Chapter 245: The First Request
As I instinctively parted my lips, I felt the skin stick and stretch slightly. I quickly closed them again, but there was no stopping the saliva from sliding down my throat.
Both Han So-young and I knew it. The answer I was about to give would change the course of our conversation. She called it a “request,” but I understood her true intention was to establish a pretext.
If I truly wanted to refuse, this was my only chance. Of course, I could listen and then decide, but ignoring Han So-young’s use of the word “request” might be interpreted as “Mercenary doesn’t want any ties with Istantel Low.”
‘This is quite the predicament.’
A whirlwind of emotions surged through me, and I reminded myself of the reason I had returned to this second chance. It wasn’t without hesitation, but I soon arrived at a decision.
Maintaining a good relationship with Istantel Low was essential. No, it was imperative. I hadn’t come back to oppose Han So-young; quite the opposite, in fact.
In those few seconds, I managed to pull out a single feeling.
“With such a grand setup… you’re making it hard to refuse.”
“There’s no need to feel pressured.”
Her clear response brought a wry smile to my face. I downed the last of my now lukewarm tea and spoke calmly.
“Alright. Could you tell me more about this request?”
“Of course. Dayeon, could you bring those in?”
At Han So-young’s pointed glance, Park Dayeon rose immediately. Though she grumbled under her breath, she obediently opened the door and stepped out.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Han So-young began to explain the request.
“Where should I start? Our city, Monica, is located in the southwest among the southern cities. It’s a crucial hub, connected to Barbara in the north and the Steel Mountains in the south. Are you familiar with the terrain to the east, known as the Hallucination Canyon?”
“Are you referring to the canyon on the Plateau of Delusions?”
When I answered promptly, I saw a flicker of surprise in Han So-young’s eyes. She stared at me for a moment before nodding.
“Yes, that’s right. Let me ask you something. What comes to mind when you think of Monica?”
“I know it as a city bordering the Steel Mountains, renowned for its stability. I recall hearing it’s among the top five in terms of stability.”
“That’s the rumor. But.”
Han So-young paused, lifting her teacup for the first time. As the cup tilted to her lips, her slender neck was exposed, exuding a captivating allure. I suddenly felt parched.
After setting the cup down, her voice, now more resonant, reached my ears.
“I don’t see it that way.”
”…….”
“Until now, we’ve focused on securing a safe passage with Barbara and strategizing against the Steel Mountains to stabilize the city. But one of those is no longer necessary, and the other has become a distant goal.”
“I see… I think I understand.”
Our relationship with the Golden Lion had soured beyond repair, and the campaign against the Steel Mountains was a distant dream. It meant shifting focus to areas that had been relatively neglected.
Han So-young sighed briefly, then looked me straight in the eye.
“I’ve been long-winded. Let me get to the point of the request.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“About two months ago, one of the clans under Istantel Low, the Yeoulgan Clan, embarked on an expedition to the Hallucination Canyon. Given the distance to the Plateau of Delusions, a round trip should take about three weeks. But it’s been over eight weeks, and they haven’t returned.”
“Eight weeks… Could they have perished for some reason?”
She shook her head slightly, not in denial, but as if she wasn’t sure.
“Six weeks ago, we received a single communication from a Yeoulgan clan member’s personal device.”
“Was it a distress call?”
“Something like that. But instead of explaining the situation, they left just one word.”
“And that word was…?”
“Help.”
‘Help…? Could they have actually reached the Hallucination Canyon? Getting through the Plateau of Delusions is no easy feat. And if they asked for help… then maybe…’
I couldn’t be certain, but Han So-young’s words gave me a rough idea of the situation. I hadn’t participated in the expedition to the plateau and canyon in my first life, but it was a famous venture, and I knew quite a bit about the secrets and processes involved.
“After that single word, the communication was cut off, and we haven’t heard from them since.”
