Chapter 181 - Youth Retreat (11)
Moon Saeron’s summer vacation plan was dedicated for her to complete some news coverage.
The start of that project was the current youth retreat.
‘I was a bit bothered because of the bad rumors.’
Before the youth retreat, Moon Saeron read some reviews posted on the Eungwang Community bulletin about the youth retreat.
After reading all the reviews, she had one question in mind that she embraced.
‘Why is this still a thing even though its performance has been consistently bad? Even the sunbaes submitted a lot of complaints.’
Between the school and the retreat instructors, there was “Party A” who was hired for money, and “Party B” who received money and took charge of the students. Of course, “Party A” was the school.
However, it was odd that the school keeps availing the service of this specific retreat company.
‘The contract with this youth training center was signed at the beginning of the semester, back when Choi Pyeondeuk was still here. Maybe it’s a legacy left by that trash Choi Pyeondeuk!’
Choi Pyeondeuk’s supporting shooting was a thing of the past now.
Therefore, there’s no doubt that this youth training center, which has poor facilities and under-qualified instructors, would not be able to sign a contract with Eungwang High after this year.
Saeron thought that if this was the last year of business with them, then this would be the last chance for her to dig up some information.
‘It wouldn’t be easy to sneak into the retreat instructors’ office right? Instead, I’ll do something that’s more plausible for me!’
The news coverage that could be done within the abilities of a student was limited, yet there’s another legal and simple method that she could use.
And that’s none other than…. Going through the trash can.
It would be dirty and tiring, but this is potentially a historical news coverage that could create countless news scoops.
‘When I sneaked a look into their office, they seemed to be using a spherical paper shredder. I don’t think they burn their papers at an incineration facility. At this rate, the job is very doable!
For the first and second nights, she headed to that vulgar place where the trash can was located and spent her time there.
While wearing her latex gloves and searching through the contents of the trash can, a pile of finely shredded paper finally came out.
‘Daebak, this is it!’
Even without using any skill, Saeron had the natural ability to recover stuff as a reporter. She started to organize the documents.
“I can’t use my skill if all the debris of the shredded documents are not gathered, so I have to find the remaining pieces first by hand!’
Behind Moon Saeron, who was recovering the shredded pieces with a joyful face, a shadow appeared.
When Saeron noticed that it had turned a bit dark, she looked back to see if the moon was shadowed by the clouds.
“Moon Saeron.”
“Ahk! Ham Geunhyung professor!”
Your face looks scarier at night!
She wanted to say those words but she became conscious and thankfully hit the brakes of her runny mouth. She made a series of excuses to Geunhyung just in case.
Of course, she also added that she obtained permission from Professor Noh Youngmi.
“Have you ever told another person about your plan for a news coverage here?”
“No? I haven’t told anyone except professor Youngmi.”
“I see…”
Moon Saeron tilted her head and thought “did the professor ask because our class had two journalists?’
She didn’t know that Jo Euishin, who knew about her actions because he witnessed it before inside the game, asked Geunhyung about this matter in advance.
“Let’s go.”
“Hmm? Where are we going? Uhm, I have some news that I need to cover though….”
She knew that Geunhyung was a very kind professor, but the scary expressions on his face weren’t helping her.
Saeron swallowed her words.
“You might get another opportunity to cover something else in the future. Take out your weapon and follow me.”
Although she questioned Geunhyung’s words and actions, Saeron had complete trust in him, and she took out her weapon and followed Ham Geunhyung.
Like that, they arrived at the Player’s Lighthouse.
The facility itself looked no different from a general lighthouse, but it was noticeable that it had the Player’s Association’s mark, and an enemy detection radar antenna was installed on the exterior of the building.
Moon Saeron spoke in an excited voice as she followed Geunhyunng into the lighthouse.
“It’s my first time seeing a Player’s Lighthouse in person! … But this one seems to be very underdeveloped. Is it because the government reduced their budget and left out a lot of subsidies?”
