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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Proposal
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"Isn't hunting getting tough for you?"
The man who seemed to be the leader of the group stepped forward and spoke.
"Honestly, did you even eat properly yesterday?"
As if he felt truly sorry for them, he put on a pitiful expression and looked at each of the women one by one.
"I'm sure when we first split up, there were seven of you. But now, one more is gone, and only three are left."
"...."
"Why not travel together again? We should pool our strength with those who remain."
He spoke reasonably, but the women's reactions were lukewarm. Unwilling faces. The reason soon became clear.
"You just mean pooling our strength, right?"
"Haha, we help each other out in every way. Hunt together, search for bodies together, and while we're at it, take care of each other's needs."
As the women's faces crumpled, the men's leader added slyly with a grin.
"We don't ask for much—just a blowjob. Right, guys?"
"Yes, boss!"
"We don't want anything big!"
It wouldn't end with just fellatio. The moment a dick goes in their mouth, their pussy might as well be wide open.
I nodded toward the women.
'That aside, now that I look closely, their faces are all at least decent.'
I hadn't noticed properly yesterday in the dark, but under the flickering flames of the stone statues, even after rolling around this hellhole for over seven days, they still maintained their beauty.
Their raw material was top-notch, every one of them.
'No wonder the men are getting greedy.'
Especially Han So-hee—the men kept stealing hot glances at her.
Even with her hood up, her jawline, nose bridge, lips, or the subtle air of elegance she exuded... they could sense she was no ordinary woman.
'Ugh, this is getting annoying.'
After I'd seasoned the meal to perfection last night, now these other bastards wanted to dig in first.
I was torn.
If I stepped in here, all the arrows would turn to me, so to avoid future trouble, I'd have to kill every last one of the men.
But doing that would leave a mark on the women.
Just yesterday, the Saintess had been deeply shaken by killing someone.
'The Saintess's case worked out luckily...'
Expecting the same luck twice would be foolish.
In any case, murder was something easily shunned in the first trial.
Overlook that, and these frightened women might one day stab me in the back, misunderstanding that I'd kill them too.
'Women are emotional and imaginative, so that kind of thinking happens often.'
So the best move right now was for the negotiations to fizzle out and for everyone to part ways.
Not even long—just a brief moment.
The instant talks stalled, I could charge the men and wipe them out.
"We'll pretend we didn't hear that today."
Fortunately, the women drew a firm line.
But as if they'd expected that much, the men let out a scoff.
"You'll starve to death like that."
"Don't worry about it. We'll handle our own business."
"Ha, you're so stubborn. Just give up already."
"...."
"Only three of you left—what more do you think you can do? You know most mobs come in groups of five or more, right? You can't hunt anyway, so why regret it when you're dying?"
Kim Yu-rim made a troubled face. Not because of the harsh truth bomb.
"We'll take good care of you. Just close your eyes and suck it. You'll get used to it quick."
The men began surrounding and pressuring the women. The women retreated to the corner, on guard.
"Stop. Don't come closer."
They quickly drew their weapons and warned, but the men just snorted.
"Oh, go ahead and try. Guys."
"Heh. You'll regret it, ladies."
The men drew their weapons too.
"Damn it."
It was a bind. Just three of them, weaker in strength—they couldn't handle it alone.
They only had short daggers, while the men wielded long swords, making even a fair fight impossible from the start.
'Still, a fight can't break out.'
"Drop your weapons and give up."
"Let's not fight among ourselves—make it nice and easy."
The men had no intention of killing the women.
"Don't make me laugh. For whose sake?"
The women knew starting a fight would hurt them most, so they hesitated to act rashly.
In the end, both sides just glared in tense standoff.
'Situation's still good for now. As long as we avoid fighting today and delay negotiations, I can handle the rest.'
I could quietly take out the men later.
But things in the world never go as planned.
"Huh?"
