[{"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-712":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},1327939,1764,"Chapter 712: Special Force (3)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-712",712,"\u003Cp>I picked up a picture stuck to the bookshelf and took a closer look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The picture was thin and not framed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to have some sort of magical treatment or coating, like a thin film covering it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost like looking at a modern photograph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, that wasn’t important...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Who is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman in the lively, photo-like painting wore an elegant dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t quite a stunning beauty, but her bright smile was very charming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was unusual was that she had black hair and black eyes at the same time—something rare to see in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Somehow, she looks familiar...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, a face I had seen often?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at the picture for a long time, I looked over at another painting where the figure’s figure was emphasized—and then I understood why I felt that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...She looks exactly like Ragna.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black hair and black eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from those two features, the facial features were very similar to Ragna’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then... could this woman be Ragna’s biological mother?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t any clear proof or anything like that, but it was only natural to suspect it logically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mean, think about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna’s middle name, “Litaniel,” is actually the name of the nurse who raised him, not his biological mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[So, what about his mother? Do you know what happened to her?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I heard she passed away on the day she gave birth to me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there’s Ragna, the marquis’s illegitimate child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the woman who looks exactly like her found in the marquis’s secret library.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But if he made a room like this... he must have really cared about Ragna’s biological mother...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After looking around the paintings in the room once more, I finally took my attention away from the pictures and searched other areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing except writing tools near the desk, so I focused on the bookshelf...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Royal Meeting Minutes 17~18]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Explorer Status Report Year 02]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[11th Race Council Minutes]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Draft Plan for Labyrinth Progress Year 117 IV]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[217th Dimensional Collapse...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were these books?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t look like ordinary books at a glance...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually opening and reading them, they felt more like public records than published books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the meeting minutes, the entire volume was filled with who said what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plans and reports were formatted like documents submitted by field workers to their superiors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But why would the marquis gather all this here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know, but as I flipped through the pages, some parts were underlined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, in the ‘11th Race Council Minutes’:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Before the dignity of the Immortal King, all race leaders prostrated and kissed the ground.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part was underlined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also in the ‘Draft Plan for Labyrinth Progress Year 117 IV’:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Due to the much steeper than expected growth of current explorers, the Labyrinth Management Department must prepare separate countermeasures.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part was also underlined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While roughly reading, I noticed small books under the desk connected to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Are these diaries?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason diaries came to mind right away was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were much smaller than the other books, and there were a lot of them...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above all, the years were written on the covers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If these are really diaries, that’d be amazing...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a hopeful heart, I pulled out the earliest year’s diary and opened it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the pages were densely filled with writing from the very first page, I couldn’t read the contents at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just bad handwriting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t Raphdonian or ancient language...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a script I had never seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t Korean or English either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What language on earth was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind was full of such questions when a sudden thought struck me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah, could it be some sort of cipher?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in modern times, it’s said that each country used its own cipher during World War II.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d even heard that Raphdonian army units used their own ‘ciphers.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Better take it with me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly packed it into my Aspace bag as something to decode later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s nothing else to see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confirming there was nothing else to take, I finally approached the only framed picture in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman’s name was written on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Meirin Hyunvenia —————.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, the last name was scratched out harshly with something sharp, making it unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the name were numbers likely representing birth and death dates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s this symbol?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the lower-left corner of the painting, there was a symbol similar to the Taegeuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sphere combining red and blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Could the marquis be some kind of evil spirit too?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought suddenly crossed my mind, but I judged the possibility to be low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color scheme matched, but it was somewhat different from the Taegeuk symbol I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, I thought I’d seen everything now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I turned around to leave—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaaaang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was that sound?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that the marquis already sent troops after hearing the news?