Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: A Life on the Line
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A man who looked to be in his late fifties or early sixties was watching the contestants, and my "Third Eye" was sending me a low-level warning.
A stalker? What's a man his age doing?
I followed his gaze, but the teams were all mixed together, so I couldn't tell who he was looking at.
I can't do anything based on suspicion alone. How frustrating.
Frustrated, I glared at him.
[Trait 'Soldier's Spirit' (B) Activated]
[Trait 'Charisma Lv2' Activated]
My aggressive aura reached the man, who had been completely engrossed in the female idols, and he flinched, startled, averting his gaze.
‘Get lost. You're dead if I catch you.’
As I continued to stare him down, he wiped the sweat from his brow and moved to another area.
"Hyung, why are you shooting lasers at him?"
"He just gave me a bad feeling."
"...He looks ordinary... but then again, most criminals do."
I turned my attention back to Answer, who were in the middle of a strategy meeting.
"Most of them will be on the surface. But since there are so many people looking, I'll search in the sand."
"Good idea. Seul-bi, you're fast, so you can dig through the sand. We'll collect the shells on the surface."
Seol-ah agreed with Seul-bi's suggestion.
"And it'll be a waste of time to check each shell to see if it's intact. We have a time limit, so let's just grab anything that looks like a shell for now."
"Okay, Unni."
"Ooh, good idea. I think we're going to dominate!"
Yi-na declared with a confident expression at Seol-ah's words.
"Looks like our artists are having a strategy meeting."
"Yeah. I think they're going to get first place."
"We believe in them!"
-To explain once more, the time limit is five minutes. Abalone, mussels, conch, and whelks don't count. Each seashell will be worth 2,000 won. Alright, get ready, and... go!
"Kyaaah!"
The female idols shrieked with a mix of excitement and tension as they ran onto the sandy beach.
"Hehehe."
Choi Yoo-jun watched them with a pleased expression.
"What are you so happy about?"
"Just the thought that these artists are the chosen ones. It makes me happy and proud to think they're amazing people who fought their way through the competition."
"Still disappointed you didn't get to debut?"
"I'd be lying if I said not at all. Aren't you, Hyung?"
"I'm not."
"......"
"You just cursed me in your head, didn't you?"
"Ah, no! Hehehe."
Then why are you laughing, you punk?
Seol-ah, Ro-si, and Yi-na spread out at appropriate distances and began snatching up shells. Their speed was overwhelming compared to the other groups, who were checking each shell one by one.
Bending over, Seul-bi plunged her hands, shaped like hooks, into the sand and raked through it at high speed.
"Hut! Hut!"
With every hop she took backward while combing through the sand, shells flew out from between the grains.
"What is she? Is she plowing a field?"
"Hahaha! That's insane, her power is no joke."
"Wow... she doesn't seem like a girl group member."
"I bet she can lift some serious weight."
"We got a good shot there."
The staff, not having to worry about audio, laughed as they watched Seul-bi, and one camera was fixed solely on her.
The five minutes flew by in an instant.
-Stop! Everyone freeze! Uh-uh! The viewers will scold you!
Gabi, the leader of N-Pink, who had snatched a large shell at the last second, stuck out her tongue and gave an awkward smile.
The contestants gathered one by one, presenting the shells in their hands. Most were small and cute.
-N-Pink, 33 shells! Weight: 109.3 grams!
"Woooow!"
-Fairy Tale Girls, 19 shells! Weight: 83.6 grams!
"Haaaah."
The seven teams' results were announced. The teams that collected a lot cheered, while those that didn't sighed.
-Next, we'll count Your Girl's seashells. At a glance, they have a lot. One, two...
Clink, clink.
The host counted the intact seashells and placed them on the scale.
-Your Girl, 57 shells! Weight: 150.5 grams!
"Woooah!"
The members of Your Girl jumped up and down.
Seeing the number of shells in Answer's hands, they seemed to think they had won first place.
