Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Kakrita Valley (8)
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Suhyun already knew about the pressure-plate trap at the entrance. Stepping on it would trigger a crossbow rigged nearby, firing poison-tipped arrows.
Suhyun tapped the rickety plate with his foot and spoke.
"These kinds of traps aren't worth worrying about. The real dangers are the others."
With that, Suhyun approached the firing slot and deftly disassembled the trap. It was already rusted and broken, so taking it apart was no issue.
"Can I take a look?"
"This is no different from Earth tech... Ah, that might catch your interest. Stay here."
To Earthlings, traps like these were ancient relics from a bygone era, but to the native heteromorphs of this planet, they held different significance. They didn't pool their knowledge; they lived separately, preserving only what they needed.
Naturally, this made them fascinating to the locals. Especially for someone like Muzak, whose ancestors had built this place.
"Team Leader, can we come in too?"
"You're free to enter, but don't go any further. We don't know what's inside. There could be working traps."
The room's structure resembled a vast dome. In the center of the circular space stood what looked like an altar.
Unlike the rugged natural exterior, the interior walls were smoothly plastered. Unknown characters adorned their surfaces.
"Don't forget to record all of that."
Uncle Jo Company's movements through the valley were being fully documented. If they made it back, the path would map itself into valuable intel.
"Those walls? They don't look important."
"Maybe not to us, but linguists love that stuff. Just do it. Clear shots now will help later."
Showing attention to these details wasn't a bad idea. Government researchers favored teams that understood their work.
"Hey, aren't we climbing that altar?"
"I'm checking for traps."
"Muzak. The intel said nothing up to there, right?"
"Yes? Right, that's what it said, at least..."
"Hmm."
Suhyun, who had been tapping the floor, stroked his chin at Jennifer's words and spoke.
"Then go up first."
"Huh?"
"I said go first."
If the Blue Bear team had reached here successfully, they'd likely have followed Muzak's info. To Jennifer, the path to the altar showed no obvious trap spots.
But her instincts were sharp. Though she'd only recently met Suhyun, she knew this wasn't a good sign.
"No way. I'll pass! It's not our stuff anyway. No point risking misunderstandings."
"Good instincts."
With that, Suhyun raised his gun and shot the floor in front of the altar. The ground began to crumble.
"？！"
Centered on the altar, the circular floor surrounding it vanished. Peering down, it was too dark to see clearly. The mercenaries' faces turned pale; they'd never imagined a pit trap like this.
"Get the rope. We'll swing across."
Excluding the entrance pressure plate, there were plenty of other plate traps, but most didn't work. The collapsible floors like this one were the real threats.
Once the rope was set, Suhyun crossed effortlessly. There it was—a finely placed hand axe atop the altar. No flashy decorations, but it exuded an antique aura.
"Found an artifact?"
"Looks like it."
"How much is that worth?"
"Who knows...?"
Uncle Jo Company members, lacking detailed artifact knowledge, tilted their heads. They knew they were expensive, but market specifics were outsider territory.
"The cheapest artifact at the latest Rounders auction in Little Washington went for 820,000 dollars."
"Oh. Nice?"
Scott cleared up their curiosity, chiming in after overhearing.
"What kind was it?"
"One with a light function."
"？？？"
The team exchanged glances. A light function? Just a flashlight?
"Someone paid 820,000 for that?"
"It's an artifact. The principle's totally different from regular lights..."
"Even so?"
"Rich folks are incomprehensible."
‘？？？’
Scott felt confusion rising as he listened. They'd come this far, so they had to be planet experts. What was with that conversation? They sounded like artifact newbies.
"What sold for big money?"
"Well... I heard a recent one that makes blades from wind pressure topped ten million. Private auction, so details are scarce."
"Ten... million?"
"Anything vaguely useful hits that range quick. High-end ones don't even hit open markets. They trade with cash plus all sorts of conditions."
"You here for a picnic? Focus!"
"Sorry!"
The team shut up instantly at Suhyun's shout from the altar. His earlier words echoed.
Suhyun pulled out a case, then carefully extended his hand toward the axe. The others couldn't see, but he was using telekinesis to move it, not touching directly.