In the hair-trigger moment as both sides glared, Ju Ah-hyun's eyes met mine.
"Min-jun oppa!"
"...."
...Not oppa. I'm younger by age.
Anyway, that wasn't the point—the sudden shout from Ju Ah-hyun drew every eye to me in an instant.
"Someone else besides us?"
"Did those crazy bastards come down?!"
The men, startled by another survivor's presence, turned to me warily. Seizing the chance, the three women rushed to me at once.
"Tch."
Like fish slipping the net after I'd herded them, the men frowned too late.
In the meantime, the women took position behind me, on guard.
Yi Se-ra had already vanished into the shadows somewhere nearby.
"Who the hell are you?"
Hostile glares gathered on me. Their approaching steps carried a menace absent when facing the women.
"Just a passerby?"
"Passerby, traveler—whatever. Back off while we're asking nicely. Don't regret it after getting stabbed."
The milk was spilled. So, I drew my sword from its sheath and rested it on my shoulder.
"If I don't want to."
"Ha, always one like this. Tries to win the girls' hearts, shows off, and gets the shit beaten out of him."
The leader's words drew chuckles and agreement from the others. I looked at them pitifully and snorted.
"Do I need to win their hearts? They already seem to trust me more than you."
"...."
I jerked my chin at the women behind me, and the men shut up, mouths agape without a retort.
"And whatever trash you are, back off while I'm asking nicely. Don't regret it later."
"Fuck off. Who the hell are you to butt in?"
"Tch, always those types. Can't win girls with words, so they fuck up with actions."
The men flushed red and bellowed.
"This bastard—!"
The men advanced with weapons raised, eyes bulging with intent to tear me limb from limb.
"Let's see if that three-inch tongue works when you're dying! Guys!"
"You're dead, asshole!"
...Sigh. If words fail, actions speak. Human nature.'
I had no issue with that.
I'm no different.
I let out a short breath and fixed them with eyes filled with the killing intent I'd hidden until now.
Flinch.
They shuddered to a halt, weapons raised mid-charge.
"Wh-what?"
Teeth chattering.
Honestly, I wasn't that strong. In some ways, bottom-tier trash.
But over ten years, I'd been through hell and killed countless lives—including humans amid all that blood.
Stumbling back.
How many had I killed?
A hundred? Thousand? Ten thousand?
'Probably not over ten thousand.'
"Y-you bastard, what...?"
We're all human, but right now, I'm a monster in human skin.
From their fresh-in-selection-process view, anyway.
"Sh-shit. What the fuck is that guy...?"
Monsters recognize prey, prey recognizes predators. Instinct.
So it was natural they bolted behind the chapel door from my gaze alone.
"Huh? They ran?"
The women behind me, untouched by the killing intent, just looked confused.
I headed for the door. The two women clung to my sides.
"?"
"Min-jun, how about traveling together today too?"
"Oppa, let's hunt together and eat together like yesterday."
Kim Yu-rim and Ju Ah-hyun hugged my arms, eyes fervent.
'What? Their affection's on another level from yesterday.'
Ah, right. Unintentionally saving them just now had a positive effect.
Like the fleeing guys said, I'd properly won their hearts.
"...."
I stared blankly where the men had vanished, then nodded.
"Sure, why not. Let's go."
We passed through the door and climbed the stairs to the right of the chapel.
The affection boost worked—the women didn't resist as I wrapped my arms around Kim Yu-rim and Ju Ah-hyun's waists; they just startled a bit.
Their breasts were modestly sized for Korean women, but thighs and asses were firm and solid.
'Gym effects, probably.'
Such women grip your cock tight in any hole. Doesn't loosen much even with heavy use.
'Wizards or healers have their own appeal too.'
Marshmallow-soft flesh heals just by touch. Different flavor from toned muscle.
I asked as we reached the second-floor pews.
"So, what were those guys earlier?"
"Oh, people we used to team up with before."
Five days ago, a large group had traveled together.
