Yama Reborn-Chapter 413 - 410 [Since We’re Here]

Chapter 410 Since We’re Here

Selina’s residence was at a camp not far from the bar. As a regular in this camp for adventurers and travelers over the past year, Selina, with her lavish spending, naturally had her own exclusive dwelling here year-round.

Well, it was actually a semi-permanent tent—to be precise, a set of them.

When Chen Nuo followed her back, he found the place actually looked very professional.

In one of the outer tents, there was heating equipment. The table was covered with various maps of Antarctica, coordinates of supply points, and the maps were marked with all kinds of symbols, probably only comprehensible to Selina herself. A mobile whiteboard was placed on the side, also covered in various written symbols, including names and coordinates. On the ground, there was equipment laid out: empty oxygen tanks, cold-weather gear, supply packs, and things like ice axes.

Selina clearly had no intention of letting Chen Nuo into the inner tent—that was where she slept.

Seeing this, Chen Nuo felt somewhat moved. This woman really could endure hardship. No matter how much money she threw around, life in this place was quite tough. The living and eating conditions were far from comparable to those outside. The food was one thing, but the comfort level of the accommodations was even more incomparable. Days spent sleeping in a tent would be unacceptable to the average person. Although the heating equipment was complete...

Don’t forget, this is King George Island, the closest to Antarctica. But life was still tough here. Just to mention a simple detail: there were no flushing toilets in this place. Even though tents could be erected on the island, fitted with heating equipment, and all kinds of supplies could be transported, a full-scale sewage system wasn’t possible—the ground was permafrost! Heavy excavation equipment was also difficult to transport in.

"You haven’t lived here the whole year, have you?" Chen Nuo sat down on a simple folding chair in the outer tent, looked around at the environment, and asked with a wry smile.

Selina casually removed her cold-weather gear and tossed it aside. She then produced two bottles of beer, tossing one to Chen Nuo. She twisted off her cap, took a sip, and shook her head. "Not the whole time. Each time I set foot in Antarctica for a search mission, it takes a month. After coming back, I need to find a place to recuperate and recover. I would choose to leave King George Island and stay in South America for a while. Then there’s hiring guides, renting equipment, and planning the next search route. Once a new action plan is formulated, I arrive on King George Island half a month in advance to acclimatize and prepare for departure."

Chen Nuo did some quick mental calculations—that was quite impressive. It meant she had spent more than half of the past year in Antarctica.

"If it were you, you’d do the same," Selina said nonchalantly.

"Alright, what exactly happened to Vanel?"

Selina glared. "You... don’t know?!"

Chen Nuo immediately waved his hand. "Okay, now’s not the time to make a fuss. The urgent matter at hand is to exchange what we each know to save time. You go ahead and tell me what you know, then I’ll share mine."

Selina, after all, was a former mercenary and an elite member of that world. She quickly suppressed her emotional fluctuations. This female mercenary’s ability to express herself was still very strong. In her career, an extremely important professional skill was to grasp the essentials when exchanging intelligence.

"After I left Huaxia, Vanel arranged a new identity for me and I joined his organization. However, because of the Octopus Monster’s intelligence gathering on their South America operation, I, as a survivor, couldn’t show my face. So, Vanel assigned me to work in logistics, hiding in a safe area and maintaining a safe house."

Chen Nuo nodded.

Then Selina began to talk about what happened next.

When Selina mentioned the time of Vanel’s disappearance, Chen Nuo raised his eyebrows.

So it seems Vanel never went back after the Antarctic operation ended? He vanished completely? But... one thing Chen Nuo was certain of before: Vanel had managed to escape the base’s Red Circle! There were three survivors: Vanel, Nolan, and the female Ability User, Rebecca. Up until today, Chen Nuo had always thought that Vanel probably went back undercover in the Octopus Monster organization.

However, Chen Nuo did not interrupt Selina, choosing instead to listen.

Afterward, Selina started talking about how she had made several inquiries and then came to Antarctica to search...

