[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-568":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1328095,1764,"Chapter 568: Closed (2)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-568",568,"\u003Cp>We were searching through the empty village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, to be honest, “plundering” fits better than “searching.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief who took over the commander’s body gave just one order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gather everything you find in the village into one place!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furniture, household items, equipment, daily tools...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no distinction by type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether useful or useless, nothing was spared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The order was to take everything found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why would the chief give such an order?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speculating, it wasn’t because he cared about the things the village had accumulated over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief isn’t the sentimental type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the reason for plundering everything was one:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Jerome Saintred would have done the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would have taken everything for the royal family’s sake, no doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the chief gave that order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team leaders, please take this map and cover your assigned areas...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exploration force divided into teams and plundered the houses where monsters—who once believed themselves human—had lived and raised children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no battle; just tedious labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some welcomed this simple task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Objects reflecting the lifestyle of the first monsters capable of communication!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This will be invaluable research material!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a pity... It would have been great if we had captured one or two alive to talk to...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could there still be some hiding?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wizards, obsessed with research, valued this task greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, including Raven as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel, you said you stayed here before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later... if we get a chance, could you tell me more about it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure, if the opportunity arises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Promise? Then I’ll go. Break time is over. See you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, our temporary fourth team was given the same mission and diligently searched our assigned area again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet somehow, I felt strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Raven said, we had memories of staying here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...That’s the mansion we stayed in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! That’s the clearing where I sparred with Piarocic!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s kind of eerie. The forge has a fire burning but no one’s inside...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s hard to explain, but there’s something very odd about it. They were monsters, but many were still decent...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What really distinguishes humans from monsters?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appearance? Racial traits? Experience?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, is the chief who regained a human body still human?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conversely, if I became monster-like or entered their bodies through some means?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Am I then a monster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I don’t know anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t even know if such distinctions still make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yandel... are you okay? You don’t look well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Of course. Why would I not be okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...If you say so, I guess that’s that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We continued ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) our assigned task and, once finished, regrouped with the other teams in the village center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already time to camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The amount is overwhelming...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, it has to be. It was a village where hundreds lived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A full day of searching and plundering ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We searched all the village but found no survivors in hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the day’s work, we camped in vacant houses by team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it was time to quietly talk with the comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll stay in another room far away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Please talk comfortably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Armin exploration team and Hexts clan discreetly gave space, Versil cast a “voice control” spell, and Amelia quickly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So... what exactly happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, well...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t think I’d believe you conspired with the commander. If that were true, you’d have told me in advance because of your personality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without even giving me time to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...That’s not entirely wrong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was dangerously close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goddess said that the moment I passed out, my comrades were ambushed and subdued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no one to issue orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What to do? Should we fight here? But it’s the royal army. What decision would I have made?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment where a split-second judgment decides the outcome,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the clan I left, Anabad, failed to decide in time and ended up all captured without resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Fortunately, the outcome was good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the good result wasn’t because of good judgment, just luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had resisted to the end, someone would have died or been seriously injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why they didn’t believe me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t have trusted pure luck and kept silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right. There was no secret cooperation. In fact, Jerome Saintred tried to hand me over to the chief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That much was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He must have been bribed with some royal treasure the chief had. But somehow, we resolved it well and even used it to catch the chief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...How did you resolve it well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Versil asked cautiously, clearly confused, and I sighed internally and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reatlas helped a lot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was also true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it was advice to resolve it by talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at least it seemed to help overcome the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reatlas... the goddess?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean, did the light burst out and you passed out then...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, I can’t say the details due to a promise with the goddess. But... in the end, things went well, and after escaping the village, I met Jerome Saintred and made a secret deal. He would forget using me as a scapegoat and first catch the chief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...So that’s why you said you’d give me a reward for the great achievement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the goddess’s name and the commander offering me rewards, most believed my words without doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except one, Amelia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...She’s going to persistently question me when we’re alone later.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it gave me a headache, but it couldn’t be helped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fewer people who know the chief’s secret, the better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how good the act, the moment the opponent is the chief, they can sense sharing secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then that person too would become a target of the chief’s potential “unexpected moves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘More than anything... if things go really wrong someday, I can prove I have nothing to do with it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, after answering a few more questions from the comrades, that topic ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to move to the next stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, please give us some space.