Chapter 21

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 21

Chapter Title: Proof

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The studio, in the midst of a live broadcast, was nothing short of utter pandemonium.

"Curse...?"

"She said curse just now, right?"

"Not mana poison, but a curse? That thing?"

The audience seating began to murmur. Dozens of camera lenses snapped to focus on Choi Yuna in unison, while flustered staff barked urgent updates over their walkie-talkies. The entire studio erupted into chaos.

The arrogant smirk on Im Cheol-woo's face had vanished completely. It took no time at all for his expression to harden.

"Ahem."

But he was a veteran. True to his professionalism, he wiped away any hint of panic, cleared his throat, and gripped the microphone tighter.

"Haha, a curse? It's already been officially reported to the Hunter Association as mana poisoning."

His voice strained for nonchalance, but it trembled ever so slightly at the edges.

"Now that the Normal Operations Guild is cornered, they're resorting to sophistry. Viewers, don't let yourselves be fooled by this ridiculous demagoguery."

Im Cheol-woo raised his voice, but public opinion, once rattled, refused to settle.

At that moment, a calm voice whispered directly into Choi Yuna's ear.

- Ignore him. Go to the patient.

As if he wasn't worth another word, Choi Yuna turned her gaze completely away from Im Cheol-woo.

She strode straight to the bed at center stage, where the patient lay motionless like the dead.

Every camera trailed her in perfect sync. The jade-green potion in her hand zoomed to fill the screens.

"W-Wait a second!"

Im Cheol-woo shot up from his seat in a panic.

"You're planning to use that suspicious liquid on the patient? This is outright sabotage! Halt the broadcast—!"

His shout rang out across the studio, but Choi Yuna didn't falter. She stopped right beside the bed and turned to face him.

"The Healers' Union said even their A-rank healers couldn't cure this patient on the spot."

Her icy gaze pinned Im Cheol-woo. Her voice was cold and resolute.

"And we said we could fix it."

Choi Yuna shifted her eyes back to the patient and declared in a low voice.

"I'll prove it right now."

With steady hands, she peeled back the gauze covering the patient's gruesome wound.

"Gasp...!"

"Oh my god..."

Screams broke out sporadically from the seats.

The discolored gray skin throbbed ominously, like living moss. The surrounding flesh had rotted black and festered, reeking of sour decay.

- Sprinkle it little by little over the wound, slowly.

Choi Yuna uncorked the potion without a second thought.

She then trickled the cool liquid ever so carefully onto the gray wound.

The moment everyone held their breath...

Ssssss—!

The instant the potion touched the wound, the horrific energy began evaporating like black smoke.

The ominous gray blight vanished in a flash, washed away like filth down a drain. In its place lay fresh crimson flesh and clear blood.

"...No way."

A dazed mutter slipped from Im Cheol-woo's lips. His face had gone ghostly pale.

- Good. Curse lifted. Next one, right away.

Choi Yuna spoke calmly toward the cameras.

"The curse is gone. But the injuries remain."

She drew a second potion from her pocket. A glass vial filled with ruby-clear liquid. Pure Recovery Potion.

- Pour it into his mouth.

She gently tilted the patient's jaw and trickled the red potion into his mouth.

Before it was even fully administered, the patient's horrific wounds began mending in real time, as if time itself were reversing.

Torn skin knit seamlessly; muscle and flesh swelled over exposed bone.

In just over thirty seconds...

Not a single wound marred the patient's body.

"...Koff, hack!"

The patient, who had lain as if dead, coughed violently and opened his eyes.

"Wh... where am I...?"

He propped himself up, patting his flawless body with a bewildered look.

The studio plunged into dead silence. No one could utter a word.

In that hush, the screens captured Im Cheol-woo's face turning beet red.

Trembling with humiliation, he balled his fists and spun on his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heel.

BAM!

He kicked the heavy studio door wide open and fled down the hallway like a coward.

"...Whoa..."

A brief gasp escaped from the audience.

That sparked it. Thunderous applause exploded, swelling into a roar that shook the entire studio.

WAAAAAAAA—!

Finally snapping to, the cameras zeroed in on Choi Yuna at center stage. Dozens of flashes popped relentlessly, immortalizing the victor's face.

A few lagged behind, chasing Im Cheol-woo's retreating figure—but caught only a fleeting shot of him screaming into his phone somewhere.

"It's over."

I huddled in the back seat, prodding the tablet screen with my finger.

The gallery had devolved into total mayhem even before the broadcast wrapped.

The further I scrolled, the clearer my head became.

Yuna was right. To hunters, one thing mattered above all.

Did it work? Was it worth the side effects?

The gallery's explosive reaction was proof enough.

'...Success for now.'

I let out a quiet breath of relief and kept browsing. Naturally, amid the potion frenzy, other chatter hadn't vanished entirely.

In the potion hype, doubts like that would fade as mere blips.

So I thought, casually hitting refresh.

"......?"

A post with a dangerous title popped up.

Anger, ridicule, loathing for the Healers' Union.

I watched the posts flood in nonstop, then quietly powered off the screen. This was beyond my control now.

"Phew..."

Tension ebbed, leaving my body limp. I sank deep into the seat and let out a long sigh of relief.

Click.

Right then, the door swung open. Yuna slid into the driver's seat, face flushed with excitement.

"You see that? Im Cheol-woo was livid. Feels so damn good."

Her voice brimmed with hype. Gone was the cool poise from the broadcast.

"Y-Yeah... saw it... you did great..."

She chuckled at my weary mumble.

"What would've I done without you?"

She said, gripping the wheel.

"Head home. Hungry for anything? My treat. Name it."

"N-No... just the workshop..."

"Roger. Chicken on the way then."

Yuna fired up the engine without pressing.

The car glided out of the lot smoothly, but escaping the station? Whole other story. Front and back gates swarmed with reporters who'd been lying in wait.

"...Blocked here too."

Yuna tsked and wheeled around.

We veered onto the one clear path: a narrow back alley. Deserted, streetlights scarce, skirting the city edge.

About ten minutes into the dark drive.

As we rounded a long, sweeping curve...

Pitch blackness flared bright as day.

KABOOOM—!

Headlights barreling over the center line.

"No, shit!"

A massive dump truck hurtled straight at us, hell-bent on obliteration.