Yan's right leg was swollen from the sprain. He twitched even at the slightest touch.
"You need to hold him tighter," Matthew said to Yuni.
"I am holding him tighter."
"We should knock him out," Clyde suggested.
"It's just a sprain ank...*ugh*"
Yan tried to protest but Matthew suddenly gripped it hard and started to bandage.
Yuni had her eyes on Matthew while Clyde had one of his hands on his sword.
The wrap was done quickly. Matthew stood up as he inspected the bandage.
"That's gonna need at least 4-6 weeks to properly heal that." Matthew took out a few painkillers and handed them to Yan.
"These will at least relieve the pain. I'm no doctor but this should last until we are done here."
Yan nodded as Yuni helped him stand up,
"Thank you for this."
Yan expressed his gratitude. Matthew snorted as Clyde spoke up,
"Assuming we have established a truce, any idea how we are getting out of this?"
Clyde shone light around the room.
"Wouldn't that door appear on its own?" Matthew asked with confusion.
"Heh! On its own he says." Yuni sneered as she held Yan around the room to get adjusted.
"The Shifting Doors are just a Grade 1 Anomaly. We should be able to trigger the requirements to open it," Yan commented. He let go of Yuni and hopped around before staying in a somewhat awkward pose.
Clyde knocked on the wall where the door was.
"Yeah. It's solid."
As they continued talking Matthew was circling the room. All sorts of thoughts ran across his mind.
'Morre-3. Point A-3. Hmmm. So it has also been mapped out.'
"Hey, Becker."
'Then why send a whole group of people? Unless...' Matthew felt he managed to grab onto something.
"Does he just space out?" Yuni looked as Clyde sighed.
"I think so. He did that during the entrance. Hey Becker!"
"No. He is in deep thought." Yan stopped Clyde as Matthew put a finger on his chin,
'They need them for their plan. But they haven't counted on seven RCUVA Agents. Which means...'
"We are lured in a trap." Matthew looked up and said to everyone.
"What?!" Both Clyde and Yuni responded with surprise.
"What makes you say so?" Yan considered the possibility.
"The money was good for an E-grade mission. So many low-level Agents would accept it. And most of the traps are triggered. Which means there has been a group that explored it."
Matthew looked at Yan,
"You were looking through the symbols. What do they signify?"
"He has no reason to disclose that," Yuni replied.
"They are like tags. So those who built it don't get lost." Yan said without hesitation.
Clyde raised his brows.
"Like Hieroglyphs?"
"You know about hieroglyphs?" Yan looked at him with a bit wide eyes.
"What's a hieroglyph?" Matthew asked when the room suddenly lit up.
The door suddenly manifested and opened up slowly.
All four of them looked at it with skepticism.
"Just to be clear. It's none of us right?" Matthew asked as he looked around.
"I would believe so."
"Not me."
"Me either."
Clyde, Yuni, and Yan replied spontaneously.
"This is such a blatant trap...*sigh*," Matthew said out loud as he walked out and looked around.
The dancing flames still illuminated the corridor. The stone paths and the walls filled with scratches and looked back in.
"Clear."
Yuni helped Yan walk out as Clyde shut off the light and gave it back.
"That came surprisingly handy."
"I'm surprised not many would bring something like this." Matthew patted the backpack.
"Cause no one is crazy enough to carry medkit and flashlights in a damm crypt." Yuni couldn't help but add.
"Yuni." Yan gave Matthew a nod of apology.
"What now? They want us to go somewhere." Clyde looked down the corridor.
"There is a big room at the end with a bunch of tunnels connected to it."
"The same place the monster came?" Matthew remembered the sound coming from that direction. Yan nodded and recounted,
"Yes. It just dropped from the ceiling and started grabbing people."
"How did that end up with you being like this?" Clyde pointed at his ankle.
"It grabbed me by the leg but Yuni managed to punch it off."
Matthew was a bit taken aback. He knew Yuni was strong from her fight against Clyde. And the monster that came after them was certainly not small. Matthew took another look at the scratches. It was long and deep.
'Better stay off her bad side.'
Matthew thought to himself. He lowered the flashlight and said,
"Well, since there is no way but forward, let's see what the end road holds."
Clyde looked back and his eyes can see the blocked path. Yan limped as Yuni supported him. They all walked towards the large opening.
As they walked Matthew decided to strike up a conversation,
"So...Yan. Tell us a bit about yourself."
Clyde who was walking behind Matthew chuckled,
"Nice way to start a conversation."
"It's fine," Yan replied.
"I and Yuni are just your average..."
Clyde gave a slight snort. Matthew look back to see he wiped off the grin on his face.
"As I was saying. We are just your ordinary Agents. Here to earn some quick cash."
"And hopefully some good artifacts." She quickly added.
"What about you?" Matthew shone the light on Clyde.
"You know. Just an average rookie."
"Really? Could have sworn you're weaker than that." Yuni commented from the side.
"Attribute Suppression doesn't count," Clyde replied immediately.
"Sure. Whatever you say, uncle." Yuni rolled her eyes as Yan gave her a slight bump.
"Ignore her please." Yan once more said in an apologetic tone.
"Hmph. Anyway. I came here for quick cash and if I'm lucky a void crystal."
Matthew tried to remember what void crystals were but couldn't remember and asked Cylde.
"What's a Void Crystal? Why do you need it?"
"What's a Voi- how are you here and don't know what a void crystal is?" Yuni was flabbergasted.
Matthew shrugged.
"Fascinating. This is truly your first mission." Yan said with astonishment. He stopped and leaned back against the wall. Yuni kept holding him just to alleviate the pain a bit.
"Why is it such a big deal? Didn't you have your first mission?"
Matthew crossed his arms after he put down the light on the ground.
Clyde looked Matthew up and down,
"With an abysmal preparation like you? No."
Yan agreed with Clyde while Yuni simply just shook her head.
"You're gonna get yourself killed." Out of nowhere, Yuni said in a blunt voice.
Yan looked at Yuni with disapproval.
"What?" Yuni looked offended.
A chuckle escaped as Matthe shook his head.
"I won't die that easily. I promised someone that I'll come back alive."
Yuni gave a skeptical look while Clyde rolled his eyes. But Yan looked on with surprise.
He looked deep into Matthew's eyes. Searching for something. His lips curved into a small smile. It was too small to be noticed but it was there nonetheless.
"Let's take a break. Looks like you're about to pass out." Matthew helped Yan to sit more comfortably.
Clyde leaned back on the opposite wall as Matthew sat in the middle with his light. Thinking about how to proceed further.