MNP Ch1

The days 7025a5b88e grew shorter, d3be0e484e and a 122d6f2a31 cool breeze a79b308261 enveloped the 95bd94d960 village. It was the ad7cea10bc time when trading 0ba4fb5dc5 parties returned and b06923c97f hunters began their 928b95f680 hunts.16d7377999b85705

The harsh sunlight f8c44d5777 of just days 4512102e1d ago was now d82c2cba5c obscured by hazy 35013f254b clouds. As the terrible heat 490fc00a08 faded, a chilly winter ffeb4f0572 quickly arrived. Even after over a 236acf628c decade, the weather here 597e5f4a37 remained impossible to get cf99262972 used to. Seokha adjusted the basket 9762462990 slung over his shoulder e4162f6653 and took his place 69b8d98d46 at the end of c1bd3da0b7 the long line of 093c9f1575 people. He greeted nearby 7d9408f88b villagers as he b083e2a231 slowly moved forward 4fe0696950 with the shrinking 443ef2f202 queue.ed0e8da8782664f3

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“Seokha, why are you here?”4051618cc591541a

“Hello.”7fa20d9f55c7dc24

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He handed the empty 78b1303f2b basket to the warehouse 5ddc113ac7 uncle.322c2df38c2674dc

“The teacher asked me to pick up on his behalf.”370d5006696465f1

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“I see. You’re working hard.”f2961bfd79d26f8b

The uncle asked if 7a89c19eea there was any trouble b9a3ef1329 this time as he e247d95a13 checked the apples for 61de1b1877 bruises before placing them f349e44101 in the basket.8b2f405e40c6a2c4

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“He said there wasn’t.”18b3b1a86353348c

The uncle 613c03cfa5 nodded and eb353477c2 returned the 1eed9f0f96 basket, which 8dc071c6c8 was heavier a6eb6e3bea than expected. As Seokha slung 2c1461382c it over his c3145ca8a2 shoulder with a 5b9570f574 puzzled look, the 0f744c2c22 warehouse uncle whispered 0b61278a36 quietly:54ffca5872b469f7

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“I put in a bit extra, so take good care of the teacher.”6a2bfd7dc7c442de

“Isn’t that showing too much favoritism?”e9886d7292adaba8

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“Never mind that. Just take it. It’s not for you to eat.”c89c22b3ce5ae741

Pushed by the shoulder, Seokha had no choice but to bow and leave the warehouse. He heard the uncle’s voice calling after him, “Come back on time later!” Opening the basket, he saw it contained far more than just “a bit extra.” The villagers really put the teacher on too high a pedestal. The sun that would normally be scorching his head was now setting behind the sand dunes. He needed to hurry.2aabee4f306ba8d0

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Reaching the 7238fb36e4 red brick 057c9da4fa house, Seokha 6d0d84e2ba knocked twice b13284189c on the 3824202173 iron gate. As he 7d116cdcdb waited for b2a6435f3b it to 81219d5f23 open, kicking b2ddce8483 at clumps 5999af56b9 of dust 93646dac04 rolling by, b7be68fc77 quite some f3c951e1c0 time seemed 590b9ae5cb to pass.1f67459c6dea1987

“Teacher, are you there?”e47461031da3f87d

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Unable to wait any longer, Seokha knocked again. This time he called out quite loudly. From beyond the gate came the sound of shoes dragging, the teacher’s habitual gait, and the iron gate opened with a metallic clang.67e52da12d48ab17

“I’m not deaf yet.”5bf3d300979230eb

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Seokha slipped through the partially opened gate, twisting his lips out of sight. Always locking the gate when there’s nothing to steal. The rusty iron gate closed again with a loud noise. Seokha sat down on the porch, following the teacher who had settled there, and began unloading the rations he’d received from the warehouse.a8f70a29e3eb269b

“The uncle gave us a bit extra. We probably won’t need to go out during hunting season.”d4f49fb59724b9a2

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“He gave quite a lot. Should’ve given this much to households with young children.”b849bb9bed77f4a0

