Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: New Proposal
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Returning to the waterfall, I found the science teacher and Jeong Seohee floating a rubber boat on the water, chatting away.
Every now and then, they were making waves, probably running various simulations.
"You're back?"
Jeong Seohee spotted me first and waved.
"Yeah. Nothing going on?"
"Nope."
"What about Mina?"
"As long as you're not around, everything's peaceful."
Oh boy. Looked like I might need to extend my absence by another three hours.
As I made that face, the science teacher cleared her throat awkwardly and changed the subject.
"By the way, what's that behind you?"
Turning around, I saw Han Jiwon stumbling along behind me, her sleeping bag draped over her head like a hood, dozing as she walked.
Having trailed me all the way, Han Jiwon eventually bumped her head right into my back, snapped awake, and looked around blearily.
Then she just flopped down on the ground and passed out again.
"She just shows up following you around like a cat."
Tell me about it. She'd kept begging me to let her come along, and when I ignored her, she followed me for a full five hours—sleeping the whole time.
I told her to go back, but she wouldn't listen, and eventually, I couldn't even send her away.
"So, preparations coming along well, Mina?"
"Of course. From what I can see, survival won't be an issue. It's a bit cramped, but if we can stay alive, we can put up with a little discomfort."
The science teacher showed her confidence.
Seemed like we could start working right away.
So, after a short break, I led the science teacher and Jeong Seohee out to scout.
For a place to hole up during the five-day typhoon period.
Far from the rocky mountain, surrounded thickly on all sides by forest.
Since we needed the best spot possible, it took longer than expected.
"Hey, don't you need sleep? You only got an hour. Seohee said you've been going at it hard not just with us, but with other girls too."
"I'm fine. Not tired at all."
"You're secretly a stamina monster, huh."
The science teacher's surprised face.
I got it—no surprise there. I'd been shocked by my own freakish stamina lately too.
Thanks to steadily doing my daily quests, my stamina—which had dropped to 11—had climbed back up near 15.
A roughly 36% increase in numerical terms.
So these days, even after blowing a load a few times, I wasn't really tired. On days I pushed it, a couple extra hours of sleep fixed me right up.
'Daily quests are seriously OP. Who knew they'd boost stamina stats.'
Now I was curious. If that stamina number hit 20, 30, 40, 50... how much tougher would my body get?
Anyway, with stamina to spare, even one hour of sleep left me far from exhausted.
"Topography-wise, this spot looks good too?"
The scouting took about 10 hours.
The science teacher picked a few candidate spots first, then we three discussed and settled on one.
Once we'd claimed it, we dove straight into work.
"Hand over the boat."
The science teacher waved her hand. I hesitated a moment, then instead of pulling the rubber boat from my inventory, I bought a new one from the shop window and set it down.
"Huh? That's different from the last one."
"Yeah, this one's much bigger."
The previous one had cost 120,000 won.
This one was 700,000—discounted to 560,000.
"Ooh. Bigger is better, but why the sudden switch?"
It hit me then. Lives were on the line—did it make sense to skimp on money?
"Expensive stuff is expensive for a reason."
Nothing in this world is free. If it costs more, there's a good reason.
"Figured I'd try it just in case."
I liked it once I bought it. Durability was clearly better, and as a 4-person model, it had plenty of space.
And apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought so.
"Nice! Way more comfortable and roomy than the first one."
"Wow, seriously? This is actually comfy!"
Jeong Seohee and the science teacher both seemed pleased, bouncing around on the boat and shooting me looks that said, let's go with this one.
"But there's a little issue if we do."
"What?"
I let out a deep sigh.
"We could make do right away, but this thing ain't cheap..."
To repeat: the first one was 120,000 won.
This one: 560,000.
Almost five times the price.
As I looked troubled, the science teacher jumped up, clenching his fist.
"Hey, hey. Let's just go big. Soon as this is done, I'll catch a ton of fish! Don't worry about money. Trust me!"
"I'll help too!"
The two of them were fired up.
"You sure? You've both already worn yourselves out finding this place."
"Typhoon time, there's nothing to do anyway. Just sleep for five days—what's the big deal? Hell, let's pull all-nighters till it hits! What do you say, Seohee?"
"Great idea. Let's grind hard for two days."
I checked my cash balance.
[Cash: 2,794,651 won]
We had more than enough—even after full prep. No need to turn down their enthusiasm.
"Alright, I'll trust you two and buy 'em."
"No worries! Trust me!"
Nod.
I bought two more right away.
Two for our side, one for theirs, and the small one we'd already gotten for supplies.
'Boats are set. Next up...'
Then a notification popped up in front of me.
[Daily purchase amount has exceeded 1,000,000 won.]
[Gift will be distributed.]
Huh? Gift?
『Customer Appreciation Discount Coupon (50%): Issued when daily purchase amount exceeds 1,000,000 won. Grants 50% off on one identical item. Single use.』
'Didn't know this existed.'
