MNP Ch2

“They weren’t there.”028b2c8fa335c9bc

“What? What do you mean?”b1d93c18316918f0

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“The trading party never showed up! We waited a full half day but they never came. This has never happened before… We waited just in case. But instead of the traders, hunters came.”5fe6aaaf5fb7507a

Anger was evident in Barn’s raised voice.6faac2c3abe13ad6

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“The others… did they all scatter?”3ca0bdf61497a976

“I don’t know… Those who couldn’t get in the cars when the trading site was attacked were probably captured right there. I think two or three cars managed to escape.”2e268d6d220c3ff6

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Barn rubbed 39bcbba802 his reddened 6249276984 eyes with 0d9e3a2e5b his fist.3b69d3801238a5cb

“Then more could still come, so we should keep watch.”830bdc49562d6010

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At Ran’s words, the uncle nodded and gestured for those on lookout duty to go up to the watchtower. Before returning to his post, Seokha gently hugged and patted his friend’s back.528d47a14b80add1

They’ll all come back.048833338d3cbfc7

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Though everyone gathered there thought they wouldn’t return, they just silently headed back to their positions without a word.2bab51751cdf4e7d

“Ah, I should report what happened to the teacher.”ade2c73c855a02eb

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Seokha called out to Barn who was walking away supported by others as he was climbing the watchtower stairs. Barn waved his hand in acknowledgement. Seokha watched Barn’s retreating back before climbing the stairs again, in case any survivors safely returned.d1df6d275d21e24d

After that, he 4f08bcace1 spent two full e2c4cbf590 days on the d321256d59 watchtower, but no 1f6d6923fb one came back.30582345f85f8226

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Seokha drew a line through “352nd Trade” written in the last column of the record sheet.42a6e1bc3be5e822

[3 returned / 7 missing]

After writing this month’s results next to it, Seokha scanned the record sheet.cbf3bdc4c352f74d

[351st: 8 returned / 2 missing – 1 missing person recovered]

[348th: 9 returned / 1 missing – Missing person confirmed dead, 2 hunters killed]

[319th: 7 returned / 3 missing – Missing persons not found, 6 hunters killed]

Even looking at records from a few years ago, this month’s returns were noticeably fewer. Usually everyone returned safely, and having missing persons was rare. A recovery team would soon be organized. They needed to recover people before the hunters crossed the desert into the marketplace. The neighbor whose child hadn’t returned was already at the armory preparing for recovery.d314a3356a843c66

“Teacher, I want to go too.”ee40c582e5fca0bb

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“Nonsense.”0c56d0efec4efe35

“I came back fine last time, didn’t I?”ee7a950b17c1f936

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The teacher, who had been poring over all the newsletters on the trade list since Barn’s return, didn’t look up even as Seokha quietly sat down on the floor.a1c4a9e6db8cad89

“Ah. You mean that time you would’ve been captured if not for Ran?”d7fbb8c39f9410bc

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“I’m not sure which time you’re referring to.”7427e3136395b285

Seokha pressed closer to the teacher, who was busy examining various things. He was careless then, but he’d practiced shooting a lot since. And,ed7cbc9e89a082ca

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“There’s no one who speaks Nute in this recovery team. We might run into the trading party, you know.”a58510277efa43bb

Unfortunately. Seokha exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders. The teacher finally looked up to face Seokha. A deep scar from a long-ago recovery mission remained on the teacher’s face like a medal.ad3e0d6f422fef38

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You envied this? The teacher laughed c7cc9ccd2c in disbelief.91d2658e445c2936

“It is cool though.”f28477587259cd5e

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“Fine. Go then. Let’s see how cool your face looks when you return.”75ef633f1fdd2805

At the 5fd6b36bab finally granted afae0a2a44 permission, Seokha 84c44dc774 wiggled his 8ddb347124 bottom excitedly adbcd1dae4 as the b4d6edc11b teacher handed baeed51f4f him the fc3986a2db newsletter he 067184725d was holding.5981db99a272be8b

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“Don’t go stirring up the hunters unnecessarily while you’re out there messing around.”6738666d99498b7d

