Chapter 88

“Move carefully. Kill anyone standing in our way.”

“Boss, are you sure…”

“We’ll be out of the country with a fortune by dawn.”

Everyone from the Berdoc Mercenary Group made up their minds after Hogg reminded them.

“Their arrows are useless tonight. They can’t see us, and this armor that the Donians gave us can deflect arrows. Don’t worry. The treasure is ours!”

“Let’s go!”

“The treasure is ours!”

Hogg and the fifty other mercenaries moved. They were equipped with durable leather armor tightly wrapped around their bodies. It seemed to slow down their movement, but it made them fearless against the arrows of the Ainos. They moved under the cover of darkness toward the campsite.

“Boss, it’s weird.”

Baxter, who had been scouting, came back to make a report. He seemed nervous.

“What’s weird?”

“It’s… It’s too dark.”

“Dark?”

“Look. There’s no light in the camp. I don’t see anyone guarding the entrance either.”

“Luck is with us then. I guess they’re too relaxed after the feast.”

Baxter frowned at Hogg’s words — something didn’t feel right. They looked down on the Ainos when they were drinking but they were still survivors of the forest. These people lived in the mountains full of monsters. People made fun of them, but some were out of fear of such strength.

‘What is up with him?’

The Berdoc Mercenary Group was considered lowly by many people, but they were still a powerful group. Hogg was the leader of the group and he knew how to lead. But he seemed to have lost his mind.

“Good for us. Durtee, go take a few boys and set the east side on fire. When they are busy putting the fires out, we’ll go for the storage. We’ll set everything on fire once we take what we need.”

“Okay.”

Hogg gave the order before Baxter could say anything and Durtee took ten men towards the east of the campsite.

“Let’s move.”

Everyone painted their faces black and began following Hogg.

‘Should I run away?’

Baxter hesitated, but he followed the group in the end. His instincts were warning him, but he was blinded by the fortune that would be awaiting them in the end. Dreaming of the fortune that those few potions would bring him blinded him. It would enable him to buy a large farmland and live a peaceful life.

‘And buy some female slaves… hehe.’

Baxter began to daydream as he followed along. None of them knew that there were eyes quietly observing them.

“They’re here. Do you see them?”

“Groups, to the east side.”

“It’s a diversion. They are trying to do something on the east side and go for the potions at the same time.”

“Do you see?”

The Ainos seemed to be shocked by what they were looking at, as Joonbum asked through the walkie-talkie. Some gasped and some seemed bitter as they still had doubts that this would happen. But some were excited to use the night-vision goggles for the first time.

“This thing is so good.”

The campsite had no light source other than the coals from the bonfire that had been put out. There was no way for anyone to make out any shapes in such darkness. But after putting on the night-vision goggles, their sight turned green and they were able to see everything, including all the mercenaries approaching carefully in the darkness.

“Start when they’re in range.”

Joonbum spoke quietly. There was a bright light from the east. It was a small torch, but it looked very bright through night vision.

“Ugh!”

The mercenary who lit the torch to prepare the fire arrows screamed as he fell down. The other men also fell to the ground. Arrows had been fired at the mercenaries that had come to start a fire and they began to fall one by one.

“Hader! Hader is down! Put up a shie- ugh.”

“Where?! Where are they?!”

The mercenaries frantically searched for cover, but arrows kept coming at them, piercing their arms and thighs.

“Jon! Peter!”

“Argh!”

A man who put up a shield rolled on the ground as arrows penetrated their feet. Pretty soon, they were all down on the ground, moaning in pain. But as soon as everyone was down on the ground, no more arrows were fired.

‘We have to run…!’

Durtee snapped the arrow from his feet and began running, but he fell down again as another arrow pierced his thigh.

“Argh…!”

“You are surrounded. We will spare your lives if you give up your weapons and surrender.”

None of them had any critical wounds. All the mercenaries threw down their weapons as the voice ordered them to do so.

