Chapter 56
The journey was smooth.
Jeon avoided the habitats of demonic beasts with uncanny precision.
There were times when it seemed he was making a wide detour, but looking back later, one realized that the path Jeon had taken was, in fact, a shortcut.
In those moments, it sent shivers down one's spine.
When the sun set and evening came, Jeon found the optimal terrain and made camp.
Meals consisted of the jerky Jeon had in storage, and drinking water was gathered by wringing out the dew that had formed on cloth or clothing spread out overnight.
In that way, the two of them learned, at least a little, how to survive in the desert while traveling with Jeon.
Mandy felt awe toward Jeon.
'He really knows the desert inside out.'
Of course, there were many in Neo Seoul who knew the desert well. But their area of activity was limited to the vicinity of Neo Seoul.
Because once you ventured beyond that, survival could not be guaranteed.
But Jeon was different.
Even though it was clearly his first time in this region, with a single glance he could instantly identify where the demonic beasts lived and what kind they were.
He was truly the best guide.
Only then did she understand why Jeon traveled the desert alone.
With such ability, there was no reason to go through the trouble of traveling with others.
The more people traveled together, the easier it was to be detected by demonic beasts.
Traveling with Jeon, there was no such worry.
He seemed to move along the boundary lines of the demonic beasts' territories.
Still, following Jeon was not easy.
The sand that swallowed them up to their ankles gnawed at their stamina, and the blazing sunlight overhead stole moisture from their bodies.
Especially the suffering endured by Gim Sangsik, an ordinary person, was incomparable to Mandy's.
Even though Jeon accommodated them as much as possible, Gim Sangsik was gasping for breath, having reached his limit.
His lips were cracked and peeling, and the focus had long since faded from his eyes.
Even riding a Bactrian camel.
The desert was too harsh an environment for an ordinary person without any abilities to survive.
Mandy glanced at Gim Sangsik.
"Hah! Hah!"
He swayed powerlessly atop the Bactrian camel like a doll with its strings cut.
It was pitiful, but there was nothing more she could do to help him.
Then it happened.
Jeon, who had been walking in the lead, suddenly stopped and examined the sand on the ground.
Mandy cautiously asked the reason.
"What's wrong?"
"From here, we must be careful."
"Pardon?"
"This is the kind of sand that sandworms like. They prefer soft, fine-grained sand like this."
The finer the sand particles, the more small vibrations were amplified.
It was the optimal terrain for demonic beasts like sandworms, which detected surface vibrations to hunt for prey.
Mandy asked with a puzzled expression.
"Are there different types of sand?"
"There are."
"And you can tell them apart?"
"If you survive in the desert long enough, it becomes possible."
"Really...."
Mandy shook her head.
If just anyone could do that, the desert would already be under human control. Because it wasn't possible, the desert still remained the domain of demonic beasts.
It was something only Jeon could do.
Now Mandy knew that for certain.
"We'll move along the outer edge of the sandworms' territory. The chance of them detecting us is low, but still, be careful not to make any sound with your footsteps."
Jeon said as he began to walk.
If he had been alone, there would have been no need to be this careful.
Because the desert was his domain, and sandworms were no match for him.
But since he was traveling with Mandy and Gim Sangsik, he had to be careful.
One of the realizations he had gained while wandering the world for seven years was that most people harbored jealousy and envy.
They would somehow tear down those better than themselves, and if possible, drag them down to their own level.
He wasn't afraid of such people, but he abhorred the idea of things becoming troublesome already.
It was while Jeon was walking along the outer edge of the sandworms' territory like that.
"Hm!"
Suddenly, an alien sight entered his vision.
Far in the distance, an object half-buried in the sand was visible.
"What is it?"
Mandy asked with a puzzled expression.
"It looks like a corpse, at least...."
"A corpse?"
She looked toward where Jeon was looking.
After concentrating for a while, Mandy could make out the object Jeon was observing.
"That's definitely Team 7's uniform."
Mandy furrowed her brows.
It was too far away and buried in sand, so it was impossible to tell who had fallen.
Jeon spoke.
"Let's go take a closer look."
"Yes!"
Mandy nodded and followed behind Jeon.
The Bactrian camel carrying Gim Sangsik followed after them.
Only after walking for nearly twenty minutes could the three of them reach the fallen person.
Only then did the face of the fallen individual become clearly visible.
Mandy's eyes went wide.
"Anika?"
It was definitely Anika, the only woman on Team 7.
In that instant, Anika's eyes snapped open.
"Hoho! Caught you."
She sprang up as if she had never been lying there.
Mandy's eyes widened in surprise.
"What?"
"What do you mean, what? You've fallen into our trap. Hoho!"
Anika stepped back and burst into laughter.
At that moment, those who had been hiding in the nearby sand burst out.
Jahar, Felix, Darren, and Seydo—Team 7 had all been hiding.
They surrounded Jeon's group.
Jahar spoke, looking at Mandy.
"You've managed to stay alive."
"Team Leader Jahar. What is the meaning of this?"
"What do you mean? Judging by your complexion, you seem to have gotten proper water and food. We're saying let's share. As you can see, we haven't eaten properly in days."
Team 7's appearance was a mess.
