Chapter 63
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 063
Chapter Title: Natives of the Demonic Realm
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The exact extent of the damage from this night raid remained unknown.
The leadership of the second expeditionary force was well aware of it but was too busy covering it up to disclose the scale of the losses. Revealing the full blow they'd taken could shatter the soldiers' morale.
Woojin roughly estimated it himself.
'At least six hundred missing or dead... and even more wounded.'
It was time to clean up the aftermath.
With patients from the previous raid needing treatment and supplies needing to be inventoried, the expeditionary force halted its northward advance for a period of reorganization.
During that time, the soldiers got some well-deserved rest. After receiving rations of special smoked meat dishes, the Choir of Harmony began to sing.
Woojin listened closely to the song.
'A song infused with divinity.'
Last time, Rolland had played a solo violin piece to rally the soldiers' spirits...
This time, it was different—a soft, delicate melody. The choir's voices weren't particularly loud, yet strangely, the song reached every ear. Art soothed their weary hearts.
A measure to lift the fallen morale. Duke Edwin seemed eager to sweep that nightmarish ordeal under the rug as if it had never happened.
The northward march resumed.
......But problems kept cropping up afterward.
Having tasted human flesh once, the beasts now prowled the surroundings relentlessly. They'd sniffed out the expeditionary force's weak cohesion and struck whenever a gap appeared, snatching soldiers before fleeing.
Charging like bulls, then slipping away like eels. Thanks to them, the hard-won morale fizzled out like beer foam.
'As expected... even with the expeditionary force's numbers, these raids are unstoppable.'
The force had come for war, but the beasts just wanted to hunt. No reason for them to clash head-on.
With no choice, the expeditionary force pressed on, steadily whittled down. Each raid claimed a handful of casualties—a trivial loss compared to their overall size.
In a situation where desertions would be no surprise... not a single soldier fled.
'Step out of line, and you'll face the fangs of the beasts lying in wait.'
To make it back in one piece, they had no option but to endure until the expedition ended. Amid that vague despair, the soldiers kept marching.
......But there's always an exception everywhere.
"Mr. Jin. Is this how it's done?"
A nun who loved drawing, Ayla, asked the question. Woojin examined the work she'd created.
On the back shoulder of a soldier's armor, two large eyeballs were painted. Big and striking like an owl's eyes.
"Very well done. If you have time, please do the rest as well."
"Guess I'll do it to kill time."
The followers of the Goddess Ea of Harmony were skilled in the arts. With nothing else to do, the nuns had taken Woojin's request and painted eyes on the backs of armors and robes.
Rolland, standing nearby, voiced his doubt.
"These eye drawings will boost the soldiers' survival rate? Is that for real?"
"Yes. They have a decent effect."
Among caterpillars, some had eye-like patterns on their rears.
It was mimicry to confuse predators about the head's location. Beasts preferred sneaking up from behind, but coming face-to-"eye" with a painted one on the back made them hesitate psychologically.
Rolland nodded in admiration at the explanation.
"Never heard of that before, but it's convincing... Did you come up with it yourself?"
"Knowledge I picked up elsewhere."
A countermeasure devised in India against man-eating tigers. Woojin had verified its effectiveness against beasts firsthand.
Back when he was first dragged into that dream world. He'd scoured the internet for survival tips and often had fun putting them to use. This world and Earth shared oddly many similarities.
Eventually, he'd outgrown such crude tricks and forgotten them... but seeing the soldiers' unease brought it to mind.
'Save who you can.'
While escorting the choir, Woojin also looked out for the soldiers around them. It showed in the results.
The expeditionary force suffered overall from the beasts, but not a single death among those assigned here. The soldiers were deeply impressed by the encouraging outcome.
"I want to join the Church of Harmony."
One day, soldiers requested a transfer. Rolland gladly accepted.
"Haha! Thanks to you, Jin, good things keep happening. When this expedition ends, I'll make sure you get a hefty reward."
"Sounds good."
He already had more than enough money, but no reason to turn down what was freely offered.
'......The question is whether I can get these people back to the pioneer city in one piece.'
Reaching the goal didn't seem easy. Not with the expeditionary force fumbling like this.
As they marched north like always, the expeditionary force encountered a peculiar structure.
Between narrow canyons stood a stone wall built from large boulders. It resembled a primitive gate.
