before dawn || jing yuan fanfiction

Chapter 4: Uncovering the Truth

- [Y/N]'s POV -

It was the next day and we were now waiting for Caelus, Seele and Bronya to come back. In the meantime, we were able to finally side with Wildfire after talking to Oleg as they wanted to help us with Svarog if anything went wrong.

After everyone has grouped up, Oleg has arranged for us to meet our guide who will take us to Svarog. Walking to meet up with our guide, we were a little surprised to find Hook waving at us at the meeting point.

"This I really wasn't expecting..." March looked at Hook in confusion.

Dan Heng was also a little confused. "So, The Moles are a part of Wildfire..."

Hook standing with a proud look greeted us. "Th—That's right! It's me, Pitch-Dark Hook the Great! What do you want?"

Coming from the shadow of the alleyway, Sampo suddenly interrupted Hook as he smiles at us. "Uh, kiddo, I think there's been a misunderstanding... I will be your guide, friends. By order of Chief Oleg..."

He glanced over at Hook before looking at us again with a sigh. " I gotta say I'm a little upset at the thought of you choosing a toddler over your old buddy Sampo..."

"Alright, alright, don't get started. But I wanna ask you something: Everyone in Wildfire knows the location of Svarog's lair. Why do we need you as a guide?" Seele asked with a hint of annoyance at Sampo's attitude.

"My specialties in the field, perhaps? Wildfire may know where the base is, but have they ever been inside?" Sampo sighed again.

Seele was surprised. "You've been inside?"

"...No. But I've felt my way around the outside and picked up more than a few clues. I can help you. You have my word."

Caelus jokingly mocks Sampo's promise. "Clues for your own shady dealings, no doubt."

"Hey! That's not nice! Wildfire made a request and I got on with the job. My legacy will prove that Sampo Koski was nothing but a willing and devoted servant of—"

Getting sick of Sampo talking, March cuts him off. "Ugh, enough! Jeez! We believe you, okay? Show us the way already."

Shutting up quickly, Sampo regained his composure with a big smile. "Great! Stay close."

We arrived at the snowy and cold settlement, there was a camping area with a bunch of tents set up where I assumed the vagrants live and in the far distance was a large mansion, Svarog's base. But the entrance gate that leads a path to the mansion was locked.

March inspect the gate and tried to open it. "What a heavy gate... Okay, watch this! Opennnn sesame~!"

"Is that a secret code or something?" Bronya confusingly asked as she watches March.

Dan Heng sighed at March's antic. "It's an imaginary password that children like to use... and I don't think it's going to be of much use."

"What about these clues of yours?" Caleus asked Sampo.

"I was just about to get into those, before Miss March's colourful attempt. Luckily for us, I've already figured out the mechanism for this gate. They don't just let any Joe Shmoe in and out of Boss Svarog's territory. I mean, if you wanna see the big cheese himself, you need a certification," Sampo explained.

"So where can we get this certification?" I asked him.

"Only prospectors with the right certification can get in or out. These prospectors collect mechanical remnants from all over the underground and then bring them to Svarog for him to repair.