The Returner Wants Complete Victory

52 – 052. Missing

Expeditions are full of variables.

Powerful enemies you never expected, unexpected situations, and even allies who have unnecessarily strong egos and make strange decisions.

In a way, it could be said that it was natural for the expedition leader, who had to take responsibility and coordinate everything, to have a bad expression.

“Is something wrong?”

When I returned to base camp, I asked Evan, who had a serious expression on his face.

It is said that the furrow between the expedition leader’s eyebrows is a constant, but in my opinion, Evan’s current level is a bit severe.

Even while being briefed on the results of the search, he seemed unable to concentrate at all, as if he was thinking about something else the whole time.

“ah… . no. “Nothing’s going on.”

No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like it.

As I stared at Evan, a shy smile appeared on his face.

“Well, actually, there’s something that bothers me.”

Evan got excited and started explaining.

The only rule Evan gave to the search team was to return within 6 days no matter what.

There was only this one thing.

It was a considerate treatment for the hunters, including Ellie and me, and the troops sent by the administrator.

If you try to build a perfect superior-subordinate relationship like in the military, you may end up with a backlash.

On the contrary, the group led by a Wild Fang member was controlled down to relatively minor details.

“Victor’s team was supposed to search this area and return during the day.”

From noble mtl dot com

While saying that, Evan pointed to a part of the map spread out on the table.

Even though you can save maps on your phone through the sharing function, you have to use an analog map to achieve achievements.

“But as you can see… .”

Evan smiled bitterly as he said that.

Outside the open barracks door, I could see the sky already turning red at sunset.

“Isn’t it possible that the search was prolonged because we were looking for some clue?”

Although variables arose, it did not yet exceed Evan’s limit of 6 days.

Evan also nodded as if he agreed.

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I told you it wasn’t a big deal.”

But Evan’s expression still showed no sign of relaxation.

Even so, there is nothing we can do about it.

I know you’re worried, but sometimes you have to trust the people out in the field.

“Our group is planning to go in this direction starting tomorrow. “I don’t think the one I was exploring today is real.”

“ah. yes. All right. “I will tell you to compile the reports from that direction before tomorrow morning.”

For now, the conversation ended like that.

*

Day 10 of exploration.

“uuum—.”

I was still just looking at the magic stone.

Hyril’s eyes, which had expressed surprise when he first heard of this method, soon changed to look at Sazza.

“Is it really different?”

“That’s right.”

“But it doesn’t seem to make much difference?”

“This is proof that there are no colonies around. I told you. It’s a very subtle difference. Even if it is discarded after about a month of production, there is not much difference from a one-year-old product. “You have to go at least as close as possible to find it using this method, but it means that you haven’t yet gotten close enough to the colony for this method to work.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

“okay.”

Hyril’s eyes were full of disbelief.

No, but it was something that could not be helped.

This, too, was a task that pioneers naturally had to shoulder.

In the end, all you have to do is prove it with results.

“There is no difference here either. “The limit is until tomorrow, so let’s return first.”

I said that and put the magic stone in my backpack.

After my first return, I went quite far this time with the intention of filling 6 days.

The search result was failure.

Although I didn’t bother to explain it to Hyril in detail, I have a keen sense of being able to detect very subtle differences in the chimera’s magic stones.

The conclusion reached is that all the chimeras discovered in this direction were those that had been produced at least a few months ago.

It’s unfortunate, but at this rate, there was a high probability that there would be no colonies in the direction where our two teams spread out.

Because this is beyond my capabilities.

There’s nothing I can do about it. I can only hope that other teams cheer up.

When we arrived at the base camp in the late afternoon of the next day, we couldn’t help but be taken aback by the scenery we saw.

“Why is the atmosphere like this?”

“… “Do you see what’s going on?”

I could feel the overall atmosphere of the base camp becoming heavy.

When they first started exploring, everyone’s actions showed a relaxed atmosphere, but now everyone’s expressions were stiff.

“Don’t you think there are a bit too many people?”

Bo-kyung, who was carefully looking around, spoke in a voice so low that only I could hear.

As Bo-kyung said, there were definitely a lot of people.

Even at a glance, the number looks like 80.

There are about 50 people stationed there, including troops and workers, so at least 4 teams have returned.

Did they all come back on the same day by chance?

That can’t be possible.

I hurried to the command barracks where Evan was.

*

The scenery in the command barracks was no different from the outside.

No, rather, this place was not heavy, but had a sharp air that felt bloody.

“Ah, Captain Won.”

As I entered the barracks, someone pretended to know me.

