Terrifying Wilderness Raider

“Here, the gold I promised.”

“Heok…”

I received the huge money pouch Hwarang-nim handed me and plopped down on the spot.

The weight in my hands was incredibly heavy.

Thanks to Hwarang-nim’s victory, I was able to take all the Gold Rush raid gold.

Dividing 55,000 gold among four people meant we could each get 13,750 gold.

Plus, Hwarang-nim added his share to mine, so 27,500 gold entered my inventory.

It was an amazing haul for robbing just one carriage.

The uneasy feelings and memories I had from Hwarang-nim’s sudden actions had already disappeared.

I also got a huge amount of gold, and one of the strongest dealers in our guild got a World Item.

Dwelling on the past was not something a guild leader should do.

“Here, this is Iyaap-nim’s share.”

“Heoeo…”

I handed Iyaap-nim the gold I had promised.

He held the large money pouch in his hand, his mouth agape in a daze.

I could roughly guess what he was thinking.

I looked at my inventory and smiled happily.

If things kept going like this, I thought I could repay all the gold I borrowed from Helena before the end of this season.

It was a really, really happy thought. If I could only use the chat system, I would have told Helena this happy news right away.

But I couldn’t right now. Because the raider’s penalty was still in effect.

Users who succeed in the Gold Rush cannot leave this town for the next two days.

No, to be precise, I can leave, but the moment I leave this town, the wanted system will be reactivated, and I will be chased by countless users like before.

***

Was it because I successfully completed the Gold Rush? Or was it because I got a good night’s sleep for the first time in a while?

Maybe it was thanks to the aroma scent Sohee gave me.

The steps to school this morning were incredibly light. It felt like walking on clouds.

I walk along the long road and think.

I have to brag to Sohee when I see her. That I’ve already collected a huge sum of over 80,000 gold.

Imagining proving my credit and ability to her, a smile never left my face.

“Heungheung~”

Humming a naturally flowing tune, I pass through the school gate, climb the stairs, and enter the classroom.

As always, Sohee, who arrived first, was sitting in her seat in the classroom.

I watch her holding a cell phone in one hand and a small notebook in the other, and approach her stealthily.

“Hayeon-ah.”

“Uh, uh?”

I approached stealthily without making a sound, but somehow Sohee noticed and turned around, calling my name.

“I’m sorry…”

“Su, suddenly?”

“About that Gold Rush…”

“Ah…”

“I didn’t know it was you and I blocked you… They said they’d give currency to buy equipment if I arrested the raiders…”

I nodded with a sullen expression at Sohee’s words. Actually, I wasn’t going to argue, but I felt strange because Sohee apologized first and bowed her head. Anyway, I didn’t get caught. Isn’t everything okay?

“I’m really sorry… The disguise was so perfect…”

“Heuheung… Right? It was a bit of a perfect disguise.”

After all, it seems that only Sohee recognized the true value of my disguise.

I covered my face with a red mask and wore a large cowboy hat to cover my horns.

The guild, nickname, and even the title were not visible. How could anyone recognize me when everything that symbolized me was hidden?

I nodded with my arms crossed.

“It’s okay.”

“Ho, did you fail?”

Did I fail? Is she asking if the Gold Rush was successful?

Sohee was looking at me with trembling eyes.

“No! I succeeded.”

“Ah…”

I succeeded. I succeeded big time. And Hwarang-nim even got a World Item, so I could say it was a huge success.

“Yo, you must have made a lot of gold…?”

“Yeah, I made a lot. Ah, I’ll pay you back the gold when the penalty is lifted this time.”

“Gold… already?”

“Yeah. If I organize all the junk items, I think I can pay back about 90,000 gold this time.”

“Aren’t you overdoing it?”

Overdoing it? Absolutely not. I shook my head and patted my small chest.

“Trust me, I’ll pay back all of Sohee’s gold before the end of this season.”

Sohee closed her mouth at my confident answer.

She seemed to be touched.

“You don’t… have to overdo it… You can do it in other ways…”

Sohee began to mutter with a slightly dark expression.

I looked at her and shook my head.

There was no way I could repay that much money in a way other than the game.

In reality, I was just a small and cute middle school student.

“Hayeon-ah… When a new expansion pack comes out in the future, you’ll need a lot more gold.”

“That’s true.”

“What are you going to do if that happens… If you give me all your money…”

“I’m not just giving it to you, I’m paying it back? It’s not my money anyway.”

“Bu, but…”

“When a new season comes out, I’ll have to farm hard again then.”

“What if a new World Item appears?”

I was lost in thought for a moment at Sohee’s words, but soon shook my head and shook off my lingering feelings.

Of course, I wanted to have a World Item that represented a season of Deron.

However, if the World Items that will appear in the future are items that require such a huge amount of gold to purchase, I would decline.

“It’s okay.”

“Yo, you can steal it from the humans…!”

“I’ll win anyway.”

“I, if you have that, you can become stronger.”

