Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Kakrita Valley (7)
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Scott wasn’t the type to miss the obvious. These people hadn’t come here for fun or to rescue them. They were here strictly for the job.
He couldn’t afford to hold them back. They were being pretty accommodating right now, but things could sour in an instant. You couldn’t expect mercenaries to carry a humanitarian burden.
Their goal of securing the artifact was as good as dead anyway. Survival was the top priority now.
“You okay?”
“Yeah…….”
“Think before you speak next time.”
Scott clicked his tongue at Whiteman. The guy had skills, but he was young and had superpowers to boot, which made him overly cocky. Most young superpowered types acted the same……
‘Not in a situation like this.’
It was fine in peacetime or when things were smooth, but failing to bend when needed led to moments like this.
“Your arm okay?”
“Huh? Yeah…….”
“That healer’s impressive. Ours was in Team 1 or 4, right? Even theirs couldn’t heal that fast……. Tell them thanks later.”
“Thanks?”
Whiteman’s face soured. Sure, he was grateful. But before that, he’d nearly gotten shot for the ridiculous reason of being “possessed” by Suhyun.
“You thank people when there’s something to be thankful for. That’s how adults handle it. Act otherwise, and no one’ll help you.”
“Why would we need help from them…….”
“What’re you two talking about?”
A cheerful voice cut in. It was Jennifer McClain. She was munching on a food pack she’d gotten from the Uncle Jo Company members, looking down at the pair.
“Just chatting with Whiteman. Telling him to watch his mouth and give proper thanks.”
“We’ll compensate them when we get back anyway, so thanks…….”
Whiteman stubbornly pulled a face. Jennifer saw it, swallowed her bite, and glanced around. The Uncle Jo Company crew was resting a short distance away.
“Hey.”
“?”
“Cut the crap and do what Scott says. One more dumb word, and I’ll rip that shiny head off and shove it up your ass.”
Jennifer leaned in close and whispered harshly. Whiteman paled at her sudden shift and nodded frantically.
“Got it?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Good. No hard feelings. You know what I mean?”
“Of course!”
“Then go say thanks.”
Whiteman stood with the most reluctant expression imaginable and trudged toward Suhyun.
“Miss McClain…….”
“What? I did nothing wrong. You heard what he said earlier. We almost died because of him. A little gratitude might knock some sense into him.”
Scott gave her a reproachful look, but Jennifer just shrugged. She seemed harmless most days, but when pissed, she snarled with a stream of curses.
“Still, you didn’t have to put it like that. He just recovered from his injury.”
“Does this look like a forgiving situation? Piss off that team, and we’re stranded here for good……. Tell him to think before speaking. I’m not dying for some idiot.”
Scott gave a wry smile. Jennifer clearly grasped the stakes better than he did. Whiteman’s feelings could wait—getting out alive came first.
“How’s your body holding up?”
“Fine. Belly’s full too. This stuff’s not bad—want one?”
“I’m good. Not sure they’d be happy sharing.”
“I’m not picky. It’s fine. Really.”
She chewed thoughtfully, scanning Suhyun and the Uncle Jo Company crew. The more she looked, the more intriguing they seemed. How had a team this capable stayed under the radar?
“You were asking earlier—what’d you find out?”
“Nothing much……. Government outfit, maybe? Or a splinter from some big corp.”
“Wish I could dig more, but Whiteman had to run his mouth. Ugh!”
“We’ll know once we’re out anyway, right?”
“Yeah.”
Jennifer pondered. Blue Bear Team 2 weren’t slouches as superpowered fighters. Even they’d gotten overwhelmed by sheer numbers—how had Uncle Jo Company broken through?
‘Better superpowered lineup? Or some special ability?’
* * *
“We’re teaming up starting tomorrow, but no orders?”
Suhyun ordered the full Blue Bear Team 2 to rest. No sentry duty—a special privilege.
“Orders……. Anywhere else, maybe, but this place is simple once you know the trick. They’re not idiots; they’ll adapt. If not, they don’t deserve to live. More importantly, no sentries for a reason.”
“?”
“Don’t trust them too much. Blue Bear’s solid, sure, but you never know.”
Attacking now could net them all the intel and artifact here. Unlikely, but better safe.
“A few ground rules. One: no chatting with them. Not even small talk. Yes or no only.”
He’d sensed it when Whiteman came to apologize. Scott and Jennifer were the real players there—not Whiteman.
