Chapter 323

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 323

The armored bus carrying Zeon’s group was surprisingly comfortable.

Despite speeding across the desert, the ride was so smooth that it was hard to believe they were traveling over sand.

Thanks to that, Zeon and Brielle could relax as they moved.

Brielle whispered in a low voice,

“Is it really okay for us to be traveling this comfortably?”

“Why?”

“It just feels… strange.”

She had been to the desert many times with Zeon, but never like this—never in such comfort, as if they were on a picnic.

The only vehicles she had ever ridden in the desert were small ones like buggies.

This was her first time inside such a large armored bus.

Everything they needed was inside—food, sleeping quarters, even a restroom.

There was no need to step outside at all.

There was no rough camping, no harsh survival conditions—nothing like what she had always associated with desert travel.

It all felt too unfamiliar.

Zeon chuckled.

“Just enjoy the moment. This probably won’t happen again.”

“…Yeah!”

It was then—

Kuwaaaaah!

A beast’s roar echoed from outside.

Brielle turned to the window and saw a massive dust cloud rising in the distance.

A horde of beasts was approaching.

“A pack of Flame Wolves.”

Hundreds of Flame Wolves were charging toward the armored buses.

Their fangs gleamed as fire flickered between their jaws, making for an intimidating sight.

Even Old Man Go, who had seen countless battles, let out an impressed hum.

“A spectacular view.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go out there?”

“Why would I?”

Old Man Go smirked and looked toward the other armored bus running alongside them—the one carrying Seo Tae-ran.

Screech!

The bus braked to a halt.

However, the one who stepped out wasn’t Seo Tae-ran.

It was her secretary team.

“Hm.”

Zeon observed them with interest.

Most desert travelers wore loose robes or deshada-style outfits, which were practical for dealing with the scorching sun.

But Seo Tae-ran’s staff had stepped out in black suits—attire no ordinary traveler or even an average Awakened would ever consider wearing in the desert.

Zeon couldn’t help but wonder—

‘Are they that confident in their abilities? Or is there another reason?’

Kuwaaaah!

The Flame Wolves drew closer.

Their snarling maws were now close enough for him to see their teeth.

At that moment, the secretaries moved.

Pop! Pop!

With explosive force, they launched themselves off the ground and into the air.

Crack!

A secretary’s fist slammed into the jaw of the leading Flame Wolf.

Yelp!

The beast’s head twisted violently to the side as it was instantly killed.

And that was only the beginning.

Without hesitation, the secretaries waged battle against the entire pack—barehanded.

No—upon closer inspection, they weren’t completely unarmed.

They each wore knuckle dusters over both fists.

With those reinforced fists, they systematically took down one Flame Wolf after another.

Zeon narrowed his eyes.

‘Flawless efficiency.’

Block—strike—kill.

Block—strike—kill.

It sounded simple, but it was anything but easy.

Fighting a beast like a Flame Wolf in close quarters required immense courage.

No matter how powerful an Awakened became, they could never fully erase the primal emotion of fear.

That was why so many Awakened failed to unleash their full potential when confronted by a beast face-to-face.

But Seo Tae-ran’s secretaries were different.

They were like machines.

There was no hesitation, no fear—nothing remotely human in their movements.

Thud! Smack!

They dominated the pack with overwhelming violence.

Some were bitten by the wolves, but strangely, their black suits didn’t even get scratched.

Whimper! Yelp!

The howls of dying Flame Wolves filled the air.

Zeon murmured,

“The alpha is nowhere to be seen. A stray pack?”

A few hundred might seem like a large group, but by Flame Wolf standards, this was a small-scale pack.

And just like that—

In less than thirty minutes, the entire pack had been annihilated.

Tap, tap!

The secretaries dusted the blood off their suits and boarded the bus once more.

Seo Tae-ran never appeared—not even once.

The bus carrying her team resumed its course immediately.

Brielle, who had watched everything, whispered,

“Those people… they’re strange.”

“Yeah.”

Zeon nodded.

At that moment, Eun Soo-young, one of the twins, spoke up.

“They’re not entirely human.”

Zeon turned to her.

“How do you know?”

“Did you forget our abilities?”

She tapped her temple.

“Telepathy?”

“Exactly. Normally, I can read people’s thoughts to some extent. But with them, I get nothing. Completely blank. That’s impossible for an ordinary human.”

“Maybe they just have strong mental barriers?”

“You think all ten of them do? No way.”

“Yeah… that doesn’t make sense.”

Zeon agreed.

Mental fortitude wasn’t something one could train easily.

Most people weren’t even aware that mental shielding was a thing.

Only a rare few Awakened actively developed barriers to protect their minds from corruption.

Zeon was one of them.

He knew how difficult it was.

For all ten secretaries to have mastered it?

Impossible.

Eun Soo-jin scowled.

“There are plenty of secret research projects in City Hall that even we don’t know about. They’re probably the product of one of those experiments.”

“So they’re not normal humans.”

