The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 19

—————
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 19

“This is insane.”
“Ugh, I’m even hungrier now!”
I hadn’t been to Gwangjang Market in ages, so I was genuinely taken aback.
I’d always assumed it was just another tourist trap.
But surprisingly, the ratio of actual Korean visitors was far higher than I expected.
“There’s so much to eat.”
The air was thick with the aroma of delicious food and the sizzle of cooking.
And the three hell hounds, intoxicated by the sight of it all, soon began growling and bickering amongst themselves.
“I want tteokbokki!”
“You idiot, you need real food. Something like yukhoe bibimbap!”
The twins started the argument.
“Lee Yu Eul, you’re the real fool. Rice digests quickly, you know?”
“Ah, well, that’s true. But we eat tteokbokki all the time anyway!”
And Jang Su Ho, who’d been swallowing his saliva repeatedly, let out a wistful murmur.
“The smell of bindaetteok is incredible….”
“Sigh.”
A sigh escaped me unbidden.
What was I going to do with these guys?
I hadn’t said a word, yet they were all naturally assuming they could only choose one thing each.
It was the old habit of poverty, I supposed.
The concentrated resentment from my past—when I’d counted every hundred won—came flooding back.
I pulled my wallet from my pocket and spoke.
“Hey, eat whatever you want.”

* * *

The next day.
We arrived at the Awakener Association located in front of Seoul City Hall.
It was the very place where I first registered as an Awakener.
Our party today consisted of five people in total.
Han Ji Sung, who had been feeling unwell since morning, was left at the Guild, so the rest of us made a full showing.
“Today, let’s train properly at the Association.”
We couldn’t keep running through Cheonggyecheon like yesterday.
It wasn’t that I disliked the routine.
Since proper training facilities would be set up soon anyway, my intention was to borrow the Association’s training equipment in advance to give the Guild members a sense of their current state and a feel for our future plans.
“Let’s go in.”
We followed Kang Han, who led the way, through the Association’s main entrance.
I also passed through the turnstile-like access gate that I had only observed from outside last time.
Beep—
The satisfaction of confidently scanning my Hunter ID and entering was indescribable.
And when the Hunter-exclusive area truly came into view, I couldn’t help but let out an exclamation of admiration.
“Wow, this is amazing.”
I had always wondered where all the taxes Hunters paid to the Association every time they conquered a Dungeon or bought and sold items went—apparently, it all accumulated here.

[ Dungeon-Sourced Marble ( B ) ], [ Mana-Reinforced Glass Window ( A ) ], [ Dragon Bone Statue ( A ) ]….

My vision grew dizzy from the Item Information window filling my entire field of sight.
‘System, turn off Item Information for now.’

[ Adjusting the ‘Knowledge Reveals All’ skill. ]