「A few minutes later...」

"You’re saying you saw me half a year ago?" Chen Nuo finally could not help but interrupt.

"Yes, in an underground glacier."

Chen Nuo’s face immediately turned grim.

Selina briefly recounted the situation at that time. She recounted her descent into the glacier, her discovery of Chen Nuo frozen inside, and finally, the appearance of a mysterious little boy.

"You mean, the little boy?"

Chen Nuo said with a bitter smile, "Young, quite thin, big eyes, and... his hair is a bit curly?"

"Yes. From his appearance, he’s a typical representation of Central and South American racial features," Selina immediately nodded. "Moreover, his abilities are very strong. Although I couldn’t tell exactly how strong, he’s certainly not someone I can contend with."

"He told you that Vanel is still alive? Said it himself?"

"Said it himself," Selina nodded. "He said Vanel is alive, but in a special situation, so he won’t be returning for now."

Chen Nuo understood. He thought for a moment and asked, "So... because of his words, you think Vanel might be in the same state I was, perhaps also frozen somewhere in Antarctica’s glaciers?"

"Yes!" Selina clenched her teeth. "Although that little boy told me not to worry... how could I not worry! At that time, I couldn’t contend with him, so... even though I found you, I couldn’t rescue you. I..."

Okay, Selina was actually a bit embarrassed, and her explanation was rather vague.

Chen Nuo nodded. "It’s okay. That guy wouldn’t hurt me."

However, it was clear that this woman hadn’t given up looking for Vanel, so she had been trying hard for the past half year.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Nuo offered some words of comfort to Selina. "That little boy you mentioned has a somewhat special identity, and I can’t explain it clearly to you. Anyway... if he told you that Vanel isn’t dead, then on that point, he wouldn’t lie to you. Davarishi is probably truly still alive."

"Even if he is alive, if he’s frozen like you were, I can’t just stand by and do nothing, can I?"

That made sense...

Chen Nuo shook his head. "I’ll figure out a way to ask that guy for clarification. Vanel is a good friend of mine, and I won’t ignore his plight."

Selina did not hide her special relationship with Vanel.

Nor did Chen Nuo find it surprising. It seemed quite fitting. A Russian bear of a man matched well with a fierce female mercenary. Quite good.

"If I hadn’t met you, I would have set out for Antarctica again in two weeks," Selina said slowly. "Now..."

"Now, of course, there’s no need," Chen Nuo shook his head. "I think that little boy’s words are trustworthy. Continuing to search Antarctica would be futile; there’s no need for such actions."

"What exactly is your relationship with that boy?" Selina pressed, then added, "I don’t mean to pry into your secrets, but this matter concerns Vanel’s life and death! If you don’t make it clear, I can’t be at ease."

"As for that guy’s exact identity, I’m not in a position to say. But I trust his intentions—so far, at least, he doesn’t seem to have any hostile intentions towards us. Of this, I am certain! I can only tell you that, in my judgment, he is trustworthy. So Vanel is definitely still alive. As for the exact situation, I’ll have to wait until I’ve asked him."

After hearing Chen Nuo’s words, Selina felt slightly reassured—but only slightly. Until she found Vanel, this female mercenary wouldn’t be able to rest easy.

"Think about it from another angle: if he really had ill intentions when you found me and encountered him, he could have killed you on the spot to prevent future trouble."

"I understand everything you’re saying," Selina sighed. "I’ve thought of it myself. But... since it’s not happening to you, you might not understand. Until I find Vanel, I can’t truly be at ease, no matter what anyone says."

Chen Nuo could understand that. Changing perspectives, if it were Lu Xixi or Sun Keke who disappeared, he too would search for them relentlessly. If someone told him ’they’re still alive,’ would he really just go home without continuing the search? Impossible.

"I really can’t do much, but I can’t stand just going back like this. So, even if it’s futile, even if hope is slim, I can only continue searching. Otherwise, even if I went back, I wouldn’t be able to rest easy, not for a single day."

Speaking in a numb tone, Selina looked at Chen Nuo. "What about you? How did you end up trapped? I mean... perhaps the situation in which Vanel is trapped is similar to yours."

