Chapter 194 - Retreat
The method to lure Black Scythe, as presented by Dark Soul, was quite simple.
Simply provoke a crime so that the CPF intervenes and captures the members of that unit.
By using the unit members as bait, the leader of the unit, Black Scythe, can be attracted.
"To do this, we will form teams: Briggs, the first warrior, and our own team, each with four members. This will be more efficient than going all together," said the Spaniard, who regretted his decision an hour after starting the operation.
Communication with the Briggs team was lost.
"Spaniard, still no contact?"
"Yes. He doesn't respond, whatever is happening, he doesn't answer the calls."
Just 20 minutes ago, they received a call from the first warrior team.
Black Scythe is approaching this direction, so gather up.
The Spaniard, who had promised to get in touch with the Briggs team, found himself in an awkward situation.
Despite trying several times, he still received no response.
"Briggs isn't picking up?"
"Yes."
"They're not answering because they're busy rescuing hostages?"
"Even if that's true, I've called dozens of times and still no answer, it's a bit..."
"Then, try contacting other members."
"I already tried, but I'll try again. You never know."
At Yang Qiwen's words, the Spaniard dialed the number and shook his head.
They didn't answer, as expected.
"All four of them have lost contact. Something's wrong. There must be some issue with the Briggs team."
"Damn it, we need to join up quickly before Black Scythe arrives, but why isn't that team answering the phone?!"
"I don't know. Let's go to the first warrior team first."
The four of them moved back and forth along the alley.
They had to head to the place where they had quickly attracted Black Scythe, even leaving aside the Briggs team.
Only then could they join up with the first warrior team and confront him together.
But when they arrived at the location, they saw nothing.
"Is this it?"
"According to the directions we were given, it should be here..."
"Make a phone call."
The Spaniard called the first warrior team. but there was no answer.
"No answer."
"If they're not going to answer, why the hell do they carry phones?"
Yang Qiwen got frustrated, but they didn't know.
That the first warrior team had died in that alley where they were standing.
That the Briggs team had already been killed by Joo Sung-taek.
But someone had already predicted the truth.
"Could it be that he's already arrived?"
"What are you talking about? John?"
When Yang Qiwen asked, John Delgado responded with a face indicating it was obvious.
"Black Scythe, he wouldn't have come first and completely wiped out the team?"
"What?"
"Black Scythe. Don't you think he came first and annihilated the team?"
"That's nonsense."
"Why would it be nonsense?"
"Black Scythe killed the entire first warrior team? And where are the bodies? Why is there no trace?"
"He probably erased them to erase the clues."
"Still, how can there be no trace at all? Look around you. There are no signs of a struggle, not even a scratch on the wall."
"It wasn't a fight."
"Then what was it?"
"It was probably a unilateral massacre."
John's expression was serious.
He didn't seem to be joking at all.
"Is Black Scythe really that strong?"
"Yes, he's strong. We would need the intervention of the 12 Apostles to have any chance."
"Wow..."
Yang Qiwen showed an expression of disbelief, but couldn't refute anything in particular.
Only the necromancer had experienced Black Scythe's strength.
The Spaniard's expression, who was listening to the story, turned serious as he realized it wasn't a trivial matter.
"If the first warrior team was defeated as Mr. Joo said, then the other teams are also in danger."
"And if the Briggs team isn't responding to communications because they've already been defeated?"
"Does that make sense? Were we defeated by Black Scythe in such a short time?"
"He has enough capability to do so. At worst, we should consider ourselves lucky that only the four of us survived."
"Ah, that's absurd."
"Sigh... It was my mistake. We should have stayed together instead of splitting into teams."
Concern reflected on the faces of the Apostles.
It was at that moment.
"Eh?"
Dark Soul, who had exploration skills activated by habit, warned upon seeing a red dot approaching.
"Who's coming from there?"
After he pointed to the alley, gasping sounds were heard, and after a moment, a person appeared.
It was a fighter from India, Swingman.
"Phew, phew! Is everyone, everyone here?"
As if he had found reinforcements, he panted as if he were running a marathon.
"Mr. Swingman, what's going on? And the other Apostles?"
The Spaniard's question made Swingman's expression darken quickly.
"That's... I don't know."
"What? You don't know?"
"I'm ashamed to admit it, but I was too busy running away from that guy. I didn't have time to worry about my comrades."
"Who do you mean by 'that guy'...?"
"Black Scythe."
The other Apostles sensed when they heard that name.
The bad feeling they had shared before was turning into reality.
"Explain to us in detail what happened."
"But before that... Are you sure there's no one else nearby?"
"Who? Black Scythe?"
Looking nervously around, the Spaniard spoke as if to reassure him.
"According to the scan, there's no one else nearby but us. If you're worried, try tracking Black Scythe. Didn't you see his face?"
"No. He wore a white mask. I don't even know what he really looks like. Plus, isn't it impossible to track him in reality without knowing his real name?"
