Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 124

Chapter 124: People Who Have Lost Hope （3）

It felt like his thought process had come to a halt.

Not twice, but three consecutive trials had been assigned.

Furthermore, what was peculiar was that the reward was given not only as an increase in all stats, but also in the form of Stat Stones.

‘The 15 Stat Stones likely hold symbolic meaning. If the reward was meant solely for me, it would’ve been given as a direct stat increase like before. The reason for separating the stats and the Stat Stones must be to distribute the rewards to the party members who are taking the risk with me. The existence of Stat Stones, which can be divided into three equal parts, is no coincidence.’

Five per person.

It was a suitable reward.

However, he couldn’t make a rash decision, even with that in mind.

He thought that in Kitakyushu, at least the Yellow Zone was considered accessible, but from the Red Zone onward, the story changed completely. It was a place where even the government couldn’t guarantee safety. If they entered the Red Zone, teeming with A-rank monsters, they might face the worst-case scenario of annihilation, let alone rewards.

He gulped.

Logically, this was something he should never accept.

Nothing was more important than life, but as before, Kang San had no choice.

‘In the end, it’s just a difference between going in alone or together.’

There was no other way.

Kang San chose to be honest.

Seeing his Dongsaengs express their own opinions, he couldn’t force them, now his comrades, to retreat or to go with him, regardless of the direction.

“I have something to tell you all.”

He called his Dongsaengs.

As always, the matter required some embellishment.

“Among the skills I recently acquired, there’s one that allows me to find a person’s location ‘conditionally.’ Unfortunately or fortunately, I used that skill to locate Eileen, and it turns out she’s in the Red Zone. As you all know, the Red Zone is extremely dangerous. No matter how much you want to show goodwill to someone in need, there’s no reason to risk your life for it. You all have families who cherish you. If you act on the optimistic assumption that things will work out, your families, who are eagerly waiting for you, will receive tragic news.”

He attributed the existence of the trial to a skill.

He concealed the matter of the reward.

He knew his Dongsaengs wouldn’t be tempted by rewards, but he didn’t want the reward aspect to influence this decision in the slightest.

They all hesitated.

Entering the Red Zone wasn’t an easy decision for them either.

In response to their hesitation,

“Wait a minute! I have a proposition!”

Jessica, who had been listening, quickly raised her voice.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kang San’s words.

His statement that he could find her Dongsaeng’s location startled Jessica.

If he could locate her Dongsaeng without the help of an artifact, she had to secure the help of Kang San’s party by any means necessary.

Jessica spoke,

“I haven’t been searching for my Dongsaeng in Kitakyushu every single day. Aside from the time I spend patrolling, allowing the artifact to detect signals, I’ve also been hunting monsters. Especially when Monster Waves surge in, I’ve actively stepped forward and stolen monsters that those unfamiliar with this place have missed. Kang San-nim, you’ve experienced this too, so I apologize for that. But the reason I’ve been so tenacious is that I wanted to be able to offer a substantial reward if a situation like this ever arose.”

It could have sounded unpleasant.

But she had to do whatever it took.

“3 million dollars （4 billion won）. I’ll give you all my fortune. And if you manage to rescue Eileen, I’ll dedicate myself to the four of you from now on. I’ll accept whatever you ask of me, and if you need me as part of your party’s strength, I can assist you without any share of the rewards.”

Her plea was desperate.

Contrary to her sharp features, she appealed to their emotions with a voice full of longing.

“I’m still a B-rank Hunter. I was recognized for my abilities in France, where I lived. I don’t believe that helping me will be a loss at all. Please, please, I beg you.”

Jessica’s gaze was fixed on Kang San.

She had cleverly figured out that Kang San was the leader of this party, but Kang San averted his gaze, handing over the decision to his Dongsaengs.

Even if they refused,

Kang San had to accept the trial anyway.

If Kang San made the decision, his Dongsaengs might follow, so he wanted them to make their own choices first.

A brief silence fell.

After much deliberation, Yeon Woo-bin cautiously spoke,

“…When I lost my mother and decided to become a Hunter, I asked myself a question. Back then, the people who caused my mother to fall, the people who saw her fall but didn’t help her, the people who didn’t intervene in the affairs of others – while I resented them, could I help a stranger if I experienced the same situation? Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know if I have the capacity to help someone, if I’m capable of doing that without experiencing it myself. But.”

He looked at Kang San.

In Yeon Woo-bin’s eyes, there was a firm determination that hadn’t been there before.

“The reason I’ve been striving to become stronger is that I want to have the capacity to help someone as much as possible. The strength to protect the people I cherish. The ability to help someone when they fall in front of me. I know the Red Zone is dangerous. But if it’s possible, I want to help.”

Jessica’s situation.

He projected his mother onto Eileen.

His mother who had fallen before his eyes, Eileen who was sending a signal right in front of him.

Yeon Woo-bin wouldn’t turn a blind eye.

Jo Han-byeol felt the same way.

“I agree with Woo-bin. Both Woo-bin and I have become stronger for times like these.”

Lastly, Jeong Chan-woo.

As all eyes turned to him, he smiled.

“Wouldn’t it be ‘party unity?’ Let’s go.”

His Dongsaengs’ goodwill.

A hollow laugh escaped his lips.

Why were they living like this?

