Chapter 464: Another War Has Already Begun.
Chapter 464: Another War Has Already Begun.
Creak, creak!
“Ahhn…”
As the bed rocked like a great wave, a woman’s heated moan swayed with it.
She had been all but thrown onto it, yet not a hint of displeasure could be found on her face. Instead, she untied her own breastplate, revealing her pale, flowing breasts, and slowly caressed them as she looked up at someone.
Her gaze had become impossibly thick with desire, like that of a harlot craving a man.
“Hah… Hah…”
A man, breathing raggedly, tore through the curtains that veiled the interior and climbed onto the bed. The look in his eyes as he stared down at the woman was just as intense. His bloodshot eyes blazed, like those of a beast in heat.
A moment later, the woman’s red tongue lightly moistened her lips, and the man’s thread of reason snapped. His body collapsed onto hers, and at the same time, her hands wrapped gently around his back.
Just as her hands swept across his firm back, a stream of fire flowed from the man’s mouth as he sucked on her fine, white neck. From that moment on, the fire erupted in an instant, heating the bed with a fierce, passionate intensity.
Melting in the scorching heat, the man and woman clung to each other, mindlessly devouring one another.
Had they drunk a potion? Were they drunk on wine? Or were they simply lost in passion?
The man thrust into her aggressively, without a shred of consideration, but the woman’s face was filled with ecstasy. She clutched his body as if possessed and burst into laughter, and the man responded with a beastly cry.
It wasn’t long before the woman’s laughter turned into sweet cries of pleasure. And as more time passed, those cries transformed into whimpering moans.
Finally, as the man and woman cried out together in a final chorus, the man’s body suddenly froze and began to tremble. A breathless gasp escaped the woman’s lips, and the storm of their lovemaking slowly subsided.
Through the white mesh curtains surrounding the bed, the silhouette of a panting man and a woman, her body twitching as she gasped for air, could be seen.
When they had started, the sun had been high in the sky, but now, a faint sunset glow settled on the windowsill.
As the man stared blankly out the window, the woman smiled sweetly and placed something between his lips. It was a cigarette. She even lit it for him, and the man let out a small laugh as he took a drag.
“Hoo… Heeseon-ah. I think I should get going after this. I stayed much longer than I thought.”
At the man’s indifferent words, a flicker of disappointment crossed the cheerful woman’s—Heeseon’s—face.
“You’re leaving already?”
“Already? Look how much time has passed… It’s not good for either of us to be away for too long.”
“But I told my unni I wouldn’t be back tonight…”
“You’re just a favored clan member. I’m not. I have a mountain of work to deal with as soon as I get back. A mountain.”
The man’s words held a faintly condescending tone, but Heeseon didn’t seem to mind, as if that was just his way of speaking. Still, unable to hide her disappointment, she mumbled with a sullen look.
“Still… you said you’d have more free time once this was over…”
“Heh heh. I’m only doing this because I have more free time, aren’t I?”
The man replied smoothly, flicking his cigarette before getting up. As he gathered his clothes and began to dress, he suddenly rubbed his smooth forehead and looked back at Heeseon.
“Ah, speaking of which… how many days has it been since those Mercenary bastards entered the mountain range?”
“Hmm~. A month and two weeks? Three weeks? Around that long. It’ll be almost two months soon, so they’re practically missing, right? There’s been no contact at all.”
“Almost two months, huh… Any separate movements from Monica’s side?”
“It’s quiet. I don’t know what orders she received, but she’s been keeping a low profile lately.”
Pleased by Heeseon’s words, a sneer formed on the man’s lips. As she watched him calmly straighten his collar, Heeseon spoke quietly.
“But, Hyeok-oppa. Are we… really going to be okay?”
“Hm? Okay? What do you mean?”
“You know. The Mercenary Clan isn’t a pushover. I heard the Shadow Queen’s information-gathering ability is second to none.”
“Aha, the Shadow Queen. She’s a fearsome User, that’s for sure. To be honest, I still can’t believe it. Just five or six years ago, she was a bitch who killed people in Salmun as easily as breathing. It’s truly amazing how much she’s changed. Well, that’s a story only a few people know. Hahaha.”
The man, called Hyeok, laughed with complete ease. But Heeseon, displeased with his attitude, continued in a slightly louder voice.
“Oppa. I’m not joking right now. What are you going to do if they somehow return from the mountain range?”
“Hey, what’s with you? The Mercenary Clan, the Shadow Queen, they’re still in the mountains. We confirmed they went in. And even if they do come back, what are they going to do? We’ve destroyed all the evidence and prepared to cut our losses.”
