Chapter 112: Survival Hero (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: Survival Hero (7)
Survival Hero (7)
A massive TV hung on the wall of the Square Garden rest area.
It was a TV placed there for people to watch while they relaxed, but it had been ignored for so long that it was treated as little more than a piece of interior decor.
Lately, however, its status had changed.
Ever since the clan’s darling, Jeong Yeon-woo, began appearing on Survival Hero, the TV had captured everyone’s attention. The screen, which had been muted for ages, was finally letting out sound.
Since Square Garden occupied a vast estate, rest areas were scattered throughout the grounds. Yet, every single one was packed with heroes and staff members alike who had come to watch Survival Hero.
They usually tuned into the channel following Jeong Yeon-woo’s Team 4. Heroes with no duties at the time would sit in the rest area, admiring his bare torso.
The most popular segments were the games held every three or four hours. When those times approached, people would start gathering one by one until the already cramped rest areas became so congested it was difficult even to step inside.
Heroes who arrived a bit late would sigh, finding no seats left.
Even during clan-wide dinners, they didn't show this level of unity. It was enough to make one wonder if anyone was actually getting their work done.
‘More importantly, does no one plan on going home?’
A hero glanced briefly at the clock—which no one else cared about—before squeezing into the crowd to enjoy the show.
Rumor had it that heroes close to the Clan Leader, like Song Ha-el, watched on a giant TV in the Clan Leader’s office, while others watched on the massive monitors in the situation room used by the operators.
Regardless of where they were, the biggest topic of interest in Square Garden was Survival Hero.
Naturally, the members of Black Unicorn had also claimed seats in a rest area to watch Jeong Yeon-woo.
Having adjusted their training schedule to match the games held every few hours, Black Unicorn had finished their duties early to catch the final match.
The four members of Black Unicorn, minus Jeong Yeon-woo, sat huddled together, eyes glued to the TV.
When his teammate, Anna Gyeom, appeared on screen, the people in the rest area erupted into boos.
Despite the presence of many other senior heroes, Kwon Ye-jin gave a thumbs-down and vented her anger loudly, while Lee Yu-na tried to calm her down.
The camera panned across, showing Jeong Yeon-woo and Eom Soo-hyun chatting before the game.
"I didn't like her at first, but she's starting to grow on me the more I watch."
"Really? I still hate her."
Yoon A-young responded to Kwon Ye-jin’s comment.
Kwon Ye-jin had initially been wary of Eom Soo-hyun, but seeing her grow closer to Jeong Yeon-woo over time, she simply accepted it with a "Well, of course." To Yoon A-young’s eyes, however, they looked far too close.
Especially on the final day, Eom Soo-hyun’s attitude had completely shifted compared to the day before.
Though they had shown signs of getting closer on the second day, today, the way Eom Soo-hyun looked at Jeong Yeon-woo was fundamentally different.
The quick-witted Lee Yu-na and Anna noticed it too, but with so many cameras rolling, they never imagined Jeong Yeon-woo had actually done anything.
"She probably just fell for Yeon-woo’s charms after spending time with him."
"True. It’s impossible to hate Master," Kwon Ye-jin nodded at Lee Yu-na’s words.
Survival Hero was maintaining a gripping sense of tension as it progressed.
Setting aside the first day when no points were awarded, Jeong Yeon-woo’s team had taken first place in the first game of the second day.
After that, thanks to the "heroics" of Anna Gyeom—who was being cursed out by viewers as a total troll—they took last place repeatedly, sinking to the bottom of the rankings.
However, in the following day's games, the performance of Jeong Yeon-woo and Eom Soo-hyun kept them bouncing between second and third place, pushing them back into a position where they could aim for the top.
The point gap between them and the current leader, Im Jin-ah’s team, was 50 points. If Jeong Yeon-woo’s team took first and Im Jin-ah’s team failed to take second, the overall victory would belong to Jeong Yeon-woo.
"They said there’s no scripting, but seeing such a tense setup makes me suspicious."
"Everyone’s already screaming that it’s rigged. Haven't you seen the posts?"
