Chapter 14
Chapter 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Hope
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ogong shrieked, blood pouring endlessly from his maw.
-Kyaaaak! You vile bastard! How dare you! You… you tricked me?!
“Tricked you? That’s a bit unfair. I was simply following your command to give you everything I had.”
-I’ll kill you!
But no matter how enraged he was, all Ogong could do was thrash about like a fish out of water.
Thanks to the synergy between his 2-star Talent, ‘Tenacious Life,’ and his monstrous vitality, he was still breathing, but more than half of his organs were gone.
No matter how much he struggled, his death was only a matter of time.
However, the expression on Lee Si-woo’s face—the very person who had pushed Ogong to the brink—was not good.
‘The predation message isn’t showing up? Heh, don’t tell me his rage towards me has consumed even his fear of death?’
Lee Si-woo had succeeded in driving Ogong to the verge of death, but he had failed to awaken his will to survive.
As if merely killing Ogong wasn’t enough, Lee Si-woo’s eyes glinted with greed. He suddenly lifted his head and shouted.
“That’s far enough! Don’t get any funny ideas, and stay right where you are!”
When Lee Si-woo pulled the last artifact from his pocket, Jeoji and Lala, who had been about to move, froze in place.
Lee Si-woo warned them again.
“I have five of these artifacts in total. Which means I have four left.”
He lied without batting an eye.
His shamelessness was so astounding that even Martin and Rei, whose legs were bound by Jeoji, looked dumbfounded.
Lee Si-woo continued.
“And I received these artifacts from a mage, along with a promise that he would come for me in a week.”
His solemn expression and serious tone were firm, as if there wasn't a single lie in his words.
Perhaps that was why.
Everyone present was flustered, unsure of what to do.
Having witnessed the power of the artifact that had obliterated Ogong in an instant, they had no choice but to believe him, whether they wanted to or not.
“So, you’d best stay put until I’m finished with my business. If by some chance… something happens to me, not only will all these artifacts explode, but the mage who comes to this pit later won’t take it lying down.”
At Lee Si-woo’s words, Jeoji clicked his tongue softly, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. Lala frowned and stepped back.
Having roughly settled the crowd, Lee Si-woo turned his gaze to Ogong, who was slowly withering away like a dry weed.
Ogong’s venom seemed to have faded at Lee Si-woo’s bold declaration, and he no longer shrieked.
“Sir Ogong, don’t you want to live?”
-…You bastard. What are you scheming?
“Surely you don’t think the mage gave me only one precious item like this artifact, do you?”
At the meaningful nuance, Ogong silently looked up at Lee Si-woo.
“That said, I have something that can save you. There’s just one condition.”
-What… *cough*, is it?
“It’s simple. You just have to ask me to save you. Very… desperately.”
Even as he was dying, Ogong let out a laugh as if the suggestion was absurd.
-Heh heh… Are you telling me to beg a lowly creature like you? *Cough*… Cut the crap. I’d rather die than beg the likes of you.
Seeing as the predation message still hadn’t appeared, he meant it.
However, the unfortunate truth for him was that persuading others with words was one of Lee Si-woo’s greatest strengths.
“It’s not begging. It’s a deal.”
-A deal…?
“I may have these artifacts, but my own power is meager. I need someone to protect me until the mage comes for me. And you, Sir Ogong, are the most suitable person for that role. Don’t you agree?”
-…
“And think about it, Sir Ogong. If you maintain a good relationship with me… do you really think I’ll leave alone? So, this is a deal. Yes, a desirable business arrangement where I request your protection, and you not only save your life but also gain a chance to leave this pit.”
At those words, Ogong’s compound eyes quivered.
A little deeper thought would have revealed the flaws in Lee Si-woo’s words, but unfortunately, Ogong’s current condition made it difficult for him to think clearly.
-I… *cough, cough*…
With the coughs, dark, dead blood trickled from Ogong’s maw.
It was surprising there was any blood left to spill. But looking at his withering body, it seemed even that was running out.
Sensing that both his life and his will were nearing their end, Lee Si-woo spoke, tickling Ogong’s long-held desires.
“Don’t you miss the sunlight? Don’t you miss all the delicacies of the surface? Just one phrase: ‘Save me.’ Yes, that one phrase is all it takes. Then, in a week… you will ascend with me, Sir Ogong.”