The place was so vast that according to the map, there were a total of five training facilities.
Only after checking the directional signs multiple times did we finally arrive at the First Hunter Training Facility.
“The facilities here are seriously infuriating—in a good way.”
It was the kind of perfect setup that seemed designed to showcase exactly what a training facility for Awakeners, especially high-rank Hunters, should look like.
Barbells custom-made from Dungeon materials that could reach several tons, high-speed treadmills that even Cheetah could use, and an agility training course implemented with hologram technology.
“So they’re the only ones who get to use stuff like this.”
While our kids are running around Cheonggyecheon and the mountains.
As I felt a twinge of irritation, the three hellhounds seemed absolutely thrilled.
“Wow, the base weight here is 150kg. I can actually get a proper workout in!”
That was Jang Su Ho.
“The agility test looks fun.”
That was Lee Yu Eul.
“The target range goes up to 500 meters. That’s worth trying.”
That was Lee Yu Chan.
“I guess I’ll just use that vibration belt over there to loosen up my calves.”
That was me.
And Kang Han, after glancing at the equipment for a moment, headed straight for the leg press machine.
He sat down, moved his legs a few times to test it, then lowered the weight bar to its absolute limit.
The maximum weight the machine could handle.
“The hellhounds and their leader, huh.”
Well, it was Kang Han, after all.
Rather than being shocked like yesterday, I just accepted it and activated the vibration belt machine.
“Ugh! My legs!”
Do combat-types have calves made of steel or something?!
My calves nearly got obliterated.
Only after lowering the vibration intensity to its minimum could I barely endure it.
“Ahh, this feels amazing.”
I could feel the calf muscles that had been tightly knotted from riding the motorcycle yesterday finally loosening up.
So I spent my time watching the guild members train while I monopolized the vibration belt.
This felt like being a guardian watching kids play in a daycare center.
But even in a children’s paradise of an indoor playground, there’s always a villain lurking somewhere.
“Hey, C-rank, get lost. B-rank is waiting to use this machine.”
A weaselly-looking guy picked a fight with Lee Yu Eul, who had been happily raising her score on the agility machine.
Just a bit more and she would’ve beaten her personal record, so Yu Eul, slightly irritated by the interruption, turned to look at the weasel and spoke.
“Oh, you’re B-rank?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
“I can’t, actually. It’s not like your rank is stamped on your forearm like pork at a butcher shop. How am I supposed to know?”
Ah, she’s grown up well. I’m proud, Lee Yu Eul.
“And there’s another identical machine over there anyway. Just use that one.”
“This one’s more convenient, that’s why. The top score on the board is mine.”
“Ah, that one?”
Lee Yu Eul muttered, gazing at the chart where challenger scores were listed in rapid succession like a punching machine readout.
“I could break that record pretty easily.”
“What? Seriously?”
“Got it, mister. You use this one. I’ll go over there and do my thing.”
They were the ones who came at me, yet somehow their spirits took the damage instead.
Similar incidents happened a few more times after that.
I was about to turn off the dummy machine and move on, irritated at having to watch this unfold, when someone in a black suit entered the training facility.
Ignoring the hunters’ bewildered stares, the person headed straight toward Kang Han, who was focused on his workout.
“Guild Master Kang Han, the Association Chairman is calling for you.”
Kang Han stopped his exercise without much of a response.
“…Sigh.”
So they’re calling again, and he’s just going to answer?
But I could guess the reason for the summons, so I didn’t try to stop him.
I simply approached and asked.
“Will you take me with you?”
There’s a reason the term “refund expedition” exists.
In awkward situations, just having someone by your side gives you strength.
But Kang Han simply looked down at me for a moment.
Ding!
Peeling!

《 ♥ 6 》

“Please look after the remaining guild members.”
Right. Someone needs to keep watch over the hellhounds anyway.
I stepped back without complaint.
“I’ll keep them in line and behave. Go ahead and come back safely.”
Watching Kang Han and the Association staff member disappear into the distance, I suddenly felt a pang of regret.
“Ah, I probably shouldn’t have said that about not causing trouble.”
You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.
I can’t make promises I’m not sure I can keep.

