Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Han Yoo-jung (9)
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A herd of monsters appeared in the distance. Lee Ji-hye ran desperately.
Her breath reached up to her throat. It had been a long time since she'd discarded her shield.
She'd thrown off everything that got in the way, and just kept running.
Kieeeek!
The monster sensed her presence and let out a roar. Lee Ji-hye charged in swinging her sword. A gust of wind blew from somewhere.
Slash!
The monster was precisely bisected. Its corpse crumpled to the ground.
"Tch!"
It was just as she'd expected. Lee Ji-hye pivoted and threw herself at the monster beside it. She swung her sword.
Kwachik!
Suddenly, the monster's head exploded. Lee Ji-hye's sword stabbed into the innocent corpse a beat too late. She looked up into the empty air.
[Score: 397][20th → 27th]
Of course, stabbing a corpse didn't raise her score. Growing anxious, Lee Ji-hye let out a shout.
"Come at me──!!"
She drew the aggro of the monster herd. She had no shield, just her lonely sword, but now wasn't the time to worry about risks or stamina management.
Kieeeek!
The berserk monsters lunged from all directions. Lee Ji-hye pressed her back against a tree and braced for battle.
Slash!
A flash of light swirled with a gust, and the monsters sprayed fountains of blood as they collapsed.
"Ha, fuck... This, this makes any sense...?"
Lee Ji-hye's hair fluttered in the wind. She slumped down in exhaustion.
"Lee Ji-hye."
Han Yoo-jung poked her face out from where she dangled upside down from a tree branch.
"Give up. You won't catch a single one."
"Y-You...!"
Lee Ji-hye trembled with rage.
She grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it, but Han Yoo-jung spun in midair to dodge.
It was squirrel-like agility.
"What did I... What did I do so wrong?!"
Lee Ji-hye shrieked and hurled dirt wildly. Tears spun in her reddened eyes.
"Insulting that dog-bone manager or whatever that badly?! This is a test that decides my life! You're ruining one person's entire future right now!"
"Quit whining."
Kim Hyun-woo, who had shredded the assassination list at the hearing, came to mind.
He could have buried the enemy Association President completely, but he'd chosen Han Yoo-jung instead.
She couldn't do that.
"I don't have the luxury to care about everyone else's sob stories. So, you should've been more careful."
"Uwaaa!!"
Lee Ji-hye screamed and bolted into the brush. She felt like she was going insane.
[Score: 397][27th → 34th]
Her rank had dropped again in the meantime. Han Yoo-jung's goal was clear: prevent her from hunting monsters.
Kieeeek!
A monster appeared. Lee Ji-hye closed in quickly from an overhead stance.
Swish!
A thin thread flew from somewhere and wrapped around the monster's neck. It dangled and was yanked into the air. Lee Ji-hye's sword sliced empty space a beat late.
[Score: 397][34th → 41st]
Lee Ji-hye muttered anxiously.
"Where are the monsters? Monsters!"
She searched for her next target. Far off, a massive beast was munching on grass.
"Uwa! Uwaaa!"
Lee Ji-hye ran wildly swinging her sword. The beast narrowed its eyes upon spotting prey.
Grooooar!
A massive roar. Her whole body trembled. For a moment, doubt crept in: could she really take it down alone? It was a needless thought.
Pew!
A beam of light pierced the beast's head from somewhere. It lost strength in its legs and toppled forward.
Thud!
The ground shook massively. Lee Ji-hye stared blankly into the air.
[Score: 397][41st → 53rd]
Her rank fell. She staggered onward. Her hollow eyes scanned around. She spotted a monster.
Kieeeek!
Lee Ji-hye approached the monster. She raised her sword high.
Puk!
A dagger flew from somewhere and embedded in the monster's forehead.
[Score: 397][53rd → 67th]
She spotted a monster.
Slash!
A flash cleaved it in half.
[Score: 397][67th → 84th]
She spotted a monster.
Kwachik!
The beast's head suddenly exploded.
[Score: 397][84th → 97th]
.
.
.
[Score: 397][97th → 121st]
.
.
.