I nodded lightly, accepted the greeting, and sat down in the empty seat.

“… You came back safely. Fortunately, the.”

Evan looked at me and opened his mouth with difficulty.

I could tell what had just happened from the subtle tone of those words.

“Are there any teams that haven’t returned?”

“… .”

No one opened their mouths to what I said.

Rather than intentionally ignoring what was said, I felt like I didn’t know where to start explaining.

“If you were in a meeting, I’m fine, so you can proceed.”

“Oh, no. “The meeting ended quickly.”

Evan, who responded to my words, groaned and groaned.

Then, as if his thoughts had come together, he opened his mouth.

“Jinwoo. Do you remember the conversation we had the last time I saw you?”

“yes. There was a group that was supposed to return but didn’t. “Have you come back yet?”

The whole way to the barracks, I had a strong feeling that this was going to happen, so the answer came out right away.

Was the leader’s name Victor?

It wasn’t more than 6 days, but I said he didn’t come back on the day he was supposed to return.

“yes. After that, I did not return until the sixth day. now… “It’s already been 10 days.”

“What about the rescue team? “Didn’t you say that if you don’t come back after 6 days, we’ll send a rescue team?”

At my words, Evan’s face contorts with self-destruction.

He sighed and continued his explanation in as calm a tone as possible.

“I sent. “On that day, Miss Elizabeth and Miss Hella’s team returned, and we tied them together and sent them to search in the direction where Victor had disappeared.”

“Is it possible that neither of them came back?”

“yes.”

I felt my expression harden slightly at those words.

One group did not return.

Likewise, if there was an accident, we might not be able to respond if we only sent one group, so we grouped two groups together and formed a support team just in case.

And neither of them returned.

“What is the possibility that they are still searching?”

“I told you to return within three days if you don’t find any traces of Victor.”

“Could it be possible to continue the search to find traces?”

“If that were the case, even a small number of people would have been brought back and reported. I had instructed Hella to do so in advance. “For that purpose, we sent two groups together.”

What if the situation was so tight that even a small number of people could not be removed?

I swallowed these words inside.

Isn’t that too hopeful?

Although it was said that the situation was so urgent that even three out of sixteen people could not be removed, it was still better than not being able to return due to an accident.

“Then what about the additional support team?”

“that is… .”

Evan, who was trying to answer something, trailed off.

“Jinwoo.”

From that expression, it seemed like I knew roughly what he wanted to say.

It’s time to get your money’s worth.

“great. However, I would like to adjust the team size a little.”

“As much as you want. Oh, and I will also participate. Of course, Jinwoo will have command of this search operation.”

“Let’s start right away. Since there are likely to be frequent skirmishes, it would be better to organize mainly combatants.”

“yes. We have prepared all the supplies. “I’ve prepared plenty of flares, so you don’t have to worry.”

They immediately jump into conversation, as if they know what each other wants to say.

Evan must have been quite exhausted, so he got up immediately after finishing the conversation.

“Then, expedition leader, please select three as close combatants and come. “In our group, there are only four of us: me, Hyril, Seo Eun-ha, and Kwon Bo-kyung.”

Evan paused slightly when he heard Eunha and Bokyung’s names, but he nodded without saying anything, as if he wasn’t just saying that he would hand over command to me.

Evan and I left the barracks in a hurry.

*

“You two don’t have to do anything. You just have to follow along and not fall behind. The speed will be quite fast, so distribute your stamina well. “If you don’t feel like it, you can just take the potion.”

Bo-kyung, who heard what I said, answered with a slightly shocked expression.

“If that’s the case, isn’t it better for us to just stay here? If you’re not going to do anything anyway… .”

“It might be dangerous here too.”

Now that it was unclear what had happened to the three groups that went ahead, there was no guarantee that this base camp would be safe either.

Evan will probably bring three of the strongest close combat agents in Wild Fang.

Even if you give a rough estimate, it would be me, Hyril, and four more people in the order of strength in Wild Fang.

I can assure you that you will be safer with these six people than with the remaining 70 people at base camp.

Of course, if there are kids in the search team, the speed will inevitably drop.

That slight difference may cause problems for the rescued person.

But you can’t protect everyone.

The first thing I did when deciding to return was to prioritize the values in my mind.

At least these two lives are more important than the two Wild Fang leaders and Ellie right now.

“Ready.”

When I looked back to where the voice came from, Evan and three Wild Fang members were standing ready.

“great. “Let’s go right away.”

I said, carrying one of the backpacks they had brought.

Darkness had already fallen in the wilderness after the sun had set.