Chapter 19: Tutorial (19)

“We need to relocate.”

Ten days before the quest deadline, Lee Han-seong told Yoo Ha-na and me.

I didn’t know why. He just blurted it out during dinner.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

Yoo Ha-na asked, clearly annoyed. It was understandable. Being told to leave a comfortable home was always frustrating.

He needed a valid reason.

“I found tracks. Large animal tracks. It’s best to avoid a confrontation.”

His reasoning was sound. Even though we were accustomed to combat, wild animals were dangerous.

Fighting an unfamiliar creature, with unknown attack patterns, anatomy, and weak points, was risky, even if we won.

“That’s not good news.”

Yoo Ha-na nodded in agreement after I voiced my approval. If I, a swordsman, felt uneasy, she, an assassin, would feel even more so.

It was common knowledge that assassins were vulnerable to animals.

“But are you sure? That’s strange. We didn’t see anything during our patrols.”

“The rain must have washed away the tracks. But I saw them with my own eyes. This area is a beast’s territory, and we need to leave.”

Lee Han-seong’s voice was slightly strained as he tried to convince her.

It was a plausible explanation, but the logic was weak. I easily saw through his lie.

Lee Han-seong wasn’t the only one patrolling the area. Yoo Ha-na and I also patrolled regularly to alleviate our boredom.

But we hadn’t found any animal tracks. He was lying to us for a reason.

The reason was simple to deduce. It was a common trope in regression stories: the power-up event.

The regressor would often steer his companions towards hidden pieces he couldn’t acquire himself.

While the regressor might see it as passing on leftovers, the companions would be grateful for the boost.

Oh, Regressor-nim, I knew I could trust you!

“Well, if Han-seong says so, then it must be true. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

I suppressed my excitement and put on a serious expression, my eyes filled with unwavering trust.

“The problem is finding a suitable location…”

“Don’t worry. I have a place in mind. It’s safe.”

He even had a location prepared! He really had thought of everything!

My mouth watered at the thought of the hidden piece he was about to hand-feed me.

Once the decision was made, we moved quickly. We didn’t have much to pack, just enough food and water for ten days.

“Let’s go.”

Lee Han-seong led the way. Normally, Yoo Ha-na, with her superior eyesight, would take the lead, but since he was the only one who knew the destination and route, he was in charge.

Yoo Ha-na, now unemployed as a scout, took up the rear. With her heightened senses, we didn’t have to worry about ambushes from behind.

Sandwiched between Lee Han-seong and Yoo Ha-na, both formidable fighters, I felt like Princess Peach being escorted by the Mario brothers.

Wait a minute. Being escorted by plumbers usually meant getting kidnapped by a giant spiky turtle.

That thought prompted me to heighten my vigilance.

“Let’s stop here for a moment.”

Just as I was starting to get bored, Lee Han-seong stopped.

He whispered to me and signaled Yoo Ha-na to halt.

“What is it?”

“A bandit camp. We don’t want to be seen. Let’s move stealthily, using the shadows and bushes for cover.”

He pointed in a direction.

A bandit camp? Just as I was anticipating another delightful decapitation show, something about the camp looked familiar.

“Oppa, isn’t that the camp we raided a few days ago?”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It does look familiar.”

“Should I check it out?”

“Go ahead. Be careful.”

Lee Han-seong looked surprised by our conversation.

He didn’t say anything, but his gaze clearly demanded an explanation.

“Uh… well… you know… we were bored, so Ha-na and I raided it for fun. Haha…”

“You raided a bandit camp for fun?”

“Well, we were bored. You know how it is.”

He looked at me as if I were crazy.

Just as I was starting to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny, Yoo Ha-na returned.

“Oppa, it’s the same camp. But there’s something you need to see. It smells really bad, so I suggest covering your nose and mouth.”

She led us towards the camp entrance.

Despite covering my nose and mouth with my clothes, the stench intensified as we got closer. The bandit corpses we’d left behind were decomposing nicely.