“So they contacted you two weeks into the expedition. It’s hard to believe they’re still alive after six weeks. Was a rescue team dispatched?”
“A week after the communication, two clans that were on good terms with Yeoulgan sent a rescue team. But they, too, have lost contact.”
“Hmm…”
Just as I was about to delve deeper into thought, the door clicked open. I turned to see Park Dayeon entering with a sullen expression, her arms full of various items.
“Clan Lord, I’ve brought them.”
“Perfect timing. Could you hand me the records first?”
“Grumble, grumble.”
“I know how you feel, even if you don’t say it.”
Han So-young made a quick remark and began to swiftly scan the records handed to her. After a brief moment, she selected a few pages and spoke.
“Normally, we’d assume they’re dead, but that single word ‘help’ has given many users hope. Honestly, I think it’s too late, but as the representative of Monica’s leading clan, I have a duty to uncover the truth.”
“So you want Mercenary to take on the second rescue mission?”
“No, I can’t ask you to do something so dangerous. We only want one thing: a search operation on the Plateau of Delusions.”
“A search operation.”
“Yes. According to the records, the survival rate for users who have ventured to the Plateau of Delusions is 45.7%. For the Hallucination Canyon, it’s 27.8%. These figures don’t include those who were completely wiped out, so the actual rate might be lower. Keep that in mind.”
Han So-young paused, shifting her gaze from me to Park Dayeon. They exchanged a silent look before Park Dayeon, grumbling again, pulled out a box she had been holding tightly. I glanced at the box and asked.
“What is this?”
“Twenty premium Essence Pills. They’re the only elixir that can help you endure the Plateau of Delusions. With these, you can last a day there without much trouble. But they’re hard to make, so we can’t provide more.”
“With ten people, the quantity is sufficient.”
“That’s a relief. Mercenary Lord, let me formally request this of you. We believe the best user to make the most of these Essence Pills in the limited time is the Shadow Queen. We don’t expect you to enter the Hallucination Canyon. We just hope you’ll conduct the most thorough search possible within the time these pills allow.”
Han So-young handed me the condensed records. A quick glance confirmed they were filled with information about the Plateau of Delusions.
“Oh, I forgot to mention the reward. Even if you find nothing, we’ll offer a 30% discount on purchasing a clan house.”
“Even if we find nothing?”
“Of course, we’ll need a report on the expedition. It will greatly aid us when we send the second rescue team. And if you achieve more than expected, we’re willing to offer an even greater discount.”
‘The Plateau of Delusions and the Hallucination Canyon. They’ve certainly played an interesting card.’
From a purely financial standpoint, Istantel Low would suffer some loss. But as a leading clan, they could easily recover. The key was that if we succeeded beyond expectations, we would gain a perfect pretext, one that couldn’t be better.
As I nodded a couple of times, Han So-young exhaled a relaxed breath and asked me.
“So, will you accept our request?”
“I…”
As I skimmed through the records, I realized they weren’t much different from my memory. In fact, my memory contained even more crucial and detailed information.
I pondered for a moment before slowly opening my mouth.
Han So-young offered to see me off, but I politely declined, managing to leave the clan house alone. As I recalled our mutual nod of agreement at the end, a smile crept onto my lips.
My steps were light as I headed back to the Love House. Clutching the records and the box, I walked briskly.
I hadn’t given a definitive answer to the request. I had expressed my willingness to accept it, pending a discussion with my clan members, and promised to send a reply the next day. But by taking the records and the box, I had effectively conveyed my intention to accept the request.
On the surface, this request seemed a bit—no, very—unreasonable. They wanted a fledgling clan to explore a place even established clans hesitated to venture into.
But I knew better. If Han So-young intended to send us to our doom, she wouldn’t have mentioned survival rates or given us the precious Jeongshimdan.
Of course, Jeongshimdan isn’t a cure-all. It’s top-grade, with excellent efficacy and a long-lasting effect. However, in the Plateau of Delusions, the deeper you go, the stronger the field effects become, diminishing the pill’s effectiveness.
