The Babysitter Wants to Stop Dying

Chapter 7: Terror (2)

"Arsen, no, right? It's just a coincidence, right?"

Helga's eyes were filled with confusion. Her face showed complete disbelief.

"A coincidence... you think?"

There was no such thing as a coincidence. Considering his actions and the circumstances so far, the Administrator was undoubtedly involved in this incident.

"The shelter won't be safe either. If the Administrator is in on it, he would know."

It was now solidified into conviction that the Administrator had infiltrated the Center with some purpose. I managed my expression with effort and asked.

"Ms. Helga, did you see the terrorists?"

"Ah, no. But I heard their voices. They were looking for someone."

"Looking? For whom?"

"I ran away immediately, so I didn't hear properly, but I think it was one of the children...."

A child?

At Helga's answer, I was reminded of when Lottie had disappeared a while ago. That unsettling face, an expression as if he had seen something he had long awaited.

‘Lottie.’

The Administrator's target is Lottie. I didn't know why, but the instinct that was certain he was after Lottie wrapped around the nape of my neck like a sharp chill.

Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang-!

"Ugh!"

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!

The moment the puzzle pieces somewhat fit together, something fell fiercely behind us.

"Helga! Get down!"

"Euk! What on earth...!"

It seemed the center of the terror, which had moved away, was approaching this way again.

"Cough! Keuheuk, cough!"

In the aftermath of the fallen piece of metal, all sorts of scattered debris tossed about as if caught in a storm. Rock fragments scattered in the air, and the already chaotic surroundings became even hazier.

"Crazy... what is this."

As the dust that filled the air slowly cleared, something revealed itself.

What fell from the sky was a blade that looked like a giant greatsword. This couldn't be a natural disaster, so it must be a superhuman who manipulates iron.

"Quickly, run quickly!"

I pushed the dazed Helga forward. My movements were incredibly slow while holding Marvan. A sleeping child is heavier than when they are awake. I gritted my teeth and kicked off the ground. As if knowing my heart, Lottie, admirably, clung tightly to my body.

"It's okay. Hyung will definitely protect you."

Looking at the unresponsive small head, I put more strength into both my arms.

‘Is kidnapping the purpose? Is Lottie also the child of a Ranker or someone from the upper class?’

Even as I hurriedly followed behind Helga, I chewed over her words.

Intruders who came looking for a certain child. Since they were the ones who started this for that purpose, there must be at least one among them with a detection ability.

They were searching everywhere so brazenly, so does that mean they couldn't find my corpse?

‘I was lucky. Not having Lottie taken away while I was dead.... Wait a minute.’

It was at that moment.

Belatedly, I remembered the sentences that had flashed before my eyes for a fleeting moment before I died.

[Achievement - First accomplishment of ‘Great Sacrifice for Others’!]

[Ardent Protect* is maximized!]

[The unlock rate of Nat*** Wea temporarily increases!]

[Nat*** Wea Unlock Rate 20%]

[Lottie ***'s Foresight/Stealth abilities are synchronizing-]

[Please note that the duration is extremely short in proportion to the low unlock rate!]

[Acquiring a clue due to the achievement!]

<2nd Clue>

You protected what is most precious to the protagonist. He is also the key to the curse.

Clue Accumulation Rate 2/5

‘Foresight? Stealth?’

My hardened gaze turned to the little one held in my right arm. My panting legs, which had been running, slowly slowed down.

"Lottie."

I looked at Lottie with confused eyes. She was scared, but the same clear blue eyes as always looked up at me. No, it was different now.

‘Lottie is....’

A superhuman.

That's why she wasn't found. Even though I was knocked out for at least over two hours, we weren't caught by the intruders thanks to Lottie's ability.

Then is my third ability syncing with the opponent's ability? And Lottie's abilities are 'Stealth' and 'Foresight'?

If Stealth is what I think it is, does that mean her amazing hide-and-seek skills she showed all this time were all due to her ability?

‘If so, that strange scene I saw in the rubble was also foresight. And if she's the protagonist's precious person, does that mean she's his child?’

My head was a mess. Above all, seeing that Helga found us right away, it seemed she wasn't using it now, or couldn't. Perhaps she's still too young to use her ability freely.

Kwa-kwa-kwang!

An explosion occurred not far away. My mind, which had become full of thoughts, cooled down.

The chaotic surroundings, the suffocatingly acrid air, the roaring sounds from not far away.

Right. Figuring things out is good, but for now, everyone's safety was the priority until someone came to rescue us.

"Arsen! Hurry over here...!"

Helga, who had gone far ahead, waved her hand when she saw me not following. And at that moment,

"Dodge!"

Helga let out a scream like a thunderbolt. I turned around at her horrified expression.

"Found you!"

A man wearing a pure white rabbit mask extended a large fist. The aura he exuded was not that of an ordinary person.

At least a D.

If I get hit properly, I'll be a goner for sure.

‘What the hell is this!’

I quickly ducked my upper body to avoid it.

"Keuheuk!"