Whiteman was annoying but harmless. Suhyun had dealt with dozens like him: young, reckless, easy to handle.
Talking to Scott or Jennifer was riskier. His team wasn’t savvy about info extraction. One careless word, and they’d be cleaned out.
‘Especially that guy.’
Suhyun eyed Kim Chang-sik suspiciously. Chang-sik tilted his head, puzzled.
“Two: no personal details. Stick to one, and you’re fine……. But some talk’s inevitable.”
“Personal details?”
“Especially that most of us aren’t superpowered.”
“…!”
Their excessive courtesy likely stemmed from assuming the team was stacked with espers. No other reason to play nice unless they thought a head-on clash meant wipeout.
“What about the salt?”
“That, you tell them. How else?”
“But isn’t that the key info?”
“Nah. Once this is done, the valley loses value.”
Like before, simple tricks outshone skill here—and value plummeted once revealed. After this, Suhyun planned a full report to the government on tackling it.
That intel was trivial compared to the rep his team would gain.
‘Can’t hide it anyway.’
Anyone with eyes would notice something special in play once teamed up.
* * *
“Salt?!”
“Know the method, and it’s like magic—simple.”
Blue Bear Team 2 looked deflated hearing Suhyun’s explanation. One thing solving most problems? Too straightforward to believe.
“Mujak……. Nothing like that in your lore?”
“S-Sorry.”
“No fault of yours…….”
Jennifer sighed deeply. Suffering over something this basic was ridiculous.
“No superpowers around here. Inefficient. Use if you want, but collapse from exhaustion, and we leave you. Got it?”
“Ah. Thanks.”
“Now, up front.”
“Huh?”
Suhyun kindly pointed ahead. Front of the line.
“A bit obvious, no?!”
“Appreciate it. True team leader.”
Blue Bear got the placement instantly. Back meant vulnerability to attack; front meant easy backstab if needed.
“Relax. Won’t use you as shields. Gotta see you again after we escape—why burn bridges?”
Blue Bear sighed, rifles up.
“Let’s move. Time waits for no one.”
* * *
“Right side.”
“?!”
At the word, Uncle Jo Company halted. Rifles trained smoothly—ghost monster leaped from the wall, shredded by focused fire. It melted away.
“Moving.”
“Wait, wait, wait!”
“?”
Uncle Jo Company eyed the flustered Jennifer curiously.
“How’d you know?”
“Trade secret. Keep moving.”
“…….”
Jennifer puffed her cheeks and trudged on. Past the lake, terrain straightened. No more maze.
‘Sharp instincts. Esper senses?’
Others chalked Suhyun’s detections to keen senses. Chang-sik figured body enhancement surgery.
But Jennifer sensed something off.
‘No way to figure it out anyway.’
Veterans on Cameron Planet clung to biases—like no human mages. Doubting Suhyun’s healing plus another power was a stretch.
They’d assume some unknown tech.
“Hey. Mujak, right?”
“Yes.”
“Mind sharing more? Any other tribal tales?”
Mujak glanced at Jennifer. Blue Bear paid him—not Uncle Jo. Loose lips could cause issues.
She nodded okay. No point holding out here.
Suhyun stayed vigilant despite prior run. Cameron Planet held surprises. Might’ve missed spots. Artifact room demanded care.
“Rooms with spirit weapons have traps. Ancestors warded them…….”
“Anything else?”
He knew traps already—experienced firsthand. Mujak felt pressure to deliver.
“Uh, um…….”
“Halt. Looks like we’re here, right?”
Suhyun knew but played newbie, asking Mujak. He eyed the distant entrance and nodded.
“Seems so…….”
“Good. Eyes out, everyone. Traps first.”
“You’re not making us do it, right?”
“Gonna sue us in court? Don’t worry.”
Jennifer visibly relaxed, slapping Suhyun’s shoulder.
“Knew you weren’t that ruthless!”
“That ruthless?”
“Ah, no……. Mujak, tell Suhyun about the traps?”
She pivoted quick. Mujak pulled a mini PC—tribal data stored.
“Not parchment?”
“A dwarf with humans uses that? Shut it.”
Ignoring Uncle Jo chatter, Mujak spoke.
“Entrance has pressure plates first……. What’re you doing?!”
Mujak yelped as Suhyun strode in openly. Nothing happened.
“A centuries-old trap working fine? That’d be the weird part.”
“…….”