Under the cold weather, and above the white ground. Walking amidst the snow-filled road, was a group of five people.
They had just come out of the forest behind them. Now, stepping onto the open path, the biting wind brushed against their faces, though none of them seemed bothered by it.
Their expressions, however, were gloomy.
It had already been a week… and they still hadn't found what they were searching for.
Instead of using cars or any vehicle, they had chosen to travel on foot. With their strength, the cold didn't pose much of a threat anyway, but more importantly, they feared missing the treasure if they moved too fast.
Yet despite all that effort, they had still found nothing.
As they continued their silent march through the snow, one of them finally spoke, his voice flat.
"Actually, I was suspicious from the start when I heard this rumor… If there really was a treasure, they would have taken it and kept quiet about it. No need to cause all this noise and spread the info around."
The other four didn't refute him. But they weren't entirely convinced either.
Who knew? Maybe the treasure, the rumored crystal, was still out there, just waiting to be found.
The mood only grew heavier after that.
Perhaps in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere, the only woman in the group suddenly changed the subject.
"What do you think about the Liberation Front that's been showing up lately?" she asked.
"They've been appearing in a lot of countries… even in the United States, I heard they've already started making moves."
"Once you join them, they give you all kinds of benefits, rare techniques, pills that help raise your strength, and more…"
It was a topic they had all been thinking about recently, after all.
That was when the leader of the group, who had been walking at the front until now, suddenly spoke.
"Even if the treatment is good, what's the point if you lose your life?"
"They're hunted by the government, and by pretty much everyone else too."
"Some of their members even go berserk from time to time, killing indiscriminately."
"Then there's their slogan. Liberation… from the corrupt government, and from those strange people that have started appearing out of nowhere lately."
"They also talk about revealing the truth of the world to the common people…"
"But are their intentions really that noble?"
"If you just look at the results they leave behind, isn't it all just chaos?"
Was the leader some noble man who couldn't stand innocent bloodshed?
In truth, he too had been considering joining them… if they came back empty-handed from this trip.
He just wanted a bit more clarity. Clearer goals. More benefits, something to make the risk worthwhile.
Because the world was changing fast, and people everywhere were advancing.
He didn't want to be left behind.
After the leader finished speaking, a proper discussion finally began. One by one, the others started to give their opinions.
It was a topic already weighing on everyone's mind, each of them had considered the Liberation Front at some point lately.
Now that it was openly brought up, the hesitation they had been carrying gave way to passionate talk.
They debated the pros and cons, the rumors, the dangers… and most importantly, the benefits.
In the end, the conclusion they reached was simple: they would try to gather more information about this Liberation Front.
If the benefits really were worth it, they would join.
For the first time in days, the heavy mood that had followed them seemed to lift. There was finally something to look forward to.
The chance to escape this frustrating stagnation in strength… to rise above their current limits.
Everyone appeared more at ease now… except for one.
Among them, a certain member still had his head lowered slightly, his expression unreadable.
He was the one who specialized in the ice attribute, and out of everyone, he had been the most eager to find the rumored ice crystal, after all.
As he was walking, distracted by his thoughts, his eyes suddenly caught something in the distance.
Not too far ahead, just beyond the next small rise, there stood a grand building.
A few side structures surrounded it, all of them built neatly, with care and money.
From the very first glance, it screamed of wealth and comfort.
A cold glint flickered in his eyes. A sinister expression slowly curved his lips.
"How about we delay the rest of this conversation for later," he said casually.
"For now… why don't we find a place to rest?"
At first, the others blinked, confused. They had planned to head to the city soon, to the hotel rooms they'd already reserved.
So hearing this sudden suggestion, they didn't quite understand… until they followed his gaze.
Their eyes landed on the mansion… and realization dawned immediately.
A silence stretched for a few moments.
Then, without a word of disagreement, they all began to move.
Resting in a mansion like that didn't sound bad at all.
They were tired from the long walk, after all… and if luxury presented itself on the way, why refuse it?
As for the people who might be living there?
Well, they would simply have to die.
If they wanted to blame someone… they could blame themselves, for living too remotely.
With the decision made, the five of them turned toward the mansion and began walking, their footsteps crunching softly against the snow-covered road.
Their intentions were already clear.
As they got closer, the full size of the property became more apparent. Even the tall, heavy gates guarding the house were now clearly visible.
The group exchanged excited glances, this place looked even grander up close.
Just as they were approaching, those very gates creaked and slowly began to open on their own.
And from beyond them, a man and a woman walked out.
The woman's face was blank, calm, utterly emotionless.
But the man… he was visibly frowning.
Only a few weeks ago, Christian had that conversation with Eva regarding their current residence. And now, here they were… uninvited intruders at their doorstep.
So, his gaze had hostility radiating from it, at this moment.
… But since when did this group care about the hostility of ordinary people?
They didn't react, didn't take it seriously. They just looked at each other with some confusion.
They hadn't even done anything yet. So why was he already reacting ?