As Seokha left the teacher’s house, he skimmed through a few pages of the newsletter. He noticed parts the teacher had marked with a pen here and there. It seemed he had gone back through even year-old news, saying things had been quiet for months so he’d only glanced at it before this disaster happened.52bc808f5d132291

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About twenty years e641494d09 ago, the Nutes 881d2c6a6e split into two 34fe6ed6b3 factions and small 73ecc262e8 battles sprang up 56a651aa4a everywhere. The newsletter summarized some 5ad4b39111 of the larger battles 357b645d58 that frequently occurred along 510a5f324c the border, as well 111f361196 as the wartime situation 42dbe1a7e7 organized by the Haman 4fa8e89194 tribe. The frequency 6f5c35b1e5 of hunting dd83f88cb2 was roughly 01221afc6d determined by 9065ddf9c8 the war 2684f19795 situation, so 06865cbe60 it was cf7549760e quite an 1c7327b571 important item 14ff0c7d3b in trades.a037acc458fb87b2

The trading party should have carefully brought it too…bd91cbb3763a6384

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The teacher had 9f0b579d66 thickly marked in 750699ef3d red all the f0b0cee653 major battles that 1b1851f4f5 had occurred in fcec8e6528 every region within 16cf761763 the past three 304b67ef47 months.dabb56b8e54ea5c8

“The teacher thinks a big battle is about to start. With blood prices rising, the hunters must have lost all restraint. The goal of this recovery team is not revenge. We need to return with as little damage as possible. We have to bring back even one more person.”9a6194c58350b3ec

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Barn, who had quickly 5a8b62cc3a recovered, joined the recovery 365805f0bf team, and the neighbor b61183df16 took charge as the 904920e71e leader. The recovery 7a168c1f46 team was f2d0082e37 divided into ba526f1089 two groups a4dd463661 of four. Seokha, who would be f771ec8692 traveling with Barn, quickly 23e7c9028f scanned the route.bab52c609950b2af

“It takes half a day of non-stop driving from the village to reach the trading site. And the hunters appeared here.”73a50b76104fc594

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The leader 416298803c drew a 3cfb870f2e line on b05c19cee0 the map.44765c6cb0760e12

“Unless they’re Almas, they can only last 3 hours max with gas masks. They must have stopped at storage sites periodically. So…”733cd1783fef3161

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Ten circles were drawn f6a9f4928f on the map. It was 913acd012f the path de404bb6dd from the 560c60c48b village to 4c147754cd the marketplace.462dcd5478cef252

“It should be around here. They probably made a new one since we blew up one last time.”80ef477e622db209

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They’ll stop to rest too, so they haven’t left the desert yet. The leader paused at the fifth circle. ‘Probably around here.’ca29a51d1fdb996b

“It’s best to catch them around here, before they get too far.”129a9c2fc62d1f65

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The destination was set.e614d756113b2540

The recovery team 6e86921743 got into the 5b4725a028 jeeps two by 1f434683bd two, and a 3bf7897c48 few villagers came 549d4ba297 to see them d85d580d48 off. Unusually part of 00ee065912 the send-off group, 45bd3415a8 the teacher leaned 0320c7a824 his arms on 41721a2042 the windowsill and 1735a57ce9 uncharacteristically hesitated. Seokha grinned as he a7ec04e17a faced the teacher who 5afef7c403 seemed to be choosing c5a296e523 his words.f7d41f0a982cdd34

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“What is it?”d0a40026d0a55483

“You’re getting more and more ill-mannered.”6dae3ff07a34f461

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I’m becoming more like you, you know.Seokha shrugged.53908fe1d42b619d

“I just had a bad dream. If things seem off, retreat. They’re probably not all dead anyway.”6967da60cfbfe515

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Barn put on d5cb54d031 his goggles as 51fdb6ae6e he replied to d3416f5f63 what seemed to 06827e441d be either advice 67d25c1951 or a warning 0189357bf9 from the teacher.06ff83c08297cf56

