Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! Chapter 120: 120-Catch Me If You Can

Read chapter 120 of Reader Mage-Stubbing August 10! by A_Random_Turtle on NovelPedia.

Krieger explained his intentions with his absurd tactic, and Merlin did what he had been tasked to do, relay all he had heard to the others. Thankfully, they all had the same reaction he had. Senior Hyunwoo took his up a notch, though. “No, no, no, no,” he shook his head with every fibre of energy he could muster. “That’s too risky. Far too risky. Tell him, Merlin. We have to do things some other way.” Merlin glanced at Krieger, and the look the dragonman gave him was all the answer he needed to that question. “There’s no other way,” he said. “This is the only one.” Senior Hyunwoo didn’t let that stop him from protesting, however. “Ask him,” he insisted. “It’s not like he heard what I said, right? Be certain that there isn’t any other way.” Merlin sighed and did as he had been instructed, and just as he had expected, there wasn’t any other option they had considering their circumstances. If there were obstacles around, then there might have been something else they could do. But all they were surrounded by were dunes, and running up one was even more deadly than the plan Krieger had come up with. In retrospect, the dragonman’s plan was simple. Sandworms were complicated species. They were smart, but at the same time, dumb. They always let their thirst for hunger rid them of every modicum of sense they had, and that was what the crew were to take advantage of with the ‘bait and ride’ plan. One of them would serve as a bait—the fastest amongst them. And once the sandworms appeared, they would split themselves into two groups. Each would mount a sandworm respectively and ride them to their destination: the village of Blatt. The villages were protected by enchantment borders that prevented the sandworms from rampaging into them; basically, they would be hitching free rides, though one with its fair share of risks. The problem now was, what if everything went wrong? What if the runner was eaten? Yes, the whole Tower test was a simulation, but Merlin had long realized that the pain was real during the duration of the simulation. And pain, real or not, could kill, if it was enough. The sheer strain it would put on one’s mind and heart would be enough to make them give out. And, then, the other option was the test being put to an end by the professors before it could escalate. But, in that case, that would mean they had all failed. And he was not even taking into consideration the System interfering by making things harder than they were meant to be. However, it had been quite tame for a while now, so Merlin’s focus was not really on that aspect. In any case, they all had to do something, regardless of what it was. They couldn’t just keep standing and arguing. “We have no choice, Senior Hyunwoo,” Merlin said, cutting apart the murmurs that had risen. “And we don’t have time.” As if to give some credibility to his words, the ground rumbled then, the sand dancing in their position as everyone staggered somewhat, almost losing their balance. They all then flashed their gazes a few steps forward from where they stood and could visibly see the sand becoming compacted and moving, slithering closer and closer. With each second, the noticeably dense figures of the sandworms closed the distance between them and the crew. Senior Sun-Hee turned back to them in an instant. “Who will be the bait?” Everyone turned to Krieger, which was the natural reaction. Not because he was a dragonman, but because he knew how best to handle the beasts. It was only natural that he took them on. However, he was also the only one who perhaps had any idea how to climb onto them and ride them. In other words, he couldn’t be the bait. That wouldn’t be the best course of action. In that case… “I’ll do it,” Merlin said at that moment, startling everyone. “Are you crazy?” Park Yuri voiced, her brows furrowing. “We’re talking about running on sand here.” “We don’t have the time to argue,” Merlin pushed the young lady’s thoughts on the matter aside. “If we keep delaying, w