Scent of the Prey
"So, they want us to go there?"
"How many times do I have to tell you? Let's move. We're wandering the forest all day anyway, right?"
"Yeah, true. What a drag."
Kim Min-jun tuned out the constant grumbling from the man beside him as he strolled through the woods. As part of the same scouting team, he'd crossed paths with the missing Fifth Squad a few times and remembered their pheromones well. Thanks to his pheromone detection, he could almost visualize the scents. Footprints glimmered on the ground like they'd been coated in fluorescent paint, urging him to quicken his pace.
The First Scouting Team had five members in total—all men. Women were rarely assigned to combat squads to begin with. Only a tiny fraction were born with real fighting prowess, making the groups overwhelmingly male-dominated. Out of ten scouting teams, there were just four women total. Needless to say, none were leaders.
As Kim Min-jun roughly scanned the traces and got his bearings, the halberd-wielding man beside him—Lee Chan-sung—scrunched his brow and spoke up.
"But those guys really deserted? They're nuts, right?"
"How should I know? Isn't that the orc zone? They might've gotten wiped out."
"Maybe, but orcs don't do ambushes, do they? They could've just run, no?"
Orcs. Kim Min-jun pictured the monsters named for their brutish looks and traits, much like goblins. It was true scouting teams had a low chance of dying to them. Sure, their massive builds came with immense strength, but that made them sluggish runners. Slow as they were, they still matched an average adult man—but not a scouting team.
Two weeks in the New World had been enough to grasp Karma. He didn't know the exact mechanics, but slaying monsters made you stronger—that much was clear. And the boosted stamina was a nice bonus. Kim Min-jun couldn't ask for more.
How much time had passed? The sun hung high at midday, blazing brighter than ever, when a peach tree came into view.
"Whoa, peaches! Hey, lunch is soon anyway—let's rest here."
"Fine. The guy on watch today keeps lookout; rest of you, chill!"
At Kim Min-jun's order, the Fifth Squad members plopped down around the tree to rest. Of course, today's sentry just plucked a few peaches from the branches while standing guard.
"Fuck. Hope they just bit it quick."
"Yeah. If we find 'em, we can kill time and head back."
Kim Min-jun vented his complaints but kept his eyes on the trail. Then, an unexpected scent hit him.
What...? This...
Familiar yet strange. Doubting himself, Kim Min-jun sniffed repeatedly before confirming it.
This was Yi Cho-rin's pheromone.
"She's alive?"
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"Nah, nothing. Shut up a sec."
Kim Min-jun examined the traces closely and soon realized there was one more besides Yi Cho-rin. That scent was familiar too—and when he identified it as Hyeo Ga-on's, a hollow laugh escaped him.
"Unbelievable."
"What's up?"
"Nothing. Looks like the Fifth Squad assholes were slacking here."
"For real? Total psychos. What if they get caught?"
Kim Min-jun kept Yi Cho-rin's presence from his teammates. No way he'd tell these horny bastards—she'd be gangbanged on the spot. He wasn't sharing that woman.
Internally, he cheered. He was way better than that loser Hyeo Ga-on. He could convince Yi Cho-rin, no problem.
Once tracking's done, I'll sneak back alone later.
The trail was fresh—just days old. Good chance they were still around. Kim Min-jun smirked darkly, lost in his delusion of soon ravaging her.
With that settled, he rested. An hour later, they resumed the hunt. And there, too, they found traces of Yi Cho-rin and Hyeo Ga-on.
Hmm... No way.
Did Yi Cho-rin's group kill the Fifth Squad? Kim Min-jun couldn't rule it out entirely. How didn't matter—the overlapping trails did.
Keeping that possibility in mind, he pressed on until they reached the cave where the pair had camped.
"Fuck..."
Bodies everywhere. Cold corpses crusted with dried blood littered the ground. All familiar faces.
"What the hell is this? Not monsters?"
"If it was them, we'd have looted for food. This... it's people."
"...Yeah. Kinda suspected."
No hiding it now. Unless he planned to silence everyone, better come clean. Hiding it could lead to spy accusations and headaches. Self-preservation first, women second.
At Kim Min-jun's loaded words, the halberd guy nudged his shoulder.
"Suspected? You knew?"
"Kinda. Saw traces from people I know, figured they might be nearby. Fuck... didn't expect this."
"You tight with them?"