The scar covering half the teacher’s face bulged and then subsided. Then give it to them. Seokha picked up one of the fruits laid out on the porch and put it back in the basket he’d been carrying.bc7c0d0e8ec91ef9

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“You’re being greedy when you already get a separate share.”325cee73a88d5748

“We can eat it.”012719fe018d5444

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Just try letting it f53fa6ad9e spoil. The teacher clicked 445bc2936d his tongue and 329aadbe5e divided the rations d0f4ab9cf1 into ten-day portions, 3a57bef4ff moving them to c99480a08b a corner of b69533ecb1 the porch. He immediately 33bace5315 went inside 966bdfe07e and came bde8418d3d out carrying f4ce142558 several books 66ac0880c1 that looked 390ac8646d weathered by 7ed9e55abb sand and 146f9aeb9f wind. Seokha, who had e08dd34fe9 been secretly trying c79336548c to snatch another a8b137500f apple from the 479971c31b porch, reflexively caught d1a9de82c2 the books the 73a8977b6b teacher all but 12eb2b779d threw at him. He skimmed ab9871da1a the unremarkable 9a34d5dbd3 covers and ac968af8cb flipped through 6d8c6c0f85 the pages.d60762c61c88c03b

The pages were densely filled with characters that were hard to distinguish as drawings or writing, as if penned by an exceptionally poor writer. I couldn’t even read this if it were in our language. Seokha frowned. Even craning his neck, he could only make out a word or two.8c91da5d809d3d7e

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“Are these drawings?”04bf3ac4d8a6bd90

“Don’t talk nonsense. Translate all of this and bring it back by the end of hunting season.”aaf6618e621a051a

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One day, one 0156d62348 book. The wrinkled 5e2c981780 hand tapped cc3b7a96b1 the handwritten 99055c0e87 volumes twice.ba14ce7b5a65d968

“You’re joking, right? I’m busy.”23c98f399020349c

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You know that. Seokha gently pushed a5a127df4d the books away.0c3827d382b4bf3e

“I’m well aware you don’t have much to do.”4ff07f01d8be1df1

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The teacher thrust two books into Seokha’s arms, saying “I’ll reduce it to two books then” as if doing him a favor. Seokha expressed with his whole body that this was absurd, but the teacher didn’t even respond. Before long, Seokha was unceremoniously kicked out with little to show for his visit.1a282d96895fdbb3

Seokha’s dwelling was a house that looked like a miniature version of the teacher’s, with its gate always open. Though it appeared quite livable and neater than one might expect, it showed signs of age in every corner due to less-than-meticulous upkeep. Seokha wiped the floor, which took no more than five swipes to clean, and shouldered the bag he had prepared yesterday. He glanced repeatedly at the two worn books on his low desk before finally stuffing them into his bag with a sigh.9695fa898e2d6eea

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“You’re early.”07a7fe835610a1f0

Mm-hmm. His pronunciation was muffled by the apple pieces filling his mouth. Seokha waved to Ran, who was settling into position, and rested his sniper rifle with its bipod on the railing. With the village entrance below their feet, the muzzle pointed towards the endless expanse of desert. A total of eight snipers atop watchtowers – in the center above the village entrance and to the east and west – stood ready for the hunt.7fa42c35c30cffcc

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Before the 2edb22b5a7 sun completely 79941a68c4 disappeared behind d67bcfe4fc the sand cbd757c601 dunes, the 39096bba78 desert was 99de8f1558 bathed in 1949debf0d the reddest 50669603a5 light of 5e107bd460 the day. Praying that nothing would d647c7a822 happen this time as 76528e29a3 well, Seokha silently watched 834b141c29 the terrain ahead where 406d3a39b8 no signs of movement 31c64491c8 could be detected yet.89c98dafdba5dfc9

