27 A More Complicated Mission

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN – A MORE COMPLICATED MISSION

Scarlette demands Ericka, to tell her about the mission details that the emerald-haired woman has gathered.

Ericka nodded as she speaks; "Before I laid out all of the information that I have, could you at least tell me first what information that you already have? So that I won't be repeating the same thing"

As Ericka stated, Scarlette started to explain and tell the other details that she had from the main headquarters and she didn't leave any details behind.

After listening, Ericka nodded to acknowledge the information that Scarlette had brought to her and Jeffrey would like to add some information when he heard the familiar voice that rang inside his head.

[Don't, Zenon. That information that you have is strictly confidential and you should not share this at the guild and we don't know what other consequences are we going to take if that information of yours gets out. It's for the best that only the two of us knew about this]

Jeffrey heard what Scarlette told him via Mind Telepathy and the crimson-haired woman had a point.

He shouldn't speak about the information that he had since it would expose his identity as he is undercover and he thanks the woman mentally.

Since Jeffrey couldn't use the same magic spell-like that the crimson-haired woman does, he just bows down his head as a sign and Scarlette already catch his gesture.

Ryan, on the other hand, felt something is amiss or is it just his hallucination? 

He doesn't know but he stays quiet and lets the crimson-haired woman handle the conversation. 

Since this is a temporary 'party' and Scarlette is the one in command.

"Well, all the information that you have shared is quite similar to the ones that I have investigated but that might be only a one-third of the information that you have laid out"

Ericka commented and the trio looked at her with a confused expression.

This time, Jeffrey is the one who asked a question.

"Only one-third? Then it means, there's more?"

Jeffrey asked her and Ericka nodded.

"We have records about Fordel Village since there are some errand requests that are posted on our board and most of the E-rank adventurers partake those requests. According to them, the village people there are quite nice and relaxing if some others visited them"

Ericka explained as she paused for a minute and sighed as she continued.

"Even for a small village, there are no merchants nor adventurers around the area. There is also a statement from one of the E-rank adventurers that during the night, there are some weird noises that came by at the nearby forest from that place"

Ericka said and Scarlette caught up the words that the emerald-haired woman stated; "Nearby forest? Do you know what that forest is?"

Scarlette asked her and Ericka just shook her head as she continued; "No. Not really but based on the adventurer's statement about that forest, even if it's daylight, the forest seems so dark when you looked at it"

Ericka paused for a minute before she continued; "Even when they asked the villagers about it, most of them just shook their heads and said that anyone who entered that forest wouldn't come out alive"

Jeffrey looked at the emerald-haired woman when he heard something unusual.

"Anyone who entered that forest, wouldn't come out alive? Why there is no report about that back in Freycrest Capital city?"

He asked Ericka about it and the emerald-haired woman looked back at him and shook off her head as she sighed.

"I don't know that either. Even the villagers didn't know about that forest as well and they tried their best not to enter"

Ericka stated and Jeffrey had a deep thought about it as he analyzes the information that they have.

After Ericka finished explaining, Scarlette had a deep thought as well. 

About the forest that the emerald-haired woman mentioned and she couldn't help but felt something is amiss.

'A forest filled with darkness even in broad daylight? Why does it sound familiar? Where did I hear about this? I can't seem to remember.'

Scarlette thought as she had the feeling that she knew the forest from Ericka's report but she couldn't think of anything on where did she learned or heard about it.

She snapped on her thoughts as she looked at Ericka as she speaks; "Have you investigated as well about the mass graveyard in that place? What do you think about it?"

Scarlette asked her and Ericka sighed as she speaks; "When I start collecting information in regards to the Fordel Village, the mass graveyard that you have provided earlier is one of the information that I have"

Ericka paused as she continued; "However, it seems that it is connected to the nearby forest that one of the adventurers make a report about it"

As soon as those words came out from Ericka's mouth, Ryan immediately looked at her as Ericka said that and he had a puzzled looked.

"That weird forest you are talking about is connected to that mass graveyard in that place? How come? Wait for a second! Do all Ground Zero Missions are complicated like this?!"

Scarlette looked at her right side when she heard that Ryan voiced out his opinion and she filled him with answers; "Yes, you are right. That's why this mission is categorized as Ground Zero"

The crimson-haired woman started to explain as she continued.

"Always remember that Ground Zero Missions are more complicated than the normal mission quest that is posted on the mission board. Ground Zero Mission details are always incomplete that's why only a handful of adventurers can perform this kind of mission"

Scarlette said as she continued and then, her face darkens as she clenched her fist as she speaks once again.

"However, I don't understand why it is posted at the mission board as if preparing for a trap for someone else"

Ryan heard what Scarlette said as she explained it to him. 

He felt shivers when he saw Scarlette's dark expression as the crimson-haired woman clenched her fist.

'I think this woman is ready to punch someone right now! Her aura is swirling once again!'

Ryan thought as he diverts his eyes from the crimson-haired woman as he couldn't stand looking at it and it made him scared the hell out of him!

Jeffrey, on the other hand, had doubts as well when he heard what Scarlette said and the information that Ericka provided for them.

'If this mission is a trap, as Scarlette said, who might be? It could be for…Scarlette?! Then, who is the mastermind? What is their purpose for luring Scarlette at that place?'

Jeffrey thought as he takes a deep thought to analyze everything that they had.