They promised a 30% discount if we just scouted the area and brought back some traces. Plus, our mercenary group had the Shadow Queen, unmatched in tracking skills. With her, as long as the traces weren’t deliberately erased, success was almost guaranteed.
In essence, they were telling us not to push too far in, just to skim the outskirts and bring back a few traces. But I had no intention of doing just that.
I didn’t want to burden Istantel Low like this. I’d caused enough trouble in the first round. Even though I said otherwise, if we returned with insignificant results, people might start doubting Han So-young’s decision. I was determined to avoid causing any problems.
And honestly, it wasn’t a bad proposal for me. In fact, it was a golden opportunity. Killing two birds with one stone. One of the reasons I came to Monica was to tackle the Canyon of Illusions. With my Third Eye and Insight, that place was practically my backyard.
Anyway, it was a place I intended to conquer eventually, so I might as well do it a bit earlier. Even setting aside the fame and achievements to be gained there (though that was a big part of it), the job was worth at least 27,000 gold, up to 90,000 gold.
“Come to think of it, is this the first request we’ve taken on since forming the mercenary group?”
There’s a saying about the first sale in business: if the start is good, the business will continue to thrive. While it’s hard to equate requests with business, it felt like we were off to a grand start with our first request.
Lost in thought, I found myself approaching a pale pink building in the distance.
The sun was setting. Combat users were returning to the city, and those who made a living through trade were about to start their work.
All that was left was to inform the clan members about the request and persuade them. As I pondered how to win their agreement, I quickened my pace.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Um… everyone. I’m sorry. I read through the comments… and it seems some readers have been awakened by Vivian(?). ;ㅇ; Um… oh… yes. I should scold and console you. Ah… why do I suddenly feel guilty? ㅜ.ㅠ What I want to say is… yes. Let’s conclude that the protagonist’s plot armor is great.(?) I’m out! ㅌㅌ!
PS. Thank you so much to the readers who gave coupons. (__)
『 Reader Comments 』
dsafddd: Oh, congratulations on being first. I can’t believe it. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a new face at the midnight release. Haha! I’m amazed. :) How does it feel to be first? ㅜ.ㅠ Ah. I’m currently considering Baby Pegasus, Baby Mimic, the Improved Guardian Shield, and Soli. Haha.
음월영검: Thank you. I will continue to work hard on the serialization. : )
juan: Now, now. There’s action, adventure, treasure, and catharsis waiting that’s even better than a bed scene! Hehehe.
기린일세: Thank you. Thank you for always reading. (__)
나르엘: Han So-young took in the protagonist, saved their life, and covered for all their troublesome actions. She’s like Su-hyun’s older brother, which is why Su-hyun is so devoted to both Han So-young and his brother. :)
dbss: I’m sorry. ㅜ.ㅠ The comments are chosen randomly. Thank you for always reading, and thank you for the coupons. (__) I hope you feel better. :D
輝雅: Sounds good. If I write a side story later, I’ll include outdoor scenes with Go Yeon-ju and a reunion scene with Ha-yeon. Ah, the intense rock-paper-scissors will appear in the main story later. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
Goksd: You have a point. However, please consider it as Su-hyun’s ‘temporary’ unfamiliarity with emotions he didn’t directly experience in the first round.
Lea: Good point. Why didn’t Su-hyun save them in the first round, even though he could have (as Seraph mentioned)? Why didn’t he use the Zero Code to save them and return? Despite having enough points to make a wish, why didn’t he save them? There’s an important reason for that. :) What I can say for sure is that Su-hyun turned back time to the second round to go beyond saving them and return to Earth.
Toranoanal: You’ve given a lot. I hope many good works come out so that Toranoanal has plenty to read. (__)
Thank you for always reading. Your recommendations and comments are a great encouragement.
I hope you always read the story with a relaxed mind.
Recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.