The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 53. Forest of Negation (3)

The expedition climbed the hill without incident.
Samuel, who had been marching at a brisk pace insisting they cross the hill by day’s end, came to an abrupt halt. Seol Jihoo, alert for another ambush, noticed they had nearly reached the summit.
Samuel, standing at the peak, pointed across the expanse.
“The Forest of Negation.”
When Seol Jihoo reached the summit, he gazed down in awe.
To the south, a dense forest stretched across the vast meadow, dressed in leaves of every conceivable hue. It extended so far that the verdant vista seemed endless, like gazing upon a sea of green.
‘We’re going in there, then.’
The Forest of Negation held a distinctly different quality from any landscape he had yet beheld. Untouched by human hand, primordial wilderness—a virgin forest that had denied development for ages, it commanded an awe-inspiring grandeur that made the hair on his neck stand on end.
Ian, panting from the climb, caught his breath while wiping sweat from his brow.
“So once we cross this forest, we can go anywhere. The Federation, the Parasites, anywhere.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve heard the war between those two races is intensifying lately.”
Seol Jihoo, who had been nodding along, suddenly found himself the focus of all eyes, blinking as he glanced left and right. Ian’s eyes had grown wide, Samuel wore an expression that plainly asked ‘What exactly is this guy?’, and even Dylan showed much the same reaction.
He had only heard it mentioned in passing from Kim Hanna.
After an awkward silence, Ian burst into hearty laughter.
“I tell you, the more you see of this fellow, the more fascinating he becomes. That’s right! Not long ago, the Federation announced an integration with the Sky Elves. They’ve taken another capable race under their wing. With five factions now united, there was no way the Parasite Queen could sit idle.”
‘The Federation? The Parasites?’
Even as confusion gripped him, questions surfaced. Just how powerful were the Parasites if five races had joined forces against them? Thanks to his dream, he grasped something of it, but the memory remained hazy and elusive.
“I’ve got to say, this is the first time I’ve seen someone who’s low-level but came as a porter. I’ve seen plenty of the opposite, but never this way around.”
Samuel seemed to have finally arrived at certainty. Since it was now too tiresome to deny, Seol Jihoo answered with a sigh instead.
Shortly after, the expedition began descending the hill.
“Remarkable, though, isn’t it? Even though they share the same roots, those Sky Elves and Mountain Elves who had been at odds for so long are now breaking bread together.”
“The situation must be dire indeed for that to happen. It’s not just the two elf races, either. That particular race’s policy of unified statehood has kept things from collapsing entirely. Without it, each faction would have fallen piecemeal by now.”
“Either way, it’s not bad for humanity.”
“If you’re speaking of reaping benefits while others fight, I’d call that overly optimistic. Humanity too will have to make a choice soon enough, I suspect.”
Watching Dylan and Ian converse as they descended, Seol Jihoo moved closer to Alex’s side.
“Alex, did I misspeak just now?”
“No? Not a misstep exactly. It’s hardly secret information.”
“Then why—”
“Ah, well, external affairs information is normally only shared with upper-tier ranks and above. If you’re below Level 4, it’s information you have no reason to know or need to know.”
As Seol Jihoo seemed about to ask ‘Why?’ again, Alex quickly continued.
“Think about it this way. Someone fresh out of the Neutral Zone casually discussing the current state of affairs, recent war trends—and accurate details at that. How would that strike people?”
“Suspicious?”
“More than that—curious. On one hand, it makes people wonder about your backing.”
Alex, whose eyes held a subtle gleam, playfully jabbed him in the ribs with a fist.
“So come on, lay it bare. What level are you really? Why did you join this expedition anyway? Show me your status window—come on, don’t be shy!”
Seol Jihoo tilted his head back and gazed at the sky. The sun was gradually sinking westward, painting the sky in rosy hues of twilight.
“I’m actually Level 10.”
“Just as I suspected. What’s your class?”
“Spear God.”
“Spear God, huh? Not afraid of the Parasite Queen, are you?”
Alex’s laughter echoed across the hillside.

The expedition halted just before leaving the hill’s slope—in other words, with the Forest of Negation looming directly ahead. The hour had grown too late to press on, and Ian had requested time to survey the forest before they ventured inside.
