Ark (Published Novel) - Vol 4 Chapter 7
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Vol 4 Chapter 7

ACT 7 Dark Brotherhood

Here?

20 minutes after he left Cairo and walked up the hill, a cabin appeared.

He used Stealth to observe through a window.

As expected, the NPC named Lorenzo was chaotic. Level 80. Although it was a high level for other people, he couldnt compare to Ark who was level 90 and receives a bonus attribute in the dark. Quest difficulty E.

It took 90 levels to perform one difficulty up.

However, it wasnt a simple quest where he could rush in blindly.

It usually required killing the target to receive a key that would open a warehouse and retrieve the goods. However, he couldnt kill Lorenzo and he couldnt even use a sword. In other words, he had to find out the whereabouts of the goods first.

I had previously encountered thieves in the ruins..

After surveying the structure of the cabin, Ark said to Sid.

As expected, there is a back entrance. If one is backed into a corner they may escape through the back entrance. Therefore Sid will block the back door. If blocked by a body on the outside then there is no particular danger.

Yes, I understand.

Sid answered in a tense voice and went back.

Now, this fellow recently held poison.

If you block the escape of a level 80 NPC then they would have nothing to build a strategy. Intimidating for the time being and if that doesnt work then a little bit of violence is okay.

Ark immediately kicked the door and entered the cabin. Lorenzo who was surprised, tried to stand up.

You, who are you?

I will not speak for long. Where are you hiding the stolen goods?

The stolen goods? What are you talking about?

It is useless to feign ignorance. I already know. Just tell me obediently before you get hurt.

What, what? Thief? Who said such a silly thing?

Who is it? -Wolkosu. Wouldnt you know who Wolkosu is even if I didnt explain it?

It was at that time. At the mention of Wolkosu, Lorenzos forehead violently twitched. Then his eyes anxiously shook as he sighed.

Wolkosu.!

Lorenzo ground his molars together and growled.

I dont know what inspired such nonsense but I didnt steal anything! Go back! If you dont return then Ill beat you to death.

Oh, a beating to death?

Ark laughed and nodded his head.

Thats the most welcome sound I ever head. Lets see if you can give it a try.

This child!

Lorenzo kicked the chair and rushed at him.

He tried to use the distraction of the chair to attack. It was a familiar method that other thieves used to fight. However for juvenile delinquents who walked a dark road, it was a method that Ark was tired of. That much was not enough to give an element of surprise.

Ark caught the chair and kicked sideways. The next moment his fist shot out in rapid succession in a flash. Arks specialty was continuous critical hits!

Kuoooak!

He delivered blows to the chest, waist and side, after being hit with three critical attacks Lorenzo moaned and withdrew.

Although Ark did not use his sword for attack and defense at the same time he did have his gloves, the Cat Paws. Due to the growth system of the Cat Paws, his offensive power was currently 9~15 (+8.9)

In some ways, it was better than a sword. In addition, Ark had also learned Sword-Hand Combat and Hand-to-Hand Combat, so he had no reason to be penalized by the absence of a sword.

Lorenzos health was quickly reduced to 30%.

Ugh, this, unbelievable!

Lorenzo ground his teeth together and rushed again.

Ha ha ha, copper!

But once Dedric and Skull joined the fight, Lorenzo immediately retreated to the corner again. Ark continuously rained punches and kicks on him!

Lorenzo soon developed bruises all over his body. And finally he turned and a punch hit his temple, sending him flying through to the other side of the wall.

Now, little by little did you want to confess?

Damn it, no way!

I see you want to lose your soul.

Ark drew back his fist and directed it to Lorenzos face, which instantly turned pale.

Lorenzo had already lost 70% of his health. While Ark only lost 10% at most. In the first place, he was fighting in a game. Finally, Lorenzo threw a water bottle and turned his body around.

He tried to open the back door but ..Lorenzos face became perplexed. Sid had already blocked the other side of the door so it was stuck and wouldnt open.

What, what the? What the hell is this?

Hu hu hu, What a fool! Did he think I wouldnt have any countermeasures?

Rain, eat this!

Lorenzo lifted the sword hanging on the wall beside him. However, Ark moved much faster than him.

Pok!

Ark kicked Lorenzos stomach.

Without any mistakes, he accurately hit a vital spot on the underbelly and gained a critical hit!

Lorenzo was stunned and fell back.

Ark who was waiting for the chance immediately shouted.

Snake, tie him up!

Saek saek!

Snake flicked his tongue and firmly tied up both of Lorenzos arms. Thus, the fight with Lorenzo was easily settled with that.

With one step, Ark approached the struggling Lorenzo and asked.

Okay, now where should your excrement and the popular soybean paste go? Just as it is in your mouth? Or will you confess? For your information, I wouldnt mind beating you up some more.

Dammit, I told you from the beginning! I did not steal it!

Dont make me laugh. So without any evidence you have been accused as a thief? If you did something suspicious then obviously you would be considered a criminal!