[Score: 397][121st → 144th]
.
.
.
[Score: 397][144th → 427th]
Lee Ji-hye trudged through the brush. Either the monsters were all gone, or she just couldn't see them anymore.
"Please stop now... You crazy bitch... I, I was wrong..."
Even if she started hunting now, could she make it into passing range?
Impossible. Still, she wanted to grasp at straws.
"I told you. You'd end up sobbing as you shut down the computer."
Han Yoo-jung rubbed her eyes tiredly with her thumb and forefinger.
She was barely holding back. Visions of slitting Lee Ji-hye's throat kept flashing in her mind. It was the Heavenly Killing Star making her temperament violent.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[10 minutes remaining.]
[09:59]
[09:58]
[09:57]
[09:59][09:58][09:57]
"N-No..."
Lee Ji-hye rose, clutching her trembling knees. She staggered forward on heavy feet.
Han Yoo-jung snorted and followed behind, spinning her dagger playfully.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We linked arms and waited for Han Yoo-jung. The wait wasn't long. The cafe door opened, and two girls entered together. Han Yoo-jung and Lee Ji-hye.
"Yoo-jung! Over here!"
I raised my hand to catch her eye. Han Yoo-jung's weary expression softened. Dark circles under her eyes—she looked exhausted. Was the test that tough? I asked worriedly.
"Why does your face look half-dead? You okay?"
"Yeah."
She answered in a raspy voice. I handed her the drink I'd ordered ahead.
"Looks like it was rough. Good work."
"It was nothing."
"Nothing? Your eyes are all bloodshot."
"This is from lack of sleep."
Han Yoo-jung slurped her smoothie through the straw. A small smile formed on her lips.
That aside.
Lee Ji-hye, who came back with Han Yoo-jung, looked terrible. Gone was the capitalist smile from our first meeting; now her haggard face kept glancing nervously at the manager.
"Lee Ji-hye! How'd the test go?"
"No, um, oppa."
"Why the hesitation? Bad score?"
"Yeah..."
"Outside the top 20?"
"Yeah..."
"...Not even top 30?"
Lee Ji-hye bit her lip and nodded.
The manager scratched the back of his head and sighed.
"First test results are out, right? Let me see."
Lee Ji-hye clutched the paper, hesitating. I could guess. She'd bombed it hard. The manager seemed to realize too; his face darkened.
Still, he must have earned that director position for a reason. He quickly composed himself and comforted her.
"The first test is over and done with, so let's make up for it in the second and third rounds."
Lee Ji-hye suddenly burst into tears.
"Hey, Lee Ji-hye! Failing the first test won't kill you! You still have chances!"
Her sobs grew louder.
What was this? The cafe patrons' stares made my neck itch.
I nudged Han Yoo-jung's side with my elbow.
"Yoo-jung."
"Yeah?"
"Something happen to her? Why's she crying like that?"
"Oh, Ji-hye?"
Han Yoo-jung shook her head casually.
"No idea."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
The manager checked the paper. He roughly ran a hand through his hair. Then he licked his dry lips and asked.
"How'd Hyun-woo-ssi score?"
Han Yoo-jung looked at me. I nodded. The test results went into the manager's hands.
"Awakened just a month ago, so obviously disqualified..."
I knew the bet's outcome without checking.
The manager's face, upon unfolding the paper, was stiff as a board.
I smirked lazily under his disbelieving gaze.
"How is it?"
See? Told you.
"I win, right?"
Even a mantis can't beat a tiger.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I put Han Yoo-jung in the passenger seat and gripped the wheel. As I started the engine and pressed the accelerator, my phone rang. Han Ye-rim.
"Hello?"
—Yoo-jung got 3,000 points? Tell her congrats on first place! It's exactly the picture we wanted.
Surprised, I asked.
"How'd you know the score?"
—Article's already up. Sending it now, right?
"Yeah."
—Drive safe. Yoo-jung's fine, but you'll go poof.
"You always talk so brutally."
Click. I ended the call and checked the internet out of curiosity.
What? A real article? How'd it go up so fast?
I checked the top-viewed one.
