Chapter 74 (1/2)

Everyone's steps came to an halt. Veronika looked behind her, looking puzzled.

”Mm?” (Veronika)

”Ah……” (Seol Ji-Hu)

Seol Ji-Hu's mouth bobbed up and down helplessly.

‘The colour has changed again.' (Seol Ji-Hu)

To be more specific, the cavern's colour s.h.i.+fted to ‘vermilion' the moment the team decided to go further in.

‘It's now ‘Do not approach'!' (Seol Ji-Hu)

Suddenly, his throat dried up. The thought of ‘I made a mistake' raced past his brain. He should have been far more cautious from the get-go back when it was still ‘yellow' colour. But he got blinded by the allure of solving the mystery and ended up acting in haste.

”What's the matter, leader?” (Veronika)

”Let's go back.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”What was that?!” (Veronika)

Veronika cried out in genuine surprise.

”Are you serious? We came this far, but you wanna go back empty-handed?” (Mikhail)

Mikhail too displayed a similar reaction as her. Seol Ji-Hu was about to say, This doesn't feel right, but quickly shut his mouth up. Using ‘feel' as an excuse would not wash with these guys. Especially so, when talking to an Archer who seemingly knew her stuff.

No, he needed a far better justification. Something that the other team members could agree on or, at least, understand the meaning behind it. The problem was, he couldn't think of one on the fly.

”…If my theory is correct, then this place is definitely one of the research centres I told you about. In that case, it will not be an easy place to explore.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”But, it doesn't look that way to me?” (Veronika)

”It doesn't even look like a laboratory, you know.” (Mikhail)

He was hoping against hoping, but sure enough - opposition was immediately raised.

”Besides, whatever comes out, they'll probably only be more variants. It's not like we can't fight them, right?” (Mikhail)

”We don't know if there's a higher-ranking creature controlling the variants.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”I wonder…. Even then, shouldn't we be able to win by combining our strengths together?” (Mikhail)

”I don't think that will be the case.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”Look, my man. It's great that you're being cautious. But, don't look down on us that much, alright? All three of us are on the cusp of reaching Level 4. Maria and Cho Hong here are also just a step away from entering the upper ranks, too. Besides all that, you also possess one heck of a combat ability, don't you?” (Mikhail)

Those words weren't wrong. In truth, this group of people were more than qualified enough to go on military expeditions, if they so choose. Seol Ji-Hu formed the best team he could, just in case, but never did he suspect that his diligence would come back to bite him like this.

”Hold on, hold on! Seol? So, like, what do you want to do?” (Cho Hong)

Cho Hong quickly stepped forward as a mediator when the differences in opinion was threatening to boil over into something less civilised.

”I believe there's no need to rush. I simply wish to return to Haramark and bolster our overall combat potential before coming back here.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”Bolster our combat potential?” (Cho Hong)

”Right. I think we'll need at least one more high-levelled ranker among us. If we say we've uncovered the mystery, some will definitely show interest in joining us.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”That's bull!!” (Mikhail)

Mikhail immediately opposed that idea.

”What will you do if someone else discovers this place in the meantime?? We already dug out the whole place and anyone pa.s.sing by can see it now! We worked this hard, yet you want to hand over the glory to someone else??” (Mikhail)

”It's only half a day's travel away. And it's not like there are other Earthlings in Ramman, either.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”You can't be sure of what'll happen in the future. Even if we follow your suggestion, that also poses another problem! It's THE mystery, man. The mystery! If we get ourselves a high ranker, who do you think will hog all the limelight?” (Mikhail)

”Mister Mikhail.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”We got here after working our a*ses off, yet you're telling us that, not only we don't have any cutlery, we gotta watch someone else dine at our expense? Leader, please!” (Mikhail)

Mikhail was completely, desperately resistant to the idea and pleaded with Seol Ji-Hu to change his mind. The youth needed a super human level of endurance to suppress the words ”That's not something you should be saying” that nearly jumped out of his throat.