"Originally, Vanel and I joined an Octopus Monster organization’s mission to Antarctica. That mission had many unexpected incidents, and eventually, some things happened. I managed to send Vanel and two others out. But I was tricked by a damned bastard and ended up trapped. So, I find this very suspicious, especially since... I am certain that Davarishi should have escaped along with the other two at that time. Plus, a few days ago, I saw one of the escapees." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Chen Nuo said this and shook his head.

The one who had trapped him back then was that old bastard, Corot. But Corot had good reasons to trap him and absolutely no reason to harm Vanel. Corot also hadn’t mentioned anything like that to him. So, it surely wasn’t Corot’s doing.

Those who were in Antarctica at the time... Excluding Corot... Seed most likely wasn’t the one either. Considering Seed’s identity, he is a Seed, evolving towards the path of the Mother. To speak a harsh truth, Vanel wasn’t on a level that would require Seed to get his hands dirty. So, considering everything, it could only be related to the Octopus Monster.

The three escapees! If Vanel had disappeared, then the first ones to question about the situation would have to be the other two escapees—Rebecca and... Nolan!

Selina wasn’t a fool. She pondered Chen Nuo’s words for a moment, then understood what he meant.

"Where did you see the other escapee?"

"Tokyo."

"Then I’ll set off for Tokyo immediately!"

Chen Nuo sighed. This woman’s initiative is just too strong. He shook his head to stop her. "That woman is probably working for the Octopus Monster now, and she only showed up in Tokyo for a brief moment. Where she is now, I have no idea."

When it came to the Octopus Monster, Selina also felt somewhat helpless. She wasn’t just a lowly mercenary. Although she was formidable by ordinary standards, compared to a colossal entity like the Octopus Monster, a mercenary was truly insignificant.

"I remind you, even if you find that woman, you are not her match. She’s an Ability User, and her strength is quite remarkable." Chen Nuo added, "So, my advice to you is not to act recklessly. We should wait until I find Seed—oh, Seed is the little boy you’ve met. He’s actually not as young as he looks; this guy is an old monster."

Selina gave Chen Nuo a look. "...You people are all monsters."

Chen Nuo gave a wry smile, not arguing the point.

Well, what this woman said, from a certain perspective, seemed to be not wrong. However...

After some thought, Chen Nuo frowned and said, "You’ve been in Antarctica for so long and done so much searching... Hasn’t anyone noticed anything? No one’s given you any trouble?"

"...No," Selina shook her head.

That was a bit strange.

Chen Nuo frowned. Selina’s search operations were effectively targeting the Octopus Monster’s Antarctic mission. Inevitably, much of her searching and intelligence gathering would point to the Octopus Monster’s secrets. The Octopus Monster definitely considered that Antarctic incident classified. Xicheng Xun, also known as Little Blueberry, was caught in Japan after investigating for only a few days. Yet Selina, this woman who had been in Antarctica for more than half a year, hadn’t been discovered by the Octopus Monster? No one had caused her any trouble?

This was highly suspicious.

Chen Nuo’s gaze returned to the map on the whiteboard. A particularly highlighted area was obviously the base he had visited before—the Red Circle!

Chen Nuo looked left and right... He felt as if he were overlooking something. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember what it was.

After finishing her beer, Selina asked again, "What are you doing in Antarctica this time?"

"I’m here... to find something," Chen Nuo sighed.

"Going to Antarctica?"

"No, to sea," Chen Nuo shook his head. "I need to find a ship and one or two guides familiar with the nearby waters."

After hearing this, Selina also furrowed her brows. "If you were going to Antarctica, I could offer some help. I’ve been there three times in this past half-year, so I’m quite familiar with it. I can introduce you to equipment and professional guides. But if it’s the sea..." Selina thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I can’t help you. However, I can introduce you to someone."

"Oh?"