“Yes, that’s true. But I’m anxious. I’m just so anxious. And it’s not just this. The Su Clan’s movements have been unusual, too. The internal struggles are already overwhelming…”
“Who said it’s overwhelming?”
Hyeok’s sharp retort made Heeseon flinch. Her eyes trembled, and she clutched the blanket tightly, looking terrified.
Silence hung in the air for a long moment.
Hyeok’s gaze, which had been fixed on Heeseon, gradually softened. He calmly approached her and slowly stroked her hair.
“Heeseon-ah. What’s done is done. Hm? After the selection meeting next week, the representative clans temporarily stationed in the west will withdraw in a month. Do you know what that means? Right now, what we need to do next is more important than worrying.”
“……”
“And you don’t have to worry about a thing. No, don’t. Think about it. It takes two months just to go to the mountain range and back. The internal meeting and vote are next week. That’s only a week or two at most. You don’t really think something will happen, do you?”
“…But still.”
“What ‘but still’? Or are you… feeling guilty or something?”
“That’s not it.”
Heeseon shook her head and answered immediately. Seeing that she had calmed down a bit, Hyeok smiled quietly and removed his hand. Heeseon glanced up at him before lowering her gaze again.
Hyeok spoke.
“This is just how the world works… And remember this. The ones who started this fight weren’t us, but the Mercenary Clan. We just couldn’t say anything because we had no proof. This incident is partly because of the western cities, but it’s also us paying them back in kind. Understand?”
“Yes. I understand… By the way, how is he doing now?”
“He? Ah. He’s already in the palm of my hand. He’s probably doing well with the Su Clan right about now. I pretended not to know because he’s useful to me for now… But you’re acting really strange today. It’s been a year already, why bring it up now?”
“I’m just anxious… Just be careful. Bleh.”
Heeseon was speaking seriously, but she suddenly broke into a wide smile and stuck out her tongue. One corner of Hyeok’s mouth curled up, and he turned on his heel and walked toward the door.
Just as he was about to open it, he suddenly looked back at Heeseon, slowly raising his left hand and clenching it into a fist.
“Stop worrying. The Mercenary Clan, the Su Clan, all the things you’re so worried about… they’re all in my hands now. So, you just handle your clan’s affairs properly. And tell that bitch to put in a good word for me.”
With those final words, Hyeok opened the door and left without delay.
Thud.
As the door slammed shut, Heeseon was left alone in the room, where the lingering heat of their passion and the scent of the cigarette still faintly hung in the air.
The smile on Heeseon’s face slowly faded. A moment later, a look of genuine worry, just like when she had first spoken, began to cloud her features.
Was it a woman’s intuition? Despite Hyeok’s confident reassurances, her face was etched with a deep sense of unease.
After staring at the door for a long time, Heeseon let out a long sigh.
*
The sky was stained crimson. The sun, once at its zenith, was now preparing to set, and the leaves that had bathed in bright sunlight were slowly being steeped in the twilight of the evening glow.
Slowing my pace, I looked around and saw the same dense thickets and lush trees.
But it was no longer the gloomy landscape we had seen on our way in. The thick fog had vanished, and there was no sign of the Dead. Only a gentle breeze blew, rustling the twilight-drenched bushes.
The scenery of the Sleeping Dragon Mountains on our way out was beautiful enough to be called fantastical.
“Damn it. This damn reckless brat.”
My gaze shifted at the sudden grumbling to see Heo Junyoung scowling. On his back was Ahn Hyun, still unconscious. Heo Junyoung had been carrying Ahn Hyun ever since we left the fortress. The muttering just now was likely less from physical exhaustion and more from his inherent dislike of Ahn Hyun.
“Hey, Kim Soohyun.”
“What.”
“I heard that after we left the ruin, quite a few of the Users we rescued have woken up.”
“But Ahn Hyun hasn’t woken up yet.”
“Right. Exactly. So, aren’t you curious? Whether this guy isn’t waking up, or if he can’t. I just can’t understand why the last one to come in is the last one to wake up.”
“…So, you’re saying you think he’s pretending to be asleep.”
I gave a flat laugh at Heo Junyoung’s words. There was no chance of that. If Ahn Hyun were really faking it, not only I, but Heo Junyoung too, would have caught on long ago.
It was a little concerning that he hadn’t woken up yet, but it wasn’t as if all the other Users had woken up either. Besides, when I checked with my Third Eye, there were no major issues, so I was somewhat at ease.
Before long, the dense thickets around us began to thin, and wide clearings started to appear here and there. The sun would set completely soon, and darkness would fall. The location was good, so I figured it was time to prepare for camp and slowly turned around.