If there was one thing he learned from watching how Samuel operated back then, that would be to never lose one's cool regardless of the situation, and do his best to compromise and mediate the differing opinions. In all honesty, he already knew what kind of reactions he'd get the moment he spoke what was on his mind, anyway. It wasn't as if these guys hadn't done their part, either.

‘And he told me it'd be fine to go back not too long ago….' (Seol Ji-Hu)

Of course, there was a valid reason for the change in Mikhail's stance. If they hadn't discovered this place, fine - but now, the end goal was just within the proverbial reach, so which sane-minded Earthling would let go of this golden opportunity?

Seol Ji-Hu's lips were itching really mad right about now. He thought hard and long, but not one useful idea popped up in his head.

‘Should we just go in?' (Seol Ji-Hu)

Well, it wasn't even ‘Escape Immediately', nor ‘Immediate Retreat Recommended', was it? Such a thought entered his mind, but he quickly shook his head, hard. A single mistake in ‘Attention Required' was enough to get him killed, so there was no need to even think about taking on the higher level of danger the colour ‘vermilion' posed.

Which meant, there was only one option left to take.

”It's still better than dying, I believe. No matter how much I think about it, this is wrong. We are going back.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

….And that would be to order them with the authority of the team's leader.

”No, I disagree.” (Veronika)

Unfortunately for him, Veronika immediately raised her objection as if she was waiting for exactly this moment. Seol Ji-Hu squeezed his eyes shut. During expeditions or explorations, headers possessed just as much of a right as the leaders to voice their opinion.

”I can't pick up on any presence within that cave. None. Either variants are waiting for us up ahead, or there's nothing there like this place. It'll be one of these two. But, regardless of which, I believe it's the right decision to go further in. In fact, I don't see a reason why we shouldn't.” (Veronika)

Veronika's recommendation carried a lot of weight, because they had been ably dealing with variants earlier in the day. And, when opinions arrived at an impa.s.se like this…..

”Well, since the leader is so opposed to the idea….” (Veronika)

Veronika studied everyone's reactions and cautiously continued on.

”Why don't we decide it with a vote?” (Veronika)

Indeed, it was the voting time again. Seol Ji-Hu glanced at Maria and Cho Hong. As long as these two supported him, the result of tie was a certainty.

”Leader wants to go back, so let's call that ‘for'. Mikhail and I want to go further in, so we're ‘against'.” (Veronika)

Veronika turned her head away and looked at others.

”I'm ‘against'.” (Gierszal)

The first one to open his mouth was Gierszal, his arms crossed defensively.

”I think we need to confirm what's inside first, at least. Let's say we did as the leader said and went back to get ourselves a high-ranker. I'd imagine we'd land in real hot waters if we do that and find absolutely nothing inside.” (Gierszal)

”He's right. That can happen.” (Maria)

Maria had been listening until then without saying a word, but now, she took their sides with a disinterested expression on her face. Seol Ji-Hu felt his heart tumble down to the pit of his stomach.

”We've got to think about the possibility of things not working out, too. That's why I'm also ‘against'. Don't think too badly of me, okay?” (Maria)

So, one vote ‘for', and four votes ‘against'. The democratic process was over in an instant. Seol Ji-Hu spat out a grand sigh as he heard Cho Hong clicking her tongue.

All manners of thoughts raced past his brain. Should he reveal the existence of his ‘Nine Eyes'? He was getting really tempted by that idea. But he knew he should never do it. He was already under intense scrutiny by certain others, so if the word got out that he even possessed an innate ability, too? He couldn't even imagine what kind of crazy events might happen afterwards.

‘Should I then just say that I….' (Seol Ji-Hu)

….That he won't go in there with them?

However, when that thought formed in his head….

[”That won't be allowed.”] (Samuel)

Seol Ji-Hu sank deeper into despair, and he recalled the words of a certain man, now gone from this world.

[”As long as you remain a part of this expedition, we must act as one, whether you like it or not. There are times when you'll have to do things that you don't want to, and you'll also have to back down regardless of your principles. If you continue to insist on doing whatever you want, then I can no longer recognise you as one of the expedition anymore.”]

Samuel said those words.

Hmm, Veronika cleared her throat and looked at the youth.

