The Karp Mountains and the Fishing Slave

After arriving at the port of the Prica Continent and heading south, the massive Karp Mountains came into view. A mountain range covered in dense forests! With giant trees blanketing the steep slopes, it was one of the regions that players actively avoided.

Strange, never-before-seen powerful monsters popped out from everywhere, and the complex terrain made it incredibly easy to get lost. On top of that, numerous Dark Elf tribes inhabited these mountains. Highly skilled in both magic and archery, crossing paths with these Dark Elves meant an almost instant forced logout. This was especially true in such an unfamiliar environment!

Although many players had set foot on the Prica Continent, none of them targeted the Karp Mountains unless they were desperate to complete a quest. Everyone shared a similar sentiment.

We can always come back here later.

This place will probably be cleared once the average player level goes up. But not right now.

And right now, Tae-hyun's party had just arrived at the Karp Mountains.

"W-Wait a minute. Why here?"

"Not the Karp Mountains! Anywhere but here!"

Cain and Lee Da-bi began to babble in sheer panic. Meanwhile, Chairman Yoo and Tae-hyun, who knew next to nothing about the Karp Mountains, merely stared at them blankly.

"You see, the Karp Mountains are..."

"Yeah, yeah."

While Lee Da-bi gave a rapid-fire explanation, Tae-hyun turned his gaze outside. Listening was fine, but judging with his own eyes was always best! Seeing it in person, he understood exactly why Lee Da-bi was so repulsed. The terrain was already rugged and inaccessible, but on top of that, it was heavily fortified. Massive, sturdy-looking fortresses were visible all over the mountain peaks! Thick, solid walls connected those fortresses together. No matter how he looked at it, these were not structures built overnight.

"Does this even make sense?"

"Th-Those are Dark Elves over there, aren't they?"

"...!"

Armed Dark Elf archers stood atop the walls and fortresses. One look at their gear was enough to estimate their strength. They were on a completely different level of power compared to the low-level bandits found on the Central Continent! Tae-hyun realized it immediately.

The Sadiq Church joined hands with the Dark Elves here!

"Wait, how did the Sadiq Church even team up with the Dark Elves? Since when do they have such great social skills? They look like the type of outcasts who'd get bullied by everyone."

"W-Well, maybe they share a similar mindset?"

"Then those Dark Elves over there must not be very sane either."

Those who wanted to burn the world with Sadiq's flames, and those who heard that plan and decided to help them—they were two peas in a pod! Clicking his tongue inwardly, Tae-hyun tried his best to observe the entire mountain range. The Sadiq Church's headquarters was situated in the mountains in the shape of a narrow isosceles triangle. At its sharpest point stood a fortress that looked far more massive and sturdy than any of the others. Surrounding that central fortress were sprawling walls, reinforced by other fortresses! Combined with the natural mountain terrain, it was practically an impregnable natural stronghold.

The ground below the side walls is basically a sheer cliff. Trying to climb up there would just get you shot to death by the Dark Elves. To get inside, our only real option is to break through the front fortress, huh?

He could catch glimpses of several Sadiq Church temples nestled within the fortresses and walls. Seeing the Sadiq Church in such a perfect defensive posture, Tae-hyun grumbled.

"Seriously, why did these bastards put so much effort into their defenses? It's not like this is the Central Continent. There's barely anyone on the Prica Continent who would even bother coming all this way to attack the Sadiq Church."

"Maybe it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠because they got utterly humiliated last time?"

"..."

Lee Da-bi had spoken without much thought, but Tae-hyun flinched. Come to think of it, the Valley of Despair and Sorrow, where the Sadiq Church was previously located, had also been quite heavily fortified. It was just that Tae-hyun had bypassed it entirely by scaling the mountains from behind to rob them blind!

Don't tell me they fortified this place so thoroughly because of what I did... No, there's no way. Absolutely not!

It was a situation where his own past actions were coming back to bite him! Tae-hyun shook his head. No matter how likely it seemed, thinking so felt a bit too paranoid.

"But aren't we fine? We're riding inside in a carriage like this..."

"We're fine, but Lee Se-yeon is the problem. She has to break through from the outside."

"Aha, so you were worried about her after all, despite pretending not to care?"

"What kind of nonsense is that? If she fails to break through from the outside, we'll be in danger too."

"..."

A cold, calculating attitude that truly didn't harbor a single shred of worry for Lee Se-yeon! Lee Da-bi thought to herself:

No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matter how twisted Lee Se-yeon might be, she could never be more twisted than this guy...

"It looks like we'll have to shake up that front fortress to match Lee Se-yeon's arrival. I don't see any other place to breach. The ground beneath the rest of the walls is just too steep; climbing it is out of the question."

"Shake it up? How?"

Tae-hyun shifted his gaze. Lee Da-bi shifted hers as well. Cain closed his eyes.

"..."

"Hey, open your eyes."

"Open them! Cain! Open your eyes!"

"No! You bastards! You're planning to make me do something crazy again, aren't you?!"

Listening to the trio's conversation, Chairman Yoo stared out the window. The lush green mountains were truly beautiful. It was a completely different world from the filthy conversation taking place inside the carriage!

I just want to go fishing...

"We have arrived, Holy Knight!"

"Well done, Chief. I shall put in a good word for you with the Sadiq Church."

"Thank you! But, do you even know my name...?"

Without even listening to the chief, Tae-hyun walked away. Left behind, the chief lowered his hand with an embarrassed expression.

