Chapter 33: Escort (3)

The snowflakes that had been falling steadily were now thinning. In the early morning, the snow-covered mountains looked lonely under the light snowfall.

Objects cannot have emotions, so it must have been my own feelings.

Strictly speaking, this operation was close to a failure.

The four agents must have scattered in all directions. Phiri couldn't have saved everyone from this mountain.

Moreover, I couldn't even guarantee Phiri's survival. There were many things to worry about.

Especially since the leader was a demon worshipper in the game.

'Not certain yet, though.'

I couldn't rule out the possibility that this mission was a plot to deal with Phiri.

My thoughts drifted to the negative side, and my emotions were complex. Was I feeling powerless and empty?

I knew from the beginning that this mission had a low chance of success. I had anticipated the danger.

Still, my heart was complicated, perhaps because this mission felt like the first failure I would face.

In the past three years, there had been risks, but no failures. The missions were always successful.

They were tasks given by the master, who had considered our well-being.

Perhaps, deep down, I had thought that even if there were setbacks, I would always succeed.

I knew it intellectually, but that's how I had experienced it.

'No, this isn't bad. This will be an experience, too.'

Just as I was thinking this, I sensed the demon worshippers standing far away in the wind. I quickly hid my body.

There were three of them.

Considering the distance they had moved and their current position, they seemed to be at the end of the encirclement.

The number of people had significantly decreased since we entered this place.

It was probably due to Phiri and our agents.

I felt a bit annoyed as I thought about it.

It wasn't unusual. I had suffered for days because of these guys, and it would continue.

'Should I take care of them?'

When moving with Phiri, I had avoided leaving unnecessary traces.

But now, it was different.

Of course, saying there was no risk would be a lie.

However, considering the situation, it was a reasonable action. There were some logical reasons.

This was the end of the encirclement. The main force was probably chasing Phiri and the agents deeper inside.

The probability of encountering a strong opponent was low.

'And if I draw their attention, it might help Phiri and the agents a bit.'

Phiri had said she would leave the decision to me. What would she have done? She probably would have taken action.

I half-made up my mind and closed the distance a bit. I would decide after observing.

Indeed.

When I approached and confirmed, the guys didn't seem that strong. Of course, I couldn't be certain just by looking.

Subtle postures and attitudes can reveal a lot. I could handle them.

With the wind expanded, I could sense the other encirclement groups on either side of the guys.

The distance was considerable. I didn't know how often they communicated, but it was a risk worth taking.

After all, such actions require taking risks.

'Quickly and quietly.'

I approached the guys stealthily.

After blocking the sound from spreading with the wind, I sharpened the wind blades.

I usually avoided attacking with wind.

I needed to hone my physical skills, and I wasn't yet proficient with wind.

It wouldn't work on strong opponents. But it was enough for these guys.

The enemies, who were chatting quietly, met their deaths in an instant. The sound of the wind was lost in the north wind.

The three, whose necks were cut simultaneously, fell without a scream.

Blood splattered between the falling snow, staining the snow under the fallen bodies red.

I habitually checked their possessions, as there might be some useful information.

'Wait.'

Even if our agents or Phiri survived, would they have noticed the identities of these guys?

I didn't think so.

They probably wouldn't have had the chance to confirm properly while fleeing.

If I took the evidence, perhaps Haisen's response would be a bit different later.

It was a small stroke of luck, something I hadn't considered before acting.

What should I take?

'Hmm.'

In the game, they often identified people by tattoos or accessories.

It wasn't 100%, as the guys weren't stupid. Infiltrators usually hid them.

Moreover, it was before the demon worshippers had fully emerged. I didn't expect them to leave evidence.

Sure enough, when I searched their possessions, all I found was simple food.

I stripped them to check for tattoos.

Fortunately, there were tattoos. The bizarre patterns and unfamiliar languages I had seen in the game.

'Cutting the skin... that’s a bit...'

I felt a bit of revulsion. There was no choice. I had to memorize as much as possible.

I had a good memory.

After memorizing, I stood up. I didn't know when the nearby followers would come to check.

From now on, I had to run at full speed.

Even though I had used some strength helping someone earlier, it wasn't enough to exhaust me.

The Ironman was working quite effectively. I was tired but not to the point of collapsing.

I increased my speed.

* * *

After dealing with the demon worshippers, the heavy snow gradually subsided.

I kept running and found a caravan coming up the road before morning.

There were 15 people visible, but 4 were hiding nearby, guarding the surroundings.

I wouldn't have noticed them without the wind.

'It's certain.'

Just seeing this, there was no reason to confuse it with another caravan.

Considering we were supposed to join them, they were all agents. I approached without hiding.