As the march ceased, the expedition immediately began preparing camp. While Ian, Dylan, and Cho Hong ventured out to scout the perimeter, Seol Jihoo attended to smaller tasks: pitching tents and spreading bedrolls.
The other expedition members weren’t idle by any means. Samuel, for instance, was walking around the campsite, pressing smooth gray stones into the ground like pebbles.
When Seol Jihoo finished his work and stared curiously, Samuel smiled and gestured for him to come closer.
“Mana Stones,” Samuel explained. “Think of them as stones that carry the property of preserving magical energy.”
Seol Jihoo took the smooth black stone Samuel handed him and turned it over in his fingers.
“They’re essential supplies for camping. Scatter them around the perimeter and they ward off monsters that despise magic. The strange, unsettling aura they emit keeps most creatures at a distance.”
“They must be expensive.”
“Of course they are. Though not quite as expensive as your life, I suppose….”
Samuel’s voice trailed off quietly as he gazed at the Forest of Negation.
“Still, when I think of expeditions that have failed in the past, I sometimes find myself regretting the cost. Ah, keep what I just said to yourself, would you?”
“I understand. It’s a lot of money to spend.”
“It’s not just money. Time, effort, exhaustion—when you factor all that in, the cost becomes astronomical.”
…….
“Expeditions don’t always succeed, you know. I’ve crossed the threshold of death more than once and come back empty-handed. There’ve been countless times I’ve had to return in tears, my abilities proving insufficient.”
Seol Jihoo suddenly noticed that Samuel was anxious. They’d made it to the Forest of Negation well enough, but the decision to proceed further rested with Ian. If Ian said he couldn’t continue, they’d have to turn back to Haramag tomorrow.
“If you ever come to lead your own expedition, remember this well: you go on expeditions when you have reserves to spare, never when you’ve poured everything into them.”
Samuel said this with a bitter edge, then returned his focus to working the Mana Stones.
Plan expeditions with the possibility of failure in mind, and only when you have margin to spare.
Seol Jihoo committed this to heart.

Ian returned as dinner was ending. Samuel abandoned his meal and hurried over, spending a long time in conversation with him.
From the dull cast of Ian’s face and Samuel’s frequent grave expressions, Seol Jihoo deduced that the expedition might end here.
One of the porter’s advantages was not having to stand watch. In a dangerous region, vigilance was the campsite’s lifeline, and entrusting it to a Level 1 was unreasonable.
He’d stood watch once on the walk from Haramag, but Seol Jihoo figured he’d take what he could get, so he returned to the tent and climbed into his sleeping bag.
Night had fallen, but sleep wouldn’t come. His mind churned with too many thoughts, and his eyes refused to close easily.
As he forced himself to lie still with his eyes shut, someone abruptly entered the tent with a grumbling noise.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
It was Cho Hong. She threw down a pillow and blanket, then plopped down beside him.
“Damn old codger. Puts on that serious face and talks all wise, then sneaks in those caresses. I practically had to break his hands to get away from him.”
“…What about your sleeping bag?”
“I don’t use one. Feels too cramped—I can’t sleep that way.”
With Cho Hong lying beside him, something odd stirred in his chest, but he chose not to dwell on it. Sleeping near the opposite sex was one of the adjustments you made to life in Paradise.
Quiet stillness settled between them. Then Cho Hong suddenly rolled to face him, her eyes catching the faint light in the darkness.
“Looks like we’re going forward.”
The words jolted him awake.
“The old man was right. The Forest of Negation isn’t a curse—it’s magic.”
“Really? The mood seemed pretty serious out there.”
“It is. Apparently it’s a very powerful Ancient Spell.”
“An Ancient Spell?”
“Magic that only a few in the Empire ever used. Lost when the Empire fell to the Parasites.”
He was surprised by how much Cho Hong seemed to know, but he pressed on with his question.
“What did Ian say?”
“Nothing specific. Just that it interferes with human minds and causes Mental Contamination… uh…”
Cho Hong scratched her head in frustration.
“Anyway, the upshot is that countermeasures might be worth trying. But he said we probably can’t block it outright. Best to suppress our emotions as much as possible while in the forest.”
