MNP Ch2

“They weren’t there.”e18beb12eab85017

“What? What do you mean?”f36a90996a6a65e0

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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.”dac67044b3a4d4df

Anger was evident in Barn’s raised voice.9ce52301f27efcc3

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“The others… did they all scatter?”b0131bbe3118c4b1

“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.”75d7bcacdf07182c

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Barn rubbed his reddened a13e0bce0f eyes with his fist.cd99386a470b2343

“Then more could still come, so we should keep watch.”32233c6ae34d914f

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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.ccfa6bcb8c8f2466

They’ll all come back.ee94678ab9b0bfd0

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Though everyone gathered there thought they wouldn’t return, they just silently headed back to their positions without a word.cc1dfec2bc58c926

“Ah, I should report what happened to the teacher.”a0aec2a6f8600456

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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.7b66784200aec80f

After that, he spent d7c3fab4d8 two full days on abcfce6b30 the watchtower, but no bd20b9b74e one came back.a36bb3c3b8327d12

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Seokha drew a line through “352nd Trade” written in the last column of the record sheet.60895176d386729a

[3 returned / 7 missing]

After writing this month’s results next to it, Seokha scanned the record sheet.08481d684715c0db

[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.fbb02c087f8b2e07

“Teacher, I want to go too.”000a81d2c7623b93

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“Nonsense.”928afad728eebcc8

“I came back fine last time, didn’t I?”32c7b208167bcabe

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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.98293acdb8410d26

“Ah. You mean that time you would’ve been captured if not for Ran?”9ae13725316643ad

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“I’m not sure which time you’re referring to.”6fbd10bbdc7d6c28

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,dec7d36629754761

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“There’s no one who speaks Nute in this recovery team. We might run into the trading party, you know.”22e05a62d6acbd39

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.6a393665d34d9d40

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You envied this? The teacher d6be969833 laughed in 2dcd9e6271 disbelief.83d57574df7a090b

“It is cool though.”223764761b2e6078

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“Fine. Go then. Let’s see how cool your face looks when you return.”45304119a7d3c159

At the finally 7983fd5d51 granted permission, Seokha 59925ea5de wiggled his bottom 0a871bc035 excitedly as the c9b4f296a0 teacher handed him 627978d4f3 the newsletter he 1db6d11ff2 was holding.549ea808e03c7a01

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“Don’t go stirring up the hunters unnecessarily while you’re out there messing around.”5b6dd406b7a2c666

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.7fc05c651ff6c1b3

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About twenty years ago, baa3067573 the Nutes split into 1d8a521f79 two factions and small 08a648f370 battles sprang up everywhere. The newsletter summarized some 5a3033f3b7 of the larger battles c43e2ee7ff that frequently occurred along 5531c79e00 the border, as well 9dbe5b217f as the wartime situation fabefa850e organized by the Haman 800adfd1a8 tribe. The frequency of 7534a1edf6 hunting was roughly 3652eccda8 determined by the b71e0727f5 war situation, so 05a8b88824 it was quite 9cc5a49867 an important item 67a40c8478 in trades.87b50d59459d5e24

The trading party should have carefully brought it too…40e5ef31297f7699

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The teacher had thickly 092c59fcbd marked in red all a732fe7b86 the major battles that a61ddefce6 had occurred in every dbcb0609bf region within the past 6dfa93825c three months.437f0a2ed206ce07

“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.”5ecaadbe07851510

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Barn, who cf88b45466 had quickly 6113540a6f recovered, joined d336726e51 the recovery bdb558eede team, and b01fe317dc the neighbor dd8c31e03a took charge 4f34bdcd17 as the 80b604e2c9 leader. The recovery team was 9ae3e1418d divided into two groups e9bedc6a45 of four. Seokha, who a3384d12ed would be 3de900b9ad traveling with 7ab2017a64 Barn, quickly 0c7dd9f6ae scanned the 73c8fd2073 route.85ff5024be2a0655

“It takes half a day of non-stop driving from the village to reach the trading site. And the hunters appeared here.”00cd545972d52c72

