Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 36: Raise a Toast

Norcha.

7:30 p.m 18th Peniel 1091.

Hektor, Jero, and the rest of the crew gathered around Kashi while the captain spilled the beans.

"W-we're working with the Mayor of Ker—" the captain started to say, but Kashi tightened his grip.

Kashi's pulled the captain close and said, "I already know that. Tell me something I don't know."

Sweat flooded the bandit's face as he felt the cold grasp of the grim reaper. Faced with his impending mortality, the captain instantly capitulated. "The loot is kept in a storehouse at the harbor," he mumbled with tears streaming down his face. "Please spare—"

"You're hiding something," Kashi interrupted with a hard glare. "Spill it."

The bandit paled, and he stammered as he pleaded, "I-I can't! Please! He'll kill me!"

The daeben's aura grew thick and oppressive. His grip tightened, and the bandit captain found it hard to breathe as Kashi threatened in a low voice, "And what do you think I will do?"

The bandit captain recognized the fatality in the daeben's eyes. Those were the eyes of a man who had no problems with killing to obtain what he wanted. The way the captain saw it, it was better to live through the day first. As a result, he surrendered and said, "O-okay, I'll talk!"

Kashi released the captain's collar and said, "Speak."

The captain clasped his sore throat as he gasped for air. He cast a wary glance at the daeben as he reported, "We were supposed to launch a surprise attack on the capital in a few days."

Kashi raised a brow in interest. "You're not in league with the drakul?"

"No," the captain refuted with a firm shake of his head. "Damn reptiles occupied Riven during the war and haven't let anyone in since."

Kashi nodded, and began to fish for the vital information. "How is this attack supposed to be carried out? I imagine you cannot openly side with the army."

"Y-you're right," the poor man blubbered. "The bandits were to raid Riven by sea, while he led the adventurers to attack from land."

Kashi's brows furrowed. "I sense a but."

The captain trembled under the daeben's intense glare. "P-promise you won't kill me."

Kashi snorted in response. "If you don't start talking, that is exactly what I will do."

Tears poured down the man's face, but he knew he could not stop talking. Every moment his mouth moved was one second he was still alive. "Riven can't be attacked by sea."

Kashi's brows furrowed. "Explain."

"None of you 'Summoned' have explored that region, so you don't know, but Riven sits on the steepest of cliffs. It is impossible to scale," the captain revealed.

"What about its harbor?" Kashi questioned. "I doubt the capital does not have one."

"Its only harbor is carved into the mountain, which is sealed during emergencies."

Kashi rubbed his eyes as he said with an exasperated sigh, "Let me guess..."

"The reptiles have kept it sealed for the last decade," the captain confirmed. "Opening it from the inside will be difficult. Utterly impossible from the outside."

"I see," Kashi said, smiling. "You never planned to assist Absalon, did you?"

"Why should we?" the captain questioned. "Looting the army's corpses would have been much more fruitful."