Chapter 131 – Search

Episode 131 – Search

“Everyone. Our 1st squad’s mission is to inspect the villages in the area and check for any abnormalities. Please follow along. Do you have any questions?”

Everyone shook their heads at Serdic’s words.

“Great. Then let’s go.”

The party left the fortress under Serdic’s leadership and moved to the area in charge.

The speed was very fast.

Since all of the squad members were no different from superhumans, they were alert to their surroundings and even their moving speed was comparable to the sprint of an ordinary person.

In just an hour, we discovered a village of 100 households in the distance.

As we went a little further and reached the village, an old man with graying hair who seemed to have come to meet us in advance and a middle-aged man who appeared to be the leader of the village security approached.

“You’ve come at the right time. “Mr. Knight.”

“Nice to meet you. Chief. But did something happen? The atmosphere of the village is strange.”

When I looked around, I saw all the villagers whispering with dark faces.

On one side, women are comforting a listless girl.

When the village chief motioned, he quickly brought him to us.

“Actually, it is. A few days ago, this girl’s uncle went to the mountains to pick her mushrooms and she went missing. “She hasn’t come back yet.”

“You mean missing? Did you really go to the place where the monster is?”

“No. Probably not. Jimmy is also a native here. There’s no way you wouldn’t know that.”

Uncle Jimmy and her niece Amy.

The village chief tried to somehow arouse her sympathy her by introducing Emimi, who lost her parents and lives solely on her.

It is said that even going to the mountain to pick mushrooms was to feed them to Amy.

Cedric, who was listening intently to see if the target was successful, asked us our opinion.

“Everyone. I guess I’ll have to search the mountain. It seems like a controversial issue to report back to the fortress. “Is there anyone who is against it?”

In a situation like this, how many people can oppose it? You may be dissatisfied on the inside, but it is very difficult to do so in front of a young child who is grieving the loss of her uncle.

However, something slightly unexpected occurred here.

“Let’s go right away. “Let’s find my uncle.”

The thing is that Regina Solias, and no one else, was the first to give her approval.

When this happens, Cedric also feels at ease.

“Are you sure? Thank you Hwang─”

“Quiet. Are you planning on making a fuss? “Stay still.”

After Cedric’s her mouth her as he tried to reveal her identity her, Regina turned her head to look at Amy, then bent her knees and lowered her posture.

“You said it was Emmy, right? You… Are you worried about your uncle?”

What kind of stupid question is this?

There is no one who would not be worried when the only remaining blood relative has disappeared.

Even if you are a child who is only 9 years old.

However, strangely enough, Amy did not nod her head and just stared up.

Regina looked into her empty, empty eyes and curled up the corner of her mouth.

“No? I knew it. She doesn’t need to say anything. Good. “I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry in the future.”

Regina, muttering something she couldn’t understand, straightened her body by straightening her knees.

And the moment she was about to turn her back.

“How do you know?”

Amy’s her mouth her, which had been closed heavily, opened.

Regina paused for a moment, then turned to face her again and blurted out that it was no big deal.

“Just.”

“… Just?”

“Okay. “I just know.”

An answer that seems insincere.

But perhaps that was enough for Amy, and she lowered her head with a slight smile.

So we moved to the mountains without even being able to set foot in the village.

“Squad leader. Do monsters often come down to the village?”

“… No. Almost none. Things are a little different these days because it’s harvest season, so we’re conducting a more thorough search. Above all, if it is really the monster’s work, it should have already attacked the village.”

“That makes sense.”

Isis was convinced by Cedric’s explanation.

As I listened to the series of conversations, I secretly glanced sideways at Regina.

‘What exactly is it?’

Looking at the way she interacted with Amy earlier, it was clear that she knew something, but she had no idea.

It hurts my pride to ask that.

If you ask me what my pride is for, I will be at a loss for words, but it is anyway.

In the first place, I didn’t think that Regina would respond obediently if I asked.

‘Er, I don’t know.’

If you search anyway, you will find some clues. It is not too late to think about it then.

I roughly shook off the idle thoughts.

And in the meantime, we arrived at the mouth of the mountain where Jimmy had last headed.

“You have to be very careful from now on. Because you never know when a monster will pop out. “Then first, let’s go to the place the village chief told us about.”

The village does not just sit idle.

Based on the information provided by the village chief, Cedric reached the place where Jimmy’s traces were lost.

“It’s definitely disappearing here suddenly. … Princess. Would you like to be able to track it?”

“Wait. Because I’m watching.”

Regina, who had been examining her ground in detail, furrowed her brows and she looked up at the sky.

She gazed precisely at the trees that grew tall above her head, and then she suddenly leapt and climbed onto her branch.

She managed to balance herself on a thin branch, stretched out her long legs, and walked up the tree, with a strange look in her eyes.

“I found it. Follow me.”

Then, without hesitation, she started jumping from tree to tree.

We quickly followed him.

After a while, Regina landed in front of a hole about 1m in diameter in the middle of the vacant lot.

“The traces here have completely disappeared.”

