The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 267

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World
Part 2, Episode 88

[ Activating skill ‘Darkness Purification’. ]
[ Purification efficiency decreased due to low affinity. ]
[ Darkness Purification successful! ]
[ Current target’s darkness addiction rate: 31% ]

“Ah….”
“You should feel better now, right?”
“Y-yes, thank you.”
Ju Sa Eun answered while gazing down at the hand I’d been holding moments before, her expression dazed.
I was watching her with satisfaction when Sa Ma Young’s cold voice cut through the air.
“Ju Sa Eun.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Did you participate in training without even being aware of your own condition?”
“…I-I’m terribly sorry.”
“Offer proper gratitude to Healer Yeo Joo.”
“Healer Yeo Joo… Th-thank you so much.”
“No, please. That’s what healers are here for. Don’t worry about it, Ju Sa Eun.”
That insufferable man.
I glared at Sa Ma Young while comforting the trembling Ju Sa Eun, who looked so pitiful.
Then a cheerful chiming sound echoed from all directions.
The affinity of Sa Ma Young’s subordinates had increased slightly.

⟪ ♥ 10 ⟫

Ju Sa Eun’s affection rating instantly jumped to ‘♥10’.
This place is full of soft-hearted people too.
I sighed inwardly and turned to Sa Ma Young with a question.
“Since everyone’s gathered at the Simulation Training Ground, we’re doing monster combat training, right?”
“You really do know your stuff.”
“Do you have a particular monster in mind?”
“Yeo Joo seems to have one already.”
Sa Ma Young stared at me and smiled.
“Since it’s a jungle-type dungeon, creatures like crocodiles or snakes might be useful. Or what about insects?”

* * *

The long-awaited morning of the conquest arrived.
The anticipated Gate opening time was around 10 AM, which posed no burden.
Despite Kang Han’s insistent request to see me off personally, I declined the car the Sama Guild offered to send and instead rode in his vehicle, arriving safely at Seon Yu Island where the Gate would open.
The problem, however, was the massive crowd that had gathered.
Seeing the parking lot so congested that entry was impossible, I concluded there was no choice.
“I’ll get out here and walk.”
“Then I’ll take you all the way to the Gate.”
“No, there are Association Staff around anyway. Besides, we can’t just leave the car on the road.”
“Still….”
Kang Han hesitated for a moment before nodding in reluctant acceptance.
“Be careful and come back safely.”
“I will, don’t worry.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
What’s gotten into him, saying things like that.
I smiled reassuringly at Kang Han and stepped out of the car.
“Could you help me get to the Gate?”
The Association Staff member quickly agreed and began clearing a path through the crowd.
As I was swallowed into the throng of people, I glanced back and saw Kang Han’s car still parked where we’d left it.
Though I couldn’t see Kang Han himself inside, I made myself a silent promise.
Just wait a little longer, Kang Han.
I’ll come back with an item for you.

