novelraw Chapter 165: Scream For Help
Chapter 165: Scream For Help
That night, Nelly could not sleep.
She sat alone in the darkness, her heart weighed down by fear and shame. She wanted to ask someone for help, but she felt too humiliated by everything her son had done to face anyone.
Yet sometime in the middle of the night, she heard someone stepping inside the tent. It was Eugene who had returned.
His earlier excitement was gone. In its place was a look of bitter disappointment, as though whatever he had expected to happen had collapsed completely. Without saying a single word, he walked straight to his space and slept as if nothing had happened.
From that night onward, he became even more withdrawn. He barely spoke to her and refused every attempt she made to reach out.
Then, a week later, Eugene disappeared entirely. This time, he didn’t come back and Nelly had no idea where he had gone.
***
The old woman’s voice trembled as she spoke. Her head hung low, and she struggled to keep herself from breaking down.
"I-I know that what my son said to you was terrible, Chief. As his mother, I sincerely apologize... but could you please search for him?"
She bowed even deeper, her frail shoulders shaking as she held back her tears.
Gideon let out a slow sigh, not because he found the situation troublesome, but because anger was rising in his chest. He could not understand how a son could treat his own mother this way.
Beside him, Aria and Daphne looked just as upset.
As for Eugene mocking him freely, Gideon had already heard the entire story from Aaron. Even so, he had not paid much attention to it at the time.
There had been far more urgent matters to deal with than disciplining a young man his own age who, for some reason, behaved like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.
Stepping forward, Gideon placed a gentle and reassuring hand on Nelly’s shoulder.
"It’s alright, once everyone has received their winter packages, I’ll go look for him."
"Thank you. Thank you so much, Chief! I owe you my life!"
Tears streamed freely down her wrinkled face, and the sight only made Gideon feel worse.
A short while later, one of the residents helped Nelly back to her tent. As Gideon watched her leave, he realized how much frailer she looked compared to the last time he had seen her.
Her wounds had long since healed, yet she seemed thinner, paler, and far more fragile than before. He rubbed his temple and exhaled.
"Ugh! That stupid Eugene!" Daphne burst out, stomping her foot in frustration. "How could he do this to his own mother?"
She crossed her arms and glared in the direction Nelly had gone. "You don’t need to search for him. Just leave him to rot in the wilderness! That boy needs to be taught a lesson for once!"
Despite her harsh words, Gideon could clearly see the worry in her expression. Daphne had been Eugene’s friend for years and knew him far better than Gideon ever could.
He turned to her. "Do you have any idea where he might have gone?"
"Hm... let me think." Daphne rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"He doesn’t usually act this immature. Annoying? Yes, definitely. But not like this." She tilted her head as she searched her memory.
"There was one time he had a big fight with his father and ran away in the same way. The Chief found him not far from our temporary settlement, so... if he’s acting the same as before, he’s probably still nearby."
"Yeah, that sounds like Eugene," Aria said with a quiet sigh. "He always followed his father around and depended on him more than he realized. Honestly, he isn’t a bad person. Everyone condones him, probably because they feel sorry for him."
She glanced at Gideon with a slightly pleading expression. "I hope you won’t be too harsh on him, Boss. But should I organize a search party?"
Gideon shook his head. "No need. I’ll go look for him myself and bring him back."
He then turned to Daphne. "Would you like to come with me?"
Daphne’s eyes immediately lit up, and she nodded so quickly that her hair bounced. "Of course! Honestly, I’m getting bored staying here."
Her expression changed at once, and she waved her hands frantically. "No! That’s not because this place is bad! It’s just that there isn’t much to do right now!" She rubbed the back of her neck and let out an embarrassed giggle.
Gideon chuckled and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don’t worry. I know exactly what you mean."
He glanced around at the bustling territory, where everyone was too busy preparing for winter and the construction site was still active; they didn’t have time for rest at all.
"We can’t exactly enjoy recreational activities while everyone is working this hard."
***
They set out soon after, ensuring the distribution of the winter packages would continue without any problems.
The work was not finished yet, but Delilah and Elaine had both offered to take over and assured Gideon that everything would be handled properly in his absence.
