Chapter 16 - Chapter 2: Alliance #7 (1/2)
Chapter 16 - Chapter 2: Alliance #7
The orcs rested around the perimetre while In-gong, Caitlin, Carack and Seira gathered in a circle in the middle.
”It might be too early to judge but the Red Lightning tribe doesn’t seem to be using this passage.”
After hearing Carack’s words, In-gong asked,
”Is it because a lot of monsters came out?”
“Yes, if they use it, there wouldn’t be many rock spiders.
The rock spiders had poured out from every direction in the cave. Orcs weren’t small worms, so it was hard to imagine the rock spiders leaving them alone.
‘By the way, is Carack really a genius among the orcs?’
In-gong stared at Carack with admiration while Seira, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.
“Isn’t it possible that the Red Lightning tribe are controlling the monsters? That is a possibility, so we should stay on guard.”
Seira displayed caution despite how young she looked and sounded.
In-gong was confused because he hadn’t thought about that, so he asked Carack.
”Carack, is there anyone who has that ability in the Red Lightning tribe?”
Was there an occupation with the ability to control monsters?
Carack immediately responded to In-gong’s question like there was no need to think.
”How can I know that?”
It was reasonable that Carack wouldn’t know about the enemy.
In-gong stared at Carack with a sour expression before shifting his gaze to Seira. However, Caitlin was the one who spoke instead of Seira.
”The possibility is low. If they had such abilities, they would be controlling the monsters in the battlefield, instead of the cave. Isn’t that right, Seira?”
”Yes, Caitlin.”
Based on her reply, it seemed like she had already thought that way.
'No, then why did she ask me about it? A quarrel? Or is it to keep me in check? She wants to keep me in check?’
However, it gave him a chance to review a possibility he hadn’t thought about before. In-gong calmed down his excitement and said to everyone,
”Well, okay. Then let’s check this location for a while. Carack, give me the bag.”
”Understood.”
Carack handed him a small bag tied to his back. In-gong placed his hand in the bag, activated his inventory and pulled out blank paper, a map and writing instruments.
‘It is too complicated to explain the inventory to Caitlin.’
He might explain it someday but not right now.
“Huh? Those things were inside the bag?”
”Yes, that’s right.”
In-gong lied and spread out the map while Carack stayed silent. It was a large map showing the mountain and swamp where the cave was located.
‘The scale of this map and the mini-map...’
When he focused, the cave couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. In-gong drew the mountain on a blank piece of paper. It didn’t take a long time because the map was laid out next to it.
Caitlin watched In-gong and asked.
”Are you trying to draw the map?”
“Yes, if I draw a map of the cave and the mountain then we can tell where our current location is.”
Caitlin nodded at In-gong’s words but Seira and Carack made a strange sound.
”Prince, haven’t you walked with me so far?”
”Yes, that’s right.”
Carack watched as In-gong drew lines slowly. It was a lot easier than the last time he drew a map in front of Caitlin and Chris due to the ‘Map Reading’ skill.
At first, Seira stared blankly but then her eyes gradually turned to disbelief. She thought he was just drawing the map roughly but it was too accurate.
”Did you remember the path all the way up to here? No, how is this possible even if you memorize it...?”
It wasn’t simply memorizing. That fact that the passage coincided with the shape of the mountain meant that he knew the exact direction and length of the passage.
Was this possible for a person? Did he had a compass in his head?
“I told you that Shutra is amazing.”
Caitlin spoke on In-gong’s behalf, boasting proudly in an odd tone.
In-gong laughed because it was quite cute, then went back to focusing on drawing the map again. Then after approximately five minutes? In-gong had completed the map up to their present location and put down the writing instrument.
”We’ve come approximately half-way.”
In-gong had moved near to the centre of the mountain. No matter what direction they travelled, they would have to move the same distance in order to leave.
”Seira, is this the place where the Red Lightning tribe is supposed to be?”
”Yes, Princess.”
Caitlin picked up a stone and placed it on the map.
”The passage will open near that area.”
If there was an exit behind the base of the Red Lightning tribe, they could plan an operation to strike. Some troops would lure the Red Lightning tribe while the ones moving through the cave would occupy the base.
”Uhh, but won’t it take a long time to move through the passage? We can only pack enough for a day.”
Carack asked with an anxious face. The shape of the passage in the cave changed quite often.
Despite moving for a long time, they had only reached the middle of the passage in the cave. However, there were five passages connected to this area. It was unknown how many days it would take to go through this cave.
”Well, once Caitlin noona finds the passage linked with the cave, we can return. So, there is no need to worry.”
“Ah, is that so? Then should we go through this passage?”
Carack pointed to one of the passages on In-gong’s map. It was the passage with the shortest line towards the base of the Red Lightning tribe.
“Yes, we will most likely have to go through a swamp.”
As expected, Carack was smart.
In-gong nodded then pretended to place the map in the bag while storing it in his inventory and spoke to Caitlin.
”Then Noona, we should depart. We can rest somewhere else.”
The rock spider corpses didn’t smell strangely but he couldn’t ignore the possibility of other monsters coming.
”Yes, I’ll be in the rear like before.”
Caitlin nodded, wore the hood again and moved with Seira.
”We are leaving. Set off.”
“Understood.”