Chapter 121
Chapter 23 Survivors (3)
“What, why did you suddenly stop?”
“Oh really, let’s go soon. I need to get ranked.”
Baron Volbita asked all the players in the barracks about their intention to participate in the war.
There are about 100 players who have suffered from it.
The number reached 80% of those who stayed in the barracks.
The baron looked at the number of people who participated in the mission and shook his head.
He must have judged that he would be able to fill the vacant positions of the knights, at least a little.
Because all the players can handle magical powers or use elemental magic.
After that, the 4th Battalion started marching right away.
But maybe four hours after departure? Suddenly the lead stopped.
The reason soon became clear.
“Blue flag… … Isn’t that the mark of a dispatcher?”
“Has there been any news from the main unit?”
“You can use the home page through the priest. What’s the fuss?”
I don’t know the exact details, but it seems that a contact has arrived from the main unit.
There will be no further movement until Command confirms the contents.
In fact, the signal to stop the advance soon went up.
‘Good timing.’
I sneaked out of the group to check the strange thing that caught my eye a moment ago.
“brother?”
“What? Ah, did you call Kei?”
Kim Yul and Yang Tae-ho, who were standing on either side, expressed their doubts.
But instead of answering, I lowered my posture and sat down.
The 4th Battalion got out of a valley full of rugged rocks about a couple of hours ago.
Due to the nature of the topography of a stone mountain, there were still many rocks around, but there were still more greenery including trees and bushes.
But even so, it was not an environment in which that thing I could see would appear.
“Is Grady coming again this time?”
When Yang Tae-ho, who approached me, lowered his stance and asked, I raised my head and said,
“Did you ever see a tree bearing fruit on the way here?”
“huh?”
i don’t have All the trees I saw were green.
I looked carefully just in case, but I couldn’t find any traces of the fruit around me.
‘But why are you here?’
I don’t know the type or name, but the one that fell on the floor was definitely a fruit.
Overall, it is close to orange, but the green remains in places, and it looks like an unripe fruit.
The part that was in contact with the ground was soft, but the top part was fresher than expected.
It means that it has not been long since it fell.
I picked up a fruit that was less than half the size of my hand.
‘Did it come from a beast? Or a monster? They say they eat fruit? Did you spill it from the front?’
The bottom part is too soft for that.
Moreover, there were many wounds hit here and there.
Like falling from a high place.
‘There’s no need to worry about getting a headache.’
I’ve been trying to make assumptions about why the mysterious fruit is here.
I wouldn’t have known in the past, but now there’s an easy way to check.
“Kim Yul.”
“huh?”
At my call, Kim Yul, who was waiting a step away from Yang Tae-ho, responded right away.
“why?”
“How good are your tracker skill proficiency?”
“28 percent, I’m practicing whenever I have free time… … .”
Again, the guy who looked down looked at the small fruit in my hand.
Then, after looking around, he squatted down.
“wait for a sec.”
Then, until I picked up the fruit I was holding.
‘Anyway, a quick-witted guy.’
I don’t have to explain long, it’s hard, it’s as I thought.
A guy who moves quickly and cleverly was admirable.
I watched Kim Yul do it quite satisfactorily.
Soon after, Kim Yul took a deep breath and a light golden band appeared at the end of his eyes.
Then his gaze moved upward past the half-ripening fruit.
As I followed my gaze, I saw a leaf-like object at the end of a zone that could be called a cliff.
It seems that there is a forest on top of the cliff.
“There are grandsons. There are also traces of fruit juice on the cliff… … It seems to have fallen from above.”
“Huh.”
“I don’t see any footprints or other signs leading up here. You have to go upstairs for more details.”
“If you’re going up, talk to the squad leader and go.”
If you leave without saying anything, it could be a big problem.
Yang Tae-ho, the only one of us who served in the military, looked back at me while adding a word.
Kim Yul was also staring at me, waiting for a decision.
I got up and looked over the battalion at a standstill.
‘Because I don’t think I’ll be leaving right away.’
It wouldn’t hurt to check it out when you have time.
It won’t take long to get up and down.
‘Because I heard that there are quite a few sub-species that have converted there.’
Someone may be checking troop movement routes for spying purposes.
‘It would be more comfortable to check and go.’
I said after making a decision after a short thought.
“Wait a minute, I’ll get permission from the squad leader and come.”
“okay.”
“They said it was dragged.”
Players are divided by party and placed as additional people in several squads.
I also have a squad I belong to, and I went to the squad leader to ask for permission to act alone.
“trace?”
“Yes, there is a possibility of spying, so wouldn’t it be better to check before going?”
There was no way the squad leader wouldn’t know what I was thinking, so it wasn’t difficult to get his permission.
Of course, not everything was dedicated to me.
I wondered if the squad leader would report to the upper line, and a search staff was assigned in earnest.
In addition, the players from Pinelpenia who sneaked in after seeing the situation volunteered.
As a result, nearly 30 people started climbing the cliff.
I was able to get to the top of the cliff faster than the others using the shield.
What greeted me there was a scene full of greenery.
There were no orange fruits to be seen anywhere.
‘It’s not like the nearby fruit fell by accident.’
While I was looking around, Kim Yul, who had followed me to the top, immediately started searching.
Next, Yang Tae-ho, who arrived at the top of the cliff, spoke with his tongue sticking out.
“Ah, the more I think about it, the more I get curious. Have you ever seen something so small?”
“I just saw it.”
“Kyaha.”