"Oh, right. I forgot. Then, explain to us what happened here."
Swingman, looking worried, opened his mouth.
"As you know, we used hostages to lure Black Scythe. But before you arrived, Black Scythe was already there. He was a man with a white mask and a scythe. It seemed like we could easily defeat him with just one, but... it was a mistake. In an instant, our comrades died along with the hostages. Black Scythe didn't hesitate to kill even the hostages. He had formidable skills and used a mystical scythe that we couldn't see. It didn't take long before only I and the first warrior were left."
Swingman, speaking in a somber tone, shuddered as if even remembering it sent chills down his spine.
"We understood immediately. There was no possibility of winning, none at all. Without saying a word, we tore each other apart as if it were a pact. The only way out was to flee. The other apostles died, but I didn't see what happened to the first warrior. He left without looking back."
Finally, it was a grim tale of massacre without a proper response, as expected by John. Still, Yang Qiwen still wore an expression difficult to believe.
"Hey man. Were you really defeated by Black Scythe?"
"What does that mean? Are you implying I'm lying?"
"Who knows. You could be killing other apostles and pretending it naturally."
"What are you saying?"
Swingman jumped as if feeling unjustly accused.
"Why would I kill my comrades? What's the gain?"
"That's right. Swingman has no motive to betray."
Though the Spaniard defended him, Yang Qiwen's suspicion didn't dissipate.
"I don't know why he would betray. But the more I think about it, the stranger it seems. Did we agree to attack Black Scythe together and then they attack us first? Is he in his right mind? Didn't they think to stall for time with conversation until we arrived?"
"I thought about it. But the first warrior blocked saying it wasn't necessary..."
"Then why did he suddenly return to the murder scene?"
"I returned because I thought the First Warrior might still be alive. I also thought you might be in danger, arriving soon."
"This guy who abandoned his comrades to survive came back because he's worried about us? There's no Gandhi of this era."
Though Yang Qiwen complained, Swingman's assertion made sense.
John Delgado also chimed in the conversation to support him.
"I don't know about other things, but it seems true that they encountered Black Scythe. I saw he also carried a mystical scythe that extended like a whip."
"So, did the first warrior's teams really couldn't do anything and died?"
"Probably. I don't know if other teams died, but..."
"In times like this, we could have tracked their survival status if we had known their true names..."
When Dark Soul expressed his regret, the Spaniard apologized.
"It didn't occur to me. I didn't ask for their true names because I thought they wouldn't want to reveal them... It was my mistake."
"Anyway, if we can't contact them, isn't it likely they're dead? Swingman's claim is also there."
"That's right."
Though they didn't want to admit it, it seemed to be a fact.
Were there no witnesses who returned alive from Black Scythe?
"Is the claim that the curry man encountered Black Scythe true?"
John Delgado also confirmed it, so it seemed to be a fact.
Yang Qiwen muttered to hide his embarrassment for suspecting without reason.
"Darn it, the 12 apostles ended up becoming 5 apostles."
"That's right."
"Ugh."
An involuntary sigh escaped the lips of the team members.
They were defeated by just one person.
"And now what do we do?"
"We shouldn't stay here. We need to withdraw from Korea as soon as possible. Black Scythe might be nearby."
"Right. We never know when we'll be the next target."
"You've come this far, and you're thinking of fleeing now? Without achieving anything?"
Though Yang Qiwen complained, the opinions of the other apostles differed.
"It's not like we achieved nothing after learning about Black Scythe's ability. Let's go back and look for a solution."
"The Spaniard's claim is correct. If we want to plan for the future, at least five of us should survive, right?"
"We should leave Korea before Black Scythe arrives."
"Darn it."
Though Yang Qiwen disliked going back home without gaining any benefit, he also knew he had no choice.
"Too busy? Let's get out of here already."
When he turned around easily, the other apostles also felt relieved and turned back.
Unaware that Ryu Min, transformed as Swingman, was laughing behind them.
-------------------
"It seems like everyone mistakes me for Swingman."
Contrary to the statement, Swingman did not survive.
He was caught by Ryu Min's claw and his neck was twisted to death.
In other words, the Swingman they had been talking to all this time was Ryu Min disguised as an assassin.
"From the face to the skin color, voice, and clothes, everything is perfect. How could they find me out?"
There were no doubts, but Yang Qiwen was different.
He was the only one who suspected Swingman.
"I never thought they would suspect me as a traitor. Maybe because I'm number one in the Dark Society hierarchy. Or maybe they just didn't like Swingman?"
Either way, it was fine.
Now, as planned, he could act as one of the 12 Apostles.
"I should go back and attend the strategic meeting. And then lead the situation according to my desires."
To use a necromancer in Round 12, he needed to prepare from the inside.
That was the reason for his infiltration.
"Did they create this organization just to face me? It's ridiculous. After taking advantage of you as much as they want, we'll ruthlessly discard them."
The corner of Ryu Min's mouth lifted, something the other apostles didn't see.
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