Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Upgraded Surveillance
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Weeeng weeeng
Drones for exam observation buzzed through the night over Geumgang Mountain instead of fireflies.
Having polished off a bowl of ramen in one go, I sat in my camping rocking chair with a hot cup of tea.
One last thing before bed.
I wanted to upgrade the LiveWatch for convenience, to better oversee the overall situation.
First, I upgraded it so GPS signals for all of Class A would show up.
Then added the ability to share vision with observation drones up to five times a day, maximum one minute each.
With all the conditions tacked on, SP consumption was low.
"Let's see."
I checked the GPS first.
Running the function lit up fifty red dots blinking all over the place.
No one within a 3km radius of me for now, and most were evenly scattered, but as always, some kids with exceptional survival instincts stood out.
Some students had already formed groups.
Circles of two or three moving together were proof.
It was a familiar phenomenon from the original story—nothing new.
The initial goal was survival, but it later evolved into "seed hunting" parties targeting the protagonists.
Among them, the group to watch was Kang Cheol-min's crew.
A hangout for Lee Dong-wook and other delinquents that eventually grew into a massive circle of over ten.
They had enough clout to threaten Baek Sa-young and Cheon Seo-yoon.
Using survival as an excuse, they schemed vile, petty plots to stab the protagonists in the back.
Well, if that's a skill, it's a skill—I had no intention of meddling.
Like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang.
It's not the strong who survive, but the survivors who are strong.
However.
What bothered me was the red dot positioned not far from them—Reina.
Sure, interpersonal combat started on day three, but point theft via LiveWatch snatching had its loopholes.
Honestly, they could strike on day one or two just fine.
Secure the LiveWatch early and boot them out right at the start of day three.
So, what would happen if naive Reina crossed paths with Kang Cheol-min's crew was obvious.
She'd get taken out the moment she let her guard down—like having her nose slit while wide awake.
Hm.
Was it because of the holy flame energy slumbering in my body?
I just wanted to prevent her from getting scammed and eliminated right after arriving at Taehak.
Plus, we had important business if we met.
So, I'd keep close tabs on her.
If something happened and she was nearby, I could rush over anytime.
"More to worry about than I thought."
Scratching my temple, I checked Ju A-rin's position.
No movement, so I tested the function by linking the watch to a nearby flying drone.
[Linking Zone C Drone 48 with LiveWatch.]
Light beamed out from my wrist, illuminating the air, and a scene like from a drama played out before my eyes.
Ju A-rin sat warming herself by a campfire.
-......
A faint sadness tinged her expressionless face.
It was the usual look after meeting Ju Seol-hwa.
Probably weighed down by the Ju family's burdens crushing her shoulders, the grades she had to maintain amid it all.
And responsibility toward her little sister who only had eyes for her.
Normally, like in the original, I'd shrug it off as expected and move on.
But maybe because the setting changed?
Suddenly, Ju Seol-hwa and Yoo So-young overlapped in my mind, stirring an odd sense of kinship and unfamiliar pity.
Then the drone vision share cut off.
Camping life—or rather, the deep mountain night spent alone—made one vulnerable.
I shook my head vigorously to ward off emotional sway.
"Get it together."
To change the mood, I jumped up and rummaged through the food storage.
I'd finished today's tasks, and this was to pick tomorrow's breakfast menu.
A suitable meal kit caught my hand just right.
"Pollock soup for breakfast."
The world had gotten convenient—just unwrap and boil.
I'd mix some rice into the hot broth.
* * *
Dawn, dew beading on green leaves.
Cheon Seo-yoon, who had slept on the bare ground in just a sleeping bag, struggled to sit up.
"Ugh, my back."
Her condition was so poor a groan escaped on its own.
Her whole body ached like she'd been hammered, and the weather was merciless too.
It was almost July, yet this damn famous mountain felt like winter.
"Ah."
Wondering if her mouth was crooked, she touched her lips and let out a deep sigh—
Still half-buried in the sleeping bag, she scanned her surroundings.
"Where the hell am I?"
But she had no clue.
She was already directionally challenged, and everything around her was identical trees and grass.
That's why they'd been given GPS.
"But what good's it if I can't read it."
To her, it was just weird stripes with red dots—useless.
"It'll work out somehow. In the end, just gotta smash demonic beasts."
But Cheon Seo-yoon didn't back down.
With amazing simplification, she clarified the situation and clenched her fist.
Sure, she'd been assigned the fifth seed thanks to Reina.
But would she retreat like this?
Resolve renewed, she vowed to reclaim her stolen spot—third in Class A—and packed her sleeping bag.
Rustle rustle—
She leveled the ground to erase traces of her stay, then scattered leaves over it.
Interpersonal point battles started on day three, but caution never hurt.
