Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Lurking in the Darkness (2)
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"That's just the kind of thing those bastards would do."
*Crumch!*
Didier clenched his fist around the shattered gem fragments, reducing them to dust that scattered in the air. For a fleeting moment, it almost sounded like a faint scream.
I plucked a special moonflower and tossed it onto the treasure chest. Silver flames erupted, blazing fiercely from within the chest. Each gem must have been cursed with an undead affliction. It was a common type. The kind of curse that lures you in with treasure, drains your life force until you're a zombie.... It had once been a trendy assassination method among royalty and nobility.
"To climb this high mountain all the way up here, only to die over something like this...."
El kicked the burning treasure chest with her foot, grumbling.
"...A futile end."
I muttered under my breath, barely audible, then plunged my hand into the chest where the flames had died down. "Eek! Master!" El's startled cry rang out. But I ignored her and grabbed a handful of the jewelry.
"Don't worry. The curse seems to have been carried by the gems."
The necklaces, bracelets, and rings, now stripped of their gems, emanated no energy at all. They wouldn't fetch as much as before, but they were still worth a pretty penny. I swept them into my subspace ring.
"We'll divide these up when we get back."
"Not interested."
"Don't need it."
As expected, Khalid and Didier showed no interest. Perfect! That meant Lloyd, El, Aquila, and I could split them four ways.
*Groooowl!!*
*Boom!!*
The weather outside was still raging. Fortunately, the sturdy plants blocking the cave entrance kept us safe from the blizzard. I double-checked the trees, vines, and grasses before peering deeper into the cave. Just solid rock. No double-layered structure.
"It's a bit unsettling, but we'll have to spend the night here."
I rummaged through my pouch and pulled out some soft bed reed seeds. They were perfect for muddy ground or hard rock where normal forests or mountains wouldn't grow—much like Void Tillandsia, they thrived anywhere without soil, and their feathery, fluffy leaves at the tips made for a real "bed" once they sprouted in abundance.
I scattered the seeds in spots for the group to sleep and activated [Breath of the Forest]. A sprinkle of water, and the bed reeds shot up, creating plush bedding.
"This should do for a night's rest."
Ayla dove into the fluffiest spot first, sniffing around, scratching at the reeds, then curling up with a contented purr as she dozed off. The goats nibbled tentatively at the bed reeds beside her, watching her warily.
The rest of us settled in with our sleeping bags. We left just a tiny campfire burning and, for the first time in ages, slept soundly—the thunder outside lulling us like a lullaby.
* * *
'...All gone.'
The gems he'd painstakingly crafted were all gone. Because of one druid.
Lubaf couldn't suppress his rage and slammed his head against the cliff face. Blood poured from the gash on his forehead, dyeing his vision red and sending waves of pain crashing through him, but it was nothing.
He was a Sherpa.
A proud Sherpa who wouldn't flinch even if limbs snapped or frostbite claimed fingers and toes. But failure? That agony dwarfed all else.
The promise from "them" to reclaim the Silver Mountains....
The obstacle, ironically, was the very "Tundra" that had protected the Sherpas all this time.
'Tundra must not awaken.'
According to the wisdom bestowed by "them," Tundra wasn't the guardian of the Silver Mountains. Tundra was the tyrant, the exploiter. Only if Tundra slept "eternally" could the Silver Mountains know true freedom.
Then, the Sherpas could roam the peaks freely once more.
'This land is ours....'
Lubaf scooped up a handful of pristine snow from the tundra. The crystals sparkled in the light.
"......"
The avalanche alone hadn't been enough.
At first, he'd thought the witch would finish them off. But the witch had joined them instead. Things hadn't gone as planned. And moreover....
'This won't do.'
The zombies, born from the wisdom "they" had shared, vanished pathetically. They'd worked fine before, but against a druid, they were useless.
So.
He needed another way. Something more certain, more brutal. A way to show that insolent druid the majesty of the snow peaks!
Lubaf scattered the snow back onto the tundra.
"Yeti."
Time to visit the snowmen.
