Chapter : 54
Kakrita Valley (4)
Kakrita Valley was an unusually peculiar place even by the standards of Cameron, a planet full of unpredictable environments. One of its defining traits was that human technology—one of humanity’s greatest advantages—simply didn’t work here.
Attempts at reconnaissance using drones or sensors were almost useless against the ghosts, and conventional weapons barely inflicted any damage. It wasn’t without reason that everyone who ventured in here ended up missing. Those who entered with confidence soon realized the danger too late, panicked, and were wiped out.
“No need for infrared gear. Just turn on your lights and move.”
“Is that really okay?”
“It doesn’t matter. This place doesn’t make a difference whether there’s light or not.”
Though skeptical, the team followed Suhyun’s instructions. By now, they had learned to trust him first and question later.
The fact that technology was useless was inconvenient, but it had its advantages. Here, making noise or using lights openly didn’t matter at all, since ghost monsters didn’t locate enemies that way.
The ruins deeper inside the cave were particularly dangerous even for this valley. Outside, one could avoid threats with just salt, but inside, fighting was inevitable.
‘Honestly, these aren’t enemies I’d want to fight… but since we’ve run into them, there’s no choice.’
Weaker ghosts, which could be deterred by just salt, were manageable, but ghost monsters strong enough to ignore such deterrents were truly troublesome.
The most frustrating thing was their lack of common sense. Most monsters give signs before appearing—a sound, a glimpse—but the ghost monsters in these ruins would suddenly erupt from walls or floors. One could never let down their guard.
During the previous expedition, they had relied on psychic abilities to detect enemies. Suhyun wasn’t the only psychic on the team, so it had been relatively easy.
‘Good thing my psychokinesis has strengthened.’
“Left!”
“?!”
The team reacted instantly to Suhyun’s shout, spinning toward the wall. Simultaneously, a wolf-shaped figure with deep blue energy burst from the wall.
- Kraaang!
Though it didn’t make a real sound, the team seemed to hear the wolf’s roar.
Bam! Bam!
While an ambush was dangerous, predicting it in advance made it manageable. They also knew the monsters’ weaknesses.
“Open fire!”
Unlike the outdoor monsters, these wolves didn’t collapse after a few hits. The ghost wolf snarled and ducked, dodging attacks while moving around.
“Stay sharp! More than one is coming!”
“!”
“Keep watching your surroundings while fighting. One slip and you’re done!”
Every fight here demanded constant vigilance. Attacking the weak points solved the battle, but they couldn’t afford to relax. It was common for other monsters to appear mid-fight.
Following Suhyun’s orders, the team acted immediately. While one member engaged a wolf, the others heightened their alertness.
‘Eventually, someone will notice first, but…’
Suhyun couldn’t watch over them forever. They had to handle some threats on their own.
Thunk!
The ghost wolf, finally hit squarely in the head, began lowering its tail and attempting to flee. Suhyun’s eyes gleamed.
“Finish it! Kill it without fail!”
One of the tricky aspects of ghost monsters was their ability to vanish at will. Outside, chasing fleeing monsters was sometimes optional, but in a cave, a monster slipping into a wall was nearly impossible to pursue.
Unlike before, where they had let monsters escape, here they had to reduce their numbers whenever possible.
At Suhyun’s icy command, Kim Chang-sik and Park Soo-yong leapt forward. For some reason, the ghost wolf froze mid-flee.
Pow! Pow!
The silent ghost wolf’s form shuddered violently and disappeared as if turning to smoke.
“Phew…”
A collective sigh rose from the team. The sudden fights had left them tense. Suhyun spoke before they could even catch their breath.
“Move out.”
“By the way… how did he notice that?”
“Yeah… he’s gradually becoming less human, I think.”
They were relatively lucky. They had avoided facing multiple monsters at once or being ambushed from unexpected locations.
‘Once we reach the lake, it should be relatively easy.’
Although the path was currently complicated, the problems would disappear upon reaching the destination.
“But this doesn’t look like a naturally formed passage… right?”
“Really? I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
“It’s not natural. Sharp observation. According to information, this was dug long ago by a different race.”
The team exchanged surprised glances. Anything made by a non-human race was always fascinating to humans.
“What’s deeper inside?”
“I don’t know. But they wouldn’t dig this for nothing. Hopefully, it’s useful.”
“Gold? Silver? Gems?”
Kim Chang-sik blurted out his wishful guesses, and Park Soo-yong sighed in disbelief.
“There’s no guarantee these non-humans valued the same things as us.”
“Who knows… Gorgan, do orcs even like gold or silver?”
“They don’t value those. Also… orcs don’t make tunnels like this.”