Cho Hong muttered on, then let out a dark, sinister laugh.
“You should’ve seen Hugo’s face. I mean, think about it—that guy and restraint? Fat chance.”
“You’re hardly one to talk.”
“I’ll kill you.”
Her voice turned cold as frost. Seol Jihoo decided to change the subject immediately.
“So it’s an imperfect countermeasure, then.”
“What else can we do? The fact that we can counter Mental Magic at all is surprising… But aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?”
Growing tired of answering questions, Cho Hong complained.
“My mind’s too tangled up.”
“What’s tangled up? You’re Level 1, kid.”
“Why did the Royal House assign us to scout this dangerous forest in the first place?”
It was a fundamental question. The expedition had been established ostensibly for grave-robbing, but the real source of the mission came from the Royal House, didn’t it?
“You’re spouting nonsense. That’s just how they are—desperate to reclaim their land, eyes wide with greed.”
Cho Hong spoke harshly, but Seol Jihoo didn’t want to dismiss it so easily. He wasn’t certain, but there had to be a reason behind it.
A reason why the Royal House ordered them to scout the Forest of Negation.
“How about we try to get some sleep?”
Cho Hong stretched expansively, then draped her muscular thigh across his chest.
“Get it off.”
Cho Hong giggled.
“No? I came all this way on your behalf and explained everything—this much you can tolerate.”
Seol Jihoo tilted his head in confusion.
“Wasn’t it because of Ian?”
He felt the leg resting on his chest quiver slightly.
“It wasn’t?”
“…Tch…”
“You’re a terrible faker.”
…….
Seol Jihoo chuckled softly.
“Got it. Keep looking after me from now on, will you?”
Then came a sharp sound—
“You bastard! Give an inch and you’ll take a mile!”
Cho Hong came charging at him, her face flushed crimson.
That night.
After wrestling violently with Cho Hong in the tent more than once, Seol Jihoo surrendered to the exhaustion that always followed, falling asleep quickly enough.

Morning broke.
After breakfast and striking the Campsite, the expedition finally stood before the Forest of Negation. There was no reason to delay now that they’d committed to advancing.
“Bear in mind—the Antidote Potion isn’t a cure-all, and spells capable of purifying Mental Contamination are limited.”
Before entering, Seol Jihoo accepted a small vial from Ian and drank it. As an alchemist of some repute, Ian had his hand in crafting Antidote Potions, and this seemed to be one of the countermeasures against the Forest of Negation.
“Emotion spreads like wildfire. The moment even one person lets their feelings show, you’ve handed the forest an opening to trigger its effect. And whether you like it or not, everyone around you will be affected.”
The taste was far from pleasant. As soon as he swallowed, a sensation of ice crystals crept from his feet to his brain—forcing his mind and body into artificial calm. His head felt slightly numb, but otherwise he could move well enough.
“I’m not asking for a State of No-Thought, but absolute composure is non-negotiable.”
With Ian’s warning, the expedition formed ranks and plunged into the Forest of Negation.
Though the sun had risen, the forest remained dim. Trees stretched high enough to block the sky, their canopy swallowing the daylight, and every trace of the fresh green that had covered the Hill was now buried in shadow.
Seol Jihoo simply focused on the march. The air inside the forest felt sticky against his skin. With each step came the squelch of damp earth, and every brush of long grass and tangled vines raised an inexplicable irritation.
But he couldn’t know when the Forest of Negation’s effects might seep in, so he kept his mind as empty as possible. The other expedition members seemed of the same mind—they followed Samuel’s lead in silence for a time.
Only bird calls, the distant cries of animals unknown to them, and the occasional faint sound of water broke the quiet.
Then Samuel stopped. Oddly, he wasn’t looking at the ground but upward—specifically at one of the countless trees.
Dylan spoke up.
“Samuel? What’s the matter?”
“…A corpse.”
“What?”
“There’s a corpse caught in that tree.”
Sure enough, something like a large vinyl sack dangled from a branch. It was a cadaver—only the upper half remained, the arms barely hooked over the limb. The lower body was nowhere to be seen, and several strands of organ fragments trailed downward.
“We should investigate. Those who feel faint—look away.”