Fifth seed or not, it was still a seed.
With extra points attached, she was a prime target.
She wasn't scared of one-on-one, but ambushes or ganging up were another story.
Especially in her wrecked condition, stomach growling.
"Ugh, my gut hurts."
Recalling last night's drinking, she rubbed her queasy stomach.
Hadn't drunk much, but chugged it fast maybe.
Hangover relief felt desperately needed today.
Just one bowl of hot soup rice would wipe away yesterday and today's fatigue.
"Sigh."
But reality was harsh.
Rummaging through her backpack, she pulled out her hoarded rations—a calorie bar.
Issued six total, she'd saved them all without touching one, but now she couldn't hold out.
She snapped it in half—saving one for lunch—and carefully pushed the other into her mouth.
Crunch crunch.
Tasteless as expected.
The doughy texture sucked, like chewing raw flour lumps.
Bland survival food, plain and simple.
"Sniff sniff."
Suddenly, a rich pollock soup aroma tickled her nose.
Spicy with chopped green chilies too.
What the—?
So suddenly, the calorie bar felt like thoroughly soaked dried pollock.
The more she chewed, the more broth seemed to seep out—an illusion.
"Ah."
Eyes half-lidded, Cheon Seo-yoon chewed the bar, then snapped to and shook her head.
"I'm crazy. Totally lost it."
Clearly, soup delusions had driven her mad.
Who the hell boils pollock soup in Geumgang Mountain?
Must be a hallucination from the thick mana density.
She slapped her cheek and tried to refocus.
If nothing else, she could control her appetite—she believed that.
Survival basics boiled down to hunger drive, right?
"Where are you, you beast bastards."
Twirling Moonha Group's longsword gracefully, Cheon Seo-yoon began scouring the area.
* * *
Around the same time, Zone D.
Unlike some, Reina had slept deeply and greeted a refreshing morning with a stretch.
Thanks to her inherently steady temperament and the Dawn Society's grueling training, she was seasoned in this.
"Good morning."
Springing up, she dismantled the branch roof she'd woven for concealment, neatly folded her sleeping bag, and stowed it in a corner.
To conserve water, she bustled about collecting morning dew.
In under ten minutes, enough for a few gulps to quench her thirst—she gulped it down deliciously.
All possible because Reina was a seasoned warrior.
But was she perfect?
No.
"Ah."
Reaching into her backpack for a simple snack, she let out a soft sigh.
She remembered getting six calorie bars total—one per meal.
Yet only two remained.
Four gone in less than twelve hours.
So suddenly, her instructor from Dawn Society training came to mind.
The Saintess is great at everything else, but that appetite is the problem.
Her obsession with flour especially was unmanageable—they'd begged her to drop it.
"......"
But too late now.
Busy yesterday, no time for proper meals—operating on empty stomach was the issue.
Meant to just snack, but kept mindlessly munching.
At this rate, she'd starve from tonight, and she had no skill to butcher beasts.
"No more spending."
She had no real greed for grades—that was personal.
But publicly, Vatican honor was at stake.
At least top three.
Only then would the Vatican be satisfied.
And only then could she stay longer at Taehak to observe him.
"It was tasty, though."
Licking her lips regretfully, Reina summoned superhuman willpower and withdrew her hand.
Packed the sleeping bag into her backpack and set off to hunt demonic beasts.
To buy food with earned points or ask for butchering help.
Soon, she sensed suspicious presences.
Three of them.
Eastern demonic beasts were unfamiliar, but her holy flame sensitivity pegged them around rank 8.
Like goblins in appearance.
No reason to hesitate.
Reina summoned her white spear of light and charged.
Shrill screams of short-horned horses soon followed.
Handled like pre-meal warm-up, she tapped her LiveWatch around.
[Caught rank 8 demonic beast Dogae.]
[Rewarded 1 point.]
From sunrise in the east to sunset in the west, she rampaged across Geumgang Mountain before finally clutching her starving belly and collapsing.
High activity but nothing eaten—head spinning...
...Had her efforts reached the heavens?
She spotted smoke rising from a mountainside spot.
Roasting meat maybe? A mouthwatering aroma wafted faintly.
"People..."
Reina brightened and dashed toward it.
No caution at all.
That was natural.
Holy flame Saintess. Dawn Society's youngest member.
Her lofty titles justified the confidence—she figured she could handle anyone.
Entering the smoke's source, she beheld the longed-for sight.
Four men sat around a campfire roasting a whole wild boar.
"Pig."
As Reina stared entranced.
"...Who? Huh?"
One male student chuckling by the fire spotted her and widened his eyes.
But her face seemed familiar.
Who?
As he racked his brain, a friendly-smiling man approached and bowed politely.
"Lady Reina. An honor to meet you. I'm Lee Dong-wook."