Chapter 68 – EPISODE 68 – MISSED (1)
Terms used in this chapter:
The person near the ink will become black – a Korean idiom which means that if you are close/get along with bad friends, you will likely become bad like them. In short, a good person will become bad if they hang around with bad people. It is slightly similar to ‘one rotten apple spoils the barrel,’ but in this idiom’s case, the subject is the already bad person who turns good people into doing bad too.
“I’ll explain what the dragon vein is first.”
Having heard about the story of the Guardians of the Holy Cross and the witch’s soul, Violent Avalanche had a face like that of a seasoned veteran.
Violent Avalanche had been worried on what to do given its very desperate situation, but unexpectedly, a helping hand came and relieved its worries.
“First of all, you two should sit down. It’s going to be a long story.”
Violent Avalanche tapped on the spot next to it, before it slightly wriggled its b.u.t.t to move into a more comfortable sitting position.
Cordelia sat next to Violent Avalanche who was like a teddy bear, while Jude sat opposite them.
“The dragon vein is a stream of divine power that flows throughout the entire wild land.”
“Does the dragon vein exist only in the wild lands?”
Violent Avalanche nodded at Cordelia’s question.
“Yes. The truth is…the dragon vein was originally called the ley line, and these ley lines were spread out all over the entire continent…or rather, throughout the entire planet. However, the wild G.o.ds used their powers on a portion of these ley lines for quite some time to create what we call the dragon vein now.”
In short, they removed some of the original infrastructure and upgraded it.
Cordelia asked again.
“Is the dragon vein something like the wild G.o.ds’ source of power?”
“Not entirely. However…it is true that us wild G.o.ds have our strength increased when we are near the dragon vein. The land where the dragon veins flow is what we call our sanctuary, and when we leave our sanctuary, we lose our connection with the dragon vein, and our strength also weakens.”
“Uh…does that mean that it’s difficult for the wild G.o.ds if they lose the dragon vein?”
“It’s not completely difficult. It’s completely difficult…but there are also some strong wild G.o.ds who do not completely rely on the dragon vein…”
But from the way Violent Avalanche spoke, it seemed like Violent Avalanche belonged to the group of wild G.o.ds who found it difficult if they lost their connection with the dragon vein.
“The dragon vein is extremely important then.”
“Yes. I’m not trying to brag, but the reason why everyone can live in the wild lands is because of the sanctuary’s existence that us wild G.o.ds look after. But if the dragon vein is destroyed, the sanctuary is also destroyed, and the wild lands will eventually become a land of death.”
Jude nodded his head.
In fact, the wild lands that appeared in the game was a barren land that was uninhabitable for any living beings.
“But I think they’re trying to do something worse.”
“They’re not turning it into a land of death?”
“Yes, they tried to contaminate the dragon vein. Rather than destroying it…it seemed like they were trying to use the dragon vein for something bad.”
“You’re right, come to think of it, you’ve said it before, right? If the dragon vein is contaminated and corrupted, you’ll also be corrupted.”
At Cordelia’s words, Violent Avalanche nodded with a gloomy face.
And in the midst of this serious talk, Jude looked at Cordelia, as if he found her talking to be something unexpected.
Cordelia would usually be silent when Jude was talking to someone else because she didn’t know much about their discussion, but now, she was listening to the conversation and even responding well to it.
Her skill to naturally lead the conversation was also good.
‘It doesn’t seem like she’s thinking about it.’
She was just doing it naturally.
‘In fact, I’ve been talking more ever since I met her too.’
Remembering when he first began playing Legend of Heroes 2, Jude was almost preoccupied with his past memories for a while, but he soon shook his head and dismissed his thoughts.
Their conversation with Violent Avalanche was more important than his current thoughts now.
“As they polluted the dragon vein, I also began feeling strange. I desperately resisted…and if you two hadn’t come, I would’ve definitely lost my reason and become a crazy monster.”
Violent Avalanche shook its head as if just imagining it was horrible.
Cordelia stroked Violent Avalanche’s back as she looked at Jude.
‘You have a rough idea about it, right?’
‘Yes, I think I know what happened.’
After he roughly matched the story in Legend of Heroes 2 and in their current situation, he arrived at a conclusion.
