The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 112
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 112
“Gwak Ho Young!”
Jang Su Ho’s fists clenched.
The skin around his eyes flushed crimson, and his shoulders heaved with ragged breaths.
Just as they would when facing a monster deep within a dungeon.
Yoo Jin Rok, the former Guild Master of Taesan, had been the one person who believed in Jang Su Ho until the very end.
In the past, Jang Su Ho had fallen for Gwak Ho Young’s persuasion to enter a dungeon together, assuring him he would help maintain his sanity, and participated in the raid.
But ultimately, receiving help from no one, he had gone berserk and injured guild members, nearly facing expulsion from the guild.
At that time, Gwak Ho Young had succeeded in his political maneuvering, turning angry guild members to his side while spouting harsh words like “people can be helped, but beasts cannot.”
Yet Yoo Jin Rok had apparently done everything he could to keep Jang Su Ho within the Taesan Guild.
Even at the cost of losing his own position as Guild Master to Gwak Ho Young.
So I understood Jang Su Ho’s fury completely.
But if he let his boiling rage consume him and caused an incident now, it would only play into Gwak Ho Young’s hands.
I placed my hand on Jang Su Ho’s shoulder and activated my skill.
[ Skill ‘Dark Purification’ is activated. ]
[ Purification efficiency increases due to special constitution 【 Master 】. ]
[ Effective purification successful! ]
[ The madness of ‘Berserker’ weakens. ]
And at the same time I placed my hand on Jang Su Ho’s shoulder, there was another person doing the same.
“Su Ho, you’re alright.”
It was Hunter Yoo Jin Rok.
After confirming Jang Su Ho’s condition gradually stabilizing under the effect of my skill, Hunter Yoo Jin Rok patted his shoulder approvingly and then spoke toward Gwak Ho Young.
“Yes, do as you’ve decided. But don’t forget that above all else, a guild master is someone who takes responsibility.”
Despite Hunter Yoo Jin Rok’s sincere advice, Gwak Ho Young merely scoffed.
“I’ll handle everything myself.”
While Hunter Yoo Jin Rok dealt with Gwak Ho Young, I looked after Jang Su Ho.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“…Yeah. Damn it, I shouldn’t have gotten angry there.”
Jang Su Ho muttered while roughly running his hand through his hair.
He seemed embarrassed that he’d nearly lost his composure in front of Gwak Ho Young.
Then Hunter Yoo Jin Rok approached and led both Jang Su Ho and me out of the conference room.
“Su Ho, you’ve been training hard all this time. You held up well.”
Hunter Yoo Jin Rok, who brushed aside the insult he’d suffered and attended to Jang Su Ho first, looked utterly exhausted.
It seemed this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
Jang Su Ho felt the same way, and he cautiously asked.
“Guild Master, why did you return to Taesan Guild?”
“Huh? Oh, that’s…”
Hunter Yoo Jin Rok smiled bitterly and continued.
“Ga Young is a bit sick.”
“Ga Young? Your daughter, Guild Master?”
“You remember. Since last year, she’s been having seizures for no apparent reason, but we still haven’t found the cause.”
“So she’s still hospitalized?”
“Yes. But the preliminary wave scan showed an Awakened response, so she can’t go to a regular hospital…”
Regular hospitals are strictly medical facilities for ordinary people.
So just like when I first collapsed in this world, anyone showing a response on a wave scan is automatically transferred to an Awakened Hospital.
And the miserable part is that Awakened Hospitals are more expensive than regular hospitals.
The government covers less of the insurance, so it was unavoidable.
So Hunter Yoo Jin Rok, needing money, came back to Taesan where he still had connections to work.
“Anyway, that’s how it happened. Come visit Ga Young sometime when you have a chance. She’s grown so much. You won’t even recognize her.”
Still, as he spoke of his daughter, a smile bloomed on Hunter Yoo Jin Rok’s face.
‘An Awakened Hospital, huh.’
I thought for a moment and then spoke.
“Would it be okay if I came along? I have to go to the Awakened Hospital sometimes anyway.”
“Oh, of course.”
Fortunately, Hunter Yoo Jin Rok responded positively to my suggestion.
“Actually, Ga Young is a fan of Justice Guild. She’d be happy if you came along.”
Well, I had the guardian’s permission, so that was settled.
Just as I was thinking about what would be a good gift for a hospital visit, I heard a voice calling for Jang Su Ho and me from inside the conference room.
“Looks like the meeting is about to resume. Let’s head back in.”
Yoo Jin Rok led the way, opening the door.
His shoulders looked heavy as he stepped back into the darkened conference room.
At the same time, the image of his weary smile from moments ago surfaced in my mind, and my mood soured.
Knowing why someone who once led an entire guild would remain with Taesan despite such treatment made it even worse.