The caravan became busy as the people who were on guard noticed me.

The meeting place and time were wrong, and they wouldn't recognize my face.

As I closed the distance, I noticed the branch leader wasn't there.

Then, someone approached the person who seemed to be in charge and whispered in his ear. It was Mohen.

He must have come with them. The person in charge approached me.

"What happened?"

The person in charge, who had heard I was an ally, asked with a mix of caution and concern.

I quickly continued.

"No idle talk while on the move. Operation name: Escort. By the deputy leader's order, I joined early."

I mentioned the code phrase we had decided before the mission and continued.

"First, there was a problem. The agents encountered during the search attempted to escape on their own. The deputy leader also decided to act independently."

The person in charge nodded heavily.

"While escaping, I waited at the agreed location, and an ally passed by while fleeing. I followed the road to prepare for the pursuit."

The person in charge groaned.

"It will be difficult to enter the mountain in this state."

"Yes."

"Any pursuit?"

"They didn't follow me, but I dealt with one encirclement group on the way."

"Does that mean they might catch up soon?"

I nodded. The person in charge seemed to be thinking deeply. I kept quiet.

I needed to control these people. There was no need to interfere with his thoughts and make him dislike me.

"The situation is—"

"Not good. I saw over a hundred enemies while infiltrating."

"Over a hundred?"

"That's just what I saw. The total number is likely more."

The person in charge was shocked. The expressions of those listening also turned heavy.

It was a normal reaction. There was no reason to send over a hundred agents to this mountain range.

Even for the Empire, a hundred was not a small number.

That's why Phiri and the branch leader initially thought there was no need to evacuate the branch.

The person in charge probably thought we had stumbled into a plot the Empire was preparing.

In the silence, the person in charge spoke again.

"The Empire?"

"The deputy leader also found it hard to guess."

I didn't mention the demon worshippers' tattoos. It was unnecessary and premature.

I remained silent, giving him time to think.

"I knew it wouldn't be an easy mission, but the situation has changed too much."

"..."

"What do you think we should do?"

The person in charge asked for my opinion. He was a middle-aged man, and from this, he seemed like someone I could reason with.

Usually, the opinions of field agents are valued, but I was a rookie on my first mission.

Perhaps long-surviving spies all have their reasons.

"We should stop pretending to be a caravan."

The person in charge pondered for a moment. Meanwhile, Mohen glared at me sharply.

His slightly red face seemed to warn me not to overstep.

After a few seconds of thought, the person in charge nodded heavily.

"Yes, you're right. It's meaningless."

The person in charge sighed deeply.

"We can either abandon the pretense and help the allies who might be out there, or retreat quickly. Either way, the branch will have to evacuate."

He seemed to think it was the Empire, but his thoughts were moving quickly.

It felt like things would go well.

"We should retreat. We need to evacuate the branch as well."

"Kalin! Watch your words. Who asked for your judgment?"

Mohen interjected, perhaps disliking my proactive stance.

It was something he had heard from Phiri before.

While glaring at Mohen, the person in charge interrupted.

"Shut up. Who asked you to interfere? I'm listening to the field agent's opinion."

"..."

Mohen tightly closed his mouth. His slightly trembling shoulders showed he was very upset.

I concluded the conversation.

"The deputy leader gave me full authority."

Well, he said he would leave it to my judgment, but in a broader sense, that's what it meant.

Mohen looked at me in disbelief but didn't seem to have the courage to speak again.

The person in charge nodded.

"Then let's do it that way. If the deputy leader trusts you, and your words are not wrong."

"...Mr. Nadmo."

"Enough. I won't hear any objections."

To a question from an agent, Nadmo firmly shook his head.

"Abandon everything and only take necessary items. We will return to the branch at full speed."

I sighed in relief. I had been a bit worried, but things went better than expected.

If the person in charge had been unreasonable, things would have been much more complicated.

Everyone became busy, and Nadmo didn't forget to check on me.

"You look very tired. Can you leave immediately?"

"Yes. I can rest while moving."

"Can I lead the agents in the meantime?"

"You can continue."

"Alright."

Nadmo nodded with a satisfied look.

I mounted an extra horse. I couldn't predict what would happen next.

We wouldn't return to Haisen immediately after evacuating the branch.

Reports would come and go from some hideout. I only hoped for the safe return of Phiri and the allied agents.

Just as I was thinking this, I heard the sound of a system message updating. It was a sound I hadn't heard in a long time.

The word "Rescuer" caught my eye. It meant someone had been saved. That person had managed to escape.

A strange emotion welled up inside me.

Even though I didn't know the person, a sense of connection seemed to rise.

The heavy heart I had from thinking the mission was a failure felt a bit lighter.