What Zarakul poured into the dragon vein was Belial’s blood.
Of course, it wasn’t literally Belial’s blood, but the sacrifices’ blood that was infused with Belial’s power through a special ceremony.
“Violent Avalanche, it seems that they’re intending to corrupt the entire wild lands by corrupting the dragon vein and the wild G.o.ds.”
At Jude’s words, Violent Avalanche shuddered.
“Indeed, it’s a horrible situation. They must be stopped.”
“Yes, they must be stopped. And in order to that, Violent Avalanche’s help is absolutely necessary.”
“My help?”
“Yes, that’s right. We really need your help!”
Violent Avalanche was embarra.s.sed for a moment when Cordelia pleaded in an earnest tone, but it soon sprang up from its seat and said.
“Okay! I will do what I can!”
“Thank you very much!”
Cordelia responded again and then turned to Jude.
‘But what kind of help are you going to ask?’
‘Um…the person near the ink will become black.’
She had impulsively scammed Violent Avalanche.
Jude felt guilty for a while because he felt like he had led the innocent Cordelia astray, but he soon focused on Violent Avalanche and said.
“The demon followers have already corrupted the Angry Bull tribe and made them their subordinates. Therefore, we need to isolate the Angry Bull tribe.”
“The Angry Bull tribe? They are one of the largest and strongest tribes in the wild land.”
“Yes, so we have to stop them now. You could say that this current situation alone has revealed the plot of these guys.”
“Plot?”
“Yes, they’re not only plotting to corrupt the dragon vein. They’re also trying to corrupt the sanctuaries and the wild G.o.ds, and even the tribes that live in the wild land.”
“What?!”
“The dragon veins are contaminated, and the sanctuaries are destroyed. Because of that, the tribes will find it difficult to live here. However, even the wild G.o.ds whom they have believed and depended on until now are also in a strange situation. The minds of the tribes’ people, who will have no place to lean on, will be weakened, and the enemies will penetrate through those weakened gaps. They will incorporate the tribes into the Angry Bull tribe that is already under the control of the demon followers and turn the entire wild land into a den of demons!”
“Oh-oh my gosh! That’s evil. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are truly evil!”
Violent Avalanche trembled as it found that situation scary.
Jude then said as he grabbed the small and round shoulders of such Violent Avalanche.
“Yes, so they must be stopped. We must tell the truth to each tribe in the wild land and then isolate the Angry Bull tribe.”
The reason why the Angry Bull tribe invaded the northern part of the Sälen Kingdom was because they unified the wild land.
Therefore, the two had to prevent them from completely unifying the wild land.
Or rather, the two had to isolate them.
“How should I do it? What should I do?”
“You must go the Great Storm tribe first and tell them the truth. Everyone will listen because it’s a wild G.o.d’s words and not anyone else.”
“Uhh…so I have to leave my sanctuary then?”
Although it had collapsed, more than half of the rocky mountain was still left.
Despite that, it was still Violent Avalanche’s sanctuary.
“Violent Avalanche, this is a very serious situation. You’re the only whom we can trust and rely on right now.”
Cordelia spoke in a serious tone with tears in her eyes, and Violent Avalanche groaned as it found that to be difficult to do.
It was a slightly better situation for the wild G.o.d to leave and abandon their sanctuary, which is the source of their power, than to ignore the situation and die.
“What if someone else occupies this mountain while I’m gone?”
At Violent Avalanche’s hesitation, Cordelia clasped its hands and said.
“It’s okay, we’ll help you if a thief takes over your land. We’ll drive the thief away and get your mountain back together.”
“Yes, Great Storm will also help you.”
If Great Storm was here, he would have said ‘Why should I?’, but he wasn’t here, so he wouldn’t have the chance to say that.
“Uhhhhh…I see. I’ll do it. I will go to the Great Storm tribe and inform them of the Angry Bull tribe’s evil plot!”
“You’re so cool. Violent Avalanche is the best!”
Cordelia tightly hug Violent Avalanche, and Violent Avalanche bashfully smiled.
“Hmm…hmmm….”
No, Violent Avalanche didn’t openly smile, but it was obvious that it liked Cordelia’s actions.
‘Because a beautiful woman is a treasure of the world.’
