SSEI | Chapter 2.8

“Heh. Funny guy.”

“Hey, did we say you could leave?”

“Come on, let’s not fight. It’d be easier for everyone if we just passed through peacefully. You see this clam, right? A single spray of neurotoxic mist, and your whole team’s screwed. We’re only backing off because we don’t want any trouble.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“So you’re saying you spent money on a special biome detector and don’t want to die for nothing? But if you really thought it was a waste, you wouldn’t have shown up in front of us in the first place. I keep thinking you knew we wouldn’t just step aside quietly.”

“So, where’s the trap? You really think we wouldn’t notice something like that?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Malli and Osma sneered as they approached Sael. He waved his crossbow threateningly, but it didn’t seem to do much. Maybe attacking now would be the best choice? Right now would be the perfect time to strike without raising suspicion.

But Sael seemed to think the enemy hadn’t shown enough openings yet. He hesitated, backing away awkwardly while still trying to keep the conversation going.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Come on, where would I even set up a trap? It’s not like I have a special talent for that. I was just… a little concerned about the Red Man.”

“Why would you care about that guy? Don’t tell me you actually believe the conspiracy theories he’s been spouting lately? About his past and why he came here?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“No, it’s not that…”

Conspiracy theories? Sael didn’t seem all that interested, but Yuan was. Could it be that the Red Man had been spreading his story to a lot of people?

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He seemed like the quiet type who wouldn’t just strike up conversations with random people, but maybe that wasn’t true. Judging by the way this conversation was going, it was possible that the Red Man had been running around telling the same thing he told Yuan to just about anyone who would listen.

“Sael, you don’t have the ability to escape on your own anyway, so it makes sense you’d be tempted by a side path like that.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What the hell? Why would you say that?”

“I’m not wrong, am I? All you’re good for is scavenging supply boxes—there’s no way you could do anything alone. Or wait… maybe you’ve already tampered with the windmill, and you’re just pretending you didn’t? What if you rigged the machine, waiting for us to lower our guard and wander around, only for it to activate and trap us?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hey, I know you’ve always been mean, but today you’re being straight-up nasty…!”

Was he just pretending to be mad, or was he actually pissed off? Sael suddenly shouted and fired his loaded crossbow at Osma.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With a sharp whistling sound, the bolt sliced through the air and grazed Osma’s cheek. No—actually, it would’ve hit her straight in the face, but it bounced off.

Something was surrounding her, like a protective barrier. Yuan saw it clearly—the bolt had been deflected at an impossible angle.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Did it work? That barrier’s gone now, right?

Yuan made a quick judgment, and Sael, noticing the same thing, shouted with excitement.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Now!”

At that moment, a bright white flash exploded from the rooftop where Eren Noeul was waiting. A bullet, fired from the tip of her weapon, streaked through the air straight toward Osma.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

If that shot landed, Osma would be dead for sure. Malli was still around, but their side had the numbers advantage, so victory seemed likely. Eren Noeul seemed to think so too, because as soon as she fired, she jumped off the building, ready to take Malli out as quickly as possible.

But something felt off.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

When the flash disappeared… Osma’s corpse wasn’t there.

“Wow, you guys really didn’t think that through, huh?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Fall back, Sael!”

Clang!

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The sharp sound of metal clashing echoed loudly. Osma had swung her sword at Sael, but Eren Noeul barely managed to block it in time.

Yuan was completely baffled. Wasn’t Osma supposed to be dead from that last attack? They had broken through her first-nullification defense…

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

But Osma wasn’t dead. She didn’t even have a scratch on her.

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Eren Noeul muttered under her breath.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Damn it, I planned this all wrong. You had a one-time-use barrier, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. Just like you guys stockpiled giant clams, I had to have a trump card or two. By the way, was there really no one inside that giant clam? I swear I saw it twitching… Don’t tell me you rigged it to move on its own?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Osma casually stepped back and threw off her veil.

Underneath, a small tiara-like accessory with embedded jewels sat on her head. But two of the five jewels were now completely blackened, as if they had melted under intense heat.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Yuan quickly guessed—that must be her one-time-use barrier.

That meant she still had three more. And if they factored in her nullification ability… she could probably block at least four more attacks.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“Wow, isn’t that thing pretty rare? There’s no way something like that was just lying around in the wasteland. How many points did you have to dump to get it?”

“This time, I actually have a real chance at escaping. And luck’s on my side. You just lost your first attack ability, didn’t you?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Eren Noeul grit her teeth. Osma was right—since they had already triggered her first-nullification ability, it was effectively useless now. In an instant, the situation had flipped against them. But now that the fight had already started, backing down wasn’t an option.

