The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 77

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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 – Episode 77

The next morning, near Sindorim Station.
This was the last location where Fantasia Guild had spotted Sung Yo Na.
“Alright, everyone’s got their masks on, right? These are expensive, so don’t lose them.”
I reminded the guild members from inside the black van with the ‘JUSTICE’ lettering removed.
“Ten million won a day, and we’re spending this much on masks? Isn’t that a bit excessive?”
Im Chung Soo asked while turning the black mask over in his hands.
This seemingly ordinary mask was an item that prevented nearby people from recognizing the wearer’s face.
There was also a hat that made you look like a completely different person, but that cost fifteen million won per unit.
“…Just don’t lose it.”
If I lose it, I’m going to cry, seriously.
After finishing our preparations, we divided into three teams.
“Ji Sung, Yul, and Chung Soo form one team. Jang Su Ho and I form another, and the guild master and Yuchan go together.”
“It would be better if Yuchan and Su Ho went as one team.”
That way, Kang Han and I would be paired together.
“Huh? Why?”
When I asked back, Kang Han silently looked at me and Jang Su Ho.
Looking around, the other guild members quickly averted their eyes from mine.
Why?
What’s wrong with me and Jang Su Ho as a team?
Don’t they trust us?
“Let’s go with that arrangement.”
“Ahem. Fine, whatever. It doesn’t really matter who goes with whom. When you see someone who looks like this, don’t approach them carelessly—just follow. And don’t forget to contact me right away.”
“There are probably a thousand people who look like that around here.”
“Isn’t the face too common?”
It’s a bit much, honestly.
Despite the money spent on the item, Sung Yo Na’s current composite sketch—while not as striking as Sung Ro Sa’s flamboyant features—was nonetheless unmistakably that of a passing “pedestrian number one” with blonde hair and distinctive looks.
“If you really think it’s her, try talking to her. She’s an extremely shy person.”
Having personally dealt with Sung Yo Na when assigning the Training Facility remodeling last time, this was the only tip I could offer.
“Let’s go.”
As Kang Han opened the car door, a humid summer morning breeze rushed in.
‘We won’t find her on the first try, but we should at least pick up some leads, right?’

* * *

“Damn it. What clue?”
I couldn’t even get a grip on anything.
Unlike the other two teams who decided to search around the station, Kang Han and I were assigned to cover the inside of Sindorim Station.
But the moment seven in the morning struck, an enormous crowd surged in, and before I could even react, I found myself on the subway.
Kang Han tried to grab me but got swept inside as well.
“I, I can’t breathe.”
Lingering around Sindorim Station during rush hour.
I must be insane.
It was as if I’d willingly walked into the depths of hell itself.
I attempted to escape several times, but each attempt failed.

[ Next stop: Sillim Station. ]

“No, this can’t happen!”
Please, just pass this station without stopping.
But that was wishful thinking.
Seoul’s subway, renowned for its precision and speed, opened its doors without regard for my desperate plea.
“Please move back a bit!”
“Ow, don’t push! Goodness!”
“Aaahhh.”
Save me.
I thought it was already at full capacity.
I was pushed deeper and deeper inside by the relentless crowd.
Just as I was about to sit on an unfamiliar elderly woman’s lap and bounce around.
Snap.
A large hand grabbed my arm.
“Be careful.”
“K, Kang Han.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let go of me no matter what.”
If you release me, bouncing around is my only option.
“…You don’t need to worry about that.”
Kang Han, who answered briefly, looked around.
His tall stature, with his head towering above everyone else’s, made it possible.
How nice.
There must be some air up there.
My mind, dulled by severe oxygen deprivation, was thinking exactly that when the hand holding my arm moved.
“Oh!”
Fortunately, I didn’t end up sitting on the lap of the elderly woman in front of me.
It was because Kang Han wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
“I won’t forget this kindness.”
Sniffle.
I’d rather die than be embarrassed like this.
Having acquired Kang Han’s grip instead of a subway handrail, I finally managed to catch my breath.
Moreover, this handrail was so sturdy that it didn’t waver even as the subway passed through Sillim Station and entered the notorious Seoul National University Station.
Reassuring, this S-rank handrail.
I was resolving to get off at Sadang Station before entering the second cursed zone between Bangbae and Seocho stations.
A man who looked like an office worker caught my eye—he was skillfully checking his phone screen even in this chaos.
“Sa Ma Young?”
I thought I recognized that name.
I wriggled in Kang Han’s arms and began reading the article the nameless man was viewing.

