Goblin Cave (2): The Traitors' Trap

At the entrance to the goblin cave, two goblins that looked like sentries were standing guard, clutching machetes that seemed reasonably well-maintained.

Time to see what these veterans could do. I'd decided to sit this one out, so I watched quietly, and as if trying to show off, Lee Chang-woo let out a sleazy chuckle.

"Haha..."

Since I was the one receiving help, I gave a small laugh as a reaction, and that's when Lee Chang-woo's performance began. He leaped up onto a tree branch—must've used some skill, because he didn't make a sound. He pulled a small throwing knife from his pocket and—thwip!—tossed it lightly. It embedded perfectly between the eyes of both goblins, and their small bodies toppled forward without even a death cry.

Whoa... so that's a veteran...!

It was my first time watching real combat hunting up close, so my eyes sparkled as I stared, and Lee Chang-woo came down from the tree with an embarrassed grin.

"Look at this guy, acting all cool."

"Can't I get a little romance too?"

"Kid, I told you—women love muscles, right? Isn't that true, miss?"

"Hyung, that's not muscle, that's just fat, isn't it?"

"You little shit?"

"Erm..."

I could only give an awkward laugh at their blatant couple-baiting. Even so, being paired romantically with a guy felt... off. Tae-hoon would've laughed his ass off if he saw.

"Alright, let's head in. If that shoulder bag full of magic stones gets heavy, just say so. That guy over there doing nothing will carry it for you."

"Hey, kid. Why are you acting generous when I'm the one carrying?"

"Come on, hyung, you're not doing jack this time anyway. Bodycam one-trick, right?"

"What the hell?"

With these guys who still seemed on good terms, we entered the goblin cave. Lighting a torch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠revealed the dank, musty cave smell, along with faint goblin cries echoing from deeper inside.

"Goblin caves all have pretty much the same layout. Entrance, small chamber, then passages leading to multiple tunnels."

As Chang-woo said, we pressed on until we reached a wider chamber with over seven small tunnel-like paths branching off.

"Usually, beginners dangerously check each tunnel one by one from here. But that's incredibly risky. Why do you think?"

"Um... because of the goblins' traps?"

"Exactly."

Chang-woo grinned like I'd nailed it and pulled a small bead-like pill from his pocket.

"This is a smoke pill made from maeyeoncho, a plant that grows wild in gates."

"Light it, and it bursts with smoke like burning ten trees at once."

"Most hunters carry one or two for retreating from monsters."

Chang-woo went to the center of the chamber and lit some pre-gathered twigs with the torch. A small campfire flickered to life, and soon a bit of smoke clung to the ceiling like it was sticking there. But it wasn't enough to fill the whole cave.

"Now, toss this smoke pill into the fire, and we hunt outside. Cave clear!"

"That's way simpler than I thought!"

"Right? That's why people in the know call this a honey hunting spot. If you have time, you can wait for the smoke to clear and pick off the suffocated ones inside one by one—that's the best. But without a scout to disarm goblin traps, I don't recommend going in."

"Got it."

Did I really come to the right place? It was turning out way more informative than expected.

"So, mind if I ask for a demo?"

"Pardon?"

"Normally, a fast scout like me tosses the pill and runs. But for summoners like you, Miss Yoon, we leave it to the summon. Why?"

"Um... because summoners are slow...?"

"What, did you study up beforehand? How do you keep getting it right?"

Score! I puffed up a bit, shoulders rising proudly.

"So, we'll wait at the chamber entrance, and your summon—Mir-El, right?—tosses the smoke pill into the campfire in the center and bolts back quick."

"Mir-El, you can do it, right?"

"Pii~!"

Mir-El nodded like it was no big deal. She took the smoke pill from Lee Chang-woo in her mouth and cautiously walked to the center of the chamber. Plop—she gently dropped it into the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fire, and massive smoke exploded out, filling the space. Footsteps of goblins echoed from the tunnels, sensing the disturbance.

"Good job, Mir-El! Hurry back here—"

BOOM!!

The moment Mir-El turned to return triumphantly, a massive explosion rocked the cave ceiling, and the chamber began collapsing.

"Mir-El!!!!"

"Pip?!"

"Miss! Fall back now! It's dangerous!!"

"No, Mir-El!! Mir-El!!"

Mir-El froze in panic amid the crumbling chamber. Boulders rained down from the ceiling. I screamed for her to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠come back, but the collapse accelerated. Lee Chang-woo's group dragged me out forcefully, and I collapsed helplessly in front of the fully caved-in entrance.

"M-Mir-El..."

"Ahh~ what a mess."

"Goblin trap, huh?"

"Big trouble~"

But for some reason, they were way too calm.

