Chapter 1254: Scorched World

Morning came after the conversation with Mi Hyoran. It was after staying up all night, leaving the brief conversation from dawn behind.

“Are you up?”

Poison Phoenix greets me, looking my way. When I came outside, he was washing his face.

“You’re up early.”

“Ahaha… Since my sleeping place changed, I couldn’t sleep well.”

Was that really the reason? A subtle thought that it didn’t seem so crossed my mind, but I didn’t pay it any mind.

“Did you sleep well, Gongja-nim?”

“Yes, I slept alright.”

Honestly, I couldn’t sleep. It would be a lie if I said I could. How could I possibly sleep after hearing that?

‘Gu Gongja-nim became an Apostle.’

My father became an Apostle. Hearing that, I had to stare blankly for a long time.

Should I have said it was fortunate he didn’t die? Fortunate, my ass. How is that fortunate?

‘I’m going crazy.’

I wish Mi Hyoran was lying, but funnily enough, I didn’t get that feeling. I felt she wasn’t certain when she said my father had died.

‘Not now.’

Should I call it instinct? I could tell Mi Hyoran wasn’t spewing lies. Which meant…

‘He really became an Apostle.’

Which meant the words that my father became an Apostle were true.

‘Why?’

I couldn’t understand.

‘Why did he make that choice?’

If it was my father, even if I didn’t know him well, the father I knew wouldn’t have made that choice. Why did he make such a choice?

“I don’t know.”

I couldn’t know. But even so, I knew one thing.

‘I still don’t know my father well.’

Even though I couldn’t understand why he made that choice, the fact that I couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t have done it… Father. It was also proof that I didn’t know the person named Gu Cheol-un well.

As I was spacing out, holding back a sigh.

Thump.

I sensed someone’s presence. When I turned my head, the commander of the Iron Dragon Unit, whom I’d met yesterday, had come to find us again.

“The Young Master is looking for you.”

Hearing the words, Poison Phoenix’s brow furrowed.

---

“Welcome.”

I visited the place I’d come to for the second time. Mi Hyoran was sitting there with the same expression as yesterday.

“Did you sleep well?”

I couldn’t sleep a wink.

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Poison Phoenix and Mi Hyoran converse, exuding a strange atmosphere.

“Since you gave us a day’s rest, I think it’s time we had a proper talk amongst ourselves.”

At Mi Hyoran’s words, Poison Phoenix’s lips move slightly.

“…What kind of talk?”

“If you came here because a problem arose at your hideout, it means you want to belong (to us), doesn’t it?”

“…”

Poison Phoenix didn’t answer easily. But it wasn’t difficult to read the meaning in his gaze.

“If someone who left intends to return, it would be right to prepare commensurate work, wouldn’t it?”

“…So, what do you want?”

“The condition isn’t difficult. It’s participating in the search party. Since it’s better for our side to have more personnel, I won’t ask for anything else.”

“Are you saying we only have to handle the search?”

“For now. You can do at least this much, can’t you?”

“…”

Poison Phoenix bites his lip. Is there something about the search party?

“Okay…”

Poison Phoenix, who had been silent, finally uttered his agreement.

“However, please exclude Baek Gongja from participating in the search party.”

“Huh?”

At those words, I looked at her. Mi Hyoran’s eyebrows twitched significantly.

“That’s absurd.”

“Why? Baek Gongja wasn’t one of our members in the first place. If we’re going to do it, we can just do it ourselves, can’t we?”

“Whether he was a member or not, he’s part of our group now. Saying to exclude only Baek Gongja is a very selfish and emotional statement.”

“…But.”

“Wait. Just a moment.”

As a strange argument was about to break out, I stepped in front of Poison Phoenix.

“Miss Tang.”

“Gongja-nim. Don’t worry. This matter…”

“No. It’s not that.”

It seemed like she was misunderstanding something.

“As for me, I’m planning on participating in the search party or whatever, anyway.”

“What?”

“It’s not like I’m not doing it. I have no intention of avoiding it.”

“Gongja-nim… Do you know what the search party entails that you’re acting like this?”

“Isn’t it just going outside to search and look for ways to escape?”

“…That’s-“

“It doesn’t seem like it would be good for you, Miss Tang, to exclude me here.”

There’s no particular reason to exclude me.

‘It would be convenient if I could investigate too.’

It was a good aspect, as I’d be able to gather information by going outside.

“Fortunately, it seems Baek Gongja’s thoughts are different. Is more talk needed?”

“…Ngh…”

“I won’t put all the companions you brought into the search party. Four people. Just four should be enough to participate. Since there happens to be a schedule today, go out and come back to get in sync.”

As she spoke, Mi Hyoran stood up.

“Please provide guidance regarding that.”

“Understood.”

After hearing the Iron Dragon Unit Commander’s reply, Mi Hyoran completely disappeared.

‘Hmm.’

Watching her back, I nodded. There was something subtly bothering me since earlier.