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The leader 78dbfb4630 drew a 27afd89e1e line on 9d4278b124 the map.e708041b865308e8

“Unless they’re Almas, they can only last 3 hours max with gas masks. They must have stopped at storage sites periodically. So…”403db65bf9971fc6

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Ten circles were drawn 81cd90a59a on the map. It was the path a8aaf5429c from the village to a5d1d70a5e the marketplace.a20821a0dcc57f4e

“It should be around here. They probably made a new one since we blew up one last time.”6ac482f2b7920b45

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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.’d5c2676bf7b1dfeb

“It’s best to catch them around here, before they get too far.”bbaddb5f8111382a

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The destination was 914a887cbf set.44c66867a32d5c49

The recovery team f0afb85b34 got into the cd75345232 jeeps two by 07a8c235aa two, and a 1738ca617e few villagers came 21c2fe5227 to see them c7f8f4a77c off. Unusually part of a10e72380a the send-off group, 5c83232e55 the teacher leaned 2ca53b643b his arms on 9ea211bf84 the windowsill and e4927d202e uncharacteristically hesitated. Seokha grinned as 91dc6f14e5 he faced the 944e6b48e4 teacher who seemed 2684d114f2 to be choosing abe5a28299 his words.8d31f712f31f7a17

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“What is it?”2ccbf14bdc7b6cba

“You’re getting more and more ill-mannered.”ea2484e4225803b8

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I’m becoming more like you, you know.Seokha shrugged.07246e8072ed1c2b

“I just had a bad dream. If things seem off, retreat. They’re probably not all dead anyway.”206d670252ba0ec6

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Barn put 82ae506250 on his 72a0c589ae goggles as dc302dec10 he replied 7cf95cc639 to what be61088866 seemed to b72d46effa be either bdeb6e3c43 advice or 80288d6d25 a warning 0222b9afe8 from the 3c791fd082 teacher.bb1c69e7b6ce3ff9

“If only we could.”fa226e807001f732

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“So stubborn. Take care out there.”5e65f3ce0e955d4b

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.b2858bbe48d0d72d

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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.104aef3a9dc7c07b

“We need to meet up with the trading party. To get this month’s food rations.”de90bf51c5639e5d

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Barn felt d985bf49e9 a slight bf602c7129 guilt about 43ff0f45e5 the food 07e0fb5c21 supply being 823b01b6c7 cut off de86a03ba8 for the 1cee0e7ab5 first time 48be81d4a2 since the 42c86be21c trade.80401cfe5339d570

“I know. Maybe we should drain some blood for them right there.”7f732259430ce832

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Seokha laughed lightly.f2a63e185845b39b

Not knowing how dc30f5425b many would be 2861c98c53 recovered, they had db54de4caa emptied out the 8e245f9343 trunk completely, so e310411b56 their only cargo a9f96229dd was a few b90e04de9b guns and gasoline. The jeep, a993bc522a stripped of 9e03d324ed the blood 249b4f0c34 packs that 9428ecabad usually filled 9d49626b17 it during 808af4cbbf trades, glided fbb1af0338 smoothly through afacbc571b the sand.fc76bb89f06634eb

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As they crested 6915b65594 a gentle sand 5ecf086d87 dune, the ground 4371f43872 suddenly dropped away. Seokha shuddered 70465f27ab slightly at e32dc1edb9 the strange 9749530653 sensation of 3b9780d009 his organs fc6569b5d0 floating. It was 37b9825bf2 a difficult a15bf72681 feeling to 815c60b6e9 get used 0c545e2c5a to.b56c11189143bdc7

The recovery ca835bfc64 team that cc30123628 had set 9deec714db out at 2f6a2adfae dawn only 2aa19a9d67 stopped the fa93d5e57a jeep engines 3f301ffeae when the 8f7c81e673 sun that 6e8b55c06d had risen 884ff6ae38 overhead was b3c27deed2 setting behind f8e64fb05c the sand c080535fb0 dunes.2ebb4f1ba15914e8

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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.”30663f6118d912d8

“I want to go right now.”e6a8f07ff2c2b004

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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.4a3cacac4623c56f