Samuel climbed the tree and carefully lowered the corpse. Decomposition was well underway, the stench of putrefaction hanging thick in the air.
“The lower half looks like it was torn off by tremendous force. If we loot it now… hmm?”
As Samuel studied the blackened face from every angle, his brow suddenly furrowed.
“Dylan! This isn’t Khan?”
“Khan? What are you—”
Dylan, who’d been keeping watch, rushed over. One look at the corpse and he let out a low groan.
“Oh my gods. It really is Khan.”
“Khan? What’s he doing here…?”
Samuel’s eyes flew wide. Dylan’s jaw went slack. There was only one reason Khan could be here.
[Be honest with me. Khan’s team came to us first. We turned them down. But I kept it quiet, like we agreed.]
“This damnable bastard!”
Samuel kicked the half-corpse aside, his rage spilling over.
“You son of a bitch! You beat us to it?”
“Easy, he’s already dead.”
“Calm down? Calm down?!”
Then it happened.
“Samuel! Compose yourself!”
Ian’s sharp command snapped Samuel to attention, his whole body trembling. Dylan immediately stepped back, loading his Crossbow.
A moment later, Samuel’s head whipped around as he scanned the area, his eyes blazing—and fixed directly on Seol Jihoo with a glare.
“Dylan! Hit him hard! Knock him out if you have to!”
Thud.
Samuel went flying under a fist the size of a cauldron lid. Even for an archer of decent build, one blow wasn’t enough to put him out completely.
“Ugh…!”
He grimaced in pain.
“Get a grip. You want to die?”
“Please, settle your mind. I understand your anger, but Khan is dead.”
Dylan and Ian took turns reasoning with him. Samuel rubbed his cheek and drew in a sharp breath. After several deep breaths, he nodded heavily.
“You alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. My apologies for that outburst.”
Samuel took Dylan’s hand and hauled himself up. When he looked at Seol Jihoo, something complicated crossed his expression.
“Thank goodness you didn’t resort to magic. So, what did you want to deny?”
Ian posed the question. After a moment’s hesitation, Samuel spoke in a quiet voice.
“…it seems he’s been denying his sexual orientation.”
“What? What did you say?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never encountered anything like this before. But looking at him, suddenly my desire became intense….”
Samuel trailed off, unable to finish. Seol Jihoo swallowed hard and quietly took a step back. Dylan tapped him on the shoulder.
“Alright. It’s nothing serious. If you’re feeling better, let’s get back to work. Okay?”
“Mm.”
The archer, having regained his composure, moved methodically around the area. After studying the ground for about a minute or two, he let out a heavy sigh.
“There are ten pairs of footprints going in. Since Khan’s team has eight members, the other two must be porters. And.”
Samuel clicked his tongue.
“Ten pairs of footprints going in, but only one pair coming out. I think it was Khan, but it looks like he died here too.”
“This is… no trivial matter. A team that included someone from the upper ranks was completely wiped out.”
At Dylan’s murmur, Seol Jihoo felt a chill of unease, but he didn’t let it show.
“Is there any way to tell what killed them?”
“I don’t know either. The decomposition is severe, and these bite marks are ones I’ve never seen before.”
“It’s fine if we move slowly. Just strengthen our guard.”
“Of course. But don’t worry too much. Our expedition is twice as strong as Khan’s team.”
Samuel, having surveyed his companions, took the lead again. Dylan moved to the rear, and the march resumed.
Samuel advanced with even greater caution than before. The expressions of Cho Hong, Hugo, and even Alex had turned rigid. They had all been shaken by the death of Level 5 Royal Guard Khan.
About ten minutes had passed.
The expedition, moving at a snail’s pace, came to a halt once more. After staring at the ground for some time, Samuel bit his lower lip.
“Dylan. I’m sorry, but I think I need you again.”
“No need to apologize. We have two archers, so we should use them.”
“I appreciate that. Could you take a look at these traces?”
“Where….”
As Dylan knelt on one knee, Seol Jihoo quietly lifted his gaze toward the sky above.
The sparse patches of sky glimpsed between the dense canopy of leaves.
The sky that had been bright and clear until they entered the forest was now shrouded in dark clouds, its grey pallor spreading overhead like ash.

(To be continued in the next part)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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