"H-Hey, please help Mir-El. She's probably still alive. Right?! There's a small cavity inside the cave, so..."

"Yeah, probably. She didn't seem weak fighting those goblins earlier..."

Lee Chang-woo's words gave me a sliver of hope. Then...!

"We have to dig her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out fast. She'll be exhausted and won't last long—"

"Huh, us?"

"Digging out a collapsed cave sounds tough."

"Ugh, please. I'll give you all the magic stones. Please..."

My eyes welled up, breath coming in gasps. Helplessness and the terror that Mir-El might be dead choked me. Their half-assed responses made me claw at the rocks alone desperately, but the gaps filled right back with dirt.

"Please, please..."

I dug with my hands. Nails tore, but I ignored it. My body would heal anyway.

"Mir-El! Mir-El!!"

I wailed into the ground, hoping she'd hear, but no reply came.

Drip—blood streamed from my nail-less fingertips.

But it didn't hurt. The pain in my chest overshadowed everything.

"Shall we get started?"

"Y-Yes...?"

Then, massive shadows of three men loomed behind me.

"Miss, tough luck."

"We'll have a little fun first, then when you wake up, we'll find you a nice new owner~. I'll make you feel good. Heh heh heh."

"Kyaa?!"

A huge hand grabbed my shoulder, slamming me down and shoving my face into the dirt. As panic set in, a creepy, bug-like touch crawled up my thigh. I squirmed to resist, but B-rank hunter strength pinned me immobile.

Lee Chang-woo, who'd worn that friendly smile, revealed his true colors and unbuckled his belt.

"Hyung goes first. I'll take the mouth."

"Heh heh, don't mind if I do~"

His massive hand hiked up my skirt and gripped my hips.

"Oh, and if you bite, no saving that lizard inside. Satisfy us, and we'll dig her out. Good deal, huh?"

"..."

"This is a lesson too. You'll learn a lot today! Keh heh heh."

Their polite speech vanished, replaced by filthy lust for the woman before them.

Only then did I realize this was their trap. But to save Mir-El, they were my only option.

"...If you’re satisfied..."

"Huh?"

"If you're satisfied... you'll really... save her?"

If it meant rescuing Mir-El.

"Eh, digging this much dirt is easy~"

"..."

At their agreement, I went limp, ceasing resistance. I thought of Mir-El happily munching magic stones and steeled myself. Even now, she was fighting goblins alone in the dark. Every minute, every second mattered. Exhausted from using mana, she might fall to them.

"Please... I beg you..."

If it saved Mir-El, my body was...

"Gonna taste delici—"

SLASH!!

Lee Chang-woo's voice cut off above me, hot blood splattering my face.

"Wha...?"

"Uh...?"

Moments later, dazed voices from the other men, and in my view on the ground—a familiar 'eye'.

Lee Chang-woo's eyeball, filled with lust seconds ago... rolling on the dirt.

"Hik?!"

I jolted up in shock. The hands pinning me were gone. Falling back on my butt, my widened view captured the horror before me.

Lee Chang-woo's upper body, belt half-undone, had exploded. His guts—or what I assumed were—were strewn everywhere.

The other two, splattered in blood like me, stood frozen, eyes locked on something.

Grrr...

A juvenile dragon with jet-black scales and murderous eyes. The clear predator sat atop the cave rubble, glaring down at them.

"B-Body... won't... move."

The dragon slowly walked among the stiff humans. And it saw.

Its precious one, hurt.

GRRROOOAAARRR!!!!

A warning to the ugly scum no better than goblins. No, not a warning—a death sentence.

"Run—"

CRUNCH!

The big armored guy called "hyung," trying to flee first, lost his left arm—armor and all—to Mir-El's bite.

"M-My arm!! Aaaargh!! It hurts, it huuuurts!!"

But it didn't end there. Right arm, both legs. She severed his limbs, leaving him to crawl like a worm. His path traced a red carpet of pooling blood.

The gruesome sight made the last one bolt, but—

GRRROOOAAAR!!

Black dragon breath shot out, reducing him to dust scattered in the forest.

"S-Spare... me..."

The crawler begged the dragon and her master with tears, but—SQUISH!—Mir-El crushed his worthless head under her tiny forepaw, denying even that.

Fragments of what was once 'human' sprayed everywhere. The blood-soaked dragon, red enough to mistake for her kind, trudged toward her master.

Would she fear me? Anxious, she walked, stopped, hesitated repeatedly.

Finally before Yoon, Mir-El. She dipped her head slightly, peering up cautiously. No fear on her beloved's face.

"Mir-Ellll...!!"

Just tearful worry as she embraced the blood-drenched dragon without hesitation.

"I was so worried!! Waaah!!"

In the blood-soaked forest, a woman's sobs—of relief—echoed softly.