While Moon Saeron was excited at the thought of writing another article, they ran into three people.
One was a middle-aged man that she didn’t know, but the other two who came from the box were people that Moon Saeron knew well.
“Heol, it’s Kwon Jein sunbaenim and the Great Tak Geosan! Hello! How did you guys come here?!”
The two honorary teachers, who nodded and greeted Moon Saeron back, stared at the rough sea with sharp eyes.
Following them, Saeron took a glance at the dark night sea and looked at the old devices inside the lighthouse.
She was shocked to see the swarms of red dots on the old radar.
“…These are all enemies? Is this radar broken?
After seeing the faces of her elders, she realized that the radar wasn’t broken.
Her face turned pale as she listened to the others explain the situation.
“I will go up to the lighthouse to intercept and cover. Can we ask the island keeper to kindly help us?”
“O-of course! Legendary Archer!”
After the island keeper, Tak Geosan, and Kwon Jein left the lighthouse.
Moon Saeron came back to her senses and grabbed her weapon as she followed Ham Geunhyung.
“…Would it be better if I went out and joined them in the fight?”
“I don’t think it’s necessary given that the two are great honorary teachers. Instead, you should always be prepared to protect your own body.”
She felt reassured after hearing those words from Geunhyung, but it wasn’t easy to stay composed given the series of events that happened afterward.
The incredible number of enemies.
The madness of the sea that overwhelmed the grand army of enemies that struck the island.
Even a considerable number of players would find it difficult to maintain composure in this situation.
However, after seeing Geunhyung silently using his bow next to her, she was able to endure without being overwhelmed.
Moon Saeron’s mind and resolve were stronger than it seems.
‘This kind of coverage would be the first in my whole life!’
On this island, where the communication was blocked, Moon Saeron was the most vivid reporter.
She mobilized all possible devices she had to record, record, and record all the scenes and situations that arise.
Even if she faced death, her heart flutters at the thought that her actions would contribute plenty to the coverage of this event.
And right now, a decisive scene was being recorded on her device.
She was unable to contain her excitement as she muttered some words to herself.
“I can’t believe I’m recording this right now…!”
A violin performance resonated among the sound of strong tsunami waves.
Kwon Jein and Kwon Lena, the world’s best violinist and Korea’s top prestigious high school freshman player, continued their collaboration while facing each other from afar.
With the performance of the two, the sea started to calm down.
When the two stopped playing, the waves disappeared and only the serene night sea remained.
* * *
Fwaaa!
The red lightning summoned by the Red Tiger hit the battlefield once again.
However, beyond the blackened ground that was hit by the lightning, the silhouette on the other side of the smoke was still intact.
“I haven’t heard of such a thing. How should I do this? The communication on this side is cut off and the “Eye” skill is not working so the other side probably doesn’t know the situation here either. I don’t know how to deal with both the Tiger Clan and Dragon Clan.”
The Bear of Agony spoke as he lifted his seonjang.
(T/N: Seonjang is a tall walking cane/stick of some sort with some design on top.)
The Bear of Agony has yet to launch an active offensive attack.
The other bear sighed as she looked alternately between Shinrok and the Red Tiger.
“All I was tasked to do was to assassinate the Bear Goddess’ son and interrupt the island’s communication. How did I end up in this situation…”
‘I can’t believe he’s putting my son’s assassination and cutting of the island’s communication in one category.’
Upon hearing the words of the Bear, the Red Tiger closed his mouth to prevent harsh words that he sealed for thousands of years from coming out.
Instead, when he saw a gap between the pouring red fog, he dashed towards the Bear and managed to catch him and step on his neck.
“Euakk!”
The Bear struggled as she was electrocuted by the lightning emitted from the Red Tiger’s feet.
However, even in that situation, the Bear of Agony did not have a response.