Kang San was strangely moved by his Dongsaengs, who were willing to accept sacrifice without any special reward, even though it wasn’t something he had asked for. They were good people. He thought that perhaps because he seemed like a good person on the surface, people like this gathered around him.

Kang San thought once more.

If the recurring trials led to an unfavorable outcome, he would absolutely ensure that no one died before him.

He looked at Jessica.

“I accept your offer.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The goal was clear.

From now on, they needed a solid plan to rescue Eileen rather than complex calculations.

The time limit for the trial was 2 hours.

According to the information provided by the system, they could reach Eileen’s location in about an hour if they moved diligently.

‘The problem is that we don’t know how many monsters we’ll encounter along the way. Considering the time that could be consumed by variables, 2 hours is not a comfortable margin at all.’

They had to hurry.

But before that,

There was something he needed to confirm with the child first.

“Can you tell me how you ended up here alone?”

The child’s presence.

He didn’t understand.

The situation of a child being left alone in the middle of the Yellow Zone, swarming with monsters, wasn’t normal. And it had been three years since the large-scale Link incident. He judged that there must be a story that only those inside knew, a story that people like Kang San wouldn’t be aware of.

Sure enough,

“Well…”

The child cautiously began to speak.

The story went like this:

Three years ago, when the large-scale Link incident occurred, countless people living in southern Japan couldn’t escape death. However, that didn’t mean complete annihilation. There were survivors amidst the chaos. Those who had lost their escape routes gathered in small groups and formed villages. That’s how Eileen and the child met. They lived in the same village, and the adults went out every day to gather food, avoiding the monsters’ gaze. The child had followed the adults, wanting to imitate them, but when he came to his senses, he was lost.

And fortunately, thanks to Eileen’s artifact, Kang San found him.

“A village?”

“How is that even possible?”

Everyone was bewildered.

Three years.

Until about a year had passed, there were efforts to find survivors, but recently, the prevailing opinion was that even if there were any, they were all dead. That’s why the Japanese government hadn’t taken any proactive measures. Japan had other problems to deal with, and they couldn’t prioritize the issue of people who were already presumed dead.

The situation was serious.

There might be more than one village.

The thought that there might be more people besides Eileen, that something bigger might lie beyond the trial, dawned on him. However, rather than overthinking it, it was more important to solve the immediate problem at hand.

Kang San said,

“Jessica-nim, please take responsibility for the child’s safety while we move.”

“Alright.”

No more.

There was no more time to hesitate.

Kang San rose from his spot and started walking in the direction indicated by the system.

“I’ll take the lead. Let’s move.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

There was no need for a special distinction for the Red Zone.

Unlike the Green and Yellow Zones, which were judged by the level of the monsters, a thick fog signaled their entry into the Red Zone. It was a suffocating sight. It was a situation that would have flustered most parties, but fortunately, Kang San’s party had experienced something similar before.

Their first raid.

The ant nest was like that.

They had encountered fog before falling into the ant nest, and Kang San chose to move slowly at the front.

“Everyone, maintain a certain distance.”

“Yes.”

This fog was the true danger of the Red Zone.

Not only did the fog restrict visibility, but communication devices were unusable from this point onward.

In the early stages of the large-scale Link incident,

The Japanese government had certainly made efforts to rescue survivors, but due to the environment where communication with the outside world was impossible, they couldn’t even retrace their steps because of the ‘fog.’ As the number of people lost and dying in the fog increased, they eventually concluded that it was a futile effort and temporarily suspended rescue operations.

It was the same for the survivors.

Just as the rescuers couldn’t find their way, they too couldn’t find a way to escape the monsters and became isolated.

That’s why recently,

Conflicting opinions had become frequent in the Japanese Diet.

In particular, two prominent figures in the Diet clashed fiercely over the issue of prioritizing the situation in the south.

‘It’s already been an hour.’

Kang San glanced at the time.

Because they had encountered monsters in the Yellow Zone, even though they hurried, it had been an hour since they entered the Red Zone. However, they couldn’t move recklessly. They couldn’t predict what kind of monsters would appear in the Red Zone, so they had to prioritize safety above all else.

That’s when it happened.

Amidst the creeping fog, Kang San detected the movement of a living creature.

“Get ready.”

Kyaaaak━!

Suddenly,

As expected.

A familiar monster emerged from the fog, slashing with its sharp claws.

Clang!

Woof woof woof woof!

They were Werewolves.

A dozen Werewolves poured out at once and lunged at Kang San’s party.

Kang San reacted calmly.

C-rank Werewolves weren’t enough to be considered a crisis, and his Dongsaengs also responded calmly. As Kang San and Jeong Chan-woo blocked the incoming wave at the front, Jo Han-byeol and Yeon Woo-bin’s attacks landed alternately, quickly reducing their numbers. Jessica was practically excluded from the battle. She possessed sufficient abilities, but her movements were restricted as she protected the little girl who wasn’t even 10 years old.

The situation,

Was quickly coming to an end.

They were about 10 minutes away from Eileen, so it seemed like they could complete the trial if they just dealt with these monsters.

But at that moment,

Kang San heard a sound that triggered an unpleasant memory.

Awoooooo━! A beast’s howl pierced his eardrums.

Simultaneously,

『You have been exposed to the Werewolf Lord’s Fear. Your physical abilities are temporarily reduced by 10%.』

The monster of the tenth trial.

Its presence made itself known once again.