Chapter 531: 531
⸢Once more, one hour before the apocalypse . ⸥
" . . . . Dammit, where the hell am I?"
Han Su-Yeong held her spinning head and hurriedly scanned her surroundings . The last thing she saw was the figure of Yu Jung-Hyeok disappearing within the shower of light . She quickly took a look at her own body .
It was a success .
Her much thinner arms, and muscles that lost their suppleness .
She couldn't sense any of the Fables she had compiled, the skills she trained in, nor even her Stigma .
However, that wasn't a problem . They had already thought up of what to do with such issues, when the scenario got underway again . No, the real issue was . . .
"Crap, I don't have much time left . "
Her smartphone's battery was almost out of juice, and she couldn't confirm the wellbeings of her companions at the moment . It was a fortune among misfortunes that she somehow managed to download the locations of her companions from the chat room just now .
" . . . . These guys, they did pretty well without me . "
Just a casual browse-through was enough for her to get a bead on where they were currently with their operation . That wasn't too surprising, though, considering that she was the one in charge of the operation in the first place .
But then, Han Su-Yeong's eyes scanning the map of the deployed locations began trembling .
"This idiot . . . . "
She raised her head and looked around her .
Although it could be tight, there seemed to be enough time left still .
*
⸢30 minutes before the apocalypse . ⸥
Yi Ji-Hye's eyes dazedly staring at the clock was suddenly blocked by a head full of black hair .
"Hey, crybaby . You planning to stay behind for the night classes today?"
"N-no . Uh . . . ng . "
It had already been 28 days since the regression, but she still hadn't gotten used to that nickname .
'Crybaby' .
When was the last time she heard someone call her that?
Once upon a time, she had other nicknames like that . And she had truly returned to such a time .
"Really? I was just asking, but why so suddenly?"
The other girl's eyes arched as if she was smiling .
For every single day during the past four years, Yi Ji-Hye had never forgotten those eyes . They belonged to a pale-skinned girl somewhat smaller than her . The blouse of her school uniform was missing a button . Her worn-out name tag, where her name could still be found .
⸢When she opens her eyes, the bloodshot irises would be staring right back her . ⸥
Yi Ji-Hye's trembling right hand was clutching onto the pant leg of her gym uniform .
⸢"Ji-Hye-yah, it'll be alright . "⸥
Yi Ji-Hye desperately grabbed her trembling hand .
⸢"You must live . "⸥
"Yi Ji-Hye?"
Her friend's hand approached from the air . Yi Ji-Hye avoided that hand almost as if she was having a seizure .
" . . . . . Ah, sorry . Were you saying something?" She hurriedly asked .
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine . "
"You want to bounce together around seven?"
"We must not!!"
Yi Ji-Hye shot up from her seat and shouted out even before she realised it . Her classmates sitting near her all looked in her direction immediately . She sat back down and spoke again . "We'll be high school seniors in a little while, right? So we gotta study hard for that . "
" . . . . . Crybaby, you sure you're not sick somewhere?"
⸢20 minutes before the apocalypse . ⸥
The bell denoting the start of the first night class period went off . Yi Ji-Hye pulled something out from her inner pocket, a small box covered in a crinkled wrapper .
"Bo-Ri-yah . Here . "
"What is it?"
Her friend saw the box and extended her hand . However, before handing over the item, Yi Ji-Hye told her friend in no uncertain terms first .
"You mustn't open it right now . Okay? Only open it when it's ten minutes before seven . Understand?"
"You didn't, like, put insects in this thing, right? You know I've got a weak heart, don't you?"
Yi Ji-Hye momentarily froze at those words . " . . . . . No, don't worry . I will definitely make sure you won't die . "
She finished what she wanted to say and stood up abruptly from her seat . Then, she pulled out a longsword stashed behind the classroom locker . Her surprised friend was still looking in her direction .
" . . . . Where are you going?" Her friend asked .
"Bathroom . "
Yi Ji-Hye immediately left the classroom . With good timing, the teacher in charge was walking towards her .