Gideon had been reluctant to leave at first. They were in the middle of preparing a medical tent that would serve as Elaine’s future clinic, and the work required both time and meticulous attention. Every piece of equipment had to be counted and organized perfectly.
Of course, he could have solved the problem by purchasing everything directly from the Infinite Shop.
Normally, that would have been his preferred solution.
But the first payment for the system’s PayLater feature had recently come due, and the total was staggering. In a single month, he had spent more than five million Love Coins.
Five million.
Even with all the discounts he had used, the amount was still enough to make his scalp tingle.
That experience had convinced him that he needed to start budgeting properly, so he had asked Piggy to help him manage his spending.
She had been baffled at first, unable to understand why someone who could summon almost anything would need a budget, but in the end, she agreed.
Yet one thing still puzzled him. Despite spending that enormous amount, his Silver membership had not advanced to Gold.
’Weird,’ Gideon thought as he drove.
His thoughts were interrupted by the voice from the back seat.
"So, where do you think that bastard is hiding?"
It was Aaron.
Among the people of Freebound, Aaron was the most skilled at tracking humans. His keen hearing, sharp eyesight, and remarkably sensitive nose made him seem more like a hunting dog than an ordinary man.
"Nelly already gave you Eugene’s coat," Gideon said with a grin. "Can’t you just smell him?"
To his surprise, Aaron answered with complete seriousness.
"My sense of smell gets overwhelmed by seafood and sulfur. So no, that brat’s scent is completely gone."
Gideon blinked. The implication was obvious.
Without another word, he summoned the shotgun he had purchased from the system weeks ago and kept in his storage. He handed it to Aaron across the seat.
"For protection."
Then he glanced at Daphne. "Can you use a gun?"
"Me?" Daphne scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Unfortunately, my grandfather forbade me from learning how to shoot. But I can protect myself with my vines and plants."
Her expression brightened immediately, and she puffed out her chest with pride. "My skill has improved a lot recently. Grandpa has been helping me train!"
"Good for you." Gideon smiled. "Can you summon trees now?"
She shook her head enthusiastically. "Not entire trees, but sharp wooden spikes! I can launch them as fast as bullets to attack aberrants or summon them from the ground. And I can also create poison ivy and other poisonous plants."
"Oh?" Gideon raised an eyebrow. "How do you decide which plants you can summon and turn into weapons?"
"It’s all about understanding the plants," Daphne said eagerly.
"Their morphology, the structure of their veins and leaves, and the characteristics of their toxins. Since that beautiful lady has been teaching me about all kinds of plants and even gave me a book, I’ve learned a lot!"
She looked genuinely delighted, like an excited child who had discovered an entirely new world.
The "beautiful lady" she was referring to was, of course, Delilah.
Gideon had given Delilah permission to speak with Johan and discuss the Children of Eden, a subject that seemed to fascinate her for reasons he still did not fully understand. In return, Johan had apparently asked her to tutor Daphne.
"I see." Gideon chuckled. "Then I hope we get to see your abilities in action soon."
Instead of looking pleased, Daphne frowned. "Why are you wishing for something bad to happen, Chief? Peace is the best outcome."
"And since my powers have become much stronger, I hope we can begin the agricultural project soon. I want to help the territory even more."
Gideon laughed quietly.
According to the research stored in the hidden laboratory beneath Delilah’s bunker, the Children of Eden were truly peaceful beings.
They seemed to possess an instinctive desire to nurture and help others, using their abilities for growth and healing rather than destruction. They were the complete opposite of Chaos.
The thought of them made Gideon uneasy.
He still had not found the time to investigate the location marked on the map he and Delilah had discovered. Perhaps he would do so after winter, once the territory was stable and all of its essential systems were running smoothly.
"Hm..." Aaron suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Are you planning to add this girl to your harem too? Can you leave some women for the rest of us?"
Gideon rolled his eyes. "No. I think five is enough for now."
He said it with a laugh, but Daphne only shook her head in disbelief.
"Help! Help me!"
A desperate scream suddenly echoed through the forest.
Gideon’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator and spun the wheel toward the source of the cry.
There was no mistaking that voice. It was Eugene.