Chapter 90
Where is such a god,?who?is omnipotent and omniscient?
—Demon Lord
Kang Yoon-Soo opened his eyes. His companions were still fast asleep, and he was the only one awake. He walked?some distance?from their camp before?falling to?one knee.
“Kuheok!”?He?vomited blood, sensing?that his body was?in an abnormal state.
The Frost Demon’s Winter Fragment had allowed him to transform into a Frost Demon to fight the Colossus. Afterward, his body had returned to its normal state,?but the price he had?to pay manifested as?an unending curse that tormented him when he tried to sleep. Once again, the?fragment deep inside his body moved to stab his lungs.
‘I can?never?get used to this.’?Kang Yoon-Soo barely managed to get up by holding onto a boulder,?but he struggled?just?to?stay standing.
“Kuheok…”?Kang Yoon-Soo vomited blood again, and?its metallic taste?filled his mouth. He felt?as if?his lungs and heart?were being?shredded to pieces.
‘Why did you abandon me?’?A?child’s voice, sounding sufficiently?eerie and sinister to give one goosebumps, asked from behind.
Kang Yoon-Soo closed his eyes. He was drenched in cold sweat, but?he told himself, ‘That’s just a hallucination. Don’t mind it.’
‘I’m asking you…?Why did you abandon me?’?the child asked again.
The child’s question pierced through Kang Yoon-Soo’s heart?like a stake. He?could not take it?anymore, and?he slowly opened his eyes.?What he saw was a bloodied child, with?a?face so dark and disfigured?as to be unrecognizable.
“I’ve already forgotten you,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.
‘You brought me into this world. I’m your child,’?the child cried out. It was the child he could no longer see even if he wanted to; the one?he had had in?the?life when he married Shaneth.
Kang Yoon-Soo bit his lips until?they?started to bleed before?saying, “Get lost.”
‘Why did you?have?me if you were going to forget about me? You couldn’t even protect me,’?the child moaned.
“I said get lost,” Kang Yoon-Soo?said threateningly?as he grabbed his sword. It was only then that the child disappeared.
He gripped his chest, trying?to stabilize his breathing.?‘Hang on. It’ll only get even harder if you give in.’
Time passed, and the sun eventually started to rise?on?the horizon, chasing?away the darkness. Kang Yoon-Soo’s pain and suffering subsided as the sun rose.
‘I guess that’s it for tonight,’?he?thought, wiping the?sweat off his brow.?His whole body was drenched in cold sweat; he had to go through?the same nightmare every night.
‘I have to hang on,’?he?thought as he rubbed his temples.
The curse did not only inflict physical turmoil, but also made?one?hallucinate and relive?one’s?worst memories.
‘I have to tough it out,’?Kang Yoon-Soo kept repeating in his head.?He had to tough it out, because this was his last life.
“Do you need another drink?”?someone called out.?Kang Yoon-Soo?looked in its direction, only to find?Henrick staring down at him. Henrick?continued,?“I came to take a leak and almost pissed?myself. Hey, what are you squirming in pain for?”
“Give me some booze,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.
Henrick took out a large whiskey bottle from his inner pocket. Oddly enough,?his?inner pocket seemed to?have?some sort of magic, as it was able?to store multiple large bottles without them cracking?even?a little.
He remarked with a smirk,?“It’s an alcoholic’s?trade secret.”
Kang Yoon-Soo drank straight from the bottle without even bothering to look for a cup.?Henrick sat beside him, opening?a small bottle of whiskey as he said, “Keh!?Even the booze tastes better now that we’re no longer in the?desert, especially?since I don’t have sand all over my mouth now.”
It had?been four days since they left the Desert of Death.
The two women were already awake by?the time Kang Yoon-Soo and Henrick?returned to the campsite. Shaneth glared?at them like a ferocious cat, exclaiming,?“You guys went to drink at this hour?”
Henrick shrugged and replied, “It has?a deep meaning when two men share a drink before sunrise.”
Iris’ eyes suddenly sparkled and?she asked?excitedly, “Are Henrick and Kang Yoon-Soo in love with each other?”
“…I didn’t mean?it like?that, you punk,” Henrick grumbled.
Shaneth?looked away?from the two drunks and said firmly, “You leave me with no choice. Both of you have to abstain from any alcohol until tomorrow. Here, put all your alcohol in here.”
She?subsequently confiscated all of their alcohol,?closing?the bag filled to the brim with bottles before saying, “I’ll be keeping this bag of alcohol from now on.”
“Now you’re trying to control when and where we can drink? Are you our mom or something?” Henrick grumbled.
“You two drink too much. What if you suddenly fall from?your horse?because you were drunk? What will you do then?” Shaneth retorted.
Henrick flinched, unable to find a response. However,?Kang Yoon-Soo secretly?retrieved?a bottle that was filled with colorless alcohol.
