The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 99

—————

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 99

There are rules that even the Association Director and Sa Ma Young cannot interfere with.
People commonly refer to them as the “Gate Constitution”—rules like “civilians are strictly forbidden from entering Gates,” for example.
Among these, there was also a rule regarding Guerrilla Gate conquests.
It stipulates that if the first conquest attempt fails, the second attempt is unconditionally assigned to the nearest Guild.
‘A cruel rule indeed.’
What if the nearest Guild in the area wasn’t us, but one primarily composed of B-rank Hunters?
Of course, as with the phone call that just came in, Hunters are given the choice of whether to attempt the conquest or not, but Hunters carry a certain sense of responsibility toward citizens and the nation.
If the situation is critical but their abilities aren’t sufficient to proceed with the conquest, it’s equally agonizing for them.
They’re given only two choices.
Either cooperate with civilian evacuation while suffering from self-loathing, or enter the Gate prepared to die and buy time until the next conquest team arrives.
Splash, splash.
Kang Han emerged from the swimming pool, brushing back his wet hair as he asked an Awakeners Association staff member.
“This is Kang Han. How many casualties are being estimated if the conquest fails?”
[ “….” ]
The voice on the other end of the line hesitated for a moment before responding.
[ “Since it’s summer vacation season on a weekend, we’ve tallied a minimum of 700,000 vacationers crowded along the Gangwon East Coast.” ]
This time, our side fell silent.
From the moment the first conquest attempt failed, the danger of a Dungeon Break had skyrocketed dramatically.
The Guild entering for the second attempt naturally had to consider the possibility that they too might fail.
Unlike the other Guild members who had fallen into quiet panic, Kang Han—the last voice of reason in the Justice Guild—asked a second question in a voice grown even quieter.
“How much time do we have before the Dungeon Break occurs?”
[ “Based on the current time, we estimate approximately 10 hours.” ]
For a moment, the same thought flickered across everyone’s faces.
‘This is a poisoned chalice.’
A cup of poison you can neither drink nor pass to the next person.
Yet Kang Han, after glancing once at the hardened faces of his Guild members, responded.
“Justice Guild will proceed. Please send the Gate location.”

* * *

【 Guerrilla Gate Conquest Broadcast – Eonbyeol-ri, Gangneung City 】

Live Comments ▼
– I’m currently evacuating after playing in the East Sea ㅠㅠ…
– Sokcho is in chaos right now too
– Wasn’t it said this morning that they were clearing it smoothly?
I couldn’t watch the live broadcast because I was playing, can someone explain what happened?
– S-rank Gate appears > Taesan Guild from Gyeonggi Province takes time to move to Gangneung > 5 hours of clearing > Failure > Currently searching for guilds to attempt clearing in the surrounding area
Our family was playing in Gangneung and tried to evacuate to the lower town, so we got on the Highway, but it was already completely packed… scary stuff.
– But why did Taesan handle the first attempt in the first place?
– If they were going to bring someone from the Seoul Metropolitan Area, shouldn’t they have at least called Sa Ma Guild?
– Plus, wasn’t Taesan in the middle of another Dungeon around Yangpyeong?
“The Awakener Association’s work is such a mess… damn it.”
– But what do those college students do inside?? ㅠㅠ
– First time seeing a Guild not take care of civilians when exiting a Gate…;;
– Breaking news just dropped
– Breaking news says Justice Guild is entering as the second attempt
Why is the Justice Guild showing up here?
– They’re just buying time
– Were there really no other Guilds nearby? Justice Guild is useless for this
– People on the East Coast, evacuate quickly. That seems to be the only option…;
Looks like it’s meant to buy time.
– Justice Guild isn’t even at that level to begin with
– But the rank roughly matches, doesn’t it?
– Taesan failed with over twenty people, so there’s no way Justice Guild with six people can succeed