📰 Breaking News
A Rising Star Surpasses 3,000 Points! Could She Be the Next Lee Ji-ah?
It seemed hastily written; the content was thin. Scant info on Han Yoo-jung led to rampant speculation.
A prospect hidden by a major guild. A true genius rising from the bottom. Anything to latch onto.
I skimmed and checked the comments.
💬 Comments
— Bangbae-dong Rider
What? Season's here already? 3,000 points is the second highest ever after Lee Ji-ah, right? Impressive.
— Abang Strasse
Prospects like this? Most don't even survive past time.
— wldk123
Are you kidding? Who you comparing to who? These articles pop up every hunter exam... But even then, no match for Lee Ji-ah
— Tteokbokki Yumyum
Isn't it just the first test? Jumping the gun.
⭐ Top Comment
— Bangbae-dong Rider
No one's topped 3,000 on the first test except Lee Ji-ah till now. You retarded?
— Tteokbokki Yumyum
↳ Reply
Could be wrong. Why so aggressive?
— gusdn999
Hmm... She's young from the age. Go easy guys. Think what you were doing at home in high school before fingering that keyboard.
Most opinions were wait-and-see for now.
Makes sense. Prospects who shine briefly then crash weren't rare. After a few repeats, expectations wane.
But Han Yoo-jung was different.
Not hype—reality. S-rank Awakener Han Yoo-jung would rise fast and shine. Not as the second Lee Ji-ah, but as Han Yoo-jung.
Wonder how these comments will change then.
Hate or goodwill?
I pocketed my phone and buckled up.
—Please fasten your seatbelt.
—Please fasten your seatbelt.
The warning beep hurt my ears. The culprit was obvious.
"Han Yoo-jung, you..."
I started to say something but held back. Han Yoo-jung was dozing off, head bobbing.
She must be dead tired.
Click!
I buckled her in and reclined her seat. I carefully pulled onto the road, mindful of the sleeping girl. On the straight stretch,
Bump!
The car jolted up and down hard. Han Yoo-jung rubbed her eyes grumpily. I made an excuse.
"Sorry, some lunatic threw trash on the road. Go back to sleep, Yoo-jung."
"Yeah..."
She blinked sleepily and burrowed into the seat.
Red light. Tapping the wheel with my index finger, Lee Ji-hye's face came to mind.
"Yoo-jung."
"Yeah...?"
She mumbled sleepily. Keeping my eyes forward, I asked carefully.
"You were close with Lee Ji-hye in middle school, right?"
"Yeah."
"Got something to say about Lee Ji-hye. If prying into personal stuff bothers you, no need to answer."
"Go ahead."
I licked my dry lips.
"You don't have many frien..."
"Mister."
"...ds."
"Yeah."
"Ideally, stay close with Lee Ji-hye. You'd get it seeing me and Ye-rim—school friends and work friends are worlds apart."
Too naggy? But it was genuine worry. Her social circle was so narrow.
Lee Ji-hye had some personality flaws, but a face-to-face friend would be good.
Not like they bullied or anything.
Han Yoo-jung smiled faintly, head down.
"I'll get along with her."
"Really?"
Good. Relief washed over me.
The manager's words came back.
Her swollen cheek was Han Yoo-jung's doing, apparently.
Lee Ji-hye's scheme was obvious. Clever girl.
I chuckled unwittingly, and Han Yoo-jung asked.
"Why're you laughing?"
"Remembered my chat with the Euksan Guild manager earlier."
"What chat?"
Curious for once. Nothing to hide, so I told the truth.
"Saw Lee Ji-hye's swollen cheek? He said you did that. But no way, right?"
Seeking agreement, but no response. Red light again, so I glanced at the passenger seat. Han Yoo-jung was fast asleep, breathing softly. Angelic face.
Without Heavenly Killing Star, could she even squash a bug?
"Huh?"
Sweat beaded on Han Yoo-jung's forehead. Hot? I closed the windows and turned on the AC. Cool air filled the stuffy interior.
Hoooonk──!
The car behind honked irritably. Oops, light changed while distracted. I accelerated. The car started smoothly.
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