Chapter 88 Rescue Mission

Jenny pestered Suzuka incessantly to reveal any information about the mysterious peeper. But Suzuka couldn't care less about that, she didn't want to worry Jenny. With a simple response, she walked away and headed toward her room.

"I will find him eventually," Suzuka muttered, her tone heavy and foreboding. "Don't worry, Jenny. If I catch him peeping again, he won't escape. I will use my magic box power to break a few of his bones and we will see who it is." With her chilling statement hanging in the air, Suzuka disappeared into her room, leaving Jenny to ponder over the ominous nature of her words.

The next morning's atmosphere was as gloomy and depressing as ever. Dark clouds covered the sky, and the rain poured heavily, creating a sense of hopelessness and despair. Suzuka had always been fond of gloomy and rainy days, finding a certain solace in the sound of raindrops and the muted light. 

Today she decided to forego her university classes, feeling that she had her fill of the overbearing Sterling for the week. Instead, she craved a different kind of challenge, one that would test her skills and offer her a chance to escape the monotony of her everyday routine. The guild was the perfect place for her to seek out such an adventure.

Suzuka donned her armor with practiced ease, the familiar weight of the leather settling comfortably against her body. She double-checked her gear, ensuring that everything was in working order and fully stocked. With a final glance in the mirror, she nodded in satisfaction at her reflection before setting out to meet her quest coordinator, Lisanna.

As she walked through the city streets, showered by the rain, Suzuka couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry in the pit of her stomach. Her funds were running dangerously low, 11 silver coins, and she knew that she needed to find a high-paying quest soon if she hoped to make ends meet. With her skill set and reputation as a capable adventurer, she was confident that Lisanna would have something suitable for her.

Arriving at the guild headquarters, Suzuka strode confidently through the grand entrance hall. As she approached Lisanna, Suzuka was greeted with a smile, 'Hello there, Helen." With a slight sadness in her voice, she continued, "The weather for quests is unfortunate today, but then again, rainy days never bothered you, so, how can I help you?" 

"Yes, my favorite weather." She leaned against the reception desk and continued, "I am running low on funds, so the quest shall be. Please! Lisanna, tell me you have something, I need a good paying quest. Anything, as long I can make a decent coin." 

"I'm afraid, I have to disappoint you. At the moment, nothing well paying is available. The best quest is 4 silver, but it will be a few days' mission."

"Thanks but no thanks, Lisanna. I was hoping for a bit more money. Well, since no quest, I have time to chat. So? Anything interesting happened?"

"Oh, Helen! You know how it is, same old stuff. But, we have some new adventurers joining in, then we have The Minotaur tournament coming up soon... oh yeah! Also, we have a new Magic Box power user registering with our guild. I wasn't present that day so I only know the name, Isaac, Ice element magic box power user. Other girls said he was a handsome man, looked like some noble prince in the fancy get-up." 

"Isaac... huh? Heard that name before but whatever, not in the mood to talk about pretty boys, I have my hands full with one rich spoiled brat and don't need another. So, anything else?"   

After a few moments of silence, Lisanna leaned forward, a glint in her eye. "There was this accident yesterday evening," her voice filled with concern. "Seven young girls have been abducted by goblin scouts, they snatched them from the farm. It's so unfortunate, poor girls."

"Wait, what? Surely there are people looking for them, right?" 

"Helen... I'm sorry... no one will look for them. The father of these girls issued the quest, but he is a poor man. The reward is only 2 silver coins, no adventurer will accept that quest. You will need to go through multiple goblin camps, it is a high-risk job with low profit."

"So we just ignore the innocent lives? No one took the job? This is madness."

Lisanna was about to talk, a sudden noise cut through the hall - the sound of a door slamming. All eyes turned towards the entrance, it was Laughing Larry striding in, his usual jovial expression replaced by a steely determination, his gaze is fierce. The raincoat was dripping with fresh rainwater, a testament to his haste.

Without a moment's hesitation, Larry walked straight into the center of the room, his voice booming with a sense of urgency, "My fellow guild members, I come before you today with a heavy heart. Last night, a terrible tragedy occurred. Innocent young girls were snatched from their homes by vile goblins. They are still out there, frightened and alone, and time is running out. But I am not here to dwell on the darkness of this situation. I am here to call upon the bravery and valor that lies within each and every one of us. Together, we can rescue these girls and bring them back to safety."    