As the sun set 7fa02c9abc and stars began to 6b598eed1e fill the sky, they 71e6f87383 switched positions with the 6594edd4be eastern lookout. Seokha, rubbing a5d57cf296 his stiff 5bc1064f46 eyes, pulled 07ffee38fa his bag 8051808f35 closer. Ran sat down and ea97e6dacc finally started eating. Seokha took 5f65d5bb1c out two 3522eab9d4 yellowed books c5fd83336f from his b1d4ddc1a6 bag and 0a7371c5f4 began skimming f3db52dc51 through the fcfb035260 thinner one c95f885d69 bound with c0e385af3b string. Ran picked up the 7834797919 other book.8f97308ebfbe78c9

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“Homework again?”014b86162ee5d536

“Sadly.”95fa7c2e89c30f50

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As he opened the 3e4007ce6c cover, a loose page 5f9d5d1d4b flopped over. Seeing the scrawled writing 61771f985c from the very first 83b72845cc page, Seokha picked up 8e3e4520e3 his pen over the 632fb7a8ad paper he would use 317d039389 for translation.45cac359e21ea54f

“That’s impressive. I tried to learn but… I just couldn’t get it.”769ff475c64afc9d

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“I’m forcing myself to do it since I have to take over the teacher’s work someday.”a0313884644b75a2

Nothing’s easy. As Seokha shook his head, Ran agreed, saying “I know, right?” Ran finished eating and lay down on his side, closing his eyes.230a41fc558b9f6b

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Is it ‘intact’ or ‘completely’? Did they write this while being chased?Seokha narrowed his eyes 9a321f741f as if that would e56a0a4100 help him see better, 66e29c082f and translated the sentences 8665697a48 one by one.0aadd6d0a222c2b5

[Lately my memory is not intact, as if cut away by a knife. When I first couldn’t remember Sara’s name, I thought it was just stress. After all, there were no signs of being reinstated…. I needed to find work somehow, but who would hire Nute with his limp? While going around asking former colleagues to put in a good word, I suddenly couldn’t remember their faces. Those tiresome faces…. The faces of colleagues I’d wallowed in the mud with for years! I don’t know how I made it home. I’ll write everything in this book from now on. Before I forget even more…]

Seokha put down his pen after translating the diary entry into Alma language word by word. This tattered book seemed to be a Nute’s diary. Curious, Seokha stopped transcribing and leaned against the wall, reading straight through. He progressed much faster than when he was translating.0f506c1b1ffdd104

[The job I barely managed to get lasted less than a week before I was kicked out due to this damned forgetfulness. Angry, I headed home but got lost at a fork in the road. I couldn’t remember which way led home. After standing there for half a day, I was able to return thanks to Sara who happened to pass by.]

The next baa88fb680 ten or 1796638606 so pages fdeae1a3fd seemed to 6ef3cc027e continue talking 5b33d33d1d about memory, 3a5324776d so Seokha 5e05d55899 skimmed through 0e27d770d5 quickly, turning 557cbdb441 the pages.a82f79a368c8679c

[Ah, I feel like I’m going mad. I keep hearing gunshots in my ears. The voices of my comrades, Sara’s laughter…. Even in the small bathroom where I wash, I’m with them. “Ben!” I turn at a comrade’s voice calling me, only to see worn wallpaper…. My comrade whispered softly right beside me. What are you doing, Ben? For Nute’s victory!f1b8f2919e941d13

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I must crush the throat thrust before me. Nutes have the strongest grip, the strongest legs of anyone…. But I couldn’t reach it. No matter how hard I struck, my hand passed through emptily. When I came to my senses, the desktop was completely shattered. I hear the voice again. Ben, you can’t kill Almas. Ah, that’s right. It’s been too long since I received an Alma’s blood. Everything is because of that bastard’s blood…]5486e296d144c816

Seokha closed the book with a thud after skimming almost to the end. The handwriting became increasingly difficult to read, and the sentences grew more and more incoherent. The author’s obsession with Almas reached a fever pitch, and he seemed to have lost his mind.74c9bad47cc36fa7

