How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 31 - Escort (1)

We were in a hurry. We fed the horses stimulants to enhance their endurance and moved.

When the horses became exhausted, we abandoned them and ran on foot.

The fatigue was significant as we moved through harsh terrain, trying to avoid the gaze of others without rest.

The cold in the northern region was unbearable.

However, thanks to our mad dash, we reached the edge of the mountain range when midnight passed.

Of course, we still had to move further to reach our destination, but Phiri suggested taking a rest.

It meant taking maximum care of our physical well-being before the start of the actual mission.

We rested by a magic power stove in a cave at the beginning of the mountain range, where there was no fire.

“Do you want to eat something, even just a little?”

“I’m fine for now. I’ll eat later.”

Phiri looked at me with a slightly concerned expression. It was about the meal. If it were someone else, they would have insisted on eating.

It was because I had mysophobia.

“I’ll eat when it’s really necessary.”

I knew that meals were important. We had expended energy during our run, and we needed to replenish the insufficient calories.

But it was a judgment considering all those factors.

I had to stay here for up to four days. Considering the mental stress I was experiencing, it was better not to eat.

Thanks to the reinforced Ironman, a little hunger or sleep wouldn’t have a significant impact.

After all, my condition was always close to the worst. Whether it was -10 or -12, it was similar, wasn’t it?

Phiri looked at me for a moment and nodded. It might have been an intention for me to experience it firsthand.

“Okay. Are you feeling okay physically?”

“Yes.”

Phiri seemed more relaxed than I expected.

She displayed the demeanor of a model spy who never lost their composure.

Of course, her inner thoughts might be different.

Just by looking at how concerned she was about the agents during the day, she seemed like a person who had a lot on her mind.

“Suddenly, I noticed that your demeanor is quite different from when you talked to me earlier.”

“What did I say? I told you I’m treating you well.”

Well, in a way, she was the vice-leader, so even considering we had the same godfather, she treated me too casually.

Perhaps it was because of the image of our first meeting.

She had an easygoing personality with other people, but she seemed quite strict after coming to the Empire.

I thought maybe I should be a little more reserved. It was a habit that could be scary at times.

“I’ll be more careful from now on, Vice-Leader.”

“Huh? Hey.”

When I changed my tone, Phiri extended her hand.

“It’s okay, man. In a way, you’re like my brother. It’s just something I do to maintain the vice leader’s facade. We can be comfortable when it’s just us. You can even call me ‘Sister(Noona).'”

“Well… I’ll just call you Vice-Leader.”

“Why? In terms of age, you could call me ‘Big Sister(Noona).'”

Instead of answering, I furrowed my eyebrows slightly, and Phiri chuckled.

Perhaps because of the casual conversation, the tension eased a bit.

“Anyway, earlier, you were quite sharp.”

“It’s not for sure. Other people had their reasons for their opinions as well.”

“What matters is that a newcomer like you shared the same thoughts as me. Even smart people start by thinking simply.”

It was such an obvious compliment that I couldn’t help but smile gracefully.

“But what if they’re the Empire?”

I thought the probability of them being devil worshippers was over 90%, but it could be an unknown situation.

It could be that the people were on the Empire’s side.

Also, we had to consider the order. It was possible that a devil worshipper intercepted the Empire’s plans.

When it came to espionage missions, it was best to assume that nothing was certain. Phiri shrugged her shoulders.

“Who cares about the Empire? I’m the vice leader, can’t you trust me?”

“But there could be someone on their side who is at the same level as the vice leader.”

“Well, we’ll try it once, and if it doesn’t work out, we’ll retreat. If we can save them, we’ll save them.”

After jokingly talking, Phiri suddenly hardened her expression.

“From the moment we enter the mountains, focus all your attention on the winds.”

“Yes.”

“It’s not an empty phrase. I really mean that you should pour all your attention into your Winds. I’ll protect you. That’s why I brought you here.”

“I had a hunch.”

Searching for people while avoiding suspicious enemies in these vast mountains was, in fact, close to madness.

Rescue missions were more challenging than assassinations or infiltrations.

