Chapter 308
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: Siren's Call
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Seojun and Kate went up to the second floor, which was not open to the public. The doors to that section of the Sea Save Center opened for them. Due to the stress it caused the animals, only a limited number of people were allowed in.
“These are the sea turtles we rescued from the beach.”
Where Kate pointed, small baby sea turtles were swimming leisurely. There was also sand laid out on one side.
“We received a report that the mother turtle had laid her eggs in a pile of trash.”
“I see. What about the mother turtle?”
No matter where he looked, he couldn't see a mother turtle that should have been caring for the hatchlings. At Seojun's question, Kate replied with a bitter smile.
“We tried to save her... but there was so much plastic in her stomach that even surgery couldn't help.”
Hearing this, Seojun's expression clouded over. It was a heartbreaking story.
* * *
That night. The Library of Life.
Seojun put down the book he was reading and searched the shelves.
“I thought it was around here.”
He had read so many books that he couldn't remember where he had placed it.
He had shelves for frequently used abilities and shelves for abilities he thought he might use during filming, but the one he needed now hadn't been set aside.
“An ability useful for when the rescue team goes out to sea would be good…”
He had already found an ability to enhance healing power to inscribe at the Sea Save Center. Seojun scanned the book titles, moving quickly. Just by looking at the titles, he could roughly recall the abilities.
“If it’s a water-related race, would it be mermaids?”
Seojun muttered “mermaid” repeatedly as he searched through the books.
* * *
The third day of the documentary filming.
Seojun headed to the Sea Save Center early in the morning. An Daho, who had started accompanying him yesterday, was at the wheel. Unlike the first day, there was no one there to greet them.
*No.*
Seojun smiled faintly as he noticed the camera director who had already positioned himself behind him, then stood in front of his assigned locker.
Putting on a Sea Save cap, changing into a T-shirt, and hanging an ID card around his neck completed his transformation into Sea Save Team Member 1.
“Good morning!”
“Morning... Jun?!”
After exchanging greetings with passing Sea Save team members, Seojun picked up a bucket full of fish and headed to the Ocean Hall.
Though it had only been two days, everyone was so used to seeing Seojun blended in at the center that they would walk past him as usual, only to turn around in surprise.
“Hello, Uri, Loki.”
*Piiii-!*
*Woooong!*
Now in charge of feeding, Seojun smiled as he took a flopping fish from the bucket and tossed one toward Loki, and another toward Uri. The sight of Loki and Uri, who seemed to be copying Loki, catching the fish flawlessly made him laugh.
Seojun patted Loki once and Uri once, then headed inside the center. He fed the baby turtles and checked on the other animals, confirming the ability he had inscribed at the center yesterday.
*It's working well.*
Seojun smiled gently.
Unseen by the camera, a shell pattern covering the center's floor was shimmering.
* * *
As Seojun entered the office, Kate, who had been waiting, smiled and said.
“Shall we try some rescue team activities today?”
“Yes. I'm looking forward to it.”
Seojun and the Sea Save rescue team started walking to board the boat. They went out a side door of the center and walked for a bit, finding the boat they had seen at Mydeman Beach docked there.
Kate introduced it with a bright smile.
“This is the Sea Saver. She’s an indispensable boat for us.”
“It’s amazing!”
Seojun and Kate boarded the Sea Saver.
After putting on life jackets, they were given a tour of the emergency boat and the interior of the Sea Saver. The documentary crew followed behind, filming the Sea Saver as if seeing it for the first time.
While being guided, Seojun pressed his hand firmly here and there inside the Sea Saver, as if leaving handprints. Where his hand had touched, a small mermaid-shaped pattern remained.
[(Divine/Crafting) Siren of the Siren Tribe - Intermediate-High Grade is being crafted.]
[14/30]
*Just 16 more to go.*
* * *
The sea, viewed from the boat, was vast, wide, and blue.
Seojun looked around and said.
“It must not be easy to conduct rescue operations in a place like this.”
“That's right. We need to see something to act... unless it surfaces, it's hard for us to know.”
At Kate's words, Seojun smiled faintly and released his divine energy. The divine energy spreading from Seojun fully permeated the patterns he had inscribed on the Sea Saver.
[(Divine/Crafting) Siren of the Siren Tribe - Intermediate-High Grade has been activated.]
