Chapter : 93
Fugitives (1)
It was a gunshot wound. Next to the place where the deer had fallen lay the body of another deer.
“…?”
Suhyun’s face stiffened. There was no way he couldn’t recognize a gunshot wound.
Why is this here?
Up until now, Suhyun had only been fighting monsters in this place using his psychic powers. He hadn’t felt the need to use firearms to take down monsters. The same went for Luiril and Shaina.
This is a poison zone.
The deer’s insides weren’t saturated with poison. Most creatures living in this poisonous area had toxins throughout their bodies. That meant this one had clearly been shot elsewhere and had dragged itself here.
If that was the case, there was no time to waste. Suhyun slit open the deer he had caught, pulled out its liver, and collected some blood. Just in case, he also took a liver, the organ containing the most poison, to fulfill the conditions.
“Ugh…”
A bitter taste filled his mouth. It was like chewing on sand. Chewing the raw liver as he walked, Suhyun forced himself to swallow it.
Another condition had been fulfilled. Fortunately, he didn’t have to drink the blood, but Suhyun felt no joy at all.
Damn it. Why did that Great Mage have to make the conditions so complicated? He could have just made it so I absorbed the ingredients by touching them.
The only thing he had gained from coming here seemed to be frustration. He had brought a few things to improve the taste, but the original flavor was so awful that it was barely useful.
Sugar on a bug still leaves a bug.
Thanks to this, the conditions to master poison were being filled faster each day… but still.
Even while complaining, Suhyun’s eyes remained steady. Tracking monsters by their traces was his specialty. Soon, he traced faint footprints in reverse and set off running.
Even though he had to exit the poison zone he had worked so hard to enter, Suhyun didn’t care. He had plenty of time to collect poison. What needed his attention now was something else.
There was someone else in Poshukan.
What kind of guy is it?
Of course, there could be others—exploration teams, mercenaries on a mission… But Poshukan had already been roughly mapped through previous exploration teams. Humanity didn’t leave this place alone without reason.
Even in relatively crowded areas, humans rarely benefited from meeting each other. In a sparsely populated area, it was even worse. And showing his face now would not help.
A trap.
Suhyun stopped his steps. He had pierced through the outskirts of the poison zone and moved further toward the side opposite his previous location. He had entered deeper into Poshukan.
It’s not a trap for humans… it’s for monsters.
It was a rather sloppy trap for an intruder. Anyone moving around this area wouldn’t fall for such a trap. Suhyun lightly tested it with telekinesis. The snare tightened and sprang upward.
But isn’t this too weak? At most, it can catch a deer.
There were monsters in Poshukan too. Even if they were weak monsters, anything with decent defense could break through such a trap easily.
“Catch anything yet?”
“No, I’m starving. Are deer even around? Feels like I haven’t seen meat in a week. I’m tired of fish.”
“Better than nothing, I guess.”
“Yeah… but still…”
Suhyun hid. Two men emerged from the bushes and checked the trap.
“The trap worked, huh?”
“Damn, another miss?”
Their clothes were too rough to be considered mercenaries, yet too heavy to be explorers. Suhyun felt a bit confused.
“Deer around here are getting smarter, don’t you think?”
“Shut up.”
“I want meat…”
“Quiet, unless you want to meet a tiger instead of a deer.”
Suhyun followed them. Following two careless men was as easy as breathing. After about an hour, they suddenly disappeared underground.
“?!”
He wasn’t surprised that they vanished underground. They had likely dug and set up a camp beneath the surface. Suhyun had used this method himself, so there was nothing shocking. What surprised him was that they were doing this in Poshukan. Unless they intended to stay long-term, there was no reason for it.
Professional mercenaries.
It was a well-made campsite, not a temporary one for a night or two. Starting with lights, various living supplies, furniture, even escape routes—it was clearly made by experienced mercenaries. Suhyun began to guess their identity.
Deserter mercenaries?
Fugitives, runaway mercenaries, renegade mercenaries—different words, same meaning: mercenaries who had escaped human society.
Mercenaries weren’t above the law. They were just less likely to be caught. If discovered committing a crime, they were still punished, even in places like China or Russia.
Whether massacring other races or eliminating competitors to monopolize resources, the list of crimes a mercenary could commit was long.
If caught, they had two options: face justice in city prisons or escape into the inner lands of Cameron. Cameron was a haven for fugitives. Most preferred jail to dying by monsters, but some took the risk.
With luck, they could get deep enough to avoid humanity’s attention. Once there, they were free from pursuit.
More annoying guys…
Suhyun clicked his tongue. It didn’t matter much to him personally—he intended to go into the poison zone to collect toxins anyway. But Shaina or Luiril could run into them if unlucky. Even though they were on the opposite side, paths could cross.