Sheesh, what do you know? That old man didnt know what he was talking about!

Even if you die, youre not going to confess?

Theres nothing to confess!

Not possible

Arks eyes became chilly.

Dedric looked at Lorenzo and clicked his tongue.

Tsk tsk, poor guy, he just dug his own grave.

Dedric knew from experience what would happen when Ark looked like that.

As expectedWhen Lorenzos health recovered a little bit, Ark showed his true colours. In the past, Dedric was tamed using the same method as he stepped on Lorenzo.

With a stupid face, Lorenzo freaked out about the kicks and let out a cry of distress.

Keuak! This bastard! What are you doing!

However, Ark didnt even blink.

In the past, the only way to tame someone rude was with a whip!

Additionally, Arks character was that once he starts something, he sees it through to the end.

Ark continued stepping on Lorenzos face until he was in a critical condition. Then he waited awhile for health to recover, stepped and wait, how many times did he repeat it..

Ark-nim, you done yetHuk!

Sid stuck his head through the back door and screamed.

New World was a virtual reality game where a sense of realism overflows.

Not even 10 minutes had passed since Ark refused to let the violently beaten Lorenzo die and it looked like a violent scene from an 18+ rated movie.

Oh, Ark-nim. Isnt this too severe?

Hell no. I havent even started yet.

Ark answered with a grin and Sids face turned white in terror.

However, Lorenzo did not submit.

Rather, the more violent Ark became then the more profanities escaped from his mouth.

Dwe, eat this! Just kill me already!

Hehehe, Master. Then how about an extreme method?

At that time, the cunning fellow Dedric treacherously smiled and approached. A cold smile spread at the corners of Arks mouth.

Hmm, well thats okay? As expected you have a bad side as well.

Huhuhu, this is due to masters virtue.

Dedric chattered.

..Was that praise, or an insult?

Anyway, Ark listened to Dedrics advice and stopped the violence. Instead, he placed a pot and ingredients on the table and began survival cooking.

After a while, the sweet smell of food filled the room.

Eek? No, what are you doing? Stop it!

Ark held Lorenzos jaw wide open and poured food into his mouth. Lorenzo collapsed to the ground screaming and began to spasm.

Fragrant Poison Soup which activated the paralysis effect.

You..This, you bastard! Such..a thing

Lorenzo sweated and stuttered with a paralyzed tongue. It was a soup with a terrible taste and next Ark fed him the horrible salad, waste-flavoured jello etc. But that was only the beginning.

The true horror was the spicy seafood chowder medley.

Using the medley skill, there was a low probability of terrible food being produced.

And the taste was so shocking that neither the taste nor effect could be compared with a general survival cooking dish. As it did not decrease the health at all, it was possible to annoy all give senses to the limit ..

It was closer to being a biological weapon than a food.

The medley of chowder was made in such great numbers that just the sight was enough to make him tremble in fear. And the devil-like food entered Lorenzos mouth immediately. Every time he ate it, Lorenzo jumped and spasmed like a fish.

A new concept of using food to torture!

Ugh, I cant bear to watch!

Dedric turned his head away with a horror stricken face.

To Sid who hadnt experienced the horrors of the food, it seemed like a joke but.

Stop! Please help me! I will say, Ill talk, please Ill speak! Ill do anything as long as you stop it with the food!

After he cooked the fifth food, Lorenzo screamed and surrendered.

It was the inevitable result. Just eating the food caused such a threat to his life that Ark developed the Indomitable Body skill, and to Dedric it was so horrifying that he developed speech in order to stop eating the food.

It reached a level that humans would not be able to eat.

Ark stopped the hand motions for cooking and grinned.

So, Im glad that you stopped fighting.

Now, cruel bastard..How could someone in the guise of a human make such horrible food.!

What?

Oh, no! No, no!

Well, thats it. Then lets get to the main subject. Wheres the stuff?

Ill say it again I didnt steal anything!

Ah, is that so? Are you still hungry?

Ark picked up the pot of food and Lorenzo immediately cried out in a wronged voice.

And please wait! Really. I really didnt. But I can guess the fellows who stole it. Its that guy.

Arent you prevaricating?

Please believe me. The fact is that I was also a victim. They robbed the General Store and now theyre trying to frame me for it.

Ah, Ark-nim Try not to believe his words.

Sid noticed his face and interrupted.

But the context fits. Why would stealing things from the General Store be a problem for you?

Thats actually ..

Lorenzo hesitated to answer Ark but eventually desperately replied.

Im actually .Wolkosus adopted son.

What? Adopted son?

After Lorenzo lost his parents when he was young, he lived with his uncle who managed a store in Selebrid who entrusted him to Wolkosu.

Wolkosu was not friendly in nature.

Lorenzo worked the difficult night to dawn shift and if he made a little mistake then he would be punished.

Lorenzo decided that he would become a runaway.

He began living on the streets for several years and Lorenzo became a full fledge delinquent.

