Meanwhile, on a rocky path flanked by boulders and towering trees, Zoey led her twenty-person team at the same pace.
They didn't rush to the designated spot to attack Victor's base camp because they needed to arrive at the same time as Levy's team. Zoey checked her watch several times to ensure the time was correct.
She also sent a text to Levy to inform him of their location.
However, five minutes had passed since her first text, and Levy had not yet replied.
Zoey started to feel uneasy; something might have happened to Levy. This was odd because Levy never ignored her texts — he always replied immediately.
'They're still in the tunnel?' Zoey pushed aside that thought.
She is aware, by now, that Levy's team was supposed to be exiting the tunnel and heading to their target location to attack.
Sigh!
Zoey took a deep breath a few times to ease her worry.
After a few minutes of walking, when they arrived at a slightly wider flat path, Zoey finally raised her hand to signal her team to stop. She turned to face all of them.
"Guys, our target location is several hundred meters ahead. But for now, we will rest in this place and await news from Levy's team." She said calmly, but everyone could see worry flash through her gaze.
A man with short white hair who stood not far from Zoey asked, "General, did something happen to Levy's team!?"
"I'm not really sure. But he has not yet responded to my text," Zoey replied, addressing the white-haired man, John, her subordinate who held a rank below Levy—Gold rank Level 4.
"General, have you contacted the other team members?" Another group member asked in concern.
Zoey looked in his direction; she smiled at him before saying, "Well, I did contact Benny. But got no reply from him either."
"Looks like they're busy or passing through an area with no signal." The bald man responds.
Zoey remained silent and could only listen to her team's discussion.
"Yes, that could also be the reason why they can't reply."
"No, guys! That's not possible."
"Yeah, I agree with you."
Silent hangs in the air.
But a few seconds later, someone shouted in shock.
"Ge-General..." The bald man's voice sounds trembling as he looks at Zoey in fear.
Zoey turned her gaze at the bald man with a frown. "Speak!"
Everyone is also curious, looking at the bald man.
"Damn!! Could it be that someone is sabotaging our communication signals?"
"Shit! You might be right," John responded in shock. "General, please give your response."
Instantly, everyone fell silent upon hearing those words. Their eyes were now focused on Zoey, who appeared to be frowning, lost in thought.
After a few moments of silence, Zoey finally looked at her team one by one, and when her eyes stopped on John, she shook her head slowly.
"Impossible. Our internal communication frequency is only known by four team members, including you, John!" Zoey trusted the three people she chose because they were all her best friends and had fought alongside her for longer than others. One of them couldn't betray her.
John could only nod at Zoey's words. Only four people knew, meaning it was impossible for someone to sabotage it. However, something crossed John's mind; he narrowed his eyes at Zoey before saying, "General, why do I think there is a spy in our team?"
Instantly, everyone in that place felt a chill. The calm atmosphere turned into a frenzy as they started to look suspiciously at the people beside them.
"Damn it! Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Tsk! I've been with the General's team forever; how could I betray her?"
"Stop staring at me like that, you jerk!"
"You scoundrel—"
.
.
.
.
John and Zoey exchanged a look as if communicating through their internal connection, ignoring everyone pointing fingers and trying to find the spy among them.
Not long after, John's face turned red. "Damn it!! Shut up, all of you!" he snapped, then his eyes fixed on a specific person behind.
Instantly, the atmosphere became silent.
No one spoke, but their gazes followed John's line of sight, fixed on the newcomer standing behind for some unknown reason.
"L-Lee Han..."
"Yes! He must be the spy!"
...
'What the fuck!! Now they're suspicious of me?' Lee Han cursed inwardly when he saw twenty pairs of eyes staring at him suspiciously, including Zoey's.
Lee Han feels hurt knowing Zoey saw him the same way her team looked at him.
Before Lee Han could explain to them, a tremendous force rushed toward him at a speed ordinary eyes couldn't follow. But Lee Han, with his divine eyes, saw John, the white-haired man, already standing in front of him, a sharp tactical dagger aimed at his throat.
However, an explosion echoed before the dagger touched Lee Han's skin.
"BOOM!"
John's body was thrown several meters back by the invisible shield Lee Han had used.
Everyone was shocked to see John thrown back all of a sudden. Then, they turned their gaze to Lee Han in shock.
"You have an invisible shield? How is that possible? You're just Copper Rank; there is no way you can't afford that thing!" John, who had just landed on the ground, asked in disbelief.
Lee Han remained silent. He received the smartwatch from Levy. How could they are now suspicious of him?
"Who sent you here? You must be the spy!?" John shouted again, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Lee Han as he advanced toward him.
Instantly, other adventurers grew angry.
"Lee Han, are you the spy among us?"
"How dare you betray us!"
A few adventurers aimed their rifles at Lee Han, ready to shoot.
Still shocked by John's sudden attack, Lee Han ignored all the eyes and weapons aimed at him. He knew they couldn't harm him as long as his invisible shield remained active.
Lee Han's gaze fell on Zoey, who looked at him with an inscrutable expression.
'Do you believe me, Zoey?' Lee Han asked, attempting to communicate through their mental connection.
He knew Zoey could hear him.