”It's been decided, yes?” (Veronika)

”…..”

”Leader?” (Veronika)

”……….”

Seol Ji-Hu remained quiet. Cho Hong scratched her temple in irritation, but eventually, she strode forward and put her hand on his shoulder.

”Hey.” (Cho Hong)

”….Cho Hong.” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”Nothing you can do about it.” (Cho Hong)

”But….” (Seol Ji-Hu)

”I know. I know that it's the smart thing to listen to you. But these idiots don't know you all that well, you know.” (Cho Hong)

She had a point there. If these people had accompanied Seol Ji-Hu to the Forest of Denial, then they would probably have given his suggestion far more consideration than this.

Just like what Cho Hong said, though, he truly couldn't do anything about it now. He was being too greedy for wanting every single thing to act according to his whims when the world clearly didn't operate that way.

”Don't worry too much about it. This noona will protect you if sh*t hits the fan, okay!” (Cho Hong)

Cho Hong heartily pounded him on his shoulders and made that manly declaration. He eventually nodded his head, but his expression was still frozen stiff. He didn't feel like smiling right now.

After getting back into the formation and having checked their equipment, the team cautiously went further into the underground cavern.

Unlike his fears, though, they couldn't find anything. When they walked through that pa.s.sage, they were treated to yet another large, empty dome-shaped area. Even the size of this chamber was similar to the previous one to such a degree that one could say they were copy and paste of each other. The sole difference being that the ceiling here was several times taller than the previous chamber. But that was about it.

”Wow, this sucks out your enthusiasm all by itself, doesn't it?” (Mikhail)

Mikhail formed a bitter smile.

”I really can't tell what this place was used for. Doesn't resemble anything I can think of.” (Gierszal)

Gierszal looked deeply rueful, too. However, it wasn't only them - Seol Ji-Hu was feeling rather fl.u.s.tered inwardly as well. Everywhere he looked, he only saw the hue of intense vermilion, yet nothing was happening?

”Hold on.” (Veronika)

Veronika suddenly stopped looking around and knelt down on one knee to study the ground.

”This is….' (Veronika)

Her eyes narrowed to a slit.

”I found some kind of a trace here.” (Veronika)

”What was that?”

Almost right away, all the team members gathered around her.

”I found footsteps of a person.” (Veronika)

Drop.

”It's around three, four days old… Ah, that's cold!” (Veronika)

Veronika's eyes followed after the newly-discovered trace, only for her head to suddenly shoot upwards. Mikhail quickly asked her.

”What's wrong?” (Mikhail)

”But, uh…..?” (Veronika)

She couldn't see anything on the ceiling. Veronika tilted her chin as much as she could to study the tall, tall darkness way above, but eventually lowered her gaze. While tilting her head this way and that, she touched her cheek.

”What was that? Why would a drop of water….?” (Veronika)

She was about to return to tracing the footsteps on the ground, but her complexion changed in an instant. The a.s.similation ability! Veronika hoped for the best and hurriedly looked up again. Inevitably, it happened then.

From the ceiling's end, a ma.s.sive, circular-shaped grey ‘thing' slowly revealed itself, and….

*SFX for countless tentacles extending out*

Tens of tentacles shot out from the main body and spread out all around them like an umbrella opening up suddenly. They descended upon the group at a scarcely-believable speed and the distance between them disappeared in a blink.

Everything that happened afterwards, including the group gasping out having caught with their pants down, Maria's brows shooting up high as she reflexively yanked out her crucifix, and…..

Kboom!!

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!

….And, dozens upon dozens of tentacles pouncing on the team - all of these happened in only a couple of blinks of an eye.

”Uwuwaaahhk!” (Mikhail)

Mikhail belatedly got frightened out of his wits and fell down hard on his b.u.t.t, when tens of tentacles twice as thick as a person's arm began writhing viciously against the white barrier right in front of his nose.

Cho Hong looked up at the enemy that finally revealed itself and dazedly muttered out.

”…What the h.e.l.l is a ‘Nest' doing in here??” (Cho Hong)

She looked completely flabbergasted right now.

”F*ck…. F*ck…!!” (Maria)