Chapter 76: Trap

After Soo Hyuk left, Romian took out the marble again.

‘Something happened.’

When he had first laid eyes on the marble, there had been a mysterious glow around it, but now the marble had lost its shine to become lifeless.

‘They probably did it.’

Looking at the now dull marble, there was a high chance that they had already achieved their goal. On the other hand, it could mean that there wasn’t any danger anymore.

But it wasn’t certain.

Romian stored the red marble in his drawer again, then stood up and got ready to leave. He had to warn his comrades about the people that killed Ketan.

Tap. Tap.

At that moment.

“Is Romian in here?”

He heard a familiar voice with the knocks.

‘Vice-director?’ [TL: Romian is actually not the head, he’s like a commander of a company in the corps. My bad.]

When Romian opened the door, he saw the vice director of Copine, Heron, standing in front of his door.

“What brings the vice director here…”

Romian’s voice grew fainter as he greeted Heron. Heron didn’t like coming to the commanders’ living quarters. This was because although his relationship with Heron was okay, but that couldn’t be said the same for the other 조장s. So, what had Heron come here for? Did an urgent matter suddenly pop up?

“Ah, I just have something to tell you.”

Heron replied to Romian.

“But where were you going?”

Heron then asked after seeing Romian’s attire.

“Yes, I was just about to meet a friend.”

“Oh, that’s a problem.”

Heron exclaimed with an embarrassed expression when he heard Romian’s reply.

“…?”

Meanwhile, Romian was confused at Heron’s attitude so far. Why was he so different today?

“Argh, what should I do?”

As Heron was grumbling loudly, he quickly looked at his surroundings, before whispering quietly to Romian’s ear.

“The director wants to talk to you.”

Romian, who had been wondering why Heron was putting up a show, leapt in surprise at Heron’s words.

“He woke up!?”

The leader of the Copine Corps, Copine’s health had deteriorated at a rapid pace after a trip and fell unconscious up until now. The leader of the Copine Corp’s worsening health had affected the entire organisation. To stop his health from worsening any further, they had hired numerous healing magicians and experts, but it was no use.

They couldn’t see any hope of improving Copine’s health, but he had apparently woken up. How could he just wake up by himself when numerous healers had failed?

‘Something…’

Something felt fishy.

“Yes. He immediately searched for you after he woke up. Is your business with your friends urgent?”

However, Romian didn’t have time to think about his doubt. It was because it was Heron’s request. After pondering at Heron’s request for a few seconds, Romian came to a decision.

“No, it’s not.”

From how Copine, who had been unconscious for a long time, had immediately searched for him, this matter didn’t seem to be ordinary.

“Then come to the director’s room after 30 minutes. Don’t let anyone spot you.”

“…After 30 minutes?”

“That’s what he told me.”

Heron, at Romian’s answer, looked around cautiously once again and continued.

“Then I won’t disturb you any longer.”

Heron then turned around and started walking away. And while looking at Heron’s fading back, Romian thought,

‘Something’s off.’

He had a strange feeling over the conversation with Heron. It wasn’t about Copine as well. Although Copine suddenly regaining consciousness was also strange, his instincts told him that it was something else.

‘Wait!’

Romian suddenly realised something as he was thinking.

‘Friends?’

He had definitely told Heron that it was a friend, not friends. Yet, Heron had said friends.

‘Wait, no. That’s a common mistake.’

Heron could’ve made a mistake and not noticed it. It was a mistake that anyone could make.

‘Maybe I’m just too tense lately…’

Romian returned to his room as he sighed. Then to prepare for his meeting with the leader, he started meditating.

After a few minutes, Romian came out of his room and headed to Copine’s room. Luckily, he didn’t run into anyone on the way. With no one knowing, Romian finally arrived at Copine’s room.

“Hello.”

At the entrance to Copine’s room, Romian discovered Copine’s wife, Anna, and greeted her respectfully.

“Ah, hello.”

Was it because Copine had woken up? Anna had a bright smile on her face as she led him into the room.

“Come in. He’s waiting for you.”

At Anna’s words, Romian entered the room.

“…”

But when he came in, Romian fell into confusion. Copine’s condition looked no different than the last time he saw him. His complexion was pale, while his breath came in ragged wheezes.

Then Anna closed the door.

“Um, what’s going…”

Romian started to turn around to ask Anna about the situation, but when he turned around, he was paralysed with horror.

Rip! Rip!

Anna had started to tear her own clothes. Meanwhile Romian was staring fixedly as he fell into confusion at the sudden turn of events. When he came to himself, Romian felt greatly uneasy. Then, that uneasiness turned into reality.

“Kyaaahhh!”

Anna started screaming as she continued to rip up her clothes.

“What is…!”

Romian exclaimed flusteredly at Anna’s scream. But he panicked even more at her next action.

“No! Don’t please! No! Please stop!”

Anna stole the words he was about to say.

‘It’s a trap!’