“What?!”

“Ahh!”

The Ainos, who were covered in black, showed themselves from the darkness and it made the mercenaries tremble. At that moment, a scream echoed from the other side of the camp. Durtee recognized whose scream it was and none of the Ainos seemed bothered by the sound.

‘They knew we were coming!’ Durtee thought as he thought about the arrows that were all aimed at their thighs or arms.

‘We’re doomed.’

*

“Argh!”

“Oh, they began. Let’s go! Move!”

It was a scream instead of a fire, but Hogg did not care. He figured the scream would draw more attention to the east side.

“Durtee is doing well.”

“He’s probably eager to finish it quick!”

Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing. They ran towards the campsite courageously.

“Go! Go! Move!”

Baxter was still hesitant. He ordered his boys to move in, but he was backing away slowly.

‘Something’s not right. It’s really dangerous!’

His instincts that allowed him to survive to this day were warning him of a grave and imminent danger.

‘I knew it!’

The torch that let out a dim light immediately went out as soon as Hogg and the mercenaries entered the camp and the screams began increasing from the east. The camp became pitch dark and it was impossible to see anything.

“ARGH!”

The scream came right in front and Baxter opened his eyes wide in shock. He felt all his hair rising and sweat rolling down his back. His hands which were holding onto the hand axe became sweaty. Fear struck him.

-Boy, do you know what’s really dangerous in the forest? It’s not the monsters. It’s the Ainos. They live where the monsters that we fear lurk. If you encounter them in the forest, run away. That’s the only way to survive. And always think twice if you get the chance to work on something related to them. They never forget.-

The memory of an old mercenary who mumbled it to him every time when he first began his life as a mercenary came back to him. It was over twenty years ago but the memory came back clearly.

“Argh! Arrows! Ainos!”

“NO!!”

“S-Shields! Ugh! Help!”

There were black figures moving about within the darkness. Baxter began running toward to the entrance.

Joonbum watched the hesitant Baxter running away quietly through his night-vision goggles and turned to the others. The mercenaries who had entered the campsite were on the floor, moaning.

“Ugh! Please! Don’t kill me!”

“Monsters! The Ainos are monsters!”

All of them were shivering on the ground as many of them were felled by the arrows. There were no more courageous fighters left. Then, a man began screaming while waving around his sword and shield.

“COME! Come you dogs! Let’s fight in the glorious battle! You cowards! Come out! I, Hogg of the Berdoc Mercenary Group, will fight you — argh!”

An arrow penetrated Hogg’s leg, stopping his shout. He broke the arrow and began screaming again.

“I won’t be stopped by some arrows! Men! Follow me!”

“Let’s go! Follow the boss!”

A few responded to Hogg’s brave advance. They knew from experience that it was the only possible way to survive on the battlefield.

“Argh!”

“Ugh! It HURTS!”

But it was no use. More arrows were fired at their thighs and they fell to the ground. All of them began trembling.

“AHH! Monsters!”

“Oh Gods! Save us!”

They began screaming in fear as they saw a black figure with a strange-looking head appear from the darkness.

“Come out! You filthy Ainos dogs! Show yourself! Fight me!”

Hogg swung his sword frantically as he shouted alone. He could not figure out where he was due to the darkness and he was also mad from rage and fear.

“Is he calling us filthy?”

“I’m lost for words.”

“They are as Joonbum said. Those filthy dogs.”

Joonbum grinned as the young Ainos nearby him mumbled. It was the first time they had ever watched a fight with beings other than monsters. All of them were watching with Joonbum using night-vision goggles.

‘It’s not as shocking as I thought it would be.’

Joonbum remembered some people that were traumatized after attacking or killing other humans in the movies. There were some movies that focused on such feelings.

‘But it doesn’t affect me.’

He was nervous, but he was okay. He then remembered people telling him that he had changed.

‘Have I really changed?’

“Come! Come out, you monsters — argh!”