But the few staff members who had been watching Answer closely, and we, couldn't help but scoff at Your Girl.
-Now, only Answer's count remains... A quick look suggests they might not have as many as Your Girl?
At the host's words, the faces of the Answer members twitched into smiles.
-Then let's begin. Please place your results in the basket.
Clatter, clatter.
After pouring the shells from their hands into the basket, the Answer members then reached for their pockets.
"Woooah!"
-What is this! You have more in your pockets?
Clatter, clatter.
Several times more shells than what they had been holding poured out of their pockets, filling the small basket to the brim.
"Wahahahaha! Amazing!"
Regardless of winning or losing, the other contestants clapped in amazement.
-Wow, what is going on! The amount Answer brought alone is about the same as all the other teams combined. However... we can't be sure yet, as most of them don't seem to be in good shape.
The host shook his head and began placing the intact shells on the scale.
Clink, clank, clatter.
A large number were discarded on the ground, but the pile of seashells on the scale grew higher and higher.
-Answer, 112 shells! Weight: 225g. An overwhelming victory!
"Woooow!"
The production crew and participants applauded and cheered. As if they had planned it, the Answer members performed the Chaine turn, the signature move of their new song's choreography, with deadpan smiles.
"Ooooh!"
Many people around them gasped at the difficult and impressive turn.
"Oh! This is going to look awesome when it airs."
Even Choi Yoo-jun was grinning with delight.
Our girls' variety show skills are improving.
* * *
-As I mentioned, each seashell is worth 2,000 won. Answer will receive 224,000 won for their meal.
"Woooow!"
-Then shall Answer choose their menu first?
From the menu created by the production team, Answer ordered the 100,000 won assorted sashimi platter, the 50,000 won spicy stir-fried chicken, the 50,000 won grilled shrimp, and the 12,000 won potato dough soup and spicy mixed noodles.
-Oh! You've managed to order without a single 100-won coin left over. Will you be able to eat all of that?
"Yes! We can eat it all!"
-Ah... I think you're going to get in trouble with your company... I'll have to come by for a bite later.
"Isn't this focusing too much on the eating part? Realistically, can idols even eat that much? Some of them spit out what's in their mouths after the food scenes are done."
"They probably got support from the tourism board. Most of this stuff is Gangwon Province's specialty."
"That's a given, but viewers are getting sharp these days. I'm just worried it'll look too staged."
"Looking at the comments lately, that's definitely true."
I couldn't help but chuckle at the production team's grumbling.
Our Answer members really do eat it all.
Filming was paused to move to the next location, and the members approached us.
Seol-ah glanced at the man behind me with a strange look, then exchanged a few words with Si-ah from N-Pink.
Could Si-ah be the stalker's target?
Since Seol-ah shared a room with Si-ah, she might know about her worries.
"Oh! Our artist Seul-bi was so cool!"
"Ahahat! I've always been pretty cool."
"Aigoo. Seol-ah Unni always tells you to be humble."
"Huh? What's humble? You didn't even know shells were used as money, did you?"
"Hey! I did too! It came up in my middle school history class!"
"It wasn't history, it was social studies."
"Ah... r-right! I got confused because the Shang dynasty came up."
"See, you didn't know. It was history."
"Hey!"
An annoyed Yi-na lunged to pinch Seul-bi, but she couldn't catch the agile girl.
"Oh! Oh?"
"Stop fooling around!"
Seul-bi, who had been dodging Yi-na, suddenly looked behind me with a flustered expression, and Yi-na pinched her side.
Just then, Seol-ah shot forward with terrifying speed.
I turned around to see the stalker clutching his chest and collapsing.
"Aah! Call 119!"
At Seol-ah's shout, everyone's attention on set focused on her and the patient. I quickly dialed 119.
"Sir, try to stay with me!"
Following what she had seen in first aid training, Seol-ah checked the patient's breathing and pinched his chest as hard as she could to check for a response.