Deserter mercenaries were very sensitive about their tracks. If discovered, a bounty hunter might come after them. Most had bounties on their heads.
Better eliminate them here.
There was no need to coexist with inconvenient neighbors.
Bang!
“?!”
The mercenaries, leaning casually against the wall, jumped in shock.
“Monster?!”
“No.”
Suhyun spotted them and snapped his fingers. They were flung away with one strike. There could have been a psychic among them, so he couldn’t be careless.
Always strike first.
In psychic battles, going first was crucial. No matter how strong a psychic, getting hit first could mean death.
“Who… are you?!”
“That’s the question I should be asking.”
Suhyun gathered the fallen men into one place for easier telekinetic control. His telekinesis was powerful but not perfect. It consumed a lot of energy and, being versatile, required precision when aiming.
“Suppression done. None escaped through the exit. Are you the leader?”
He left only the man who seemed to be the leader.
“You…”
“Don’t move your hands. I’m handling all of you right now and a bit sensitive. Try anything stupid, and I’ll snap your neck.”
One of them tried to move, but stopped. They were completely at the mercy of someone with at least an A-rank psychic. Starting out already suppressed meant there was no way to fight back.
“…You want the bounty?”
“So you are deserters.”
“I said so. Were you following us?”
“Not following. Just happened to find you.”
“Then… why?”
Why? You already know the answer. Fugitives meeting each other never part with a smile.
“….”
Suhyun’s words were true. The man went silent. If any other outsiders were here, they would have acted to keep their secrecy.
“But we haven’t done anything yet… ugh!”
“I don’t think I ever told you to speak.”
The man groaned as he felt his body pressed down just for opening his mouth.
“So what now? Take us in and turn us in?”
“Well, that’s not bad either. Bounties are petty, anyway…”
The mercenaries’ faces turned incredulous. Petty? Their bounties were worth millions.
“Do you even know how much our bounty is…?”
“Shut up, you idiot! What good would telling him do?!”
Unfortunately, Suhyun had heard everything.
“Millions? That’s all? Human bounties aren’t that high compared to monsters.”
“Millions are petty?”
“Rich guys think it’s petty. Now tell me your identities.”
“Why? Ugh!”
“Die here or just tell me?”
“Tell… we’ll tell… We’re Gaongil Team 2.”
“What? Nonsense. Team 2 belongs to someone else.”
“Old Team 2. Different people run it now.”
Gaongil—the large mercenary company where Juwon Jun and Seo Gangseok were. Suhyun frowned at the unexpected name.
Are they imposters?
“Do you know Seo Gangseok?”
“…Who’s that?”
“These guys…”
“Ugh! Why are you doing this!”
“They were in Gaongil and don’t know Seo Gangseok?”
“Don’t know! First time hearing that name!”
They didn’t seem to be lying. Suhyun released his grip. Perhaps Seo Gangseok had joined later.
“Juwon Jun?”
“Of course we know him!”
“That bastard!”
People bond faster over mutual dislike than like. Suhyun found it interesting that these ex-Gaongil members hated Juwon Jun.
“Why hate him?”
“How do you know him?”
“Not personally, only by name. Team 2 leader.”
“What?! That bastard?!”
“Answer me.”
“He betrayed us and framed us!”
When they were in Gaongil Team 2, Juwon Jun led Gaongil Team 3. He had consistently committed crimes, and in dangerous situations, manipulated evidence to frame Team 2 and other mercenaries. He was meticulous, leaving them no defense.
The only options left were prison or escape. Knowing Juwon Jun would destroy them in prison, they chose escape.
“Were others involved too?”
“Contact, Daesung, Samdurong… All caught together, all escaped together, split up here. We agreed to contact each other if needed.”
“Hmm…”
While talking, Lee Dojeon felt doubtful. Was there meaning in saying all this? The opponent probably knew Juwon Jun, so deserters’ explanations wouldn’t convince him.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“?!”
“Does he trust us…?”
“Was that a lie?”
When Suhyun extended his hand, Lee Dojeon shook his head in fear. He could only move his head. Suhyun’s hand felt like the hand of the Grim Reaper.
“Juwon Jun’s shady in many ways. I suspected, but he really did that?”
“…!”
The deserters were momentarily elated. Having trusted only each other for years, the first outsider believing them was overwhelming.
“Sit.”
“Y-yes.”
Unconsciously, Lee Dojeon spoke politely. Suhyun released his telekinesis and gestured, and he cautiously sat on a chair.
“What crime were you tied to? Massacre of other races?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Most common major crime. Sure enough, massacre of other races.”
“Yes, accused of massacring six orc villages…”
Suhyun tapped the armrest, lost in thought. Time remained, but he had to plan for the Dragon Slayer project. A failure there could shift the entire balance of power.
And new competitors will appear.
The prime example: Juwon Jun.
