clansman's presence.
"By squad leader order, we'll take this humanoid creature alive."
Eyes poured down on me.
I smiled faintly.
Even if they didn't like the order, what could they do? It wasn't an unreasonable command without explanation.
In fact, Ami and Cal nodded as if they understood.
Of course, Sophia shot me a glare that could swallow me whole.
I didn't wipe the smile from my lips.
"I can't kill civilians."
A chill night wind rustled through the leaves.
"To you seniors, they might just be creatures, but to me, they're people."
"I can't accept that logic."
Hearing her quiet retort, I chuckled lowly.
"Then you should have been squad leader."
Silence descended.
People stared at me. More precisely, everyone except Yoon stared at me. Yoon smirked while adjusting his clothes.
Ami blinking her round eyes, Ricardo letting out a hollow laugh.
Cal, frozen with his gaze fixed on Sophia.
The rustling leaves sounded clear.
After standing there amid the noise for a long while, Sophia overtook me and walked ahead.
We climbed the mountain in silence for a while.
***
Bang!
Ricardo's bullet blew open the red ricochet's brain.
A primate where the red brain was vividly visible.
Earlier, a pack of them had charged. Unfamiliar lifeforms. I hadn't even sensed them approaching.
Definitely not magical beasts, so when I asked if they were native animals, the seniors shot me looks like I was spouting nonsense.
"Doesn't seem like any magical beast or animal from our side. Can't say for sure, though..."
"Could be something that tumbled in from a completely different world."
Yoon muttered while peering at the crushed red brain matter.
"Don't rely too much on your instincts."
Good point.
After eliminating the red ricochet pack, we pressed on.
A few minutes later, we found a suitable camping spot. The steep incline suddenly vanished, revealing a spacious flat area big enough for six to sleep comfortably.
The surroundings were unusually quiet too.
Well, yeah.
I gave a wry smile at the massive limestone chunk in the corner of the wide clearing.
"Wow!"
Ami, following my gaze to the rock, raised her voice.
"The rock looks so weird."
I grabbed the wrist of Ami reaching for the rock.
"This is dragon dung."
"Eek!"
Grinning as I peered into the senior's face, Ami screamed.
Those preparing camp looked up.
I watched happily as Ami went to Yoon and rubbed her palm on his clothes.
"Did you touch that?"
"Nooo."
Even as she replied, Ami kept wiping her hand on Yoon's clothes.
"Ugh—."
"But what are you doing?"
"Feels dirty."
"Camping next to that massive dung pile~..."
Ricardo voiced his disgust from beside Yoon, who was looking down at Ami.
I gave a wry smile at his furrowed brow.
I understood the revulsion.
"But it's sufficiently calcified, so barely any smell, right? This spot's safer than others. The dragon won't come near its own dung, and other creatures won't approach the area either."
"What if this is the dragon's toilet?"
"Dragons don't have separate toilets like cats."
Well, habits varied by dragon type, but this was universal.
"So no need to worry. And I'll sleep right next to it."
I had zero aversion to sleeping beside calcified dragon dung.
If I blocked it, the seniors' discomfort would ease. Sure enough, everyone seemed to accept my proposal readily. Even Sophia didn't object.
We set up camp.
The personal tents, as Ami described, really evoked silkworm cocoons.
"Won't this roll away?"
"Can fix it."
She showed how to secure the white oval tent. No idea the principle, but following her lead made it stick fast to the uneven ground.
Cal and Sophia were already done with tents and preparing dinner.
Yoon drinking water, Ricardo checking the air composition around.
"He won't slip away while we're overnighting, right?"
Ami asked breezily.
I nodded firmly.
"It's a miracle he climbed up there alone. He won't come down the mountain at night."
"And the dragon?"
"No movement yet."
The storm clouds not appearing was pure luck.
If they'd shown, we never would've come up here.
Good thing no rain seemed coming. Confirming no immediate issues, we ate dinner by minimal light, then set night watch rotations.
With everyone's stamina and skills top-notch, no special considerations needed.
Thinking no other team like this existed, I secured the middle watch slot.
Not getting deep sleep was pretty rough.
Natural for the squad leader to take the toughest shift.
"Please take care."
I greeted Sophia, first watch, then burrowed into my cocoon.
"Have a peaceful night."
"Good night~..."
"Sleep well!"
Heads vanishing into cocoons.
We all woke around five.
A creature estimated at level 6 had appeared during Cal Dow's watch. Like a mop handle. I knew this one, though forgot its original world's name.
Anyway, it was shredded in seconds.
I looked down at the ashen tentacles covering the ground.
"Byeongaebaek's doing?"
"Seems like."
Short reply to Cal's question.
"To capture him, we need to hurry up the mountain."
HR Director assigned great people.
We reached the summit faster than I'd expected.
Byeongaebaek had arrived earlier than anticipated, so no need to chase his escape. He was milling about inside the storage.
He hadn't expected us this quick.
We'd hiked at an astonishing pace.
Ami, Ricardo, and Yoon were top-ten Badgers, so fine. The other two turned out exceptional too.
If even one like Dawson or Lucia Kwon had been here, we wouldn't have summited today.
Now I fully understood why Joo let Sophia, who'd aimed at Ye-hyeon, off the hook.
"Starting to feel unfounded confidence we could even nab Thunder."
I muttered while eyeing the seed storage entrance.
"Feels like too much firepower in one place."
"For the team facing a humanoid creature on the front lines."
Yoon said lowly, walking to the storage door.
"Going in?"
The door opened easily.
With light gunfire and some force, we flung it open and stepped into the lit seed storage, chills running down our spines.
Army boots echoed.
Long, white corridor.
Ricardo, last in, closed the door, muffling the mountain sounds. I took point, walking the transparent corridor.
Until the familiar presence was right nearby.
Opponent stuck to the wall, unmoving.
Fling open the door at the corridor's end.
It opened without resistance, revealing worn lab equipment.
And a familiar face.
"Byeongaebaek."
Gripping what looked like a bomb in his right hand and a massive burlap sack in his left, I said darkly to the man.
"Long time no see."
"Talib."
He rasped.
"The coward who surrendered to humans without a fight, how dare you."