[(Divine/Crafting) Siren of the Siren Tribe - Intermediate-High Grade]
Informs beings within the ability's range of danger to marine animals within a certain area.
The rescue range varies depending on the abilities of the beings within the ability's range.
*Since the Sea Saver and Sea Save can't go to the bottom of the ocean.*
There were better abilities, but it was enough to rescue what was within Sea Save's reach.
*And it doesn't activate for natural phenomena like the food chain.*
Seojun smiled with satisfaction at the ability he had found after two days of searching.
The glowing patterns connected in a circle, enveloping the Sea Saver. Because of this, the team members on board the Sea Saver, though not to the same extent as Seojun, were feeling something different from usual.
“But... maybe because the weather is nice today, I feel like I can sense the ocean really well.”
As if agreeing with Kate, everyone looked out at the sea with a strange new feeling. The sea, which they had always stared at blankly despite their vast experience, now felt as if they could sense what was happening beneath the surface. It was like that moment when learning a foreign language, when your ears suddenly open up.
“So…”
Staring at one spot in the ocean, the color of rescue team leader Kate's eyes deepened.
“...Why do I feel like there’s a rescue target over there?”
Kate, with the most rescue experience among the team, had a particularly sharp sense. It was no match for Seojun's, but it was the sharpest among the team members. Kate thought it was strange, very strange, but she didn't stop her hand from moving unconsciously.
Kate took out her radio and spoke.
“Jess!”
-*Yes!*
“Slow down! Dive team, get ready!”
“Yes!”
Even though nothing was visible, no one questioned Kate's orders. Only the documentary crew blinked in confusion. Seojun watched the busy rescue team with a pleased expression.
“Team leader. Can we follow you?”
Kate shook her head at the producer's words.
“We’ll go down first.”
While the dive team entered the water, Seojun tapped the railing of the pristine white boat, the Sea Saver.
A small, siren-shaped pattern shimmered.
It was the ability of the Siren royalty, who had ruled the vast seas and protected the creatures living in them. There could be no ability more fitting for Sea Save than this.
-*Team leader! It's a whale caught in a net!*
A call came from the dive team. Kate asked.
“Do we need to bring it to the center?”
-*No. It seems a little tired, but there are no injuries. We should be fine just cutting it free from the net.*
“Then proceed with caution.”
-*Yes!*
Seeing the anxious producer, Kate nodded and assigned a team member to him.
Seojun wanted to go too, but entering the sea without professional training was no easy task. He could only wait on the boat.
The underwater camera plunged into the sea.
Just as everyone was quietly watching the surface where the boat and dive team were,
“That was fast. Did they fail?”
The dive team resurfaced earlier than Kate had expected. To Kate's worried eyes, the sight of the dive team members on the boat energetically waving both arms came into view.
The radio crackled to life.
-*Mission complete!*
Cheers erupted.
* * *
“Usually, we don't know until they surface. But today, we noticed it even though it was quite deep. Thanks to that, the whale was in good condition, too.”
A member of the dive team said in an interview with the camera. His flushed face showed genuine joy, and Seojun smiled warmly.
“It’s so peaceful.”
“I know, right?”
Kate and the Sea Save team members were enjoying the sensation of the sea, which felt different from usual. The world seemed new.
“Our condition seems really great today.”
Seojun and Kate were watching a distant pod of dolphins with relaxed hearts.
Just then, a team member raised their voice.
“Mydeman Beach! They say dozens of dolphins have been stranded!”
At the familiar location name, the Sea Save team, Seojun, and the production crew’s eyes widened.
The surprise was fleeting. Kate grabbed the radio.
“Jess! Head to Mydeman Beach, now!”
-*Roger!*
The Sea Saver turned smoothly. The Sea Save team members on board scrambled around. Feeling a sense of déjà vu, the cameras filmed the team members bustling about.
“About 50 dolphins!”
This was Mydeman Beach, where Hollywood actor Seojun Lee had been. The impact of that event still lingered. Dozens of N-tube videos popped up in an instant, and at the shout of a team member monitoring them, everyone wore horrified expressions but didn't stop moving.
“That's a lot!”
“At least it’s not a hundred!”
“Get the boats ready!”
With around 50 dolphins, there weren't enough team members. Kate turned and looked at Seojun, who had stepped back so as not to get in the team's way.