We were not even going to the rendezvous point, and we were entering enemy territory without any information.

We had to consider our survival as well.

Phiri didn’t bring me along because she was my superior; it was because my ability was related to wind, which allowed for reconnaissance even in unseen places.

“When we enter the mission, I’ll make the call for retreat. If the search fails and we have to retreat, I’ll do my best to attract the enemy’s attention. We might be able to create a gap.”

“I understand.”

“With this much rest, it’s enough, right? Let’s go.”

We tidied up the magic power stove and stood up from our seats. The heat disappeared in an instant, and a northern wind rushed in its place.

Normally, I would have blocked it, but I didn’t have any magic power to spare in a place like this.

As we stepped out, snow began to fall. It wasn’t heavy snowfall.

Thin snowflakes. It was not a good sign.

If it fell briefly and stopped, our footsteps would freeze in place.

Although I could disperse it with Winds, it would still be physically exhausting.

Phiri’s expression wasn’t pleasant either. Over the thin layer of accumulating snow, we silently took our steps forward.

* * *

“11 o’clock and 1 o’clock directions, about 800m, approaching our position.”

“I expected it, but you’re more skilled than I thought, huh?”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it’s going to be quite popular.”

“Yes?”

“I mean your ability. It’s better if you stay in the Empire for a while.”

I didn’t know what would happen to my whereabouts once the main story began, but I just nodded.

Phiri erased the mischievousness from her face.

“Let’s break through the front a little faster.”

At the same time, we increased our speed. We could do this because it was nighttime.

Even though it was in the mountains, we couldn’t roam around like this during the day.

Since safely entering the Kahalin Mountains, the security had become stricter the deeper we went.

Well, it was more like a search for something than actual security.

‘That means one thing.’

My assumption was correct. Our allied agents hadn’t been captured yet, as evidenced by the fact that they were still searching with lights.

Perhaps the enemy also recognized that our allies were spies.

The fact that they hadn’t been caught initially meant that their traces had been detected.

Devil worshippers didn’t leave outsiders entering their territory alone.

But if they pursued the traces and couldn’t catch them, it was natural to realize that the person was not an ordinary civilian.

It became a significant issue, which was why the search network was spread out so widely.

Of course, they might have already been captured, but the encirclement and search network were extensive to find additional personnel.

I organized my thoughts and expressed my slight concern.

“Will leaving some footprints be okay?”

Initially, I erased the footprints with Winds, but Phiri told me not to bother with it.

She wanted me to save my strength for when we found our allies.

However, I had worries. Although they didn’t use lights, there could still be someone with good night vision.

Well, in reality, once we’d come this far, we couldn’t go back and erase the traces.

“Alright. Let’s breakthrough as quickly as possible. If we get caught, we can’t help it. We’ll eliminate what we can.”

I nodded.

Since it was a rescue mission from the beginning, there were inevitable parts. We had to give up what we could.

We could only hope that the enemy would change their direction or overlook us.

Fortunately, the moon was covered by clouds tonight, which was a relief.

‘It’s a shame about the snow.’

If it were heavy snowfall, the footprints would have been quickly erased.

The light snowfall made things uncertain. It added to our physical fatigue.

Four days.

It was the deadline for the rescue mission. If any problems arose before that, it would be a self-rescue.

I didn’t know how long the snow would continue, but I wished the winds wouldn’t stop blowing.

If we revealed ourselves to the enemy before rescuing our allies, whether successful or not, it would complicate our escape.

Perhaps we should just send the Merchant Guild we called in advance and escape on our own.

In the midst of the urgency, I concluded that I needed to conserve my stamina.

We continued to move forward, successfully breaking through the search network. But from now on, it would be the real challenge.

The tighter we went inside, the more intense the enemy’s net would become.

‘Still, we haven’t been caught yet.’

There was no change in the enemy’s movements. In fact, the lack of change was not a good sign.

Either our allies were caught or we were. It could be one or the other.

If it was the latter, we might be able to create an opportunity for our allies. But if it was the former, it would be the worst-case scenario.

Phiri frowned with a cautious expression.

“Huh.”

“What is it?”