I couldn't even put my hands on the ground because I was holding the children, so I rolled over once. Blood flowed from my hit forehead, and finally, Lottie's crying burst out.

"Shh, shh. It's okay, it's okay."

"Black hair and dull golden eyes. Are you Arsen Neroro."

As I wiped the blood covering my eyes, the man recited my exact personal details. The rabbit mask, who approached with a cackle, extended his hand.

"What are you guys?"

I got up from my spot and quickly put distance between us. The man approached, letting out a laugh as if he found me pathetic.

"You don't need to know. Looks like I've done something big. Hand over the child named Lottie. Then I won't harm you."

"Why don't you think before you spout bullshit. Would you hand her over if someone told you to?"

"There are dozens of agents like me. Struggling will only bring death."

"Try to take her if you can."

"You must think you're hot stuff because you're immortal. If you wish to die, I'll grant it and take the child!"

The raised fist headed straight for my head.

I didn't dodge it. There was a reason I bothered to run my mouth.

Ppakak!

As soon as I heard something break, the man fell to the side with a thud.

"Arsen, are you okay?"

Helga, who had slowly approached from behind, smashed the guy's head with a rock she had picked up. The body sprawled on the floor trembled. I held Lottie even tighter in my arms so she absolutely couldn't see and nodded my head.

"I'm fine. Let's go again."

***

With the shelter no longer our destination, we lost our target. For now, we were doing our best to avoid the bombs and weapons falling from the sky.

How long had we been moving like that?

"Helga!"

A welcoming voice came from behind.

"Casen!"

While Helga and Casen hugged each other, I checked on Amanda, who was next to Casen. She was a mess, but there were no noticeable injuries.

"I'm so glad. That you're both safe."

"Lady Rowena saved us. I met Mr. Casen a little while ago. I'm so, so glad to see you all again."

I was happy to confirm the survival of my colleagues, but we didn't have the luxury of setting up a reunion.

Casen and Amanda were also carrying their assigned children, and although they were all asleep, the effect of the sedatives was about to wear off, so we had to hurry.

If the children cried, the probability of being found would increase exponentially.

"The intruders and the Administrator are definitely on the same side. If we run into them, we must run away unconditionally."

"What? What does that mean?"

"There's no time to explain at length. The shelter won't be safe either. The Administrator would know about the shelter's existence."

"No, what on earth are you talking about!"

Casen, who didn't know the full situation, looked back and forth between me and Helga with a frustrated face, but there was no time to explain everything one by one.

Amanda was listening silently. As someone who knew about the Center Director's drunken state, she must have understood what was being said.

Just then, as if she remembered something, Helga raised her finger.

"No. There's a place the Administrator might not know."

With her brow deeply furrowed, she pointed towards the smoke-filled area.

"The forest. There's a shelter in the middle of the forest. It's not on the island map, and it's a place only the sitters who have worked here for a long time know. It's far from the Center building, so cleaning is difficult, which is why it was excluded from management."

"Do you know the entry method?"

"Of course. The password pattern is similar to other places. The area number there was probably 90."

The shelter password is the set code followed by the shelter's area number. Good. It should be a place big enough for three adults and three children.

Nodding my head, I immediately stated the plan I had formed in my head.

"Let's split up here for now. Ms. Helga, you find the shelter with Casen and Amanda. I'll go find Cobe."

"What? What does that mean. We have to go together!"

Helga pulled on my apron, saying it was ridiculous. A ripping sound came from the tattered pink apron.

"Yeah, why are you suddenly looking for Cobe? Just come with us, Arsen!"

"Mr. Arsen and Lottie are both in danger!"

Casen and Amanda also tried to stop me, but I shook my head.

Even a shelter can eventually be broken by a strong superhuman. The ones who attacked the Center are clearly no ordinary people. Including the Administrator, there seem to be at least two A-ranks, so we can't just hide in the shelter forever.

If they start finding the shelter's location and breaking it, it's only a matter of time from then on.

The important thing is to eliminate or neutralize the intruders themselves, the root of the problem.

For that, we need a Ranker. I don't know where the Center Director and Rowena are, so it's faster to find Cobe.

Because somehow, I felt like I knew where that man was.

‘I doubt he'd be sleeping in a situation like this, but he's the kind of man who's capable of it.’

No, actually, I was desperately hoping he was just sleeping quietly in that spot. If even he had been taken down, then there was truly almost no hope.

"No. The shelter won't be safe forever. We need someone to protect it."

"Then at least leave Lottie. We'll take her."

At Casen's words, Lottie's hand, which was holding onto me, tightened even more. I shook my head at the little one who was burrowing into me.

"...Don't worry. I'll protect her somehow."

Either way, it was dangerous. I'd rather have her with me. First, I handed Marvan, whom I was holding, to Casen.

"Let's see each other alive."

The Center Director, whose life or death was unknown, and the Ranker Rowena, who was said to be helping others.

The former would be lucky to be alive, and the latter wouldn't be of much help in a fight. Because her ability was teleportation.

‘Please just be sleeping well there.’

Holding Lottie, I ran straight towards the cliff.