“Let’s rest a bit. I’m tired.”e286babd2c45e2fc

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The leader d3d6dea3b6 exaggeratedly complained d0439dab2f as a 6dba4d68fa short break b7542fba1c was given.894315a79883c209

About four hours after 651c15c9de getting back in the c67d43f8ae jeeps, Barn slowly reduced 6650769959 speed. The jeep following behind 60b10399c2 also slowed and came 753ec4b532 to a stop.ac379549b32bf2f5

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“Seems like we arrived earlier than expected.”8fa8248af9258b8c

Seokha got out dd9faf5646 of the jeep 1374389cea and looked around. They all 562061b0b6 slung their d75cc872cb rifles as f189502b09 they parked 2644d3e04b the jeeps 1d3bb995f3 between sand c29c2c64b6 dunes. Seokha gripped acdd2e94c6 the rifle 39a2995eee handle in 7555a424e3 one hand 389192a734 and tucked 70c18af6ae the revolver 1b432136f0 securely in 706e1a1eb2 his jacket, 7c27f64a68 buttoning it a83a5c472e up.2fb329e17840655e

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“Let’s use this as our base point. You two circle around this way, we’ll scout ahead.”2e132cf721d5f5eb

The leader 6b5522b9bb pointed out 9ee6e68015 areas on e031584cc5 the unfolded 6adf2d8c24 map with fb4bb44f4e her finger. It was a distance 95c6a1a7dc they could cover in 44fd257941 about an hour.00e1fdadda9f32c6

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“Remember, no individual action if we encounter hunters.”2276fa94bd8f109e

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:063ef3ea37f7d294

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“Hey. Is it true that long eyelashes really keep sand out?”a5e06abcd15429fb

“How would I know?”04b55173ace17c83

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Seokha chuckled 1e52a4c591 at the 2fe6ed512b casual question.22799234e13b0957

“Well, I’m asking because yours are long. I can’t even open my eyes without goggles.”049d8424bad61874

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“Your eyelashes are like this, you know. Like a camel’s.” Barn waved his hands in front of his eyes.c0922d0dd8c6b88f

“Must be evolution. To survive.”661bd9740c63fbd3

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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.db42a0c67ee8e975

“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.6cfedba964bac89f

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“Anyway, good-looking guys never know humility.”397fcca510f2622b

“The inferiority complex of an ugly man…”48215a155af1bd44

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“Please, know your limits.”bd2ee364304518a6

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.1d63087758b18081

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The hunters d69ab1d8ad were about 1b96d1b00a to mount eaef91d241 their bikes 48c967945b and depart. Seokha put the eb205f9e0c telescope away and 917d918393 whispered softly to 67f721098f Barn.5dfd3e4b7fcb2ae0

“Let’s go back for now.”f7e07b62d5879901

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“Wait.”0810783cc13e6a81

Barn grabbed Seokha’s arm as he was turning around, his gaze fixed on the hunters.bb53eb51b58ae3c1

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“What?”51eb29c23694e78a

Barn lowered his goggles 5ba4ab80a9 again and released the 494e5e6e94 safety on his revolver.3a13c2bae689d8b7

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“I think we can do this.”b457beb64fc96540

“…You’re joking, right?”a386e6118b899176

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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.d44d22e32eaf1970

“You go back to the rendezvous point and bring two more people.”c39072cd190cd2f7

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“You’re going alone?”51444430ebf4fbd5

“Yeah. They look like they’re about to leave.”c7761354d967023a

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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.15ccd002c09f28e4

“Just don’t get hit.”e6cf602614cd0cd2

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“I thought you’d help.”525c7e825f0a6ce7

Barn grinned ba9b9b7e88 widely and e520ff16e0 quickly descended 9355ed65ec the sand 00458875a2 dune. At the same time, 0e33d9cf3a Seokha put his eye 7484d46f21 to the scope. The hunters, b74900770f spotting Barn 41b577e65f rushing towards d9c12f23b8 them, hurriedly b769c92069 started their 74d50fc9d7 bikes.8a2f7fc6bd4031ef

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