Chapter 20

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 20

Chapter Title: Hall of Moderation

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Broken carriage wreckage and piles of fake luggage disguised as cargo were scattered mercilessly across the ground.

"Ugh..."

"Just... just you wait, you bastard..."

Baek Sang-gyu and Seo Jin-cheol, who had luckily survived according to the original scenario.

However, their heads weren't spinning fast even in a crisis—they still hadn't crawled out from under the debris.

If they'd only honed their basic skills a little, they could've escaped this mess without much trouble.

Thud thud thud thud...

Hoofbeats echoed from the distance.

"Damn it... damn it... we've gotta get out of here!"

"Body! Move, damn you!"

They were deluded.

Thinking they were superior to the civilians who'd fought against death. Thinking they were stronger than the ones who'd instilled fear or terror in others.

"Goddamn it! Goddamn iiiit!"

But was that really true?

The hoofbeats drew steadily closer.

Soon, human voices joined the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clamor.

"Ha! Ha!"

"...done it!"

The chaotic clamor of at least dozens carried clearly. A cloud of dust kicked up by the horses was visible even to Baek Sang-gyu and Seo Jin-cheol.

The group arrived at the scene in the blink of an eye.

All of them bore tattoos like Kuza's on their faces.

"Hm... looks like trouble."

"......"

Swoosh.

As the man who seemed to be their leader dismounted, the others followed suit without hesitation.

The man scanned the site, then muttered quietly.

"Find Kuza."

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

"Search! It's Borgo's orders! Drag out Kuza's corpse if you have to."

They scattered in perfect order, combing through the wreckage.

Whoosh.

"Gah..."

They checked faces for tattoos or any resemblance to Kuza, shoving bodies aside if not. If someone was still breathing, they slit their throats on the spot.

Baek Sang-gyu and Seo Jin-cheol trembled, praying nothing would happen to them.

"Here! Found him!"

"Kuza?"

"Yes! Definitely!"

"I'm coming."

The group surged after Borgo as he moved.

Finally, he reached Kuza's corpse.

Thud!

He lifted it effortlessly with one hand.

Kuza wasn't small by any means—this was insane strength.

Instead of his bulging, veiny arm, he used the other to frisk the body.

Then he hurled Kuza's corpse to the ground.

Crack.

Something snapped.

But the group feared his changing expression more than the sight.

"Heh... heh heh heh..."

He seemed furious, yet he was laughing.

No one dared laugh along.

Borgo was a laughing demon.

When angry, he laughed.

And everyone who'd ever laughed with him had died by his hand. That's why no one joined in.

Borgo cut off his laugh abruptly and said flatly.

"It's gone."

"...Damn."

"No map. No translation either."

"Wh-what happened?"

"We'll find out from here on."

With that, Borgo whipped his head around!

"Eep..."

His terrifying gaze locked precisely on Baek Sang-gyu and Seo Jin-cheol's hiding spot. That's why Seo Jin-cheol swallowed in shock.

Step.

Step.

Borgo approached them.

"You're alive. In one piece."

Now, all that remained for Seo Jin-cheol and Baek Sang-gyu was talk. They had to prove their worth without irking him.

"D-don't kill us!"

"Spare us! We'll tell you everything!"

These were men who killed without batting an eye. Killers through and through.

"Know where the map is?"

"M-map?"

"...You don't?"

"We don't really kno—"

Crunch!

Baek Sang-gyu's head flew in an instant.

Blood on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Borgo's hand axe confirmed it was him, but it was so fast, it was hard to be sure.

"A-aaahhh!"

This guy's a monster.

That's what Seo Jin-cheol thought.

"You?"

"Ugh... I-I don't know the map, but I can guess who took it."

"Oh...?"

"A guy called Snowman was on the carriage with us! D-did you see his body? Blue glowing staff, clean robe!"

"No. Wasn't there."

"Then he must've stolen it!"

A bald man attending Borgo relayed word from a subordinate.

"Borgo, sir. Word is one escaped the carriage group earlier."

"...And?"

"Sent two in pursuit, but they were both crushed—corpses now."

"...And?"

"It's... probably him."

Borgo pondered, chin in hand, then asked Seo Jin-cheol.

"More."

"Huh?"

"Anything else?"

"A-and... he's a summoner?"

"Summoner, huh... interesting."

