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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Puzzle
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"Pfft, look at that frozen face. You had absolutely no clue I'd stab you in the back like this."
Honestly, I'd thought betrayal was impossible once I'd slipped her that aphrodisiac. I'd seen plenty of what that drug could do over the past ten years.
"Anyway, Captain, keep your promise. You absolutely can't kill this guy."
"Hmph, what a pain. Fine, whatever. I can kill the rest, right?"
"Of course. I only need this arrogant prick."
Inope looked at me and pressed her thighs together, trembling slightly.
"Hehe, consider yourself lucky. I'll make you my personal pet."
Only then did it click when I saw her nipples poking stiffly through her clothes like she was in heat.
'Of course. No matter how badly the aphrodisiac makes her want me dead, she can't do it.'
The moment I died, she'd plunge into despair like the world itself had collapsed. Her conditioned body would never allow that.
But one thing still didn't make sense.
"Why the betrayal?"
I was curious.
Betrayals usually have a clear backstory.
Humans don't betray easily unless their life is on the line.
They might claim it's for money, but in truth, there's always some deep wound tied to it.
I'd experienced it countless times over ten years—and done plenty myself—so I was certain about betrayal.
"Pfft, looks like there's a misunderstanding. This isn't betrayal. It's just me showing my true colors."
"?"
"I'm a royal spy."
"A spy?"
"Yeah. My mission was to track down the key Varkus had. I'd waited over ten years and was about to give up when we caught wind he'd handed it to you."
Ha.
"So what happened to Varkus?"
Inope flexed her shoulders and smiled.
"Varkus's era is over. The Black Anchor Merchant Company will have a new owner now. Me, Inope."
...What a mess.
My head was full of things that didn't add up.
Varkus, who hadn't even known that basic info, got taken out? The man thorough enough to know Inope's hideout?
At least one thing made sense.
'If Varkus planted spies in the military and royal family, it stands to reason they did the same to him.'
That thought naturally brought one person to mind.
'What about Arknon?'
"Oh yeah, I have a gift for you."
Captain Telamon gestured to his soldiers.
Soldiers hauled over large bundles from one side. Telamon grabbed them and hurled them my way. The bundles soared high before crashing to the ground, spilling their contents everywhere.
Hearts, arms, legs, organs... Amid the shredded flesh, one figure remained somewhat intact.
"...Ha-na."
"Huh? Oh, yeah!"
A pure white light seeped into the flesh, but the small cuts on the skin didn't heal.
She was dead. Looking closer, there was a hole through her heart. I stared silently at the unmoving corpse.
-Weaklings drag you down at critical moments. This is important, so don't let that happen. Go check it out. We'll hold down the fort here.
-No choice then. Hang tight. I'll bring back some souvenirs.
-Haha, looking forward to it.
I glanced around. Arknon's body was the only one relatively intact; the others who'd always stuck with him were unrecognizable chunks of meat.
Suddenly, I spotted a note clutched in Arknon's hand. I pulled it out and unfolded it. Scrawled hastily inside were the words:
''Something's gone wrong. Don't return to the company, Golden Goose.''
"..."
Among the locals, there are those even we players grow fond of—sometimes more than our own kind. But just like us players, the good-hearted ones struggle to survive in this fucked-up world.
They always die first.
That's true in the first run or this one.
'He should've just abandoned us and run... What in the world could be more important than his own life?'
"Ha-na, put Arknon in your subspace pouch."
"Huh? What do you...?"
"Hey, you're collecting corpses in this situation?"
Shin Seo-yeon, who'd started protesting, met my eyes, hesitated, and then stowed the body herself.
"...This isn't the time for chit-chat."
Han So-hee's tense voice came from behind.
I stood and looked up. Three hundred soldiers had us surrounded outside the sewer entrance, ready to attack.
Click.
Soldiers gripped their javelins and assumed throwing stances.
"Captain, I need to hurry back to the company and clean up. Capture that guy alive and deliver him there, okay?"
"Hmph, got it. Now get lost."
"See you later, hehe."
Inope, the one who'd orchestrated all this, vanished just like that.
"Dickhead, what now?"
And the situation was grim.
Three hundred javelins. No matter how strong or fast I was, I couldn't block them all flying at me from every direction alone.
I could retreat into the ancient sewer, but they'd impale me before I made it in.
'Betrayal, ambush, raid bosses... What a clusterfuck.'
Yeah, this was the Trials.
But no need to overthink it. From the start of the Selection Process to the end, we only had two fates.
Die or live.
I drew my weapon. Telamon and Brontes approached me with sleazy grins.
"I told Inope I'd capture you alive, but you'll have to die here."
"You all heard him? Don't leave a single one alive."
I hadn't expected otherwise.
Inope, watching from afar, might've been clueless, but facing them head-on, I'd known from the start they wouldn't let us live.
As the enemies took battle positions, our 91 captives gripped their weapons and braced for a fight.
After all the horrors they'd endured, their eyes said dying in battle beat capture.