“That’s true, but…”

“The only person who deserves a World Item is someone like Hayeon-ah. An item for someone special and wonderful… like that.”

I chuckled at Sohee’s words.

She seemed to think that I would get a new World Item every season.

Sohee’s thinking was wrong. I might not even get a chance next season.

I shook my head. When money problems start to get entangled in people’s relationships, there’s a high probability that it won’t end well.

Sohee was too nice. Didn’t she seem like she didn’t want to receive the gold she lent me?

It was clear that this was the result of Sohee’s kind nature combined with her consideration for me.

“Thank you for thinking of me as special. But I’m going to pay back the gold diligently.”

“U… Uueu…”

“Sohee-ya…”

Could she be touched by my words?

Sohee made a distorted expression and let out a moan mixed with tears.

It was a truly middle school student-like appearance.

I smiled softly and hugged Sohee.

Because I was short, I ended up fitting perfectly in her arms, but it wouldn’t be such a bad picture.

“Sohee-ya.”

“Eu, eueung…”

“Are you free tomorrow?”

“To, tomorrow…?”

“Yeah. Would you be okay from after school until late evening?”

I only slightly lifted my head from Sohee’s arms and looked up at her face as I asked.

Sohee, who was deeply moved, barely nodded with a slightly reddened face.

Okay. I got a definite answer that she had time.

I opened my mouth with a bright smile.

“Then let’s raid the Gold Rush together!”

“Ra, raid… Gold Rush…”

“Yeah, if Sohee is with me, we can rob any carriage. That way, I can pay back the gold faster.”

The smile disappears from Sohee’s face, who was smiling brightly as if responding to my smile.

That appearance felt somehow scary.

***

After the raider penalty disappeared, the first place I went was a large police station in a big city.

“Hmm…”

The gazes of the sheriff NPCs are cold. The raider penalty has disappeared, so I won’t be caught, but having succeeded in the Gold Rush raid, my friendship with them has permanently decreased, so I’m not getting a good look.

“Go in.”

Their attitude was also extremely cold.

Following the sheriff’s guidance, I moved to the place where the raiders were imprisoned.

“Guild Leader-nim!!! Blood Demon King-nim!!! Bandit King-nim!!!”

The moment I stepped inside, I heard a high-pitched scream that seemed to tear my ears apart.

I frowned and turned my gaze to where the voice was coming from.

There, Snow Mage, with her hands and feet shackled, was crying and clinging to the bars of the prison.

“How much time is left in your sentence?”

“24 hours!”

I nodded and handed a small money pouch to the sheriff.

It was bail for Snow Mage.

The sheriff, who received the 500 gold bail, nodded and went inside the prison to release Snow Mage.

“Thank you!!!”

Snow Mage, who came out of the prison, hugged me and cried.

I wondered how much she had suffered during that time.

I let out a small sigh and stroked her head.

Snow Mage had died just before the raid, so her imprisonment period was not long, and the bail was also cheap.

If she had succeeded in the raid and then died, her imprisonment period would have been more than 10 days.

Snow Mage was busy clinging to my side and whining until she left the police station.

Why is a grown adult acting like this?

I clicked my tongue at Snow Mage’s actions and took out a gold pouch from my arms and handed it to her.

“Take it.”

“Th, this is…?”

“It’s Snow-nim’s share.”

13,250 gold.

It was Snow Mage’s share, excluding the 500 gold bail.

“Is it okay for me to receive it…?”

“Yes, we’re on the same team.”

“Gu, Guild Leader-nim…!”

Snow Mage hugged me with shining eyes as if she was deeply moved.

Her hug only lasted until the moment she left the police station.

Because she ran into Helena, who was waiting right in front.

Snow Mage’s gaze and Helena’s gaze intertwine in the air.

At that moment, Snow Mage coughed and quietly stepped away from my body.

“He, Helena-nim…”

“Snow-nim. Hello.”

“Ni, nice to meet you.”

The two mages of fire and ice, who are incompatible, have gathered.

With this, the preparation is complete.

I left the town with Snow Mage, who had become quiet for some reason, and Helena, who seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason.

After running for a while on a pony, Iyaap-nim and Hwarang-nim, who were standing at a crossroads, approached riding their horses.

I put on a red mask and asked Iyaap-nim.

“Did you find the raiders’ location?”

“I found it earlier.”

I nodded and turned my gaze to Hwarang-nim.

Hwarang-nim nodded and opened his mouth in a quiet voice.

“Two groups have started the Gold Rush.”

His low voice was unpleasant to hear.

Hwarang-nim’s over-immersion in the game became more severe after obtaining [Twilight and Dawn].

I asked back with a sullen expression.

“… Which one is the biggest?”

“This way.”

Hwarang-nim said that and marked the coordinates in the party chat.

When I checked, it was not a very far area.

I put on a big cowboy hat with shining eyes.

Imagining the gold I would earn in the future, an evil smile naturally flowed out.

“Ihihi!”

It’s time to return to being a terrifying wilderness raider.