Poisoned Ambush Backfires

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Rookie: Baek Jaesung 27

'When the fuck is this bastard gonna backstab me.'

My nerves were locked on Do Byeongseok, watching him like a hawk. That prick Woo Sangho was the tank, so he walked ahead of us. Surprisingly, Do Byeongseok just kept his steps steady, showing no weird reactions.

"Park Ju-da. Get ready."

Woo Sangho up front called out. In front of him appeared a few evil bat variants, wings spread wide like scarves on a lizard's neck.

"Jaesung-ssi, just sit back and watch. We'll handle it."

Do Byeongseok said it like he was being considerate ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of me. I was the "patient," after all. Sure, in a dungeon, even patients have to fight—but Do Byeongseok and Woo Sangho took down the evil bat variants on their own anyway.

I didn't lift a finger, just spectated their fight. The evil bats were such fucking pushovers that it was hard to gauge their real skills.

On paper, Do Byeongseok was a 6-rank dungeon hunter, Woo Sangho 7-rank. But they could be demonic types hiding their power. The shadier the fucker, the more they hide.

"These stinking bats are pissing me off big time. Hmm... Another fork."

We hadn't walked far before a split appeared. As agreed, we took the left path.

All the monsters popping up were evil bat variants. The narrow path stretched on ahead. Inside the cave, I lost all sense of direction—fuck if I knew which way we were headed. But I remembered our path in crystal clear detail, of course.

"Jaesung-ssi."

Do Byeongseok suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"How about we take a quick break here?"

This was just a normal passage. We hadn't walked much at all. Excluding combat time, it'd been barely over 30 minutes. Even on a march, this wasn't break time. The fights weren't tough either.

But when the other guy suggests it, what’s the point in pushing on? Plus, Do Byeongseok was clearly scheming something by proposing a rest.

'No clue what dumbass plan he's cooking up, but let's play along for now.'

I was getting curious about his real intentions. I nodded and stopped walking.

Do Byeongseok had patience. This was the first time he'd held back his impulses so hard during a PK. Woo Sangho seemed pretty pissed about it.

"Byeongseok-ah. That fucker—just beat his ass here. Arm's fucked anyway. That right arm looks totally paralyzed."

Woo Sangho pointed at Baek Jaesung, who was lounging a few meters away taking a breather. Anyone could see his right arm was paralyzed. And it was one against two. Burying Baek Jaesung would be a piece of cake.

They could just tell the other party they got wrecked by golem monsters or whatever. If they didn't buy it, PK the rest too. Woo Sangho couldn't understand Do Byeongseok's caution.

Do Byeongseok looked up at Woo Sangho's irritated question and pointed at his neck.

"Hey. That necklace around your neck. What is it?"

Woo Sangho touched the necklace and answered Do Byeongseok's question.

"Huh? Emergency protector, duh. Costs a whopping 2 billion. Why, jealous?"

Do Byeongseok shook his head at Woo Sangho's pathetic response. Dealing with idiots was such a pain.

"Think about it. That guy's been PK'd once before. Guys like that always carry one or two emergency items like you do. Hell, maybe he's had 'em for self-defense since way back. Could be why Jicheol's party got fucked."

"What difference does one item make on a scrub like him? He's just 8-rank."

"Don't judge by hunter rank. Don't forget Jicheol's party went down. He's no rabbit like the shit we've hunted so far. The more careful, the better."

Woo Sangho clicked his tongue at Do Byeongseok's prudent tone.

"What if we miss the chance like this?"

Woo Sangho said anxiously. Of course, Do Byeongseok had zero intention of letting this slip. Things had gone so perfectly it felt like God was on his side—blowing it now would make him the king of retards. He pulled a canteen from his bag.

"Poison Flower."

A small flower bloomed from Do Byeongseok's index finger. Vivid purple, delicate as hell—like a bred tulip, perfect for a memorial wreath.

The flower tilted like a grandma bloom, dripping a single tear into his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠canteen. The purple venom from the stamen fell with a drop—truly like a flower's tear. It spread instantly into the water.

"Shall we get moving now?"

Jaesung stood up and said. Do Byeongseok nodded.

"Yeah. Hydrate first."

He took a swig from his canteen. Do Byeongseok had resistance to Poison Flower toxin. That's why he could casually drink the colorless, odorless, tasteless poison-laced water.

"Jaesung-ssi, want some?"

Do Byeongseok offered the canteen.

"Nah, thanks. Got my own."

Jaesung pulled his own canteen from his bag. Do Byeongseok's trick was one of the classic PK moves.

No party falls for that these days. Hunter Association training teaches how to avoid PK—never eat or drink from strangers unless desperate. Taboo of taboos.

But criminals always evolve a step ahead. Do Byeongseok smirked as Jaesung pulled out his canteen.

'Spiked that one back in the passage too.'

He smiled, watching Jaesung. Everything was going exactly as planned.

What trick was this fucker gonna pull? I kept a sharp eye on him while drinking—my water, not his shady ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shit. No way was I dumb enough to chug what he offered.

'Huh?'

The moment I drank, strength drained from my body. Hot energy rose from my throat, spreading everywhere. Definitely not normal.

I knew right away: poisoned. Fast-acting stuff.

'When?'

My mental clock spun backward. I replayed where he'd slipped it in. Had I given him an opening?

'When I checked that collapsed cave wall earlier?'

Only timing that fit. Lame-ass trick, honestly. I shuddered my body while eyeing Do Byeongseok's sleazy smirk.

Control slipped from my fingertips and toes first, then my whole body. Even lifting my head was a struggle. But I mustered every last bit of strength to glare at Do Byeongseok, faking max shock.

Facial muscles wouldn't obey, but it'd fool any normie. Right now, lulling them into complacency was key.

"You dog bastard. Kekeke! Too fucking easy."

Woo Sangho mocked me. I collapsed fully, face-planting and going limp, ear tuned to their convo.

"Was worried he might have poison resistance, but nah—lucky break. Lots of healers do."

"Even if, they couldn't beat your poison."

"True that."

Woo Sangho hyped Do Byeongseok. Footsteps approached slow. Even they sounded faint. Life ebbed from my body.

"Byeongseok-ah. How we disposing the corpse? Evil bats eat it?"

"Monsters love human meat—especially hunter. Bit big, so gotta chop it up. You up for it?"

"Duh. Not my first rodeo. Leave it to me."

Do Byeongseok's poison was no joke. Paralyzed my nerves completely—no skills possible. One drop could drop elephants. Gotta watch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his poison ability.

Woo Sangho was right in front of me now. Sounded like he drew something—clink of cold metal. Monster dissection dagger, probably.

"Dismantling humans is my specialty."

I felt him lean over me.

'Holy Gauntlet.'

My left hand glowed with holy light. I smashed it straight onto his right foot.

Crunch!

Toe bones snapping—music to my ears. Woo Sangho's scream echoed off the cave walls right after.

"Gaaah! What the fuck, you bastard!"

My ambush hit perfect. Woo Sangho toppled backward with a crash. I shook off my clothes with my left hand and stood.

"He ain't dead!?"

Do Byeongseok's shocked yell swallowed Woo Sangho's wail.