Rolland eyed it curiously.
"Looks man-made... Jin, any idea what it is?"
"......I know exactly what it is."
Woojin sighed deeply. A bad feeling that things were about to get troublesome.
"Rolland. We need to meet the expeditionary leadership. Will you come with me?"
"Suddenly?"
"One wrong move, and it'll be a disaster."
He'd avoided deep involvement, but crossing this would spell trouble. At those words, Rolland nodded readily.
"If it's you asking, how can I refuse? Let's go."
The two headed toward the expeditionary core. Holy Knights tried to block them but backed off upon recognizing Rolland.
They might have stonewalled Woojin alone, but Rolland was a well-known knight in the Church Alliance. Even if from a different order, the Church of Wisdom couldn't treat him lightly.
Soon, Woojin faced Konrad, Duke Edwin, and Cornelius.
"Rolland. What brings you here so suddenly?"
Konrad spoke, sounding surprised. Rolland pointed to Woojin beside him.
"I hear you know this man too, Lord Konrad. The Beast Hunter called Jin—he has something direct to say to you all."
Eyes turned their way. Woojin got straight to it.
"I know it's rude to barge in like this, but I had to talk about that stone wall. Your Grace, do you know what it is?"
"We were just discussing that odd structure... Do you?"
The expeditionary force had no way of knowing. This was their first foray into the Demonic Realm.
Detailed explanation was needed.
"It's a gnoll gate."
Gnolls.
Hyena-like humanoids walking on two legs. One of the beasts seen in the Demonic Realm's central regions.
Like the kobolds the previous force faced, the Demonic Realm had massive communal creatures. Among them, gnolls formed one of the strongest, largest factions.
"To pass through that gate, you need to offer tolls they'll like."
"So... you're saying we negotiate with beasts to let us through?"
Cornelius, who'd been listening silently, spoke up. Woojin nodded.
"They're the stubborn type."
Deals and revenge.
Gnolls loved weighing those two. They honored bargains but never forgot grudges. Becoming their enemy would make the expedition far harder.
Trade or detour around the canyon. At that, Cornelius smirked.
"The most absurd thing I've heard in my life. Negotiate with beasts? Have you forgotten we're on a conquest?"
"I hear the destination is still far off. Better avoid enemies if possible."
He knew his words sounded ridiculous. But with so many lives at stake, he had to warn them.
As he finished... Duke Edwin and Konrad wore strange expressions.
'......They're actually considering it.'
Unsure whether to laugh off what they'd heard or take it seriously.
Both had staked their futures on this expedition. With the force already in dire straits and Woojin's tone so firm, they couldn't dismiss it as a joke.
"You're taking that clownish talk seriously?"
Cornelius, who'd been watching, finally spoke. Edwin cleared his throat.
"Just thinking it over. Hard to believe without proof. No evidence the young man's right."
......Evidence.
"Then I'll prove it myself."
Negotiating with gnolls.
The expeditionary force balked, but for Woojin, it was no big deal.
After a simple lunch.
Woojin, the Church of Harmony group, and soldiers prepared to head to the gnoll gate. Their role: vanguard.
'Negotiate with the gnolls, then pass through.'
Woojin's task was to prove his words feasible. The leadership would decide on negotiations after.
Of course, things probably wouldn't go smoothly.
'Even if I succeed... slim chance the force attempts it.'
Unlikely the brass would make the smart call. Still, Woojin volunteered as vanguard.
A role likely to become cannon fodder if combat broke out. Simple reason for taking the risk.
'It's the safest choice.'
Clear this hurdle right, and he could ignore whatever came later. Whether the expedition floundered or not... it secured long-term safety.
The vanguard approached the gate.
Sensing them, a thick rope descended from atop the wall. A bipedal monster peered down.
A hyena-headed creature.
Over two meters tall. Coarse brown fur covered its body, but the savage muscles bulged through.
Shwaaak—!
The monster gripped the rope in one hand and slid down the wall like it was nothing. Leopard skin wrapped its lower half fluttered wildly, reminiscent of a gladiator's skirt.
Thud!
The gnoll landed. Rolland whistled involuntarily at the sight.
"Whew... Jin, did you see that?"
Rolland held up his left arm.
"That thing's dick was this big."
"......Thanks for the reminder."
Time to negotiate with the Demonic Realm natives.