novel
| ← Ch.250 | Ch.252 → |
***
"Here we are."
The elder stopped his tracks.
Ho Sung Lee tilted his head and took a look around.
"We are? There's nothing here."
At that moment, the elder used the magic system to open the door.
The dirt on top fell, the lock unlocked, and the door slowly opened.
"Wow... ! You must keep the important items safely I here, " said Ho Sung as he looked at the mystical door.
"Right this way."
Ho Sung Lee followed the elder, who led the way with a lantern.
Once they walked through the stairs and the long passageway, they were faced with a brick wall.
Just like before, he used the magic system to open the brick wall, and Ho Sung Lee was in awe once more.
"Wow. If you hide it like this, no one will ever be able to find it."
"Go inside and check the item, " said the elder while pointing toward the inside of the room.
Ho Sung Lee stroked his chin and went deeply into thought.
"What's the matter?" The elder asked with a sharp look in his eye.
"It's strange."
In response, the elder's eyes shook, but he collected himself right away.
"What's weird... ?"
"Your behavior, " replied Ho Sung Lee as he turned around.
The elder didn't avoid Ho Sung Lee's gaze and smiled.
"I don't know what you mean..."
"So many things are suspicious about this."
Ho Sung Lee trailed off, and the elder felt both nervous and annoyed, but he made sure to not make it show."
"In what way?" The elder asked with a smile.
"Hm... Even if I came here to collect the item in my master's stead, it doesn't make sense for just one elder to just hand it over to me, and the fact that you let me come in here is suspicious, too."
Ho Sung Lee laughed and scratched his head.
"I'm not doubting you or anything, but I just have a weird feeling."
Ho Sung Lee grinned at the elder.
'... Does he know something?'
He had a hunch.
He had a feeling that he wasn't just suspicious, but that he knew a little more than that.
The elder couldn't get over that feeling.
There was only one way to get rid of his suspicion given the circumstances.
The elder reached out his hand to touch the air, and as soon as he did, the brick walls closed back up.
Ho Sung Lee looked confused.
"If you can't trust me, there's nothing we can do. Let's follow the original procedures. We'll meet with Ellen and hand it over to you together."
Ho Sung Lee smiled.
"That's better."
The elder was frustrated.
He wondered why he followed him here if he was going to act like that, but he had to suppress his emotions as much as possible.
The ancient document was inside his robe, and since he wouldn't fall for his trap, he had no choice but to throw the trap his way.
He had to get rid of him right here.
No matter how powerful the outsider might have been, just like Ho Sung Lee had said, this place was impossible for anyone to find.
He could kill him without even a mouse or bird finding out.
The elder planned to get rid of Ho Sung Lee within the basement passageway.
After that, he would throw the ancient document at the dwarves as bait.
The more he dragged it on, the more variables he would be faced with, so he had to act quickly.
The outsider was powerful, but the man that stood in front of him appeared to be weaker than him.
Given the lack of his ability to see people, he was certain he was right.
"Elder, " Ho Sung Lee called.
The elder glanced over at him.
"Why don't you put the ancient document inside your robe back in there?" Ho Sung Lee asked.
The elder's eyes grew wide.
"H-how..."
The elder stepped back in shock.
How did he know that he had the ancient document inside his robe?!
"Do you really think I followed you here without a plan? Really?"
Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"Did you really believe that?" Ho Sung Lee asked once more.
"I guess I'm left with no other choice. I'll just have to..."
"Wait. Maybe you should stop there."
The elder glared at Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee continued, "Just like I said earlier, I didn't come here without a plan. If you want to avoid the worst-case scenario, I suggest you hand the ancient document over to me right now."
"The worst-case scenario?"
"The extermination of the dark elf tribe."
Thud.
The elder felt his heart sink.
"If you try to get rid of me, my master will kill you. He's watching out for the situation right now."
The elder looked around with wide eyes.
That powerful outsider was right here?