“If only we could.”d75b2829e8686c3f

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“So stubborn. Take care out there.”9ca554be1f59d7e5

With that gruff send-off, the village gates opened. The jeeps roared out with a loud engine noise. The vast desert Seokha hadn’t seen in almost two years spread out before him.9a53afe790a9e832

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Sitting next to Barn who was focused on driving, Seokha unfolded the map. Having only left the village twice before, Seokha had no idea if they were on the right path. When he’d asked before, Barn, who often drove for the trading party, said he could see the way. He said it was important not to lose your sense of direction, since the makeshift signposts often got buried in sandstorms.6ede0370c65cfaf5

“We need to meet up with the trading party. To get this month’s food rations.”497cafdeaf777b5e

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Barn felt a fdd65a9cee slight guilt about a0291536ae the food supply d52592ce1f being cut off 0230d761be for the first ad21c2bb54 time since the 7e039ba073 trade.317f6e13f9aca0e7

“I know. Maybe we should drain some blood for them right there.”4d36d3e06986f66d

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Seokha laughed lightly.ef438f3da39e89a1

Not knowing how many b5af3b1d86 would be recovered, they f63aa16d07 had emptied out the 67fbd468f7 trunk completely, so their ed1b9d706c only cargo was a 2ded6279b8 few guns and gasoline. The jeep, stripped of 31d952425b the blood packs that f750f37f3c usually filled it during 980eb34665 trades, glided smoothly through 9177dee569 the sand.a75f440ef1d18d59

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As they 3a811f4eef crested a 3c13cf9de9 gentle sand d6397d2c14 dune, the 412a21ecd2 ground suddenly 2c6170fc64 dropped away. Seokha shuddered slightly at a0e7a9da86 the strange sensation of 11c5f9dd60 his organs floating. It was a difficult 4e48d42a35 feeling to get used becf852710 to.14a699af185d6f7d

The recovery team f0bcfec7e1 that had set 4748c4706d out at dawn b85a60fe5a only stopped the c72bdbea43 jeep engines when 21166e1dce the sun that c16df0ae35 had risen overhead 1f1e03e444 was setting behind 83e2127709 the sand dunes.c509068fae216df2

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“We should be able to arrive in 5 hours. It’ll be close to there, which we’ll use as our base.”cade645024189497

“I want to go right now.”297d9fad3672094b

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Everyone laughed softly at Barn’s joke in response to the leader’s words, after he’d been driving all day.c86411ad9849a460

“Let’s rest a bit. I’m tired.”e139073de0031a29

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The leader exaggeratedly 0372e1825a complained as a 09de7b7384 short break was 4c202b1387 given.0e3c71f208f14ed4

About four hours edaa3040ed after getting back 4912d8eeb8 in the jeeps, 96202de0f6 Barn slowly reduced a393c67880 speed. The jeep following behind e780f2d393 also slowed and came 0257ad7479 to a stop.b1922c3967cef53d

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“Seems like we arrived earlier than expected.”20a0059000080a40

Seokha got out of 0e258ee692 the jeep and looked c15944c313 around. They all slung 9007983016 their rifles as 7eee56b8eb they parked the 01d6506e09 jeeps between sand 6fbe988ac7 dunes. Seokha gripped the rifle d56e356bb7 handle in one hand 2b6f917bd5 and tucked the revolver 79d6240f4d securely in his jacket, b9ea429af0 buttoning it up.1a4ed882bccb9f14

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“Let’s use this as our base point. You two circle around this way, we’ll scout ahead.”53486077b32b0173

The leader 639562795b pointed out 99d1111ead areas on a363b80e17 the unfolded 87402d0625 map with 5d7d14fd27 her finger. It was a distance 6378cb1dd8 they could cover in 385790a396 about an hour.ae1a04e66bdfde77

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“Remember, no individual action if we encounter hunters.”c6de67b2adaf6922

As the teacher said, and with the captain’s additional words, they split into pairs. With each step forward, their feet sank deep into the sand. The desert at dawn was not just cool, but chilly. Except for the sound of sand blowing in the occasional breeze, the surroundings were quiet. Feeling stuffy from wearing his goggles for so long, Barn pushed them up to his forehead and asked Seokha:3e75908c11b33bdf

