Chapter 158: Hero Jin Sehee
When a man expresses interest in another man, it’s naturally creepy.
So I quickly asked for an explanation, and Cheska handed me a file smoothly and answered.
“I want to write evaluation reports for the expedition members.”
“Evaluation reports?”
“I thought it might help in planning future steps, so I’m compiling data on the specs and abilities of each expedition member.”
As I opened it and read, I saw the profiles of the current expedition members, along with rough ability stats that could appear on a status screen, and detailed notes on their specialties, strengths, and weaknesses.
He probably analyzed them by observing their battles with monsters or gathering data through conversations with the members during breaks.
“…You want to add my data to this?”
“Since you haven’t been directly involved, I haven’t had a chance to compile your data. So if you’re going on a scout, I’d like to observe and write it down…”
His attitude was more of a gentle request rather than forceful.I could refuse if it felt unreasonable, but I couldn’t deny that the detailed data seemed helpful for the expedition.
And who knows? I might be able to objectively analyze my own strengths through his data and seize an opportunity to reach a higher level.
“I understand the reason, but you know I can’t protect you from everything that might happen in the forest, right?”
“In other words, you want to confirm if I can protect myself.”
Understanding my words immediately, Cheska picked up a stone nearby.
He then tossed it above his head and swung his hand in the air, making the stone fall with a slicing sound, and the surrounding soldiers stir.
Ignoring them nonchalantly, Cheska picked up the cut piece and handed it to me, asking.
“Is this enough?”
“…Yes, there’s no need to see more.”
“Then let’s go right away. I think it’s better to start searching over there…”
Saying so, he started walking into the forest ahead.
Taking my eyes off his indifferent figure, I looked down at the stone piece he handed me and held my breath.
The stone had split in half without even being touched.
And it was so neatly cut that it felt like a machine had been used.
“Was that magic just now?”
“Rather than magic, wasn’t it aura imbued in the hand?”
“No, it split without touching it.”
The surrounding soldiers also guessed that Cheska’s skills were not crude, but they seemed unable to grasp the principle behind the stone splitting.
Naturally.
In that brief moment of swinging his hand, seeing the ‘single thread’ that shot out from his sleeve with the naked eye would not be easy unless one had transcendental senses like me.
“…Imbuing aura into a thread?”
But having grasped that, I couldn’t dismiss the thought that his skill was extraordinary.
Even I, with my precision control ability using spirits, still found it challenging, so how could this young noble use it so effortlessly?
“Hero Woo Hyo-sung. Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, yes. I’m coming right away.”
Whether it was luck or real skill, he wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.
As I put the neatly cut stone piece in my pocket and followed him, a vague tension started to build in my heart.
The place the orcs occupied was a canyon area outside the empire’s jurisdiction.
It was full of rugged mountains and cliffs, with thick trees and bushes, making it hard to see the surroundings.
The only saving grace was that orcs, as a species, were not accustomed to stealth activities, so it was very easy to spot their traces.
“Has it already been occupied for a while?”
The floor in the middle of the forest was covered with haphazard footprints.
The number of footprints and the lack of consistent direction indicated that they had been staying here for a long time.
Given their reproductive ability, rivaling that of goblins among the Aein species, it was safe to say this entire canyon might have turned into an orc den.
“…Is the village over there?”
But no matter how their numbers grew, being social creatures, they had to operate from a central point.
By observing the relatively recent footprints lined up towards one place, I could roughly guess where the orcs were gathering.
The smaller footprints near them also indicated that not just orcs but ‘people’ had been taken there.
“There are human footprints too.”
Cheska, who seemed to have noticed it too, adjusted his glasses and began to examine the footprints closely.
“The orcs probably took the survivors from the previous expedition. Judging by the size and stride of the footprints, they all seem to be women.”
“Well, yeah… Orcs don’t need men.”
They kill the men and turn the women into breeding slaves.
That’s common knowledge regarding orcs, but it’s a conclusion inferred from observing their habits.
To determine gender just from footprints, he must be naturally talented in deduction.
“You seem quite skilled at this kind of investigation. Have you ever worked as a scout before?”
It seemed he was evaluating me in the same way, as he subtly spoke to me.
The file and pen in his hand indicated that this question was for the evaluation report.
“Well, yeah. Porters usually choose the scout class for safety.”
“So you chose the scout class during your porter days.”
-Scribble, scribble.
Cheska immediately started writing the evaluation report after hearing my words.
His actions soon stopped, and his gaze shifted to me.
“So, what’s your class now?”
My body flinched and trembled.
As I moved forward in silence, Cheska finally took his eyes off the file and looked at me.
“…Hero Woo Hyo-sung?”
“Do I really have to say it?”
“It’s necessary for the evaluation. The class has a certain impact on your combat power.”
Ah, yes. That’s certainly true.
But still, I felt uneasy about saying it directly, so I averted my gaze and answered in a quiet voice.
“…Spear User.”
“Spear User? As far as I know, there’s no class called Spear User…”
His questioning voice trailed off.
Then, as if guessing something, Cheska adjusted his glasses and spoke in a serious tone.
“I see. You’re Spear Man, Hero Woo Hyo-sung.”1
“Do you really have to say that out loud?”
“I just said the class name. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean you should say it.”
