Chapter 105 — Terms of Cooperation
"I can trade materials for it — everything I have comes from deep inside the Plague Zone." Sadie pushed on, trying to bargain.
The Beneck family had been buying all kinds of rare reagents for years; their demand was huge. Thanks to Gideon, the Allard had come away with a rich haul this time.
"That sounds tempting," Lance sighed theatrically. "When a woman as charming as you asks, it's hard to refuse."
Then his tone shifted. "But this time… I can't agree."
"Could you not speak like a proper human?" Ralph snapped, brow furrowed. He started to step forward, but Sadie held up a hand to stop him.
"There must be a reason. Benecks— don't they have a Trait?" she asked, glancing upward.
Silence fell for a moment.
"Alright. I'll tell you why." Lance avoided the direct talk of Traits and steered the conversation elsewhere. "You've probably noticed — this season the Plague Zone is acting strangely."
His voice hardened. "Oases are shifting, the plague mist is thickening much faster, and… many monsters have abandoned the outskirts and burrowed even deeper into the Plague Zone."
At that last sentence Sadie and Ralph exchanged troubled looks. Gideon's eyes lit up. So the monsters are moving there, he noted mentally.
Lance kept talking. "We in the Beneck clan have been looking for a way to eliminate the plague mist for generations. Endless monsters and spreading poison — our ancestors paid too high a price for this land."
He explained that the Benecks had established their demon-healer clinics precisely to collect samples and study these changes. After generations of work, Lance claimed they'd finally tracked the corruption's source.
"There's an evil presence lodged inside these monsters — a force that dominates their wills," he said. "We tried to expel that influence, but always failed. The scents and the evil all trace back to one place. I followed that trail and found this old fortress."
That was why Lance had been able to locate the nest even without all the clues — he'd been chasing the source.
"There's an ancient door beneath the fortress," he continued. "Older than the castle itself. I think all the evil arises from beyond that gate. Purge what's behind it and you purge the monsters."
"But I didn't go in. There's a powerful psychic force inside; it traps the mind in illusions. People who enter never come back."
Lance's voice grew quiet and earnest. "The Trait this time — it grants resistance to psychic invasion."
At that revelation, both Sadie and Ralph stared. That was the holy grail of a hunter's life: real protection against mental corruption. Families had long whispered whether Traits could confer such gifts; this was the clearest hint yet.
Sadie pictured how many would throw themselves into the contest for that Trait. So many lives will be risked for this, she thought with a cold pang.
Lance had anticipated their reaction, which explained his earlier hesitation. Still, for him the chance to end the blight was worth any number of enemies; he could not step away from his life's work.
He prepared to close the conversation and brace for a move — until Sadie asked something that made him pause.
"One question is important. You must answer honestly."
Sadie lifted her head, her tone turning serious.
"Does the Beneck family already possess a Trait?"
Lance narrowed his eyes, gauging her intent. Seeing the earnestness in her expression, he hesitated before answering:
"Yes. But I can't tell you its exact ability."
Sadie's face lit up.
"That's enough! We can work together!"
Lance blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"
"You mean to say… after you obtain this Trait, you'll enter the gate with me?" He shook his head.
"Forgive me, but I can't believe that. Whatever's behind that door could be something no one can survive. Who would willingly walk to their death?"
Sadie didn't give up. She pointed toward the forest.
"With Father Gideon here, we can withstand the psychic attacks."
"Father…?" Lance arched a brow, following her gesture. But the woods looked empty.
Sadie gave an awkward smile and waved.
All this time Gideon had remained hidden among the trees, using his scope to watch for movement. He'd heard everything Lance said and understood what Sadie meant by "cooperation."
He was also surprised. He hadn't expected to find a hunter with such lofty goals.
Gideon stepped into partial view—only an arm showing from behind a tree trunk, keeping the rest of him out of sight of the fortress.
Sadie shrugged helplessly.
"This is Father Gideon. I invited him from the church. He's… strong."
She recounted how they met and what their cooperation entailed.
"So it's him," Lance muttered, recognition flashing in his eyes.
Thanks to this priest, the entire Beneck family had lost a night's sleep after the tavern incident—even his eighty-year-old grandfather had been wheeled out to help save lives.
"The scent traps at the entrance were yours, weren't they?" Lance called, though he still couldn't see the man. "Blaming the Coopers while diverting suspicion from the Allard… clever work."
He sniffed his sleeve and sighed.
"I wanted to avoid trouble, but then worried others would think I'd planted the traps myself. Quite the headache."
From the shade, Gideon's calm voice carried:
"Your traps were good as well. Caution is the only way to survive longer."
For a heartbeat, the two men silently acknowledged one another with respect.
"Was what Sadie said true?" Lance asked, this time with genuine interest.
In matters of resisting demonic corruption, the church had always been the foremost authority. If he could rely on a true priest's help, his odds of success would rise considerably.
"You and I both know words alone mean nothing," Gideon said. "Our goals differ, but our tasks overlap. That makes cooperation natural. And with other hunting parties circling, you can't handle this alone. Working together is your best choice. But first—come down and talk face-to-face."
Lance considered this. The priest was right.
"…Alright."
Moments later, Gideon finally saw him clearly: blond hair, blue eyes, handsome enough—though not quite as much as Ralph, and certainly a notch below himself.
"Now, how do you plan to prove it?" Lance asked. He wasn't about to trust on words alone.
Before he could say more, Gideon tossed him an object.
"This is…?" Lance raised a brow, finding a cross in his palm.
"You can test it before the gate," Gideon said simply.
Lance's eyes flickered. He didn't need to test it—he already believed.
The Beneck family's unique Trait allowed them to sense how spiritual forces affected flesh. And just now, he'd felt a power radiating from the cross—pure, cleansing, so strong it even pushed back the surrounding plague mist.
Stepping carefully over the traps, Lance crossed the ground and joined them. He handed the cross back to Gideon.
"I'll help you claim the Trait," he said with a smile.
But Gideon shook his head.
"No rush. First, we prepare the traps. We'll need them for the guests who are coming."