I remembered watching Seol-ah during a training session; she had paid close attention with a serious expression, even though she hadn't practiced it herself.
"Yes! There's a medical emergency! The location is Sokcho... ah! It's the beach in front of the new resort opening next week!"
While I was on the phone with 119, Seol-ah climbed on top of the man and started CPR. She moved without a shred of hesitation, as if it were her destiny.
"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!"
She was always strong, but where was this power coming from?
Seol-ah's CPR was so forceful that the man's body jolted violently. It didn't seem like I needed to intervene.
It was a critical situation, but the image of Seol-ah being captured by the camera was a much more favorable outcome for Answer.
I felt a pang of self-loathing for making such calculations in a crisis... but Seol-ah was clearly providing the man with sufficient aid.
I supported his neck with both hands to keep his airway open. The crew and cast members started running over.
"Hey! Should I help with the breathing? Mouth-to-mouth!"
Choi Yoo-jun said in a tense voice while recording Seol-ah performing CPR on his phone.
"No. They don't recommend mouth-to-mouth anymore. CPR alone is enough."
"Forty-two! Hah...! Hah...! Hah...!"
Seol-ah, who had been counting out of habit, started to run out of steam, letting out only ragged breaths.
"...Dad? Dad!"
What was that? Dad?
The moment I realized the person who had cried out was Si-ah from N-Pink, an immense wave of guilt washed over me.
"Kyaaah! Dad! Dad, wake up!"
Seol-ah gritted her teeth even harder.
"I'll do it. Move!"
I tried to push Seol-ah away, but her eyes flashed wildly as she yelled.
"I can save him! I can do it!"
"......"
What on earth is happening?
Seol-ah, drenched in sweat with her hair in disarray, shouted loudly. She looked like she was half out of her mind, nothing like her usual self. Like someone having a PTSD episode.
"Dad! I'm sorry! Wake up!"
The sight of a panicked Si-ah and a frantic Seol-ah was shocking.
Suddenly, I remembered the legendary gacha pull I'd gotten as a quest reward for dealing with malicious articles about Answer.
[Single-Use Item: Heal (S)]
Detailed Description: Completely cures another person's illness.
It was the ultimate cheat item, the only one on Earth that could completely cure a disease.
An item that could be worth trillions to some people, that could save anyone, the only one of its kind in the world.
"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!"
"I'm sorry. Hng, please wake up... I won't do it again."
Si-ah was crying so hard she could barely breathe, and Seol-ah was performing CPR like a madwoman, her eyes bloodshot. The crew and cast could only cover their mouths, maintaining a heavy silence.
It's a waste, but I have to save him. Someone is dying right in front of me.
If I let him die just to protect my own interests, I'd be no different from Gyeon Sang-jin. Wasn't I also left to die a dog's death over some trivial conflict of interest?
Besides, I have the strength and ability to achieve what I want, even without an item like this. It's better than living with a guilty conscience...
"...Haaaah..."
A heavy sigh escaped my lips unconsciously.
And I selected the item.
[Use Heal (S) item on the target?]
[Yes]
⋮
[Use Failed]
What?
[This item can only be used on the living.]
[A resurrection item is required.]
"Dammit! Move!"
A powerful wave of aura erupted from me, striking the surroundings. Everyone flinched, their bodies momentarily freezing. I pushed the stunned Seol-ah aside. Then I got on top of Si-ah's father's body and began CPR with all my might.
‘Please, live.’
"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!"
Crack!
The sound and vibration of ribs breaking traveled up through my hands, and blood trickled from Si-ah's father's mouth.
"Kyaaah!"
Si-ah screamed and collapsed to the ground, but Seul-bi quickly caught her.
"Wake! Up! Damn! You! Please!"
"...Cough! Gack..."
"It worked!"
"He's alive!"
"Stop, stop!"
His breathing was irregular, but Si-ah's father was breathing again. And...
[Use Heal (S) item on the target?]
I'm going to live my own way.
[Yes]