Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Progenitor Ameris
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As the view from the window filled more and more with land darker than the blue sea below, the plane sliced through the clouds and began its slow descent.
Not long after the announcement, the plane's wheels bounced once or twice as if testing the ground before touching down.
And soon, the clear blue skies and sea of Jeju Island came into view outside the window.
"We're here."
Erina stretched her arms, her body stiff from the long sit.
"We finally made it?!"
"It's only been a few minutes—what are you talking about?"
Erina smacked the back of her seat, which was nearly upright at a 90-degree angle, venting her complaints.
"Sitting in this seat for two hours straight—my back hurts!"
Come to think of it, I often forgot because she was always around, but Erina came from an absurdly wealthy family.
For someone who only ever flew first class, this seat—even I found uncomfortable—must have been pretty dissatisfying for her.
"Still, two hours isn't that bad. Just bear with it."
At my words, Erina flashed a bright smile.
"Whatever. Now that we're here, doesn't that mean we get to enjoy some K-Tourism on Jeju?"
Tourism, huh.
Jeju Island was dangerous because ghouls—those zombie-like things—roamed everywhere.
Even so, Jeju's stunning natural beauty was tempting enough on its own. And for some reason, starting from a certain point in the past, the ghouls' behavior—which had shown not just minimal intelligence but even cunning—had completely vanished.
They'd become the dumb zombies from movies that only reacted to sound.
Thanks to that, parts of Jeju had successfully been turned into tourist spots, with plans to expand those areas further.
*Looks like even Star is becoming a tourist destination.
'If they run into that bastard, they'll all go extinct anyway.'
But the training camp wasn't headed to a tourist spot—it was right in the middle of a no-entry ghoul field for civilians.
Of course, our schedule had no room for tourism.
With that in mind, I scolded Erina.
"No, this is a training camp. You think we're sightseeing?"
At my words, Erina pulled out something like a tablet with a smug look and shoved it in my face.
"Si-woo! At least memorize the schedule properly! Didn't you see this?!"
"What are you even saying?"
Her ridiculous words left me baffled, so I leaned in to look at the tablet screen she was holding.
"Last day... Rest and Jeju tour?"
What the...
"Ah."
A sigh escaped me before I knew it.
In the original story, the academy students who entered the ghoul field were all kidnapped into a dungeon in an unprecedented incident, canceling the entire schedule.
And naturally, that was the future barreling toward us.
That's why I hadn't even bothered with something like the last day's plans.
'Didn't realize there was something like this tucked in there.'
Erina, blissfully unaware of the doom awaiting her, spoke to me confidently with her head held high.
"See? Am I right?!"
Her attitude just drew a wry, quiet chuckle from me.
"Yeah, you're right."
"I wouldn't have come if there wasn't tourism! That's the only thing I was looking forward to—I memorized just the last day!"
Erina's face lit up with excitement and joy.
I bowed my head slightly toward her.
"Sorry."
"Sorry about what?"
"Just... sorry."
Sensing something from my demeanor, Erina grabbed my shoulders and shook me, grilling me.
"What?! Why are you being so ominous? Answer me!!"
***
"We're here."
With those five words from Instructor Yoo Chae-hwa, we got out of the car.
Even though we hadn't driven far, the scenery beyond the long stretch of barbed wire felt like a completely different world from the touristy airport surroundings.
Tall trees blocked the daylight despite it being afternoon, casting twilight-like shadows. Between the dense foliage peeked the moss-covered ruins of buildings—proof that civilization had once thrived here.
Erina muttered in shock at the sight.
"Th-this is K-Tourism?!"
"What did you expect?"
Baek A-rin offered her some gentle consolation.
'Nice. That's teamwork.'
Leaving their perfect synergy behind, I peered beyond the barbed wire.
It had a creepy vibe, sure, but it didn't seem as bad as its reputation suggested.
The lack of ghouls was probably because this was the outer edge of the ghoul field.
As I scanned the area, Baek A-rin glanced around and sighed.