“Jun! It won't be anything too difficult!”
“I’ll go!”
“Thank you!”
Kate resumed the rescue preparations, and Seojun looked at his manager, who was standing nearby.
“Daho hyung…”
Seeing the actor looking at him with sparkling eyes, An Daho shrugged as if he had no choice, then checked Seojun's life jacket securely and re-checked his own.
Seojun's eyes widened.
“You’re coming too, Daho hyung?”
“They need all the help they can get, right?”
Seojun chuckled at An Daho's words.
-*We're right in front of Mydeman Beach!*
“Prepare to lower the boats! Jun, erase your presence like last time!”
“Don't worry! I'll make sure no one recognizes me!”
Acting was what Seojun did best.
The producer's jaw dropped at the sight of Seojun Lee's confident smile.
Yesterday during filming, when asked why no one had recognized Seojun Lee at Mydeman Beach, the producer, who had heard Seojun Lee's answer and watched the Korean program [Working Man!], exclaimed in horror.
“Jun! We're filming right now! The viewers need to be able to recognize you!”
*...Oh! Right!*
Seeing Seojun Lee's expression that seemed to say that, the producer grew anxious.
“Uh...! Just like in Working Man, please!”
“Yes! Don't worry!”
At the sight of Seojun Lee's bright smile, the producer clasped his hands together in prayer.
* * *
“Mission complete!”
Having safely returned 57 dolphins to the sea, the Sea Save team was heading back to the Sea Saver. Two boats bobbed on the waves.
Having returned every single one to the sea, the Sea Save team was physically exhausted but all smiles.
“But Jun was there, and no one recognized him.”
“I know. Huh? Where is Jun?”
“Gasp! Did we leave him behind?!”
The producer, who had been drained of energy from carrying the heavy dolphins to the water, shot up at the staff member's words.
“? I'm right here.”
Seojun, who was drying his soaking wet hair with a towel given to him by An Daho, tilted his head.
“...Wow...”
The team members sitting near Seojun Lee, whom they hadn't noticed even though he was right next to them, stared with wide eyes. An Daho couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
Meanwhile, the exhausted producer, mustering strength from somewhere, went over to the cameramen who had stayed behind to film. Only after seeing the sparkling Seojun Lee in the footage did the producer let out a sigh of relief.
* * *
[What is happening? Mydeman Beach, California! Another Stranding!]
[Mydeman Beach, California! 57 Dolphins Stranded!]
[Sea Save Deployed! Was Lee Seojun There?]
-Is this a sign of the apocalypse...
=222 57 dolphins, that's insaneㄷㄷ
=But thank goodness they rescued them allㅠㅠ
-Sea Save was there, but it looks like Seojun wasn't.
=He's probably at the center. Why would he be out on the ocean?
-But if it's Seojun, I bet he was in the middle of it.
=222 You know if you've seen Working Man ㅎㅎ
=333 Same with the Mydeman Beach video ㅋㅋ
-Lee Seojun seems to be the best at blending in.
=He's so good at it there aren't even any eyewitness accounts ㅠㅠㅋㅋ
* * *
“We saved 58 of your friends today.”
*Piiii-*
*Woooong!*
On the path in the Ocean Hall, with no people around.
Seojun crouched down, looked at Loki and Uri, and spoke. Today, too, Loki was swimming in Uri's enclosure. Seojun smiled at Loki's relaxed demeanor.
“Loki. What are we going to do with you, staying here again today? You're making things hard for the team.”
He spoke to Loki, but he didn't know if the dolphin understood. As always, Seojun couldn't help but smile back at Loki's cheerful, smiling face.
The mischievous Loki had apparently been moved several enclosures away by the Sea Save staff after teasing Uri on the first day, but he had leaped over all of them to get back into Uri's area.
The baby humpback whale, Uri, seemed to have gotten used to the dolphin, Loki, and they looked quite friendly together now. It seemed they had grown quite close in a short amount of time.
Seojun stroked Uri. He didn't forget to let his divine energy flow. In response to the warm divine energy, Uri sang joyfully, *Woooong!* Uri's wounds had almost completely healed, and his strength had returned.
“Starting tomorrow, you'll be able to live in the ocean, which is much, much bigger than this place.”
Tomorrow.
The baby humpback whale, Uri, and the dolphin, Loki, would return to the vast ocean.