Chapter 32: Escort (2)

Phiri continued urgently.

"The plan is the same. Thirty minutes. Exactly thirty minutes from now, we'll leave this place and head to the rendezvous point."

"Understood."

Phiri's brown eyes lingered on me for a moment.

I nodded, meaning to reassure her not to worry. Only then did Phiri put on her mask and pull back the camouflage net.

Still, her gaze returned to me, as if her anxiety lingered.

"...Be careful."

"Yes. Take care, Commander."

"What's this 'take care'? Don't use such formal words. If someone sees, they'll think we're going to our deaths."

Phiri chuckled and scolded me. I also chuckled softly and nodded.

"Yes. See you again."

"Right."

Phiri immediately pushed off the ground. The distance between us widened in an instant.

As I erased Phiri's footsteps with the wind, an immense presence was felt from several hundred meters away.

Phiri was releasing her mana. Given the situation, she intended to draw attention properly.

I prepared to move within the camouflage net.

I tidied up the mana stove and stuffed some dry rations into my mouth.

I didn't know what would happen. I had to eat while I could.

'Still, it shouldn't be that difficult.'

The search teams and the encirclement were quickly heading northeast. Moreover, Phiri had started to cause chaos.

I wasn't worried about the escape itself. The problem was the agents and Phiri.

'Please, stay safe.'

While I didn't know about the others, Phiri was friendly to me and held a high position.

I had never seen her in the game.

Given that the commander was a demon worshipper, Phiri's survival would be crucial for me to use later.

Since I arrived in the empire, I had many concerns.

My information might have already been passed to the demon worshippers through the commander, or it would be eventually.

Being a mysterious figure, I would either become a primary target for recruitment or elimination.

'The one fortunate thing is...'

No one knew that I possessed demon blood.

Over the past three years, I had obtained meaningful information about demon blood.

It wasn't as dangerous as I had feared, though it wasn't entirely safe either.

I heard that demon blood revealed itself when a person strongly desired something.

'They say the color and atmosphere of one's eyes change so much that anyone can tell.'

In any case, knowing the commander's future, I hoped Phiri would be fine.

She was the most powerful and friendly weapon I could use against the commander in the empire.

I wanted to help, but I couldn't. It would be worse to do nothing.

I wasn't ready for that yet.

Why do things always go wrong because of one troublemaker in movies? There's no need to escalate the situation.

I put aside my thoughts and unfolded the map.

'It's nothing complicated.'

Our allies, disguised as a caravan, were scheduled to cross the road at the end of the mountain range.

If we left in 30 minutes, we would arrive before midnight. Waiting nearby would be the end of it.

Boom—

A massive rumble echoed from afar, slightly shaking the ground. Sand trickled down the cave wall.

Even without seeing, I knew it was Phiri's doing. The movements of the search teams, caught by the wind, became chaotic.

* * *

As expected, the escape wasn't difficult.

Thanks to Phiri, the search teams and the encirclement were in disarray, and their personnel were scattered.

Of course, there were many demon worshippers, but it wasn't that hard.

Running through the snow-covered mountains in the night, I arrived at the rendezvous point around midnight.

Due to the heavy snowfall, the road was unrecognizable, but I could confirm it by the signpost.

I settled on a high ground nearby to monitor the surroundings and waited.

Now, all that was left was to wait.

I couldn't sleep alone, but closing my eyes could reduce fatigue.

'After all, I can feel the wind.'

Despite being tired, the lack of sleep over the past few days hadn't caught up with me.

While the cold and boring time passed, something unusual happened around 3 a.m.

From the east, faint ground vibrations and commotion were caught by the wind.

Expanding my senses, I confirmed a person moving at high speed and a group chasing them.

I couldn't see the person's shape with the wind, but it definitely wasn't Phiri.

Phiri wouldn't come here.

So, it was likely one of our agents escaping. There were supposed to be four, but this was just one.

Was it Tuan Zaha?

'I can't be sure.'

We never planned to escape together. The method with the highest survival rate for at least one person was clear.

Someone had to draw attention while the other three escaped in different directions.

But...

Whoever it was, it wasn't important right now. What mattered was how I would act.

'Should I help? Or should I leave this place?'

The distance was still considerable. In the rising tension, I thought as quickly as possible.

Intuitively, leaving was the right decision, but I needed to organize my thoughts briefly.

Staying put was a bad move.

Would the demon worshippers remain idle when this person passed by?

'Absolutely not.'

We didn't know what information the agent might have leaked during their escape.