"Looking for something? All that's here are rolling tangerines and ghoul heads."
"Nah, nothing like that."
I was just checking where Lee Seong-hyeon might be. And there he was, off in the distance.
"Quite the crowd."
As expected from the man of the hour, he was surrounded by students eager to make connections or chat him up.
"I heard the rumor. Five skillbook pages, right?"
"Wanna team up with our club? I know you're a freshman and might not get it, but camps like this are better with more people."
"No thanks. I'm just too strong for that."
And Lee Seong-hyeon himself seemed to be enjoying it, responding with lines that oozed arrogance.
'What a madman.'
As I nodded to myself, the students around him spotted me and started whispering.
"Hey, isn't that the freshman you mentioned?"
"Kim Si-woo, right? The one who started a club?"
"Heard he only recruits heirs from major clans—three of them—plus a foreign clan daughter."
"Guy's got game with the ladies."
"Word is, during this year's entrance test, he went toe-to-toe with Lee Seong-hyeon."
"For real? Hey, should we talk to him? Lee Seong-hyeon's not biting—maybe this guy's different."
Ugh, hard pass on that crowd.
Guys who test the waters like that are prime backstabbers.
As I moved to slip away, a razor-sharp glare hit me from somewhere.
Lee Seong-hyeon had overheard their chatter and was glaring daggers at me.
This isn't my fault.
Why's he mad at me?
Incomprehensible psychology from the guy.
From the perspective of someone starved for attention, it must irk him that spotlights meant for him were shifting to me.
Lee Seong-hyeon looked ready to charge and punch me, but he turned away, ignoring me instead.
'Even Lee Seong-hyeon has his limits.'
That said, this ghoul field had a few rare materials hard to obtain as a student.
Even if this run's Lee Seong-hyeon didn't know about Ameris yet, those drops would tempt him.
Naturally, they required solo sneaking around to get, so he wouldn't want to draw eyes by beating me up in a crowd.
Lee Seong-hyeon hadn't started a new club—he'd joined an existing one and seized the presidency.
'Madman.'
He could pull it off because the club he joined, Predation, operated on the law of the jungle where strength ruled.
A guy who loved the spotlight like him joined Predation and immediately challenged their president.
This should've blown up in academy rumors.
'Must've pissed him off that it got buried under my news.'
A brand-new club after decades, packed with three major clan heirs? Way juicier than some mid-tier club's president swap.
That said, a freshman taking over Predation was shocking enough—rumors did circulate.
In other words, he just hated how our Black Egg club's buzz scattered the attention.
Classic attention-seeker mindset.
Plus, all the interference from me so far must've built up a ton of resentment.
Still, seeing him seethe was kinda satisfying, even if unintended.
We couldn't avoid clashing anymore anyway.
Especially if he went after Ameris this time—full-on war was inevitable.
So, best to just enjoy it.
"Delicious."
"What nonsense is that, Si-woo?"
"Just a feeling. Get ready—an exciting adventure's about to start."
"Ugh... It's totally gloomy and not exciting at all."
Erina pouted up at me.
"We still gotta do what we gotta do."
"True. K-Tourism awaits on the last day! They said it's got views and experiences unique to Jeju."
"Haha, you."
Sorry. No tourism.
Ameris's 'Academy Student Dungeon Kidnapping Incident.'
It kicks off after entering the heart of the ghoul field during the camp, once Progenitor Ameris's influence grows strong.
Until then, it'll just be club rivalries disguised as a training camp.
Wait, but if it's experiences and views you can't get anywhere else... isn't getting kidnapped by Korea's last vampire progenitor, Ameris, the ultimate unique thrill?
The dungeon she'll trap us in is one only we'll ever see.
So, isn't that the essence of K-Tourism?
Yeah. Definitely.
I shoved aside the faint pangs of conscience and grinned brightly at Erina.
"Don't worry. You'll definitely see the essence of K-Tourism that no one's ever witnessed. I guarantee it."
"Wow, motivational words from you for once, Si-woo!!"