Chapter 689: Methods of Infiltration
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 689: Methods of Infiltration
There was no cliché plot twist where a dying demon suddenly experienced a final burst of strength to stab him in the back, nor did the young demon child—only a few years old—suddenly explode with power enough to threaten Muen.
Ignoring the child’s hollow threats, Muen left the stone hut and continued to navigate the demon tribe’s settlement, following the map in his hand.
Before long, he arrived in front of a building that resembled a shop.
It was hard to imagine a shop existing in a tribe with such a primitive social structure, but judging by the history etched into the stone architecture, the place had been there for a long time.
Knock, knock.
Muen rapped on the rickety, dilapidated wooden door.
The eerie sound of knocking echoed through the desolate surroundings. Muen waited for a moment, but there was no response from within.
Knock, knock.
Muen knocked again.
This time he applied a bit more force, and the sound changed. It became muffled and heavy, not at all like the sound of wood, but more like a thick, hide-covered drum.
Still, there was no response, as if no one lived in this seemingly abandoned ruin.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Without a hint of impatience, Muen knocked a third time.
This time, he knocked three times with deliberate solemnity.
Finally, a raspy voice drifted from behind the door.
"Who is it?"
"A demon."
"What do you want?"
"To buy meat."
"What kind of meat?"
"Human meat."
"How much?"
"Thirty pounds."
"..."
Creeeeeak.
The door finally swung open.
A tall figure appeared behind the threshold, warily eyeing Muen.
When the figure saw the crimson pupils and horns peeking out from beneath Muen’s black hood, his expression shifted instantly. His hand darted behind his back, revealing the sharp edge of a massive boning knife.
"Don't be nervous."
Muen produced a seal engraved with the Campbell family crest. "This is just my disguise."
The tall figure froze.
He scrutinized the seal, confirming that the aura of the Lion King emanating from the crest was impossible to forge. Only then did he let out a breath of relief.
"Come in."
The tall figure stepped aside.
Muen didn't hesitate. He ducked his head and slipped through the doorway.
The old wooden door groaned shut again, plunging the room into darkness until a flickering candle was lit. The dim light barely chased away the shadows, leaving the room hazy but visible.
It truly did look like a small shop. Dilapidated shelves were lined with various clay jars. Some contained rare materials found only in the Abyss, while others held the scales or claws of certain magical beasts.
"Do the demons actually come here to buy things?"
"It’s just bartering. The demons don't have a fixed currency. Claws, fangs, and precious ores are the hard currency here."
"Even the low demons?"
"Not all low demons are entirely mindless. Their intelligence is usually inversely proportional to their level of aberration. The more severe the mutation, the stupider they are. But most retain a shred of intellect—enough to handle simple trades."
The tall figure used a small clay pot to brew a cup of hot tea and handed it to Muen.
Muen looked down and was surprised to find that the pot actually contained real tea leaves, rather than some bizarre Abyssal specialty.
"The last of my tea. I usually can't bring myself to drink it."
It was the lowest grade of tea, but the tall figure clearly cherished it. Even for a "guest" like Muen, there were only a few stray leaves in the pot.
The tall figure sat cross-legged in front of Muen, cradling his own jar. He gestured with his chin. "What’s with that disguise? It’s incredibly lifelike. You actually gave me a scare just now."
"Just a bit of light refraction combined with aura manipulation. It’s nothing sophisticated."
Muen snapped his fingers. The glimmer faded, revealing his true appearance.
The tall figure couldn't help but stare. Even in the dim candlelight, Muen’s face was strikingly handsome—a visual style that felt entirely out of place in the Abyss.
"If I'm going to go running around demon territory, I have to be prepared," Muen said with a smile. "What about you?"
"Me?"
The tall figure seemed to realize something. He looked down at his reflection in the tea.
It was a hideous face. Deformed pustules covered half of it, and the skin visible beneath his tattered robes was a bruised, blackish-purple. His hulking frame looked nothing like a normal human. It was a terrifying visage capable of making children wail—the typical look of a low demon.
"Ah, I almost forgot."
As Muen watched in bewilderment, the massive body began to writhe. Then, as if its bones had suddenly dissolved, it collapsed into a heap on the floor.
From within that pile of limp flesh, a starkly different figure—thin and small—tore its way out of the massive body and climbed out with stiff movements.
Under the candlelight, the figure’s skin was a sickly, pallid white, clearly having been deprived of sunlight for a long time. Judging by the silhouette, it was a woman.
"Is the brat the Empire sent as a contact this time really so green that he knows nothing? It’s just a specialized Puppet Demon Corpse. Nothing to make a fuss about."
The small figure took a sip of hot tea and spoke slowly.
"Imperial Military Special Scout, Jessica Fran. If I’m not mistaken, I’m likely the only military scout you’ll be able to contact in the Abyss right now."
"...Muen."
Muen paused for a moment before extending his hand. "Muen Campbell."
"I know who you are. The Duke’s son."
Jessica didn't shake his hand. Instead, she looked into his eyes and sighed. "I didn't expect a noble young master like you to actually venture into the heart of the Abyss on your own initiative."
"I’m here to finish the path my father couldn't," Muen replied with a smile, withdrawing his hand. "What, do you think I’m unreliable too?"
"...No. Quite the opposite, I’m relieved." Jessica shook her head. "The fact that the Duke’s own son has come personally means the Duke still places great importance on what’s happening here."
"Of course he does. It’s just that we’re spread too thin. Not just at Dolonslei Fortress... but the entire Empire is short on manpower. That’s why they had to send me—the person best suited for this kind of work."
Muen sounded somewhat helpless.
If he could only contact one person like Jessica even in this outer region, the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined.