"About Im Jin-ah? Some say it’s photoshopped, others say it’s the production crew’s supplies. It’s a total mess."
"How could that be photoshopped? And if it belonged to the station, why would there be wild berries inside? Is it a prop? That would make it even more rigged."
Even Lee Yu-na, who was trying to remain neutral, was already leaning toward the "rigged" theory and didn't bother contradicting Kwon Ye-jin.
The backlash from the screenshots spreading across the internet was too massive to be dismissed as simple manipulation.
In a shot captured as the camera tilted, there was a box containing a jar of wild berries that Im Jin-ah claimed she had picked herself, along with cartons of cigarettes, canned food, and various drinks.
It was unclear if other teams had similar items, but this alone was enough to destroy the show's credibility.
Between the screenshots circulating in communities and Jeong Yeon-woo’s soaring popularity, the contestants had all become stars without even knowing it.
Whether for better or for worse.
Unaware of any of this, the contestants focused on the game.
After coming in last repeatedly the day before, Jeong Yeon-woo and Eom Soo-hyun seemed to have entered "casual mode," not letting minor failures get to them.
They didn't react even when Anna Gyeom trolled them, and even after a narrow loss, they would show a moment of regret before returning to enjoying the game.
In contrast, the leader, Im Jin-ah, was showing a competitive streak as if she were entering a high-stakes dungeon.
Im Jin-ah, who had initially gained popularity for her cool and confident image, was now strangely obsessed with the game. The camera frequently caught her scowling whenever a teammate made even a slight mistake.
Whenever her face crumpled, the broadcast would cut to another scene, but people captured those brief moments or zoomed in on her annoyed expressions from wide shots where all participants were visible.
Both teams had their supporters and detractors.
Some cursed at Jeong Yeon-woo’s team for laughing after a loss, asking if they were playing house, while others praised Im Jin-ah for taking even a minor game seriously.
However, the difference lay in the sheer volume of the reaction.
Criticism toward Jeong Yeon-woo was quickly buried, while any praise for Im Jin-ah vanished under a mountain of insults.
"Oh?!"
Kwon Ye-jin’s face turned to one of shock as she watched the screen.
The expressions of the others in the rest area weren't much different.
The final day featured many games where teams joined forces, similar to a Red-White Battle.
The winning teams from the Red-White Battle would then compete against each other for the final top spot. It was quite a spectacle to see them go from allies to rivals.
The sudden rise in Jeong Yeon-woo’s team’s score was partly because the kindness he had shown—sharing food and the coconuts he picked—was being repaid during the Red-White Battle.
Jeong Yeon-woo, who had been receiving help from other teams here and there, ended up on the same side as Im Jin-ah’s team for a tower-building game.
The goal was simply to build the highest tower possible using any method.
The participants worked hard to gather materials and build. Eom Soo-hyun, sitting on the tall Jeong Yeon-woo’s shoulders, was carefully placing branches on top.
But at the very end, someone pulled out a stick that served as a support, and the tower came crashing down.
Jeong Yeon-woo and Eom Soo-hyun, who had been diligently adding items, stared blankly as the tower collapsed before their eyes, then lowered their gaze.
"I-I'm sorry..."
The hero who pulled the stick hung her head in embarrassment under the weight of the stares directed at her.
"That bitch just smirked!"
One of the heroes watching the TV shouted, pointing at Im Jin-ah, who was lingering in the background of the shot.
Was it a coincidence? The hero who pulled the stick was also a member of Im Jin-ah’s team.
It wasn't just one person who saw it; other heroes began shouting and cursing at Im Jin-ah.
Just as the room grew rowdy with people demanding to see the replay instead of the live broadcast, the game ended.
Though they lost the Red-White Battle, Im Jin-ah’s team had already accumulated enough points that it didn't matter who won the final round.
Since their only rival, Jeong Yeon-woo’s team, had failed alongside them, her team was effectively the predetermined winner. The tension that had been building up dissipated in a hollow anti-climax.
While everyone watching the broadcast looked dejected, Jeong Yeon-woo comforted the hero who had pulled the stick, telling her not to worry too much about it.