"When I first came to Antarctica, I was in the dark about everything. But I met someone, an old hand here, very familiar with this place. I initially joined other people’s expeditions to Antarctica; later, I simply organized my own. The gear, equipment, supplies, as well as guides and professional personnel, were all introduced to me by that person. He’s very familiar with the area, and after several collaborations, he should be reliable."

"Are you talking about that bar owner?"

"No." Selina sounded somewhat disdainful. "The bar owner handles that type of business too, but they’re more about scamming rich people with money to burn. Besides, the so-called professional guides they find are just commercial agencies running Antarctic adventure travel services, adding an extra layer of agency fees. They also can’t get their hands on some of the special gear. The guy I know can procure many items that you can’t find on the market."

Chen Nuo was intrigued. "How did you meet such a person?"

"After my first venture to Antarctica—the time I found you—I came back, unwilling to give up and still wanting to continue the search. Then, in an adventurers’ organization, I met that guy... Well, more specific details aren’t important right now. I happen to have scheduled a meeting with him tomorrow. Tomorrow, you can come with me to meet him, and you can talk to him yourself then."

「The following evening.」

Chen Nuo and Selina set out together to meet the person she had mentioned. The meeting place was still the bar frequented by adventurers.

When they entered the bar, business was already booming, with half of the seats occupied.

Chen Nuo smiled. "Is life here so dull that everyone comes to drink before it even gets dark?"

"The weather is cold here, and there aren’t many other entertainment venues, so drinking has become the most popular activity," Selina explained.

As they walked past the bar, the bartender saw them coming together and secretly gave Chen Nuo a thumbs-up.

The person Selina had arranged to meet was sitting at a table in the bar—the same spot where she had encountered Chen Nuo the night before.

As they approached, Chen Nuo’s expression changed significantly upon seeing the person’s profile. When they arrived and Selina stopped, the person at the table turned to look at them, a serene smile on their face...

Selina said slowly, "I brought a friend of mine. He’s planning an adventure soon and needs some equipment and manpower, so I brought him over."

The person at the table slowly stood up, nodded to Chen Nuo, and bowed slightly.

Chen Nuo took a deep breath. At that moment, he suddenly understood the feeling he had last night—the sense that he had overlooked something important.

Where had this thought come from? From last year’s Antarctica incident, the final survivors, apart from Vanel, Nolan, and the female Ability User Rebecca... There was actually a fourth person! Moreover, this fourth person was someone he had personally helped escape by activating his ’teleportation’ ability at the last moment, pulling them through the spatial jump! However, at the time, Corot had tricked him, leading to his capture. But for some reason, from that moment until his own escape and return to Huaxia... Over all this time, he had unwittingly and persistently omitted this person from his mind! As if completely forgotten! This was extremely unusual! How could an Ability User known for his spiritual power be so forgetful?!

That Japanese man, Kamisou Ichiro!

Kamisou Ichiro stood before the table, smiling at them. Clearly, his gaze lingered on Selina for only a brief moment before settling on Chen Nuo.

"Reunions after a long absence are always a pleasant affair... Sir, we meet again!" he said.

Chen Nuo’s expression changed once more!

Reunions after a long absence? Again? We meet again? This guy had seen through his disguise! And at a single glance? But that’s not right! The last time he saw him, he had consistently appeared as "Anderson" in front of this man! A member of the Abyss Organization, the Captain’s subordinate, Anderson. That was the alias he had presented to this man before. Even if this guy could see through his current disguise... How could he recognize him? And moreover... The very fact that Kamisou Ichiro was here was strange enough. And to appear as an ally of Selina!

Suppressing the emotions in his heart, Chen Nuo remained silent.

But Selina’s expression also changed. "Do you... know each other?"

"Of course. Chen-san and I are old friends," Kamisou Ichiro smiled.

Now, even Selina’s expression shifted!

Chen-san! This Kamisou Ichiro could actually recognize Chen Nuo’s real identity?!

The female mercenary was on high alert, but Chen Nuo suddenly put a hand on Selina’s shoulder, a strange smile on his face. "Let’s sit down and talk... Anyway... We’re already here."