* * *

When I arrived at the Gate, Sa Ma Young and his entourage were already waiting for me.
“Welcome, Yeo Joo.”
Sa Ma Young, dressed impeccably in a suit that suited him even better than usual, complete with a coat and black gloves, greeted me.
Anyone watching would think we were heading out on a date.
But considering the swarm of reporters gathered around us, I couldn’t entirely blame them for the impression.
“Healer Yeo Joo, could you look this way please!”
“Over here too!”
Whether it was because me from the Justice Guild—divided between the Gong Gil Yeon Alliance and the Jung Dong Alliance—was joining forces with the Sama Guild for a joint raid, or simply because Sa Ma Young was leading an elite team into a Gate for the first time in a while, I couldn’t tell. But the cacophony of camera shutters clicking from every direction was so loud that I could barely hear Sa Ma Young’s voice even though he was standing right beside me.
Without realizing it, I was frowning slightly when something warm touched my ears, which had been frozen by the cold winter wind blowing across Seon Yu Island.
Sa Ma Young was covering my ears with both his hands.
I was grateful, but I didn’t think it was necessary, so I tried to brush his hands away. That’s when I saw Sa Ma Young’s lips moving as if he was saying something.
“I can’t hear you well. What did you say?”
“Turn around and look.”
This time, I heard him perfectly clearly.
Sa Ma Young had bent down and whispered directly into my ear, slightly opening one hand to do so.
But why was he telling me to look back?
Confused, I turned around just as the air split open and a Gate materialized before my eyes.
It was loud and cold out there—this was perfect timing.
I brushed away Sa Ma Young’s hands that were still covering my ears and instead grabbed the hem of his coat, pulling him forward.
The moment I stepped through the Gate first, everything transformed in the blink of an eye.
Instead of the biting cold wind that had scraped against my skin, I felt humid air. Instead of the deafening noise, I heard the peaceful sounds of nature.
“Ah, I feel alive again.”
Unlike when I’d come here long ago to hunt the Crocodile King, I was wearing a uniform with temperature regulation, so the jungle felt as comfortable and refreshing as a forest bath.
“This is my first time in a Jungle-Type Dungeon, and it’s not bad at all.”
“Huh? You’ve never been inside one before?”
“I just never had the opportunity.”
While I was talking with Sa Ma Young, the rest of the team gradually crossed through the Gate.
Once Sa Ma Young confirmed that even the camera crew had safely entered, he issued an order.
“Start with mapping.”
“Yes, sir.”
Bang Ri Ri responded and retrieved an item from her Subspace.
Moments later, the revealed map of the jungle was as complicated as I’d expected.
Large and small paths branched out in every direction like an ant colony.
But there was one point where all those paths converged.
“The boss must be here.”
Sa Ma Young pointed to the northeast section of the map, thinking the same thing I was.
“How long would it take if we traveled on foot?”
“At this pace… accounting for rest time, I’d estimate we should plan for about 24 hours.”
Since it was a medium to large-sized Dungeon, 24 hours was probably the bare minimum estimate.
I’d never traveled with a fragile healer before, so I had no idea how pathetic my own stamina might turn out to be.
“There’s no rush, so let’s move slowly.”
Sa Ma Young smiled faintly and glanced at me.
I welcomed the suggestion.
Of course, the dungeon boss was indeed in that area as Sa Ma Young expected, but the event didn’t start there.
We began moving along the main path.
After walking for some time, unlike the Justice Guild members who chattered loudly whenever they gathered, the Sama Guild members were remarkably taciturn.
They resembled soldiers with strict discipline.
Though ironically, the actual former soldier was Kang Han.
Sa Ma Young, who seemed like he would keep talking and be annoying, only occasionally caught my eye, but didn’t actually bother me.
‘It feels nice, like I’m on a leisurely walk.’
Fortunately, the uniform and shoes that Je Hwa gave me kept my body comfortable.
But my nerves remained taut as I listened carefully to the sounds around me.
“Yeo Joo, why are you looking around so much?”
It seemed my behavior had become obvious.
I needed an excuse.
Just then, I spotted berries hanging from grass along the roadside.

[ Pekianin:
Has no effect whatsoever, but is sweet and delicious. ]

“Oh, there it is. Have you tried this before?”
I picked a few small red berries that resembled mock strawberries and showed them to Sa Ma Young.
“What is this?”
“It’s delicious. Go on, try it.”
I casually picked one Pekianin and held it out to Sa Ma Young.
“My lord, let me taste it first—!”
“Never mind. Surely Yeo Joo wouldn’t try to kill me?”
Sa Ma Young, startled, raised a hand to stop Woo Jun Kyung as he approached, then pulled my hand toward him and ate the berry directly from my fingers.
His casual manner made me curious, so I asked.
“What if it really was poisonous?”
“Then it would hurt. And you, being soft-hearted, would feel guilty. That wouldn’t be so bad either.”
He smiled with lips redder than the Pekianin itself as he spoke, and I felt slightly exasperated.
A madman is a madman no matter where you go.
But then, Sa Ma Young’s expression hardened.
My heart sank in an instant.
Was there really poison?
No, there wasn’t supposed to be any such thing?
“Oh Young In.”
“At your command, my lord.”
“Go check it out.”
Sa Ma Young pointed beyond the hill with his chin.
“Yes, my lord.”
Oh Young In, whose sheer bulk suggested he should make thunderous footsteps with every step, moved silently past the hilltop and disappeared, only to reappear moments later—and he was no longer alone.
He carried a limp figure tucked against his side.
‘He’s back!’
All eyes fixed on the person Oh Young In unceremoniously dumped onto the ground.
The man in white clothing was visibly battered and bruised.
“I thought I’d misheard, but it really was a person.”
Sa Ma Young narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself.
Having encountered only monsters within the Dungeon until now, his wariness at meeting an actual human was considerable.
“We’ll know if it’s a monster or not once we kill it.”
“Wait, hold on—!”
Why would you kill a person?
I rushed to stop Sa Ma Young in alarm, but the unconscious man let out a groan and struggled to open his eyes.
Then he spoke to us, his voice trembling and desperate.
“The Temple… the Temple is under attack… Please, you have to help us.”
In that instant, a massive system window materialized before my eyes.

[ ! URGENT QUEST ! ]
Reclaim the Temple from the monsters that have occupied it.

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