"..."

"Fortunately, security doesn't seem too tight here. You guys could probably wander around separately without getting caught."

Tae-hyun quickly assessed the atmosphere of the Sadiq Church's headquarters. It wasn't just Sadiq Church holy knights and priests wandering around inside. There were Dark Elf tribes allied with the church, ordinary NPC believers, and various other tribal warriors roaming the area. The Sadiq Church, the Dark Elf tribes, and a mix of miscellaneous factions made up the forces of this stronghold!

It'll be incredibly easy to blend in.

Not only was Tae-hyun's party wearing Sadiq Church equipment, but Tae-hyun could also use Sadiq's Authority.

"What do you plan to do here?"

"Hmm, we'll have to look around for that. More importantly, Chairman, I think that place over there would suit you perfectly."

"...?"

Tae-hyun pointed his finger behind them. He was pointing at the entrance of a mine! Even from the outside, the dark entrance leading down into the subterranean depths felt chilling.

Grab! Chairman Yoo immediately reached out to grab Tae-hyun by the collar.

"You rascal, you're finally trying to sell me out! You're finally showing your true colors!"

"What are you talking about, Chairman? Just look over there."

"...?"

At the entrance of the mine, humans from the surrounding tribes were waiting in a long line. And every single one of them was holding a fishing rod. Not a pickaxe, but a fishing rod!

"?!?!"

"See? They're holding fishing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rods. That's why I recommended it."

"Wait, why are they carrying fishing rods into a mine?! It's a mine! They should be carrying pickaxes!"

No matter how unfamiliar Chairman Yoo was with Pan-On, he still possessed this level of common sense. However, Tae-hyun shook his head.

"Well, it might not actually be a mine. It could be a high-end fishing spot once you get inside."

"Where on earth exists a fishing spot like that?!"

"Either way, they're going in with fishing rods. As long as you can fish, isn't that all that matters?"

"Ugh..."

"Look at them. If the local tribes are willing to worship the Sadiq Church just to gain entry, it must be an incredible fishing spot."

"Uuuugh..."

Tae-hyun's logic was strangely persuasive! It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠actually sounded plausible. Chairman Yoo felt himself swaying.

Should I give it a try?

"But is there any benefit to you if I go there? Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?"

"Haha. Chairman, it's not like I'm some bloodless, tearless cold-hearted monster..."

"You are."

"Totally."

"Right...?"

Ignoring the trio's synchronized reactions, Tae-hyun continued.

"...No, I'm not. I know how much you love fishing, Chairman, so I'm just being considerate. While we roam around here completing quests, you can just relax and fish while you wait."

"Hmm... Well, should I do that then?"

Chairman Yoo nodded, grabbed his fishing rod, and lined up. A true fisherman who genuinely loved the sport! Seeing Chairman Yoo join the queue, Lee Da-bi whispered:

"So, what's the real reason?"

"Unlike you or Cain, the Chairman can't react quickly if something goes wrong. It's much better to leave him in a place like that and make use of him later. Besides, I'm a bit curious about what that mine actually is."

As expected, there wasn't a single ounce of genuine consideration for Chairman Yoo!

"Do you believe in the great Lord Sadiq?"

"Yes!!"

"Will you uphold the name of the great Lord Sadiq and curse the wicked Akisus?!"

"Yes!!!"

"Good! You may enter!"

"Thank you!"

"...?"

Hearing the somewhat fanatical responses, Chairman Yoo tilted his head in confusion.

"Excuse me, do you also believe in Sadiq?"

"They told me to believe, so I do."

The NPC fisherman next to him replied half-heartedly.

"Exactly. You have to believe if you want them to let you in."

"There's no place like this for fishing. It's way better than the river down below."

"But what kind of god is Akisus that those holy knights curse him all the time?"

"Who knows? Seeing how much those holy knights curse him, he must have committed some terrible sin."

"...!"

Chairman Yoo was not a stupid man. In fact, he was exceptionally sharp. Listening to the conversations of the gathered NPCs, he rapidly gathered information!

This place is definitely a prime fishing spot!

Chairman Yoo was also slowly adapting to Pan-On. To fish successfully, the angler's skill was important, but the location was just as crucial! The thought of it made his heart race.

Until now, he had only fished in ponds where rabbits picked fights or in seas where pirates spawned. What would a legendary fishing spot look like? This dark, gloomy entrance was probably just a facade, and the inside would surely be a spectacular haven...

A wave of scorching heat hit him! Fortunately, he was able to endure it thanks to his pay-to-win gear, but that wasn't what mattered right now.

"A quota?! What on earth does that mean?!"

"...?"

"Look at this guy. Is it your first time here? Do you really think the Sadiq Holy Knights would let you fish for free? You have to hand over a portion of whatever you catch here."

"...!"

Chairman Yoo realized that something had gone horribly wrong. The surrounding fishermen began to equip their gear as they walked forward. It was a set of thick, heavy warrior armor! No matter how he looked at it, it was not equipment meant for fishing. Clad in his fancy, stylish angler outfit, Chairman Yoo felt a deep sense of foreboding and quickly sent a whisper to Tae-hyun.

This was vastly different from what Chairman Yoo had imagined. What he wanted was to find a nice spot, settle down, and fish at his own leisurely pace! But what this place demanded was for him to fish relentlessly until he filled a quota. This was basically... no different from being a fishing slave!