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know, but I definitely heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that meant something was wrong upstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tatatatat—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurried out of the secret space and ran up the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I kicked off the last step,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw about a dozen people facing off against special forces blocking the secret room’s exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, quite a few faces were familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thought there might be some unexpected variable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man looked at me coldly and spoke in a dry voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again, it’s Bjorn Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deputy chief of Orculis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maan, Roland Banonzant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beside them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really amazing. How did Baron find out we were hiding here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member of Orculis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Witch of Screams, Liranne Vivian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And awkwardly standing above—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is quite troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A member and also part of the Round Table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pisit...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the corpse collector, Abet Nekrapeto.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Looks like the others are Orculis members too...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had ordered the destruction of the marquis’s estate to find hidden Noarques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but be genuinely surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why the hell are these guys here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this really happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The standoff quieted the moment I appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for the scream of one of our men who lost an arm while going down the stairs, it was otherwise very quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Raven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I muttered the name softly, Raven quickly finished explaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“While you were downstairs investigating, we found a hidden groove in the floor and opened it. The authors hiding underneath appeared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, that’s what happened...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The events while I was away started forming in my mind, but it still felt unreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only thought we could legally(?) search the marquis’s estate, not that we’d really find these guys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, they seemed as startled as I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Randolph, didn’t you say the marquis’s estate would be clean in the search?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deputy chief asked in a reproachful tone, and the bespectacled man next to him awkwardly scratched the back of his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha... yes, that’s right. When I calculated it, the chance of this happening was zero percent...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zero percent? What the hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m not so naive as to believe there’s zero chance of anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This means...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deputy chief turned his gaze to his comrades and emitted a murderous aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It can only mean information leaked from the inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could that really happen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Death to traitors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While feeling somewhat stunned by the current situation, having survived many adversities through quick thinking, I saw a way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could organize my thoughts, words slipped out of my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it? Nekrapeto.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Pisit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come here quickly, we’ll protect you now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until then, he seemed to have no clue what I was talking about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The information was really accurate. Thanks to you, we found them. With this, you’ll get a new identity in the city too—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I spoke quickly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what are you saying!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he realized the situation, he panicked and waved his hands wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no! I...! Deputy chief! That guy’s just talking nonsense! You’re not really going to believe him, are you? Maan, who can see through the truth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the deputy chief gave no answer, he spoke even more desperately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I would tear him to pieces a hundred times over if I could! R-right...? You’re not really believing this...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But judging by how flustered you are babbling nonsense, I get the feeling you might suspect something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Words with some truth behind them, not just empty talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, if no one leaked info, this situation can’t be explained.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bespectacled man standing next to the deputy chief added a word, making Nekrapeto’s eyes go wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just to be clear, I have nothing to do with Nekrapeto.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Vivian, who usually called him ‘brother,’ drew a clear line, making him look like he might jump out of his skin from frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must have felt utterly wronged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that wasn’t my concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, you should’ve behaved better.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, same here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you think our comrades would flinch if the Noarques said something like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, so...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it? Hurry up and come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-why should I go there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? There’s no point in hiding anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why don’t you stop talking nonsense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, are you feeling guilty about betraying your comrades right in front of their eyes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wh-what...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a step forward, getting excited as he tried to charge at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t have to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because someone else stepped forward faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chachachat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bespectacled man next to the ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) deputy chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved quickly and blocked Nekrapeto’s way before he could get to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nekrapeto looked quite surprised to be blocked by his comrade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, the bespectacled man continued in a businesslike tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please stop your sudden outburst. If you act like that, it could look like you’re trying to flee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh... no, it’s not that... I was going forward because...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it was for battle, Nekrapeto would have even less reason to approach the enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I really wasn’t trying to fight...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah... so you mean you weren’t going to fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s not what I meant...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deputy chief?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the bespectacled man briefly asked for the deputy chief’s opinion, the deputy chief nodded grimly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s better than fighting with a suspicious person behind your back. Detain Abet Nekrapeto. Make sure he doesn’t cause any trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You heard that, right? So just come quietly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no, what did I do wrong...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes. We’ll discuss that later. For now, just come here. Even if Nekrapeto goes missing, it won’t be a big problem, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, so one down for now?\u003C\u002Fp>",1783,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.959Z",1,"novelbin.me","a5c2ae6b05c8fc68b70fc5275b6476b7df3dbb1db0813d95c8299922eee2eb1e","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-713","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-711",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]