"Back then, there were really a lot of people."
Multiple parties made the chapel lively, not desolate like now.
"But one by one, parties vanished. Probably off searching for bodies. So we, having checked everywhere worth checking, decided to scout the stage area."
But it was a mistake. The fog around the stage had more specters than expected, and many died there.
Unfortunately, the leader died too, and the new one was openly lusting after the women.
"He kept groping our asses and pressuring us for sex. So we slipped away and went solo."
"I see."
I got the gist. Why the men and women split. But some parts still puzzled me.
"You managed to slip away nicely. They wouldn't let you go easily."
Saw it earlier—their obsession. Strange they'd let them leave peacefully.
"There were more women back then."
"Ah."
Nothing beats numbers when you're low-level.
"And a more fundamental issue: too many people attract mobs easily."
As we climbed, Kim Yu-rim pointed to spots—protruding ledges, pillars, good for hiding.
"But hiding spots are few."
True enough.
Say twenty specters pop out. Four hiding spots. Seven people.
What about the three left out?
"Before, with numbers, we could swarm and beat any specters. Now? No firepower. So small groups: hide if too many, hunt if few."
We reached the third-floor corridor.
"Aah...."
Eleven specters slithered from a room corner toward us.
The women gripped weapons, battle-ready.
"I heard the story."
I gripped mine too. The specters sped up on spotting us. I swung at empty air and said,
"Enough prologue. So, did you think about my proposal from last night?"
"Huh?"
"The one I made yesterday."
"Ah...."
Here it comes, their faces said. But no quick answer.
Still undecided? Time to nudge.
"Like yesterday, handle three while I buy time."
I charged ahead; the three followed tight, pulling three specters for hunt.
I watched, then at the end, casually swung to clear the rest.
Gasp. Heave.
Soaked in sweat, near-death looks.
Their drenched faces stared blankly at me.
They'd chased desperately, swinging wildly; I'd just tanked hits then swung thrice at the end.
No sweat on me—their exhausted forms contrasted sharply.
"Hey."
The three approached.
They exchanged looks, nodded—like they'd discussed beforehand.
Kim Yu-rim, the eldest ex-military, spoke for them.
"Any chance of payment later?"
"Later?"
"Yes. If we survive this place, next rest area or trial, we'll earn money and pay back for sure."
"Hm, well."
"Please, we're begging."
I'd seen this coming. Ten years' experience—no rookies like these?
I snorted.
'Who knows when you'll die? No way on credit.'
Strong survival, growth potential, pretty faces? Lend on that, become a sucker.
Some call it investment, path to true loyalty. But no sweet sentiments or patience left in me.
'Give a lame excuse, they'll appeal emotions and drag it out.'
So I sold out our Crimson Flame Witch.
"Truth is, I told my same-age colleague yesterday I'd sell the [Frost Accessories] for rice money. She said sell to her instead—she'll front the cash."
"Oh no...."
"You've been here over seven days—you know. Anyone could die today."
They, fresh from desperate hunt, couldn't rebut.
"For me, her immediate offer beats your 'later' promise."
"...."
The women fell silent.
They knew their plea was unreasonable, banking on pity.
Conditions utterly unappealing.
Atmosphere sank fast. I squatted, grabbed a specter corpse, and said,
"Still, your plight moves me. I'll give you first shot. Hungry anyway—eat while we talk?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds good...."
"...."
Hungry, unwilling to end talks, they sat around monster corpses, munching while eyeing me.
'Iron walls. Explains holding out without selling bodies to men.'
But that crumbled quick; blank looks spread.
Blank, then resolve, eat specter meat, blank again, resolve...
Proof: ghost-type meat draining mental strength bit by bit.
Maybe why?
"Um... mouth okay too?"
Kim Yu-rim asked. Blowjob fine? I nodded readily.
"Of course."
The moment they suck cock, pussy's unlocked anyway.
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