'Damn it. I fell for their trap. '
'That's why he followed me here. '
The elder blamed his foolishness, but the damage had already been done.
***
Ho Sung Lee put on a relaxed and easygoing face, but that wasn't how he felt on the inside though.
His heart was pounding, and the reason was simple... because it was a lie.
It wasn't true that Min Sung Kang was watching out for this situation as they spoke.
Min Sung Kang was never that considerate. He hadn't even reported it to him, and he simply went on a whim out of curiosity.
The truth was, he caught onto the fact that something was inside his robe using his supporter ability, and the elder fell for his bluff.
The problem was that if they happened to fight, he would lose.
The elder was old, but he possessed a powerful Aura.
On top of that, the elder knew this basement better than anyone, putting Ho Sung Lee at a disadvantage.
It was best for Ho Sung Lee not to fight.
"Please don't make a choice that you'll never be able to turn back, " Ho Sung Lee said while looking straight at the elder.
The elder dropped his head. He clenched his fists, and his body trembled.
He then lifted his head and glared at Ho Sung Lee.
"What if you're lying?"
The elder suggested the possibility that Ho Sung Lee was bluffing, and that suspicion was powerful.
Ho Sung Lee remarked, "No way", but once a suspicion was created, it was hard to get rid of.
Just like that, the elder and Ho Sung Lee both got into a gambling ring.
"Haha. Look here, Elder. Let's say I'm lying, and you kill me and conceal my death. Do you really think you'll be safe once it's realized that I've disappeared within this fortress?"
"A disadvantageous game doesn't mean I'll lose."
"Do you really want to put all of the dark elves at risk? You'll die at this rate!"
"This ancient document is worth that much. Ellen might have given up, but this ancient document is worth at least that much!" The elder shouted.
Ho Sung Lee looked at the elder in frustration and lit a cigarette.
He smoked his cigarette. He knitted his brows and stared at the elder.
"Look here. Is something wrong with your head? What's so great about an item that's hundreds of years old that you're putting all the dark elves at risk? Can you really call yourself an elder?"
The elder glared back at Ho Sung Lee and trembled with a flushed face.
"You're just a stubborn old man. Phew... You might see us as robbers and plunderers, but that's what this world, Beatrice, is all about."
In response, the elder grimaced.
Ho Sung Lee continued, "In order to protect our own star and go back home, we need that damn item, so we negotiated. Your ruler lost, so you have to keep your promise. Why are you trying to put the dark elves on the line when you're not even that strong? Don't you think you're being selfish and irresponsible?"
Magic power began to gather in the elder's hands.
Ho Sung Lee felt his heart drop, but he knew that he would be done for if he stopped now.
"I warned you. You tried to stab us in the back, but I'm giving you another chance. Are you going to throw that away? Listen up..."
Ho Sung Lee glared at the elder and continued, "As soon as you use your power to try to kill me, Min Sung will show up, and it won't even take a second for your head to blow up."
"Seeing how he still hasn't' shown up, I think you're lying."
"I'm not finished, old man. The dark elves will go extinct, your ruler, Ellen, will die, and this is where the dark elves' history will end. As for your fortress, it'll go down in flames, and it'll turn into ruins."
Ho Sung Lee put out his cigarette and glared at the elder.
"I'm giving you one last chance, Elder. Hand me the ancient document, " said Ho Sung Lee in a low voice.
The elder's hands wriggled.
"You have to hand it over eventually. Don't gamble the lives of the dark elves for this. Then that'll make us feel bad once we ultimately leave with the ancient document, " Ho Sung Lee concluded.
"You must think I aged doing nothing. I've seen tons of bastards like you. Let me show you that the dark elves aren't as weak as you think."
The elder's eyes were filled with rage.
'This damned old man... !'
Ho Sung Lee jolted his eyes wide open and clenched down on his teeth.
| ← Ch. 250 | Ch. 252 → |