“No, why is it here?”

Serdic, who saw the hole, looked confused as if he knew what it was.

“Squad leader. “What is this hole?”

“… These are traces of the movement of iron moles that live in Makyeong. It looks like he secretly sneaked in here from an underground tunnel. I wonder how it happened that it wasn’t even detected by detection magic… It’s a big deal.”

In the end, it means that Jimmy was taken away by the iron moles.

Isis seemed puzzled and immediately asked a question.

“Squad leader. If I’m not mistaken, iron moles are mainly active underground, right? “Never on a tree.”

“Yes. So it’s even weirder. Princess. “Is it true that Jimmy’s traces lead through the trees?”

“That’s right. It’s definitely true.”

“That means something other than the Iron Mole was involved.”

Cedric was troubled.

They are probably trying to figure out whether they can continue the chase without informing them of the current situation where the monster has infiltrated beyond the fortress.

In the worst case scenario, if we pushed ahead with the chase and ended up being attacked, the Western Front could have suffered great damage from the monsters without knowing anything.

Soon, he made a decision.

“Sorry guys, but can you still track me? Although it’s unlikely, Jimmy may still be alive. Princess. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“… There’s no need to beg like that. Because I have no intention of stopping either. Then let’s hurry. “I know roughly where it leads.”

Regina stepped gently on the ground around the hole, and by the slight tumble she got her bearings, she ran.

Soon, I was able to discover a bigger hole than I had seen before.

Dried blood stains were visible at the entrance.

“It’s in here. “I guess it’s a nest?”

“This blood… “It’s been about three days.”

“… “If it’s three days, it coincides with the time Jimmy disappeared.”

“Yes. I guess I got eaten here.”

The group, who had a premonition of Jimmy’s death, all dyed her face darkly.

Except for Regina.

‘What is it really?’

That time when you have doubts again.

“Damage!”

Regina alerted everyone, and almost immediately Isis pulled me out.

Water!

Her face her was buried in her chest her.

The feeling of suffocation and happiness coexist. As I reflexively waved his her hand her away her, Isis pressed against his her chest her with even more force and leapt back her, wrapping his free hand around her waist her.

Pabababak!

Just in the nick of time, a steel-like claw protruded from the ground and cut into the spot.

When I struggled to pull my face away from my chest and turned my head, I saw three other extras hanging on Cedric and Regina’s hands.

After a short flight, Isis landed on the floor and let me go.

“Luan! Stay right next to your sister!”

“Yes. I understand.”

Anyway, in the formation, Isis and I are almost stuck together. There is no big problem even if he sticks to his current position.

Likewise, Cedric, who had dropped off the extras, immediately pulled out his sword and shouted.

“Everyone, get your defenses in shape!” “You never know when an attack might come!”

As soon as we hurriedly gathered in the center at the shout, the ground began to dance.

Sasasasasak─

It looks like an earthworm made of earth moving.

The five iron moles that surrounded us circled around, looking for an opening.

A very brief confrontation took place.

Paaang!

The steel mole leapt from the ground like a flying fish flying over the surface of the water, rushing forward with its sharp claws.

Let’s go!

“Ugh!”

The nails roughly scratched Abel’s shield in the middle.

The steel mole dives back to the ground.

They hit repeatedly and run with the intention of thoroughly exhausting their stamina in that way.

It was a time when everyone clicked their tongues.

“Isis. Let all of them fly. “You can do it, right?”

“Yes. “Please finish it.”

Isis exchanged unknown signs with Regina and then plunged his spear into the ground with force.

[For victory!]

Kwaaang!

As her unique skill was activated, a wave of silver light spread, sending all the steel moles in the area flying into the sky.

Immediately after, Regina fired an arrow.

The arrow of flame that left the bowstring split into five branches and struck the steel mole, causing an explosion.

Kwagwagwagwagwang!

Due to that powerful force, they turned golden brown and fell headlong to the floor.

A thick meaty scent stings your nose.

“Huh!? This, this…”

Cedric, who had a strong will, expressed his bewilderment at the battle that ended in an instant.

Isis bowed her head to him.

“I’m sorry for acting so recklessly. “Squad leader.”

“Oh, no! That’s amazing. As expected, he is worthy of being the student council president. It’s incredible technology. “Are you willing?”

Cedric smiled brightly.

I don’t know if he was really happy, or if he just thought it was natural to move on like this, but thanks to that, the atmosphere didn’t become awkward.

He checked to make sure the iron mole was dead and then pointed to the pit.

“Then let’s check inside first. “There may still be some left, so be careful.”

We slowly entered the interior while maintaining our formation under Cedric’s instructions.

But fortunately, there were no remnants left.

There were only bone fragments left inside that had been eaten and discarded.

Cedric picked up an ordinary leather watch from among the remains.

“Hmm… I think this is Jimmy. “I’ll have to take this with me first.”

We started collecting the remains.

Even when everyone is carefully putting the ashes in the bag, Regina puts them in half-heartedly.

The group returned to the village with Jimmy’s ashes and belongings.