The party passed?through?Raviesk, a city they had already visited, before continuing on to a new area. They collected their carriage, but?found that?they could not ride it because of the rugged, uneven terrain?before them. Thus,?they had to travel on horseback.
Iris hugged?her?white horse tightly and said, “I?am so happy to see you again, Snow White!”
“I completely forgot about that horse. I’m surprised you remembered it,” Henrick said.
Iris glared at Henrick while stroking the?white horse’s?mane, and the horse neighed as if to show that it?liked?Iris.
Kang Yoon-Soo took out an amulet from his backpack.
[Amulet of the?Ignus Dragon]
Rating: ??
A?great?power is sealed within it, but only a dragon?can?unseal?its?powers.
It was the amulet?he had been given by Ignus. It?had a red jewel embedded in the?center, engraved with the symbol of a?dragon’s claw.?It was an item that was certainly going to help in the near future.?In fact, it was the perfect item for Shaneth to use, but its powers were sealed?for?the moment.
‘I guess I have to use it for the time being,’?Kang Yoon-Soo thought as he wore the amulet around his neck. He?had?gained an astounding forty levels?in?the Desert of Death, and he was Level 217 now. He could have increased his level faster if he had roamed around the places with dense concentrations of monsters and hunted all night, but raising only his level?had not been?his main objective.
‘It’s imperative for me to collect?all the?hidden pieces while others don’t know?of?their existence,’?Kang Yoon-Soo thought.
He?placed a greater priority on raising his overall strength,?not?obsessing?over his level?the way?other Travelers did. A high level was meaningless if he did not have the items to back it up, and?the reverse would be true as well.
‘A powerful item can?overcome the level difference in some cases,’?Kang Yoon-Soo thought, biting his lips.?’Twenty years isn’t nearly enough to do all that,?and yet?the Demon Lord will be appearing much sooner?’
He had originally planned to maximize those?twenty?years to?prepare to the fullest before?facing?the Demon Lord. However, he knew he would not stand a chance if the Demon Lord appeared earlier than before. In fact, the world would surely be destroyed if the Demon Lord appeared tomorrow.
‘Kartheon said?someone?who could solve the?problem was at the magic tower,’?Kang Yoon-Soo thought. He?recalled one person, whom?he suspected to be?the one?Kartheon?had been?talking about. There was only one individual?who?lived in the highly dangerous magic tower.?‘The?King of All Beings, Sirian.’
Would?Sirian?really have the solution to the problem? The only way to find out was to reach the magic tower and ask him in person.
‘Whatever may happen, I have to give it my all this time, to not have any regrets—it’s?my?final life, after all.’
Kang Yoon-Soo felt slightly relieved after going over his thoughts once more, and his objectives had become even clearer.
‘I’ll definitely kill the Demon Lord this time.’
Just as Kang Yoon-Soo was lost in thought, however…
"Neighhhhh!”
The party stopped their horses,?as?a group of people?in official attire was?blocking their way. A large man came forward, displaying the?insignia of a falcon as he?said, “I?am sorry to bother you during your busy travels. My name is Halven, and I am an investigator from the Sharphill Investigation Department. I wish to carry out an inspection, and I hope you will cooperate with us.”
“An inspection? Did something happen?” Shaneth asked.
“There have been numerous cases of?Travelers going missing in these parts. It?is just a routine inspection, so please do?not worry about it,” Halven replied.
Several?junior investigators asked the?party?a few questions and searched them. Afterward, Shaneth tilted her head and asked, “Were you talking about the?Travelers from another world,?rather than?the travelers?who?travel between cities?”
“That’s right,” Halven replied, rubbing his tired eyes ringed by dark circles. He continued, “This place is where the forest and the river meet, so there are few?pedestrians here; however, quite a few?Travelers?have been?reported to have gone missing in these parts.”
“That really does sound strange… To think that only Travelers are going missing…” Shaneth?mused.
“We currently?suspect?this?to be the work of those?who discriminate?between Continentals and Travelers. Well, it happens quite often, in any case;?I think the higher-ups are overreacting by asking us to establish checkpoints all over,” Halven grumbled.
Halven seemed to be quite bored, as he chatted away?long after explaining all the relevant details. The inspectors did not find anything suspicious during their inspection, but Halven saw the wrist device?Kang Yoon-Soo wore?and said, “I hope you?can?take care of yourself. I?have?heard that you Travelers have a different way of thinking from us Continentals, and you guys love to take risks.”
Kang Yoon-Soo stared at Halven before?saying, “I’ll tell you?where to find?the culprits of the three major unsolved missing cases, and where?evidence?against them can be found.”
“What?” Halven?exclaimed?in surprise.
“Just make the report. You can keep the achievements?and merits for yourself, but in return, you have to send a 1st Grade inspector team a week from now.?A?black magician?who’s?spreading?plagues is involved,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.