“The Awakened Healer Hospital.”
One more place I’d need to visit soon.
* * *
“If you’ve had a change of heart, feel free to speak up now.”
That was Gwak Ho Young’s opening remark as the meeting resumed.
“Underwater Dungeons are tricky to clear, so we understand if you’re hesitant.”
To summarize his verbose speech: back out if you’re scared.
“My decision remains unchanged.”
Kang Han answered curtly.
“Hmm, I see. Well, I like the confidence.”
Gwak Ho Young shrugged as he spoke.
“Usually, guilds designate a second-choice dungeon in case they don’t win the bid for their first choice. But I don’t think we’ll need to worry about that this time, right?”
It was a fair point.
Underwater Dungeons were something everyone avoided.
Things had gotten so bad that they were forced to assign them to large guilds as the Dungeon Break approached.
“However…”
Gwak Ho Young’s gaze, tinged with amusement, swept across his guild members.
“For a C-rank medium Underwater Dungeon, you should expect to bid around 200 million. Since it’s a joint operation, Justice Guild would need to cover half. Are you comfortable with that?”
Did he think I was a beggar?
Of course, we were broke right now, so we didn’t have that kind of money.
But the fact that he assumed we wouldn’t bothered me.
I deliberately mirrored his smile and replied.
“We’ll see on auction day.”
Money had a way of appearing when you needed it most.
* * *
As late summer arrived, the heat was gradually subsiding on one particular day.
Park CEO, the representative of Nice Sports Company, a small-to-medium enterprise, arrived at Jongak Station with Jung Team Leader from the public relations department.
“Phew, it’s stuffy and humid.”
Park CEO pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow before asking Jung Team Leader a question.
“You kept the taxi receipt, right?”
“Yes, I have it.”
It was a company that he and his peers had boldly launched after leaving a major corporation, but tight finances were an unavoidable reality.
“Today, things really need to work out.”
He was confident in the quality of the products his company produced, especially the athletic shoes, but making people aware of them was proving to be an uphill battle.
They’d tried running an Instagram account, and recently spent considerable money on advertisements in fashion magazines, but none of it had yielded significant results.
So his last resort was to approach Hunters.
The problem was how astronomical their appearance fees were.
Even B-list celebrities couldn’t command such exorbitant advertising rates.
It was Jung Team Leader beside him who had recommended Justice Guild, a smaller Guild.
“So, they used to be a pretty prominent Guild back in the day?”
“You don’t know, sir? They were incredibly famous.”
“I think I’ve heard of them.”
Park CEO, who was well-versed in celebrities and idols but practically clueless about Guilds and Hunters, spoke with indifference.
“They were the first Guild established in our country. They struggled with various issues for a while, but they’re rising again recently. Their supporter base is growing steadily too. Just a few days ago, their Guild ranking climbed to 135th place.”
“Oh, really?”
Park CEO tucked the handkerchief he’d used to wipe his sweat into his inner pocket, his expression brightening.
In public relations, image was everything.
And to think they had such a compelling backstory.
“Still, since all of this is recent, their appearance fees should be lower than other famous Guilds relative to their recognition. If they grow much bigger, they probably won’t even meet with us later.”
“Then we need to lock them in now.”
According to the materials he’d skimmed through in the taxi, they apparently didn’t have any proper sponsor companies attached yet.
So he figured there wouldn’t be much real negotiation involved.
Would they even know their true market value?
“Drive a hard bargain, no matter what.”
“Yes, sir.”
Today, he was determined to come out on top.
That was Park CEO’s plan.
Until he arrived at Justice Guild.
“W-what is this?”
“It seems like we’re supposed to go through that door over there…?”
The moment they passed through the entrance, a strange space materialized with dozens of floating doors, and only one of them quietly swung open.
“I, I suppose that’s it?”
Park CEO pulled out his handkerchief again to wipe the sweat from his brow, hesitating.
He’d attended meetings at several Guilds before, but he’d never experienced anything like this.
So this was the world of Hunters.
I couldn’t help but feel diminished before something I’d never encountered before.
“Well, shall we take a look around?”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
The moment we escaped that bewildering space that had drained my senses, the interior of a somewhat shabby building came into view.
I exhaled a sigh as reality seemed to return, but standing alone in what appeared to be the central corridor of the building was a woman.
“You’re from Nice Sports Company, aren’t you?”
She looked ordinary except for being somewhat pretty.
“I’m Yeo Joo, a Hunter who serves as both a guild manager and a healer.”
Jung Team Leader whispered quietly from beside me.
But that voice didn’t reach Park CEO’s ears.
Years of instinct honed in the sales department of a major corporation was speaking to him.
‘That woman is no ordinary person.’
Park CEO tucked his handkerchief away again and swallowed hard.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————