They would thoroughly search the escape route. Whether I helped or not, I had to leave this place eventually.

I also had to consider the allies disguised as a caravan. Problems would arise when they arrived here.

I needed to warn them.

'In the end, it comes down to whether I help or not.'

The escape started a little after 5 a.m. That meant this person had successfully fled for 10 hours.

It was impressive, even considering Phiri's distraction.

But they must be exhausted. Even if it was Tuan Zaha, acknowledged by the branch commander and Phiri...

Would my help make a significant difference?

The chances were low. The distance was closing. I made a quick decision.

I could only do what I could as an agent.

'It's unfortunate, but there's nothing I can do.'

The discomfort was somewhat dulled by reason. I could only hope they would escape safely.

I immediately stood up.

Judgment was cautious, but action was swift.

I erased the minor traces of my presence and turned to leave. I would warn the caravan and be done with it.

'Hmm?'

Just as I was about to take a step forward, something from the scene I just saw lingered in my mind.

I turned back. Whether it was lingering sentiment or necessity, I needed to check.

Through the heavy snow, the opposite mountain peak came into view.

And at that moment, something flashed through my mind.

'...An avalanche.'

It had been snowing heavily for almost a day. The mountains were already covered in snow.

Could I trigger an avalanche with the wind?

I had seen it somewhere.

A small snowball falling from a branch could cause an avalanche.

There was no risk if it failed. I was about to leave anyway.

If it succeeded, it would be beneficial. I could assist the person with the wind in the chaos.

Thanks to Phiri's stamina training over the past few days, I had enough energy despite being tired.

'Act swiftly.'

The visibility was extremely low due to the heavy snow, but it didn't matter. I had the wind.

I calculated the trajectory and focused on the wind.

The pursuers and the pursued were getting closer. I had to time it well, not knowing the speed of the avalanche.

In the short but long-seeming wait, I used the wind to scrape snow from the top of the mountain peak downward.

The result was more successful than I expected.

The snowballs moving from the top soon gained momentum and transformed into a massive wave of snow.

But I didn't plan to go down. I would help and leave the rest to fate.

If Phiri and the person survived, they would come to the branch.

The wind continued to provide information.

Everyone noticed the approaching avalanche. The pursuers were in chaos.

The lone escapee, however, ran unimpeded.

'They must have seen it as a good opportunity, given the situation.'

The pursuers, momentarily hesitating, resumed the chase.

They were all trained.

The avalanche wouldn't cause catastrophic damage. I had only created a variable with the wind.

I assisted the person running ahead of the snow wave with the wind.

They must have sensed something but realized it was help.

Tuan Zaha sped up, and the pursuers slowed down. I calculated my mana.

'I still have some leeway.'

I increased the speed of the avalanche and gave special attention to the massive snow chunks.

It was to enhance their destructive power.

Soon, the avalanche engulfed the people.

The snow, almost like massive ice blocks, swept away the pursuers and the pursued.

I used a considerable amount of mana to safely assist the ally within the avalanche and clear a path.

The pursuers were hit by the massive snow chunks as intended.

'This is getting tough.'

Mental fatigue hit me hard. It was a more precise and focused task than I expected.

I hadn't used the wind so precisely in recent times.

The person who emerged from the avalanche suddenly turned their head. In my direction.

Did they notice from that distance?

It was a surprising thought, but I quickly shook my head. It was impossible.

The mysterious wind couldn't reveal the user's location. The puppeteer had confirmed this.

They probably thought there was a mysterious helper on the opposite side of the avalanche.

Watching the person run forward again, I turned without hesitation.

Now, all that was left was to leave.

I needed to meet the approaching caravan and quickly change direction.

If the demon worshippers noticed the wind enveloping them, they would know there was a helper.

They would definitely cause a commotion in this area. Concerns about the other side also arose.

'I need to leave Kahlarin and escape.'

The caravan's report would be recorded in the city. Returning this way would be abnormal.

There were certainly demon worshippers in Kahlarin, and the risk of being tracked was high. No, it was certain.

I needed to leave Kahlarin before that.

I was worried if the branch commander would listen to me before Phiri arrived, but...

From the conversation with Phiri, he didn't seem like a fool.

If communication failed, I had to persuade him somehow.

Phiri had left the decision to me. I needed to repay her trust.

If she survived, my judgment would earn her trust, and I would need that to deal with the commander later.

"Hmm."

Countless snowflakes fluttered above my breath, like the worries in my mind.

I increased my speed. The deep snow crunched under my feet as I trudged through it.