* * *

Whether by misfortune or fortune, the Gate opened in a remote mountain region with few people.
After driving to the vicinity, it took considerable time to climb the mountain following the guidance of Awakeners Association staff.
The scene we arrived at was absolute chaos.
“Ugh, it hurts….”
“Hey, stay with me! We need a healer! Can we get a healer over here!”
“Damn it. I’m dying from exhaustion.”
Taesan Guild hunters lay scattered about with injuries while healers from the Awakeners Association rushed between them—it resembled witnessing a small battlefield.
We from Justice Guild, myself included, walked through the chaos and reached the Gate.
But the scene was far noisier than I’d expected, with only groaning hunters present.
“Just give us a little time. We can re-enter after recovery!”
“The conquest rights have already been transferred to Justice Guild. Taesan Guild should cooperate with civilian evacuation….”
“What the hell! Why are the conquest rights being transferred! We haven’t even declared surrender!”
“The Association has already decided that Taesan Guild is combat-ineffective.”
The one arguing with several Association staff members was Gwak Ho Young, the guild master of Taesan Guild.
His usually neat appearance—like a well-fed ferret—had vanished, replaced by disheveled hair and a face twisted with frustration, a far cry from the image of Gwak Ho Young the public knew.
‘Well, that’s just how he is anyway.’
Having read the Chronicles of Sejong, I knew.
Just how despicable an opportunist Gwak Ho Young truly was.
“What could Justice Guild possibly accomplish going in there!”
“Justice Guild has arrived.”
As I interjected, Gwak Ho Young’s eyes—dull like old pollack left out too long—suddenly fixed on me with a glare.
Well, let him glare all he wants.
“Welcome. We’ll begin the briefing immediately.”
The Association’s director, who had been suffering through Gwak Ho Young’s tantrum, seemed relieved to see us.
“Guild Master of Taesan, please come with me over there. Let’s get you some rest first….”
An Association staff member who appeared to be the lowest rank tried to appease the still-fuming Gwak Ho Young.
But Gwak Ho Young merely stepped back a few paces, his attitude suggesting he’d stay put even if it killed him.
“…Since time is pressing, shall we proceed with the briefing?”
“Of course.”
Kang Han nodded.
“It’s an A-rank Guerrilla Gate. Based on internal footage and exploration results, it’s been confirmed as a Coastal Dungeon.”
Unlike underwater dungeons where you plunge completely underwater upon entry, a Coastal Dungeon is literally where land and water meet.
While you might think it’s easier to conquer than an underwater dungeon since there’s ground to stand on and air to breathe, that’s not necessarily the case.
“The dungeon boss is an A-rank Junkadarth, currently staying in the water.”
That was precisely why.
The Gate closes only after defeating the boss monster, but without a flight skill, there’s no way to attack something floating in the open sea.
This much aligned with what I’d read.
It would be a difficult battle, but since Kang Han had recently practiced simulations against Junkadarth, and as long as I kept recovering his stamina and injuries while properly managing Jang Su Ho’s Berserker mode….
“We estimate approximately 9 hours until dungeon break, and there’s one more thing….”
The director rubbed his forehead as if troubled and continued.
“There are three civilians caught in the Gate.”
“Civilians are inside?”
I asked in shock.
Civilians?
There was nothing like that in the novel!
Cold sweat dripped down my face despite the sweltering summer heat.
If civilians were trapped inside, the entire difficulty of clearing the Gate would change.
“They’re university mountaineering club students who came for a retreat nearby. We’ve already identified them, and the Taesan Guild attempted a rescue, but….”
So they failed and managed to escape on their own.
Kang Han asked.
“What is the current condition of the civilians?”
“One is critically injured, and two have minor injuries. They failed to evacuate toward the Gate and are currently waiting for rescue on higher ground.”
“When I watched the relay footage on the way here, I didn’t see anywhere that could really be called higher ground?”
The Awakeners Association staff member avoided my gaze slightly as he answered.
“There’s a slightly elevated spot among those coastal rocks….”
This is insane.
“Still, the Taesan Guild has already eliminated most of the C-rank monsters that advanced to the beach. So….”
“So I’m supposed to clear an A-rank Gate and be responsible for civilian safety on top of that?”
“I understand it’s difficult, but yes.”
Instead of answering, I shot a glare at Gwak Ho Young standing behind me.
If the Gate clearance failed and you were going to retreat, you should have at least brought the civilians out with you!
You left the students there and just slipped away yourselves?
“Sigh.”
But glaring at Gwak Ho Young wouldn’t change anything.
As if thinking the same thing, Kang Han spoke in a calm voice.
“We’ll enter immediately after the Guild is prepared.”

* * *

We shifted positions among the recovering Taesan Guild hunters, finding empty spaces to fill.
“We’re short on time, so I’ll explain quickly. Listen carefully.”
Kang Han spoke while watching the relay footage that showed the terrain most clearly.
“First, Chung Soo stays outside the Gate and waits. Don’t enter.”
With three civilians inside who needed protection, Kang Han had decided there was no room to worry about Im Chung Soo, who had no combat ability.
“…Understood.”
Im Chung Soo answered briefly, as if he’d expected this.
“Yu Chan, the moment you enter, secure the civilians’ safety with Yeo Joo. After that, the safety of all four of them depends on you. Got it?”
“Yes, I’ll protect them without fail.”
“Taesan has already reduced the number of C-rank monsters, so we’ll…”
Kang Han’s plan was simple and straightforward.
Yeo Joo and Lee Yu Chan would provide support from the rear, while the remaining guild members would focus on controlling the numbers of lower-rank monsters from the front and creating an opportunity to take down the boss.
“Everyone check how many emergency potions you’re carrying.”
It was just as the operation briefing was nearly complete.
“Since Justice Guild just needs to buy time anyway, why don’t you go ahead and enter quickly?”
The tone was polite on the surface, yet utterly disrespectful.
“Once we finish regrouping, we’ll enter again, so please handle things until then.”
Gwak Ho Young of Taesan Guild had regained his public-facing smile, the reckless madness from moments before vanishing without a trace.

—————

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

—————