The guild members stirred, sensing the gravity of Larry's words. He continued, his voice ringing out with passion and conviction. "I am calling on all the brave adventurers of this guild to stand with me in this rescue mission. It won't be easy, and it won't be safe, there is no reward for it but together we can make a difference. Who's with me?"

As he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence, the guild members looking around at each other uncertainly. But no one stood up, to offer their help. Larry looked at every face one by one, but no one was willing to risk their lives for no reward. His eyes stopped at Suzuka, he rushed his step toward her.

"Helen, please forgive me for being so blunt, but I'm in a desperate situation here. Those goblin scouts have captured young girls, and I need to mount a rescue mission immediately. I know we usually chat and exchange pleasantries, but time is of the essence right now. I see you're already geared up for a quest, and I'm begging you to come with me and help me save them. I'm willing to pay you whatever you ask, out of my own pocket, just name your price. Please, I'm at the end of my rope here and I don't know who else to turn to. You're my last hope."

Suzuka readily agreed to Larry's request for help. "You don't have to beg, Larry," she said, her tone kind and reassuring. "I'm happy to assist you, and I won't accept any payment for my help. So, let's talk about a plan. Where do we begin?"

Larry leaned in and shared the intricate details of their upcoming mission with Helen, his voice low and urgent. "Listen closely, we have a small party ready to embark, including you, me, David, and Kieran. Our team is small, but it's all we need to get the job done. This quest won't be easy, but with you by our side, I know we can rescue those poor girls before the vile goblins get their hands on them."

Pausing briefly to gather his thoughts, Larry continued, "We don't have much time. It's been less than 24 hours since the abduction, and we know the general direction that the goblins went. They'll be moving slowly in this heavy rain, which gives us an opportunity to catch up to them. But we need to act fast, time is of the essence. Are you ready to go?"

Suzuka told Larry, "Yeah, I am ready. We can go right now. I just hope David won't slow us down, again. In fact, I'm surprised he came, considering all he cares about is a big coin."

"As I said, I am paying out of my own pocket. Let's go."

  As the rain poured down in heavy sheets, the party members gathered outside the guild, determination etched on their faces. Their mission was clear: to track down the goblins who had abducted several young girls from a nearby farm. With time running short and the safety of innocent lives at stake, they wasted no time in setting off toward the last known location of the goblins.

Despite the urgency of their quest, the storm made it difficult to navigate the treacherous terrain. The path was slick with mud and debris, and the wind howled through the trees, threatening to knock them off course. But the party members pressed on, their senses sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through their veins.

As they trudged through the downpour, they noticed signs of the goblin's passage: broken twigs, muddy footprints, and discarded bits of food. With each new clue, their resolve strengthened, and they quickened their pace. The rain, which had been slowing them down, now became an ally, as it had slowed the goblins down as well, giving the party members a chance to catch up.

Despite the exhaustion and discomfort caused by the relentless rain, the party members pushed forward, driven by the need to rescue the girls before it was too late. They knew that failure was not an option.

After tirelessly following the muddy footprints of the goblins for several hours, the adventurers finally stumbled upon a small campsite. As they surveyed the area, it became clear that this was where the goblins had taken a much-needed rest break and rendezvoused with their main group.

Larry gestured toward the ground and pointed at muddy tracks that littered the forest floor. "This is the spot where the kidnappers took a break and rendezvoused with the main group," he explained, his voice tense with urgency.

 "There were at least thirty goblins in the group, and a few orcs as well. They even had a cart, which I suspect was used to transport the girls. There must have been a cage inside, a cage meant to trap and hold their victims. It's clear that they have a nest or a large camp nearby, especially since they took the girls. I fear they plan on breeding more goblins, which means we must move quickly to rescue them."

 Larry scanned the surrounding area, searching for any signs of movement or activity. His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. "Thankfully, we can easily track their movements with these tracks left in the mud," he continued, his eyes trained on the ground. "But time is of the essence. We must act quickly if we hope to save those poor girls from a fate worse than death."