Chapter 280: Southern End Request 5
TL/Editor: raei
Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Upon hearing that the sap was highly flammable, Han Se-ah hastily ran out to collect it and then suddenly vanished below.
Despite being a bit clueless and not particularly adept at physical activities, she was a high level mage.
Her body, naturally surrounded by a mana shield like a passive barrier, was protected by the overflowing mana within her.
While she couldn't fend off a direct attack from a mid-to-high level monster, minor injuries from scrapes or falls were no issue for her sturdy body.
If she fell into a pit, at worst, she might twist her ankle.
The screams that followed, however, were shockingly intense.
"Hanna? What happened!"
Grace, who hadn't sensed any danger, rushed to the pit after hearing the alarming screams.
Arrows were quickly nocked, and a sword was drawn, surrounded by a serene blue aura.
White divine energy surged around hands.
Her reaction was so violent that even a laid-back observer would startle.
But, of course, it was unlikely for Han Se-ah to face a life-threatening situation from a monster sneaking past a 5 scout's passive abilities.
"Ugh, yuck- What is this?"
"Looks like the tunnel of some ground-dwelling creature?"
What she experienced wasn't a physical attack that would reduce HP, but a mental shock.
Falling into a tunnel that had collapsed, she was covered in a white, slimy substance, starkly contrasting with her usually dark robes.
Of course, she was fully covered by her robes, so there was no exposure...
The sensation of being entangled was unsettling, and she thrashed about, screaming.
The more she struggled, the more the web-like substance wrapped around her.
"Get this off me! Quick!"
"Just hang on! I'll get you out!"
Since the rope was in Han Se-ah's inventory, Katie hurriedly cut some vines and threw them down.
The vines, being sticky, easily pulled her up and out.
-Looks like a meatball rolled in breadcrumbs
-I knew it when she ignored the guide's advice.
-Is this what they call Ugly Korean? Is this what they call Ugly Korean?
"Hey, at least pretend to care and worry!"
[Sympathy from Dongjeong donated 10,000 won!]
Like this?
"Thanks for Dongjeong's warm concern. Money really does heal all wounds."
-Paying to get cursed at? Is it time?
Entangled in sticky webs and climbing up with vines, she was covered in dirt and leaf mold.
Instead of looking provocative, she resembled a comedian covered in flour on a comedy show.
"You okay, Hanna?"
"There's no poison. Just burn it with a torch and wash it off, and it'll all come off."
"Ugh, aside from feeling gross, I'm fine. It's kind of squishy, got into my neck a bit."
As Silbang said, the spider web broke apart like hardened dough after being lightly burned with a makeshift torch and doused with water magic.
Utilizing water magic to summon and manipulate water, then instantly drying her soaked robes, was impressive.
Han Se-ah's magical control was truly exceptional, though the viewers seemed more focused on joking about dipping fried food in water rather than oil.
After the brief commotion, Silbang approached the pit Han Se-ah had fallen into.
Curious, like about yesterday's beetle, he lay flat on the ground, peering into the tunnel with a torch in hand.
"This is big. And shallow. Something's off here."
"...What do you mean?"
"It probably means the tunnel is too close to the surface. A tunnel that collapses just because of Hanna, isn't that strange?"
Shining the torch into the tunnel, it was clear it was shallowly dug.
The ceiling was so thin that it could collapse under the weight of a single person.
When they said even a finger-sized bug can dig a tunnel, it would typically burrow a few dozen centimeters deep into the ground.
Seeing the size of this tunnel, it's odd for creatures larger than the average human to dig such a shallow burrow.
This might as well be considered a trap rather than a tunnel.
As I mentioned this, Silbang nodded in agreement, and Grace added, confirming she understood,
"Indeed, even small animals dig deeper burrows. I've never heard of a hunter getting their foot caught in a rabbit hole."
"A beetle that belongs in a swamp, an oddly shallow tunnel. Is this what suspicious looks like? ...But this doesn't seem related to those who ambush people and sow discord."
"If it's suspicious, it's a witch. Swamp witches, strange events, suspicious occurrences, they're often behind them."
Grace found the tunnel suspicious, Katie considered it a jungle anomaly, and Silbang was quick to blame witches.
With that, I stopped thinking.
I'm better suited for physical action than brainstorming.
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Raei Translations
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The accommodation for the second day was a cabin by a wide river.
If the first day's rest stop was a hunter's or forest keeper's cabin, this one, with old nets and small kayaks around, had been made by fishermen.
Sitting on a wooden chair by the cabin, overlooking the slow-flowing river, felt like watching an Amazon documentary live.
The cabin faced a path that was somewhat traveled by people, but the opposite side of the river was dense with bushes and vines, looking like perfect wilderness.
It's not just untraveled; it's virtually impassable.
"What are you looking at, Roland?"
"I noticed the nets and fishing rods, wondering if the river was full of fish."
"With the river being so wide, there must be plenty of fish, right?"
Irene approached quietly while I was thinking of fishing or maybe surfing the web... or perhaps casting the rod into the river as I web surfed.
She brought a small wooden chair and sat next to me, both of us slowly watching the river flow.
And then, the presence of two onlookers secretly watching us.
Silbang was training with logs beside the cabin, so it was obvious who the sneaking glances were.
And Han Se-ah's camera drone was blatantly hovering above the river, filming us from above.
-The scenery is nice
-I understand why people always pick fights over good views.
-Not sure about being a hero, but as a cameraman and planner, definitely top-notch lol.
-Cute, three heads peeking out of the cabin window lol.
-Not two, but three? Look at Han Se-ah including herself, the sneaky bastard.
Irene, enjoying the peaceful silence and the sound of the flowing water, smiled softly.
Despite not doing much, being part of the party had gradually opened her up to something.
The fact that the distance between her and me had significantly closed could easily be deduced from Han Se-ah's stream.
After all, those seriously into watching others' romances were analyzing us pixel by pixel.
"Roland?"
"Hmm? What's up?"
"Well, you see-"
The calm was broken by Irene trying to say something when,
"Bugs! Bugs! Strange ones, coming!"
"Roland! Upstream!"
Interrupting Irene were Silbang, throwing aside a log and grabbing a long spear, and Grace, bursting out of the cabin door.
Turning to see the commotion behind me, then looking forward again, I saw splashes in the river upstream.
It was like throwing breadcrumbs into a pond full of carp - the water erupted.
"Whoa, what's that?!"
Han Se-ah, although the last to react due to her slower reflexes, quickly redirected the camera from us to the center of the commotion in the river.
Half-broken rafts with barbarian warriors on them, and something ferociously attacking from beneath the water.
Dark green carapaces, sharp pincers, and jaws spread wide in aggression.
These creatures, clearly carnivorous insects, attacked the barbarians like a swarm of piranhas.
...Water beetles? Are they water beetles?
Except for the more ferocious appearance and the addition of pincers, they fit the description.
After all, the only aquatic insect I know that resembles a beetle is the water beetle.
"We have to help! They're people from the village!"
While thinking this, Silbang throws aside his spear and hastily grabs a net.
It's unrealistic to think he could kill all those bugs with a spear one by one.
The problem is, those creatures jaws and pincers look like they could easily cut through an old net.
...But if they can't even properly destroy a raft, they might be manageable.
"Hey, Silbang."
"We have to help! Please, help! I beg you, adventurer!"
"Calm down. ...How deep is it?"
"...? It should reach up to our necks, for us."
Saving them and understanding the situation was more beneficial to our quest than killing the bugs.
With that thought, I walked into the river.
It seems I'm indeed more comfortable using my body than my brain.
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