* * *

The heavy door of the Korean Awakeners Association Chairman’s Office closed behind me with a display of authority.
Kang Han furrowed his brow slightly as he surveyed the excessively ornate interior of the Chairman’s Office.
He wasn’t alone with the Chairman inside.
“What is this?”
“Our Guild Master Kang underwent skill re-awakening, and it seems he forgot to register his new status window.”
The Chairman smiled artificially and stroked the backrest of the status window scanning chair.
“I was under the impression that re-awakening scans aren’t mandatory.”
“Of course I know that. But he’s awakened with such superior skills—shouldn’t we keep an official record? To show that our South Korea has such a remarkable S-rank Hunter. Don’t you think?”
The Chairman Jo Gye Young that Kang Han knew had no interest whatsoever in national prestige.
He was a man who moved solely for his own gain, nothing else.
“Is it the Sama Guild?”
At Kang Han’s blunt question, Jo Gye Young’s smile deepened.
“You knew and still did it? If you’d just quietly joined the Sama Guild, we wouldn’t have these awkward situations, would we?”
The Sama Guild’s obsession with the Justice Guild stretched back decades.
Ever since Sa Ma Young’s grandfather was expelled from the Guild by Kang Han’s grandfather, they had wanted to subjugate the Justice Guild.
Especially the current Guild Master Sa Ma Young, who was determined to bring down the Justice Guild and seize the position of next Group Chairman—a scheme Kang Han knew all too well.
But when Yeo Joo’s appearance derailed their plans just before completion, they resorted to this petty form of harassment.
Kang Han stared intently at the scanning chair that must have been moved to the Chairman’s Office for him and the employee standing beside it with his deep green eyes.
Understanding his gaze somehow, the Chairman stepped closer and asked with amusement.
“How about it? Rather than endure the humiliation of forced re-scanning, wouldn’t it be better to join the Sama Guild now?”
Except for the initial awakening, it was extremely rare for Awakeners to undergo re-scanning.
The second status window, changed from the initial one where Awakeners had to publicly disclose everything to the Association, could become a weapon known only to oneself.
“If joining the Sama Guild feels too uncomfortable, there’s also the option of the Justice Guild becoming a subsidiary of the Sama Group. That arrangement would look better, don’t you think?”
It sounded plausible on the surface, but it didn’t change the fact that the Justice Guild, once the pillar of Korean Hunters, would belong to the Sama Guild.
“I didn’t want to say this, but you’ve been winning dungeon auctions recently, haven’t you?”
When Kang Han remained silent to his proposal, Chairman Jo Gye Young clicked his tongue and spoke.
“If you keep going at this rate, you should know that with just a word from me, the Justice Guild won’t be able to win any dungeon auctions.”
The Chairman officially had no such authority.
But Jo Gye Young was the type of person who would do such things anyway.
Eventually, Kang Han’s firmly closed mouth opened.
“I will.”
“Good thinking——.”
“Re-scanning.”
After finishing his words, Kang Han removed the athletic jumper he wore on top and walked toward the chair.
The sound of his military boots echoed through the office with heavy thuds.
Then he sat in the chair and spoke to the employee.
“Let’s begin.”
“Y-yes. I’ll s-start the scanning.”
Even though the bewildered Chairman said nothing, the employee ultimately activated the machine before the overwhelming pressure of an S-rank.
Shortly after, Kang Han’s new status window printed out in two sheets from the connected printer.

Kang Han S
Growth Type
1. Punisher’s Lightning Strike ( S )
2. Charging Spear ( S )
3. Counterattack Opportunity ( A )
4. [Empty]
5. [Empty]
Equipped Item – Common Worn Sword ( D )

I read through the status window handed to me with an impassive gaze, then turned to the staff member with a question.
“Is this registered in the government system as well?”
Every Awakener’s status window is kept in the official databases of both the Awakener Association and the government.
The Association’s database fell under the Association Chairman’s authority, but the government’s did not.
“Yes, it’s a system that registers automatically upon scanning.”
I nodded once and turned toward the Association Chairman.
“Since I cooperated with the re-scan despite it not being mandatory, the Association must fulfill its obligations.”
“Obligations? What do you mean?”
“When a C-rank or higher Hunter undergoes re-scanning, the Association is obligated to publicly disclose the new status window through the media. Isn’t that correct?”
“Well, that’s true, but… wouldn’t that offer you no benefit either?”
“That’s not the case.”
I pulled my jumper back on as I spoke.
“Everyone will know. They’ll understand that the Justice Guild will rise again, and my re-awakening will be the signal for it.”
Jo Gye Young, the Association Chairman, instinctively grasped that the “everyone” I was referring to actually meant Sa Ma Young and the Sama Group.
“If the Association doesn’t do it, the Justice Guild will release my new status window to the public.”
Having finished what I needed to say, I opened the office door myself and stepped outside.
And in that moment, I recalled Yeo Joo’s smiling face.

* * *

“These bastards.”
It finally happened.
I glared at the four men blocking my path, grinding my teeth.
Then I shoved my face toward the man who was smaller than Jang Su Ho but still considerably built and spoke.
“If you’re pissed, throw a punch.”
But apparently he didn’t want to be called a coward for attacking a non-combat class, so he just seethed silently.
This bastard doesn’t even have the guts to charge.
I could back down and avoid a confrontation here, but I was too furious to let this slide any longer.
I pushed my face even closer and threw out one final word.
“Scared?”
If you’re scared, then get lost.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————