Jude giggled, before he immediately brought out the next topic.
“Violent Avalanche, do you know where the Great Storm tribe lives?”
“I know it roughly. But not where that Great Storm brat lives.”
“That’s a relief. I wish you a quick and safe journey.”
“Yes, thank you…wait. You wish me? Aren’t we going together?”
When Violent Avalanche widely opened its eyes and asked, Cordelia also looked at Jude.
Jude said as he nodded his head.
“Yes, I’m sorry to say this, but I think it’s better if you go alone to the Great Storm tribe.”
“Then, what about you two?”
“We intend to stop their plot. Violent Avalanche, do you know other wild G.o.ds’ sanctuaries that are connected to the dragon vein here? Excluding Great Storm.”
“That…Gentle Snow Breeze’s sanctuary can be found northeast of the basin here.”
“We’re thinking of going there. If they’re really trying to corrupt the entire dragon vein, the other sanctuaries are also in danger.”
What he said made sense.
Moreover, Jude and Cordelia had one more reason to move.
‘Lena.’
They had to reach the place where Lena’s death event took place. Although they still had time to spare, it wasn’t wasteful to have too much time.
‘It takes about two days to return to the Great Storm tribe.’
A round trip would take about four days.
Cordelia roughly guessed Jude’s thoughts and asked with a glance.
‘Will it be okay?’
‘It will be okay. We didn’t encounter any danger while on our way here.’
Furthermore, Violent Avalanche was a wild G.o.d despite being weakened. Violent Avalanche would surely be able to find the sanctuary of another wild G.o.d.
“Violent Avalanche, please.”
“Ummm….I understand. I will go to the Great Storm tribe alone.”
Violent Avalanche nodded as it made up its mind, and Jude bowed again before he asked.
“Can you tell me more about the location of Gentle Snow Breeze’s sanctuary?”
“No problem. I have a map that I kept in the past.”
Violent Avalanche sat on the ground again and dug the ground, and suddenly, a map appeared from the ground.
Like the Freezing Stone earlier, it seemed to be Violent Avalanche’s magic skill.
“Here, take it.”
“Thank you.”
Their conversation was over.
They had no time to waste because they had to save the wild land.
“I’ll be going then.”
“Yes, I look forward to seeing you again later.”
“I’ll see you later.”
Violent Avalanche waved its hand to the polite Jude and Cordelia who waved her hand too, before it quickly began to descend the rocky mountain.
Cordelia spoke after looking at the back of such Violent Avalanche for quite some time.
“Will Violent Avalanche be okay?”
“Violent Avalanche will be okay…wait, you don’t have a good feeling?”
Jude trusted Cordelia’s intuition.
Jude asked in a panic as he thought that it was more serious than he had thought, but Cordelia pondered for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders.
“No, it’s not to the point where I have a bad feeling. I’m just worried.”
“Violent Avalanche will be fine then. Even if Violent Avalanche looks like that, it is an old wild G.o.d who has lived for hundreds of years.”
The relieved Jude asked Cordelia again.
“Well then, let’s just rest here for today and leave in the early morning tomorrow.”
“Yes, but I really want to wash myself a little. Is there anything like a hot spring here?”
“Uh…how about gathering the snow together and melting it with a fireball? If it feels like the water is cooling down, then add another fireball in.”
At Jude’s words, Cordelia widely opened her eyes and soon clenched her fists as she snorted.
“It is…possible!”
It was not something that couldn’t be done.
Cordelia would do more than that just for a bath.
“Yes, anyway, let’s find a place where we will sleep first. We also have to eat something.”
“Okay, I’m hungry.”
“I’ll cook the meal right away as soon as we find the right place.”
“Is it beef jerky boiled in hot water again?”
“My princess, didn’t I say that you shouldn’t be picky?”
“No, f*ck. I’m a picky eater, so try increasing the number of side dishes, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
“Eh, really?”
Cordelia asked as she blinked her eyes, and Jude nodded once before he began taking the lead.
Both of them had a hard time today, so he thought that having something special from the little food they saved would be fine.
‘Hmm, good. We can go like this.’
Jude looked back towards Violent Avalanche’s direction before he hurriedly moved forward again.