“What are you talking about?” Halven asked?with a look of deep confusion.
Kang Yoon-Soo moved his hand to his inner pocket.?Halven flinched at?the?sudden movement, but what Kang Yoon-Soo took out was just a pen and paper.
“The culprits are still alive, and one of them is affiliated with the upper echelons of the investigation department,” Kang Yoon-Soo said as he quickly wrote?something?on the paper and passed it to Halven.
Halven?was?still dumbfounded?as he?received the paper, but his expression?suddenly turned serious and sharp after he read the contents?of the note.
“…You, where did you get this information? This is top-secret, confidential information that even a senior inspector would not have access to,” Halven said.
“I’ll give you?one piece of advice. There are many secret executives?in the investigation department, and most of them?have been?carrying out their own investigations?covertly,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.
“Then that means…!” Halven exclaimed, gulping dryly.
Kang Yoon-Soo nodded and responded, “That’s right; I’m one of them.”
“But I have never heard of a Traveler being an inspector before…” Halven trailed?off, expressing his skepticism.
“There are quite a lot of cases that only a Traveler can investigate. Also, there?are quite?a?few?of us Travelers working undercover as well,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.
Halven could not hide his shock and admiration, but he scratched his head in embarrassment as he said, “But I?am not sure?whether?I can claim this achievement as mine…?This is a case you spent so much time?investigating,?after all…”
“I don’t wish to draw the attention of the masses,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.
Halven and the junior inspectors all looked at Kang Yoon-Soo, their?eyes filled with admiration. To think that this man would give up all fame and stay undercover! Kang Yoon-Soo’s conviction as an inspector kindled the fire of justice they?had?all once had when they first started working as investigators.
“What is your name?” Halven asked.
“My name is Kang Yoon-Soo, but you?absolutely?have to keep our meeting a secret no matter what,” Kang Yoon-Soo?replied..
“Ah, but there is something that is bothering me,” Halven said. He rubbed his chin as he?continued, “Even if it?is an undercover investigation…?Do you not usually carry an ID with you,?like the?falcon?insignia I carry around to prove that I am a 4th Grade inspector??If you do?not mind,?would?you kindly show me your identification?”
Kang Yoon-Soo took out the amulet and showed it to Halven.?Halven and the junior inspectors could not hide their shock as they exclaimed, “The Zero Grade Dragon’s Claw Amulet!”
“Is this enough?” Kang Yoon-Soo?asked nonchalantly.
“Y-Yes! The claw engraved looks quite real,?just like?the real thing from a dragon,” Halven?stuttered, unable to?hide his admiration.
There were a total of nine grades for inspectors, and each grade?was?symbolized by an animal engraved on their ID. The Zero Grade Dragon’s Claw Amulet was a powerful insignia that allowed the holder to move a whole department?on a?whim, and?it was something that only a few skilled inspectors possessed.
Halven could not hide his disappointment as he lamented, “To think that someone like you, sir, has to be hidden among the masses… It is really a shame…”
“It makes it easier for me to investigate cases,” Kang Yoon-Soo said before he and his party mounted their horses?again.
Halven and the junior inspectors?saluted Kang?Yoon-Soo, and Kang Yoon-Soo returned?the?salute before he rode off on his horse.
Shaneth quietly asked after they were a distance away from the inspectors, “Of course,?there’s no way you are, but…?Are you really?an undercover?investigator?”
“No,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.
“You asshole. Aren’t you scared of divine punishment after pulling a scam?on?everyone you meet?” Henrick grumbled.
“No,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.
“Kang Yoon-Soo is really knowledgeable. Then, do you know which is more delicious??An apple pie or a meat pie?” Iris asked.
“I don’t care,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.
Iris?felt dejected due to?the cold response.?Shaneth let out an awkward laugh as she consoled Iris.?“Don’t worry, unni!?I’ll make both of them for you later.”
“Really?” Iris?asked, smiling.
Kang Yoon-Soo suddenly heard a familiar voice whisper in his ears.
‘Stop your horse.’
He looked around, but he did not see anyone. However, he was certain that the voice belonged to the familiar woman?who had?whispered to him before, and he was the only one?who?could hear the voice, as?always.
‘You have finally arrived. Stop your horse and come to me. This way.’
Kang Yoon-Soo stopped his horse and turned?to look?at the three people behind him. He?said, “I’ll?be going?somewhere for a while.”
“What is it?” Henrick asked.
“I have someone to meet. It’ll take a while,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.?He?hurriedly steered his horse to the left.
Shaneth quickly asked him, “Where will we meet?”
“I’ll find you guys wherever you are,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied before?riding?his horse into the forest.
Henrick nodded in admiration?before saying, “I truly respect that guy.”
“Why?” Shaneth asked.
Henrick pointed at Shaneth’s horse, and Shaneth looked down?to see—the bag of alcohol was missing.
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