Did Lee Si-woo’s secretive, whisper-like tone hit the mark?
Ogong asked without realizing it.
-If I just say ‘save me’… can I really live?
Lee Si-woo looked at Ogong without a word.
Sometimes, silence was more valuable than a thousand words.
After all, blurting out words to a suspicious person and showing eagerness would only be counterproductive.
Like rainwater seeping through a crack in a rock, Ogong’s will to survive began to overcome his resentment toward Lee Si-woo.
That desire grew stronger as his breath shortened and his vision blurred.
Yes, along with his yearning for the surface.
Finally, sensing the end was near, Ogong let go of everything and opened his mouth.
-Save me. And… take me to the surface.
Lee Si-woo smiled faintly.
It was a twisted smile, like a demon seeing a seal stamped on a contract.
“Yes. You will live. Forever.”
At last, a white portal opened above Ogong’s head.
The tyrant of the pit, the boss of the Monster tribe.
This was the moment Ogong fell into Lee Si-woo’s grasp.
* * *
An hour after Ogong’s death.
After the storm-like commotion had somewhat subsided, Lee Si-woo walked with a straight back to the center of the plaza.
Countless gazes followed him tenaciously, like iron filings drawn to a magnet.
Ignoring the attention of the various demi-humans who sat around him like a colosseum audience, glaring at him, Lee Si-woo opened his mouth.
“Isn’t this exciting?”
Scoffs erupted here and there at the absurd opening.
Standing in the middle of the plaza out of nowhere and asking if they were excited?
It was beyond baffling; it was dumbfounding.
However, they could no longer laugh at him after his next words.
“The reality that in just one week, we can leave this godforsaken pit?”
Was it just a feeling?
The air seemed to have grown heavy.
A thick silence and a strange fervor spread among them, so palpable you could hear someone’s Adam’s apple bob and the sound of saliva being swallowed.
Having captivated them all with just two sentences, Lee Si-woo smiled brightly and continued.
“As you know, I’m an incompetent fool who can’t handle mana. But as you’ve seen, Ogong died at my hands, and a portion of the Monster tribe was annihilated. Was that truly my own insignificant power? No, it was thanks to the items given to me by the mage who has my back.”
Lala, who had been glaring at Lee Si-woo with sharp, hostile eyes, challenged him.
“Whether you have a mage behind you or not, what does that have to do with us? Why are you getting our hopes up, talking about letting us leave? Surely… you’re not about to spout some nonsense like, ‘If I ask, the mage will take care of you too, so just trust me,’ are you?”
The corners of Lee Si-woo’s eyes crinkled into a smile.
“Is there really a need for me to take care of you?”
Lala raised an eyebrow and said.
“If you’re not going to help us, how are we supposed to get out of this pit in a week?”
“From what I’ve heard, mages view non-mages as insects.”
Jeoji rubbed his bladed claws together, staring at Lee Si-woo.
The sharp, metallic sound was particularly menacing.
“Hey, human. How about you cut the crap and get to the point? For the record… I’m not scared of your artifact or whatever it is. I’m confident I can snap your wrist before you throw it.”
Just as he said, if someone of Jeoji’s caliber made full preparations to attack, there would be no way to stop him.
It was a different case from Ogong, who had been caught off guard by a surprise attack.
However, Lee Si-woo merely shrugged his shoulders and played it cool.
“Oh my, how scary. Alright. I’ll keep it simple and get to the point. Now, the mage will use the stairs to come and go. So, I’ll follow the mage and leave a trail. Then, after I’m gone, the rest of you just have to find the stairs. See? Simple, right?”
Having said that, Lee Si-woo gave Lala a wink and said.
“Oh, and for the record, the mage won’t care whether you guys leave the pit or not. This isn’t his living room. Why would he cause a fuss over a few bugs from this filthy, damp pit escaping to the outside? He’d only get his hands dirty trying to catch you.”
Lala stood with her weight on one leg and spoke wryly.
“If the mage coming for you happens to be a high-ranking one, everything you’re spouting is just bullshit. If he uses portal magic to come and go, we’ll be left on a wild goose chase.”
Lee Si-woo said firmly.
“No. Even if he can, he won’t use it.”
“Why not?”