“Sael, fall back and provide cover! I’ll handle the front!”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

While Eren Noeul blocked Osma’s sword swings, Sael stumbled backward in a hurry. But, of course, the enemy didn’t just stand still. Malli immediately pointed his staff at Sael, and from its tip, a swirling spiral of flames erupted toward him.

Sael raised his shield, and a transparent barrier appeared in front of him, blocking the flames. However, the barrier was starting to melt, like ice under intense heat. It was unclear how long it would hold out against such relentless fire.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

At best, the fight was evenly matched. To be honest, it looked like they were on the losing side. Even so, Yuan struggled to cling to any hope.

‘There’s still a way. They think there’s no one inside the giant clam, so if I use that opening to release neurotoxic mist…!’

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

If things went wrong, their own team might get caught up in it too. But if he could just get a moment to coordinate with Eren Noeul, they might be able to make it work. If luck was on their side, even a little…

But then, something unexpected happened.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That so-called opening appeared in a way Yuan never anticipated.

‘…Huh?’

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Amidst the clashing swords, swirling flames, and crossbow bolts flying through the air, Yuan saw something. It was barely within the extended vision granted by his jewel rope, lingering at the very edge of his sight.

It was unmistakably a human silhouette.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Was someone else about to join the fight? A sense of alarm shot through Yuan, and he tried to get a clearer look. But the distance and angle made it hard to see the figure’s face.

Still, there was something… familiar about them.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Like the blood-red blade protruding from the back of their hand.

Wait a minute.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘That person… don’t tell me…?! Did they follow me all the way here?!’

If they had been tracking him, that was terrifying enough. But even if this was just a coincidence, it didn’t make the situation any less unsettling.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The figure lifted their bow, nocked an arrow, and shot—without much effort or precise aiming.

At first glance, it looked like a careless, haphazard shot, one that would miss and drop harmlessly to the ground.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But Yuan instinctively knew better.

That arrow was dangerous.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Just like Eren Noeul’s earlier shot, it had to have some sort of special effect—homing capabilities, or maybe…

“It’s dangerous! Something’s coming!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Before Yuan’s warning could even finish leaving his lips, the Red Man’s arrow exploded midair, right above the battlefield.

The arrowhead burst apart, releasing a thick red mist that instantly clouded Yuan’s vision.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

—

“Cough, hack… ugh…!”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Which bastard—! A sneak attack at a time like this… cough, ugh!”

The sound of coughing exploded from all directions. There was a loud thud as someone collapsed to the ground, rolling over in agony. It was clear that this wasn’t just some ordinary vision-obscuring mist.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The only good news was that Yuan remained completely unaffected. Was it because he didn’t breathe? While the others writhed and groaned in distress, struggling to get air, Yuan felt nothing apart from the visual obstruction.

Of course, that didn’t mean the situation was any less dangerous.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We… we have to run…!”

Sael staggered forward, trying to move, but his legs gave out, and he fell flat on the ground. The impact sent the giant clam—the one carrying Yuan—rolling away. But rather than picking it up again, Sael barely had the strength to keep himself upright.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Yuan sharpened his focus, relying entirely on his hearing.

Someone had just landed softly on the ground a distance away and was now sprinting toward them.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

It had to be the Red Man.

‘What do I do? Do I stop him somehow?’

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

There was no way an ambush at a time like this was anything good. If they let him do as he pleased, Malli and Osma were one thing—but even their own team would be wiped out.

What could Yuan do in this situation to stop him?

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Just as he was fumbling for a solution, someone frantically crawled toward him. It was Malli.

“Damn it, just use the neurotoxic mist already! If you have a weapon, use it!”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Raising his staff, Malli swung it down with full force onto the giant clam. The impact made the clam’s soft insides quiver violently, and an acrid-smelling mist billowed out in all directions.

Realizing what had happened, Sael gasped in horror.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Malli, you insane—! cough, cough! What the hell are you doing?!”

“You two can die here for all I care. If I hit the verge of death, I become immune to poisons and paralysis! Someone’s gotta survive, right?!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So that was his plan. He wanted to paralyze everyone—including the ambusher—and then clean up the rest before getting Osma to heal him.

Or maybe… was he trying to cheat death using the giant clam? He still thought it was empty, after all.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Malli pulled a knife from his pocket, and without hesitation, stabbed himself in the throat.

Blood spurted from his neck, but even as he staggered, he forced himself to move toward the sound of approaching footsteps.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Could he still move even after that? And even if he could, how was he enduring the pain of having his throat slashed? Was that even possible…?

But that wasn’t the issue here.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Yuan already knew Malli was going to fail.

Because—

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Huh. Well, this is unexpected. Even with the neurotoxic mist thick in the air… it’s not affecting me at all.”

The Red Man, unfazed by the poison, had pulled out a massive axe from somewhere and, in one swift motion, completely took off Malli’s head.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text