“See these footprints on the path? There are three sets, all adult males. And they went straight into the camp.”

“Hmm… Where do the tracks lead?”

“To the storehouse.”

“The storehouse… That’s where the food and the women were. Did the footprints lead directly to the storehouse?”

“Yes. Two sets of footprints went straight to the storehouse.”

“They’re not just scavengers or hyenas. They have a connection to this place.”

I’d suspected something was off. After the battle, Yoo Ha-na and I had raided the storehouse, hoping to find some drinks to celebrate our victory.

But instead of snacks, we found food supplies and captured climbers.

We’d freed them, gave them some food, and sent them on their way.

We’d erased our tracks and left it as an unsolved case, but now, we had a new lead.

We didn’t need to get involved. But the fact that their trail led in the same direction we were heading was concerning.

“Han-seong, how much further to our new shelter?”

“We need to continue in this direction.”

“Looks like we might have to do some more fighting. We’ll need to set up security measures as soon as we arrive. There are some bad guys nearby. We might run into them, so let’s erase our tracks and move.”

I’d been excited about finding more hidden pieces, but I had a strong feeling we were about to get into a fight.

“We’re here.”

The new shelter Lee Han-seong had chosen wasn’t bad. It was a cave, providing shelter from the elements, and it was a reasonable distance from the water source.

It would be a comfortable place to spend the remaining ten days. But I wasn’t in a good mood.

“Let’s unpack and scout the area. We should also set up some alarm traps.”

I suggested this as soon as we arrived.

These guys were extorting food and women from bandits. They were definitely not sane.

They were probably as crazy as the stereotypical villains in web novels.

We couldn’t give them an opening.

Being outnumbered, letting our guard down, or appearing vulnerable was a recipe for disaster.

“Good idea. It’s better to be prepared.”

“I agree.”

Yoo Ha-na and Lee Han-seong agreed. Anyone with common sense would take precautions against potential enemies.

“Let’s move as soon as we’re ready. No solo actions during patrol. Maintain a reasonable distance, but don’t stray too far.”

“Okay.”

“…Understood.”

After unpacking, we began our patrol. It wasn’t complicated.

We familiarized ourselves with the terrain and set up alarm traps in concealed locations.

“Should we head back?”

“Yes, Oppa. We should get going if we want to wash up.”

Our patrol ended as the afternoon sun began to dip towards the horizon. It was probably around 2 PM.

It was still bright, but the forest would get dark quickly.

Clang! Clatter!

Just as we were about to head back, we heard a noise nearby. The metallic sound echoed through the quiet forest.

“That direction…”

“Let’s check it out. Move!”

We moved towards the source of the noise. And there, we encountered three familiar faces.

The blond, tanned punk, the bespectacled, acne-ridden fat guy, and the narrow-eyed creep. The Cerberus trio who had harassed Yoo Ha-na on the first day.

“Oh, it’s you.”

The narrow-eyed one spoke first. He slithered towards us, his eyes still narrowed.

“Hold it right there. Don’t come any closer.”

I rested my left hand on the hilt of my sword, ready to draw. I assessed the probability of them being hostile.

Clue number one: Direction.

I’d memorized the direction the footprints had led from the bandit camp. And it matched the direction of the noise.

Clue number two: Footprints.

There were three sets of footprints at the camp, one of which was significantly deeper than the others. Meaning one of them was significantly heavier.

Clue number three: Appearance.

In the world of web novels, appearances were often telling. The fact that these three looked like stereotypical creeps was enough evidence for me.

“Ha-na. Throw.”

Without hesitation, Yoo Ha-na threw her knives. One hit its target, one grazed, and one was blocked.

“How did you know?”

The narrow-eyed creep’s eyes widened in surprise, his pupils finally visible.

“Never trust a guy with narrow eyes. It’s a cardinal rule.”

No further explanation needed. Decapitation show season two had begun.