-This necklace brought me luck when I'd nearly died countless times. Here's to more luck, Golden Goose.
I pulled out the necklace Arknon had given me for a moment, then tucked it away and assumed my stance. Just as the fight was about to erupt—
Whish—
'Hm?'
Something arced through the air and shattered amid the soldiers.
Whoosh!
"Wha...?"
"U, uwaaak! What the hell?!"
Fierce flames roared to life.
'Molotovs?'
Molotov cocktails had suddenly landed in the heart of the enemy ranks. But that was just the beginning.
A barrage rained from the sky, exploding everywhere among the soldiers and igniting an inferno in seconds.
"Aaaagh!"
"F-Fire!"
"H-Hot! Someone put out the fire on me!"
Chaos erupted. The flames spread wildly, collapsing the front lines mid-throw. Soldiers stripped off burning clothes or desperately patted out fires.
Some who'd survived the earlier blaze panicked hardest, screaming bloody murder and shattering their formation.
And this was our chance.
"Now!"
"Everyone, into the sewer!"
At Han So-hee and the Saintess's shouts, the group exchanged glances and bolted for the sewer.
"Th-The enemy is fleeing!"
"Chase them!"
Enemies snatched up spears for throws—but true fire struck them first.
"Burn!"
Kaboom!
"Gaaaah!"
The fireballs Shin Seo-yeon hurled incinerated fourteen soldiers mid-throw.
Those outside the blast radius hit the dirt like they'd seen a grenade, desperate to avoid the explosions.
"Oppa, now! Everyone's inside! We just need to go!"
"You go ahead."
"Huh? Dickhead, what're you saying?!"
"Planning to fight? Then we'll join you."
I shook my head.
"I can handle it alone."
"But...!"
"Go first."
After my firm reply, Shin Seo-yeon stared at me a moment, then grabbed Han So-hee and Isara's wrists and dragged them off.
"Hey, don't interfere. Let's bounce."
"Huh?"
"W-Wait."
The Crimson Flame Witch dashed into the ancient sewer with the two in tow. The Saintess had already led the others inside.
Swish.
I gripped my rune sword and eyed the roaring flames and shadows beyond. Far off, I saw people thumbs-upping me.
It was the comrades who'd tried blackmailing me for safe passage earlier, then repented and helped torch the city for our escape.
Their Molotovs hadn't hurt the enemy much, but the opening they'd created let my group retreat safely.
I owed them. Regardless of results, it'd been a suicide play.
"Those bastards!"
Brontes raised his weapon, but they scattered like roaches.
"Hey, ignore the small fry."
Telamon patted Brontes and strode toward me. The three hundred soldiers had mostly extinguished the flames by now.
They'd reformed a circle around me.
"What guts."
"..."
"You don't seriously think you can take us alone. Or are you begging for your life? Pleading to be Inope's pet?"
Hahaha. Laughter exploded from the soldiers all around. I ignored it.
"Just one question."
"Last wish before death, huh."
Telamon smirked, certain of my doom, inviting any question. I had only one.
"How'd you kill Varkus?"
"Hm?"
Two of Harlan Kingdom's four raid bosses: Telamon and Brontes.
Even together, Varkus's stats were beyond imagination. There should've been a brutal clash, injuries at least.
Yet these two stood unscratched, pristine.
As if Varkus had let himself die.
"Oh, that? Simple. Inope."
"Inope?"
"Turns out she's Varkus's daughter."
"What...?"
"Heard she was the youngest he picked up off the streets after getting kicked out of the palace?"
Brontes nodded at Telamon's question, confirming with his Hitler mustache.
'...Ha, so that's it.'
Suddenly, every puzzle piece fit.
Why Varkus's trust skyrocketed when I spared Inope.
Why he gave me the key he'd hidden for decades after that.
And why, knowing everything, he never made a move until the end.
'Varkus believed in her.'
After our encounters, seeing Inope change, he must've thought she'd turned over a new leaf.
'No, that's not it. The quest says he spoke truth to the king and lost his whole family to execution.'
Then he had one more family.
So even knowing all, he couldn't kill her.
In short, he'd foreseen this.
He'd even prepped our escape ships.
"...Does Inope know?"
"Hm?"
"Does she know who her father is?"
Telamon grinned wickedly.
"Of course. Took forever to convince the bitch."
I see. So that's how it is.
You're truly... beyond saving, Inope.
"All your curiosities satisfied before death?"
The enemies raised weapons, killing intent rising.
"No."
"?"
I raised my sword to meet them.
"Plenty more questions, but I'll ask her myself."
"Hmph! Ridiculous! You think you can break our encirclement and reach her?!"
Brontes snorted at the absurdity. I looked at him like he was insane.
"Why break through?"
I swung my sword. Instantly, the heads of seven soldiers around me flew skyward.
"I'll kill you all first."
"Wh-What?"
"So fast...?"
Amid their wide-eyed shock, I exhaled low.
No reason to hide my power anymore.
No need to skulk.
After all, there was no one left to impress.
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