Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Chapter 23 Survivors (6)
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‘This is a truly insane situation.’
I’d lived in a world where the term “human resources” was used casually.
But seeing living beings themselves consumed as resources was something else entirely.
Because of that, just thinking about the farm made my chest feel tight.
And it wasn’t just me.
The atmosphere among those who’d volunteered for the escort mission was heavy overall.
I hadn’t shared what I knew with the other Players.
But the mere existence of the farm was enough to shock anyone with a shred of common sense.
As the mood grew heavier, the kids started to shrink back.
‘It’s not like they’re shouting loud enough for ordinary humans to hear.’
But just because they’re young doesn’t mean they lack awareness.
They would’ve picked up on the heavy atmosphere just fine.
To make matters worse, the kids hadn’t eaten properly for nearly a week, so even walking slowly was a struggle for them.
That slowed us down even more, creating a vicious cycle where they grew even more anxious around the adults.
The kids’ ragged breathing—hiss, wheeze—like they might topple backward at any moment was grating on my nerves.
I hesitated for a moment, my hand twitching, but eventually turned around and said,
“Let’s pick up the pace.”
If we kept going like this, we’d never make it, so right after finishing my sentence, I reached out.
“Eek!”
I scooped up a kid nearby who looked about seven years old.
Carrying an extra 20 or 30 kg wouldn’t burden the Players.
And it’d be much faster to carry the kids.
I set the kid on my shoulders and said,
“Hold on tight.”
The kid hurriedly wrapped their legs around my neck and hugged my head.
Leaving them there, I picked up two older ones, one under each arm.
Seeing me take the lead, Kim Yul, who’d been walking beside me, quickly followed suit.
Yang Tae-ho reached out next, but I stopped him.
“Tanks, stay on the perimeter and focus on vigilance. The rest of us can cover it.”
“Hmm…… Got it.”
Yang Tae-ho nodded and took position at the front of the formation.
After sorting out roles within the party, I turned back again to see most of the Players already acting.
The tanks moved to the outskirts, while the others began tending to the kids.
We’d assigned kids to each party before departure, so there was no confusion.
Some carried them on their backs, some in their arms, some like me gave shoulder rides.
A few minutes later, not a single kid had their feet on the ground.
‘Fame has its perks in situations like this.’
Thanks to the name value of “K,” I often had an edge in influencing large groups.
Of course, there were always those who glared at me like a thorn in their side and picked fights.
‘But crush them once, and most shut up.’
Seize the initiative with a show of force, and few could stand up to the psychological pressure.
If it escalated to actual combat, my overwhelming physical superiority shone even brighter.
‘It’s not like I can control every situation.’
But steering people in the direction I wanted? That much was possible.
Thanks to that, we reformed the column and resumed movement right away.
‘We’ll exit the valley by tonight.’
I checked the route on the map and upped the pace; the Players followed.
No special conversations, no incidents.
The occasional monsters we encountered weren’t a big deal.
While the tanks held them off, ranged Players cleanly took them down.
It was so quiet that some of the kids riding on Players fell asleep.
Since we were near the barracks outpost, the Messao cleanup was done.
After marching nonstop for nearly five hours, the escort group swiftly exited the valley area.
The Players could’ve kept going based on stamina alone, but we decided to rest for the kids’ sake.
‘We need to feed them something.’
I’d heard they’d had a simple meal during the command meeting.
But enough time had passed since then; it was mealtime.
The sun was setting anyway, so we stopped here.
Thanks to the map, we found a suitable clearing without getting lost.
There was a small stream nearby, perfect for water.
While the party leaders gathered to set night watch rotations, the others started camp preparations.
Watching the scene, I couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.
‘Why are modern people so good at camping?’
As if proving their time in Biharu, they didn’t fumble or hesitate.
They efficiently set up camp, which felt unfamiliar, but I’d long since grown accustomed to it myself.
Shaking my head, I joined the party leaders to hammer out the watch order.
‘First shift’s a breeze.’
Satisfied with the result, I headed back to my party members and heard a serious voice.
“It’s like they starved for days—can we really give them this? This has MSG…….”
“This much is fine! The idea that MSG is bad for you is a misconception, you know? Seriously, spouting off without knowing…….”
“Ramen’s instant food to begin with!”
Yang Tae-ho and Kim Yul were bickering over whether to give the kids cup ramen.
To end their pointless squabble, I popped the cap off a low-grade potion.
While I was sorting watches, they’d heated some water, so I poured potion in generously.
“Let’s give them something warm.”
When camping, you light a minimal fire just to boil water, then put it out.
Unless you want monsters swarming all night.
With the sun down, the chilling air had to be endured with the issued blankets.
Players could handle it, but it’d be a cold night for the kids.
Better to warm them up inside and tuck them in before they cool off.
I’d already instructed the party leaders on this during watch planning.
Give the kids potions and put them to bed early.
‘The potions from 4th Battalion support should help them recover with a good night’s rest.’
Mixing three potions into the water, Yang Tae-ho stopped objecting.
Kim Yul smugly prepared the food.
We gathered the kids and were feeding them when,
At the most random timing, my eyes flicked to the map in the upper right of my vision.
For a split second, something appeared at the map’s edge.
‘Did I imagine it?’
Staring at the map yielded no changes.
I chalked it up to an illusion and planned to ignore it.