My clan members followed me, and behind them followed the awakened Users. Of course, the Users who were still unconscious were being carried by some of the clan members.
Vivian and Helena were chattering away about something, while Daeun and Hanna were whispering to each other and giggling.
In the past, I would have barked orders without hesitation, but I said nothing. In the days since we left the ruin, not a single one of the Dead had appeared, leading me to tentatively conclude the area had been cleared. Besides, even while they were chatting, they occasionally scanned their surroundings.
Then, perhaps she felt my gaze.
Daeun, who had turned to look at me, had a peculiar glint in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, then brought a jade-white index finger to her pretty lips and began to rub it gently. Soon, she slipped the finger into her mouth, her throat bobbing as she swallowed, and stared at me with alluring eyes.
I smiled bitterly. Daeun’s gesture was a kind of signal. It was her way of saying she was feeling quite… needy, and wanted to play tonight.
I did my best to ignore Daeun’s pleading gaze. After scanning the area once more, I stopped and called out in a loud voice.
“Everyone, halt! We’ll stop our march here. We’ll be camping at this spot for the night, so please begin preparations immediately.”
The clan members must have been thinking it was about time to camp as well, as they began to move busily as soon as the order was given. The members who had been carrying others set the Users down on one side, their faces showing a hint of exhaustion.
Thump!
“This damn reckless brat.”
Heo Junyoung roughly set Ahn Hyun down and kicked him with a frustrated look. It wasn’t a hard kick, more like a nudge. Then he spun around, met my eyes, and flinched.
I spoke calmly.
“I don’t mind you kicking him, but do it where I can’t see.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Just as I was quietly smiling at Heo Junyoung’s disgruntled expression, which I found quite amusing…
“Clan Lord!”
A voice called me from behind. I turned to see Shin Jaeryong approaching at a brisk pace.
“Clan Lord. We are currently setting up the Camping Site and preparing the meal. I was about to make an announcement, so I was wondering what you wanted to do about the night watch. Will it be the same as yesterday?”
I was about to nod, but a sudden thought of Hanbyul made me shake my head.
“No. It seems monsters no longer appear in this area, so I think it’s fine to relax a little. Let’s change it from four-person teams to two-person teams. I’ll announce the team members and shifts after the meal.”
“Understood. Ah, and…”
Shin Jaeryong slowly looked around, then took another step closer and continued in a whisper.
“I’ve already spoken to the clients separately.”
“Hm? Spoken to them?”
“The clients who went with Ahn Hyun and Hangyul… Isn’t it about time we started to grasp the situation?”
“Grasp the situation…”
Grasping the situation.
I slowly closed my eyes and sank into thought.
In truth, I had already grasped the situation to some extent. The clients had woken up, but I didn’t think they would know more than Kim Sujeong or Hangyul. Because after hearing the full story from Hangyul, I was convinced this was no simple accident.
Of course, I couldn’t rejoice forever in the fact that we had cleared the ruin. In the grand scheme of things, all we had done was acquire a single ruin.
So, it was time to shift my focus.
Ultimately, we had completely conquered the Sleeping Dragon Mountains. The rewards were immense, we had rescued the Users, and we had made tremendous progress in solving our chronic stamina problem.
In other words, everything had improved.
However.
That didn’t mean I had any intention of letting this go.
To be honest, I still had no idea which son of a bitch did this to our clan, or for what reason.
But once I returned to the city, I would follow the trail, one by one, and the moment I caught the one at the end…
The Underground War.
The moment the thought surfaced, a laugh escaped me.
I still didn’t know anything for sure, yet I couldn’t stop laughing. It seemed the mere thought of tightening the noose around my opponent was enough to make me smile.
Or perhaps I was reminded of my past self, who had lived in the underground during the first playthrough.
“C-Clan Lord? A-Are you alright?”
The stuttering voice made me open my eyes to see Shin Jaeryong taking a step back for some reason. His mouth was slightly agape, and his throat moved slowly. I quickly composed my expression.
“Haha. It’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment… In any case, I understand. I will speak with those Users myself, so you don’t need to worry about it, User Shin Jaeryong.”
“……”
“You may go now. Ah… and please tell Hanbyul to prepare to stand the first watch with me tonight.”
“…Understood.”
Shin Jaeryong bowed his head and calmly turned to walk back the way he came.
As a sharp User, he had probably understood the meaning behind my words. Shin Jaeryong was not a User suited for the stage that was about to begin.
I watched his retreating back for a long time before pulling a cigarette from my pocket and placing it between my lips. Lighting it, I lifted my head to look at the sky.
Into the deep crimson sunset, a single, faint trail of smoke slowly rose.