Tight? Kim Min-jun shuddered at the halberd guy's question. Rage still boiled at the memory. Without Hyeo Ga-on, he might be leading his own faction by now, not scraping by as a grunt.
"Nah, remember I told you? When we first got here, that troll who made us run."
"Oh yeah. Said you missed a smoking hot chick?"
"Yeah. She's with them."
"No shit?"
The team perked up at "hot chick." Beasts overflowing with New World lust, every one.
Kim Min-jun smirked at their reactions, then scanned them. Their thoughts were obvious: if they tracked her down, bang her before killing. Couldn't monopolize, but clubbing taught him you'd fuck your buddy's girl the next night. He was used to it.
Why not share and keep her? With that in mind, he proposed.
"Hey, what if we don't kill her? Bring her back?"
"What?"
"Her face is killer—hotter than any idol. Waste to kill, right?"
"Tits too? Damn, yeah, shame."
"Exactly. Don't kill—bring her and rotate daily? Others do it too."
Scouting was tough, but rewards solid. Plenty turned captured women into personal fucktoys. Yi Cho-rin killed a team, sure, but if everyone zipped it, claim they "found" her en route. Park Gyu-wan wouldn't care enough to kill if they played it right. Endless fun, not one-and-done.
His logic swayed them; nods all around. The shield guy rubbed his chin.
"But just two? Nothing else?"
"Yeah, just two."
"...Means one's a beast. You good?"
"......"
Kim Min-jun frowned. Hyeo Ga-on that strong? Back then, just a psycho. Couldn't slack off, though. Fifth Squad went down; First could too. No huge power gap—needed backup. Complication.
Silent, he pondered. Halberd guy slung an arm around him.
"Third Squad? All horn dogs. Promise rotations, they'll bite."
"Third? Isn't Cheon Jae-hee there? Chick."
"She's a total wimp—won't do shit. Third handles her."
"Hm... Fair point."
Nine guys excluding her. Nine turns for endless pussy? Bargain.
Decision made, Kim Min-jun spoke.
"Okay. Report back, request Third for support."
"Hell yeah—idol pussy incoming!"
"Shut up and move. Before the trail fades."
At his urging, they left the cave and returned to Shin Segye. The next day, now ten strong, they set off after Ga-on and Cho-rin.
Crunch! The spear pierced the goblin's heart, drilling into the dirt.
Ga-on yanked it free with ragged breaths, glancing back.
"Hoo... Yi Cho-rin-ssi. You okay?"
"Ahh... Y-yes! I'm fine. Thanks to you, Ga-on-ssi."
Yi Cho-rin staggered over, scratches everywhere. Her white shirt and stockings were torn, the sight oddly erotic.
It had been a brutal fight—at least from her view. Ga-on had sweated protecting her. Who expected another goblin pack to crash in?
He'd sniped three in the ambush, halving the first ten. But reinforcements nearly isolated her. Good thing his senses tipped him off in time.
One wrong move, and she'd be gravely hurt. Even breeding-crazed goblins might use hostages when cornered.
Ga-on and Yi Cho-rin caught their breath, then searched the corpses hastily—fearing more—and moved on. Five minutes later, she slumped against a tree.
"Gotta be more careful. Can't underestimate goblins."
"Still, you've gotten much stronger, Yi Cho-rin-ssi. Took down five solo."
"Only 'cause you drew their aggro. ...But you're hurt bad."
Regaining composure, she noticed his state, face falling. Arrow barrage from the new pack had tagged him early. Enduring over ten goblins left wounds everywhere—not localized, but total coverage. Right arm worst: arrow embedded, several gashes. Hard to move.
She had plenty herself, but his were too many for full heal. Mana refill midway needed.
Semen again. Blushing at the thought, she heard Ga-on.
"Heal your wounds first, Yi Cho-rin-ssi."
"Huh? But you're worse off?"
"Can't heal mine right away anyway. You first."
"...Right. Okay."
Green mana flowed from her, mending wounds. Torn clothes stayed, but injuries knit and vanished as mana soaked in. Better efficiency on multiple small cuts than one big.
Confirming she was whole, Yi Cho-rin looked up at Ga-on. He backed to a tree. She knelt before him, grasping his pants.
"Then... I'll start."
"Yes. Please."
In the silent forest, devoid even of birdsong, their breaths mingled.