Their faces were gaunt and haggard, and their skin was dry and flaking.
They had escaped the shelter safely, but it was clear they were starving, having failed to find food.
They had rationed their emergency rations, but they had run out two days ago.
After that, they had been starving continuously.
Into Team 7's sight, Mandy and Gim Sangsik had been spotted alive and well.
Unlike them, Mandy's face had a healthy color.
It was clear she had food.
Jahar looked at Jeon.
"I suppose you're the one holding the food and water?"
With Mandy and Gim Sangsik's abilities, obtaining food in the desert was impossible.
In the end, Jeon was the only variable among them.
"Abandon them and come over here. That would be better for you, too."
He spoke politely, but his gaze was savage beyond compare.
Having starved for two days already, they were blinded by hunger.
If they could obtain water and food, they could kill even their own parents.
"If you give us water and food, we will greatly reward you in Neo Seoul."
Jahar's eyes were reminiscent of a venomous demonic beast.
The same was true for the other team members.
They had gone so far as to abandon their pride and hide in the sand to lure Jeon's group.
Jeon smirked.
"If I give you water and food, will you really let us live?"
"Of course. We'll protect you all the way to Neo Seoul."
"I find that hard to believe."
"You don't have a choice anyway. Taking our hand is probably the only way you have even a slight chance of survival."
While Jahar was speaking, Felix, Darren, and the others positioned themselves behind Jeon's group.
They looked ready to use their skills at any moment.
Then Mandy stepped forward.
"Does it really have to be this way? We're all family, aren't we?"
"Family? I've never once considered anyone outside our team as family."
"So that means you have no intention of accepting him as part of the team either?"
At Mandy's words, Jahar's expression hardened.
He had fallen for a leading question.
The moment he realized persuasion was hopeless, he gave the order.
"Kill them all."
"Kill them!"
"Cha-at!"
Darren and Seydo, martial-class Awakened, charged first, while Felix and Anika supported from the rear.
Darren's mechanical prosthetic arm and Seydo's sword attacked Jeon, while Felix's curse and Anika's magic poured down on Mandy.
"Who said I'd just take it?"
Mandy, boiling with fury, unleashed the skill she had kept thoroughly hidden until now.
Mandy's body split into five in an instant.
It was Mirror Image, one of the illusion magics.
Thud!
Felix's curse and Anika's magic struck Mandy's illusions.
In the meantime, the real Mandy moved behind Anika.
"I didn't like you from the start either."
She tried to cast magic at the defenseless Anika. But Jahar moved even faster.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Thwack!
His blow crashed into Mandy.
"Kyaaah!"
Mandy was flung away with a scream.
As befitting a team leader, Jahar's attack was extremely powerful.
Mandy fell face-down and coughed up blood.
Seeing Mandy like that, Anika flared with killing intent.
"I almost died, you bitch!"
She spewed curses without hesitation.
Jahar left Mandy to Anika and turned his gaze to Jeon.
Darren and Seydo had been attacking Jeon for a while.
However, Jeon was dodging all their attacks by a hair's breadth.
"You're quite skilled."
Darren and Seydo's skills were outstanding even among Pathfinders.
Especially their combination was so perfect that it had brought despair to many.
Darren, who pushed with overwhelming power, and Seydo's sword that shot forth like lightning.
The two cornered Jeon perfectly, as if sharing a single consciousness.
Jeon, too, seemed to have no way to respond and only evaded.
But his movements were strange.
He glided across the sand freely, as if being pulled by a string.
This was in stark contrast to Darren and Seydo, who sank into the sand up to their ankles every time they moved.
Because of that, despite their overwhelming advantage, the two couldn't easily subdue Jeon, and time slipped away fruitlessly.
'He's accustomed to fighting on sand.'
Jahar bit his lip tightly.
If time passed like this, there was no telling what variable might occur.
He had to subdue Jeon before that.
"Hup!"
Boom!
Air burst out from his punch.
Naturally, the target was Jeon.
But Jeon avoided Jahar's attack by a hair's breadth.
Jahar attacked continuously and said.
"The more you resist, the harder it will be on you. It would be better to surrender obediently."
"Even if I surrender, you won't let me live, will you?"
Jeon said with a smile.
Even within the three-person combined assault, his expression remained composed.
That sight grated on Jahar's nerves.
"I will cut off your limbs and feed you to the demonic beasts."
"If you like demonic beasts that much, let me call some for you."
"What?"
Boom!
In that instant, Jeon pivoted his leg greatly.
Fine sand particles scattered into the sky with an explosive sound.
A powerful vibration traveled far through the sand.
It wasn't a simple stomp.
Jeon had used his dominance to send the vibrations very far away.
And he had altered them into the exact waveform that sandworms liked best.
The effect was immediate.
Rumble!
The sandworms in the distance reacted to the vibrations and swarmed in.
Jahar and the team members couldn't feel it, but Jeon's senses clearly captured their movements.
"What kind of trick is this?"
"Die!"
"You son of a bitch...."
It was when Jahar, Darren, and Seydo, sensing the unusual atmosphere, were about to attack Jeon.
Boom!
Massive insects burst through the sand and revealed themselves behind Jeon.
They were sandworms.