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“Hey. Is it true that long eyelashes really keep sand out?”7b8ab72dadee386f

“How would I know?”22451fe0a52c2980

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Seokha chuckled at e606e78959 the casual question.19b20763a6ff6ac3

“Well, I’m asking because yours are long. I can’t even open my eyes without goggles.”94ba60ca795548c0

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“Your eyelashes are like this, you know. Like a camel’s.” Barn waved his hands in front of his eyes.30b5f92f4309269e

“Must be evolution. To survive.”882ea2adc52ea59d

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“Which means you’ll soon be obsolete.” Seokha poked Barn’s shoulder with his finger and laughed. Barn flared up angrily, vowing to find a way to grow his eyelashes as soon as they got back. He rambled on about some ridiculous superstition about how frequently sprinkling well water from behind the village would make them grow.bbd5f65854fcc895

“Sure, give it a try.” Seokha smirked, earning himself a punch for being annoying. He finally ended the brief squabble by praising the harmony between Barn and his goggles.38baa405f39620b0

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“Anyway, good-looking guys never know humility.”c578f34666c24101

“The inferiority complex of an ugly man…”aa31751ce9ed8711

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“Please, know your limits.”d1e7da0e55fb2fbe

Barn sighed, then suddenly stopped walking and hid his body behind a sand dune. Seokha crouched down with him and looked in the direction Barn was watching. Though barely visible at this distance, several hunters’ bikes came into view. Seokha took out his telescope and focused. He could faintly see a crude stone pile storage where oil and gas masks were buried. As they crept closer, hidden between sand dunes, two figures wrapped in cloth were slumped over the bikes.90eaf5e0ee39a882

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The hunters c8a66394c2 were about 7bb2357106 to mount 47eba7acd7 their bikes e6451a0869 and depart. Seokha put 3c377edeba the telescope d01deb5356 away and cac305d6d1 whispered softly 92ae3d8073 to Barn.4cc5158fc9b7fd9d

“Let’s go back for now.”f13b1f1eedff7a07

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“Wait.”cc8ae7fa18495fdb

Barn grabbed Seokha’s arm as he was turning around, his gaze fixed on the hunters.f3a6b1079340009d

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“What?”1fb78c2c447703e2

Barn lowered his faf9583d4c goggles again and d00cb5ba1a released the safety 58dc9fe41f on his revolver.3cdcf5b24af123b4

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“I think we can do this.”db451f2f0eac6023

“…You’re joking, right?”8ff96f413e03b4db

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Seokha frowned. It hadn’t even been an hour since this guy had nodded in agreement to the captain’s order not to act alone. Barn seemed to have forgotten the past too quickly. Seokha took out his telescope again and surveyed the surroundings. Even if they left now, it would be easy to catch up knowing their location. In this situation, Seokha didn’t want to act rashly.e254a615b6a841b6

“You go back to the rendezvous point and bring two more people.”52d8682966abd97e

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“You’re going alone?”9bada57c8daf5248

“Yeah. They look like they’re about to leave.”8ecd94210de6a643

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“It’s partly my fault we lost the trading group.” Seokha let out a short sigh at Barn’s words. He appreciated Barn’s boldness, but his recklessness at the wrong moment was just unsettling. The faint sound of bike engines starting could be heard, and Barn looked ready to spring into action. Even if we succeed and go back, we’ll still get an earful. Seokha pulled the bolt on his sniper rifle.1d56035283d602c5

“Just don’t get hit.”7990adecb69ad17c

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“I thought you’d help.”19aadedf0ecf86cb

Barn grinned widely and 198fa87353 quickly descended the sand 2bca0292b8 dune. At the a153139f20 same time, cced88a595 Seokha put bab46cc2dd his eye 2d80e96f85 to the 4f98525159 scope. The hunters, spotting 25dc89c55a Barn rushing towards 40f32cf971 them, hurriedly started eab4572174 their bikes.0c4d5512072ae32b

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