‘Not yet.’

It doesn’t seem like the time to pretend I know.

“Go.”

The Iron Dragon Unit Commander started walking. Following that, Poison Phoenix looked at me. I nodded as if saying it was okay and followed him.

---

I hadn’t heard much explanation, even calling it a search party. In the first place, explanation didn’t seem necessary.

“Internal activity for the formation of the search party.”

“Understood.”

At the Iron Dragon Unit Commander’s words, the gatekeeper nodded.

“What is the duration?”

“Two shijin.”

“I will relay the message to the formation experts.”

Screeeech-.

The door opens. The outside scenery is visible through the open door. Following him who went out first, I stepped out together.

Slam-!

When I looked back at the sound of it closing right after.

‘Oh.’

The same scenery unfolded. The huge wall that should have been there originally had disappeared.

‘It seems like it’s a formation, but…’

Swooosh-.

As if amazed, I activated my Mind’s Eye. I thought it might be sorcery, but it was indeed a formation. It was also a quite solidly constructed formation. If one wanted to disable it…

‘It seems like it would take some time.’

If I were to find the key point, it’s further away. I would have to find that place and a way to destroy it.

‘It seems that key point is hidden too.’

Something done to make finding it take time. I could tell that.

‘Breaking it with force would also be possible, but…’

With my current energy, it seemed a bit lacking. It meant it was a well-made formation.

‘Hmm.’

Was the Wind Dragon Unit’s formation this amazing? As I was wondering and looking at the formation.

“I shall depart.”

The Iron Dragon Unit Commander announced the departure. At his words, ten people were formed into the search party. Among them, our group of four moved along.

The members were Poison Phoenix, Tang Cheon-gi, me. And one man who came along. Was his name Bang Cheon-yu? I think so.

“There isn’t much to the search method. It’s checking if there are monsters around, identifying places with many monsters, and figuring out the reason for the increase in places where there were originally few.”

It meant the task was to identify and record the number of monsters that exist in this area.

“Furthermore, going to locations beyond a certain point is forbidden.”

At his words, I asked.

“If it’s beyond a certain point?”

“It’s marked on the map.”

I chuckled at the informal speech. That guy seemed to show courtesy to others, but he was speaking informally to me. He seemed displeased.

Since I didn’t care whether he was displeased or not, I glanced at the map. The map drawn on the cloth was difficult to look at, but I could roughly grasp the location.

“What’s the reason we shouldn’t go further?”

“The number of monsters is overwhelmingly large, and if you proceed further than that-“

“Are we likely to get caught by Apostles?”

“…”

The Iron Dragon Unit Commander’s eyes widened. I’d guessed it roughly, and it seemed to be the correct answer. He had a look asking how I knew. How could I know?

‘The range is consistent.’

Although I guessed it, the range was consistently circular, centered around the hideout. This meant…

‘If you go further than this, something problematic will happen.’

The only problem that could exist in this world right now was ultimately just one thing.

‘Apostles.’

Those weird guys who became mixed with monsters. There would be nothing else to get caught by.

“Anyway. So, is the search within this range the end of it?”

“…Yes.”

“But then… we can’t go further, and can only maintain the status quo, isn’t that right?”

If we want to escape this place, we can’t just stay put. It was strange that only this simple search was being conducted. Reminding him of that, I asked the question, but…

“That’s work for others to do.”

“Hmm.”

He said it wasn’t the search party’s role. Then it’s not like we’re doing particularly dangerous work, is it? But what about Poison Phoenix’s reaction? Around the time I was figuring out the strange situations.

“…Let’s depart.”

The personnel departed for the search. And then.

A gray light flashed for an instant from above in the sky. In such a fleeting moment that even I couldn’t notice.

---

Whoooosh-.

Above the red sky where the wind blew, a small gray flame burst with a ‘tak!’ sound. As a not-small flame burst, someone appeared from within it. A figure wearing dark-colored clothes and possessing cold eyes. With shimmering gray irises, he looked down at the ground.

“…”

Nothing could be seen. Although the ground was filled with desolate areas and withered trees. The young man was finding something even in such a space. The First Apostle. The location Geomhu told me about was this place.

Swooosh-.

Instantly lowering his altitude, he dropped to the ground. After falling to the ground, the first thing seen was the area that had turned into a mess.

“…”

Nothing remained, and the blackened ground and surroundings looked as if a large explosion had occurred. The young man, who was quietly looking at the ground, bowed his head and grasped the scorched earth. Strange. It felt like some kind of familiar energy was contained in the ground.

Embers.

Heat.

Flames, similar yet different to his own, were felt here. As soon as he felt that, the young man turned his head and looked far away.

Fwoooosh…!

Gray flames once again enveloped the young man’s body. Then immediately, kicking off the ground, he became a flash and pierced the air. Towards the place where flames similar to this ground were felt. Towards that place, the young man. Gu Cheol-un launched himself forward.