"Yi Ji-Hye? What are you doing? Go back inside the class! Night classes have begun already! And what are you carrying on your ba-"
"Teacher-nim, are you on duty today?"
It was the ethics teacher wearing the horn-rimmed glasses, with a slender physique and somewhat haggard eyes .
"Teacher-nim, please don't forget to open the no . 2 locker in the staff room later!"
Yi Ji-Hye slipped past the teacher, but the latter hurriedly reached out to her shoulder .
"What? Where are you . . . Urgh? Why is she so strong . . . Hey! Yi Ji-Hye!!"
Yi Ji-Hye broke into a sprint . She ran down the stairs in an instant, entered the teacher's staff room and stole the keys to the broadcast studio . She then ran up to the third floor, her heart threatening to explode along the way .
⸢The first scenario of the 'Taepung Girls' High' location began several minutes earlier than other locations . ⸥
That was the reason why Yi Ji-Hye had been deployed in this very location .
While panting breathlessly, she managed to unlock the door to find the rather familiar sight of the studio . The Taepung Girls' High boasted pretty high-end broadcasting equipment . Not only that, the school was given the authority to make broadcasts to the surrounding regions in case of emergency, as well .
While listening to the voice of the teacher still looking for her coming from downstairs, Yi Ji-Hye pulled out the emergency power source prepared earlier . She then calmly set up the broadcasting equipment .
As she connected the wiring, some memories in her mind also began to get connected, as well .
She used to work here as a crew member, and during the lunch hour, she'd play the music she liked . That was her life .
⸢At least, until the apocalypse came knocking . ⸥
She realised it once more while looking at her still-alive friends . The only person to survive in the classroom on that fateful day was her and her alone .
" . . . Yi Ji-Hye . "
She was startled by the voice and looked back, only to find an unexpected person there .
"Su-Yeong eonni?"
She must've been waiting for a while . Han Su-Yeong raised her body up from the darkness and quietly studied Yi Ji-Hye's face, before speaking up . "You don't look so good . "
"I'm fine . " Yi Ji-Hye stayed silent for a little while, then spoke again . "The scenario . It's going to start, right? Otherwise, I might get suspended later, you know . "
"It'll start . By the way, you don't really have start yours from here . You should hurry up and go to another location . Let me take care of this place for you . "
"No . This is where I need to start . " Yi Ji-Hye smiled . "Because, this is where the 'wounded sword demon' was born, after all . "
She then slowly sucked in her breath .
The setting-up of the equipment was finally finished .
⸢Ten minutes before the apocalypse . ⸥
And then, 'it' began .
Along with the 'Ku-gugugu' noise, the sensation of the world's 'nature' changing could be felt . Then, the sounds akin to drums being ripped apart came from an unknown location . And what came after that was . . . .
[Oh, my . The channel here opened up sooner than scheduled . Ah, ah, can you hear me?]
Yi Ji-Hye looked at Han Su-Yeong . The moment she saw the latter's face, she knew . Somewhat humorously, they had been living only for this moment .
[There is no need to panic, everyone . Let me say this first of all . This situation, it's not a film shoot . It's not a terror incident, nor are you currently dreaming . No, everyone, you're-]
That was the voice of the Dokkaebi she hated the most .
Screams resounded out from every classroom .
[Main Scenario #1 – Proof of Worth has begun . ]
That was the signal to commence with their planned operation .
- Emergency broadcast will now begin .
Yi Ji-Hye's own voice was coming out from the speakers .
- Everyone, please listen to me . Those inside the classrooms, please open up the cabinet for the cleaning tools, while those in the staff room, please open the no . 2 locker! Hurry!
Yi Ji-Hye knew . Her companions must be making the exact same face as hers about now . Everyone should be witnessing this sight through the display panel the Dokkaebi had brought up .
- There is no need for you to kill each other . At least this time, there is no need .
Yi Ji-Hye thought about her companions . She recalled the promises made to them before coming to this world .
⸢" . . . . At least I want to choose what I kill . "⸥
Shin Yu-Seung wouldn't start by killing a puppy anymore, and . . .
⸢"I'll save my aunt . "⸥
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