Intruders who bypassed the outer traps usually got surprised once by the altar's, then subconsciously assumed the worst was over.
But the room's true trap was the artifact itself.
‘No need to grab it here.’
The trap triggered the moment someone mindlessly picked it up to inspect. Suhyun pondered briefly.
‘Hmm... Should I mention it?’
He hesitated on how much to report. Grasping the artifact unleashed a massive shock on the user, collapsing the entire room.
But he'd already secured it in the case, so followers wouldn't trigger anything.
Crossing back on the rope and landing lightly, Suhyun saw Muzak prone with something over his eyes.
"What're you doing?"
"Ah. Just checking below, you never know."
"Below?"
"If the ancestors dug it, there might be something down there."
"......"
Previously, they'd searched nearby for artifacts, checked traps, grabbed and bolted—no time for more. Even with time, they'd never think to check a pit.
‘Something down there?’
It looked like just a dug-out space, but Suhyun wrapped the rope around himself.
"W-Wait, what are you doing？！"
"If you're gonna look, do it right—go down."
"It's just my guess! Probably nothing..."
"No blaming you, so relax."
On heteromorph turf, follow their ways. A clan-raised dwarf thought something might be below? Worth checking.
‘At best, some rusted junk machinery...’
Donning night-vision goggles, Suhyun rappelled down. He could've used telekinesis sans rope, but not with eyes on him.
‘Blocked.’
The altar's opposite side was solid bedrock. Then the altar side?
‘...?’
Suhyun kicked off the rock for thrust, nudging direction with telekinesis. The altar base wasn't bedrock.
‘Ah. Triggers the room collapse when you grab the lightning axe?’
There had to be a current sensor somewhere. Suhyun smacked his lips. Couldn't take it, couldn't touch easily. Scanning one last time, something caught his eye.
"？"
A palm-sized clear orb. Nothing odd about it, but no reason for it in a ruin's depths. Suhyun telekinetically extracted it carefully from the structure. No reaction—good.
"Anything down there?"
"Nothing. There's some structure, but messing with it seemed risky, so I left it."
"Sorry."
"No need. Your hunch was right."
He pocketed the orb. Investigate later back home—this wasn't the spot.
"Artifact secured, nothing else to see. We're out. Notify the anxious ones we're done."
* * *
They didn't rush back, of course. They moved at the planned pace: unhurried, precise, by the book. Blue Bear team lodged no complaints.
Outside the ruins, Suhyun headed opposite the entrance once more. Blue Bear came for ruins, but Korea's government wanted transit routes. A full map was best.
"No more of these ghost monsters once we exit?"
"Probably not."
Past this valley, ghost types vanished. Suhyun guessed terrain kept them lingering.
Those waiting at the forward base panicked seeing figures emerge.
"People coming from the valley？！"
"What? Nonsense."
They hadn't fully banked on Uncle Jo's success, but timelines existed. Even success meant 3-6 months.
Yet here they were.
"Another team survived... No, impossible. Uncle Jo made it?"
No full exploration, but survival was huge. Better than greedy teams vanishing forever. Data accumulated solutions.
"Open the gate quick, prep rest areas. Notify up top. Alive is alive."
"But was Uncle Jo originally that roster?"
"Huh?"
"Seems like extras..."
The base officer rose to smack his babbling subordinate, then blinked—numbers were up.
‘What happened in there?’
* * *
"Thanks. Outside's the best. Inside wasn't brutal, but luxuries like this are rare."
"This luxury? You earned it."
The officer rubbed his palms, gauging mood. Timing mattered with battle-worn mercs. Blunt questions got curses.
Suhyun piled sugar cubes in his coffee mug, poured over. The officer's face twisted oddly.
"So... tough mission, huh?"
"Pardon?"
"You know, the valley survey. Failure's fine! Everyone fails there. Surviving's plenty impressive."
Suhyun chuckled, slurping sugar-laden coffee, crunching cubes before speaking.
"Mission accomplished."
"Yes？！？！"
"Too quick, I get the mix-up. But lie about this? Facts check out instantly."
The officer's jaw hung slack. Suhyun waited patiently as he recovered.
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