‘Judging from the Bear of Agony’s face, even if we hold this one hostage, he won’t budge an inch.’
A useless hostage is nothing but a burden.
With such judgment, the Red Tiger took off his foot from the enemy’s neck and instead kicked him until he fainted.
As he saw the other bear who fainted, the Bear of Agony muttered.
“Ah, thankfully that bastard didn’t get to my servant. I couldn’t bring a sacrifice in time.”
Isn’t this bear the servant of the Bear of Agony?
While the Red Tiger was thinking, the Man and Woman, who were certain to be servants of the Bear of Agony, were dealing with Yong Jegun.
The Woman used a double-edged knife, while the Man used magic.
However, the two, who had taken the Eungwang students as hostages, had no time to even use their Authority skills as they were overwhelmed by Yong Jegun’s spatial skills.
Jegun made the attack so that Shinrok could have the chance to get back to his senses.
“This is tricky. I can’t kill them right away ‘cos their Authority skill might go crazy upon their death. It’s not as easy as I thought.”
Jegun said so, yet a relaxed facial expression could still be seen beyond the jade-colored space.
Although they were inferior in number, the number of the Bear Clan enemies gradually decreased as Yong Jegun and the Red Tiger displayed an overwhelming performance.
It was time for the Red Tiger to pour red lightning to the Bear of Agony once again.
“…I thought something more troublesome would come. Well, I was gonna pass you on when the Shapeshifter arrives, but at this point, I don’t think I can do that.”
The Bear of Agony spun his seonjang in the air.
After that, all the movements of the Bear People, except for the Bear of Agony and his servants, stopped at once.
At one end of the seonjang, an energy wave colored like dirty water started to pour out.
“Red Tiger! Defend yourself!”
Along with the heavy atmosphere, Jegun’s voice dominated.
After shouting at the tiger, Jegun summoned dozens of spaces around him and Shinrok.
Meanwhile, the Red Tiger stood mightily right in front of Shinrok.
“You won’t be able to handle the humiliation of being captured by a criminal. Therefore, I shall end your agony right here and then!”
The Bear of Agony put down his seonjang as he said those words.
Boom!
After the seonjang hit the ground, the Bear people started to faint one by one.
The bodies of the bear people were swelling up.
The bears looked at the face of the Bear of Agony with a face of disbelief.
And then, the swelled bodies of the bear people started to burst.
Boom! Foowom! Clash!
The huge explosions caused by the Bear of Agony’s energy wave shook the earth’s axis.
* * *
Not far away, an explosion was heard and an energy pressure dissipated after pressing on the surroundings.
Hwang Jiho suddenly stopped and frowned while he was using his boundary skill.
“…I smell blood. It seems to belong to either a human or a royal lineage.”
I didn’t know whether it smelled like blood or not. It seems like this bastard’s sense of smell is really sharp.
After observing the energy pressure that disappeared, Jiho continued using his boundary skill and we started to run again.
While I was following him, a system notification popped out.
<Bear Clan’s interference is over. Recovering communication.>
On the first day I arrived in this world.
The same message appeared as the White Tiger showed up towards the end of the tutorial.
‘The interference caused by the Bear Clan had disappeared. Were they reprehended, or were they able to retreat…?!’
There would be no problem in the future if the communication was recovered as soon as possible and the satellite’s alarm was received.
The Players Association will intervene once communication is restored, so we should expect support to come soon.
“The communication is restored.”
“Try contacting Red Tiger.”
Soon, Jiho spoke in a more relaxed voice as he received a reply.
“There seems to be a problem, but everyone’s safe for now.”
Those words eased my tension.
The most disturbing variable was also resolved safely.
As we ran with a lighter heart, my device suddenly started to receive missed calls as soon as I started it up.
I don’t know anyone who would contact me at this time though.
I wondered who it was as I checked the hologram.
‘…Min Geurin?’
The device’s inbox was flooded by Min Geurin’s name.