“It just doesn’t seem like they’re Empire folks. Not Rialto or Hisala.” (+) ^[1] TLN: I’m still not sure if the Railto and Hisala is one name (Rialto Hisala) or it’s Rialto and Hisala

Since I didn’t know the situation here at all, I had no choice but to trust Phiri’s words.

It was the moment when the probability of them being devil worshippers increased, just as I had guessed.

We erased our tracks and dug into a cave before sunrise.

Despite only moving, the distance covered wasn’t much due to the circumstances.

Until sunset, we rested, replenishing our energy while taking turns keeping watch.

The night in the mountains quickly arrived, and we resumed our search within the enemy’s search network.

Despite trying to erase our tracks as much as possible, there were still dangerous enemies present.

And so, two more days passed without any gains.

* * *

It had been snowing heavily since dawn.

I couldn’t even tell how much it was snowing; the dark sky appeared hazy.

Day 3 of the rescue mission.

If we only counted the time since we arrived in the mountains, it had been two and a half days. The search was a failed operation due to various constraints.

“Are you okay? You look very tired.”

“I can still endure.”

As sunset approached, Phiri observed my complexion.

If I didn’t look tired, it would be a lie. And even without that, I had the Worst Condition trait.

I had gone through the cold mountains in a state of tension.

Moreover, I had traveled from Haisen to the Empire, from the Empire to Kahalin, and from Kahalin to the Kiberun Mountains.

Even just being on the carriage accumulated fatigue, so the accumulated exhaustion was clearly felt.

“Just a little more to endure. Tonight is the last night.”

I knew that. Tomorrow, we had to join the Merchant Guild passing nearby.

But from seeing Phiri in the past few days, it didn’t seem like she would simply back down.

As time passed, she became more restless. It surprised me a bit since she was a person of the rank of a vice leader.

There seemed to be some past story behind it.

‘The Chief also had something in the past, right?’

She wouldn’t leave me like this, and maybe she wouldn’t resume the search alone.

Phiri lifted the camouflage slightly and looked outside. Her expression was serious as she observed the falling snow.

The snow had been falling since dawn, and the world was entirely white.

“Do you think the agents will move first?”

Phiri nodded with a slightly surprised expression.

“Yeah. Heavy snowfall. It’s a favorable condition for escaping. Considering the agents’ stamina and supplies, they will move on a day like this.”

Unless it was a mission where they couldn’t ask for support, the agents would naturally wait for support.

The limit of that waiting varied depending on their physical condition. They had to escape when they still had some stamina left.

Heavy snowfall wasn’t a favorable environment for escape. However, it also made things difficult for pursuers.

It was easier to avoid being noticed.

“Did you set the mission deadline for four days considering this?”

Phiri, who was usually affirmative, hesitated for a moment and then spoke heavily.

“You head to the rendezvous point in 30 minutes.”

“Excuse me?”

“Toun Zaha will move today. Maybe when night falls… no, they might have already moved.”

Phiri’s face was full of certainty.

“From now on, I’ll divert their attention. You head to the rendezvous point after that. It should be fine. After that, it’s up to your judgment. I’ll find my own way back.”

It was a meticulous consideration that took me into account, and I now understood the reason for telling me not to erase footprints.

If we had been caught during the search, we wouldn’t have been able to divert their attention.

At any rate, it wasn’t an incorrect statement.

If Toun Zaha moved and Phiri started diverting their attention…

‘Moving without me will be easier.’

Although I felt a sense of disappointment after going through three days of hardships, I didn’t have any regrets.

Being a spy, most of the time was spent in vain. There were many missions with no rewards.

“Yes.”

As soon as I nodded, a search team was detected at the edge of my Winds. It was a moment when Phiri stood up from her seat.

“Just a moment.”

Phiri looked at me with surprise.

“7 o’clock. 9 o’clock. 5 o’clock. They are heading northeast with a distance of about 1 kilometer.”

“Damn it.”

Phiri stood up abruptly. It seemed like something had happened with Toun Zaha.

• 1. TLN: I’m still not sure if the Railto and Hisala is one name (Rialto Hisala) or it’s Rialto and Hisala