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It must have taken quite some time to read the Nute’s diary, as the watch had already changed to the western side. The desert, now in complete darkness, was impossible to see even an inch ahead. No one could know if the trading party would arrive right now, tomorrow, or exactly on the third day. They could only hope they would come on time.383663eebf850fc1

[Must capture an Alma alive. To drain his blood, drain it until he dies… No, can’t kill him. Must keep him alive to feed on for a long, long time…]

The sentence scrawled on the very last page echoed in Seokha’s mind before fading away.64995c460a32ace6

As dawn broke, he 26085ea2c8 shared rations with Ran, 5eb93e9c26 translated a bit more 85533d371b of the other book, fd237c19cb and by the time 8afca79d2a he looked through the 907060be1e telescope at the desert, f81f526b0f the sun was setting ebaa924b8c again. When the red 9cc33a3673 sunset was halfway a48bdf3d1f hidden behind the bc010a058b sand dunes, a b89cd4e2a9 jeep appeared, backlit 760eca2fd9 by the sun.b2b6e08a2389454b

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“Ran! They’re back.”53bd3da233694c7d

“Got it.”f7975809c06460e2

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Ran immediately announced the trading party’s return to the village via loudspeaker. Seokha pulled back the bolt to load his rifle and put his eye to the scope. Ran quickly returned and aimed his gun as well. They were still too far to make out faces. The trading party’s jeep, quickly approaching the village entrance over the sand dunes, was just one vehicle. What’s going on? There are fewer of them.Seokha tilted 06e44f7fcd his head 554bf6e49e in confusion.c1896f76ded37909

“Something’s not right.”35497bee3b39eccc

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Even if they split 4bc61c78ab up to avoid hunters, dbea5ea424 trading parties usually traveled 5c8251b084 in pairs of two 68075ef074 vehicles. Ran seemed to sense bd74fc7836 something was off too f33b1fea62 and whispered quietly. Behind the jeep kicking 3dab22d540 up sand as it 01cc7457d2 approached, an unforgettable roar a0138f5293 was in pursuit.0dc3b08a6081df21

“They’re here.”eed929d481156a04

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Seokha aimed his loaded gun at the source of the roar. One riding a noisy four-wheeled bike, another in back persistently firing at the jeep’s tires. The hunters wearing black gas masks quickly caught up to the jeep’s speed. Three more bikes came over behind them.3043e3db62a2703b

As a hunter shoved his gun into the jeep, Seokha put a bullet right in the center of the crosshairs on his head. The hunter’s corpse fell backwards and rolled in the sand. Before Seokha could aim his reloaded gun at another hunter, Ran took out two simultaneously.d40485d21c231cef

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A bike that lost its driver spun out and crashed. Realizing the situation, the remaining hunters started to retreat. Seokha managed to hit one fleeing hunter in the shoulder. Just as he thought it was a shame, Ran’s bullet enveloped the shoulder and pierced through the fleeing hunter’s head.fa80fd2297be55d0

This was e885914b40 truly unbeatable. Not just Seokha, 71d7be6b40 but all the 049e2a4ae5 young people in 6ddec6a246 the village secretly 671d06c7f0 envied Ran who 9c451cecea could blow off a960706319 heads with every dc7839e5c2 shot.97e5658b53cca927

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They let 0f9b23a386 the jeep 329313249d that barely ca53c7d60b made it 862a8e1452 to the d41c34e6d0 entrance into 8bcbbf8783 the village. Hurriedly descending from the d332a04ba4 watchtower, three of the 709fbb2705 ten members of the 5c897ba3b5 trading party who had e51b5cf00d departed were lying exhausted 066c46e6a9 on the ground.4f55cd0056bf79b8

“What happened? Where are the others?”7b61be7652fe5f8f

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The warehouse uncle be2ef3b76e who had been 22b61686a5 on lookout in b5426d433f the west asked 50e977497c urgently. Barn, who was a207135a29 hastily drinking water 773d237d79 given by the 94390e112a villagers, gritted his e60dec98e8 teeth.fb394f2171a9082e

“They weren’t there.”96629e310716746a

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