“Really?”
‘Probably only dark elves or dwarves.’
“Dark elves or dwarves make these kinds of tunnels, not us humans.”
Gorgan confirmed Suhyun’s thoughts.
“Dark elves or dwarves like gold and treasures, right?”
“Even I… don’t know.”
“Enough chatter. Are we here for fun?”
“Sorry.”
Kim Chang-sik immediately fell silent, reminded that they were walking atop ghost-infested ground.
“Do you hear water?”
It wasn’t an illusion. Emerging from the passage, they saw a large, naturally formed lake ahead. Darkness prevented a clear view, but the water looked clean.
For explorers in uncharted lands, a clean water source was always welcome. Even with abundant supplies, they couldn’t afford to waste it.
“Today, we move only this far.”
“What about the camp? Those monsters weren’t ordinary…”
“Good question. But first, look at that lake.”
“?”
“What comes to mind?”
“Looks like good water?”
“Would be useful for camping?”
“…The correct answer is: monsters would hide well here. We’re not done yet.”
Suhyun simultaneously aimed his gun.
Splash!
The bullet hit the water, sending a massive column of water skyward. The team scrambled to aim upwards.
“What the—?!”
“A ghost water snake… ghost anaconda, maybe? Don’t panic. Big, but not strong. Shoot carefully.”
The creature hid underwater, attacking anyone who came for water. Suhyun’s team had learned the hard way near a lake previously.
Splash!
The giant serpent moved like water itself. Though threatening, it wasn’t hard to hit. The team wasn’t afraid of such monsters.
“Argh!”
Kim Chang-sik rolled to avoid the tail, water splashing. The serpent shook but didn’t flee, growing more aggressive.
“Gorgan! It’s coming your way!”
“?!”
Gorgan braced with his shield, slightly panicked.
‘Even an orc can get scared…’
Bam!
The ghost serpent slammed its head against Gorgan’s shield. Luckily, it was made of Altaranium, bouncing the beast back.
“Ugh!”
Gorgan grunted, crouching to withstand the impact. While the shield absorbed much of the blow, some shock still reached him.
“Well done, Gorgan!”
Suhyun leapt over him, aiming at the staggered monster.
Bang, bang, bang!
Three rapid shots, combined with psychokinesis. The ghost water snake began dispersing.
“Damn… everyone, watch above!”
“?!”
While they fought the serpent, ghost monsters had appeared on either side—two ghost wolves. They weren’t coming from above, though, which confused the team.
The answer came with the flapping of wings: bats appeared from above.
Suhyun clicked his tongue. Even with psychokinesis hidden, trained eyes could detect it.
“Why the bats?! Are they carrying something?!”
“Watch the bats before the wolves! Shoot first!”
The wolves were already manageable from a distance, but the bats were more difficult—small, agile, and moving in 3D space.
Pfft! Pfft!
“If they bite, you get possessed. Avoid them unless you want a salt treatment!”
“?!”
These weren’t ghosts—they were possessed bats, hosts for spirits. They sought larger hosts.
The first ones lunged but were shot down by Suhyun. Others swooped through the air, waiting for another chance.
“Two of you handle the wolves, the rest target the bats. Don’t shoot recklessly. One shot is enough to break them.”
The team moved precisely. As they reformed after dealing with the ghost serpent, the monsters hesitated. Wolves and possessed bats fell with a single hit.
“Dodge, then counterattack. Wolves first!”
Suhyun didn’t let them just wait. The team rushed the ghost wolves, shooting one mid-charge. The other tried to strike from behind, but Suhyun had anticipated its movement, restraining its legs with psychokinesis and finishing it off.
Only the bats remained. While the team aimed cautiously, Suhyun switched guns. Though ghosts, their possession made them vulnerable to bullets.
One shot per bat. Accurate fire sent them plummeting to the ground.
The remaining bats charged recklessly, but the team fired relentlessly. Dead bats rained down like hail.
“Ugh! Damn it!”
Amid cleanup, a bat dropped vertically from the air, biting Kim Chang-sik’s neck. Swearing, he flung it off, feeling sharp pain.
“Are you bitten?”
“Yeah… but I’m fine! Really!”
“Don’t get closer.”
“Seriously, I’m fine! No possession!”
The team aimed their guns at him. Realizing he was at risk of being attacked by his own team, Kim Chang-sik pouted.
“Team leader… should we shoot him?”
“Hey, I said it didn’t get me!?”
“Looks like possession was incomplete. Lie down; we’ll treat you.”
“Team leader…!”
Kim Chang-sik looked at Suhyun as if meeting Buddha in hell.
