Chapter 21 (2/2)

“You can’t let your guard down even for a moment. It can break in an instant.”

It would have been better if the mutants just appeared because they would have focused on battle.

As long as this silence continued, they would have to be consumed in anxiety. But that did not mean in any way that they wanted to fight with the mutants.

“Will they really help us?”

“They will.”

Lloyd responded to Hicks with certainty. If they were going to completely leave the party, they would not have mentioned support.

“They’ll probably be following us from a blind spot.”

The vision goggles sold in the store have a few times the capability of those from the military. They could not hide from them no matter where they tried to go.

‘I’m sure they’ll be 40 to 50 meters from us.’

It was frustrating. A skilled Lifer was more appreciated as the mission is more dangerous. It was a loss to miss out on Cha Jun Sung because of Carlyle.

Carlyle Venter.

Duke Venter’s 2nd son. Because he was spoiled as a child, he had the shortcoming of looking at the world from his standard.

Lloyd also knew.

Telling someone to sell their equipment during a missions was unheard of.

However, he had a duty to act on the orders given by his superior. Even though he became a Lifer, he was a citizen of Britain and soldier under Duke Venter.

He was just holding back because Duke Venter had warned him. He was not blindly holding back. He would be getting that much compensation from Carlyle and his family.

Duke Venter wants Carlyle to become a famous Lifer in Britain. He had pushed him in so he could somehow make a living for himself.

The reality version of Life Mission was already known in places all over the world. Each nation was in the process of gathering as many Lifers as they could.

It had been impossible to prevent the information from leaking because it was mushrooming. In a few months, Lifers’ identities would be known to the whole world.

Children from rich families in England got into parties by handing over large sums of money.

Lifers thought of it as a way to make money on the side and did not turn it down because they were making money on top of the points they get for catching mutants.

This was happening outside of England as well.

Life Mission was a different world, but the wealthy advanced faster than those without money. The estimation came out from the way someone like Carlyle without the talent was able to make it so far.

“There is a vacant lot ahead. What do you think about resting while we scout the area?”

“Very well.”

Lloyd was brought back from his thoughts at Hicks’ words. There was a limit to moving at night without night vision. It would come in handy to keep places to rest in mind.

Seureuk.

An opening appeared when they cleared the forest.

Smith and Jamie who are rangers went out first to examine the area.

Smith sent the signal that nothing was suspicious. Jamie set up booby traps. Henry and Martin also helped in setting them up with their skillful workmanship.

A cave or something similar was useful. The smaller a place was and the less space there was to guard, the safer Lifers felt.

“Hicks, I looked from the top of a tree but there isn’t a building that looked like the military base. It seems the prediction that it’s underground is correct.”

Smith’s binoculars did not catch anything. Because the island was at a low altitude they had purposefully chosen a high location.

At this height, they would be able to tell buildings apart if they even reached 3 floors.

“Can you find it?”

“I’ll be able to find it but….. the process will be a burden for the party.”

Hicks squirmed his fingers. There was a limit to what the equipment they brought could do.

The longer they stayed in a mission area, the more they are at a disadvantage. If they wasted time in looking for the military base, they would not be able to survive once they penetrated it.

“It’s fine. We can find the path.”

“Path?”

“It’ll automatically appear if we pass it.”

Lloyd organized his thoughts and spoke. It had been years since it had been abandoned. There would be a path somewhere that the mutants used to access it.

“So the path is the entrance?”

“Yes. Do you think they would have been smart enough to erase their trail?”

Hicks waved his hand in denial. Assume that somehow they had erased it the first time.

To repeat this for several years? Even a thorough person would find it bothersome later. What was the point of that on an island where no one looked for them?

“The night vision would have been of great help in finding the path.”

Hicks complained that it was a waste. He could not be sure how many functions there were in Cha Jun Sung’s goggles, but it would have been helpful if they had it.

Hicks wanted to work with people he was comfortable with as well, but he held back. If they scattered here, they would be divided. They needed to maintain this group even if it was fragile.

One needed to be quick in everything. He envied Cha Jun Sung who fell out of the group.

“Everyone here for a second.”

Lloyd called the party. All members except Carlyle gathered.

“As you know, time is gold to us. Instead of wasting it on looking for a path, it’s right to go into the military base.”

“Do you have a method?”

“We’ll have to lure them and follow their route.”

“It’s dangerous but we’ll save on time if it works.”

“How can we lure them if we’ve used the odorless spray? Have you bought the bloody meat or something from the store? Ha ha!”