Facts can be violent, and truth-telling can lead to defamation lawsuits.
“Just finish the investigation. Don’t mind my class.”
“If that’s what you want, I will.”
Reluctantly, Cheska continued the tracking work following my grumbling.
After some time passed, Cheska adjusted his glasses and spoke in a blunt voice.
“I’ll say it again: when I said ‘Spear Man,’ I was just referring to the class name, not in any other sense…”
“I get it already. Just be quiet.”
This one. He really holds onto things more than you’d expect.
Why is this guy so narrow-minded?
“Kyaaaaaak!!!”
Just as I was stewing in irritation, a scream echoed from somewhere ahead.
Cheska and I halted our tracking and turned our attention toward the source of the scream.
“…Hero Woo Hyo-sung.”
“I know.”
We know where to search now.
As I decided and moved towards the sound, I felt the stench of blood becoming stronger.
It meant that anything could happen here.
Orcs.
Although they were born stupid, they had a social structure, and their physique surpassed that of ordinary humans, making them a fearsome presence for those unprepared.
Of course, they were not a match for those with a certain level of power, but that was only when their numbers were low.
No matter how powerful and destructive a hero might be, it would be impossible to defeat an endless horde of orcs.
‘Fuck, these damned orcs.’
Ignoring that fact and recklessly charging into the orc horde, the expedition suffered near annihilation, with only the surviving women being captured and taken away by the orcs.
Nevertheless, Hero Jin Se-hee, who represented the group, couldn’t admit that the current outcome was her fault.
‘What the hell happened? Aren’t orcs supposed to run away when they’re scared after you kill enough of them?’
Although their numbers were overwhelming, they still had the emotion of fear since they were living beings.
They would only charge confidently when they dominated. If the ones at the forefront were ruthlessly killed, they would feel fear and scatter in panic.
So she thought the orcs they faced this time would be the same, but the orcs in this canyon went berserk and charged even more fiercely when the front ones were killed.
‘Right, it’s not my fault. The orcs in this canyon are just strange…!’
Yes, this defeat was definitely not her fault.
Even if she didn’t conduct any exploration due to her stubborn prejudice against orcs, didn’t scout to gauge their numbers, and killed every orc she saw without considering such a situation, resulting in near annihilation of the expedition with most men dead and the surrendered women captured and taken to the orc village.
None of this could possibly be the hero’s fault.
“Hero, what will happen to us now?”
“Eek, I don’t want to die like this…!”
Nevertheless, the expedition members who were dragged to the village and sat down were expressing their worries and resentment.
Jin Se-hee, feeling irritated, began to glare at them fiercely.
“Shut up and be quiet! We’re not going to die anyway, so why are you whining?”
Although the men were all killed, being born as women gave them a chance to barely survive.
As long as they stayed alive, there would be a chance to be rescued by the subjugation team that would come later.
But they couldn’t even endure until then and were cursing their survival itself.
“But if we stay like this, the orcs will do that to us.”
“It’s better to bite our tongues and die than be violated by orcs.”
“Ugh, I haven’t even experienced it yet…”
Given the characteristic of Aein species to breed with other races, it was obvious what fate awaited the women dragged to the village.
Even if they were rescued by a team, their bodies and minds would likely be shattered beyond repair by then.
“Enough whining, just think about enduring quietly.”
But she was prepared for that too.
Jin Se-hee, finding them pathetic for coming this far without such determination, averted her gaze and brooded over her irritation alone.
‘Damn bitches, how much more hardship will we face with them whining like this?’
Wasn’t it natural to find it pathetic that those who came to support someone with a mission to save the world couldn’t even endure this and were quick to cry?
But such differences also clearly distinguished the extraordinary her from them.
‘I will never surrender.’
As she planned for the future and prepared for what was to come, Jin Se-hee saw an orc crossing the gathered orcs and approaching.
The orc was a class larger than the others, with a feathered hat and face tattoos with a religious touch, and a thick column that could be called a totem on its shoulder.
“Are you the leader of this human group?”
The imposing figure made the expedition members tremble, but Jin Se-hee smiled confidently at the figure.
Although she was overwhelmed and captured by numbers, if she were in perfect condition, size and strength wouldn’t matter as she could take them down.
“Do you know how many of our kin died at your hands?”
“Ha, so you’re going to tell me to bear as many as I killed or something?”
Whatever it was, as long as she survived, there would always be a chance to retaliate.
Soon, Jin Se-hee started to raise her nose, provoking the orc chief as if challenging him to come.
“Do whatever you want. But remember one thing. No matter what you do, I will never surrender.”
“I see, I’ll honor your spirit by killing you without pain.”
The totem was lifted with a whoosh.
As the totem cast a shadow blocking the sunlight, Jin Se-hee’s face turned pale, realizing something was wrong.
“Wh-what?! Wait…!”
“I will avenge our kin with your blood! Long live Helkrai!”
-Bang!
A violent force combined with the totem’s mass caused a bursting impact.
“Kyaaa!”
The expedition members, drenched in blood, screamed in unison.
TL/N: For context, Hyo-sung initially said 창잡이 (changjabi), which means ‘Spear User’, but in this part, Cheska said 창남 (changnam), which in Korean means male prostitute. ️