"You snuck out, didn't you?" Jessica glanced at him. Perhaps because she had lived with her life on the line for so long, she didn't show Muen much deference.
"Oh? Are the scouts' information-gathering skills that good?" Muen asked, surprised.
"Given how the Duke dotes on you—practically bragging about his son a hundred times a day—there’s no way in hell he’d voluntarily send you on a mission this dangerous."
Jessica set her jar aside and sighed softly.
"Of course, it was also that face of yours that made me let my guard down so easily. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you in. Being a scout in a place like this, a single moment of carelessness means death. I’ve seen more people die in stupid ways than I can count."
"Sounds like my face is quite recognizable."
"It’s not just recognition; it’s fame. Not long ago, you killed the Demon General Chihe Nilo in a duel. Because of that, the demons have raised your danger rating significantly. If they knew you had entered the Abyss alone, at least three Demon Generals would probably hunt you down with everything they’ve got."
"Three... they really think highly of me. I’m just a plain old Fourth-Tier Martial Artist who can't even use magic. I guess I can't show my face for a while."
Muen rubbed his chin. "So, what exactly is the situation with Gutons Fortress?"
"If you want specifics on the state or origins of Gutons Fortress, you’re asking the wrong person."
Jessica stood up and began rummaging through the shelves.
"Whether it’s the scout who first discovered the fortress or the one who sent out the message containing the words 'Demon King,' they’ve all completely lost contact. When I said I might be the only scout you can find, I wasn't exaggerating."
"In short, I don't know what that hellhole is either. All I know is that a lot of demons are gathering there. A lot."
After searching for a bit, Jessica handed Muen a blueprint and a smooth stone.
"This is..."
"These were sent out after the 'Demon King' message."
"I thought you said they lost contact?"
"The items were sent out one-way. There was no accompanying intel or text, just these objects."
"...I see."
Muen looked down at the items.
The blueprint was a topographical map. From its complex structure, he could tell it was a magnificent piece of architecture, nothing like the crude, nature-reclaiming style of the current demons.
And the smooth stone...
"A specialized Voice Transmission Stone. It can't transmit voice, but it emits a signal when it gets close to another stone on the same frequency," Jessica explained.
"I see. So the idea is for me to take this to the location on the map and find the person sending the signal?"
"Presumably."
"And the method of infiltration?"
Muen thought for a moment. "My current disguise is fine for a small tribe like this, but it probably won't work for a place like Gutons Fortress where powerful demons are stationed. Otherwise, you wouldn't be afraid to go near it despite having a Puppet Demon Corpse that’s even more realistic than my trick."
"Correct. The security at Gutons Fortress is incredibly tight right now—so tight it’s uncharacteristic of the usually lax demons. With your current disguise, you’d be caught 100% of the time. There are demons among the high-class ranks who are sharper than humans."
Jessica paused. "But fortunately, I can still be of some use here."
"Go on."
"According to the intel I’ve gathered, a few days ago, one of the Eight Great Lords—the Grand Duke of Bewitchment—suddenly returned from the front lines to take command of Gutons Fortress."
"You even know intel of that level?"
"She’s been quite flamboyant since her return. I’d have to be blind not to know." Jessica said flatly.
"Flamboyant?" Muen asked. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Since her return, the Grand Duke of Bewitchment has been conducting massive sweeps in and around Gutons Fortress to capture human adventurers. But strangely, unlike other demons who just want to clear out the 'pests' in their territory, she... she’s capturing them alive and transporting them into the fortress."
"Capturing them alive?"
Muen’s eyes lit up. "That sounds like a perfect opening."
"Exactly. It is an opening. Smuggling yourself in among the captured adventurers has a much higher success rate than trying to sneak in directly."
This was why Jessica had shared the intel.
However...
"There is one tiny problem."
"A tiny problem?" Muen asked, puzzled. "What is it? If it’s something simple, I can probably handle it."
"It’s not a huge issue, it’s just that while the Grand Duke of Bewitchment is a female demon, her tastes are... a bit peculiar."
Jessica looked Muen up and down with a strange expression, her gaze suddenly carrying a hint of inexplicable scrutiny.
"Peculiar?"
"It’s nothing much, really. It’s just that the Grand Duke of Bewitchment only captures female adventurers. She only sends women into Gutons Fortress. Male adventurers are usually hacked to death on the spot. She doesn't even leave them a whole corpse."
"...Huh?"
Muen froze.
"Are you saying... this Grand Duke of Bewitchment is a freaking lesbian?"
"If her capturing women everywhere is purely to satisfy her own desires... then yes, I suppose so," Jessica nodded seriously. "Though as a Grand Duke, I imagine her goals aren't just that simple. Satisfying her private lust is likely just a side benefit."
"..."
Isn't that just satisfying her private lust?!
Dammit, he’d just finished off a predatory gay man, and now there was a predatory lesbian... and this one wasn't someone he could easily kill. What was wrong with this world? Could it just be normal for once?
Oh, wait. The protagonist of this world is a lesbian too. Never mind.
...Muen finally understood what that scrutinizing look from Jessica meant.
Dammit, she really was evaluating him—evaluating whether he had the "assets" to pull it off!
"Can I not use this method?" Muen’s cheek twitched.
"Of course. The choice is yours. I have no authority to interfere with your decisions."
Jessica reverted to her professional demeanor, her tone finally becoming respectful.
She handed the final piece of intel to Muen.
"I am merely fulfilling the final wishes of my predecessors by handing these things to you. Whether you do it, and how you do it, is entirely up to you."
"..."
Muen fell silent.
He looked down at the items—things sent out one by one by Imperial scouts who hadn't hesitated to sacrifice their lives. Though they were small, light objects, they felt as heavy as a mountain in his hands.
He couldn't help but... fall into deep thought.