She actually did it!!
I was so happy I felt like my mouth was going to tear from grinning, but I forced myself to hold it back as I comforted the hero who had "accidentally" sabotaged us.
Eom Soo-hyun, who already knew the situation because we had talked in the Private Zone, didn't look disappointed either; she just shrugged.
Man... I poked at her pride and stoked her competitiveness just enough, and she actually went this far.
Seeing Im Jin-ah secretly smirking before trying to fix her expression made me feel ecstatic.
Do you really think people will just say, "Oh, I guess she didn't do it," and move on?
You’ve ruined the show, and you’re going to be branded as a total bitch who’s blinded by the need to win.
She probably wasn't always this stupid.
But what can you do? When someone you considered a total loser—someone who did nothing but tremble in front of you back in school—starts acting cocky, it’s only human to get pissed off.
If she had the composure to stay calm there, she wouldn't have done those things back in high school in the first place.
Her psychology is as predictable as it gets: someone who loves to act big and play the lion among ordinary people.
With the winner decided, we finished the remaining meaningless games and looked up at Im Jin-ah’s team standing on the podium.
"We’ve gained a sense of accomplishment proportional to our hard work. If you all work hard without giving up, you too can achieve your dreams."
Hey, PD, you really should have told her what the situation was like outside.
I lowered my head because Im Jin-ah’s words—talking brightly about dreams and not giving up while knowing nothing—were just too hilarious.
I kept my head down to hide my laughter from the cameras, and when I finally looked up a moment later, my eyes met Im Jin-ah’s on the podium.
Her downward gaze seemed to say, You’ll never make it.
Poor thing.
After the awards ceremony, we gave our final greetings to the viewers with Im Jin-ah in the center, and the broadcast ended.
With the schedule over, we headed to the yacht to leave the island.
After changing out of my dirty clothes and returning to a place full of the comforts of civilization, I felt incredibly relaxed.
"You brat, didn't I tell you not to eat potato chips on top of my clothes?"
"I-I just dropped some while taking them out."
As I brushed the crumbs off my clothes, Elly made an excuse and looked away.
Man, if potato chips stay in contact for too long, they leave oil stains.
I tapped the part of my sleeve where an oil mark had formed and led Elly out of the room.
Going up on deck, I saw the heroes gathered and talking.
"That’s a shame."
At the sound of that arrogant voice, I turned around to see Im Jin-ah wearing a greasy smirk.
Have you not turned on your smartphone yet? I checked mine the moment I got back.
"Not really. It was just a show for entertainment anyway."
"You say that, but you looked like you were about to cry when I was giving my victory speech."
When?
She must have mistaken me lowering my head to hide my laughter for something else.
As I stared blankly at her, she walked up to me with a grin and whispered.
"Seeing you trembling in frustration reminded me of the times you were pinned under me, whimpering. You tasted so damn good back then."
"..."
I watched her in silence as she chuckled and walked past me.
With a leisurely stride, she told her teammates they did a good job and took a seat.
Crossing her legs ostentatiously, looking completely full of herself, Im Jin-ah turned on her smartphone while chatting with her teammates.
A moment later, the power came on, and as the phone found a signal, a flood of missed notifications came pouring in.
She seemed to enjoy the non-stop sound of messages and missed calls as if it were music.
"It’s a problem, really. So many people looking for me even when I’m only gone for a little while."
Aha, so you waited until now to turn it on just to brag.
Wow—impressive. You’re really giving it your all to act cool from head to toe.
A real hard worker. Truly admirable.
She seemed to think the glances from the other heroes—who had already checked the internet—were looks of envy.
As she leisurely checked her phone, Im Jin-ah’s expression froze.
Startled, she shifted her posture and began frantically swiping through her screen to check messages before typing rapidly with both hands.
Are you searching the internet now?
A word of advice: you’re better off not looking.
Im Jin-ah’s eyes widened as she stared intensely at her phone, her face turning blank.
"Burp~ It’s tasty~ This place is a gourmet restaurant for negative energy."
Elly, who was sitting next to Im Jin-ah, patted her stomach and gave me a thumbs-up.