Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Traces Vanished Without a Trace
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The trail had vanished completely, leaving the surrounding environment cold and indifferent. It felt as though someone had gone to great lengths to meticulously erase every piece of evidence.
'At least they aren't complete idiots,' Luke mused. Ordinarily, any tracker would have reached their limit here, frustrated by the lack of clues. However, Luke still had one more decisive card hidden in his sleeve.
[Tracking Scroll]
Rank: Advanced
Description: Designate a specific target or an item they recently possessed to track their current location for a set duration.
This was the specialized scroll he had obtained from the Lykan trio in the Lawless Zone. While it was traditionally intended for hunting down other players, its mechanics were robust enough to track non-player characters as well.
"Poko, I need that hairpin you found earlier," Luke said.
"Poko!" the small creature chirped, handing over the item. It was a delicate, flower-shaped hairpin that Reric's daughter was known to wear every day. Because she had kept it on her person so consistently, the residual spiritual imprint would allow for a much stronger tracking effect.
[You have utilized the Tracking Scroll!]
[Designated Target: Flower-Shaped Hairpin]
[Pinpointing the location of the owner for a set duration!]
A vibrant red line began to etch itself into the ground, shimmering with a faint light. It acted as a guide, stretching out toward the target's current position. Luke followed it hurriedly, aware that the scroll’s effect was temporary and that he needed to locate them before the marker faded.
As he followed the line, he was suddenly brought to a halt by a towering, sheer rock wall. The guide line, however, did not stop; it continued straight through the solid stone. Suspecting a hidden mechanism, Luke began to examine the crevices near the red line. Suddenly, his hand was pulled into the stone—more accurately, a section of the wall had collapsed inward.
With a heavy rumble, the rock face slid downward to reveal a dark, dim secret passage. Luke peered inside, and seeing no immediate signs of life or movement, he cautiously stepped into the tunnel.
[You have intruded upon an area containing a Named NPC!]
[Current Difficulty: Low]
[The Thief's Field is now forming!]
* * *
The Thief's Field was a unique job specialization exclusive to the Great Thief class, providing a field effect specifically tuned for infiltration. Realizing that a Named NPC was nearby, Luke quickly activated his Shadow Step skill to mute his footsteps and reduce his presence. He moved through the tunnel until he reached the other side, where he was met with a startling sight: a mountain stronghold camp surrounded by wooden fences and stone fortifications.
[You have discovered a temporary mountain stronghold where a band of outlaws is stationed!]
[Caution!]
[This area is occupied by formidable foes.]
The "Low" difficulty of the Thief's Field here was a step higher than what he had faced in Parten, and the system warned him that surveillance would be intensified and reinforcements more likely if he were spotted. He realized that this group was bold enough to stage a kidnapping within the Baron’s own domain, meaning they were likely far from ordinary bandits.
He hid nearby, weighing the risks of proceeding. If he struggled to infiltrate only to find a dead end, it would be a massive waste of time and resources. However, a quest window suddenly flickered into existence, confirming his suspicions.
[Reric's Missing Family]
While tracking the traces of Reric's wife and daughter, you discovered a hidden stronghold built by outlaws. You suspect this incident is linked to Del Mark's secret map and have decided to investigate!
Conditions: Identify the Bandits (0/1), Determine the reason for the kidnapping (0/1)
Luke spent the following days shuttling between the city of Jermi and the stronghold on Bilbar Mountain. He observed the sentries, noting that their average level was 100—a baseline that was far too high for common thieves. They moved with an organized purpose that suggested they were part of a larger, more sophisticated operation.
He eventually managed to overhear a conversation between two sentries. "Lord Drauder's orders are clear," one grumbled. "We stay until we dig up what we need in the city, then we return to base."
Realizing Drauder was likely their leader and that they had a separate main headquarters elsewhere, Luke continued his surveillance. He followed them during their covert raids into Jermi, until he overheard a bandit grumbling in an alley: "Damn it, Reric definitely had half that map! It wasn't on his corpse, so he must have hidden it right before we got to him. And now his wife and kid are stonewalling us."
The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. These men had killed the baker, but because Luke had reached the body first and swiped the map, the bandits had kidnapped the family to find the missing half.
'So, because I stole the map from the corpse, this entire mess occurred?' Luke thought with a shrug. 'Well, it isn't really my problem what happens to these NPCs.'
[Quest Condition Updated!]
[Reason for the kidnapping: Discovered (1/1)]
Luke was confident he would identify the group’s true name soon enough, but the situation took a sudden turn when he overheard their latest plans.
"Plans have changed," a bandit leader declared. "We are abandoning this stronghold in a few days. Lord Drauder has judged the risk of exposure too high. We are taking the hostages back to our main base."
Luke realized he was now on a strict time limit.