[ …”The Sama Guild, which has grown through public support and affection, has merely done what it should,” Guild Master Sa Ma Young answered. As the entire nation grew weary from the heat, the Sama Guild’s recent initiative to exclusively tackle the Guerrilla Gate has been like a refreshing breeze…. ]

Damn, he’s full of it.
“Merely done what it should”—what a load.
Half true, half false.
True that he pulled that stunt shoving us into Gangnam Station, but that part’s accurate.
But monopolizing the Guerrilla Gate to salvage the guild’s image after it went to hell and to eliminate work for the Justice Guild—that’s no good deed.
At the top of the article was a photo of Sa Ma Young, and his smiling face was utterly sinister.
I watched the phone’s owner press the ‘like’ button before looking up.
“…What?”
My eyes met Kang Han’s, who was looking down at me.
“Do you have something to say?”
I glanced around wondering if I’d spotted someone resembling a wanted poster, but Sung Yo Na was nowhere to be seen.
“Yeo Joo.”
Kang Han spoke in a quiet, low voice.
“Don’t move.”
“Oh, sorry.”
He was struggling to hold me, so how annoying it must be if I fidgeted around doing other things.
“If it’s heavy, I can grab another handrail too.”
“No, that’s not it… Ugh.”
Kang Han trailed off and turned his head to the side.
Even though he was S-rank, he couldn’t escape the hell of this train—his ears were slightly flushed.
“Are you hot?”
I fanned him with my hand.
My body swayed a little because of it, but since the handrail I was holding was S-rank, this much should be fine.
“Better now?”
“…Yes.”
Doesn’t seem like it though?
I stopped my pointless hand-fanning when I noticed Kang Han’s ears growing even redder.
Right, the best thing to do in this heat is to stay still.
After barely managing to escape from Sadang Station and returning to Sindorim, the other teams hadn’t found anything of note either.
“Ah, Ragnar, we ran into the Hwacheon Guild.”
“Everyone thinks alike, don’t they?”
“But those people were all wearing glasses while they searched.”
…Those were definitely glasses that could see through disguise items.
Those things were expensive too.
“Everyone’s serious about this.”
Well, it was a request with 10 billion won and an S-rank item on the line.
There’s no way everyone wouldn’t be serious.
My impression after the first day of searching for Sung Yo Na was simple.
“This isn’t going to be easy.”

* * *

“This really isn’t going to be easy.”
The second day.
After confirming that the other guilds were still searching around Sindorim Station, I led my guild members to Jongno.
Yesterday, I’d searched the place where Sung Yo Na was last spotted, just in case.
‘From today on, I need to gradually move westward, or I’ll become suspicious later.’
After all, the place where Sung Yo Na dies is in Gangbuk.
Specifically, Sinchon, where all the universities are clustered.
So I was planning to move gradually westward starting from here at Gwanghwamun.
Yesterday was a Friday commute.
And today was.
“Saturday.”
In front of the dignified statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, I dragged my hands across my face and let out a heavy sigh.
What was Gwanghwamun on weekends?
Seoul’s hottest spot for protests.
Living up to its reputation, Gwanghwamun was already packed with crowds.
“Cult heaven! End of disbelief!”
“Isolate dangerous awakeners!”
And of all things, it was a collaborative protest between apocalypse cultists and anti-awakener groups.

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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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