“Is there even such a thing as a normal human in this world? We live in a world where people amputate their own limbs to replace them with machines.”

“…Fair point.”

Zeon nodded.

Nothing about this world was normal anymore.

The very existence of beasts made that clear.

“How many of those secretaries are there in total?”

“No idea.”

“Even the Numbers don’t know?”

“The secretary division operates like an independent entity. Other than the Mayor and Seo Tae-ran, no one knows what goes on inside.”

“Really?”

“Honestly, the fact that they even showed their abilities like this is unusual. They almost never reveal themselves. It just goes to show how critical this mission is.”

With over 3,400 lives on the line, City Hall had no choice but to mobilize its forces.

Normally, another team would have been dispatched, but with so many projects happening at once, the only available unit was Seo Tae-ran’s secretaries.

That was why she had personally come, leading them herself.

Old Man Go commented,

“She may have a terrible personality, but her competence is unquestionable. At least until we reach the open-pit mana stone mine, those secretaries will handle most of the problems for us.”

“That works for me.”

Zeon leaned back in his seat, sinking deeper into the chair.

Thanks to Seo Tae-ran, this journey might actually be easier than expected.

If things continued like this, there wouldn’t even be a need for him to intervene.

It would be best to take advantage of the situation and rest while he could—he needed to be in top condition when they arrived.

With that thought, Zeon drifted off into deep sleep.

Seeing him so relaxed, Brielle—who had been tense—followed his lead and settled into her seat for some rest.

Old Man Go quietly observed them.

‘They really do have experience. The twins are too anxious to rest properly, but these two? They’re using every moment wisely.’

Truthfully, Old Man Go was just as uneasy as the twins.

He had fought in countless battles—

But this was his first time traveling this deep into the desert.

The tension made it difficult for him to rest.

That was why experience was so valuable.

Only those who had been through enough could adapt to the situation and make the best decisions.

‘How embarrassing. I’m older than them, yet I can’t even stay as composed as a kid…’

He tried to sleep like Zeon and Brielle, but the unease kept his mind sharp and alert.

With a bitter smile, he turned to gaze out the window.

* * *

They were attacked by beasts several more times along the way.

Each time, the Secretary’s Office personnel were the first to respond, swiftly eliminating the threats.

But another issue kept arising—

The armored bus kept breaking down.

Fine desert sand kept getting into the machinery, clogging up various components and causing malfunctions.

Fortunately, they had a mechanic onboard who managed to repair it every time, but the repeated breakdowns significantly delayed their journey to the mana stone mine.

The twin sisters groaned, exasperated.

“This desert is a nightmare.”

“Yeah… Neo Seoul is so much better.”

It had only been a few days since they left, yet they were already longing for home.

And in that moment, they realized just how fortunate they were to have been born and raised in Neo Seoul.

Just how lucky they were to have awakened in the city.

The twin sisters turned to Brielle.

They had been traveling together for days, yet they still felt awkward around her.

Brielle, for her part, kept her distance—

And the twins weren’t exactly the best at making friends, either.

Besides, Brielle had spent most of the journey asleep.

Unlike them, she was used to traveling through the desert.

Having accompanied Zeon on countless expeditions, she knew how important it was to rest whenever possible.

So, whenever there was an opportunity, she slept—conserving her energy and keeping her condition at its peak.

Because of this, the twin sisters had barely spoken to her at all.

Then, suddenly—

Brielle, who had been sleeping like a corpse, shot up from her seat and started adjusting her clothes.

Eun Soo-jin frowned in confusion.

“…What’s wrong?”

“We’re getting close. Time to get ready.”

“How do you know?”

“…How can you not?”

Brielle gave her a look of disbelief before explaining,

“The air feels stifling. And the stench of beasts is getting stronger.”

“…What?”

“You seriously can’t smell it? The stench of blood, the beasts’ breath hanging in the air?”

“You’re saying… you can smell that?”

“Obviously.”

Brielle’s firm response made Eun Soo-jin furrow her brows.

She wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but something about Brielle’s confidence made her hesitate.

Just then—

Zeon, who had been sitting beside Brielle, stood up as well.

“…Looks like it’s time to head out.”

“Why?”

“We can’t fight in here. Get ready. If we want to reach the campsite, we’ll have to fight our way through.”

“…You’re serious?”

“I don’t joke about things like this.”

Without another word, Zeon reached for the roof hatch of the armored bus and climbed up onto the top.

That was all the confirmation Eun Soo-jin needed.

She turned to Brielle—

And saw the girl already climbing up after Zeon.

“I’ll go first.”

The moment Brielle reached the top, her eyes widened.

A massive horde of beasts stretched out before her, an endless swarm blocking their path.

They had no choice.

To reach the camp, they would have to break through.

The beasts had already noticed the armored bus.

The entire horde began to stir—

And then, with a deafening roar, they charged.

The blistering heat and the monstrous howls crashed toward them like a tidal wave.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]