“Because even if taking someone out of the pit is no big deal for him, it’s not exactly an aboveboard affair. So, rather than attract attention, he’ll handle it quietly using the stairs. It’s better than stirring up unnecessary trouble.”
“Can you guarantee that?”
“What a disappointing thing to say… Of course I can’t guarantee it.”
At Lee Si-woo’s immediate reply and shake of the head, Lala’s eyes grew cold, and Jeoji gritted his teeth and snapped.
“Are you… messing… with us right now?”
Lee Si-woo retorted.
“Let me ask you this instead. If I did guarantee it, would you believe me?”
They didn’t speak, because of course they wouldn’t believe him.
Lee Si-woo nodded and said.
“Don’t forget. Whether I have an artifact or a mage backing me, I’m still just a human you all look down on. How could someone like me possibly speak so confidently, as if I could predict a mage’s actions? There is… only one thing I can give you.”
With the smile gone from his face, Lee Si-woo made eye contact with everyone in the crowd, one by one.
Contrary to his words about not being able to guarantee it, his eyes were brimming not just with confidence, but with conviction.
“Hope.”
The single word, ‘hope,’ spread through them like a ripple.
At that sweet feeling they had long forgotten, even Lala and Jeoji squeezed their eyes shut.
Lee Si-woo continued.
“How could I dare make guarantees and assurances about something your precious lives are on the line for… but I will make this one thing clear. If you don’t touch us humans from now on and look after us, I will do my absolute best to get you all to the surface.”
Lala’s lips twitched as if she wanted to argue, but she soon let out a faint sigh and said nothing. Her pride was wounded, but she had to admit it.
Yes, the reality that she had no choice but to rely on this pathetic human.
Whether he knew of Lala’s burning frustration as she bit her lower lip or not, Lee Si-woo continued in a clear, distinct voice.
“That said, don’t we have something to take care of?”
Lala tilted her head and asked.
“Take care of?”
“I heard you’re short on food.”
Not expecting Lee Si-woo to bring this up first, Lala’s eyes widened, but she soon replied in a troubled voice.
“That’s right. It’s a desperate measure, but that’s why we were planning to take your lives.”
Looking at the gloomy Lala, Lee Si-woo gave a bright smile.
“It seems I’m quite the lucky charm.”
At his sudden self-praise, Lala looked at him as if he’d lost his mind and said.
“…What nonsense are you spouting now?”
“It wasn’t my intention, but haven’t I provided you with plenty of food? Have you forgotten? That there’s a tribe here that has lost its boss, has weakened forces, is easy pickings, and has the largest numbers.”
Her mind jolted by Lee Si-woo’s words, Lala stammered.
“Are you… talking about the Monster tribe…?”
Lee Si-woo gestured with his chin toward the Monster tribe, which was teeming with various insect species, starting with tarantulas.
“Well… I hear bugs are quite tasty when you roast them, you know?”
Jeoji, who had been pretending not to listen while his ears were perked up, flared his wolf-like nostrils.
Without even thinking to smooth the fur that had bristled on its own, Jeoji bared his sharp fangs and breathed heavily.
‘This one is dangerous. Very… dangerous.’
Lee Si-woo’s venomous intent—to seize control of the crowd with just a few words, then use that control to eliminate the Monster tribe, which was both hostile to him and the biggest future threat, by turning them into food—awakened Jeoji’s wariness.
Lee Si-woo said in a gentle voice.
“See, what did I tell you? Didn’t I say I would give you hope? This is a secret, but… the thing I’m worst at in this world is lying.”
Nearby, Rei, who had been glancing at Lee Si-woo, let her jaw drop.
She could only marvel at the shameless face of Lee Si-woo, who lied through his teeth, and his clean handling of the situation.
Martin, on the other hand, watched Lee Si-woo the whole time with a strange look in his eyes, making it impossible to know what he was thinking.
Looking neither hostile nor friendly, Martin clicked his tongue softly and lowered his head.
Ignoring Martin’s troubled expression and Rei’s fed-up look, Lee Si-woo spoke.
“In that spirit, why don’t we all take a break and do nothing for the day? Everyone looks tired.”
It seemed he had no intention of curbing his greed despite the significant gains he’d already made. Lee Si-woo planned to complete the quest while he was at it and find a chance to enter Barathrum.