When I replied indifferently, Yang Tae-ho, who exclaimed his characteristic exclamation, pointed to my eyes and said.
“I also felt that the power of observation is very good.”
I’ve never really thought about my powers of observation.
In the past, this kind of thing was uncommon.
The stain next to the signboard that all my friends just saw and spilled.
The location of the stray cat’s food bowl, which others do not even pay attention to.
A stroller that rolls alone with parents loading it in the trunk.
Even snacks spilled by a kid passing by on a kickboard.
Situations and objects varied, but I tended to pay close attention to my surroundings.
Because of that, I was sensitive to the changes around me.
‘It’s unclear whether it’s just a habit or a defense mechanism.’
I don’t know the exact reason, but thanks to that, I couldn’t help but notice more things.
He also has a good memory, so there were a lot of things left in his head.
It’s a natural and natural thing for me, so I didn’t think about how it would look in other people’s eyes.
It seemed strange to Yang Tae-ho.
“The older brother I know is a detective, is he the same? Even the police… … greatness.”
Yang Tae-ho, who stopped talking and looked at me, cleared his throat.
“What is that?
At the words going back and forth between excuses and clarifications, I said “pick” and laughed.
‘It’s a way to notice this too.’
After realizing that I am sensitive to personal information, I started to be careful on my own.
There were many times when I was surprised and withdrew without asking anything.
It was comfortable for me because the only two party members were generally quick-witted.
Thanks to this, the favorability and trustworthiness of the two increased.
So, I decided to respond to Yang Tae-ho’s words that couldn’t end properly.
‘It’s not really something to hide.’
Under the premise that my personal information was safe, I was willing to share about my past history.
I lightly replied to the question Yang Tae-ho asked.
“Well, I wanted to go to the legal profession.”
“Eh?”
“I couldn’t because of circumstances.”
Later, when the twins became independent, I wanted to study again.
‘I heard that law school is at a disadvantage if you’re older, but… … .’
The police civil service exam will not have severe age restrictions.
If you can’t become a prosecutor, becoming a police officer is one way.
Of course, it’s just a plan. It’s a dream I haven’t even told my younger siblings yet.
Maybe he didn’t expect to hear an answer from me, so Yang Tae-ho looked a little surprised.
But soon he smiled cheerfully and put his arm around me.
“You can do it now! still young… … .”
“Brother, here!”
At that time, Kim Yul, who was concentrating on the search, called me.
‘It’s fast.’
It seems that you have found a trace.
“Here is the footprint. I think there are also knee and palm prints… … I must have fallen.”
He probably fell and dropped the fruit, and it rolled off the cliff.
Kim Yul, who was adding a detailed explanation, suddenly tilted his head and muttered.
“But it’s a bit small.”
“what?”
“hmm… … wait for a sec.”
stutter.
Following what I couldn’t see, Kim Yul crouched down in front of a tree with a puzzled look on his face.
“Already three… … .”
As soon as he muttered, the player who was coming from the other direction spotted us and froze.
The symbol above her head is Pinelpenia.
It seems like Kim Yul found traces and went back.
As soon as I met the eyes of a player I was seeing for the first time today, Kim Yul whimpered and called me.
“Keukcha, brother!”
Why are you squeezing your voice all of a sudden?
I lowered my head to see what Kim Yul was doing.
But what I found was the ass, not the familiar blonde back of the head.
It was because Kim Yul had crumpled my upper body into the ground, so my hips were lifted up.
“… … what are you doing?”
Upon closer inspection, there was a hole in the tree trunk.
A hole so small that it would be difficult for an adult to squeeze his body through it.
Kim Yul was struggling to get inside.
“Do you have any children in Bihar? A dwarf or a hobbit?”
“what?”
“No! No matter how you look at it, the footprint is too small… … evil!”
I could clearly feel the embarrassment from Kim Yul, who stopped talking and screamed.
“Hey, why is this? Why don’t you leave?”
got it
“I got it.”
As soon as Yang Tae-ho put the obvious fact into his mouth, the root part of the tree was ripped off.
Kim Yul had tore off the trunk of the tree on his own and escaped.
Afterwards, the guy who glanced at Yang Tae-ho continued his explanation.
“The footprints I found near the cliff, and the ones around here all go inside this?”
I lowered my stance and looked at the base of the tree Kim Yul pointed out.
Kim Yul almost tore off the root, so the oyster inside was clearly visible.
“I see at least five people, but all of them have really big footprints.”
While Kim Yul, who covered half of his hand, continued to explain, I searched for my knowledge.
“I heard that there is a dwarf family… … .”
I’ve never met him in person, but I’ve heard that there is a dwarf tribe with good hand dexterity and short stature among sub-species.
They are said to be the most concerned about safety among all sub-species.
‘All of the surviving dwarves must be in charge of producing goods in the empire.’
It is unlikely that they will be here.
Of course, there may be people who couldn’t escape to the rear.
I struggled with my eyebrows slightly wrinkled, then looked back at the hesitant player who couldn’t come this way and said.
“Did you find the fruit tree?”
“yes? Ah, yes, yes. A persimmon-like fruit hangs from the bush… … The footprints left there were heading this way.”
I’m not sure as I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.
It is clear that there are people who came and went through this cave and picked the fruit.
Its identity is still unknown.
‘Your footprint is small… … .’
First of all, the search team is the only number of magical powers that appear on the map.
It must mean that the unidentified group is out of my magic detection range.
‘Then I just have to get closer.’
I sent a signal to Yang Tae-ho and gathered the earth type players.