Reading the details, it meant 50% off no matter how much of the same item you bought.
Like buying 10,000 bottles of water and halving the total bill.
'Gotta save it. Might come in handy later.'
I bought some rope and handed it over. Jeong Seohee and the science teacher tied it skillfully, so we could tighten or loosen as needed anytime.
"Mina, anything else we need?"
"Hmm. Gotta block the rain—can we get a tent too?"
"Tent?"
"Yeah. One of those insulated ones for indoors. Something to put on a bed, with an open bottom."
"Will that even work? Won't the wind just blow it away? Wouldn't waterproof vinyl be better? Feels like wasting money."
"Don't be such a cheap bastard. You were born with a dick—sometimes you gotta try stuff and take risks! Don't you wanna live a bit more comfortably for five days too?"
With that, the science teacher waved for me to hand it over.
Her mouth was flapping, but she wasn't wrong, so I bought the tent as requested.
'Tents are pricey too. 70,000 won each.'
Or was that cheap?
"Waterproof vinyl too! Transparent if possible!"
As I bought and handed over their requests one by one, someone tapped my back.
Han Jiwon.
Having not gotten a firm yes from me yet, she'd been trailing me with hollow eyes, exhausted but persistent.
"What about me...?"
We had three big boats and one small.
Small one for supplies; big ones for 3, 3, and 2 people.
Me, homeroom teacher, Kim Yeonju in one.
Jeong Seohee and the twins in another.
Science teacher and Park Soyoung in the last.
"I could ride with the science teacher...?"
The question carried a plea: would her group accept her?
I stared at Han Jiwon silently.
'Awakener. Player.'
Someone who'd opened a status window like me—could even be called my rival.
But she posed zero threat.
For starters, awakening changed nothing.
'When I first got the status window, I thought it'd be like a game—pump strength, agility, go berserk.'
Not even close. Stats were just observational numbers reflecting my current state.
They didn't help with actual combat power at all.
Because I couldn't raise them, I'd felt frustrated early on. But lately, I'd gained some leisure.
Even if awakeners appeared and struggled forever, they couldn't raise stats.
'Her ability worries me a tiny bit.'
But following me around like this, desperately begging to join? She clearly had nothing special.
If it was impressive, she'd have threatened me with it or hyped up her usefulness.
As I stayed silent, her eyes grew even more hollow. She stamped her feet, then grabbed my wrist.
"Come here."
Han Jiwon dragged me aside.
"I'll step away for a bit!"
"Okay!"
No snakes in the forest, even in broad daylight.
Had they sensed the typhoon coming and moved?
"Um."
Once we were far enough, Han Jiwon turned, hesitating.
"What would it take for you to let me in?"
After nearly a full day of rejections, Han Jiwon was on the verge of tears.
I got it—no shock there.
Typhoon bearing down, and I showed no sign of accepting her.
She probably thought she'd be screwed otherwise.
"Can't you just take care of me? I'll do anything you say."
"Anything?"
"Yeah. In return: guarantee my life, safety, humane treatment, 14 hours of sleep. No beatings or abuse for slacking. Food at least as much as everyone else."
"Tall order."
"But if you agree to all that, I'll really do anything you ask. Anything."
Terrified I'd reject her again, Han Jiwon kept emphasizing it, watching my face.
Anything I said.
Curiosity piqued, I threw it back at her.
"If you're down for that, why not pitch it to the class kids instead of me? With your looks saying you'll do anything, the boys would hand over their livers and gallbladders. They'd desperately keep you alive even in the typhoon."
She bowed her head deeply, eyes trembling, and shook it.
"Not them. No hope there. And I don't wanna go back."
Her voice carried real fear in "don't wanna go back."
Suddenly, yesterday flashed in my mind.
Yoon Chaeyeon getting picked on for messing up, the class treating it as normal.
And Han Jiwon, flinching at my approach, curling up to shield her head.
'With Han Dogyeon's personality, he probably didn't hold back even on a girl.'
Hadn't I gotten beaten unconscious and carted to the hospital?
'But that's their business. No reason for me to pity her and take her in.'
Let one person in on sympathy, and it muddies the whole group.
No exceptions.
And above all, Han Jiwon wasn't dumb.
"Denied."
"Why?"
"Can't meet those conditions."
Her eyes quivered, voice choking.
"I don't wanna go back to the class. Please. Let me stay."
I sighed shortly.
"Sorry, but you don't need to put on the pitiful act in front of me, Jiwon."
"What do you—"
"Yoon Chaeyeon's a ditz with low IQ, so she might take beatings. But you're not on that level, right?"
"I... I don't know what you mean."
She kept circling, so I spelled it out.
"I saw through your act."
Her pitiful, teary face snapped back to normal, like it never happened.
Eyes still hollow, but no more sad, scared vibe.
"How'd you know?"