Romian bit his lips as he listened to Anna’s screams. He had been had.

‘Why?’

Why did Heron do this? He couldn’t understand.

‘I have to get out of here!’

It was important to know why he had fallen into a trap, but escaping was more important right now.

Finishing his thought, Romian dashed past Anna and crashed out of the room. But Romian froze again when he saw what awaited outside.

Heron was running towards him. The problem was that he was accompanied by other people. All the other commanders excluding Romian were running with Heron.

“Romian! What is going on! What was that scream!”

Heron shouted as he reached the room.

But Romian couldn’t reply to him. He just glared ferociously at Heron while grinding his teeth.

“Didn’t you say you were going to meet some friends? You said that it was urgent enough to leave a meeting, but why are you here!?”

Heron rambled on. Behind Heron, the rest of the commanders were staring at Romian with a curious and embarrassed expression.

It was then.

“Heuk, heuk.”

Anna’s pitiful cries echoed out of the room.

“You…”

Heron asked with a wooden expression. Romian, who had just been watching so far, chose to speak at that moment.

“Why did you…”

But he couldn’t continue.

“I want to ask something.”

It was because Heron cut him off ruthlessly.

“What did you do to the leader’s wife!”

“Romian, did you…”

“Hey, you…”

Following Heron, the other commanders opened their mouths one by one. They looked like they had misunderstood, but it couldn’t be helped looking at the situation.

“No! This is a trap!”

Romian refuted desperately. He fiercely shook his head with a wronged expression. But his cries only served to make the commanders more suspicious.

‘If I run…’

Looking at the fooled company leaders, Romian thought. If he ran away, then that was as good as admitting that he was the culprit.

‘But even if I don’t run.’

The commanders were already under Heron’s slippery spell. It was unlikely that he could reverse this situation.

‘Heron this bastard!’

Romian cursed Heron who had caused this whole situation. He then dashed towards the nearest window. He had decided to run.

Puk!

But Romian fell down as a fiery pain erupted from his waist. Romian looked down at the dagger embedded on his waist then glared up at Heron. Then at that moment, he was able to see it. A triumphant smile that disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

* * *

After the C-rank promotion, Soo Hyuk came down to the 1st floor and lined up to get a mission. As C-rank had the most mercenaries, there were 5 counters as a result, so he was able to get his turn fairly quickly.

“I want to see the mission catalogue.”

Soo Hyuk said as he held out his token.

“Here you go.”

The NPC received his Mercenary Token and handed Soo Hyuk the mission catalogue, who then started to go over the missions one by one.

‘Hmm, I have to travel quite far now.’

After checking all the missions, Soo Hyuk returned to the first page. He then said as he held out the list.

“I’ll do the first mission.”

[You have selected the quest ‘Flowers on the 7th Peak’.]

After accepting the quest, Soo Hyuk reclaimed his token and walked out of the agency. Then while heading to the Eastern Gate, he opened his quest window.

[Flowers on the 7th Peak]

The monsters who reside on the 7th Peak of the Kamain Mountains, the Conda. Collect the flower of life, the Helid, which grows on the Condas’ back!

[Condah: 0 / 20 ]

[Helid: 0 / 20 ]

[Quest Reward: 900 Gold]

It was a monster hunting and material gathering quest.

‘I’ll finish this quickly since there’s no competitors.’

Soo Hyuk thought as he read over the quest information. The Conda’s physical defence was ridiculously high, and the drop items were of little value so Condas were one of the unpopular monsters. In other words, he would be able to hunt them very quickly.

Soo Hyuk closed the quest window as he arrived at the Eastern Gate and continued heading towards the Kamain Mountains.

After a few minutes, he passed the users crowded around the mountain entrance and plunged into the mountain range.

‘7th Peak.’

His steps didn’t falter as he walked through the undergrowth, as he already knew where he was going. His steps only stepped when he arrived at the 7th Pea.

‘I knew that it was unpopular, but…’

Soo Hyuk thought as he stared at the Condas before him.

‘There’s a lot.’

The mountain peak was crawling with them.

‘One spell seems enough?’

Just the Condas in his sight exceeded 30. He could wipe them all out with just one wide-area spell and complete the quest. Of course, he still had to gather 20 Helids as well.

“Poison Storm.”

Soo Hyuk cast Poison Storm at the peaceful Condas grazing on the grass.

Suuaak!

The green gas engulfed the Condas and the drop window appeared as they were sent into eternal sleep. But when Soo Hyuk saw the drops, he couldn’t help but frown.

– 24 Condas’ Back Shell

– 3 Helids

Although he hadn’t counted properly, he was sure that there were over 30 Condas. But the dropped Helids only amounted to 3.

‘Ehew, of course.’

He was a C-rank now. Soo Hyuk passed the lingering poison storm and started hunting Condas as he made his way to the centre of the peak.

‘Hmm?’

Then after a while, he stopped in place.