As Jin-Woo and Chi-Yul continued their tasks, Joo-Hee knelt diligently collecting the goblins' essence stones.
But then, like a bolt of lightning, a memory surged back into her mind—a chilling realization that froze her in place.
Her face paled, and she stood abruptly, her expression etched with worry.
'I remember now! Kang Tae-Shik wasn't just here for the raid. He was hired to kill the criminals!'
Her heart raced as dread gripped her.
'Wait, those two caves... I'm pretty sure they were somehow connected.'
'Oh no... Those two… they were fated to die at this dungeon. How could I forget this detail?!'
Without hesitation, Joo-Hee spun around and shouted, her voice sharp and urgent.
"Jin-Woo! Mr. Song! We have to go back—now!"
"There's no time to waste. If we don't, something terrible is going to happen with those two!"
Jin-Woo and Chi-Yul both paused, their eyes narrowing in confusion.
Chi-Yul opened his mouth to ask, but before he could, Joo-Hee was already sprinting back toward the three-way split in the cave.
'Even though those two betrayed the Joo-Hee, Jin-Woo, and Mr. Song back then… they were still her comrades.'
She clenched her teeth, the moral weight of the situation pressing heavily on her chest.
'I know I'm not in any position to forgive them on behalf of Joo-Hee. After all, what's done is done.'
'But if I let them die now, knowing what's coming… then I'm no better than them—betraying others just to survive.'
As the cave entrance came into view, her resolve hardened.
She slowed just enough to glance over her shoulder, seeing Jin-Woo and Chi-Yul catching up, their faces painted with confusion.
Jin-Woo sprinted with ease to catch up with Joo-Hee, his voice carried a mix of confusion and concern.
"Joo-Hee, why did you run off like that? And what about Mr. Kim and Mr. Kang?"
She swallowed hard, her mind scrambling for a believable lie.
Finally, she said, "I… I placed a sliver of my mana on two of the prisoners earlier. To act as a trace in case something happened."
Jin-Woo's sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
His heightened sensitivity to mana made it hard for him to believe her completely, but he stayed silent as she continued, "That trace… it's gone now."
Her voice wavered, and she forced herself to gulp visibly.
"This could only mean one thing, both of them... are now dead."
Chi-Yul, who was running alongside them, furrowed his brow in disbelief.
"Joo-Hee, this isn't the time to joke," he said, his tone serious.
"Are you absolutely sure about that?"
Joo-Hee turned to him, her face resolute.
"Yes," she replied firmly, her voice leaving no room for doubt.
Jin-Woo's thoughts churned as he processed her words.
His expression grew grim, his suspicions aligning with hers.
'If what Joo-Hee said is true, then it can only be him… I knew something felt off about that hunter.'
'Kang Tae-Shik... he's the only one who could've done this.'
Chi-Yul clicked his tongue in frustration as he muttered, "Damn it. Those jerks. We can't let them die—not like this."
"We need to get out of here and inform the guild employee," Chi-Yul added.
Joo-Hee shook her head vehemently as they continued to sprint.
"No. If we do that, it'll already be too late. Mr. Kim and Mr. Kang will be dead by the time we make it back."
Hearing this, Chi-Yul clenched his jaw, frustration evident on his face.
He pushed himself to run faster, his thoughts racing.
'Those fools… despite everything, we can't just abandon them to their fate.'
Jin-Woo, meanwhile, silently readied himself for a fight, his expression hardening.
'If Kang Tae-Shik thinks he can just play God in this dungeon, he's sorely mistaken.'
...
The three of them arrived at the intersection, facing the three cave entrances.
Jin-Woo, his brow furrowed in concern, turned to Joo-Hee.
"Joo-Hee, stay here," he said firmly, his voice laced with urgency.
"No matter what, you cannot come with us."
Joo-Hee's eyes widened, her expression one of disbelief.
"What? No! I should go with you. If Mr. Kim and Mr. Kang are injured, I can at least heal them!"
Chi-Yul, who had been silent up until now, nodded in agreement.
"Jin-Woo's right. You're a healer, Joo-Hee. Stay here."
Joo-Hee's heart pounded in frustration.
'What the hell?' she thought.
'I know they're concerned, but to think I would experience such discrimination just because I'm in a woman's body and a healer? How unpleasant...'
Her gaze hardened, her eyes turning cold as she glared at both Jin-Woo and Song Chi-Yul.
With a sharp, bitter tone, she spoke, her voice laced with the weight of her pent-up anger.
"Mr. Song, Jin-Woo… I can pull my weight."
Without waiting for their response, Joo-Hee marched past them and entered the middle cave, her back stiff with determination.
Jin-Woo clicked his tongue in exasperation, his mind a storm of conflicting thoughts.
'How can Joo-Hee be so stubborn? She might get hurt in there.'
But there was little he could do now—Joo-Hee had made up her mind.
Chi-Yul shot Jin-Woo a quick glance, silently agreeing that there was no way to persuade her.
They followed her into the cave, their footsteps heavy with the weight of their unspoken concern.
Inside the dark cavern, Joo-Hee, with her recent grueling training last night, immediately conjured a small tangible, compressed orb of healing energy.
It pulsed with potent power, ready to be used at a moment's notice.
Her expression softened slightly, but there was still a trace of anger in her voice when she handed it to Jin-Woo.
"Here, take this. Break it when you're injured," she said in a sulking tone, her arms crossed defensively as she thrust the orb into his hands.
Jin-Woo could feel the weight of her frustration in the air, and with a sigh, he accepted the healing orb, his throat tightening as he gulped.
'She's really angry…'
He couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing that Joo-Hee's determination came from a place of wanting to help, but also from being underestimated because of her role as a healer.
"Thank you..." Jin-Woo said softly, not knowing what else to say.
There was no denying Joo-Hee's resolve, and all he could do now was hope that they'd make it out of this alive.