We were just settling in to rest, and moving again sounded annoying.
But seeing the kids slurping down ramen broth in front of me lifted my heavy ass.
‘Better check it out.’
With Mana Detection and the map, I wouldn’t need to go far.
“Going somewhere?”
“Quick recon. Watch the kids; I’ll be right back.”
I let Kim Yul know and gripped my spear.
As I stepped forward, a prickling sensation raced up my spine and smacked the back of my skull.
I whipped my head around, following the chilling feeling.
In the brush, trees, and shadowed corner where nothing had stood moments ago, a shadow loomed.
Illusion, optical trick, or reality—I couldn’t distinguish.
But my body was already reacting.
I hurled the short spear from my back and spotted it.
The monster that had pursued Rasha’s group when we first met them.
Four eyes protruding like a chameleon’s, swiveling independently.
Atop the head with those eyes gleamed five stars.
‘Where’d it come from?’
I hadn’t seen a black dot approaching on the map.
Snapping to, there it was—a black dot smack in the corner of the campsite on the map.
I couldn’t fathom where the damn thing had popped from.
But there was no time to ponder.
Shrieeek—!
As my short spear sliced through the air, quick-reacting Players grabbed their weapons.
By then, I’d already kicked off toward the 5-star evolved monster.
The closer I got, the more urgent I felt.
‘Faster, faster!’
The 5-star had swatted aside my short spear and was leaning toward the nearest party.
Fearing I’d be a hair too late if I dawdled, I gritted my teeth and pushed my legs.
Fortunately, my efforts paid off.
I intercepted before it reached the Players.
Thud—!
A heavy force hit right after impact.
“Fall back!”
I yelled at the Players behind me and braced.
Muscles swelled in my arms and legs; veins bulged on my neck.
My feet dragged long furrows in the loose dirt.
Luckily, straining until my face turned red slowed the pushback, and soon it stopped.
I’d won the dull contest of strength, but it didn’t end there.
“Kirik?”
The evolved monster swung its arm to clear the obstacle—me—and I blocked with my spear shaft.
Each clash blurred whether my body shook or the ground did.
After the menacing arm swings came an unexpected attack.
“Urk!”
I arched my back to dodge the whip-like tail slashing down from above.
Boom!
The tail grazed me and smashed the ground, unleashing a deep rumble.
The shock split the earth, sending nearby rocks and debris flying.
Soaring dirt, stones, and weeds obscured vision.
Even then, eyes wide, I twisted my spear and swept upward from below.
“Kieek!”
Thwack—!
As it staggered from the spear butt to its jaw, I took a step back.
In the following exchanges, I steadily created distance.
Then, beyond the monster’s arm that whiffed past me, I thrust my spear.
The blade slithered up its arm like a snake and plunged precisely into the monster’s armpit chest.
Squelch.
As the dull, faint sound rang out, attribute mana flowed along the spear.
A blue flash erupted in the darkness.
Sparks lanced outward, dazzling my sight and igniting nearby trees into red flames.
“Kyaaaak!”
The evolved monster screeched, still alive.
But fortunately, it wasn’t unscathed.
Crackle, zap.
Sparks danced across its sleek reptilian hide.
‘That’s paralysis.’
Indeed, it merely twitched, no longer making threatening moves.
With this burdensome foe neutralized, I didn’t hesitate—gathered mana and dragged the spear lodged in its chest long across.
Scriiich.
Flesh tore as the monster’s upper body split open.
「Successfully eliminated the enemy. 28698 contaminated mana absorbed.」
I’d taken down the 5-star evolved monster easier than expected, but my face was stiff.
Not just from the sudden mana influx—the root cause was the anomaly on my map.
Black dots were spawning thick and fast on the map only I could see.
Like periods dotting blank white paper.
Not approaching from afar, but dropping from the sky.
The spawn rate accelerated.
As I grasped the situation, dark shadows emerged from the night-shrouded woods.
All 5-star evolved monsters.
“More coming—fire!”
“Blast them!”
“Ranged DPS!”
Players spotting the newcomers unleashed ranged spells.
Flame magic dropped into the woods, fueled by wind spells, burning fiercer.
But the 5-stars strolled leisurely through the flames.
“Elemental magic’s doing nothing?”
As flustered Players faltered, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
‘Most of those attacks were rank 2, the rest rank 3 mana spells.’
Ignoring them and emerging intact meant their magic resistance was stage 3 or higher.
I stared grimly at the flame-wreathed evolved monsters.
‘Physical prowess seemed similar to 4-stars.’
Since I hadn’t been pushed back, probably accurate.
Physical abilities on par with 4-stars, but magic resistance enhanced?
That put Players with low-rank attribute mana at a disadvantage.
If full combat broke out under these conditions?
‘Dangerous.’
Ranged DPS mages couldn’t contribute—colliding like that, at least half would die.
Alarms blared in my head as a flame-exiting evolved monster crouched low.
‘Leap stance.’
Realizing it, I backpedaled and shouted,
“Tanks!”
As if awaiting the signal, rock pillars erupted at my feet.
“What’re you doing?! Shields up now!”
At Yang Tae-ho’s first barrier’s urging, other tanks joined.
Soon, multicolored rock barriers stacked in double, triple layers.
Then came the earth-shaking roar.
Damn system