Then one day, Lorenzo was caught in another gangs dispute and accidently killed a man. So Lorenzo became chaotic and was pursued by guards before he managed to hide to reach Wolkosu in Selebrid.

He was going to threaten Wolkosu to give him some escape funds.

However, when he was listening at the store, he overheard the cashier say something amazing.

Wolkosu asked about the people trying to extort money from Lorenzo and paid them back one by one in a month. And the fact that Lorenzo wasnt caught by the guards during that month was also due to Wolkosu.

I never knew. My father .He was clumsy at expressing affection. I didnt understand that I was loved. If I knew earlier I wouldnt have done such stupid things .

Lorenzo said with a slightly shaky voice.

Lorenzo shrugged his shoulders and left the store.

With help, he barely managed to avoid the bounty hunters and guards and came to Cairo. He built a cabin outside Cairoto live in and swore to no longer do any bad things. And it was long after that he came.

Although I forgot for a while .My dad suddenly opened a store in Cairo. My father had never committed a crime. He obviously used the [Lie] scroll to disguise himself as a criminal and conduct business.

Lorenzo ground his teeth tightly.

Wolkosu had many reasons to set up a shop in Cairo. Of course ..the main one was Lorenzo.

Lorenzo wept after he realised Wolkosus heart. However, once the relationship was twisted it did not come loose easily. While thinking about how hard that month must have been on Wolkosu, he didnt even dare beg forgiveness.

I stayed here so I wouldnt both my father. Once when he was free he visited the store and violence occurred. I was told to get lost.Although I wanted to beg for forgiveness..I couldnt bear it. After hurting him for over 10 years, was it even possible to be forgiven? I..thought it was best for my father to abandon me. Perhaps thats why my father thought I stole things.

Then who stole the stuff?

They are subordinates of the older brother I followed in the past.

What? The older brothers subordinates?

Yes, I left the organization before I realised my mistake and came here. However, they pursued me to Cairoa while ago. They wanted me to work for a large robbery group. Of course I refused. Then the guys said that they wouldnt leave my father alone if I didnt listen.

From that, Ark found all the answers to his questions.

The reason the shop owner Wolkosu had a large order of the [Lie] scroll. It was for his own use.

It was also the reason why Ark received the quest after he became non-chaotic. Because the shop owner did not trust criminals. It also explained why he did not report to the NPC guard and why he warned him not to harm Lorenzoit wasnt necessary to speak.

It was really a third-rate drama scenario

In the end, the main culprit was the boss of the group of thieves. When he thought about it anger surged immediately.

Hukhukhuk, it was like that. I understand. He is like a father, although I cant really understand.

Sid had become too immersed and a tear slid down his face as he spoke.

Although not to the same degree, Ark also felt uncomfortable.

After Ark met the ex-convicts, his views had changed.

People in unavoidable circumstances can walk down a path of darkness. They also have their own drama. He shouldnt blindly judge them for their crimes.

Lorenzo also made an effect to put his life of crime behind him and live a new life.

Although he was once a delinquent, if his older brother had listened then shouldnt he have celebrated his new start? Instead, he decided to threaten Lorenzos father?

Even among NPCs, there are dirty and lousy guys.

Although not clearly shown, everything that exists in reality also exists in the game.

Actually, I heard that after they chased me to Cairothey robbed the general store several times, including last night. If I dont answer within a week then I dont know what theyll do to my father to threaten me. If that fellow

Lorenzo ground his back teeth together.

So? What should be done?

I cant stand it anymore.

Lets catch them and beat them up?

Thats not the only way.

At that time, Sid asked in a worried voice.

But what if they have a lot of guys?

Heh, itll happen anyway because of me. I must live in order to negotiate.

Okay. Snake, untie.

Ark placed Snake back around his waist.

Come on, if were decided then its better to finish this quickly.

What? You surely ?

Ark said in a blunt voice.

Its not guaranteed that youre telling the truth. You might just flee. So I have to follow and confirm whether youre telling the truth or not. And I also promised the shop owner that I could recover his things, so I cant just leave it in the hands of the criminals.

Ah, Ark-nim!

Sid shouted with a thrilled face. Lorenzo also looked at him with incredulous eyes.

Please do not look like that with red cheeks. Because there was no possibility of him returning with the quest unsolved.

On the other hand, Dedric muttered with a nasty look at Ark.

Sheesh, there he goes again. Masters acting again.

Lorenzo looked at Ark for a while before clenching his teeth.

To say thank you I dont want to

It isnt necessary. Im not helping for free

It was at that time. Dududung, the quest information window popped up.

Quest has been updated.Shop owner Wolkosus distress=Clear Lorenzos nameYou discovered that Lorenzo was the shop owner Wolkosus adopted son.

The events that occurred in the last fortnight at the General store are the work of his old companions trying to involve him in a bandit group. Accompany Lorenzo to the hideaway, determine if it is the truth or a lie and recover the stolen goods (Warning, it Lorenzo dies on the way then the quest will fail).

Difficulty level: D