Chapter 84: Injured Man
Liam slowly raised his pistol with both hands.
Beside him, Chuck pulled out one of his knives and held it firmly, while Emily flexed her fingers and watched the bushes in front of them.
Something was moving.
The swamp bushes began to shake slowly.
It seemed like something was approaching them.
Emily looked at Lydia.
"What did you find?"
Lydia remained focused.
"I don’t know yet."
Liam raised his pistol and aimed directly at the bushes.
"Then let’s find out."
Lydia quickly turned toward him.
"Wait. Don’t shoot."
The movement among the leaves became more violent.
Then, a figure came crawling out.
It was a man.
His clothes were completely covered in mud, and he had several wounds all over his body. He could barely stay on his feet. He breathed heavily as he tried to move away from the bushes.
When he raised his head and saw Liam’s gun pointed directly at him, his expression filled with terror.
"Please! Don’t hurt me!"
Liam narrowed his eyes.
A message appeared before him.
[Danger.]
Liam swallowed.
"Sorry."
He slightly raised the gun.
And pulled the trigger.
"Liam!"
"No!"
Lydia and Emily shouted at the same time.
The man closed his eyes.
BANG!
The bullet passed over his head, and an explosion illuminated the swamp.
The man slowly opened his eyes, realizing he hadn’t been shot.
Liam holstered his gun and extended a hand toward him.
"Come on. I’ll help you."
The man stared at the hand for a few seconds before taking it.
Liam pulled him up and helped him stand.
Then he quickly moved him away from the bushes.
Emily stared at Liam in complete confusion.
"What the hell was that?"
Chuck popped the bubble of gum he had in his mouth.
"It’s pretty obvious what he did."
Liam looked toward the man.
"Lydia, try to help him with his wounds. Then check Emily’s bite."
Lydia nodded.
"Okay."
She approached the man and extended both hands.
[Healing Growth.]
A small plant appeared between her fingers and quickly grew into an aloe plant.
Lydia placed her hands over the man’s wounds.
The plant slowly began to cover them.
The man let out a small groan of relief.
"Ah..."
Meanwhile, Emily continued staring at Liam.
"Can someone explain what the hell is going on?"
Chuck pointed toward the air.
"The mosquitoes."
Emily frowned.
"What do the mosquitoes have to do with anything?"
"Liam shot one."
"A mosquito?"
Liam nodded.
"Chuck is right."
He pointed toward the spot where his bullet had exploded.
"I saw one about to bite his neck."
The injured man raised his head.
"The man with the gun is telling the truth."
Emily immediately brought a hand to her neck. Right where she had felt that small bite a few minutes earlier.
"I don’t feel anything."
The man slowly shook his head.
"That’s what’s dangerous."
Emily looked at him.
"What?"
"In a few minutes, you’ll start feeling dizzy."
The man took a deep breath.
"Then your muscles will start to tense up."
Emily fell silent.
"That’s exactly what happened to me."
Liam looked at the man carefully.
"How long have you been here?"
"I don’t know."
The man closed his eyes.
"But it was the mosquitoes that did this to me."
Lydia finished covering one of his wounds and looked at him.
"What’s your name?"
"Owen... Owen Williams."
"How did you get here?"
Owen lowered his gaze.
"Some men..."
He swallowed.
"I owe them money."
Liam frowned.
"Did they force you to enter?"
Owen nodded.
"They told me that if I didn’t enter this Dungeon, they would collect the debt another way."
"What does that mean?"
"That they’d take my legs."
Owen’s face contorted.
"And then my arms."
Emily’s eyes widened.
"What kind of people would do something like that?"
"People who don’t care."
Owen let out a bitter little laugh.
"I thought coming in here would be easy. Gather some materials, sell them, and pay off the debt."
He looked at his own wounds.
"Until a few minutes ago, I would’ve preferred them to take my legs."
Liam placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Easy."
Owen looked up.
"Luckily for you, we’re already here."
Then...
Bzzzzzz...
Everyone froze.
Several buzzing sounds began to fill the air.
Liam looked around and noticed the sounds multiplying.
Bzzzzzzzz...
It sounded like a huge number of insects were approaching.
Emily paled.
"Is that...?"
Chuck stopped chewing for a moment.
"Yeah."
Liam tightened his grip on his pistol.
"We can’t stay here."
The buzzing grew louder and louder.
Lydia looked at Owen.
"I’m almost done."
Then she looked at Emily.
"After that, I’ll treat your bite and we can leave."
Emily shook her head.
"There’s no need."
Lydia blinked.
"What?"
"Maybe the mosquito that bit me wasn’t carrying anything."
Emily smiled slightly.
"For now, I don’t feel anything at all."
Chuck stared at her in disbelief.
"Don’t be an idiot."
Emily looked at him.
"What?"
"Let her treat you."
"I’m not sick."
"You don’t know that."
Lydia extended a hand toward Emily’s arm.
"Let me check you."
Emily abruptly pulled her arm away.
"No."
Lydia froze.
Emily immediately seemed to regret it.
"Sorry."
She lowered her gaze.
"I just don’t like people doing that kind of thing to me."
Liam spoke seriously.
"Emily."
She raised her gaze.
"It’s for the sake of the group."
Liam pointed toward Owen.
"He didn’t feel anything at first either."
Owen slowly nodded.
"That’s right."
Liam continued.
"If you don’t want to die in here and become a burden to everyone else, you should let my wife treat you."
Emily pressed her lips together.
Chuck looked toward the swamp.
"Liam’s right."
Another buzz passed nearby.
Bzzzzzz...
"But we can’t waste time either."
Chuck sheathed his knife and pulled out another one.
"So, if you’re not going to let Lydia treat you, then we start moving."
He looked toward the trees.
"Those bugs are getting closer."
Liam looked at Lydia, who still had one hand on Owen.
"How much longer?"
"A few seconds."
"Good."
Liam raised his pistol.
"Then we finish this and leave."
Lydia’s small fragments began returning from different parts of the swamp.
One descended from a tree.
Another emerged from between the roots.
Another appeared behind them.
They all returned toward Lydia.
But before they could completely merge back into her body...
Bzzzzzzzzzz...
The sound became deafening.
Emily looked up.
Small black dots began appearing between the branches.
A dark cloud moved through the trees.
Owen began to tremble.
"It’s them..."
Liam gritted his teeth.
"Is that how many attacked you?"
Owen shook his head.
"No."
His voice trembled.
"There’s many more."
Messages began appearing before Liam’s eyes.
[Danger.]
[Danger.]
[Danger.]
[Danger.]
Liam slowly raised his pistol.
"Everyone..."
He looked at the group accompanying him.
"...get ready to run."