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah... yeah, you should rest too...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Misha, except you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Eh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I singled her out, Misha looked embarrassed as if called on by a homeroom teacher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others left first, saying they were going to rest, and I was left alone with Misha sitting with fists on her lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carefully asked first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what is it...? Why call me separately all of a sudden...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to beat around the bush or tease, so I went straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Resurrection Stone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just those three words made her shoulders twitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered how she managed to hide it until now, but thinking back, it was all my fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have asked forcefully earlier, even if it meant pushing her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But somehow, it was hard to do that with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did Ibaekho give it to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answer about how she knew, just a straightforward reply in a barely audible voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did he say when he gave it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He said to stay by your side... and if you die someday, use it to... save you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, that was expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t surprised, as I had suspected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I was curious about a few things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you know that using the Resurrection Stone causes the user to lose all memories?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, judging by her expression, she didn’t know that feature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately moved on to the next question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you didn’t know, why didn’t you tell me earlier? It doesn’t seem harmful to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because if you knew... something worse might happen to you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you hid it from me? He told you that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha lowered her head and sealed her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But watching her, a strange feeling welled up inside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t anger, my mind was calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though trying to stay composed, my heart kept beating faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That feeling was far from sadness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay. Then you can leave now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I didn’t understand, I wanted to end the conversation here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for some reason—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha sat silently without leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why aren’t you leaving? Go rest. I’ve heard everything I need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, she raised her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And painfully opened her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you’ve... heard? That’s... all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a strange question to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why, do you want to know more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not blaming you. You didn’t plot with malice; you did it for me, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my gentle answer, Misha remained silent for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long that silence lasted—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those things...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t like those...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha lowered her head deeply and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just... tell me. Anything is fine...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A plea filled with earnestness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my mouth without realizing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just thought there was no need to talk more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a strange experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never knew my true feelings could come out first through words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s hard to believe you no matter what you say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, in this strange new world, she was the most trustworthy person to me, but now that’s not the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it’s not all her fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If fault is to be assigned, Ibaekho has a much bigger share.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After hearing today’s story, the first thought I had was whether you’re hiding something else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Hmm, I see...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I almost felt sorry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought about apologizing, but it didn’t seem like my place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha looked at me for a moment, then slowly stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step, step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She walked away silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She closed the door and left quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the usual morning meeting, I had a private talk with the chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t we just get rid of these pointless morning meetings?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. Jerome Saintred is a man who values routine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, have you thought about the reward we talked about yesterday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that... I plan to wait for later. I don’t need anything immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, let me know anytime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will. Anyway, the important thing is the plan going forward... What are your intentions now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As I said before, I plan to take time and first adapt to this body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief’s answer remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Adaptation, huh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ultimately, that meant he didn’t trust me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to confirm what essence I held, whether I really had Essence of Eblus, if the [Heretic Altar] was actually installed in the city, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to check those first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What after adaptation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll leave immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if the Essence of Eblus is confirmed, he will give up this place right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a time I eagerly awaited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that and my curiosity were separate matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you plan to keep living in that body, why not just leave together when we all escape? You can’t erase the Essence of Eblus anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it a player’s occupational hazard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought of leaving early and losing a count seemed too inefficient to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, it felt like such a waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t even a situation where I was losing out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, if you die alone and escape, the royal family won’t look kindly on you. You might even lose your position as commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahaha, interesting! I didn’t expect you to give me such advice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re on the same boat now. We might have to cooperate outside too. And you’ve improved your smile a lot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m slowly adapting. To the human heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what’s your answer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same as before. Once I finish adapting, I’ll leave immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would the chief do such an inefficient thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I looked at him with that doubt, he forced a smile and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been in this floor a bit over 100 days, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You still don’t know anything about this floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, according to records, you will leave someday... but how long it will take is unknown.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a very long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it wasn’t a forced emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice held a strong emotion I had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it lasted only a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, everyone values different things, right? For me, if I can leave here even one day sooner, that’s worth everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the chief put on his usual forced smile again.\u003C\u002Fp>",2054,"2026-06-05T19:33:16.709Z",1,"novelbin.me","230d6c40234aa5e5c442a56b640dcecf0c063b6b96dc352a4f91a3ff606c7b82","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-569","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-567",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]