* * *
Dawn.
We set out briskly. Passing between cliffs that could barely pass for a "path," we reached the infamous Geyser Valley, notorious for its dangers. Snow mountain monkeys started appearing here and there, but no packs yet. Scouts, maybe? For now, they were just watching us, so we didn't chase them off or provoke them.
'But something feels off.'
They kept their distance but watched persistently—nothing like typical wild animals. Once they realized we weren't attacking, they should have fled....
'Feels like we're being surveilled.'
Unlike ordinary beasts, snow mountain monkeys were highly intelligent and cunning. We couldn't underestimate or attack them lightly.
"Those things are getting on my nerves."
Khalid muttered, a green flame flickering at his fingertip. I grabbed his finger tightly, snuffing it out, and forced a smile.
"Let's watch them a bit longer."
If things got suspicious, we'd deal with them, but no need for needless fights now. Drawing attention could summon a whole pack, which would be a real headache.
"We have to cross here...."
Aquila trailed off. The bridge over Geyser Valley had long since collapsed, its remnants dangling precariously from the cliff edge, swaying in the wind.
"Peep."
-Peep!
Ppippi, who'd been resting in my pouch and recovering energy, chirped energetically. I tied a small seed pouch to its ankle and sent it across. As always, Ppippi flapped its tiny wings furiously toward the opposite cliff.
*Phsssh!!!!!!!*
*Bang!!!!!!*
*Phsssh!!!!*
Hot steam and boiling hot spring water erupted sporadically from below. Ppippi dodged them by a hair and reached the far cliff.
"Phew...."
Thank goodness. I'd been sweating bullets over Ppippi turning into chicken soup midway. On the other side, Ppippi pecked at the pouch on its ankle. Snow lotus seeds spilled out. I planted some on this side too, closed my eyes, and focused.
*Pop!*
*Sprout!*
*Shoot!*
*Growww!*
Snow lotuses sprouted simultaneously on both sides, growing toward each other. Thick stems swayed perilously in the wind but held firm thanks to their sturdiness, meeting in the middle. They intertwined like a solid rope. Using that as a base, I planted more seeds, crafting a decent bridge. Whew, this eats a lot of mana too.
"Okay, one at a time. It's sturdy, but too much weight at once might cause issues."
"I'll go first."
"Thanks, Lloyd."
Lloyd crossed the snow lotus bridge first. It shook violently from the wind, steam, and hot springs, but no other problems.
"Aquila, pause if steam rises. Cross again once the hot spring stops. Otherwise, you'll get horrific burns."
"Got it."
Next came Aquila, then El. For how tense they were, they crossed quickly and smoothly. The goats were no issue—I tied tasty mung beans to Ayla's tail, and they crossed with astonishing balance.
"Now you two."
Khalid and Didier looked uneasy. They poked and prodded the stems to test their strength, faces sour, before crossing. They took the longest, naturally.
I was last.
'Every mountain hike had one of these weird bridges.'
Rope-only ones, or transparent ones where you could see straight down.... Korea, hiking paradise, had every kind. Nostalgic memories.
'I griped endlessly back then, but compared to this, they were cake.'
I gripped the snow lotus stems carefully and took one step, then another. They were thickly intertwined, reinforced with extra mana to the thickness of an arm, so footing wasn't bad. I could dash across? Just as I thought that, hot steam billowed up. I checked the geyser spots and crouched.
*Phsssh!!!!*
Boiling water shot up like a fountain and vanished. The air fogged like mist, then cleared. No dashing. Careful now. I proceeded cautiously.
*Snap!*
Then, an eerie, ominous sound from behind. *Crack, snap*.... Chills ran up my spine. Gripping the stems tight, I slowly turned.
"...Those crazy bastards...!"
A curse burst out. It couldn't be helped!
-Ook!
-Kreek!
Two snow mountain monkeys were gnawing, clawing, and tearing at the snow lotus roots anchored to the cliff. The *snap, crack* sounds were the stems tearing bit by bit.
*Snap!*
"You crazy...."
Oh God.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.