Finding Objects

Ash was really suspicious now. Why were people who didn't want to join the group forced to take a test? 

But what could he do? There were too many of them. Maybe they had been in this world for a long time, unlike him who had only been in this world for a few days.

He glanced at Maya, who had been gritting her teeth silently. He was sure that Maya, who in the real world was used to the harshness of life, would definitely want to fight back.

Actually, he didn't really care about other people's fate, but at least, with Maya around, Ash could complete his quests more quickly, because Maya was smart when it came to puzzles.

Maybe if he followed what Gunnar asked, he and Maya could complete the quest more quickly. The problem was the quest results got to be handed over to Gunnar.

Ash struggled with his thoughts. Gunnar, who saw the confusion in Ash's expression, smirked and leaned forward, saying, "Young man, if you join this group, you and your lover will have access to the skills and information that we have."

'Damn, he knows what I'm thinking. This guy is no ordinary at all,' Ash cursed inwardly.

"We don't have much time. Are you ready or not?" asked Gunnar in a booming voice.

Ash gritted his teeth.

"Okay," he said.

Gunnar laughed loudly and disgustingly.

"Untie them." He said to his men.

The two men who had been standing behind Ash and Maya simultaneously untied them.

"Molly darling, would you be so kind as to take them to their place to rest?" Gunnar said to Molly.

Molly nodded gracefully.

"Wait. Why don't you do the test straight away?" Ash asked.

Gunnar laughed, "Impatient young blood. You have to know the abilities of the other team members first so you can work together with them later, right?"

He motioned to Molly, and she said to them, "Follow me."

Molly walked out of the leader's house, followed by Ash and Maya, and the other two men.

'Shit. I want to finish this quickly and go straight to Kulam Cave.' Ash grumbled inwardly.

But he couldn't do anything. He could feel that the people here were at least skill level twenty and above.

After he killed the tigers, and some prey, he was only level seven.

'Damn it.' he cursed.

***

They were taken to a small wooden house, among other wooden houses. The house only contained one bed, one table and chairs, one small cupboard. Everything was made of wood and has a simple shape.

Ash furrowed his brows. One bed for him and Maya?

He turned and asked Molly, "Can I have another room? We are not lovers."

Molly just shook her head and walked away from the house.

Ash pouted as he watched Molly leave.

He didn't realize that Maya had a sad expression behind him.

***

Finally, they decided to take turns sleeping on the bed. Sometimes the two of them slept on the floor after a long verbal argument.

For several days, Ash and Maya walked around the clearing. They found that the place was occupied by about fifty people. Forty percent of them were Hunters, and twenty percent were Warriors. The rest were Adventurers and Assassins. They were tasked with maintaining the security of the small village and also hunting. The rest consisted of Robber, Theft, and Finder. 

Finders, who also had the ability to search for tracks, often accompanied Hunters to search for items and hunt.

So, Robber and Theft were considered trash professions in this group. They and a group of older warriors did household chores such as cooking, sewing, and even wiping the shields or weapons of the warriors.

Maya, because she was a Thief, was considered a person with a useless profession. 

However, Ash managed to convince Molly that Maya was smart at solving puzzles in terms of finding objects, so Maya now went wherever Ash went.

Even though Maya's presence actually bothered Ash, he didn't mind it that much. His inability to successfully return to his mother greatly frustrated him. Bickering with Maya at least helped him laugh a little.

After they had been there for several days, Gunnar told them through Molly that they would be taking part in one of the missions with the Warriors.

They would search for an item in a location quite far from where they are—a Mayan pyramid. Gunnar wanted to take something from there that he really desired.

***

The night before their departure, Ash lay awake with his eyes open. His mind was very confused. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Gunnar was a very cunning person. Ash felt that he and Maya were being treated too well because Gunnar had something planned.

***

The next morning, five people, including Molly, Gunnar's confidant, set off in a jeep, heading deeper into the dense tropical rainforest.

The morning light filtered through the thick foliage, and the morning dew had just fallen. Everyone in the jeep was silent. Even Maya, who usually couldn't keep quiet, was now quiet and speechless.

After five hours of traveling, they arrived at remote location with only one pyramid. The roots of the Banyan Tree covered most of the pyramid, but the roots at the front door had been cleared by Gunnar's members.

The group got out of the jeep and had lunch before entering the pyramid. During lunch, Molly distributed tasks to each team member.

Ash was assigned the role of support, while Maya was in charge of solving the puzzle to retrieve the item.

After they finished eating, they entered the pyramid.

With the help of torches and flashlights, they navigated the maze leading underground. The air inside the pyramid was stuffy and very humid.

Not long after, they came to a large stone door. One of Gunnar's men turned the lever on the side of the door.

The door opened with an eerie creaking sound, revealing a dark room inside.

When the door was fully open, suddenly Ash and Maya were suddenly pushed inside.

The door closed instantly, leaving behind a deafening thud.