The Orc extended his long arm into the pit. Leaning on that strength, Baron climbed up swiftly. Then, the two of them reached down from the edge. Even raised both hands, and they pulled with all their might to heave him up. To be honest, pulling Even's massive body up would have been nearly impossible for the Orc alone.
In the pitch-black night, it had been hard to see the Orc guard clearly. But once topside, Even had the chance to observe him. His hunch was correct—this Orc was quite short compared to the others, standing roughly the height of a human.
Suspicion took root in Even's mind. Curiously, he asked, "By the way, were you actually assigned guard duty? Or... did someone dump their work on you and run off?"
The Orc flinched. He hadn't expected such a sharp guess from Even. He stammered, "H-how did you know?"
"Just a feeling," Even replied indifferently.
Actually, it was bound to happen. Such things had happened countless times in Even's life. When he had tried to leave everything behind and return to a normal life by starting school again, the same thing happened. Other students would dump their hardest chores on him and disappear. It wasn't that Even didn't protest, but he was always kept in check by a strange fear.
That fear wasn't about getting beaten up; it was the fear of being caught by Vasco. Everyone in class had somehow found out that Even was Vasco's older brother. They also knew that Vasco had a violent temper and would turn aggressive over the smallest things. They blackmailed Even, saying that if he didn't do their work, they would tell Vasco that Even was claiming to be his brother.
The thought of what would happen if Vasco found out made Even's limbs go cold. Seeing the terrified face of this Orc brought back those old memories of exploitation.
Even realized exactly what had happened. Caught up in the festival mood, the real guards had dumped their responsibilities on this timid Orc to go enjoy themselves. From the conversation, it was clear this Orc feared the Leader like death itself. The real guards probably scared him into staying on duty by mentioning the Leader. This was the same reason he had been so hesitant to go to the storehouse. When Even lied and brought up the Leader again, that old fear multiplied.
Inadvertently, Even found a reflection of his own life in this Orc. Those who are fearful, weak, and helpless are often used as tools by others. And if luck is even worse, they spend their lives as punching bags, just like Even.
"Follow me! Don't try to run, or no one here will be worse than me!" the Orc tried to snap at them. It was a failed attempt to sound powerful.
However, as he began to perform the duty he was originally supposed to avoid, and seeing creatures weaker than himself, his sense of power suddenly spiked. He began to look down on Even and Baron. The slight pity Even felt for the Orc vanished instantly. He realized that in this world, given the chance, even the weak won't hesitate to bully those weaker than them.
…
They walked through the darkness toward the storehouse. According to the guard's plan, they would take Even's laptop and go straight to the Leader.
Though the sky was pitch black, the sounds of Orc celebration and the glow of fires drifted from a distance. Standing on a thin line between death and freedom, Even remembered his gray past. Memories of his childhood flashed before his eyes like slides.
After his parents died, Even's life changed in an instant. His aunt had adopted him, but not out of love—it was for a massive inheritance. To the public and the courts, she was a kind guardian, but the truth behind the curtain was gruesome. Until Even turned eighteen, his aunt was the guardian of that vast wealth. She used that time to slowly move everything into her own name.
Even was kept in his father's old study room, which had turned into a filthy storeroom filled with dust and cobwebs. His aunt forced him to stay there. As a helpless child, Even had no power to protest. His connection to the outside world was almost completely cut off.
Even might never have gone to school if his aunt's lawyer hadn't advised it. Sending him to school wasn't for education, but to maintain a good image before the law.
But that plan didn't last long, as Even eventually stopped going to school on his own. His aunt didn't force him. If anyone asked, she would pretend to be helpless and say, "I tried so hard, but I couldn't get the boy to go to school. I'm so worried about his future."
Staying in that dungeon day after day, Even became brainwashed; he thought this was his destiny. The small amount of pocket money his aunt gave him was enough for basic food, but it couldn't fund his digital addictions. Luxuries like buying premium porn videos, unlocking web novel chapters, Netflix subscriptions, new games, or topping up in multiplayer games were impossible. And then there were his favorite snacks.
Out of poverty, Even chose a dark path—online scamming.
He got the idea after being scammed himself once. When he first stole money online by lying, he was surprised. He didn't know he was such a natural liar! Gradually, he made it his profession. Playing with people's emotions and trapping them with words became his part-time duty.
…
The gray memories faded like an old movie reel. After walking through the dark for a long time, they finally stood before the Orcs' mysterious storehouse.
From the outside, it looked dilapidated, but as they entered, a sharp stench hit Even's nose. A foul mix of rotting leather, old blood, and damp humidity. Even wrinkled his nose, thinking, 'The Leader won't have to kill anyone; this smell is enough to do the job!'
The storehouse was a disaster. Nothing was organized; it looked like a massive trash bin. In one corner lay rusted swords of fallen warriors, crushed armor, and shields. On the other side, piles of bones and skins of hunted animals were stacked. Broken furniture and nameless junk were scattered everywhere. The whole place was like a massive scrap yard.
After searching through the junk for a long time, Even finally found his precious laptop. As soon as he touched it, the Orc guard became restless. Shaking with excitement, he urged, "You found it? Now hurry, let's go to the Leader!"
Even signaled him to wait. He tried to turn the laptop on, but since salty seawater had gotten inside, it didn't respond at first. Even's heart sank. He shook the laptop frantically and muttered a few curses. Finally, the screen flickered to life. The system somehow regained its breath.
Without wasting time, Even quickly played a video and held the laptop in front of the Orc's eyes. He carefully kept the volume low so the sound wouldn't travel far.
Seeing scenes of naked human bodies on the glowing screen, the Orc guard turned into a stone statue. His large eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. His mouth hung open, and he started drooling. In his small brain, this scene created such a heavenly stir that he forgot about the Leader and his duty. His hands trembled as if he were facing the greatest magic on earth.
When Baron peeked and saw the video, his state was no better than the Orc's. His calm mood vanished instantly. He stared at the screen with wide eyes, stammering. His ears turned red, and he gulped in excitement. Despite being an experienced adventurer, he had never imagined such high quality and lifelike scenes in his life. He tried to fix his hat but forgot, only whispering, "Friend... what... what magic is this!"
Even stayed alert to ensure he didn't get caught in the trance himself. He carefully handed the laptop to the Orc. The Orc took it with great care, as if receiving a holy object.
Exactly what Even planned happened. The Orc completely lost his sense of reality. Holding the laptop, he sat down and drowned in the provocative scenes on the screen. Baron was just as captivated. Because the Orc had turned around, Baron couldn't see the screen directly, but he didn't give up. If possible, he would have climbed onto the Orc's shoulders. He kept peeking from the side, trying his best to catch the scenes. Even knew exactly how much intensity this first-time sight had created in their brains.
Now, Even only thought about escaping. But he also knew that if the video ended or stopped for some reason, the Orc's trance would break—and that would be the end. He would be caught halfway, and the result would be horrific.
Just then, a beam of moonlight entered the storehouse through a crack in the straw and hay roof. That light fell upon a heavy iron axe lying in the dust. The sharp light reflected from the blade directly into Even's eyes.
Even turned his head and saw the sharp axe. The old stains on the blade suggested it was the weapon of a seasoned warrior. Even walked slowly toward the axe and tried to lift it. Because the gravity of this planet was 30% lower than Earth's, he lifted the heavy axe easily despite his own weight.
He stared at the blade, then glanced at the Orc. His palms began to shake slightly.
He whispered to himself, "I am not a killer, because he is not a human!?"