"Th-then I—"

Crunch!

His eyes widened as his head rolled across the ground.

The Predator Guild's Murderer Four could chase no more adventures.

Borgo mounted up and said.

"Hunt him down."

Kang Seol had fled well before Borgo's group arrived.

Of course, he hadn't just bolted blindly.

He'd picked the least-damaged horse from the attackers and mounted up.

Kang Seol fumbled into position at first, but suddenly synced with the horse's rhythm.

Then a message appeared.

Kang Seol unfolded the map from Kuza.

'The ruins aren't far.'

Pursuit would come soon, he figured. A large mounted force.

'They'll be faster than me. But if I reach the ruins first...'

Once inside, their mobility would mean nothing.

That was his plan.

And one more thing.

'Inside the ruins, their numbers won't matter.'

Kang Seol eyed the dense forest looming ahead.

"That's the Great Forest..."

Several major early southern adventures played out there. It dominated the south's vast expanse and guarded its secrets jealously.

Facing it in person stirred something in Kang Seol's heart.

Thud thud thud thud...!

The horse picked up speed.

He surrendered to it, charging into the forest.

Soon after, a group thundered past the same path.

"Ha! Ha!"

"Tracks here and there! He's definitely heading ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for the Great Forest."

"Ruins for sure, Borgo sir."

"...Interesting. Daring to steal from me."

Borgo was usually the raider, rarely raided. When he was, revenge followed.

The chase intensified as Kang Seol entered the Great Forest.

"Leaves hide his tracks! Don't lose them!"

"The deeper we go, the easier he'll hide! No gaps!"

Fwoosh!

Arrows from pursuers mostly wasted.

Kang Seol heard some whizzing close, but coincidence, not precision.

Neighhh...

'Almost there.'

Mud made progress tough, but the ruins were right ahead.

'There!'

Three massive boulders clustered together.

'Three big rocks... good, no wrong turns.'

Next: a statue in front.

Pursuers closing in, but Kang Seol stayed calm.

"Statue... found it."

Buried in leaves, but quick to spot.

Game prompts vivid in memory.

"Turn the statue clockwise."

He gripped and rotated it clockwise.

Grind...

Grrrind...

Friction, then—

Click!

Something activated.

"Got it."

Rumble rumble rumble...

Change was swift.

The three boulders rolled apart in different directions.

Groooan...

That's when it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠happened.

Screeech...

A brief noise from afar.

Kang Seol sensed ill omen and tried to dodge.

But foes arrived first.

An arrow.

Piercing several thick trees.

"Hup!"

By luck or skill, it aimed dead at his head.

His ear might've been torn off even if his skull held.

Then—

Claaang!

Clang clang clang!

Jamad snatched the arrow mid-flight with Mountain Fist. He slid back from the force, but it stopped.

"Hmph!"

"......"

"Go. Pursuers incoming."

Kang Seol nodded and entered the ruins.

A glow enveloped him, whisking him away.

Whirr—

Kang Seol sensed the third adventure end and prepped for the next.

Adventure 4. 'Hall of Moderation'

You were hired to escort a merchant caravan, only to get dragged into something huge. Aden, your client, wasn't a merchant—fake name too.

You survived the attack with quick thinking and snagged the item the mysterious group wanted—by luck.

But greed bites back: pursuers tailed you. You shook them for now, but don't relax.

This ancient ruin is called the Hall of Moderation. Shake the chase and survive—or wipe them out.

Goal: Evade pursuers and escape the Hall of Moderation, or eliminate them all.

Time remaining 「23:59」

Kang Seol cut straight to the hall's entrance.

Dust everywhere.

Indecipherable script covered the walls.

He pulled the translation to check the first trial.

"Five innocent bloods needed, huh..."

Reading through, he scratched his temple.

Soon, choices popped up.

Kang Seol verified the translation against memory.

Old recall proved right.

He gripped his "interpreted" translation.

Riiip! Riiip!

Tore it to shreds.

Ignoring the fluttering scraps, he pressed to the door.

Swipe...

Drew his dagger across his palm, blood dripping.

Unlike viewer worries, five drops—not portions—hit, and the door shuddered.

Ruuuumble—!

The door opened.

Kang Seol smirked crookedly and stepped inside with Jamad.

"I was right."

He never doubted himself.